Forum: General

Hello,

I'm a ROTC cadet looking at either going pilot or navigator/cso. Is the guy in the back of a Wild Weasel F-16D a CSO, or is he a fully qualified pilot?

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Thanks for the help

Vipers don't have CSOs. F-15Es do. The backseater in the F-16D is typically an IP.

Thanks. I reread the entry on it and it appears that the D-model they use is a mission-capable trainer rather than a first line combat aircraft. They wouldn't need a CSO backseater because the pilots are already trained on the electronics.

The aft station interface unit allows for weapons operations to be separated from the front seat:
http://www.elbitsystems-us.com/business ... /index.asp

FMS F-16 customers have had "dual mission" features for years.
fisk

Last edited by Roscoe on Feb 09, 2010 - 08:07 AM; edited 2 times in total

Just to clarify, all USAF F-16's are single seat missions. The family models are used for IPs, incentives, etc... The use of D models in combat is avoided due to the reduced fuel load-out they can carry...the backseat means that a D internal fuel load is reduced by 1500 lbs. They are occasionally used, and who if anybody is in that seat is unknown to me

When the Cannon Vipers (Fireballs, 522 I think) replaced A-10s at Al Jabber in January 1999 to do CSAR, they brought two D-models to have the extra noggin in the back to help with coordination. That's the only planned use of the back seater I've ever heard of. Whether any Viper could or should replace the Hawg as a dedicated Sandy is another question...

Roscoe wrote:

...The use of D models in combat is avoided due to the reduced fuel load-out they can carry...the backseat means that a D internal fuel load is reduced by 1500 lbs.

Capt. Gary North got the first AMRAAM combat kill in a Sedan wayyyyyy back in '92 in OSW. It was the hot spare that day if what I've read is correct. He's a 4-Star now, BTW. So I guess it worked out well for him Wink

When the 522nd deployed to Ahmed Al Jaber in December of 98 yes we did bring two D models, one was ours and one belonged to the 523rd since one of ours went into the dirt two days before we deployed ( #4 engine bearing failed during incentive flight )

Neither of these two birds were ever loaded up for either the CSAR duties which we relieved the Alaskan A-10's for, or the DCA duties which were given to us DURING our stay there.

When we weren't flying our few birds for the OSW missions we were also flying TRAINING missions there. Therefore bring in the D models to put a conditioned/seasoned veteran pilot in the IP position and put a new "green" guy in the front so they can get a sense of what can and will really happen. I can admit yes, a few times we loaded up the D models with Mavericks and sent them over on OSW missions, but they were never loaded for CSAR..

The idea of a second pilot for extra eyes isn't a bad one.. but our mission wasn't designed for that.

We used to use "family models" in Misawa as "Recon" jets...put a guy in the back seat with a video camera.

Best Regards,

LinkF16SimDude wrote:

Roscoe wrote:

...The use of D models in combat is avoided due to the reduced fuel load-out they can carry...the backseat means that a D internal fuel load is reduced by 1500 lbs.

Capt. Gary North got the first AMRAAM combat kill in a Sedan wayyyyyy back in '92 in OSW. It was the hot spare that day if what I've read is correct. He's a 4-Star now, BTW. So I guess it worked out well for him Wink

He was a Lt. Col in 1992, not a Captain btw.

Forum: General

Wild Weasel backseater question