Tag: PILOT

When some people think of foreign exchange programs, their first thought might be traveling overseas study abroad for a few years, but for British Royal Air Force Flight Lt. Alain Branson, 393rd Bomb Squadron foreign exchange pilot, it meant coming to the United States and flying the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber for the last couple of years.

The United States’ Military Personnel Exchange Program gives American and foreign service members the chance to learn and work closely with one another. It gave Branson, a Eurofighter Typhoon pilot, a chance to become a B-2 pilot.

“I feel very honored and privileged to be able to contribute to the B-2 mission and to experience what the United States Air Force does,” Branson said. “I’m the eighth British exchange B-2 pilot, and I’m the first to have come from the Typhoon.”

Branson’s background provides opportunities for the pilots of the 509th to gain insight from someone who was brought up through a multi-role aircraft program and has worked closely with other allied forces.

That experience is vital during large exercises involving international allies such as Red Flag and Bomber Task Force missions, both of which Branson was involved with during this past year.

“Becoming integrated is a huge part of those exercises being successful,” Branson said. “When the RAF goes into any exercise or operation with the US Air Force, I’ve got an understanding of the language and the mindset of our Air Force, and what they expect to hear during operations and can relay that to my American counterparts to make sure everything is seamless.”

The integration of diverse perspectives plays a crucial role in enhancing the effectiveness of joint operations both in the operation itself, but also the planning beforehand.

United States Air Force Lt. Col. Joseph Manglitz, 393rd Bomb Squadron commander, said exchange pilots can infuse their knowledge into the planning process as well as in execution and training.

“When we’re flying, they bring a unique perspective in how a formation operates and even during briefings before and after sorties,” Manglitz said. “I’ve seen them shine in how they operate.”

The program doesn’t just provide an advantage at the tactical level. Working with other nations improves our relations with them as well.

“America’s military strength is built off of those alliances,” Manglitz said. “It’s important for us to continually interact with our allies so we can learn from each other and sharpen our tactics.”

Maintaining strong alliances not only shows how important collaboration is but also highlights the different mindsets brought to the table. Whether from international partnerships or individual backgrounds, it enriches mission planning and execution by using a range of experiences and perspectives.

“Everybody comes with a different background,” Manglitz said. “The whole B-2 community has been built on this cross-flow experience. Most of our American pilots come from a handful of different platforms.”

Manglitz mentioned that he was a B-52 pilot before flying the B-2 and that pilots have come from tankers, fighters, other bombers, pilot training aircraft, and other platforms before arriving at the B-2. The pilots can use the relationships they built flying those different aircraft to help with mission planning, integration, and execution, and the same is true of international pilots.

“My time here has been great. Everyone is really professional and is always out to learn and better themselves as pilots,” Branson said. “It’s a very close-knit community and a close-knit experience in what the airplane does for global deterrence.”

The Military Personnel Exchange Program highlights the importance of teamwork and shared knowledge between allies. For Flight Lt. Alain Branson, working with the U.S. Air Force has been a chance to contribute to the B-2 mission while strengthening bonds between two nations.