TOFO,
You say:
"for MR2 add on 1 dry man."
Do you mean that the MR2 crew is as for MR1, plus one extra Dry man, or do you mean that the MR2 crew is as described on the RAF website (below), plus one dry?
"two pilots and a flight engineer, two weapon systems officers (WSO) (tactical and routine), and a WSO who is the sensor and communications coordinator. He is, in turn, supported by a team of two ‘wet’ weapon systems operators (WSOps) and four ‘dry’ WSOps."
Wensleydale,
Re AEW3 - interesting - a much smaller crew than on the E-3D, by the sound of it? Just six consoles/mission crew, compared to what, 11 in an E-3D?
RAF website: "11-man mission crew. The mission crew comprises a tactical director (mission crew commander), a fighter allocator, three weapons controllers, a surveillance controller, two surveillance operators, a data-link manager, a communications operator and an electronic-support- measures operator."
What was the breakdown of the six on the AEW Nimwacs? How did the Shack AEW compare? Wasn't the Shack 2 Pilots, 1 Air Engineer, 2 Navigators (one running the radios) and 4 mission crew (Tactical Coordinator (TACO), Controller, and 2 Operators), with the radio navigator later being replaced by an additional mission crew member?
Which five positions on the E-3D are new, in other words?
Arising..... and I hesitate in asking, and am entirely happy if it remains unanswered......
Was the crewing of XV230 (with two SRR personnel - one Army, one Royal) when she was lost, usual or uncommon in theatre? Would it be safe to assume that they were there for MX15 and Broadsword?