April 2014 Issue #313
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F-35
AUSSIE TIGERS
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US AIR FORCE RESERVE COMMAND The backbone of the USA's airpower
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ICELAND FIGHTER MEET
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CHINA'S J-15: FRENCH NAVY'S FACT OR FICTION? PANTHER REBORN 01_UK_Cover_Apr.indd 1
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CONTENTS 26 Opinion – F-35: Still More Questions than Answers? A year on from his first look at the Lockheed Martin F-35 programme, David Hamilton reviews the latest US Government report.
28 COVER STORY: The F-35 Lightning II – a Quantum Leap for the RAF Group Captain Harvey Smyth is Station Commander at RAF Marham in Norfolk, but previously spent several years serving on the F-35 Lightning II project. Guy Warner talked to him about what F-35 means for UK forces.
34 COVER STORY: Phoenix Rising for JSF Lewis Gaylard considers what the F-35B will bring to the Royal Navy.
For daily news stories please visit www.airforcesdaily.com e-mail the news team at [emailprotected]
40 Panther’s New Claws The French Navy’s Flottille 36F is in the middle of a major upgrade programme with a new variant of the proven Panther helicopter being introduced. Henri-Pierre Grolleau reports from Hyères.
44 Pyrenean Pumas The Escadron d’Hélicoptères (EH) 1/67 ‘Pyrénées’ is the only combat search and rescue squadron in the French Air Force. Jan Kraak joined aircrews on a typical training mission in the Pyrenean Mountains.
Werewolves, claims to be the largest and most experienced in the world. Lt Col Robert ‘Cricket’ Renner, USAF (Retired) and Richard Verrall go behind the scenes to see what makes them so successful.
72 Guardians of Armenia Armenia became an independent state again in 1991 but still relies on Russia for its air defence, as Babak Taghvaee explains.
Mike Yeo looks at the Chinese Navy’s new carrier fighter.
66 Werewolves in the Desert
80 Antipodean Tiger
The US Air Force Reserve’s 69th Fighter Squadron, known as the
With a fleet of just seven C-130 ‘Dumbos’ – as the Hercs are affectionately called in Spain – the nation’s air force has worked hard to maintain a single aircraft in Afghanistan. Erwan de Cherisey witnessed the MIZAR team in theatre.
78 Argentine Fightinghawks Santiago Rivas details the A-4AR of the Argentine Air Force, some of the last A-4 Skyhawks in operational service in the world.
48 China’s Flying Shark
84 MIZAR – Spanish Hercs in Afghanistan
Gordon Arthur reviews the status of the Royal Australian Army’s new Tiger helicopter.
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REGULARS 23 Attrition 50 Force Report: US Air Force Reserve Command The US Air Force continues to rely on the full-time reservists of Air Force Reserve Command. Bob Archer describes the organisation.
83 Feedback More from the Editor’s postbag.
87 Ops Board: Events and airshows coming up.
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88 Force Report: Spanish Naval Aviation
94 Exercise Report: Iceland Air Meet
98 And Finally… Over the Fence Today
The Spanish Fleet Air Arm has been hard hit by budget cuts during the last six years and has responded with drastic measures, as Salvador Mafé Huertas reports.
Martin Kaye braved the elements and flew to Keflavik in Iceland for the inaugural fighter meet by Scandinavian air forces.
Graham Robson looks at RAF Bentwaters in Suffolk, which closed in 1993.
92 Exercise report: Cazaux live-fire Joris van Boven reports on what was expected to be the Mirage F1’s final live firing exercise.
96 Postcard from... Singapore The fourth edition of the biennial Singapore Airshow returned to the Changi Exhibition Centre between February 11 and 16.
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EDITORIAL
Perils of PFI T
HE RECENT grounding of the RAF’s shiny new fleet of Airbus Military A330 Voyager tankers after an in-flight ‘variation in altitude’ (see news) was, in one way, fortunate in its timing. Thankfully, the air force’s TriStars hadn’t yet been retired and swiftly took back their former tanking and transport tasks. If the grounding had happened in early April, the RAF would have found itself without tankers or air transport to Afghanistan. As well as highlighting the risk in a single-aircraft fleet – in past years the RAF had both the TriStar and VC10 to call upon – the Voyager grounding is a wake-up call for those who insist private finance initiative (PFI) contracts are the way forward. Last year the RAF’s Grob Tutor fleet was grounded from January for nearly six months
Editor: Gary Parsons Assistant Editor: Jerry Gunner Editorial contact: [emailprotected] Military News Editor: Dave Allport
World Air Forces Correspondent: Alan Warnes Military News Analyst: Steve Rush Editor’s Secretary: Julie Lawson Chief Designer: Steve Donovan Assistant Chief Designer: Lee Howson Production Editor: Sue Blunt Deputy Production Editor: Carol Randall Sub Editor: Norman Wells Advertising Manager: Ian Maxwell Production Manager: Janet Watkins Marketing Manager: Martin Steele Mail Order Subscription Manager: Roz Condé Commercial Director: Ann Saundry Executive Chairman: Richard Cox Managing Director & Publisher: Adrian Cox
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after a second aircraft suffered a propeller failure and the lengthy time taken to get the fleet back flying was rumoured to be because the contractor effectively said, ‘Not my fault, guv’, and referred the air force to the manufacturer for a solution. Last May the Daily Mail quoted defence sources who described the Tutor grounding as a “complete fiasco” and reported: “They [the contractor] are wriggling out of it saying it is a design fault, which is surprising considering the supply of flying hours is the essence of the contract.” The next big PFI contract will be the much-delayed Military Flying Training System (MFTS) for elementary and basic pilot training. Originally due to be in place two years ago, declining pilot numbers
Copies of AirForces Monthly can be obtained each month by placing a standing order with your newsagent. In case of difficulty, contact our Circulation Manager. Readers in USA may place subscriptions by telephone toll-free 800-676-4049 or by writing to AirForces Monthly, 3330 Pacific Ave, Ste 500, Virginia Beach, VA23451-9828. We are unable to guarantee the bonafides of any of our advertisers. Readers are strongly recommended to take their own precautions before parting with any information or item of value, including, but not limited to, money, manuscripts, photographs or personal information in response to any advertisem*nts within this publication. Postmaster: Send address corrections to AirForces Monthly, Key Publishing Ltd, c/o Mail Right International Inc. 1637 Stelton Road B4, Piscataway NJ 08854. Printed in England by Warners (Midlands) plc, Bourne, Lincolnshire. AirForces Monthly (ISSN 0955 7091) is published monthly by Key
brought about by the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review has led to personnel and aircraft requirements being constantly revised. The problem is that the RAF is not in control of its destiny with such contracts – it doesn’t own the aircraft. It is often quoted that the contractor ‘takes the risk’ with PFI, but the risk is with the air force if it can’t return its troops from theatre or refuel its jets in the air. Maybe it’s time that civilian contractors who fail to meet the deliverables were dealt with more severely.
GARY PARSONS, EDITOR Publishing Ltd and distributed in the USA by Mail Right Int., 1637 Stelton Road B4, Piscataway, NJ 08854. The entire contents of AirForces Monthly is a copyright of Key Publishing Ltd and cannot be reproduced in any form without permission. The Editor is happy to receive contributions to AirForces Monthly. Please note that all material sent to the Editor is forwarded at the contributor’s own risk. While every care is taken with material, the publishers cannot be held responsible for any loss or damage incurred. All material rates available on request. Submitted material (especially illustrations) should have the contributor’s name and address clearly marked and a stamped addressed envelope should be enclosed if it is required to be returned. All items submitted for publication are subject to our terms and conditions, which are regularly updated without prior notice and are freely available from Key Publishing Ltd or downloadable from www.keypublishing.com. All digital imagery should be at least 300dpi
Top: The RAF's fleet of Airbus Military A330 Voyager tanker and transport aircraft was grounded for a short time in February. It was a good thing the soon to be retired TriStar was still around! Key - Gary Parsons Cover: F-35B image by Lockheed Martin; Australian Army EC665 Tiger by Gordon Arthur and Chinese Navy J-15 from Internet
and 10 x 8 inches (25.4cm x 20.3cm) in size and submitted on a CD/DVD with thumbnail prints to the Editor at Key Publishing Ltd, PO Box 100, Stamford, Lincolnshire, PE9 1XQ, UK. CD/DVDs will not be returned unless accompanied by a stamped addressed envelope. Telephone: +44 (0)1780 755131 Fax: +44 (0)1780 757261 Subscription: [emailprotected] Website: www.keypublishing.com Distributed by Seymour Distribution Ltd, 2 Poultry Avenue, London, EC1A 9PP. Tel: +44 (0)20 7429 4000 Fax: +44 (0)20 7429 4001
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NEWS HEADLINES
For daily news stories please visit www.airforcesdaily.com e-mail the news team at [emailprotected]
CRISIS IN CRIMEA To strengthen US forces in the Baltic area six additional US Air Force F-15C Eagles were deployed on March 6 to Šiauliai Air Base, Lithuania, to join the four already operating there on the Baltic Air Policing mission. Three of those aircraft are seen here departing from Lakenheath for Lithuania. The move followed the announcement by US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel that the US would augment its presence at the base to reassure its allies in response to the current situation in Ukraine. All ten Eagles are from the USAF’s 48th Fighter Wing/493rd Fighter Squadron ‘Grim Reapers’ from RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk. Alec Walker
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S AFM goes to press a satisfactory resolution to the recent events in Ukraine – and more particularly in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea (ARC), which comprises most of the Crimean Peninsula’s land mass – seems a long way off. Russia ceded the peninsular to Ukraine more than half a century ago when nobody in the Kremlin could foresee the end of the Soviet Union. Following the political upheaval in greater Ukraine after protestors in the capital Kiev seemed to have achieved their ambition of deposing President Viktor Yanukovych, the focus of attention rapidly shifted to Crimea. On February 28, 13 Russian Air Force Ilyushin Il-76 Candid transport aircraft flew around 2,000 Russian troops to the Black Sea Fleet’s 7057th Air Base at Gvardeyskoye (Hvardiiske Air Base to the Ukrainians), north-west of Simferopol. Russia has a long-standing agreement to base Sukhoi Su-24 Fencer bombers there. A day earlier Ukraine reported that eleven Russian helicopters (eight M-24 Hind attack ships and three Mi-8 Hips) had illegally crossed the border into Crimean airspace; they were seen and photographed flying over Sevastopol in the direction of the Russian naval base at Kacha, also part of the Black Sea Fleet’s 7057th Air Base and home to a mixture of Russian naval helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. The Black Sea Fleet is largely home-ported in Sevastopol and on February 28 troops armed with sophisticated military weapons and dressed in combat uniforms without insignia, reportedly
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Russian, took control of Crimea’s main airports. Convoys of Russian armoured personnel carriers were also seen on the Republic’s roads, having been deployed from their Sevastopol base. The Russian-speaking militias, said by Russia’s President Putin to be locals acting to protect pro-Russians from “right wing pro-Kiev thugs”, surrounded and occupied Ukrainian bases and disarmed their occupants, gradually strengthening their grip on the military infrastructure. Although there were no confirmed violent outbursts, the situation remained very tense. On March 3 unidentified soldiers secured the Ukraine Air Force’s (Povitryani Syly Zbroynykh Syl Ukrayiny) 204 Tactical Aviation Brigade (204 aviatsiyna brigada vynyshchuval’na) base of Sevastopol-Bel’bek on the military
side of Sevastopol’s international airport, blocking the runways, but promising they would cooperate with the Ukrainian military authorities and allow them to continue maintaining the aircraft. The situation changed the next day when the soldiers – believed to be Russian – demanded the Ukrainians swear allegiance to the Russian-backed regional government of Crimea. The vast majority who refused were told to leave the base. Many barricaded themselves in buildings inside the base perimeter, where they stayed overnight. The next morning they assembled on the parade ground with the base commander, Colonel Yuli Mamchur, who marched his men, accompanied by wives and TV crews, towards the operational side of the base along an internal road. The airmen, waving Ukrainian flags as well
as the squadron’s banner (which ironically honours the unit’s Soviet Military Air Forces ancestry) were challenged by armed Russianspeaking men and told to go away. Mamchur continued to lead his men forward until shots were fired over their heads. A terse exchange was followed by a seven-hour stand-off until the Ukrainians returned to their barracks. Ukraine has other bases in the ARC – the navy has a large installation at NovofedorivkaSaky, home to patrol and transport helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. The State Aviation Scientific Test Centre at Kirovs’ke has small numbers of L-39s, Su-25s and sundry other types assigned to it. However, Bel’bek was home to the most potent weapons on the peninsula, MiG-29 Fulcrums, effectively grounded by the armed Russians.
Assistant Editor – AVIATION NEWS Would you like to play a big part in the growing success story of Aviation News? This could be your chance. As we gain more readers and plaudits from both enthusiasts and the aviation industry, we are now seeking an Assistant Editor to help us to further develop Aviation News. Based at Key Publishing’s offices in Stamford, Lincolnshire, this is a full-time post. You will assist editor Dino Carrara in the writing, compilation and editing of articles on all aspects of aviation past, present and future, as well as in sourcing top-quality imagery and contributors. The successful candidate should also be bursting
with ideas for interesting and exciting features. It is a challenging and demanding role, but the rewards include the chance to travel all over the world to cover the best aviation stories. You will need to be an aviation enthusiast who thinks nothing of spending a day by the fence of an airport or air base and will have travelled in pursuit of your interest. Ideally, you will already be an experienced journalist with an understanding of regular production schedules within a small editorial team, though candidates without this background who can demonstrate excellent potential may be considered.
This is an outstanding opportunity to join Europe’s foremost specialist aviation magazine publisher. Benefits include five weeks holiday per year plus access to a company pension scheme. To apply please send a full CV and a covering letter explaining why you think that you are the best person for the job to Dino Carrara, Editor, Aviation News, PO Box 100, Stamford, Lincolnshire, PE9 1XQ or dino.carrara@ keypublishing.com Closing date: April 17, 2014
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NEWS UNITED KINGDOM Army Watchkeeper to Begin Trials at Boscombe Down PROGRESS IS being made on the UK’s delayed Watchkeeper unmanned air vehicle programme according to Mark Francois, Minister of State for the Armed Forces. Providing a written answer to a question in the House of Commons, Francois said on February 27: “Significant recent progress has been made on the Watchkeeper programme to satisfy the regulatory authorities that the system will be safe to fly. The first type of unmanned air system should commence flying from Boscombe Down in Wiltshire in early March 2014.” Thales UK, the prime contractor on the project, announced last October that Watchkeeper had received a statement of type design assurance from the UK’s Military Aviation Authority providing assurance that the Watchkeeper air vehicle and software had reached an acceptable level for design safety and integrity to meet the system’s current stage of development. This was a key component of the process that allowed the UK’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) to grant the initial release to service on March 5. Watchkeeper will initially support operations on the Salisbury Plain Training Area (SPTA) while continuing to be operated from QinetiQ’s nearby facility at Boscombe Down. There will be temporary blocks of restricted airspace allocated to facilitate transfer from the airfield to the SPTA. In July 2007 the MoD confirmed it would buy 54 WK450 Watchkeeper air vehicles, based on the Israeli Elbit Hermes 450 UAV, plus 15 ground control stations. A joint venture – UAV Tactical Systems (U-TacS) – has been set up in Leicester between Elbit (with a majority 51% share) and Thales to build the Watchkeeper. The first Watchkeeper, WK001, made its maiden flight in Israel on April 16, 2008. The first UK flight was on April 14, 2010, at ParcAberporth, Wales, where development flight testing has been undertaken. Although the type has yet to become operational, U-TacS has already produced and delivered 28 Watchkeeper air vehicles and 14 ground stations to the MoD. When the system finally enters British Army service providing all-weather intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance, it will be operated by 32 Regiment, Royal Artillery.
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Turkish Navy CN235 in Scotland
Above: On February 24 CASA CN235M-100 MPA TCB-651, of the Turkish Navy (Türk Deniz Kuvvetleri), arrived at Edinburgh Airport for an overnight stop. The next day the aircraft, one of six operated by 301 Filo at Topel Kocaeli, left for Keflavik in Iceland. All six aircraft have received the MELTEMM II update by Thales in France which provides them with a maritime patrol and surveillance capability. A further three aircraft have been updated for the Turkish Coast Guard. Berry Vissers
AgustaWestland Developing Flotation Gear for UK Apaches A PREVIOUSLY unannounced contract to provide flotation equipment for Army Air Corps (AAC) Apache AH1 attack helicopters was revealed in parliament on February 11 by Dr Andrew Murrison, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Ministry of Defence and Minister for International Security Strategy. Providing a written answer to a question in the House of Commons, Murrison said a contract had been awarded to
AgustaWestland on October 24, 2013, for design, development and procurement of flotation role equipment for the UK Apaches. He added that all UK Apaches will be modified to enable them to be equipped with the new flotation equipment. A timescale for the work was not announced. The AAC has a fleet of 66 Apaches which, in recent years, has been increasingly used in a maritime role operating off Royal Navy vessels.
RAF Puma in Special ‘Black Peter’ Scheme
Above: Royal Air Force/230 Squadron Puma HC2 ZJ955 ‘P’ seen during a training sortie near RAF Benson, Oxfordshire, after being painted in a special all-black scheme with the Second World War-style blue/white national roundel and fin flash as used by South East Asia Command at the time. This represents the colours worn by 230 Squadron Sunderland III JM673 ‘P’/‘Black Peter’, which went missing off Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) 70 years ago on November 28, 1944, with the loss of all ten crew members. Rick Ingham
Additional Five Reapers Handed Over to RAF MINISTRY OF Defence officials have confirmed that an additional five General Atomics MQ-9A Reaper unmanned air vehicles (UAV) have now been handed over to the RAF in the USA. It is anticipated they will be deployed to Afghanistan very shortly, joining five others
already operating there. Plans for the acquisition of the additional five Reapers were announced in March 2010, at a press briefing in London, by Wing Commander Jules Ball, Officer Commanding of the RAF’s first MQ-9 unit, 39 Squadron, based at Creech Air Force Base in Nevada.
Lakenheath F-15E Live Weapon Drops in UK US AIR Force officials at RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk, revealed on February 25 that Boeing F-15E Strike Eagles from the 48th Fighter Wing/492nd Fighter Squadron (FS) ‘Mad Hatters’ have undertaken their first ever live ordnance drops in the UK. In order to be fully prepared for any Air Expeditionary Force deployment, the 492nd FS pilots must participate in one live weapons drop annually. Before a deployment, the 492nd and 494th FS pilots typically attend a temporary duty in the US to meet their weapons employment requirement. However, due to sequestration, their mission was postponed and it was determined that it was more cost efficient to stage it in the UK. The mission was the unit’s first live munitions drop and took place along the far northern border of Scotland at Cape Wrath. “Dummy bombs were dropped several years ago for practice, but never live munitions,” said Capt Steven Smith, 492nd FS pilot. The British and US military have been working together for several months to make it possible for the 75 aircrew members to practice drop these live weapons for their pre-deployment practice. The planned mission involved 48 live air-to-ground munitions flown on F-15Es to Cape Wrath and dropped at a precise target location after being given the go-ahead from Joint Terminal Air Controllers. Due to rain and cloud cover the exercise continued into a second week so that all 48 bombs were successfully dropped and all pilots up to date with their pre-deployment training.
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RAF Assists UK Flood Assessment
THE ROYAL Air Force launched one of its Tornado GR4s on February 13 to capture a highly detailed aerial picture of the UK areas affected by recent floods in the Thames Valley. The Tornado GR4, from RAF Marham in Norfolk, produced detailed imagery that aided the planning and coordination of multi-agency efforts to provide relief to local residents and communities. Further RAF support was provided by a Sentinel R1 operated by 5 (Army Cooperation) Squadron at RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire. The surveillance aircraft was tasked to provide wide area imagery following requests from civilian agencies in a number of regions. The aircraft also took off on February 13 to capture images of various flood-affected parts of the country using its dual mode synthetic aperture radar/moving target indicator radar system. Squadron Leader Victoria Fulton, Chief of Staff 5 (Army Cooperation) Squadron, said: “The Sentinel has long-range capabilities which enable highly trained Airborne Image Analysts on board to capture imagery of large parts of the flooded areas. It is hoped that this key information will greatly assist the civilian authorities when determining where best to focus their efforts.”
UK Pilot Flies First F-35 STOVL Sortie at Eglin
Above: Royal Air Force pilot Squadron Leader Hugh Nichols became the first UK pilot to undertake a short take-off and vertical landing regular training sortie on the Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II on February 25. The mission took place at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, in US Marine Corps F-35B 168308 ‘VM-07’ from Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501 (VMFAT-501) ‘Warlords’, the USMC F-35B Fleet Replacement Squadron. US Air Force/Samuel King Jr
RAF Voyager Fleet Resumes Flying After Grounding ROYAL AIR Force Voyager tanker transports resumed flying on February 21 when two of the type – KC2 ZZ331 and KC3 ZZ332 – began operating from their base at RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire. The fleet had been grounded following an incident over Turkey on February 9 involving an aircraft en route to Afghanistan when one of the Voyagers operating with 10 Squadron experienced a
technical problem which resulted in the aircraft suddenly dropping 2,000ft (610m) in altitude. The pilot elected to make an emergency diversion to Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, where the aircraft made a safe landing, although a few of the 181 military personnel on board suffered minor cuts and bruises during the uncommanded rapid descent. As a precaution, the Ministry
of Defence (MoD) decided to temporarily suspend militaryregistered Voyager flying while a full investigation was carried out. The MoD says an investigation is still ongoing and will not comment on the cause of the incident. However, it says that the chances of the problem recurring are negligible, resulting in the grounding order being lifted.
Red Arrows fly the flag for 50th display season A NEW tailfin design has been unveiled on the Hawk jets of the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, the Red Arrows, to celebrate its 50th display season this year. In the shape of a Union flag, the striking new tail design reflects the ‘Best of British’ and emphasises the team’s role as ambassadors for the United Kingdom and the public face of the Royal Air Force. The new tailfin was unveiled on February 18 at the team’s home base – RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire. All team jets are receiving the fresh look, although the iconic red and white fuselage remains unchanged. Squadron Leader Jim Turner, Team Leader and 'Red 1', who revealed the tailfin at the unveiling ceremony, had input into the design. “The Red Arrows are extremely proud of our heritage and we hope this tailfin design brings with it a sense of pride for both past members of the team and members of the
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Above: The Red Arrows aerobatic team makes its first nine-ship flight of 2014 on February 28. Keith Campbell
public to share in. I wanted a design created that reflected the very British soul of the Red Arrows, while keeping it simple and achievable in both time and cost. Repainting the entire aircraft would have taken too long and been too costly and I think the balance has been struck perfectly. I hope we are able to continue inspiring young people to join the Royal Air Force in the future.” Since that first performance in May 1965, millions of people
all around the world have been thrilled with the team’s trademark precision flying, impressive formations, closepasses and dynamic loops and rolls. Red Arrows pilots originally flew Folland Gnats but switched to the BAe Hawk, still flown today, for the 1980 season. Designed by the Air Media Centre at RAF High Wycombe, the tailfin design features outlines of both aircraft types as a tribute to the team’s heritage and current operations.
The Red Arrows plan to fly 85 displays this year across nine different countries – for a full list visit the official website at www.raf.mod.uk/reds/
Red Arrows bookazine
Key Publishing is producing the official 50th anniversary bookazine, available from all good newsagents from June 5.
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NEWS EUROPE Turkey Signs Deal for Locally-Built T-70 Black Hawks TURKEY SIGNED a $3.5 billion agreement with Sikorsky on February 21 finalising a deal for assembly of an initial batch of 109 T-70 Black Hawk helicopters in Turkey. The deal for the new helicopter for the Turkish Armed Forces was signed between Turkey’s Savunma Sanayii Mustesarligi (SSM – Undersecretariat for Defence Industries) and the US manufacturer. Turkish Defence Minister Vecdi Gönül announced in April 2011 that the Sikorsky T-70, a version of the S-70i Black Hawk International to be developed specifically for Turkey, had been selected as the winning contender for the Turkish Utility Helicopter Programme (TUHP) requirement. The new deal includes options that could eventually lead to production of up to 600 of the helicopters over the next three decades with around half of them for the export market. Turkish industry will be heavily involved in the programme, notably prime contractor Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), which will undertake joint local production of the airframes. A number of major components for the T-70, including the body shell, transmissions, undercarriage, engine parts, avionics systems and mission computer software, would be produced in Turkey under sub-contract to TAI. Ultimately, Turkish industry will develop the capability to produce almost every component of the helicopter, including a newly designed Turkish co*ckpit. All of the initial batch of 109 T-70s will be delivered to various branches of the Turkish military; 30 will go to the Jandarma Genel Komutanlıgı’nın ˘ (Gendarmerie General Command), 20 to Kara Kuvvetleri Komutanlıgı’nın ˘ (Land Forces Command), eleven to Özel Kuvvetler Komutanlıgı’nın ˘ (Special Forces Command), six to Hava Kuvvetleri Komutanlıgı’nın ˘ (Air Force Command) and two to the Genel Kurmay Elektronik Sistemler Komutanlıgı’nın ˘ (General Staff of Electronic Systems Command). The remaining 40 will be split equally between the Emniyet Genel Müdürlü˘gü’nün ˘ (General Police Directorate) and Orman ve Su ˙l¸sleri Bakanlıgı’nın ˘ (Department of Water Affairs and Forestry), which will receive 20 each, with the latter planning to use the type for firefighting.
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Polish Air Force Signs for Eight M-346 Masters
Above: An Italian Air Force T-346A Master at Deblin acted as a backdrop to a signing ceremony on February 27 when the Polish Air Force placed an order for eight jets. Alenia Aermacchi
DURING A ceremony at Deblin-Irena Air Base, Poland, on February 27 the Polish defence ministry signed a €280 million contract with Alenia Aermacchi for eight M-346 Master advanced jet trainers. The deal also includes options on four additional aircraft. The M-346 was selected on
November 20, 2013, as the preferred type to meet the Polish Air Force’s requirement for a new advanced jet training aircraft to replace the TS-11 Iskra with the 41 Baza Lotnicza Szkolnego (No 41 Air Base School) at Deblin. Following subsequent successful completion of three days of in-country trials at Deblin with
Bulgarian Air Force Returning MiG-21s to Service
Italian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare Italiana) Alenia Aermacchi T-346A Master CSX.55154 ‘61-01’ in early February, the way was cleared for the contract to go ahead. The Polish Air Force hopes to take delivery of the eight firm order aircraft in 2016-2017, along with a package of logistics and a complete training system. Left: After being grounded for over 12 months, a handful of the Bulgarian Air Force’s MiG-21 fleet is being returned to service. The first aircraft to re-fly, MiG-21UM ‘28 White’, took to the air again on February 18 at Graf Ignatievo Air Base. The Air Force plans to return around five MiG-21s to service with 1/3 Istrebitelna Avio Eskadrila (Fighter Aviation Squadron) at Graf Ignatievo. Chavdar Garchev Below: Airbus A321 EI-FDP, recently acquired by the Belgian Air Component, at Dublin Airport on February 24. It had just arrived from East Midlands Airport in the UK where it was painted in the livery of the Belgian Air Force. This aircraft was previously operated by Onur Air of Turkey and on delivery will be registered on the Portuguese register as CS-TRJ, as it will be leased and operated by Portugal-based company HiFly. Michael Kelly
Belgian Airbus A321’s New Coat
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Polish Air Force Plans to Extend Su-22 Service Life The Polish Minister of National Defence, Tomasz Siemoniak, has revealed plans are being finalised to extend the service life of the Polish Air Force’s fleet of Sukhoi Su-22 Fitters, which had been scheduled for retirement. During a visit to the 21 Baza Lotnicza (21st Air Base) at Swidwin on February 12, he said two options are being considered for the Su-22s – one for a life extension of a further three years and the other for ten years. A decision was due in mid-March. Poland has 32 Su-22M-4 Fitter-Ks and two-seat Su-22UM3K Fitter-Gs remaining in service with 7 Eskadra Lotnicza Taktycznego (ELT – Tactical Air Squadron) and 40 ELT, both based at Swidwin. Overhauls of the type at Wojskowe Zakłady Łacznosci 2 (WZŁ-2 – Military Aviation Plant No 2) in Bydgoszcz also ceased several years ago, which has reduced the number remaining airworthy.
RNLAF C-130 Hercules New Colour Scheme
Above: The first of four Royal Netherlands Air Force C-130H Hercules transport aircraft serving with 336 Squadron received a new colour scheme in January. Hercules G-273 is now painted in an all-grey scheme with low-viz roundels and squadron markings. Jimmy van Drunen
Italy’s First Tranche 3 Eurofighter Completed THE FIRST Tranche 3-standard Eurofighter Typhoon built in Italy was rolled out from the Turin-Caselle Plant on March 3. The latest Alenia Aermacchi production Typhoon, serial number C.S.X.7338 (IS064), is
the 64th Italian single-seat example. It will now undergo tests and will be delivered in the first half of this year. The jet is the second Tranche 3 aircraft to be completed after RAF Typhoon FGR4 ZK355.
First Major French Air Force E-3F Upgrade Completed
Above: French Air Force Boeing E-3F 202 ‘702-CB’ is given a water cannon salute as it taxies out at Paris-Le Bourget Airport, France, on January 31 for its first flight after a major upgrade. Boeing
BOEING AND Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance (AFI KLM E&M) has successfully completed the mid-life upgrade (MLU) modification on the first of four E-3F Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft for the French Air Force (Armée de l’Air). The upgrade, announced on February 17, is part of a Foreign Military Sales agreenent in 2010 between France’s Direction
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Générale de l’Armement (DGA) and the US Government. Last June Boeing subcontractor AFI KLM E&M began upgrading the electrical, mechanical and structural systems and mission hardware on 202 ‘702-CB’, which reflew on January 31. The MLU – the largest ever for French AWACS – is modelled on the Block 40/45 contract developed for the US Air Force AWACS fleet and will provide the fleet
with more information while reducing aircrew workload. The E-3 will undergo ground and flight tests at BA 702 Avord before being delivered to the Air Force later this year, once qualified by DGA. While the first AWACS aircraft was housed at the AFI KLM E&M site at Le Bourget Airport near Paris, the remaining three will be upgraded in a new facility owned by AFI KLM E&M at Charles De Gaulle Airport, Paris.
Airbus ‘Frustrated’ Over Turkish Delay in Accepting A400M
AIRBUS GROUP CEO Tom Enders has expressed his frustration at Turkey’s continuing refusal to accept its first A400M airlifter 13-0009 (c/n 009) - which should have occurred on September 13. Speaking at the announcement of the company’s 2013 results on February 26, Enders said that since then “bargaining” had been continuing over its delivery. “The aircraft is ready to go," he said. "It’s the same aircraft [type] we delivered to the French Air Force, which has been instantly operational and fit for flight. I find the situation increasingly unacceptable. How can you efficiently ramp up production if you have no certainty that your customers are taking those aircraft?” The aircraft remains at the delivery centre in Seville, Spain, awaiting acceptance. Enders declined to provide any detail as to why Turkey was refusing to accept it. Turkish Undersecretary for Defence Murad Bayar said the problem was that not all of the contract conditions had been met - talking to the press after the Turkish-French Industry Day Programme in Ankara on February 27, he said: “We could not see all contract conditions achieved on acceptance tests for Airbus A400M. I hope that when discussions are finalised, Turkey will receive the aircraft.” The first Turkish aircraft took its maiden flight on August 9, 2013, from Seville. It is the first of ten ordered by the Turkish Air Force and will join 221 Filo, which currently operates the Transall C160D as part of 12nci Hava Ulastirma Ana Us Komutanligi (Air Transport Air Base Command) at Kayseri-Erkilet.
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NEWS NORTH AMERICA Pegasus to be Official Name for US Air Force KC-46A US AIR Force Chief of Staff General Mark Welsh III announced on February 20 that the new Boeing KC-46A tanker has been given the official name ‘Pegasus’, after the winged horse of Greek mythology. Four engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) aircraft are currently in various stages of production for the KC-46A programme, with the first now nearing completion. After its maiden flight in June, the first aircraft will then be converted to full tanker configuration before re-flying in early 2015. First production delivery to the USAF is planned for early 2016, the contract specifying that 18 combat-ready aircraft are to be in service by 2017. The USAF will buy 179 KC-46As, with deliveries continuing until 2027.
News brief AFTER ENDING 66 years of fighter operations last October, the US Air Force/Montana Air National Guard’s (ANG’s) 120th Fighter Wing was officially redesignated the 120th Airlift Wing (AW) on March 1. At the same time, the Wing’s 186th Fighter Squadron was redesignated the 186th Airlift Squadron (AS) ‘Vigilantes’. The first of eight C-130H Hercules assigned to the unit has also arrived at the Wing’s base at Great Falls International Airport, Montana. The aircraft, 74-1671, was already painted in full Montana ANG markings. All eight are expected to be delivered by June 30.
IRST Makes First Flight on US Navy Super Hornet
Above: A Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet carrying the US Navy’s infrared search and track (IRST) pod – a long-wave infrared sensor system that searches for and detects heat sources – takes off on February 11 for its maiden flight at Edwards Air Force Base, California. The pod makes up the forward portion of the centreline fuel tank. Lockheed Martin
US NAVAL Air Systems Command announced that the US Navy’s infrared search and track (IRST) – a passive, long-range sensor that searches for and detects heat sources – successfully completed its first flight on board an F/A-18F Super Hornet on February 11 at Edwards Air Force Base, California. The system can simultaneously track multiple targets and provide air-to-air targeting capability when encountering advanced threats equipped with radarjamming technology. Because IRST is passive, unlike radar systems, it does not give off radiation and is harder to detect.
IRST is just one of the Navy’s F/A-18E/F flight-plan capabilities designed to ensure the Block II Super Hornet will stay ahead of known and emerging threats until 2025 and beyond. Other next-generation equipment and capabilities included in the plan are advanced fused sensors, active electronicallyscanned array (AESA) radar, counter electronic attack, distributed targeting system, multi-sensor integration, anti-surface warfare, IP-based linked networks and advanced air-to-ground and air-to-air precision weapons operating on an open-architecture backplane.
Two F-35Bs Fly First STOVL Close-Formation Flight
Above: Pilots Peter Wilson and Dan Levin fly Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II test aircraft BF-01 and BF-05 ‘SD-65’ in short take-off and landing (STOVL) mode, also known as Mode 4, with the variant’s LiftFan engaged and engine rotated downward, at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, on February 11. This was the type's first STOVL close-formation flight. Lockheed Martin
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Ex-US Army CH-47Ds Sold to Commercial Customers US COMMERCIAL operator Columbia Helicopters has acquired three former US Army Boeing CH-47D Chinook helicopters from the US Government. They will join the company’s fleet of commercial super-heavy-lift helicopters, although specific projects or contracts for the trio have yet to be identified. The company has an active fleet of six Model 234 Chinooks, the commercial variant of the CH-47, and 14 Vertol 107-II helicopters – plus more of the type in storage, waiting for fleet demand. These include ten former Swedish Air Force HkP4Ds purchased in December 2012 after being retired by the Swedish and stored since 2009. Two other ex-US Army CH-47Ds have also recently been sold: 90-00184 (c/n M3336, ex CH-47C 68-15828 c/n B540) and 90-00185 (c/n M3337, ex CH-47C 70-15009 c/n B651) have been acquired by Billings Flying Service Inc of Billings, Montana, for $6.5m. The firm registered 90-00184 as N561AJ on February 14 and then 90-00185 as N562AJ on February 18, and plans to refurbish one over the next four months, including installation of new avionics, before putting it into service for fire-fighting and heavy-lift operations. The second will be refurbished next winter for similar missions. Both the Columbia and Billings purchases mark the first sale of the CH-47D model on the civilian market, although this variant has been widely sold to military customers.
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10/03/2014 12:57
For daily news stories please visit www.airforcesdaily.com e-mail the news team at [emailprotected]
First Upgraded EC-130H Compass Call Joins 55th ECG The US Air Force’s 55th Electronic Combat Group (ECG) at DavisMonthan AFB, Arizona, received its first Baseline-2-modified Lockheed EC-130H Compass Call at the base on February 20. The Compass Call fleet is undergoing a ‘spiral upgrade acquisition strategy’, guided by the Big Safari programme office and Air Force Material Command’s 661st Aeronautical Systems Squadron, based in Waco, Texas. The combined efforts of these agencies aim to ensure the EC-130H can counter new, emergent communication technology. Colonel Marty Reynolds, the 55th ECG’s commander, explained: “One of the significant advantages of our programme is that, through our spiral upgrade process, Baseline-2 provides cutting-edge technologies and the ability to be innovative as we support operations in the air, land, maritime, space and cyberspace
USAF to Award Combat Rescue Helicopter Contract by June
Above: The first upgraded EC-130H, 73-1580 ‘DM’, on February 12 outside the L3 Communications Integrated Systems facility in Waco, Texas, where the upgrade was undertaken. L3 Communications Integrated Systems
domains.” He added that the delivery of Baseline-2 provides the equivalent of a “fifth-generation electronic attack capability”. Most of the improvements found in the EC-130H Compass Call Baseline-2 are classified, but the system was redesigned to expand the ‘plug-and-play’ quick reaction capability aspect,
which has historically enabled the programme to counter unique ‘one-off’ high-profile threats. Aircraft communication capabilities are improved with expansion of satellite communications connectivity compatible with emerging military architectures, increased multi-asset coordination nets and
upgraded datalink terminals. Meanwhile, modifications to the airframe provide improved aircraft performance and survivability. The Compass Call is operated by two of the 55th ECG’s subordinate units, the 41st Electronic Combat Squadron (ECS) ‘Scorpions’ and 43rd ECS ‘Bats’.
VX-9 Returns Home
SECRETARY OF the Air Force Deborah Lee James announced on March 4 that the US Air Force will go ahead with the award of a contract to Sikorsky for its new Combat Rescue Helicopter programme despite there being no dedicated funding included in the 2015 defence budget request due to the "critical requirement".
The boys are back in town! On February 20, the ‘Vampires’ (VX-9, pictured) and ‘Dust Devils’ (VX-31) returned home to Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, California. During recent runway repairs VX-9 flew from NAS Pt Mugu and VX-31 from Edwards AFB. Jim Mumaw
Second US Navy MQ-8C Fire Scout Flown the second US Navy Northrop Grumman MQ-8C Fire Scout, 168456 ‘VX’, took to the air for the first time on February 12 from Naval Base Ventura County at Point Mugu, California. The type’s testing at the base is being undertaken by Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division’s Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 30 (VX-30) ‘Bloodhounds’. Northrop Grumman says testing to date with the first prototype, 168455 ‘NG’, has been very successful with 41 flights completed, totalling 66 hours. Current tests are focusing on validating the MQ-8C’s flight capabilities in readiness for ship-based flights, which are scheduled for this summer. The MQ-8C air vehicle upgrade, which is based on the Bell 407 helicopter, will provide longer
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endurance and range and greater payload capability than the MQ-8B, which is based on the smaller Schweizer 333 airframe. The ’B version is currently
deployed aboard USS Elrod (FFG 55) in the Mediterranean. Including the two test aircraft, 14 new Fire Scouts are currently under contract to be built by
Northrop Grumman. The US Navy’s current plan is to purchase 30 MQ-8C models to be ready for deployment by the fourth quarter of Fiscal Year 2014.
Above: The second US Navy Northrop Grumman MQ-8C Fire Scout, 168456 ‘VX’, takes off on February 12 from Naval Base Ventura County at Point Mugu, California, for its maiden flight. Northrop Grumman
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NEWS NORTH AMERICA
For daily news stories please visit www.airforcesdaily.com e-mail the news team at [emailprotected]
A-10, U-2 and Kiowa Warrior Fleets Face Axe in 2015 Budget Cuts DRASTIC CUTS planned in the 2015 US defence budget could see retirement of the US Air Force’s entire fleets of A-10s and U-2s together with all the US Army’s OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters. US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel formally unveiled the proposals, which had been expected for several months, at a Pentagon media briefing on February 24 during a preview of the Fiscal Year 2015 budget, which was then submitted to Congress for approval. For the US Air Force, Hagel said that the “emphasis on capability over capacity meant we protected its key modernisation programmes, including the new bomber, the Joint Strike Fighter and the new refuelling tanker. We also recommended investing $1 billion in a promising nextgeneration jet engine technology, which we expect to produce sizeable cost-savings through reduced fuel consumption and lower maintenance needs.” However, Hagel said that in order to fund these investments, serious cuts have to be made elsewhere. As a result, the US Air Force will reduce its number of tactical air squadrons, which will include retirement of the entire A-10 fleet. “Retiring the A-10 fleet saves $3.5 billion over five years and accelerates the Air Force’s longstanding modernisation plan,
which called for replacing the A-10s with the more capable F-35 in the early 2020s,” said Hagel. “This was a tough decision. But the A-10 is a 40-year-old singlepurpose airplane originally designed to kill enemy tanks on a Cold War battlefield. It cannot survive or operate effectively where there are more advanced aircraft or air defences. And, as we saw in Iraq and Afghanistan, the advent of precision munitions means many more types of aircraft can now provide effective close air support, from B-1 bombers to remotely-piloted aircraft. And these aircraft can execute more than one mission. “The A-10’s age is also making it much more difficult and costly to maintain. Significant savings are only possible through eliminating the entire fleet, because of the fixed cost of maintaining the support apparatus associated with that aircraft. Keeping a smaller number of A-10s would only delay the inevitable while forcing worse trade-offs elsewhere.” Hagel also confirmed the USAF will retire the U-2 in favour of the unmanned Global Hawk system, saying: “This decision was a close call, as the Department of Defense (DoD) had previously recommended retaining the U-2 over the Global Hawk because of cost issues. But over the last several years, the DoD has been able to reduce the Global
Klamath Aggressor
F-15C 78-0502 of the Oregon Air National Guard’s 173rd Fighter Wing releases flares during a training sortie over Central Oregon. The Wng recently received the jet from the 65th Aggressor Squadron at Nellis AFB. It will lose its aggressor colours and be painted the standard grey when it needs a repaint. Jim Haseltine
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Hawk’s operating costs. With its greater range and endurance, the Global Hawk makes a better high-altitude reconnaissance platform for the future.” The Secretary of Defense also warned: “If sequestration-level cuts are re-imposed in 2016 and beyond, however, the Air Force would need to make far more significant cuts to force structure and modernisation. It would have to retire 80 more aircraft, including the entire KC-10 tanker fleet and the Global Hawk Block 40 fleet as well as slow down purchases of the Joint Strike Fighter.” Changes proposed for the US Army include transfer of all Army National Guard Apache attack helicopters to active-duty units and active-duty Black Hawk helicopters to the National Guard. Hagel also said the Army will retire its Kiowas plus the JetRanger [TH-67 Creek] training helicopters used at Fort Rucker. The cuts still have to gain approval from Congress and could face an uphill struggle, as there is likely to be considerable opposition to some of the proposals, particularly the withdrawal of entire aircraft fleets. Also included in the budget proposals are plans to retire seven E-3 Sentrys, a quarter of the fleet based at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma. Also at Tinker the resident 507th Air Refueling Wing, part of AFRC, will receive four more KC-135Rs.
News briefs CANADIAN COMPANY Cascade Aerospace Inc revealed on February 10 that C-130 Hercules manufacturer Lockheed Martin recently appointed it as one of only two authorised Lockheed Martin C-130J Heavy Maintenance Centres (HMCs) in the world. The other is Marshall Aerospace in Cambridge, UK. US AIR Force Air Mobility Command officials announced on February 21 that initial operational capability for the Lockheed Martin C-5M Super Galaxy transporter has now been reached. It was achieved for upgraded C-5M aircraft after successful qualification test, operational test and evaluation and delivery of the 16th aircraft, with trained aircrew and maintenance personnel now at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware. ROCKWELL COLLINS announced on February 25 it has been selected to provide its RTA-4114 MultiScan Weather Radar system for the US Coast Guard’s MH-65E helicopters. US NAVAL Air Systems Command awarded a $2.1 billion contract to Boeing on February 25 which exercises options for the procurement of 16 P-8A Poseidon maritime aircraft. The award covers full-rate production Lot I aircraft for the US Navy and includes 16 ancillary mission equipment kits. The aircraft will be delivered by April 2017. RAYTHEON DEMONSTRATED its latest variant of the combat-proven Griffin missile, the Griffin Block III, at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, California in February. The Griffin AGM-176A is an aft-eject missile designed for use on platforms such as the C-130 and Griffin BGM-176B is a forward-firing missile that launches from rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft, ground-launch and maritime platforms.
US Army Awards Boeing a $1 Billion Contract for 82 AH-64Es US ARMY Contracting Command awarded Boeing a $1.16 billion contract on March 4 for full-rate production of the AH-64E Guardian (Apache Block III) attack helicopter. The award, which is a modification to an earlier contract, covers 72 AH-64Es remanufactured from earlier AH-64D airframes and ten new-production AH-64Es. The order also includes refreshing five crew trainers and refurbishing another plus logistics support, ground support equipment, initial spares and engineering studies. The estimated completion date for the contract is June 30, 2016.
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NEWS LATIN AMERICA
For daily news stories please visit www.airforcesdaily.com e-mail the news team at [emailprotected]
Maiden Flight of Peruvian Air Force’s First KAI KT-1P
Above: Officials celebrate the maiden flight of the first of 20 KAI KT-1P Woong-Bee trainer aircraft for the Peruvian Air Force, which took place at the Sacheon factory on February 19. KAI
THE MAIDEN flight of the first Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) KT-1P Woong-Bee basic trainer aircraft for the Peruvian Air Force (Fuerza Aérea del Perú - FAP) took place at Sacheon, Republic of Korea, on February 19. The aircraft, which incorporates upgraded avionics, will now undergo further testing in Korea to gain its certificate of airworthiness before the first four aircraft are
New Novaer Craft T-Xc Pilgrim Trainer Project
BRAZILIAN COMPANY Novaer Craft is proposing a replacement for the Brazilian Air Force’s (Força Aérea Brasileira) Neiva T-25 Universal basic trainer with its T-Xc Pilgrim, fitted with two sideby-side seats. The firm also plans to produce the model for export and a four-seat version, called the U-Xc Stardream, is to be offered on the private market. The aircraft is built entirely from carbon fibre and the first flight is expected in April. SANTIAGO RIVAS
Second A-1M Delivered The second upgraded AMX A-1M was delivered to the Brazilian Air Force on February 25. It will join the resident 1° Esquadrao of 16° Grupo de Aviacão (1°/16° GAv) ‘Adelfi’ at Santa Cruz. As the unit responsible for introduction of the A-1M into the FAB, 1°/16° GAv is expected to participate in operational exercises later this year with its newly modernised aircraft.
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delivered in January 2015. It is one of 20 ordered under a contract announced in November 2012. The first four examples will be built by KAI at Sacheon, but as part of the 100% industrial offsets that are included in the contract, final assembly of the remaining 16 KT-1Ps will be undertaken in Peru, using components supplied by KAI. The type will be assembled in Peru
by the Servicio de Mantenimiento FAP (SEMAN), the FAP’s maintenance and overhaul unit, in a new facility at Base Aérea Las Palmas, Santiago de Surco, Lima. On November 22 the completed hangars and administration offices of the new facility were officially handed over to SEMAN. KAI also intends to market the KT-1 to other Latin American countries and, if successful, could
Venezuela Acquires New Aircraft
Above: The AMBV’s new Dornier Do 228. Juan Carlos Cicalesi – Agustín Puetz
THE VENEZUELA Bolivarian Military Aviation (Aviación Militar Bolivariana de Venezuela - AMBV) received the first of ten Dornier Do 228 transport aircraft on January 27, of which eight will be brand new and two second-hand. The purchase contract with the company RUAG was signed last October and all aircraft are expected to be delivered this year. They will serve with the 9th Transport Air Group (Grupo Aéreo de Transporte Nº 9) in the state of Amazonas.
The General Commander of the AMBV also signed a contract on February 5 with the Austrian manufacturer Diamond Aircraft Industries for the purchase of twin-engine Diamond DA42 and single-engine DA40 aircraft. Thirty-six new DA40s will reinforce the fleet of the 14th Air Training Group (GEA14 - Grupo de Entrenamiento Aéreo 14) but the number of DA42s in the order has not been disclosed. JUAN CARLOS CICALESI – AGUSTÍN PUETZ
build other aircraft ordered in the region at the new SEMAN facility. The KT-1P is a variant of the export KT-1C tailored specifically to Peruvian requirements. The aircraft will be used by the FAP for basic pilot training and operated by Grupo Aérea 51 at Pisco, replacing the EMB-312 Tucano aircraft flown by the unit’s Escuadrón de Instrucción Basica 512. ALFONSO GLADE
News briefs THE BOLIVIAN Ministry of the Interior has placed orders for two MD530F helicopters for the Bolivian National Police (Policia Nacional de Bolivia). Deliveries are scheduled for the second quarter of this year. MD Helicopters, which announced the deal on February 25, has partnered with Helicopters de Bolivia to establish a service centre in Santa Cruz and its opening will coincide with the aircraft delivery. The helicopters will be used during the upcoming G77 World Security conference. ENSTROM HELICOPTER Corporation announced on February 24 that it has received a contract from the Venezuelan defence ministry for 16 Enstrom 480B training helicopters. They will be delivered within 18 months and will be used by the Venezuela Bolivarian Military Aviation (Aviación Militar Bolivariana de Venezuela - AMBV) and Venezuelan Naval Aviation (Aviación Naval de la Armada Venezolana) for training. On November 1 Major General Giuseppe Ángelo Yoffreda Yorio, Commanding General of the AMBV, said it would acquire ten of the type for training. As Enstrom now states that the Navy will also use the type, this would suggest that it will get six of the new helicopters.
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NEWS RUSSIA & CIS Restart of Antonov An-124 Production Depends on Customer Orders, says Official LONG-STANDING PLANS to restart production of the Antonov An-124 Ruslan heavy lift transport aircraft will be dependent on sufficient orders being gained to recoup the cost, says Andrei Boginsky, Director of the Russian Department of Industry. In a statement on February 13 he confirmed that if sufficient domestic and export orders cannot be achieved, there will be no new production. Instead, the existing fleet would have to be modernised. One of the main potential customers is the Russian Air Force, which has stated interest in buying at least 20, while civilian outsize cargo operators have made commitments to buy a further 60 between them if production goes ahead. Production would be restarted as part of joint Russian-Ukraine co-operation at the previous An-124 manufacturing site, Aviastar SP’s Ulyanovsk aircraft plant. Proposals were discussed on December 3 when Russian and Ukraine government and defence industry representatives paid a working visit to Antonov. Then, on December 17, the Ukraine Cabinet of Ministers signed a draft inter-governmental agreement with Russia on series production of the new variant, which will be powered by upgraded Ivchenko-Progress D-18T turbofan engines and have increased cargo capacity. In addition, the Russian Air Force is already upgrading its existing fleet of 20 An-124-100s, 14 of which are operational, while another six are in storage at Tver where the type is based. The modernisation would also include bringing the stored aircraft back into service. On May 17, 2012, Air Force officials announced that the first three to be upgraded to An-124-100M standard had re-entered service, while four more were being worked on at the Ulyanovsk plant. Work includes a new avionics suite and navigation system, an increase in range by 3,355 miles (5,400km), strengthened airframe, SRPPZ-2000 terrain warning awareness system and a new braking system enabling 30% shorter landing runs.
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Handover of 12 Su-35S to Russian Air Force
Above: Russian Air Force Sukhoi Su-35S Flanker-E ‘06 Red’ takes off from the factory airfield at Komsomolsk-on-Amur. Another 12 Su-35S multi-role fighters were formally handed over at the factory on February 12. KnAAZ
A DOZEN new-production Sukhoi Su-35S Flanker-E multi-role fighters were officially handed over to the Russian Air Force during a ceremony at the Yuri A Gagarin Komsomolsk-on-Amur aircraft plant on February 12. They will enter service with the 6983rd Air Base at Dzemgi-Komsomolskon-Amur, Khabarovsk. The Russian defence ministry ordered 48 Su-35S Flanker-E
aircraft under a contract signed in August 2009 and the first production example made its maiden flight on May 3, 2011, following which the first batch of six were formally accepted into Russian Air Force service in the last week of December 2012. According to the Russian Air Force chief, speaking on December 25, the Air Force took delivery of 12 Su-35S aircraft
during 2013, following on from ten earlier ones. He added 12 more would be delivered in 2014, followed by the final 14 in 2015 to complete the 48-aircraft order. It seems likely that the 12 due for delivery this year will be handed over progressively, suggesting that the 12 reported as ‘delivered’ were the 2013 batch. All the Su-35s so far delivered are believed to be based at Dzemgi.
USAF Flies Final Kyrgyzstan KC-135R Mission US AIR Force KC-135R Stratotanker 59-1515 from the 92nd Air Refueling Wing at Fairchild Air Force Base (AFB), Washington, performed the final aerial refuelling mission over Afghanistan from Transit Center Manas, Kyrgyzstan, on February 24 ending nearly 13 years of operations from the base. The six-hour mission had involved refuelling A-10C Thunderbolt IIs and F-16 Fighting Falcons, and Col Mike Seiler, 376th Expeditionary Operations Group commander, piloted the historic flight. “It’s pretty special to be able to say that we were able to fly on the last sortie out of Manas,” said
Seiler, who is deployed from MacDill, Air Force Base. “When [I] think about it, we flew our last sortie just like we did our first one: fighter support, troops in contact – I got chills rolling down the runway for the last time.” Over their 12½-year stay at Manas, KC-135s flew 33,500 sorties, which resulted in 135,000 aircraft being refuelled with more than 12.2 billion gallons of fuel. In June last year, the Kyrgyzstan parliament voted to end the US lease of Manas in July 2014, meaning that an alternative transit airfield had to be found. The US has been paying $60 million per year to lease facilities at Manas, which
has been in operation since 2001. During a meeting at the Pentagon on October 18, 2013, between US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and Romania’s Minister of Defence Mircea Du¸sa, an agreement was finalised for Romania to support US movements of personnel and cargo into and out of Afghanistan. Mihail Kogalniceanu ˘ Air Base, near Constanta on the Black Sea coast, is now being made available by Romania for use by US aircraft. On February 28 the facility reached full operational capability as the new air hub and the transfer of operations means that the transition will be complete well in advance of the July 2014 deadline.
T-50/PAK-FA Flies to Akhtubinsk Sukhoi T-50/PAK-FA ‘52’ (T-50-2), the second prototype of this fifth-generation fighter, arrived at the Russian Air Force’s 929th Chkalov State Flight Test Centre airfield in Akhtubinsk on February 21, for state tests. The aircraft was flown to the base from Zhukovsky by test pilot 1st Class Sergey Chernyshev.. Key – Gary Parsons
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NEWS MIDDLE EAST UK and Saudi Arabia Agree Typhoon Deal BAE SYSTEMS, the governments of the UK and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have finally agreed price escalation terms for the Typhoon aircraft provided under the Salam programme. The memorandum of understanding signed by the two governments in 2005 included provision for the deal to be at that year’s economic conditions, but the UK manufacturer says that both governments have now agreed price escalation terms in the contract. Ian King, Chief Executive, BAE Systems, said on February 19: “This is an equitable outcome for all parties. I am pleased that we have been able to conclude this negotiation, which builds on our long-standing relationship with this much valued customer.” Although production of the aircraft had continued uninterrupted, talks over pricing had been ongoing for some considerable time. A total of 72 aircraft are currently on order for the Royal Saudi Air Force, of which it had been planned to build the first 24 in the UK, following which the remaining 48 would have been assembled in Saudi Arabia. However, failure to agree on plans for local production led to the decision to build all of them in the UK. All 24 of the initial batch have been delivered, while the first of the second tranche of 48 (which comprises 36 single-seat and 12 two-seat aircraft) left the factory airfield at Warton, Lancashire, on April 24, 2013. To date 12 (eight two-seat and four single-seat aircraft) from the second batch have flown to Saudi Arabia, while several more are also now flying at Warton.
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First F-16s for Oman Flown
Above: Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO) F-16D Block 50 821 takes off on a test flight on February 18 at Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, Texas. A batch of 12 additional aircraft (ten F-16Cs and two F-16Ds) are being acquired under the Peace A’sama A’safiya II programme, for which the manufacturer was awarded a $600 million Foreign Military Sales contract on December 14, 2011. On January 14 F-16C Block 50 830, the first of the 12 additional F-16C/Ds for the air arm, carried out its maiden flight. This was achieved in only 24 months after contract award – a record time for FMS production in the history of the F-16 programme. Scott Fischer
US Marine Corps Prowlers Move from Afghanistan to Qatar THE EA-6B Prowlers of the US Marine Corps’ Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 3 (VMAQ-3) ‘Moondogs’ arrived at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, on February 17 to provide support in the US Central Command area of responsibility (CENTCOM AOR). The VMAQ-3 Prowlers were previously deployed to Afghanistan. “We are looking forward to providing electronic attack for US and coalition forces in the
area,” said Marine Capt Keith Hibbert, a ‘Moondog’ pilot. “Prowlers have been supporting ground troops during Operation Enduring Freedom for more than ten years and we look forward to continuing that support.” Though the Prowlers will continue to fly missions to Afghanistan, their main mission is now to be ready to support any contingencies or operations that may need electronic attack in the CENTCOM AOR.
First Qatar Emiri Air Force PC-21 Flies
Above: Pilatus PC-21 QA-350 (c/n 210), the first for the Qatar Emiri Air Force (QEAF), undertook its first engine runs on February 20 at Stans-Buochs, Switzerland, prior to its maiden flight on February 24 carrying the test registration HB-HVA. Pilatus was awarded a contract in July 2012 to supply a complete PC-21 training system to the QEAF comprising 24 aircraft, a suite of ground-based training devices and a logistics support and maintenance package. The QEAF Air Academy will receive its first aircraft in the summer and training will start mid2015. All 24 PC-21s are scheduled for delivery by the end of 2015. Stephan Widmer
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First Modernised Iranian KC-747 Returned to Service ONE OF three Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) Boeing KC-747 tankers made its first post-overhaul flight at the Fars Co Aircraft MRO Centre on March 4. This 1970-built 747-131, 5-8103 (c/n 20080), was acquired from TWA in May 1975 together with eight others and three 747-124s. It was grounded in September 2009 and has been upgraded to be able fly in European airspace under EASA laws. BABAK TAGHVAEE
Iraq Signs for 20 Super Mushshaks
PAKISTAN AERONAUTICAL Complex (PAC) signed a contract with the Iraqi Air Force (IqAF) on February 10 for 20 new-build PAC MFI-395 Super Mushshak basic trainer aircraft. The Super Mushshak is an upgraded MFI-17 Mushshak, a basic trainer in service with the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and various other Middle Eastern countries. The Super Mushshak features an uprated engine of 260hp (194kW) and can be fitted with hardpoints under the wing to carry payloads for training purposes. WASEEM ABBAS
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NEWS AFRICA Ex-Indian Su-30Ks Sold to Angola
OLEG DEMCHENKO, president of Irkut Corporation, confirmed on February 12 to Russia’s Interfax news agency that a contract has been signed to sell 12 upgraded, second-hand Sukhoi Su-30K Flanker fighters to the Angolan Air Force. These comprise 12 of the 18 former Indian Air Force (IAF) Su-30Ks traded back to Rosoboronexport and currently stored at Baranovichi in Belarus. Deliveries to Angola will start in 2015, said Demchenko. Media reports in Russia last October had suggested all 18 Su-30Ks were destined for Angola. However, when asked about the remaining six, Demchenko said: “There is a country that will buy these aircraft”, although he declined to name it. He added that these six aircraft are already being modernised at Baranovichi in anticipation of a firm contract, which he said thatnhe expects will be “signed shortly”. The 18 Su-30Ks (IAF serials SB-001 to SB-018) were originally delivered to the IAF between May 1997 and December 1999, primarily as an interim aircraft pending delivery of more advanced Su-30MKIs. It had been intended to later upgrade them to Su-30MKI standard, but it was then decided that using them in part-exchange for new aircraft was a more cost-effective option. All 18 were withdrawn from service in 2006 and initially placed in open storage to await their return to Rosoboronexport in exchange for Su-30MKIs. By November 2011 they had been dismantled and shipped to the 558th Aircraft Repair Plant at Baranovichi in Belarus.
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SAAF Rooivalks on MONUSCO Operations
Above: Two South African Air Force Rooivalk attack helicopters escort a UN delegation on its way from Beni to Kiwanja in the North Kivu province, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, on February 11. This is the first official image to be released of the Rooivalk detachment, which has been in place since last November. MONUSCO/Clara Padovan
South Africa Plans to Donate 12 Alouette IIIs to Namibia NAMIBIA’S AIR Force is expected to receive up to 12 Aérospatiale Alouette III helicopters donated by South Africa, although final approval for their transfer has not yet been granted. South African media reports in February said that the former South African Air Force helicopters, retired in 2006, along with a package of spare parts, are already packed up for shipment to Namibia. Previously, it had been planned to donate these helicopters to the Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ),
but their delivery was blocked early last year by a court order due to concerns they would be used by President Robert Mugabe against his own people. South African Defence Force spokesman Xonani Mambanga said on February 11 that these helicopters would not now go to the AFZ due to concerns from human rights groups. Mambanga could not, however, confirm that they were going to Namibia instead, as he said the relevant authorities would have to ratify the plans.
New Chad Government ATR42-300 in Service
Above: Recently-delivered Chad Government ATR42-300 TT-ABE (c/n 230, ex OY-PCN, F-GKNC) departs from Mönchengladbach, Germany, on February 14 to return to Chad after a few weeks with Rheinland Air Service (RAS) on maintenance. The aircraft, built in 1991, was previously operated by France’s Airlinair as F-GKNC. Oliver Jonischkeit
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Uganda Moves Aircraft Out of Entebbe to Nakasongola
UGANDA’S PRESIDENT, Yoweri Museveni, confirmed on February 21 that the Uganda People’s Defence Force Air Wing (UPDF AW) would begin relocating its assets at Entebbe to Nakasongola Air Base in early March. There had been concerns for some time over military operations at the increasingly congested Entebbe International Airport, which is also the main base for the UPDF AW. Nakasongola was built in the 1970s by then President Idi Amin as the UPDF AW headquarters but has been largely disused for many years, apart from occasional civil traffic, since the HQ moved to Entebbe. The base, 9 miles (14km) north of Nakasongola town, central Uganda and 88 miles (141km) north of Entebbe, has undergone a major upgrade in readiness for the return of UPDF AW aircraft. At present, the majority of UPDF AW aircraft and helicopters are based at Entebbe, including MiG-21s (although it is unlikely any remain operational) and Su-30MK2 Flanker fighters, L10030 and Y-12 Turbo Panda IV transports, plus AB206B-2 JetRanger, Mi-8/17/172 Hip and Mi-24P Hind helicopters. Presumably all will now move to Nakasongola. The exceptions are the AS202/18A1 Bravos, L-39ZA/ZO Albatros and SF260W Warrior training aircraft, which operate from Gulu Airport, although some L-39s were noted flying from Entebbe last year.
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NEWS ASIA PACIFIC
Singapore Airshow 2014 News New Heavy Fuel Super Heron UAV Unveiled
News briefs AGUSTAWESTLAND ANNOUNCED on February 11 that the Royal Thai Army has taken delivery of two AW139 twin-engine helicopters. They will perform transport and utility missions across Thailand.
IAI’s Super Heron prototype, 4X-UMF, which was unveiled at the Singapore Air Show. Flying for several months, it is seen here on October 24, 2013 – which is thought to have been the date of its maiden flight, although the company has declined to confirm this. IAI
IN A CEREMONY at the Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) chalet on February 11, the company revealed its new Super Heron heavy fuel unmanned aerial system (UAS) prototype, 4X-UMF. IAI claims its heavy fuel, 200hp (149kW) engine, advanced propulsion system and avionics, triple redundancy
and computerised systems enhance its growth potential, saying enhanced processing capabilities, increased electrical power and standard interface architecture allow for the simple integration of new payloads. The UAS has a line-of-sight mission radius of 155 miles (250km) or 620 miles (1,000km)
beyond line-of-sight using SATCOM. Endurance is 45 hours; ceiling 30,000ft (9,144m); loiter speed 60-80kts (111-148km/h); and maximum speed in excess of 150kts (278km/h). Maximum take-off weight is 3,196kbs (1,450kg), payload weight is up to 992lbs (450kg) and wingspan is 55ft 6in (17m).
Singapore Confirms it is Purchasing A330 MRTTs has already been signed. The manufacturer and Singapore's defence ministry have both previously declined to comment on the deal, Singapore having always been secretive about its military equipment purchases. Competing for the six-aircraft requirement had been Airbus and Boeing with its KC-46A. Reported offers by the US to upgrade the KC-135Rs, and from IAI in Israel to supply converted Boeing 767 multi-mission tanker transports, were also under consideration.
L-3 MISSION Integration announced on February 12 that it is collaborating with Bombardier Aerospace, Marshall Aerospace and Cascade Aerospace to produce a multimission extended range platform for maritime patrol and surveillance operations. The aircraft will be based on Bombardier’s Q400 commercial aircraft modified by L-3 which, says the company, will “offer a high-performance, bestvalue solution for multi-mission maritime and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions”. RUSSIAN HELICOPTERS said on February 12 that the first 19 Kazan Helicopters Mi-17-V5s from an order for 59 for the Indian Air Force (IAF) have now been delivered. The remaining 40 are scheduled for delivery by the end of 2015. ROCKWELL COLLINS announced on February 11 that its Flight2 avionics have been selected by subcontractor L-3 Mission Integration for a Lockheed P-3C Orion upgrade contract for the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN). Korean Air serves as the prime contractor. The system will be installed on eight aircraft as part of the Lot I upgrade contract awarded by L-3, after which the aircraft will have a configuration common with the other eight P-3CK Orion aircraft upgraded under the Korea Lot II Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) programme a few years ago.
DESPITE EXPECTATIONS of an announcement on the Republic of Singapore Air Force’s (RSAF) selection of a new in-flight refuelling aircraft, nothing was made public at the show. However, a month later, Singapore's Minister for Defence, Dr Ng Eng Hen, confirmed in his budget speech to parliament on March 6 that Singapore is buying six Airbus Military A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) to replace the Republic of Singapore Air Force’s (RSAF)
Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker fleet. He stated that: “to boost air-to-air refuelling capabilities and extend the endurance of our fighters, the Airbus A330 multi-role tanker transport aircraft will replace the ageing KC-135R aerial tankers bought second-hand in the 1990s.” RSAF plans to purchase the type had long been rumoured and although Dr Hen did not reveal the number involved, Airbus has now confirmed that a contract for six A330s
Pakistan to Receive Jordanian F-16s
Maiden Flight of Third Chengdu J-20 Prototype
THE PAKISTAN Air Force (PAF) is set to receive a squadron of former Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF) Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcons. The US Governmentapproved sale will include 13 Block 15-standard F-16s, comprising 12 single-seat F-16As and a single twin-seat F-16B. The PAF will induct the fighters into its existing 63-strong fleet of F-16s (which includes a mix of ’A, ’B, ’C and ’D variants) and may modify their engine bays and install F100-PW-220E powerplants, which are more reliable and efficient than the original F100-PW-200 turbofans. WASEEM ABBAS
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Above: Making its first flight on March 1 in China was the third prototype Chengdu J-20 stealth fighter. The aircraft - serial 2011 - shows a number of changes to the previous two technology demonstrators, including modifications to the radome (thought to be to house an AESA radar), enlarged engine intakes with a sloping upper edge, sawtooth trailing edges on the engine exhaust nozzles, similar sawtooth-pattern main weapons bay door leading and trailing edges, a revised nosewheel undercarriage door and cropped aft tips of the twin tail fins. A new paint scheme also appears to incorporate stealth coatings to the edges of the wings and tail surfaces and there is a new fairing under the nose, presumed to be for an electro-optical/infrared sensor. The previous single-piece canopy has also been modified on the new aircraft, with a new arch frame now incorporated. Chinese Internet
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India Extends Kiran Training Due to Sitara Delays
INDIA’S DEFENCE Minister, A K Antony, has confirmed that operation of the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) HJT-16 Kiran Mk I jet trainer by the Indian Air Force (IAF) will have to be extended due to delays in the HJT-36 Sitara Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT) programme. In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha (lower house of parliament) on February 10 he said: “Due to repeated revisions in the timeline set for the initial operational clearance of the IJT, and also considering the present state of the project regarding induction of the IJT in the IAF, it has been decided to extend the use of Kiran Mk 1. After the study of the fatigue life spectrum of Kiran Mk I aircraft, the Regional Centre for Military Airworthiness (Aircraft) has recommended extension of the total technical life of the aircraft. This will help the IAF to utilise the fleet until 2017-18, though in gradually reducing numbers.” The Kiran Mk I entered service in 1968, followed by the Mk II in 1985. The IJT programme is developing a Kiran replacement, but has suffered continual delays. The first prototype Sitara, S-3466 (PT-01), took its maiden flight on March 7, 2003, followed by the second, S-3474 (PT-02), in March 2004. A third, S-3851 (LSP-01), the first of a planned 12 limited series production (LSP) aircraft, flew for the first time on January 1, 2010. It is believed that no further LSP aircraft have since been built because of continuing development problems related to the type’s stall and spin characteristics. In addition to the LSP aircraft, the IAF has previously stated a requirement for 73 production Sitaras – however, on February 25, frustrated by the continuing delays with the HJT-36 programme, the Indian defence ministry issued a request for information (RFI) for procurement of an alternative jet trainer. The RFI says that the aircraft will be primarily tasked with pilot training, but should also be capable of undertaking counterinsurgency operations as a secondary role. It seeks costings for the direct purchase of batches of ten, 20, 30 and 50 aircraft, plus a full mission simulator. The deadline for responses is April 4, following which a request for proposals will be issued to all shortlisted vendors.
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First Indian Air Force Global 5000 Intelligence Aircraft under Test in Scotland
Above: Bombardier Global 5000 4X-COF (c/n 9424, ex C-GHVB), the first of two to be converted into intelligence gathering aircraft for India’s Aviation Research Centre/Research and Analysis Wing, taxies out on March 7 at Prestwick Airport, Scotland, where it had arrived the previous evening for around three days of crosswind landing and takeoff trials. The newly-installed sensor housings above and below the forward fuselage are clearly apparent, as are the two large ventral fins under the tail. Colin Gordon
WORK IS progressing in Israel on the conversion of two Bombardier Global 5000 ultra-long-range business jets into new airborne intelligence gathering aircraft for the Indian Government. The first aircraft has been test flying from Tel Aviv since December, sporting several external sensor housings above and below the fuselage.
Owing to the clandestine nature of their mission, there has been little publicity regarding the acquisition programme. It is understood, however, that India’s Cabinet Committee on Security gave approval in June 2011 for a contract, said to be worth $300 million, with Israel’s Elta Systems for modification of the aircraft for their airborne intelligence role.
The Global 5000s will replace three Indian Air Force Gulfstream III SRA-1 aircraft, specially modified for the same role, which have been in use for more than 20 years. They are operated by the Aviation Research Centre (ARC), part of India’s external intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing, under the control of the Cabinet Secretariat.
Republic of Korea Air Force Retires the RF-4C Phantom II
Above: What was the world’s oldest flying Phantom, RF-4C 64-1001, lifts off from the runway at Suwon to begin its last-ever operational sortie. It first took to the skies on December 15, 1964. ROKAF
AFTER NEARLY 25 years of service, on February 28 the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) retired its fleet of McDonnell Douglas RF-4C Phantom IIs, the last of the variant remaining in service in the world. The first of 18 former US Air Force airframes were taken on strength by the 131st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (131 TRS) on December 18, 1989. After disbandment of the USAF’s 460th Tactical Reconnaissance Group, based at Daegu, other airframes followed and flew as part of the
ROKAF’s 39 TRG out of Suwon Air Base just south of Seoul. The fleet logged an impressive 146,000 flight hours during their time with the ROKAF, and on the final day 68-0574 made the last flight with the 39 TRG’s commander, Colonel Hyunjin Lee at the controls. The RF-4C’s role has been transferred to F-16s carrying ELINT pods. No decision has been taken on the fate of the fleet but at least one aircraft has already been despatched to a museum in Korea. MARTIN FENNER
News briefs RAYTHEON has been awarded a $31m contract from the Korean Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) for additional AGM-65G-2 Maverick precision-guided missiles. Under the direct commercial sale, Raytheon will supply the missiles to the Republic of Korea Air Force. PHILIPPINE DEPARTMENT of National Defence (DND) Undersecretary Fernando Manalo announced on February 21 an agreement with South Korea for the purchase of 12 Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) FA-50 lead-in fighter trainers for the Philippine Air Force (PAF). He said he expected the contract to be signed by March 15.
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NEWS AUSTRALASIA
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Australia Approves P-8A Poseidon Purchase
BAE Systems Ends RAAF F/A-18 Programme
AUSTRALIA’S PRIME Minister, Tony Abbott, and Minister for Defence, David Johnston, announced on February 21 that the Australian Government has approved the acquisition of eight Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft. The news came during a joint press conference at Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base, Fairbairn, Canberra, as the two men inspected a US Navy P-8A in Australia for joint exercises with the RAAF and the Royal Australian Navy. The acquisition had been long expected, having been given ‘first pass’ approval in mid-2007. The first aircraft will be delivered in 2017, with all eight fully operational by 2021. The government has also approved an option for a further four aircraft subject to the outcomes of the Defence White Paper review. The P-8As will replace the RAAF fleet of Lockheed AP-3C Orions.
BAE SYSTEMS and its engineering partner L-3 MAS Canada have concluded maintenance and modification support of the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet fleet ahead of plan. The Hornet Maintenance and Modifications Support Contract delivered deep maintenance and significant structural refurbishments. BAE Systems Australia Director Aerospace, Steve Drury, said the company was proud of the achievement: “This major programme of work for our company started in June 2003. In that time, our workforce maintained 65 of the RAAF’s 71 Classic Hornets, completed over one million hours of maintenance and delivered a 7% cost reduction.”
AF/Unit
The acquisition will cost approximately AUS$4 billion (US$3.6 billion), including support facilities, says Abbott. Australian businesses have already won approximately AUS$8.5 million (US$7.65 million) of work associated with Australia’s participation in the
P-8A programme and they stand to benefit by as much as AUS$1 billion (US$900 million) through the construction of facilities at RAAF Base Edinburgh in South Australia (where the aircraft will be based) and elsewhere, together with work to meet maintenance and other support needs.
New Contract Awards & Military Deployments
Military Aircraft Deployments Date
Above: US Navy/VP-16 P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft 168429 'LF-429' on the tarmac at RAAF Base Fairbairn, Canberra, on February 21. ADF
Type
Location and Notes
Feb 2 & 5 USMC/VMGR-252
KC-130J
Returned from Afghanistan
Feb 7
USAF/20th FW
? x F-16C
Returned home from various overseas deployments
Feb 7
USAF/66th Rescue Sqn 1 x HH-60G Depart Djibouti after deployment
Feb 9
USAF/457th Fighter Sqn
? x F-16C
Returned home from Bagram AB, Afghanistan
Feb 10
Royal Saudi Air Force/55 Sqn
8 x F-15S
Via Morón, Spain, to Nellis AFB, Nevada, for Red Flag 14-2
Feb 17
USMC/VMAQ-3
? x EA-6B Prowler
Deployed to Al Udeid AB, Qatar, ex Afghanistan
Feb 20
UAEAF&AD
6 x F-16E/F
Deployed via Morón, Spain, to USA
Feb 27
US Navy/VAQ-132
? x EA-18G Growler
Deployed to NAF Misawa, Japan
Above: US Air Force HH-60G Pave Hawk 87-26006 ‘FT’ from the 57th Wing/66th Rescue Squadron (RQS) being loaded at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, onto Mississippi Air National Guard/172th Airlift Wing/183rd Airlift Squadron C-17A Globemaster III 03-3114 on February 7 to return home to Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. The helicopter had been deployed to Djibouti for the last 12 months. US Air Force/Staff Sgt Christopher Gross
New Contract Award Summary Air Force/ Organisation
Company
No. & Type
Algerian Air Force
Helicopters of Russia
42 x Mi-28N
Bolivian Police
MD Helicopters
2 x MD530F
6 x Mi-26T2
Date
Delivery Date & Notes
Air Force/ Organisation
Company
No. & Type
Feb 28
Unknown
Turkish General Police Directorate
Sikorsky
20 x T-70 Black Hawk
February 25
By mid-2014
Turkish Department Sikorsky of Forestry
20 x T-70 Black Hawk
Sikorsky
11 x T-70 Black Hawk
Date
Delivery Date & Notes
Feb 21
Unknown
Iraqi Air Force
PAC Kamra
20 x AMF Super Mushshak
Feb 10
Unknown
Turkish Special Forces Command
Italian Navy
Schiebel
1 x Camcopter S-100
Feb 11
Unknown
Turkish Air Force Command
Sikorsky
6 x T-70 Black Hawk
Japanese Yamagata Firefighting Agency
AgustaWestland
1 x AW139
Sikorsky
2 x T-70 Black Hawk
Mid-2015
Turkish Electronic Systems Command
Japanese Tottori Firefighting Agency
Feb 24 AgustaWestland
1 x AW139
US Air Force
General Atomics
38 x MQ-9 Reaper Extended Range
Feb 5
by Jul 7, 2016
Korean Chungham Firefighting Dept
AgustaWestland
1 x AW139
Feb 11
Late 2015
EADS North America
4 x UH-72A Lakota
Feb 18
By Mar 31, 2015
Philippine Navy
AgustaWestland
2 x AW109E Power
Feb 11
Not announced
Mar 4
By Jun 30, 2016
16 x P-8A Poseidon
Feb 25
Not announced
Venezuelan Military Enstrom (Air Force and Navy) Helicopters
16 x Enstrom 480B
Feb 24
Within 18 months
Venezuelan Military
36 x DA40 and DA42 Twin Star
Feb 5
Not announced
Boeing
Polish Air Force
Alenia Aermacchi
8 x M-346 Master, plus four options
Feb 27
2016-2017
Republic of Singapore Air Force
Sikorsky
2 x S-70B Seahawk
Mar 4
Not announced
Turkish Gendarmerie
Sikorsky
30 x T-70 Black Hawk
Turkish Land Forces Command
Feb 21
Unknown
Sikorsky
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20 x T-70 Black Hawk
US Army
US Navy
Boeing
Diamond Aircraft
72 x AH-64E (remanufactured) 10 x AH-64E (newbuild)
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ATTRITION
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Accident Reports D: Aug ??, 2012 N: French Navy T: Schiebel Camcopter S100
D: Jan 10 N: French Air Force T: AS555AN Fennec
The vertical take-off unmanned air vehicle was lost at sea following technical failure during trials from the French Navy Gowind-Class offshore patrol vessel L’Adroit.
This Fennec was fired on from the ground as it flew over a suburb of Bangui in the Central African Republic (CAR) during Operation Sangaris. One bullet passed through the co*ckpit, just missing the pilot. A safe landing was made back at base and the Fennec was subsequently repaired.
D: Nov ??, 2013 N: Kazakhstan Air Force T: MiG-27 Flogger
This Flogger was making an emergency landing at Zhetigen Air Base when its brake parachute detached, resulting in the aircraft running off the end of the runway and breaking through a wire fence before coming to rest in a grassy area. The pilot was uninjured. The extent of damage was not reported. D: Dec 7 N: Syrian Air Force T: Yasir UAV
Jabhat al-Nusra, al-Qaeda’s local branch in Syria, shot down this Iranian-built UAV while it was flying over Aleppo. Video of the downed UAV was shown on Al Jazeera TV, confirming it as a Yasir, a type that has been operating in Syria since summer 2013. D: Dec 19 N: Syrian Air Force T: Pahpad AB-3 (Seeker-1) UAV
This Iranian-built UAV was shot down by the Free Syrian Army over Ghantou, Homs. Video footage shows the damaged UAV coming down under its recovery parachute while still being targeted by gunfire. It was then recovered by rebels, and images showed it peppered with bullet holes. The type appeared to be an Iranian Pahpad AB-3 (Seeker-1) UAV, an increasing number of which have been operating over Syria in recent months. Another of the type had been captured almost intact by the rebels on December 6 in Damascus. D: Dec 29 N: Syrian Air Force T: MiG-??
The Free Syrian Army claimed that this aircraft was shot down while it was launching air strikes on Ashafra and Aarnoushe villages. D: Jan 3, 2014 N: Syrian Air Force T: Unidentified MiG
An unidentified type of MiG fighter was claimed shot down by the Free Syrian Army over Qalat Al Hosn.
Above: The United Nations/MONUSCO Falco UAV following its landing accident at Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, on January 15.
D: Jan 15 N: United Nations/MONUSCO T: Falco UAV
Upon returning from a mission this UAV ran off the side of the D: Jan 5 N: Italian Army T: CH-47C Chinook
While this helicopter was operating in Afghanistan with Task Force Fenice (Phoenix) it was fired on at approximately 1030hrs local time. The incident occurred as the Chinook was in the landing phase at a location about 18 miles (30km) south of Shindand. It was undertaking an operation in support of Afghan security forces at the time. After responding to the gunfire, the Chinook moved away from the area and was able to land safely at the nearby Shindand Air Base. The helicopter, which had been transporting Afghan soldiers to an otherwise inaccessible location, incurred only minor damage and no Italian personnel were injured.
runway on landing at Goma Airport in the DRC, coming to rest in an area of long grass. It is not believed to have been seriously damaged. D: Jan 5 N: US Navy/VQ-4 T: E-6B Mercury S: 162784
While under maintenance in a hangar at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, with various doors and panels open, at 1930hrs the high expansion foam (HEF) fire suppression system activated. The HEF caused Class A damage to the interior and exterior. D: Jan 9 N: SASA/Colombian Army T: Bell 206L-4 LongRanger S: HK-4462
Five people, including three Army personnel were killed in the crash of this civilian helicopter, chartered by the military. It crashed 15 miles (24km) from Anorí , Santa Ana, Antioquia.
D: Jan 17 N: US Navy/VFA-147 T: F/A-18E Super Hornet S: 166447 ‘NH-212’
This aircraft suffered Class A damage when it aborted take-off at 1310hrs at its home base, Naval Air Station Lemoore, California, resulting in a brake fire. The pilot was uninjured. D: Jan 17 N: Ecuadorian Navy/ Escuadrón Aeronaval 100 T: IAI Searcher II S: AN-251
Due to an apparent engine failure while on a routine training flight this UAV crashed into the sea off the coast of Crucita, central Manabi, Ecuador, at 1810hrs. D: Feb 7 N: Iraqi Military T: Unidentified helicopter
A report by Arab TV channel Al-Mayadin indicates that this helicopter crashed in the Es Saklaviya area, Anbar province. There has been no information on whether there were any casualties. D: Feb 11 N: Algerian Air Force/2 Escadre T: C-130H-30 Hercules S: 4919/7T-WHM
Above: Japanese Air Self-Defense Force/Blue Impulse Kawasaki T-4s 46-5731 and 66-5745 perform a mirror formation flypast during a display routine. These were the two aircraft involved in a mid-air collision on January 29, although fortunately both were able to return to base and land safely.
D: Jan 29 N: Japanese Air Self-Defense Force/Blue Impulse T: Kawasaki T-4 S: 46-5731 and 66-5745
These T-4s collided off the Japanese coast during a practice formation flight. The incident occurred over the Pacific Ocean
about 28 miles (45km) southeast of their base at Matsushima, but both pilots were able to maintain control and returned for a safe landing back at the base. The radome of one aircraft (46-5731) was badly dented during the collision, while the other (66-5745) lost almost all of its port tailplane.
This Hercules crashedon Mount Djebel Fertas, 11 miles (18km) east of the city of Melilla, near Ouled Gacem village, where it exploded on impact with a hillside. Four crew and 74 passengers (soldiers and their families) were on board when it went down near Aïn Kercha in Oum El Bouaghi province, about 310 miles (500km) east of the capital, Algiers, in poor weather conditions. Only one person survived, with serious injuries. The Hercules was en route to Constantine/Ain el Bey Airport from Tamanrasset Airport and had just commenced its descent towards Constantine at the time of the crash, about 30 miles (50km) from its destination.
Abbreviations: D: Date N/U: Nationality/Units T: Type S: Serials
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ATTRITION Accident Reports D: Feb 12 N: Libyan Air Force T: Mi-35 Hind
During a flight over the east of the country, this helicopter was reported missing and may have been shot down. It disappeared en route to Benghazi and the fate of its two-member crew and six passengers was unknown. It is reported to have come under fire from the ground, causing the pilot to take evasive action. The helicopter went down near the oil town of Ras Lanov. Above: Peruvian Army/Aviation Brigade Mi-17-1V EP-604, which was involved in a crashlanding on February 13 and is likely to be a write-off. Desarrollos Industriales Casanave Peru
D: Feb 13 N: Peruvian Army/Aviation Brigade T: Mi-17-1V S: EP-604
During a supply and transport operation, this Mi-17 was involved in a crash-landing. The helicopter had departed from Macamango Barracks, Quillabamba, for Miaira, Lower Urabamba, Echarate, La Convención province, but began losing altitude en route
D: Feb 12
due to a technical failure. The pilot was forced to make an emergency landing in the Shainapuerto sector, Echarate, Cusco, resulting in injuries to four of the 14 (ten military personnel and four civilians) on board. The injured were taken to hospital in Quillabamba. The helicopter was reported to have sustained extensive structural damage and is most likely a write-off.
D: Feb 17 N: French Army/EALAT T: EC120 NHE Colibri
This Colibri was extensively damaged in a crash at 1530hrs while undertaking a low-level training flight. At a height of only 3ft (1m) above ground level, the helicopter suddenly pitched forward and struck the ground at Tabaille-Usquain in Sauveterre-deBéarn canton. The tail boom and main rotors were torn off before it came to rest on its starboard side in an open area. The two crew members were uninjured. The helicopter was one of 36 operated by civilian contractor Helidax on behalf of the EALAT for rotary-wing pilot training. D: Feb 20 N: Syrian Air Force T: Su-22 Fitter
This aircraft was claimed shot down by the Frewe Syrian Army in Saqba East Ghouta. A video shows it firing off flares and then catching fire before crashing.
The tail of a P-3 Orion, with the fin tip missing and most of the rudder torn away, protruding through the collapsed hangar roof of a maintenance facility at Atsugi Air Base, Japan, on February 15. Six JMSDF Orions and four US Navy examples are said to have been damaged by the collapse. Kyodo News
D: Feb 15 N: Japanese Maritime SelfDefense Force and US Navy T: JMSDF: 3 x P-3C, 1 x OP-3C, 1 x EP-3 and 1 x UP-3D. USN: 4 x P-3C
A hangar roof collapsed at around 0500hrs at Atsugi Air Base due to the weight of snow on it, causing damage to some of the aircraft inside. The hangar was a maintenance facility owned by Nippi Corporation, a Kawasaki Heavy Industries subsidiary, which
carries out work on P-3 Orions. Local reports indicate that three P-3Cs, one OP-3C, one UP-3D and one EP-3 of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force, along with four US Navy P-3Cs, were damaged by the collapse. Precise details of the damage are unknown. The aircraft reported to be inside under maintenance at the time were JMSDF P-3Cs 5044, 5066 and 5077; OP-3C 9133; UP-3D 9161; EP-3 9174; plus US Navy P-3C AIPs 159329 ‘LL-329’, 159503 ‘503’, 160283 ‘283’ and 161338 ‘338’.
D: Feb 21 N: Libyan Air Force T: Antonov An-26 S: 5A-DOW (c/n 11809)
Eleven people on board this An-26 were killed when it crashed about 37 miles (60km) south of Tunis, Tunisia, at around 0130hrs. The flight had departed from Tripoli-Mitiga Air Base, Libya, for an air ambulance flight to Tunis-Carthage Airport, but crashed in a field near the village of Nianou, in the Grombalia area of Nabeul province, Tunisia, after an engine fire. Those killed comprised six crew members, two patients (one being Sheikh Meftah al-Mabrouk Issa al-Dhawadi, undersecretary at the Libyan Ministry of Martyrs), two of their companions and a doctor.
D: Feb 21 N: Pakistan Army T: Mi-17 Hip
During a training flight, this helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing. It came down in Chakri, 37 miles (60km) southwest of Rawalpindi. The two crew were uninjured but the extent of damage to the helicopter remains unconfirmed. D: Feb 22 N: Iraqi military T: Unidentified helicopter
The helicopter crashed in Baghdad's western suburb of Abu Ghraib following a technical failure, killing all four crew members. It went down while on a reconnaissance flight over the nearby town of Karma, Anbar province, above an area where the Iraqi Army was battling militant groups. D: Feb 23 N: Colombian Army/TF Omega T: UH-60L Black Hawk S: EJC-2160
This Black Hawk was involved in a crash that killed four of the six personnel on board and injured the other two. The helicopter came down at about 2050hrs in the Mesetas municipality, Meta state, while supporting military operations against FARC rebels. An unconfirmed local report says that the crash occurred when the helicopter’s rotors clipped a tree while manoeuvring to land near the village of Hondas Cofre. The helicopter was assigned to Task Force Omega, which operates in the Meta region. It had reportedly taken off earlier from the military base at Apiay. D: Feb 25 N: Royal Saudi Air Force T: Agusta-Bell 212?
Five security personnel suffered minor injuries when this helicopter crashed at 1100hrs in a mountainous area about 1 mile (2km) from Al-Baha. A technical fault had forced the pilot to attempt an emergency landing, but the helicopter rolled over on touchdown and came to rest on its port side. Various RSAF rescue teams and ambulances were immediately dispatched to the crash site. The injured personnel were then flown on board an RSAF aircraft with Red Crescent paramedics on board to King Fahad hospital in Al Baha. The type is subject to confirmation.
Abbreviations: D: Date N/U: Nationality/Units T: Type S: Serials
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For daily news stories please visit www.airforcesdaily.com e-mail the news team at [emailprotected]
Above: Colombian Air Force/Grupo 11/Escuadron 111 Kfir TC12 FAC 3006, which was written-off in a crash on February 18, killing one of the two crew members. Via Juan Carlos Cicalesi
D: Feb 18 N: Colombian Air Force/Grupo 11/ Escuadron 111 T: Kfir TC12 S: FAC 3006
This IAI Kfir TC12 crashed during a training mission at 1653hrs in an area north of Norcasia in the Department of Caldas. One crew member ejected safely after the aircraft got into difficulties and was recovered safely, but the other remained D: Feb 27 N: United Arab Emirates Air Force and Air Defence T: Unknown training type
This unspecified trainer aircraft crashed, killing both crew. The General Command of the UAE Armed Forces said that the accident occurred during a routine training mission. The location of the accident was not announced. The UAEAF&AD uses both the BAE Systems Hawk and the Pilatus PC-21 for the training role.
with the aircraft and was killed. The survivor was taken to the Comando Aéreo de Combate No 1 (CACOM 1) medical centre in Puerto Salgar, Cudinamarca. The aircraft was from CACOM 1’s Grupo de Combate 11/Escuadrón de Combate 111, the only FAC unit equipped with the type, which operates from Base Aérea Militar No 2, Palanquera. An investigation into the cause of the accident has begun. D: Mar 2 N: Yemen Air Force T: An-26 S: 1177
Badly damaged in forced landing with the undercarriage retracted in the desert near Hadhramaut following a technical problem en route from Sana'a to the Masila oilfield. The two crew and four soldiers on board were uninjured, but reported captured by
Above: Ecuadorian Air Force Presidential Squadron HAL Dhruv FAE-601 on show at Aero India 2009 prior to delivery. This helicopter crashed in central Ecuador on February 20, killing three of the four crew members.
D: Feb 20 N: Ecuadorian Air Force/ Presidential Squadron T: HAL Dhruv S: FAE-601
Three of the four crew members on board this Dhruv were killed when the helicopter crashed at approximately 1430hrs. The helicopter was undertaking a transport mission from the port city of Guayaquil, in the southwest of the country, to Quito, anti-government tribesmen. D: Mar 4 N: US Air Force/18th Wing/44th Fighter Squadron T: F-15C Eagle S: 84-0008 ‘ZZ’
During a routine training mission over the East China Sea, this Eagle based at Kadena Air Base, Japan, lost its co*ckpit canopy, about 93 miles (150km) off the coast, northwest of Okinawa. The pilot
in the Andean highlands to the north when it came down near Huigra, Chimborazo province, in central Ecuador. The Dhruv was operated by Ala de Transporte 11’s Escuadrón Presidencial (Presidential Squadron) at Base Aérea Mariscal Sucre, New Quito International Airport, but was not carrying the president at the time. The survivor was taken to hospital in Guayaquil, where his condition was said to be stable. was able to return safely to Kadena and make a safe emergency landing without further incident at around 1040hrs local time. No injuries were reported. Base safety officials are now undertaking an investigation into the cause of the incident. Additional material from: Donny Chan, Juan Carlos Cicalesi, Alfonso Glade, Masanori Ogawa, Agustín Puetz and Scramble.
D: Mar 1 N: US Marine Corps/VMFA-323 T: F/A-18C Hornet S; 164708
During a training flight this Hornet crashed at approximately 1500hrs on a US Navy range training complex about 70 miles (112km) east of Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada, killing the pilot. Although flying with the US Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center (NSAWC) at Fallon, it was a US Marine Corps aircraft that was on loan to the NSAWC from VMFA-323 for training purposes. It took Navy personnel several hours to reach the crash site, as it was located in remote mountainous terrain..
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The crashed Chinese People’s Liberation Army Aviation Corps Changhe WZ-10 attack helicopter following its accident in Wienan, Shaanxi province. via Chinese internet
D: Mar 4 N: Chinese People’s Liberation Army Aviation Corps T: Changhe WZ-10
This attack helicopter crashed at approximately 1400hrs in Weinan,
Shaanxi province. Photographs show the helicopter had come down heavily in an open field close to a built-up area and was extensively damaged. The WZ-10 had remained upright and its
main rotors were still intact, but the tail rotor and tail were missing and the fuselage had broken up. Both crew members were taken to hospital, although their condition was not immediately reported.
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OPINION
F-35 A year on from his first look at the Lockheed Martin F-35 programme, David Hamilton reviews the latest US Government report
T
HE US Department of Defense’s (DoD) Department of Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E) issues an annual assessment of major military programmes and the F-35 is always of particular interest, given its importance to the UK and other nations. These reports are by their very nature critical, detailed and highly technical, thus are prone to being dismissed by
public relations departments who wish to promote their projects in a positive light. A particular objection raised is that the DOT&E reports are historical – they cover a year between each October – and therefore are 'out of date' by the time of publication in mid-January, so companies claim they should be ignored and/or the negative issues have since been resolved. In my view these DOT&E reports
Still More Questions than Answers? are balanced and fact based, highlighting both positives as well as negatives. When viewed over time DOT&E reports can be very instructive in giving an objective overview of a given programme, devoid of PR or political hype. As the recent F-35 report is some 29-pages long, I have limited my assessment to three prominent areas: software, mission systems and airframe. Software, in particular, is a highly critical aspect impacting all areas of the programme due to the near ninemillion lines of code – compare that to the two million in the F-22.
Software
Currently there are three planned Blocks of software development that provide increments in mission capabilities through to the end of the System Design and Development (SDD) phase: Block 1(initial training only) with software Blocks 1A and 1B; Block 2 (advanced training and initial combat) with software Blocks 2A (advanced training only) and 2B (initial, limited combat capability) and Block 3 (full combat) with software Blocks 3i and 3F. There will obviously be software blocks beyond Block 3F as future capabilities are added, but until Below: A US Air Force F-35A Lightning II pilot prepares for a mission at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, last December. US Air Force/Senior Airman Christopher Callaway
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then 'regression' issues are adding to an already complex task and having a detrimental impact on development. In simple terms, regression means that a fix in one area can cause an error in another and therefore checks across the whole package must be made. With multiple software blocks running concurrently it is not surprising that software, despite manpower being thrown at the problem, is on the critical path (or worse) to meet the ambitious initial operating capability (IOC) dates announced in May 2013 of 2015 for the US Marine Corps and 2016 for the US Air Force. When one then adds in the ‘concurrency’ issue – aircraft production ongoing despite development being incomplete and modifications having to be retrofitted – the sheer complexity of the task and limited margins available to meet planned development targets becomes clear. Given the programme’s historic growth rate of 40%, if this is maintained then the IOC dates (2015 for the F-35B, 2016 for the F-35A and 2018 for the F-35C) would appear to be already under threat, unless of course the required mission capabilities are reduced.
Mission Systems
As highlighted in the 2012 DOT&E report, there were a number of issues with the electro-optical targeting system (EOTS), radar fusion and helmet-mounted display system. Progress has been made, however, the current report highlights continuing and new issues across the mission systems. Among major issues is that mission system flight-test aircraft achieved only 56% (955 out of 1,755) of the planned test
Above: F-35A Lightning IIs from the 58th Fighter Squadron, 33rd Fighter Wing, Eglin AFB, perform an aerial refuelling mission off the coast of north-west Florida. The 33rd Fighter Wing is a joint graduate flying and maintenance training wing for international partner pilots and maintainers of the air force, marine and navy services in the US. US Air Force/Master Sgt Donald R Allen
points despite flying 302 test flights against the planned 286. Regression testing accounted for an additional 1,194 test points, thus highlighting the impact of this factor. Sensor fusion remains a concern together with ongoing helmet, distributed aperture system (DAS), EOTS, radar, and data link issues. For example, the current inability of the DAS to distinguish between the aircraft’s own flares and threat missiles makes the warning system ineffective and reduces pilot situation awareness. Although individual fixes are promised within the next year, the resolution of sensor fusion concerns could prove more problematical. The certification to allow F-35A and F-35B production aircraft to fly at night or instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) had not been released when the report was published.
Airframe
For any project, airframe weight – if not contained – can lead to airframe life, aerodynamic performance, cost, and
maintenance issues. However, for the F-35B in particular, weight will be a critical aspect in achieving the mission goals set in the operational requirements document (ORD). To stay within the critical ‘bring back’ requirement (vertical recovery with two 1,000 lb (450kg) bombs and AIM-120 advanced medium range air-to-air missiles) the F-35B has already had to introduce a lighter airframe – lower g, lighter bulkheads, smaller stabilisers and flaperons (with consequently smaller actuators). Even with these measures the margin for weight growth is only some 0.16%. If not contained, vertical recovery performance will be restricted and could lead to alternative recovery modes having to be applied. The UK Royal Navy is already looking at ship-borne rolling vertical landings (SRVL) as a way around the problem. If this becomes a reality, one must ask just why an airframe is flown with a complicated short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) system (lift fan, shaft, complex nozzle and 24 related doors, never mind a small weapons bay) if its capability is not going to be fully utilised. Other issues with the airframe concern fatigue testing where a number of
cracks have been discovered as the test vehicles achieve around one lifetime (8,000 hours) – fatigue testing requires a demonstration of two lifetimes (16,000 hours) before a failure. As the report states: “All these discoveries will require mitigation plans and may include redesigning parts and additional weight”. Importantly, the report also criticises the lack of separate tracking of low observability (LO) and non-LO repairs, which may be the cause of an increase in maintenance times compared with previous years. This, combined with problems with the autonomic logistics information system (ALIS), raise serious concerns with the claimed low-cost maintainability of the F-35.
Conclusion
Another year of F-35 development (13 years in total), a fleet total of more than 10,000 flight hours and another DOT&E report highlighting ongoing issues. Despite progress, these issues question the viability of the programme meeting the recently announced IOC dates and, in certain areas (mission systems and logistic support, for example), raise real concerns as to the eventual operational viability of the F-35. An oft repeated phrase throughout the report is “limited margins remain”, highlighting the impact of the decision to produce aircraft in parallel with development – concurrency – and the overall impact of running concurrent/ multiple software standards – regression. No project is too big to fail – but partner nations, especially those without alternatives, afm must be getting anxious.
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INTERVIEW GROUP CAPTAIN HARVEY SMYTH
F-35
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Above: Gp Capt Harvey Smyth. Crown copyright/MoD Top: The F-35B BF-01 on the aft deck of the USS Wasp prior to night testing on August 14, 2013. From 2018, the UK F-35s will operate from HMS Queen Elizabeth. Lockheed Martin/Andy Wolfe
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P CAPT Smyth was Joint Combat Aircraft (JCA) Requirements Manager from 2006 to 2008, working on both sides of the Atlantic to ensure the UK’s capability requirements were met. Subsequently, from 2010 to 2013, he was the UK’s National Director based in Washington DC – during this period he was at the forefront of bringing the first British F-35s into service and oversaw the start of pilot and engineer training for the Royal Navy and RAF. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in 2003 for his efforts during Scud-hunting and close air support operations
in Iraq’s western desert, and was appointed OBE in 2011 after his command of IV(AC) Squadron. AFM: Can we start with a brief summary of your flying career? Gp Capt Smyth: I was born and educated in Co Armagh, Northern Ireland, and joined the RAF via the RAF Sixth Form Scholarship Scheme in 1991. After completing training I flew the Harrier between 1995 and 2010 – interspersed with two ground tours and Staff College – and undertook combat missions from both land bases and aircraft carriers in multiple
theatres including Op Deliberate Force and Deny Flight over Bosnia; Ops Bolton, Southern Watch and Telic in Iraq; Op Allied Force over Kosovo and Serbia, and Op Herrick in Afghanistan. I converted to the Tornado GR4 in 2013. Could you give a brief history of the UK’s involvement in the Joint Strike Fighter programme? The UK has been involved from the very outset of the ‘concept’ phase in the 1990s. During the ‘down select’ process in the early 2000s – which effectively was a competition between Lockheed
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06/03/2014 15:07
35 Lightning II a quantum leap for the RAF
Group Captain Harvey Smyth OBE DFC ADC MA RAF is today the Station Commander at RAF Marham in Norfolk, but previously he spent several years serving on the F-35 Lightning II project. Guy Warner talked to him about what F-35 means for UK forces
Martin [LM] and Boeing [a fly-off between the concept demonstrators X-35 and X-32 respectively] – the UK was also fully involved, both from a programmatic perspective and also with test pilots. Obviously, LM won the competition and shortly after this, the UK Ministry of Defence [MoD] announced that it would be pursuing the F-35 as its solution for Harrier replacement. In January 2001, the UK signed a memorandum of understanding with the US Department of Defense worth $2 billion. At the time the JSF System Design & Development (SDD) phase was due to finish
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in 2013 – now it will be 2017. Describe the main aspects of your F-35 involvement job and those of your team in the USA. My HQ was within the JSF programme office [JPO] in Washington DC. I worked directly to the US three-star [ranking officer] who is the Programme Executive Officer (PEO) for the whole JSF enterprise. From a UK perspective, I worked directly to our overall programme team leader, a one-star based at DE&S [Defence Equipment & Support] Abbey Wood near Bristol. At any one time I had a team of
approximately 60 people integrated across the JSF programme, all subject matter experts. We currently have a UK footprint at the JSF programme office Washington DC and at US Marine Corps HQ in the Pentagon. At the development test centre at NAS Patuxent River we have one test pilot and upwards of 20 personnel on the development and test squadron, including engineering personnel and QinetiQ experts. We are also at the operational test centre at Edwards AFB, VMFAT-501 and the USMC and UK training squadron at Eglin AFB, where
we have three pilots and over 20 engineering personnel. Plus we’re at Wright-Patterson AFB and finally within Lockheed Martin’s factory in Dallas Fort Worth, Texas, where the jets are built. What stage is the programme at? The programme has approximately three years to run to finish System Design and Development [SDD], effectively the test pilot phase for both the air vehicle and the mission systems. However, the programme will also conduct concurrent operational testing, which starts in earnest at
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INTERVIEW GROUP CAPTAIN HARVEY SMYTH
Above: The UK’s first F-35B, BK-01, first flew on April 13, 2012 in the hands of Bill ‘Giggs’ Gigliotti, a Lockheed Martin test pilot. Lockheed Martin/David Drais
Edwards AFB towards the end of 2014. It has also delivered aircraft to the first front line squadron – VMFA-121 at Yuma, Arizona, the USMC’s first F-35B unit. The UK has taken delivery of its first three aircraft, two of which are designated for operational test to be conducted at Edwards, and the third which is our first frontline jet and will be pooled with VFMAT-501 at MCAS Beaufort in North Carolina. It is here that the UK will build up its first front line squadron [617 Squadron] alongside the USMC. The F-35 is known as a fifth-generation fighter – what exactly does that mean? The bottom line is this – a fifth-generation fighter takes all the qualities of a legacy stealth aircraft, such as the F-117, and integrates all the strengths of a high-end fourth-generation agile fighter like Typhoon. It is basically the best of both worlds, centred on a fully integrated, and fused, multi-spectral, mission-system dominated co*ckpit. There are only two fifth-generation aircraft in the world – the F-22 and the F-35. A fifth-generation aircraft must be built from scratch and from the inside out. You cannot turn a legacy fourth-generation aircraft into one, regardless of how much money you have. How big a jump is this from a fourth-generation aircraft such as the Typhoon? Effectively this is equivalent to the leap forward we have experienced from Tornado and Harrier to Typhoon – Lightning II will take the UK into a whole new realm of airpower, one within which we are relative newcomers. This is the world of stealth, or more appropriately low observability. Lightning II will afford the UK the opportunity to operate in a contested environment – be that air or surface – with much reduced risk.
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What are the unclassified capabilities of the F-35? The F-35 is a stealthy air system, able to operate across the complete spectrum of warfare. It is the only tactical fighter in existence that can autonomously create and execute a full ‘kill chain’ – find, fix, target, track, engage and assess – without the need for off-board support. It has been designed from scratch to incorporate advanced radar-absorbent composites, stealth ‘shaping’ and minimal infrared signature for enhanced low observable characteristics. Other design criteria include fully integrated communications, navigation and identification avionics; multi-sensor data fusion for situational awareness; jam-resistant datalinks; glass co*ckpit and helmet-mounted displays; and integrated electronic warfare components (offensive and defensive). It will be able to operate in a contested or non-permissive environment into which a fourth-generation aircraft would not sensibly enter. Moreover, F-35 possesses onboard computing power that is a quantum leap ahead of its fourth-generation counterparts. Its capabilities will allow a new approach to airpower. The F-35 has five major combat systems: active
electronically scanned array [AESA] APG-81 radar, distributed aperture system [DAS], electrooptical targeting system [EOTS], electronic warfare [EW] system and helmet-mounted display system [HMDS]. These are fully integrated and interact with each other to provide an overall ‘joined-up’ capability – the information from each system fuses to present the pilot with a singular unambiguous picture of the battlespace which is dynamically displayed to the pilot in the co*ckpit, the F-35 has the unique ability of attaining high fidelity situational awareness while remaining ‘invisible’ to the threat.
Moreover, F-35’s vLO characteristics afford high levels of survivability in what would generally be thought of as non-permissive environments, which in turn brings an unprecedented level of access to hitherto unreachable targets. The F-35 has been designed to counter, and where necessary engage, high-end, ‘double-digit’ [the latest surface-to-air antiaircraft ssytems] threats with the ultimate aim of transforming non-permissive environments into permissive ones – to be an ‘air dominance fighter’. The APG-81 AESA radar is key to this and is one of the ‘good news stories’ of the F-35 programme as it continues to outperform its baseline specification requirements. This affords a stand-off capability for acquisition and identification of tactical-sized targets that is unrivalled by any other tactical aircraft. Use of high fidelity synthetic aperture radarmapping, ground moving target indication [GMTI] technology and automatic target recognition/ cueing [ATR/ATC] allows the pilot to find, fix, target and track targets from very long range, in all weathers, by day and night. The radar is equally impressive in the air-to-air environment, where the F-35’s ability to achieve ‘first-look, first-shot, first-kill’ during beyond visual range [BVR] engagements is surpassed only by the F-22. Fitted with an internally mounted electro-optical targeting system [EOTS], similar to a Litening targeting pod, the F-35 can designate and laser-guide its weapons. However, unlike legacy platforms, its ‘laser pod’ and weapons load are housed inside the body of the aircraft, thereby maintaining its stealth characteristics throughout the mission. It also provides long-range passive infrared search and track in the air-to-air environment. Alternatively, in a permissive environment, external pylons can be fitted, affording extra
weapon carriage under the wings. Beyond the kinetic capability of the F-35, its array of integrated, cross-spectrum sensors brings a combat ISTAR capability not seen in any other fighter aircraft today. The fused picture from the AESA radar, EW system, EOTS and DAS allows immediate and high fidelity bomb damage assessment to be completed post attack. Six infrared cameras mounted within the fuselage provide a 360-degree field of view. The primary purpose of the DAS is as a missile launch warning, but it is also highly effective at finding any ‘hot spots’ in the battlespace and is particularly useful for highlighting other aircraft when BVR. Moreover, the DAS view can be projected into the HMDS, thereby rendering the aircraft fuselage ‘invisible’ to the pilot, giving a ‘look through the floor’ capability. There is also the possibility for much further growth in the ISTAR F-35B BK-03 lands at Eglin AFB. Lockheed Martin/John E Wilson
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The third UK F-35B was delivered to Eglin AFB in Florida for training of future RAF and Royal Navy pilots. US Air Force/Major Karen Roganov
capability of F-35, to the point where it could viably complement a Rivet Joint or AWACS. The marked difference being that it can do this while operating in a non-permissive environment. One of the biggest attributes of a fifthgeneration air system is its ability to act as a network node, not just for the ‘air war’ but for the whole three-dimensional battlespace. Air combat of the future will no doubt render contemporary fighter aircraft criticisms, such as powerto-weight ratio, weapons payload and the utility of stealth, as less relevant since the focus of future warfare will be more on the joint networked battlespace, and less on fighter aircraft acting individually. As a central network node for data sharing, the F-35 will be judged on its ability to connect the joint environment and build situational awareness for all parties, from the senior commander in the HQ to the soldier on the front line. Moreover,
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as has already been proven with US Air Force mixed operations of F-22 and F-15, the F-35 will play a key role in multiplying the power of our fourth-generation air platforms by helping to overcome their deficiencies when facing the future threat. Follow-on development plans are already in place to exploit its enormous through-life growth potential – for example, the USMC is conducting studies to explore the very real possibility of F-35 developing an electronic attack role, akin to, but more advanced than, that of the EA-6B Prowler. How easy – or difficult – will it be to train pilots to make the most of the F-35? Flying the F-35 is not overly difficult – the air vehicle is designed to be easy to fly, affording the pilot spare capacity to ‘fight’ with the air system. Lightning II is transformational in that we now need to populate it with specialist
‘information managers’ via high-end pilots. A crucial requirement is the ability to assimilate information quickly, alongside an in-depth technological understanding of both the F-35 and everything it can interact with. It should be borne in mind that the F-35 is a highly classified air system – it will not be operated in peacetime in its full ‘war mode’, meaning that its full stealth characteristics will not be utilised and the high-end ‘war modes’ of its sensors, including the APG-81, will not be employed. To that end the synthetic environment will become ever more important for the F-35 pilot, as this is the only way that they will be able to train to its ‘full-up’ capability. No longer will the simulator be a place to only practice emergency handling and single-ship operations – it will be a highly dynamic synthetic environment where multi-ship tactics can be developed and rehearsed, and routinely integrated into a larger
distributed mission involving other assets and simulated high-end threats. Undoubtedly an F-35 pilot’s combat-ready check will be conducted in the simulator, which will form a watershed in how we train our aircrew. Culturally we – the aircrew world - will need to accept a shift towards equal ratios of live versus virtual flying training. Would provision for a Weapons Systems Officer have made the F-35 a more capable system? An extra brain in the co*ckpit is always a good thing – something I have learned of late as I have transitioned from the Harrier to the Tornado. However, in the case of Lightning II, the whole air system is built around single pilot operations and it is exceptionally good at it. Because of the phenomenal datalink system and the air system’s immense capability to ‘data share’, both in-flight and off-board, there is more
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INTERVIEW GROUP CAPTAIN HARVEY SMYTH than one person in your co*ckpit effectively. The pilot receives input from multiple sources at all times, and he also inputs to them. So, while there is only one person in the co*ckpit, the reality is that there are many people in the loop. Would the F-35 have given us greater capability in recent campaigns, say Afghanistan or Libya? The F-35 can conduct multiple missions on its own – it does not always need external assistance. Moreover, it can operate in a non-permissive environment. With this in mind, F-35 is a force multiplier – if we had had F-35 during recent ops, we would have needed fewer in theatre to get the job done. Can the F-35 replace both Harrier and Tornado? Is it reasonable to say we are now planning Apache/F-35/ Typhoon as the replacement for Tornado F3/Sea Harrier/ Harrier GR9/Tornado GR4? Yes, without doubt the F-35 can replace our legacy aircraft types – easily. Its capabilities and sustainment requirements far surpass those of both Harrier and Tornado fleets. Have you flown the F-35 yourself and what did you think of it? I have not flown the F-35, but have flown the full motion simulator and the mission rehearsal simulator many, many times. We currently have four pilots flying F-35 in the USA – one test pilot, two operational
test pilots and one front line pilot. All have commented that the real aircraft flies exactly the same as the simulator, which is great news, since we intend to move forward with a 50:50 live/synthetic balance. Effectively pilots will spend as much time flying the sim as they do the real aircraft. Why is the F-35 important to UK defence requirements? A fifth-generation aircraft future-proofs the UK’s airpower capabilities. The attributes of the F-35 afford a reduction in risk, and exponentially increase our ability to employ effect from the air, especially in contested airspace. Owning a fifth-generation capability in itself has a deterrence effect. Moreover, operating an aircraft that we have developed and tested jointly with our key ally and many others across Europe and beyond, allows for better interoperability of force assets, should we find ourselves in future coalition operations. What are the UK IntroductionTo-Service plans for the F-35? As plans stand, 617 Squadron will return to the UK in 2018 as a combat-capable unit. Between then and now we will continue to build our Lightning II Force in the USA hand-in-hand with the USMC, which also operates the F-35B. Alongside this, we will remain intimately involved with the F-35 test programme, both developmentally and operationally, and with the programmatic side of the whole enterprise.
Above: Wing Commander Jon Millington from the RAF’s Air Warfare Centre chats to US Marine Corps pilot Lt Col Roger Hardy about the F-35B at Eglin. US Air Force/Major Karen Roganov
How do you see this fitting in with your job at RAF Marham? The Secretary of State for Defence announced in early 2013 that RAF Marham would be the future home of the UK’s Lightning II Force. With plans firmly in place to have the first jets arrive home from the USA to RAF Marham in 2018, we are already getting our teeth stuck into the infrastructure planning and redevelopment. Believe it or not, we are right on the timeline to have this completed in order to support the arrival of the first aircraft. The next couple of years will be critical to the establishment of a Lightning II capability here at Marham. It is an exciting time.
And finally, as a Harrier man, how are you enjoying the Tornado? I am thoroughly enjoying flying the Tornado GR4 – in some ways it is very similar to Harrier, and in others it is remarkably different. At the end of the day, both aircraft specialise in the air-to-ground role, so ultimately the final effect is identical. I have been pleasantly surprised at how quickly I have adapted to two-seat operations. Unlike the Harrier, the GR4 was designed from the outset to be operated under a two-person construct, so you have to completely embrace this in order to maximise the capability of the jet. I have been overwhelmed at how welcoming the Tornado Force has been, bringing me into the fold and getting me through my conversion course in record time. Plus, I continue to be impressed by the Tornado Force’s performance on operations in Afghanistan, highlighted recently by the fact that it won the ‘Millie’ for Best Unit. I try to fly with the frontline squadrons once a week and get in the simulator once a fortnight – hopefully I can keep this routine going for my full tour, as every time I fly I learn something new. Beyond the flying, I feel extremely privileged to be in command of the RAF’s premier strategic strike base – the ‘whole force’ approach to business here at Marham is second to none, and it is an absolute joy to be at the helm of such a fantastic station afm and exceptional team.
“A fifth-generation aircraft future-proofs the UK’s airpower capabilities. The attributes of the F-35 afford a reduction in risk, and exponentially increase our ability to employ effect from the air, especially in contested airspace”
The UK’s F-35Bs will use the STOVL (short take-off and vertical landing) method of operations when on the Royal Navy aircraft carriers. Lockheed Martin/Todd R McQueen
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ROYAL NAVY F-35B LIGHTNING II IN GREEK mythology a phoenix is a long-lived bird that cyclically regenerates. Associated with the sun, a phoenix obtains new life by rising from the ashes of its predecessor. The First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir George Zambellas, at last year’s Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) maritime conference in London said: “I am delighted to announce that the name of the second Lightning II squadron, when it forms, will be 809 Naval Air Squadron [NAS]. This squadron number is chosen to link with and reflect the proud and distinguished history of embarked carrier strike. The early naming of 809 alongside the RAF’s 617 ‘Dambusters’ Squadron is a very visible demonstration of a joint ambition, spirit of collaboration and shared equity in the Joint Lightning Force.” The emblem of 809 NAS depicts a phoenix rising. First formed in January 1941 with 12 Fairey Fulmars, 809 NAS went on to operate seven different aircraft types and carved out a proud
history from the Second World War to the Falklands conflict. It will, when commissioned, be the oldest squadron to operate the very latest in hightech stealth capability, beating 617 Squadron by two years. The role of 809 NAS will be as a carrier strike squadron, operating from floating sovereign territory – HMS Queen Elizabeth – without the need for political permission from another country, providing the steel behind the UK’s foreign policy. In a recent RUSI article, a Foreign Office parliamentary aide, Mr Tobias Ellwood, stated his position on carrier strike: “If the UK needs a carrier capability then a minimum of two aircraft carriers are required in order to have one permanently available. Running both carriers would cement Britain’s position as a global player with a military
power of the first rank.” The aircraft that 809 NAS will eventually operate is the most discussed and expensive projects ever undertaken in the world’s defence industry. It is also among the most time-consuming. Its initial inception in 1992 resulted from the merger of the US Air Force’s Common Affordable Lightweight Fighter (CALF) and US Navy’s Joint Advanced Strike Technology (JAST) projects. The merged project continued under the JAST name until the engineering, manufacturing and development phase, during which time the project became more commonly known as the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). In November 1995 the UK became the only ‘Tier 1’
Right: RAF pilot Sqn Ldr Jim Schofield makes a vertical landing aboard the USS Wasp in F-35B BF-01 on August 13, 2013. Lockheed Martin
Lewis Gaylard considers what F-35B will bring to the Royal Navy
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"Running both carriers would cement Britain’s position as a global player with a military power of the first rank"
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ROYAL NAVY F-35B LIGHTNING II The jetwash generated by the F-35B can be clearly seen as Sqn Ldr Schofield positions the aircraft off the port side of the USS Wasp during the second at-sea F-35 developmental test event. Lockheed Martin
partner when it signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for $200 million – 10% of the concept demonstration phase – initially as a Sea Harrier FA2 replacement for 2012. Through research and development by BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce and other British companies, the UK has become integral to the future success of the JSF. When the F-35B enters British service it is intended to be a somewhat overdue replacement for the Sea Harrier F/A2 and Harrier GR9 fleets in aircraft carrier operations, and a possible further buy could replace the RAF Tornado GR4 fleet. The current link with the US Navy in regenerating a UK carrier strike capability reflects the Royal Navy’s longstanding relationship in aircraft carrier operations and the close spirit of cooperation. The Queen Elizabeth Class and JSF programme reflect increased cooperation with the US Department of the Navy and an intent to work towards full interoperability and integrated operations in the early 2020s, aided by the aircraft commonality that 809 NAS and 617 Squadron will have with their US Marine Corps counterparts. In fact, once airborne, the aircraft combat systems will be common across all variants, allowing integrated operations from the outset. What will be more difficult is to oper-
"It is an exceptional aircraft to fly and is extremely responsive. The large engine thrust, combined with the very latest fly-bywire flight control system, makes the F-35B a very simple aircraft to fly"
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ate them with the same tactics – the Royal Navy is addressing this by sending prospective instructors as students to Top Gun.
Early flight trials
Lieutenant Commander Ian Tidball became the first operational Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm (FAA) pilot to ‘strap-on’ the F-35B when he succeeded Cdr Simon Hargreaves and Lt Cdr Peter Wilson, the two Royal Navy reservists who, in their ‘day jobs’ as test pilots, flew the F-35. The Lt Cdr made his maiden flight on April 10 last year from Eglin Air Force Base (AFB). He spent the majority of his early career flying the Sea Harrier F/ A2 and over recent years added more than 500 flying hours to his logbook during an exchange posting with the US Navy when he flew the Boeing F/A18 E/F Super Hornet. Relating his first experiences of flying the F-35B, he said: “It is an exceptional aircraft to fly and is extremely responsive. The large engine thrust, combined with the very latest flyby-wire flight control system, makes the F-35B a very simple aircraft to fly. My background is with the Sea Harrier, which was a real ‘stick and rudder’ aircraft – a real pilot’s aeroplane – but, with the advanced flight systems in the F-35, it has significantly reduced the effort I have to spend actually flying the aircraft. I can now concentrate solely on operating the advanced sensors and mission systems, which allows me to employ the aircraft effectively in an operational situation.” During testing at Eglin last year, both Lt Cdr Tidball and an RAF Pilot, Sqn Ldr Frankie Buchler, became the first British pilots to fly a joint sortie in the F-35B. “It was a really satisfying feeling to be flying in formation alongside my RAF colleague in the first two British stealth fighters,” said Lt Cdr Tidball, “It really is a positive indication that the JSF programme is going somewhere when you’ve got British pilots flying British aircraft together. It is a testament to the hard work being put in by all the ground crew as well as us pilots.”
New carriers, new concepts Above: The 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing’s first F-35B taxies in on November 16, 2012, at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma. Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 121 (VMFA) is the world’s first operational F-35 squadron. USMC/Lance Cpl William Waterstreet Below: BF-05 lands aboard the USS Wasp as BF-01 is strapped down on the deck. US Navy/Lt Michael J Fallon
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With the decision taken to revert to short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) operations, rather than the traditional ‘cat and trap’ (catapult and
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Royal Navy F-35B Lightning II arrested landing), the innovative ‘Bedford array’ landing system will be a first in world maritime aviation. The Bedford array is a simplistic set up that incorporates a system of flashing lights down the centreline of the ship at the intended landing point. It will be stabilised to allow for the carrier’s heave and pitch at sea. In the F-35B co*ckpit, the pilot’s head-up display (HUD) will include a new ship-reference velocity vector – the pilot will position the vector onto the Bedford array, allowing the aircraft to approach on the correct glide slope and enabling a safe landing onto the carrier. Using the new landing aid requires the F-35B pilot to perform a ship-borne rolling vertical landing (SRVL), which uses both the vertical thrust from the lift fan and forward lift from the wings. Unlike its Sea Harrier predecessor, where the aircraft would come into a steady hover on the port side of the ship and then side-slip across over the flight deck to perform a vertical landing, the F-35B will make a rolling landing and come to a stop using the disc brakes in the landing gear. This landing method does not require use of the arrestor wire and tail hook employed in conventional landings on a carrier. There are operational advantages with the SRVL – the F-35B will have a considerably larger ‘bringback’ weapons load capability compared with the Harrier. In addition, wear on the lift fan and engine should be reduced (extending their operational life) along with lessened impact on the carrier’s flight-deck surface caused by extreme heat from the jet exhaust during vertical landings.
On-going development concerns
There have been many setbacks and areas of concern over the course of the JSF programme. Escalating cost is a constant topic for debate and in January the US Department of Defence (DoD) released, through the Director, Operational Test Evaluation (DOTE) department, its annual report on the project (see Opinion, pages 26-27). The report is more scathing about the F-35B variant – the one the UK is buying – than the other two marques. It says “The F-35B fleet was grounded after the first British production aircraft, BK-1, experienced a fueldraulic line failure in the STOVL-unique swivel nozzle at Eglin AFB on January 16, 2013. The cause was determined to be a poor manufacturing process used for the hoses, leading to crimping dimensions being out of specification; the stop order was lifted nearly four weeks later on February 11, allowing all F-35B flights to resume.” The entire F-35 fleet was grounded again on February 21 after a crack was discovered in one of the third-stage, lowpressure turbine blades in the engine of F-35A AF-2, a flight sciences test aircraft at Edwards AFB, California. A rupture due to thermal creep (when deformation of material forms from the accumulated exposure to elevated temperatures at high-stress conditions) was said to have caused the crack. The stop order was lifted one week later with the requirement for additional inspections of the engines to ensure any effects of creep are within tolerances. One F-35B test aircraft was modified with new skin coatings on the horizontal tail to address deficiencies in skin bonding under high-temperature and high-airspeed conditions during extended use of the afterburner necessary to achieve certain test points. The new bonded coating failed during flight test when peeling occurred and the programme continues to investigate the effects of 38 #313 april 2014
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Above: US Marine Corps pilots Major Russell Clift, in BF-02, and Lt Cdr Michael Burks (BF-04) fly in formation during 2012. Lockheed Martin
afterburner use on the horizontal tails. There are plans to modify two F-35B test aircraft with new coatings and temperature-sensing instrumentation to collect more data. Non-instrumented test aircraft continue to operate with restrictions to the flight envelope and use of the afterburner. Weight management of the F-35B aircraft is critical to meeting the Key Performance Parameters (KPP) in the Operational Requirements Document (ORD), including the vertical lift bring-back requirement. This KPP requires the F-35B to fly an operationally representative profile and recover to the ship with the necessary fuel and balance of unex-
Above: POAET(AV) Cummings and Sqn Ldr Schofield on deck before a mission.
pended weapons (two 1,000lb (450kg) bombs and two AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles) to conduct a vertical landing safely. The report comments: “Weight for the F-35B has varied little in 2013, increasing 36lb (17kg) from January through to October 2013. Current estimates are within 202lb (92kg) of the not-to-exceed weight of 32,577lb (14,808kg) – the target weight of the aircraft in January 2015 to meet specification requirements and ORD mission performance requirements. The small difference between the current weight estimate and the not-to-exceed weight allows for weight growth of 0.62% over the next year to meet technical specifications in January 2015”. Managing weight growth with such small margins will continue to be a significant programme challenge. There have also been setbacks with the auxiliary air inlet door, the lift fan driveshaft (the original design was inadequate due to shaft stretch requirements to accommodate thermal growth), tolerances and manoeuvre deflections. The first redesign failed qualification testing, resulting in a second redesign, which is now being undertaken. It was discovered that the roll-post nozzle bay temperatures exceeded current actuator capability, so insulation is needed to prevent possible actuator failure during vertical lift operations. Insulation is being positioned between the roll-post nozzle bay and the actuators in pre-low rate initial production (LRIP) 7 aircraft to allow unrestricted operations; however, the actuators must be replaced at 1,000hour intervals. New actuators will be installed in LRIP 7 aircraft and beyond, removing the insulation requirements and extending the service life to 4,000 hours. The Royal Navy and RAF are due to start receiving frontline aircraft in 2016, operating from RAF Marham in Norfolk where land-based testing and training flights will continue through 2017. The first test flight from HMS Queen Elizabeth is scheduled for 2018. If these dates are to be met, there is still a very long way to go and much hard work ahead for all those involved in bringing the F-35B Lightafm ning II into full frontline service. www.airforcesmonthly.com
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USS Wasp sea trials – phase 2
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HE DECK landing trials of the F-35B on the USS Wasp last August showed the considerable progress of the JSF programme. With HMS Queen Elizabeth now largely built and system integration and trials starting to progress, it will not be long before scheduled sea trials start. During trials aboard the USS Wasp, a number of Royal Navy air engineers and technicians were involved in the 18-day deployment. Important lessons were learnt on the flight deck, as well as in the hangar, courtesy of the maintenance team headed by Lt Cdr Robin ‘RTB’ Trewinnard-Boyle. He has been working as the air engineering officer on the F-35 Integrated Test Force for more than two years and was the maintenance lead for the embarkation planning. The team carried out maintenance work on both embarked US Marine Corps F-35Bs and also test loaded and unloaded dummy weapons in the internal bomb bays, just one of many firsts for the team. All the weapons will be carried inside the aircraft, rather than slung on pylons beneath the wings as happened with the Harrier, so keeping the integrity of the aircraft’s stealth capability. Lt Cdr Trewinnard-Boyle outlined the team and its roles: “We currently have nine maintainers – a mix of four navy and five air force – at NAS Patuxent River [Pax River] working alongside the US Marine Corps, US Navy and the contractor workforce of Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems, Northrop Grumman and Pratt & Whitney. Some of the personnel have been working hands-on with the F-35 for about five years and will form the core experience as the UK moves into the operational test phase and stands up the first operational squadron alongside the US Marine Corps. The combined team at Pax River was set up as a precursor to the initial training of maintainers at Eglin, from the very start of F-35B testing, highlighting the critical importance of the early UK involvement. The posts at Pax River continue to deliver early ‘heads-up’ on issues to the UK as the aircraft there are testing capabilities, modifications and software well ahead of their embodiment on the LRIP aircraft at Eglin and Yuma.” Training for the aircrew and maintainers prior to embarkation was focused on preparing the team for working from the Wasp’s deck through
a period of field carrier landing practices on the centre field ‘dummy deck’ at Pax River. “We also brought the Wasp’s flight deck team to Pax so they could get used to the unique features of the F-35B – this involved safety training, directing, towing and general familiarisation with the aircraft, as most of them had not been onboard for the first set of trials,” added Lt Cdr Trewinnard-Boyle. The training ensured the technical and logistical requirements were robust for embarking two aircraft and operating them at day and night for the 18-day trial period – this involved spares pack-ups and tools as for any normal squadron embarkation, but also included inert munitions covering the F-35B internal loads of GBU-12 (500lb /227kg) laser-guided bombs, GBU-32 (1,000lb/454kg) JDAM GPS-guided bombs and AIM-120 AMRAAMs. Tasks also involved ensuring that the lithium-ion batteries could be safely stored and charged onboard, in addition to the safe storage of low-observable materials. “The principal aims of the trial aboard the USS Wasp were to expand the operational environment for the F-35B as far as possible, with crosswinds, headwinds, tailwinds and cross deck landings so that the operational USMC and UK pilots are able to fly safely from, and to, the carrier class in the greatest range of conditions possible,” continued Lt Cdr Trewinnard-Boyle. “The first trials had already given the F-35B clearances akin to that of the Harrier AV-8B, but these trials pushed that further, with internal weapons and at night. For the maintainers this meant at times configuring the aircraft with operationally representative weapons loads and also some more unusual ones, such as asymmetric with one weapon bay full and the other empty. “During the detachment we were flying both aircraft twice a day for the majority of the time, which pushed us to keep the aircraft serviceable and in the right configuration. The aircraft performed extremely well. Of course, on the morning the media arrived both aircraft were down, but they were repaired on board and BF-1 flew that afternoon after the media had departed! “With the trials in 2011 having been very successful we knew that maintaining the aircraft
at sea was very similar to that at Pax. From a maintainer’s viewpoint, some things we learnt were how easy it is to manoeuvre the F-35B around a (relatively) small flight deck and how we can best do our job of launching, recovering and maintaining the F-35B at sea. As the UK has never operated a stealthy aircraft before it has been good to be involved with repairs to the low-observable coatings – these were as easy to do onboard as they are at Pax River. “The US Navy has specific trades that do chocks and chaining of the aircraft [blue shirts] and refuelling the aircraft [grapes], hence we took careful note of their processes, especially hot refuelling, as it will be UK squadron maintainers who do this in the future on HMS Queen Elizabeth.” The landing spots on the USS Wasp were painted with a non-skid coating, known as Thermion, which helps protect the underlying steel from the thermal effects of the exhaust during vertical landings. It is being looked at for the flight decks of HMS Queen Elizabeth and Prince of Wales and is directly relevant to preparations for ‘first of class flying trials’ on HMS Queen Elizabeth, where trials will be repeated to highlight differences on the much larger flight deck with a fitted ski jump. One consideration will be the difference to the flight deck conditions experienced during launch and recovery caused by the twin island design of the Queen Elizabeth Class. “Having been the senior air engineer on HMS Ark Royal until her decommissioning immediately prior to me joining the F-35 team, it was a great feeling to be at the beginning of F-35B operating at day and night from one of its natural environments – a flight deck,” concluded Lt Cdr Trewinnard-Boyle. “It felt very comfortable being back at sea, operating F-35B in close proximity to Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawks and V-22 Osprey. For those of us ex-Sea Harrier and Joint Force Harrier personnel on the team it is also great to be intimately involved with the regeneration of fixed-wing aviation for the Fleet Air Arm. Exciting times lie ahead with continued testing at Pax River, including use of the centre field ski-jump ramp, another milestone on the way to making F-35B and HMS Queen Elizabeth a success.” During the 2013 trials aboard the USS Wasp the two embarked F-35Bs successfully completed 95 vertical landings, 94 short-take offs, 19 night vertical landings and 84 flights.
"It felt very comfortable being back at sea, operating F-35B in close proximity to Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawks and V-22 Osprey"
The USS Wasp. Lockheed Martin
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Panther’s new claws French Navy Flottille 36F
The French Navy’s Flottille 36F is in the middle of a major upgrade programme with a new variant of the proven Panther helicopter being introduced. Henri-Pierre Grolleau reports from Hyères
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F
lottille 36F is the youngest French Navy Fleet Air Arm (Aéronautique Navale/Aéronavale) helicopter unit, having been formed in September 1995 at Saint-Mandrier to operate the then new Aérospatiale AS565SA Panther. The Panther was acquired by the Aéronavale to supplement the Alouette III, Lynx and Super Frelon fleets and provide additional rotorcraft for an increasing number of vessels equipped with a helicopter landing platform and hangar. At the time 15 were purchased, later increased to 16 when a further aircraft s/n 403 (used by the Centre d’Essais en Vol (Flight Test Centre) for various trial programmes) was transferred. Another is used for maintenance training and is not kept airworthy. As part of a wider reorganisa-
tion programme, Flottille 36F moved to Base d’aéronautique navale(BAN) Hyères in 2003 after the closure of Saint-Mandrier.
Surface warfare specialists
In Aéronavale service the Panther is used in the anti-surface warfare role. Each year Flottille 36F Panthers log around 2,900 flying hours and the squadron undertakes a wide array of missions from a large number of naval platforms; maritime surveillance, beyond the horizon target designation, counter-maritime terrorism, counter-piracy, anti-smuggling operations and search and rescue. The Panther can not carry any heavy weapons and the aircrews rely on a single pintle-mounted
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7.62mm ANF1 machine gun – obviously this means the helicopter is limited in offensive missions, but it can be used for target designation for MM40 Exocet missiles carried by its mother ship. “Flottille 36F has become the leading French naval aviation unit in the fight against drug trafficking,” explained Lieutenant-Commander Xavier Giry, the squadron’s commanding officer. “Our deployed helicopters spend a lot of time chasing smugglers in the Caribbean and in the Mediterranean Sea. Our ‘score board’ is quite impressive as, over the course of the last few years, we have helped keep literally tonnes of drugs worth dozens of millions of dollars off the streets. The Panther proves so quiet that the drug dealers only realise we are there when it is too late for them. The French Navy snipers we carry are remarkably proficient and can deliver devastatingly accurate fire with their powerful 12.7mm [0.50in] rifles - a single shot is usually enough.”
the search for naval mines and our Panther – operating from the stealth frigate Courbet – found three mines off Misrata. They were closely monitored and later destroyed. Our Panthers were also used for target designation on countless occasions - they helped control naval gunfire targeting convoys on the move on the littoral road that runs along the Libyan coastline in the Gulf of Sirte. These were ‘hit and run’ raids from the sea, with the frigates using their 76mm and 100mm guns to good effect. We used adapted flight profiles to remain outside the surface-to-air missiles’ envelope. We were also available for rescue missions during Tiger and Gazelle raids launched by the French Army Aviation
[Aviation Légère de l’Armée de Terre – ALAT] from amphibious warfare ships Mistral and Tonnerre. We would have been engaged for any rescue attempt over the sea while dedicated ALAT Pumas remained available for the imex [immediate extraction] mission over land.” In all, French warships fired in excess of 3,000 artillery shells at a wide variety of targets ashore, including multiple rocket launchers and artillery emplacements. For target designation Panther aircrews had to rely on outdated techniques, using hand-held stabilised infrared binoculars to locate their targets and dedicated charts to determine the speed of the vehicles. Although seemingly archaic, it worked
Libya
Over the years, Flottille 36F has matured into a key player in the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) role and its helicopters have taken an active part in numerous combat operations, including the conflict in Libya in 2011. “We were engaged in Libya right from the beginning,” said Lt-Cdr Giry. “We conducted a large number of ISR missions. For example, we were extremely active in
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Above: The sensor operator sits in the back of the Panther, in front of a dedicated workstation. Left: Lieutenant Steve Aitken, Royal Navy exchange officer, at the controls of a Panther. All images by the author Below: Hyères is blessed with outstanding weather most of the year.
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FRENCH NAVY FLOTTILLE 36F remarkably well thanks to the dedication and professionalism of Flottille 36F aircrews. These methods are now relegated to the past, however, thanks to the advent of the modern ‘Standard 2’ Panther.
Enter the Standard 2
The Panther modernisation programme was officially launched in 2007 when a contract was signed with industry to improve the operational capabilities of the ageing helicopter. One prototype (s/n 505) and two pre-series aircraft (s/n 436 and 519) were modified for the trial programme and the ensuing operational evaluation held between 2010 and 2012. The most obvious change introduced on the Standard 2 is the adoption of a Sagem Euroflir 410 forward-looking infrared (FLIR) gyro-stabilised turret mounted on the left side of the fuselage. This turret is supposed to be permanently fitted, but can be removed if needed. “The Euroflir 410 is the same as the one on the NH90, but with an even better man-machine interface, a laser range-finder and a new daylight optical camera,” explained Lt-Cdr Giry. “Its performance is outstanding and we can now identify our prey at stand-off distances, day and night. Prior to that we had to rely on Thales Sophie hand-held IR cameras to positively identify a contact, a far from ideal procedure since we had to close in on the suspect to find out who it was. Now, we can stay outside the range of the most common surfaceto-air missiles while still carrying out the mission.” In the rear cabin a new console has been fitted for the sensor operator. “The beauty of the system is that the operator in the back has direct access to an enormous amount of data, including the AIS [automatic identification system] database and the French Navy shipping database, which includes thousands of photos of civilian and military ships,” continued Lt-Cdr Giry. “The operator can compare the actual FLIR image to a stored reference to positively identify a contact.” The Standard 2 Panther is fitted with the L11 datalink, which has replaced the Titus system that relied on the slow and outdated L14 first introduced on the Alizé carrier-borne maritime patrol aircraft. The low
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Above: With the recent upgrade, the Panther is likely to remain in French Navy service for the next 15 to 20 years. Below: The reworked instrument panel of the Standard 2 Panther. Bottom: With its pleasing dolphin-like silhouette, the Panther is often considered to be the most attractive helicopter in French service.
capacity semi-automatic L14/Titus was utilised to send a tactical picture from the Standard 1 Panther to just the mother ship. On average, the picture was updated once every 15 to 20 minutes. The L11 is much more efficient - this fast, HF link is used to automatically share data among ships and aircraft and is fully interoperable with other NATO navies. The Aéronavale has decided not to upgrade the semi-panoramic ORB32 radar, however, which is a powerful radar that can detect frigate-size targets at ranges of anything up to 60 nautical miles (110km). It is sharp enough to locate a go-fast boat, but its emissions are said to be rather easy to detect by hostile radar warning receivers because of the huge amount of radiated power.
New avionics
The Panther’s instrument panel has been upgraded to ‘glass’ co*ckpit standard with electronic flight
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The flight line at Hyères with, from left to right, a Dauphin SP (Service Public) rescue bird, a Dauphin Pédro carrier-based helicopter and a Panther.
information systems screens. Each pilot now has primary flight and navigation displays – the mission commander on the left also has the unchanged radar and new FLIR displays. The navigation suite has been extensively modernised - the Nadir Doppler and the stand-alone GPS have given way to a GPS-hybridised CMA9000 calculator, which offers a wide range of operating modes including civilian instrument flight rules and military-type search patterns used for SAR and other missions. “This radically changes the way we operate,” explained Ensign Michaël B, a Flottille 36F pilot. “We have a permanent database with the approach maps for all the airfields in France, in Europe and even the whole world. We can call any of these maps on the navigation display as required. It’s pretty neat.” All the navigation and communication systems
(one HF and two V/UHF radios with encryption and frequency agility capabilities, one VOR/ILS receiver, one tactical air navigation system, one automatic direction finder and two GPS receivers) are now controlled via a single, user-friendly electronic display unit. The Marine VHF is still a stand-alone radio, however. Due to budget pressure, the replacement of the underpowered Turbomeca Arriel 1MN1 engines has had to be postponed indefinitely. This means that the heavier Standard 2 has an even more limited payload than its predecessor, a source of concern for the crews during operations in the hot weather where Flottille 36F Panthers can operate. This is the reason why the rescue winch, usually fitted to Standard 1 Panthers, is not always carried by upgraded aircraft.
Royal Navy exchange officer British pilot Lt Steve Aitken is currently serving with Flottille 36F on a three-year exchange posting. “I have been at Hyères since 2012,” he said. “For me, this is quite a challenging tour because I had to transfer onto a different machine in a different language. I previously flew the Lynx HAS3 and HMA8 at Yeovilton, but the Panther is a totally different beast. The first thing you notice when you convert is its lack of power - this is particularly evident in the hot months in the south of France, when you have to be careful and constantly calculate weights. Other than that, she flies beautifully - nice and smooth in the air. She is equipped to a very high standard, with a very advanced four-axis coupler. Royal Navy Lynxes are only fitted with a very basic three-axis coupler and I had not done any automatic transitions before coming here. This is a real eye-opener, especially in bad weather - it is just fantastic. In Standard 2 Panthers,
navigation is a piece of cake really thanks to the advanced avionics suite. The Sagem FLIR is just outstanding - it is a step up from what I was used to in the HMA8. It offers excellent resolution and long detection and tracking ranges. The radar remains rather outdated, however.” Lt Aitken had to adapt to new habits and procedures: “The way we operate here is different, because we fly with a crew of three instead of a pilot and an observer, as in the Lynx. It’s got its pros and cons; obviously you get more operational capability with three people but, as a pilot, I get less visibility of the tactical picture. I admit I still have to decide which one I prefer.” However, he is enjoying himself in the south of France: “I would definitely recommend it to every Royal Navy pilot. It is incredibly interesting and rewarding to work with the French Navy on a daily basis. We share the same working habits, same strengths and same weaknesses.” Below: Lieutenant Steve Aitken (right) is pictured with his crew at the end of a sortie. On the left is the co-pilot and in the middle is Flottille 36F’s most senior sensor operator. They are not named for operational reasons.
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Fully operational in mid-2014
The first Standard 2 aircraft, s/n 436, was issued to 36F in May 2012 and, at the time of writing, six (s/n 436, 503, 505, 506, 507 and 519) had been delivered back to the unit with upgrades continuing at the rate of one every two months on average. The unit will become fully operational with the type when eight modernised aircraft are in service, a milestone that should be reached in May 2014. All aircraft will have been upgraded by mid-2016. A robust training package has been adopted to help aircrews and maintainers transition to the new variant. This conversion process is made easier by the Panther’s good availability and maintainability. Once aircrews become qualified on the Standard 2 they are not allowed to fly Standard 1 aircraft anymore, which is creating a short-term management problem within the squadron.
Panther detachments
Flottille 36F mans a large number of ship-borne detachments spread around the world and, at any given time, there are Panthers somewhere on operations. In continental France there are currently five detachments shared by seven Toulon-based surface combatants; the two Cassard-class air-defence destroyers and the five La Fayette-class stealth frigates. Two Floréal-class long-range surveillance frigates (Floréal and Nivôse), stationed in La Réunion Island in the Indian Ocean, and a sister-ship (Ventôse), based in La Martinique Island in the Caribbean, also operate Panthers. “Each detachment is composed of a single Panther served by ten aircrew and maintainers - two pilots, one crewman/sensor operator, one dual-qualified SAR diver/technician, and six engineers,” explained Lt Laurélie F, commanding officer of the corvette Aconit detachment. “Once at sea, we fly once or twice a day to provide the captain with an unambiguous tactical picture around his vessel.” The two Forbin-class air-defence destroyers are currently switching to the more capable NH90 Caïman. With the advent of the Standard 2, Flottille 36F is now equipped with a very efficient maritime surveillance and combat tool. Further refinements are on their way including a self-defence suite now being developed. As part of the Lancaster House agreement, the French and British defence ministries have launched the joint procurement of a lightweight anti-ship missile which will replace the Sea Skua in Royal Navy service and arm the Panther and Caïman in France. This future anti-surface guided weapon (anti-navire léger – light anti-ship missile) will provide the Panther with a much-needed punch and help consolidate the European afm defence industry. #313 APRIL 2014
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FRENCH AIR FORCE CSAR
“When it comes to the domain of CSAR we are the tactical experts in France”
Pyrenean
Pumas
The Escadron d’Hélicoptères (EH) 1/67 ‘Pyrénées’ is the only combat search and rescue squadron in the French Air Force. Jan Kraak joined the aircrews on a typical training mission in the Pyrenean Mountains
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A friendly wave from the loadmaster after the Puma finishes its training exercise and heads back to the EH 1/67 flight line.
E
QUIPPED WITH Aérospatiale SA330Ba Pumas and EC725R2 Caracals, EH 1/67 is resident at Base Aérienne (BA) 120 Cazaux ‘Commandant Marzac’ in the south-west of France. In the 1970s EH 1/67 was a search and rescue (SAR) squadron, but since the first Gulf War in 1991 its tasks have shifted towards combat SAR (CSAR) and personnel recovery (PR). The squadron commander, Lt-Col Gilles Malbos, emphasises this: “EH 1/67 is a combat squadron.” The helicopters have also changed since the early days, its Alouettes being replaced when the Caracal entered service in 2006. The most recent change has been the move to a new squadron complex in 2009. All 240 personnel – approximately 100 operations personnel (command, intelligence officers, pilots, crew, divers, etc) and 140 technical staff (eg technicians and crew chiefs) are now working in the same 129,000sq ft (12,000m2) complex. According to Lt-Col Malbos, this is necessary to support the continuous deployments of the unit that are often carried out at short notice. Deep maintenance of all French Caracals is
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also undertaken in EH 1/67’s hangars at Cazaux by Eurocopter technicians. EH 1/67 has 17 helicopters: eleven Pumas and six Caracals. The squadron is made up of three flights or escadrilles: EH 2/65, EH 2/67 and ETO-HM (the training unit for Puma and Caracal aircrew). The ETO-HM reports to Lt-Col Malbos but is in fact part of the French Air Force (Armée de l’Air – AdlA) helicopter training unit Centre d’Instruction des Equipages d’Hélicoptères 00.341 (CIEH 341), based at BA 115 Orange-Caritat ‘Capitaine de Seyne’. The two operational escadrilles are divided into a Puma and Caracal group – both have between 15 and 20 pilots, who only fly their assigned type. Lt-Col Malbos added: “Although many Caracal pilots used to fly the Puma before their conversion, there is such a difference in technology between the types that we cannot ask a pilot to fly a Caracal in
the morning and leave on a complex PR-mission with a Puma in the afternoon.” The Pyrénées squadron is an Organisme à Vocation InterArmées (OVIA - inter-forces organisation), which means that personnel come from different branches of the French military. At the end of 2013 EH 1/67 had one pilot from the French Navy, who is also the deputy chief of operations, and a pilot from the French Army. To further promote interoperability between the branches there are also navy intelligence officers and mechanics. Two foreign exchange pilots are currently flying with EH 1/67 – an American HH-60 pilot and a German UH-1D pilot. One of the squadron’s pilots is on exchange in the US. The unit participates in the annual Combat Joint Personnel Recovery Standardisation Course (CJPRSC) exercise, organised by the European Air Group, to create and review common CSAR/PR operating procedures with international partners (see AFM December 2013). Lt-Col Malbos is very proud of the inter-forces nature of his squadron and calls it a “proven culturally-mixed unit”. He #313 APRIL 2014
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FRENCH AIR FORCE CSAR
Two Caracals refuel from an Italian Air Force C-130J. Sirpa Air
explained that it is very important to cooperate with the other branches: “As a CSAR unit we are part of bigger air operations and have to be able to work with the army, navy and international partners during recovery missions, because they will be providing the other assets, such as rescue escort, suppression of enemy air defences or close air support.”
Tasks for times of peace – & war
Tasks of EH 1/67 are divided into peace and wartime ones. Peacetime tasks include training aircrew and missions that benefit the general public. The squadron is responsible for SAR duties along the Atlantic coast of the Gironde and Landes departments and performs regular MEDEVAC sorties in the greater south-west region. Sometimes the squadron is called upon for natural disaster relief missions – in the aftermath of the last big storm that hit southwest France in 2010, EH 1/67 rescued 136 people from floods. Although the Puma is tasked with the 24/7 SAR alert at Cazaux, the Caracals can also be tasked to carry out any of the peacetime tasks. Training pilots takes up a lot of time; besides maintaining qualifications for experienced flyers, those
with less experience are trained to become mission commanders. After 200 hours of basic helicopter instruction at Dax, Le Luc and Orange, pilots join EH 1/67. They have five phases to complete; phase 1 starts with approximately 20 hours of type conversion at the ETO-HM. On completion they have about 700 hours to go before they are qualified rescue mission commanders. Pilots are declared combat ready after passing the third phase – at that point they will have accumulated around 600 flying hours and can start their first wartime deployment. Some examples of training flights that help prepare pilots for SAR/CSAR are tactical navigation, formation flying, hoisting (land/sea/boat), special forces (fast rope descend/special patrol insertion or extraction), flying with night vision goggles, mountain and shipboard operations. Pilots also take part in regular national and international exercises – Lt-Col Malbos hopes to participate with two Caracals in the 2014 edition of Angel Thunder, the world’s largest personnel recovery exercise held at Davis-Monthan in Arizona in April. Wartime tasks are CSAR/PR, maritime counter-terrorism and force support. The last task can vary
French special forces (air force) Commando Parachutiste de l’Air No.30 (CPA 30) fast-rope from the Caracal at one of the training locations within the base at Cazaux.
Past Deployments Afghanistan 2006-2013 EH 1/67’s Caracals flew MEDEVAC, special operations and tactical transport missions. They also took part in the dramatic events in the valley of Uzbeen in 2009 during which ten French soldiers died in a Taliban ambush. Malbos said: “This was the first time that everybody in France realised that there was a real war being fought in Afghanistan. Our Caracals flew back and forth for close to 30 hours, evacuated wounded and fallen personnel and transported over three tonnes of ammunition.” During the Afghanistan deployment EH 1/67 flew two CSAR missions; in 2007 it rescued seven crewmembers of an Italian AB212 helicopter that had hit a mountain ridge, and in 2010 was called to rescue the crew of a French Tigre that had come down in a valley. An army Cougar had tried to reach the Tigre, but was unable to land at night in the snow-covered valley. The combination of the FLIR and the automatic flight control system (AFCS) enabled the Caracal to land and recover both crew. The AFCS gives the helicopter the ability to land under difficult circ*mstances, such as a ‘brown-out’ in dry and dusty environments – this system has also interested other users of the Puma family and the modernised RAF Puma HC2s are being
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equipped with it. The last two helicopters – a Puma and a Caracal – left Afghanistan in March 2013. The EH 1/67 detachment accumulated 3,396 combat missions, 3,327 flying hours, 250 medevacs, and evacuated 279 wounded personnel.
Operation Harmattan, Libya 2011 During the first five months of 2011 EH 1/67 deployed to the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle positioned 50 nautical miles (93km) off the Libyan coast. The squadron was one of three CSAR elements deployed to the region – the other two were a US unit operating from the USS Kearsarge and an Italian unit operating from the Italian aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi. EH 1/67 flew medevac missions and sight surveys over Benghazi. When the Charles de Gaulle returned to port the AdlA helicopters moved to other French Navy ships, the BPCs Mistral and Tonnerre, from which the Helicopter Strike Group was operating. These ships were only 15 nautical miles (28km) from the coast, which meant EH 1/67 also flew force protection missions close to the ships with snipers in order to spot and potentially stop small attack boats. The Caracals were also on the look-out for ships trying to flee during maritime interdiction missions. During transit
flights the Caracals used their weather and search radar to perform reconnaissance when overflying ships. Lt-Col Malbos added: “We were operating from navy ships for months and continuously flew missions that are only part of our normal training schedule when we are not deployed. This enabled all of our pilots to gain valuable knowledge that they need in current theatres, such as the international anti-piracy mission off the Somali coast.”
Operation Serval, Mali 2013 At the start of French military operations two EH 1/67 Pumas were flown to Mali in Antonov An-124 transporters. The deployment lasted until July and saw the crews flying a wide variety of missions in difficult conditions. Lt-Col Malbos explained: “Mali is a difficult environment for us because it is very hot and there is a lot of dust. At the same time there is a constant threat of small arms fire and RPGs [rocket-propelled grenades], this means that we flew very low and very fast.” The two Pumas were on PR/CSAR alert for French air assets during strike missions and flew operational sorties to places such as Gao and Timbuktu. It is possible that EH 1/67 will be deployed to Mali again in the near future.
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from tactical transport and medevac to gathering intelligence with the FLIR and radar. CSAR/PR operations are made up of five steps: (1) notification/localisation; (2) planning; (3) preparation; (4) execution and (5) reintegration. The type of CSAR/PR mission determines how many elements will be involved. In general there are two responses to a notification – the first is quick response, which usually sees the CSAR/PR crew fly in immediately with an escort, but if the situation is complex and the helicopters and special forces need additional protection, the mission planners will opt for a ‘deliberate response’. The planning will take longer and the mission will have more aircraft participating, refuelling of helicopters and more. Both the Puma and Caracal can be assigned to wartime missions, as recent operations in Mali have shown, but Lt-Col Malbos explained that for complex high-risk missions with significant ground-to-air threats the Caracal is better equipped.
Puma and Caracal helicopters
The SA330Ba has been the squadron’s workhorse since it was first delivered in 1974. In 1986 the AdlA received its first updated Pumas, designated SA330Bas – these were fitted with new equipment that enabled EH 1/67 to operate at sea during night rescues. Today EH 1/67 uses a mix of standard and SAR Pumas, which are being modernised to keep them up to International Civil Aviation Organisation standards. However, in time the ‘Pyrénées’ will probably become a Caracal-only unit. When talking to Caracal pilots it becomes clear that they love to fly the helicopter. Lt-Col Malbos added: “I flew the Gazelle, Puma and Super Puma, but the Caracal is the helicopter that allows me to do my job under the most challenging conditions. We can fly in bad weather at night in mountainous areas or at sea and still get the job done.” The first EC725 was delivered to the squadron in 2006. The Caracal was designed with the CSAR mission in mind and is fitted with the latest technology. One of the unique features of the Caracal is the ability to use a refuelling boom, making it the only European helicopter that could perform aerial
Divers are ‘go’ for an SAR exercise. The chopper has to get down to a minimum height of 4 to 5 metres.
tanking. The AdlA Transall tankers cannot refuel the Caracals because of turbulence issues, one reason why France and Italy teamed up in 2007 to start practising helicopter air-to-air refuelling (HAAR) – every year Caracals fly to Italy to practise HAAR procedures with the Lockheed Martin C-130Js of the 46th Brigata Aerea, based at Pisa. At the moment EH 1/67 is only qualified for daytime aerial refuelling, but Malbos is confident that the unit will have the night qualifications by early 2014. In the near future, the ‘Pyrénées’ will also start training for refuelling with the new MC-130Js from the US Air Force’s 67th Special Operations Squadron based at RAF Mildenhall in the UK. When the Airbus Military A400M enters operational service, the AdlA will also be capable of refuelling the Caracal. In order to facilitate the HAAR procedures at Cazaux the AdlA has allocated two refuelling tracks – the first one is a large area along the coast, ideally suited for basic HAAR training and the second, more demanding track is inside the base limits. The tracks were tested in early 2013 when an Italian C-130J deployed to Cazaux.
Future
Due to the specific skills of the squadron and the fact that it is the only dedicated CSAR/PR unit within the French forces, it is safe to say that EH 1/67 will continue to play an important role. “When it comes to the domain of CSAR we are the tactical experts in France,” said Lt-Col Malbos. There are very few specialised CSAR squadrons in Europe and there is a constant need for them during foreign operations. After the latest French Government White Paper there is talk of restructuring the entire French Caracal fleet at Cazaux – according to Lt-Col Malbos it is a logical step to regroup the entire fleet here. “We have the capacity to grow to approximately 350 personnel at our new site and maintenance of all French Caracals is already carried out in our hangars. We have all the training facilities that we need for SAR, CSAR, and PR either on base or nearby.” With ever more emphasis being put on the use of special forces and the increasing need for further integration towards a European CSAR/PR pool, EH afm 1/67 will have interesting years ahead.
Training facilities at Cazaux
Eurocopter maintenance personnel work on a French army Caracal. All the French military Caracal deep maintenance is done at Cazaux, and Eurocopter has people working in the EH 1/67 hangar. Images by the author unless stated
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Cazaux is ideal for a SAR/CSAR squadron. There are many reserved areas in the forests around the base where crews can practise dropping off special forces and personnel recovery. These remote areas also provide locations for forward area refuelling point (FARP) training. The majority of Lake Cazaux falls inside the base and pilots can practise SAR procedures with divers and support personnel, whose buildings are on the waterfront. Cazaux also houses the Centre de Formation à la Survie et au Sauvetage (CFSS), which provides survival training for all French military aircrew. The ocean is only two miles (3.2km) away, so it is easy to set up training exercises at sea. There are also a lot of different training areas nearby – the range at Captieux and the Centre d’Essais des Landes are less then 20 minutes away. A little bit further south are the reserved mountain training areas in the Pyrénées, near the town of Pau. To the north are the low-flying areas near Bergerac and Sarlat that offer different scenery from the flat areas around Cazaux where pilots can train tactical day and night flying. The base is also equipped with a vast range for shooting practice.
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CHINESE NAVY J-15
Flying Shark China’s
C
HINA’S MILITARY aviation industry has progressed by leaps and bounds in the last 15 years. One of its biggest achievements to date has been the Shenyang J-15 ‘Flying Shark’ carrier-borne multi-role combat aircraft. With the planned refurbishment of the ex-Russian aircraft carrier Varyag in 2005, the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) needed a carrier-borne fighter for its new ship. In 2006 China began talks with Russia to buy up to 50 Sukhoi Su-33 Flanker-D naval interceptors, but despite the Russians reportedly offering to integrate Su-30MK2 and later Su-35 systems onto the jets the on-off discussions collapsed in 2009 without agreement. Russian media reported that one of the main sticking points was over a Chinese demand to initially acquire only two Su-33s for trials – this, coupled with mounting evidence China was violating a licence production agreement by building Su-27s with Chinese systems and avionics (designated the Shenyang J-11B), led to suspicion that the country wanted a small number of Su-33s to study before building a copy of the type locally. The suspicions turned out to be well-founded. Reports began emerging that the Shenyang Aircraft
Mike Yeo looks at the Chinese Navy’s new carrier-borne fighter
Above: J-15 554 is the only prototype to carry the distinctive shark artwork on the vertical tails and below the co*ckpit. Here it is being taken down into Liaoning’s hangar, which retains the Russian rotating turntable for ease of marshalling inside the cramped interior. Below: Flying Shark 552 just before touchdown on the Liaoning. The tailhook is not extended, meaning a touchand-go is planned.
Company (SAC) was developing a carrier-borne fighter – the first grainy photos began appearing on the internet in May 2010, taken at SAC’s factory in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, showing a design that appeared to be closely based on the Su-33, featuring a pair of canards to improve low-speed handling and a shortened ‘stinger’ tail – it was designated the J-15. Clearer images soon followed, providing more details – the prototype was powered by a pair of Russian Saturn AL-31F engines and had a wing-fold line in a similar position to the Su-33’s. Like its Russian counterpart, the J-15 utilises the short take-off and barrier landing (STOBAR) method of operating from a carrier, but a key difference is that the J-15 has double-slotted flaps to provide better lowspeed performance, a critical consideration in carrier operations. Closer examination also revealed the J-15 was equipped with a wide-angle holographic head-up display (HUD) and it is believed to be is fitted with
A J-15 roars off the ‘ski jump’ on the Liaoning. The double-slotted flaps can be clearly seen.
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the locally-built radar, avionics and other systems that equip the Shenyang J-11B. From the outset it was intended for the J-15 to possess a multi-role capability, a departure from the interceptor role of the Su-33.
Further development and carrier trials
In May 2011, a year after the first images appeared, Chinese internet forums featured a J-15 powered by the Chinese-built Shenyang Liming WS-10 Taihang engine. More powerful than the AL-31F, the new engine was plagued by reliability and quality control issues in the early stages of its development, but is now mature enough to be in full-scale production, being utilised in current production batches of the land-based J-11B. However, the fact that the WS-10 J-15 (s/n 554) had reverted to being powered by the AL-31F in June 2013, when it took part in trials on board the Liaoning, appears to indicate that the Chinese still do not have enough confidence in the new engine for carrier operations. By January 2012 at least six J-15s were being flown, the appearance of red three-digit serials painted on the front fuselage of the prototypes (551 - 556) confirming this. Satellite imagery from October 2011 showed that there were three on the ramp at Xi’an-Yanliang air base in Shaanxi Province, home of the China Flight Test Establishment and where a ski-jump is located to carry out STOBAR take-offs. Meanwhile, work was proceeding with a two-seat version known as the J-15S, and in November 2012 images started appearing on Chinese internet portals reportedly showing this new type. Little else is known about this version beyond the fact the prototype photographed was powered by the WS-10. With the handover of the carrier Liaoning to the PLAN, the way was cleared for the J-15 to carry out sea trials. The first official announcement of J-15 operations came in October 2012 when Chinese state media published images of two examples carrying out what was described as a series of touchand-go landings on Liaoning. This was followed by the J-15’s first ‘trap’ in November, when two more were involved in trials and carried out take-offs and arrested landings. Shipboard trials with inert weapons took place in September 2013 with various combinations of ordnance witnessed, including PL-8 and PL-12 airto-air missiles, YJ-83K anti-ship missiles and freefall bombs, showcasing the multi-role capability offered by the J-15. Additionally, a clip from a television news segment illustrates a J-15 carrying what appears to be a RDC-1 buddy refuelling pod, while a
Shenyang J-15 Flying Shark prototype s/n 552 takes off from Liaoning via the ‘ski jump’ during weapons carriage trials in September 2013. Note the inert PL-8 AAMs and YJ-83K anti-ship missiles being carried.
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Above: J-15 prototype s/n 554 prepares for take-off, September 2013. This aircraft was formerly powered by the Chinese WS-10A engine but was refitted with the Russian AL-31F before this set of carrier trials.
Liaoning Originally laid down as the Admiral Kuznetsov-class multi-role aircraft carrier Riga for the Soviet Navy, she was launched in 1988 and renamed Varyag in 1990. The collapse of the Soviet Union meant that construction had ceased by 1992 with the ship structurally complete but without electronics. Ownership was transferred to the Ukraine. The hulk was purchased by a Chinese holding company in 1998, ostensibly to be converted into a floating casino. After an epic journey under tow, the stripped-down vessel reached Dalian, China in March 2002, after which the holding company promptly vanished. For a while, it was unclear if the Varyag would be refurbished or just kept as a sample for study by China’s naval engineers – however, in 2005 the hull was put into dry dock and work began on refurbishment. The renovated and yet unnamed ship put to sea for the first time on August 10, 2011 for the first of several sea trials. She was handed over to the navy, commissioned in late September 2012, and named Liaoning after the province she was refurbished and is now resident in. She is currently based at Qingdao, home of the PLAN’s north sea fleet, as a training ship under the direct command and management of PLAN HQ. Along with the J-15, it is expected that the Changhe Z-8 helicopter (Chinese-built SA321 Super Frelon) and the Kamov Ka-27 Helix would make up her air wing.
more recent image published online shows another J-15 carrying a Russian UPAZ-1A buddy refuelling pod on its centreline station. This would indicate that the PLAN is fully aware of, and trying to mitigate, the penalty imposed on the combat radius and load-out of the J-15 when operating from Liaoning as a result of its STOBAR configuration. SAC is known to have been given the go-ahead for production of the J-15, and it is known that production aircraft are already flying. As of January, four of these (c/n 0101 – 0104) had been sighted. It is expected that when delivered to the PLAN the J-15s will go to an as-yet unidentified PLAN Air Force (PLANAF) regiment, possibly resident at the newly-constructed base at Huangdicun, Liaoning Province. Work there began in 2008 and apparently was complete by 2012 – that January it was revealed by state-run media that a J-15 had used the base’s facilities to carry out take-off and landing trials. Located at the north-western part of the Bohai Gulf, the base features two mock carrier flight decks, each with markings including an outline of Liaoning’s superstructure and fitted with arrester gear at either end of the main runway. A short, separate section immediately adjacent to the runway has ski jumps located at each end, allowing PLAN carrier pilots to practise carrier take-offs.
Quantum leap
The J-15, together with the Liaoning, has given China’s navy a quantum leap in capability. While there are many reservations about the combat utility of the J-15 and Liaoning when paired together, and of the PLAN’s skills at effective carrier operations, a more accurate assessment can only be made a decade or two from now when the Chinese have had time to develop a doctrine and tactics. The flight deck crew captured on video during the aircraft handling operations displayed an impressive amount of professionalism, a remarkable achievement considering that they would have been very new at this. Even with China’s new, modest capabilities the balance of power in the disputed waters and islands of the East and South China Seas has undoubtedly shifted. Senior Chinese military and civilian officials have said that China will be building larger, more capable carriers and there are already reports that China may have an 110,000-ton aircraft carrier under construction. If this can operate a fully-equipped air wing with attendant ‘force multiplier’ assets, such as the JZY-01 airborne early warning platform currently in development, China’s carriers would afm really be a force to be reckoned with. #313 April 2014
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FORCE REPORT UNITED STATES AIR FORCE RESERVE COMMAND
Citizen Airmen In these hard economic times the United States Air Force continues to rely on the full time reservists of Air Force Reserve Command. Bob Archer describes the organisation and what it does
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Branch: USAFRC Role: Aerial Surveillance, Troop Transport, Search and Rescue, Air Superiority
T
HE US Air Force Reserves (AFRes) was formed on August 1, 1968 to enable retired active duty personnel from all trades to continue part-time military service, while maintaining a career in the civilian world. An added bonus for the military was that the Command
provides a repository for the knowledge and experience gained in a military career, enabling experienced aircrews and technicians to stay in senior positions and disseminate their expertise to younger servicemen and women. In times of crisis those personnel could be recalled to active duty, being mobilised either by act of Congress or presidential decree. Reserve units would then either replace active duty units deployed for an emergency, or be sent overseas themselves. The main reason for the expansion of the Reserves and its elevation to Command status, was the perceived need to retain personnel who had seen combat in Vietnam at a time when shrinking budgets would
not stretch to employing those individuals in the active duty air force. Throughout the 1950s and early 1960s, reserve forces were used exclusively for airlift and air rescue service duties. To fully exploit the wealth of experience, AFRes steadily allocated a variety of new roles, including ground attack, tactical
fighter, and eventually strategic bombardment. Lessons learned in Vietnam in relation to the air rescue role demonstrated the need to develop combat search and rescue (CSAR) tactics, closely linked to special operations. As the organisation assumed responsibility for more disciplines formerly the preserve of the active duty air force, the Department of Defense (DoD) decided to bestow command status on the Reserves
Above: The 93rd Bomb Squadron at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana uses its B-52H Stratofortresses for training. Bob Archer
Above: AFRC's 'weekend warriors' are very much part of America's warfighting resources, as this A-10C demonstrates over Afghanistan. Neil Dunridge
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FORCE REPORT UNITED STATES AIR FORCE RESERVE COMMAND The C-5A Galaxys of the 445th Airlift Wing's 89th Airlift Squadron Wright-Patterson AFB in Ohio have been replaced by C-17A Globemaster IIIs. USAF
in February 1997, acknowledging its importance. The reduction in the number of active duty squadrons, particularly within the tactical fighter/ground attack communities, resulted in the Reserves taking a greater role as part of the deployment structure for overseas duty. Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) has been included in the planning for the Air Expeditionary Force (AEF) programme, whereby squadrons rotate to the Middle East and other theatres on a regular schedule. Involvement in the Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns involved AFRes/AFRC squadrons as a matter of routine from 1990, with personnel drawn from different units operating under the AEF umbrella. For decades the Reserves augmented the active duty force by supplying aircrew positions and maintenance personnel to replace active duty opposite posts. A key advantage of reserve personnel over their active duty colleagues is that they live in their own homes when not on duty, so do not need to be provided with housing on or near their bases – a huge saving in indirect costs. Traditionally the reserves were supplied with equipment handed down from active duty units, but during the last 30 years a trend has developed towards giving them the same kit. The ‘associate’ programme (see later) has also enabled reservists to fly America’s latest equipment.
Above: Several AFRC units now fly the USAF's most modern airlifter, including the 305th Air Mobility Wing's 6th Airlift Squadron based at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey. USAF
divided on a geographical basis, with one air force responsible for east coast units, one for the central states and the last for the west coast. Combined with a unique command system, the AFRes’ order of battle was bewildering – a parent wing was responsible for a number of squadrons located across several states and the squadrons reported to a group, which liaised with the wing. This unwieldy organisation was streamlined somewhat as AFRes grew; most, but not all, groups were afforded wing status or given unit designations with a historic lineage. The geographic division has progressively disappeared as the Command has sought to streamline its structure, with the three numbered air forces assuming control of units with broadly similar roles. A number of groups remain, but these are in place to administer small squadrons not large enough to warrant the formation of a wing. The Fourth, Tenth and TwentySecond Air Forces headquarters are respectively located at March Air Reserve Base, California, Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas, and Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Georgia. March’s Fourth Air Force has jurisdiction over 15 wings and two groups. These units conduct strategic airlift and aerial refuelling, and one unit also performs VIP duties. Additionally the 4th AF provides aerial port, civil engineer, and medical combat support for major facilities situated across
Above: Dover AFB in Delaware is home to the 436th Airlift Wing which received the first C-5M, 86-0013, back in 2008. AFRC members assigned to the associate 512th AW fly the Super Galaxy from the base. Lockheed Martin Below: Global reach is part of AFRC's job. This 439th AW Galaxy is an AFRC machine and the C-17A Globemaster III from Dover AFB, Delaware could very easily have been flown to this Japanese base by a reservist crew. USAF
Numbered air forces
The AFRC flight operations are administered by three numbered air forces, with responsibility for specific tasks. The old AFRes was
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Commands Supporting AFRC Operations
Above: There is nothing second-rate about the AFRS's men and machines and they serve in the same hazardous locations as those of the regular air force. This C-17A is preparing to depart form an austere location in Afghanistan. USAF
the Pacific Air Force (PACAF) area of responsibility. The Tenth Air Force is responsible for ten wings and eleven groups. These 21 units conduct all manner of activities with the exception of tactical/strategic airlift and aerial refuelling. The Twenty-Second Air Force controls nine wings and one group, tasked with tactical airlift and flight test, following depot level maintenance.
The Associate programme
The Reserve Command has approximately 370 aircraft and helicopters directly assigned. In addition it oversees 22 associate units, wings and groups, which augment active duty units. The AFRC and ANG (Air National Guard) personnel combine in the ‘Total Force’ concept, integrating front line and reserve activities and personnel into a ‘cohesive undertaking’. The first associate units were formed in 1978 to enable reservists to operate active
duty Lockheed C-5 Galaxys and C-141 Starlifters. The AFRC Associate Program provides trained crews and maintenance personnel for active duty-owned aircraft and space operations. It does this through pairing an AFRC unit with an active duty counterpart to share a single set of aircraft, on the basis that there are more operational requirements than full-time manpower available. Today active duty units are being stood up at what were previously Air Force Reserve Command or Air National Guard locations. The Air Reserve Component technically ‘owns’ the aircraft but shares them with an active duty squadron, group or wing that provides additional manning, thus saving the air force money, and meeting the requirements for mobility and combat ready forces. In many of these units, particularly the airlift community, the aircraft have dual active duty and Reserve Command unit markings. Associate reservists man
Eight major Commands have an input into AFRC operations. Having gradually assumed a percentage of missions, the major Commands need to ensure that the reserve component is as effective as the active duty units performing the same tasks. Liaison between the Commands and the Reserves is performed at headquarters level, and through the numbered air forces. Changes affecting the Commands have a direct influence on the Reserves, so there is a need to implement new tactics or equipment in harmony. For example, both AMC and AFRC have inputs into the plans to introduce the Boeing KC-46 tanker into operational service by 2017. The Reserves will operate the new tanker on an associate basis alongside the active duty, so both organisations need to liaise over their preparations for its introduction. Air Combat Command has a limited presence in the AFRC, primarily with the A-10 and the F-16. The ACC has a number of associate units assigned to active duty facilities. Air Education and Training Command has a small reservist input, primarily to train undergraduate pilots and to maintain the aircraft. Additionally, the 70th Flying Training Squadron at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado assists the 94th, 98th and 557th Flying Training Squadrons with training cadets. Several reservist squadrons, which support flight
training as part of their role, would become part of AETC if mobilised, rather than joining the respective Command performing the relevant mission operationally. For example, the majority of the 919th Special Operations Wing would be mobilised to AETC, rather than AFSOC. Air Force Global Strike Command is responsible for a single unit operating the Boeing B-52H Stratofortress. Being stationed at one of the two operational bases ensures the reservists are as highly trained as their full-time colleagues. Air Force Materiel Command, with a single group, conducts post maintenance test flights of all manner of fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft at the Air Logistics Complexes (ALC). Air Force Special Operations Command has a small number of reservists sharing the Command’s everyday duties. Air Force Space Command operates no aircraft. Reservists work at headquarters and at small sites monitoring space activities. Air Mobility Command is the largest reservist user, because the majority of AFRC aircraft are airlift or aerial refuelling assets. Pacific Air Forces have one associate flying unit in Alaska, and a Regional Support Group which administers facilities in Hawaii and Guam.
Below: McChord AFB, Wasthington is home to the 62nd AW. Its C-17As are shared by the reservists assigned to AFRC's 446th AW's three Airlift Squadrons. USAF
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FORCE REPORT UNITED STATES AIR FORCE RESERVE COMMAND Both the C-17A and the KC-135R Stratotanker refuelling it are based at March Joint Air Reserve Base in California with the 452nd Air Mobility Wing. The tanker flys with the 912th ARS and the Globemaster with the 729th AS. USAF
Current Aircraft Strength The AFRC has a fleet of more than 350 aircraft and helicopters, broken down approximately as below: A-10C
48
B-52H
18
C-5A
16
C-5B
16
C-17A
181
C-40C
4
C-130H
85
C-130J
10
F-16C
49
F-16D
4
HC-130N
1
HC-130P
4
HH-60G
15
KC-135R
67
WC-130J
10
Note: the HC-130s will be replaced in due course.
Above: Resplendent in its blue, white and gold VIP colour scheme the small fleet of C-40C Clippers based at Scott AFB, Illinois with the 932nd AW's 73rd AS is used for general transport duties as well as ferrying important officials around the world. USAF
strategic airlifters of Air Mobility Command (AMC), including the C-5 Galaxy and Boeing C-17 Globemaster III; AFRC associate crews provide nearly 50% of the aircrew for these two types. The AFRC also provides an aerial refuelling capability, with aircrews operating McDonnell Douglas KC-10A Extenders and Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers. Associate
KC-10 units provide 50% of the aircrews for the entire US Air Force fleet, along with a similar percentage of its maintenance force. Reservists also contribute about 13% of the USAF’s KC-135 force. In another alignment with AMC, more than 9,100 AFRC personnel train in the Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules airlift mission in a variety of aircrew, maintenance
Above: The most recent acquisition for the 932nd AW was C-40C 09-0540 which was handed over on November 18, 2011. Bob Archer
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and support skills, and as both stand-alone AFRC units and associates. In wartime, AFRC provides 23% of the air force’s C-130 theatre airlift force, with nearly half of AFRC’s airlift units flying C-130s. Several of these have now also integrated active associate units from the regular air force. Other AMC-aligned AFRC missions involve MEDEVAC and special air support operations. The AFRC also operates the WC-130J in the weather reconnaissance mission. Air Combat Command (ACC) Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptors, F-16 Fighting Falcons, Boeing F-15E Strike Eagles and Fairchild A-10 Thunderbolt IIs are jointly operated by ACC active duty personnel and AFRC aircrews via associate units, as are A-10 and F-16 aircraft in stand-alone AFRC fighter wings. Reserve Command HC-130 and HH-60 CSAR assets are currently assigned to standalone flying units operationally aligned with ACC. A study into the possibility of incorporating CSAR into active associate units is currently taking place. Several AFRC Air and Space Operations Centers (AOC) also operate as standalone units, or in associate augmentation to ACC, AMC, PACAF and US Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) units, operating the AN/ USQ-163 Falconer air and space command and control system. In conjunction with Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), AFRC operated the MC130E Combat Talon I aircraft until mid-2013. In its place it now uses the Pilatus PC-12 (known as the U-28) and the PZL-Mielec C-145A Combat Coyote, providing Formal Training Unit (FTU) functions for active duty and reserve personnel.
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Branch: USAFRC Role: Aerial Surveillance, Troop Transport, Search and Rescue, Air Superiority
The two types are collectively known as the Non Standard Aircraft Vehicle (NSAV) fleet. Associate programmes with Air Education and Training Command (AETC) support undergraduate pilot training by providing instructor pilots for the Beechcraft T-6A Texan II, T-1A Jayhawk and Northrop T-38C Talon. There are associate units for Space Operations and Cyber Operations aligned with Air Force Space Command (AFSPC), and AFRC is also involved in Defense Meteorological Satellite Programmes (DMSP), Defense Support Programmes (DSP) and Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites, as well as various cyber warfare systems.
AFRC HC-130P Combat Kings are very important long-range search and rescue assets and are in great demand world-wide. This 39th Rescue Squadron example is seen on the ramp in Djibouti. USAF
Current personnel strength & categories
The Fiscal Year 2013 personnel estimate for the US Air Force was approximately 539,800, of whom approximately 71,000 were AFRC selected reserve. A further 83 active duty staff are also assigned to the Command. The Command is bolstered by a substantial number of those in the ready reserve. Collectively, this number represents almost 20% of the air force’s total strength. There are several categories of service in AFRC. Most are parttime ‘Traditional Reservists’ (TR), who are required to report for duty with their parent unit at least one weekend a month, with an additional two-week ‘drill period’ each year. However many reservists, especially those on active flying status, serve well in excess of this minimum duty requirement. A smaller, but equally important category of TR is the Individual Mobilization Augmentee (IMA), part-time air force reservists
Above: A Hurricane Hunter WC-130J from the 403rd Wing's 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron taxiing on the ramp at its Keelser AFB, Missouri base. USAF Below: For many years Keesler's C-130s wore the 'WEATHER' tail-band and a lighter grey/ blue paint scheme but as can be seen in the image above things have changed. The aircraft below was caught by the camera still wearing its old scheme. USAF
Above: There's no point in having one of the world's most recognisable landmarks on your doorstep if you don't make use of it. C-130H 87-9285 is based at Niagara Falls IAP with the 914th AW's 328th AS. USAF
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assigned to active duty air force units and organisations, combat support agencies, unified combatant Commands and the Joint Staff. They perform functions essential in wartime and/or during contingency operations outside of peace time. They report for duty a minimum of two days a month and an additional 12 days a year. A small number of reservists serve limited tours of active duty, usually at headquarters’ staff level, in the joint combatant Commands, or in other special assignments, to bring AFRC expertise to senior levels within the air force. The ANG and AFRC also require two categories of full-time personnel to perform functions that require more than part-time manning. These are filled through the Active Guard and Reserve (AGR) and Air Reserve Technician (ART) programmes.
ANG/AFRC Test Center
The ANG/AFRC Test Center (AATC) is a tenant component hosted by the 162nd Fighter Wing, Arizona ANG at Tucson Air Guard Station. The Center organises operational testing on behalf of active duty major Commands, with five Block 32 F-16Cs, two Block 42 F-16CMs and a single Block 32 F-16D. The aircraft are used for operational testing of weapons and tactics. Apart from the F-16s, the Center also flies the A-10C, with an operational detachment at nearby Davis-Monthan AFB. The A-10 Detachment was formerly hosted by the 355th Fighter Wing, and supported by the 917th Wing, headquartered at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana. However, the latter wing inactivated on September 26, 2013, with responsibility switching to the 442nd Fighter Wing
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FORCE REPORT UNITED STATES AIR FORCE RESERVE COMMAND Current unit structure The unit structure presented below lists 47 wings and groups. Of these, 26 are conventional organisations, while the remaining 21 are associates. Wings/groups marked * are associates. Wing/ Group
Sqn
Base
Aircraft type
Gaining Cmd
Wing/ Group
4th Air Force, March ARB, California 414th FG*
300th AS 315th AW*
317th AS
JB Charleston, South Carolina
C-17A
AMC
701st AS 70th ARS 349th AMW*
79th ARS 301st AS
KC-10A Travis AFB, California
312th AS 68th AS 433rd AW 356th AS 434th ARW
72nd ARS 74th ARS
C-17A
AMC
C-5B/C/M JB San Antonio-Lackland/Kelly Field, Texas
AMC C-5A/B
439th AW
337th AS
Westover ARB, Massachusetts
C-5B
AMC
89th AS
Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
C-17A
AMC
446th AW*
313th AS
JB Lewis-McChord, Washington
C-17A
AMC
336th ARS 452nd AMW 729th AS 459th ARW 507th ARW 512th AW*
March ARB, California
AMC
Det 1
Shaw AFB, South Carolina
F-16C/D ‘SW’
Hill AFB, Utah
F-16C/D ‘HL’
ACC
A-10C ‘KC’
ACC
476th FG*
76th FS
Moody AFB, Georgia
A-10C ‘FT’
ACC
477th FG*
302nd FS
JB Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska
F-22A ‘AK’
PACAF
482nd FW
93rd FS
Homestead ARB, Florida
513th ACG*
970th AACS Tinker AFB, Oklahoma
917th FG
926th Group*
A-10C ‘BD’ MQ-1B ‘CH’
5th SOS
Hurlburt Field, Florida
U-28A
6th SOS 39th RQS 301st RQS
Duke Field, Florida Patrick AFB, Florida
Eglin AFB, Florida
F-15C/E, F-16C/D ‘OT’
Nellis AFB, Nevada
A-10C, F-15C/ D/E, F-16C/D, F-22A ‘WA’
Beale AFB, California
RQ-4B ‘BB’
940th Wing* 13th RS
AMC
709th AS
Dover AFB, Delaware
JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey
732nd AS
KC-135R C-17A KC-10A
AMC
943rd RQG 944th FW*
AMC
C-17A
The 624th RSG’s two aerial port squadrons (APS), the 44th and 48th, have no aircraft assigned. 44th APS
Andersen AFB, Guam
48th APS
JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii
77th ARS
Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina
KC-135R
Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona
HH-60G ‘DR’
ACC
A-10C ‘DM’
ACC
69th FS
Luke AFB, Arizona
F-16C/D ‘LF’
AETC
23rd CBCS
Travis AFB, California
35th CBCS
Tinker AFB, Oklahoma
42nd CBCS
JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey
No aircraft assigned
CYOG CBCS
55th CBCS
Robins AFB, Georgia
Cyberspace Operations Group, Combat Communications Squadron
927th ARW* 63rd ARS
MacDill AFB, Florida
KC-135R
AMC
22nd Air Force, Dobbins ARB, Georgia
18th ARS
McConnell AFB, Kansas
KC-135R
AMC
22nd Air Force, Detachment 1, Little Rock AFB, Arkansas
932nd AW
73rd AS
Scott AFB, Illinois
C-40C
AMC
44th FG*
301st FW 307th BW
MQ-1B, MQ-9A ‘HO’
Det 2
Tyndall AFB, Florida
F-22A ‘TY’
457th FS
NAS JRB Fort Worth, Texas
F-16C/D ‘Texas’
Det 1
93rd BS 343rd BS
310th SW*
340th FTG*
F-22A ‘HO’ Holloman AFB, New Mexico
94th AW
700th AS
Dobbins ARB, Georgia
C-130H
AMC
302nd AW
731st AS
Peterson AFB, Colorado
C-130H
AMC
403rd Wing ACC
ACC
Barksdale AFB, Louisiana
B-52H ‘BD’
AFGSC
Schriever AFB,Colorado
No aircraft
AFSPC
ACC
Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona
931st ARG*
301st FS
ACC
305th RQS
AMC
10th Air Force, NAS JRB Forth Worth/Carswell Field, Texas
ACC
45th FS
960th CYOG PACAF
HC-130N/P ‘FL’ HH-60G ‘FL’
84th TES
Air & Space Operations Center, Distributed Common Ground Station
C-5B/M
AFSOC AETC
MQ-1B, MQ-9A ‘CH’
AMC
Tinker AFB, Oklahoma
C-145A
Creech AFB, Nevada
706th FS
AETC
C-146A
78th RS
KC-135R
465th ARS
ACC
Barksdale AFB, Louisiana Creech AFB, Nevada
756th ARS 326th AS
ACC ACC
47th FS
711th SOS 920th RQW
F-16C/D ‘FM’ E-3B/C ‘OK’
2nd SOS
AETC
JB Andrews, Maryland
ACC
Whiteman AFB, Missouri
C-17A, KC-135R
514th AMW* 78th ARS
916th ARW
C-17A
F-15E ‘SJ’
730th AMTS* Altus AFB, Oklahoma
76thARS
624th Regional Support Group*
KC-135R
Seymour-Johnson AFB, North Carolina
466th FS
97th AS 728th AS
307th FS
Gaining Cmd
303rd FS
AMC
445th AW
Aircraft type
419th FW*
AETC KC-135R
Base
442nd FW
919th SOW* Grissom ARB, Indiana
Sqn
413th FLTG*
53rd WRS 815th AS
Keesler AFB, Mississippi
WC-130J C-130J
AMC
10th FLTS
Tinker AFB, Oklahoma
313th FLTS
JB SA-Lackland AFB, Texas
339th FLTS
Robins AFB, Georgia
370th FLTS
Edwards AFB, California
C-12C, C-17A, KC-135R
415th FLTS
JB San Antonio-Randolph, Texas
T-38C
514th FLTS
Hill AFB, Utah
Depot flight test
95th AS
Pope Field/Fort Bragg, North Carolina
C-130H
AMC
357th AS
Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Alabama
C-130H
AMC
Youngstown-Warren RAP ARS, Ohio
C-130H
AMC
Pittsburgh IAP ARS, Pennsylvania
C-130H
AMC
Depot flight test AFMC
5th FTS
Vance AFB, Oklahoma
T-1A, T-6A, T-38C ‘VN’
39th FTS
JB San Antonio-Randolph, Texas
T-1A, T-6A, T-38C ‘RA’
43rd FTS
Columbus AFB, Mississippi
T-1A, T-6A, T-38C ‘CB’
Air Force Academy, Colorado
miscellaneous gliders
Laughlin AFB, Texas
T-1A, T-6A, T-38C ‘XL’
914th AW
328th AS
Niagara Falls IAP ARS, New York
C-130H
AMC
T-6A, T-38C ‘EN’
934th AW
96th AS
Minneapolis-St Paul IAP, Minnesota
C-130H
AMC
70th FTS 96th FTS 97th FTS
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Sheppard AFB, Texas
440th AW 908th AW AETC
910th AW 911th AW
757th AS 773rd AS 758th AS
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Branch: USAFRC Role: Aerial Surveillance, Troop Transport, Search and Rescue, Air Superiority
The AFRC aircraft types – directly assigned
at Whiteman AFB, Missouri. The AATC is tasked with defining standards for testing on a variety of AFRC and ANG aircraft types, including the B-52H, C-130H/J, F-15A/B, F-16C/D Block 40/42, and HH-60G. It also develops operational standards for the electronic combat systems of all these types. The Center has also been involved in similar test work for C-5s, KC-10As, C-130s and KC-135s for AMC. It is in a unique position to take advantage of modernisation efforts funded by the National Guard and Reserve Equipment Account (NGREA). This is an ad-hoc arrangement to provide finances for improvement without making requests through the usual long-winded process. Among the programmes that benefitted from the NGREA scheme was pioneering night vision devices for fighter pilots, first introduced operationally by AFRC. A low-cost situational awareness datalink to complement air force networks was evaluated by the Center, and another vital test programme developed the Rafael AN/AAQ-28 Litening targeting pod for reservist use.
Above: Fire-fighting with the Modular Fire Fighting System II is one of the roles specific to the 302nd AW's 731st AS based at Peterson AFB, Colorado. The orange figures on fuselage and tail are worn to aid identification whih fighting fires. USAF
Associate Units and Active Duty counterparts AFRC Unit
Active Duty Wing
Active Duty Command
44th FG
49th Fighter Wing
ACC
310th Space Wing
50th Space Wing
AFSPC
315th AW
437th Airlift Wing
AMC
340th FTG
12th Flying Training Wing
AETC
349th AMW
60th Air Mobility Wing
AMC
414th FG
4th Fighter Wing
ACC
419th FW
388th Fighter Wing
ACC
446th AW
62nd Airlift Wing
AMC
476th FG
23rd Wing
ACC
477th FG
3rd Wing
PACAF
512th AW
436th Airlift Wing
AMC
513th ACG
552nd Air Control Wing
ACC
514th AMW
305th Air Mobility Wing
AMC
919th SOW
1st Special Operations Wing
AFSOC
924th FG
355th Fighter Wing
ACC
926th Group
53rd Wing, 57th Wing, and 432nd Wing
ACC
927th ARW
6th Air Mobility Wing
AMC
931st ARG
22nd Air Refueling Wing
AMC
940th Wing
9th Reconnaissance Wing
ACC
944th FW
58th Fighter Wing
AETC
Below: This Hurricane Hunters WC-130J Weatherbird is wearing a hybrid of the old and new colourschemes for the type. The black tail band remains from the older scheme and the space where the serial number has been painted over can be seen. Bob Archer
Sixteen fixed- and rotary-wing types are currently assigned to AFRC units, and reservists man other active duty assets in the associate programme. Flying units with their own aircraft receive a specific operating budget and report direct to their numbered air force for day-to-day tasking. Aircraft directly assigned to AFRC carry markings similar to their gaining command, but with ‘AFRC’ painted on the fin or other appropriate area. Unit markings are also applied. Units with an * alongside are associates, with no aircraft directly assigned.
Fairchild Republic A-10C Thunderbolt II
A long-term operator of the A-10, universally known as the Warthog, AFRC has four units currently flying the type. Only one has aircraft directly assigned, while the other three provide personnel to augment active duty units. All operate the upgraded A-10C model with the latest weapons integrated, including ordnance fitted with Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) kits and the Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser (WCMD) to add precision guidance to certain ‘dumb’ bombs. Litening and Sniper targeting pods can also be used. The future of the A-10 continues to be the subject of speculation, with retirement of the entire fleet being proposed by air force leaders as a cost-saving measure. 442nd 303rd Whiteman AFB, FW FS Missouri
A-10C ‘KC’
476th FG*
76th FS
A-10C ‘FT’
926th GRP*
706th Nellis AFB, FS Nevada
A-10C ‘WA’
944th FW*
45th FS
A-10C ‘DM’
Moody AFB, Georgia
Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona
Boeing B-52H Stratofortress
The B-52 fleet was excluded from reservist service for the first four decades of its career, being exclusively operated by active duty squadrons with Strategic Air Command. All that changed on October 1, 1993 when the 93rd Bomb Squadron was activated at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, with the 917th Wing as its parent organisation and flying the B-52H alongside two squadrons of A-10As. Throughout this period the squadron was aligned to
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FORCE REPORT UNITED STATES AIR FORCE RESERVE COMMAND THE AFRC AIRCRAFT TYPES – DIRECTLY ASSIGNED
Planned changes to equipment In 2012 the air force announced a series of equipment changes affecting all Commands that were planned for implementation from 2013. However, sequestration and political nimbyism have delayed them. 94th AW at Dobbins ARB to replace seven C-130Hs with ten C-130Js transferred from Keesler AFB, beginning in FY 2014 with completion by FY 2017. An active associate unit is to be formed at Dobbins. 403rd Wing at Keesler AFB to transfer ten C-130Js to Dobbins ARB in FY 2014. 433rd AW at JB San AntonioLackland/Kelly Field to retire 16 C-5As between FY 2013 and FY 2016. To receive eight C-5Ms from Westover ARB in FY 2016. 439th AW at Westover ARB to convert from the C-5B to the C-5M. Eight C-5Ms are planned to transfer to the 433rd AW at JB San Antonio-Lackland/Kelly Field in FY 2016. 911th AW at Pittsburgh IAP to transfer seven C-130Hs elsewhere, and the military facility to close. 914th AW at Niagara Falls IAP – the classic ANG/AFRC associate unit amalgamation will cease. 932nd AW at Scott AFB to add an associate unit to operate the C-21A, but no date finalised. 934th AW at Minneapolis St Paul IAP to transfer eight C-130Hs elsewhere in FY 2014. Right: Fort Bragg's Pope Field is home to the C-130Hs of the 95th AS. USAF Below: Lifesavers. AFRC's HC-130Ps and HH-60G Pave Hawks provide a security blanket for pilots and crews. USAF
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A C-130H from Peterson AFB Colorado's 302nd AW's 731st AS demonstrates its Modular Air Fire Fighting System II. USAF
ACC. A rearrangement of gaining commands resulted in nuclear bombers and intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) assets being assigned to Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC), with AFRC’s B-52Hs joining the 307th Bomb Wing on January 8, 2011. The unit has 18 aircraft and performs aircrew conversion for the active duty air force as a FTU, with a wide variety of bombing tasks as a secondary role. A second squadron, the 343rd BS, was formed in the Reserves on April 1, 2010, but has no aircraft assigned. 307th BW
93rd BS
Barksdale AFB, 343rd Louisiana BS*
which were prone to frequent malfunctions which required strenuous efforts by technicians to fix. A solution was sought and under the Reliability Enhancement and Re-engining Program (RERP), 56 selected C-5s, mostly C-5Bs, have undergone an extensive modernisation programme. When this is complete, it produces a much-improved transporter, the C-5M Super Galaxy. Deliveries to the air force began in 2010, and the RERP features the latest avionics, along with General Electric CF6-80C2 (F138) turbofan
engines which have twice the thrust of the old General Electric TF-39 powerplants. Initially, AFRC was equipped with just the C-5A, but it has gradually received C-5Bs transferred from the two active duty units. Other AFRC squadrons have transitioned from the Galaxy to the C-17. At the beginning of Fiscal Year 2013, AFRC had 16 C-5As and 16 C-5Bs, and will eventually receive a small number of C-5Ms. Under current plans the C-5M will join the active duty first, releasing C-5Bs to the Reserves.
B-52H ‘BD’
Lockheed C-5 Galaxy
The C-5 Galaxy has been a component of AFRC since its inception. However this organisation, together with the ANG – both of which have the reputation for outstanding maintenance capabilities – could do little to alleviate the atrocious reliability rate of the C-5A. Availability was often just 50%, resulting in the Galaxy being known as the lowest performer in the air force. The main problem was the jet’s outdated avionics,
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Branch: USAFRC Role: Aerial Surveillance, Troop Transport, Search and Rescue, Air Superiority
The surviving C-5As will be retired. The Command will be the last to receive the C-5M, but associate units already augment active duty crews using the type. Air force leaders want to retire all C-5As as a matter of urgency, but budgetary constraints imposed by Congress have thwarted those plans for the time being. The active duty 97th Air Mobility Wing (AMW) at Altus AFB, Oklahoma, trains personnel to fly and maintain the C-5, while the 433rd Airlift Wing (AW) at JB San Antonio-Lackland performs an identical function for the Reserves with one squadron. 349th 312th Travis AFB, AMW* AS California 68th AS
C-5B/ C/M
433rd AW
JBSA-Lackland/ 356th Kelly Field, Texas AS
C-5A/ B
439th AW
337th Westover ARB, AS Massachusetts
C-5B
512th AW*
326th Dover AFB, AS Delaware
C-5B/ M
Above: The Hercules is the backbone of AFRC. Bob Archer Below: Air-to-air refuelling has been a vital part of AFRC's job for many years and several wings use the KC-135R Stratotanker for the purpose. Bob Archer
duties. Lt Col Meyer, a test pilot from the 370th FTS, performed the functional check flight of F-16C 85-1455 ‘DC’ on January 16, after nearly four years in storage. This Block 30A F-16C is the first production aircraft to be inducted into the QF-16 Full-Scale Aerial Target (FSAT) regeneration programme at the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG). The 412th TW is the primary active duty test and evaluation unit of Air Force Materiel Command, with many reservists carrying out development support work. 300th AS 315th AW*
317th AS
JB Charleston, South Carolina
C-17A
349th 301st AMW* AS
Travis AFB, California
C-17A
413th FLTG*
370th FLTS
Edwards AFB, California
C-17A ‘ED’
445th AW
89th AS
Wright-Patterson C-17A AFB, Ohio
701st AS
Boeing C-17A Globemaster III
The majority of AFRes/AFRC Lockheed C-141 Starlifter squadrons were paired with an active duty unit but, with the type’s retirement, reservist squadrons have transitioned to the C-17A. Seven wings fly the C-17, although only two have aircraft directly assigned, while the others are all associate units. Additionally, the 452nd AMW at March ARB, California, is responsible for an Air Mobilie
Training Squadron located at Altus AFB, Texas. The 452nd is the closest C-17 wing to Altus, despite being some 1,200 miles distant! The 413th Flight Test Group, with headquarters at Robins AFB, Georgia, is responsible for six squadrons that carry out post maintenance test sorties. The 370th Flight Test Squadron (FTS) at Edwards AFB, California, provides aircrew and maintenance personnel for the C-12C, C-17A, and KC-135R of the 412th Test Wing, as well as other test Tinker AFB, Oklahoma near the centre of the continental United States is home to the 507th Air Refueling Wing and its KC-135Rs. Bob Archer
97th AS 446th AW*
313th AS
JB LewisMcChord, Washington
C-17A
728th AS 729th 452nd AS AMW 730th AMTS*
March ARB, California
512th AW*
Dover AFB, Delaware
709th AS
514th 732nd AMW* AS
Altus AFB, Oklahoma
C-17A
C-17A
JB McGuire-DixLakehurst, C-17A New Jersey
Boeing C-40 Clipper
The AFRC owns four Boeing C-40s (737-700s), similar to the examples assigned to the active duty 89th AW at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. The AFRC C-40s fly passengers and light cargo for all air force Commands, as well as other branches of the DoD. The C-40s replaced a trio of C-9Cs and are decorated with the familiar presidential-style blue and white colour scheme. The wing performs the majority of its sorties within the continental United States (CONUS), but occasionally flies intercontinental missions, particularly when transporting the Air Force Band. 932nd 73rd AW AS
Scott AFB, Illinois
C-40C
Lockheed C-130/ HC-130/MC-130/WC-130 The C-130 has served the Reserves for more than four decades in
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FORCE REPORT UNITED STATES AIR FORCE RESERVE COMMAND THE AFRC AIRCRAFT TYPES – DIRECTLY ASSIGNED
AFRC installations Headquarters AFRC occupies a complex at Robins AFB, Georgia, which itself is an Air Force Materiel Command facility. Of the three numbered air forces, one is located on the east coast, one in the centre, and the third on the west coast. These no longer administer forces on a geographical basis, but instead manage their subordinate units on a duty foundation. The AFRC operates its primary units at five air reserve bases, five air reserve stations, one navy tenant base, one ANG tenant location, 44 Air Force tenant locations, eight miscellaneous locations, and three ranges. There are also several small sites where reservists host space activities.
This 434th ARW 74th ARS KC-135R based at Grissom AFB, Indiana deployed to Edwards AFB for F-22A trials. USAF
several different versions. The first C-130s joined the Reserves in mid-1967 at Ellington Field, Texas, and the 704th Tactical Airlift Squadron and the 705th Tactical Air Training Squadron both transitioned to the C-130A. This early version has long since been retired, and has been replaced by newer, more capable models. The two squadrons have also faded into history. More than 30% of aircraft directly assigned to AFRC are C-130s. The tactical airlifters are now exclusively C-130H and J models and are the mainstay of the resupply effort in Afghanistan. Ten WC-130Js are operated by the 403rd Wing ‘Hurricane Hunters’ at Keesler AFB, Mississippi. These unique aircraft are fitted with specialist equipment to monitor extreme weather, penetrating the eyes of hurricanes to gather data for later analysis. The only other specialist versions of the Hercules employed by AFRC are the elderly HC-130N/Ps, used for
combat search and rescue. They are due for replacement, with the possibility of an associate set up with the active duty being established to enable the HC-130J to be introduced to the Command. Two AFRC C-130 wings perform a specialised role; the 302nd AW has the primary duty of aerial fire-fighting with the Modular Air Fire Fighting System (MAFFS) installed. The aircraft, with large orange stripes and an individual
identity number painted on the nose and/or tail, deploy during the summer and autumn to fight forest fires. The 757th AS of the 910th AW is the only fixed-wing USAF unit dedicated to the aerial spray mission, responding to spillages of hazardous liquids. One such mission involved the squadron in spraying oil dispersant after the Deepwater Horizon oil platform sank in the Gulf of Mexico in April 2010.
94th AW
700th AS
Dobbins ARB, Georgia
C-130H
302nd AW
731st AS
Peterson AFB, Colorado
C-130H
403rd Wing 440th AW 908th AW 910th AW 911th AW
53rd WRS 815th AS
Keesler AFB, Mississippi
WC-130J C-130J
95th AS
Pope Field/Fort Bragg, North Carolina
C-130H
357th AS
Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Alabama
C-130H
Youngstown-Warren RAP, Ohio
C-130H
Pittsburgh IAP ARS, Pennsylvania
C-130H
757th AS 773rd AS 758th AS
914th AW
328th AS
Niagara Falls IAP ARS, New York
C-130H
920th RQW
39th RQS
Patrick AFB, Florida
HC-130N/P
934th AW
96th AS
Minneapolis-St Paul IAP, Minnesota
C-130H
Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker
Following the end of the war in South East Asia in 1975, the US withdrew the majority of its forces back home. This sudden swelling of air refuelling squadrons enabled Strategic Air Command to transfer many of its KC-135As to the Reserves. The first to join AFRes went to the 452nd Air Refueling Wing (ARW) at March AFB, California, in October 1976. Three squadrons operated the type before their jets were upgraded to KC-135E standard. During the early 1990s the number of AFRC KC-135s increased with the introduction of the KC-135R model to replace the KC-135E. At present five units fly the KC-135, along with two more with associate status. The Command will retain the KC-135R for the foreseeable future. Air Mobility Command will begin to transition to the Boeing KC-46 later in the current decade, with the associate units switching at the same time. Below: Despite its age, AFRC is likely to be flying the KC-135 for many years to come. Bob Archer
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Branch: USAFRC Role: Aerial Surveillance, Troop Transport, Search and Rescue, Air Superiority
McDonnell Douglas KC-10A Extender
The joint ANG/AFRC Test Center flies eight single- and this twin-seat F-16 from Tucson IAP. USAF
413th FLTG* 434th ARW
370th FLTS* 72nd ARS 74th ARS 336th ARS
Edwards AFB, KC-135R California Grissom ARB, KC-135R Indiana March ARB, California
452nd AMW 730th Altus AFB, AMTS* Oklahoma
KC-135R
459th ARW
756th ARS
JB Andrews, Maryland
KC-135R
507th ARW
465th ARS
Tinker AFB, Oklahoma
KC-135R
916th ARW
77th ARS
Seymour Johnson AFB, KC-135R North Carolina
927th ARW*
63rd ARS
MacDill AFB, Florida
KC-135R
931st ARG*
18th ARS
McConnell AFB, Kansas
KC-135R
Sikorsky HH-60G Pave Hawk
The employment of the HH-60G in the CSAR role is a natural progression from the rescue activities of these units half a century ago. The Reserves has operated the HH-60G since 1991 and these
squadrons routinely deploy their helicopters to the Middle East. 920th RQW
301st RQS
Patrick AFB, Florida
943rd RQG
305th DavisMonthan RQS AFB, Arizona
HH-60G HH-60G ‘DR’
70th 349th ARS Travis AFB, AMW* 79th California ARS
301st FW
457th NAS JRB Fort FS Worth, Texas
414th FG*
Det 1
419th FW*
466th Hill AFB, Utah FS
482nd 93rd FW FS 926th GRP*
Beech C-12C Huron
944th FW*
Below: Teamwork is the key to all aerial operations. USAF Below: The 943rd Rescue Group's 305th RQS flies its HH-60G Pave Hawks from DavisMonthan AFB Arizona. USAF
The C-12s of the 412th Test Wing at Edwards AFB are jointly operated by AFRC personnel. The aircraft performs a support role for various test programmes, as well as communications duties between the local Air Force Materiel Command bases and contractors. Southern California has many major aerospace con-
F-16C/D
Shaw AFB, F-16C/D South Carolina ‘SW’ F-16C/D ‘HL’
Homestead ARB, Florida
F-16C/D ‘FM’
Eglin AFB, Florida
F-16C/D ‘OT’
706th Nellis AFB, FS Nevada
F-16C/D ‘WA’
69th FS
F-16C/D ‘LF’
84th TES
KC-10A
76th McGuire-Dix514th ARS JB New KC-10A AMW* 78th Lakehurst, Jersey ARS
Lockheed Martin F-16C/D Fighting Falcon The first F-16s joined AFRes in 1984 and numbers had swelled to more than 210 by 1993. The majority of these were F-16As and ‘Bs, which have since been retired in favour of ‘C and ‘D models. Slightly more than 50 F-16s remain with AFRC, and the type is flown by just two wings. The remaining four Viper units are associates, with personnel serving in three fighter wings, while the last provides operational test and weapons evaluation.
The USAF has 59 KC-10As assigned to two AMWs of AMC. Both wings are paired with associate units. The KC-10 has the dual role of aerial refuelling and passenger/cargo airlift, and the average age of the fleet is less than 30 years. However, despite this comparative youth compared to the KC-135, the aircraft is expensive to operate and does not enjoy a high serviceability rate. To partially rectify this shortcoming, and to meet civilian air traffic requirements, the machine’s communications, navigation and surveillance equipment are being upgraded so that the type can remain in service until 2045. When sufficient Boeing KC-46s are delivered, the KC-10 may be directly assigned to AFRC and the ANG. However, like the A-10 fleet, speculation abounds that the KC-10 may be removed from the air force inventory as a cost saving measure.
Luke AFB, Arizona
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FORCE REPORT UNITED STATES AIR FORCE RESERVE COMMAND THE AFRC AIRCRAFT TYPES – DIRECTLY ASSIGNED tractors who maintain a presence at Edwards for development and ongoing tests of their products. 413th FLTG*
370th FLTS
Edwards AFB, C-12C California
PZL-Mielec C-145A Combat Coyote
The active duty 6th SOS transferred from the 1st SOW at Hurlburt Field, Florida, to the 919th SOW at nearby Duke Field on September 28, 2013. The squadron was previously responsible for training Special Forces from allied nations using a selection of helicopters, including Mi-8 Hips. The C-145s are painted in a two-tone blue and white, civilian style colour scheme, with no external military markings apart from the serial on the tail. The non-military paint scheme enables the Combat Coyotes to fly into airports with some degree of anonymity. The Air Force Special Operations Training Center assumed responsibility for the 6th SOS from 2012, although day-to-day tasks are administered by the 919th SOW. 919th SOW*
6th SOS
Duke Field, Florida
C-145A
Boeing E-3 Sentry
The 513th Air Control Group (ACG) augments the 552nd Air Control Wing (ACW) at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, flying the E-3 Sentry. The group has a single flying squadron, as well as an Operations Support Flight and an Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. The E-3 community has an ongoing commitment in the Middle East to monitor aerial activities. The air-
Below: Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson way up north in Alaska is home to another AFRC associate unit, the 302nd FS which is part of the 477th Fighter Group. Its reservists fly the 3rd FW's F-22A Raptors - not a bad weekend job! USAF
craft deploy to Al Udeid Air Base in the UAE, with the 379th AEW hosting aircraft deployed from their home stations; reservists make up some of the personnel. 513th ACG
970th AACS
Tinker AFB, Oklahoma
E-3B/C ‘OK’
Boeing F-15C/D/E Eagle The AFRC has no F-15s directly assigned to it, but there are three associate squadrons augmenting active duty personnel. A single reservist unit, the 414th Fighter Group (FG), is assigned to Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina, providing air and ground personnel for the 4th FW flying the F-15E Strike Eagle. The 926th Group has three squadrons, two of which include F-15s in their complement performing test roles. The 84th TES conducts test
and evaluation alongside the 53rd Wing, while the 706th FS at Nellis AFB, which also flies the F-22 Raptor, appraises weapons tactics and development as an associate unit of the active duty 57th Wing. 414th 307th Seymour Johnson AFB, FG* FS North Carolina
F-15E ‘SJ’
84th 926th TES GRP* 706th FS
Eglin AFB, Florida
F-15C/ E ‘OT’
Nellis AFB, Nevada
F-15C/ D/E ‘WA’
Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor
Under original plans to obtain many hundreds of F-22s, the reserves were to have been assigned aircraft directly. However, with the eventual buy being roughly a quarter of what was hoped for, this aspiration was never realised. Instead reserves fly F-22s under the associate programme. Reservists of AFRC’s 301st FS, part of the 44th FG, were based at Holloman AFB, New Mexico, until recently. While
there they operated the Raptors of one of the two CONUS-based operational F-22 units, the 7th FS ‘Screamin’ Demons’. The 7th has now handed its jets over to Tyndall AFB, Florida, where they have been assigned to the 95th FS ‘Boneheads’. But that has not ended the association with the Raptor for the 301st, because on February 5 pilots from the unit flew five F-22s to the Florida base to become the associate unit for the 95th. A detachment at Tyndall supports the training programme alongside the 325th FW, but the 95th is the first combat-coded squadron at the base. The two F-22 units stationed outside of the continental USA, in Alaska and Hawaii, also have a reserve component working alongside them. Whereas the Hawaii unit is assigned to the ANG, though, that in Alaska is shadowed by AFRC, which augments the 3rd Wing at Joint Base ElmendorfRichardson. The assignment
Below: Heavy lift and tanking are at the core of the command's mission set. USAF
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CALIFORNIA
Travis AFB
Beale AFB
OREGON
ARIZONA
UTAH
Hill AFB
Tucson AFB Davis-Monthan AFB
March ARB
Nellis AFB
Creech AFB
NEVADA
WASHINGTON
IDAHO
Lewis-McChord, Washington
Fairchild Air Force Base
Tinker AFB
Vance AFB
Randolph AFB Kelly Field Annex Lackland AFB
Fort Worth NAS JRB/Carswell Field,
Sheppard AFB
ILLINOIS
Scott AFB
LOUISIANA
Keesler AFB
MARYLAND
Pittsburgh IAP Air Reserve Station
Dobbins ARB
GEORGIA
SOUTH CAROLINA
Patrick AFB FLORIDA
Homestead ARB
MacDill AFB
JB Charleston
Pope Army Airfield
Seymour Johnson AFB
NORTH CAROLINA
WEST VIRGINIA VIRGINIA
DELAWARE
Dover AFB
NEW JERSEY
Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst
CONECTICUT
Westover ARB MASSACHUSETTS
PENNSYLVANIA
Duke Field (Eglin AF Aux. Nr.3), Tyndall AFB Eglin AFB
Maxwell AFB
MISSISSIPPI
ALABAMA
TENESSEE
KENTUCKY
INDIANA
OHIO
Wright-Patterson AFB
MAINE
NEW HAMPSHIRE
VERMONT
NEW YORK
Andrews Field AFB
not to scale
Elmendorf
Eielson AFB
Alasaka
Youngstown-Warren ARS
MICHIGAN
Grissom ARB
Columbus AFB
ARKANSAS
MISSOURI
Barksdale AFB
Whiteman AFB
IOWA
Minneapolis-St Paul IAP ARS WISONSIN
MINNESOTA
OKLAHOMA
McConnell AFB
KANSAS
TEXAS
Laughlin AFB
MEXICO
Holloman AFB
NEW MEXICO
Peterson AFB
NEBRASKA
SOUTH DAKOTA
NORTH DAKOTA
USA COLORADO
WYOMING
MONTANA
CANADA
United States Air force reserve comand base locations map by Pete West
Branch: AFRC Role: Aerial Surveillance, Troop Transport, Search and Rescue, Air Superiority
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FORCE REPORT UNITED STATES AIR FORCE RESERVE COMMAND THE AFRC AIRCRAFT TYPES – DIRECTLY ASSIGNED of reservist personnel to the US Air Force’s most potent fighter emphasises the significance of the ANG and AFRC in the overall air arm’s offensive capability. 44th FG*
301st FS
Tyndall AFB, Florida
F-22A ‘TY’
Elmendorf477th 302nd JB Richardson, FG* FS Alaska
F-22A ‘AK’
926th 706th GRP* FS
F-22A ‘WA’
Nellis AFB, Nevada
General Atomics MQ-1B Predator
The US military has embraced the employment of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) as a top priority. With its small size and quiet engine the MQ-1 Predator can survive and persist in areas where manned aircraft might not. The MQ-1Bs serving with the Reserves are primarily operated within the US, although they can be deployed overseas if necessary. It is interesting that the three squadrons have three different unit designations – the unit at Holloman AFB is maintained as a detachment of the 301st FS, while the other two located at Creech AFB, Nevada, are divided between the reconnaissance and special operations roles. The parent 919th SOW is located at Duke Field, Florida, but bases the 2nd SOS at Creech to enable operations to be centralised at one base. Creech is Air Combat Command’s primary Predator station in the USA. 44th FG*
301st FS, Holloman AFB, MQ-1B Det 1 New Mexico ‘HO’
919th 2nd SOW* SOS 926th 78th RS GRP*
Creech AFB, Nevada
MQ-1B MQ-1B ‘CH’
General Atomics MQ-9A Reaper
The Reaper is a development of the smaller Predator. It has a significantly more powerful engine, which allows it to carry more ordnance. Both types can be operated by the same ground station. 44th FG*
301st FS, Holloman AFB, New Det 1 Mexico
926th 78th GRP* RS
Creech AFB, Nevada
MQ-9A ‘HO’ MQ-9A ‘CH’
Northrop Grumman RQ-4B Global Hawk
The huge Global Hawk HALE (high altitude long endurance) UAV was intended to replace the Lockheed U-2S Dragon Lady in conducting strategic reconnaissance from the edge of space. However, US Air Force commanders have
reservations about the suitability of the Global Hawk to perform all the U-2’s missions, so it is now planned that the old spyplane will remain in service until 2040. For this reason, the number of RQ-4s acquired will be fewer than originally planned; 27 are in the active duty inventory at the moment, with the multi-mission Block 40 version due to become operational later in the year. Despite its limitations, the Global Hawk will remain in the inventory and working in tandem with the U-2 and other intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets. The Reserves operates a single squadron at Beale AFB, California. 940th 13th WG* RS
Beale AFB, California
RQ-4B ‘BB’
Hawker Beechcraft T-1A Jayhawk/Hawker Beechcraft T-6 Texan II/Northrop T-38C Talon The three aircraft types which perform basic and advanced training with AETC, have a reservist presence acting as aircrew and maintainers. The Reserves became involved in providing flying training on April 1, 1998 when the 340th Flying Training Group was activated. Today, the 340th is headquartered at Joint Base (JB) San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. The only other operator of flying training aircraft types is the 415th Flight Test Flight, located at JB San Antonio-Randolph, which provides personnel to conduct postmaintenance tests on the T-38C. The air force has established the
Below: Reservists play their part in today's 'drone wars'. This MQ-1 Predator is assigned to the 15th Reconnaissance Squadron at Creech AFB, Nevada. USAF
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Branch: USAFRC Role: Aerial Surveillance, Troop Transport, Search and Rescue, Air Superiority
Origins
AFRC can trace its origins back to Continental Air Command (CONAC), formed on December 1, 1948, with responsibility for air defence and the tactical air forces, as well as the reserves and the ANG. Reserve aircraft carried CONAC markings, whereas all other organisations wore their respective command’s insignia. However, on December 1, 1950, Tactical Air Command was established as a separate organisation, followed by Air Defense Command on January 1, 1951. CONAC continued to be responsible for air reserve forces until its inactivation on August 1, 1968. Air Force Reserve (AFRes) was formed the same day, steadily evolving over the following years, adding responsibilities and increasing its importance to the air force until AFRC was established as a separate major Command on February 17, 1997, with a status broadly similar to the ANG and with both full- and part-time personnel.
active duty 571st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Operating Location Alpha (571st AMXS OL-A) to perform the overhauls, with the Reserves’ 415th Flight Test Flight working alongside. The Flight carries out post-overhaul test flights. 5th FTS
Vance AFB, Oklahoma
T-1A, T-6A, T-38C ‘VN’
39th FTS
JB San AntonioRandolph, Texas
T-1A, T-6A, T-38C ‘RA’’
43rd 340th FTS FTG*
Columbus AFB, Mississippi
T-1A, T-6A, T-38C ‘CB’
70th FTS
Air Force Academy, Colorado
Misc. gliders
96th FTS
Laughlin AFB, Texas
T-1A, T-6A, T-38C ‘XL’
97th FTS
Sheppard AFB, Texas
T-6A, T-38C ‘EN’
JB San 413th 415th AntonioFLTG* FLTS Randolph, Texas
AFRC does not have any Reapers or Predators directly assigned to it but its members operate other unit's machine on an associate basis. USAF
10th FLTS
Oklahoma City ALC – Tinker AFB, Oklahoma
B-1, B-52, KC-135, E-3
Antonio ALC – JB San Antonio-Lackland/Kelly 313th FLTS San Field, Texas
KC-10, C-17, KC-135
339th FLTS Warner Robins ALC – Robins AFB, Georgia
C-5, C-17, C-130, F-16
415th FLTS JB San Antonio-Randolph, Texas
T-38C
514th FLTS Ogden ALC – Hill AFB, Utah
A-10, C-130, F-16
Depot Flight Test
The 413th Flight Test Group (FLTG) at Robins AFB, Georgia, is responsible for six squadrons/ flights located at Air Logistics Complexes (ALC). These provide the necessary personnel to perform post-maintenance flight tests before aircraft are returned to their operational units. The primary duty of the Complexes is to carry out major overhaul, repainting and large-scale modifications. The squadrons and flights maintain a cadre of test
pilots skilled in the intricacies of the various aircraft types, which are routinely cycled through. Each complex is responsible for specific types as follows:
Cyber operations
The 960th Cyber Operations Group was formed at JB San Antonio, Texas, on March 3, 2013. The group is a reserve unit, which has four squadrons located across the USA. Its primary duty is to provide combat-ready specialists in the operation and
defence of air force and DoD global information grids.
Future equipment
The US Air Force announced in December 2013 that the first operational base to transition to the new Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II will be Hill AFB, Utah, with the 388th FW. The unit, which presently operates two squadrons of F-16C/Ds, has the 419th FW as its assigned AFRC unit in residence. The 388th FW will begin to transition in 2015, with personnel from the 419th FW converting at the same time. The unit will exchange 48 F-16s for 72 F-35s, which will result in the activation of a third active duty fighter squadron. The AFRC wing, however, will retain the 466th afm FS as its sole flying unit.
T-38C
Pilatus U-28A
A NSAV type, the Pilatus U-28A, is a militarised version of the highly successful PC-12 light transport. The U-28 was chosen to perform improved tactical intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance missions, with the flexibility to respond to evolving situations. Three active duty squadrons at Hurlburt Field are supported by the reservist 5th SOS, the personnel of which augment the active duty. The U-28s deploy on a regular basis to Afghanistan, and also to Dijbouti on the Horn of Africa. 919th SOW* 5th SOS
Hurlburt Field, Florida
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U-28A
Above: The 99th Flying Training Squadron 'Panthers' has been flying the Beech T-1A Jayhawk from Randolph AFB, Texas since 1993. The squadron continues the traditions of the Second World War Tuskeegee Airmen. USAF
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AFRC 69TH FIGHTER SQUADRON
The US Air Force Reserve’s 69th Fighter Squadron, known as the Werewolves, claims to be the largest and most experienced in the world. Stationed at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, Lt Col Robert ‘Cricket’ Renner, USAF (Retired) and Richard Verrall go behind the scenes in this exclusive report for AFM to see what makes them so successful
I
N THE cramped office space of an F-16 Viper, a young US Air Force lieutenant is drenched in sweat despite the air conditioning cranked to full cold. He is flying his offensive basic fighter manoeuvres ride as part of the F-16 FTU (Formal Training Unit) conversion course out of Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. His objective: starting from an offensive position, he has to achieve a valid gun kill on his instructor pilot (IP). Although his IP is acting as a training platform for the young lieutenant, he is not holding back in max performing his own Viper. “Wolf 2, 6,000’, fight’s on!” The young lieutenant, despite being in good physical shape, groans under the weight of 9g, straining to get on his IP’s tail. After a couple of turns, he gets close … “Wolf 2, Fox 2,” signifying a valid AIM-9 Sidewinder heat-seeking missile shot (simulated, of course!). And after another 360 degrees of turn, he finally achieves a valid gun solution and calls, “Wolf 2, tracking kill!” “Wolf 1, knock it off.” “Wolf 2, knock it off.” And with that call, the vastly more experienced, grey-haired IP terminates the mission
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to lead his young ‘Viper driver’ back to base. After landing, the IP debriefs the student, recreating exactly what happened throughout the entire mission, watching the head-up display (HUD) video tapes. The IP then debriefs every student error and instructs on avoiding them next time. This same scenario happens numerous times every day at Luke Air Force Base, the home of the USAF F-16 FTU, near Phoenix, Arizona. What makes this mission different, however, is that the student is in the active-duty air force while the IP is part of the elite US Air Force Reserve Command’s (AFRC) 69th Fighter Squadron, the Werewolves, part of the 944th Fighter Wing (FW). Tomorrow, instead of flying another F-16 training mission with the lieutenant, the Werewolf IP will fly 150 passengers from Phoenix to Las Vegas as a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 pilot. Later in www.airforcesmonthly.com
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The 69th FS flagship in a typical air-to-ground configuration of two external fuel tanks, targeting pod, two AIM-120 AMRAAMs and two AIM-9 Sidewinders. The 944th FW flagship is in the air-to-air configuration of centreline fuel tank, two AMRAAMs and two Sidewinders. All images John Dibbs/Plane Picture Company
“Wolf 2, 6,000’, FIGHT’S ON!” www.airforcesdaily.com
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AFRC 69TH FIGHTER SQUADRON A two-ship of Vipers return from a training mission at sunset.
Viper FTU There are several different courses in the FTU – the B course (for newly-minted pilots transitioning to their first fighter); the TX course (for re-qualifying F-16 pilots and for experienced fighter pilots from other aircraft converting to the Viper); the Senior Officer course (for colonels and general officers) and the FAC(A) Course (Forward Air Controller (Airborne)) that is taught only by the 310th Fighter Squadron (see AFM January 2014). There are four active duty Viper training squadrons at Luke: the 62nd, 308th, 309th and 310th FSs. In addition, the 56th Operational Support Squadron houses the many functions required to support the flying operation and the 56th Training Squadron is the academic squadron. The 69th FS has several IPs embedded in both squadrons. Every month or so B courses start. Each one has 18 students and lasts for about eight months, taking the young pilot from how to land the Viper all the way to combat readiness. The students go through three major phases: transition (take-offs and landings); air-to-air Werewolves over the Desert: The 944th FW Commander’s jet leads Wolf 1 over Luke AFB as the sun sets on another busy day of training student Viper Drivers.
(basic fighter manoeuvres or 1 v 1, air combat manoeuvres or 2 v 1, tactical intercepts 2 v 2 all the way to 4 v an unknown number of bandits), and air-to-surface (basic dumb bomb dropping, use of the targeting pod, dropping precisionguided munitions and close air support). To ensure standardisation, the syllabus has specific tasks to be accomplished on each mission. The weapons officers, who are the chief instructor pilots, tell the IPs what to cover on each mission and highlight common student errors, as well as how to prevent them. The IPs at Luke typically fly one student sortie per day, whereas at the Undergraduate Pilot Training bases, instructors fly two or three student sorties per day. Flying a fighter is an all-day event; mission planning, briefing, the flight itself, and then the debrief where the IP dissects the student’s errors so he has a list of what not to do the next time. For a B-course student, the day from mission planning to end of the debrief is a minimum of six hours. For an IP upgrade sortie, it’s at least a nine-hour day. Luke graduates more than 300 Viper drivers per year.
Although the 69th FS doesn’t actually "own” any aircraft, the Active Duty USAF has given the Werewolves and the 944th Fighter Wing flagships to call their own.
the week, the part-time F-16 IP and airline pilot will return to Luke to train another budding Viper driver in the deadly art of air-to-air combat. Yet this mission is not different from many training flights at Luke. The 69th FS is the world’s largest and most experienced F-16 squadron, and it provides IPs to fly with the other F-16 training squadrons at Luke on a daily basis. There are 64 pilots in the 69th FS; 25 of them are full-time air force reservists and 39 are part-time or ‘traditional’ reservists. The part-timers work about eight days per month and almost all of them are airline pilots for their ‘day job’.
Training the trainers
Lt Col ‘Skrüll’ Aunapu is the Operations Officer of the 69th FS. He hit 3,000 hours in the F-16 in March 2013, and is only the 253rd pilot to ever achieve that level of Viper experience. But he is not an anomaly in the Werewolves – the average Viper time for a 69th FS pilot is more than 2,500 hours, with over 1,000 instructor hours. In fact, some Werewolf Viper drivers have in excess of 4,000 hours. As a comparison, the average time for an instructor pilot in the active duty 56th FW is less than 1,000 hours, with very little instructor time. The 69th FS augments the 56th FW at Luke in training F-16 pilots ready to serve in an operational squadron. Administratively, the 69th FS is part of the 944th FW, the AFRC wing at Luke AFB, whereas the 56th FW is part of the USAF’s Air Education and Training Command. This makes the
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“Whenever you walk around the squadrons and see the pictures on the wall of the Top Gun winners, they’re almost always the grey-haired reservists” 69th FS a ‘classic’ associate unit, meaning the active duty owns the aircraft and maintenance personnel and the 69th FS provides instructors to accomplish the mission. Col ‘Sparky’ Whitehouse, the 69th FS commander from November 2011 to March 2013, described the squadron: “We are purely people – only IPs – which makes us unique.” This association is called total force integration (TFI), and the 69th FS is recognised as a model for the USAF. All the USAF pilot training bases have a TFI unit, as well as several operational fighter squadrons. The programme started at Luke in January 2000 when the active duty air force lost a lot of experienced fighter pilots to the airlines. Sparky said that it “started as a stop-gap measure, and
throughout the years the USAF has realised what a great complement to the active duty it has been.” Back in 2000, the TFI unit at Luke started as the 301st FS and over the next four years it slowly grew as the USAF closed two active duty squadrons and began relying heavily on the Reserve pilots to train new Viper drivers. In March 2010, the squadron was renumbered as the 69th FS when the AFRC moved the 301st FS flag to Holloman AFB, New Mexico, to associate with the 49th FW, flying the F-22 Raptor. One of the big advantages the IPs of the 69th add to the active duty training unit is continuity – the reservists are at Luke for a long time. Active duty pilots, on the other hand, are typically at Luke for less than three years, of which three to six months
A unique formation of the flag-ships of Luke Air Force Base over the colourful Arizona desert.
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are used to train them as an IP. Some of the Werewolf IPs at Luke taught a number of the current commanders of the active duty squadrons when they went through the basic qualification course. Sparky attributes one big key to the squadron’s success to the support of these active duty commanders, who’ve taken the time to understand TFI. They understand, he said, that: “This is not a flying club. If you talk to the students, they cannot tell the difference between an active duty pilot and a reservist… other than looking at our patch and grey hair!” Another advantage of the Werewolf IPs is the cost savings to the USAF. The part-time IPs are paid only for the days they come in to work, and their retirement, leave and medical benefits are much reduced over what their active duty counterparts accrue. In other words, the AFRC’s 69th FS provides more experienced IPs at a lower price, with a greater continuity over the long term. Considering the part-timers have a full-time job, and most also have a family, it requires a lot of dedication. After a pilot has been with an airline for a couple of years, the part-timers take a pay cut to work as a Viper IP – they would be making more money that day by flying for the airline. Most part-timers average seven to nine days per month working with the Werewolves. In addition to their vital participation in the dayto-day training mission at Luke, the AFRC IPs have, over the last decade, deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan to support combat operations. The 69th FS is not normally tasked with such assignments; #313 APRIL 2014
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AFRC 69TH FIGHTER SQUADRON
Viper Incentive Ride By Richard Verrall as told to ‘Cricket’ Renner
A two-ship of Vipers from the AFRC in close formation over the Arizona desert. The Air Force Reserve’s 69th Fighter Squadron flagship is in the lead, representing the Werewolves - the largest and most experienced fighter squadron in the world.
instead, their IPs often volunteer to fill in for active duty pilots and thereby ease the burden on the always-overtasked active duty fighter pilots. Sparky emphasised that “Whether the pilot here is in the AFRC or the active duty, we’re all on the same team, trying to accomplish the same mission – making sure we have qualified F-16 pilots.” Together, the Werewolves of the 69th FS and the active duty squadrons of the 56th FW work hard at creating steely-eyed fighter pilots… Viper drivers. The two organisations are so intertwined that the Deputy Operations Group Commander for the 56th Operations Group, and the Operations Officer of the 56th Operations Support Squadron, were 69th FS pilots. Furthermore, one of Luke’s F-35 subject matter experts is a reservist. Skrüll put it this way: “We want to train that young lieutenant to go downGateguard at Luke: home of the F-16.
range and put bombs on the right target and not hurt people that we care about, and come home alive. If we can do all these things, it doesn’t really matter if we’re a reservist or an active duty pilot.” While the AFRC and active duty have a great working relationship at Luke, turning out more than 300 new Viper drivers every year, the Werewolves of the 69th FS are different. Their experience shows. Skrüll notes with the fighter pilot’s subdued pride: “Whenever you walk around the squadrons and see the pictures on the wall of the Top Gun winners, they’re almost always the grey-haired reservists.” And with the USAF’s announcement that Luke AFB will be the F-35 Lightning II training unit, the 69th FS’s Werewolves will certainly be training America’s newest fighter pilots alongside the active afm duty instructors for many years to come.
Having been fitted for my flying kit at the 310th Fighter Squadron and trained on how to eject from the F-16, I now sit down with “Stretch,” my assigned Werewolf pilot, for the pre-flight briefing. It lasts 50 minutes and then we go and “get dressed,” which in fighter pilot parlance means putting on the g-suit and parachute harness required to strap a Viper onto your backside. A step brief from the operations supervisor follows, covering items such as the weather, airspace and our assigned aircraft. We get to the jet about 20 minutes prior to the start, leaving plenty of time to conduct the pre-flight walk around, chat with the crew chief, and then get strapped into this magnificent aeroplane. “Stretch” starts the jet engine and checks the flight controls and various other systems with the crew chief, who is hooked up to us via a headset. We then taxi to the end of runway (EOR) area where another ground crew member performs a last minute check of our aircraft for any leaks. They give us the thumbs-up and we take the active runway for an afterburner takeoff. Normally, pilots only leave the afterburner in until they are at a safe flying speed with the landing gear retracted, but since today is an incentive ride for me, we’ll get to ride the rocket engine of the Viper with an “unrestricted” climb to 10,000’! We get airborne in just under 3000’, keep the aircraft low to the runway, accelerate rapidly to 500 knots by the end of the runway, then do a 6g pull into the vertical … exhilarating, to say the least! Rolling inverted to pull the nose back down, we level off and proceed south of Luke. Once we get to the low-level route, we drop down to 500’ above the ground and fly around the desert mountains of Arizona until we get to the Barry Goldwater Range Complex. This airspace on the Arizona-Mexico border is huge: 1.7 million acres on the ground with 57,000 cubic miles of airspace overhead. In the airspace, I get to try my hand at the controls of the Viper – the side stick only takes a moment to get used to, and when I do an aileron roll, the jet cuts through the air as the world revolves around me. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, and we head back to Luke. After landing, we clear the runway and taxi back to the ramp. After shutting down, the flight line is much quieter, with only the whine of the avionics gyros and the metallic clacking of the engine compressor blades slowly spinning down. As the warm Arizona sun sets and “Stretch” and I walk back into the squadron, I glance back at the beautiful fighting machine and am in awe of the dedication of the men and women of the 69th Fighter Squadron for what I was able to experience. Thanks, Werewolves! Lt Col Robert ‘Cricket’ Renner, USAF (Retired)
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GUARDIANS OF ARMENIA
Armenia became an independent state again in 1991 but still relies on Russia for its air defence, as Babak Taghvaee explains
Caucasus conflict
The region known as the Caucasus, which includes Armenia, has been plagued by inter-tribal, inter-racial conflict over many generations. Following the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991 simmering tensions between ethnic Armenians, supported by the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan, erupted into full-out war in what became known as the Nagorno-Karabak h conflict. Both nation states were former Soviet republics. This is not the place to explain the conflict, suffice it to say an uneasy peace returned in 1994.
A
RMENIA’S AIR force has suffered from a lack of funding since its establishment in August 1992 and this has curtailed its development. It has no air-superiority fighters of its own and relies on Russian help to defend against neighbouring Azerbaijan. Since 1998, a group of several MiG-29S Fulcrum-Cs and three MiG-29UBs from the 426th Air Group of the Russian Air Force have been deployed to Armenia’s Erebuni air base near Yerevan, the Armenian capital, to deter attacks by Azeri forces. Located between the Black and Caspian Seas, the country is bordered on the north and east by Georgia and Azerbaijan, and to the south and west by Iran and Turkey. Unlike those of other former Soviet republics, Armenia’s armed forces inherited a relatively small
number of aerial assets on the break-up of the Soviet Union. On November 19, 1990, the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe was signed by NATO and Warsaw Pact countries and as a result, the number of military aircraft on Armenian territory was reduced. Before the Armenian Air Force (Hayastani Otayin Udjr – HOU) was established in 1992 the country had a mixed fleet of former Soviet equipment at its disposal. Rotary equipment comprised five Mi-8T Hinds and six Mi-24K/P Hips that formerly belonged to the Soviet Army Aviation’s 7th Guards Helicopter Regiment, based at Yerevan, and two civil former Aeroflot Mi-8s. Fixed-wing assets consisted of several light and utility aircraft, comprising one An-32B
Below: Fulcrum '70 Red', RF-92267 was overhauled and modernised in Russia and is one of two airworthy MiG29UBs of the 3624th AB. One of the Armenian Air Force Mil Mi-24 helicopters can be seen in the background. Anton Pavlov archive
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Curl, one An-26 Clank, six An-2P Colts and ten Yak-52s, together with five Su-25 Frogfoots that were once on the strength of the Soviet Air Force’s 60th OShAP (Otdelnyy Shturmovoy Aviatsionnyy Polk – Independent Shturmovik Aviation Regiment) at Sital-Chay. Several mercenary pilots and technicians from the former Soviet air force helped Armenia to maintain and use this fleet. In 1991, an Azeri pilot defected to Armenia with his MiG-25PD Foxbat,, but it was never used by the Armenians because of a lack of spare parts and technical knowledge. Around 1995, Russia delivered one Su-25 of an unknown sub-type, two L-39s and several Mi-8s, Mi-17s and Mi-2s to reinforce the air force. At the time the HOU had responsibility for maintaining and operating a Tu-154B-2, Tu-134A and a single Yak-40 for VIP flights.
A Russian solution
Between 1990 and 1993 Armenian anti-aircraft SA-7 Grail and SA-14 Gremlin MANPADs (man-portable air-defence systems) downed around 20 fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft of the Azerbaijan Air Force (Azәrbaycan Hәrbi Hava Qüvvәlәri – AHHQ), but Azerbaijan’s air power was still superior to Armenia’s. A chronic shortage of funds followed the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, so Armenia was unable to acquire Ukrainian Fulcrum-Cs that were available relatively cheaply. By the mid-1990s, Russia had provided one Su-25 and two L-39s. This weakness of the air force allowed AHHQ Su-24s and MiG-25s relatively free rein in Armenian airspace with the only opposition coming from anti-aircraft guns and missiles.
Above: MiG-29 '102 Blue' was one of most colourful Fulcrums in the Russian Air Force in the early 2000s. It was one of the first two Fulcrum 'UBs of the 426th Air Group along with '101 Blue'. Anton Pavlov archive Below: MiG-29 '01 Red' in front of the air base maintenance hangar in December 2006. This facility is big enough to house four MiG-29s simultaneously. Sergey Kuznetsov
‘It has no air-superiority fighters of its own and relies on Russian help to defend against neighbouring Azerbaijan’
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GUARDIANS OF ARMENIA On September 1, 1994, Russia started to deploy its 127th Motorized Division into Armenia. The division belonged to the 7th Red Army, which had been based in Armenia since 1953. On March 16, 1995, a military aid pact was signed between the defence ministers of the two countries, which permitted Russian forces to be stationed on Armenian soil for 25 years. As a result, Russia established the 102nd Military Base to house three motorised rifle regiments, one artillery regiment, one anti-aircraft missile regiment equipped with SA-6 Gainful surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) and an independent tank battalion. The 3624th Air Base was set up at Erebuni Airport with a military aviation brigade consisting of 16 MiG-23MF and ’UB Floggers to defend the country’s airspace. After the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict ended, Russia entered into more agreements with the Armenian Government to station its fighter aircraft
Above: MiG-29 04 Red before an ‘Alpha scramble’ on a cold December 26, 2006. Sergey Kuznetsov
Above: Taking off from Erebuni’s runway 21 on a spring day in 2007 is MiG-29 '04 Red'. This aircraft is now nonoperational and is awaiting overhaul in Russia. Sergey Kuznetsov Below: Fulcrum ’UB '102 Red' departs from Erebuni on a night training flight in April 2007. It was one of the first twin-seat machines of the 3624th AB. Sergey Kuznetsov
on Armenian territory. This began after the Russian Defence Minister Igor Sergeyev visited Yerevan on July 14, 1998 to finalise a deal to acquire two S-300 (SA-10 Grumble) long-range SAMs. Almost at once navigational aids, such as short-range navigation (SHORAN) and an instrument landing system (ILS), together with new radio communication systems and radars, were installed at Erebuni and around Yerevan. Finally, five MiG-29S Fulcrum-Cs assigned to the 426th Aviation Group landed at Erebuni six months later on December 16. The gradual replacement of old MiG-23s with more capable MiG-29s continued in January, when five more Fulcrums arrived for the 426th and Armenia’s first S-300 system was delivered. The following summer, pilots from the 426th Aviation Group began familiarisation and navigation training flights. Deployments from Erebuni to Russia’s 102nd Military Base, which incorporates Gyumri air base (then the home base of 121 ShAE (Shturmovoy Aviatsionnaya Eskadril’ya – ground attack squadron) equipped with six Su-25 Frogfoots and two L-39C Albatros) also took place. The country’s airspace is quite small and because of the proximity of Gyumri air base to the Georgian border it was not long before pilots encroached into Georgian airspace – the first official complaints were received in Moscow from the Georgian authorities as early as June 1999. Eight more Fulcrum-Cs arrived for
Below: Operations officers of the air base can be seen in the hut near the line of operation-ready Fulcrums. Two MiG-29s are always available for QRA and the ground crew can arm and prepare others within 15 minutes if required. Anton Pavlov archive
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Erebuni – no superbase! The base has a single 9,137ft (2,785m) asphalt runway. When the 426th Aviation Group formed at Erebuni it had one building to house the ground and flight crew and one hangar for aircraft heavy maintenance containing the required auxiliary ground equipment. Several armament, radar, avionic and hydraulic shops were attached to the hangar and an engine shop was located in another hangar nearby. This far-from-extensive facility had been used by the deployed Russian Air Force MiG-23s before the Fulcrums arrived. The last group of six MiG-23s departed Erebuni in 2001 and the first overhaul of a MiG-29 at the base started the same year. When they emerged from the work the jets received a new two-tone sky blue/light grey camouflage colour scheme and new Bort numbers, presumably as a way of quickly identifying the more capable jets. Two MiG-29s maintained quick reaction alert (QRA) 24 hours a day year-round. They were always armed with two Vympel R27ERs (AA-10 Alamo-C) semi-active-radar homing extended-range air-to-air missiles and two short-range Vympel R73Es (AA-11 Archer). The pilots got plenty of flying, conducting training scrambles to maintain proficiency. There is one apron for 3624th Air Base, usually used for Russian military aircraft as well as civil
helicopters – An-12s and Il-76s. On the other side of the base there are several loop-shaped parking locations and one apron for eight Mi-24s and eight Mi-8/17s of the HOU’s 15th Mixed Aviation Regiment (15 Smeshanniy Aviatsionniy Polk - 15 SAP). Erebuni is just 9 miles (14km) from the border with Turkey, which presents its own problems. Pilots have to ensure they do not encroach upon Turkish airspace and the city of Yerevan is surrounded by the Ararat Mountains (Mount Ararat, Europe’s tallest mountain, is actually across the border in Turkey). MiGs are regularly scrambled to investigate unidentified radar contacts that often turn out to be Turkish or Azeri traffic ‘temporarily uncertain of their position’. On November 12, 2003 the pilot of a 3624th AB MiG-29, 39-year-old Major Konstantin Kardash, was killed when his jet flew into the ground in bad weather at an altitude of 8,389ft (2,557m), only 11 miles (18km) from Gyumri. This was the first Russian jet to be lost flying from the base. Inspection of the flight data recorder revealed that the aircraft was climbing when the pilot saw the mountain. The extreme angle of attack coupled with violent evasive manoeuvres induced a tailspin, which led to the fatal crash. The 3624th AB was required to stand down for several days for safety reasons.
In 2004 Armenia bought a capable ground attack fleet off-the-shelf in the shape of nine Su-25K Frogfoots and one two-seat Su-25UBK. The jets were bought from Slovakia to fly alongside a small number of the type already flying from Gyumri with the 121st ShAE. Two L-39Cs, bought the previous year and overhauled in Odessa, Ukraine, were delivered to the HOU the same year. In 2008 the 102nd Military Base was authorised by the Armenian defence ministry to use live air-to-air missiles against low-level aerial targets during training that winter. Over the following months many MiG-29s and their crews deployed to Gyumri to fly with Su-25s there, the first time most Armenian Su-25 pilots had been given the chance to train with and against the Fulcrum. As an example of the close relationship between the two air forces, several Armenian Frogfoot pilots took the chance to fly in the back seat of the 3624th AB’s sole airworthy MIG-29UB ‘102 Red’. That winter marked the peak of MiG-29 operations at Erebuni because the intense flying used up the life of the jets, leading to a reduction in the number of operational Fulcrums. Because of the inadequacy of the support infrastructure at the base and lack of spares and technicians the base’s technical team was only able to overhaul two aircraft per year.
Mechanics of the 3624th AB work on a MiG-29C standing QRA duty at Erebuni in November 2013. It is fitted with two R-27ER and two R-73E semi-active radar-guided and IR-guided air-to-air missiles. Anton Pavlov archive
the 426th in two batches of four; the first on June 18 and the second and last on October 22. To equip the 426th the Russians chose the best jets available from the 31st GvIAP (Gvardeiskii Istrebitel’ nyi Aviatsionnyi Polk – Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment), a part of the 51st Air Corps based at Zornograd Air Base. At least two tonnes of spares and other equipment were flown into the base on a Russian Air Force Il-76MD Candid so that the 15 Fulcrum-Cs and three two-seat MiG-29UBs could be maintained and even overhauled in country. Upon arrival new Bort (code) numbers were painted on the MiGs and two single-seat jets had their vertical stabilisers adorned with artwork of wasps, tigers and eagles. Although the Fulcrums were the best available they were tired; most airframes had only 300 flight hours remaining and within a short time at least two were selected for major overhaul at Erebuni. The command authority, the 102nd Military Base, tasked the 426th Aviation Group to begin daily training flights and air patrols over Yerevan began in January 1999. The 426th changed its name to the 3624th Air Base the same year. www.airforcesdaily.com
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Training intensifies
Armenia is still unable to acquire its own interceptor or air superiority fighters to protect its sovereign airspace. It has extended the agreement whereby Russian armed forces maintain a presence on its soil until 2044, so clearly doesn’t expect to be able to in the foreseeable future. The number of operational Fulcrums in 2013 was never more than six, but their role in the defence of Armenia is as important as it ever has been. Potential adversaries comprise Turkish Air Force 182 Filo Lockheed Martin F-16C/ Ds based at Diyarbakir, and on the other side of the country, Azerbaijan AF MiG-29s from Nasosnaya. The Russian strategic command and staff exercise Kavkaz-2012 (Caucasus-2012) was partly held in Armenia, and 102nd Military Base forces and 3624th AB MiG-29s featured heavily. As a result of increasing military tensions in the Persian Gulf at the time, the main purpose of the exercise was to prepare Russian forces for a situation arising from a conflict between the US, Israel or a combination of the two with Iran. The skill set of the MiG-29 cadre is being increased to include air-to-ground operations. In February #312 MARCH 2014
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GUARDIANS OF ARMENIA Russian Air Force MiG-29s assigned to the 3624th Air Base at the 102nd Military Base Code
Serial number
c/n
Status (2013)
Fulcrum-C 01 Red
RF-29180
02 Red
-
OR* 2960727450 OR*
Formerly with 31st GvIAP in East Germany 03 Red
-
-
04 Red
-
-
05 Red
RF-29190
OR*
06 Red
-
-
07 Red
RF-92238
OR*
Modernised
Another view of MiG-29 '102 Blue', one of the first two Fulcrum 'UBs of the 426th Air Group. Anton Pavlov archive
2012 Lt Col Sergei Osyaykina, an instructor pilot with the Swifts aerobatic display team deployed to Erebuni to train 3624th AB pilots in the mission. Flying four sorties each, ten pilots used six MiG-29s to attack ground targets with their FAB (Fugahsnaya AviaBomba - high explosive bomb) series of free-fall bombs or B-8M rockets. The training took place in ranges in the mountains and was plagued by bad weather, but about 800 training sorties, 300 of which were ground-controlled interception (GCI) exercises were performed between January and October 2012. The following year 100 simulated dogfights were carried out at heights from 2,500 to 25,000ft over central Armenia. A change in maintenance procedures has resulted in much better aircraft availability. Now all of the 3624th AB’s Fulcrums are sent to Russia for heavy maintenance or overhaul although the base’s technical group can, and does, still carry out field and organisation-level maintenance inside its hangar at Erebuni. In recent months the number of airworthy MiG-29s at the 102nd Military Base has increased from eight to eleven with two Fulcrums always standing 24-hour QRA. Last summer a proposal was examined that would substitute Mi-28 attack helicopters for the 3624th AB Fulcrums and move the jets to Gyumri. That option has not been taken up and the latest plan is for the Russians to buy more land around Erebuni airport and build infrastructure to support Mi-17 and Mi-28 units. If this plan is adopted, the 3624th AB will have a mixed regiment of MiG-29s and helicopters. The first ‘new’ rotorcraft – a mixture of 18 Mi-24s and Mi-17s and possibly several Mi-28s – is expected
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09 Red
RF-93769
OR*
11 Red
RF-93720
OR*
20 Red
-
-
Possibly crashed on November 12, 2003
to be assigned to the 102nd Military Base this year. Work on a large new ramp and a new fuel storage facility is reported to be in progress. The Fulcrums look set to remain at Gyumri. On October 18, 2013 a ceremony was organised at Erebuni to mark the 15th anniversary of 3624th AB’s foundation. Base commander Alexander Petrov took the opportunity to officially announce that some of the unit’s Fulcrums had been modernized to 4+ generation standard: “Protection of Armenia’s peaceful blue sky is our main goal,” he said. One MiG-29UB and one MiG-29S ('07 Red') were reportedly overhauled and upgraded last year. Both of them received a different green and grey camouflage pattern as part of the work. By the end of 2016 every MiG-29 at the base will have afm benefitted from the same procedure.
21 Red
-
23 Red
-
-
25 Red
-
-
27 Red
RF-29185
2960727439 OR*
Formerly with 31st GvIAP in East Germany 28 Red
-
OR*
29 Red
-
OR*
30 Red
-
-
MiG-29UB 90 Red
RF-93774
OR*
Modernised ?
?
OR*
Modernised and delivered in summer 2013 101 Red 102 Red * OR = Operationally Ready
Above: MiG-29UB '90 Red' at Erebuni in 2011. It was the second operational twin-seat Fulcrum at this base. Anton Pavlov archive Below: Line-up of the Erebuni Fulcrums in November of 2013. Three single-seat machines ('28 Red', '09 Red' and '07 Red') are evident and the fourth '70 Red' is a two-seat MiG-29UB. Anton Pavlov archive
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04/03/2014 16:01
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OPERATION NEWCOMBE When the French engaged extremist forces in Mali, the RAF responded with C-17 airlift and Sentinel ISTAR support
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ARGENTINE A-4 SKYHAWKS
Original Skyhawks
Santiago Rivas details Argentina’s A-4 fleet, one of the last in the world
A
MONG THE last A-4 Skyhawks in operational service in the world – and the most powerful, thanks to the combination of their ARG-1 radar and the AIM-9M Sidewinder missile – are the McDonnell Douglas A-4AR Fightinghawks of the Argentine Air Force (Fuerza Aérea Argentina - FAA).
The Fightinghawk
At the beginning of the 1990s the FAA started to consider a replacement for the A-4, showing interest in the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet and the Lockheed Martin F-16. The US however denied Argentina the sale of these aircraft, offering 54 A-4Ms (48 A-4Ms and six OA-4Ms) instead. But the FAA was not happy with the aircraft specification and requested their modernisation – the defence ministry immediately sought offers from industry to upgrade the Skyhawks. After long negotiations the FAA signed a contract with US firm Smiths Industries, which had bought 36 A-4Ms and four OA-4Ms from the US Navy for $70 million. At the same time, the Argentine defence ministry accepted a proposal from Lockheed for the modernisation of the aircraft in the US and Argentina, using the Fábrica Militar de Aviones (FMA) in Córdoba. Lockheed Aircraft Argentina (LAASA, later Lockheed Martin AASA) was created and a
$214m contract signed for the work, done in Córdoba and Ontario, California. New equipment included the APG-66 radar, used on the first versions of the F-16. The first A-4M – C-905 and named ‘Gaucho 02’ – arrived at Ontario on August 2, 1995, from Davis-Monthan in Arizona followed by C-906 (‘Gaucho 01’) on September 6. However, this second aircraft had severe structural problems and was replaced by another. The Fightinghawk modernisation included an
The first 12 Douglas A-4B Skyhawks from an order of 50 were delivered to the FAA on October 31, 1966, forming two squadrons in the new Grupo 4 de Caza Bombardeo. They were the first Argentine aircraft with an in-flight refuelling capability, despite no tankers being available until two Lockheed KC-130H Hercules were delivered in 1978. In 1975, IV Brigada Aérea at Mendoza received 25 A-4Cs to replace the veteran North American F-86F Sabre. Argentine Skyhawks entered combat for the first time when the Falklands War erupted in 1982. The A-4Bs of V Brigada were deployed to Base Aérea Militar (BAM) Río Gallegos and the A-4Cs to BAM San Julián. During the war they sank HMS Antelope and Coventry, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship Sir Galahad and a landing craft from HMS Fearless; they hit HMS Glasgow, Broadsword and Argonaut and the RFA ships Sir Tristram, Sir Lancelot and Sir Bedivere and claimed hits on HMS Invincible. The cost was 17 pilots and 19 jets – ten A-4Bs and nine A-4Cs. After the war, only seven A-4Cs were left in service, so they joined the A-4B fleet in 1983. The first A-4AR arrived at V Brigada Aérea in December 1997 and on March 29, 1999, the last A-4Bs and ’Cs were withdrawn from service.
Above: An A-4AR armed with a dummy AIM-9M Sidewinder during an exercise with Mirages, Fingers, Pampas and Pucarás at Reconquista air base. Below: The A-4AR is the most advanced fighter in Argentina, despite its age. All images by the author
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Left: Three pilots at a last briefing prior to an air-to-ground training mission. Below: Argentine A-4ARs can be refuelled from the FAA’s two veteran Lockheed KC-130Hs or from other A-4ARs using a ‘buddy pack’. Between 1997 and 1999 older A-4Bs sometimes refuelled A-4ARs.
overhaul of the airframe and the addition of new avionics, which incorporated the ARG-1 radar, a downgraded version of the APG-66 forced on Argentina by pressure applied by the British. It was later upgraded in Argentina. The modified instrument panel had two LCD multifunction head-down displays, an up-front control panel and a head-up display (HUD). The jet was also given HOTAS (hands-on-throttle-and-stick) controls, an AN/ARL-93 (V-1) radar warning receiver, two laser inertial EGI-2 platforms with GPS, iFF, chaff and flares and a digital mission computer with a ground mission mapping system, the pilot entering information using a data transfer module. The Fightinghawk has an integrated electronic countermeasures and radar jamming system and the avionics are connected by a fibre optic net which uses a MIL-STD 1553 bus controller. The first four A-4ARs (C-906, 908, 917 and 918) and one OA-4AR (C-903) were handed over to the FAA on December 12, 1997, at the Lockheed Martin Skunk Works facility in Palmdale, California, and then ferried to Argentina. On August 3, 1998, the
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first A-4AR was delivered from Córdoba (C-922) – and the final ones (C-905 and 916) on January 7, 2000 – to V Brigada Aérea. Once the fleet was in service the FAA decided to keep 18 operational and 18 in storage at Área Material Rio V (ARMACUAR).
Operational testing
A-4AR C-906 and OA-4AR C-901 were flown to Lockheed’s facility in October 1998 for weapons systems and avionics testing. The AIM-9L Sidewinder missile was tested together with the EHUD air combat manoeuvring instrumentation pod acquired from BVR Technologies of Israel. Testing was completed by January 2000 and the aircraft returned by sea to Argentina. Two months later the first AIM-9L Sidewinders arrived, followed later by the AIM-9M.
Into service
The A-4AR Fightinghawk made its first public appearance in March 1998 when one over the Andes mountains to the FIDAE international airshow at Los Cerrillos airfield in Santiago, Chile. The type’s first exercise was Antuna I in June 1998; two months later it took part in its first combined exercise, Aguila 1, operating with the Mirage IIIEAs and IAI M5 Fingers of VI Brigada Aérea and the F-16C/D Fighting Falcons of the Alabama Air National Guard – when Fightinghawks flew air-toair combat sorties against the F-16s. Since then the A-4ARs have been deployed across the country, including border control missions in the north where illegal drug smuggling flights are attempted from Bolivia and Paraguay. To date three Fightinghawks have been lost, the first being C-906 on July 6, 2005, when pilot Lt Horacio Flores was killed. The second was C-936 on August 24, 2005, when the pilot ejected. The last occurred on February 14, 2013, when C-902 crashed while approaching Santiago del Estero Airport’s runway with engine problems. It had been on Operation Escudo Norte to protect the northern border of Argentina from illegal flights. Pilots Major Machado and Lt Buossi ejected safely, although very close to the ground. A recent weapon upgrade saw the addition of the Dardo 2, a 500lb (227kg) GPS-guided glide bomb developed locally. But now the Fightinghawks are showing their age and the FAA is considering a replacement. But budget constraints mean it will be some years away as the Mirage and Finger afm fleet replacements are more urgent.
Argentine OA/A-4AR Fightinghawks Serial
AMARC USN code serial
Delivered Notes
C-901
3A568
21/02/00
Former TA-4F
04/06/98
Former TA-4F. Destroyed 14/2/13
C-902
3A567
154328 153531
C-903
3A594
154651
23/12/97
Former TA-4F
C-904
3A598
154294
04/06/98
Former TA-4F
C-905
3A770
159472
07/01/00
C-906
3A671
158161
23/12/97
C-907
3A547
158167
04/06/98
C-908
3A588
158178
23/12/97
C-909
3A677
158419
30/09/99
C-910
3A558
158193
05/11/99
C-911
3A544
158429
26/11/99
C-912
3A578
159471
20/12/99
C-913
3A553
159493
01/12/99
C-914
3A556
159778
30/09/99
C-915
3A661
159780
20/12/99
C-916
3A559
160029
07/01/00
C-917
3A673
158165
23/12/97
C-918
3A692
158423
23/12/97
Destroyed 6/7/05
C-919
3A771
158171
05/10/98
C-920
3A772
158426
07/09/98
C-921
3A521
149475
03/11/98
C-922
3A773
160045
11/08/98
First example modernised in Córdoba
C-923
3A651
159470
11/12/98
Damaged 2009 & under repair
C-924
3A548
160025
31/03/99
C-925
3A743
158413
27/11/98
C-926
3A654
160032
07/05/99
C-927
3A570
160035
11/06/99
C-928
3A744
160039
11/06/99
C-929
3A550
160040
05/07/99
C-930
3A572
160042
21/07/99
C-931
3A672
160043
23/07/99
C-932
3A674
159478
11/02/99
C-933
3A742
159483
26/08/99
C-934
3A745
159486
09/08/99
C-935
3A602
159487
20/02/99
C-936
3A541
159783
03/09/99
C-906
158417
Destroyed 24/8/05 Original 'Gaucho 01'
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Aussie Tiger on the prowl
Tiger
Antipodean
Gordon Arthur reviews the status of the Royal Australian Army’s new Tiger helicopter
The pilot and battle captain of ‘015’ prepare for lift-off. Night time certification for TopOwl came through just before TS11, which meant the Tigers still could not fly at night. During the exercise the ‘enemy’ took advantage of this by mounting a night time attack on their base!
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D
uring Exercise Talisman Sabre 2013 in Australia, the regimental sergeant major of the Red Force playing the enemy described the greatest threat to his troops – “Tigers!”, he exclaimed without hesitation. But he wasn’t referring to the big cat variety, rather the Australian Army Blue Force’s Eurocopter EC665 Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH). Roaming the Shoalwater Bay training area in central Queensland in pairs, they could wreak havoc with their simulated cannon, rocket and Hellfire missile firepower. Suddenly, members of Red Force suddenly barked out a warning: “Air red!” Soldiers scurried into foxholes or under camouflage nets and remained hidden until the roving Tiger helicopters receded into the distance. The Tigers did not have it all their own way in the simulated combat, however, one M1A1 Abrams tank from the Red Force claimed to have shot down a Tiger with its main 120mm gun. The Tiger ARH has played an important role in the past two Talisman Sabre exercises, the bilat-
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eral Australia-US war games held ‘down under’ every two years. The Tiger’s development in Australia has been slow and troubled, but it is now beginning to prove itself on such mock battlefields. However, it seems Australia did not have sufficient confidence in the helicopter to deploy it to Afghanistan for real combat.
Development
A request for proposals for a new Australian helicopter was issued way back in 1998, with respondents including the Agusta A129, Bell AH-1Z Viper, Boeing AH-64D Apache, Denel Rooivalk, Eurocopter Tiger and Sikorsky S-70A Battlehawk. The Agusta, Boeing and Eurocopter entrants were shortlisted in 1999 and a request for tender issued the following year. The Tiger was declared the winner on December 21, 2001, and an order for 22 was duly placed in a contract valued at AUS$2.06 billion under Project AIR 87. The Tiger replaced the OH-58A Kiowa and UH-1H gunships, though a number of the former still remain in service for training. The first four Tigers were built in Europe, while the remainder were assembled locally by Australian Aerospace, an EADS subsidiary, at its Brisbane facil-
ity. The contract included a comprehensive training system, enhanced by a Thales-manufactured full-flight and mission simulator (FFMS) located at the Army Aviation Training Centre in Oakey, 100 miles (160km) west of Brisbane. The FFMS has two separate domes, to replicate the tandem seats of the pilot and battle captain, and simulator missions can be flown coupled or independently. There is also a Thales co*ckpit procedures trainer (CPT) that does not have the FFMS’s motion system. One CPT is based in Darwin and the other in Oakey. The simulator suite was handed over on December 13, 2007. One pilot said the fidelity of the simulators was sufficient to bring on airsickness! An underwater escape trainer, or ‘dunker’, is also located in Darwin. Australian Aerospace claims the Tiger programme created 220 new jobs in the country, attracting $40 million in investment and injecting $640 million into the national economy.
Problems
The first two Tigers reached Oakey in December 2004, but the project proceeded to suffer numerous slippages. Delivery of the 22 aircraft was due to conclude in April 2008, but the last delivery occurred in December 2011.
Above: This Tiger ARH is aptly labelled ‘007’ – licensed to kill! Note that, unusually, the aircraft is loaded with four rocket pods with no capacity left to carry Hellfire missiles. Below left: The type’s first arrival at Robertson Barracks near Darwin in August 2008. This is ‘005’, the first Tiger ARH assembled in-country by Australian Aerospace. Below right: The port side stub wing carries a launcher for four AGM-114M Hellfire II air-to-ground missiles as well as a seven-round 70mm rocket pod. Australia uses 70mm rockets produced by Forges de Zeebrugge. Below: An array of Tigers parked at Plains Airfield as a Black Hawk prepares to land. Two Tigers at a time can fit inside a C-17 transport aircraft. All images by the author
Multi-national project Australia is a member of the Tiger Build-up Group, which facilitates networking between Australia, France, Germany and Spain. Australia’s ARH has influenced Spanish design specifications, given the Mediterranean’s similar environment to northern Australia. France decided to fit Hellfire missiles to its second batch of 40 aircraft and, if other nations follow suit, the Australian government will be entitled to royalties for its research and development.
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AUSSIE TIGER ON THE PROWL Things became so bad that the Defence Materiel Organisation actually ceased payments to Australian Aerospace on June 1, 2007, for a ten-month period as the contracted initial operational capability had not been reached. When the Australian government launched its projects-of-concern list in 2008, the Tiger programme was one of the first to feature. In April 2008 Australian Aerospace had to re-baseline the entire project schedule – but, even after adopting this new timeline, final delivery was still five months late. In its last review, dated December 2011, the National Audit Office reported that: “The most significant issue for the programme continues to be the underperformance of maintenance and supply support networks.” This impacted on spare parts availability. In May 2012, all Tiger flight operations were suspended temporarily after fumes were detected in a co*ckpit. The same thing happened on June 25, with the fleet grounded again as a precaution. There was a further reoccurrence on November 4, but this time the fleet remained operational. Subsequently, News Corp Australia reported in December 2012 that “dozens of army pilots have conducted a mini-mutiny” by refusing to fly the Tiger. Apparently, 1st Aviation Regiment pilots had voted against flying. The same report stated that
An air conditioning unit was responsible for fumes in this particular aircraft’s cabin at Cultana, in South Australia, last year. A laser designator is incorporated in the Sagem STRIX sight for firing the Hellfire missiles.
ment of Tigers – it could be that a squadron may be allocated to the Ready Brigade under the army’s force generation cycle for training and deployment activities.
Tiger on the prowl
The upgraded TopOwl 3 helmet is now proving very effective. This pilot is wearing the new Air Warrior ensemble which is a Foreign Military Sales acquisition from the US. First deliveries occurred in mid-2011.
Australian Tigers had recorded 24 fume incidents since 2007. The new helmet also caused delays – initially, Australian aircrews used the Thales TopOwl helmet-mounted sight display configuration 0, but were not permitted to wear it at night. However, the subsequent introduction of TopOwl 3 has given crews improved night acuity.
Progress
By December 2012 all 22 Tigers were operating in final configuration after older ones had undergone a retrofit programme. Seventeen helicopters are based in Darwin for collective training and operational evaluation, while the remaining five are used for instruction at Oakey, including one instrumented for flight tests. The latter is also being used for remaining type acceptance test activities. The project was supposed to close then, with final certification being completed, but was put back to June 2013. However, a formal declaration of full operational capability had still not occurred at the time of printing this publication and the ADF has remained coy as to the reason(s) why. Nevertheless, these helicopters have given a significant capability boost to the Australian Army, which is set to undergo major restructuring under Plan Beersheba. This will see Abrams tanks, ASLAV 8x8 and M113AS4 tracked vehicles being distributed among the three active duty brigades based in Darwin, Townsville and Brisbane. At this point it is unclear if Plan Beersheba will affect the deploy-
While the ARH programme was beset by difficulties early on, the Tiger’s capability is now beginning to prove itself. At least, that is the official line that aviators are giving the media. One pilot speaking to AFM insisted the ARH is “a sheer pleasure to fly.” And added: “They’re now fully certified and there are no gaps in its certification.” One example of the ARH’s utility is that it can be prepared for flight less than two hours after being disembarked from a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft. In 2011, the 1st Aviation Regiment supplied a complete squadron of eight Tigers for Exercise Talisman Sabre for the first time. Transported via C-17s, this was the largest deployment of the ARH to date. What was perhaps more significant was the level of integration achieved with combined-arms battle groups, according to a senior officer from the squadron. During TS11 an Australian Army Aviation spokesman commented: “The Tigers performed very, very well. They afm met and exceeded expectations.”
Tiger ARH configurations: • In reconnaissance mode it carries 254 x 30mm rounds, 26 x 70mm rockets and 2 x Hellfire missiles for a take-off weight of 6,091kg. This allows a 90 nautical mile flight radius and one hour on station. This load is better for suppression-type missions. • The firepower configuration carries the same amount of cannon rounds but readjusts the rockets and Hellfires to 33x and 4x respectively. In this format, the Tiger weighs 6,106kg and has a 90nm radius plus 30 minutes on station. This fit-out is used by Australia 90% of the time. • The ferry mode includes 254 x 30mm rounds but no missiles or rockets. With two full ferry fuel tanks, the craft weighs 6,376kg and it can travel 500nm. Below: The Tiger’s overall dimensions are 15.06m long, 4.52m wide and 3.83m high. The diameter of the main rotor is 13m, while the tail rotor has a 2.7m diameter. Note the kangaroo emblazoned on the fuselage.
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FEEDBACK
Gallery March and April are renowned for showers and it could be your chance to grab an image like this as a Eurofighter Typhoon comes in to land at RAF Coningsby with a striking rainbow in the background. Rob Palmer
Mexican C-130 conundrum In the January issue your article on the Mexican Air Force said that the ex-Israeli C-130E models were FAM 3612 (Lockheed 3943) and FAM 3613 (Lockheed 3925). When they were in New York for maintenance a few years ago, the chief maintenance inspector identified them as FAM 3612 (Lockheed 3925) and FAM 3613 (Lockheed 3940). Any idea which is correct? Bob Daley Dallas, Texas
Doh!
In the news item ‘RAF’s Dambusters Fly Final Mission in Afghanistan’ on page 7 of the March issue, it states the Dambusters will re-form in 2018 as the UK’s first operational Typhoon squadron. I think it’s F-35, not the Typhoon! G S Bedi, via e-mail
Editor's reply: Yes, absolutely – your editor noted this ‘howler’ when we got the magazine back from the printer. He has since been given an Observers’ book of aircraft and sent to the corner of the office. Ed Write to: AFM Editor, Key Publishing Ltd, PO Box 100, Stamford, Lincs, PE9 1XQ Email: [emailprotected] or visit our Facebook page at facebook.com/AirForcesMonthly
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South African Gripens Thank you for another great edition of AFM (March) and a thoroughly enjoyable article on the Gripen! I do, however, have a few corrections for the South African Air Force (SAAF) section. The name of the SAAF’s Gripen fighter squadron is ‘2 Squadron’, rather than ‘2nd Squadron’. The A-Darter missile is made by Denel Dynamics of Centurion, South Africa, not General Dynamics as stated, and to be pedantic it’s now a joint venture between Denel Dynamics and Mectron of Brazil. Its air-to-ground capability is not only limited to the cannon and standard Mk82 free-fall bombs – in 2009 the SAAF ordered an unspecified number of GBU-12 Paveway II kits to fulfil its precision targeting requirement. These have
been operational for some time. The four SAAF Gripen Cs that remained in Sweden for Exercise Lion Effort were handed over to the SAAF in Sweden, so the final Gripen to be delivered – 3926 – was handed over in April 2012. The four Gripens deployed to the Democratic Republic of the Congo during Operation Vimbezela did not fly any direct combat missions in support of the South African troops in Bangui, as the regional African political bodies decided against removing Séléka coalition rebels from the capital. In addition the South African troops were not attacked again and there was no need for further combat. Darren Olivier Senior Correspondent African Defence Review
Red Arrows 50th season In their 50th year of display flying will the Red Arrows be juggling, or using elephants in their routine for the first time? My local newspaper recently described the ‘Reds’ as an ACROBATIC display team, not AEROBATIC as it should be. It really would be fun to see the pilots dressed as clowns or animals… Joking aside, I’d like to wish the team all the very best in their 50th year. I’ve seen many displays and they are always exciting and not to be missed! Tom Lee New Elgin, Scotland
Italian Training Update I read the interesting Italian Air Force report in the January issue. There are some updates I would like to add. With regard to training command, the 30 brand-new Alenia Aermacchi SF260EA trainers were grounded in 2013 due to serious engine problems. They are no longer used for pilot training and were replaced by the venerable SIAI S208M, the liaison and glider tug aircraft. Twelve of these old workhorses are still in service and their first training course has just ended. The Italian Air Force is now searching for
a new basic trainer as a part of the future reorganisation of the training system. New pilots will follow different training pipelines, according to their aptitude, from the beginning. The SF260TP turboprop should replace the piston engined SF260EA as the screener and basic training aircraft; the new Aermacchi M-345 HET will replace the MB339A and the Aermacchi M-346, which is just entering service, will be the new advanced trainer. Helicopter pilots will be trained after the SF260TP screening phase using a new helicopter to replace the
old and trusty NH500E. Cargo, tanker and VIP pilots will be trained at the new multi-crew training school at Pratica di Mare using the Piaggio P180 Avanti. Jet pilot training at Sheppard AFB, USA will continue, but the Canadian course at the NATO School at Moose Jaw will probably close. A training course is now under way at Kalamata Air Base in Greece using Hellenic Air Force T-6 Texan IIs with Italian instructor pilots. Carlo Cervo Alessandria, Italy
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PAIN HAS withdrawn all of its helicopters from Afghanistan but the Spanish Air Force’s (Ejército del Aire – EdA) MIZAR transport detachment, equipped with a single Lockheed C-130H1 Hercules (Spanish designation T.10), remains in-country at Herat, Afghanistan. Mizar 'The Horse' is a star in the constellation Ursa Major and is the companion of Alcor, ‘The Rider’, the name given to the MIZAR’s sister detachment, which flew Airbus Military CN295Ms (T.21s) in Herat from 2007 to 2011. MIZAR is responsible for providing air transport support to ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) – within Regional Command (RC-West) – and Spanish forces in Afghanistan, a job it has carried out from Herat since 2009 (and from Kyrgyzstan before that). The unit’s C-130H is detached from 311 Escuadrón (311 Squadron) of Ala 31 (31st Wing), the operator of all Spanish Hercules, based at Zaragoza
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Above: Budget airlines are luxury travel compared to military transport aircraft – but it’s faster than walking and safer than driving. Images by the author unless stated
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SPANISH HERCS IN AFGHANISTAN
air base. MIZAR has a complement of 36 personnel, all but a few of whom are detached from Ala 31 with the remainder coming from the Escuadrón de Apoyo al Despliegue Aéreo (EADA – air deployment support squadron – see panel). As well as its airlift function the detachment provides a dedicated MEDEVAC shuttle from Herat to Kabul or even Spain if needed, having two air transportable intensive care units at hand for the job. MIZAR has 80 flight hours available each month for its different duties. Fifty are allocated to ISAF support missions and 30 for flight operations to the benefit of the ASPFOR (Afghanistan Spanish Forces) with routine trips between Herat and Qala i Naw, transporting civilians or Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF), for example. Every 200 flight www.airforcesdaily.com
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hours (usually ten weeks), the C-130 goes back to Zaragoza for maintenance and a different aircraft takes its place with MIZAR’s personnel changing over at the same time. Operations in Afghanistan have resulted in a number of modifications to the EdA’s C-130s. To supplement the existing AN/ ALQ-156 and AN/ALE-47 electronic counter measures (ECM) and co*ckpit armour, and to improve aircraft survivability, the aircraft have been fitted with seats at each rear side door. Kevlar panels in the seats give added protection for the loadmasters as they sit in-flight, looking out through the porthole to provide a continuous watch for potential threats from the ground. On a routine flight, there is a crew of nine: two pilots, a navigator (who is also in charge of the
With a fleet of just seven C-130 ‘Dumbos’ – as the Hercs are affectionately called in Spain – the nation’s air force has worked hard to maintain a single aircraft in Afghanistan. Erwan de Cherisey witnessed the MIZAR team in theatre
Above: T.10-04 taxies on the ramp at Qala I Naw. Spanish MoD Right: One of EADA’s responsibilities is to provide security for the aircraft, its crew and cargo on the ground.
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Spanish Mizar ECM), a flight mechanic, two loadmasters and three escorts from the EADA who secure the area around the aircraft after landing, before cargo is unloaded or passengers disembark. Although a C-130H can theoretically accommodate up to 19 tonnes (19,000kg) of useful load, the ‘hot and high’ conditions prevailing in Afghanistan mean the great majority of flights carry much less. For example, with a temperature of 40°C (quite common from June to September in Herat), just five to six tonnes (5,000 to 6,000kg) can be carried on a shuttle flight from Herat to Kabul. All flights in Afghanistan are conducted according to a tactical pattern, flying at an altitude sufficient to remain out of range of small arms fire. Take off is followed by a brutal pull up to gain altitude as quickly as possible while landing involves a steep diving descent and touchdown at a speed of 200 to 250 knots, to reduce the aircraft’s vulnerability to attack during the approach to landing. MIZAR’s C-130’s availability stands at 90% with most breakdowns repaired within 24 hours. By August 2013, the total number of hours flown by detachment MIZAR exceeded 13,300, the unit having transported more than 100,000 people and around 13,000 tonnes of cargo.
Above: Members of EADA are first off the aircraft once the loadmaster has lowered the ramp. They are responsible for the Dumbo’s security while it is on the ground. Spanish MoD Left: Dumbo’s side doors are used to provide a look-out point for the crew when flying over Afghanistan. The black lining is made of Kevlar. Below: The ‘office’ of the C-130.
Ala 31
Home to the entire Spanish fleet of C-130/KC-130 Hercules, Ala 31 was created on September 1978, following the disbandment of 301 Escuadrón (Squadron) – itself established in 1973 to operate the first four C-130Hs delivered to the EdA. In 1976, three KC-130H tankers (TK.10s) were received, followed by three more C-130Hs and two more KC-130Hs in 1979 and 1980 respectively. Spain lost one when C-130H T.10-01 crashed in the Canary Islands, killing its entire crew on May 28, 1980. To make up for the loss a single C-130H-30 was procured in 1988. A year later Ala 31 became Grupo 31, a denomination that was changed back to Ala 31 ten years later. The Wing has always been based in northern Spain at Zaragoza at the foot of the Pyrenees. It comprises two squadrons: 311 Escuadrón, tasked with transport duties with a fleet of six C-130H and one C-130H-30, and 312 Escuadrón specialising in in-flight refuelling with five KC-130H tankers. The entire Spanish Hercules fleet has been upgraded over the years with the main effort starting in 1995 when co*ckpit and crew seats were armoured. It was followed by integration of a MIL-STD-1553B data bus; four Allied Signal multipurpose co*ckpit digital screens; a new Telephonics RDR-1400B radar; a Litton Inertial Navigation System (INS) with integrated GPS, new radio and IFF sets; a Collins VOR/ILS and a TACAN. A completely new ECM package comprised a Sanders AN/ALQ-156 radar warning receiver coupled with a Tracor AN/ALE-47 chaff and flare dispenser. Over its 40 years of service, Ala 31’s fleet of Dumbos has been involved in many operations all over the world. They were used to evacuate Spanish citizens from Nicaragua in 1979, support the UN monitoring mission in Namibia in 1989 and allied forces during the Gulf War in 1990/1991 before deploying to Italy in 1994 as part of Operation Ícaro to support flights for coalition forces (including Spanish EF-18 jet fighters) during campaigns in the Balkans. From 2002 to 2003, a few Dumbos were deployed to Kyrgyzstan as part of detachment Géminis to support US antiterror operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. The following year, as part of detachment Altair, a single Spanish C-130H operated from Kuwait to aid 86 #313 April 2014
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the rebuilding of Iraq after the 2003 campaign. In 2013 a C-130H was involved in transport operations from Senegal to Mali as part of detachment Marfil in support of France’s Operation Serval. It has since been replaced by an Airbus Military C295M, leaving MIZAR’s C-130H as the sole Spanish Hercules currently deployed abroad, (the other being positioned in Central Africa, in support of French Operation Sangaris). Ala 31 is expected to replace its Hercules with the A400M, when it’s proficiency in tactical operations is fully proven.
Escuadrón de Apoyo al Depliegue Aéreo (EADA)
Based at Morón de la Frontera near Seville, EADA and its sister unit SEADA (Segundo Escuadrón de Apoyo al Despliegue Aéreo – second air deployment support squadron) are the EdA outfits tasked with supporting aircraft deployments abroad, although in a major incident in Spain they would also expect to mobilise. The current EADA originated in 1994 as the Escuadrilla (flight) de Apoyo al Despliegue Aéreo, itself descended from an even older unit the Escuadrilla de Apoyo al Transporte Aéreo Militar (EATAM – military air transport support flight), which dated back to 1983. The latter had been created after it became obvious that the air force urgently needed a support element to handle air cargo. It went on to be responsible for parachute handling and other duties such as combat flying control and airlift control. All of these requirements were taken into account when establishing EATAM which, among its components, could count on a number of combat control teams (CCT) and an airlift control element (ALCE). The EATAM was headquartered at Zaragoza over its eleven years
of existence, but in 1994 the EdA acknowledged its need for a greater transport support capability, one which could accompany the deployment of its aircraft abroad during international missions in hostile environments and also for the security of personnel and aircraft deployed – EADA (Flight) was the result. It added short range air defence (SHORAD), nuclear bacteriological and chemical (NBC) protection as well as security and protection of deployed aircraft to its portfolio of duties. In 2000, six years after its inception, the unit’s designation was changed to EADA (Squadron) but its responsibilities and missions remained unchanged. It is currently divided into four flights: one tasked with defence and recovery of operational capability (which includes reconnaissance teams and anti IED groups), a second for SHORAD missions (it uses French-made MBDA short range anti-aircraft Mistral missiles in twin batteries among other weapons), and a third for mobility support which comprises CCTs and mobile air transport support sections. The fourth is tasked with general support duties. In Afghanistan, aside from integral support to MIZAR, for which it provides CCTs, EADA is also tasked with combined air terminal operations (CATO) and deploys up to 24 men and women who work-share with seven members of the Italian armed forces to co-ordinate the air withdrawal of Spanish forces from Afghanistan. Twenty-four Ilyushin Il-76 Candid flights, accounting for more than 600 tonnes of cargo, were handled in June 2013 alone. It is currently responsible for running all air activities in Herat, manning the control tower (with well over 35,000 air movements a year) until afm the handover to the ANSF by the end of 2014. www.airforcesmonthly.com
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OPS BOARD If it’s a major military airshow or exercise being held somewhere in the world, here’s the place to find it with our operations board, which is updated every month. With sequestration affecting airshows in the US, we strongly advise you check before making travel plans! Date
Exercise/Event
Location
Remarks
Mar 10 – Apr 4
TLP 2014-2
Spain – Albacete
www.tlp-info.org
Mar 21 - 22
Los Angeles County Air Show
USA - Palmdale, California
www.lacountyairshow.com
Mar 22 – 23
Thunder Over The Empire
USA – March ARB, California
CANCELLED
Mar 22 - 23
MacDill AFB Open House
USA – MacDill AFB, Florida
www.macdill.af.mil
Mar 25 – 30
FIDAE
Chile – Santiago
www.fidae.cl
Mar 28 – Apr 11
Exercise EART 2014
Netherlands - Eindhoven
European Air Refuelling Training - Dutch, Italian & German tankers
Mar 29 – Apr 11
Exercise Green Shield
France – Nancy
Joint training with Royal Saudi Air Force
Mar 29 – 30
Wings Over South Texas
USA – Brownsville, Texas
www.wost2014.com
Mar 29 - 30
Florida International Air Show
USA - Punta Gorda, Florida
www.floridaairshow.com
Mar 31 – Apr 11
Exercise Frisian Flag
Netherlands – Leeuwarden
European air forces exercise
Mar 31 – Apr 11
Exercise Joint Warrior 14/1
UK – RAF Lossiemouth
May include Fincastle 14 maritime competition
Apr 1 – 6
Sun ‘n’ Fun Fly-in
USA – Lakeland, Florida
www.sun-n-fun.org
Apr 5 - 6
Columbus AFB Open House
USA - Columbus AFB,Minnesota
www.columbus.af.mil
Apr 8 – 11
Recce Meet
France – Mont-de-Marsan
Final exercise for French Air Force Mirage F1CR
Apr 12 – 13
Fort Smith Regional Air Show
USA – Fort Smith, Arkansas
CANCELLED
Apr 12 - 13
Thunder and Lightning over Arizona
USA - Davis-Monthan AFB,Arizona
www.dm.af.mil
Apr 15 – 17
ABACE 2014
China – Shanghai
www.abace.aero
Apr 18 – 20
Warbirds Over Wanaka Airshow
New Zealand – Wanaka
www.warbirdsoverwanaka.com
Apr 23 – 26
Marrakech Aero Expo & Air Show
Morocco – Marrakech
www.aeroexpo-morocco.com
Apr 26 – 27
Fort Worth Air Power Expo 2014
USA – Fort Worth, Texas
www.airpowerexpo.com
Apr 26 – 27
Defenders of Liberty Air Show
USA – Barksdale AFB, Louisiana
www.barksdaleafbairshow.com
May 3 - 4
Shawfest
USA – Shaw AFB, South Carolina
CANCELLED
May 3 – 4
Spirit of St Louis Air Show
USA – St Louis, Missouri
www.spirit-airshow.com
May 3 – 4
Travis AFB Open House
USA – Travis AFB, California
www.facebook.com/TravisOpenHouse
May 5 – 30
TLP 2014-3
Spain – Albacete
www.tlp-info.org
May 6 – 8
SOFEX
Jordan – Amman-Marka AB
www.sofexjordan.com
May 10 – 11
Vero Beach Air Show
USA – Vero Beach, Florida
www.veroairshow.com
May 10 -11
Joint Base McGuire Open House
USA - McGuire AFB, New Jersey
www.jointbasemdl.af.mil
May 12 – 22
Exercise JAWTEX
Germany - Schleswig-Jagel
Locations across Germany
May 16 – 18
MCAS Cherry Point Air Show
USA – Cherry Point, North Carolina
www.cherrypointairshow.com
May 17 – 18
Thunder over the Valley
USA - Youngstown ARB,Ohio
www.youngstown.afrc.af.mil
May 20 – 25
ILA 2014
Germany - Berlin-Schönefeld
www.ila-berlin.de
May 21
USNA Air Show
USA – US Naval Academy, Maryland
May 23
USNA Graduation Flyover
USA – US Naval Academy, Maryland
May 22 – 25
KADEX
Kazakhstan – Astana AFB
Public days 24/25
May 24
Llandudno Air Show
UK – Llandudno, Wales
www.llandudno-air-show.org.uk
Flt Lt Noel Rees is the RAF's Typhoon display pilot for 2014 and is well into his training schedule. On March 5 he used an aircraft formerly allocated to 6 Squadron for his midday sortie. Key - Gary Parsons
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FORCE REPORT SPANISH NAVAL AVIATION
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INCE 2008 the Spanish Fleet Air Arm (Flotilla de Aeronaves – FLOAN) has suffered a 32% reduction in its budget. Today the FLOAN consists of around 1,000 personnel and six squadrons (escuadrillas) – four with helicopters and two with fixed-wing aircraft. They are supported by a second echelon, where maintenance work is shared between the escuadrillas and private companies, the Simulator Centre with simulators for the McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Matador II and Sikorsky SH-60B Seahawk and the new Aircrew Survival Centre. The four helicopter and two-fixed wing escuadrillas cover almost
The Spanish Fleet Air Arm has been hard hit by budget cuts during the last six years and has responded with drastic measures, as Salvador Mafé Huertas reports
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Branch: Spanish Fleet Air Arm Role: Aerial Surveillance, Troop Transport, Search and Rescue
the entire range of missions that may be required by embarked air assets including tactical transport, anti-submarine, surface combat, maritime surveillance, intelligence and reconnaissance, search and rescue, logistics support and supporting the marines and Naval Special Warfare Command. In the case of the Harrier fleet, air defence and power projection over land are also covered.
Cuts to the Harrier force
Cuts in the defence budget are “touching bone”, according to a FLOAN officer. This is the case of the four recently refurbished
Harrier AV-8B SNUG (Spanish Navy Upgrade) jets that the FLOAN has decided to retire, as they lack some important capabilities – such as the AN/ APG-65 radar – compared with the other 12 AV-8B Harrier II Plus in service. In May 2008 the European consortium EADS (more precisely its EADS CASA branch in Seville) was awarded the upgrade programme for the four aircraft (01-903, -907, -909 and -911) in a €11.5 million contract. Although the radar was not incorporated, there were significant improvements such as a new engine, new nav/attack
In February 2013 the carrier Príncipe de Asturias (R11) was retired from service. It is in company with the new LHD Juan Carlos I (L61) and three Santa María (Oliver Hazard Perry) frigates while three AV-8Bs overfly the formation.
One of the 12 AV-8B Plus Harrier IIs landing aboard Príncipe de Asturias in November 2012. Images by the author unless stated
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FORCE REPORT SPANISH NAVAL AVIATION
1 1: The three Citation IIs of 4 Escuadrilla in formation near Naval Station Rota. 2: An SH-3AEW landing on Príncipe de Asturias. With the phase-out of the Sea Kings in 2016 the Spanish Navy will be left without early warning coverage. 3: A new water survival centre for aircrews (called the ‘dunker’) was inaugurated in 2010 at NAS Rota. 4: A Hughes 369HM of 6 Escuadrilla in the recently applied grey scheme. 5: An SH-60B lands on the fl ight deck of the Spanish Navy’s AEGIS air defence frigate Blas de Lezo (F103).
2
suite with connectivity with the ROVER systems and the capability to use JDAM (joint direct attack munition) smart bombs. The upgrade began in 2009 and was completed in 2012. There have been software compatibility problems which EADS CASA and the FLOAN were not able to sort out, and the cost of maintaining and operating them amounted to around €3 million per year, a luxury that the FLOAN could not afford. The aircraft may now
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be cannibalised for spares. The FLOAN fighter fleet with 9a Escuadrilla will be reduced to 12 AV-8B Plus and one TAV-8B trainer and the operational life is expected to continue until the 2022/2025 timeframe. Spain is planning to replace them with the Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II, but if the budget situation does not improve it is possible the FLOAN will lose its fixed-wing fighter/attack afm capability altogether.
3
5
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06/03/2014 15:42
Branch: Spanish Fleet Air Arm Role: Aerial Surveillance, Troop Transport, Search and Rescue
Fleet aircraft Agusta Bell 212 Spain bought 14 Agusta-Bell AB212ASW aircraft in 1974. Seven of the Twin Hueys survive in service today, but their ASW gear was removed in the 1990s and the aircraft were relegated to utility and troop transports in support of the Infantería de Marina (marines). The Spanish Navy (Armada Española) awarded Spanish company INAER a $30.5 million contract in January 2012 to perform a comprehensive upgrade of avionics, sensors and instrument panels of the seven active 212s. The work is being carried out under a programme named Programa de Extensión de Vida los Helicópteros Agusta-Bell 212 (PEVH - AB-212 Life Extension Programme) by two Spanish companies, INAER and SENER, and will give the choppers at least 15 years more service life. Glass co*ckpits are being fitted and the analogue instruments are being replaced with five LCDs adapted for use when the crew is wearing NVGs. The communications suite is being modernised to guarantee compliance with international standards and a GPS navigation system with a moving map installed. New search radars and an EO/IR system will be integrated as will an AIS (automatic identification system) for monitoring merchant shipping. A MAWS (missile approach warning system) coupled with improved ballistic protection will make the helicopter safer to operate in contested environments. The end result is a helicopter equipped for maritime surveillance and suited for working from the
four new Meteor-Class BAMs (Buque de Acción Marítima – offshore patrol vessel) which recently entered service. A comprehensive training plan for flightcrews has been worked out to prepare them for flying over the sea at night in bad weather using the new equipment; the first class starts later this year. The first upgraded AB-212, code 01-309 flew in December 2013 and 3a Esc expects to receive its first two upgraded AB-212s in May 2015 and all seven helicopters should have been returned to service later in the year. Sikorsky SH-3H After nearly 50 years of service 5a Escuadrilla’s seven SH-3H medium lift and three SH-3H/AEW airborne early warning Sea King helicopters are entering the final phases of their operational lives. Early in 2013 the type recorded its 100,000th flight hour in Spanish Navy service! Designed in the 1950s, the Sea King requires many man-hours of maintenance and spare parts are increasingly difficult to obtain. Current plans call for them to be retired once its six Sikorsky SH-60F Ocean Hawks have been delivered. Hughes 369HM The outlook of 6a Escuadrilla’s Hughes 369HMs is more optimistic because like the AB-212s they are being upgraded with a glass co*ckpit. The analogue instruments will be replaced with four LCDs. This very simple and economical helicopter gives excellent results, not only in its primary role of
training but thanks to its versatility in the missions already described. Sikorsky SH-60B Seahawk The FLOAN initially purchased six SH-60B Seahawks in 1988 for the newly-activated 10a Escuadrilla, serving initially aboard the FFG class frigates. These were followed by another six in 2002/2003, this time of the Block 1 variant with advanced avionics, a FLIR turret and the capability to operate Penguin and Hellfire missiles. Between 2003 and 2010 the first six were upgraded to Block 1 capability, serving aboard the Santa María, Álvaro de Bazán frigates, as well as the Meteoro-class offshore patrol vessels. Sikorsky SH-60F Seahawk As a result of the delays in the NHI NH90 helicopter programme and Spain’s parlous economic state the order for 45 NH90s announced by the Ministry of Defence on December 28 2006 has gradually shrunk. In November 2011 the order was renegotiated to 38 firm orders and a decision on buying seven more postponed until 2015. That plan envisaged the first helicopters being delivered last year, but none has been with only a couple having flown so far. It now seems certain that no more than 30 will be bought and shared between all three armed services. The NH90 NATO Frigate Helicopter (NFH) was the obvious choice to replace the veteran Sea King fleet but the Navy has been forced to find a temporary solution to cover the needs of naval tactical transport in the short and
medium term. The choice lighted on the acquisition of six secondhand US Navy SH-60Fs from the EDA (Excess Defense Articles) inventory. The SH-60F has the advantage of 80% component commonality with the SH-60B Lamps III variant belonging to 2a Escuadrilla. This simplifies maintenance, lowering costs by economies of scale. The navy anticipates that the service life of the SH-60Bs with FLOAN could be as long as 20 years. The plan is to purchase the six helicopters over a number of years accepting a couple each year. The government authorized the purchase of the first pair, scheduled to arrive at Rota in late 2014, in November 2012. The second pair is expected in 2015 and the third the following year. All antisubmarine gear will be removed before delivery, as they will be used as pure assault/transport helicopters, replacing the SH-3Hs. Cessna Citation The four Citations (three 550s and one 560) are used by 4a Escuadrilla, whose motto is ‘Omnia Vincula Disrumpam’ (all bonds asunder), as light cargo aircraft and for transporting VIPs as well as a maritime patrol aircraft. The three elderly Citation IIs, bought new in 1982, 1983 and 1989, completed a modernisation programme in February 2013 which gave the jets glass co*ckpits. The Citation III, a 1997 jet bought second-hand ten years later was already fitted with modern avionics and digital instruments when it arrived at Rota.
The first upgraded AB212 HA.18-5/01309 flew on December 17, 2013 at the INAER facilities near Albacete. Roberto Yáñez
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EXERCISE REPORT EXERCISE LIVE FIRE TRAINING, NAME CAZAUX
Mirage’s Final Firing? Joris van Boven reports on what is expected to be the Mirage F1’s final live firing exercise
T
HE LAST Dassault Mirage F1 fighters in service with the French Air Force (Armée de l’Air - AdlA) undertook what is likely to be their final bombing practice (operational requirements allowing) during the third week of November 2013. At the Captieux champ de tir (shooting range) about 60 miles (100km) from Base Aérienne 120 Cazaux, in the south of France, live Mk82 unguided bombs and GBU-12 laser-guided bombs were dropped at practice
targets by Mirages from Escadron de Reconnaissance (ER) 2/33.
The end of an impressive career
After an impressive career of nearly 40 years, the Dassault Mirage F1 will be decommissioned in July. The commander of ER 2/33 ‘Savoie’ is Lieutenant-Colonel Benjamin Souberbielle, who took command on September 5. He has more than 2,800 flying hours with over 1,500 of those on the Mirage F1. Escadron Savoie has 23 pilots and 70 engineers. Its 20 operational F1s are used for reconnaissance and bombing missions. The November exercise was the
last planned live fire opportunity for the Mirage F1 pilots and was intended to qualify them to the end of the type’s operational service in mid-2014. All AdlA squadrons deploy to Cazaux every year to practise their bombing skills, as the air base has the capacity to store large amounts of live weapons. AFM was given the opportunity to join a briefing for one bombing sortie. Two junior pilots - Lieutenants Julien and Raoul, who have 650 and 230 flight hours respectively - were briefed by Captain Rodolphe, who has more than 2,200 flying hours. All aspects of the mission were discussed in detail, such as flight paths and targets on the range.
Captain Romain is the leader of the ground crew and provided an explanation of the weapons to be used – the Mirage F1 is able to carry different variants of unguided and laser-guided bombs in the ground attack role. The standard unguided bombs are the Mk82 (500lb/227kg), the Mk83 (1,000lb/454kg) and the Mk84 (2000lb/908kg). Laser-guided weapons are basically unguided bombs updated with fins mounted on the rear to control the direction of the drop and a Paveway sensor, which detects the laser, mounted at the front. The bombs mounted under the Mirages at Cazaux were Mk82 unguided and GBU-12 laser-guided munitions. After the briefing the three
Tactics on the range Captain Damien, who has 1,500 hours on fighters, explained the various tactics used by F1 pilots. The ‘loft’ technique, for unguided bombs, requires the bomb to be dropped in the climb at high speed to gain the most distance to the target. The Mirage pilot flies at low level towards the target, pulls the stick and climbs at almost 45 degrees before releasing the bomb as soon as the designator on the HUD crosses the target. The main advantage of this technique is that the Mirage stays further away from the
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target, often outside the range of anti-aircraft artillery. There are three tactics that can be applied for dropping laser-guided weapons. The first is self-lasing, illuminating the target with the laser designator and dropping the bomb. The second is ground lasing, designating the target with the help of a forward air controller on the ground. Finally there is buddy lasing, where the target is illuminated by a second aircraft. All these tactics are practiced regularly by the French fighter pilots on the practice range at Captieux.
‘The Three Musketeers’ - from left Lt Julien, Lt Raoul and Capt Rodolphe. The AdlA always withholds pilots’ surnames for security reasons. Joris van Boven
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Location: BA120 Caaux Particpants: France Live-fire exercise
pilots told AFM they do not know exactly which types they are going to fly after the F1, although they will probably join a Mirage 2000 or Rafale unit.
Tactics & evaluations
Above: Armed with a 500lb (227kg) training bomb and Thales BARAX ECM pod, F1 660/118-CY taxis out for a mission over the nearby ranges. The jet’s fading camouflage scheme gives the impression of a well-used machine. Alex van Noye
Above: Despite being more than 40 years old, the Mirage F1’s design hasn’t dated – its sleek lines are still relevant today. Alex van Noye Below: Mirage F1CR 654/118-NC sits on the aircraft servicing platform at Cazaux, loaded with a 2,000lb (909kg) guided bomb ready for another training mission. The five red stars under the co*ckpit are the number of ‘Alpha Scrambles’ made against Russian aircraft during the squadron’s Baltic air policing mission in 2013. Joris van Boven
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The pilots then walked from the squadron building to the aircraft. Checks of the mounted weapons were important, not only for pilots but also for the ground crew, as the handling of real weapons is unusual. After take-off the pilots fly directly to the target area as they have a real payload under their wings. During the mission in the practice area the bombs are dropped according to established procedures, refined over many years. There were several young pilots in the squadron who had never dropped live bombs before – it would be a milestone for them, said Lt-Col Souberbielle. After the mission the pilots returned to the squadron building for a debriefing, which consisted of two main elements – the first determined the accuracy of the bomb drop, done by measuring the distance between the impact crater and the target, and the second studied the flight data to compare it with the briefing. This is conducted with a computer visualisation based on the recorded flight parameters on the HUD. The young pilots need to achieve their bombardment skills by dropping a live device twice a year –one unguided and one laser-guided bomb to qualify. The more experienced pilots need to drop just one live bomb a year, guided or unguided. There is also a tradition of staging a bombing competition, based on the individual scores, celebrated with a party at the end of the exercise.
The end of the F1 is nigh
As of January 2014 there were 17
Centre d’ Expertise de l’Armement Embarqué In 2009, all separate weaponsrelated institutions of the AdlA were integrated into a single organisation at Cazaux, the Centre d’Expertise de l’Armement Embarqué (CEAE – centre for tactics and aerial weapons). The tactics and weapons used during the Champ de Tir at Cazaux are chosen and tested by the unit (numbered 0/331), which is also responsible for the weaponhandling training of pilots and ground crews. CEAE consists of a group of weapons specialists, pilots and navigators with additional support from the French Navy (Marine Nationale). When aircraft are needed to evaluate weapons, those from the Centre d’Expériences Aériennes Militaires (CEAM - military flight test centre), at nearby BA 118 Mont-de-Marsan, are used. The CEAM and CEAE work together very well, despite the physical distance between the two air bases. Mirage F1CRs and three Mirage F1Bs in service with ER 2/33. The fleet will shrink every month until the final week in July. The recce task of the Mirage F1 has been taken over by the Rafale and it is not yet known if ER 2/33 Savoie will receive this aircraft or be disbanded. In the summer the curtain will fall for the Mirage F1 after a career of almost 40 years – the last aircraft will be retired to Châteaudun in July, where they will go into storage. Most will be dismantled and eventually scrapped. The last official flight of the Mirage F1 is scheduled to take place during the Bastille Day Military Parade in Paris on July 14, when ER 2/33 afm will open the flypast.
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EXERCISE REPORT ICELAND AIR MEET 2014 A Swedish Air Force Tp84 Hercules makes one of several supply trips during the threeweek exercise. All images by the author
Keflavik Ice Cold in
Martin Kaye braved the elements and flew to Keflavik in Iceland for the inaugural fighter meet by Scandinavian air forces
T
HE ICELAND Air Meet 2014 (IAM 2014) was held from January 31 until February 21 at Keflavik, the only military installation on the island. It brought together participants from NATO member nations Norway and Iceland, and from partner countries Finland and Sweden, to conduct a wide range of air defence-related flying activities. Norway acted as the sponsor nation for Finland and Sweden, which were deploying to Iceland for the first time, controlling their operations, and also provided the training director for the exercise. The Netherlands and the US also participated by providing air-to-air refuelling tanker aircraft operating from their home bases, and a NATO E-3A was involved as well. At the media briefing it was emphasised that IAM 2014 was
One of the Iceland Coast Guard’s Super Pumas takes off on a mission.
a ‘training event’ as opposed to a ‘NATO exercise’, the difference being that an exercise is based around a military scenario with operational objectives for the participants, whereas a training event is used to practice tactics and
A Royal Norwegian Air Force F-16AM taxies out in the early morning light at Keflavik.
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procedures that can be repeated the following day to ensure lessons are correctly learnt. From its Combined Air Operations Centre in Uedem, Germany, NATO acted as the overall coordinator for the event. The air meet had four main aims: to
maximise the value of training; to develop NATO and Nordic defence cooperation; to increase NATO interoperability; and to train to Allied Command Europe force standards. Missions trained included deployment, defensive counter air and composite air operations, air-to-air refuelling (AAR), airborne early warning, and search and rescue (SAR). Two other events occurred during IAM – one was a meeting of the foreign and defence ministers of Iceland, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden to strengthen Nordic defence cooperation and discuss topical foreign and security policy issues, and the other was the deployment of a Norwegian air defence detachment on January 27 to conduct regular NATO peacetime preparedness mission training. Six F-16 aircraft were deployed, which also participated in IAM.
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Location: Keflavik, Iceland Particpants: NATO, Finland, Iceland, Netherlands, Sweden, USA
Participants
With no standing armed forces, Iceland’s defence and security needs are the responsibility of the Icelandic Coast Guard. Amongst other tasks, it is required to operate the Icelandic Air Defence System (IADS), patrol security zones and participate in exercises and deployments. An example of the latter occurred during IAM, when the Coast Guard’s Dash 8 aircraft was deployed to southern Italy as part of European efforts to monitor refugees and immigrants coming from North Africa. Given its strategic location, the key function of the IADS is to maintain a surveillance picture for its allies of its area of responsibility, which stretches as far as Greenland and towards the UK. As well as land-based surveillance radars, surface vessels also contribute to the radar coverage. The key challenge for the Coast Guard in hosting IAM was to provide the required facilities at Keflavik, which has limited ground support services and hangar space. The participating nations had to bring their own support equipment, keeping it to a minimum to reduce the logistics burden. Other challenges faced were the unpredictable weather at that time of year, consideration of the increased aircraft noise, and the need for awareness of the media spotlight, which was focused on such a significant event for Iceland. As well as providing the host base, Iceland also contributed its command and reporting centre (CRC), which is located at Keflavik, and two Coast Guard Eurocopter AS332L Super Puma helicopters. These, and the Finnish NH90s, would be vital if any SAR was to be required, given that the majority of the training areas were over the sea. Nations also brought fighter controllers to work together in the CRC. To make maximum use of the training opportunity,
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A Finnish Air Force F-18C taxies into the hardened aircraft shelter complex at Keflavik.
Notes
Sweden and Finland rotated their aircrews halfway through the flying phase of the meet.
NATO QRA tasked
The exercise
Aircraft participants Nation
Type
Unit
Home base
Iceland
2x AS332
Coast Guard
Reykjavik
Norway
6x F-16
132 AW
Bodø
6x JAS 39
212 Sqn
Luleå
1x Tp84
71 Sqn
Såtenäs
5x F-18
FS 21
Tampere
2x NH90
UJR
Utti
1x KC-135
100 ARW
Mildenhall
Home-based
Netherlands 1x KDC-10
334 Sqn
Eindhoven
Home-based
NATO
NAEWF
Geilenkirchen
Home-based
Sweden Finland USA
1x E-3A
AAR configured
Above: Finland also sent along a brace of NH90 helicopters to accompany the five F/A-18 Hornets. Below: A Swedish Air Force JAS 39D Gripen holds at the runway threshold while Norwegian F-16s get airborne.
Missions were scheduled at the same time each day, at 1000, 1400 and around 1930 hours. With daylight hours changing during the three-week period the night mission was launched progressively later – from 1915 in the first week to 1945 during the third. The morning mission was typically more than two hours, as this was when AAR was practised; the afternoon mission was typically 1.5 hours. The NATO E-3A was scheduled to be available for six of the missions. The fighter controllers were tasked with producing a recognised air picture and also with ensuring deconfliction with the transatlantic air traffic routing over Iceland. Half-way through the training event all the participants enthused about the value they were achieving, with only one mission having to be cancelled due to extremely high winds, and with only one or two aircraft sorties lost afm due to technical reasons.
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POSTCARD FROM SINGAPORE
Singapore Sling T
HE FOURTH edition of the biennial Singapore Airshow returned to the Changi Exhibition Centre between February 11 and 16. Billed as the largest aerospace and defence exhibition in Asia, the event had a line-up of three aerobatic display teams – the Republic of Singapore Air Force’s (RSAF) Black Knights, the Republic of Korea Air Force’s (ROKAF) Black Eagles and the Indonesian Air Force’s (Tentara Nasional Indonesia – Angkatan Udara – TNI-AU) Jupiter Aerobatic Team. The RSAF also held its 45th anniversary celebrations in conjunction with the airshow and had a large presence at the static display. Complementing its status as a ‘feature country’ at the airshow, the United States brought along a large military contingent comprising F-16Cs, MV-22s and sole examples of the C-17, KC-130J and P-8. ROY CHOO
Above: With the ongoing maritime disputes in the Asia-Pacific region, Airbus Military brought a Portuguese Air Force C-295MPA Persuader for demonstration to potential customers. All images by the author Left: Despite an ongoing diplomatic spat between Indonesia and Singapore, the TNIAU’s Jupiter Aerobatic Team demonstrated its professionalism at the airshow. Below: Condensation forms on the wings of a RAAF F/A-18F Super Hornet as the pilot soars through the humid Singaporean skies. Below left: After a six-year hiatus, the RSAF’s Black Knights demonstration team has re-formed with six F-16Cs. The new paint scheme features a crescent moon and five stars – the national symbols of Singapore.
A single Boeing P-8A Poseidon from VP-16 'War Eagles' was on static display.
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AND FINALLY OVER THE FENCE TODAY
Bentwaters today. Graham Robson
RAF Bentwaters G
LOBAL TERROR threats and consequent military action over the past two decades sit in stark contrast to a time when the defence of Europe was much closer to home. Friction between the East and West following the Second World War remained high for more than 40 years. Throughout the Cold War the ‘iron curtain’ presented a barrier to political and economic communication between the Soviet Bloc and the West. While not geographically on the ‘front line’, RAF Bentwaters in Suffolk played a major role in countering the Soviet threat. Having taken over the twin bases of Bentwaters and nearby Woodbridge from the RAF shortly after the war, the US Air Force brought the 81st Fighter Interceptor Wing and its three squadrons of new North American F-86A Sabre jets to Suffolk. The 81st would remain for the next 40 years, though in various different operational roles. The brightly-coloured Sabres of the three resident
Fighter Interceptor Squadrons (91st, 92nd and 116th) were defenders of the UK’s airspace in conjunction with the RAF’s 11 Group. The nimble, but underpowered F-86As were eventually retired back to the USA in 1954, their place taken by the mighty Republic F-84F Thunderstreak, which equipped the 91st, now re-designated as a Fighter-Bomber Squadron (FBS). The subtle change in unit designation brought about a new, more sinister task, that of tactical nuclear-strike; it became operational in early 1955. More Thunderstreaks arrived to re-equip the 92nd FBS in 1958. In July that year the 81st became a fighter wing in readiness for the impending arrival of the McDonnell Douglas F-101 Voodoo, but its ‘doomsday’ role remained, its aircraft configured for a single mission to deliver a nuclear weapon at extremely low altitude against battlefield targets such as airfields. By the spring of 1959 around 75 F-101s had arrived with 25 assigned to the 78th Tactical
Fighter Squadron (TFS) at nearby Woodbridge. In November 1965 the Voodoos began to be swapped for early ’C model F-4 Phantoms and by 1970 they began to appear in ‘tactical’ camouflage along with the new tail-code system. Initially the 81st adopted the codes ‘WR’, ‘WS’ and ‘WT’ for the 78th, 91st and 92nd TFSs respectively, but by 1972 ‘WR’ was adopted for all squadrons. By October the following year, all of the original ’C models had been replaced by the more capable F-4D. Things really began to change in 1978 when construction of the first NATO hardened aircraft shelters started. The shelters were planned to coincide with the introduction of the all-new and quite revolutionary Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II, which began arriving in June 1979. With this new mount the wing's role changed to battlefield close air support, the A-10 being uniquely designed to counter the tanks of the Soviet Army
positioned in East Germany. The wing was expanded in 1979 with three new squadrons added – the 509th, 510th and 511th – allowing aircraft to be spread between the twin bases with the 78th and 91st moving across to Woodbridge. This arrangement remained until 1988 when the 510th and 511th TFSs transferred to the 10th Tactical Fighter Wing at RAF Alconbury in Cambridgeshire, with Bentwaters receiving Alconbury’s 527th Aggressor Squadron in exchange with its new Lockheed Martin F-16Cs. Two years later Bentwaters was short-listed as the future McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle base, but with Lakenheath being the eventual choice and a thawing of relations with the Soviet Union the fate of Bentwaters and Woodbridge as active bases was sealed. Flying operations stopped on March 23, 1993, when the final two A-10s departed to their new base at Spangdahlem in Germany. GRAHAM ROBSON
Next Issue of AFM on Sale April 17th* *UK scheduled on sale date. Please note that the overseas deliveries are likely to be after this date.
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