NFO duties

[Brett327]

All these former NavComms, no one can give him something a little more specific?

I wrote a few paragraphs and realized you guys know much better than I do.

I realize he asked what a conversation is like, but what do you DO back there?

There's also a huge difference between NFO duties aboard P-3s and TACAIR.

Brett

 

[Fly Navy]

Navigating is more than just following a needle on the HSI. In my jet, the front seat ECMO makes sure the nav systems are updated and running properly. He inputs the flight plan and any other tactically significant points, manages the many navaids, uses whatever charts or other reference materials are needed and makes sure that the appropriate information is selected on the display for the varying phases of flight. He holds the approach plates and feeds the pilot courses, altitudes, etc during that phase. During low level flights, he holds the chart, and is concerned with visual navigation, timing issues and avoidance of hazards. On an operational level, navigation includes timing, area management, finding the tanker, location of threats and maintaining SA on where all the good and bad guys are in relation to you and deciding on the most tactically efficient way of maneuvering your jet for the mission at hand. That's an admittedly bare-bones description of what an ECMO's navigation duties are like.

Brett

And this is why Fs are much more attractive than Es.

 

[wink]

Actual duties, whether nav or otherwise, depend on aircraft and mission being conducted that flight. That is why there is no real single answer. That is why NFO is cool. A pilot is a pilot. They drive the bus. Everyone knows what a pilot does. NFOs are something else. To get a better feel you would have to ask a P-3 TACCO what he does on ASW prosecutions or his nav what he does during a surveillance mission. ECMO #1 on a Prowler does something different then ECMO #2 does on a SEAD mission and the NFO in a F-18F does something different whether on a air to air mission, FAC (A) or air to mud. Every aircraft the Navy flies in multi mission. What the NFO does differs, sometimes greatly, depending on the mission, let alone the aircraft. Through all that, the stick monkey does the same thing regardless, flies the plane.

 

[zab1001]

edit: slow connection.

Exactly. Brett's post covered the Prowler side succinctly. Maybe an NFO from each community could do the same. I know we have representation from all airframes active on the board.

 

[Fly Navy]

edit: slow connection.

Exactly. Brett's post covered the Prowler side succinctly. Maybe an NFO from each community could do the same. I know we have representation from all airframes active on the board.

Bingo. I'm waiting for TurnandBurn55 to chime in, he's our resident Rhino WSO.

 

[wink]

Since the War Hoover is going away real fast and there are no new replacement NFOs, I'll add something about the Viking community for historical perspective. There are 2 NFOs on the Viking. The COTAC, copilot/ tactical navigator (or coordinator, I think the name changed) flew in the front right seat. The TACCO, tactical coordinator, flew in the back right seat. Again, varied with mission, but the COTAC performed all the same basic duties as Brett described ECMO #1. He also assisted the TACCO since most everything a TACCO could do from the back he could do up front. Usually that meant running the radar, FLIR, sometimes the electronic surveillance system and anything else the TACCO needed help with. The TACCO ran the show. He had a much larger display and could work the controls with both hands, something the COTAC couldn't do since they were mostly on the right side of his seat. The TACCO took in all the sensor info and ran the tactical problem. He decided where sonobouys went to detect and track a sub, the location of mines, armed most of the weapons, dropped most the weapons, communicated with the mission specific folks in other aircraft or on ships, monitored the navigation plot, passed on sensor info other aircraft or ships would use, like electronic surveillance, and ran the data link. When the ASW mission went away for the Hoover in the 90's the missions changed a bit. Instead of dropping torpedo's on subs they got a couple new air to surface missiles that the TACCO and COTAC worked together to employ. And yes, they became the primary tanker as well. But there isn't much to know about flying the tanker portion of a mission as a NFO. That said, it is all history. Still, it is pretty typical of the variety of duties a NFO has throughout the fleet.

 

[robav8r]

P-3 NFO Duties

NAV/COMM - the beginning position for a new NFO checking-in to a fleet squadron after 6 months at VP-30 (RAG). You begin the PQS process by learning the NATOPS program and general A/C characteristics. Your primary job is to learn how to check-out and use all of the different crypto and classified material used in secure comms. You load all of the crypto into all of the various comsec devices used for HF, UHF, Data Link, etc. Once crypto is loaded, you preflight all of the navigation and comm equipment (inertials, GPS, TACAN, radios, etc). Following preflight, you perform unsecured and secured radio checks and perform an op check of the data link and CRATT (Covered Radio Tele-Type). Then, once the computer is loaded, you insert all of the various nav data (fly to points, MOSA, MESA, etc). The NAV/COMM is also the primary log keeper, so he/she annotates the majority of the flight info (take-off, onsta, offsta, inertial fix data, GPS performance, ASW contact, sonobuoy drops, I could really go long here). In-flight, the NAV/COMM is PRIMARILY responsible for navigation safety of flight. This means while at night, at 300 feet, while prosecuting a submarine or trying to identify a suspect surface vessel, the NAV/COMM has to maintain navigation SA and ensure the pilot does not fly into someones territorial airspace, weapon stand-offs, LOTS of other things as well. Sounds easy, a bit harder to do in practice. Also, the NAV/COMM makes all the tactical radio calls, communicates check-ins to other platforms, gives safety of flight reports back to the TSC, and additionally, since he/she is the junior NFO on the crew and usually the junior officer, he makes frequent runs back to the galley to fetch coffee, microwave food, etc for the TACCO and flight station :icon_mi_1

TACCO - you graduate to this position usually after about 18 months of being a NAV/COMM and TACCO upgrader. More PQS, a systems board (must know all of the boxes and data flow for all sensors, comms, crypto, etc), and finally a TACCO board which evaluates your knowledge of tactics, submarine acoustic and weapon parameters, enemy order of battle, subsurface, surface and aircraft recognition, accepted tactics (TACAID, TACMAN, AOR Brief Books, SPINS, etc). Following the board, you have a check flight with LOTS of emergencies (the TACCO has to know ALL the EP's for each crew position in the tube and flight station except the actual flight procedures performed by the pilots). A normal mission for a TACCO begins with mission prep either the day or night before the flight with a review of the mission objectives, friendly asets, enemy or suspect assets, operating area, weapon standoffs, territorial stand-offs, etc. If it's an ASW mission, the TACCO and acoustic operators must thoroughly review all of the oceanographic and atmospherinc data that will have an impact on the mission and the target while on station. The TACCO directs the crew and owns the weapon systems. The TACCO is also the senior navigator (which means he's responsible if the NAV/COMM is puking in the back while your flying against a chinese submarine at night at 300 feet and everyone either has vertigo or is sick). The TACCO will authorize the release of all tactical comms to outside agencies and platforms and ensures that weapons are released within valid attack criteria. Foot note - the senior, qualified officer on the crew is the MC (Mission Commander). This will be either the TACCO or PPC (Patrol Plane Commander). The MC has final authority on weapon release and conduct of the mission (i.e. - do you continue to prosecute the submarine which has been unlocated for 45 days and you are the ONLY asset to have contact and the flight station has to shut-down the #1 engine becasue of a prop malfunction).

I know i've left out A LOT of info, but this should give you a general flavor for life in the VP community. Also - we are doing LOTS of missions in direct support of the war on terrorism (ISR), Homeland Defense, etc which include advanced sensors, data links and comm suites in places all over the world. Lastly, the P-3 is unique in that we fly for a LONG time compared to other platforms and we can fly a lot farther and stay on-station for a greater period of time than a helicopter asset of CVW asset.

Hope this helps :icon_carn

 

[RockyMtnNFO]

On my crew, the TACCO was also responsible for making sure that FE's did not make the coffe (crew specific: your experience may vary widely) and the 3p didn't burn the chicken breasts or put too much mayo on the sandwiches.

Thanks for a real answer Robav8r.

 

[CaptainRon]

since he/she is the junior NFO on the crew and usually the junior officer, he makes frequent runs back to the galley to fetch coffee, microwave food, etc for the TACCO and flight station :icon_mi_1

I think that's the main lesson everybody has learned today.

Thanks guys.

Sidenote: the Navy is brutal with its slang and technical terms. For somebody like me who isn't in yet, trying to understand these stories is tough.

 

[CaptainRon]

You're a goofball.

 

[Brett327]

You're a goofball.

Next he'll be calling you a "silly goose." How, uhh, masculine?

Brett

 

[HAL Pilot]

NAV/COMM - ...... and additionally, since he/she is the junior NFO on the crew and usually the junior officer, he makes frequent runs back to the galley to fetch coffee, microwave food, etc for the TACCO and flight station :icon_mi_1

I think that's the main lesson everybody has learned today.

I never saw this happen.

The Nav/Comm was usually the busiest guy on the plane. He was the only guy who worked from t/o to landing. The pilots & FEs rotated in & out of the seats and the rest of the tube normally were only busy onstation. Normally when we were onstation, the Ordnanceman (before they went away) or the IFT would come around and ask anyone if they wanted coffee or a drink. It was never required, just a courtesy on their part. Anyone going to the back (pilot or NFO)would normally make the offer too.

But the 3P was always the food officer. He procured the meals/box lunches and got them to the plane. Every crew had someone different who played chef in the air. If no one volunteered, it became the 3Ps job to do this too.

 

[eddie]

Every crew had someone different who played chef in the air. If no one volunteered, it became the 3Ps job to do this too.

Did you always fly with the same crews?

 

[HAL Pilot]

Everyone was assigned to a specific crew and Ops tried to fly the entire crew together. Didn't always work that way though due to illness, leave, schools, etc.

There was also a part of the crew called the "Tac Nuc" or tatical nucleous. This was the PPC, Tacco, SS1 and SS3. These 4 had to be there for all the crew qualification flights.

This was for P-3s. I can't comment on how other communities worked.

 

[robav8r]

I never saw this happen.

Good point. And pretty accurate as well. I was however, poking a little fun at not only myself (when I was in the seat) but the fact that the NAV/COMM has a lot to do, a lot to learn and is the most junior O on the crew.