Down in the Keys
Combat Aircraft caught up with the TSW
during an SFARP at NAS Key West that ran
from June 3-21 when the strike fighter
squadrons of CVW-3 were in town. The
period is geared toward preparing a carrier
air wing’s Super Hornet squadrons for
deployment, in this case focusing on the
air-to-air mission including two-ship and
four-ship tactics. The course usually runs
for three-to-four weeks with two units
coming to Key West at a time, swapping
out halfway through.
TSW’s commitment to this kind of SFARP
is typically either VFA-204 or VFC-12, and
one of the F-5 squadrons, usually Key
West’s resident VFC-111, augmented by
VFC-13 that sends assets down from Fallon
as and when needed. SFARP is overseen
by either Strike Fighter Weapons School
(SFWS) Atlantic or Pacific, depending on
where the deploying CVW is from. The
weapons schools are staffed by TOPGUN
graduates who write the syllabus and
oversee its execution in conjunction with
the TSW, even flying during events as
part of the ‘Red Air’ forces. The missions
typically see up to 10 adversaries going
up against four air wing aircraft — so
3-to-1 odds against them aren’t unusual.
Adversaries that have been ‘killed’ will
also regenerate and rejoin the fight.On this occasion, Hornets of both
VFA-204 and VFC-12 were at Key West,
and several flew with NAVAIR threat
simulation pods based on the ALQ-- These are capable of simulating a
wide variety of sensor emissions and
jamming capabilities. As the fleet has
retired ‘legacy’ Hornets from the front
line, the reserve squadrons have received
F/A-18C/Ds that have been cascaded
down to them. It means the adversary
Hornet pilots now have access to Link
16 to improve situational awareness
plus the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing
System (JHMCS) and AIM-9X, meaning
they can make high off-boresight missile
shots — literally looking back over their
shoulder. It means that they are far
better able to replicate more advanced
opponents in the close-in fight.
The TSW has cultivated an intense
adversary culture over the last 20 years as
most of its pilots are hugely experienced,
being in and around the aggressor role
for most of their careers. It is with this
immense corporate knowledge that
the TSW proves its worth, retaining that
wealth of experience that is passed
along to the young naval aviators that
are fresh out of training and on their first
operational tour, as well the older hands
that need to stay sharp.
http://www.combataircraft.net // September 2019 49
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