Initial Training
Your career will start with the 10-week Basic Recruit Training Course (BRTC) at RAF Halton in Buckinghamshire. The course is designed to help you adjust to a military environment. As well as fitness and military training, you will also learn about the RAF lifestyle. Following the Basic Recruit Training Course (BRTC), prospective Weapon Systems Operators and Air Operations (Control) Sergeants, known within the Service as Non-Commissioned Controllers, will complete the Direct Entrant Senior Non-Commissioned Officer (DE SNCO) Course at Airmen's Command Squadron (ACS), RAF Halton. The 8-week training programme will develop the students’ knowledge of leadership within the RAF and increase their understanding of their management responsibilities as SNCOs. The course includes Air Power academic study, Practical Leadership Exercises, an Appraisal Workshop, Interview Techniques and Fitness Development.
Specialist Training
WSOp Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance (ISR). If streamed (ISR) you will undergo a 12-week foundation phase at RAF Cranwell. On completion you will be streamed to Electronic Warfare (EW), Acoustics (Aco) or Land (Lnd). You can see more about this role in the video above.
WSOp (ISR) Electronic Warfare (EW). You will complete a 23 week EW course that will include Synthetic Training and a Flying Training phase at RNAS Culdrose. On completion, you will be assigned to either RAF Waddington or RAF Lossiemouth to complete an Operational Conversion Course of up to 6 months on the aircraft to which you have been streamed. This could be the RC-135 Rivet Joint, Reaper, Shadow, E-7 Wedgetail or P8 Poseidon aircraft.
WSOp (ISR) Acoustics (Aco). You will complete a 26 week Acoustic Analysis course that will include Synthetic Training. On completion, you will be assigned to RAF Lossiemouth to complete an Operational Conversion Course of up to 6 months on the P8 Poseidon Maritime Patrol aircraft.
WSOp (ISR) Land (LND). You will complete a 23 week Land course that will include an Advanced Sensor phase and a Flying Training phase at RNAS Culdrose. On completion, you will be assigned to RAF Waddington to complete an Operational Conversion Course of up to 6 months on the aircraft to which you have been streamed. This could be the Shadow R1, MQ-9 or Reaper/Protector.
WSOp Rotary Wing (RW) Crewman. You will complete 56 weeks of training at RAF Shawbury. This will cover all aspects of the Rotary Wing Crewman role. You will learn the basics, on the EC-135 Juno helicopter before progressing to advanced crewman training on the EC-145 Jupiter helicopter. Once complete you will be streamed to either the Chinook or Puma helicopter fleets where you will be assigned to RAF Benson to complete an Operational Conversion Course of up to 6 months.
WSOp Multi Engine (ME) Air Loadmaster. You will complete a 31 week training package at RAF Cranwell. This is split into a 5.2 week Military Aviation Ground School (MAGS) theory phase followed by a 25 week practical and flying phase where you will learn about the roles and responsibilities of a Multi Engine Air Loadmaster. On completion you will be streamed to one of the RAF’s transport platforms. You could be a Mission Systems Operator (MSO) on Voyager, monitoring air-to-air refuelling, or an Air Loadmaster on the C17 or A400M fleets. Once streamed you will complete the relevant Operational Conversion Course of up to 6 months.