86 // DECEMBER 2018 #369 http://www.airforcesmonthly.comColumn Commander’s Update Briefing
Air Power Association President Air Marshal (ret’d) Greg Bagwell CB CBE considers the
fundamentals of battle/airspace management – a key concern for today’s combat pilot.AirPowerAssociationPresidentAirMarshal(ret’d)GregBagwellCBCBEconsidersthe
ofbattle/airspacemanagement keyconcernfortoday’s pilot.Mission pla
Left: Inside the cockpit of the US Air Force’s fi rst
newly upgraded operational B-1B to undergo the
Integrated Battle Station modernisation. The three-
part modifi cation includes a fully integrated data link- nowadays a mission-critical component. USAF/Staff
Sgt Richard Ebensberger Below: A USAF instructor pilot
captain (left) and a 2nd lieutenant Pilot Training Next
(PTN) student, look over fl ight plans ahead of their
training mission at Austin-Bergstrom International
Airport in Austin, Texas. The PTN initiative integrates
various new technologies, including virtual and
augmented reality, advanced biometrics and
artifi cial intelligence. USAF/Sean M Worrell
Above: Mission planning involving dissimilar
assets from different air arms is one of
the fundamental competencies trained in
multinational arenas, such as the Flag series in
the US. The Australian equivalent is Exercise
Pitch Black, which this year included Indian
Air Force Su-30MKIs and Royal Australian Air
Force F/A-18Fs. Commonwealth of Australia“Combat aviators will
spend almost as much time
planning and briefi ng (and
sometimes more) as they
will fl ying the mission.”