TRADING PLACES - RAF PILOTS LIVE THE AMERICAN DREAM

Blackanthem.com, LONDON, England, April 22, 2005

Combat operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan in recent years have made the already close ties between the RAF and the US Air Force arguably the strongest they have been since the end of WWII.

Nothing illustrates the depth of trust and co-operation between the two air arms more than an exchange program that sees RAF pilots and engineers trading places with their American counterparts on a variety of different aircraft types.

Few exchange postings are however as hotly contested as that to fly the Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk, more commonly known as the 'Stealth Fighter' and referred to by the Americans simply as 'the jet'. Jaguar pilot, Squadron Leader Charlie Cooke, is currently on exchange with the 49th Fighter Wing, one of a select few RAF pilots who have been selected to fly this most enigmatic of aircraft.

Built in complete secrecy, the F-117 was designed to be almost invisible to radar and has perhaps the most distinctive shape of any aircraft flying today. Indeed, Squadron Leader Cooke is still getting used to the jet. "Even now after 10 months when I walk around the airplane I'm still a bit in awe of it".

Candidates attend a selection interview at RAF Innsworth with the name of the lucky pilot then being forwarded to the USAF for approval: “I applied specifically for this exchange because as I'd been interested in the stealth program for a while.”

Following selection Squadron Leader Cooke packed his bags and flew to Holloman AFB, New Mexico to spend three years as a member of the 9th Fighter Squadron, one of two flying the Nighthawk.

Despite having a huge amount of fast jet experience flying Jaguars at RAF Coltishall and Boscombe Down, Squadron Leader Cooke underwent intensive training on arrival at Holloman. "After six weeks of ground school you do about 15 sorties in the simulator before you fly the jet." He added, "There's no two-seat version of the F-117 so we fly two sorties in a T-38 Talon to get landing currency so by the time you get into the cockpit of the jet you're very comfortable."

Commenting on his first flight in the Nighthawk, Squadron Leader Cooke said: "I was pleasantly surprised by the handling characteristics as when you look at the jet it doesn't look like it's meant to fly. It's not over endowed with thrust but in terms of handling it flies like a fighter."

There followed a dozen training sorties, each accompanied by an instructor flying alongside in a T-38 before the RAF pilot could join the 9th Fighter Squadron, the Flying Knights.

The benefits to the RAF are many according to the stealth pilot. "When the pilots return to the UK they bring with them the knowledge of seeing how a different air force operates and how they solve problems."

Summarizing his tour, Squadron Leader Cooke said, "This is definitely a career highlight – flying the Stealth, seeing how the USAF operates and living in the US."

Quite by chance, during the author's visit to Holloman the only other RAF Squadron Leader currently on exchange with the USAF was also present. Squadron Leader Stuart Smiley is currently flying the F-15C Eagle with the 60th Fighter Squadron at Eglin AFB. His squadron had deployed from Florida to participate in Exercise Roving Sands, operating side-by-side with the RAF Tornado F.3s also deployed to the base.

"Flying the Eagle is a real privilege," said Squadron Leader Smiley, who previously flew the Tornado F.3 in the UK. "The F.3 is two-seat air defense, the F-15 single seat, so the challenges of flying the Eagle are all new."

Comparing the two aircraft, Squadron Leader Smiley said, “The airframes are very different in the way they operate purely because of the dynamics of the Eagle compared to the Tornado”. He added, "The F-15 is a more high-level fighter."

Commenting on the exchange program, the RAF pilot said, "Initially it was a bit of a challenge, something of a culture shock coming to the US from the UK, but now we've got past the various hurricanes that went through Florida things gave settled down and I'm enjoying the outdoor life.

By Flight Lieutenant Dylan Eklund, 7644(VR) Sqn