I think All Weather can be assumed with F-35 VMFA. The first (AW) squadrons were F-8Es VMF(AW)in which the radar was supposed to make all weather intercepts possible. We used to say in jest that the AW in F/A-18D squadrons meant "Add WSO". Until ATARS came about there was not anything a F/A-18D WSO could do from the backseat that a single seat Hornet could do by itself. That is not to say that a good WSO is not worth his weight in gold, especially on a dark night, low altitude, or especially on FAC(A) missions. On a different note, what happened to the short story about the PRC and Africa? I was enjoying that story and wanted to see how it ended.
I think All Weather can be assumed with F-35 VMFA. The first (AW) squadrons were F-8Es VMF(AW)in which the radar was supposed to make all weather intercepts possible. We used to say in jest that the AW in F/A-18D squadrons meant "Add WSO". Until ATARS came about there was not anything a F/A-18D WSO could do from the backseat that a single seat Hornet could do by itself. That is not to say that a good WSO is not worth his weight in gold, especially on a dark night, low altitude, or especially on FAC(A) missions.
ReplyDeleteOn a different note, what happened to the short story about the PRC and Africa? I was enjoying that story and wanted to see how it ended.
wow. i got hate mail on it and i'm not a very good writer (vivid imagination though) so i thought it wasn't wanted. i trashed it. should i dig it out?
DeleteI was enjoying it. If you have it done you might as well post it.
ReplyDelete