Aircrew Embroidered Australian Made Mission Aircrew Wings
By joining the Air Force as Mission Aircrew, you'll be entering into an 'Officer Aviation' role. This term refers to a handful of Air Force Officer aircrew and ground-based mission controller roles. In an Officer Aviation role, you'll become a world-class leader and manager, and an expert in the aviation technology and skills critical to your role.
Mission Aircrew includes a range of diverse roles that will have you working in the air, operating various pieces of military-grade technology and making key decisions in challenging environments. While Pilots fly the aircraft, Mission Aircrew work on board to perform an array of other tasks and are ultimately responsible for the safe and efficient completion of the mission.
Depending on your role, you could find yourself in the back seat of a fastjet operating a variety of weapons and systems. You could lead a team on board a P-8A Poseidon using advanced technology to find hidden submarines or to conduct search and rescue operations. Or, you could specialise in managing the refuelling of aircraft in mid-air to allow them to complete their missions.
The next 10 years will see significant changes in the Air Force as the service continues to modernise, with a focus on information technology and how that can be translated into a competitive warfighting advantage. The Air Force will require highly motivated professionals to make command-and-control decisions in an ever-changing environment, managing missions to ensure they're completed efficiently and safely. Below is more information on the three Mission Aircrew roles.
Weapons Systems Officers, or 'WSOs', are employed as aircrew on the F/A-18F Super Hornet or on the EA-18G Growler. On the Super Hornet and Growler, you will team up with the Pilot, who'll control the aircraft while you operate state-of-the-art mission systems including aircraft systems, electronic warfare equipment, sensor-like radar and infra-red targeting systems and weapons. The roles of the Super Hornet and Growler are varied and complex in nature and include air-to-air combat and air-to-surface weapons employment. As a WSO, you'll be at the heart of Australia's modern Air Force.
MPROs perform the duties of a mission commander, otherwise known as a Tactical Coordinator (TACCO) on board the P-8A Poseidon aircraft. You'll operate as part of a crew performing a variety of missions including anti-surface strike, anti-submarine warfare, search and rescue; and maritime Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions.
You'll also be involved in maritime and over-land operations, providing critical intelligence to both conventional and special operations forces. You may also be involved in the detection of unlawful maritime activities such as illegal fishing, smuggling or piracy. The P-8A Poseidon aircraft is at the forefront of military aviation technology and as an MPRO, you will be an essential piece of our modern Air Force.
As an AMO, it will be your primary job to refuel aircraft. Sound simple? Now imagine doing it in mid-air. You'll be responsible for "flying" the refueling boom on your KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft into the refueling receptacle of other aircraft, who'll be matching your pace only metres away. As an AMO, you'll be directly contributing to operations by keeping fighters, airborne early warning and control aircraft, and surveillance and response aircraft in the air and on task for longer. AMOs are also involved in the planning and execution of combat airlift or humanitarian operations that could occur anywhere within Australia or around the world.
The Future
Remote Piloted Aircraft (RPA); dedicated Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft; and space-based technologies will join with our advanced, capable platforms as part of a modern Air Force.
