The Future of RAF Air Missions

[Flyco]

RAF AIR – FUTURE OF MISSIONS

By Flyco - with thanks to Eyore who foresees ‘Doom’ and more ‘Doom’

There have been a number of similar thoughts put up on the server recently about the future of missions within RAF Air, and what can be done to improve them. I believe that, to a degree, we have become ‘victims of our own success’. We have so many members (with quite a rapid changeover), and such a wide choice of aircraft, and a broad spectrum of capabilities, that there is a lack of cohesion within the Group.

Three or four years ago, we had 2 or 3 main aircraft types and at most around 20 regular players. The problems of combining these, within a reasonable cohesive mission, was relatively straightforward. At the same time, mission writers could maintain a fair degree of currency on all ac types and roles, and thus test and adjust missions themselves before throwing them open to wider use. The size of the different elements was more sensible, sometimes with 2 or more flights of the same aircraft (usually the A-10C), acting in concert. Recently, however, we have seen missions with 6 or 7 different ac types, spread between up to 30 members, making cohesive interaction, within a limited 2 hrs time span impossible.

We have to decide whether we want to be ‘shit-hot specialists’ or ‘laid-back dilettantes’. I use both terms without any pejorative connotations applied to either (although I suspect I am in the latter category). It is noticeable that many of the DCS flying groups to be seen on the DCS server appear, from their names, to specialize to a degree in a single aircraft type. At the same time within our own, 41 Sqn have adopted the same route. The adage ‘Jack of all trades – master of none’ would seem to apply. It is inevitable that if you always fly the same ac and roles, you will improve faster – but the enjoyment and freshness may be reduced.

I don’t feel competent to suggest a solution. Except to say that we should try and be more deliberate and disciplined in our planning and briefing, and ensure that the mission is set in concrete and all briefings issued at least 3 days in advance - and no it won’t be possible to add an extra UH-1H to the F-14 CAP!. I note that great deal of work goes into writing a scenario, with details of the background, politics and personalities involved. However, in real life, at briefings before exercises and operations, I have rarely heard questions from the ‘grunts’ (no offence intended, I consider myself among them) about the political aspects – all they want is to know is: times; weapons; routes (preferably in magnetic!); formation command and structures; frequencies; targets; support; and weather (with wind direction given as the direction ‘from’ (again in magnetic!)) – and of course whether there will be duty-free at the over-seas mounting bases.. I have lost track of the times I have spawned into an RAF Air mission, without knowing which airfield it is mounted from and which ac Tail-No I am flying.

In essence, I am saying it is a ‘game’. Navel-gazing will not help. There are no answers to many of the problems we have, but we could certainly help ourselves by better (dare I say it again – Yes I will) Discipline!

[0405 Andrew]

Hi Alan,

Thanks for the post, I believe we are making progress with the missions, they have evolved over the last couple of months.
The briefings and planning are following a different format now, so you will be spared some of my monotone at least.

The flights are now planned by each squadron and added to the mission, if you do not know the airfield you will be flying from take it up with your squadron commander. The Squadron commander will be briefing you.

Personally I like some background and story to the mission, and if it's a group of missions it's nice to know how last week's mission went. The feedback received from the missions run recently has confirmed that this has been appreciated and enjoyed.

[Flyco]

Andrew, what I am pushing for is a briefing, at squadron level, at least 24 hrs before the mission is flown. This allows aircrew time to rehearse any aspects they are weak at (e.g AAR or Maverick etc). In real life any advanced briefing would need to be backed up with late changes - weather, enemy disposition, change to ac numbers or minor route changes etc, but these should not be necessary for a simulated mission, and would not normally be left until 10 minutes before take-off.

[0405 Andrew]

I'm glad we are on the same wave length. I suggest that now we are ahead with the mission planning the brief will be available the week before. But not only a brief, an intel map will be sent to the squadron commanders for them to plan the flight. The intel map is a miz file. It has the correct weather the correct terrain and the correct intel on it. If all goes well, this should be sent out the week before. I attach an example. Please examine it and come back to me with any questions. This was a from a previous mission. You may even remember it.
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/ ... sp=sharing
Using this format Geoff produced a brief for 97 Squadron. All of 97 would have been quite clear what their target was and where they were taking off from. Like I say I think we have made great progress in the last few weeks getting to where you want the briefings to be.