U.S. Air Force, Navy to Train Pilots As They Will Fight
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By Dan Gouré
April 11, 2020
It is now an axiom in the military profession that you should train as if it is certain you will be on the front lines. The U.S. Air Force and Navy learned this lesson the hard way more than fifty years ago in the skies over North Vietnam. In the early years of the Vietnam War, the United States suffered unexpected losses in air-to-air combat due largely to the lack of adequate training. In response, the Air Force and Navy completely revamped the training system, creating special air warfare schools and advanced training ranges. These innovations worked so well that by the time of Desert Storm, even new pilots were able to conduct complex missions with a high degree of proficiency and even score an impressive number of air-to-air kills.
Since then, the Department of Defense has continued to invest heavily in ensuring that training for pilots and crews is as close to the real thing as possible. This includes advanced instrumentation for training ranges and onboard systems for aircraft. Recently, the Air Force has decided to acquire the next generation in tactical training systems, the same one being acquired by the Navy. This will boost the ability of Air Force pilots to practice advanced combat maneuvers and will help ensure that both Services will be training as they will fight: together in one Joint Force.
https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2020/04/11/us_air_force_navy_to_train_pilots_as_they_will_fight_115195.html
