Single Seater or 2?

[FMRAM]

Do you remember that petite one that worked the gates checking IDs? She was about 5' nothing and her slung full sized M-16 would almost drag the ground!

 

[phrogpilot73]

Who am I to question MAWTS, but not only has FAC(A) been province of two seaters (although USAF uses A-10 and F-16), you (without saying) need to have some meaningful on station time, which isn't the strong hand for the Harrier. Oh well.

Questioning MAWTS is not only good, but recommended. They'll even tell you that! After spending my year (plus) with the grunts, while I agree with you that on station time is not the best with a Harrier - don't forget that the FAC(A) is merely an extension of the ground based TACP/FiST team. With that being said, having every TMS that shows up potentially being FAC(A) capable is HUGE, regardless of on station time. Consider this - a FAC is attached to an element that reinforces a unit that is already in enemy contact. My SA is only as good as what that unit can tell me. If a Harrier has been on station throughout the entire TIC, and has just returned from the Tanker (or even if he only has a couple minutes left on station), he can maintain mark & control until I have built up my SA to a point that I feel I can take over the fight. Even if I don't show up, it provides the opportunity for every unit that goes out, regardless of size, to have a qualified FAC or FAC(A) supporting them.

Single seat Hornet guys are already earning the FAC(A) qual. The syllabus was approved early last year and the T&R manual was updated soon after.

I didn't know that was in the works, but it's great to hear. More FAC(A)'s the merrier! (Gives me time to open up an MRE and read the latest issue of Playboy )

the Corps is setting itself up to continue to be the SME of FAC(A) when it looses the F/A-18D to the single seat F-35.

Great point! Although, we would maintain the SME of FAC(A) through skids, it's good to have a solid grip on it in TACAIR as well. The USMC does CAS (to include FAC and FAC(A)) the best - even the USAF pilots will tell you that! We can't let someone else take over that realm and move it towards DAS/SCAR... (which you know if CAS goes over to the blue will happen)

It's always pointed out that the F-16 & A-10 does FAC(A). What they do is more like SCAR, not true FAC(A). Also, a major tenet of FAC(A) is coordinating ground fires such as artillery or mortars, something I seriously doubt an AF guy knows anything about.

I haven't worked with an F-16 in a FAC(A) role, but I have worked with an A-10 and passed them mark and control while working Rotary Wing, Fixed Wing, Artillery and Mortars. I got the feeling those Hog drivers took it seriously. While I'm not a huge fan of the USAF, I have nothing but respect for the A-10 pilots... It was tough to tell the difference between them and some of the USMC FAC(A)'s I have worked with.

I've also worked with some Army Apache pilots that were FAC(A) qualed. Both me and my battalion commander were hesitant at first (mitigated risk through BUTT LOADS of face-to-face briefs prior to the event), but ended up being very impressed. Of course, that's because they had been through MAWTS-1's syllabus. Unless it's the 101st (who I worked with), I would not pass mark and control to an Apache until they finally come on board with the joint world.

 

[Flash]

Do you remember that petite one that worked the gates checking IDs? She was about 5' nothing and her slung full sized M-16 would almost drag the ground!

Not that one in particular, though PSAB has a tendancy to make almost any woman look good.......

 

[HAL Pilot]

Do you remember that petite one that worked the gates checking IDs? She was about 5' nothing and her slung full sized M-16 would almost drag the ground!

Hot Damn! A spinner with a gun!