In a real contemporary fighter squadron, what would the ranks be like? Would the CO of the squadron be a captain or major, and would the rest of the pilots be lieutenants?
Very curious.
Very curious.
Fighter Squadrons
- Thread starter Blue Ghost
- Start date
Icosahedron
SOC-14 1K
In the RAF, the leader of a flight is O3, and they go up from there.
http://www.raf.mod.uk/organisation/commissionedranks.cfm
I'm sure there's a rank structure for flyers in one of the CT supplements. That would probably be the way to go, rather than using direct navy ranks. OTOH, I'm not sure how the fleet air arm does it IRL.
http://www.raf.mod.uk/organisation/commissionedranks.cfm
I'm sure there's a rank structure for flyers in one of the CT supplements. That would probably be the way to go, rather than using direct navy ranks. OTOH, I'm not sure how the fleet air arm does it IRL.
BlackBat242
SOC-14 1K
I just went through the cruisebook for USS Ranger CV-61 for her 1987 WestPac cruise... every full USN squadron* had a Cdr (05) for both CO & XO, my USMC A-6E squadron (14) had LtCols (05) for both CO & XO, and both 1-plane detachments (C-2 & EA-3B) had a LtCdr (04) as "Officer-in-Charge".
* 2xF-14A (12 ea), 1xA-6E (14), 1xS-3A (8), 1xSH-3H (6), 1xEA-6B (4), 1xE-2C (4)
Geeze, the one supplement I didn't buy was COACC. Would it be in High Guard?
*EDIT*
I just asked the USAF. They gotta know, right?
*EDIT*
I just asked the USAF. They gotta know, right?
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The Air Force is mainly organized around the squadron, but the Navy and Marine Corps treat squadrons more like a specialized attached unit.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organizational_structure_and_hierarchy_of_the_United_States_Air_Force
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_Navy_aircraft_squadrons
An Air Force Flying Squadron, whether it be fighters, tactical lift, strategic lift, bombers, etc, etc. will have the following:
Commander - LtCol
Director of Operations (DO) - LtCol
1-4 Flights - Typically a Major or Senior Captain.
Flight members will run the gambit of officers (Lt-Major) as well as enlisted (E-1 thru E-8) Aircrew i.e. Flight Engineers, loadmasters, etc. depending on the type of aircraft. Cargo (lift) aircraft have mixed crews, officer and enlisted verses bombers or fighters, which are typically all officer crews.
There will also be support functions within those organizations such as:
aircrew life support (enlisted)
training (enlisted/officer)
weapons and tactics (manned out of aircrew resources)
standards and evaluations (manned out of aircrew resources)
aircrew forms (enlisted)
Commander - LtCol
Director of Operations (DO) - LtCol
1-4 Flights - Typically a Major or Senior Captain.
Flight members will run the gambit of officers (Lt-Major) as well as enlisted (E-1 thru E-8) Aircrew i.e. Flight Engineers, loadmasters, etc. depending on the type of aircraft. Cargo (lift) aircraft have mixed crews, officer and enlisted verses bombers or fighters, which are typically all officer crews.
There will also be support functions within those organizations such as:
aircrew life support (enlisted)
training (enlisted/officer)
weapons and tactics (manned out of aircrew resources)
standards and evaluations (manned out of aircrew resources)
aircrew forms (enlisted)
abomination
SOC-12
As my Imperium is loosely organised along British Victorian / Edwardian lines my fighter squadrons are based on the Royal Flying corp.
C.O., Major (O4)
Recording officer (O3/O2), Captain or Lieutenant, Commanding 1 segeant, 1 Corperal, 6 other ranks.
Equipment Officer, (O2) Lieutenant with 5 other ranks
Armamants Officer, (O2)Lieutenant with 5 other ranks
Between two & six "Flights" of six to ten fighters labelled A,B,C etc Each with:
Captain (O3)
Pilots are either Lietenants O2(for senior pilots) or Pilot officers / sergeants O1/E8-9 (for wingmen)
Then depending on type of craft
Navigators / Copilots (O1 /E8-9)
Gunners (E3-E6)
Flight Engineers (E3-E6)
Communication Technicians (E5 - E9)
Ground Crew: One senior sergant (E6-E9), Four Corperals (E2-E4) 32 other ranks for fixing / maintaining / Refilling & arming the fighters.
Specialist Technicians and Non commissioned flight crew get extra pay.
While this seems large like a large & unweildy structure individual Fights or even sub flights can & often are on detached duty from the squadron.
C.O., Major (O4)
Recording officer (O3/O2), Captain or Lieutenant, Commanding 1 segeant, 1 Corperal, 6 other ranks.
Equipment Officer, (O2) Lieutenant with 5 other ranks
Armamants Officer, (O2)Lieutenant with 5 other ranks
Between two & six "Flights" of six to ten fighters labelled A,B,C etc Each with:
Captain (O3)
Pilots are either Lietenants O2(for senior pilots) or Pilot officers / sergeants O1/E8-9 (for wingmen)
Then depending on type of craft
Navigators / Copilots (O1 /E8-9)
Gunners (E3-E6)
Flight Engineers (E3-E6)
Communication Technicians (E5 - E9)
Ground Crew: One senior sergant (E6-E9), Four Corperals (E2-E4) 32 other ranks for fixing / maintaining / Refilling & arming the fighters.
Specialist Technicians and Non commissioned flight crew get extra pay.
While this seems large like a large & unweildy structure individual Fights or even sub flights can & often are on detached duty from the squadron.
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abomination
SOC-12
BlackBat242
SOC-14 1K
In the USMC & USN in the 1930s & early WW2 "Sgt pilots" (Navy were "Petty Officer pilots") were usually aircraft mechanics who worked their way up via learning to taxi for pre-flight checks, etc... or who had learned to fly as civilians but failed the entrance requirements for commissioning as an officer.
Heh, would you believe the woman who answered my question at the Pentagon didn't know the answer?
Oh well.
Oh well.
Doesn't surprise me. All four branches organize differently and unless you spoke to some who deals with operational aviation units for a specific branch, the chances of them knowing the force structure is remote. I deal with AF organization/force structure requirements on a regular basis and some of it is still "fuzzy".
