F-35 Lightning II

ighter squadrons rarely remain at the by Lt Col Steve Gillette, was given its initial Ten F-35B aircraft all upgraded to Group 1 forefront of their armed service without a operational capability (IOC) declaration for the modification standard and configured with Block succession of outstanding achievements fifth-generation jump jet. The Green Knights are 2B software. Three of the key modifications made Fin peace time or war. Marine Fighter assigned to Marine Air Group 13 (MAG-13) based to the squadron’s Low Rate Initial Production Attack Squadron 121 (VMFA-121) ‘Green Knights’ at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona. (LRIP) lot 4 aircraft were the FS496 bulkhead is one such unit. During its 64-year service The IOC criteria were outlined in a letter (structural), auxiliary air inlet door (capability) and career the Green Knights have operated around issued by the then Deputy Commandant of installation of the onboard inert gas generation the world from locations as diverse as Okinawa, Aviation, Lieutenant General Robert Schmidle, in system for protection against lightning (safety). All Japan and Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. On September June 2013. of the key modifications were made to overcome 12, 2012 VMFA-121 became the first squadron Meeting the IOC criteria depended on having restrictions placed on the aircraft. in the US Marine Corps fleet to start transition the following requirements on the squadron at The latest compartmentalised version of ALIS to the F-35B Lightning II. Just 1,037 days later its home station: (Autonomic Logistics Information System) carried the squadron, commanded in pelican cases for deployment and known as V2. Complete skill and mission set training for eight of the squadron’s pilots to US Marine Corps level 2000 (skill based) and 3000 (mission

42 based) training-in-readiness codes. The codes certify a pilot’s ability to conduct the missions required for IOC; armed reconnaissance, active air defence, close-air support, off ensive and defensive counter air. Missions Of the ten aircraft required for the IOC declaration, three were built in LRIP lot 5 (modifi ed by depot workers at Yuma) and seven in LRIP lot 4 (two modifi ed by the Driving Ogden Air Logistics Centre at Hill Air Force Base, Utah and fi ve by the Fleet Support Center East at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina). The fi rst aircraft left Yuma for the depot in the fourth quarter of 2014. When F-35A serial number 10-5015 (c/n AF-27) suffered an engine fire on take-off from Eglin Air Force Base, Florida on June 23, 2014 the entire fleet was grounded until the agencies involved in the investigation had a clear Nails understanding of what took place in the arm of the fan module fractured. This fracture F135-PW-400 engine. occurred on the R3 forward integral arm and The mishap was caused when the was caused by high cycle fatigue following a rub third stage integrally event on the aft plate seal of the integral arm. bladed rotor (R3) The aft plate seal experienced heat damage from forward the rub against a strip of foam material attached integral to the second stage stator. For VMFA-121, the grounding prevented its deployment to the UK to participate in last year’s Royal International Air Tattoo and the Farnborough International Airshow. Naval Air Systems Command, the fl ight clearance authority for the F-35B variant, restricted the

Royal Naval School of Flight Deck Operations

43 F-35 Lightning II

This shot of F-35B BuNo 168721/‘VK03’ clearly shows the extent of serrated panels on the top side of the fi fth-generation jump jet’s design. Dan Stijovich

G envelope and provided quick and long-term I need to make sure this airplane and my schools of the US Marine Corps and US Navy fi xes to the problem. The quick fi x involved fl ying squadron is trained to do just that. In addition, for respectively. Air Force OT&E and Marine Corps each aircraft in a specifi c fl ight profi le to burn the Marine Corps there are a host of other things OT&E refer to the 31st Test and Evaluation off a very thin layer inside the R3 to prevent the the F-35 can do in support of either the MAGTF Squadron based at Edwards Air Force Base, arm from rubbing: the cause of the engine fi re in [Marine Air Ground Task Force] or the joint force California and Marine Operational and Evaluation AF-27. All of VMFA-121’s aircraft fl ew the profi le commander’s mission, whether that’s the air-to-air Squadron 22 (VMX-22) ‘Argonauts’ based at Yuma. which gave them an aerodynamic envelope of role, escorting MV-22s or armed reconnaissance. Lt Col Gillette quantifi ed 121’s work and the 5.5 G for training. We need to be able to do all those things well. level of exchange: “We happen to have 17 pilots The long-term fi x requires installation of a re- That’s the same for the fi rst F-35B squadron as who regularly fl y the missions. Other units in the designed fan module with an internal pre-trenched any other Harrier, Hornet unit.” F-35 programme are doing tactical employment groove. This engineering fi x was installed at the When the author asked Lt Col Gillette if VMFA- but on a smaller scale. The OT&E units have depots in all ten aircraft required for IOC. 121 conducts any of the mission sets diff erently fewer aircraft assigned so the number of sorties because of the unique capabilities of the F-35B, each one generates is fewer.” Why TacAir he replied: “The manner in which you execute US Marine Corps TacAir (tactical aviation) any given mission order doesn’t change but the Block 2B primarily exists for one reason: to ensure manner in which you operate your aircraft can The fi nal version of Block 2B software (known as whatever the ground commander’s mission, he change based on its capabilities. We’re working 2BR5) loaded on VMFA-121’s aircraft for the IOC has responsive and eff ective close-air support at with MAWTS-1, the Air Force Weapons School, work-up and operational readiness inspection his beck and call when needed. Top Gun, Air Force OT&E [operational test and improved the mission systems capability and During a visit to Yuma prior to the IOC evaluation] and Marine Corps OT&E to get stability throughout the extended fl ight envelope declaration, Lt Col Steve Gillette, VMFA-121’s those tactical recommendations. We see how and provided better sensor fusion. commanding offi cer, told the author: “The core of recommendations work and provide feedback to Major Greg Summa, VMFA-121’s then TacAir is to drive nails with weapons in the name the respective organisations.” executive offi cer, said the ability to share data of what the ground commander needs you to do. Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron between aircraft and see what another pilot is As we get ready to declare IOC, fi rst and foremost 1 (MAWTS-1) and Top Gun are the weapons seeing in his airplane without having to make any descriptive communication call translates F-35B Lightning IIs on the fl ight into tactical decision making at a much quicker deck of the USS Wasp during rate. “The kill chain, the ability to get tagged-ID OT I on May 20. Cpl Anne Henry/ and then target that chain or loop, has sped-up US Marine Corps exponentially because of that,” he said. The advent of Block 2BR5 has benefi ted the combat capability of the aircraft in several ways. The pilot is not dependent on voice communications nor does he have to spend time determining the battle space environment and how to address a specifi c tactical problem. Maj Summa said the challenge is getting aircrew to recognise how they were going to make tactical decisions based off increased capabilities. “Our training is an iterative process of learning how to do it as a single ship then as a section [two] with lots of information fl owing back and forth between aircraft. That takes our training to another level. “Simultaneously the aerodynamic envelope, both speed and G, has greatly improved. We can fl y supersonically and to do things the airplane was built to do. They have been signed off and are part of our basic operating procedures.” Lt Col Gillette said: “Confi gured with Block 2B software gives situational awareness, sensor capability and lethality on the battlefi eld that is head and shoulders above anything that the Marine Corps currently fl ies, hands down, unequivocally. Are there glitches in the software where we see anomalies, certainly, but it will continue to improve.”

44 F-35 Lightning II

US Navy plane handlers move an F-35B around the hangar deck of USS Wasp. Royal Naval School of Flight Deck Operations

Flight Operations With Block 2B, the squadron was able to increase its training envelope; specifi cally in close air support (CAS) and armed reconnaissance and prove its ability to execute the missions and to do so more aggressively if required. “Previously the pilot had to be very aware of the airplane’s limits. Now you have a little bit more of a grace period to go to the increased G and speed limits,” said Maj Summa. Block 2B’s envelope also enabled VMFA-121 pilots to conduct much more training in long- range and short-range air-to-air engagements. In the second Weapons and Tactics Instructor course (WTI) staged by MAWTS-1 at Yuma last October, VMFA-121 participated in six of the biggest missions. Some were fl own over the Nevada Test and Training Range with US Air Force types like F-16s and F-22s, and others with AV-8B Harriers, F/A-18 Hornets and EA-6B Prowlers in the local Yuma range. Confi gured to Block 2 standard, the F-35Bs were able to dependent on voice communication; now target prohibitive interference. What does that mean? undertake strike co-ordination by identifying information is data linked to the other aircraft.” It means the F-35B can provide CAS in a battle targets and passing their co-ordinates to Close air support is a sub-set of armed space with a surface-to-air missile system Harriers and Hornets. reconnaissance and a primary mission for all prohibiting aircraft such as the Harrier or Hornet Maj Summa said: “The sensors showed so Marine Fighter Attack Squadrons executed from entering. Maj Summa explained: “I can much information at altitude we provided critical in accordance with Joint Close Air Support take a couple of Block 2B airplanes into that fi lling information for areas within the battle standards. VMFA-121 can employ either the environment, fi nd, notify, and if required, negate space where the C3 [command, control and 500lb GBU-12 laser-guided bomb or the 1,000lb the threat for continued F-35 operations but also communications] agency or ground-based air GBU-32 Joint Direct Attack Munitions for the for the Harriers and Hornets because the threat defence systems could not. But because of our necessary fi re support. has been notifi ed or degraded to a level that it’s software limitations at the time we were using Much has been written about the F-35’s no longer prohibitive. voice communication. With Block 2B we are inability to conduct the CAS mission but much “The ability to map a target area using fully integrated in the digital picture and not less about what it brings to the fi ght: primarily synthetic aperture radar, save the map and be able to review it while airborne and speak with the Joint Terminal Air Controller to advise him what you can see, that’s a big thing. But the ability to precisely target diff erent objects, points or buildings by scoping down to look at something and use the targeting system to gain the ID required is also very benefi cial. “The information available to you [for close air support] is at a much higher level and it’s ergonomically and tactically easier to use. We’ve completed this kind of targeting by day, by night and in an urban environment. But the diff erence is this airplane gives you the ability to go into areas where once we might have taken hours or days just to shape the environment for close air su pport,” said Maj Summa. Digital interoperability with the ground and aviation elements simultaneously seeing a common operational picture is the next logical step for close air support and a huge push Some of the marines who maintained the six F-35Bs embarked aboard the USS Wasp during OT I pose for a group photo on the hangar deck. Royal Naval School of Flight Deck Operations for Marine aviation across the MAGTF. The weapons school, MAWTS-1, is running tactical

45 F-35 Lightning II

demonstrations and evaluations specifi cally focused on increasing the kill chain to making the tempo as fast as possible with the highest fi delity of information. and glitches “It’s one thing to sense the environment but with the original version it’s another thing to sense the environment with during the last three years. Today, Marines actions, extremely high fi delity. And that’s something assigned to 121 provide advice to both the Joint look at health that the F-35 has and we’ve seen with the Program Offi ce and Lockheed Martin about reporting codes so if an introduction of Block 2B,” opined Maj Summa. required improvements within ALIS. error has popped up, it’ll tell them how to MSgt Brian Erline, VMFA-121’s Aviation troubleshoot and provide what’s the most likely Work-up to the Wasp Logistics Information Management and Support and the least likely cause. That’s very helpful In preparation to embark on the USS Wasp for Chief, told AIR International: “In my time on the because the maintainer might be presented Operational Test Phase One at sea (OT I) and the squadron many of our recommendations have with four diff erent problems indicated by the IOC declaration, VMFA-121 pilots used the local been incorporated into the system, mainly from symptom,” said MSgt Erline. auxiliary landing fi eld (ALF) to conduct day and the administrator’s standpoint, but also the The ALIS has a graphical user interface with night FCLPs (fi eld carrier landing practice). maintainers’.” pre-defi ned options for the maintainer to select The ALF is built in the desert near Yuma and On a squadron such as VMFA-121 the from drop-down menus. Typing details into the laid out like an LHD-class amphibious assault ALIS suite comprises software and hardware. system is only required in some instances. ship with a superstructure, deck and a full suite Maintainers use diff erent applications to log Before releasing the aircraft to its pilot for of landing aids, including lenses and height maintenance activities. One application called fl ying, the plane captain screens the jet by position indicators. Joint Technical Data is incorporated on the reading the work orders and checking its health Maj Summa explained the FCLP procedures servers, laptops and portable maintenance aids and readiness. The pilot, who has authority to used at the facility: “Each pilot has an overhead (PMAs). When connected to the aircraft, a PMA sign for the aircraft, also screens the aircraft time at the ALF. They come into the break, device provides all of the technical orders with electronically before they go to the fl ight line to convert into mode 4 fl ight and enter a hover step-by-step instructions on how to perform the conduct a walk around pre-fl ight inspection. abeam ‘the ship’. They side step over the deck maintenance task. The US Marine Corps conducts aircraft and the Landing Signals Offi cer clears them “They can log their time and maintenance maintenance at three levels: organisational to land on one of the spots at which point the pilot performs a vertical landing. Marine Wing Support Squadron 371 had fuel truck hot pits set up at the ALF for refuelling the airplanes ready for a short take-off to re-enter the pattern for further FCLPs before returning to Yuma.” ALIS on the Squadron VMFA-121 installed its fi rst version of the Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS) in August 2012. Three years later the unit installed the hardware for the second version of the Standard Operating Unit referred to as SOU V2 and its second software upgrade version 2.01.0. The SOU V2 is a modular, deployable system with each component weighing 200lb or less. The V2 has updated hardware, considerably more processing power and storage space than An F-35B Lightning II prepares to taxi on the fl ight deck of USS Wasp for night operations on May 22 earlier versions. during OT I. Cpl Anne Henry/US Marine Corps VMFA-121’s Marines uncovered many faults

46 F-35 Lightning II

(O), intermediate (I) and depot. Typically, O level maintenance is the Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron 22 (VMX-22) ‘Argonauts’ is equipped with four F-35B one undertaken on a squadron. MSgt Erline Lightning IIs including aircraft BuNo 168718/‘MV56’. The aircraft is seen on take-off from Edwards Air said on VMFA-121 it’s referred to as O plus Force Base, California. Dan Stijovich because some maintenance functions have been integrated into the squadron to avoid dependency on outside agencies. squadron’s records remain on its SOU at Yuma for disaster recovery. “Marine Aviation Logistic Squadron 13 and are archived at the CPE at Eglin. And, because When VMFA-121 transferred some of its [MALS-13] supports us for I level tasks such as the aircraft is only ever in one place at a time, its aircraft to the depot for Group 1 modifi cations batteries, tyres and ejection seats and uses ALIS data remains on the squadron’s SOU to ensure late last year they also had to transfer the to do so,” said MSgt Erline. maintenance actions are not double tapped. aircraft electronically from the squadron’s The ALIS has a tiered architecture. Every All maintenance records are retained on SOU to the depot’s SOU. The data packages squadron has its own SOU. Each nation has a the SOU forever, including the user accounts comprised only megabytes despite containing CPE (Country Point of Entry). The US CPE is at of individual maintainers. When a maintainer two years of fl ight and maintenance records. Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. Lockheed Martin leaves the Marine Corps their user account is Once the jet is electronically transferred, has the ALOU (Autonomic Logistics Operating retained on the SOU because it is directly tied to the new operator picks up where the previous Unit) at its facility in Fort Worth, Texas. maintenance actions conducted on the jets. All operator left off . They log all their maintenance As VMFA-121’s SOU accumulates data, the records are backed-up both on-site and off -site actions on their ALIS system. The data is captured as a package which is seamlessly transferred back to a squadron with the aircraft. Royal Naval School of Flight Deck Operations “It’s a very automated process,” said MSgt Erline. The US Marine Corps’ end goal is to run the ALIS organically as an independent organisation without the support of Lockheed Martin. That’s the biggest near-term test given the complexity of some aspects of the system. One future concept under consideration by the US Marine Corps is installation of a CPE at its regional support centres. The decisions on how such a centre is staff ed and whether it will be a US-only or a multi- nation facility have yet to be made. In theory, the Fleet Regional Support Center East at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in North Carolina could support the US Marine Corps fl eet. Operational Test Phase One OT I was the fi rst operational training evolution that required all of the agencies and squadrons

47 F-35 Lightning II

six pilots to land aboard the USS Wasp, conduct an engine running refuel and then take-off to start carrier qualifi cation (CQ). Only two pilots completed part of their CQ requirements before sunset because their arrival was later in the day than originally planned. The entire cadre of ten pilots (six that fl ew aboard and four others that sailed with the ship) completed their CQ fl ying during the next three days. Major Walsh told AIR International: “We wanted to fl y as many missions and generate as many hours as we could. That involved either a two or four ship launching, landing, going to the hot pits, launching out again before maintenance F-35B BuNo 168717/‘VK15’ of VMFA-121 slowly moves into the hover at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, caught them [a term for servicing the aircraft Arizona before making a vertical landing on one of the hover pads. Dan Stijovich between fl ights] and launched them on a second wave of a similar construct.” to be ready to go to the ship. For VMFA-121 air refuelling by a US Air Force KC-10 Extender. All missions fl own in OT I were operationally that was a big challenge to undertake while At Beaufort the 121 detachment was supported orientated. They involved integration with the concurrently training its other pilots to meet the by VMFAT-501, the resident F-35B training ship and supported training-in-readiness codes requirements for IOC. The second big challenge squadron. for IOC. Some involved air-to-air intercepts was the transfer of four aircraft from 121 and USS Wasp pulled out of Naval Base Norfolk, working with the ship’s personnel who served as two from VMFAT-501, with their data, onto a Virginia on the morning of May 18 for an operating air intercept controllers. common server on board the USS Wasp. area off the east coast. Once established, the Maj Walsh explained: “Operations escalated Major Walsh VMFA-121’s Operations Offi cer squadrons at Beaufort were called to launch the from one or two-ship intercepts into air led the four-ship of aircraft from Yuma to Marine fi rst two F-35Bs. Two other sections were launched interdiction where we were searching for targets Corps Air Station Beaufort in South Carolina. at 30-minute intervals thereafter. to attack. We fl ew defensive counter air missions Their transcontinental fl ight was supported with The original embarkation plan required the staged for us to defend the ship. We worked with the ship’s controllers against Red Air F-35s that were trying to attack it. “Because of the training we focussed on tactical intercepts in the defensive counter air and air interdiction sorties. The cadre of pilots also conducted some air-to-surface training mainly out at sea but some overland. We also fl ew simulated attacks on notional enemy shipping which we had to fi nd based on information provided by the ship’s intelligence department. The last of 110 tactical training missions was fl own on May 28 and all six aircraft recovered to Beaufort the following day. Operational Readiness Inspection An F-35B Lightning II takes off from the fl ight During the operational readiness inspection (ORI) deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp directed by HQ US Marine Corps, VMFA-121 fl ew on May 25. Mass Communication Specialist at least one sortie in each of the key mission sets Rawad Madanat/US Navy required to meet the IOC criteria and included

All ten F-35B pilots who fl ew missions from the USS Wasp during OT I pose for a group photo on May 21. Royal Naval School of Flight Deck Operations

48 F-35 Lightning II

embarking on the USS Wasp to demonstrate the US Navy fl ight deck crew use a tractor to push a ability to successfully fl y off the ship. trailer loaded with an F135 engine core module Unsurprisingly dropping ordnance was also (stowed in a purpose-built crate) to an MV-22 a requirement but had only been undertaken Osprey. Royal Naval School of Flight Deck Operations previously by the F-35 test units. “To meet the requirements all of our pilots dropped inert and live 1,000lb GBU-32 JDAMs and 500lb GBU-12 laser-guided bombs. This was one of the last big objectives we had to hit before we declared we were ready for the ORI. We were not going to say we’re ready for combat until we’d done end-to-end checks and successful live ordnance releases in an operational environment.” The squadron practised guiding weapons to a target in its high fi delity simulators and completed many simulated drops in the aircraft before the fi rst live drops. The ordnance department completed training events learning Sailors and Marines remove an engine core how to assemble the weapon with wiring, fusing module for the F-35B Lightning II aircraft from an MV-22 Osprey aboard the USS Wasp. Mass and pins, how to pre-fl ight it and all get familiar Communication Specialist Elizabeth Vlahos/US Navy with the diff erent nuances of uploading and downloading weapons. The squadron was able to train ten pilots for the ORI: two more than the prescribed minimum. The ability to fl y each mission set in sections (two aircraft) and divisions (four) had to be demonstrated in Yuma’s simulators before the ORI started. Each one; assault support escort, armed reconnaissance, close air support, air interdiction and defensive counter air was subsequently fl own during the inspection. The latter two were fl own against the F-5N Tiger- equipped Marine Fighter Training Squadron 401 (VMFT-401) ‘Snipers’ also based at Yuma. Major Walsh commended the work put into VMFA-121’s IOC declaration by its maintenance department: “That’s testament to all the Marines downstairs and their hard work fi guring out all the procedures and overcoming the diffi culties

Marines align an Australian-built engine removal and installation trailer to demonstrate the procedures required to remove an F135 engine. Royal Naval School of Flight Deck Operations

49 F-35 Lightning II

we had to get through. How they generated “The slope at which we learn further other, and the data connectivity worked to all the missions, turned them faster [between effi ciencies will start to shallow out but will enable parts to be sourced. We were able to missions], achieving functionality with the ALIS certainly continue for the next ten years at least.” reach back to Lockheed Martin and Pratt & and handling all of the software upgrades Whitney to get parts shipped out to the ship on given to us from the test community was a Led by the Argonauts an MV-22.” monumental job.” Col Rauenhorst Commander of Marine The MV-22s, provided by VMX-22, were on call Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron 22 at Marine Corps Air Station New River in North Ongoing Ops (VMX-22) ‘Argonauts’ was the lead unit for OT Carolina as required. They would fl y to the Since the IOC declaration, VMFA-121’s day-to- I. “Our overall contract was to determine how forward operating base where the parts were day training has ratcheted up to further build the the F-35 would integrate on board the ship for waiting for delivery out to the ship to replicate combat capability. “IOC was very much about the fi rst time and what lessons from land-based an operationally realistic scenario. The largest our unit and training. Now we want to integrate operations we could use on an expeditionary item delivered to the USS Wasp by an MV-22 with the Marine Corps at large by taking the amphibious ship. was an F135 engine core module: the largest squadron on detachment to exercise working OT I was the fi rst time Marines and UK component of Pratt & Whitney’s Joint Strike with the deployed ALIS server and operate F-35s personnel assigned to VMFAT-501 had Fighter power plant. from an austere location with a little less support maintained F-35Bs at sea. They were supported An MV-22 fl ew to Naval Air Station Patuxent than the ship. Ultimately the squadron has to be by Marine Aviation Logistics Squadrons 13 River in Maryland to collect a purpose-built cart ready to move to Japan in 2017,” said Maj Walsh. (MALS-13) and MALS-31. designed for loading the engine onto an Osprey; Lt Col Gillette said the real success story They worked on the aircraft on the fl ight deck loading and unloading an engine module was a of 121 is with the Marines who work in the and in the hangar bay to determine if the Joint key objective for OT I. maintenance department. “There are countless Technical Data (JTD) were written correctly and Marines successfully offl oaded the engine examples where they have determined a task to validate the chock and chain procedures on module from the MV-22 and delivered it to the is ineffi cient when done the prescribed way. the deck. store down in the hangar deck. The module was One example is the intermediate operating “Did we have the appropriate chains on board subsequently used to demonstrate the ability to service; the procedures followed to re- the ship to include the pad eyes and chaining replace an F135 engine. release the aircraft for fl ight. We re-wrote the points on the aircraft to support high sea states? Col Rauenhorst said: “Our overall objective procedures line-by-line, submitted them up to How do you conduct maintenance when the was to evaluate the amount of hangar space the Joint Program Offi ce. A few months later aircraft is chained down? We jacked up an F-35, required to do an engine change. We lined up they informed us the new procedures were made sure it was chained down and conducted the trailer [reference to the engine removal and approved. The Joint Technical Data which we maintenance. installation trailer built by Australian company completed for the IOS was adopted and is “We needed to make sure the ALIS system and Marand] and worked through the Joint now a multi-service, multi-national procedure. the upgrades made to the ship’s network were Technical Data instructions Performing an IOS once took four and a half aligned and for changing an engine hours. It now takes less than two. talking to on board the ship. We “Another example is restoring the coatings each didn’t change an engine and the LO [low observable] characteristics of a panel after its removal for replacing a part. Eighteen months ago that would take us days, sometimes weeks. Based on their effi ciencies and improved techniques it now takes a couple of days to break into a panel and restore the LO confi guration. For the exact same result, the radar cross sections of the airplanes are identical.

An F-35B Lighting II lands on the fl ight deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) on May 18 at the start of OT I. Mass Communica- tion Specialist Seaman Zhiwei Tan/US Navy

50 F-35 Lightning II

because we didn’t want to take a mission- to a science. The lessons learned will be ordnance. That wasn’t straightforward because capable aircraft down. incorporated into LHD flight operations for the the aircraft has to be chocked and chained to “We successfully demonstrated the ability to fleet,” said Col Rauenhorst. the flight deck. We had to evaluate whether remove the engine module out of its container, Based on the simulator training undertaken the chains impeded, in any way, the loading place it back on the skid and then move it back before OT I started, the former Harrier and process,” he noted. to the Osprey for loading and onward delivery Hornet pilots involved thought they would safely back to Pax River. It went pretty much according reduce the recovery interval time to the ship. VMX-22 at Edwards to plan.” The aircraft’s automation and flight control The Argonauts has its headquarters at Marine As the boss of the Marine Corps’ lead unit systems take into account the ship’s course, Corps Air Station Yuma, but maintains an for OT I, Col Rauenhorst said the six pilots who speed, heading, and the winds over the deck, F-35B detachment at Edwards Air Force Base landed aboard the Wasp for the first time made which made landing an F-35B a lot easier than an in California as part of the Joint Operational the procedure look easy. “By the time we were AV-8B Harrier or a Hornet on board the carrier. Test Team (JOTT). The first Marines assigned launching a division [four jets] the pilots were Wind conditions were varied during OT I, but to the det arrived at Edwards in June 2010 and returning into the overhead and recovering remained within the confines of the F-35B’s initially worked with Lockheed Martin and Pratt aircraft in intervals of 60 to 70 seconds. That current standard operating procedures as & Whitney while embedded in US Air Force was a demonstration of efficiency and co- cleared by Naval Air Systems Command. developmental test unit, the 461st Flight Test ordination between the pilots and the flight deck Col Rauenhorst said: “Once all the pilots and Squadron. crew and is almost on par with flight operations landing signal officers (LSOs) had qualified to The first F-35B assigned to VMX-22 arrived at conducted on the super carriers.” conduct day and night carrier landings we began Edwards last October. The squadron currently As they progressed through single-, two- and launching two-ship sections for 1 v 1 intercepts has four F-35Bs assigned, some of which are four-ship recoveries they made meticulous notes and ship defence. We then repeated those currently undergoing modification to Block 3F about the best procedures. “By events with four-ship divisions.” configuration. the end of the at sea Another objective was day and night The preponderance of test events completed period the pilots ordnance-loading procedures. This involved at Edwards to date have been part of the overall and flight deck VMX-22’s ordnance team, working with the F-35 operational test plan conducted by the crew had USS Wasp’s ordnance-handling officer, loading multi-national JOTT. it down bombs and missiles on to an aircraft out on the “On the Marine Corp side we’re planning flight deck. “We completed those evolutions to complete an expeditionary deployment to to validate the Joint Technical Data the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center for loading at Twentynine Palms in California,” said Col Rauenhorst. Mark Ayton

51 F-35 Lightning II Cpl Anne Henry/US Marine Corps All Aboard

52 F-35 Lightning II All Aboard ith less than two years to go before Objectives Deck Familiarisation the UK’s fi rst F-35B Lightning II lands The objectives set for OT I by Headquarters, US Lieutenant Neil Harris and his deputy, Chief on the deck of HMS Queen Elizabeth Marine Corps included... Petty Offi cer (Aircraft Handling) Scott Iszard, are W(R 08), the Royal Navy’s preparations • Demonstrating and assessing day and looking forward to joining the QE for sea trials. for this historic event get ever closer to reality night fl ight operations in various aircraft They have key roles to play. Lt Harris will serve when the 70,000-tonne fl agship commences its confi gurations. as the Flight Deck Offi cer (FDO) and CPO Iszard sea trials at the start of 2016. • Digital interoperability between aircraft and as the Captain of the Flight Deck (CFD). Personnel assigned to the Royal Naval ship systems, F-35B landing signal offi cers’ launch CPO Iszard has a wealth of fl ight deck School of Flight Deck Operations (RNSFDO) at and recovery software. experience gathered during his 19-year career Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, Cornwall, are • Day and night weapons loading. aboard HMS Ark Royal, HMS Illustrious, HMS undergoing continuous training on the dummy • All aspects of maintenance, logistics and Invincible and other multi-spot decks including deck at the base. sustainment support of the F-35B while deployed US carriers. The school embarked on a long-lead specialist at sea, including engine and main lift fan changes Lt Harris, an experienced Royal Navy skills exchange programme with the US Navy in and deck operating procedures. helicopter engineer, said: “OT I tested the US 2010 whereby groups of up to ten individuals In addition, US Navy personnel and the UK Marine Corps’ ability to embark six aircraft and are assigned to Nimitz-class super carriers and team worked with Naval Sea Systems Command support and sustain that footprint for a period of amphibious assault ships. The programme to assess specifi c modifi cations made to the time prior to the type’s IOC. The purpose of our has helped personnel to build their experience USS Wasp. One notable example was the involvement was to familiarise ourselves with the and enabled the school to update its standard coating applied to the deck and how it would jet, to consider American procedures and to take operating procedures (SOPs) for deck handling. cope with the intense heat produced by the away best practice, bearing in mind that US large The primary aim is to ensure best practice is aircraft’s Pratt & Whitney F135 engine. This deck platforms operate an entirely diff erent way applied when HMS Queen Elizabeth (QE) sets sail was particularly relevant to the UK because to how we’ve historically operated.” and the F-35B Lightning II is embarked. a decision on deck coating for the Queen This included assessing how easily the aircraft One offi cer at the RNSFDO told AIR Elizabeth has yet to be made. can be moved around the fl ight deck and within International: “Best practice involves co- An important evaluation undertaken on May the hangar, what locations it can be parked and ordination between the school and the ship and 20 involved delivering an F135 forward engine how to secure it. we must ensure we are teaching them what they module weighing around 4,500lb (2,041kg) to Ahead of OT I the Royal Navy had two primary need us to teach rather than someone’s best the ship on an MV-22B Osprey. It took a team of concerns: noise and jet blast or e-fl ux. According idea. We then assist them in developing their US and UK personnel one hour to successfully to Lt Harris both have largely been resolved, SOPs for the deck.” unload the module from the Osprey’s cargo hold based on the QE’s larger deck and the UK’s SOPs, By March 2015, the Royal Navy had using winch and pulley systems: a good indicator and neither are now considered a problem. OT completed its seventh roulemont (deployment of the Royal Navy’s future type for carrier- I gave Royal Navy personnel an opportunity to of personnel) to the United States, each one onboard-delivery. assess the SOPs in place and determine any lasting about nine months. Perhaps the most important started in mid- May when senior handlers and instructors from the school joined the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD-1) for the Operational Test Phase One at sea (OT I). The Wasp sailed from Naval Base Norfolk, Virginia on May 18 and remained under way off the east coast for an 11-day period during which six F-35Bs drawn from the US Marine Corps’ operational fl eet conducted day and night operations. For the UK personnel onboard, learning to maintain and handle the F-35 on deck was vital. Royal Navy and Royal Air Force maintainers are already embedded in F-35 squadrons at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina, Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, and Edwards Air Force Base, California. All three locations off er excellent facilities to learn how to maintain the Joint Strike Fighter, but they are all land-based. Sea-based maintenance is more challenging because it involves other physical conditions such as deck motion, space confi nement and the need to move aircraft between the fl ight deck and hangar. A Royal Navy Air Engineering Technician under- takes maintenance in the weapons bay of an F- AIR International spoke to Royal Navy 35B. Royal Naval School of Flight Deck Operations personnel about OT I aboard the USS Wasp.

53 F-35 Lightning II

changes required. “As the aircraft launches, the aircraft handler F-35Bs and rotary-wing aircraft. CPO Iszard, the school’s embarked operations has to take a big stance and protect his face. CPO Iszard recalled aircraft recoveries: “It was training manager, explained: “LHDs [amphibious Personnel will be fully covered and wear impressive watching F-35s land vertically and assault ships] have much larger decks than our protective headgear and goggles. literally turn around within their footprint before CVS and the US approach is more manpower- “In terms of the launch profi le, multiple taxing to their holding spots to be secured by intensive. The QE has a much larger deck than launches will be an extremely controlled handlers. This reduces the time taken to clear the USS Wasp and we will have fewer people on scenario. More likely aircraft will launch one at a the active areas of the deck and the amount of deck and more ‘safe’ areas where the aircraft can time with a safe time gap between them.” deck handling required. transit other than on the main runway. Since OT I the launch profi le practised by the “You don’t need a tractor and tow bar “It was therefore important during OT I to Culdrose-based school involves minor hand to reposition them each time, which was a stand in those positions that our guys will not signal changes to cater for the F-35B. “We’re surprise. We’ll need someone on standby in be in to assess the worst case scenario; for 95% there,” said Lt Harris. the event of an emergency but the aircraft is so example, adjacent to the spot landing position as manoeuvrable, unlike a Harrier which has turning an F-35 lands vertically. US personnel stand in Noise restrictions. this position.” The F-35 test programme has been proactive “On a Wasp-class carrier, you have to taxi a in collecting and assessing noise data and the Harrier in slightly, spin it around on the deck’s E-flux environmental impact this may have. port elevator [which protrudes out] and use that E-fl ux generated by the F135 engine is Noise level testing featured prominently as your guide to taxi them into position. The substantial and can potentially create issues during OT I with microphones placed around the F-35 can turn on a sixpence and more or less for fl ight deck personnel and other operational fl ight deck, in the hangar deck and other places taxi directly to its parking position to be secured aircraft in terms of FOD (foreign object damage). aboard the USS Wasp. with chocks and chains before being prepared “When the F-35 launched, we stood 50, 100, A noise measurement report dated October for the next fl ight.” 150 and 200 feet [13, 26, 39 and 52m] behind 28, 2014 based on test results collected at According to Royal Navy personnel the towing it to feel the engine’s force and to assess noise Edwards Air Force Base starting in September process for the F-35 is the same as the Harrier, levels and potential FOD,” confi rmed CPO Iszard. 2013 concluded the F-35B’s noise level is comprising three ground locks: one for each E-fl ux, although substantial, should not be an comparable to a Harrier: 87dB v 85dB on outrigger and one for the nose wheel. issue on the QE because the aircraft’s wing-tip approach and 110dB v 105dB on take-off . Unlike the Harrier, the F-35 has no safety line (referred to as the fan line by the CPO Iszard opined: “We stood at various depressurisation pin, which means handlers Americans) is further away from the launch area positions including adjacent to landing spots simply attach the tow line and move it as they than the 30 feet (10m) distance on the USS Wasp. 7 and 9. Bearing in mind we had upgraded would any other fi xed-wing aircraft. The wing-tip safety line adjacent to the launch hearing protection which worked fi ne, we felt the Securing points are diff erent. The US Marine area is the position used by US Navy fl ight deck noise was not vastly diff erent from the Harrier Corps uses a system of wheel chocks and up personnel to give launch signals to pilots. which was good news.” to 36 chains to secure the aircraft in storm

US Navy plane handlers and aircraft handling offi cers move an F-35B around the hangar deck of USS Wasp. Royal Naval School of Flight Deck Operations

“Our SOPs mitigate the impact of placing Deck Handling conditions. Currently the UK uses the same personnel in safer positions during landing The ease with which aircraft can be moved chocks and will determine the optimum lashing and departure, but this policy will be reviewed around the deck is critical in effi cient fl ight deck confi guration. prior to commencing first of class fixed- management. wing trials. When we operated the Harrier Despite space restrictions aboard USS Wasp Deck Coating everyone, including fire fighting personnel, the F-35 did not disappoint. The QE’s deck Coatings applied to the fl ight deck came under would be positioned a spot and a half forward covers an area of almost 170,000 square feet considerable scrutiny during OT I, especially of the landing jet with nobody closer,” (16,000m2), has a runway running it’s entire during launches, and vertical landings on spots confirmed CPO Iszard. length and multiple landing spots for both 7 and 9.

54 F-35 Lightning II

US Navy safety observers watch an F135 forward engine module being loaded onto an MV-22B Osprey for delivery back to shore. Royal Naval School of Flight Deck Operations

Heat and downdraft generated by the F135 resilient to water and foam,” said Lt Harris. the period following the first of class fixed- engine is substantial so a long-term solution OT I proved beneficial for comparing and wing trials. must be found to reduce wear and tear and contrasting deck fire fighting procedures, as Royal Navy personnel embarked on the USS resolve scorching. The Royal Navy currently Lt Harris explained: “The US system includes Wasp achieved all their objectives during OT I: uses a non-oxidising anti-slip deck coating mobile fire fighting vehicles and hydrants plus they gained greater insight into the F-35 and the called Camrex, but a new coating must be dedicated handlers and a dedicated ‘crash way it operates and handles on deck at sea. found to cope with the intense heat generated bosun’ positioned to manage a deck fire or They are now working toward next year’s by the engine. crash event.” fi rst of class sea trials at training performance A new heat-resistant deck coating called The ship’s company will grow in stages standard. Thermion was applied to spot 9 and used for towards the full complement due to be in Once they reach operational performance vertical landings for OT I. Thermion’s properties place by the summer of 2016. The manning standard aboard the QE, the ship’s company will remain unknown although a recent press process is staggered to avoid changing the be up and running. “It will be great to get back to release said it was made of bonded ceramic and ship’s full complement every two to three fi xed-wing operations aboard a ship. It’s a new aluminium. years. The Royal Navy must maintain stability ship, a new aircraft and everyone is refreshed The coating gives the same baseline anti-skid in core areas, especially the top deck, for by it,” concluded Lt Harris. Ian Harding characteristics as other coatings and shows few signs of heat stress or scorching. The UK has evaluated a thermal metallic spray coating probably with similar properties to Thermion and a fi nal decision on its use is expected once evaluation is complete. First of Class Sea Trials The initial cadre of Royal Navy personnel is scheduled to join the QE in January 2016 to run the SOPs and prepare the ship. The ship’s crew will have around six months to run the SOPs before the fi rst of class rotary-wing trials begin during the summer of 2016. The F-35 is currently expected to fl y aboard the QE to start the fi rst of class fi xed-wing trials in 2018. Before then, the Royal Navy will receive four F-35 replicas known as Ground Instructional Aids (GIAs), one of which will go to the QE for training. Similar in size and weight, the GIAs will enable the school to get up to speed on all aspects of aircraft handling including proving fi re-fi ghting Royal Naval School of Flight Deck Operations and deck crash procedures. “The replicas are

55