Carrier Air Wing 2 Pilots Train for Operation Enduring Freedom

USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN, AT SEA

10.17.2010

Courtesy Story

U.S. Naval Forces Central Command / U.S. 5th Fleet           

By Petty Officer 2nd Class Alan Gragg

USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN, At Sea - Pilots assigned to Carrier Air Wing 2 have trained rigorously over the past year, preparing for their turn to support Operation Enduring Freedom.

CVW-2, which is part of the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, uses a four-level qualification system for strike fighter squadron pilots to improve their mission readiness.

The qualifications are earned through various strike fighter weapons tactics flights, where the F/A-18 pilots learn each role of a pilot in a VFA squadron, said Lt. j.g. William Dann, assigned to the "Bounty Hunters" of VFA-2.

The four-level qualification process begins when a pilot graduates from the Fleet Replacement Squadron and is designated as a Level 1 pilot. During Level 2, a pilot checks in to a unit and learns the roles of a combat wingman. Upon meeting those requirements, a pilot moves on to the combat lead training for Level 3.

Level 3, the combat lead, is where pilots take responsibility for a section of two aircraft. This level encourages pilots to further develop their leadership skills, by giving flight briefs to other pilots they will fly with, and requires even more preparation for their mission, said Lt. Cmdr. David Whitmer, assigned to the "Vigilantes" of VFA-151.

"As an aviator, you are expected to be able to time-manage your ground jobs, by studying and getting in the books and making sure you know everything you need to know," Whitmer said.

Level 4 is a step for pilots who have completed the combat lead requirements and can begin learning the responsibilities of leading a division of four aircraft.

"Before you move on to your next command, the goals is to have Level 4 complete, because that makes you a lot more useful to wherever you go next," said Dann.

Dann, who checked into VFA-2 in August, began his Level 2 qualifications and credited his squadron mates for getting him up to speed with the training and ready for deployment.

"I think they wanted to make sure I got all the right training first, specifically what we'll be doing in combat," he said. "Those are emphasized a lot more."

Each command's training officer is responsible for making sure each pilot is meeting their qualifications. Senior pilots, who are qualified evaluators, grade the junior pilots and pass on useful information from their experiences.

"It's great that we have a lot of people in the squadron who have been on combat deployments before," said Dann. "They are the best sources for information. Most of them are Level 4 complete. They've done all this, and been through it before. Pretty much every flight you go on, you'll have a guy who has this level of experience and qualification."

"Questions are always encouraged, and it's a constant learning process," he added. "There's a lot I have to learn in a short amount of time, so it's great that they're always available and they have the experience to draw on."

The training frequently goes beyond the domain of the individual squadrons, and requires cohesive teamwork from the entire air wing.

For one squadron to qualify their pilots, other CVW-2 assets are used as mock adversary aircraft, simulating combat scenarios.

"When we sit down to make training plans and schedules, it is a very complex process of making all that work," said Whitmer. "For instance, if somebody is trying to get a qualification, we need range space, we need the appropriate amount of ordnance, a number of jets from our squadron, and adversary support from another squadron, maybe two, as well as a command and control aircraft."

VFA-2, VFA-151, the "Kestrels" of VFA-137 and the "Blue Blasters" of VFA-34 represent the strike fighter squadrons assigned to CVW-2. The air wing is embarked aboard USS Abraham Lincoln, as part of the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group.

The strike group is on a scheduled deployment to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility, conducting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts.

• Date Taken: 10.17.2010
• Date Posted: 10.17.2010 17:35
• Story ID: 58275
• Location: USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN, AT SEA