Air Power 2017

102 AIR POWER 2017

21 ST CENTURY CAPABILITIES

21 ST CENTURY PARTNERSHIPS

of standards assurance, has paid dividends with

early acceleration of the pilot throughput to meet

primarily Poseidon and Protector. Great work at 3 FTS

has curtailed and accelerated training on the Tutor to

allow streaming to fast-jets, multi-engines, helicopters

or RPAS (Remotely Piloted Air Systems) earlier – this

will reap dividends. Close 1 FTS scrutiny of Tucano,

particularly as it edges closer to its out-of-service date,

has removed historic and now obsolete training from

the course and released some 15% of flying hours.

The same too, at 45 Sqn on King Air, where ideas

have centred on streaming to airlift or surveillance

to offset even more of the conversion unit task and

acceleration of rear-crew surveillance, acoustic, warfare

and loadmaster training ahead of MFTS ramp-up.

Excellent advances at 4 FTS continue to tune

the fast jet syllabus on Hawk to better meet the

Typhoon and, soon, the Lightning needs. And at DHFS

(Defence Helicopter Flying School), the Snowdonia

Griffin crash last year has forced a different training

model on advanced helicopter training, but this

has led to insights into contingencies that we may

need to apply elsewhere in the next few years. In

sum, innovation is everywhere, but we must leak this

approach across to the new system as soon as we can.

In facing our SDSR15 growth challenge, the Deputy

Commander, Capability and the Managing Director

of Ascent are examining a range of other approaches

which could reduce any net uplift to the MFTS contracts

• aircraft, bases, flying hours, personnel – to the

minimum. We already carefully scrutinise our approach

against close Allies, notably the USAF at Randolph AFB,

the Euro & NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training programme

at Sheppard AFB, the NATO Flying Training Centre in

Canada and the French AF training programme at

Cognac AB. There is much to learn from all of these, all

are at a similar point of reinvention and we are ahead of

each of them, certainly in time, but also in philosophy

and creativity... for now. We also very carefully track

how commercial aircrew are developed – in time

and cost – and continue to learn valuable lessons.

CHALLENGES AHEAD

So, the MFTS model is at a critical juncture, mid-

point in being fielded, where arguably the greatest

challenges lie ahead. MFTS will deliver for Defence

through our critical partnership with Ascent, whose

innovative approaches, energy and pace to generate

ideas, rapid experimentation and implementation will

be real force multipliers. The nation has increasingly

turned to UK military air power to protect and project

its interests and this will be powered by world-

leading military flying training – still at the heart of

Defence after 100 years and with 100 years or more

ahead. In sum, MFTS will set the foundation for the

continued operational success of the RAF.

These are the opinions of AVM Andrew Turner and do

not necessarily represent the policy position, intent or

plans of HMG, MOD, the RAF and Air Command

The Beech King Air

B200 aircraft of 45(R)

Squadron, based at

RAF Cranwell (PHOTO:

GORDON ELIAS/

© CROWN COPYRIGHT)