School of Air Warfare
Role
Welcome to the School of Air Warfare (SAW) website. SAW's motto is 'Teach to Fight' and represents our core mission 'to train and develop Air Warfare professionals that are decisive, resilient and respected'.
Our vision is 'to be the centre of excellence in Air Warfare mission specialist training and development', which encapsulates the wide remit of SAW activities, including significant ab-inito and post-graduate training and development courses.
The staff at SAW are justifiably proud of the work that they do in developing RAAF Air Combat Officers (ACOs) and Maritime Aviation Warfare Officers (AvWO) to a standard that allows them to complete Operational Conversions. Furthermore, SAW provides photographic training through our Photographic Training Flight and post-graduate Weapons Employment training.
The introduction of the RAAF ACO category has presented SAW with an exciting opportunity to develop a training course that will produce Air Warfare professionals capable of conducting 21st Century warfare. The first ACO course kicked off in January 2008 with new courses starting every 3 to 4 months.
By exploring the SAW website, you will find more information on the ACO course and all of the other courses and activities conducted at SAW.
Courses
ACO Course
The ACO ab-initio course includes a common module of training, followed by a specialist stream module. The ACO common course includes ground school, simulation and airborne training and focuses on common ACO skills that are critical to achieving the vision for the category, such as mission systems management and mission command skills. The common flying training on the King Air 350 is essential to allow a valid streaming decision and is the minimum required to instil the fundamental principles of mission systems management and command. The common course is 26 weeks long.
Following completion of the common course, students are streamed into one of three specialisations. These are air battle management (ABM), maritime patrol and response (MPR) or air combat and combat air lift (ACCAL). All streams involve additional specialist training at SAW, including ground simulation and airborne training events. All specialist training is 14 weeks long and upon completion all students graduate at SAW and are awarded the Southern Cross brevet.
Following graduation as ACOs, ABM ACOs proceed to the ground ABM environment for a consolidation period prior to possible selection for AEW&C employment. MPR ACOs proceed to 292 SQN for an operational conversion to the AP-3C and ACCAL students proceed to 79 SQN for lead-in training on Hawk aircraft prior to F/A-18F 'Super Hornet' conversion.
Candidates for Air Combat Officer Basic Course must have graduated from either RAAF Officer Initial Course or the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA), the NZDF equivalent, or a foreign service equivalent.
Candidates must have graduated from, and have currency in, the ADF Military Aviation Medicine (AVMED) Aircrew Initial Course, the NZDF equivalent, or a foreign service equivalent. COMSURV training will be required prior to operational service within the FEGs.
Maritime Aviation Warfare Officers Course
The aim of the Maritime Aviation Warfare Officers Course is to graduate trainees as Aviation Warfare Officers with the necessary skill, knowledge and attitudes which will enable them to successfully undertake operational conversion in selected RAN aircraft types, and discharge their duties as Naval Officers.
The duration of the course is 38 weeks, and subjects covered include Aerodynamics and Performance Navigation, Airmanship, Flight Safety & Emergency Procedures, Meteorology, Communications, Recognition, Radar, Weapons Systems, Electronic Combat, and Search & Rescue operations.
Navigation instruction begins with Basic techniques, moving on to Visual and then Systems Navigation techniques. Further instruction, essential to develop the knowledge and skills required of an AvWO, train the student in both the theory and practical application of Maritime Operations and the complete process of flight tasking beginning with planning, the conduct of pre-flight’s, completing the airborne mission and after flight duties. All flight operations are conducted on the Beechcraft King Air 350. The student will complete 28 flights for total flight time of over 90 hrs.
Types of mustering/specialisations involved
Many different mustering and background are employed at the School of Air Warfare to conduct training. These include Air Combat Officers, Maritime Aviation Warfare Officers, Pilots, Civilian Aviation Instructors, Communications Information Systems Controllers, Clerks and Australian Public Service staff.
Equipment used
The School of Air Warfare uses the Synthetic Navigation Trainer (SNT) and the Air Warfare Simulator (AWSIM) to conduct simulated training events. SAW also uses the King Air 350 aircraft operated by No 32 Squadron to conduct all airborne training of students.
King Air 350 Kingair
History
On 1 January 2007 the School of Air Navigation changed its name to the School of Air Warfare (SAW) following the creation of the Air Combat Officer (ACO) specialisation. The emphasis of aircrew training has moved towards developing mission and battlespace commanders. ACOs are an amalgamation of the groups known as Navigators, Air Defence Officers and Airborne Electronic Officers. Although the name may have changed the essence of the School has not. The new school will carry on the tradition of training aircrew, photographers and others to meet the needs of the ADF.
The former School of Air Navigation (SAN) was formed at East Sale on 5 February 1946 to replace the wartime Air Observers and General Reconnaissance schools and to conduct basic training of all staff navigators on the Advanced Navigator Course. Since its inception, SAN has trained over 2000 basic and post-graduate students and hundreds more through the provision of specialist lecturers to various ADF and Foreign Service units.
The school was initially equipped with Lincoln Bombers in 1947 as its instructional aircraft. The Avro Anson was added to the fleet in 1948. The Douglas Dakota replaced both aircraft and was the school's sole instructional aircraft type until 1969 when it was replaced by the Hawker Siddeley HS748 Navigation Trainer. The introduction of the King Air B200 aircraft was introduced in 1997 to complement the HS748. The B200 and HS748 aircraft were both replaced by the King Air B300 aircraft in 2002. All aircraft operations were transferred to the RAAF's No. 32 Squadron in January 1998, establishing a close working partnership between SAW and No. 32 Squadron.
The training role has expanded many times since 1946. SAW now trains all Maritime Aviation Warfare Officers and Instructors for the RAN and Air Combat Officers and Instructors for the Royal New Zealand Air Force and Royal Australian Air Force.
SAW is also recognised as the primary provider of Photographic Training for the RAAF and RAN. Formal photographic training started during World War II when the RAAF created a photographic flight in Canberra. This training later transferred to RAAF East Sale on 1 April 1952, coinciding with the founding of the School of Photography.
On 14 December 1999, the School of Photography was disbanded and became SAW Photographic Training Flight. The Flight delivers initial Basic Photographic training and a range of additional post-graduate photographic courses including: Digital Imagery Course, Imagery Production Managers Course and Photographic Resolution Aerial Course, which is conducted at RAAF Amberley.
