RA-5C Training

In Naval Aviation, each type of aircraft has one (or two) squadrons tasked with training aircrew in operating the particular aircraft. In the case of the RA-5C, this squadron was Reconaissance Attack Squadron THREE, based at Naval Air Station Florida in 1966 (when this writer reported).

The training syllabus for these squadrons was typically a few months, but could be much shorter or longer, depending on the mission and complexity of the aircraft. For the RA-5C, the syllabus was nearly a year long. For NFOs in training as Reconnaissance Attack Navigators, Thea main training elements included:

• • Radar navigation theory

  • Nuclear weapon training and qualification

  • High altitude navigation and bombing -ground school and syllabus flights in the Douglas TA-3B Skywarrior.

  • Survival training at the infamous Survival Evasion Resistance and Escape School (SERE School). This is the Navy school you made sure you kept a copy of your completion certificate because you never, ever, under any circumstances wanted to repeat it!

  • RA-5C Introduction including supersonic run off the Atlantic coast of Florida

  • RA-5C low altitude navigation and bombing

  • Multi sensor Reconnaissance training (frame and panoramic cameras, side looking radar, electronic search measures)

  • Operating in a combat environment