20 FW Mission Statement:
Provide combat ready virtual fighter pilots prepared to meet any challenge, anytime, anywhere.

20 FW Vision:
Become the most feared virtual Viper drivers on the internet through vigorous training, realistic scenarios, robust participation, and staunch camaraderie

The 20th Fighter Wing (20 FW) is home to the virtual United States Air Force’s (vUSAF) only dual simulator wing flying the world’s premier multirole fighter aircraft, the Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon, affectionately known as the Viper.  The 20 FW is currently parent unit of two fighter squadrons, the 55th and 77th.  The 55th Fighter Squadron (Fighting Fifty Fifth) is an Flight Simulator X (FSX) based unit flying the F-16. The 55 FS utilizes a variety of add on F-16 aircraft including the Iris Simulations F-16D Viper.  This aircraft, along with the vUSAF’s patented ACMI gauge, provide the most advanced F-16 combat operations in FSX and on VATSIM.  The 77th Fighter Squadron (Gamblers) flies the Viper located within the venerable Falcon 4.0 simulator first released in 1998.  The 77 FS utilizes the latest update by Benchmark Sims (BMS) making it the best purpose built F-16 combat simulator for the PC, period. The 55th and 77th have unprecedented cooperation and combine to make this the premier wing in the vUSAF.

We take inexperienced or low-time pilots and turn them into fully qualified Viper drivers through an extensive training program designed to get the pilot into the air. Additionally, the 20 FW brings the best of both FSX and BMS into one unit.  Pilots are assigned to either the 55th or 77th based on their primary platform preference.  Choose the 55 FS and you’ll be assigned to Air Education and Training Command (AETC) where you’ll progress through Initial Flight Training (IFT), Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT), and Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training (SUPT) before you be assigned to Air Combat Command (ACC) and ultimately, the 20 FW.  Choose the 77th and you’ll complete a Fighter Lead-In course before transitioning into the advanced B-Course training. All 20 FW pilots (55th or 77th) must pass the very same comprehensive B-Course training syllabus to receive a Mission Ready (MR) rating prior to operating the F-16 under the vUSAF banner.  Furthermore, it’s possible to become dual qualified on both FSX and BMS and truly have the best of both worlds.

Finally, the vUSAF lives by the very same Core Values of Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence In All we Do, just like its real world counterparts in the USAF. So if you want a challenge, if you want to succeed, and if you want to be the best.  Join the virtual United Sates Air Force and become a Viper pilot today!

Please feel free to e-mail me at r.bryan.bedwell@gmail.com if you have any questions.

v/r
Dunnage

R. BRYAN BEDWELL, vCol, vUSAF
Commander, 20th Fighter Wing

20 FW Vision:
Become the most feared virtual Viper drivers on the internet through vigorous training, realistic scenarios, robust participation, and staunch camaraderie

The 20th Fighter Wing (20 FW) is home to the virtual United States Air Force’s (vUSAF) only dual simulator wing flying the world’s premier multirole fighter aircraft, the Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon, affectionately known as the Viper.  The 20 FW is currently parent unit of two fighter squadrons, the 55th and 77th.  The 55th Fighter Squadron (Fighting Fifty Fifth) is an Flight Simulator X (FSX) based unit flying the F-16. The 55 FS utilizes a variety of add on F-16 aircraft including the Iris Simulations F-16D Viper.  This aircraft, along with the vUSAF’s patented ACMI gauge, provide the most advanced F-16 combat operations in FSX and on VATSIM.  The 77th Fighter Squadron (Gamblers) flies the Viper located within the venerable Falcon 4.0 simulator first released in 1998.  The 77 FS utilizes the latest update by Benchmark Sims (BMS) making it the best purpose built F-16 combat simulator for the PC, period. The 55th and 77th have unprecedented cooperation and combine to make this the premier wing in the vUSAF.

We take inexperienced or low-time pilots and turn them into fully qualified Viper drivers through an extensive training program designed to get the pilot into the air. Additionally, the 20 FW brings the best of both FSX and BMS into one unit.  Pilots are assigned to either the 55th or 77th based on their primary platform preference.  Choose the 55 FS and you’ll be assigned to Air Education and Training Command (AETC) where you’ll progress through Initial Flight Training (IFT), Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT), and Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training (SUPT) before you be assigned to Air Combat Command (ACC) and ultimately, the 20 FW.  Choose the 77th and you’ll complete a Fighter Lead-In course before transitioning into the advanced B-Course training. All 20 FW pilots (55th or 77th) must pass the very same comprehensive B-Course training syllabus to receive a Mission Ready (MR) rating prior to operating the F-16 under the vUSAF banner.  Furthermore, it’s possible to become dual qualified on both FSX and BMS and truly have the best of both worlds.

Finally, the vUSAF lives by the very same Core Values of Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence In All we Do, just like its real world counterparts in the USAF. So if you want a challenge, if you want to succeed, and if you want to be the best.  Join the virtual United Sates Air Force and become a Viper pilot today!

v/r
Dunnage

R. BRYAN BEDWELL, vCol, vUSAF
Commander, 20th Fighter Wing

Have you ever wanted FSX to be “As Real as it Gets?”  Have you ever wanted to fly Military Operations outside of a FSX scenario? Now you can get your chance to see just how real FSX  Military can get with the Virtual US Air Force!  The Virtual United States Air Force (vUSAF.org) has  this capability with its own ACMI (Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation) Gauge.  As with real  world RED FLAG held at Nellis and other air combat related exercises worldwide, the ACMI gauge acts as a Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) to log and track air combat kills and log each pilots activities such as rounds used, bombs on target, fuel use, load out weight, and takeoff and landing statistics.

The vUSAF’s ACMI gauge will set the parameters of the aircraft you select to use, be it an A-10 to a X-35 a B-52 to a C-130. Just about any military aircraft can be used. Your aircraft will be loaded with the correct amount of Chaff/Flare, Ammunition, bombs, cargo, etc.  Aim-9 missiles , AAA & SAM have also been added to create a more realistic environment   And to aid in the practice, the ACMI gauge has a practice mode in which a transponder code is used to log the activities and damage but wont disable your aircraft.

Currently the VUSAF ACMI gauge sports the following features:

1. Functional FLARE, CHAFF and ECM capability

2. Basic Bomb, Gun, Air-to-air missiles, air-to-ground missiles and cargo pallets.

3. Users see ordinance / cargo delivery and subsequent effects of impact / landing without the use of any special multiplayer sessions.

4. Enhanced capability to utilize the fullest potential of complex commercial models such as the MilViz F-15E, IRIS F-16, A-10, Capt Sim B-52, C-130 etc.

5. User deployed ordinance against another user generates random damage to the receiving user further enhancing the experience.

6. Interactive scenery that incorporates functioning Surface to Air Missiles and Anti Aircraft batteries that cause damage.

7. ACMI tracks pilot performance, ordinance delivery, flight time, and other flight parameters.

8. Fully compatible with FSInn and VATSIM without any hazards to non-participating virtual aircraft.

9. Checks to make sure you have your realism sliders in the correct position. All sliders to the far right (realistic), detect crashes and damage on.

10. When the gun is fired, the gauge then checks for a plane in the 3deg cone (Kill zone) ahead of the plane up to 0.4nm away. If a target is found it will check to make sure that the target remains in the kill zone for one second.

11. Helps PREVENT any possibility of cheating BY ENFORCING REALISM FACTORS AND the Rules of Engagement.

12.  Fuel added quantity will be logged with the amount of fuel added.

13.  Take-off and landing time logged along with total time flown.

14.  Vertical speed at touchdown now detected.

15. Future expansions will include aerial refueling with real time fuel transfer between user aircraft, Radar Warning Receivers and Threat Warning System displays, FLIR and may many more future capabilities to come.

Unfortunately, the only drawback to date is that the ACMI system IS NOT compatible with FS9.

The ACMI gauge is property of the vUSAF and Chris Dub. Use of the gauge is at the sole discretion of Chris Dub and/or  vUSAF.   Come join the vUSAF and  see how real it can get.  http://www.vUSAF.org

AETC’s role makes it the first command to touch the life of every New Virtual Air Force member.

AETC’s mission is to develop New Virtual Air Force Pilots today… for tomorrow. This is a volunteer force comprise of Civilian, Active Duty, Reservists, and Overseas (worldwide) participants making a total force of some of the best pilots ever to take the virtual skies.

This  new Training Command mirrors our real world counterpart, to fulfill those core values, and to pay homage to our comrades in arms with the respect and dignity of carrying on the Air Force roles, by providing education to interested persons, in a way that can be enjoyed by all from this New Virtual Training..

Air Education and Training
As real as it gets

Don ‘Speed’ Mathisen, MAJCOM Commander
WWW.VUSAF.ORG