Fighter Weapons School
Historical Background
Fighter Weapons School (FWS) was established in 1976 as a requirement for the creation of a Training Center, providing Advanced Operational flying training in the Air Combat. In 1976, the first course was established with F-4E, F-5E and F-1CG aircrafts, focused on Tactical Interception. The Pilots training from Fighter Bomber Squadrons with aircrafts A-7H and F-104G began in 1977, giving emphasis on missions of their role. Since its inception, the FWS belonged to the 117CW and was therefore based at Andravida Airport, which it maintains to date. In October 1983, the FWS joined the newly established AIRTAC.
Mission
The Fighters Weapons School mission is:
- The Advance Operational Flight – Practical Training of HAF Staff in Air Operation Tactics and the Use of Weapon Systems and EW means against Threat.
- Providing Academic training to the HAF Staff in the weapon systems, the Electronic Warfare and the Air-to-Air and Air-to-Surface Tactics.
- The Operational structure and evaluation of the Tactical and exploitative methods of the HAF Weapons Systems and EW means.
- Control of Flight Tests of aircraft, Weapon Systems and EW means.
- Participation in the promotion and dissemination of creative Tactical Thinking to HAF Staff by issuing or revising relevant manuals and training notes.
- Assistance and support for Flight Test programs during the implementation phase.
- The responsibility to prepare and implement any of the AIRTAC Flight program.
Provided Academic Education
FWS provides Academic training to train Staff on Operational and Specialized subjects and at the same time to continually seek and further improve. It takes the form of educational Courses and Seminars at the headquarters of the school, or Lessons Learned, which are issued after the completion of each Training Course. Thus, a series of Seminars-Courses is held annually. More specifically in the areas of the FWS and with the supervision of the Education Directorate, the following training fields are covered:
- The two-week Composite Air Operations (COMAO) Course, the first of which focuses on lectures on the scope of missions compiling COMAO and the second on practice through scenarios and objectives given to the participants. The Seminar takes place twice a year and is addressed to Pilots and INTEL officers of the HAF.
- The Weaponeering Course, which teaches the methodology to study the objectives and the probability of their destruction. The Series monitors Flying and Intelligence officers mainly manned by the Weapons-Tactics Unit of the PA of War.
- The Intelligent Course, which aims to provide the necessary knowledge and training to the participating Officers and INTEL Non-commissioned Officers. The aim is the effective participation of executives in the preparation of missions at the Squadrons.
- The Flight Leadership Course which provides Academic training for candidate Flight leaders, in order to fully respond to their new tasks with safety and effectiveness in every Mission.
- The Test Pilots Course which provides Academic training in the philosophy of flight tests concerning the execution of trials for the certification of aircraft, weapons, or aircraft systems.
Provided Flight Training
Provides advanced flight training for Fighter Pilots in Air Operations, simulating the real environment through use of various Defense systems. Orientates Pilots to the Tactical sound use of Airpower in the most efficient way, considering the existent abilities and means in order to maximize the outcome. Executes missions in a complex and realistic threat environment with exposure to a wide range of Air-to-Air and Surface-to-Air threat systems. Effectively trains the GBAD personnel in a multiple threat environment with a wide range of A/G weapons.
The total duration of the main FWS Course is three (3) months. Initially, the necessary Academic training is provided to enable students to be able to attend the highly demanding and difficult practical training, including design and execution of Composite Air Operations (COMAO) formations.
Also the FWS provides,
Helicopters vs Fighters Flight Academic training in Air Tactics, Air Defense systems capabilities, weapon systems and also advanced flight training of the Helicopters crews in Air Operations, simulating the real threat environment, through use of fighter A/C and GBAD systems. The duration of the course is 3 weeks. The first week provides Academic education and the other two weeks is the Flying Training to planning and Mission execution.
At the same time, the FWS is also responsible for conducting Operational trials and evaluations in collaboration with the AIRTAC Testing Department. In this respect, the FWS operates as a special Squadron that performs trials in the context of armaments under implementation.
In addition to this, the FWS actively participates through its instructors in organizing, Planning and executing the exercise “INIOCHOS”.
Source:
So it does appear to be something created by the Hellenic Air Force which is probably why it's very important to us as their such good allies of ours and to teach what they've developed since 1976 is exceptionally important to us. Most likely why they probably took it out of Medusa and kept it secret and sperate now as Mina exercise to be conducted in Egypt with as much JTAS performances and quiet radio talk away from any NATO prying ears and intelligence. Smart move.
This is serious business, you know. Erdgan probably went crying to Biden telling him "They're all ganging up on me and I can't believe how the Egyptians allow the HAF to board and takeoff their Mistrals like thy own them and not a beep and the Greeks are getting better and better at it with their timing improving with ever takeoff this is scaring, me please look into it. So the US decided to join Medusa lol and the HAF and the EAF said ok, the part you certainly don't need to know about is how we have our own JTAC command and control and need to practice that all the time so we're taking that part out and keeping it between us and Egypt and the rest have at it. They're just common LHD landing zone exercises. lol
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