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Royal Air Force Number 22 (Training) Group is responsible for the recruitment, selection, initial and professional training of RAF personnel as well as providing technical training for the Army and Royal Navy. The Group provides education and continual development throughout individuals’ RAF careers. The HQ is based in High Wycombe.
22 Group does not deliver just Flying Training. It also controls Signals training, including the Royal School of Signals, and other technical training, but the purpose of this article is to overview the air training, which is delivered under Director Flying Training (DFT).
DFT directly controls the Central Flying School in RAF Cranwell, the 1 Flying Training School in RAF Linton-on-Ouse, the Defence Helicopter Flying School DHFS RAF Shawbury, the 3 Flying Training School in Cranwell and the 4 Flying Training School in RAF Vallery.
No 2 Flying Training School has been stood up this year to control Air Cadet flying training, as will be seen later in the article, but the organisation has no direct link to the frontline crew formations.
Elementary Flying Training is delivered by No 1 Elementary Flying Training School, with HQ in Cranwell.
Middle Wallop delivers Operational Training to the Army Air Corps helicopter crews. All elements shown on the map will be explained in the article. Elementary Flying Training is leaving Wyton this year as the resident squadron moves to Cranwell and Wyton ceases to be a flying station; more on this later.
As of early 2014, an estimate of 250 ab initio pilots and 60 ab initio crewmen enter the system each year. The british flying training pipeline also trains some 40 foreign students on average, under International Defence Training agreements and contracts, such as with Saudi Arabia.
The UK Military Flying Training System contract
In 2008, the MOD signed a 25-year Public Private Partnership contract for the delivery of flying training to students from all three the armed services. The contract was signed with ASCENT, a joint venture between Lockheed Martin and Babcock. The role of Babcock is aircraft and equipment maintenance, and airfield support. Lockheed Martin and CAE personnel are involved for support to simulators and electronic training.
As part of the agreement, the MOD sets the requirements and standards of training, while supplying airfields and fuel. ASCENT is responsible for delivering the training courses and for renewing the training aircraft fleets. ASCENT has first of all taken over the legacy, existing fleets and training arrangements, and started to deliver the reworked capability areas in progression.
The first capability area to be touched was Fast Jet Training (FJT), with the order of the 28 Hawk T2 advanced jet trainers and the construction of a new hangar and a two-storey training centre in RAF Valley. The first course began on 2 April 2012.
The second capability area to be touched was Royal Navy Observer training, with ASCENT signing to take over the Observer Training Flight in 703 NAS at Barkston Heath, and with an order placed for four new Beechcraft King Air 350 (Avenger T1 in Royal Navy service) trainer aircraft, assigned to 750 NAS in Culdrose. Avenger flying operations began on 11 April 2012, with the first four Observers graduated in January 2013.
The renewal of other capability areas has been slowed down by reviews, budget uncertainty and cutbacks to the number of crews the UK need to train as the armed forces shrink. The cuts of 2010, in particular, were devastating in this sense, and led to the disbandment of several legacy training squadrons.
ASCENT is still due to renew Elementary Flying Training (EFT), Basic Flying Training (BFT), Multi Engine Pilot Training (MEPT), Rotary Wing Training (RWT) and the RAF Rear Crew Training (RCT2, with RCT1 being the RN Observers training, delivered).
In 2012, with the turmoil of cuts and disbandments passed, it was decided that ASCENT would proceed with the renewal of EFT, BFT and MEPT. A Request For Proposals was put out in December, and three team bidders stepped forth:
BAE Systems, in team with Babcock, Gama and Pilatus proposed maintaining the existing Grob 115E (Tutor T1) fleet for the EFT, while using Pilatus PC-21s as replacement for Tucano T1 for BFT and new Cessna Citation Mustangs replacing the Beechcraft King Air 200 for the MEPT.
An EADS Cassidian-led team comprising CAE and Cobham proposed the Grob G120TPfor EFT and the Beechcraft T-6C for BFT. Their proposal for MEPT is not known.
Finally, Affinity Group, a team made up by Elbit Systems and KBR, proposes the Grob G120TP for EFT, the Beechcraft T-6C for BFT and the Embraer Phenom 100 for MEPT. Note that both of the known proposals for MEPT come with twin turbofans, instead of the turboprops which have been the norm this far. The RAF going ahead will only have the A400M and Shadow R1 propelled by multiple turboprops, and evidently it is assessed that turbofans will deliver better training. It still is curious, however, that the Beechcraft King Air 350 is not considered: one would think that commonality with the Shadow R1 fleet and Avenger fleet would still be attractive, even if maintenance is carried out by Babcock under the contract arrangements.
News reports suggest that the Affinity Group is going to win. An announcement is (or at least was) expected before the end of this year. At ILA Berlin Air Show earlier this year, a presentation by Ascent said that contract award is expected in the first quarter of 2015. In May 2017 Cranwell would begin receiving the first new Elementary Flying Training aircraft, and the first student course would start in December 2017.
The new Basic Fast Jet Trainers would begin arriving at RAF Valley in April 2018, with the first student course in January 2019. The METP would see deliveries of the new trainer aircraft beginning at Cranwell in October 2017, with the first student course starting in June 2018.
The Phenom 100 could be the next multi engine trainer
The T-6C could replace the Tucano
The Rotary Wing Training should select the way ahead by around 2018. The replacement of the legacy training fleet was delayed in 2012, and the contract covering the existing fleet and arrangements was extended out to 2018, but the old Squirrel and Griffin are increasingly inadequate, with their old avionics being in no way representative of the glass cockpits and systems the crews will find on passage to the frontline. The Rotary Wing Training at DHFS Shawbury currently is delivered by FB Heliservices.
AINoline in one article said that a RFP for the renewal of the Rotary Fleet was expected this month, but so far there have been no news. Confirmations that the competition is to begin soon have filtered, though, and Airbus is already positioning itself to offer the EC-130 and EC-135, Flightglobal reported from Farnborough.
Work has also begun to define the RCT2 training package for rear crewmen.
By 2019, if there aren’t further changes and delays, all the training packages might be delivering. One current training base, RAF Linton-on-Ouse, is expected to lose its Basic Fast Jet Training role, which will be consolidated in RAF Valley under current plans.
As is explained in greater detail in this article, RAF Valley is very likely to see the disbandment of 208(R) Squadron by around 2016, and it appears that the idea is to use the room freed by it to house the BFT school and its single flying squadron.
Another installation which is seen as at risk is Middle Wallop. The Army is resisting calls to concentrate helicopter training completely in Shawbury, as it believes that Middle Wallop is perfectly located to provide the right challenges to pilots undergoing Operational Training Phase: the base’s airspace is crowded, and the closeness to Salisbury Plain and to important Joint Helicopter Command bases and fleets is assessed as being extremely beneficial to training.
670 AAC Squadron, in Middle Wallop, uses 9 Squirrels updated by the army with a moving map display, a simulated defensive aids system panel and night vision goggle-compatible anti-collision lighting to support formation flying at night. They are able to deliver a much more complete and operationally relevant preparation to crews before they move on to 671 Sqn (OCU, or better Conversion To Type unit for Lynx, Gazelle and Bell 212) or 673 Sqn (Conversion to Type unit for Apache).
The future of Middle Wallop hangs in the balance of a number of choices regarding the delivery of training in the future. Will the Army’s Operational Training Phase be sacrificed on the altar of savings, or anyway absorbed somewhat by the future RWT in Shawbury? As the Wildcat replaces the Lynx, the Gazelle eventually leaves service and the handful of Bell 212 face an uncertain future, will 671 remain? The Wildcat fleet has its training centre in Yeovilton, and 652 Sqn is earmarked as the OCU: either 671 Sqn vanishes and gives its role completely to 652, or both squadrons stay, one delivering Conversion to Type training and one Conversion to Role (more advanced training, specifically focused on operational, tactical use of the machine). The same uncertain future faces 673 and the Apache force. As the attack regiments restructure, it is not at this stage publicly known how training will be reorganized.
The Apache pilots, after completing their initial training or after coming from another type, move to 673 Sqn in Middle Wallop. This is the Apache Conversion To Type training squadron, which delivers 8-months training courses to form the crews of the attack helicopter.
Achieving conversion to type, however, is not at all the end of the training. Conversion to Role prepares the crews for actually flying combat missions.
3 and 4 Regiment AAC have borne the burden of a constant presence in Afghanistan for all these years, by adopting a two-year cycle that sees one Regiment committed to operations and one in supporting role.
For example, in its operational year, 4 Regiment would cover the 12 months by deploying each of its three squadrons for a 4-month tour, modelled on RAF guidelines (which have been selected by Joint Helicopter Command, the higher authority the AAC responds to).
In the same 12-months period, 3 Regiment, in the supporting role, would deliver Mission Rehersal Exercise (MRX) support to troops preparing for deployment; Operational Conversion Training and a token Contingency force available for new operations, such as Op Ellamy in 2011.
One squadron on rotation between the three in the Supporting regiment would be tasked as Conversion To Role (CTR) unit, inglobating the Air Manoeuvre Training and Advisory Team (AMTAT). The Squadron would also hold Station Airfield responsibilities, looking over Wattisham, and would deliver training for shipboard operations, delivering Deck Landing Qualifications (DLQ).
Effectively, this arrangement was considered a 5 + 1 solution of five deployable squadrons and one training unit.
Under Army 2020, if the plan hasn't been revised further, the idea seems to be to reduce the Attack Regiments to binary formation, with two squadrons each, in line with the new binary structure of 16 Air Assault Brigade.
In addition, one squadron, while no longer frontline tasked, would remain as “OCU” unit: this could be, judging from the fate of 654 Sqn, the future of whatever squadron will be selected within 3 Regiment AAC once involvment in Herrick is over and the regiment is restructured to its binary Army 2020 structure.
What is not clear is if this “OCU” based in Wattisham would complement 673 Sqn by delivering Conversion to Role training, or if it would replace 673 and deliver both Conversion to Type and Conversion to Role courses.
The future of 671 and 673, their continued existence and their basing, will be decisive for the future of Middle Wallop. It is far from impossible to imagine the MOD pressing the Army to concentrate Wildcat CTT and CTR in Yeovilton and concentrate Apache training in Wattisham, in order to close down Middle Wallop.
The future of 670 Sqn and Operational Training Phase is also crucial for the future of the base. Its replacement might come through a new requirement, outside UK MFTS, which was explained by deputy commander of Joint Helicopter Command, Brigadier Neil Sexton, in January 2014. The brigadier went on record saying that the MOD is now looking at a Surrogate Training requirement, which might help cover the Operational Training requirement and download some of the training flying from expensive Wildcat and Apache airframes to a much cheaper, but representative, machine.
In January, the idea was described as having small fleet of smaller, cheaper surrogate training helicopters (indicatively six for each base) equipped with dummy systems and adequate human-machine interface to enable highly realistic training at lower cost. The pilots will need to be able to move seamlessly from the surrogate to the real thing.
A key factor is that this requirement would be detached from the DHFS, which would continue to deliver Initial Training.
Such Surrogate Trainers could be an excellent solution, but being based alongside the helicopters they would represent, they would do nothing to save Middle Wallop, as they would be housed instead in Yeovilton, Wattisham, Odiham, Benson.
In other words, going ahead, as the training pipeline is renewed, at least two bases risk being lost: RAF Linton-on-Ouse and Middle Wallop.
The UK MFTS, on its part, will go ahead with just four bases: Barkston Heath with the Defence Elementary Flying School; Shawbury with the Defence Helicopter Flying School, Cranwell and Valley, plus Culdrose if we include 750 NAS and its operations.
Another training unit that will be impacted in future is the SARTU, based in RAF Valley. The Search and Rescue Training Unit will undoubtedly be affected by the passage of SAR duties from the military to the Depertment of Transport in 2016.
SARTU provides ab initio rearcrew students with an introduction to SAR helicopter techniques in both the Winch Operator and Winchman roles. This training includes mountain and overwater helicopter operations. SARTU also provides a selection course and dedicated rearcrew training to meet the needs of the UK SARF and 84 Sqn RAF. 84 Sqn, based in Cyprus, will remain and will maintain its SAR capability, so a residual SAR training capability will be needed, but it is not clear how it will be delivered.
On behalf of DHFS, SARTU also delivers tailored SAR courses to foreign and commonwealth military and civilian customers.
Finally, the unit runs a number of staff courses to form Qualified Helicopter Instructors (QHI) and Qualified Helicopter Crewman Instructors.
The training pipeline
A 22 Group presentation, released in 2011, shows the arrangement of flying training post-SDSR. I’ve modified the slides slightly, to include the RN Observer course and to include training squadron indications.
In more detail, here I will explain the passages of the training process:
RAF Direct Entry personnel and/or trainees with University Air Squadron experience first of all undergo the Initial Officer Training IOT at the Officer and Aircrew Training Unit (OACTU), RAF College Cranwell. They then move into the flying training pipeline, beginning with ground school courses in Cranwell (No 3 Flying School) which are the same for all three services, and thus Joint in nature (purple color in the graphic).
RAF students then progress into RAF No 1 Elementary Flying Training School, which puts them into courses flying the Grob Tutor. As of 2011, the course lasts 24 weeks, including 55 flying hours.
The school stood up in 2005 with 3 squadrons: 16 (R) Sqn at Cranwell, 57 (R) Sqn at Wyton and 85 (R) Sqn at Church Fenton.
85(R) Squadron was disbanded in August 2011 due to the reductions coming from the SDSR 2010 and RAF Church Fenton was closed down during 2013.
57(R) Squadron is due to transfer into Cranwell by the end of August as Wyton ceases to be a flying station and fully transforms into the Joint Forges Intelligence Group station, part of Joint Forces Command.
Tutor T1
Following the EFT phase, RAF students are streamed either to the multi-engine (ME) line or to the fast jet (FJ) line or the rotary wing line.
Army Air Corps and Royal Navy personnel are first graded by the squadrons 676 AAC in Middle Wallop and by 727 NAS in Yeovilton respectively. Both squadrons use a handful of Grob Tutor aircraft supplied by Babcock under contract for this task.
After moving through ground school in Cranwell, Army and RN students move to the Defence Elementary Flying Training School in Barkston Heath, where they train on the Tutor aircraft of either 674 AAC or 703 NAS. The courses are a bit different: RN personnel flies 55 hours vs 40 for the Army, and has 24 weeks long courses compared to 13 to 14 weeks for the Army personnel.
A limited number of Army students move into the Multi Engine stream to train for the Defender / Islander fleet of 5th Regiment AAC, while the others progress into the Rotary Wing Stream.
RN students move on to the Rotary Wing Stream or to the Fast Jet Stream.
In addition, the Royal Navy needs to train Observers: they receive a purposefully designed training from Observer Training Flight, 703 NAS, before moving to 750 NAS for training on the Avenger T1 (Beechcraft King Air 350 supplied under UK Military Flying Training System).
In 750 NAS, RNAS Culdrose, the observer students are prepared for systems and sensors management and all-weather aircraft operations before going to serve into the rotary wing pipeline.
The Fast-Jet path moves on through No 1 Flying Training School in RAF Linton-on-Ouse, where they fly on the Tucano T1 with 72(R) Squadron. 124 flying hours are amassed as part of a 40 weeks instruction course.
The other squadron of the school, 76 Sqn, was disbanded as a consequence of the SDSR 2010.
Tucano T1
When Basic Fast Jet Training (BFJT) is completed and the wings are obtained, the training moves to RAF Valley, where No 4 Flying Training School completes the job delivering Advanced Jet Training with the Hawk T2 of IV(R) Sqn, with a course of some 36 weeks including 120 flying hours.
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