CDF airborne tankbuster
Air Service tankbuster squadrons provide close air support for Sober Thought’s Land Service against enemy concentrations of armour and armoured infantry.
They belong to one ordinal number sequence of Anti-Tank Squadrons, e.g., 3rd Anti-Tank Squadron, 15th Anti-Tank Squadron, 33rd Anti-Tank Squadron. Three letter squadron codes common to all aircraft and squadron types are also used (e.g., AGZ, BFC, CPH, DKM), the fourth letter indicating the specific aircraft in the squadron. The Community Defence Forces raise nine squadrons of tankbusters each wave of one hundred million national population.
Command and air crew
The commanding officer of a fighter squadron is always a Chief Lieutenant, the executive officer a Lieutenant and the Squadron Sergeant a full Warrant Officer.
The three airborne Flights of four aircraft are led by Lieutenants, with Vice Lieutenants piloting the other two aircraft in each flight. Squadrons belonging only to wings are only airborne fighting units consisting of the three command crew and twenty-four aircrew. The squadron CO and/or XO may take the place of a usual pilot, and serve as in informal backup or relief crew. Besides the pilots there are twelve Leading Fliers who serve as air weapons specialists.
Ground crew
There are 173 ground crew, organized into the Air Maintenance Flight of 120 all ranks. Under a Lieutenant and three Vice Lieutenants, the maintenance crew are responsible for keeping the aviation fuel topped up, jet engines running smoothly, airframes up to scratch and most importantly bombs and bullets filled to the brim.
The Administration Flight of 53 all ranks is headed by the Squadron XO assisted by a Vice Lieutenant. Its medics, logisticians, clerks and administrative staff ensure people are paid, fed, clothed, housed and kept health.
Ground attack aircraft
The Community Defence Forces’ G-8 Gordon tankbuster is similar in concept and execution to the real world A-10 Thunderbolt II/Warthog.
It has two flight crew, the officer pilot sitting forward of the non-commissioned air weapons flier. A silhouette and additional technical details will follow.
