Becoming a Fighter Pilot

Becoming a combat pilot is a dream to most US airmen, flying an aircraft with mach 2-3 with superb weapons and worth in millions to billions is a cool profession. But a few could get a slot, there are a numerous training and requirements and only the best is given the price to become a combat Pilot.

Training: ^{coutesy from baseops.net}

Air Force pilot candidates begin with introductory flight training (IFT). In IFT, civilian instructors provide 50 hours of flight instruction to pilot candidates who must complete requirements for a private pilot license.

Pilot candidates then attend either Euro-NATO joint jet pilot training (ENJJPT) or joint specialized undergraduate pilot training (JSUPT).

ENJJPT is located at Sheppard AFB, TX. The entire course lasts about 54 weeks. Students learn with, and are taught by, U.S. Air Force officers and officers from various air forces of our European allies. Student pilots first fly the T-37 mastering contact, instrument, low-level and formation flying. Next, they strap on the supersonic T-38 and continue building the skills necessary to become a fighter pilot.

JSUPT students accomplish primary training in the T-37 Tweet at one of three Air Force bases – Columbus AFB, MS, Laughlin AFB, TX, or Vance AFB, OK; or in the T-34C Turbomentor at Naval Air Station Whiting Field, FL. Joint training is conducted at Vance AFB, OK, and NAS Whiting Field for students from the Air Force and Navy.

During the primary phase of JSUPT, students learn basic flight skills common to all military pilots.

Joint Strike Fighter

The Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Program, formerly the Joint Advanced Strike Technology (JAST) Program, is the Department of Defense's focal point for defining affordable next generation strike aircraft weapon systems for the Navy, Air Force, Marines, and our allies. The focus of the program is affordability -- reducing the development cost, production cost, and cost of ownership of the JSF family of aircraft. Prior to the start of System Design and Development (SDD) in Fall 2001, the program facilitated the Services' development of fully

validated, affordable operational requirements, and it lowered risk by investing in and demonstrating key leveraging technologies and operational concepts. Upon SDD contract award to Lockheed Martin on 26 October 2001, the program embarked on full development of three affordable and effective JSF variants.

The JSF will fulfill stated Service needs as follows:

U. S. Navy First day of war, survivable strike fighter aircraft to complement F/A-18E/F

U.S. Air Force Multirole aircraft (primary-air-to-ground) to replace the F-16 and A-10 and complement the F-22A

U.S. Marine Corps STOVL aircraft to replace the AV-8B and F/A-18 as their only strike fighter

United Kingdom Royal Navy & Royal Air Force STOVL aircraft to replace Sea Harriers & GR.7s as a supersonic strike fighter

Other Countries Potential JSF customers include current operators of F-16, F/A-18, and AV-8B

Air Combat Command

Air Combat Command (ACC), established 1 June 1992, with headquarters at Langley AFB, Va., operates Air Force bombers and CONUS-based, combat-coded fighter and attack aircraft. Organizes, trains, equips and maintains combat-ready forces for rapid deployment and employment while ensuring strategic air defense forces are ready to meet the challenges of peacetime air sovereignty and wartime air defense.

The creation of Air Combat Command (ACC) on 1 June 1992 resulted in part from dramatic changes in the international arena. The collapse of the former Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War led senior defense planners to conclude that the structure of the military establishment which had evolved during the Cold War years was not suited to the new world situation. The likelihood of a large-scale nuclear conflict seemed far more remote, but US military forces would increasingly be called upon to participate in smaller-scale regional contingencies and humanitarian operations.

Becoming a fighter pilot requires lots of time, dedication and perseverance if you want to be successful in your dream . A special type of person is required to join such an elite group. Most people think that becoming a fighter pilot is mostly about flying a fighter jet, when in fact that is not the priority first, but you need to become a well-trained officer first, even if you continue on to be a fighter pilot or not. As an officer your primary job is to defend the USA against its enemies, and any career aspirations are secondary to that.

There are three possible ways to train as an officer - service academy, Officer Candidate School (OCS) or Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC). As a high school student, you should apply to a service academy if you want to become an officer. You can choose between the Air Force Academy, Annapolis (Navy & Marines), West Point (Army) or the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. All of them put you through rigorous military training, and you also obtain a Bachelor of Science degree. If you have a strong aptitude to advanced math and science then you'll have a much better chance of succeeding.

If you're planning to enter one of the academies, then be aware that the competition to get in is fierce. You'll need a high school grade point average of 3.8 as a cadet, as well as a SAT score of 1300. This has to include a minimum of 1050 for verbal and math. It's a good idea to have a strong extra-curricular activity record as well, even more so if those activities demonstrate leadership or athletic skills.

So if you want to enter a service academy, earn a commission and receive a college education, the path is simple. It's not easy though - you'll need to perform very well in high school, and not just inside the classroom. It takes a long time to work your way through the application process. You certainly don't just hand over a simple form and expect to be accepted into a service academy. You need three letters of recommendation, extensive paperwork, and even to be nominated by your Congressman. To improve your chances of success, start preparing your application early, and certainly don’t start any later than your junior year.

The bad news is that just because you made it into the service academy, pilot training slots are still extremely limited. Being accepted by the academy is a piece of cake by comparison. However pilots are in demand right now, as all the military streams are struggling to retain the pilots they have. So if you're keen to be a fighter pilot, it's a little easier than usual to obtain a slot. How long that lasts, nobody knows.

You might also find that The Reserve Officers Training Corps is the best option for you. With this, you study at a college or university as normal, but add in the officer training requirements. On top of your regular studies you will have to attend military training and courses, spend at least one summer on a training camp and attend weekly meetings. Most of the time you live as a civilian, only donning your military garb when you're actually attending military classes. When your officer training is complete, you can then apply for specific programs such as pilot training. Competition is tough, and you'll need to pass some rigorous academic, medical and testing requirements to be successful.

For those who decide a little later in life to become a fighter pilot, The Officer Candidate School (OCS), sometimes called The Officer Training School (OTS), is the best route. Within 4 months OCS will take a college graduate with no background in the military and turn him into an officer. Again, you have the opportunity to apply for pilot training school when you qualify as an officer, but the competition is just as fierce. It's also necessary for you to begin training as a fighter pilot before you turn 27, so this third option is only available for a limited time.

^{courtesy of Steve Dolan}