In order to maintain it’s operational capabilities, the squadron must constantly manage it’s personnel in an efficient way. This is key, to allow everyone to participate in operations, continue training, keep up with new tactics and technologies and improve day by day.

The squadron is divided into different groups of specialists, who all excel in their own domain and transfer their knowledge to the rest of the squadron. Everyone, pilots and ground crew, participates in order to keep this well oiled machine running.

Organisation

CO (Commanding Officer)

At top of the squadron is the “CO” (Commanding Officer). He is assisted by the “Ops” and the “Exec” for matters concerning the pilots and the support personnel respectively.

OPS (Operations Officer)

The “Ops” (Operations Officer) determines, together with the “CO”, the priorities for the daily planning and takes care of the coordination with the higher echelons about everything to do with flight operations.

Flights

The squadrons pilots are divided into 5 flights with each their specific responsibilities.

• A-Flight: Schedulling
• B-Flight: Electronic Warfare/Mission planning
• C-Flight: Weapons/Tactics
• D-Flight: Standardisation/Evaluation
• E-Flight: WTTO

EXEC

For smooth functioning the squadron also has a number of “support personnel” led by the “Exec”. The whole of support personnel consists of mission planners, intelligence specialists, secretaries and drivers.

Mission planners

During the mission preparation the pilots are supported by a team of Mission Planners who gather all the information and documentation that’s necessary for the flight and provide the pilots with a data cartridge that can be loaded into the aircraft. They also help with calculations and maps and gather the data after the flight that can help in the debriefing. This team is managed by the B-Flight.

ADMIN (Administration)

Admin takes care of the squadrons paperwork. They perform the follow up of the squadrons missions, pay and leave and help everyone find their way in the military bureaucracy.

GLO (Ground Liaison Officer)

The GLO-section is a section of the LandComponent (1 to 2 persons) and works as a connection between ‘units in the field’ and the squadron. The “GLO” will give the pilots, before flight, an actual situation of the troop-movements on the ground (friend and foe). He will also inform them about the material used by enemy troops. The “GLO” also plays an important role in the CAS-cycle (Close Air Support) where a unit on the ground requests immediate air-support. This request will pass the “GLO”, and he will then brief the pilots what exactly they have to do. During the execution of such a CAS-cycle a “Forward Air Controller” is present in the field that gives instructions to the pilot about the target.