Originally Posted by
Easy Street
LAL
LL navigation and IP-to-TGT are syllabus decisions, nothing to do with the platform. Don't teach them if they're not required. Lack of HUD was not a significant issue for the 30 years in which T1 fed HUD-equipped 3rd gen aircraft; if anyone can think of a an example of a student who failed to adapt to HUD flying then I'll take the point, but practically everyone who desires a career as a military pilot will understand the concept from countless hours of youthful computer gaming. I did. Lightning doesn't even have a HUD; should our trainers now have helmet mounted displays too?
What the FJ OCUs need from AFT is a pilot with some hours under their belt, captaincy experience, some evidence of ability to cope with the physical and spatial demands of air combat (sight handling is type specific so less important), proven ability to learn quickly (given expense of remedial training or withdrawal), and situational awareness (including fuel awareness) at high speed and under pressure. Lack of jeopardy in the synthetic environment is a big problem, as is low fuel consumption in turboprop trainers before anyone suggests sending studes direct from Texan. The T1 was brilliant for all of that and many of my generation will agree that they were never sharper than when they led a map-and-stopwatch 2v1 with a 5 second ToT on their TWU end of course check, even if they never again attempted such a thing! The specific skills might not all have read across, but it was a ruthless screening and the cost of a modern OCU demands nothing less.
How about some of that "ruthless screening" on a core skillset that is actually relevant? Paper map and stopwatch IP-TGT runs... I think there's too much rose-tinted glasses wearing going on here!
If all you want is capacity testing, fine- bring back the T1. I wonder why no other modern Air Force is doing that though.
That said, it's a difficult problem to solve. The USAF haven't done it yet, and they are in an arguably worse state than the UK in terms of current basic trainers. But at least theirs work for now.