Romeo Aircrewman to NFO

[cmwz1510r]

Hello all! How much of a difference is there between the jobs of a Romeo Aircrewman, and a NFO? From what I've gathered by reading throgh posts P3 NFO's do a very similar job. As they eventually become the tactical picture painter, comms specialists and navigators. In the other communities the also do similar jobs but its not necessary to get into all of that.
Another question is, how tough will the transition be to NFO for a new generation non legacy type Aircrewman?

 

[ea6bflyr]

I've know lots of Aircrew that made the transition including myself and others on this board. Comms will easier because you are used to listening and talking in the aircraft. You also already have some air sense. Most of the rest will be new to you to include all the planning. Do you desire going TACAIR or Maritime?

 

[Renegade One]

Hello all! How much of a difference is there between the jobs of a Romeo Aircrewman, and a NFO? From what I've gathered by reading throgh posts P3 NFO's do a very similar job. As they eventually become the tactical picture painter, comms specialists and navigators. In the other communities the also do similar jobs but its not necessary to get into all of that.
Another question is, how tough will the transition be to NFO for a new generation non legacy type Aircrewman?

I've know lots of Aircrew that made the transition including myself and others on this board. Comms will easier because you are used to listening and talking in the aircraft. You also already have some air sense. ...

Precisely what ea6bflyr sez, methinks. You would be "head and shoulders" ahead of your inexperienced SNFO peers in so many ways. Yeah, some more to learn, based on discrete mission capabilities of whatever community you may matriculate into (again…don't limit yourself to maritime…if TACAIR floats your boat at the time you get to have an input…go for it.), but you're already a "proven aviator"…so no worries!

 

[cmwz1510r]

I've know lots of Aircrew that made the transition including myself and others on this board. Comms will easier because you are used to listening and talking in the aircraft. You also already have some air sense. Most of the rest will be new to you to include all the planning. Do you desire going TACAIR or Maritime?

Precisely what ea6bflyr sez, methinks. You would be "head and shoulders" ahead of your inexperienced SNFO peers in so many ways. Yeah, some more to learn, based on discrete mission capabilities of whatever community you may matriculate into (again…don't limit yourself to maritime…if TACAIR floats your boat at the time you get to have an input…go for it.), but you're already a "proven aviator"…so no worries!

To answer ea6bflyr, I've done the maritime side of the house, well rather the helo maritime and I enjoy it a lot! I woulndn't mind switching up to the tacair side of the house just to see what its like, but if the navy needs my services to continue in maritime Im perfectly fine with that. I just need to be selected is all!!! And renegade thanks for the boost, ill keep that in mind.

 

[Renegade One]

To answer ea6bflyr, I've done the maritime side of the house, well rather the helo maritime and I enjoy it a lot! I woulndn't mind switching up to the tacair side of the house just to see what its like, but if the navy needs my services to continue in maritime Im perfectly fine with that. I just need to be selected is all!!! And renegade thanks for the boost, ill keep that in mind.

Just remember…your E-0 "non-experienced" SNFO peers get taught EVERYTHING they need to know. So will you…even though you already know a TON of it. Trust me...

 

[Hozer]

Only thing I'll add is going from balls-to-the-wall helo AW shit to Maritime NFO paperwork/bureaucracy stuff was "different". After 8 years as an A-dub floating my ass off, I chose lifestyle in VP (and interestingly so did 3 other former helo-AW's in my OCS class).

If I were you, I'd go to a VP squadron and check it out for yourself and talk to folks. Same for tacair.
Good luck.

 

[Gatordev]

If I were you, I'd go to a VP squadron and check it out for yourself and talk to folks. Same for tacair.
Good luck.

To add to that, I'd recommend talking to P-8 guys and not P-3 guys. From what I've gleaned here, it takes more people in the P-3 to do a similar job that you do in the Romeo all by yourself (or in concert with the ATO), in part because of the age of the equipment, but also because of the design of the aircraft. While the P-3 can still probably do one or two things with the sensors that you can't do in the Romeo, for the most part, the -60R has caught up. Comparing that to what's possible in the P-8, and how they utilize the sensors with the crew, may be more valuable info.

 

[CommodoreMid]

In terms of what we do in the tube for P-8 vice P-3 not much has changed, but the difference is that all tasks are software driven vice hardware driven, so, if trained, we could all do each others' jobs. Hell, I could give my AWs weapon release permissions if I so desired. The workload sharing piece is interesting and we're still learning ways to maximize it best. We have some former helo aircrewmen who are NFOs in my squadron and they would tell you understanding the acoustics, being able to read grams, is definitely a help when learning to become a TACCO, but I'd say learning how to manage the crew and all the sensors is the biggest challenge of being a TACCO. It's not just about understanding the acoustic or EWO piece or knowing comms; it's about coordinating the work of the entire plane to get the job.

 

[robav8r]

While the P-3 can still probably do one or two things with the sensors that you can't do in the Romeo, for the most part, the -60R has caught up.

Caught up with what? The Romeo, while very technologically advanced, still can't touch the ASW search, track & attack capability of a P-3 with a proficient crew. And yes, the AQS-22 is very good, but the Romeo is still, for the most part, a reactionary platform.

 

[Gatordev]

Caught up with what? The Romeo, while very technologically advanced, still can't touch the ASW search, track & attack capability of a P-3 with a proficient crew. And yes, the AQS-22 is very good, but the Romeo is still, for the most part, a reactionary platform.

I was referring to the processing ability. In the past, the Bravo was way out-processed by a P-3. Now that the Romeo has an improved processor, it's not nearly AS behind the P-3 as the Bravo was. For tracking, once the data has been put in correctly, it's pretty much hands off with its target tracker as long as the ATO keeps the buoys out ahead of the target. I'm sure there's still some tricks that the P-3 can do over the Romeo, but it's not as limited with one operator as the Bravo is.

I wasn't talking about overall capability (obviously the P-3 can spit and track lots more buoys, faster than a helo), but was referring to button pushing, again, based on what's been said here (albeit in an open source forum). I wasn't even referring to the dipper at all, actually. I agree, it's reactionary and not an over-arching search platform, which it was never intended to be (unless you ask the Shoes, in which case a MAD hunting circle is the number one means of detection). But I know you know that.

 

[robav8r]

I missed your context wrt the acoustic processing. Most people are not aware of the Acoustic Receiver Tech Refresh (ARTR) and Acoustic Processor Tech Refresh (APTR) that has occured in the P-3 recently. The P-8 has an amazing acoustic processing capability as well. It will be nice to know that all Air ASW platforms will be able to employ acoustic systems that are almost "modern" as we move into the next 5 to 10 years.

 

[Gatordev]

Yeah, didn't mean it as a slight against the P-3, but more as a much needed improvement to the -60.

 

[scoolbubba]

I missed your context wrt the acoustic processing. Most people are not aware of the Acoustic Receiver Tech Refresh (ARTR) and Acoustic Processor Tech Refresh (APTR) that has occured in the P-3 recently. The P-8 has an amazing acoustic processing capability as well. It will be nice to know that all Air ASW platforms will be able to employ acoustic systems that are almost "modern" as we move into the next 5 to 10 years.

If only we had buoys.

 

[helolumpy]

And yes, the AQS-22 is very good, but the Romeo is still, for the most part, a reactionary platform.

One's a search platform to track a sub and the other is a localization platform to attack and kill it.
Different missions that compliment each other when used effectively.

However, you haven't lived until you can announce over ASW C&R for everyone in the Strike Group to hear, "my ball is wet and deep"!!

 

[robav8r]

One's a search platform to track a sub and the other is a localization platform to attack and kill it.
Different missions that compliment each other when used effectively.

Actually it's the same mission. Although nothing beats the ball to localize and fix. Both platforms are equally adept at attack.