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F-22 Raptors assigned to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, perform an elephant walk on the flight line to show readiness during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The “Moose Walk,” more commonly referred to as an “Elephant Walk,” was so named to pay homage to both Alaska’s unique wildlife and to the C-17 Globemaster III, often nicknamed “The Moose.” This event displayed the ability of the 3rd Wing, 176th Wing and the 477th Fighter Group to maintain constant readiness throughout COVID-19 by Total Force Integration between active-duty, Guard and Reserve units.Video by Senior Airman Adriana Barrientos)
F-22 Raptors assigned to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, perform an elephant walk on the flight line to show readiness during the COVID-19 pandemic. The “Moose Walk,” more commonly referred to as an “Elephant Walk,” was so named to pay homage to both Alaska’s unique wildlife and to the C-17 Globemaster III, often nicknamed “The Moose.”
This event displayed the ability of the 3rd Wing, 176th Wing and the 477th Fighter Group to maintain constant readiness throughout COVID-19 by Total Force Integration between active-duty, Guard and Reserve units to continue defending the U.S. homeland and ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific.
In our recent series on mobile basing, we highlighted the evolution of USMC capabilities which can enable ways ahead with regard to mobile basing.
We have argued that for the USAF and the US Navy, the capability of the USMC to provide chess pieces on the kill web chess board in the Pacific is a key contribution which the Marines can provide.
Logistics support for mobile and expeditionary bases is a key challenge and requirement for successful distributed force able to be integrated in a fluid battle space.
In a recent interview, we focused on the fact that with regard to }basing for the integrated distributed force, clearly there is a need for another layer, namely, the ability to sustain the force, including the fuel to drive the force.
“For the Marines operating from the sea, this clearly includes combat ships, MSC tankers and related ships, as well as airborne tanker assets.
“By deploying a relatively small logistics footprint FARP or ARP, one can provide a much wider of points to provide fuel for the combat force.
“And in Marine terms, the size of that footprint will depend on whether that FARP is enabled by KC-130J support or by CH-53E support, with both air assets requiring significantly different basing to work the FARP.”
That interview focused on innovations in terms of providing more mobility for FARPs and the role of new fueling solutions to the distributed force.
One takeaway from that interview was that innovative delivery solutions can be worked going forward.
When I met with Col. Perrin at Pax River, we discussed how the CH-53K as a smart aircraft could manage airborne MULES to support resupply to a mobile base.
As Col. Perrin noted in our conversation: “The USMC has done many studies of distributed operations and throughout the analyses it is clear that heavy lift is an essential piece of the ability to do such operations.”
And not just any heavy lift – but heavy lift built around a digital architecture.
Clearly, the CH-53E being more than 30 years old is not built in such a manner; but the CH-53K is.
What this means is that the CH-53K “can operate and fight on the digital battlefield.”
And because the flight crew are enabled by the digital systems onboard, they can focus on the mission rather than focusing primarily on the mechanics of flying the aircraft. This will be crucial as the Marines shift to using unmanned systems more broadly than they do now.
For example, it is clearly a conceivable future that CH-53Ks would be flying a heavy lift operation with unmanned “mules” accompanying them. Such manned-unmanned teaming requires a lot of digital capability and bandwidth, a capability built into the CH-53K.
If one envisages the operational environment in distributed terms, this means that various types of sea bases, ranging from large deck carriers to various types of Maritime Sealift Command ships, along with expeditionary bases, or FARPs or FOBS, will need to be connected into a combined combat force.
To establish expeditionary bases, it is crucial to be able to set them up, operate and to leave such a base rapidly or in an expeditionary manner (sorry for the pun).
This will be virtually impossible to do without heavy lift, and vertical heavy lift, specifically.
Put in other terms, the new strategic environment requires new operating concepts; and in those operating concepts, the CH-53K provides significant requisite capabilities.
So why not the possibility of the CH-53K flying in with a couple of MULES which carried fuel containers; or perhaps building a vehicle which could come off of the cargo area of the CH-53K and move on the operational area and be linked up with TAGRS?
Recently, the USMC-Navy team have completed sea trials with the CH-53K which provide a step ahead towards such a solution set.
NAVAIR issued this press release on June 24, 2020 about the sea trials:
The CH-53K King Stallion completed a two-week period of sea trials in the Atlantic earlier this month. This was the first opportunity to see the aircraft working in a modern naval environment.
Testing took place on the USS Wasp, a landing helicopter dock (LHD) amphibious assault ship operated by the U.S. Navy.
“I’m very pleased with how the ship tests went,” said Col. Jack Perrin, H-53 helicopters program manager. “We were able to assess the K taking off and landing day, night, and with night vision goggles and it performed extremely well.”
According to the CH-53K integrated test team, the sea trials are a series of tests to evaluate the performance of the aircraft at sea. Tests performed during the two weeks included: launch and recovery; rotor start and shutdown; blade fold; and shipboard compatibility testing – all in increasing wind speed and varying wind directions relative to the aircraft.
“The bulk of the testing was in launch and recovery,” said Perrin, “and we nailed it every time, no matter what the wind/sea conditions were. The 53K is now a “feet-wet” warrior from the sea.”
Ship compatibility testing includes towing the aircraft around the deck and in the hangar, performing maintenance while aboard the ship, ensuring the aircraft fits in all the locations it needs to around the ship deck and hangar, and evaluating chain/tie-down procedures.
The CH-53K King Stallion continues to execute within the reprogrammed CH-53K timeline, moving toward completion of developmental test, leading to initial operational test and evaluation in 2021 and first fleet deployment in 2023-2024.
The Sikorsky program director for CH-53K, Bill Falk, provided his judgement on the sea trials as follows:
“The CH-53K demonstrated exceptional performance through out its initial sea trials continuing the team’s progress towards initial operational test and evaluation in 2021 and deployment in 2023-2024.
“Executing 364 ship landings and takeoffs from all deck spots, expanding the wind envelope, performing multiple towing and hanger evolutions, and conducting multiple rotor blade spread, fold, engagement and disengagement operations, the CH-53K is right at home aboard a large deck amphibious ship and is one step closer to deployment.
“The King Stallion, the only 21st Century fully marinized heavy lift helicopter, excelled in the shipboard environment reinforcing its critical role allowing Marines the operational flexibility to move more material, more rapidly from ship to shore. “
And in a story published by USNI News on June 25, 2020 and written by Megan Eckstein, an interview with Col. Perrin was highlighted where he focused on the sea trials.
Col. Jack Perrin, the H-53 heavy lift helicopters program manager for Naval Air Systems Command, told USNI News in a June 24 interview that the sea trials were meant to test all the ways the helicopter interfaces with a ship: communications while in flight, the ability to land on all nine spots on the flight deck in all weather and lighting conditions, the ability to be towed around the flight deck and hangar bay, the ability to be folded up and tied down, the ability to be maintained at sea and more.
The helicopter conducted two flight periods a day, one in daylight and one at night – taking off, with the pilots recording notes on the difficulty and safety of that particular evolution; flying a mile or so from the ship; flying back in the traditional landing pattern to attempt a landing; recording notes on that landing; and then the ship turning into a new wind condition for the process to start over again.
Though sea trials with some other programs have exposed problems that needed to be addressed through technical or procedural changes, “we were very fortunate; we did not find that big thing that was going to cause us risk or delay or a big technical issue. With this, we have now gone through this program and hit pretty much everything that they aircraft needs to do in order to deploy. We still have some more data to take, we have some tests to finish up, but we’ve been to every big thing,” Perrin said.
“We’ve done the external loads, done the internal loads, we went out and did helicopter aerial refueling, and now we’ve gone to the ship and been out there and seen that. Our risk on this program, for the 53K not being able to go out and support that first deployment and get through [operational testing], is greatly reduced now because of the success we’ve had and the performance the aircraft has shown during this test and the test previous. So we’re pretty happy as a program.”
Perrin said that, having just come back ashore this week, the final report from testing wasn’t complete yet. There were likely some little ways where the program can make improvements ahead of handing the aircraft over to Marine Corps operational testers this fall, he said, but there were no “show-stoppers” that caused him concern.
About 98 people flew out to Wasp for the sea trials, with the integrated test team including representatives from the NAVAIR program office, manufacturer Sikorsky and the Marine Corps’ operational test community.
A key feature of the King Stallion compared to the CH-53E Super Stallion – aside from being able to lift more – is that it’s much easier to operate due to the fly-by-wire flight control system.
Perrin noted the ease of operations during the April 6 aerial refueling test with a KC-130 tanker, saying, “it’s usually a pretty difficult, demanding task, but the 53K handled that extremely well and we had very good handling qualities out of that.”
During sea trials, the colonel added, “the handling qualities of the aircraft at the ship were excellent. All the initial pilot feedback has been that the handling qualities of the 53K on all spots, day, night, in [night vision goggles], was very very good. They were all very impressed … (with) how much easier it was for the pilot to actually come back and land on the ship because of the flight control system, because of the fly-by-wire system on the 53K, which is very good….”
Perrin said one of the highlights of sea trials was having Foxton and a dozen other operational test Marines out on the ship, with pilots in the cockpit, crew chiefs in the back of the helo and maintainers on the ship – all getting a sneak peak at how this helicopter compares to its predecessor.
“They now understand what it can do and what tactics, techniques and procedures, or TTPs, that they’re going to need to adjust from what we do with the 53E to how the 53K operates. So they are getting a complete heads start on having those tactics, techniques and procedures developed, so that when they go to the official IOT&E or initial operational test and evaluation, they’ve already been on the aircraft, they’ve already been flying the aircraft, they’ve already seen this,” he said.
“When they go out to the ship as part of the test – and they will go out to a ship as part of the IOT&E – they’re going to be running instead of learning at that time. They’re going to be executing. And that’s the key of an ITT or integrated test team, is that everybody gets to learn together.”
The first CMV-22B Osprey has arrived in San Diego at Naval Air Station North Island and is assigned to the “Titans” of Navy’s Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission Squadron (VRM) 30.
The squadron was stood up in 2018 to operate the CMV-22B as a replacement for the Navy’s legacy C-2A Greyhound carrier onboard delivery (COD) aircraft.
I visited Amarillo Texas in February when the US Navy unveiled one of its first CMV-22Bs.
At that ceremony, Captain Dewon Chaney, Commodore of the Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission Wing highlighted the coming of the new capability and what it meant for the US Navy.
What is the status of the CODs?
Every Carrier Air Wing Commander and Carrier CO has received that question numerous times from the Carrier Strike Group Commander while on deployment. And for good reason…
The COD, or Carrier On-board Delivery, aircraft is the only long-range aerial logistics platform providing logistical support for the Carrier Strike Group, ensuring its time sensitive combat capability.
Sure, there are ways to get some items to the carrier but that time lag in most cases is at the cost of readiness for the warfare commander.
The Navy saw the need to replace the aircraft providing this critical capability years ago and embarked on multiple efforts to inform that decision. The Navy selected V-22 as the future COD platform.
The first aircraft is being delivered today (well actually a week ago but who is counting). And our first deployment will be here in a blink of an eye!
But the devil in the details with this particularly accelerated program is making sure that the fleet can man, train, and equip those at the tip of the spear potentially in harm’s way.
As of October, last year as the Wing Commodore, I have the honor, privilege and responsibility, given to me by Vice Admiral Miller, to be the lead for the Navy’s CMV-22 community along with our partners at well into the 2040s. Delivery of this aircraft is a major milestone on the path to initial operational capability in 2021.
The CMV-22 has the capability to internally carry the F-35C engine power module. This capability is a game changer for the Air Wing of the Future and drove the need to match up the F-35C and CMV-22 operational deployments.
The first CMV-22 deployment is now less than a year from initial delivery of N3, which is scheduled for late June of this year.
Its success is key to maintaining combat lethality for the Air Wing of the future and our Navy,,,, CMV-22s will operate from all aircraft carriers providing a significant range increase for operations from the Sea Bases enabling Combatant Commanders to exercise increased flexibility and options for warfare dominance. If you’re in a fight.. .it’s always good to have options!
Every month following the first initial deployment, there will be a CMV-22 detachment operating with a US aircraft carrier somewhere in the world….
From another perspective, the CMV-22B is entering the US Navy as the entire fleet is going through a kill web transition.
I had discussed this transition with the US Navy Air Boss in San Diego a week before “Chainsaw” Chaney made his remarks in Amarillo, Texas.
VADM Miller discussed with me how he one might consider the change underway for the carrier Air Wing.
What is underway is a shift from integrating the air wing around relatively modest and sequential modernization efforts for the core platforms to a robust transformation process in which new assets enter the force and create a swirl of transformation opportunities, challenges, and pressures.
How might we take this new asset and expand the reach and effectiveness of the carrier strike group?
How might it empower maritime, air, and ground forces as we shape a more effective (i.e. a more integratable) force?
During a recent visit to San Diego, I had a chance to discuss such an evolving perspective with the Navy’s Air Boss, Vice Admiral “Bullet” Miller.
We started by discussing the F-35 which for him is a major forcing function change in the CVW.
But his focus is clearly upon not simply introducing the aircraft into the force but ensuring that it is part of the launch of a transformative process for shaping the evolving air wing….
The Air Boss is looking to focus his attention on enhanced combat lethality which the fleet can deliver to the maritime services and the joint force.
What is being set in motion is a new approach where each new platform which comes into the force might be considered at the center of a cluster of changes.
The change is not just about integrating a new platform in the flight ops of the carrier.
The change is also about how the new platform affects what one can do with adjacent assets in the CSG or how to integrate with adjacent U.S. or allied combat platforms, forces, and capabilities.
To give an example, the U.S. Navy is replacing the C-2 with the CMV-22 in the resupply role.
But the Navy would be foolish to simply think in terms of strictly C-2 replacement lines and missions.
So how should the Navy operate, modernize, and leverage its Ospreys?
For Miller, the initial task is to get the Osprey onboard the carrier and integrated with CVW operations.
But while doing so, it is important to focus on how the Osprey working within the CVW can provide a more integrated force.
Vice Admiral Miller and his team are looking for the first five-year period in operating the CMV-22 for the Navy to think through the role of the Osprey as a transformative force, rather than simply being a new asset onboard a carrier.
Hence, one can look at the CMV-22 innovation cluster in the following manner:
Such an approach is embedded in the rethink from operating and training an integrated air wing to an integratable air wing.
SAN DIEGO (Oct. 10, 2019) Vice Adm. DeWolfe H. Miller III, Commander, Naval Air Forces, speaks at the Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission Wing (COMVRMWING) 1 establishing ceremony on board Naval Air Station North Island (NASNI) Oct. 10. The Navy established its first CMV-22B Osprey squadron (VRM-30) Dec. 14, 2018 at NASNI. The Navy’s transition from the C-2A Greyhound to the CMV-22B Osprey is expected complete by 2028. U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Chelsea D. Meiller
Captain Dewon Chaney, United States Navy, Commodore, Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission Wing
Captain Chaney was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. Following high school, he enlisted in the Navy in 1993 and was selected to attend the Broadened Opportunity for Officer Selection and Training (BOOST) program following basic training. He earned an undergraduate degree in Mathematics from Morehouse College and commissioned via the NROTC program in the summer of 1998.
Captain Chaney was designated a Naval Aviator in July 2000 and then reported to HC-3 in San Diego for H-46 fleet replacement training after completing a brief H-60 qualification at HSL-40 in Mayport, FL. Captain Chaney’s operational assignments include his junior officer tour with the “Providers” of HC-5 in Yigo, Guam where he deployed on the USNS San Jose (AFS 7), USNS Kiska (AE 35), and twice onboard USS Essex (LHD 2). CAPT Chaney served aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) as the V-2 Waist Catapult Branch Officer and V-1 Flight Deck Officer. His department head tour was with the “Island Knights” of HSC-25 where he deployed to Basrah, Iraq. He commanded the “Wildcards” of HSC-23 and the “Merlins” of HSC-3.
Shore and staff assignments include Flag Aide to the 53rd Chief of Naval Personnel, a tour at the Navy Personnel Command in Millington, Tennessee as the Helicopter Sea Assignments Officer, and a Pentagon tour as Military Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs within the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Policy. In October 2019, Captain Chaney reported for duty as Commander, Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission Wing.
Captain Chaney attended the United States Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, completing his Phase I Joint Professional Military Education, and earning a Master’s degree in National Security and strategic Studies.
He has accumulated over 2,000 flight hours in various aircraft to include the H-46, H-60, and MV-22. His personal awards include the Defense Meritorious Service, Medal Meritorious Service Medal (2), Strike/Flight Air Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (4), the Army Commendation Medal, and Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal and several unit, campaign and service awards.
FLEET LOGISTICS MULTI-MISSION SQUADRON THREE ZERO (VRM-30) is the U. S. Navy’s first CMV-22B squadron.
Based at NAS North Island, San Diego, CA, the “Titans” of VRM-30 were established to begin the Navy’s transition from the C-2A Greyhound, which has provided logistics support to aircraft carriers for four decades, to the CMV-22B.
The CMV-22B is the Navy version of the V-22 Osprey, a multi-engine, dual-piloted, self-deployable, medium lift, vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) tilt-rotor aircraft, which has an increased operational range, faster cargo loading/unloading, increased survivability and enhanced beyond-line-of-sight communications compared to the C-2A.
For our look at the coming of the CMV-22B, see the following:
Paris – The French, German and Spanish air chiefs signed two key cooperative documents on the Future Combat Air System and interoperability of the present fleets of fighter jets, the French air force said in a June 19 statement.
“General Philippe Lavigne, general Ingo Gerhartz and general Javier Salto, respectively chiefs of staff for the French, German and Spanish air forces, signed two documents relating to cooperation on the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) program and on national programs for fighter jets prior to FCAS, which will mark the way ahead,” the service said.
In the first document, signed soon after a high-level May 7 virtual meeting, “the air chiefs set out their vision on the priorities for the missions” on the Next Generation Weapon System, said general Jean-Pascal Breton, French air force program manager for FCAS.
The Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA) procurement office also fields an FCAS program manager.
These priorities set out a definition of the common operational criteria, such as success of a mission, acceptable level of loss, and allows the evaluation of risk.
“That evaluation of risk allows an evaluation of architecture,” he said.
Industry will propose concepts of potential architecture for the Next Generation Weapon System, which will consist of a Next Generation Fighter, remote carrier drones, and the combat cloud, a network linking up the manned and unmanned aircraft.
The work on architecture stems from a joint concept study awarded to Airbus and Dassault Aviation, industrial partners on FCAS. That two-year contract began Feb. 20 2019.
A couple days after the signing of the first accord, the air chiefs signed a document on a Common Understanding of Connectivity, which seeks to boost interoperability between the present fighters flown by France, Germany and Spain, and those flown by Nato and multinational partners in European defense.
Sweden, while outside Nato, is a European ally and flies the Gripen fighter.
That interoperability document for the NGWS combined project team “also seeks to pave the path to NGWS/FCAS with respect to connectivity,” the air force statement said.
That interoperability aims to boost communications between the French Rafale and the German and Spanish Eurofighter Typhoon. Spain also flies the Boeing F-18.
Interoperability will also be sought for the replacement for the German Tornado fighter.
There are expectations the work on interoperability be supported by the planned European Defense Fund, a European Union project to part-finance research and development in the arms industry.
On the studies of remote carriers, there are more than seven types of disposable and non-disposable drones being considered. The studies have been running for more than a year and seek to draw up categories of unmanned air vehicles, to fly with manned aircraft.
Regarding work on the FCAS, Onera, a research and development organization, is in talks with the DGA for contracts, but any direct work for the procurement office was not expected before 2021, Bruno Sainjon, chairman of Onera, said in Challenges business magazine June 22.
Onera has a small contract with Dassault on the FCAS, but the aerospace research office hopes it will win more contracts, he said, adding that it seems the DGA has asked other companies to contract work with Onera.
A perceived lack of government support for Onera has stirred political debate, with a view that France was slipping behind Germany in research for FCAS.
Members of the French senate expressed concern Dec. 5 on the government planned annual funding for the research office of €110 million ($124 million) respectively for this year and 2021, compared to €106 million and €107 million previously planned.
That planned increase was too small, senators on the foreign affairs and defense committee said.
That French funding compared to the €200 million of financial support DLR, its German equivalent, received from Berlin, the senators said. The DLR had already signed research contracts for the German national FCAS program, while the French DGA had yet to award contracts to Onera.
Airbus displayed a life-size mock up of a remote carrier resembling a cruise missile next to a concept model of a next generation fighter at the Paris air show last year.
MBDA, a European missile maker, is also working on concepts for remote carriers.
The featured photo is of the mockup of the FCAS fighter as seen at the 2019 Paris Air Show. Credit: Second Line of Defense
Seven warships sailed in the past week from Navy bases on both sides of the country to undertake a range of training activities to test newly upgraded systems and exercise as part of a maritime task group.
HMA Ships Canberra, Hobart and Stuart departed Fleet Base East in Sydney, while HMA Ships Anzac, Arunta, Ballaratand Sirius sailed from Fleet Base West in Western Australia.
Anzac will undertake sea qualification trials following her recent mid-life upgrade and Ballarat will sail to the east coast for unit readiness training, while the remaining ships will sail in company for a period of force Integrated training, essential for maritime task group operations.
This training period will take place off Australia’s east coast and in northern waters.
Commander Surface Force Commodore Stephen Hughes said the ships were heading to sea for training that would enable them to test their systems, conduct mariner and warfare training in areas such as ship handling, damage control, emergency drills and task group warfare.
“This year has tested us in ways we would not have expected 12 months ago, but by putting multiple ships and more than 1300 Navy people to sea from both sides of the country we are demonstrating we’re seaworthy, adaptive and operationally ready,” Commodore Hughes said.
“Some of these ships will deploy as a task group for Exercise Rimpac 2020 off Hawaii, incorporating high-end tactical exercises and working with partner nations.
“Anzac’s sailing is an important milestone as the newly upgraded frigate completes her successful integration of new systems and capabilities as part of a scheduled trials period.”
Acting Commanding Officer of Ballarat, Lieutenant Commander Michael Forsythe, said the ship’s company was looking forward to returning to sea for high-end training and work-ups.
“We’ve spent the year so far in the west conducting mariner skills evaluations and sea qualification trials, so to sail out for some even more complex training to test us is welcome,” Lieutenant Commander Forsythe said.
“Getting back to sea for longer periods, putting Ballarat through her paces and continuously refining our training is the best way for us to stay ready to fight and win at sea.”
This article was published by the Australian Department of Defence on June 18, 2020 and was entitled, “Seven ships sail as fleet resumes training.”
HMAS Sirius departs Fleet Base West for taskgroup force integrated training in June 2020.
HMAS Sirius departs Fleet Base West for taskgroup force integrated training in June 2020.
HMAS Sirius departs Fleet Base West for taskgroup force integrated training in June 2020.
HMAS Anzac is pulled away from the wharf by tug boat Tancred as the ship departs Fleet Base West in Western Australia.
HMAS Ballarat pulls away from Fleet Base West with HMAS Arunta berthed alongside and HMAS Anzac positioned in Cockburn Sound.
HMAS Ballarat sails away from Fleet Base West with HMAS Arunta berthed alongside.
HMAS Hobart departs Fleet Base East in Sydney for a period of Force Integration Training.
HMAS Canberra departs Fleet Base East in Sydney for a period of Force Integration Training.
HMA Ships Stuart (foreground), Hobart and Canberra (background) depart Fleet Base East in Sydney for a period of Force Integrated Training.
L-R, HMA Ships Stuart, Hobart and Canberra depart Fleet Base East in Sydney for a period of Force Integrated Training.
L-R, HMA Ships Stuart, Hobart and Canberra depart Fleet Base East in Sydney for a period of Force Integrated Training.
L-R, HMA Ships Canberra, Hobart and Stuart depart Sydney Harbour for a period of Force Integrated Training.
L-R, HMA Ships Canberra, Hobart and Stuart depart Sydney Harbour for a period of Force Integrated Training.
Approximately 200 Airmen and four 9th Bomb Squadron B-1B Lancers from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, arrived at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, on short notice to conduct missions in the Indo-Pacific theater to support Pacific Air Forces’ training efforts with allies, partners and joint forces; and strategic deterrence missions to reinforce the rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific region.
On June 19, 2020, the UK Ministry of Defence highlighted the next step in their cooperation with Qatar.
The Royal Air Force and Qatar Emiri Air Force (QEAF) Typhoon Squadron, known as No.12 Squadron, have marked an important milestone as they commenced flying as a Joint Squadron
Based at RAF Coningsby, No.12 Squadron is a unique initiative between the UK and Qatar and will provide the QEAF with valuable experience operating the Typhoon as they prepare to receive their first aircraft. With deliveries commencing in 2022, the aircraft are part of a £5.1 billion deal between BAE Systems and the Government of Qatar.
The flags of both nations were raised at RAF Coningsby this week as Typhoons with new Squadron markings flew for the first time, signalling the Squadron’s readiness to train pilots and ground crew from both air forces.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said:
“No.12 Squadron is a testament to our enduring friendship and commitment to Qatar, the only nation with which the UK has a Joint Squadron. Together we are protecting populations and securing our mutual interests across the Middle East.”
His Excellency Dr Khalid bin Mohammad al Attiyah, Minister of State for Defence Affairs said:
“The first flight of No. 12 Squadron marks an important milestone in the commitment of the Qatari Emiri Air Force and the Royal Air Force to deliver on excellence.”
The raising of the flags of The State of Qatar and the United Kingdom side by side in commemoration of the first joint flight represents the alignment of vision and strategy in building for a stable and prosperous future for both nations and the world.
The UK has a long history of working with international partners in our Armed Forces, with such defence engagement recognised as key to strengthening partnerships and promoting our national interest. However, No. 12 Squadron is the first Joint Squadron in the RAF since the Second World War and Battle of Britain.
The Joint Squadron was stood up on 24 July 2018 and will drive closer collaboration between the RAF and QEAF, putting our bilateral security and defence relationship on a long-term and sustainable footing.
An article by Kirstie Chambers published on June 19, 2020 added:
Wing Commander Chris Wright, Officer Commanding 12 Squadron, told Forces News: “The joint squadron specifically will now grow its Qatari elements, to the point that we will train upwards of 16 pilots over the next few years ahead of the delivery of their own planes.
“So, 12 Squadron will continue to grow from where it is today, it will increase the complexity of the training that we do and will also involve some deployments out to the Middle East in support of their sovereign exercises.”
He also said the training is “truly is an exchange of ideas”.
“It would be naive of us at best to pretend that we don’t have anything to learn,” Wng Cmdr Wright added.
12 Squadron was stood up in July 2018 and will now prepare for exercises at the end of the year.
Featured Photo: RAF and Qatari Air Force pilots. Crown copyright.
