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: Non-commissioned Aircrew can serve as a WSOp (Weapon Systems Operator), an umbrella term for the various specialist aircrew responsible for assisting the pilot in operating the mission systems of the aircraft (e.g. linguists, loadmasters, crewman). United States
Overview
U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps
In the United States Navy, WSOs are naval flight officers responsible for manning the weapon systems of the F/A-18F Super Hornet strike fighter from that jet's aft seat. Prior to the introduction of the F/A-18F, they were known as Radar Intercept Officers (RIO) in the aft seats of the F-4 Phantom II and F-14 Tomcat; as Bombardier/Navigators (B/N) in the right seat of the A-6 Intruder and the A-3 Skywarrior and in the aft seat in the A-5 Vigilante; and Reconnaissance Attack Navigators (RAN) in the aft seat of the RA-5C Vigilante . 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;