

Our typical pre-deployment spin-up training will emphasise these mission sets to increase aircrew proficiency however, we still regularly train to combat proficiency in all mission sets assigned to the F-15E.”Īll US Air Force fighter units face a high operational tempo, and, Jones said, none more than the relatively few squadrons equipped with F-15Es: “With only six operational squadrons, it is a virtual certainty that at any given time one F-15E squadron will always be deployed, while the others are either at an exercise or returning from one. Jones said: “In recent deployments, the F-15E has been primarily used for preplanned deliberate strikes and provide close air support to friendly ground troops. Senior Airman Joshua Hoskins/US Air Forceį-15Es have been tasked to strike many different types of targets in combat dating back to Operation Desert Storm over Iraq in 1991. However, during deployments, crews will frequently fly together for extended periods to improve crew efficiency and task management.” At home station, it is unusual to fly with the same crew member every day. As a two-seat community, we train to specific rolls and standards that allow us to easily fly with different crew members. He said: “The massive increase in combat capability that the WSO brings to the fight is something that is easily overlooked and misunderstood by our single-seat fighter brethren. These contracts ensure that each crew member knows their role and expectations in the cockpit, no matter who they are flying with.”

F 15 STRIKE EAGLE COCKPIT MANUALS
To help crews operate efficiently as a team, our tactics manuals include entire chapters dedicated to standardising crew coordination contracts that aircrew brief, train and debrief to on every sortie. However, once we have trained a crew to the point they are combat mission ready, they are expected to be able to fly with any other pilot or weapons systems officer.


F 15 STRIKE EAGLE COCKPIT HOW TO
Richardson said: “During initial qualification training, students will usually be paired in crews to provide mutual support to one another as they learn how to fly and operate the jet for the first time. Two of the aircrew meeting these challenges are Captain Caleb Jones, a pilot in the 335th Fighter Squadron, and Captain Aaron Richardson, an F-15E WSO in the 4th Operations Support Squadron.į-15E crews fly and fight as a team. At the same time, it trains to be ready to engage highly capable peer adversaries, especially those with an anti-access/area denial capability. The 4th Fighter Wing, based at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, has to be able to deploy and sustain F-15Es in combat in CENTCOM. The F-15E today is heavily engaged in combat in the US Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility, from Afghanistan in the east to Syria in the west. Flown by a crew of two, pilot and weapons system operator (WSO), their skill and partnership is particularly important. The Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle is currently the most capable air-toground fighter in US Air Force service.
