Bennett looked up from his notes, aware that he had the undivided attention of everyone in the room. "As for the maintenance and other personnel, their expenses will be met either by their employers such as Northrop and General Electric, or by the Royal Saudi Air Force in the event we bring current Saudi pilots into the program. It is our intention to push qualified individuals into leadership positions as fast as possible. The instructor pilots will remain airborne mission leaders and tactics advisers beyond the second year, but maintenance and support-the all-important aspect of an air force-could be fifty percent Saudi in less than three years.
"Now, we also have developed a third community which will have much importance in determining how fast the F-20 program develops. Mr. Fatah has hired two flight surgeons from the United States and a British psychologist and a Lebanese psychiatrist. These gentlemen have devised entrance examinations for the Saudi applicants, based upon a time-proven system which rates psychological, personality, and other traits. We believe this should allow the highest possible number of graduates per class-approximately sixty-five percent."
Bennett did not discuss the behind-the-scenes maneuvering that had led to this system. It had taken some hard talking to convince all the Saudis involved that applicants for the F-20 program-already a prestigious assignment before the first class convened-would be rated wholly on merit. As in many third world nations, military aviators largely came from the politically well connected upper class.
Bennett and Lawrence had bluntly told Fatah that not even royal blood would ensure a seat in the course. However, the number of well-educated Saudi males with 80 percent proficiency in English automatically meant that young men from privileged backgrounds would fill most of the classes.
Bennett continued. "Gentlemen, you all realize that the investment of this many of your brightest young people in this type of program will limit their usefulness elsewhere. The individuals we seek are high school graduates between eighteen and twenty-two years of age. They will be selected from only about six percent of your national population. This is the same ratio in most countries. Only this proportion is found in the general populace with the attributes necessary to become a successful fighter pilot. We are looking for youngsters in excellent health with perfect vision and superior motor skills. They must be highly motivated, willing to work long and hard toward their goal. As I noted, about thirty-five percent will not finish the course, but we can make good use of those who make it to the halfway point, provided they wish to do so."
General Maila interjected. "What uses do you foresee for such students? Would they remain in the F-20 program?"
"Yes, if they had aptitudes for maintenance or operations. But those who make it to the halfway point in Tigersharks will be fairly accomplished aviators. Their problems are likely to be spatial orientation in dogfighting or poor G-tolerance, things of that sort. If any of them want to fly less demanding aircraft, I would recommend transferring them to units better suited to their abilities."
Bennett referred again to his notes. "Mr. Fatah's organization has identified an initial group of nearly a thousand young Saudis who meet the eligibility criteria for age and education. Others will be similarly identified as each group of young males approaches age eighteen. Our first class involves sixty-five candidates, who already have begun extensive remedial English instruction. We expect this to continue for one month, with language tests at intervals throughout the academic and early flying portions of the syllabus.
"Preflight training stresses physical fitness, with emphasis on those physiological traits needed to withstand the high-G environment of aerial combat. Cardiovascular training will be stressed, as well as upper body development, which provides a sort of built-in resistance to blackout-up to a certain point. The F-20, remember, is a nine-G airplane. It will require a pilot in peak physical condition to fly it to its limits.
"Ground school will last six months. The course outline and the methods are explained in your handouts. In addition to such topics as aerodynamics, mathematics, engines, and airframes, the students will have classes in the Koran and Arab history. Each barracks will be named for an Arab martyr or hero. We wish to impress these students-and they are at an impressionable age-that they are being groomed as warriors. Toward that end they will live under strict military supervision. They will learn the manual of arms and close-order drill to instill pride and discipline. But I hasten to note that as Lieutenant Colonel Lawrence and I have learned, this training must be tempered with encouragement. The students will be allowed to visit their families at regular intervals as well.
"We think that all sixty-five who begin preflight training probably will complete it. Normally only those who fall ill or cannot keep up academically will be left behind, but in many cases these individuals can fall back to the next class.
"Hands-on experience will come at the end of preflight when the students learn to start and run jet engines in a test cell. They will also learn ejection seats and desert and water survival."
Bennett stopped to sip his lemon-flavored water. "We envision a graduation ceremony at the end of six months, with all family members present. His Majesty has agreed to attend, but the publicity will be minimal. The event is mainly for the benefit of the cadet and his family, with two weeks leave at that time." He knew the next revelation would concern some of the men around the table.
Here goes, Bennett. Hang on. "We will start flying the cadets immediately in the two-seat F-5F. This is without prior instruction in propeller aircraft or training planes of any kind, although at first I had thought we might use other aircraft as lead-in training. Now I don't think that is necessary. The two-seat F-20Bs are being delivered at a rate sufficient to replace the F-5Fs before the first class is completed. Thorough simulator instruction can prepare the students for about seventy-five percent of the tasks they must complete in the air, but there is no substitute for actual flying. Since the Tigershark is practically stall-proof and resistant to spinning, it affords a unique opportunity to save time and money in the training curriculum."
Bennett stopped to let the impact sink in. "Are there any questions?"
The senior Saudi general, Mustafa Halabi, raised a hand. "Colonel Bennett, I remember you mentioned this before. But is it absolutely certain this will work? Obviously, placing young boys in high-performance aircraft could involve great risk."
"Yes, sir, I am absolutely certain it will work. As you know, it's easier to fly a jet than a piston-powered aircraft. The key is training-thorough, intensive training until the students know each procedure reflexively. We'll keep the cadets flying with IPs longer than normal to be doubly certain of each boy's ability before he solos. The U.S. Navy conducted a similar program many years ago, starting a study group in two-seat Grumman Cougars as their first aircraft. There were no significant problems, and I can only assume that the entrenched training organization and manufacturers prevented the service from adopting the program."
Warming to his topic, Bennett pressed on. "There's another example, too. One of our Air Force instructors tells me that the Singapore pilots he worked with are among the best F-5 pilots anywhere. One of his students was twenty-two years old, had been flying the Tiger II since age eighteen, and had one thousand hours in it. I believe the Singapore syllabus involved preliminary instruction in propeller trainers, but it's been proven that the accelerated program really works."