No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit is a fighter training unit of the Royal Australian Air Force. Located at RAAF Base Williamtown, New South Wales, the unit trains pilots to operate the McDonnell Douglas FA-18 Hornet. It also conducts refresher courses for pilots returning to the type, and trains future Hornet instructors. The unit was established as No. 2 Operational Training Unit in April 1942.
About No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit RAAF in brief
No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit is a fighter training unit of the Royal Australian Air Force. Located at RAAF Base Williamtown, New South Wales, the unit trains pilots to operate the McDonnell Douglas FA-18 Hornet. It also conducts refresher courses for pilots returning to the type, and trains future Hornet instructors. The unit was established as No. 2 Operational Training Unit in April 1942 at Port Pirie, South Australia, and relocated to RAAF Station Mildura, Victoria, the following month. During World War II, it provided training on a wide range of aircraft, including P-40 Kittyhawks, Vultee Vengeances, Avro Ansons, CAC Boomerangs, Supermarine Spitfires and Airspeed Oxfords. No. 2 OCU was re-formed at Williamtown in March 1952 in response to the demand for more highly trained pilots to serve in the Korean War. It has conducted training with the CAC Sabre, Dassault Mirage III, and Macchi MB-326, prior to taking delivery of the Hornet in 1985. It operates both single-seat FA- 18A Hornets and two-seatFA-18Bs. Aircraft livery includes a yellow-and-black tail fin flash, the base featuring a yellow tiger’s head outlined in black, with a red mouth, white fangs and white eyes. Unit crest shows a winged kangaroo carrying a joey in its pouch, symbolising \”‘Mother Australia’ flying with her young\”. The motto is Juventus Non Sine Pinnis. Hornet conversion courses run for six months, after which graduates are posted to one of the RAAF’s front-line fighter units.
As well as operational conversion, No.2 OCU and other units conduct day and night flights, including precision strike sorties with practice and live bombs. This is tested in simulated combat scenarios with other types of RAAF aircraft as available, including F-16 Fighting Falcons, F-15 Eagles and Super Falcons. Graduates become qualified and remain with No 18 OC-2 and No 15 OC-18 Super Hornets for two years, and are given every two years to train others in how to deal with complex combat scenarios. The role of No. 2 OCU is to \”support the preparation for and the conduct of effective airspace control, counter air strike and combat air support operations through the provision of trained personnel\”. It comes under the control of No 81 Wing, part of Air Combat Group, and is based in Williamtown. It is responsible for conducting operational conversion courses on the F-18 Hornets. Students must first gain their instrument rating on the Hornets, and then taught basic fighter manoeuvres, air combat techniques, air-to-air gunnery, and air- to-ground tactics. Most are new to operational flying, but some are \”retreads\”. No.1 OCU’s instructors play a major role developing new tactics, in co-operation with fighter combat instructors.
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