NFO as a FAC

[HH-60H]

How does that work? All Navy FAC(A) are two-seat.

I could have sworn we had some single seat Hornet FAC(A)'s in my airwing.

 

[Fly Navy]

I could have sworn we had some single seat Hornet FAC(A)'s in my airwing.

They've been screwing around with section FAC(A), but talk about a complete waste of assets... two airplanes to do something one crewed F (or D) can do. Were they FAC(A) in another life (F guys)?

 

[HH-60H]

No, they weren't, Thupers hadn't hit the fleet yet.

Hmm come to think about it.... Is the FAC(A) qual required to be an RMC?

 

[Fly Navy]

No, they weren't, Thupers hadn't hit the fleet yet.

Hmm come to think about it.... Is the FAC(A) qual required to be an RMC?

Nope, we have a RMC qual'd guy who is not a FAC(A). Which is funny, since from what I've seen, CSAR is like CAS on crack.

 

[HH-60H]

That's it then, we had single seat/section RMC's. Obviously, we (and everyone else) preferred Tomcats. The Tomcat RMC crews had to be FAC(A) qual'd, I think.

 

[FLYTPAY]

C of C...I went there and painfully admit to leaving for RIDDLE!

That is worse than paying to go to The Citadel! Below Average for headwork....[I married a C of C girl ]

 

[Fly Navy]

In any event, it's been done single seat for awhile now. With all of the new sensors and systems integration it's not too hard.

As a section or singles?

 

[Fly Navy]

Normally section (almost always). We do nearly everything as a section at a minimum.

That's my arguement... 2 assets vs 1 asset. You can "cue NFO justification"... but the fact is one crew is a better use of money and frees up other fighters for a striker role. That's just an opinion though... I've never worked with Marine FAC(A)'s and you've obviously been doing this business longer than I.

 

[Fly Navy]

I may be jumping in where I'm not wanted, but as a FAC on the ground - I'd rather have a section of aircraft check-in than a single FAC(A). Why? More eyes, more brains, and more ordnance. Just my $.02.

*cough* Same amount of eyes, same amount of brains *cough*

 

[HH-60H]

That's chopper logic. Don't try to understand. Just smile politley and move on. That's what got me through my last pump.

What do motorcycles have to do with this?

 

[Fly Navy]

That's chopper logic. Don't try to understand. Just smile politley and move on. That's what got me through my last pump.

Haha very nice.

 

[Fly Navy]

Sorry accidentally deleted it - what I meant was I'd rather have (2) aircraft (assuming same T/M/S) than (1) aircraft show up. So in this example, I'd rather have (2) AV-8B's vice (1) FAC(A) capable one. Just like I'd rather have (2) F/A-18 choose type vice (1) FAC(A) capable one.

Well, we're talking the feasibility of section FAC(A) vs crewed FAC(A)... not strikers checking for tasking.

 

[Brett327]

Normally section (almost always). We do nearly everything as a section at a minimum.

Not nearly as impressive as you make it out to be then, is it? :sleep_125

Brett

 

[Brett327]

How so?

I mean, it may not be as cool as drilling holes in the sky at max endurance with three dudes to do all the mission stuff for me, but it's a living.

Only insofar as you come out of the gate with:

Marine single seats can be FAC(A)s

But you follow up with:

Normally section (almost always).

Not knocking your mission because I don't do it - just your bravado.

Brett

 

[Flash]

How so?

I mean, it may not be as cool as drilling holes in the sky at max endurance with three dudes to do all the mission stuff for me, but it's a living.

I don't know, how much does a Harrier bring to the party if all it carries is this?