Mirhaimian Realm Aviation Special Weapons and Tactics Instructor School
The Mirhaimian Realm Aviation/Armada Special Weapons and Tactics Instructor School, parts of the SWATIS Program stylized as ACE COMBAT (STAILE ÉACHT; transliterated: 'Strike Ace'), is a school specializing in teaching, and instructing fighter pilots in tactics, and techniques air combat manouevering to officers of the Mirhaimian Realm Armada and Aviation as well as of partnered states.
ACE COMBAT began as a formal program as the Aviation Fighter Weapons School (AFWS) in 1971 to as a joint Armada - Aviation solution to concerns of poor performances both in combat during Campaign Sovereign Crown, and in unrelated exercises during which Mirhaimian pilots flew exclusively against inferior aircrafts, or against a simulated force possessing inferior equipment both in anti-aircraft and aerial interdiction. During the course of the program, Mirhaimian pilots were subjected to aerial combat against a near-peer opponent capable of competition in all domains, with OPFOR pilots being instructors of the program.
As the program evolved, ACE COMBAT was additionally geared towards ground attacks to accommodate the multi-mission role of the carrier aircraft by the end of the 1981 Crimpatein invasion of Sayyed, and the subsequent Mirhaimian military intervention. In 1982, the Aviation Fihter Weapons School was formally restructured as the Realm Aviation/Armada Special Weapons and Tactics Instructor School, and inherited the same stylized name by which it is most commonly known.
History
Origins
During Campaign Sovereign Crown - the Mirhaimian military intervention in Afragola as assistance to the Phoenixian Federal Armed Forces in the First Domin War - the Mirhaimian Realm Armada Flying Corps and the Mirhaimian Realm Aviation both flew sorties with the goal of achieving aerial superiority over the territory. During these sorties, pilots flew predominantly against aircrafts of inferior type, and make captured from the Phoenixian Federal Air Force or purchased from black market sources. Though the operations achieved overall strategic success, upon the end of the conflict, concerns were raised in regards to the then-recent Mirhaimian doctrinal shift, brought on by the belief that technological advances in the fields of missile, radar, and flight controls have concluded the era of classic dogfight. Proponents of said doctrinal shift raised concerns that such the disestablishment of several instructor schools in its wake have all but led to a serious decline in Mirhaimian air-to-air combat proficiency.
As a response to these concerns, the Court of Realm Defence commenced a Realm Aviation exercise above Airspace Cathal with the main participants being 86th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 55th Fighter Wing, 112th Fighter Squadron. Though several scenarios were drafted and conducted, the one of note was named "Bravery Resolute" - an escort mission of a flight of strategic bombers moving to carpet bomb a hypothetical population centre, which saw the participation of more than 88 aircrafts of all kinds - the largest operation of its kind thus far. Deviating from the tradition of basing its enemy off the technologically inferior militaries, the scenario came to include a near-peer foe, seeing the introduction of an aerial opposing force and a thick air defensive network to simulate a real combat scenario. However, this deviation quickly revealed a flaw inherent in the training, and tactics of the Realm Air Force, with post-operation analysis concluding that a steep drop in air-to-air combat profiency was caused by pilots being taught in a rigid by-the-book manner that prevented them from effectively adapting to a change in condition, and stripped them of the flexibility that they would otherwise have due to insufficient training, and inefficient equipment. Out of the 88 combat aircrafts participating in the operation, 68 were shot down/heavily damaged, with only 44 enemy aircrafts successfully being brought down, a kill ratio deemed to be unacceptable.
As such, the Realm Aviation Service requested the budget to commence another, similar exercise in May of the same year, which was approved by the Court of Realm Defence, who took an interest. The proceeding scenarios main goal remains the same, with an even greater force of 122 combat aircrafts of all kinds fighting against a similarly sized and equipped enemy force. The end result was the damage/loss of more than 58 friendly aircrafts, at the loss of only 29 OPFORs and a failure to achieve results to conclude it in a success.
Intensive research into the datas collected were commenced after the excercise, with the Realm Aviation Service coming to the additional conclusion that its air losses were primarily due to unobserved enemy attacks from the rear, and were, therefore, a technological problem as well. The service responded by upgrading its TKN-60B Amhailt II fleet, installing an internal cannon in of the forms of the six-barreled 20mm PG-320N1, as well as research into developing improved airborne radar systems, and working to solve the targeting problems of the air-to-air missiles equipped. Later on, this report was reinforced by the "Ault Report" which conclusively gather datas from both exercises to conclude that the problem also stemmed from inadequate air-crew training in air combat maneuvering (ACM). Among its wide-ranging recommendations to improve air combat performance, the Ault Report recommended that an "Aviation Fighter Weapons School (AFWS)" be established to revive and disseminate community fighter expertise throughout both the Aviation Service, and Armada.
Establishment
The end result was the establishment of the Aviation Fighter Weapons School (AFWS) on July 4th, 1971, at Váras Air Force Base by Teancaer, Grand Dominion of Círi. Placed under the control of the FS-121 "Séadaire" (Pacemaker) an TKN-60A Phantom–equipped Replacement Air Group (RAG) unit, the new school will, for the first year, be prioritized, provided with a copious amounts of funding and resources. Its staff consists of eight TKN-60B Phantom II instructors from FS-121 and one intelligence officer hand-picked by the school's first officer-in-charge, Lieutenant Commander Jan Pedan nar Venvoi. Together, TKN-60 aviators Dáithí Uidhir, Tadhg Carthaigh, Cháitán , Rían Murchú, Aoife Bhraonáin, Rúbhán Caoimháini, and Aisling Charthaigh, as well as Róisín Nuala - a naval intelligence officer, built the Naval Fighter Weapons School syllabus from scratch. To support their operations, they borrowed aircraft from its parent unit and other Teancaer-based units, such as composite squadron VC-7 and Fighter Squadron TRIPLE ONE VF-111. The school's first headquarters was set in a three stories tall, abandoned-now-refurbished building nearby.
Role and Training Program
According to the 1972 command history of the Aviation Fighter Weapons School, or as its codenamed as "ACE COMBAT" the unit's purpose is to "train fighter air crews at the graduate level in all aspects of fighter weapons systems including tactics, techniques, procedures and doctrine. It serves to build a nucleus of eminently knowledgeable fighter crews to construct, guide, and enhance weapons training cycles and subsequent aircrew performance. This select group acts as the TKN-60 community’s most operationally orientated weapons specialists. The program's efforts are dedicated to the professional fighter crews of the Guards, Armada Aviation, as well as the Aviation Service itself, past, present and future.” Highly qualified instructors are an essential element of the program. Mediocre instructors were judged to be unable to hold the attention of talented students. Instructors were handpicked knowledgeable fighter tacticians assigned to one or more specific fields of expertise, such as a particular weapon, threat, or tactic. Every instructor was required to become an expert in effective training techniques. All lectures were given without notes after being screened by a committee of questioners set up to critically review a proposal and/or help someone prepare for a difficult oral examination, or also known as the "murder board" of evaluators who would point out ambiguities or flawed concepts in the draft presentation. The curriculum is set in a constant state of flux based upon class critiques and integration of developing tactics to use new systems to combat emerging threats.
Its objective was, and still is to develop, refine, and instruct aerial dogfight tactics and techniques to certain air crews of both the Aviation Service and the Armada, using the concept of Dissimilar Air Combat Training (DACT) which utilizes stand-in aircraft to realistically replicate expected enemy aircraft and is widely used in air arms the world over. These aircrafts were often in service, and thus also encouraging the in-depth studying of their assigned aircraft. Air crews selected to attend the course were chosen from front-line units. Upon graduating, these crews would return to their parent fleet units to relay what they had learned to their fellow squadron mates - in essence becoming instructors themselves.