Posted on Dec 17, 2015
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Secretary
Air Force officials announced a new initiative to enhance the Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance mission by integrating enlisted remotely piloted aircraft pilots into the force.
Air Force officials stated a dynamic threat environment calls for innovative approaches to high-demand missions. After careful consideration and with an eye toward potential future force needs, service officials plan to deliberately integrate the enlisted force into flying operations, starting with the RQ-4 Global Hawk.
“Our enlisted force is the best in the world and I am completely confident they will be able to do the job and do it well,” said Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James. “The RPA enterprise is doing incredibly important work and this is the right decision to ensure the Air Force is positioned to support the future threat environment. Emerging requirements and combatant commander demands will only increase; therefore, we will position the service to provide warfighters and our nation the capability they deserve today and in the future.”
http://www.af.mil/News/ArticleDisplay/tabid/223/Article/637192/af-introduces-enlisted-global-hawk-pilots.aspx
Air Force officials announced a new initiative to enhance the Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance mission by integrating enlisted remotely piloted aircraft pilots into the force.
Air Force officials stated a dynamic threat environment calls for innovative approaches to high-demand missions. After careful consideration and with an eye toward potential future force needs, service officials plan to deliberately integrate the enlisted force into flying operations, starting with the RQ-4 Global Hawk.
“Our enlisted force is the best in the world and I am completely confident they will be able to do the job and do it well,” said Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James. “The RPA enterprise is doing incredibly important work and this is the right decision to ensure the Air Force is positioned to support the future threat environment. Emerging requirements and combatant commander demands will only increase; therefore, we will position the service to provide warfighters and our nation the capability they deserve today and in the future.”
http://www.af.mil/News/ArticleDisplay/tabid/223/Article/637192/af-introduces-enlisted-global-hawk-pilots.aspx
Pilot
Enlisted
Posted 9 y ago
Responses: 13
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Consider this: navigators were removed from KC-135s and the enlisted boomers started taking on navigator duty. They loved it, but the AF just got more high paying work from a worker they pay less.
Airmen are paid next to nothing compared to officers because (historically) of their levels of responsibility. Airmen keep asking for more and more responsibility, and they keep getting it, but without the associated pay our authority (rank). Don't sell yourselves short. You are flying a real plane with all the real responsibility and expense. Crashing a RQ4 into a neighborhood is the same as crashing an MC12. Except you get to be home for the trial.... on an Airman's paycheck.
Airmen are paid next to nothing compared to officers because (historically) of their levels of responsibility. Airmen keep asking for more and more responsibility, and they keep getting it, but without the associated pay our authority (rank). Don't sell yourselves short. You are flying a real plane with all the real responsibility and expense. Crashing a RQ4 into a neighborhood is the same as crashing an MC12. Except you get to be home for the trial.... on an Airman's paycheck.
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In my view, there is no other way to keep up with this rapid growth in the RPA world. See the discussion below for more details on the DoD's $3B plan. https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/usaf-proposes-3b-plan-to-vastly-expand-its-drone-program-would-you-allocate-this-funding-differently-or-do-you-agree-with-this-move
USAF proposes $3B plan to vastly expand its drone program. Would you allocate this funding...
Interesting read here in the LA Times and I'm curious what the RP community thinks of this strategic expansion of RPAs. Please vote in the survey and share your thoughts on this plan to vastly grow the drone fleet. If the $3B in funding is indeed moved into the RPA programs, how should it effectively be allocated between systems, manpower, & training programs? If not RPAs, where would you spend this budget? Brief excerpt of the Times article...
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There are 100s if not 1000s of enlisted members of the USAF who hold Private Pilot or higher ratings. It makes good sense to utilize these individuals as drone pilots and utilize the "O" Pilots in the airplanes. It makes better use of personnel who will obviously require much less training to place in the job. I.E. Less cost to government for initial training.
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Lt Col John Tringali
The AF should make them Flight Officers and pay them appropriately. The Es see this as opportunity, but I see it as big AF getting cheap labor.
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Lt Col (Join to see)
SSgt Jim Gilmore - Why do you think it will be4 less training to train enlisted pilots?
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SSgt Jim Gilmore
Many already have pilots licenses and in most if not all cases and would not be required to go through UPT as they are not IN an actual aircraft. You are looking at training the video gamer generation for a job not unlike a video game but with greater responsibility. I can fly a real airplane but my ability as a gamer is squat. The main focus for this program should be to first position enlisted with pilots licenses and gamer experience.
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