The 363rd Training Squadron at Sheppard AFB, Tex., graduated the first class of senior noncommissioned officers from its new nine-level aircraft armament systems course. Fifteen master sergeants successfully completed the two-week course on Sept. 23. The Air Force established the course to give career maintainers the opportunity to become managers. Traditionally, such maintainers obtained nine-level certification through on-the-job training. The new course is designed to make the process of creating effective nine-level aircraft armament NCOs more efficient. While initial armament systems training is platform-specific, the nine-level course combines airmen from all airframes in the same classroom. Sheppard is scheduled to hold four of these courses a year, perhaps five at some point. Aircraft armament now is the third Air Force career field to require a course to complete nine-level certification. (Sheppard report by Capt. Brittany Martin)
The Air Force overall reduced its size by 120 aircraft in fiscal year 2021, but kept about the same number of fighter, bomber and attack aircraft, according to data supplied by the service. The F-35 fleet saw the biggest increase while the B-1B bomber fleet saw the largest decline.