Title: Weapon systems officer - Wikipedia
Headings: Weapon systems officer
Weapon systems officer
Contents
Gallery
United Kingdom
United States
Overview
U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps
U.S. Air Force
Training
Primary
Intermediate
Advanced
Graduate training
See also
References

Content: In the United States Marine Corps, "WSO" refers to naval flight officers serving as the aft crew member of the F/A-18D Hornet. Prior to the introduction of the F/A-18D, they also served as Radar Intercept Officers (RIO) in the aft seat of the F-4 Phantom II, Reconnaissance Systems Officers (RSO) in the aft seat of reconnaissance aircraft such as the RF-4B Phantom II and as Bombardier/Navigators (B/N) in the right seat of the A-6 Intruder. Until mid-2019, the Marines also employed Naval Flight Officers in the EA-6B Prowler, where they were known as Electronic Countermeasures Officers (ECMO, pronounced “EK-mo”). In U.S. Naval Aviation ( USN & USMC ), when designated as the mission commander (MC), the WSO is responsible for all phases of the assigned mission, especially if there are multiple aircraft involved. For example, the aircraft pilot could be the junior member of a flight crew such as a USN lieutenant, junior grade/USMC 1st lieutenant or USN lieutenant/USMC captain, and the weapon systems officer could be a senior officer such as a USN lieutenant commander, commander or captain, or a USMC major, lieutenant colonel, or colonel; this would likely make the WSO the mission commander. U.S. Air Force
In the U.S. Air Force, "WSO" also refers to a USAF combat systems officer (CSO, formerly USAF navigator) who is the aft crew member in the F-15E Strike Eagle. In the B-52, the CSO crew members on the lower deck of the aircraft who were previously designated as navigator and radar navigator (bombardier) are now known as weapon systems officers while the CSO on the upper deck is an electronic warfare officer. In the B-1B Lancer bomber, there are 2 weapon systems officers manning crew positions aft of the pilot and co-pilot. They are known as the Offensive Systems Officer (OSO), and the Defensive Systems Officer (DSO).