Aviation Warfare Systems Operator

Expand|date=September 2007

Aviation Warfare Systems Operator (abbreviated as AW) is a United States Navy occupational rating.

ummary

Aviation Warfare Systems Operator (abbreviated as AW) is a United States Navy occupational rating. Many technologically advanced Navies of the world have the same counterpart

Training

All AW’s must attain a minimum amount of education, and training in several fields of science, technology, and aviation, at several different schools. The educational “pipe-line” averages two years in length. The following list describes most of those schools.

chools

Basic Electronics and Electricity school (BEE)

Teaches the fundamentals of electronic theory, troubleshooting to the component level, AM & FM transmitters and receivers, etc. This school is no longer required since ground technicians now provide routine maintenance. The AW is still required to have the knowledge to trouble shoot, perform diagnostic functions using manual and computer aided techniques to effect fault isolation and optimize system and repair the equipment during the actual mission.

Electronics Technician (ET,AT,AQ)“A”

School teaches different practical applications of electronics and how to troubleshoot many systems including radars. This school is no longer required since ground technicians now provide routine maintenance. The AW is still required to have the knowledge to trouble shoot, perform diagnostic functions using manual and computer aided techniques to effect fault isolation and optimize system and repair the equipement during the actual mission.

Enlisted Basic Aviation Training

This training teaches how to safely work, on a tarmac, around aircraft. It also acts as a very basic primer to aircraft ground operations and maintenance documentation.

Naval Aircrew Candidate School (NACCS)

NACCS of NAS Pensacola FL introduces and evaluates the student in basic flight psychology. Low pressure hyperbaric chamber, night vision evaluation, multi station spatial disorientation device also known as the spin and puke. Various simulators in the water to expose the student to eggressing a aircraft in an emergency. Advanced first aid and CPR. A very aggressive physical regamine including running up to five miles, swimming a mile at a time, etc. Hand to hand combat via boxing and Tae Kwon Do are practiced. Jungle evasion and survival training is also delved into for a week at this time.

AW “A” school

Naval Air Technical Training Center (NATTC) provides the student a basic introduction to all the fields the student must be well versed in to operate in their perspective platform. Active and passive electronic warfare, active and passive sonar. Reading LOFAR grams, magnetic anomaly detection equipement, Physics, Wave propagation, Oceanograghy, Meteorology. How to work with classified information safely.

urvival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE)

Course: (E-2D-0039) 12 DaysThis course is designed to provide Level "C" Code of Conduct training to pilots, flight officers, intelligence officers, aircrew, and other designated high risk of capture personnel as directed by respective TYCOMs/MCCDC in accordance with DOD Instruction 1300.21 and the Joint Personnel Recovery Agency (JPRA) Executive Agent Instruction. Training encompasses those basic skills necessary for world-wide survival, facilitating search and rescue efforts, evading capture by hostile forces, resistance to interrogation, exploitation and indoctrination, and escape from detention by enemy forces in accordance with DOD Instruction 1300.21. It is based on and reinforces the values expressed in the Code of Conduct while maintaining an appropriate balance of sound educational methodology and realistic/stressful training scenarios.

Prerequisites: Requires certification of a current physical examination (within 1 year for aircrew) and completion of a Medical Screening Form within 14 days of training by competent medical authority (i.e. Flight Surgeon, IDC). Students must report for training with Medical and Dental Records or they will be disenrolled from the course. Please note that the medical screening form is in .pdf format. SERE training is physically demanding, therefore, students must comply with their own service's body fat standards and have successfully passed their most recent Physical Readiness Test.

FASOTRAGRU

Immerses the student much further into training for their specific platform (aircraft, or operation center) and specialty (acoustic, or non-acoustic). NATOPS, and Tactics are also introduced. After graduating training, and reporting for duty in the fleet, they are required to complete “on the job training” lasting around six months before being recognized.

Position Summaries

There are several platforms (fixed wing P-3 Orion, S-3 Viking, and rotary wing H60 aircraft, aircraft carriers, etc) specialties (pipelines), and special certifications available within the rating. All AW’s receive a minimal amount of training in search and rescue, and various weapons. Additional training can be acquired to qualify rotary wing AW’s as “CSAR swimmers” (Combat Search and Rescue). Some AW’s may be selected to work with ”special weapons” otherwise known as weapons of mass destruction. Below is a list of specialties within the rating.

Aviation Warfare Systems Operator Acoustic

(abbreviated as AWA, SS1 & 2)
Fly in a fixed wing, medium range patrol/bomber aircraft. Currently the P-3 Orion is fulfilling this role. They start as a Sensor two and work their way up to a fully qualified Sensor 1 with their own crew. The job can be related to a the civilian fields of Machine condition monitoring, or predictive maintenance. The AW’s must analyze the incoming sensor data to search, localize, track, determine spatial orientation and vector, identify, asses condition of, establish attack parameters on a single, or multiple surface or subsurface contacts. A passive sonar system (an extremely beefed up acoustical spectrum analyzer) is used with various transducers (accelerometers), or sonobuoy’s They control the type and settings for the sonobuoys, underwater communication equipement for platform to platform communication, sensor system to fire control system data transfer and recording. Various active sonar’s may also be employed.

Aviation Warfare Systems Operator Nonacoustic

(abbreviated as AWN, SS3)
Fly in a fixed wing, medium range patrol/bomber aircraft. Currently the P-3 Orion is fulfilling this role. The AW’s must analyze the incoming sensor data to search, localize, track, determine spatial orientation and vector, identify, establish attack parameters on a single, or multiple surface contacts. Radars, electronic support measures, infra red detection systems, various gyro-stabilized optical imaging devices, and magnetic anamoly detection devices are used to collect the data required. They control sensor system to fire control system data transfer and recording.

Aviation Warfare Systems Operator Senso

(abbreviated as AWSENSO)
Fly in a fixed wing, carrier based, short range patrol/attack aircraft. Currently the S-3 Viking is fulfilling this role. The job can be related to the civilian fields of Machine condition monitoring, or predictive maintenance. The AW’s must analyze the incoming sensor data to search, localize, track, determine spatial orientation and vector, identify, asses condition of, establish attack parameters on a single, or multiple surface or subsurface contacts. A passive sonar system (an extremely beefed up acoustical spectrum analyzer) is used with various transducers (accelerometers), or sonobuoy’s They control the type and settings for the sonobuoys, underwater communication equipement for platform to platform communication, sensor system to fire control system data transfer and recording. Various active sonar’s may also be employed. A radar, electronic support measures, various gyro-stabilized optical imaging devices, and magnetic anamoly detection device are used to collect the data required to make a informed decision.

Aviation Warfare Systems Operator Asmod/ASWOC

(abbreviated as AWASMOD/ASWOC)Brief, debrief aircrews going on missions. Filter through, organize, and relay intelligence collected during the mission in an aircraft carrier module. Coordinate ASW information gathering throughout the battle group.Aviation Warfare Systems Operator ASWOC (abbreviated as AWASWOC)Brief, debrief aircrews going on missions. Filter through, organize, and relay intelligence collected during the mission in a land based operation center.
Aviation Warfare Systems Operators operate various USW and non-USW related sensor systems to extract, analyze and classify data obtained; perform specified preflight, inflight and postflight operations in a multitude of Naval aircraft serving Anti-surface, USW, Mine countermeasures, Electronic, Counter narcotics, and Land and Sea rescue Warfare missions performance; operate tactical support center systems to analyze and classify USW and non-USW data; assist in aircrew briefing and debriefing; and provide data base information to the Tactical Commander for use in prescribing mission objectives and tactics. References

United States Naval Aviation 1910–1995, Appendix 14, Aviation Ratings [http://www.history.navy.mil Naval Historical Center]

ee also

*List of United States Navy ratings