BUSY VALLEY.
Situated on the island of Anglesey,
North Wales, RAF Valley is the RAF's Advanced Tactics
and Training Unit and is the Service's busiest base.
Having undergone fundamental changes in the late
1990s, with the rationalisation of No 4 FTS and
the outcome of the introduction of a whole host
of contractorisations, the base is gearing itself
up for major new challenges. These are addressing
shortfalls in current combat pilot levels and the
exacting demands of graduates destined to fly the
RAF's next generation warplane - the Eurofighter
Typhoon.
Daniel J March reports.
RAF Valley is not only home to 4 FTS's Nos 19(R)
and 208(R) Squadrons, but also houses a number of
other flying units including 'C' Flight of No22
Squadron, the Search and Rescue Training Unit (SARTU)
and the Air Guided Weapons Operational Evaluation
Unit (AGWOEU). Along with the 70 resident Hawks
that fulfil the requirements of the 4 FTS syllabus,
two Sea King HAR3s and three Griffin HT1s are also
permanently detached, making Valley by far the busiest
of all RAF bases in terms of aircraft movements
per year. To cope with demand the Relief Landing
Ground at RAF Mona, also situated on Anglesey just
five miles from Valley, is regularly used for 'circuit
bashing', When Mona is in use, the ATC, runway-caravan
and firefighting assets are deployed from Valley.
Indeed, such is the magnitude of 4 FTS operations
that on many days of the year the busiest two RAF
airfields are both situated on the tiny island of
Anglesey. Often having to cope with 300 plus aircraft
movements per day ensures that Valley's Operations
Wing, and in particular its air traffic controllers,
are under great pressure. Valley has 40-mile radius
radar coverage and not only do the controllers monitor
the aircraft inbound, outbound and during circuit
training, but also ensure the unit's aircraft remain
well clear of the commercial airways traffic which
criss-cross the area, as well as monitoring general
aviation flights in the area. During the late-1990s
many aspects of Valley's operations were contractorised.
This led to a reduction of RAF personnel on base
and a rapid rise in the number of civilian staff.
In 2002, the 1,304 personnel comprised 752 employees
of civilian contractors, 66 civil servants, 352
RAF staff associated with 4FTS and 134 personnel
with the lodger units.
WORKING WITH BRAMA
In the mid-1990s, a competition for a multi-activity
contract for Valley was launched as part of a swathe
of Private Finance Initiatives (PFIs) to be introduced
to the UK's armed forces with the aim of reducing
costs and providing better value for money for the
UK taxpayer. A consortium of Brown & Root and
Marshall Aerospace (BRAMA) was duly awarded the
contract for Valley, to commence in April 1997.
Such a fundamental change in the way the station
was organised, equipped and manned, was, like so
many PFls, very difficult to implement. Under the
terms of the contract, BRAMA has assumed responsibility
for First and Second Line aircraft engineering,
support engineering, the station's transport pool,
all airfield ground-based aids and work services
(sub-contracted out), catering and cleaning; supply
(dispatch and receive), general administration (not
including RAF personnel files), the fire and crash
section and personnel training. The influx of an
initial 550 BRAMA-employed personnel on base (to
rise to over 800 in 2003), replacing 650 RAF personnel,
caused some initial teething problems, which were
not helped by the grounding of the Hawk fleet for
three months during the period in which BRAMA staff
were to 'shadow' RAF groundcrew in the day-to-day
procedures to keep a fleet of 40 Hawks on-line during
a typical day's flying. In addition, there were
a number of other teething problems regarding the
'workability' of the initial contract drawn up between
MoD and BRAMA. There was a feeling on the part of
some of the RAF personnel that a number of BRAMA
duties were 'too close to the front line' and that
they 'lacked the necessary expertise in certain
areas'. These problems did impinge on the station's
performance following BRAMA's introduction, but
solutions were found to each of the problem areas
and it is a testament to both RAF and BRAMA staff
based at Valley that the system is now working efficiently,
with an effective interface between RAF and BRAMA
responsibilities, thus ensuring that any problems
are identified early and solutions found. Nowhere
is this more obvious than on the 4 FTS flightline
where the BRAMA groundcrew refuel, clean, prepare
and attend to the aircrews' needs, producing a harmonious
relationship so vital to efficient operations to
falafel the days flying schedule. With the doubts
and problems of the first years erased, BRAMA now
receives much praise for its 'can do' attitude in
catering for the RAF's needs. From altering engineering
schedules in order to provide the optimum amount
of available Hawk airframes at certain periods,
to implementing new catering procedures best suited
to the needs of the personnel, the relationship
is viewed as a partnership rather than a competition.
This progress has prompted the initial five-year
contract to be extended by a two-year option until
2004. By that time, BRAMA is confident that it will
have demonstrated that the PFI system can work well.
It has shown the benefits of local training creating
jobs for local people, that are providing stability
and high morale for the workforce.
4 FTS COURSE
Having been selected as prospective fast-jet pilots
following basic training on the Tucano T1, the students
are posted to 4 FTS to learn the skills needed to
become an operational fast-jet pilot. The ab-initio
pilots begin their course with six weeks of rigorous
ground school in the classroom. BAE Systems is contracted
to complete this stage of the course and has a dedicated
team of experienced ex- RAF instructors. The Hawk
Cockpit Procedures Trainer (HCPT) is used to give
the students a 'feel' of the aircraft and thorough
understanding of the procedures and techniques involved
in flying the Hawk. The students also utilise the
on-site Hawk Weapons & Tactics Flight Simulator
(HWTS) advanced simulator, becoming 'airborne' in
the aircraft for the first time, if only in a virtual
environment. Towards the end of the ground school
phase the students undertake the most physically
gruelling stage of the 4 FTS syllabus -the four-day
advanced combat survival exercise in the mountains
of Snowdonia. Taught how to survive in a range of
conditions, the course includes post-ejection scenarios
with increasing threat levels, helping to hone evasion
and survival techniques. Having passed the groundschool
phase, the students are finally ready for their
first training sorties in the Hawk. The flying section
of the 4 FTS syllabus is split into two phases flown
by the two resident Hawk squadrons No 208(R) and
No 19(R). It totals 106 hr 55 min of flight instruction
and 57 hours of simulator time. Increased use of
the simulator, which is seen as an invaluable training
tool, will eventually bring the flying hours down
to around 95. Each year 4 FTS is tasked with graduating
84 pilots of which 67 are for the RAF, 12 for the
Royal Navy (destined to fly the Sea Harrier FA2)
and five foreign and commonwealth or exchange pilots.
Royal Navy pilots receive an additional eleven hours
of flying training applicable to naval combat pilot
needs. A Standards Evaluation Officer liaises between
the commanding officer of each squadron and the
Station Commander to ensure the required standards
of each phase of the course are being met and, where
possible, improved. Phase 1, the ab-initio Pilot
Advanced Flying Training phase, is designed to take
the student through basic handling of the Hawk aircraft
through instrument and night flying, formation flying
and navigation skills plus an introduction to low-level
flying. With more contractorisation on the station,
No 208(R) Squadron not only sees its role as producing
the best-possible pilots for the second stage of
the course, but also instilling a sense of history
of both the squadron and the RAF. To this end, the
No 208(R) Squadron operations building is decorated
with squadron battle honours and achievements. During
their time with 208(R) Squadron, the trainee pilot
receives 47 hr 50 min of dual, 14 hr 50 min of solo
and 36 hr of simulator training. Around 90-100 students
commence No 208's training syllabus every year,
with three courses (each lasting around 20 weeks)
running concurrently, and each training up to 12
ab-initio pilots. As part of the drive to exact
the maximum efficiency from the available aircraft,
the arrangement is to be re-organised to provide
four courses of 8-10 pilots running concurrently,
with a total of 10 courses per year. It is estimated
that this change will increase efficiency by some
10%. The flying stage commences with seven general
handling sorties, providing the basic skills to
fly the Hawk and involving much circuit training
and emergency procedures such as engine failure.
After these seven sorties the student gets to fly
solo in the Hawk for the first time, before entering
the instrument flying stage. With the Hawk's performance
representing a big step up from aircraft types the
student has previously flown, the speed at which
events in the cockpit can change are all the more
rapid. Therefore at the end of the seven instrument
flying sorties the student must be able to demonstrate
the ability to fly the aircraft with great accuracy,
with no reference to the world outside the cockpit.
Following on are four sorties of night flying in
which the student utilises the newly acquired instrument
flying skills to the fore. Ten more general handling
sorties are then completed, encompassing more advanced
manoeuvres, before the student undergoes a course
progress check. Provided that progress is satisfactory,
the next stage involves six close and five tactical
formation flying sorties. Close formation flying
teaches the student the discipline, concentration
and skills needed to fly the aircraft in close proximity
to another, whereas the tactical formation flying
begins the process of teaching the discipline of
flying as a wingman -the bread and butter of the
frontline. Thirteen navigation training sorties
follow, including an introduction to the highly
demanding world of low-level navigation, culminating
in the final navigation test. A further series of
advanced handling sessions lead to the final handling
test (FHT), which includes elements of all the disciplines
already taught. Having successfully passed Phase
1 of the 4 FTS course, the majority of students
pass onto the Tactical Weapons course (Phase 2)
conducted by No 19(R) Squadron. However, around
20 students per year complete this stage of the
training with the NATO Flying Training Canada (NFTC)
in Canada. In addition, one or two of each course's
graduates are 'creamed off' to become first tour
instructors.
TACTICAL WEAPONS TRAINING
Having mastered the techniques in flying the Hawk
with No 208(R) Squadron, Phase 2 of the 4 FTS course
teaches the student how to use the aircraft as a
weapon with No 19(R) Squadron based on the south
side of the station. The phase involves 32 hr 20
min of dual, 11 hr 50 min of solo and 21 hours of
simulator training. To pass Phase 2 the students
must complete the two elements of No 19 Squadron's
syllabus -the Weapons Phase and the Tactics Phase.
The Weapons Phase introduces weapons aiming, control
and delivery in a safe and controlled environment.
The Phase begins with cine work, the students tracking
a 'target', which is manoeuvring in a predictable
pre-briefed way. This is followed by air- to-ground
weapons training, the majority of which is conducted
at the Air Weapons Range at RAF Pembrey Sands on
the South Wales coast. To prevent wasteful transitioning
to and from Valley a small Tactical Armament Facility
is based at RAF St Athan, providing turnround servicing
for the aircraft and overnight accommodation for
the crew. The range work involves perfecting strafing
techniques (using the Hawk's Aden cannon) on a strafe
pattern target, along with dive- and level-bombing
(using 3kg 1 practice bombs) aimed at specific dive
circles or bomb targets. Having perfected weapons
delivery, the student progresses to the Tactics
Phase. The initial six sorties teach the basics
of air combat manoeuvring in 1 v 1 scenarios. The
student is then ready to learn missile fighting
in the air defence role and fighting as a pair in
2 v 1 engagements. These skills are then tested
as the students are taught how to engage the 'enemy'
as a pair with the aid of ground control intercept
(GCI). From higher level air combat, the syllabus
then reverts to low-level work, with a series of
tactical navigation exercises providing the student
with the skills to navigate with great precision
undetected, to a target at the exact second the
mission profile demands. Depending on the weather
conditions, low-level routes in North and South
Wales, Scotland, the Lake District, Exmoor and even
Yorkshire are utilised. Students must be particularly
careful to avoid overflying small towns, villages
or hamlets, although only some 15 per cent of the
4 FTS course is conducted at low-level Now competent
at low-level flying, the next stage involves ten
simulated attack profiles (SAPs). In pairs battle
formation, level and dive attacks on a range of
'targets' are completed as well as visual and non-
visual split attacks, during which timing and precise
navigation to arrive over the target on time are
crucial. The course concludes with the most demanding
sorties that many of the pilots will ever fly in
their careers. Known as 'bounced SAPs', they involve
conducting a simulated attack on a field target,
within ten seconds of a given time, while being
subjected to simulated air attack from an 'enemy'
aircraft. Flown both singly and as one of a pair,
the techniques are sharpened until the student is
ready for the final challenge -assuming the lead
in a pairs battle formation 'bounced SAP' sortie.
After successfully completing Phase 2, the students
are then allocated to the aircraft type that best
suits their skills. No 19 Squadron 'C' Flight is
also responsible for training new instructors as
part of the CFS course, as well as evaluating and
testing current instructors.
TARGET 160
The tasking for 4 FTS involves the graduation of
84 combat pilots per year. Yet for many years the
unit has been falling short of this target for a
variety of reasons. Firstly the problems associated
with the introduction of BRAMA in the late 1990s,
combined with spares shortages and a lack of available
airframes, led to shortages of Hawks available on
the flightline Secondly, weather conditions in winter
at Valley have been the main cause of four in ten
planned sorties being cancelled. Thirdly, experienced
Qualified Flying Instructors (QFls) on both squadrons
are operating at their maximum capacity, particularly
in the summer months when longer days and finer
weather creates opportunities to 'catch up' time.
Indeed, in June 2002 over 300 sorties were flown
on one busy day and with instructors regularly flying
three sorties per day (each with a duration of over
three hours including briefing and debriefing) fatigue
levels are high and maximum permitted individual
flying hours per week are reached early. This can
result in days when there are few instructors available
to fly. A lack of experienced QFls on No 208(R)
Squadron (where 33% are 'creamies') also places
a greater strain on the more experienced instructors.
In 2001/02, 4 FTS achieved the qualification of
75 pilots, nine short of the target. To address
the shortfall a new system named Target 160 is being
implemented. The name Target 160 refers to the number
of sorties (160) per day to achieve the annual task
of 23,000 hours. This breaks down into 84 sorties
by No 208(R) Squadron. 75 by 19(R) Squadron and
one morning weather flight check/post-servicing
air test. A range of measures is currently being
implemented to enable 4 FTS to meet the demands
of Target 160. QFI strength is to be increased to
40 for each squadron thus helping reduce the workload
on the more experienced QFls. Aircraft flow rate
from the airfield is to be increased to 17 per hour.
To meet this increased flow rate the Hawks will
require a 30-minute turnround time throughout the
day. An increase in BRAMA personnel (flightline
mechanics, bowser drivers etc) will help meet this
aim, along with increased support and admin staff
to reduce the QFI 'paperload'. A further major feature
is the introduction of a new IT package (Flying
Programme Tool) which creates the entire flying
programme for each squadron each week, exacting
the most efficient use of the instructor and aircraft
resources. With these new measures in place, 4 FTS
is confident that a 10-15% increase in efficiency
will enable the target of 84 graduates per year
to be reached. In fact, for 2002/2003 4 FTS is aiming
at reaching a target of 93 graduates, a figure that
could not be dreamt of a few years ago.
THE FUTURE
With Target 160 fully implemented and the relationship
with BRAMA working well, the future of UK fast-jet
training looks positive. The introduction of the
Eurofighter Typhoon into service will, however,
prove the next major challenge. Currently the top
30% of pilots are allocated to the highly demanding
single-seat role (Harrier and Jaguar) with the remaining
70% allocated to ground-attack and air defence versions
of the Tornado. With the introduction of the Typhoon,
this ratio will reverse and a major challenge for
4 FTS will be to ensure that the standard of the
top 30% of pilots currently achieved is replicated
in the top 70% when operational Typhoon squadrons
come on line. Additionally, the cockpit environment
and fly-by-wire controls of the Typhoon are in stark
contrast to the 1970s-vintage analogue displays
and manual controls of the venerable Hawk. In an
ideal world, the Hawk fleet would be refitted with
new 'glass' cockpits with multi-function displays.
However, it seems likely that Valley will have to
wait until the introduction of the new training
aircraft required under MFTS for this facility.
Whatever the outcome of MFTS it seems likely that
the Hawk will remain very much part of the scene
at RAF Valley for the next ten years or so.
|
The two HWTS each incorporate a fully representative
Hawk cockpit inside a dome with a very wide field
of view. The visual system is projected by a multi-channel
high resolution display. Two further target projectors
are capable of independently tracking high resolution
targets. With the difficulty in projecting black
light, other Hawk aircraft appear grey or in Red
Arrows colours! The fixed position pilots 'G-seat'
gives the impression of movement, without the problems
of motion sickness. The two HWTS domes can be linked
together to allow the pilots to fly together or,
alternatively, engage each other in combat. The
facility is charged for on the basis of its usage
and all the instructors are ex-military fast-jet
instructors. All aspects of the flying course are
practised using the simulators, ranging from basic
handling techniques, to formation ground-attack
profiles. Such is the success of the HSTF facility
that course simulator hours have already risen from
25 to 60 for each student and, with further equipment
improvements planned, this is likely to rise even
further in the future.
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