Qualified Weapons Instructor (QWI) (queue-why) is a qualification given to graduates of the Royal Air Force (RAF) or Royal Navy (RN) Qualified Weapons Instructor courses. It is the equivalent to the United States Air Force (USAF) Weapons School Course or United States Navy (USN) Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center warfare schools (including United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program or TOPGUN).

Graduates of a QWI course are entitled to wear a QWI 'patch' on their flying suit or combat uniform, which denotes their status as an expert practitioner in their warfare speciality or platform. QWI is the highest professional qualification available to aviators in the RAF. While QWI, TOPGUN and the United States Air Force Weapons School were traditionally associated with the employment of kinetic energy weapons and with historical origins in the combat aircraft community, modern warfare experts recognize that kinetic and non-kinetic weapons systems are critical in current and future combat engagements. This is reflected in the expansion of the respective warfare schools over the past two decades[1][2] Recognizing this, the RAF has recently expanded the QWI qualification to included several non-kinetic fields and now strives to achieve Full Spectrum Warfare through effects based warfare.[3] QWI is not to be confused with QFI Qualified Flying Instructor which is a non-tactical qualification.

Overview

Recognizing that modern warfare requires effects-based operations and full-spectrum dominance, the RAF has expanded its QWI programme beyond pure weapons kinetic effects and fighter aircraft tactics. Much like the equivalent weapons and warfare schools in the United States, the RAF now qualifies expert level instructors in many fields.

As of January 2017 the RAF delivers the following courses.

As requirements continue to evolve for the RAF, future courses may be created as requirements dictate.

Applicants to the QWI program are usually at the end of the first or second tour of duty and have operationally demonstrated above average qualities and capabilities in their field and are usually the top performing aircrew or operators in their squadron.

The course lasts between 7 and 9 months. The QSI is 12 months. Selected applicants start their course of study with a Combined Ground School where Student Instructors receive awareness level capabilities briefs on pan-defence subjects, such as platform capabilities and limitations, United Kingdom Ministry of Defence (MoD) programmes and initiatives, and basic Combined Air Operations (COMAO) tactics. This is followed by 6–8 months of training back at their respective squadrons in the use of the weapons systems specific to their trade. The QWI courses culminate in the operational phase, Exercise COBRA WARRIOR (Formerly known as the Combined QWI (CQWI)), where all that they learnt is put into practice and student instructors from each platform or discipline must integrate and deliver full spectrum capabilities. Exercise COBRA WARRIOR is the practical application of the Find, Fix, Track, Target, Engage, Assess (F2T2EA)[4] or Find, Fix, Finish, Exploit, Analyze, Disseminate (F3EAD)[5] kill chains requires coordinated efforts among all participants to successfully achieve the commander's objectives. Fast Jet QWIs plan for kinetic weapons effects (both air-air and air-ground) and once handed a target complete Target, Engage and Assess. F35 QWIs, perform the additional role of SEAD taking advantage of the aircraft's fifth generation capabilities. Reaper QWIs plan to both the kinetic and non-kinetic platform capabilities. Typhoon, F35, and Reaper QWIs perform the roles of ATTACK/CoA/SEAD Functional Team Leads, as well as training to act as Mission Commander. ISR provides the Find, Fix, Track portion of the kill chain if able. Each morning the QWI trainees are given an air tasking order (ATO). They then need to plan the appropriate missions required to fulfil the commander's objectives laid out by the ATO and promulgated in higher level tasking documentation.[6] With different types of aircraft and effects and a robust simulated adversary, planning is complex and typically requires an entire day to plan while mission execution only takes 1–2 hours.[7][8]

All graduates are awarded 'QWI' annotation in the Air Force List and are recognized as experts for their respective platforms and fields through continued merit, professionalism and achievement. At international training events, such as Exercise RED FLAG, platform QWIs are held in the same regard and to the same standard as USAF and USN patch wearers and are often employed in the tactical mentor role both in exercises and in real world operations.

Recognizing a lack of experts in employing ISR weapons systems, in February 2010 the RAF introduced an additional QWI(ISR) course for aircrew of Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance platforms (such as Rivet Joint) and Intelligence Officers. This course covers content similar to the Maritime ISR Weapons and Tactics Instructor course run through the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center USN[2] and represents a blend of the Command and Control Operations course (8th Weapons Squadron) and Intelligence Sensor Weapons Instructor Course (19th Weapons Squadron) run by the USAF Weapons School.[1] While traditional QWI focuses on becoming a platform expert and advanced kinetic weapons effects, the QWI (ISR) provides experts in pan-defence non-kinetic and ISR weapons systems.[9]

Pilots of other air forces can attend the school through the Ministry of Defence's International Defence Training Programme.[10]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "United States Air Force Weapons School > Nellis Air Force Base > Display". Nellis.af.mil. 10 May 2016. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
  2. 1 2 "Commander, Naval Air Forces > NAWDC > About". Public.navy.mil. 11 July 1996. Archived from the original on 11 October 2016. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
  3. ↑ "Air Power in an Uncertain World". RAF. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
  4. ↑ "Find, Fix, Track, Target, Engage, Assess". Airforcemag.com. Air & Space Forces Magazine. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
  5. ↑ "The Targeting Process: D3A and F3EAD" (PDF). Small Wars Journal. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 25 January 2017.
  6. ↑ "54(R) Sqn QWI ISR Course 3". The Insight Online. 18 April 2013. Archived from the original on 14 January 2021. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
  7. ↑ "CQWI Exercise". Raf.mod.uk. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
  8. ↑ "CQWI Course 2009". Global Aviation Resource. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
  9. ↑ "Welcome to Number 54 (Reserve) Squadron". Raf.mod.uk. Archived from the original on 14 March 2017. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
  10. ↑ "Qualified Weapon Instructor (QWI) (Pilot) - 807". Archived from the original on 18 October 2007.
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