When AETC was established in 1993,
Nineteenth Air Force (19 AF) was also established as a companion
numbered air force to 2 AF within AETC. While 2 AF focused on ground-based technical training, 19 AF focused on all undergraduate flying training and those formal training units (FTU) under its claimancy from 1993 until 2012, and again from 2014 to present. On 12 July 2012, 19 AF was temporarily inactivated for budgetary reasons in an effort to gain efficiencies. By 2014, these efficiencies had failed to materialize and the then-Commander of AETC, Gen Robin Rand, directed reestablishment of 19 AF effective 1 October 2014 for the oversight of all flight training operations under AETC's claimancy.
Pilot training Air Force pilot candidates begin their flying careers with
Initial Flight Training (IFT) at
Pueblo Memorial Airport, Colorado. In IFT, civilian flight instructors working under contract to AETC and the command's
306th Flying Training Group (306 FTG) provide up to 25 hours of flight instruction to commissioned officer and enlisted student pilots accessed via the
U.S. Air Force Academy,
Air Force ROTC and
Air Force OTS. Following successful completion of IFS, student pilots attend either: •
Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training (SUPT) •
Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training (ENJJPT)
Primary Training – SUPT SUPT students accomplish primary training in the
T-6A Texan II at one of three Air Force bases: •
Columbus AFB, Mississippi •
Laughlin AFB, Texas •
Vance AFB, Oklahoma Between 1994 and 2013, SUPT was titled JSUPT for "Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training" and 100 USAF students annually accomplished primary training in the
T-34C Turbomentor and later the
T-6B Texan II with Training Air Wing FIVE at
Naval Air Station Whiting Field, Florida via a combination of
USN,
USAF,
USMC and
USCG flight instructors while 80 USN and 20 USMC students annually accomplished primary training in the
T-6A Texan II with the 71st Flying Training Wing at
Vance Air Force Base. This program was terminated on 25 July 2013 with the graduation of the final USAF student pilot from primary training at NAS Whiting Field.
Primary Training – ENJJPT ENJJPT students accomplish primary training in the
T-6A Texan II at the following location: •
Sheppard AFB, Texas The entire ENJJPT course lasts about 54 weeks and students learn with, and are taught by, officers of the U.S. Air Force and various European air forces. During the primary phase, students master contact, instrument, low-level and formation flying.
Advanced Training – Fighter/Bomber (ENJJPT + SUPT) After the primary phase of SUPT and ENJJPT, student pilots select one of three advanced training tracks based on their class standing. Those qualified for fighter or bomber assignments are assigned to the fighter/bomber track and train in the
T-38 Talon at the SUPT and ENJJPT bases. Following completion of the fighter/bomber track, graduates will be assigned to the
A-10,
F-15 Eagle,
F-15E Strike Eagle,
F-16,
F-22 and
F-35,
B-1,
B-2 or
B-52. NOTE:
The U-2 is not an option for new graduates of the Fighter/Bomber track. Prospective U-2 pilots must be qualified in another fighter, bomber, reconnaissance or mobility aircraft before applying to fly the U-2. First Assignment Instructor Pilots (FAIPs) are also eligible to apply following their FAIP assignment. Advanced Training – Airlift/Tanker (SUPT only) Prospective airlift, tanker and "big wing" reconnaissance and special mission pilots are assigned to the airlift/tanker track and train in the
T-1A Jayhawk at SUPT bases only. Following completion of the Airlift/Tanker track, graduates of this track will fly the
C-5,
C-17, C-21,
C-130,
AC-130,
EC-130,
HC-130,
LC-130,
MC-130,
WC-130,
KC-135,
KC-10,
KC-46,
E-3,
E-8,
RC-135 and
OC-135. Prior to mid-2012, some USAF student pilots selected for the airlift/tanker track with specific assignment to the
C-130 Hercules or its variants (special operations, electronic warfare, combat rescue, weather reconnaissance, etc.) were assigned to a multi-engine turboprop track flying the
T-44 Pegasus and/or
TC-12B Huron at
NAS Corpus Christi, Texas in a cooperative arrangement between AETC and the
Naval Air Training Command / Chief of Naval Air Training (CNATRA). These USAF students received instruction from a combination of
USN,
USAF,
USMC and
USCG flight instructors with Training Air Wing FOUR at NAS Corpus Christi. This program was discontinued in 2012 and all USAF student pilots slated for the C-130 and its variants now train in the T-1A at one of the three SUPT bases. NOTE: ''The
55th Wing's (55 WG)
E-4B National Air Operations Center (NAOC) aircraft and any of the
Special Air Mission (SAM) aircraft operated by the
89th Airlift Wing (89 AW), e.g.,
VC-25/
Air Force One,
C-32,
C-40, etc., are not options for new graduates of the Airlift/Tanker track. Prospective E-4 and VC-25/C-32/C-40 pilots must be qualified in an airlift, tanker, or other intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft before applying to fly the E-4 or any SAM aircraft.''
Advanced Training – Helicopter (SUPT only) Those selected to fly helicopters or
tilt-rotor aircraft are assigned after completion of the primary phase to AETC's
23d Flying Training Squadron at
Fort Rucker, Alabama to train in the
TH-1H Huey. Graduates will fly the
UH-1N Twin Huey,
HH-60G Pave Hawk or
CV-22 Osprey.
Combat Systems Officer Training Undergraduate Combat Systems Officer Training – UCSOT Previously known as
Navigators, the training pipeline for
Combat Systems Officers has seen significant change since AETC's establishment. When AETC was first activated to replace Air Training Command (ATC), it inherited ATC's modernization effort of navigator training in the midst of a
BRAC-directed closure of
Mather AFB, California and the inactivation of its
323d Flying Training Wing, USAF's sole
Undergraduate Navigator Training (UNT) wing, which also provided advanced training for
USN Student
Naval Flight Officers destined for land-based naval aircraft (e.g.,
P-3 Orion,
E-6 Mercury, etc.) under the dual-designation of
Interservice Undergraduate Navigator Training (IUNT). of the 562d Flight Training Squadron taxiing at
RAF Fairford, England As part of this transition, AETC opted to implement a dual training track whereby most USAF and all land-based USN and
NATO/Allied officer student navigator training would transition to the
12th Flying Training Wing (12 FTW) at
Randolph AFB, Texas utilizing the T45 navigation simulator and flying the
T-43 Bobcat (both relocated from
Mather AFB) and adding the
T-1 Jayhawk for USAF students. The relocated programs were renamed
Specialized Undergraduate Navigator Training (SUNT) for USAF and USAF-sponsored NATO/Allied students, and
Joint Specialized Undergraduate Navigator Training (JSUNT) for USN and USN-sponsored NATO/Allied students. USAF students graduating from SUNT were assigned to
B-52,
C-130,
AC-130,
EC-130,
HC-130,
LC-130,
MC-130,
WC-130,
KC-135,
E-3,
E-8,
RC-135 and
OC-135 aircraft. At the same time, a pre-selected cohort of USAF officer student navigators destined as
weapon systems officers in the
F-15E Strike Eagle, the
B-1 Lancer, and, with the retirement of the
EF-111 Raven, electronic warfare officers providing USAF manning of joint USN-USAF
EA-6B Prowler squadrons, would complete a joint flight training program established between 19 AF and the
Naval Air Training Command / Chief of Naval Air Training (CNATRA) with Training Air Wing SIX at
Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. In this latter program, prospective USAF WSOs and EWOs would follow essentially the same training track as
USN and
USMC Student
Naval Flight Officers destined for tactical fighter, strike and electronic attack aircraft, flying the
T-34C Turbomentor in primary training until the T-34C's replacement by the
T-6 Texan II, USAF
T-1 Jayhawk aircraft on detached operations at NAS Pensacola, and USN/USMC
T-39 Sabreliner aircraft in intermediate and advanced training under the tutelage of
USN,
USAF and
USMC instructors. In 2009, with the transition of all USAF Navigators to
Combat Systems Officers, the merger of SUNT into
Undergraduate Combat Systems Officer Training (UCSOT), and pursuant to additional
BRAC directives, the 12 FTW established the
479th Flying Training Group (479 FTG) with two flying training squadrons and an operations support squadron as a geographically-separated unit (GSU) at
Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. Pursuant to USAF policy changes, AETC and CNATRA also discontinued joint training at Training Air Wing SIX with the establishment of the 479 FTG. Although NAS Pensacola remains the principal base for Student
Naval Flight Officer (SNFO) training for the U.S. Navy, the 479 FTG operates independently of this program with its own USAF
T-6 Texan II and
T-1 Jayhawk aircraft. Upon establishment of the 479 FTG at NAS Pensacola, the remaining "legacy" navigator training squadrons that had relocated from the former
Mather AFB to
Randolph AFB in 1992 were inactivated and the remaining
T-43 Bobcat aircraft retired. Starting in the summer of 2010, following completion of
Initial Flight Screening (IFS) at
Pueblo Memorial Airport, Colorado with their USAF student pilot counterparts, all USAF CSO students undergo Undergraduate Combat Systems Officer Training (UCSOT) with the 479 FTG. Merging the three previous USAF Undergraduate Navigator Training (UNT) tracks formerly known as Navigator track, Weapon Systems Officer (WSO) track and Electronic Warfare Officer (EWO) track into one coherent training cycle, the first UCSOT class (11-01) under the new syllabus commenced training on 5 May 2010 and graduated on 15 April 2011. Today, USAF CSOs continue to fill all of the previously mentioned multi-place USAF combat aircraft with the exception that the USN has since retired all of its
EA-6B Prowlers and the USAF now provides a few CSOs to four of the USN's thirteen Electronic Attack Squadrons flying the
EA-18G Growler. Those four squadrons are land based and do not deploy aboard aircraft carriers.
Air Battle Manager Training Air Battle Managers (ABM) are aircrew who operate mission systems in the
E-3 Sentry "
AWACS" and
E-8 J-STARS and operate the ground based Control and Reporting Centers. Since October 1999, they have been considered "Aeronautically Rated Officers" on par with USAF pilots and CSOs. ABMs complete Undergraduate Air Battle Manager Training (UABMT) under AETC cognizance at
Tyndall AFB, Florida that consists of a 6-9 month training syllabus with topics ranging from Radar Theory, Basic Aviation, The Continuum of Control (Close Control, Tactical Fluid Control, Broadcast Control, Advisory and Autonomous Control), Red Air (adversary aircraft capabilities) and Blue Air (joint and coalition aircraft capabilities) Academics, Electro-Magnetic Spectrum Academics, Air to Ground combat simulator, Large Force Employment simulators and culminating with live Air to Air control with Fighter Squadrons along the East Coast/Gulf of Mexico. The syllabus also includes 6 training sorties in the MU-2 Peacock. As of May 2010, a new training syllabus at Tyndall AFB allows ABMs to receive their wings at the conclusion of UABMT, finally bringing their undergraduate flight training in line with pilots and CSOs. Follow-on simulator and flying training in the
E-3 or
E-8 aircraft takes place under the cognizance of
Air Combat Command at
Tinker AFB, Oklahoma with the 966th Airborne Air Control Squadron and
Robins AFB, Georgia, with the 330 Combat Training Squadron respectively. ABMs also receive their follow on simulator and live control training for the CRC at Luke AFB, AZ with the 607th Air Control Squadron.
Enlisted Aircrew Training AETC also provides enlisted aircrew training for a wide variety of aircrew specialties including flight engineers, air-to-air refueling boom operators, loadmasters, aerial gunners, and airborne communications specialists as follows: • Flight engineers, loadmasters, other aircrew (C-130, EC-130, LC-130, WC-130) –
Little Rock AFB • Flight engineers, loadmasters, other aircrew (AC-130, MC-130, HC-130) – Little Rock AFB and
Kirtland AFB • Flight engineers, aerial gunners, other aircrew (CV-22, HH-60, UH-1) – Kirtland AFB • Aerial refueling boom operators (KC-10, KC-46, KC-135) –
Altus AFB • Loadmasters (C-5) –
Lackland AFB /
Kelly Field Annex • Loadmasters (C-17) –
Altus AFB • Airborne communications specialists (various aircraft) –
Lackland AFB • RPA Sensor Operator –
Randolph AFB Formal Training Unit Air Education and Training Command also provides follow-on training for most Air Force pilots, CSOs and enlisted aircrew in their assigned aircraft via Formal Training Units (FTUs). For those pilots and CSOs selected for assignment to fighter aircraft, they will complete the Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals (IFF) course, an AETC-administered program, at Randolph AFB, Texas, Columbus AFB, Mississippi, or Sheppard AFB, Texas, shortly following completion of undergraduate flying training and prior to reporting to their FTU. At IFF, pilots fly the
AT-38B Talon. • Air Education and Training Command FTUs: •
F-15 Eagle (e.g., F-15C and F-15D) –
Kingsley Field ANGB, Oregon; conducted by an AETC-gained fighter wing of the
Oregon Air National Guard • Training at Kingsley Field is conducted by an AETC-gained fighter wing of the
Air National Guard; this unit trains both active duty Air Force and Air National Guard personnel •
F-16 Fighting Falcon –
Luke AFB, Arizona (slated for relocation to
Holloman AFB, New Mexico);
Lackland AFB/
Kelly Field Annex, Texas; and
Tucson Air National Guard Base, Arizona • Training at Luke is conducted by an AETC fighter wing and an AETC-gained fighter wing of the
Air Force Reserve Command; • Training at Lackland AFB/Kelly Field (former Kelly AFB) is conducted by an AETC-gained fighter wing of the
Texas Air National Guard • Both units at Luke AFB and Lackland AFB/Kelly Field train Air Force, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard personnel for the F-16C and F-16D • Training at Tucson ANGB is conducted by an AETC-gained fighter wing of the
Arizona Air National Guard focusing on international (
NATO/Allied/Coalition) pilot training in support of the F-16 Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program •
F-35 Lightning II –
Eglin AFB, Florida;
Luke AFB, Arizona •
C-5 Galaxy –
Lackland AFB/
Kelly Field Annex (former
Kelly AFB) • Training conducted by an AETC-gained airlift wing of the
Air Force Reserve Command; this unit trains Air Force and Air Force Reserve personnel for the C-5 and previously trained Air National Guard personnel for the C-5 until retirement of the C-5 from the ANG •
C-17 Globemaster III –
Altus AFB, Oklahoma •
C-21 Learjet –
Keesler AFB, Mississippi •
C-130 Hercules –
Little Rock AFB, Arkansas •
KC-135 Stratotanker – Altus AFB, Oklahoma •
KC-46 Pegasus – Altus AFB, Oklahoma •
MC-130 Commando II and
HC-130 Combat King II –
Kirtland AFB, New Mexico •
UH-1N Twin Huey – Kirtland AFB, New Mexico •
HH-60G Pave Hawk and HH-60W Jolly Green II – Kirtland AFB, New Mexico •
CV-22 Osprey – Kirtland AFB, Mexico •
T-6 Texan II,
T-38 Talon and
T-1 Jayhawk Pilot Instructor Training (PIT) –
Randolph AFB, Texas FTUs not under AETC claimancy are: •
Air Combat Command •
A-10 Thunderbolt II •
E-3 Sentry •
E-4 NAOC •
E-8 J-STARS •
EC-130 Hercules (Compass Call) •
F-15E Strike Eagle •
F-22 Raptor •
OC-135 Open Skies •
RC-135 Rivet Joint •
U-2 Dragon Lady •
MQ-1 Predator •
MQ-9 Reaper •
RQ-170 Sentinel •
Air Force Global Strike Command •
B-1 Lancer •
B-2 Spirit •
B-52 Stratofortress •
Air Force Special Operations Command •
AC-130 Spectre, Spooky and Stinger •
EC-130 (Commando Solo) •
U-28 •
Air Mobility Command •
KC-10 Extender •
C-20 Gulfstream IV •
C-21 Learjet •
VC-25 •
C-40 Clipper •
C-32 •
C-37 Gulfstream V ==Air University==