CAS Qualification

The CAS qualification ensures that our pilots and JTAC’s follow the standard procedure set by MA regarding CAS. The CAS qualification aims to give our pilots who have received their wings another goal/milestone to work towards. Since CAS is a procedure where own troops and/or civilians are close to the target the pilot should have good knowledge about weapon delivery, navigation and passed the CAS qualification for the specific aircraft that will be used during CAS-missions. As a JTAC you should be well-informed regarding routines/procedures concerning laser tactics, target availability assessment and so on. A misdirected engagement could result in catastrophic consequences.

Basic CAS qualification is divided in to three sections, all with its own qualification, where you can be examined as:

• CAS Pilot (Fixed Wing)
• CAS Pilot (Rotary Wing)
• JTAC

Passing the qualification allows the CAS pilot/JTAC to carry out medium-high level CAS missions during daytime.

Advanced CAS qualification is the same regardless of whether you are a CAS Pilot or JTAC but is carried out in the role you are Basic CAS qualified. Proceduers you can be examined in are:

• Low-level
• Night
• Killbox

CAS Pilot (Fixed Wing)

How to train

• Read the Tactical guide for Close air support (take notes of things that are unclear) -> Link
• Ask for help in our CAS channel in Discord to get the answer to your questions above.
• Ping @JTACs and ask anyone to occupy a JTAC slot and help you practice and work your way through the various parts of the CAS-syllabus (Fixed-wing section).

How to qualify

• Carefully go through the CAS-syllabus (Fixed-wing section) and ask yourself for every item "Do I know how to do this thing?” This is the most crucial step, and we trust you to be fair to yourself. Be disciplined, but don't be overly self-critical.
• You are expected to have all your technical stuff working (SRS and such), show up on CP as briefed and be able to follow instructions given by JTAC.
• Ask somebody to act as your examinating instructor. It can be anyone who has completed the JTAC qualification.
• The instructor prepares a short sortie, called a CAS Qual checkride. Here you will fly a simple CAS-mission and engage 2-4 targets.
• If you did okay, you will qualify and your instructor will let us know on Discord.
• If you did not pass (meaning something went really bad, like you clearly didn't know how to employ a weapon), you are free to try again, as many times as you like, as long as you take responsibility for reading up on the stuff that didn't go so well.

If you qualify

• Your callsign will be added to the list in the Discord #CAS-quals channel.
• You will get to wear the XXXXX badge in TeamSpeak. WIP