FAC-A question for the Seniors

[ByteFlighter]

I read a memo recently regarding the Army's "pilot" program training AH-64 WOs in the art of FACing - Marine Corps style.

 

The memo was almost 10 years ago but it reads like the Army was pretty enthusiastic about in the future creating Forward Air Controllers out of Apache pilots much like how the Marine Corps utilizes their pilots on rotations. They actually sent a couple AH-64 guys out to some MCAS to train for it.

 

I wouldn't mind it. But the "pilot" program may have just been some Commander with a Fur up his ass. If real, the AF JTACs must of pushed back pretty hard....

 

 

Any rated Pilots out there hear any grumblings about this?

[Thedude]

I haven’t heard anything about it recently. I’ll take a FAC-A in the A10 above me over a JTAC on the ground any day though.

[ByteFlighter]

Yeah I guess UAVs have made that concept of Airborne FAC obsolete...I am still surprised JTAC ground training didn't merge with the 64 guys though.

[Snakedriver77]

Couple of things-

 

It sounds like you are asking if the AH-64 community is/ has been doing ground tours as a FAC.... understand that that is a completely different qualification than your title and a number of responses.

 

A FAC(A) is the task of acting as an extension of the TACP, as a terminal controller, while in the cockpit. This is not a Marine rotation. It is an advanced qual the only AH/UH-1 RW Pilots can hold in the USMC.

 

As far as ground rotations, yes, the Corps can send all pilots to be a FAC post an initial flying tour. While its not an absolute thing, guys with a fired back ground tend to do better and hold the more difficult billets such as MARSOC, etc.

 

My experience with Army fires, sans SOAR, is there would be a slight learning curve as your assests are not RW CAS (per JCAS), but would do well at TACP school. I think also it would help the communitie with fires integration as a whole, too.

 

If you get the shot, Id highly recommend it. Let me know if you have any questions about executing as a FAC(A) or FAC tours.

[Thedude]

Yeah I guess UAVs have made that concept of Airborne FAC obsolete...I am still surprised JTAC ground training didn't merge with the 64 guys though.

Not at all. Army UAVs are practically useless for attack aircraft. The Army MQ-1s and RQ-7s are operated by non-aviators who don’t understand the environment, mission or battlefield. Their ability to communicate what they see and what it means is severely lacking and getting them involved in an cooperative operation is almost never worth the headache. It’s a training issue that could be resolved but probably won’t be. Air Force UAVs are better with winged aviators on the other end.

 

The integration of UAS offers a lot of benefits but until the operators are fixed the system is relatively broken.

[ByteFlighter]

Thanks for the schooling.

 

Exactly why I ask questions on here!

[Trogdor]

Nothing came of the memo. As snake driver alluded to, a basic level of CAS proficiency would need to be the first goal. Also, the army can not afford to give up aviators for ground rotations any time soon.

 

That being said FAC(A) is not dead.