OPCON – the last F-111 aircrew course

s of live ordnance releases on the Shoalwater Bay range near Rockhampton, marked the beginning of the end for the F-111 in RAAF service as its planned December 2010 withdrawal date and replacement by the F/A-18F Super Hornet approaches.

Three pilots and two Air Combat Officers (ACO Navigators) successfully graduated from the course, bringing to an end the stream of new crews converting to the F-111. OPCON is considered the minimum level of qualification for an F-111 pilot or ACO. During the course they are taught how to fly the aircraft, as well as how to get a weapon on target, and how to plan missions with up to two aircraft. The course consists of 60 hours in the aircraft and an additional 40 hours in the simulator.

Following the withdrawal of the 14 F-111Gs last year, the consolidation of F-111C operations commenced on August 15 with the transfer of 1SQN’s maintenance workforce to 6SQN. This will be followed on November 3 with the merging of all F-111 aircrew and the remaining workforce into 6SQN, while 1SQN embarks on its ‘manning up’ phase in preparation for the introduction of the F/A-18F Super Hornet from early 2010. The final F-111 Fighter Combat Instructor (FCI) course will conclude in December of this year (see elsewhere this issue), along with the operational upgrade of all D-Category rated pilots and ACOs who are deemed to be proficient on the aircraft, to the higher qualified C-Category.

In order for a pilot or ACO to achieve a ‘C-Cat’ rating, that is, to be declared mission ready, they must successfully complete the six month operational upgrade (OPUP) post graduate course conducted by 6SQN’s B Flight. OPUP expands upon OPCON to include broader tactical considerations including how best to work with other assets such as force multipliers like tankers, AEW&C and electronic intelligence platforms, as well the various methods required to defeat threats such as the employment of precision weapons, planning and flying appropriate flight profiles, and the use of onboard electronic warfare systems.

So, while the more basic OPCON is a course designed to teach crews how to fly the aircraft, the advanced OPUP course teaches them how to effectively fight with it.

“Northern Challenge represents the final phase of the operational conversion course for the training of F-111 aircrew,” the Chief of Staff of the RAAF’s Air Combat Group (ACG), GPCAPT Alan Clements told Australian Aviation. “The exercise provided comprehensive instruction in all aspects of F-111 operations by day and by night. An important milestone was reached with this particular Northern Challenge as it was the last exercise that 6SQN completed before the amalgamation of 1SQN and 6SQN which occurred on August 15 when the maintenance organisations of both squadrons merged under the same commanding officer. ” But the RAAF is planning on running a fully capable F-111C strike capability right up to late 2010, with GPCAPT Clements saying it will be business as usual until the planned withdrawal date, albeit with one larger than normal F-111 squadron which will be gradually reduced in size to accommodate manning for Super Hornet training, and the increasing size of 1SQN as IOC for the new aircraft looms.

The graduating pilots commenced their flying careers in the RAAF at Tamworth’s BFTS (see article from page 46. ) before a six month course at 2FTS at RAAF Pearce on the PC-9 and a further three months at Pearce’s 79SQN on the Hawk 127.

“To conclude this vital training, student personnel arrive at 6SQN (Amberley) to complete the final phase of the F-111 conversion course,” said GPCAPT Clements. For ACOs, “personnel who go on to take part in the fast jet stream proceed to 79SQN to complete the Introduction to Strike Navigator (ISN) course over a three month period.

They then convert onto the F-111 which takes approximately five months. ” The new Super Hornet oriented 1SQN is planned to have a mix of F-111 and ‘classic’ F/A-18 people, with the experiences they will bring from both the fighter and strike worlds being brought to bear in determining future concept of operations for the two-seat F/A-18F.