Early in December, in one of the world’s best training airspaces, F/A-18F Super Hornet Conversion Course students conquered the final challenge of the six-month test designed to produce world-class fast-jet air crew.
From December 2 to 10, RAAF Base Townsville hosted Exercise Crimson Dawn 24-2 – presenting a new operating environment and new challenges to the trainee air crew on F/A-18F Super Hornet Conversion Course.
Training Flight Commander 1 Squadron, Squadron Leader Andrew Kloeden, said the exercise provided the perfect opportunity for the air crew to test and consolidate their new skills.
“Strike missions flown during Exercise Crimson Dawn 24-2 require trainees to demonstrate competency in all aspects of their training to date,” Squadron Leader Kloeden said.
“Operating from a deployed location, in an unfamiliar environment and with live weapons, ensures graduates are prepared for the challenges they will face in an operational squadron.”
In addition to training on the aircraft itself, Exercise Crimson Dawn 24-2 looks at perfecting the teamwork required to operate a two-seat fast-jet.
In the F/A-18F Super Hornet, the task of operating the state-of-the-art mission system is shared between two highly skilled aviators, the fast-jet pilot and the weapons systems officer (WSO).
The success of the mission relies on the two aviators’ understanding of each other and their aircraft.
Instructor WSO, Flight Lieutenant Jack Trundle, said teamwork and understanding is required to perform high stakes missions and Exercise Crimson Dawn tested that bond.
“The pilot and WSO need to be highly effective at communicating with each other to complete the graduation missions on Crimson Dawn 24-2,” Flight Lieutenant Trundle said.
“We will put them through their paces in high stress scenarios that require them to do air-to-air and air-to-surface warfare simultaneously.
“This will test their ability to work together as a crew and solidify the bond they will need to succeed in combat.”
On completion of Exercise Crimson Dawn 24-2, graduates returned to 1 Squadron at RAAF Base Amberley as fully qualified aircrew on the F/A-18F Super Hornet.
