Column Commander’s Update Briefing
At the heart of any first-class air force is its training system, and although this is true for every role, this month’s column sees Air Power Association President, Air Marshal (ret’d) Greg Bagwell CB CBE focus on the aircrew element.
While modern teaching methods and technologies have had a significant impact on contemporary air forces’ approaches to training, it’s worth examining the wider context in which these developments have taken place.
Modern air platforms and systems have become easier to fly and, to a degree, to operate. However, the environment in which they have to conduct their missions has become ever more complex, with progressively more capable threats, more exacting rules and procedures, and the highest levels of scrutiny. Aircraft systems are increasingly reliable and automated or assisted to the extent that aircrew are far more able to focus on the challenges of this new context. Weapon employment, in particular, has changed beyond all recognition in the last three decades. In the process, precision or automated weapons have removed the need for a lot of the skills required to deliver the ‘dumb’ or not-so-smart weapons of the 1980s. I speak as so…
