Six RAF trainee weapon system Officers have finished their demanding 10-week training with the Royal Navy.
Flying Officers Edmonds, Lee, Mahoney, Mileham, Poole and Wright graduated from the Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose’s 750 Naval Air Squadron after taking the new Weapon Systems Officer Lead-In course.
The course instructor Lieutenant Rose, presented an extensive ground-school package, of around 20 hours in the simulator and 18 hours of airborne training over Cornwall in the Squadron’s Avenger T1 aircraft.
Working through the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions and some inevitable Cornish weather, all six students worked hard to complete the course. It covered basic and system-based navigation, sensor utilisation, use of radar, tactical use of aircraft, cross-platform operations and an introduction to mission command and operational decision-making.
“The course proved challenging yet highly rewarding and graduation marks the culmination of two years of hard work. I’m excited to begin my operational flying career.”
Flying Officer Edmonds
The Daedalus Trophy was awarded to Flying Officer Lee for achieving the highest overall grades in the air, and the Westland Trophy was handed to Flying Officer Edmonds for displaying the highest levels of motivation and enthusiasm.
The course is designed to take students who have never flown before and deliver them at the input standard for RAF Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) Operational Conversion Units.
