Air Force situation picture operators and fighter controllers

Situation picture operator and fighter controller non-commissioned officers operate in modern air surveillance and control system elements close to air surveillance, fighter control, and fighters.

Situation picture operator and fighter controller non-commissioned officers operate at air combat bases of the Air Force in modern air surveillance and control system (ASACS) elements close to fighters and other flight equipment of the Air Force. 

The non-commissioned officer (NCO) course involves studies in radar surveillance, use of modern air defence C4IS command and communications systems, and fighter air control. Following the NCO course, the training will continue at the Air Force Academy’s base environment. The continuing training phase also includes being posted to Lapland Air Wing or to Karelia Air Wing for the set special tasks at the control and reporting centres, and familiarisation with fighter wing activity. After brigade-level service, trainees return to the Air Force Academy to hone their skills in their set wartime task at an air combat base of the Air Force.

Training brigade-level unit: Air Force Academy, Tikkakoski

Service location: Air Force Academy, Karelia Air Wing, Lapland Air Wing

Service duration: 347 days

Contingent: July

Service location

The air surveillance and control system (ASACS) -programme provides an extensive overview on the domains of air defence, and versatile knowledge on the tasks of the Finnish Defence Forces. The key aspects include fighter interception of the Air Force, and command and surveillance systems. Mainly completed at the Air Force Academy at Tikkakoski, training also includes a brigade-level training phase at Lapland Air Wing at Rovaniemi, or at Karelia Air Wing at Siilinjärvi. Having completed the service, you may apply for ASACS non-commissioned officer vacancies and tasks of contractual military personnel at the Air Force.

Situation picture operators construct the air situation picture at ASACS elements using information accrued by air surveillance sensors. While on duty, a situation picture operator operates surveillance and command systems, and constructs a recognised and real-time air situation picture on the required area. The air situation picture is used for surveillance and safeguarding of territorial integrity, and rehearsing land, maritime and air forces. Situation picture operators are trained for the wartime tasks of a situation picture operator at air combat bases.

Those selected for fighter controller training are trained for the wartime task of a fighter controller. A fighter controller leads a fighter detachment to counter an air threat. Controlling a fighter detachment in air combat requires constant two-way communications between the fighter detachment and the fighter controller, as well as the ability to make swift decisions in continuously changing situations. 

Traning

Training begins by a six-week recruit phase for training in basic soldier’s knowledge and skills. The recruit phase is followed by a six-week training branch phase that familiarises the trainees with tools and activity at an ASACS element. The recruit phase and training branch phase form the basic training period that is followed by a 12-week NCO course.

Recruit phase (6 weeks):

• Soldier’s basic knowledge and skills
• Soldier’s initial qualification

Training branch phase (6 weeks):

• Work equipment and responsibilities of a situation picture operator
• Live fire training exercise and training branch qualification

NCO Course phase I (6 weeks):

• Current situation element training
• Basics of command and control, and training
• Selection of fighter controllers, and training in aviation English

NCO Course phase II (6 weeks):

• Continuing training in command and control and training
• Current situation element practice
• Fighter controller training in airfield operations

After the course

Situation picture operators complete an approximately three-month-long ASACS training phase during which they develop skills in the tasks of a situation picture operator, and complete the restricted qualification of a situation picture controller, which will be authorised if the person applies for the task of contractual military personnel or the post of an NCO after mustering out from conscript service.

At Tikkakoski, fighter controllers complete the seven-week fighter controller basic course, after which they participate in daily flight operations at Lapland Air Wing or Karelia Air Wing under the supervision of the fighter controller instructor, and then return back to the Air Force Academy at the same time as the situation picture operators. The fighter controller qualification that authorises for non-supervised control of flight detachments can be achieved when on active duty as service personnel.

After conscript service

Situation picture operators and fighter controllers are positioned in the reserve at command posts of the Air Force’s air combat bases that are at the heart of air combat control. Participating actively in refresher training exercises, reservists can be repositioned to increasingly demanding tasks as they become more experienced. 

Conscript service completion in the ASACS programme provides a good basis for applying to get a job in the Air Force. In fact, the training and qualification acquired during the conscript service are directly credited as such in the tasks conducted while serving in the military on active duty.

Admission criteria:

• At least 18 years old before start of course
• Finnish citizenship
• Language competence of Finnish at an adequate level
• Fitness for service category A
• Suitable for training as regards physical condition, health, and lifestyle
• Qualified for university-level studies, i.e. must have completed one of the examinations on the following list:　

National Matriculation Examination

International Baccalaureate (IB)

European Baccalaureate (EB)

Reifeprüfung (RP)

Initial vocational qualification, further vocational qualification, or specialist vocational qualification

Qualiification training completed abroad that, in the given country, is the qualification for equivalent university-level studies.

• While at school during the final year of your studies, you may apply for the course if you complete your qualification studies fully before service start. In this case, you must present the diploma/equivalent before service start.
• Accurate colour vision (examined in daylight by Ishihara test plates), precision vision by Landolt C ring (5m), at least 1,0 in both eyes separately; prescription glasses permissible, diopter values ≤± 5)

Applying

Apply for the course by 1 March. Apply for the NCO course’s ASACS programme as an Air Force situation picture operator and fighter controller via the Finnish Defence Forces’ digital e-service.

Fill in the application at: https://asiointi.puolustusvoimat.fi/en/frontpage

To fill in the application, you need to have the grades for mathematics, first language, and English as indicated on the high school diploma, or vocational qualification diploma, or study register certificate if the given studies are still in-progress.

Women need to fill out the digital application and send the following forms to their own Regional Office that will then forward the documents to the Air Force Academy:

• Application to voluntary military service for women
• Questionnaire for service and health check
• Medical report on state of health

For additional information, call selection assistant at the Air Force Academy, tel. +358 299 250 223

Selection

Based on the applications submitted, the applicants are invited to attend the selection tests at the Air Force Academy. The selection event is scheduled to start at 08:00 to run until at around 18.00.

The selection tests include:

• Skills tests (prerequisites for learning)
• Personality tests (psychological resilience, social competence, leadership propensity)
• Interview
• Colour vision and precision vision tests (as applicable)
• Muscle fitness test

The successful candidates are selected for the course based on aptitude statements that consider the results of the muscle fitness test, interview, state of health, and any pending offences.

The students willing to undertake fighter controller training will be sent during September to Tuusula for aptitude testing administered by the Finnish Defence Research Agency. The selections for the fighter controller basic course are completed at the same time as those for the reserve officer course.

Muscle fitness test

You must get at least six points at the muscle fitness test in total, and in each of its sub-sections at least 0,5 points per each. In the test, 60 seconds are allocated for abdominal muscles, and 60 seconds for press ups, for the latter of which the set method is identical for women and for men.