Wings following USAF tactics, techniques and procedures?
-
Using USAF TTPs myself in RL, I can honestly say that not much of what the USAF uses really translate well to the sim world. What does apply most sim squadrons, that I’ve seen, already use. This includes formations and simple combat tactics. The rest is simply procedures that are recommended as “techniques” in day-to-day flight operations. Either during Peace or War time contengencies.
To give you an exampe, the Combat Aircraft Fundamentals Multi-command handbook 11-F16 Vol5 (or “Vol 5” for short) that’s included with Falcon BMS documents is essentially the older version of the current Air Force Techniques, Tactics & Procedures (aka AFTTP 3-3, Vol 5 for the Unclassified F-16 verions, …3-1, Vol 5 for the Classified version) that is used by all USAF operators. In the Vol 5 it talks specifically about what to do for ingress, egress and even recovery back at the base…
EXAMPLE:
_5.21.3. Ground Threat at Recovery Base…After landing, the compromise between force protection (sheltering of aircraft) and combat turnaround
needs to be considered. Also, decontamination procedures may be in effect upon landing._Not sure if there are any sim squadrons out there that is concerned about sheltering a virtual aircraft so it can be “turned” and decontaminated because it flew into a cloud of nerve agent during egress. :fart: :uham: IMO, it seems a bit…un-realistic.
-
Not sure if there are any sim squadrons out there that is concerned about sheltering a virtual aircraft so it can be “turned” and decontaminated because it flew into a cloud of nerve agent during egress. :fart: :uham: IMO, it seems a bit…un-realistic.
What you talking about Jolly? After sweating so much on some of our flights lately, my wife decontaminated my desk pit with Glen 20 :wfish:
Thanks for the insight.
-
Im going to take that as a dismissive “no”, then. As you point out the vol 5, that would be the source of procedures for such a wing I would be looking for.
-
Im going to take that as a dismissive “no”, then. As you point out the vol 5, that would be the source of procedures for such a wing I would be looking for.
Yes Blu’…if you’re looking for that much immersion, then ask around the squadrons and see who follows this regulation. Keep in mind though that a good percentage of USAF operators only use it because they are forced to by other regulations and/or Higher HQ doctrine. By a 1/3 of the title implies, it is only techniques, which are just “suggestions” in military lingo.
What you talking about Jolly? After sweating so much on some of our flights lately, my wife decontaminated my desk pit with Glen 20 :wfish:
Thanks for the insight.
Eeeww-My apologies Raven’…might I suggest wearing AERPS gear while flying next time?
Along with the ensemble you see here, there is what is known as a “body condom”, which is just a large clear garbage bag that aircrew wear to transit from building to aircraft.
Cheers,
Jolly -
I had been hoping that asking on the forums here would be sufficient to find such a squadron. It seems not, though.
A bit of a nitpick - I thought the vol 5 was less regulation and more “suggestions” as you put it. If I thought there was a wing which followed something inspired by regulations (perhaps say from the AFI-11 series documents) that would be a step better again.
-
in 2015 I co-founded with another friend the 401st TFW. It was a hardcore squadron, following real word standards, training, exams, etc. We used to fly more than 3 missions a week. Just to get an idea, at the end we were able to fly combat mission almost with no comms….very good SOPs we had.
Unfortunately, we closed the 401st due to the lack of interest (4 pilots applied, 3 started training, 2 finished IQT, 1 flew with us). Most people that applied were not willing to learn the plane and our standards.
-
I had been hoping that asking on the forums here would be sufficient to find such a squadron. It seems not, though.
A bit of a nitpick - I thought the vol 5 was less regulation and more “suggestions” as you put it. If I thought there was a wing which followed something inspired by regulations (perhaps say from the AFI-11 series documents) that would be a step better again.
Perhaps a better word would be “standardiation” of tactics, techniques & procedures. With that loose definition CC’s can use it as a psudo-reg. The practice being, you can deviate from the regulations (e.g. AFI 11 series or “Dash 1”) as long as it is more restrictive. CC’s can interprit the AFTTPs as “more restrictive”.
Cheers
J -
in 2015 I co-founded with another friend the 401st TFW. It was a hardcore squadron, following real word standards, training, exams, etc. We used to fly more than 3 missions a week. Just to get an idea, at the end we were able to fly combat mission almost with no comms….very good SOPs we had.
Unfortunately, we closed the 401st due to the lack of interest (4 pilots applied, 3 started training, 2 finished IQT, 1 flew with us). Most people that applied were not willing to learn the plane and our standards.
Yes-there lies another problem. Ensuring that people follow the rules! And with the way human nature is with rules & reguations…hence the reason The US Military has us sign contracts and hold the Uniform Code of Military Justice over our heads.
So, if you all can believe it, I actually fly BMS as an escape from the rigorous regulation-based flying I do for the AF. :uham: Even though it may look like a “cluster”.
Cheers
J -
I fly combat flight sim since I was 9 years old (I am 39 now). I have learned that the real satisfaction in this hobby does not come from quick and dirty executed mission, as you find nowawadays in most squads I know.
I enjoy doing a detailed briefing (using a whiteboard), discussing and practicing tactics I have been training, looking at my flying standards, flying check rides, having detailed syllabus as RL, etc. That was the idea of the 401st…
Before that I used to fly since 2006 with a well know british squad, but, after trying to change its “Sunday Squadron” attitude, i gave up and formed the 401st, just to learn again that I am probably an exception on that hobby.The problem is time available and/or the will to commit time to this hobby. I am probably a lucky guy with a lot of time for my hobby(ies).
Back to the OP: Blu3wolf, if you find that kind of squadron, let me know.
-
in 2015 I co-founded with another friend the 401st TFW. It was a hardcore squadron, following real word standards, training, exams, etc. We used to fly more than 3 missions a week. Just to get an idea, at the end we were able to fly combat mission almost with no comms….very good SOPs we had.
Unfortunately, we closed the 401st due to the lack of interest (4 pilots applied, 3 started training, 2 finished IQT, 1 flew with us). Most people that applied were not willing to learn the plane and our standards.
A problem that we too face in our squadron. Until a few years ago, we used to take off, hit a bridge and land. Almost no briefing and everything was decided on the fly. We wanted to change this and as Blu3wolf mentioned in the opening post, we now try to follow real procedures, based on information we can gather on how the Belgian Air Component operates. In the process of converting to those more realistic operations, a few members no longer agreed with or were unable to (dedicate the time to) adjust to the new way of things and left.
As a result, there has been a time where we had just 2 active pilots, but nowadays, we have approximately 6-8. Not everyone’s up to full speed just yet, but a few of us are able to brief a 2 hour mission in 10 minutes or so, and we will all know exactly what the complete game plan is because we know our SOP and TOP. Once in a while, we get a new application, but more often than not, they too leave once they realize what effort (especially reading and studying) we expect of them.
Luckily, we found a few other squadrons (mainly S-RDAF, 1st Virtual Stingers and 31st VFS) that also appreciate realistic operations, so while we do not have enough pilots to organize bigger missions, we are able to fill the gap with coops.