PHANTOM FAREWELL F-22 RAPTOR F-15EX ADVANCED EAGLE JAPAN RECCE ‘RHINOS’ FINAL CALL THE ULTIMATE GUIDE BOEING PUSHES AHEAD WITH USAF PLANS COMBAT
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Volume 21 No 2 21 No Volume SAINTS’ TOPGUN’S BAD GUYS
FRENCH NAVY RAFALES: EXCLUSIVE AIR-TO-AIRS USAF STRATOTANKERS: STILL GOING STRONG COMBAT ACTION: OA-37 DRAGONFLIES OVER PANAMA Gaijin_FP.indd 1 25/11/2019 17:13:00 February 2020 • Vol 21 • No 2 2020 • Vol February
INSIDE60 BIG SHOT: ‘VIPER’ FLARE IN THE NEWS Combat Aircraft’s new feature showcasing military aviation’s best images each month 6 HEADLINE NEWS SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE! — in this issue it’s an F-16AM of the 148th Boeing gears up for F-15EX, KC-46 Pegasus Fighter Squadron ‘Kickin’ Ass’ moves forward, Russia gets active in the As part of your subscription, you can now enjoy even Arctic and rst Block III Super Hornet more Combat Aircraft, more often, with the launch of 62 FRANCE’S MARITIME REVOLUTION Key.Aero — Your Aviation Destination. As the Aéronautique Navale marks the 8 NEWS Visit www.key.aero and use your customer ID and email centenary of Flottille 11F, it is striding ahead Our new integrated news and analysis address to register today for your exclusive access. with the latest standard of Dassault Rafale section includes the rst series- — the F3-R variant, as Frédéric Lert explains, production Saab Gripen E, USAF E-4B with photographs by Anthony Pecchi replacement plans, plus the latest unit 74 and deployment news, and the most 68 RUSSIAN TRAINING WOES GLORY DAYS: Alexander Mladenov explains how Russia’s recent Military Losses ‘GOLDEN JAGUARS’ OVER PANAMA military ight training system is currently Joe Copalman looks back at the role of the OA-37 running at surge capacity while su ering 16 THE OPS DESK Dragon y in Operation ‘Just Cause’ in 1989, when from the shortage of aircraft to cope with Scott Wol ’s column discusses the merits a small, specialist squadron was thrust into a the sharply increased demand for new of a new training system that blends virtual major campaign pilots and live domains 82 FAREWELL TO THE 20 BOEING READY TO RECCE ‘RHINOS’ PROGRESS WITH F-15EX The Japan Air Self-Defense Force held a With a stalled Fiscal Year 2020 defense public farewell event for the F-4 Phantom II budget, Boeing is pressing ahead with the in late 2019 and Rich Cooper was there as F-15EX project for the US Air Force it marked the nal chapter for its legendary 22 READY ROOM reconnaissance ‘Rhinos’ Combat Aircraft’s new regular column, 88 JOINT STARS DRAWS BACK looking at the stories behind the US Navy FROM COMBAT OPS and Marine Corps headlines, by Rick Jamie Hunter looks at why the US Air Burgess Force has withdrawn its E-8s from combat 26 RAPTOR: 15 YEARS ON THE FRONT operations despite a lack of clarity on what LINE — PART ONE will replace their capability At a time when the US Air Force wants to 90 MALAYSIAN GUARDIANS accelerate ghter aircraft development The Malacca Strait is the world’s busiest under a ‘Digital Century Series’, Jamie shipping lane — linking sea trade from the Hunter looks back at how the rst combat- East and West. Guarding this vital region, coded F-22 Raptor was delivered in May the Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia (TUDM, 2005 and how, some 15 years on, the USAF Royal Malaysian Air Force) plays a vital role, is working to ensure the ghter remains as Chen Chuanren explains relevant 94 CUTTING EDGE 38 STILL GOING STRONG — PART ONE David Axe’s column looking at the latest In the rst of a two-part feature, Bob Archer technological developments in military and Tom Kaminski look at the service record aerospace of the US Air Force C-135 family as it marks 64 years of service 96 FLASHBACK Combat Aircraft’s trip down memory lane — 46 WAR GAMES IN THE NEGEV this month it’s a YF-117A Nighthawk Giovanni Colla reports from Ovda air base in Israel’s Negev Desert, which hosted Exercise ‘Blue Flag’ in November. The maneuvers ON THE COVER | PAGE 50 attracted ve nations and some 70 aircraft, including F-35s for the rst time Your Aviation Destination 50 FIGHTING WITH THE ‘SAINTS’ VFC-13 ‘Fighting Saints’ ies the F-5 Tiger II in the adversary role at NAS Fallon, Nevada. An immaculate gloss black F-5N Visit www.key.aero Jamie Hunter and Richard Collens meet the of VFC-13 ‘Fighting Saints’ — one squadron’s highly experienced personnel of the squadrons that plays for latest Military who provide an agile and scalable service TOPGUN’s bad guys. in support of TOPGUN and visiting eet Aviation News Jamie Hunter aircrews COMBAT EDGE // FIND US ON
expensive in the near-term, opening the A CHANGING TANKER WORLD door for an adventurous scheme from HE US AIR Force once ew close strategic tanker eets. However, this Airbus and Lockheed Martin to o er A330 to 800 KC-135 strategic aerial is now expanding thanks to the new MRTTs on a power-by-the hour basis. tanker aircraft. No other nation Multinational MRTT [Multi-Role Tanker The Airbus tanker has enjoyed huge came even close to such a force Transport] Force (MMF) — a pooled success on the world stage, with sales of in- ight refueling assets. With European eet of air refuelers able to to nations that have traditionally leaned few other nations possessing meet the demands of the region without heavily on the US for in- ight refueling. It Torganic tanker capabilities, American having to burden already over-worked US clearly illustrates how the tanker world is tankers have always been in high demand Air Forces in Europe KC-135Rs. Moreover, changing — with an increasing number around the globe. tactical tankers such as the Airbus A400M of nations realizing a need to step forward Today, the USAF ies just over 300 are also increasingly playing their part and meet the challenge. KC-135s, plus KC-10s, and it is starting in supporting anything from helicopters Keep on top of all the latest breaking to recapitalize the eet with 179 Boeing to ghters. military news and access all of our digital KC-46s. More tankers will be required in Contracted air tanker suppliers are likely content at www.Key.Aero subsequent programs, but the Department to have an increased of Defense is no longer willing or able role too. Omega Air has to act as an unsupported donor to recently taken delivery meet requirements on the world stage. of the rst of two former Shouldering the burden of Western tanking Dutch KDC-10s, and it needs today is nancially and numerically will soon be able to o er Jamie Hunter, impossible as squadrons groan under the boom refueling to the Editor weight of operational commitments. USAF. Moreover, the next E-mail: [email protected] In Europe, only a handful of countries phase of American tanker have traditionally maintained organic, recapitalization may prove too
A USAF KC-46A Pegasus refuels a B-1B during recent trials. USAF/Donald Allen
04 February 2020 // www.Key.Aero
4-5 Combat Edge C.indd 4 16/12/2019 14:12 CONTRIBUTOR OF THE MONTH JOE COPALMAN
oe Copalman lives in and is a co-founder of the Arizona with his wife Arizona Aviation Photographers and their two children. photography club. In this issue He has written historical he presents a fascinating insight Jand contemporary articles on into the role of the OA-37 military aviation for numerous Dragonfly during missions over print publications since 2013 Panama in Operation ‘Just Cause’.
www.Key.Aero // February 2020 05
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As of December, Boeing was still awaiting a formal contract for F-15EX. Boeing
The 418th FLTS is also well into hose lengths to determine if the trials with the KC-46A’s Wing pressures and ow rates being PEGASUS PROGRESS Aerial Refueling Pods (WARPs), provided to the receiver aircraft THE USAF HAS given approval to include the Remote Vision System having performed probe-and- are acceptable. The evaluations a retro t for the Boeing KC-46A’s (RVS) and issues with the ying drogue work with AV-8B, F/A-18D were conducted at various cargo restraint lock system. The boom. Despite those problems, the and EA-18G aircraft. Although altitudes, airspeeds, retro t is intended to correct a major 418th Flight Test Squadron (FLTS) at the KC-46A is equipped with an tanker gross weights, and (Category 1) de ciency that caused Edwards AFB, California, continues internal centerline drogue system, times of day. the air force to prohibit the Pegasus to move forward and recently the WARPs allow the Pegasus In related news, the delivery of from carrying cargo or passengers completed receiver certi cation to simultaneously refuel two three KC-46As to McConnell AFB, in September. The contractor testing with both the F-22A aircraft. The test ights evaluated Kansas, on November 22 increased continues to work on corrections Raptor and RC-135V/W Rivet Joint the WARP’s hose reel response the 22nd Air Refueling Wing’s for several other de ciencies that reconnaissance aircraft. at various contact rates and inventory to 19 aircraft. A KC-46A Pegasus operated by the 418th Flight Test Squadron equipped with a pair of Wing Aerial Refueling Pods (WARPs) on the ramp at Edwards AFB, California. USAF/Giancarlo Casem
06 February 2020 // www.Key.Aero
6-7 Headlines C.indd 6 16/12/2019 14:35 [HEADLINES]
NATO GLOBAL HAWK DELIVERED BOEING WAITS ON THE FIRST OF ve NATO AGS system will be handed over to Alliance Ground Surveillance the NATO AGS Force after all testing (AGS) unmanned air systems and performance veri cation has F-15EX CONTRACT (UASs) arrived at NAS Sigonella, been completed. It is expected to Italy, on November 21. The high- achieve initial operational capability altitude long-endurance (HALE) during the rst half of 2020. NATO’s MANUFACTURER FUNDS INITIAL WORK RQ-4D departed from Northrop Block 40 RQ-4D Global Hawk is ON NEW USAF EAGLES Grumman’s facility at Air Force equipped with Northrop Grumman Plant 42 in Palmdale, California, AN/ZPY-2 Multi-Platform Radar OEING IS MOVING the F-15EX from getting under on November 20 and landed 22 Technology Insertion Program forward with way. O cially, the USAF plans to hours later at what is the AGS Main (MP-RTIP) radar. The X-band active development of the procure as many as 144 F-15EX Operating Base (MOB). The AGS is electronically scanned array new F-15EX Advanced ghters including 80 over the next being developed with funds from (AESA) sensor features ground Eagle for the US Air ve years. Boeing hopes to sign 15 alliance members comprising: moving target indicator (GMTI), Force using internal a contract in March 2020 and will Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, synthetic aperture radar (SAR), air Bfunds, despite delays in receiving a deliver the initial pair of test aircraft Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Italy, track, concurrent moving target formal contract due to the failure of within nine months. Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, indication, cued search, and ground elected o cials to pass a Fiscal Year The F-15EX will feature an Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, high-resolution radar modes. In 2020 defense appropriations bill. advanced cockpit with a large- Slovenia and the US. addition to the RQ-4D air segment, Boeing says it still plans to deliver area display, y-by-wire controls, a All of the NATO allies will have the AGS system also comprises the rst aircraft by the end of 2020, fully integrated electronic warfare access to intelligence data acquired a European-designed ground despite the ongoing uncertainly. suite and an active electronically by the system, which is owned and segment that includes mobile and Although Fiscal Year 2020 began scanned array (AESA) radar. It will operated by the alliance. The entire transportable ground stations. on October 1, the government has also deliver increased lethality with been operating under continuing multi-role exibility through its resolutions (CRs) that restrict 12 air-to-air and 15 air-to-ground spending to the same levels as weapon stations. Fiscal Year 2019 and prevent A full feature and analysis of this new-start programs including story appears on p20 of this issue.
The fi rst NATO RQ-4D seen during its delivery fl ight on A Russian Aerospace Forces MiG-31K armed November 21. Northrop Grumman/Alan Radecki with a Kinzhal missile. Piotr Butowski FIRST BLOCK III SUPER HORNET DELIVERED BOEING RECENTLY DELIVERED include advanced crew stations, the rst Super Hornet to complete communications and other system depot repairs under the rst phase upgrades. The upgrades will add of the Service Life Modi cation around 20 years of additional (SLM) program. The project is service life to each airframe. expected to span 15 years and cost Approximately 20 per cent of the up to $7.8 billion — and is being upgrades will be carried out in St undertaken at Boeing facilities Louis with the bulk of the work in St Louis, Missouri and San planned at the San Antonio site. Antonio, Texas. Once full-rate production is under Under the rst phase each way the two sites will induct and aircraft undergoes inspection, deliver an upgraded Super Hornet RUSSIAN ‘FOXHOUNDS’ CAUSE ARCTIC CONCERNS modi cation, repair and every nine days. THE RUSSIAN TASS news agency The 9A-7760 Kinzhal (dagger) restoration that extends its has said that military exercises merges the MiG-31K with the service life by 25 per cent from in the Arctic during November ‘izdeliye 292’ ballistic missile on 6,000 to 7,500 ight hours at a included a pair of MiG-31K the centerline pylon. The missile cost of around $10 million. The ‘Foxhounds’ — that took o from can reportedly deliver a nuclear or second phase of the SLM makes ALSO Olenya air base, located north conventional warhead at ranges extensive modi cations to the of the Arctic Circle — and at in excess of 1,240 miles (2,000km). launch system structure and THIS east one aircraft red a Kinzhal The rst trials squadron equipped components, arresting gear, along air-launched ballistic missile with MiG-31Ks is deployed to with other speci c structural against a ground target that was the 929th Flight Test Center MONTH... areas that extend the service life located 800 miles (1,300km) away at Akhtubinsk, with 11 aircraft further to 10,000 ight hours. USAF E-4B ‘Nightwatch’ at the Pemboy training ground, thought to have been converted Phase 2 also provides the aircraft recapitalization project near Vorkuta. to date to carry the new weapon. with Block III capabilities, which kick-starts 2020.
www.Key.Aero // February 2020 07
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USAF’S E-4B REPLACEMENT COMMAND POST RECAPITALIZATION UNDER WAY
US NAVY GROUP II HAWKEYES RETIRED UPGRADED OCEAN SENTRY DELIVERED THE ‘BEAR ACES’ of carrier airborne in Virginia on November 19. The THE US COAST Guard accepted management system and Minotaur early warning squadron VAW-124 squadron is transitioning to the its sixth upgraded HC-144B Ocean integrates the aircraft’s sensors and retired the last operational E-2C Hawkeye 2000 and, once that Sentry medium-range surveillance radar and dramatically improves Hawkeye Group II Navigation conversion is complete, all US aircraft to be equipped with both its ability to fuse data along with Upgrade (NAVUP) aircraft following Navy eet squadrons will operate the Ocean Sentry Refresh (OSR) information processing and a ceremonial nal ight at Naval the E-2C Hawkeye 2000 or E-2D modi cations and the Minotaur sharing capabilities. Upgrades Station Norfolk’s Chambers Field Advanced Hawkeye. mission system on October 31, to a seventh HC-144 were 2019. Modi cations to the Ocean scheduled for completion by the Sentry were carried out at the end of December and the ALC Coast Guard Aviation Logistics inducted its eighth HC-144A into Center (ALC) in Elizabeth City, North the missionization process on Carolina. November 1. The Coast Guard plans The last Group II E-2C assigned to VAW-124 taxies to the ramp at Chambers The OSR project provides to complete the upgrades to its 18 Field during a ceremony on November 19 that marked the retirement of the the aircraft with a new ight HC-144s by 2022. last operational Group II Hawkeye. US Navy/MC3 Samantha Jenkins
‘NEW’ C-32A FOR USAF to Finnair, the civil registration of the 757-2Q8 series aircraft was OMEGA AIR ADDS NEW TANKER THE USAF’S 89TH Airlift Wing at canceled when its sale to the USAF AS REPORTED LAST month, Omega already operates two Boeing 707s and Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, was listed in July 2018. The wing’s Air Refueling Services has taken another DC-10 that are equipped with has added an eighth C-32A to 1st Airlift Squadron had previously delivery of the rst of two KDC-10 hose and drogue refueling systems, its eet. The Boeing 757, which operated seven C-32As although tanker-transports being acquired from the KDC-10 is its rst aircraft to feature carries the serial number 90018, only four were carried on the the Netherlands. The aircraft arrived a refueling boom. The acquisition of was previously owned by L3Harris USAF’s inventory. The others were in San Antonio, Texas, on November 4. the KDC-10s will allow the defense as civil registration N903TB (c/n likely funded by and owned by The KDC-10 carried the serial number contractor to refuel USAF aircraft. The 28172/772). Originally delivered another government agency. T-264, but has been assigned the civil second Dutch KDC-10 will join the registration N264DE. Although Omega Omega eet in 2021.
08 February 2020 // www.Key.Aero
8-14 News C.indd 8 16/12/2019 11:13 [NEWS]
HE US AIR Force has the E-4B, the US Navy E-6B established what has Mercury and the USAF’s VIP C-32A been dubbed the with a common airframe under the LAST CRUISE MISSILE RETIRED THE USAF HAS retired the last Lockheed Martin AGM-158A Survivable Airborne NEAT (NAOC, Executive Airlift (EA), AGM-86C/D conventional air- Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Operations Center ABNCP, and TACAMO) program. launched cruise missiles (CALCM) Missile (JASSM) and the extended (SAOC) weapon system The E-4B, which entered service from service. The last operational range AGM-158B JASSM-ER. The acquisition program, designed in 1974, currently serves as a key T missile was downloaded from AGM-86B version, which features to develop a replacement for component of the National Military a 2nd Bomb Wing B-52H at a nuclear warhead, will remain its four Boeing 747-based E-4B Command System (NMCS) for the Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, on in service until it is replaced by National Airborne Operations President, the Secretary of Defense November 20. The GPS-guided the Long-Range Standoff (LRSO) Center (NAOC) system aircraft. and the Joint Chiefs of Staff weapon made its combat debut weapon, which is currently under The Air Force Life Cycle (JCS). In the event of a national on the first night of Operation development. Integration of Management Center’s Battle emergency or destruction of ‘Desert Storm’ in January 1991 the LRSO with the B-52H is also Management Office plans to hold ground command control centers, and has been replaced by the under way. an industry day at Hanscom AFB, ‘the SAOC aircraft will provide Massachusetts, in February to a highly survivable command, brief interested industry parties control and communications on its acquisition strategy for (C3) platform to direct US forces, MD 530G UPGRADES PLANNED the SAOC. Little information has execute emergency war orders, MD HELICOPTERS, INC. (MDHI) The strategic teaming agreement been released about the project, and co-ordinate actions by and Elbit Systems Ltd (ESL) have between the two companies will but the commercial derivative civil authorities’. Additionally, it announced that they will jointly permit MDHI to rapidly expand the aircraft’s mission systems will provides outside-continental-US develop a selection of next- capabilities of the MD 530G. The include modern communications, (OCONUS) travel support for the generation weapons and mission digital WMS will support an array of networks, and advanced command Secretary of Defense and his staff. management capabilities for the unguided and guided munitions, and control (C2) subsystems. The USAF requested around $16 MD 530G Block II Scout Attack including the Lockheed Martin The USAF began studying million for SAOC research and Helicopter. The integrated weapons AGM‑114 Hellfire missile and BAE replacement options for the E-4B development in 2020, but expects system (IWS) features a helmet Systems Advanced Precision Kill fleet in August 2018, and had that to jump to $100 million display and tracking system Weapon System (APKWS) 2.75in considered a concept that replaced annually beginning in 2021. (HDTS) that supports daytime and (70mm) rockets. The helicopter’s nighttime operation, a new weapons standard configuration includes A USAF Boeing E-4B National Airborne Operations Center aircraft takes management system (WMS) and M260 rocket pods, FN Herstal off from Offutt AFB, Nebraska. The main deck is divided into six func- mission management system (MMS). HMP400 .50-cal gun pods, RMP tional areas: a command work area, conference room, briefing room, operations team area, communications area and rest area. The advanced, integrated avionics digital gun/rocket pods, and M134 USAF/SSgt Jacob Skovo suite includes an intuitive human Miniguns. The helicopter’s electro- machine interface (HMI), multi- optical/infrared (EO/IR) system will functional smart displays and next- integrate directly with the new MMS. ADVANCED ARRESTING GEAR MILESTONE generation applications designed to MD Helicopters says that it expects THE US NAVY’S Advanced Arresting equipped with the AAG, which was reduce pilot workload, increase the to conduct live-fire events with Gear (AAG) test facility at Joint Base developed by General Atomics. efficiency of crew operations, and a production-representative test McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, In addition to the RALS, Lakehurst is increase the helicopter’s lethality. asset in 2020. successfully completed its most home to a land-based Electromagnetic demanding test event when 22 Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) test aircraft arrestments were conducted site. The AAG has completed more in just over 26 minutes at the Runway than 2,600 dead-load arrestments at INDIAN P-8I PURCHASE THE INDIAN GOVERNMENT Arakkonam. India continues to Arrested Landing Site (RALS) in late Lakehurst’s Jet Car Track Site and over has approved the purchase of operate five upgraded Il-38SD October. The RALS is operated by 1,570 aircraft arrestments at RALS. additional P-8I maritime patrol maritime surveillance aircraft the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Testing has also been conducted aircraft from Boeing. However, that are slated for retirement Division at Lakehurst. Testing of the aboard the aircraft carrier itself and it has reduced the number beginning in 2025. system was supported by five F/A- the next phase of flight operations, requested by the ministry of In related news, Boeing is 18E/Fs from air test and evaluation which is scheduled for early 2020, will defense from 10 to six aircraft. completing tests with a Multi- squadron VX-23 and 27 personnel include the first shipboard operations The Indian Navy currently Mission Pod (MMP) for the P-8A from Carrier Air Wing Eight (CVW-8), with the T-45C, E-2C/D and EA-18G operates a fleet of eight P-8Is that will allow export customers from USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78). as well as expansion of the F/A-18E/F that were acquired under a to add additional intelligence The aircraft carrier is the first to be launch and recovery envelopes. $2.14-billion Foreign Military capabilities to their Poseidons. Sales contract in January 2009. Developed using internal MOROCCO APACHE DEAL APPROVED A $1-billion option for four research and development THE US STATE Department has and an option for 12 additional additional P-8Is was converted funding, the pod will contain given its approval to the possible helicopters. In addition to aircraft in July 2016 and delivery of communications (COMINT) and sale of 36 AH-64E attack helicopters systems, the package includes those aircraft will occur between signals intelligence (SIGINT) to Morocco. The deal could be AGM-114R and AGM-144L Hellfire July 2020 and December 2021. systems and other capabilities worth as much as $4.25 billion. The missiles, 2.75in (70mm) Advanced The aircraft are operated by along with a ground surveillance purchase, which was first announced Precision Kill Weapon System INAS 312, under the popular radar. The MMP was first revealed in 2018, requires the approval of US laser-guided rockets, and AIM-92H name Neptune from INS Rajali, in March 2016. lawmakers. It includes 24 AH-64Es Stinger missiles.
www.Key.Aero // February 2020 09
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AAB HAS FLOWN the rst series production JAS 39 Gripen E (serial GRIPEN STRIDES AHEAD 39-6002), painted in a striking splinter FIRST SERIES PRODUCTION JAS 39E scheme. The ight Son November 30 saw Henrik Wänseth from the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (Försvarets materielverk, FMV) in the cockpit for the 76-minute mission. It is the rst Gripen E to feature the new wide-area display (WAD) and larger head-up display and it is joining the test program for acceptance and operational development ights. This is the fth Gripen E, following 39-8 ( rst own on June 15, 2017), 39-9, 39-10, and the rst Brazilian aircraft (4100), which ew on August 26, 2019. Sweden is due to receive 60 Gripen Es and Brazil has ordered an initial batch of 28 Gripen Es and Gripen E 39-6002 wears a new three-tone grey splinter camoufl age scheme. Saab eight twin-seat Gripen Fs.
Virginia, on November 18 and after a homeport in Sasebo, Japan, on FRANCE SELECTS CARRIER NEWS brief period of workups with carrier December 6, 2019. America replaced FALCON 8X SIGINT PLATFORM THE US NAVY’S newest aircraft air wing CVW-1, it entered the 6th the USS Wasp (LHD 1), which arrived carrier, the future USS John F. Kennedy Fleet area of responsibility (AOR) on at its new homeport Norfolk, on THE ARMÉE DE l’Air (French Air (CVN 79), was christened during December 1. The ship was originally November 18. The Wasp had served Force) is upgrading its signals a December 7, 2019, ceremony in scheduled to deploy in August but as the agship for the US Navy 7th intelligence (SIGINT) capability by Newport News, Virginia. The future was sidelined for several months Fleet’s forward-deployed amphibious elding three Falcon 8X aircraft CVN 79 is the second ship of the while repairs were made to its forces in Japan for nearly two years. that are being modi ed for the Gerald R. Ford class, and will replace electrical distribution systems. The The USS Boxer (LHD 4) and mission under the next-generation the USS Nimitz (CVN 68) when it carrier will relieve the USS Abraham Amphibious Ready Group the intelligence aircraft — Avions enters operational service. The Lincoln (CVN 72), which is operating 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit de Renseignement à CHArge second aircraft carrier to honor the in the US 5th Fleet (AOR) on an (MEU) completed a seven-month utile de Nouvelle GEnération 35th President of the US is currently extended deployment. The Lincoln deployment to the Middle East (ARCHANGE) program. The Falcons in production at the Huntington departed from Norfolk on April 1 for and Indo-Paci c in support of will replace two C-160G Gabriels Ingalls Industries’ Newport News an around-the-world deployment the US 5th and 7th Fleets, when that are currently in service. Shipbuilding division. Like the and homeport shift to NAS Coronado the ships returned to San Diego, Thales will supply the universal rst ship of the class, CVN 79 will in San Diego, California. The ship California, on November 27. The electronic warfare capability incorporate myriad new technologies entered the Persian Gulf for the rst ARG, which deployed in May, also Capacité Universelle de Guerre including a new propulsion system, time during its current deployment included the amphibious transport Electronique (CUGE) payload, electric plant, Electromagnetic on November 19 when it passed dock USS John P. Murtha (LPD 26) which is designed to intercept voice Aircraft Launch System (EMALS), through the Straits of Hormuz. and amphibious dock landing radio communications and radar Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG), It had been in the 5th Fleet AOR ship USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49). signals. Construction of the aircraft machinery control, radars and since passing through the Suez Marine medium tiltrotor squadron was authorized by the French integrated warfare systems. Canal in May. VMM-163 was tasked as the Defense Minister and the rst Aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman The amphibious assault ship USS MEU’s composite aviation combat upgraded Falcon 8X is expected to (CVN 75) departed from Norfolk, America (LHA 6) arrived at its new element (ACE). be delivered to Evreux-Fauville air base in 2025. The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) transits The ARCHANGE program will the Strait of Gibraltar on December 5, 2019. US Navy/MC3 Scott Swofford deliver greater accuracy, higher speeds and better agility than the Gabriels. The French Air Force is also acquiring King Air intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) platforms that are referred to as Avion léger de surveillance et de reconnaissance (ALSR, lightweight surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft).
10 February 2020 // www.Key.Aero
8-14 News C.indd 10 16/12/2019 11:13 [NEWS] AUSTRALIA SELECTS Ceremony for the AH-1W Super additional F-35As on December US UNIT Cobra attack helicopter at MCAS 5 when the ghters arrived at SKYGUARDIAN New River, North Carolina, on Burlington International Airport. AUSTRALIA’S DEPARTMENT OF November 26, 2019. The ceremony Their arrival increased the unit’s Defence has chosen the General NEWS marked the aircraft’s retirement by inventory to ve Lightnings. The Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9B AH-1Ws fl ank a UH-1Y and AH-1Z the active-duty Marine Corps and rst two F-35As for the wing’s SkyGuardian armed remotely-piloted during a sundown ceremony for the transition of the squadron to the 134th Fighter Squadron arrived in aircraft (RPA) to meet its Project the Super Cobra with HMLA-269 on November 26, 2019. USMC/ AH-1Z Viper. As part of the event, Burlington on September 19. The AIR 7003 requirement. The MQ-9B LCpl Steven M. Walls the squadron, which is a component unit’s conversion will be completed was selected over a version of the of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing’s by summer 2020 when 20 F-35As company’s MQ-9A Reaper. The Marine aircraft group MAG-29, will be assigned. government plans to acquire 12-16 conducted a ‘ nal ight’ with a pair of medium altitude, long endurance RPAs Super Cobras, an AH-1Z and UH-1Y. ‘Hurricane Hunters’ for operation by the Royal Australian The Marine Corps Reserve’s complete season Air Force (RAAF). The project is transition between AH-1W and WC-130Js own by the 403rd Wing’s expected to cost around $880 million AH-1Z got under way on November 53rd Weather Reconnaissance and will give the RAAF its rst armed 18, when the rst Viper was handed Squadron concluded support for unmanned aircraft. The MQ-9A and over to HMLA-775 at MCAS Camp the 2019 hurricane season, which MQ-9B were short-listed in November Pendleton, California. The ‘Coyotes’ ended on November 30. Known as 2018 when they were chosen over are assigned to the 4th Marine the ‘Hurricane Hunters’, the squadron the Israel Aerospace Industries’ Heron ‘Gunrunners’ and Aircraft Wing’s MAG-46. ew more than 684 hours during TP. Although both the MQ-9A and ‘Coyotes’ transition 80 missions into nine storms over MQ-9B o er similar capabilities, the THE ‘GUNRUNNERS’ OF Marine Lightning II deliveries continue both the Atlantic and Paci c Oceans. SkyGuardian was developed with light attack helicopter squadron The Vermont Air National Guard’s Although the annual hurricane co-operation from the US Federal HMLA-269 conducted a Sundown 158th Fighter Wing received three season o cially begins on June 1, Aviation Administration (FAA) and the 53rd ew its rst mission into Sub is designed to meet international HMLA-775 AH-1Z BuNo 168421 is the fi rst assigned to the squadron as Tropical Storm Andrea on May 20. part of its AH-1W to AH-1Z transition. USMC/Pfc Seth G. Merz airworthiness certi cation standards. Likewise, WP-3D and Gulfstream IV The SkyGuardian will provide the RAAF ‘Hurricane Hunters’ operated by the with enhanced repower and ISR National Oceanic and Atmospheric support for a range of operations that Administration’s Aircraft Operations include counter-terrorism missions. Center ew 57 missions totaling 430 Australia has also placed orders hours during the season. During for the rst two of a planned eet of the ‘o -season’ both organizations six unmanned MQ-4C Tritons with will continue to support weather Northrop Grumman. The Triton will reconnaissance missions by ying provide a persistent maritime ISR into winter storms during the season capability and the rst delivery is that runs from November 1 to March expected in 2023. The MQ-4C supports 31, 2020. the AIR 7000 Phase 1B requirement.
FINAL PC-21S DELIVERED C-130J SALE TO NEW THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN Air Force’s KOREA RETIRES ALOUETTE III ZEALAND APPROVED (RAAF’s) nal group of three PC-21 THE REPUBLIC OF Korea Navy in the shipborne reconnaissance trainers arrived at RAAF Base Darwin, formally retired its remaining three and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) THE US STATE Department Northern Territory, on November 23. Aérospatiale SA319Bs during a and anti-surface warfare (ASuW) has given its approval to the The nal group was assigned to No 4 ceremony at Mokpo Air Base (K-15) missions since 1977. Operationally possible Foreign Military Sale Squadron at RAAF Base Williamtown, on December 3, 2019. During replaced by the Lynx Mk99/99A, (FMS) of ve C-130J airlifters New South Wales. Delivery of the 43 years of service, which ended the Alouettes had been relegated to New Zealand in a deal that 49 aircraft began on February 18, on November 7, the Alouette to the training role with the 609 could be worth $1.4 billion. 2017, when the aircraft began IIIs ew 73,545 hours. The navy Education & Training Unit’s 1st The package includes four replacing the RAAF’s eet of PAC operated a total of 12 SA319Bs Flight Training Squadron at Mokpo. CT/4B Airtrainers and Pilatus PC-9/ spare Rolls-Royce AE-2100D3 Alouette III serial 79-0312 lands turboprop engines, defensive As. The bulk of the eet is assigned at Mokpo at the conclusion of its countermeasures equipment, to training duties with the Central fi nal fl ight on November 7. ROKN MX-20HD electro-optical/ Flying School at RAAF Base East Sale, infrared (EO/IR) sensors and Victoria, and No 2 Flying Training other systems. New Zealand School at RAAF Base Pearce, Western chose the C-130J as the Australia. Three PC-21s are assigned preferred replacement for its to the Aircraft Research and existing eet of C-130Hs in Development Unit (ARDU) at RAAF June 2019. Base Edinburgh, South Australia, and four are with No 4 Squadron.
www.Key.Aero // February 2020 11
8-14 News C.indd 11 16/12/2019 11:13 [NEWS]
Field Training Area, the exercise CHILE ACCEPTS was carried out in conjunction with the last three weeks of the F/A-18 UPDATED ORION LAST OF THE LINE IMP AEROSPACE COMPLETED class. Two of the pilots have been a major upgrade on the rst assigned to No 77 Squadron at of two P-3A maritime patrol Williamtown and two joined No RAAF ‘CLASSIC’ HORNET TRAINING FINALE aircraft for the Chilean Navy 75 Squadron at RAAF Base Tindal, and serial 404 (BuNo 152165) HE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN instructors from the OCU conducted Northern Territory. The nal two returned to the Naval Aviation Air Force’s (RAAF’s) nal a low-level formation ight over pilots will receive further training Command’s Concón naval class of F/A-18 Hornet RAAF Base Williamtown, New South following their assignment to air base on November 26. In trainee pilots completed Wales, upon their return from RAAF No 1 Squadron, which operates addition to a structural mid-life the nal course with No 2 Base Townsville, Queensland. The the F/A-18F at RAAF Base upgrade (MLU), the Albatros IV Operational Conversion personnel had been deployed to Amberley, Queensland. Nos 77 program provided the P-3ACH Unit (OCU) on December 5. In Townsville for Exercise ‘High Sierra and 75 Squadrons will respectively T aircraft with an updated Collins recognition of the milestone, the six 19’. Conducted in the Townsville transition to the F-35A at the end Aerospace Flight 2 integrated newly rated pilots along with four restricted airspace and the Townsville of 2020 and 2021. avionics system, upgraded T56 engines, and a Phased No 2 OCU F/A-18B serial Depot Maintenance (PDM) A21-102 taxies out at RAAF inspection. The MLU extends Base Townsville, Queensland, the Orion’s service life by 15,000 during Exercise ‘High Sierra 19’. Commonwealth of Australia, hours, meaning it can operate Department of Defence for another 20 years. IMP was awarded the $37-million contract in October 2016 and work began on the rst Orion at its Halifax, Nova Scotia facility in January 2017. Work on the second aircraft began when serial 407 (BuNo 151384) arrived at Halifax Airport in May 2018. In 1993 the Chilean Navy received two P-3As and six UP-3As that had previously been operated by the US Navy.
aerial re ghting once the deal Sea Hercules o ered to NATO Snowbirds return to operations closes. The ve aircraft have been Lockheed Martin has o ered a The Canadian Forces Snowbirds WORLD stored with the 309th Aerospace version of the C-130J to NATO display team returned to full Maintenance and Regeneration in response to a July 2019 operations at 15 Wing/CFB Moose NEWS Group (AMARG) at Davis-Monthan request for information (RFI) for Jaw, Saskatchewan, on December 5. Air Force Base, in Tucson, Arizona, a maritime patrol aircraft (MPA). The team, which is formally known IN BRIEF since 2008. In addition to aerial The o er is reportedly based on as 431 Air Demonstration Squadron, Dutch Apache upgrades re ghting systems, the aircraft will the contractor’s ‘Sea Hercules’ had been on an operational pause Boeing has received a $128.7-million be equipped with new glass cockpits. concept, which adapts the airlift since ‘Snowbird 5’ ejected from his modi cation to a Foreign Military Coulson was one of six companies platform for the maritime patrol CT-114 prior to an airshow at the Sales contract from the US Army that responded to a March 2018 mission. Under its Accelerated Atlanta Speedway on October 13, Contracting Command that provides request for proposal (RFP) that Interim Multinational MPA Solution 2019. In fact, the team’s CT-114s for the incorporation of systems o ered the aircraft for sale. (AIM2S), the alliance hopes to eld remained on the ground in Atlanta, and equipment, unique to the Royal a new aircraft to ll a gap in the Georgia, until November 29, 2019, Netherlands Air Force, into 11 AH-64E NATO plans AWACS upgrades European MPA eet beginning when they were permitted to return helicopters. The Dutch government NATO has signed a $1-billion deal in 2023. A group of nine NATO to Moose Jaw. Although the Royal had agreed to spend around $1.2 with Boeing to upgrade the alliance’s allies and partner nations are Canadian Air Force Directorate billion to upgrade its 28 AH-64Ds to eet of E-3A Sentry Airborne Warning considering joining AIM2S, which of Flight Safety is continuing the AH-64E con guration. and Control System (AWACS) will be tasked with several missions its investigation, the team was aircraft. NATO expects its eet of including anti-submarine warfare permitted to resume operations Norwegian ‘Hercs’ sold 14 Geilenkirchen, Germany-based (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW), following a thorough risk-assessment Coulson Aviation (USA) Inc. has E-3As to remain in service until 2035. maritime ISR, and airborne mine process. The team is now preparing reached a deal to purchase ve The AWACS Final Lifetime Extension countermeasures missions. Boeing for the 2020 airshow season, which C-130H transports from the Program (FLEP) will provide the and Airbus are also both expected is slated to commence on June Norwegian Defense Materiel Agency. AWACS with new communications to o er proposals for this latest 6, and marks the Snowbirds’ 50th Coulson will modify the aircraft for and networking capabilities. European project. anniversary year. Training had been
12 February 2020 // www.Key.Aero
8-14 News C.indd 12 16/12/2019 11:13 [NEWS] CAG-BIRD CORNER
After completing a three-week Strike Fighter Advanced Readiness Program in July, CVW-3 returned to NAS Fallon, Nevada, in November for workup prior to embarking aboard the USS Dwight D Eisenhower in the fi rst part of 2020. Among the CAG-birds seen on November 18 was F/A-18E BuNo 166606 from VFA-83. Jim Dunn AFGHAN MD 530F DELIVERIES COMPLETE MD HELICOPTERS, INC. has Arizona, as cargo aboard a Kalitta completed the delivery of the nal Air 747 and arrived in Kandahar ve new MD 530F Cayuse Warrior on October 27. They were part of a helicopters to the Afghan Air Force. 30-aircraft order issued in September The helicopters were ordered under 2017 and increased the Afghan eet a $1.4-billion, ve-year inde nite to 60 MD 530Fs. The contractor has EA-18G BuNo 168268 assigned to the ‘Zappers’ of electronic attack delivery/inde nite quantity (IDIQ) received another order for 12 MD squadron VAQ-130 taxies at NAS Fallon, Nevada, on November 18, contract from the US Army that was 530Fs under the same IDIQ contract 2019. The Growler carries special markings for the commander or awarded in September 2017. The for Afghanistan. The contract CAG of carrier air wing CVW-3. Ralph Duenas light attack helicopters departed provides for the sale of up to 150 MD from Mesa-Gateway Airport, in 530Fs to partner nations.
One of the last fi ve new Afghan Air Force MD 530Fs is loaded aboard a Boeing 747 in advance of its delivery on October 19. MD Helicopters USAF COLORS
delayed by a month due to the Iraqi Golden Eagle accident and ensuing ight safety deliveries complete investigation. The Iraqi Air Force received its nal pair of Korea Aerospace Ecuador orders from Airbus Industries (KAI) T-50IQs on Helicopters November 29, when the advanced Ecuador’s Ministry of Defense has training/light attack aircraft arrived F-16C serial 89-2048 assigned to the 57th Wing’s 64th Aggressor placed an order for six H145M light at Al Shaibah Air Base, near Basra. Squadron takes off for a display during the Aviation Nation 2019 helicop ters with Airbus Helicopters. The Golden Eagles completed the airshow at Nellis AFB, Nevada, on November 16, 2019. The black and red aggressor paint scheme is known as ‘Wraith’ and the According to defense o cials, delivery of the 24 aircraft ordered name was chosen following a social media poll held by the 57th the twin-engine helicopters will in December 2013 at a cost of Wing commander. USAF/A1C Bryan Guthrie be operated by the Fuerza Aérea $1.1 billion. Deliveries began in Ecuatoriana (Ecuadorian Air Force) December 2017. Seen landing at Fort Worth Alliance Airport, Texas, is the latest and will be tasked with search and heritage T-38C Talon (serial 66-4353), assigned to the 469th rescue and utility missions, The Cobras arrive in the Philippines Flying Training Squadron (FTS) based at Sheppard AFB, Texas. H145Ms will likely replace Ecuador’s A pair of AH-1S attack helicopters Caulun Belcher troubled HAL Dhruv helicopters. arrived at Clark Field in Pampanga, The air force received seven Dhruvs Philippines, on November 26. and four crashed between October The Cobras were a gift from the 2009 and January 2015. Ecuador’s Jordanian government and were Army Aviation Brigade operates a expected to enter service in pair of single-engine Airbus H125 December. Four Philippine pilots (AS350B3e) Ecureuil helicopters that received training on the aircraft in were delivered in 2018 as well as a Jordan prior to the Cobras’ arrival. number of older AS350L1 and B2 Two of the pilots were certi ed as models and armed AS550C3s. instructors on the AH-1S.
www.Key.Aero // February 2020 13
8-14 News C.indd 13 16/12/2019 11:13 [NEWS]
POSEIDON DEPLOYMENT COMPLETE A P 8A OPERATED by the Royal Dan Stijovich Australian Air Force’s No 11 Squadron completed its rst deployment to the Middle East and returned to RAAF Base Edinburgh, South Australia, in mid-November. Operating from Al Dhafra Air Base, in the United Arab Emirates, P-8A serial A47-006 provided maritime surveillance and reconnaissance in support of Australia’s coalition partners and the International Maritime Security Construct The new, as yet unidenti ed (IMSC), beginning on October RIVET JOINT GAINS NEW MOD modi cation is likely to be related 15. The Poseidon was tasked with supporting freedom of US AIR FORCE Boeing RC-135V Base, California, on December 5 to communications as it is located navigation and the free ow of Rivet Joint serial 64-14844 has on a fuel stop (using the callsign in place of the previous wideband shipping through the Persian gained a large new fairing on its ‘Shiner 50’), having arrived from secure satellite communications Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, upper rear fuselage. The aircraft was Greenville, Texas, where it had been antenna that was added under Gulf of Oman and the North photographed at March Air Reserve modi ed by L3Harris. Baseline 8 upgrades. Arabian Sea.
Airport in the central part of the • A UH-1H struck a warehouse while country on November 27. Four landing in Pedro Juan Caballero personnel were injured in the in eastern Paraguay’s Amambay mishap. Department on November 21. LOSSES There were no fatalities as a result • Israeli Air Force S-65C-3 (CH-53D) Compiled by Tom Kaminski of the mishap, but the ‘Huey’ was serial 042 (c/n 65-399) was destroyed consumed by a post-crash re. The by re following an emergency • MiG-23 serial 26144 operated by the landing at Kunsan Air Base, Republic UH-1 was operated by the Paraguay landing on November 26. The Libyan National Army (LNA) was of Korea, on December 2. The ghter Air Force and had been landing at incident was the result of an in- ight shot down by Government of National was apparently damaged in the the operations base of the National re that caused the crew to land Accord (GNA) forces on December 7. incident, but not destroyed. Anti-Drug Secretariat (SENAD). west of Beit Kama in the northern The ghter went down south of Tripoli • MD 500E serial 45 (c/n 0307E) Negev desert. None of the 13 crew • A pair of USAF T-38Cs was involved near Al-Zawiya. The pilot reportedly operated by the Salvadoran Air and passengers were injured. in a collision while landing at Vance ejected safely, but was captured by the Force crashed near Gao, Mali, on AFB, Oklahoma, on November 21. GNA forces. • Two French Army helicopters November 29 injuring two crew. The The Talons were assigned to the 71st crashed following a mid-air collision • Three crew members were killed helicopter, which was assigned to the Flying Training Wing at Vance AFB, while conducing combat operations when a UH-60L operated by the 1st Air Brigade’s Helicopter Group, was Oklahoma. Both Talons departed in Mali as part of Operation Minnesota National Guard’s C returning from a mission in support of from the runway and one aircraft ‘Barkhane’ on November 25. The Company, 2nd Battalion, 211th the United Nations Multidimensional ipped over, killing both pilots. The mishap, which occurred in Liptako Aviation Regiment crashed just Integrated Stabilization Mission crew of the second Talon egressed near the borders of Burkina Faso minutes after it departed from Army in Mali (MINUSMA). Known as the from their aircraft safely on the and Niger, involved an EC665 Tigre National Guard Aviation Support ‘Guardiancillo’, the helicopter carried ground. attack helicopter and a Cougar Facility at St Cloud Regional Airport on United Nations markings and the transport that were both operated • An MQ-9A operated by the Italian December 5. The crew was conducting registration UNO-85P. by the 5th Combat Helicopter Air Force crashed near Tarhuana, a maintenance test ight when the • Yemen’s Houthi rebels shot down Regiment. Both pilots aboard the Libya, on November 20. LNA forces Black Hawk went down at the edge of a Royal Saudi Army AH-64D with Tigre and 13 soldiers on the Cougar claim to have shot down the aircraft a wooded area near Kimball, around 20 a surface-air missile near the border were killed. around 40 miles (65km) southeast miles (32.2 km) southwest of St Cloud. with Saudi Arabia on November of Tripoli. • An unidenti ed remotely piloted • The pilot of an Egyptian MiG-29M 29. Both crew were killed when the aircraft (RPA) operating in support • Two US Army soldiers aboard ejected safely before the ghter Apache went down in the Majaza area of US Africa Command was lost an AH-64E operated by the 1st crashed southwest of Alexandria, of Asir province in southwest Saudi over Tripoli, Libya, on November 21. Battalion 227th Aviation regiment during a training ight on December 5. Arabia. The RPA, which had been assessing were killed when the helicopter • The pilot of an F-16C, assigned to the • Mi-24D TU-VHR operated by the the ongoing security situation and crashed in Afghanistan on USAF’s 8th Fighter Wing’s 35th Fighter Ivory Coast Air Force was destroyed monitoring violent extremist activity November 20. The incident occurred Squadron, su ered minor injuries when it struck Mi-17 serial TU-VHM in Libya, was apparently brought near Pangram village, in the Charkh after ejecting from the aircraft while and rolled over on landing at Katiola down by a surface-to-air missile. district of Logar province.
14 February 2020 // www.Key.Aero
8-14 News C.indd 14 16/12/2019 11:14 Offi cially the world’s number one authority on military aviation JANUARY issue FEATURes:
AMX IN AFGHANISTAN The Italian Air Force’s Task Group Black Cats were among the unsung heroes of the operation over Afghanistan. Gian Carlo Vecchi looks back at the missions own by the unit’s AMX A-11 ghter-bombers and speaks to the task group’s commander.
THE ARCTIC TRANSPORTERS The 139th Airlift Squadron – part of the New York Air National Guard’s 109th Airlift Wing – is probably the only ying unit that operates at opposite ends of the world. The wing supports research activities in both polar regions, two of the most inhospitable areas on the planet. Rogier JUST 60* Westerhuis travelled to Greenland to learn more about this $12. UK unit’s unique challenges and mission. £4.99
‘NEW COLD WAR’ AT THE TOP OF THE WORLD Across the frozen Arctic north, Russia and the West are squaring up in a new confrontation as they seek to control the region’s natural resources and vital sea routes. Tim Ripley looks at how rival air forces are at the centre of events AVAILABLE NOW in this strategically important area. From and other leading newsagents AND MUCH MORE! For latest subscription deals visit www.airforcesmonthly.com
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874 AFM latest fp.indd 15 16/12/2019 09:53 SCOTT WOLFF BY SCOTT
BRINGING YOU THE LATEST TALK FROM AROUND THE SQUADRONS
NE OF THE biggest hindrances to readiness in the history of modern air power is a lack of satisfactory training. There are combat ranges all over the US with Otremendous capacity to construct, host, and execute Large Force Employment (LFE) exercises, but a recurring theme is a lack of suitable replication of current threats — be they from the surface or in the air. Aerial warfighters unanimously lament the lack of training resources they desperately need to in order to prepare for a near-peer or peer-level conflict with the likes of Russia or China. A CLEAN SLATE PAVING THE WAY FOR LIVE-VIRTUAL TRAINING Ode to a bygone era — adequately transmit in a way that by navy and marine corps composite ‘Excuse me sir,’ said one young F-22 pilot accurately projects the wavelength, range, squadrons. in a moment of vexation, ‘but the 1990s and lethality of modern surface-to-air Granted, some of the contractors called — and they want their threat missiles (SAMs). such as Draken and ATAC are fielding laydown back.’ ‘Notional’ Integrated Air Defense modernized Dassault Mirage F1s, which While dedicated electronic combat Systems (IADS) are great — but only will provide higher speed opponents with ranges are expansive and offer a to a point. There is a demarcation line new mission equipment. While that is a tremendous environment for training, one where accurate signature replication is a tremendous step in the right direction, of the biggest frustrations is the current necessity for operational test and weapons even those organizations — and the air condition of available threat emitters, officers to develop tactics, techniques, and force itself — admit to a lack of available and the fact the scenario really doesn’t procedures to counter said threats — and resources to properly tax modern fighter change very much. Most of the systems that’s just on the surface. aircraft both from a perspective of mass represented are legacy, and don’t reflect On the air side, the best the US has to and capability. the capabilities currently being fielded by offer its fifth-generation pilots are some USAF chief of staff Gen David Goldfein potential adversaries. of the oldest F-16s in the inventory, along laid down the law a couple of years One of the other limiting factors in most with Vietnam-era A-4s, some L-159s back at the annual Weapons and Tactics electronic combat ranges is the inability flown by Draken International, Hawker Conference at Nellis AFB, Nevada. He said for the surface threats themselves to Hunters and Israeli-built Kfirs fielded by that the USAF is no longer in the single- change location, or to — in the case of the Airborne Tactical Advantage Company digit SAM (SA-2, SA-6, etc) business, so any the joint and unmanned threat emitters (ATAC) along with F-5s and F/A-18s flown surface threat is to be — at a minimum —
16 February 2020 // www.Key.Aero
16-18 Ops Desk C.indd 16 16/12/2019 15:28 an SA-11, and the baseline air threat is AdAir is a figure nearing 60,000 sorties. the demand for AdAir will be a number the formidable Sukhoi Su-30 ‘Flanker’. That’s 60,000 sorties per year! of sorties nearing 120,000. Granted, that Bottom line — the replication of To meet that need the USAF has two is projected, and a figure arrived at based current threat systems is woefully aggressor squadrons, the 57th Adversary on the fielding of the F-35 across a wider inadequate considering the demand. Tactics Group and T-38 aggressor units, range of units, and the projected increase Not only that, developing the next VFC-12, VFC-13, and VFC-111 in the US of capabilities being added to the F-22 generation of emitters and fielding Navy and VMFAT-401 for the US Marine Raptor’s already formidable offensive and aircraft capable of replicating those Corps; plus the various commercial defensive suite. threats is extremely expensive. contractors. There is also the incestuous, Only with the implementation of live, time and money-sucking, self-generating virtual, constructive (LVC) technologies will Grim realities ‘Red Air’ that is provided by regular units the DoD be able to meet the needs of its If we break down the US Department themselves. warfighters as they prepare for the conflict of Defense’s appetite for adversary Even with all of that, the numbers of of tomorrow, which — as discussed air (AdAir) alone, the numbers are sorties generated is roughly one third of Above: The previously — will be heavily reliant upon staggering. Between the various what’s required. In 2020, the figure should demand for high- modern fighter aircraft. end training in fighter communities, as well as be closer to one half, but still a far cry from fighters such as the USAF Warfare Center — which satisfying the DoD appetite, which will be the F-35 is driving SLATE oversees operational test and tactics closer to 70,000 sorties. an increased As it applies to that near-peer or peer- need for LVC development — and the USAF Weapons In the next decade that figure is going technology. USAF/ level conflict, fighter pilots from coalition School, the current annual need for to double from the current figure, where R. Nial Bradshaw nations too would be flying into a
www.Key.Aero // February 2020 17
16-18 Ops Desk C.indd 17 16/12/2019 15:28 OPS DESK // LIVE-VIRTUAL TRAINING
Operational training that means is LVC can be conducted infrastructure anywhere it needs to be. What allows for Specifically, for fifth-generation aircraft, this feat is aircraft with SLATE pods can the system provides for individualized, actually ‘host’ the exercise. group, and team training environments, For example, specific scenarios can and can incorporate all levels of LVC in be loaded into the pods and into the both local and distributed fashion. Its aircraft’s onboard systems. Those interoperability allows for the passing of scenarios can then be distributed data between USAF, US Navy, US Marine from one aircraft across the network Corps, and UK training systems — which of participating assets — be they live, is a big deal on the security side of the virtual, or constructive. The pods can house. Hence the overpowering levels of also be programmed even without encryption and supporting architectures being over an established complex such that come into play. as the Nevada Test and Training Range It’s all about keeping the fifth-generation (NTTR) or the fantastic battlespace Crown Jewels away from the prying provided by Volk Field Combat Readiness problematic scenario. The air is now eyes of bad actors. The discussion and Training Center (CRTC) in Wisconsin. In filling with the likes of the Chengdu J-20 dissemination of data like radar signatures, those cases, if the range infrastructure and the Russian-built Sukhoi Su-57 — weapons performance envelopes, experiences a failure of some sort, one and various other nations are joining the specific system capabilities, and other aircraft can still serve as the host — and fifth-generation club. Throw in a multi- data is incredibly sensitive, so the AFRL all participating assets can continue to layered, double-digit IADS, as well as developed the technology responsible for work through the scenario in real time, multitudes of armed enemy unmanned allowing data to be passed to both US and anywhere, without stopping. combat air vehicles (UCAVs), and you partner nations, and securing said data In conclusion, SLATE is a fantastic have a real challenge. so no one without a need to know can… capability in concept and so far in actual Thank goodness for the amazing well, know. simulation and real-time modeling, but minds and creative thinking of the Air There is a massive amount of data it needs to be refined in key areas in Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), for transferred in SLATE, so the AFRL also order to meet the operational needs of they have developed a quantifiable developed 5GATW — the ‘5th Generation the DoD and its partners. As is the case solution, which will help tremendously. Advanced Training Waveform’, which with all things LVC, ‘Big Blue’ writes the It utilizes emerging technologies to allows for the real-time management of requirements and develops the plans, combine real flying with simulators and the data transmitted between platforms senior leadership buys off and tells computer-generated assets in what is in SLATE sorties. The security architecture subordinate units what an amazing known as SLATE: Secure LVC Advanced and encryption allows aircraft such as concept and capability it will bring, and Training Environment. the F-35 to utilize a SLATE telemetry pod the funding may or may not be there. For the purpose of this discussion, let without needing additional electronic This is a resource warfighters us break down what LVC is. Live training safeguards. desperately need, so let us hope the is just that — live, and encompasses One of the more remarkable concepts smart people will figure out how to pay aircraft and sorties generated for now available with SLATE is the concept for it, implement it, and maximize its training missions. It’s real people in real known as ‘untethered’ LVC. What effectiveness. aircraft doing real flying. The virtual aspect is real pilots in simulated systems It utilizes emerging technologies to — such as the networked F-35 Mission Training Centers. Lastly, the constructive combine real flying with simulators and portion of LVC is threats generated by a computer, then injected into the computer-generated assets in what is known as battlespace in such a way they show up on everyone’s radar (pun intended). SLATE: Secure LVC Advanced Training Environment Last fall, the air force and navy used an F-15E Strike Eagle and F/A-18E Super Hornet, respectively, outfitted with the Above: Mixing live and virtual required pod(s), and flew missions with training is a rather complex problem sets, all while vital means to paired with a wingman in a simulator, maximize current and future and facing off with real and constructed training. USAF/A1C threats with electronic signatures Leala Marquez based on current threat systems. In Right: The new fact, more than 100 sorties were flown SLATE pod in support of an AFRL technology attached to an demonstration, hosted by Cubic Global F-15E during trials at Nellis AFB in Defense — AFRL’s industry partner on 2018. USAF the SLATE project.
18 February 2020 // www.Key.Aero
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671 AFI promo fp.indd 91 15/10/2019 16:27 INDUSTRY REPORT // F-15EX
EADLOCK IN WASHINGTON new F-15EX Eagles. The DoD allocated over the sign-o of the $7.86 billion over the ve-year future Department of Defense’s spending plan to acquire as many as 80 (DoD) Fiscal Year 2020 F-15EX jets, which will be used to directly replace budget, with the the USAF’s oldest F-15Cs. government operating FACTS In addition to the rst eight jets — Dunder a continuing resolution (CR), Boeing’s F-15EX for the USAF will be which included an initial pair for test means the US Air Force has been unable a two-seat aircraft (aligned with the work and should all be delivered by the to move ahead with plans to place a rm Advanced F-15) and will be powered end of 2022 — a further $1.65 billion was order for an initial batch of new Boeing by the same General Electric F110- earmarked for an additional 18 Eagles in GE-129 Improved Performance F-15EX Eagles. Prat Kumar, Boeing’s 2021, and the same number of aircraft Engines. It will feature large area vice-president and program manager cockpit displays in the front and rear through each year to 2024. Ultimately, for F-15, told Combat Aircraft: ‘Boeing cockpits and digital Joint Helmet the USAF could procure as many as 144 is leaning forward and committed to Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS). of the new Eagles. partnering with the air force on the It will also feature the Eagle Passive Boeing says it will deliver Active Warning Survivability System F-15EX program, we are ready to go the rst F-15QA to (EPAWSS). on contract as soon possible for our Qatar this spring, customer.’ He added: ‘We are capable as well as the of delivering two jets by the end of deliver the rst F-15EX ‘by the end of last of 84 2020 assuming a timely contract 2020’ on that basis. F-15SA aircraft award.’ Kumar said Boeing is making The FY 2020 defense budget issued in for the Royal investments to protect its ability to March 2019 included $1.05 billion for eight Saudi Air Force
With deadlock over the Fiscal Year 2020 defense budget, Boeing is all set to press ahead with the F-15EX project for the US Air Force. REPORT Jamie Hunter BOEING READY TO PROGRESS WITH F-15EX
20 February 2020 // www.Key.Aero
20-21 F-15EX C.indd 20 16/12/2019 15:26 during 2020. Qatar has 36 Eagles on order that should all be handed over by 2023. It also holds options on a further 36 aircraft, which would push production out to 2026 if exercised. The new USAF jets are broadly similar to the aircraft for Qatar. Plans call for the initial two USAF aircraft to be provided on a fast track by the end of 2020 to provide Below: Boeing extra capacity for ongoing test work says it remains involving the new Eagle Passive Active ready and poised to be able to Warning Survivability System (EPAWSS). deliver the fi rst Following aircraft are destined initially pair of F-15EX for the USAF Weapons School at Nellis fi ghters by the end of 2020. AFB, Nevada, with a few joining training Boeing activities for the initial conversion The F-15EX will act as a weapons ‘truck’, F-15EX is also about keeping Boeing process. A source familiar with the likely to be tted with the Advanced in the ghter business, with the USAF’s Inset: The F-15EX will feature large discussions told Combat Aircraft that no Missile and Bomb Ejection Rack (AMBER) acquisition chief Dr Will Roper making area displays in speci c F-15EX testing is planned. to enable the carriage of a wide range of no secret of his concerns that the both cockpits, the While this acquisition is about air-to-air and air-to-ground armament, industry is in danger of being reduced same as is being debuted in Qatar’s recapitalization of the F-15C, it also all cleared from day one, to enable to a single manufacturer capable of F-15EX. Boeing enables signi cant capability advances. a versatile development roadmap. completing such work.
www.Key.Aero // February 2020 21
20-21 F-15EX C.indd 21 16/12/2019 15:26 READY ROOM RICK THE STORY BEHIND THE US NAVY HEADLINES BURGESS WHITHER TACAIR INTEGRATION?
22 February 2020 // www.Key.Aero
22-25 Ready Room C.indd 22 12/12/2019 13:54 T HAS BEEN 17 years since US Secretary of the Navy Gordon England signed the memorandum of agreement for the Tactical Aircraft Integration Plan (TACAIR integration) for the US Navy and IUS Marine Corps. The plan called for the integration of 10 marine ghter-attack (VMFA) squadrons into the 10 navy carrier air wings (CVWs), replacing a like number of navy strike ghter (VFA) VMFA-312 ‘Checkerboards’ is the only squadrons in those wings. Three VFAs USMC strike fi ghter unit currently would join in the rotation to the Unit assigned to a US Navy carrier air wing. Deployment Program (UDP) in Japan, US Navy/MCS3C Alex Corona replacing some VMFAs. The plan was to be implemented fully by 2012. an AV-8A Harrier VMA deployed on deployments enforcing the no- y zones Marine TACAIR squadrons on navy the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt. Marine over Iraq. carriers was nothing new. During the Main image: Corps photo-reconnaissance (VMFP) An F/A-18C last year of World War Two, marine Hornet assigned and tactical electronic warfare (VMCJ) The reasoning and logic for F4U Corsair (VMF) ghter squadrons to VMFA-312 squadrons also sent detachments to TACAIR integration deployed on carriers to contribute to air ‘Checkerboards’ carriers, as well as A-6 Intruder VMAs and In the early 2000s, with F/A-18E/F Super prepares to defense in view of the kamikaze threat. A launch from the F/A-18 Hornet VMFAs joining air wings in Hornets coming on line and the F-35 in few VMF, all-weather VMF(AW), and VMFA USS Theodore the 1980s. development, budget realities began squadrons deployed on attack carriers in Roosevelt (CVN During the 1990s, a routine developed to sink in with a realization that the 71). This was one the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, including of four marine where the marines would provide four desired naval aviation force structure during the Vietnam War. Marine attack units assigned to VMFAs — one each to four CVWs — was becoming una ordable. US naval (VMA) squadrons provided a few air navy carrier air when they deployed. This worked well aviation was facing the need to develop wings. defense detachments of A-4 Skyhawks US Navy/MCS3C during the years after Operation ‘Desert and eld new aircraft to concurrently on board anti-submarine carriers. Even Alex Perlman Storm’ when there was a huge burden of replace many of the older ones.
www.Key.Aero // February 2020 23
22-25 Ready Room C.indd 23 12/12/2019 13:54 READY ROOM // TACAIR INTEGRATION
The ostensible purpose of TACAIR Virginia, to MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina. Stennis (CVN 74). In exchange, navy CAPT integration was to enhance the Two more were slated to move to MCAS David B. Emich commanded MAG-12 in interoperability of navy and marine Cherry Point, North Carolina, but that plan Iwakuni, Japan. TACAIR, with VMFA squadrons serving in was never fulfilled. But over the succeeding years, the Above: The USMC every CVW and navy VFAs serving the UDP Then, in March 2003, Operation ‘Iraqi is to receive 67 number of marine units committed to and in Japan. The squadrons would be put Freedom’ was launched. It placed yet F-35Cs to help able to deploy with a CVW has declined through the same training, with emphasis further demand on USMC aviation, it support US to just one. It is equipped with F/A-18Cs, Navy carrier for both types in maritime strike and close which was already engaged in ‘Enduring deployments. whereas the navy active component air support. Also, some navy squadrons Freedom’ in Afghanistan. The strain of US Navy/CMS VFAs all have made the transition to the would be based at Marine Corps Air two theaters of combat prevented an Shannon E. F/A‑18E/F as of early 2019, when VFA-34 Renfroe Stations (MCASs) in the US. increase in the number of VMFAs allocated gave up its F/A-18Cs for new E-models. Skeptics questioned the overall logic to the navy air wings. Even so, the two Left inset: An of TACAIR integration, believing it to services endeavored to make the TACAIR F/A-18C Hornet A plan in decline assigned to the be mainly a budget affordability drill to Integration Plan work. ‘Death Rattlers’ in The reason for the decline in VMFA reduce the number of squadrons. The In September 2004, VFA-97 ‘Warhawks’ 2018 during deck support for the navy carrier air wings is not plan — signed in mid-2002 — was put deployed to join Marine Aircraft Group qualifications as totally clear, but one factor is the transition part of Carrier into motion. (MAG) 12 in Japan, followed in rotation by Air Wing (CVW) 11 to the F-35C Lightning II. The first USMC The level of four VMFAs in CVWs was not a second VFA, but not a third. USMC Col aboard USS John F-35C unit, VMFA-314 ‘Black Knights’ — immediately increased, but VFAs were put Douglas P. Yurovich assumed command C. Stennis (CVN traditionally one of the squadrons in the 74). US Navy/ into the UDP rotation to Japan. Two navy of CVW-9 in January 2006 and took the MCSS Angelina carrier rotation — is currently in transition squadrons were moved from NAS Oceana, wing on a deployment on the USS John C. Grimsley and scheduled to be ready for carrier
24 February 2020 // www.Key.Aero
22-25 Ready Room C.indd 24 12/12/2019 13:55 deployment in 2022. Another factor is the When VF squadrons were transferred logistics problem of supporting a handful to another air wing, they usually moved Although squadrons of F/A-18Cs in a CVW — this is now the together. CVW-5 — forward-deployed to work up together domain of the Super Hornet. the Japan-based carrier for decades — is On paper, at least, the plan now is for the notable for its stability. The navy has in preparation for a marines to supply four F-35C squadrons kept this air wing constant, because of to support navy air wings. It’s the primary the expense of transferring squadrons in deployment, the ‘churn’ — reason the service is acquiring the carrier and out of bases in the US, and therefore variant of the Lightning II. The USMC’s this CVW has enjoyed comparatively swapping squadrons — has intention is to procure 353 F-35Bs and 67 little ‘churn’. F-35Cs and the move to the new aircraft The instability in TACAIR integration is an intangible but real effect will once again allow the two services to likely to endure for the next few years dovetail the on-board logistics chains. until the F-35 transition picks up speed. on the culture within the CVW During this current period of turbulence, In part, it was alleviated by the de- the stability of the CVWs is clearly affected activation of CVW-14 in 2017, making by a lack of marine VMFAs. More often some of its squadrons available for other today, the air wings are deploying with a duties. This year’s temporary removal ‘stand-in’ VFA to fill a hole in the inventory. of CVW-8 from routine operations — Although squadrons work up together because of budget restrictions — means in preparation for a deployment, the more fluidity in the system. Electronic ‘churn’ — swapping squadrons — has an attack squadron VAQ-131 ‘Lancers’ has, intangible but real effect on the culture for example, detached from the air wing within the CVW. Squadrons often remain and joined the other four expeditionary together in an air wing for many years, VAQ squadrons in the rotation of even decades, and develop a level of land-based EA-18G deployments to teamwork that exceeds the sum of its south-west Asia. So, integration is alive, parts. This was particularly notable among squadrons are moving around and the pairs of fighter squadrons (VFs) supporting joint operations, but TACAIR during the era of the F-4 Phantom II and isn’t yet integrating as its originators F-14 Tomcat. intended.
VMFA-323 ‘Death Rattlers’ was one of the USMC F/A-18C units assigned to US Navy air wings, but it will now become the training squadron when VMFAT-101 disbands in Fiscal Year 2024. USMC/Sgt Dominic Romero
www.Key.Aero // February 2020 25
22-25 Ready Room C.indd 25 12/12/2019 13:55 PART ONE PART 15 YEARS ON THE FRONTLINE
26 February 2020 // www.Key.Aero
26-35 The Raptor pt1 C.indd 26 16/12/2019 11:14 At a time when the US Air Force wants to to ensure this eet of aerial dominators packages, as opposed to waiting for these is able to keep pace with emerging to be rolled together into a large formal accelerate fi ghter aircraft development under threats and technology across the globe. increment. The Raptor Agile Capability a ‘Digital Century Series’, Combat Aircraft Despite an incremental upgrade Release (RACR) calls for regular program strategy, improvements for the F-22 have reviews — frequent demonstrations from Journal looks back at how the fi rst combat- become increasingly complex and late, a range of contractors — to help change coded F-22 Raptor was delivered in May with this ferocious beast in danger of the way the USAF, and programs such as 2005 and how, some 15 years on, the USAF is being left behind by its peers. The USAF the F-22, go about doing business. and Lockheed Martin had slipped into working to ensure the fi ghter remains relevant. ‘big bang’ updates rather than the spiral Troubled start of upgrades once promised, and therefore The Raptor had troubled beginnings in an REPORT Jamie Hunter in 2018 a major new initiative started to era of defense cutbacks, being conceived revisit agile development options. under the Advanced Tactical Fighter HE VERY FIRST Lockheed Along similar lines as are now being (ATF) project and chosen amid an intense Martin F-22A Raptor took to discussed in relation to the USAF’s future battle between aerospace heavyweights. the skies on September 7, sixth-generation ghter requirements, The requirement was for 750 new ghters 1997, about 15 years after the similarly e cient enhancement paths are to replace the McDonnell Douglas F-15 project was rst launched. The now being sought for the F-22. Think of Eagle, able to counter advancing Soviet initial operational example cloud-based software pulses leveraging ghter aircraft and surface-to-air missile Tdidn’t arrive at a ghter wing until May commercial approaches that are designed (SAM) systems. 2005, when the rst frontline Raptor to ensure a Raptor pilot isn’t ying a ‘sheep In November 1981, the Pentagon touched down at Joint Base Langley- in wolf’s clothing’. authorized the go-ahead without funds Eustis, Virginia, in May 2005. Some 15 This kind of approach is still regarded actually being in place. This drew a wide The F-22 started years later, this stealthy, supercruising, as being hugely ambitious in a world variety of designs from industry, much life as a pure air sensor-fused, master of the skies is superiority fi ghter, of complex contracts and high security, as USAF acquisition chief Dr Will Roper undergoing something of a revolution. turning its hand not to mention a monopoly for the wants from his ‘Digital Century Series’ to multi-role, While it stands as a clear example manufacturers. However, this new Raptor plan. When it came to the ATF, the USAF which is where of how long modern ghter it has seen its strategy could help pave the way for started to focus on the air-to-air mission aircraft take to design only kinetic the vision of a ‘Digital Century Series’, in the light of the behind-the-scenes employment. and mature, the US proving it is possible to get capability development of the F-15E Strike Eagle USAF/SSgt Chris Air Force is moving Drzazgowski to the frontline in smaller enhancement and the F-117A.
www.Key.Aero // February 2020 27
26-35 The Raptor pt1 C.indd 27 16/12/2019 11:14 FIGHTER FOCUS // F-22
By late 1982, the ATF had become a real demonstration and validation (DEM/VAL) of locations, including out on pods on program with signi cant funding. A nal phase. In parallel, both Pratt & Whitney the wing. The trailing edge of the wing request for proposals (RFP) was issued and General Electric were awarded and the control surfaces were cut into in 1983 as the USAF went into a concept contracts to develop and build new chevrons aligned with the leading edge, demonstration investigation (CDI) phase ghter engines: the YF119 and YF120, giving the wing a bat-like look. In the end, to help weed out the riskier o erings and respectively. no acceptable location for the twin tails down-select for a y-o competition. Lockheed’s Code One Magazine reported, was found, and the design was submitted Concept de nition studies were embarked ‘A few months before the proposals for with a single centerline tail and a serrated upon by Boeing, General Dynamics, the DEM/VAL phase of the program were trailing edge. The new nal con guration Grumman, Lockheed, McDonnell Douglas, to be submitted, the air force amended its was labeled T-333.’ Northrop, and Rockwell. Interestingly, proposal request. The change signi cantly the secrecy of the F-117,which rst ew increased the importance of stealth in The Lockheed design in 1981, was such that the ATF teams the design. Lockheed, with a stealthy Lockheed, Boeing and General were apparently unaware of emerging con guration derived from the F-117, Dynamics had formed a team in July technologies that would help enable them made no modi cations to its design 1986 to collaboratively tackle ATF to meet ATF needs and combine stealth as a result of the new requirements. from a design and nancial standpoint with high speed and maneuverability. Boeing made some slight modi cations — two months after the USAF said However, it appears that during 1983 to the design of their inlet to address it would want to build and y ATF some of that relevant information began the increased stealth requirements. The prototypes. Despite its selection for the to lter down from the USAF to the company was, however, satis ed that its DEM/VAL stage, the Lockheed design ATF teams. twin-tail design would meet the stealth subsequently changed dramatically Following a period of evaluation, the requirements. — indeed, the designers literally went Lockheed YF-22 and Northrop YF-23 were ‘The upgraded requirements forced back to the drawing board. Lockheed’s declared the winners on October 31, 1986, engineers at General Dynamics to Below: YF-22 winning design clearly resembled the and were told to prepare prototypes for a again reconsider twin tails in a variety PAV-1, serial F-117, but a succession of changes N22YF, fl ying followed. By April 1988, the nal YF-22 near Edwards AFB during the design was locked down and the rst demonstration drawings were formally released. and validation Construction of the rst of two fl y-off. All photos Lockheed Martin YF-22s started in Fort Worth, Texas. unless stated Production of the forward fuselage began at Lockheed facilities in Burbank, Inset: Lockheed’s proposal California. The aft section and wings confi guration, took shape during the same timeframe called 090P, had at Boeing’s Washington State plant in a wide strake that ran in a straight Seattle. The centre fuselage, weapons line from the wing bays, tail and landing gear were built leading edge by General Dynamics. The eventual outboard of the inlets to the point acquisition of General Dynamics gave of the nose. This Lockheed Martin control of 67.5 per cent Lockheed diagram of the program. illustrates well the design evolution Shipped in by C-5A Galaxy, the di erent of the F-22. sections of the two YF-22 prototypes
28 February 2020 // www.Key.Aero
26-35 The Raptor pt1 C.indd 28 16/12/2019 11:15 came together in Palmdale, California, Above left to right: how they expected their respective Going head-to-head as the ‘Skunk Works’ took the lead role in Dave Ferguson aircraft to perform, to be compared Paul Metz, who subsequently joined with the YF-22. their production. Final assembly of the Sadly, Ferguson with the actual data post- ight test. Lockheed, was the chief test pilot for rst YF-22 (prototype air vehicle PAV-1) passed away on The two YF-22s made 74 test ights the Northrop YF-23. From 1992-2001 he began at Palmdale on January 13, 1990. August 10, 2011. in three months. The prototypes were served as Lockheed’s chief test pilot for He had joined It was unveiled to the public on August Lockheed in 1979 not required to be low-observable, the F-22, and made the maiden ight of 29 that year. and retired as but they did incorporate some radar- the F-22A on September 7, 1997. But Northrop’s competing YF-23 director of fl ight absorbent materials (RAM), though Metz joined the USAF in 1968 and test in 1999. was rst to y, on August 27, 1990. Lockheed Martin/ only as an initial look at evaluating ew operational missions in the F-105G The initial YF-22 (N22YF) followed on Denny Lombard durability on high-speed platforms. ‘Wild Weasel’ in southeast Asia. He September 29, piloted by Dave Ferguson The ight test designs were geared to completed 68 missions over North The Northrop as it ew from Palmdale to Edwards YF-23. In late performance, and not designed to be Vietnam, including sorties against SAM AFB in California to enter the y-o 1990, the two representative of a production aircraft. and anti-aircraft batteries in support of competition. PAV-1 was powered by fi ghters were The YF-22s were soon demonstrating strike missions there, earning him two pitted head-to- two General Electric YF120-GE-100 head during the their agility, with high-alpha handling, Distinguished Flying Crosses and six turbofans. The second aircraft (PAV-2, demonstration roll rates and then weapons work, ring Air Medals. In 1976, he graduated from N22YX) used two Pratt & Whitney and validation AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range the USAF Test Pilot School at Edwards, phase. USAF YF119-PW-100s. It ew on October 30, in Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) and AIM-9 before he joined Northrop Aircraft in the hands of Tom Morgenfeld, also from Below: The ‘Skunk Sidewinder missiles from the side and 1980 as an engineering test pilot. He Palmdale to Edwards. Works’ took the center weapons bays. The initial DEM/ and his team played a crucial role in the lead for fi nal Interestingly, there was a lot of assembly of both VAL phase of the YF-22 program was YF-23, which many to this day suggest emphasis on credibility and ability to YF-22 prototypes. completed on December 28, 1990, the was a superior design in several ways. meet promises. The two camps were two YF-22s accumulating a total of 91.6 Metz, with the unique position of having invited to submit sealed estimates of hours in 74 ights. own both the YF-23 and the F-22A, has never commented publicly on their comparative performance. Explaining the ight test program between the YF-22 and the YF-23, Metz said, ‘The air force intentionally separated the two teams physically in the sense that we were not allowed to communicate with each other. Interestingly enough, we were in the same hangar — the YF-22 on one side and the YF-23 on the other. We honored that requirement of the air force, except that myself as chief test pilot of the YF-23 and Dave Ferguson as chief test pilot of the YF-22 got together before we ever ew and said that, since we were using the same engines, there was a chance that something would come up that could a ect both teams. We said that if we did have a problem
www.Key.Aero // February 2020 29
26-35 The Raptor pt1 C.indd 29 16/12/2019 11:15 FIGHTER FOCUS // F-22
that we knew could affect both teams, Above: The had flown both airplanes and was asked US Air Force Secretary Dr Donald we would get with the other respective YF‑22 shows by a reporter, ‘which is better?’, potentially Rice announced the day before the big the Raptor’s test pilot and tell them what’s going on design traits, but causing the company to lose the decision that the number of ATFs to be and what the problem was so that we it was revised competition. So the USAF was extremely procured would be reduced from 750 could investigate it before anything bad dramatically for strict but even-handed in the program.’ to 648 aircraft as a result of declining the production happened. So we did have a gentlemen’s aircraft. USAF defense budgets. At this time, the agreement, a professional agreement, so The final verdict 648 aircraft were to be bought at an we could communicate in terms of safety Below left to right: With Northrop’s partner McDonnell estimated total program cost of $99.1 Tom Morgenfeld of flight.’ made the first Douglas embroiled in the collapse of billion, making it the most expensive Metz took the YF-23 aloft a month prior flight of PAV-2 on the US Navy’s ill-fated A-12 Avenger, weapons system to date. to Ferguson in the YF-22. Of that event he October 30, 1990. confidence in its ability to meet The F-22 and Pratt & Whitney F119 said, ‘We were kept away — not allowed to A rare shot of the expectations on the ATF project wasn’t combination were declared the winners observe it.’ competing ATF in the YF-23 team’s favor. Compounding on April 23, 1991. Rice announced the He continued, ‘We had a very short designs flying this was the F-117’s reputation as the decision at a Pentagon briefing, stating together near program — about 90 days to wring them Edwards AFB. hero of Operation ‘Desert Storm’ in early that the F-22/F119 combination offered out. By USAF decree, no pilot flew the USAF 1991, which actually served to build huge ‘clearly better capability with lower cost, YF‑22 and the YF-23. The USAF was very confidence in Lockheed’s pedigree and thereby providing the air force with a true keen to avoid a situation whereby a pilot its ability to deliver the new fighter. best value’.
30 February 2020 // www.Key.Aero
26-35 The Raptor pt1 C.indd 30 16/12/2019 11:15 YF-22 TEST REVIEW • First prototype, N22YF, rolled out at Palmdale August 29, 1990. • First flight September 29, 1990. • First air-to-air refueling October 26, 1990. • Second prototype, N22YX, first flight (Palmdale to Edwards) October 30, 1990. • First supercruise flight (PAV-1) November 3, 1990. • First thrust-vectoring demonstration by PAV-1, November 15, 1990. • First supercruise flight by PAV-2, November 23, 1990. • First AIM-9M Sidewinder launch Above top to November 28, 1990, by Jon Beesley bottom: PAV-2 in PAV-2 over the NAWS China touches down Lake ranges. on the runway • First AIM-120A AMRAAM launch at Edwards AFB December 20, 1990, by Tom during the initial Morgenfeld in PAV-2 over the test phase. Pacific Missile Test Range at Point Mugu, California. An AIM-120A AMRAAM is test-fired over the Point Mugu A formal engineering, manufacturing range, under the at roughly 40ft above the runway on representative test vehicles (PRTVs) watchful eye of and demonstration (EMD) contract was an F-15D photo returning to Edwards AFB after a test including a pair of F-22B two-seaters, awarded that August. Two contracts chase. flight. With the landing gear retracted, the plus one static test and one fatigue totaling $10.91 billion ($9.55 billion for aircraft hit the runway and slid 8,000ft. test airframe. Like the YF-22 fly-off, the The first F-22 is the airframe and $1.36 billion for engines) towed from the Although no longer flight-worthy, the timelines were ambitious, with the first were given to the F-22 and F119 teams, final assembly external damage was later repaired and EMD aircraft expected to fly in August then made up of Lockheed, Boeing and area in the the YF-22 flown aboard a C-5 to Griffiss 1995 and a push for initial operating B-1 building General Dynamics plus Pratt & Whitney. in Marietta AFB, New York, where it was used for capability (IOC) with the USAF in 2001. The Pratt & Whitney-powered YF-22 to the newly antenna testing. PAV-2 had been flown PAV-2 resumed test-flying on October 30, constructed on 70 test flights for a total of more than YF-22 becomes F-22A B-22 engine 1991, on pre-EMD work. It performed 39 noise attenuation 100 hours. A variety of factors stemming from the flights before, on April 25, 1992, it crashed facility for fueling It was a sad final event for the YF-22, YF‑22 DEM/VAL phase introduced delays. following a control loss during a slow operations and but attention was already turning to Notably there was much moving of engine runs. pass at Edwards. The YF-22 experienced Lockheed Martin/ the next phase — EMD. Initially, this goalposts by the Department of Defense. a series of pilot-induced pitch oscillations John Rossino was planned to involve 11 production- This pushed IOC steadily to the right
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26-35 The Raptor pt1 C.indd 31 16/12/2019 11:15 FIGHTER FOCUS // F-22
well before Lockheed Martin began the needing to be proved, and the software Above: ‘Raptor Systems AN/ALR-94 passive electronic EMD phase. written and tested to underscore the 01’ made two warfare receiver system and the flights from One of the main challenges facing the performance. Marietta before Northrop Grumman AN/APG-77 active F-22 team as it moved into EMD was Comparisons can be drawn between being shipped to electronically scanned array (AESA) radar. balancing low-observable characteristics the F-22 and the F-35 Lightning II. Like Edwards. The ALR-94 is composed of more than with a high-performance design and the Joint Strike Fighter, the F-22 carried Below: ‘Raptor 30 antennas blended into the wings with through-life support in mind. a concurrency risk, albeit on a far more 01’ on its and fuselage to provide 360° coverage Picking access panels and potentially sensible scale. However, much of the maiden flight and detection for radar signals. Tom from Marietta, corrupting the stealthy coating needed concurrency was eventually written out Georgia. Paul Burbage, former F-22 program manager to be minimized. All weapons and fuel of the Raptor as deadlines were moved. Metz reported at Lockheed Martin, described it as being needed to be carried internally so as not By the time EMD was complete, only 12 excellent handling ‘the most technically complex piece and remarked to compromise the stealthy signature, Raptors had been delivered to the USAF, on the aircraft’s of equipment on the aircraft’. It has a meaning a capacious airframe design. compared with hundreds of aircraft in impressive greater range than the radar (more than The fly-by-wire flight control system the F-35 program. performance. 250nm), allowing the Raptor to limit its was incredibly advanced, with thrust- A major part of the F-22’s lethality is own radar emissions to maximize its low- vectoring and high-alpha maneuvering its avionics suite, built around the BAE observability. As targets approach, the ALR-94 can cue the AESA radar to track them with a narrow, focused beam. It can also receive and transmit its data covertly inside the formation via its secure intra- flight data link (IFDL). In the cockpit, the F-22 pilot is set up as the tactician, with many of the systems such as electrical power and hydraulics all automated and computer-controlled. Sensor fusion neatly combines all aspects of the F-22’s sensor suite, and presents them in a user-friendly manner. This melds the radar and ALR-94 data with that received via the data link.
32 February 2020 // www.Key.Aero
26-35 The Raptor pt1 C.indd 32 16/12/2019 11:15 All of this started to be fleshed out in the EMD program. On August 2, 1991 it The F-16 joined on me after take-off and we was confirmed for 11 (later reduced to nine) flying prototypes, plus one static test immediately saw the power of the Raptor. We article and one fatigue test airframe. started climbing to 15,000ft, me with the gear down, and With very few major snags, only budgetary restrictions delayed the F-22 the F-16 on my left. He started falling away from me and initially, moving the first flight from 1995 back to May 1997. The planned having to use afterburner to keep up procurement was also cut further. In 1993, the USAF planned to purchase Paul Metz 648 F-22s at a unit cost of $84 million in 1995 dollars, but further cuts came, down The preliminary design review was Lockheed Martin’s chief test pilot for the to 442 in 1994, then to 339 in the 1997 completed on April 30, 1993. The critical F-22, at the controls. He said, ‘After we Quadrennial Defense Review. The 1994 design review (CDR) was completed in lost the ATF competition with the YF-23, reduction took the projected unit cost to February 1995 when configuration 645 Northrop transferred me over to the B-2 $91 million. These constant cuts and the was finalized. Fabrication of the first program. I was there for two years and resulting need to restructure served to components for the initial EMD aircraft I was just going through the check-out create huge wastage. had begun at Boeing’s facility in Kent, program for the B-2 when I got a call from In this period, the two-seat F-22B was Washington, on December 8, 1993. This Lockheed Martin, asking me if I wanted to also removed from the project on cost was the first of three airframes dedicated be the chief test pilot for the F-22. Dave grounds. The USAF — rightly — felt to airframe, engine and weapons release Ferguson [YF-22 test pilot] and myself confident that the advanced fly-by-wire testing. The prototype was rolled out had said, ‘whoever is on the losing team ‘carefree abandon’ handling of the F-22 April 9, 1997, when the F-22 was officially will submit a résumé to the other CTP,’ and use of advanced simulators negated christened the Raptor. and I did just that after we lost. From the need for a two-seat trainer. that came an offer to go to Lockheed at As well as pressure for the F-22 program First flight of the F-22A Marietta, Georgia, to help design and to be reduced in terms of production The first F-22A Raptor (serial 91-4001, build the first Raptor.’ numbers, it was being pressurized to Above left to ‘Raptor 01’) made its maiden flight on Talking about the main differences justify its existence through expanded right: Much of September 7, 1997, with Paul Metz, between the YF-22 and the final the EMD phase combat roles. In May 1993, the USAF work in the configuration of the F-22A, aside from added a need for an air-to-ground early years was physical appearance, Metz said, ‘The big capability with precision-guided geared towards thing was the refined flying qualities. planning how munitions (PGMs). Under a $6.5-million the F-22 would Early on we decided that this kind of contract addition in May 1993, it was operate, with a airplane really needed to change the agreed that the main weapons bay and lot of emphasis paradigm of what a pilot does. We placed on associated avionics would be adapted simplifying the wanted to make the actual piloting of for two 1,000lb GBU-32 Joint Direct pilot’s tasks. the Raptor a secondary task. The primary Attack Munitions (JDAMs) in place of task is that of being a tactician — taking Raptor 4001 two AIM-120s. The addition of a ground arrives at the information you’ve got and using attack capability eventually resulted Edwards AFB via it to accurately destroy other airplanes. in a temporary redesignation as the C-5 Galaxy. That meant that we put a lot of emphasis F/A‑22, announced by USAF Chief of Right: Paul on the design of the engine and the Staff Gen John Jumper on September Metz gives a airframe to be tolerant to do anything 17, 2002. This lasted only until December thumbs-up prior the pilot can do; we called it ‘carefree to the first flight. 2005, when the F-22A designation was Lockheed Martin/ abandon’. The idea was that you can do adopted again. John Rossino anything with the stick and throttle and
www.Key.Aero // February 2020 33
26-35 The Raptor pt1 C.indd 33 16/12/2019 11:15 FIGHTER FOCUS // F-22
the airplane will not be harmed, nor first flight that lasted a week. The team thousand people out there and I didn’t will it do anything untoward. It won’t went through each part in incredible want to screw it up.’ depart controlled flight or do anything detail, going through all the potential The landing went to plan and Metz Above: The F-22 unexpected.’ carries a special emergency procedures, running every described the Raptor as a ‘delight to fly’. So much of the Raptor is software- ‘compressed- possible snag to ground and building He had been airborne for 58 minutes. driven. It features several types of carriage’ variant confidence to handle that first mission. A second sortie of 35 minutes took of the AIM-120C, computers — flight controls, mission, developed to fit Metz recalled that first flight, which place on September 14, after which avionics, radar and stores management, in the confined launched out of Dobbins AFB right into the aircraft underwent minor structural while Lockheed Martin added a vehicle weapons bay the busy Atlanta air traffic system for a modifications and was then placed in of the F-22. management systems controller. This Lockheed Martin/ round trip from Marietta, Georgia. ‘We structural test fixture for load ground looks after hydraulics, fuel, and oxygen Tom Reynolds had an F-15 that we bought in from tests and strain gauge calibration. and co-ordinates all those subsystems. Edwards, plus an F-16 as our chase. The Below: Lt Col Metz said, ‘It enabled us to take away all Evan Thomas F-16 joined on me after take-off and Moving to Edwards the housekeeping tasks and automate completed the we immediately saw the power of the ‘Raptor 01’ made two flights at Marietta all of it.’ first separation Raptor. We started climbing to 15,000ft, before being shipped to Edwards AFB test of a 1,000lb All this work was completed prior to GBU-32 Joint me with the gear down, and the F-16 on aboard a C-5 Galaxy in February 1998. the first flight. Originally planned for May Direct Attack my left. He started falling away from me It resumed test flying in May. ‘Ship Two’ 1997, fuel leaks and hardware-related Munition on April and having to use afterburner to keep — 91-4002 — made its maiden flight 23, 2004. This anomalies led to a slip to September 7. was a later test in up. It was then that I began to appreciate from Marietta on June 29, 1998, and was ‘Preparations for the first flight started December 2005, the raw power of the F-22. Once we got ferried to Edwards on August 26. nine months prior,’ said Metz. ‘Despite with Maj John to altitude we commenced some small By the end of 1998, enough confidence Teichert at the being a single-seat airplane, this was controls for the maneuvers. I retracted the gear but I only had been built to enable a decision on not a single-person operation. We had a first supersonic went up to about 250kt. The airplane was low-rate initial production (LRIP). Having mission control room composed of about guided release of very much like the simulator. After about notched up 183 relatively trouble-free a JDAM. 30 engineers.’ Metz added that they ran a Lockheed Martin/ an hour came the scariest part — landing hours of flight testing on November 23, dress rehearsal orientation session for the Darin Russell back at Marietta. There were a couple of 1998, it paved the way for the release of
34 February 2020 // www.Key.Aero
26-35 The Raptor pt1 C.indd 34 16/12/2019 11:15 $195.5 million in late December 1998 tails are individual units and they can The rst AIM-120C AMRAAM ring came for advance procurement for six Lot 1 work symmetrically or asymmetrically. So, on October 24, 2000, and aircraft 4006 LRIP aircraft, which became known as I spent most of my time on the handling ew in early 2001. However, the decision production-representative test vehicle side of things, but also some of the initial to proceed with LRIP was not taken until II (PRTV II) to save a congressional avionics testing on aircraft 4004 and 4005.’ August 15, 2001, when an initial batch budgetary clause. In early December, This testing wasn’t entirely trouble-free. of 10 aircraft was approved. Meanwhile, Below: ‘Raptor Lockheed Martin had already received a Weight reduction e orts on 4001 and 01’ was retired the PRTV jets were taking shape, the rst $503-million contact for two PRTVs. 4002 had resulted in these two aircraft in 2000 and ying on October 12, 2002. These aircraft Re ecting on the early test work, falling below the required structural moved to Wright were to be used initially for DIOT&E, Patterson in Ohio Paul Metz recalled, ‘I spent three years strength for some of the more demanding for live fi re testing. which was scheduled to start in August at Edwards. The rst airplanes were for envelope expansion work. Subsequently, It is now a GF-22A 2002, but ended up being delayed until engine and airframe test only, to explore this was held up until the arrival of 4003, and located at April 29, 2004. Hill AFB, Utah, the ight envelope — looking at basic an instrumented structural test aircraft, where it is used Such was the concurrency knock-on functionality of the vehicle itself and the which joined the Combined Test Force at for battle damage that by this time, the initial aircraft had structural integrity. We ew utter testing, Edwards in March 2000. repair training. already been delivered to the rst USAF explored high-speed Mach e ects, high Delays in the delivery of the EMD Bottom left to squadron. The 43rd Fighter Squadron, angle of attack, [and] weapons separation aircraft saw this phase being pushed to right: ‘Raptor part of the 325th Fighter Wing, at Tyndall including ejecting missiles from the bays the right. Indeed, it became clear that the 02’ fl ies past the AFB, Florida, received F-22A serial tower at Edwards into the air ow.’ development test work would overlap AFB. It was one 01-4018/TY on September 26, 2003. On the subject of some of the high-alpha with the dedicated initial operational test of nine EMD In the background, development test test work, Metz explained, ‘It started in and evaluation (DIOT&E) phase. aircraft, joined by work continued at Edwards. Avionics Raptor 3999 for the simulator to uncover problems here The rst EMD aircraft (4001) was own structural tests issues including in- ight shutdowns and there and tweak the ight control hard and retired in 2000. This stemmed and Raptor 4000 were problematic, but on December 27, computers. Then we’d take it to ight- from the discovery of hairline cracks in for fatigue tests. 2005, the EMD phase was concluded, by test. Today, if a pilot gets up there and 4001 and 4002, although the second A rare shot of which time 12 combat-ready F-22As had does something funny, they just have aircraft resumed ight-testing. an EMD Raptor already been delivered. to center the controls and wait — the The Edwards test work with the carrying AIM-120 AMRAAMs on the Raptor can recover itself. A lot of the eventual employment of nine external wing NEXT MONTH Raptor’s maneuverability is achieved with EMD Raptors was tied to the major stations. RAPTOR INTO SERVICE the thrust-vectoring, especially the pitch procurement milestones. All eyes were control. It uses the control surfaces in an on meeting test points and the Pentagon unconventional way to obtain unusual Defense Acquisition Board’s decision to responses. For example, the horizontal award an initial batch of LRIP aircraft.
www.Key.Aero // February 2020 35
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874 CAJ Subs dps Feb20.indd 37 16/12/2019 10:00 In the fi rst half of a two-part feature, Combat Aircraft looks at the extremely short distance from Boeing’s Moses Lake facility to nearby the service record of the US Air Force C-135 family as it reaches Fairchild AFB, Washington, on June 27, 64 years of service. 1958, joining the 92nd Air Refueling Squadron (ARS). The grandfather of the REPORT Bob Archer with Tom Kaminski eet recently made the news, becoming the nal example reassigned from the UNDREDS OF BOEING with a further dozen for the French 133rd ARS at Pease Air National Guard employees looked on as the Air Force. Base (ANGB), New Hampshire, as the rst KC-135A Stratotanker In 2020, Boeing will mark 64 years since unit became the rst in the ANG to emerged from the Renton that initial aircraft left the factory, and recapitalize with the new Boeing KC-46A production facility on roughly half of the C-135 series remain Pegasus. This relocation is the rst of Wednesday, July 18, 1956. In in operational service. Approximately many that are now under way as the Hgleaming bare metal, serial 55-3118 was 260 have been retired, and placed into KC-46s enter service, but with plans only parked adjacent to a KC-97G to enable storage at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona. extending to 179 of the new Boeing the workforce, assembled guests, and A few of them have returned to service, tankers at this point, the KC-135 will be members of the press, to appreciate while an additional handful have been around for many more years to come. the major advances o ered by the renovated for export to Chile, France, Stratotanker over its predecessor. Just Singapore, and Turkey. Many of the The mighty tanker This KC-135R eight years later, in the nal days of remainder have been cannibalized bears a Fiscal The rst KC-135A entered service with 1964, the last example — KC-135B serial for reusable parts as donors for Year 1958 serial. Strategic Air Command (SAC) at Castle 64-14849 — was rolled out. Amazingly, operational aircraft, before the carcasses Despite their AFB, California, in June 1957. The type will age, the USAF’s a new aircraft was coming o the were scrapped. Stratotankers outlive the McDonnell Douglas KC-10A production line every three or four days O cial US Air Force gures state that remain the Extender, the eldest of which (serial alongside B-52 Stratofortress bombers 426 airframes remain in operational backbone of the 79-0433) has been in service 38 years. world’s aerial and jet airliners. Production totaled use. The oldest yable airframe is refueling fl eet. Under current plans the Extenders will some 820 aircraft for the USAF, together serial 57-1419, which was delivered Jamie Hunter leave the USAF inventory some time this
38 February 2020 // www.Key.Aero
38-44 Boeing Stratotankers C.indd 38 13/12/2019 10:24 www.Key.Aero // February 2020 39
38-44 Boeing Stratotankers C.indd 39 13/12/2019 10:24 TYPE REPORT // USAF C-135S
F-16C/Ds of the 148th Fighter Wing, Minnesota ANG await turns to receive fuel from a KC-135R from the 128th Air Refueling Wing, Wisconsin ANG. USAF/MSgt Jason Rolfe
decade. Delays and ongoing problems The eight KC-135R ARRs are capable tted with enhanced communications to with the KC-46 mean Air Mobility of receiving as well as dispensing fuel make them compatible with the SR-71. Right page Command (AMC) has been forced to in ight. They have a receptacle above clockwise: Following the ‘Blackbird’s’ retirement, reallocate $57 million from the Fiscal Year the cockpit that was installed during the A US Navy the Qs were re-roled as traditional 2020 KC-46 program to the KC-135 force. 1960s when the airframes performed EA-18G Growler tankers, and assumed the KC-135T disconnects AMC reports that it is now expecting to specialized airborne command post and from the boom- designation when they too received new retain a number of Stratotankers into reconnaissance roles. drogue adaptor F108 engines. the 2050s. The 20 MPRS aircraft feature Flight that is added to enable probe- The USAF now has 393 KC-135Rs Refueling Ltd (FRL) Mk32B hose-and- equipped aircraft Test tankers in operational service in ve speci c drogue air refueling pods under the outer to tank from the A range of test and evaluation roles variants. These comprise 313 wings to enable the refueling of probe- centerline of the have been carried out by C-135s over KC-135. USAF/SSgt conventional KC-135Rs, eight KC- and-drogue aircraft. Non-MPRS KC-135s Jordan Castelan the decades. Today, Air Force Materiel 135R(RT) aircraft equipped with a use a boom-drogue adaptor (BDA) to Command (AFMC) operates just two refueling receptacle to receive fuel and provide fuel to probe-equipped aircraft. KC-135R 60-0357 remaining dedicated test aircraft, is one of the eight known as air refueling receivers (ARRs), However, the addition of the basket to aircraft that have although one of these has now been 20 KC-135R multi-point refueling system the boom prohibits the KC-135 from the air refueling relegated to ground training. (MPRS) aircraft, one test NKC-135R;and 51 tanking in its traditional way. receiver installed The ‘Speckled Trout’ program was above the cockpit. KC-135Ts. These T variants were originally Initially, there was a requirement for It is also used instigated by Gen Curtis E. LeMay in assigned the designation KC-135Q and 45 modi ed aircraft and 33 pod sets, in the special 1957. At the outset it involved a KC-135 feature changes to the aerial and ground but problems including malfunctioning operations air out tted for VIP duties, but later the refueling role. refueling systems when compared with components reduced this total to 20. USAF via aircraft was assigned to evaluate the KC-135R. Reliability issues caused utilization of Bob Archer commercially available avionics, as well The basic KC-135R is at the peak the MPRS system to be extremely low in as communications equipment. KC-135R 97th AMW of its capabilities, having received the rst decade of service, but this has KC-135R serial serial 63-7980 was the fourth and nal upgrades to the cockpit in the form improved and the system is now used 58-0128 in a ‘Speckled Trout’ and was latterly employed of the Pacer CRAG (compass, radar more frequently. hangar at Altus as the testbed for the Large Aircraft AFB. Weather and GPS) and subsequent global air Essentially similar to the KC-135R, the conditions in Infrared Counter-Measures (LAIRCM) tra c management (GATM) programs. T-models were previously designated Oklahoma, system, which is now installed in many Replacing the original Pratt & Whitney KC-135Q, and were used for refueling including dust larger aircraft such as the C-130, C-17, C-5 and storms, J57 engines with new General Electric operations with the Lockheed SR-71, mean all aircraft and KC-135. Routinely using the radio F108-GE-100 (CFM56) turbofans yielded a which required special JP-7 fuel — are washed callsign ‘Trout 99’, the aircraft was the massive saving in fuel consumption and housed in tanks separate from the externally every primary transport for the Secretary of the 120 fl ight hours. a orded a higher gross take-o weight, conventional kerosene carried by the USAF via Air Force, the chief of sta and vice-chief faster rate of climb, and extended range. tanker. Furthermore, the Q-models were Bob Archer of sta . Furthermore, ‘Trout’ was tted with
40 February 2020 // www.Key.Aero
38-44 Boeing Stratotankers C.indd 40 13/12/2019 10:24 necessary, including ghter aircraft SPECIAL operating close to combat zones. SOAR KC-135 crews wear night vision OPERATIONS goggles and to aid the overall mission management the cockpit crew usually AIR REFUELING includes a navigator. A rarely publicized aspect of tanker Away from the specialist SOAR role, undertakings is support to special some aircraft in the wider KC-135R operations. Whereas the majority of community have been enhanced KC-135s y routine missions, supporting with new avionics to support mission- all manner of receivers, there is a small e ectiveness, including the addition of number of Stratotanker aircrews whose the Link 16 tactical military data link to mission is signi cantly enhanced to enable them to utilize a tactical picture in encompass a program known as special near-real time. operations air refueling (SOAR), ying During the early 2000s, 13 KC-135Rs, versions of the KC-135 that have been six KC-135R MPRS, and 21 KC-135Ts were speci cally modi ed for the task. Many out tted with a communications system SOAR elements are classi ed, although known as ROBE — roll-on, beyond- some details have been made available. line-of-sight. ROBE was developed by The mission is assigned to two squadrons Northrop Grumman as a pallet-mounted within the 22nd Air Refueling Wing (ARW) suite of electronics carried aboard at McConnell AFB, Kansas, and the aircraft tanker and cargo aircraft to enhance assigned to SOAR are eight KC-135Rs, one battle eld command and control (C2) KC-135R MRPS, eight KC-135R ARRs and by automatically relaying line-of-sight ve KC-135Ts. signals and communications via satellite. SOAR missions are typically undertaken The KC-135 was chosen because at low level, at night, and in radio silence. the aircraft frequently orbit close to Receivers include Air Force Special battle eld areas, and are therefore ideally Operations Command (AFSOC) MC-130s, placed to perform this relay function in although other types are refueled when addition to their aerial refueling work.
www.Key.Aero // February 2020 41
38-44 Boeing Stratotankers C.indd 41 13/12/2019 10:25 TYPE REPORT // USAF C-135S
an air refueling receptacle, the only regular test and evaluation programs, including KC-135 to be so con gured in recent years. clandestine projects. It is regularly in KC-135R 63-7980 was retired from action above the restricted test ranges of 412th Test Wing (TW) service at Edwards California and Nevada, with some of its AFB, California, on April 27, 2019, and crews expressly security-cleared in order own to Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, for battle to be able to support ‘black programs’. damage repair training with the 76th Indeed, the aircraft has been tracked Aircraft Maintenance Group. ying missions from the Nevada Test The sole surviving test aircraft is and Training Range (NTTR) seemingly NKC-135R serial 61-0320, which has supporting ‘assets’ to and from the Paci c been stationed at Edwards with the Test Ranges. 412th TW since 1998. This tanker is kept As well as conventional refueling during Above: The incredibly busy, supporting important protracted missions, the aircraft is used unique NKC-135R, serial 61-0320, is assigned to the 412th Test Wing at Edwards AFB and used for a range of trials including support for top-secret test projects. USAF
Left: The KC-135R ‘Speckled Trout’, serial 63-7980, departs RAF Mildenhall, UK, in March 2013. Clearly visible are the two Large Aircraft Infrared Counter- Measures (LAIRCM) pods beneath the rear fuselage. Simon Mortimer
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38-44 Boeing Stratotankers C.indd 42 13/12/2019 10:25 for aircraft tanker clearance certi cation. production baseline for the remainder a Guardian pod to each side of the lower It is also known as the ‘ice tanker’, due to of the eet. Having been cleared for rear fuselage of the two aircraft (serials its ability to spray water from the ying operational use, the system is being 58-0049 and 60-0365), ground tests were boom directly onto the nose of the installed as aircraft are cycled through completed in March 2013 by a team from aircraft under test, which maintains close programmed depot maintenance (PDM). the Michigan ANG, the Oklahoma City Air formation in the slipstream. This is used A high-value asset (HVA) such as the Logistics Center, and Northrop Grumman. to evaluate de-icing during controlled vulnerable KC-135 requires a degree of Flight tests began soon afterwards at experimentation. self-protection, especially when operating Edwards and were completed in the Inset: A line of adjacent to combat areas or hostile summer of 2013. Following a rather Michigan ANG Preparing for the future KC-135Ts, which regions. The KC-135 was one of the lead sedate investigation into the bene ts With an enduring role to play at the were initially platforms for the LAIRCM pod. The 171st — and clearly this was far from being forefront of the world’s greatest air arm, KC-135Qs and ARS, Michigan ANG at Selfridge ANGB was an accelerated project — the decision used to support the KC-135 eet is receiving vital new SR-71 operations. responsible for evaluation of the system, was taken to modify the remainder of technology. Pacer CRAG continues to Michigan ANG via known as Guardian, which is designed to the KC-135 eet, beginning in 2019. enhance the cockpit. Block 40 modernized Bob Archer automatically detect portable surface- Guardian is not designed to be installed the communication, navigation, Below: Part of to-air missile systems, and to jam them permanently, and it will be allocated to surveillance and air tra c management the fl ight line at with a laser. Following the installation of units operating in hostile zones as and (CNS/ATM) systems in 419 aircraft. Block McConnell AFB, with a trio of 45 from Rockwell Collins adds a new KC-135R MPRS autopilot, ight director, radar altimeter aircraft parked and electronic engine instrument display. in the center. During the height A total of 395 KC-135s will eventually be of Stratotanker modi ed, the program being planned for operations, 62 completion in 2025. aircraft were assigned, but now The engineering and manufacturing just two KC-135 development (EMD) phase involved squadrons remain 22nd Air Refueling Wing (ARW) KC-135T as the 22nd ARW transitions to the serial 60-0343 and KC-135R serial KC-46A. USAF via 63-7987 being modi ed to establish the Bob Archer
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38-44 Boeing Stratotankers C.indd 43 13/12/2019 10:25 TYPE REPORT // USAF C-135S
when is appropriate. Enhancing the know every element of the tactics and Above left to US Strategic Command’s recent ‘Global LAIRCM, the air force is planning to add procedures for ensuring the KC-135 is right: A KC-135R Thunder 2019’ exercise showcased how boom operator real-time threat situational awareness in perfectly placed to perform its part in the concentrates as the KC-135 is still a lynchpin of modern the cockpit. most complex of missions. an F-15E takes operations, despite the now advanced Preparing for the future also means In an era when the US military is on fuel from the age of the aircraft. ‘Team Fairchild’ fl ying boom. keeping aircrews at the peak of struggling with a ‘pilot crisis’, maintaining USAF/SSgt Daniel promotes itself as a ‘super-tanker’ wing. their abilities. It’s not just the ghter that expertise is important for a Snider ‘We are the nation’s premier air refueling communities that place emphasis on community that o ers a clear path team,’ commented Col Derek Salmi, In the cockpit of a the quality of high-end training. The out the door and into the airlines. The KC-135R during a the 92nd ARW commander. ‘With the 509th Weapons Squadron (WPS) at associate program blends active-duty mission over the increase in tankers and a new squadron Fairchild AFB, Washington, is part of the units with ANG and Air Force Reserve Nevada Test and this year, we are even more capable Training Range Weapons School at Nellis AFB, Nevada. Command (AFRC) experience under the (NTTR) during the of providing support to any mission Two classes per year receive graduate Total Force Integration (TFI) initiative. fi nal evaluation around the world. By participating level instructor courses, which provide It means the USAF complements the mission of the in exercises like ‘Global Thunder’, we USAF Weapons ‘patch-wearers’ for frontline units who world’s biggest tanker force with some School course. prove to our adversaries that if we’re prepare the aircrews for operational of the best expertise in this surprisingly Jamie Hunter called upon, we can respond anytime, deployments. They are the o cers who diverse mission. anywhere.’ NEXT MONTH PART 2 – SPECIAL MISSION C-135S
A fabulous shot of a 100th ARW KC-135R supporting ‘Heritage’ 48th FW F-15C/Es for a fl ypast over Kielce, Poland. USAF/TSgt Matthew Plew
44 February 2020 // www.Key.Aero
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875 CAM Subs fp Feb20.indd 45 16/12/2019 10:05 Ovda air base in Israel’s Negev Desert hosted Exercise ‘Blue Flag’ in November, which attracted fi ve nations and some 70 aircraft including F-35s for the fi rst time.
REPORT Giovanni Colla
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46-49 Blue Flag C.indd 46 12/12/2019 13:53 HE FOURTH BIANNUAL ‘Blue Flag’ was held between November 3-14, 2019, at Ovda air base in the southern Negev region near the Jordanian border. It attracted Tthe usual cocktail of exotic ghters including the local Israeli aircraft such as F-15s, F-16Is, and F-35s. The US Air Force arrived with a dozen 480th Fighter Squadron F-16CMs from Spangdahlem; Hellenic Air Force F-16C Block 52+ jets came from from 335 Mira, six German Euro ghters from Taktische Luftwa engeschwader 71 ‘Richthofen’, and six Italian F-35As from the 13° Gruppo, joined by six Euro ghter F-2000As from the 9°, 10°, 12°, and 18° Gruppos and a G550 conformal airborne early warning and control system (CAEW). The presence of Israeli and Italian Above: ‘Blue is four-and-a-half generation, so we ‘Blue Flag’ scenario F-35s was a signi cant step up for ‘Blue Flag’ provides an are learning from the fth-generation The story guiding the exercise scenario Flag’ and, according to Lt Col Panagiotis opportunity for ghters and aircrews [about] what they was based on two ctional neighboring pilots to operate Katsikaris, the commander of 335 Mira. in a range of can do and how we can work together countries, one being the ‘Blue’ force and One of the main challenges is how to environments — that is where you get the best the other being the ‘Red’. The missions bring the various ghters together: together. outcome, when you work together as a included large package-type combined Amit Agronov ‘That is what we are practising. Our jet combined force.’ air operations (COMAOs) of ghters,
A rather battered-looking F-15A Baz (681) of 133 ‘Knights of the Twin Tail’ Squadron. Giovanni Colla
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46-49 Blue Flag C.indd 47 12/12/2019 13:54 EXERCISE REPORT // ‘BLUE FLAG’
remotely piloted air systems (RPAS), The exercise was designed to highlight 115 ‘Flying Dragon’ Squadron, with Main image: transport aircraft, and helicopters. This the value of a coalition in tackling a Yahalom (Patriot) batteries acting as The ‘Blue Flag’ fi ghter team kicked o on November 5-7, with the common enemy capable of projecting advanced surface-to-air missiles (SAMs). forms up for ‘Blue’ team ying defensive counter-air itself onto the world stage. During Katsikaris told Combat Aircraft, ‘The a formation (DCA) protecting Israeli territory. Lt Col the second phase, the ‘Blue’ team ‘Reds’ started out easy during the rst photo over the southern part ‘M’ (name withheld for security attacked targets in enemy territory, few ights, but we noticed their tactics of the Dead reasons) is commander of 133 ‘Knights running a number of SFEs — small changing as the days went by. They Sea near the of the Twin Tail’ Squadron, who force employment missions. Lt Col operated di erently each day, and we Jordanian border. IDF explained how this type of mission is ‘M’ commented, ‘The F-35 brings a had to act accordingly.’ Indeed, some of Right: The F-16Is not part of routine NATO operations in signi cant advantage to the theater, the missions saw Israeli F-35s, AH-64s of the Israeli Europe: ‘We teach the international which allows the other aircraft to carry and Black Hawks acting as aggressors. Air Force are forces how to protect the country’s on with their missions while handling Throughout the event, ight specialists in precision deep skies, just like we see it in our oncoming threats.’ operations from other Israeli bases strike and air operational day-to-day activity Playing the part of the bad guys were were halted, with civilian tra c in interdiction. in Israel.’ the Israeli Air Force’s aggressors from the area redirected during certain Amit Agronov
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46-49 Blue Flag C.indd 48 12/12/2019 13:54 periods. Exercise co-ordinator Lt Col Tal Herman said that for the entire period Above left to of the exercise, crews are guaranteed right: This to be able to y supersonic, low-level, shot illustrates and they can use cha and ares — the various F-35 AT participants, from representing a useful mix not always USAF F-16CMs ‘BLUE FLAG’ a orded in such events. and Italian and This marked the rst time the F-35I Meanwhile, as ‘Blue Flag’ was Israeli F-35s, to Adir participated in ‘Blue Flag’. Lt the F-15A Baz. Col ‘T’, who commands 140 ‘Golden unfolding, Israel Defense Forces chief Amit Agronov Eagle’ Squadron at Nevatim, said, of sta Aviv Kochavi warned of threats ‘So far our training and co-operation to the country. About a week into An F-35I Adir gets using the ‘Adir’ has been within the airborne from the event, an Israeli air strike killed a [Israeli Air] Force.’ The F-35s ew with Ovda during ‘Blue commander of the Palestinian Islamic Flag’. radar/re ecting Luneburg lenses, but Jihad group in Gaza. The strike was Amit Agronov according to Lt Col Herman: ‘Certain pro les of missions and rules of countered by 48 hours of ghting and A resident engagement involved the F-35 being volleys of rockets being red into Israel, F-16C Barak immune to certain ground-to-air most of which were intercepted by its aggressor from threats.’ This probably re ected how a ‘Iron Dome’ air defense system. 115 ‘Flying Dragon’ ‘cloaked’ F-35 would be able to work Squadron. around such threat systems. Lt Col ‘T’ The exercise continued to its Amit Agronov also commented on working with the conclusion despite the distractions The F-15 Baz Italian Lightnings: ‘Our ability to sit and was heralded as being of great remains Israel’s together, brief, debrief and exchange political importance between Israel primary air information allowed us to take a step and the visiting forces. The Ovda base defender. Talk of forward in our work, and see how further Eagles has each side does things di erently commander summed up by saying, yet to proceed to while optimizing use of the aircraft’s ‘The co-operation with Israel sets the a contract with capabilities.’ ground for many wonderful future Boeing. Amit Agronov opportunities.’
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46-49 Blue Flag C.indd 49 12/12/2019 13:54 VFC-13 ‘Fighting Saints’ fl ies the F-5 Tiger II in the adversary role at NAS Fallon, Nevada. The squadron and its highly experienced personnel provide an agile and scalable service in support of fl eet aircrews that looks set to remain viable for many years to come. REPORT AND PHOTOS Jamie Hunter and Richard Collens
T’S 07.30HRS AND as the sun ultimately triggered the establishment crests the hills to the east of NAS of TOPGUN, while also recognizing Fallon, Nevada, a whooshing the need for realistic dissimilar air noise followed by the whine of combat training (DACT). CDR Craig says: J85 engines spooling up signi es ‘Studies show if a young eet aviator the start of another busy day can live through their rst 10 combat Ifor VFC-13 ‘Fighting Saints’. Actually, missions, they’ll have a pretty successful the contactor maintenance team and deployment. For Air Wing Fallon — when pilots have been here since well before an entire carrier air wing [CVW] assembles sunrise — ne-tuning the schedule and and trains here — we try to simulate ensuring su cient F-5s are on the line to those rst 10 combat missions. At VFC-13 meet the day’s ying requirements. we aim to provide the most realistic In no time at all, two small ghters with adversary possible and hope to ruin the canopies cranked open scuttle out of their day of a eet aviator that may have made sun shelters and out towards the runway a misstep. This way they can learn in to swiftly get airborne. Within minutes, this training and not have to learn by giving section of Tiger IIs will be down among the their life.’ desolate desert canyons, giving a US Navy ‘Our squadron is all about tactical eet Super Hornet pilot a real headache. support to the eet,’ says LCDR Matt ‘Abe’ The skilled F-5 pilots know what the young Gottschalk, one of the 30 or so pilots at squadron aircrews need to take away from VFC-13. ‘We are here to support eet their time at Fallon — they’re providing a squadrons through their Strike Fighter service; a lesson in a ghter pilot’s life that Advanced Readiness Program [SFARP] may just save his or her skin one day. as well as during Air Wing Fallon, plus Sitting in his o ce wearing his NAWDC [Naval Aviation War ghting customary fur-collared, brown leather Development Center] including pilot jacket, VFC-13 skipper CDR Andrew TOPGUN.’ VFC-13 meets an ‘Schlips’ Craig explains the theory behind incredibly diverse range having professional adversaries in training of tasks, typically and he cites the Ault Report and Red at Fallon, but Baron II studies. These both highlighted occasionally shortcomings in US Navy training, and away from
The immaculate gloss black F-5N that is the mount of the ‘Fighting Saints’ commanding offi cer.
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home too. The squadron also gets tapped gloss black F-5F, the ‘Fighting Saints’ o er Below: The simulated ship or other high-value asset, VFC-13 F-5Ns to support the resident Growler Tactics an expert but a ordable way to prepare then there will usually be a lot of merges wear a variety Instructor (GTI) HAVOC course and even eet squadrons for what they can expect of schemes [close-range ‘dog ghts’]. If we have provides ‘bad guy’ training for the SH-60 in contested airspace. The US Navy and including this ‘pushed’ close to the defended assets three-tone gray SEAWOLF school. Marine Corps currently operate three to try and strike the target, the ghters and blue fi nish. ‘We also provide over-the-hill support reserve command squadrons of ex-Swiss An overall silver will be forced to push forward and ‘kill’ to the eet squadrons at Lemoore F-5N Tiger IIs, plus three F-5F ‘Franken- scheme is also everybody — so you could have as many planned in 2020. [California], which y up to the Fallon Tiger’ two-seaters, which mated existing as eight simultaneous merges.’ ranges and we either lead or plus-up their F-5F front fuselages with ex-Swiss rear Above left to right: The experienced F-5 pilots use a lot of in-house ‘Red Air’,’ says Gottschalk. ‘They fuselages. The Tiger II is ideal for the role; The fi rst four-ship clever tactics to ensure the eet pilots of the day eases have the fuel to transit here, ght, and cheap to operate, simple to maintain with out from the sun learn to be prepared for the unexpected. transit back, without landing away from no complex systems. shelters at Fallon ‘We do a lot of low-level terrain masking their home eld. If we aren’t supporting LCDR Traver ‘Jody’ Fordham says: ‘We to make it hard for the ghters to pick The puff of smoke pre-deployment air wings, eet support is are always needed and my job as the signals engine us up,’ explains Fordham. ‘Whereas the our primary job.’ squadron operations o cer [OpsO] is to start for a ‘Saints’ US Air force aggressors are more about keep us gainfully employed.’ Describing F-5 on a cold threat replication, we are more dedicated October morning Fallon’s bandits how missions can vary, Fordham says: at Fallon. to the full range of tactics; it’s less about VFC-13’s bread-and-butter is about ‘If we are ying in support of an OCA replication and more about testing Right: With a playing the part of the bad guys, the [o ensive counter-air] sweep, they can relatively short speci c objectives.’ adversaries, bandits or ‘Red Air’ — it has be very benign and ‘Red Air’ will typically endurance, the a number of popular monikers. With a get ‘killed’ at range. If we are ying against close proximity of A ‘Saint’ life the Fallon range eet of fabulously painted former Swiss a DCA [defensive counter-air] event — complex is very ‘On a day-to-day basis we have around Air Force F-5Ns and a single two-seat where the ‘Blue’ forces are defending a handy for VFC-13. 10-12 active-duty and full-time support
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50-59 VFC-13 C.indd 52 13/12/2019 15:45 In the simulator you’re not actually testing the ability for the radar to send a pulse out, hit a piece of metal, and bounce back
CDR Andrew ‘Schlips’ Craig
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[FTS] pilots here, plus part-time reservists,’ range [WVR] dogfight,’ Gottschalk explains. ‘The maintainers do such a great job, explains LCDR Gottschalk. Many of the ‘This is a highly perishable skill that is some of them have been working on reserve pilots split their time between practiced by ‘Saints’ pilots on an almost these jets for 30 years, and it’s a very airline flying and time at Fallon on the F-5 daily basis. In fact, I’d say that there’s no reliable little jet. Flying the F-5 is unlike any and they tend to be very experienced, other unit that does as much BFM [basic other job in naval aviation. They don’t have many being TOPGUN graduates. fighter maneuvers] as we do on a regular a head-up display [HUD] — it’s just a basic The attraction of a slot at VFC-13 means basis. Many of the guys in the squadron gunsight with a rudimentary ‘pipper’ — that there isn’t a huge level of turnover in have over 15 years’ experience on the there’s no instrument landing system (ILS), the pilot cadre. However, the trickle of new Hornet and F-5.’ no VHF radio, no autopilot. The single, pilots means the three F-5 units — VFC- CDR Craig adds: ‘Our blend of active- small multi-function display gives the pilot 13, VFC-111 ‘Sundowners’ and VMFAT-401 duty, full-time and part-time selective only an outline of working area — green ‘Snipers’ — rely on the three ‘Franken- reservists [selres] is a very efficient model. on black — the waypoints for the mission Tigers’. With the F-5 simulators being little When the air wing is here we train hard are merely a green dot, this is not the more than procedural trainers, this is all for a month, and when they leave we can domain of the moving map!’ about the live flying. ‘You solo after your throttle back and the part-time guys can The F-5s are maintained by PAE, which fourth flight,’ says LT Brad ‘Stuffer’ Holeski. go back to their other jobs. Our regulation won a contract in 2016 to provide ‘It’s a lengthy syllabus to get to be a Level manual says that all navy pilots need to maintenance and logistics support 4 Adversary, but that means you can lead accrue 100 hours of flight time per year. services for 44 F-5s with the squadrons the large ‘Red Air’ formations.’ When you’re only flying 40 minutes at at Fallon, Key West in Florida and Yuma, TOPGUN runs an adversary course a time in the F-5, that’s a lot of days — Arizona. ‘It literally takes two minutes twice per year, which is focused purely on almost 50 per cent of their work time.’ It to start up, but we have one limitation,’ bandit tactics, with the graduate able to means ‘Fighting Saints’ pilots are never far Gottschalk continues. ‘We need an air wear a ‘red’ TOPGUN patch that features away from the F-5 cockpit. start cart. Once the air comes on we get an adversary ‘rocker’ underneath it. the battery on, start both engines, get a Typically, there’s at least one (and usually Tiger tamers quick alignment for the INS/GPS [inertial two) F-5 pilots enrolled in each course LCDR Gottschalk describes the standard navigation system/Global Positioning and two F-5Ns allocated to support ‘step’ to the jet. ‘We wear a g-suit, helmet, System], throw the controls around to TOPGUN’s schedule. mask and parachute. No harness, no make sure the hydraulics are working and Above: VFC-13 ‘Since the combat systems on the F-5N combat vest, everything else we need is you’re done. They might be old but they F-5Ns engage in a little in-house aren’t numerous or complicated, pilots in the seat pan. We do a quick walk-round are simple, built well and with no complex within-visual- of the Tiger II focus on the within-visual- then hop in. systems. Then you’re done. Ready to taxi. range training.
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50-59 VFC-13 C.indd 54 13/12/2019 15:46 ‘The air conditioning is great once we generation fighters, such as the MiG-21, AIR WING have power on the jet, but we taxi with but they work closely with ground canopy open. On the runway we hike the controllers to be able to simulate pretty FALLON nose up. There’s a little switch that gives much anything that’s out there by using us an extra six-to-seven degrees and analysis of weapons engagement zones NAWDC’s Strike department leads Above: LCDR that difference is significant. The extra across a range of capabilities. Air Wing Fallon with support from Traver ‘Jody’ angle-of-attack means our take-off roll is Most nations will attempt to use their VFC-13 on the adversary side — but Fordham, one of the ‘Saints’ lead the ‘Red Air’ side of the the experienced dramatically reduced. It’s still a significant ‘home field’ advantage to sneak up on F-5 pilots at deployments to Fallon for the Strike take-off roll, and at 4,000ft above sea their prey. That’s exactly what VFC-13 VFC-13. Fighter Advanced Readiness Program level on a hot day at Fallon, we always use pilots do. LT Holeski says: ‘Fallon is great (SFARP). ‘The East and West Coast Below: This is one afterburner.’ for terrain, we use our local knowledge to Weapons Schools run a specific SFARP of three so-called our advantage — we fly a lot of low level. syllabus,’ explains LT Brad ‘Stuffer’ ‘Franken-Tiger’ Holeski. ‘Their job is to train and F-5Fs, which Fighting ‘Saints’ We don’t fly with night-vision goggles, evaluate the squadrons, as well as co- mated ex-Swiss The F-5Ns provide the navy and marine but we still fly in the low-altitude blocks ordinate with us for the ‘Red Air’. VFC- rear fuselages corps with an ideal, low-cost, easy to at night, we know the terrain tops and 13 specifically runs the bandit side of with existing two-seat front maintain adversary platform. They we stay 1,000ft above those hard deck things, so they come to us to discuss sections. are suited to replicating older third- altitudes.’ new tactics and evaluation elements that need to be tested. VFC-13 acts as the overall ‘Red Air’ flight lead and debriefing agency — we handle all the threat presentations. It means we co-ordinate the specific mission and then develop those presentations, the tactics and the training, essentially working around the desired learning objectives. The Weapons School guys lean on us so they can focus on the evaluation side. SFARP actually starts relatively benign, but as the two-to- three weeks progress things become far more advanced in terms of the opposition that they will face.’ That opposition is likely to be up to a dozen bandits on the final SFARP mission and possibly up to 20 on the Air Wing Fallon side. For the larger events, the squadron calls on its sister units from the Navy Reserve adversary community — specifically VFC-12 ‘Fighting Omars’ from NAS Oceana in Virginia and VFA-204 ‘River Rattlers’ from NAS JRB New Orleans, Louisiana.
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50-59 VFC-13 C.indd 56 13/12/2019 15:46 If we have ‘pushed’ close to the defended assets to try and strike the target, the fi ghters will be forced to push forward and ‘kill’ everybody — so you could have as many as eight simultaneous merges
LCDR Traver ‘Jody’ Fordham
‘Usually, their objective is to not get cuts because we have limited radar and the right piece of sky when you get close,’ caught up with us,’ says Gottschalk as talk sensor capability in the F-5. It’s about explains Holeski. turns to close-in ghting. ‘The desired listening to them and building a picture The visiting eet squadrons do most of learning objectives of the ight can often in your head. Some of the pilots here their simulator training back at home base; be met just by getting the geometry are more pro cient with the radar, some coming to Fallon is all about the live ying. right, but there are some scenarios where prefer to look outside — but it’s mainly Holeski says the simulator is great for we get to the merge — sometimes we used as a cueing source to get your eyes in being able to ‘ re’ missiles and it enables actively plan to end up dog ghting. Merging with us tends to be frowned upon. Getting into that close-in ght costs precious fuel, and the eet crews are likely have other things they need to achieve rather than dog ghting with us. It’s more about the presentation they get from us Main image: LCDR that they need to manage.’ Matt Gottschalk The NAWDC building houses a Tactical in one of VFC-13’s immaculate F-5Ns Combat Training System (TCTS) room, above the ranges which features a ‘God’s eye view’ of the near Fallon. range airspace. Each of the participating Right: The VFC-13 aircraft carries a P5 TCTS datalink pod pilots wear little to track its position for the ground in the way of controllers. ‘The TCTS controller gives equipment and are able to rapidly us SA [situational awareness] via BRA prepare the jet [bearing, range, and azimuth] and bullseye and taxi out.
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some of the training safety rules to be the navy to provide adversary services relaxed. However, most at Fallon agree in addition to training for air and ship that nothing beats live ying. It’s about crews to counter electronic threats. The striking a good balance for an e ective award was challenged by the incumbent combination of both. Airborne Tactical Advantage Company The F-5s are perfect for their mission (ATAC), which had proposed a eet of at Fallon, but Gottschalk says: ‘There ex-Jordanian F-16s for the contract. The are situations I wouldn’t want to be in challenge was denied and the contract with the F-5, such as ying in congested went forward, with the Government airspace and really bad weather. Plus, Accountability O ce noting that the with limited systems redundancy our advantages of the F-16 were outweighed emergency procedures training is really by the a ordability of the F-5. important. Overall, the jets are low cost, Once planned to ‘sundown’ in 2015, we have great maintenance and we’re the VFC-13 F-5s now look set to be really familiar with the airspace and the around past 2030. The US Department of procedures.’ Defense’s $718-billion Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 The navy has received approval to budget includes $39.7 million to acquire upgrade the F-5s with new Martin-Baker a further 22 F-5E/Fs from Switzerland, to US16T ejection seats, and Gottschalk says: supplement and in some cases replace the ‘If you asked all the guys in the ready room aircraft currently in service. what they’d like, you’d struggle to get two The arrival of TacAir on the scene at to answer the same way. Some want a Fallon has created an ideal situation to HUD, some an autopilot. However, a new take F-5 training to a whole new level. seat was top of everyone’s list.’ Retro ts are The ‘Saints’ F-5s, along with their sister now under way at VFC-13. squadrons, have already been using some clever means to improve their o ering. Enduring ‘Saints’ RedNet is a tablet-based app that helps The intense periods of activity at Fallon the F-5 pilots provide improved threat typically see contractor adversaries presentations, giving them e ectively brought in when increased numbers are the same view of the battlespace as the For the F-5s, a host of improvements to required. Mass of ‘Red Air’ is becoming GCI controllers and ability to see ‘players’ retain that credibility are in the works. CDR increasingly important to challenge carrying a TCTS pod, displaying the Craig says: ‘We are planning a signi cant modern ghters, as is the need for bearing, range, and azimuth information number of upgrades. Our mandate is to an improved threat representation for each of them. bring the F-5 into the 21st century, to be from the F-5s. The advent of the F-35 at Fallon is also better able to support the F-35.’ Tactical Air Support Inc (TacAir) of Reno, driving more live, virtual and constructive Dubbed the F-5AT (Advanced Tiger), Nevada, acquired a eet of 21 F-5E/Fs from training, but with the caveat that doing TacAir’s upgraded prototype completed the Royal Jordanian Air Force in 2017 and more training in the virtual environment initial FAA airworthiness certi cation immediately began developing a bespoke doesn’t actually stress the systems. CDR in April 2018 tted with a new Garmin upgrade for the aircraft at its maintenance Craig says: ‘In the simulator you’re not G3000 large-area cockpit display and and logistics facility in St Augustine, actually testing the ability for the radar to communication, navigation, surveillance, Florida. The company was rewarded send a pulse out, hit a piece of metal, and and air tra c management (CNS/ when in late 2018 it was awarded a bounce back. So, we are guring out how ATM) capability, including automatic ve-year $107-million contract from each training piece ts together.’ dependent surveillance — broadcast (ADS–B) and a terrain awareness and warning system (TAWS), plus hand-on- throttle-and-stick (HOTAS) controls. Additionally, TacAir partnered with Duotech Services to retro t an Argus radar warning receiver (RWR) as well as its low-cost Nemesis Mechanically Scanned Array (MESA) radar into the upgraded F-5AT. This system employs modern techniques with an ability to add new modes to meet emerging training requirements. According to DuoTech, it also o ers threat replication Left: With engines via unclassi ed and classi ed means, running, an allowing the aircraft to y ‘realistic engineer from the adversary intercept pro les, o ering contractor PAE prepares to ‘see mission-critical situational awareness off’ an F-5N. and assessment capabilities’. The F-5AT
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50-59 VFC-13 C.indd 58 13/12/2019 15:46 pilot can also wear the Thales Visionix Scorpion helmet with the new HObIT (Hybrid Optical-based Inertial Tracker) to provide cueing for captive air-to-air training missiles. TacAir’s contract supporting training within NAWDC means the F-5AT requires airworthiness certi cation from Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR). This process has led to PMA-226 (the program o ce that oversees the F-5) deciding to leverage the bene ts of the TacAir F-5AT upgrade Right top for its own eet of F-5s. This means that to bottom: NAVAIR plans during 2020, US Navy-operated F-5N/ to dramatically Fs will not only start receiving new overhaul the F-5 ejection seats; in addition, two prototype fl eet over the next few years to conversions will commence that will better enable it to bring the aircraft up to a broadly similar replicate high-end con guration as the TacAir F-5AT. threats. LCDR Fordham says: ‘We’ll have The F-5 fl eet borderline fth-gen level situational will receive new awareness. TacAir’s and our aircraft will ejection seats in 2020, part of the not be identical; their ex-Jordanian overall initiative jets don’t have advanced handling Looking further ahead, CDR Craig says: Contractor aggressors clearly have a to improve these characteristics that ours do.’ The Swiss ‘There’s talk of us getting new aircraft, but part to play in the overall picture. The nimble and cost- effective training jets feature wing leading-edge root our F-5s are extremely cheap compared likes of TacAir o er a xed cost and aircraft. extensions (LERX) and a at ‘shark to a high-block F-16. In the adversary a scalable solution in as much as the nose’ that makes the F-5N less prone community, the money has simply not company can relocate assets to where Above: With canopies cranked to departing from controlled ight. been there in recent years to [procure] the ying support is needed most. Craig open in typical The navy is also looking at potentially new airframes. It’s hard to justify a new says: ‘The adversary side is going to be fashion, two giving the VFC-13 jets an infrared search adversary platform to train with when you one big team, to make sure we o er F-5Ns return after a short but and track (IRST) system instead of the compare the cost of that with buying a what’s right for the guys preparing for intense mission. Nemesis radar. frontline ghter for the eet.’ combat.’
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50-59 VFC-13 C.indd 59 13/12/2019 15:46 BIG SHOT // DUTCH F-16
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60-61 Big Shot C.indd 60 12/12/2019 13:55 This stunning image was shot by Rich Cooper on a Nikon D5 over Arizona in November. It’s an F-16AM of the 148th Fighter Squadron ‘Kickin’ Ass’, flown by Lt Col Joost ‘Niki’ Luijsterburg — an experienced fighter pilot with approximately 4,000 flying hours in F-16s — as he punches out infrared decoy flares against a spectacular sunset. Rich Cooper
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60-61 Big Shot C.indd 61 12/12/2019 13:55 As the Aéronautique Navale marks the centenary of Flottille 11F, it is striding ahead with the latest standard of Dassault Rafale — the F3-R variant, which has now achieved initial operational capability, and is seen as a ‘game-changer’ for France’s carrier air power.
REPORT Frédéric Lert PHOTOS Anthony Pecchi
A pair of Rafale F3-Rs on a local mission from Landivisiau against a stunning cloudscape.
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62-67 French Rafale C.indd 62 13/12/2019 15:40 NE OF THE Aéronautique AASM (Armement Air-Sol Modulaire, Navale’s (French Naval Air-to-Ground Modular Weapon). The Aviation’s) most famous Rafale F3-R also carries the new Safran squadrons, Flottille 11F, not Aerosystems NARANG buddy-buddy only marked its centenary refueling pod, and adds RBE2 radar last year, but is also steaming enhancements, the Spectra electronic Oahead thanks to the commissioning warfare system, the Reco NG pod and a of the Rafale F3-R, the latest variant new inertial navigation system. of the naval Dassault fighter. Contrary Another notable development includes to what the designation may suggest, the AGCAS (automatic ground collision this is far more than simply a software avoidance system). ‘In case of spatial evolution — it’s a genuine step-change disorientation we already had a sort of with new operational capabilities and a ‘panic button’ on our aircraft,’ explained revised cockpit. an 11F pilot. If a pilot felt disoriented, The Direction générale de l’armement they could push the button located on (DGA, defense procurement agency) said top of the instrument panel, and the in the media release issued to herald the Rafale would automatically level its wings military qualification of this variant on and recover. With AGCAS, provided the October 31, 2018, ‘The Rafale F3-R has aircraft has the digital ‘map’ of the terrain new capabilities that can change the it’s flying over, the Rafale can now take game in the field of combat aviation’. It direct initiative for such a maneuver. means the Rafale is able to wield the ‘big stick’ of the MBDA Meteor beyond-visual- Navy Rafale on the front line range air-to-air missile combined with It seems remarkable that the Rafale first the RBE2 active electronically scanned entered French Navy service nearly 20 array radar. The French Navy says Meteor will allow the engagement of targets up to 62 miles (100km) away with a high probability of kill against maneuvering targets. It puts the Rafale into a field of ‘game-changing’ air combat prowess. The F3-R adds the Thales Talios new- generation laser designation pod (LDP). Talios, with its day/night and poor- weather attributes, opens the door to the laser-homing version of the Safran
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62-67 French Rafale C.indd 63 13/12/2019 15:40 FORCE REPORT // MARINE NATIONALE RAFALE
years ago. The initial aircraft were received from December 2000 and on May 18, 2001, Flottille 12F was re-formed with the new fighters. The Rafale M replaced the Vought F-8E(FN) and the passage Above: Transition from the Crusader to the new Dassault to the F3-R involves a fighter was a true revolution, although considerable the initial standard offered little in amount of training the way of operational capability. The for the pilots with some significant subsequent F1 Rafale added the MBDA cockpit changes. MICA (Missile d’interception, de combat et d’autodéfense) air-to-air missile, while Left top to bottom: A Rafale M pilot F2 afforded a baseline air-to-ground prepares to climb capability. The navy had to wait until into the cockpit 2009 for the entry into service of the for a training mission. Rafale F3, which heralded the era of ‘omni-role’ and a full range of missions The MICA was including nuclear strike with the ASMP-A added under the F1 upgrades, and missile, reconnaissance with the Reco the Meteor is now NG, and anti-ship with the Exocet. When in the F3-R Rafale the navy received its first Rafale F3 in arsenal. This shot shows armorers July 2009, 11F was still flying the Super loading a MICA IR Étendard Modernisé (SEM), but it began (infrared) missile.
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62-67 French Rafale C.indd 64 13/12/2019 15:41 de Havilland Sea Venoms). The squadron Recently, participated in the war in Algeria before FLOTTILLE being disbanded again in April 1962. It three young re-emerged a year later at the naval base 11F AT 100 of Hyères Le Palyvestre, this time with students transitioned The famous ottille with a seahorse as Dassault Étendard IVMs. In May 1967, its emblem is heir to the traditions of 11F departed from the Mediterranean ghter squadron AC1, and is considered coast and headed north to Landivisiau in to the fi ghter via the oldest of the French naval ghter Brittany, where it remains to this day. units. It charts a history that began with Equipped with the Super Étendard a comprehensive the Hanriot HD2 oatplane to today’s from September 1978, the squadron Rafale, the only commonality between became renowned for its anti-ship AM39 simulator course and the two being a single-seat cockpit. Exocet missiles and its role with the AC1 was created in 1919, but it wasn’t AN52 tactical nuclear bomb. Subsequent made their fi rst solo until June 20, 1953 that 11F assumed battle honors include 1983’s Operation the personnel, equipment, missions, and ‘Olifant’ in Lebanon, ‘Balbuzard’ in the fl ights in single-seat traditions of what had become 1F. The Adriatic and the UN missions in the unit was immediately sent to Indochina, former Yugoslavia from 1993-95. By now A Super notably being involved in ghting on Rafales Étendard ying the Super Étendard Modernisé Modernisé the entrenched camp at Dien Bien Phu. (SEM), 11F participated in Operation shares the deck After a rst disbandment in January ‘Allied Force’ in 1999. From February- of the Charles 1955, it was re-formed in April of the May 2007, it deployed to Kandahar, de Gaulle with a same year, receiving its rst jets in the Afghanistan, with its ultimate Standard Rafale M. form of SNCASE Aquilons (license-built 5 SEM.
the transition in the nal days of 2010. By A Rafale M bangs down on the September 19, 2011, it became the second runway during land-based carrier fully equipped Rafale M unit. landing practice. Since then the squadron has earned an impressive reputation during operations from the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle (R 91) — on ‘Chammal’ in 2015 (two deployments) and in 2016, which saw the carrier group being used to reinforce Armée de l’Air aircraft deployed in Jordan as part of operations against the so-called Islamic State (IS) in Iraq and Syria. In March 2017, when the Charles de Gaulle entered 18 months of scheduled maintenance, four Rafale Ms were detached to the Base Aérienne Projetée (BAP) in Jordan. Pilots from the three Aéronavale ottilles rotated in and out of the site to ful ll the task. F3-R arrival The F3-R variant of the Rafale is hailed as the biggest change to date, with the navy declaring initial operational capability
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62-67 French Rafale C.indd 65 13/12/2019 15:41 FORCE REPORT // MARINE NATIONALE RAFALE
A quartet of 11F Rafale Ms off the coast of Brittany showing their special markings for the unit’s centenary.
This image: A pair of Rafale Ms fl ies over the port town of Roscoff, situated to the north of Landivisiau.
Left: The Rafale M’s twin SNECMA M88-2 engines in full reheat accelerate the jet down the runway at Landivisiau.
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62-67 French Rafale C.indd 66 13/12/2019 15:42 in late November 2019, followed by saturated with both French and foreign the Armée de l’Air (French Air Force) on pilot training. However, synthetics are December 9. The commanding o cer able to play an increasing role to address of 11F told Combat Aircraft: ‘The Rafale a lack of two-seat airframes. Recently, F3-R is very di erent in its man-machine three young students transitioned to the interface compared with the current ghter via a comprehensive simulator F3.4+ and that prohibits us to swap course and made their rst solo ights aircraft between ottilles, as we could do in single-seat Rafales. ‘It’s a culture and a up to now,’ he explained. ‘We are in the way of doing things that we already had same situation that we had before, with from the Étendard and the Crusader,’ said part of the eet in SEMs and the other the 11F commander. in Rafales. From a logistics perspective, The Rafale simulator, with its very high practically nothing changes from one level of delity, plays a key role in pilot Rafale standard to another. For 11F, the training. However, the simulators have di culty now is to match pilot training not yet been upgraded to F3-R standard. and requali cation with the arrival of Modi cations have rst owed into retro tted aircraft.’ the aircraft before permeating across Changes in so-called software the training aids. It means French Navy ergonomics and the way information is pilots have had to become familiar displayed in the cockpit directly impacts with F3-R ‘at the coalface’ on their own the pilot. ‘A pilot quali ed on the F3.4+ jets, with the help of the CEPA (Centre [Rafale] will not nd it easy in the F3-R d’Expérimentations Pratiques et de standard,’ added the commander. ‘You réception de l’Aéronautique navale), the cannot jump into an F3-R without French naval aviation test center, which training; therefore it is essential to supported development of the aircraft. requalify before ying a tactical mission.’ Full operational capability for 11F This has placed something of a burden with its full complement of F3-R Rafales on the current training infrastructure. and quali ed pilots is expected for the The Escadron de Transformation Rafale at summer of 2020, as the squadron moves Saint-Dizier, which trains both Aéronavale through its 101st year at the leading edge and Armée de l’Air aircrews, is already of naval military aviation.
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62-67 French Rafale C.indd 67 13/12/2019 15:42 S RUSSIAN MILITARY insisted that urgent measures would be of new recruits. The number of trainees The Yak-130 was developed as a aviation enjoys a continued taken to address the situation. going through the basic ying training replacement for resurgence, its xed-wing Russian daily newspaper Izvestia pipeline in 2017 was 370, while in 2018 the L-39C, but it ight training system is forecasted that the issue of the L-39C’s the gure increased to 530. In 2019 that has failed to live up to expectation facing a serious problem. A airworthiness is so serious that it would spiked again to 660, and more than 80 per in the early lack of aircraft is a ecting halt the start of initial training for the next cent of them must learn their trade in the phases of tuition. the ability to address the backlog of course of student pilots in March 2020, troubled L-39C. As of January A 2018, 91 examples hundreds of student pilots in the so- despite the e orts made after Shoygu’s remained in active called operative tactical streams who proclamation. L-39 in high demand service with the should be bound for ghter and frontal- The rst major acceleration in recent The Aero Vodochody L-39C Albatros VKS, including 14 examples bomber/attack units. The problem years relating to student pilots undergoing is still the primary aircraft used for delivered in 2018 chie y lies in the airworthiness of aging their initial xed-wing training began initial pilot training in Russia, operated to complete the Czech-made L-39C training aircraft, as in 2016. No fewer than 350 students mainly by the Krasnodar Military Higher latest delivery contract for 30 acknowledged this September by the completed initial training that year, Aviation Pilot School, named after aircraft placed in Russian defense minister Sergey Shoygu. compared with between 30 and 60 in the hero of the Soviet Union A. K. Serov April 2016. He asked why aircraft availability rates previous years, as poor planning in the (colloquially known by its Russian Andrey Zinchuk in training units is at such a low ebb and early 2010s sharply reduced the number abbreviation KVVAUL, Krasnodarskoe Vyshee Voennoe Aviatsionnoe Uchilishte Lyotchikov). Aging Czech-made L-39C jet trainers still play an important role in the Russian There are around 150 L-39Cs in military fl ight training system. However, service, with a signi cant number of the L-39C is becoming increasingly these undergoing overhauls (or waiting diffi cult to support. Andrey Zinchuk to be cycled through the program) resulting in fewer than 100 examples being routinely available to supply four training bases — each equipped with two squadrons. The eet, inherited from the Soviet era, is currently su ering from serious problems relating to maintenance, repair and overhaul, which is handled by Russian industry without inclusion of the original manufacturer Aero Vodochody. Local component repair and production facilities address frequently used spares
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68-73 Russian flight training C.indd 68 16/12/2019 14:14 Russia’s military fl ight training system is currently running at surge capacity while suffering from the shortage of aircraft to cope with the sharply increased demand for new pilots.
REPORT Alexander Mladenov
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68-73 Russian flight training C.indd 69 16/12/2019 14:14 FORCE REPORT // RUSSIAN FLIGHT TRAINING
and consumables, with design support late 1980s, spinning in the L-39C has provided by the aerospace company been prohibited due to controllability Myasishchev, a subsidiary of the Ilyushin issues that caused accidents. In addition, Aviation Complex. Airframe and system the reliability of the VS1-BRI ejection overhauls to extend service life by 1,500 seats is questionable and the aircraft flight hours and 14 years are undertaken also features an antiquated analogue at the aviation repair plant 275 ARZ in cockpit that is ill-suited to training for This iamge: Krasnodar, while the AI-25TL engine is modern aircraft. The Yak-152 overhauled at the 570 ARZ plant in Yeisk. is promoted According to Izvestia, some 30 per cent as the new Replacing the L-39C primary trainer of the overhauled L-39Cs have been re- The L-39C has proved difficult to replace. for the VKS, delivered behind schedule. The intended successor in both the basic and it was set It is expected that the Russian air arm and advance fast-jet pilot training phases to replace the aging L-39C will continue flying the L-39C in the — the Yak-130 — has proved rather in this role. training role — via further service life expensive to operate and maintain, not Alexander extensions — until the mid-2020s or to mention the fact that it’s been deemed Mladenov even beyond, due to the lack of a credible unsuitable for use in the initial training Left: The replacement. role. Moreover, the Yak-130 fleet operated Yak‑152 is Known as a tough and forgiving by the KVVAUL is still suffering from low expected to be launched in machine, able to withstand a beating availability rates. production at from inexperienced students — the It’s not just the US military that’s the Irkutsk- most frequent issue being hard landings suffering from a pilot shortfall — the based IAZ plant in the early — the L-39C’s chief shortcoming is ramp-up in Russia is intended to help the 2020s, but it is that it is underpowered. It also has Vozdushno-Kosmichekiye Sily (VKS, still undergoing several performance and aerobatic Russian Aerospace Forces) address a testing. Alexander limitations — for instance, since the shortage of some 700 pilots and Mladenov
Below: Assigned to the 209th UAB at Borisglebsk, this Yak-130 is armed with B8 rocket pods for firing S-8 80-mm rockets. Andrey Zinchuk
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68-73 Russian flight training C.indd 70 16/12/2019 14:14 MULTI- navigators. As defense minister Shoygu issues, which have now cast doubt on its ENGINE revealed in 2017, the shortage at that ability to replace the L-39C. time accounted for some 1,300 pilots and The Yak-152 made its maiden flight in TRAINING navigators (for both fixed-wing aircraft September 2016 and was intended to and helicopters), but it appears that there become part of a new-generation aircrew Only a small proportion of student The DA42T is a pilots destined to fly long-range latest type used is no easy fix. initial training system for the VKS that bombers and transports are being by the Russian The VKS also introduced measures to includes a procedural trainer, computer- trained on multi-engine turboprops military flight attract retired pilots with expertise and based training aids and flight data analysis from the beginning of their training system — experience back to the service to fill facilities — but little progress has been instruction. The twin-engine, Czech- for initial training made, Let L-410UVP turboprop of students for instructor billets. In the KVVAUL, for reported publicly. is used for part of the long-range multi-engine example, some 30 instructor pilots The Yak-152’s development was ordered transports. As bomber/military transport course, many as 35 have rejoined regular service in 2017, in 2014 under a deal roughly valued at which also covers training of been ordered, according to KVVAUL deputy commander $10 million at the time, and the contract aircrews for flying special-mission, assembled locally Col Oleg Buchel’nikov. He acknowledges awarded to the Yakovlev Design Bureau maritime patrol, and tanker aircraft. at the UZGA in Another element of the multi- Yekaterinburg. the challenges in getting the training called for the delivery of four aircraft engine course is carried out on the The last of the system on track, and warns that the — two for static testing and two for equally elderly, but much larger and DA42Ts was faithful L-39Cs cannot last much longer as flight tests — to be built at the IAZ plant slated to enter heavier, An-26. Since 2019, initial they are nearing the end of their useful in Irkutsk. training for the transport/bomber service with the 205th UAB service lives. The low-wing monoplane with a tandem pipeline has seen the introduction at Balashov The new Yak-152, touted as a possible two-seat cockpit arrangement and of the piston-engine Diamond until the end of DA42T built under license in Russia. 2019. Alexander successor for initial training, has been retractable landing gear unusually features Mladenov delayed due to technical and commercial a German-made Raikhlin A03TV12 diesel
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68-73 Russian flight training C.indd 71 16/12/2019 14:14 FORCE REPORT // RUSSIAN FLIGHT TRAINING
engine, rated at 500shp (372kW), driving The first flight-training phase for all a three-blade, constant speed, MTV-9-E-C students begins in the sixth semester, after propeller. In its production configuration, completing the third academic year. This the Yak-152 is planned to have a high is an intense four-to-five month course degree of cockpit commonality with to provide vital stick and rudder skills. It the Yak-130. continues until the end of the summer, The original VKS requirement called for with the trainees logging about 60 hours 150 aircraft to replace the L-39C in the in the L-39C for the fighter/bomber initial training phase. According to the streams or about 40-60 hours on the L410 then Russian deputy defense minister and DA42 for multi-engines. responsible for procurement, Yury Borisov, The fighter stream at Armavir flies the on successful completion of the test L-39C at the 192nd Guards Training Base effort — originally slated for 2018 — an (UAB) at Tikhoretsk and the 272nd UAB at order from the VKS would be placed, with Maikop, while the frontal bomber/attack deliveries completed in 2020. However, course is trained on the L-39C at the 219th by October 2019, the Yak-152 was still UAB at Michurinsk. The 195th UAB in undergoing testing and evaluation with Kushchevskaya undertakes initial training little indication of when it might progress of foreign students heading to fighters, towards service. and also provides some surge capacity approach and ethos is considered to for the VKS. VKS training plan be vital by the higher echelons of the Long-range bomber trainees also receive The VKS currently employs a three- VKS. A major plus to this approach is initial training on the L-39C at the 213th phase flight training system. Fast jet that candidates entering the system UAB in Kotel’nikovo. In turn, the 217th UAB and long-range bomber students fly jet are typically aged 17-22 years, with an in Rtishtevo undertakes this phase using trainers from the very beginning of the upper age limit of 27 — so the military is the L-410UVP-E3 twin-engine turboprop course. The KVVAUL was re-established getting its recruits early and potentially for the students included in the military in June 2015 as an independent training able to gain significant return on Inset: The transport aircraft stream, and in 2019 the Yak‑130 has and education institution, placed under investment in terms of career longevity 205th UAB at Balashov began using the been criticized direct command and control of the VKS from the new aircrews. for coming with DA42T for the same purpose. headquarters in Balashikha near Moscow. By their third year in the KVVAUL, a hefty price tag and relatively high The first big overall ramp-up in pilot students will be at one of the three fuel consumption. Moving ahead output was reported in 2018 and included dedicated aviation training centers, with Andrey Zinchuk Students in the fighter and bomber/ assignments to other branches, such as theoretical and simulator training for attack courses move to a second phase Below: The Russian Naval Aviation. In 2020, the output one semester. The Armavir-based 2nd of flying after completion of the fourth Yak-130 has is expected to reach about 500. According Aviation Facility hosts the fighter course, superseded both academic year. From 2017, fighter to Col Buchel’nikov, the washout rate over and 4th Aviation Facility in Borisoglebsk the Su-25UB students started on the Yak-130 at this and L-39C in the recent years stands at just 5-6 per cent! deals with the frontal bomber/attack point. The bomber/attack course is also advanced and The Russian system is still rather course, while the Balashov-based 6th lead-in fighter still in what is regarded as basic training antiquated compared with many western Aviation Facility provides the long-range training (LIFT) role at this point at Borisoglebsk, also flying at the 209th UAB models. It still embraces a rigid Soviet- bomber/military transport course. the Yak-130. On completion, both streams in Borisoglebsk era approach of simultaneous officer In addition, the 8th Aviation Facility and the MiG-29UB will have amassed between 130 and 150 education and flight training under a at Kushchevskaya near Krasnodar and L-39C at the hours, including about 30 solo sorties. 200th UAB at protracted five-year course that includes provides specialized training for foreign The bomber/transport stream flies its Armavir. Andrey a full civilian university education. This student pilots. Zinchuk second phase on the L-410UVP-E3 at the
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68-73 Russian flight training C.indd 72 16/12/2019 14:14 217th UAB in Rtishtevo and the An-26 at the 205th UAB in Balashov. Students destined to y long-range jet bombers still y the L-39C at this point (set to be complemented soon by the Yak-130). The third and nal part of the ghter course comprises advanced and the lead-in ghter training (LIFT) and this usually runs from January-June, including a nal ight examination that leads to promotion to o cer rank in September or October. At Armavir and Borisoglebsk, the ying includes basic and some advanced combat employment and tactics, own in single-ship and pair formations as well as some night ying. Students in the ghter stream at the 200th UAB at Armavir practice 1-v-1 air combat and clear-weather daylight intercepts at low and medium level. In turn, their colleagues in the frontal bomber/attack stream master ground attack maneuvers for stra ng, rocket- ring and dropping bombs from the Yak-130. apparently for training foreign students. Above: The Between February 2010 and In 2018, the KVVAUL reported that Yak-130 is well YAK-130 IN December 2018, the Russian Aerospace overall, student pilots who completed suited to training students destined Forces (VKS) received 109 Yak-130s, their rst phase of training between to convert to SERVICE including 93 assembled at the IAZ March and October, logged some 60 the new fi ghters plant in Irkutsk (of these 91 remain in hours on the L-39C or L-410, while those currently being The rst Yak-130s built at the NAZ service) and 12 from NAZ Sokol. So inducted into VKS Sokol aviation manufacturing plant far, three VKS Yak-130s have been lost in the second training phase amassed service. Andrey in Nizhni Novgorod were delivered to in accidents. All 11 survivors of the more than 75 hours in the air, own Zinchuk the 209th Guards Training Base (UAB) NAZ Sokol-built batch were grounded on the L-39C, Yak-130 and An-26 in the at Borisoglebsk in April 2011, with the in 2011 and are said to have been Below: As many initial instructor training following in subsequently re-rolled for use as di erent streams. Overall, an average as 2,094 L-39Cs of 210 ight hours get a young trainee were taken on August. The rst students were trained ground instruction airframes. However, on the new Yak in 2013 — this was in in 2019, at least two examples were from their initial introduction to ying, strength by then Soviet Air Force the third training phase in replacement spotted undergoing overhauls at to being ready for conversion to a in the 1970s and of the Su-25/UB and L-39C. Kubinka, which indicates that some of frontline type. 1980s, with the The new trainer was delivered to the these early Yak-130s will be eventually With the poor availability of the L-39C, last deliveries 200th UAB in Armavir in November returned to airworthy condition. In taking place it’s clear that the newer aircraft need to 2014 and saw use in student training March 2019, according to Lt Gen Sergey in 1990. Today, for the rst time there in April 2016, Dronov, the Yak-130 will also equip the be readied for service in short order. Only around 100 superseding the MiG-29UB and L-39C. 213rd UAB at Kotel’nikovo for advanced then will the VKS be able to realize the examples remain operational. In 2018, the Yak-130 was also delivered training of pilots destined to y jet- capacity that it needs in order to address Russian Armed to the 195th UAB at Kushchevskaya, powered long-range bombers. its manning needs. Forces
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68-73 Russian flight training C.indd 73 16/12/2019 14:14 Combat Aircraft Journal looks back at the role of the Dragonfly in Operation ‘Just Cause’ in 1989, when a small, specialist squadron was thrust into a major campaign.
REPORT Joe Copalman
HE 30TH ANNIVERSARY of the start of Operation ‘Just Cause’ (OJC), the US military operation to remove Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega TNoriega from power, was marked on and then December 20, 2019. Once considered a extradite him to cunning and effective ally in America’s the US to stand trial on fight against the spread of communism drug charges, as well as to in Central America, Noriega fell from restore Panama’s democratically favor with the US as evidence of his elected government. involvement in drug trafficking and government corruption surfaced. Last of the Dragonflies This led to Noriega’s February 1988 In air combat terms, ‘Just Cause’ is capability in in absentia arraignment in the US on popularly remembered as the debut the conversion drug charges. After President George of the F-117A and the AH-64 Apache to FAC-A platforms, H. W. Bush urged Noriega to resign in gunship. Less well remembered is the fact the Dragonflies flown by the October 1988, the Panamanian Defense that it was also the combat swansong 24th TASS retained the full range Force (PDF) and civilian militias known for the Cessna A-37 Dragonfly in US Air of attack capabilities of the A-37, while as ‘Dignity Battalions’ began harassing Force service. still taking on the additional radios US troops and American citizens living Equipped with 24 OA-37Bs at Howard needed for effective FAC-A work. For in Panama. AFB inside the Panama Canal Zone, the the comparatively benign air defense Tensions between US and Panamanian 24th Tactical Air Support Squadron (TASS) environments of Central and South troops reached a deadly crescendo in was the only US tactical aviation unit America — where the US was assisting mid-December 1989, when PDF troops permanently based in Panama. In 1989, countries in preventing the spread of fired on a car-load of American officers in the ‘Golden Jaguars’ — as the 24th TASS Soviet communism in the region as well as Panama City, killing one and wounding was known — was the only active-duty combating the scourge of narcotics cartels another. A US naval officer and his air force squadron still flying the OA-37B — the Dragonfly was a good match for wife witnessed the shooting, and were in the forward air controller — airborne the mission. subsequently detained and beaten by (FAC-A) role, as all the rest were flown by This iamge: An the PDF. These events were the last straw Air National Guard (ANG) and Air Force Controlling violence OA-37B prepares for President Bush. He directed US forces Reserve (AFRes) units. Like all tactical air support squadrons to dive on a target to invade Panama (13,000 troops were What made the ‘Golden Jaguars’ even at the time, the primary mission of the during a strafing run at dawn. already based in-country) on December more distinctive is that while the guard Panama-based unit was FAC-A, locating USAF/SSgt 20, 1989, the objective being to capture and reserve OA-37Bs lost some attack targets from the air, then using verbal Bob Simons
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74-81 Glory Days C.indd 74 16/12/2019 11:14 OVER PANAMA
A-37s IN OPERATION ‘JUST CAUSE’
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My pilots were literally experts on ground operations in Panama. They knew where everything was. We knew the canal backward and forward, we knew everything about Gatun Lake, we knew all the locks in Colón and in Panama City
Lt Col Bill Wilson
talk-on and visual markers like smoke controlling strikes from the air. We ‘Deployment Training Exercise 914’. Over rockets to guide strike pilots to successful practised all the time controlling other eight days, the ‘Golden Jaguars’ provided weapons employment against those airplanes and artillery.’ attack control for Venezuelan aircraft such targets. This arrangement dated back as OV-10s, Tucanos, and CF-5 Freedom to the Vietnam War, when the air force Air power ambassadors Fighters, with both FAC-As in OA-37Bs and established several TASS units for service The 24th TASS had the unique role of ETACs on the ground directing air strikes. in Southeast Asia flying aircraft like Cessna liaising with regional air arms, many of Regardless of how formal or informal the O-1 Bird Dogs, O-2 Skymasters, and North which also flew A-37s. Describing the structure of these visits was, they allowed American OV-10 Broncos. By the early squadron’s mission, Wilson told Combat the pilots and airmen of the 24th TASS 1980s, jets like the Fairchild Republic Aircraft, ‘The basic mission prior to to share experiences and best practices OA‑10 Thunderbolt II and the OA-37 Operation ‘Just Cause’ was to interface with with numerous air arms, and to build joined the OV-10 in performing the role South and Central American countries stronger ties with anti-communist allies in in the TASS community, offering speedier that had bought the A-37 as a counter- the region. response times and greater battlefield insurgency aircraft and light patrol and survivability. observation aircraft. We would fly out of The run-up to war In addition to flying FAC-A with Panama to Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, Chile, In the face of PDF harassment of American OA‑37s, the 24th TASS provided US Army Costa Rica, and would go and talk a little service members, US forces prepared for battalions with enlisted terminal attack bit about what we did — kind of pass the possible combat by conducting ‘Sand controllers (ETACs) and pilots serving goodwill around.’ Flea’ presence patrols to desensitize A 24th TASS as ground FACs or air liaison officers. Lt While these exchanges usually fell the PDF to odd-hours US military Dragonfly flies Col Bill ‘Howdy’ Wilson, the squadron’s short of official training detachments, the movements throughout the country. By over Panama in January 1986 operations officer at the time, explained, 24th occasionally participated in formal mid-December, though, it appeared the during an exercise ‘All of my squadron pilots were forward exercises with Latin American air forces. prospect of armed action against Noriega simulating air controllers. Then after that, you Just two months prior to ‘Just Cause’, had lessened. This easing of tension defense of the canal against became an airborne controller, which was the squadron had sent six pilots, four resulted in Wilson serving as acting attack. USAF/SSgt completely different; you were actually aircraft, and two ETACs to Venezuela for commanding officer of the squadron David A. Cornwell
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74-81 Glory Days C.indd 76 16/12/2019 11:14 when ‘Just Cause’ kicked off. He said, ‘There Jaguars’ was the tactical aviation unit was this period of time maybe a week most ideally suited to supporting combat before Christmas where it was like, ‘well, operations on the ground. Being based I think we’re going to do it, but it might at Howard AFB and tasked with aerial be next year’. That was the point at which defense of the canal zone, the 24th TASS our squadron commander said, ‘I’m going pilots familiarized themselves with every to go home and have Christmas with my part of Panama, north to south, east to family’, so I took over the squadron in a west. As Wilson explained, ‘My pilots were temporary role. Then, all of a sudden, it literally experts on ground operations in came to a head. I got called into a meeting Panama. They knew where everything in the middle of the night and they said, was. We knew the canal backward and ‘D-Day is nine hours from now’. We put forward, we knew everything about Gatun our guys on alert. ‘No more drinking, be Lake, we knew all the locks in Colón and ready to go’.’ in Panama City. We knew everything. We When ‘Just Cause’ began at 01.00hrs were the only air assets within 2,000 miles SUPER local time on December 20, the ‘Golden or so, with a secondary mission of defense ‘TWEET’ Conceived in the early 1960s as a low-cost counter-insurgency aircraft, the A-37 was derived from Cessna’s successful T-37 ‘Tweet’ trainer. Cessna made several changes to the basic T-37 to meet requirements set by the air force’s Special Air Warfare Center: more powerful engines, Right top: Maintainers work stronger wings, a nose-mounted on a newly arrived 7.62mm minigun with accompanying OA-37B at Howard gunsight, six (eventually eight) under- AFB in May 1986. wing pylons for fuel tanks, free-fall USAF/SSgt David bombs, and forward-firing ordnance, A. Cornwell wingtip tanks for extended combat endurance, and improved radios and Right top to avionics. The air force purchased the bottom: An airman resulting aircraft, the A-37 Dragonfly, from the 24th Fuel Management which made its combat debut in Division refuels an Vietnam in August 1967. By the end OA-37B at Howard of US involvement in Southeast Asia AFB. USAF/A1C in early 1973, A-37s had flown more Gary R. Coppage than 160,000 sorties, establishing the Dragonfly as a credible close air Airmen from the support platform. After Vietnam, 24th Consolidated most remaining air force A-37s were Aircraft transferred to Air Force Reserve Maintenance Squadron and Air National Guard units and maneuver an converted to OA-37Bs, optimized for OA‑37B on the the forward air controller — airborne Howard AFB flight (FAC-A) role. line. USAF/A1C Gary R. Coppage
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of the canal. We familiarized ourselves aerial support, directing air strikes on extensively with the locations of all the enemy positions, and preventing friendly- forts and all the military bases.’ re incidents. In addition to ying the OA-37B in the Armed overwatch FAC-A role, some pilots from the 24th TASS Operation ‘Just Cause’ was an served as FACs on the ground as part of infantryman’s ght, with the US Army’s 7th the TACPs. On the night of the invasion, Infantry Division, 193rd Infantry Regiment, OA-37 pilots Kevin Grove and Steve Mills and the 82nd Airborne Division providing were attached to infantry units as ground the bulk of America’s combat power in FACs — Grove with the 5th Battalion/87th Panama, and a signi cant number of Infantry Regiment, and Mills with the 1st special operations troops conducting Battalion/508th Infantry. The aircrews’ discreet missions against high-value time with the army was limited, as Wilson targets. Attached to most ground units remembers: ‘My pilots started out going were air force tactical air control parties to those units, but then they wound (TACPs) responsible for co-ordinating up releasing them back to me and we
basically just used them for air sorties.’ However, the return of Grove and Mills to the cockpit did not end the squadron’s ground support for the army. Wilson recalls, ‘We also had enlisted troops that were assigned [as ETACs] to army units as well. They actually made some of the really early strikes into Panama City on the rst morning of the invasion, and they rappelled down out of helicopters. They armed up with M16s and dropped right down into Noriega’s Comandancia right in the middle of Panama City.’ Tasked with both the FAC-A and attack missions during ‘Just Cause’, 24th TASS aircraft were armed primarily with 2.75in (70mm) rockets, with a seven-shot pod of high-explosive (HE) rockets under one wing and another of white phosphorous (WP or ‘Willie Pete’) rockets for marking targets under the other. The OA-37s carried a Dillon Aero GAU-2B/A 7.62mm minigun in the nose of the aircraft, with 1,500 rounds of ammunition. In addition to kinetic weapons, the presence of Dragon ies overhead sometimes proved enough to deter the PDF from ghting back. Describing the use of show-of-force passes, Wilson said, ‘We would support the army from above with rockets relative SMSgt Ortize to whatever they needed. But a lot of the and SSgt Bowden perform time it was just ying over and scaring maintenance on a the heck out of the bad guys. 24th TASS OA-37 ‘We ew a lot of escort missions,’ Wilson while pilot Capt Gary Jones looks recalled, ‘just ying CAP [combat air on. USAF/A1C Gary patrols] over the army as they moved R. Coppage along in Panama attacking di erent A 24th TASS targets. We ew above them, then those OA-37B tucked guys would run out of gas and we’d have in tight on the two more, then two more, then two wing of another Dragonfl y on a more. We did that for close to three days, convoy escort 24 hours a day. Then it started to peter mission over the A crew chief signals to a 24th TASS out a little bit.’ Though the number of densely forested Dragonfl y pilot during start-up at terrain of Panama. La Aurora International Airport in aircraft the squadron put up waned after USAF/MSgt Donald Guatemala. USAF/MSgt Herbert Cintron the rst three days, it continued to have L. Wetterman
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74-81 Glory Days C.indd 78 16/12/2019 11:14 A 24th TASS OA-37B fires a 2.75in (70mm) white phosphorous rocket on a target in Panama. USAF/TSgt Fernando Serna
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A four-ship of 24th TASS Dragonfl ies over a very full ramp at Howard AFB. USAF/MSgt Herbert Cintron
at least one Dragon y airborne at all times mortar position in an OA-37. He marked Above left: 1st Lt PDF troops in a building. The OA-37 over the rst seven days of OJC, ready to the target with WP and took it out with Jeffrey Harrigian co-ordinated with ground troops, marked monitors the employ live ordnance against PDF troops, HE rockets.’ with WP and the A-7s strafed with 20mm.’ progress of a vehicles, or positions. In addition to attack missions, the 24th military convoy TASS performed a handful of FAC-A on the ground Threats and luck in Panama. controls for A-7D Corsair IIs from the Though outnumbered on the ground and ‘Cleared hot!’ Harrigian is Over the relatively short period of Air National Guard’s 112th (Ohio) and currently a lacking the training or equipment to put combat operations in Panama, the 24th 175th (South Dakota) Tactical Fighter four-star general up a protracted, e ective resistance to and serving as TASS participated in a handful of kinetic Squadrons. Guard units routinely sent US forces, the PDF possessed air defense the commander engagements against the PDF. Then-Capt detachments of A-7s to Panama on a of US Air Forces weapons that posed a real threat to Je Shields, an OA-37 pilot and Wilson’s rotational deployment program called in Europe, US Air all aircraft, especially the perpetually- Forces Africa, assistant operations o cer, recalled a ‘Coronet Cove’, and the Ohio and South overhead OA-37s. Wilson says, ‘There were and Allied Air few of these: ‘I think the second or third Dakota ‘SLUFs’ [Short Little Ugly Fellas] Command. USAF/ some really high pucker-factor missions night, Capt John McClanahan and a just happened to be the units at Howard MSgt Donald L. where we were ying escort and we Wetterman wingman did some self-illumination with AFB when ‘Just Cause’ began. Capable knew they had AAA [anti-aircraft artillery] LUU-2 ares, then marked targets with of carrying up to 15,000lb (6,800kg) Above: A pieces and SA-7s [surface-to-air missiles, ‘Willie Petes’ and then engaged with HE of bombs, rockets, and air-to-ground Uruguayan SAMs]. We knew the PDF was very well- tactical air rockets. That was a switchology circus in missiles, the only weapon employed by armed with ZSU-23-4s and 57mm, and controller stands the OA-37! I think the targets were troops the A-7s during OJC was the M61 Vulcan guard over could have easily shot us down. They and I’m pretty sure it was in the vicinity 20mm cannon. Recalling one A-7 strike a 24th TASS probably had some other surface-to-air OA-37B during a little north of Tocumen International controlled by the ‘Golden Jaguars’ FAC-As, missiles, but the biggest threat to us a deployment Airport.’ Another engagement Shields Shields said, ‘There was one other daytime for a combined were the shoulder-mounted SA-7s. We remembered involved taking out indirect- engagement I remember debrie ng training exercise. knew they had them and they red them USAF/MSgt re weapons threatening army troops: where an OA-37 worked with A-7s. I can’t occasionally, but nobody ever got hit by Herbert Cintron ‘I remember Kevin Manion taking out a remember who it was, but it involved one that I know of. We were really lucky.’
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74-81 Glory Days C.indd 80 16/12/2019 11:14 For all the squadron’s luck avoiding SA-7 and AAA encounters, Wilson was the only pilot whose OA-37 took damage during combat operations over Panama: ‘I was the only guy that got hit when I was ying a sortie. It hit me on the wing root just outboard of the engine. It hit so fast, and the airplane jerked around so much. I wasn’t sure what it was, so I declared an emergency, shut the engine down, and made a single-engine approach, and landed.’ After landing and shutting down, it became clear that the PDF could not claim a hit on Wilson’s aircraft. ‘We found out it was a bird-strike — there were huge birds all over Panama.’ Nuisance to Noriega At some point during the invasion, Noriega took refuge in the Apostolic Nunciature in Panama City. This was the Vatican’s diplomatic mission in Panama, headed by an o cial known as the Papal Nuncio. While army troops surrounded the Nunciature and attempted to persuade Noriega to surrender, which included playing loud rock music around the clock, the 24th TASS maintained a constant low- level patrol overhead. When asked what sortie stood out strongest in his memories of ‘Just Cause,’ Wilson cited the Nunciature missions, telling Combat Aircraft, ‘The missions we ew over the Papal Nuncio were very interesting because we were down very low, just making noise. We’d have one guy ying, then he would land and another would be over. The whole idea was just to irritate [Noriega] and make noise. It was an interesting mission because how many times would you ever get to do that in the real world?’ Noriega surrendered on January 3, 1990, and was own to Miami, Florida, the following day to face drug-tra cking, racketeering, and money-laundering charges. Despite Noriega’s capture, small groups of PDF ‘JAGUARS’ o ensive force — and 24 little A-37s could troops continued to resist the American make a dent in a lot of stu .’ occupation for another week before REBORN The 24th TASS remained at Howard AFB surrendering as well. after ‘Just Cause’, continuing the liaison After inactivation, the 24th TASS’ By the time ‘Just Cause’ combat colors remained cased for 27 mission with other Central and South operations ceased on January 11, the 24th years. In March 2018, the air fo rce American air forces and its canal defense ‘Golden Jaguar’ re-activated the ‘Golden Jaguars’ at TASS had own 372 combat sorties, with pilots rarely mission until March 31, 1991, when the an average mission length of two hours. conducted aerial Nellis AFB in Nevada as the service’s squadron was inactivated. Pilots from the FAC-A schoolhouse for F-16 pilots. The squadron had played a critical role in refueling during squadron carried on serving through the local operations Additionally, the revived 24th TASS providing overwatch for ground convoys over Panama, provides close air support sorties for inactivation process, with many ‘Golden and in neutralizing PDF mortar positions but routinely did joint terminal attack controllers (the Jaguars’ deploying to the Middle East to and other tactically relevant targets. so when fl ying to modern equivalent to the ETACs who join army units as air liaison o cers and other countries Recalling the squadron’s contribution to served in Panama) at the US Air Force ground FACs during Operation ‘Desert in Central and Weapons School’s Joint Terminal the defeat of the PDF and the capture South America to Storm’. The squadron’s aircraft remained Attack Controller Weapons Instructor of Noriega, Wilson concluded, ‘We just work alongside in Panama and were sold to Central and A-37 operators. Course. happened to be there. We weren’t a USAF/CMSgt Don South American air forces via the Foreign big o ensive force, but we were still an Sutherland Military Sales program.
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74-81 Glory Days C.indd 81 16/12/2019 11:14 FAREWELL TO THE RECCE ‘RHINOS’
HE ICONIC AND much- The JASDF’s 140 heavily upgraded The Japan Air Self-Defense loved McDonnell Douglas F-4EJ Kai air defense Phantoms were rst Force held a public farewell F-4 Phantom II eet of the delivered from 1971, and included the Japan Air Self-Defense Force last ever F-4 o the McDonnell Douglas event for the F-4 Phantom II (JASDF) is very much in its production line. Japan’s industrial in late 2019 as it marked the nal throes. The latest phase expertise enabled 127 F-4EJs to be built Tof the drawdown took the form of a under license by Mitsubishi. fi nal chapter for its legendary huge public farewell event held over the Alongside these ghters, 14 unarmed reconnaissance ‘Rhinos’. weekend of November 30-December 1 reconnaissance RF-4Es were imported at Hyakuri Air Base — the last bastion from the US. In addition, 17 F-4EJs were REPORT AND PHOTOS Rich Cooper of Japanese Phantoms — located equipped with long-range oblique northeast of Tokyo. The primary focus for photography (LOROP) pods and the event was to hold a public farewell converted to the reconnaissance role for the reconnaissance-con gured RF- under the RF-4EJ designation. The RF-4EJ 4E/EJs of 501 Hikotai (501 Squadron). is visually distinguishable from the RF-4E
A stunning two-tone blue RF-4E taxies out at Hyakuri in December.
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82-87 RF-4 Farewell C.indd 83 13/12/2019 16:24 FORCE REPORT // JAPANESE F-4 PHANTOM IIS
by its nose, which lacks camera equipment for the last time meant the Hyakuri event and retains the F-4E’s gun housing. was perfectly timed. Plans currently call for 501 Hikotai to The ‘Mother Squadron’ (so-called as it This image: An RF- disband once the RF-4s retire in March was the rst to receive the F-4 in JASDF 4E makes a low 2020, and in the meantime the handful service and it also refers to 301’s original pass in full reheat of remaining recce ‘Rhinos’ continue to operational conversion unit role) will during the show. operate alongside 301 Hikotai — the last likely cease operations with the Phantom Below: Led by an F-4EJ Kai squadron — which is also based in March 2021. Thus, this was the nal RF-4EJ, a gaggle at Hyakuri. The impending demise of the Phantom airshow at Hyakuri. of ‘recce birds’ taxies out at reconnaissance squadron coupled with In March 2019, 302 Hikotai relinquished Hyakuri during the the opportunity to showcase 301 Hikotai its F-4EJ Kais and is now in transition to airshow weekend.
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82-87 RF-4 Farewell C.indd 84 13/12/2019 16:24 the F-35A Lightning II at Misawa. The exact timeline of the transition from the F-4 to the F-35 (and therefore the final Phantom retirement) has been somewhat fluid and linked to deliveries and operational stand- up of the new fighters. This was further delayed by the crash of F-35A AX-05 (79- 8705) on April 9, 2019, that killed pilot Maj Akinori Hosomi. This was the first aircraft to have been assembled by Mitsubishi at its Nagoya Final Assembly and Check Out (FACO) facility. Japan is building initial batches of F-35As at Nagoya, but it has now said it will step back from assembly Above: An RF-4EJ and instead concentrate on maintenance, leads a pair of RF-4Es and three repair, overhaul, and upgrade 301 Hikotai F-4EJ (MRO&U) of F-35s. Kais during the In another strategic change, the airshow. Mitsubishi F-2s from 3 Hikotai that are Right top to moving from Misawa to Hyakuri to make bottom: Only a way for F-35s are now planned to arrive handful of these shark-mouthed at their new base in April 2020. This RF-4Es remain timeline is also linked to F-35 fielding, as in service at the Lightning II assumes Misawa’s quick Hyakuri. reaction alert (QRA) duty. The special However, for the next year, Hyakuri will markings tell the still remain the domain of the Phantom, tale of 501 Hikotai — as it prepares to albeit with just a single active squadron. close its doors in Thousands of people from all over the 2020.
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An RF-4EJ pilot and weapons systems officer are greeted by the crowd as they complete their sortie during the airshow.
The sad sight of the scrappers getting to work on a retired F-4EJ Kai.
Keeping it low on take-off — 301 Hikotai’s flagship in full reheat.
This is 301 Hikotai’s specially painted F-4EJ Kai for the final year of operations, with the inscription GO FOR IT!! 301 SQ.
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82-87 RF-4 Farewell C.indd 86 13/12/2019 16:24 301 Hikotai is still operating at full capacity — evidenced here by an early morning four-ship departure.
world descended on the base for the public farewell event. They were treated to no less than five separate F-4 flying events, including a six-ship flypast, a QRA demonstration, a recce RF-4 flyby and several low-level ‘airfield attacks’ — with sweeping passes in full reheat and aggressive pulls into the vertical. It was a superb send-off and a perfect way for the adoring masses to say a goodbye at this well-run event. Lt Col ‘Bowgun’ Okada, the commanding officer of 501 Hikotai, stepped from his RF-4EJ at the end of the Phantom finale and said: ‘The view from up there in the formation was emotional. The F-4 is a great aircraft and our team spirit here at 501 is very strong. I feel fortunate to be commanding the squadron at the end of the RF-4’s service. But it will also be a sad day — I’ve been flying the jet for over 20 years and have nearly 3,000 Phantom hours. Today’s crowd is incredible — we could see every face with our cameras! When I normally break to land, all I see out of the cockpit is the concrete of the ramps, but today the base is 80 per cent covered in people and that felt very good inside.’
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82-87 RF-4 Farewell C.indd 87 13/12/2019 16:24 COMBAT REPORT// E-8 JOINT STARS
DRAWS BACK FROM COMBAT OPS
88 February 2020 // www.Key.Aero
88-89 E-8 Centcom C.indd 88 16/12/2019 14:13 The US Air Force has withdrawn its E-8s from combat operations The USAF initiated the JSTARS Recap despite a lack of clarity on what will replace their capability. program to develop a replacement for the E-8C, in January 2014. Pre-engineering REPORT Jamie Hunter and manufacturing development (EMD) contracts were issued to Northrop HE US AIR Force has called operation including ‘Enduring Freedom’, Grumman, Lockheed Martin and Boeing time on an 18-year-long ‘Iraqi Freedom’, ‘Freedom’s Sentinel’, and and a final request for proposals was deployment for the Northrop ‘Inherent Resolve’. Brig Gen Thomas released in December 2016. However, by Grumman E-8C Joint Grabowski, Georgia Air National Guard 2018, the USAF’s plans changed and it Surveillance Target Attack commander, added: ‘They have set canceled the program despite Northrop Radar System (STARS) to the the gold standard in TFI [total force Grumman having been selected to TCentral Command area of responsibility integration] and will continue to lead develop a new modular ground-moving (AOR) — the second-longest the way as they restructure to the target indicator (GMTI) radar. The USAF deployment in the service’s history. The new Advanced Battle Management is now developing the Advanced Battle final deployed E-8 departed Al Udeid Air System [ABMS] supporting the air Management System (ABMS). The An E-8C Joint Base, Qatar, on October 1, 2019, with Col force we need.’ classified ABMS program will link together STARS assigned Konata Crumbly, the 116th Air Control The E-8 provides battle management, currently fielded and newly developed to the 7th Expeditionary Wing (ACW) commander, at the controls. command and control, intelligence, aircraft and space-based sensors via Airborne ‘It is difficult to measure the kind of surveillance, and reconnaissance cutting-edge communications links to Command and success our ‘Team JSTARS’ airmen and — including ground-moving target support battlespace management. The Control Squadron receives fuel soldiers achieved over the last 18 years. identification. Established on October 1, USAF canceled the Recap project due from a KC-135R It can only be measured in lives not 2002 as the USAF’s first TFI wing, ‘Team to concerns over its survivability against Stratotanker lost,’ he said. JSTARS’ is based at Robins AFB, Georgia, Russian and Chinese air defense systems. shortly before being removed E-8s have been continually deployed and comprises the Georgia ANG’s In the meantime, the USAF has been from deployed to CENTCOM since November 2001, and 116th ACW, Air Combat Command’s prohibited from retiring the E-8C fleet operations in they had accumulated 10,938 sorties, 461st ACW, and the active-duty Army until ‘Increment 2’ of the ABMS is declared CENTCOM. USAF/ SSgt Chris equaling 114,426.6 combat flying hours, Intelligence and Security Command’s operational. However, there is no clarity on Drzazgowski in support of nearly every CENTCOM 138th Military Intelligence Company. what that is and when it will occur.
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88-89 E-8 Centcom C.indd 89 16/12/2019 14:14 The Malacca Strait is the world’s busiest shipping lane — linking Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM), Raytheon sea trade from the East and West. Guarding this vital region, the AN/ASQ-228 Advanced Targeting Forward Looking Infrared (ATFLIR), as well as GPS Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia (TUDM, Royal Malaysian Air Force) improvements, new IFF (identi cation calls upon 18 and 15 Skuadrons (Skn, Squadrons) that respectively friend-or-foe) antennas and color moving- map displays. The work was completed in operate the F/A-18D Hornet and the Hawk Mk108/208. March 2015. Often touted as being comparable to the REPORT Chen Chuanren Super Hornet, Maj Faizul Rizam bin Mat Supri, safety standards readiness o cer UTTERWORTH IN MALAYSIA is (TUDM, Royal Malaysian Air Force, RMAF) at 18 Skn, said 25X was a ‘game-changer’. an air base steeped in history. and one of the main hubs for its ghter Along with the Sukhoi Su-30MKMs of 11 It started out under the tenure aircraft community. Skn, Butterworth’s Hornets must today of the Royal Air Force, before RMAF Butterworth is now home to provide the heavy lifting of air defense passing to Australian operators, 15 Skn ‘Panther’ with the BAE Systems following the decommissioning of which remained there until the Hawk Mk108/208 and 18 Skn ‘Lipan’ with Malaysia’s MiG-29s. late 1980s. Even now, the Royal Australian the Boeing F/A-18D Hornet — the latter This image: The B RMAF’s F/A-18D Air Force maintains an important footprint having received its eight Hornets in 1997. Hawk team aircrews pride there, although today it is primarily the At that time, it was regarded as one of The Hawk Mk108/208s of 15 Skn became themselves on home of the Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia the most potent platforms in the region, operational in March 1994, with 28 being masters of low-level tactics especially in the air-to-ground role — Hawks delivered through 1995 and now — still considered capable of delivering the AGM-84A Block distributed between 15 and 6 Skn, with an essential skill 1C Harpoon and AGM-65 Maverick. the latter currently based in Labuan. The in this region. Photos by Chen In 2011, Boeing was awarded a RMAF retains ve Hawk Mk108s and 13 Chuanren unless contract to upgrade the Hornets to 25X Mk208s, and senior Hawk instructor Maj otherwise stated standard, and at the heart of this was Ezraini Azrin Khoo Bin Mohamad Erwan Inset: An F/A-18D the introduction of the Joint Helmet Khoo said most of the single-seat Hawk pilot pre-fl ights Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS), the Mk208s are based in Labuan due to the an Air Combat AIM-9X Sidewinder, GBU-38 Joint Direct squadron’s ‘operational roles’, although the Maneuvering Instrumentation Attack Munition (JDAM), the improved two-seat Mk108 is still capable of air-to- (ACMI) pod on the AIM-120C-7 Advanced Medium-Range ground missions. wingtip station.
GUARDIANS 90 February 2020 // www.Key.Aero
90-93 RMAF C.indd 90 16/12/2019 16:07 15 Skn features both variants and has Faizul explained that conversion for three primary roles: ghter lead-in training F/A-18D pilots includes approximately CAP55 (FLIT) for new trainee pilots, o ensive air 100 hours of ying, bearing in mind In 2018, Gen Tan Sri A endi Buang, support/close air support (CAS) and air that this involves a multi-role syllabus the commander of the RMAF, rolled interdiction, plus — rather surprisingly that incorporates everything from basic out the CAP55 roadmap, identifying — o ensive counter air. When required, aircraft handling, basic ghter maneuvers key programs the air arm might take the unit can also take on a defensive air- (BFM), intercept, air-to-ground and through 2055. In a bid to streamline to-air role. aerial refueling. The D-model Hornet logistics, CAP55 will rationalize the RMAF to a pair of single-type Since the decommissioning of the was optimized for night attack, so the squadrons of Multi-Role Combat Aermacchi MB-339C in 2016, 15 Skn advanced phase of the course sees Aircraft (MRCA), plus three single-type became the only squadron to provide this feature heavily, as does maritime squadrons of light attack aircraft. Gen FLIT for the entire RMAF, using the attack and advanced weaponeering A endi has moved up the priority Hawk Mk108. Despite celebrating its including the JDAM. for the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) project, saying its capabilities must 25th anniversary in Malaysian service, Following graduation and once on the also include FLIT duties. Ezraini said the venerable Hawk is very front line, the F/A-18D pilots progress At the Langkawi Airshow in March hardy — with few structural issues thanks through the roles of wingman, two-ship 2019, companies such as Leonardo, to e ective scheduled maintenance. ight-lead, and nally ‘operational lead’ — Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), Its pilots also play a part in the Hawk’s able to command a four-ship package. The and Rostec, respectively submitted information for the M-346FA, overall availability, knowing the aircraft’s RMAF says that its Hornet aircrews clock FA-50 and Yak-130. The RMAF will limitations. up at least 100-150 annual ying hours. be submitting a proposal to the government to be factored under a Hornet ‘drivers’ Low-level experts ve-year plan. On graduation from ight school at RMAF Both the Hornet and Hawk squadrons at The F/A-18Ds are expected to soldier on a little longer and Gen Alor Selar, new pilots selected for the Butterworth play a key role in keeping A endi hopes the eet can be ghter route are sent to 15 Skn for FLIT. the strait and airspace safe, according supplemented by surplus F/A-18Cs The RMAF blends in a decent amount of to Majs Faizul and Ezraini, who say the from Kuwait as it recapitalizes with synthetic work for an e cient training Malacca Strait forms part of an important the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. Although program on the Hawk before the students training area. Faizul said that despite talks have yet to begin, A endi is optimistic that the RMAF will get the are streamed to either the F/A-18D or the the developments in stando weapons, single-seat Hornets as the RMAF waits Su-30MKM — with a handful remaining the unit still stays sharp in conventional for the MRCA program. on the Hawk. low-level attack due to the mountainous
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90-93 RMAF C.indd 91 16/12/2019 16:05 geographical features of the peninsular — with a big emphasis placed on this type of training. ‘Inland, the unit ies regularly in a low ying area in Teloi, Kedah, although we have the liberty to y low-level anywhere in the country,’ explained Faizul. ‘Sometimes, as we have to loft or ‘pop-up’ as we strike, it might infringe airspace, but ATC [air tra c control] is very accommodating.’ He also added that the Hornet squadron doesn’t often carry out live bombing, aside from an annual dedicated exercise. In fact, 18 Skn has only live- red a Harpoon and Maverick once, dropping live JDAMs twice. which all combat squadrons are deployed masse regularly, but it picks and chooses Ezraini explained that due to their CAS to East Malaysia for live ring and speci c events that o er good return. roles, the Hawk crews are also pro cient integration exercises. One such opportunity was the RAAF-led in low-level navigation. However, he ‘Pitch Black’ in 2018, which saw the RMAF acknowledged that the more modern The power of partnerships engaged in its second major participation. F/A-18D and Su-30 possess superior The RMAF is an air force that works The annual Five Powers Defence avionics and perform these missions with hard to ensure it generates an e ective Arrangement (FPDA) ‘Bersama’ war games ‘better e ciency’. The RMAF completed operational output despite its rather with the UK, Australia, New Zealand and its annual Exercise ‘Paradise’ in August, in limited resources. It isn’t able to deploy en Singapore see both of the Butterworth units playing a leading role. Top: The fi ghters Maj Faizul said his unit has bene tted a at Butterworth are great deal, especially from the experience accommodated under huge sun/ of Singaporean pilots in the areas of rain shelters. dynamic targeting and large force employment (LFE): ‘We found air forces Above: F/A-18Ds line up at like the Royal Australian Air Force and Butterworth for an USAF do things very di erently, primarily evening mission. due to their Link 16 capability,’ Faizul said. Night attack is a primary role of the ‘We have our own data link but no Link D-model Hornet. 16, and unfortunately we still use radio to communicate with other platforms. Our Left: Malaysia received 18 air force has a relatively small number of single–seat platforms, hence we do not conduct LFEs Hawk Mk208s, often. In ‘Pitch Black’, for example, we got and 13 remain in service with two to see [at rst hand] what we have been squadrons. TUDM reading in the [tactics] manuals.’
92 February 2020 // www.Key.Aero
90-93 RMAF C.indd 92 16/12/2019 16:05 The RMAF was the only air force in the mounted air-to-ground sorties including region to exercise alongside US Air Force CAS. The Hornets dropped GBU-12 laser- F-22A Raptors during ‘Cope Taufan 2014’. guided bombs and red 5in (127mm) ‘In [that exercise] we learnt a lot about Zuni rockets, while ve Hawks from 15 LFE and BFM,’ said Faizul. ‘We had the Skn employed Mk82/83 iron bombs and opportunity to train with the F-22s and CRV-7 rockets. we had to nd a way to eliminate their ‘In Operation ‘Daulat’, soil structure, strengths and exploit the weakness of geographical features and vegetation in these ghters, which was very hard.’ He the area had a big e ect on the missions added: ‘We could tally [spot] them at 10 and we learned a lot,’ recalled Faizul. ‘We miles but we couldn’t lock-on, and that are always looking ahead at things like was in a 1-v-1 situation — imagine in a asymmetric threats and have regular LFE, there would be no warning [that standards meetings to discuss some of they were there]. While we don’t expect the issues [we need to] to address.’ to get into a close ght with them, their Butterworth’s Hawks also conduct anti- Below: Engine thrust-vectoring controls make the piracy air patrols alongside Indonesian start for an F/A-18D — note the Raptors very hard to ght against.’ Hawks in joint missions along the mission markings In the same exercise, the Hawks Malacca Strait. Maj Ezraini said the on the nose that focused on combat air support Hawks regularly y show-of-presence date back to Operation ‘Daulat’ training, co-ordinating with forward sorties, with pilots speci cally looking in March 2013. air controllers and honing methods for for abnormalities and movements by passing information from the ground suspicious vessels, which can be passed -to-air elements, as well as sharing to naval forces for further investigation. the recognized air picture with USAF Despite a relatively modest force E-3 AWACS (Airborne Warning And structure, the RMAF, and particularly the Control System). two ghter squadrons at Butterworth, provide a huge range of varied and Tackling asymmetric threats scalable e ects that are vital to a region The Butterworth squadrons played a that has major political and geographic major role in the signi cant Operation strategic importance. The retirement of ‘Daulat’ in March 2013, which saw the MiG-29 has only served to increase Malaysian armed forces deployed to the workload, and with a long-running Lahad Datu in eastern Malaysia to tackle recapitalization program still failing to militants arriving from the southern get genuine traction, the F/A-18Ds and Philippines. F/A-18Ds and Hawks were Hawks will need to keep up their good forward deployed to Labuan, and they work for several years to come.
A formation of USAF and RMAF fi ghters during Exercise ‘Cope Taufan’ 2014 fl ies over the Penang Bridge near Butterworth. A 131st Fighter Squadron F-15C leads a Su-30MKM ‘Flanker’, an F-22 from the 154th Wing, a Hawk Mk108, a MIG-29UB ‘Fulcrum’, and an F/A-18D. USAF/TSgt Jason Robertson
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90-93 RMAF C.indd 93 16/12/2019 16:05 It’s possible to needing a new warplane but being unclear as to what that actually means. The US Air Force, imagine the US too, is struggling to de ne the aircraft that should follow that service’s F-35A. The air force Air Force in the 2030s plans to buy from Lockheed Martin as many as 1,700 F-35s. and 2040s operating a In April 2018, senior air force leaders told dwindling number of older Congress there was ‘no silver-bullet solution’ when it comes to developing a new ghter. fi ghters plus F-35s and The service has established the Next- Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) o ce in DISPATCHES FROM THE FRONT LINE air-to-air-capable B-21s, order to being developing concepts for the OF AEROSPACE TECHNOLOGY F-35-successor. Congress appropriated around a BY DAVID AXE all controlling expendable billion dollars for the o ce in 2020. The leading NGAD concepts aren’t just wingman drones traditional manned ghters. NGAD has they plan to acquire at a cost of around $100 expanded to encompass wingman drones that US NAVY million per aircraft. The stealth ghters could y can accompany manned aircraft into combat. for 25 years or longer. Not coincidentally, the US Air Force’s Skyborg MULLS FUTURE By the time the F-35Cs arrive, each wing program is scrambling to develop the software also will include three F/A-18E/F squadrons and hardware for operating inexpensive, missile- FIGHTER CONCEPTS plus detachments of EA-18G electronic attack armed wingman drones. HE US NAVY will need a new ‘sixth- aircraft, E-2 airborne early warning and control Remarkably, the service also is mulling an generation’ ghter eventually to aircraft, CMV-22B transports and MQ-25 tanker air-to-air mission for its new B-21 stealth follow the F-35C that’s just beginning drones. All of the types are in production and bomber. Maj Gen Scott L. Pleus, Paci c Air Forces to enter service. none should leave service before the mid-2030s, Director of Air and Cyber Operations, oated No one has any idea what that new at the earliest. that idea in September 2019 comments to Air aircraft might look like, not even In other words, the navy is in no rush to Force magazine. Tthe navy. But drones are strong contenders, decide what its next warplane should look like. ‘If we were to characterize [NGAD] as a ghter, quite possibly ying and ghting in close co- Hence the ambivalent comments from Chief of we would be … thinking too narrowly about operation with manned warplanes. Naval Operations ADM Mike Gilday. ‘I do think what kind of airplane we need in a highly The navy in February 2019 declared its rst we need an aviation combatant, but what the contested environment,’ Pleus said. ‘A B-21 that frontline F-35C squadron ‘ready for ight’. aviation combatant of the future looks like?’ also has air-to-air capabilities’ and the ability ‘to Strike Fighter Squadron 147 (VFA-147), based Gilday said at US Naval Institute’s Defense Forum work with the family of systems to defend itself, in California, is slated to embark on the aircraft Washington conference in early December utilizing stealth — maybe that’s where the sixth- carrier USS Carl Vinson for the type’s rst 2019. ‘I don’t know yet’, Gilday added. ‘I think generation airplane comes from.’ deployment in 2021. there’s going to be a requirement to continue The rst B-21 could y as soon as 2021. The air The eet aims to integrate a 10-plane F-35C to deliver a seaborne-launched vehicle through force wants at least 100 of the subsonic, highly squadron into each of its nine carrier air wings, the air that’ll deliver an e ect downrange. I do stealthy new bombers for a cost of around $600 which embark on the 11 Ford- and Nimitz-class think that that will likely be a mix of manned million per plane. carriers. The US Marine Corps plans to equip and unmanned. The platform which they launch Extrapolating o cials’ recent comments four squadrons with F-35Cs as that service’s from? I’m not sure what that’s going to look like.’ decades into the future, it’s possible to imagine contribution to the carrier wings. Gilday’s remarks underscore the uncertainty the US Air Force in the 2030s and 2040s It will be at least a decade before the sea in the Pentagon regarding next-generation operating a dwindling number of older ghters services deploy all of the roughly 300 F-35Cs aircraft programs. The navy isn’t alone in plus F-35s and air-to-air-capable B-21s, all controlling expendable wingman drones. The US Navy is lagging behind where it needs The navy and marines also could embrace to be in terms of a sixth-generation fi ghter. that construct, although it’s worth noting that USAF/Christopher Okula the sea services don’t at present possess any combat aircraft as large as a bomber. Think tanks, however, have urged the eet to acquire unmanned attack aircraft that could help to extend the striking range of the carrier air wings. To that end, Boeing has been careful to design its new MQ-25 tanker drone with the basic infrastructure for future armed roles. Whether the MQ-25 itself might some day gain an air-to-air capability is beside the point. Gilday’s comments should make it clear that the US Navy considers a mix of manned ghters and armed wingman drones as one possible way eventually to replace today’s F-35Cs.
94 February 2020 // www.Key.Aero
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839 Military Specials fp.indd 99 02/12/2019 14:12 FLASHBACK // YF-117A NIGHTHAWK
96 February 2020 // www.Key.Aero
96-97 Flashback C.indd 96 16/12/2019 14:13 Lockheed YF‑117A Nighthawk serial 79-10783 was the fourth of five development aircraft, and is seen here arriving at McClellan AFB, California, on May 24, 1991. McClellan was the location of the F-117 System Program Office (SPO) from 1985 to 1998. First flown on July 7, 1982, and accepted by the US Air Force on April 1, 1989, this Nighthawk served in numerous test programs at Edwards AFB, California, when it was assigned to the 410th Flight Test Squadron (FLTS). It was retired in March 2007 with 2,464 flight hours on the airframe and placed on display at the Blackbird Air Park in Palmdale, California. It was returned to Edwards in 2012 for restoration and eventual display in the Air Force Flight Test Museum. Jim Dunn
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96-97 Flashback C.indd 97 16/12/2019 14:13 MARCH ISSUE: ON SALE GLOBALLY FROM FEBRUARY 6 ON SALE DATE MAY VARY BY REGION USAF SECRET SR-71 MISSIONS OVER THE MIDDLE EAST PLUS • VFA-204 ‘RIVER RATTLERS’ • SINGAPORE’S F-15SG SUPER EAGLES
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98 February 2020 // www.Key.Aero
98 Next Month C.indd 98 16/12/2019 14:13 AIRCRAFT • PERSONNEL • SQUADRONS • MISSIONS • PROGRAMS
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819 USAF YB20 direct fp.indd 2 04/12/2019 12:54 GE_FP.indd 1 02/12/2019 09:15:45