Air Ops Control Officer & Intelligence Officer

[footballstriker]

Hello,

I'm new to the forum and looking for a bit of advice on both of these roles. I'm 29, got a degree, and looking to join the RAF but I've not got any military experience, this would be a complete career change for me. I've already spoken to several people who have been really helpful so far, any honest advice would be much appreciated.
I know that Air Ops is currently recruiting but I've no idea when Int will start recruiting again, that role seems to have been closed for the past 12 months or so. Not sure if anyone has a rough idea when it should reopen? How hard is it to get into Int? I know they're a small branch and I've been told the entry tests are really difficult compared to other roles.

What am I likely to do on a day to day basis as an Air ops office in Control? Would it mainly be ATC focused?

And as for tours abroad, I've been told there aren't many options like there used to be, unless I'm lucky enough to be on an exchange. I'd love the opportunity of working in the States for a 3 year tour but I don't know if this is possible with either role? RPAS were based at Creech but it looks like they're pulling out of there to stay at Waddington for the foreseeable future. Could you do a tour at Creech in either of these roles?

Any info would be much appreciated. I'm more than happy to have a phone call with someone that could help too!

 

[footballstriker]

As an OpsO on your first tour or two, expect to be working in a Station Ops Room as a DOC or maybe a Sqn Ops doing usual Squadron stuff.. on a Sqn however - you'll have all the other crap jobs no one else want to do dumped on you as well... but you will find that gives you a wider view of what it takes for a Squadron to operate. There are some weird and wonderful jobs out there for OpsO's though. One guy I worked with years ago was seconded to the Army for a tour as a Regimental Air Advisor, he ended up transferring across to the army... last I heard he was doing very well as a Cavalry Officer.
The Air Ops Officer role can be very diverse after you get your first few tours out of the way.

Thanks for the reply! What are the "crap" jobs I'd likely to be doing? I think that's the case in any new role, you start from the bottom and work your way up, even if it means doing rubbish jobs to begin with. It sounds interesting! Are there many opportunities to do tours abroad in air ops as an officer or as a flight lieutenant?

Also, out of systems or control, which is the better role in Ops? I was told systems is a bit boring like watching blobs on a screen in a bunker where as Control is more diverse, and you could work in ATC.

 

[footballstriker]

I think you might be getting some jobs mixed up here..

RAF Recruitment | Air Operations Control | Royal Air Force

As an RAF Air Operations Control Officer, you could provide an air traffic control service, work with civilian controllers or as a Weapons Controller.

www.raf.mod.uk

RAF Recruitment | Air Operations Systems | Royal Air Force

As an Air Operations Systems Officer, you could be working from a field, a bunker, a building, a tent, an E-3D aircraft or even on an aircraft carrier.

www.raf.mod.uk

What do you mean? I already know there are two different roles in Air ops... that's why I asked which is the better role.. Systems or Control!

 

[Witty_Banter]

You may find that COVID has caused a backlog of people trying to get into the training pipeline (phase 1 / basic and phase 2 / trade), because teaching facilities have had to cut the number of people they can get in a classroom. That said, I do know that training is now starting to normalise - albeit very slowly.

Int is a difficult trade to discuss, due to the classified nature of the roles. There are a few overseas roles, but as a first tourist you'd most likely end up as a watchkeeper while you get used to how the int world works.

 

[footballstriker]

You may find that COVID has caused a backlog of people trying to get into the training pipeline (phase 1 / basic and phase 2 / trade), because teaching facilities have had to cut the number of people they can get in a classroom. That said, I do know that training is now starting to normalise - albeit very slowly.

Int is a difficult trade to discuss, due to the classified nature of the roles. There are a few overseas roles, but as a first tourist you'd most likely end up as a watchkeeper while you get used to how the int world works.

Yes I have heard Covid has caused a backlog and things should start to pick up again very soon.

Forgive me for being naive, but what would I be doing exactly as a watchkeeper?

 

[vim_fuego]

Yes I have heard Covid has caused a backlog and things should start to pick up again very soon.

Forgive me for being naive, but what would I be doing exactly as a watchkeeper?

Standing watch, day or night, with potentially a team working for you. You will keep an eye on all the int sources available to you, preparing for the next briefing (can be to station staff, the command group, aircrew or whatever) or event that requires specific information to be a success. Watches can be 12 hours long and almost always in a room with no windows with very restricted access. I did it for 4 years at Northwood and once you get on top of the task and if its quiet at times it gives you the chance to do something else like another degree (which is what I did) or other educational stuff. It can be boring as feck until something kicks off then all eyes are on you to produce the goods and not mess up!

 

[Witty_Banter]

Standing watch, day or night, with potentially a team working for you. You will keep an eye on all the int sources available to you, preparing for the next briefing (can be to station staff, the command group, aircrew or whatever) or event that requires specific information to be a success. Watches can be 12 hours long and almost always in a room with no windows with very restricted access. I did it for 4 years at Northwood and once you get on top of the task and if its quiet at times it gives you the chance to do something else like another degree (which is what I did) or other educational stuff. It can be boring as feck until something kicks off then all eyes are on you to produce the goods and not mess up!

Yup, pretty much what Vim said. IntO first tours generally tend to be pretty short though (anything from 18 months to 3 years) and it's better to land in a larger section with experienced personnel to guide you, rather than a very small section where there may only be one person - or worse, you're the highest rank! (in that scenario, you'd most likely have a SNCO to sort you out though). You wouldn't have time for degrees during your first tour though -there's plenty of work-type-stuff to be read and retained!

 

[Witty_Banter]

What do you mean? I already know there are two different roles in Air ops... that's why I asked which is the better role.. Systems or Control!

I think what Fomz meant is that Systems is the more diverse role, not Control as you suggested in your post.

 

[footballstriker]

Standing watch, day or night, with potentially a team working for you. You will keep an eye on all the int sources available to you, preparing for the next briefing (can be to station staff, the command group, aircrew or whatever) or event that requires specific information to be a success. Watches can be 12 hours long and almost always in a room with no windows with very restricted access. I did it for 4 years at Northwood and once you get on top of the task and if its quiet at times it gives you the chance to do something else like another degree (which is what I did) or other educational stuff. It can be boring as feck until something kicks off then all eyes are on you to produce the goods and not mess up!

This does sound interesting but very long hours. I've just thought, Intelligence Analyst is currently recruiting but that would be non-commissioned. Seeing as I have no idea when Int Officer will reopen again, could Int Analyst be a better way in? And how long would it take to get to Int Officer level if I went in at that rank? I could apply to be an Int Analyst to get the ball rolling and hope that Int Officer opens up in the proceeding 6-9 months, then I could say I want to apply to this one potentially. What's the best way of doing things, sit and hold tight or apply to something else in the meantime? I am very interested in specialising in Human Intelligence.

 

[footballstriker]

I think what Fomz meant is that Systems is the more diverse role, not Control as you suggested in your post.

Oh right I see. I was told the opposite by a girl who had done the Systems role but I guess opinion varies from person to person.

 

[vim_fuego]

This does sound interesting but very long hours. I've just thought, Intelligence Analyst is currently recruiting but that would be non-commissioned. Seeing as I have no idea when Int Officer will reopen again, could Int Analyst be a better way in? And how long would it take to get to Int Officer level if I went in at that rank? I could apply to be an Int Analyst to get the ball rolling and hope that Int Officer opens up in the proceeding 6-9 months, then I could say I want to apply to this one potentially. What's the best way of doing things, sit and hold tight or apply to something else in the meantime? I am very interested in specialising in Human Intelligence.

Go commissioned from the start. If that means being patient for a while then do so. Once you are in as a non-com the process for moving across to a commission can be a ball ache. You'll feel pressures from your current role (perhaps very busy and you can't find the time to to commit to the studies required for the commissioning boards), personal life (things change...I don't know your personal life but if you are young, free and single now, that may not be the case a couple of years down the line and those close to you may not want you away for over a year training then on short and intense 18 month tours in your first few years post-commission) and at 29 you don't have years to play with in terms of age limits and enduring physical capability to pass IOT once you broach 30 or more.

It may have changed but I'd say its easier to change branches than it is to move up from the ranks...plus as a commissioned bod, and this may seem contentious to some on here, you'll get more focused career management from your desk officer.