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32 <a href="http://www.mca-marines.org/gazette">www.mca-marines.org/gazette</a> M a r i n e C o r p s G a z e t t e • M a y 2 0 0 9 IDEAS & ISSUES (AVIATION) skills, his vast knowledge and under- standing of Marine air-ground task force (MAGTF) operations and, more specifi- cally, air-ground integration and coordi- nation. This vignette, while fictitious, may be an accurate prediction of the Marine WSO’s future. The Marine Corps uniquely trains WSOs to be fluent in MAGTF operations, ground opera- tional support, and command and con- trol (C2) in addition to other fighter missions. My intent for this article is to present options for consideration to better manage the drawdown of the F/A–18D community and to simulta- neously provide alternative career op- tions for the WSOs in billets that leverage their vast MAGTF experience. The recommendations listed below provide potential answers to the fol- lowing questions: how can the Marine Corps continue to benefit from these officers’ vast MAGTF experience as the F/A–18D reaches its service life and the F–35 enters production? How can this be done while simultaneously pro- viding WSOs alternative career oppor- tunities and managing the drawdown of the WSO population commensurate with the health and number of the F/A–18D? Are there options that will better prepare us for an uncertain de- fense procurement future given the current financial crisis and conflicts? Answering these questions requires flexible WSO accession and an alterna- tive career option plan tied to and modified by the F/A–18D service life and F–35 production/fielding sched- ule. Therefore, to best understand the problems associated with managing the F/A–18D service life and the commen- surate WSO population management challenges, a brief outline of the largest issues affecting the F/A–18D service life follows. The most critical F/A–18D lots are Lots 14, 15, 16, and 17 F/A–18Ds since their service life is more limited than the later lot and newer F/A–18Ds. Current projections show the majority of these airframes reaching their service life limits by about 2014. However, in order to reach this design life, they re- quire an expensive and lengthy airframe modification (center barrel replace- ment). The newest model F/A–18Ds (Lot 20/21) will make it to their 100 percent design life without center barrel replacement, and current forecasts are that by about 2016–18 the Lot 20/21 F/A–18Ds will begin reaching service life. Despite what we know about the current state of the F/A–18D inventory, airframe fatigue issues emerge unex- pectedly that will impact service life. This unknown presents a challenge in maintaining the appropriate WSO population when faced with the poten- tial for extensive and costly airframe modifications to extend the service life of the aircraft beyond its original design life. Lastly, airframe management is by individual airframe meaning that even as an entire lot of aircraft becomes crit- ical for flight hours or fatigue life there are always exceptions that create inven- tory oddities or present loose change F/A–18Ds. The challenge will be to keep the requisite number of like type/model/series airframes on the ramp during this phase and to deter- mine when to transition and/or replace F/A–18Ds with serviceable F/A–18Cs, if required, while waiting for the F–35. Recommendations • Gradually form composite squad- rons to ease F/A–18D service life management and WSO manning. WSO production can be gradually re- duced from a 1.5 per seat to 0 per seat more effectively in a composite squadron as the actual and forecast service life attrition of the F/A–18D occurs. Meanwhile, existing WSO manning can still be used for F/A–18D missions, such as FAC(A)/ tactical air controller (airborne) (TAC(A)) among others, while also enabling better training for the single- seat FAC(A) mission F/A–18C/F–35. Select WSO manning in excess of the minimum HQMC determined crew- seat ratio can be transitioned through a series of conversion boards. • Offer extended tours as ground FACs and air officers commensurate with rank. Consider making “WSO ground transition” a permanent ca- reer field (career air officer) that could help manage/maintain the additional enlisted joint tactical air controller (JTAC)/joint fire observer and FAC training and employment require- ments for the ground community. Offering WSOs a transition to career air officers would be a natural exten- sion of the career JTAC. Com- mand opportunities could be made available in air/naval gunfire liaison companies (ANGLICOs) and head- quarters and service companies/ battalion commanding officer billets. Additionally, the number of Expedi- tionary Warfare Training Group Pa- cific/Atlantic (EWTGPac/Lant) in- structor billets should be filled by WSOs. Once completing their tours at EWTGPac/Lant they could return to the fleet jobs in ANGLICO/regi- ment/division. These officers would be the subject matter experts for JTAC training and integrating air into ground units. • As the AC–130J (Marine version of the venerable USAF AC–130) enters production, establish an aircrew po- sition designed for the former FAC(A)/TAC(A) qualified WSO. This would provide an inherent C2 role internally to the AC–130J and externally to other close air support (CAS) platforms—an experience and skill currently lacking in the C–130 community due to the current ad- ministrative mission. This direct air support center (airborne) “light” would fill a critical tactical role as the Marine Corps buys the AC–130J. • Offer increased pilot transition slots for qualified WSOs who are jun- ior captains and below. Few majors will be able to make a pilot transition in sufficient time to earn requisite qualifications commensurate with their pilot peer group in order to maintain competitiveness for promo- tion to lieutenant colonel and com- mand selection. • Gradually increase the number of WSO transitions to the unmanned aircraft system (UAS) career field in
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