Alert crew

An alert crew is a term used in the armed forces where members of their units and formations, will maintain a level of combat readiness as a group of persons. Although it sometimes encompasses the entire unit, today the term is more used for a set group of individuals.

History


Although alert crews were probably in use during World War I, the term came of use during World War II, as crews would be scrambled to intercept enemy aircraft. After the war ended and the Cold War began, the United States Air Force began to include bomber and tanker aircraft. Crews on alert duty would typically be on alert for seven days out of a 21 day period, while being on rotational alert duty. During their alert duty, they would fly training missions to help keep their skills sharpened and occupy the time. Crewmembers would live in a mole hole, which functioned as a home away from home for their airmen. If the klaxon was sounded, alert crews would exit the mole holes and literally run out their waiting planes, which would be ready at a moment's notice to launch. Fighter aircraft were stationed in alert hangars during the Cold War, separate from their bomber and tanker counterparts. As the Cold War ended, the latter two were taken off of constant alert.

Today, fighter aircraft still are stationed on alert throughout the world, ready to launch at a moment's notice. The Boeing E-4 fleet is also always on constant alert, due to it being designed as a mobile command post for the National Command Authority (namely the President of the United States), the Secretary of Defense, and presidential successors.