Question for USAF fighter guys
 

Over the past few years I've noticed alot of UPT grads that were fighter tracked (Flew T-38's at UPT) are getting MC-12's, U-28's, Pilatus's etc. After these pilots finish their tour do they get "regular" fighter assignments like 15's, 16's, A-10's or are they kept in the "spec-op" pipeline???? Just curious.

No, they do not get assigned to a fighter or bomber after that initial tour.

In the case of the MC-12, they will go to another MWS that is determined beforehand. For everyone else, they stay with that airframe/community.

Wow! That Sucks.

Whereas most who get it are given an MC-12 (for one deployment) with a KC-135, C-5, or othe tanker/heavy follow on, there have been several guys given the McDozen with no follow on. They were told it would be their MWS.

Just curious. When I was in, FAIPs and assignments like this were given weapon systems, bombers, tankers, and went right to the left seat. Is that still happening to these guys? If not, why? I have heard conflicting stories and have actually flown with a guy who flew 16s and later was a -135 copilot. Didn't understand that.

This is not accurate. They don't necessarily have a follow on. Things change month to month though. It's hard to keep up with.

Why is that?

It sucks because if you're taken from the T-38 track which preps you for F-15/F-16/A-10/B-1/B-52 to flying a King Air.

I would much rather fly the talon than the McDozen.

For the last three years, students from the T-38 track have been eligible for assignment into any airframe.

Studs selecting the T-38 know this as a going-in argument, and they're also acutely aware that fighters and bombers have been pretty scarce in those assignment drops for quite some time. So, that should never be a surprise for T-38 track students.

That's the way the the USAF did it from the 1960's (possibly longer), until ~1994 when the T-1 came around. You know the song: "You can't always get what you want". Whether is happens at track select, assignment night, or whenever,... at some point most folks do not get their #1 choice.

I'm having my UPT class reunion this month. I can tell you ALL of us are glad we got to fly the T-38. I can also tell you many of those in my UPT class did not want to fly fighters or bombers.