Originally Posted by
Jackonicko
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."
9 mission consoles. The data link manager and the comms op were not part of the hand-on mission crew but operated the data links and comms. (IIRC)
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?
Yes, however the 'mission crew' was a mix of commissioned navs and AEOs until about 1982 when more positions were opened up to AEOps. I believe this was a planned escape route from ISK to bring EW skills to the Nimwacs. Some, but not all, AEOps stayed the course and made it through to the E3, others bailed out along the route.
Which five positions on the E-3D are new, in other words?
Data links and comms, and 3 of the operators, take your pick. On the Shack the mission progression was operator (surveillance) to controller to tacco and it was probbaly intended to be a similar route on the Nimwacks, in other words weapons controller was not a separate discipline as in the E3 but one of progression from surveillance.
The E3 setup more closely parallels the ADGE setup whereas the limited number of positions on the Nimwacs required multi-skilling.