77 SQUADRON
We are a true multirole land based F/A-18 Hornet Squadron
We are a true multirole land based F/A-18 Hornet Squadron
We are the shore based F/A-18 squadron. The No.77 SQN is the RAAF squadron, based in RAAF base Williamtown, NSW. We adopted it as our virtual squadron and made its motto "swift to destroy", our motto. Our squadron can be tasked to do anything such as Combat Air Patrol, strike, Suppression and Destruction of Enemy Air Defences, maritime strike, search and destroy, and Close Air Support missions. The F/A-18 may not be a master of a particular skill set but it is a jack of all the skill sets. As such, it is the best jet aircraft in DCS for a beginner and as an all rounder. It's modern avionics, fly by wire controls, makes flying easy. It is a very forgiving aircraft. As we like to fly with real-world procedures and tactics, we like to take our virtual flying seriously as this raises the immersion of the experience. When not involved in the flying, we do joke around as well.
Entry requirements into our squadron is demanding. Our training officers would assess your competency and proficiency in at being able to cold start, fly and recover the Hornet in an overhead break. You would begin in our training wing, the No.2 Operational Conversion Unit (2OCU). The real life counterpart was also based at RAAF base Williamtown, NSW. You must be able to perform the fundamentals such as flying in formation, tactical turns, air to air refuelling, BVR and strike with LGBs, and Mavericks. We can teach you the weapon systems and tactics for BVR, and strike but the fundamentals of flying are a pre-requisite. After passing through 4 training and assessing flights, you will be mission ready and be able to partake in our Sunday night missions with the rest of ANZUS squadrons. We would suit you if you are the kind of pilot who has resilience, and the fortitude for self directed learning and practice, and we are very happy to guide and teach you.
Training for all F/A-18 pilots is on Tuesdays at 20:00 AEDT. We would train within our squadron, as well as inter-squadron sessions. The topics of training include all the above: CAP, strike, SEAD, DEAD, maritime strike, S&D, CAS.
We are not for everyone. We are a niche group in a niche group. We would suit you if you want more than flying solo on the same map as others, not interacting with each other; but that you like to fly as part of a team, fulfilling the Air Tasking Order, where each pilot has a role, as dependent on others in the flight package and the air wing, as others are dependent on you.
77 SQN Picture Wall