Are Eurofighter and Rafale Modernization Paths Crossing Cutting or Parallel?: Perspectives from the International Fighter Conference 2019

12/03/2019

By Robbin Laird

We had three different sets of presentations throughout the International Fighter Conference 2019 which discussed how the capabilities of the French, German and Eurofighter operating forces in. the years to come will evolve.

Namely, the new Future Combat Air System, Rafale and Eurofighter modernization.

But the core question is how convergent these paths are or are not?

With the Future Combat Air System approach and target goals, cross-cutting modernization is crucial to reach a convergent outcome for a new fighter in 2040.

With regard to Eurofighter modernization, the full consortium that has built, and generates modernization for the Eurofighter is not in FCAS, and indeed, the most modern of the Eurofighter operators, the RAF, has already generated significant modernization outside of the usual modernization channels, and is operating the F-35 and is focused on a unique path which is being framed as Team Tempest.

This means that convergence between FCAS and Eurofighter is already challenged by the question of how much overlap between the two approaches, FCAS development and multi-national Eurofighter modernization strategies will occur?

Then we come to the French and the Rafale.

There is no question that France is committed to the modernization of Rafale and seeks to export the airplane as it can, and will leverage new Air Forces operating Rafale to support an overall modernization process.

But because France operates Rafale on carriers, and has a unique European air delivered nuclear role, several aspects of Rafale modernization will be unique to the French Air Force.

And there is little doubt that the FAF is clearly tracking how to integrate with the F-35s CNI capability (and MADL), and is more than interested in going beyond the text messaging associated with Link 16.

The Future of Rafale

Major General Fred Parisot, head of FAF Plans and Programs, laid out a long-range plan for Rafale modernization with the goal of supporting a new FCAS fighter in 2040.

The Rafale is projected to be in operation for several decades ahead and will embody major upgrades in the F-4 software and hardware changes, which are designed to enhance the capability of the aircraft to be more software upgradeable, but also more lethal in terms of the weapons it can carry and leverage in the connected battlespace.

And there is a clear focus on the upgrade of the Rafale to be able to carry the next generation nuclear capable weapon as a core national requirement.

The following slide from Major General Parisot’s presentation highlight the way ahead which is envisaged by the FAF:

At the heart of these changes will be a focus on building a more connected force which will overtime go from additive connectivity to connectivity by design built into the new platforms for the air combat force.

The following slide from Major General Parisot’s presentation highlights the way ahead which is envisaged by the FAF with regard to connectivity:

 

As Gareth Jennings noted about the discussions of Rafale at IFC 19:

France has laid out the upgrade path it intends to rollout for the Dassualt Rafale to keep the multirole combat aircraft in air force and naval service through to about 2070, a senior service official said on 13 November.

Speaking at the IQPC International Fighter conference in Berlin, Major General Frederic Parisot, Deputy Chief of Staff, Plans and Programmes, French Air Force (Armée de l’Air: AdlA), said that there will likely be a further four upgrade phases for the platform beyond the latest F3R configuration currently being rolled out, and that it is the country’s plan for the Rafale to serve as the force-multiplier alongside the New Generation Fighter (NFG) currently being developed with Germany and Spain as part of the wider Future Combat Air System (FCAS)/Système de Combat Aérien Futur (SCAF).

The Rafale’s current F3R configuration features major software and hardware upgrades that include the integration of the MBDA Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) and the latest laser-guided version of the Sagem Armement Air-Sol Modulaire (AASM) modular air-to-ground precision weapon; the Thales RBE2 active electronic scanned array (AESA) radar; the Thales TALIOS long-range airborne targeting pod; and automatic ground collision avoidance system (Auto-GCAS); an improved buddy-buddy refuelling pod; as well as the Spectra electronic warfare system.

The F4 standard plans to operate between 2023 and 2030, and it adds enhancements to the Thales RBE2 active electronic scanned array (AESA) radar, the TALIOS pod, and the Reco NG reconnaissance pod; upgrades to the aircraft’s communications suite; improved pilot helmet-mounted displays; a new engine control unit; and the ability to carry new weaponry such as the Mica Next-Generation (NG) air-to-air missile and 1,000 kg AASM. Further to the software and hardware improvements, the F4 upgrade will include a satellite antenna, as well as a new prognosis and diagnostic aid system designed to introduce predictive maintenance capabilities.

The Future of Eurofighter

Here the challenge is that there is no single Eurofighter but there are national Eurofighters which share commonality.

Indeed, the European Air Group has set up a working group to address ways to enhance the capability of Eurofighters to become more congruent among the national air forces.

This effort is a key one and a harbinger of success for either FCAS or Team Tempest.

With regard to mid-term modernization of Eurofighter, Airbus recently announced the launch of a new version of Eurofighter focused on delivering new electronic warfare capabilities to the force.

At the International Fighter Conference in Berlin Airbus and its partners introduced for the first time concrete details of the new Eurofighter electronic combat role (ECR) concept. This role will enlarge Eurofighter’s multi-role capabilities and further increase the survivability of coalition forces in hostile environments.

Collaborative electronic warfare capabilities are essential for future combined air operations.

Initial Eurofighter ECR capability is expected to be available by 2026, followed by further development steps and full integration into the future combat air system (FCAS) ecosystems.

Eurofighter ECR will be able to provide passive emitter location as well as active jamming of threats, and will offer a variety of modular configurations for electronic attack (EA) and suppression/destruction of enemy air defence (SEAD/DEAD). Latest national escort jammer technology will ensure national control over features such as mission data and data analysis. The concept also features a new twin-seat cockpit configuration with a multi-function panoramic touch display and a dedicated mission cockpit for the rear-seat.

The concept is driven by the leading aerospace companies Airbus, Hensoldt, MBDA, MTU, Premium Aerotec, Rolls-Royce and supported by the German national industry bodies BDSV and BDLI. It specifically targets the German Air Force requirements for an airborne electronic attack capability. Furthermore it is the single opportunity to deliver such capabilities on the basis of national sovereignty, whilst also securing key military technologies within Germany.

A presentation by Brigadier General Christian Leitges of the Luftwaffe made it clear why launching a new variant of the Eurofighter was needed certainly by the Luftwaffe.

He underscored that Germany had made a NATO commitment to expand its EW capabilities for the common defense.

Brigadier General Leitges argued: “We need to assure, that airborne assets can operate effect based in the whole spectrum of air operations against current and future hostile weapon systems.

“That means to prioritize the build up of capabilities that haven‘t been focused on in the past, e.g. Airborne Electronic attack.”

Brigadier General Leitges looked at the evolution of EW over time and underscored that the Luftwaffe had been organized I the past to penetrate ED “fences” but that the new challenge is to penetrate not simply fences but the A2/AD bubble.

The following slide from his presentation highlighted his perspective on the challenge:

Brigadier General Leitges noted that the HARM missile was becoming AARGM which is an upgrade for the German Air Force in terms of anti-radiation missiles.

He also noted that adding a new AESA radar to the Typhoon was a key capability enhancement which was clearly a step ahead as well.

Electronic Warfare Capabilities as Near to Mid Term Focus: A SAAB Perspective

Jonas Grönberg from SAAB provided his perspective on “Outsmarting threats: enabling mission success in an A2/AD environment.”

He focused on the importance of having a wide range of EW capabilities which would allow one to influence the adversaries kill chain and defenses in a variety of ways and in a variety of time settings.

He conceptualized survival in the air from the perspective of electronic support and EW measures as follows:

He then focused on a variety of ways to deliver the EW effect.

The first was standoff jamming.

The second is escort jamming.

The third is to generate multiple false target radar jamming.

The fourth is to air launch a decoy.

And, of course, these assets need to be blended into a combat package with effective C2.

He underscored that SAAB was proceeding along these lines with its Gripen fighter aircraft, with a recent test of an electronic attack jammer pod on November 4, 2019.

Conclusion

There is a clearly a challenge to sort out ways to ensure as much convergence as possible to reach a common outcome.

But as a senior RAF officer put it:”We are working F-35/Typhoon integration while in direct contact with the adversary.”

And certainly, the FAF being one of the most active of Air Forces, will not have the luxury to think about the future of airpower while it is busily trying to keep its planes flying, and operating an diverse range of settings, and clearly modernizing based on that operational experience.

That gets at a significant challenge facing the major air forces.

There is no down time.

Modernization is being generated on the fly (sorry about the pun) and the challenge then is to ensure how modernization of any particular national force enhances or detracts from the ability to work together.

This is a general problem facing all of the active major air forces, but a general challenge to any multi-national efforts, such as FCAS, Eurofighter or the F-35 global enterprise.

How this challenge gets met or not, will determine the actually operational capability which can be delivered to the allied air forces working together.


The briefing given to IFC 19 by Raffael Klaschka, head of strategic marketing for Eurofighter, provided an overview of the new Eurofighter EW variant and slides from that presentation can be seen in the slideshow below.

My own report on Eurofighter modernization based on several visits to Eurofighter nations, can be read below:

Also, see the following:

With FCAS, French Air Force’s Renaissance Begins

French Quick Reaction Force Key To Syrian Missile Strikes

 

The European Air Group and Typhoon Integration: Shaping a Way Ahead for More Effective Operational Impacts

The French Shape an Evolutionary Approach to Their Future Combat Air System

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An Update on the New Offshore Patrol Vessel

By Max Blenkin

The big grey warships, the frigates and guided missile destroyers, may well be the star athletes of the modern Royal Australian Navy, but it’s always been the little ships which did most of the work.

The numbers tell the story. Budget documents for 2019-20 show the Navy’s minor combatants, the patrol boat fleet and minehunters, achieved 4,098 unit available days, against 3,053 for the major combatants – the frigates, destroyers and submarines.

So much of the work was thrust upon the Armidale class patrol boats that they literally started to crack, their aluminium hulls never designed for the extended periods at sea as was demanded of them in the border protection mission.

But their replacements are on the way under the SEA 1180 offshore patrol vessel (OPV) program, 12 much larger steel hulled vessels that are better able to operate for extended periods at sea and designed to perform a range of missions.

Ship numbers one and two are now under construction by ASC Shipbuilding at Osborne in Adelaide, while work on ship three will start at Henderson near Perth next year. Ship one will be named HMAS Arafura and all 12 will form the Arafura class. The Navy hasn’t yet revealed names for the other 11 vessels.

The Arafura is based on the OPV80 design by German shipbuilder Luerssen, similar to the Darussalam class OPVs of the Royal Brunei Navy. These are substantially bigger vessels than the hard-worked Armidales – 80 metres and 1,640 tonnes versus 56 metres and just 300 tonnes.

Fourteen Armidale boats were commissioned between June 2005 and February 2008, replacing 15 220 tonne Fremantle class patrol boats. The Armidales have copped the brunt of the ongoing border protection mission, prompted by an initial influx of asylum seekers voyaging perilously south from Indonesia and Sri Lanka aboard clapped-out fishing boats.

A combination of the aluminium hull and wave buffeting on long operations created hull cracks – along with a firm belief in Navy that future vessels needed to be made of steel. But despite the problems, just one of the 14 Armidales has departed service, HMAS Bundaberg which was written off after a fire during a refit in 2014.

The government first outlined its vision for a replacement in the 2009 Defence White Paper. It said a fleet of 20 new Offshore Combatant Vessels, each as big as 2,000 tonnes, would replace the 14 Armidales, six Huon-class minehunters, plus hydrographic and oceanographic vessels. A single type of vessel would be configurable to different missions from mine-hunting to border protection to counter-terrorism.

In 2013 that was dialled back a bit, with the government declaring that a modular multirole vessel remained a ‘possible longer term capability outcome’. The Armidales would be replaced, and the Huons and other vessels upgraded ‘until the longer-term solution can be delivered’.

The 2016 White paper said 12 new offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) would be acquired, with greater range and endurance than the Armidales and capable of performing different missions. Work would start in 2018, with all vessels delivered by 2030. The Defence Integrated Investment Plan (IIP) cites a program cost of $3-4 billion over the period 2016-33.

Meanwhile, the Huons and military hydrography capability were initially planned to be updated, but that’s not quite how it turned out. During the 2019 election campaign, Prime Minister Morrison announced that two new mine warfare support vessels would be constructed in WA though Project SEA 1905, while a new hydrographic vessel would be constructed through project SEA 2400.

So now it could mean 15 new vessels from three separate projects – 12 Arafuras plus three others of types to be advised. However, these may well be based on the Arafura as Luerssen almost certainly plans to bid for these builds, especially as OPV production at Henderson will be well underway by then.

Compared to the bigger projects – SEA 1000 for Future Submarines and SEA 5000 for Future Frigates – SEA 1180 for OPVs was low key, pitting Luerssen against fellow German shipbuilder Fassmer, and Damen of the Netherlands. Long before the final decision, Luerssen and Damen had both teamed up with ASC Shipbuilding and WA engineering firm Civmec, while Fassmer partnered with WA shipbuilder Austal.

The final decision was announced in December 2017, but there were some novel provisions. The first two vessels are to be built in South Australia, and the remaining 10 in WA. Although Austal appeared to dip out, the government called for Luerssen to talk to Austal to explore options to leverage wider WA shipbuilding experience.

But Luerssen announced in May last year it had been unable to reach a viable commercial agreement with Austal so, at this stage, Austal is playing no part in the OPV project. Fortunately, it is hard at work turning out the new Guardian class Pacific patrol boats, 21 of which Australia is donating to PNG, various Pacific nations, and Timor Leste.

Luerssen’s two major sub-contractors are ASC Shipbuilding, now a wholly-owned subsidiary of BAE Systems Australia, and Civmec, a heavy engineering firm in the resources sector which has increasingly focused on the rising naval shipbuilding industry.

In 2016, Civmec acquired Newcastle firm Forgacs Marine and Defence which had built hull sections of ANZAC frigates and the Hobart class DDGs. For its growing role in shipbuilding, Civmec has been building an enormous shed at Henderson which one Defence official has quipped could be seen from space.

This shed will fit a Hobart class DDG and, even at peak production, the OPV project will occupy just 40 per cent of the space, leaving plenty of room for other work. And last year Luerssen Australia and Civmec formed a new company, Australian Maritime Shipbuilding and Export Group (AMSEG) to exploit emerging opportunities.

The build split between Osborne and Henderson initially raised some eyebrows. For efficiency’s sake, how could one yard launch production and build two boats, then shut down and start all over again on the other side of the country?

The government’s key objective in starting the build at Osborne was to ensure a nucleus of skilled workers remained between the end of SEA 4000 air warfare destroyer project and the start of construction of the new SEA 5000 Hunter class frigates.

“It’s working,” ASC Shipbuilding managing director Craig Lockhart told ADBR. “It’s providing an infill. It’s providing a level load. Without OPV it would have been a significant challenge on the trade and industrial side from having nothing in the yard.”

All steel for the two SA OPVs was cut by Civmec in Henderson, with truckloads of hull sections and bulkheads arriving each week for assembly. The steel itself comes from NSW. The first steel was cut at Henderson in October 2018, with Prime Minister Morrison officiating in the obligatory hard hat and high-viz vest. That same day, Civmec erected the first steel on its 53,000 square metre ship assembly building.

Almost a year on, Luerssen Australia chief executive officer and project director Jens Nielsen said they are pleased with progress. The big event for the year was the keel laying ceremony for Arafura on May 10, while construction of ship two started in Adelaide in early June. Construction of ship three is scheduled to start in Henderson at the end of March next year.

For a shipbuilder starting up in Australia, a single yard would have been a whole lot easier, but Luerssen took on board the government’s requirement for production at yards more than 2,000 kilometres apart.

“There was a request by the government – can we accommodate this – and we have made the analysis and said yes we can do this,” Nielsen told ADBR. “We are quite confident we can deliver.

“That fact is that this requires more communication and more explanation, but that is going very well. It is open and transparent communication and we are quite pleased with it, otherwise we wouldn’t be where we are.”

Nielsen said ship assembly in SA and WA is actually quite different. “In Osborne we build the ship in two halves, and the two halves get put together, and that is based on the infrastructure available,” he said. “In Western Australia with the modern technology Civmec is putting in place, we are able to build layer by layer. We start at the bottom and just go layer by layer.

“We are very very pleased so far with what we are getting out of Henderson with respect to the steel cutting and all the other materials from Civmec, and also the progress on the construction of the shed.”

Nielsen said that was positioning Civmec and Luerssen very well for the future. While building 12 vessels for Australia is a significant deal in itself, that project will come to an end in a decade. From then on, Luerssen and Civmec will be looking to export.

“It was always the intention when Luerssen first came here to establish a regional export base from Australia, it being far easier to export from Australia to the region than it might be from Germany,” said former Navy chief VADM Chris Ritchie (Ret’d), now a Luerssen Australia director. “It doesn’t mean they will stop shipbuilding in Germany.”

However the German government’s attitude to defence exports has hardened, and total exports have declined for the last three years, though they remain significant.

Last year defence exports totalled €4.82bn (A$7.8bn), well down from €7.86bn (A$12.7bn) in 2015. That’s been attributed to stricter government guidelines for export permits, driven by growing public opposition to arms exports, particularly to regimes such as Saudi Arabia.

Nielsen said there were areas where Germany for some time had been reconsidering its position, and that had made Luerssen consider a second hub for export. “We consider it a second hub to be developed, and it’s not a sole export hub. That is not the direction we are taking,” he said.

Germany itself will be buying a range of new vessels and Luerssen’s civil shipbuilding business, constructing mega-yachts is very busy.

However, there is a growing export market for small naval vessels, as various regional nations recapitalise and expand their fleets.

Like other defence companies, Luerssen acknowledges the challenge of acquiring the skilled Australian workers it needs.

But it has a couple of advantages – it’s starting early, and it won’t need the big numbers as will be required for construction of new submarines and frigates.

At peak, that will be around 400 working directly on the project, or 1,000 including the supply chain. The peak arrives quite soon and covers the period of parallel production at Osborne and Henderson. Right now there are 15 German nationals working on the project in Australia.

Nielsen said they were able to find needed skilled workers from the market, but were still ramping up.  “

We do see the difficulties everybody has,” he said. “Getting shipbuilding expertise from the market is not easy, and we are involved in various programs and discussions with respect to workforce and our scholarship program we launched last year in December.”

Luerssen’s main sub-contractors are ASC Shipbuilding and Civmec for construction, Saab for the combat system, Taylor Brothers for accommodation, Penske Marine for MTU diesel engines, Noske-Kaeser for air conditioning and refrigeration, and MTA for electricals.

The target is 63 per cent Australian industry content, but Luerssen believes it’s on track to do better. “We are also very much promoting that the SME base is interested in taking over elements which are currently being done out of the country and getting them connected to European suppliers,” Nielsen said.

For our money, Australia will be acquiring vessels vastly more capable than their predecessors. These will be competent blue water vessels, albeit with somewhat reduced capacity for littoral area operations.

Although the Arafuras feature a substantial flat rear deck which could land a helicopter, the government didn’t specify a helicopter capability. That gives the vessel the ability to quickly adapt to different missions through the integration of modular equipment for mine-countermeasures, special forces, or extra accommodation.

It was always envisaged the OPVs would be equipped with an unmanned aircraft system. Either fixed or rotary-wing systems, both of which the Navy has been trialling, could be embarked giving the vessel a greatly increasing ability to conduct surveillance or search and rescue.

For basic armament, the vessels will be equipped with a Leonardo stabilised 40mm gun system plus a pair of 50 Cal machine guns. For a small vessel, the Saab combat system will be very sophisticated, raising the prospect that down the track, the OPVs could be up-gunned.

That would make them formidable small combatants, of a kind Australia has never possessed but which are common across other Navies.

This feature appeared in the September-October issue of ADBR.

 

 

 

Combat King Refuels the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment

12/02/2019

The 920th Rescue Wing’s HC-130N Combat King refuels the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment MH-60 and MH-47 on Oct. 10, 2019.

The mission of the HC-130P/N Combat King is to rapidly deploy to austere airfields and denied territory in order to execute all weather personnel recovery operations anytime…anywhere.

King crews routinely perform high and low altitude personnel & equipment airdrops, infiltration/exfiltration of personnel, helicopter air-to-air refueling, and forward area refueling point missions.

FL, UNITED STATES

10.10.2019

Video by Tech. Sgt. Kelly Goonan

920th Rescue Wing/Public Affairs

Japanese-Australian Cooperation in Exercise Hyuga Nada

12/01/2019

By Lieutenant Commander Kelli Lunt

An Australian command task group element was based in a Japanese ship for the first time during a mine counter-measures exercise in Japan.

Minehunters HMA Ships Diamantina and Gascoyne, together with a commander task group, participated in Exercise Hyuga Nada, a mine counter-measures exercise, off the coast of Miyazaki, Japan, from November 18-24.

About 1000 people and 17 ships from the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and the United States Navy took part in the exercise.

RAN’s Commander Task Group, Commander Brett Dawe, said providing a command task group element based in a Japanese ship was a first.

“Being embarked in JS Uraga is a first for the RAN, but even more significant is the JMSDF willingness to design the exercise, enabling us to command and coordinate as co-leads,” Commander Dawe said.

“This really shows a deep level of trust, familiarity and friendship.

“Exercise Hyuga Nada gave our minehunters the chance to refine methods of working with our regional partners and an opportunity to develop ways of commanding and controlling with and from a Japanese ship.

“This really shows a deep level of trust, familiarity and friendship.”

“With the personnel from two commander task group mine warfare staffs working so closely together, this will absolutely enhance our interoperability.”

The exercise included mine clearance hunting, clearance diving and a “raft” replenishment at sea with JS Uraga.

Commanding Officer Diamantina and Commander Task Unit, Lieutenant Commander Darren McDevitt, said the exercise would improve procedures when working with regional partners.

“This is a great opportunity to build on not only our relationship with the JMSDF, but also to find ways to better conduct operations, including standard procedures such as communicating and seamanship manoeuvres,” Lieutenant Commander McDevitt said.

“There were challenges, such as an unfamiliar exercise area, but this exercise gave the RAN an opportunity to showcase our mine counter-measure capability and competence to a navy that excels in this area.”

Commanding Officer Gascoyne, Lieutenant Commander Sean Aitken, said taking part in Exercise Hyuga Nada with Japanese mine warfare counterparts was a highlight of the East-Asia deployment.

This is the second year Gascoyne has participated in Exercise Hyuga Nada and the crew revelled in the chance to conduct their core mine counter-measures role.

“I have a lot of respect for the JMSDF mine counter-measures forces and was excited to be able to work alongside them in this exercise to help strengthen our interoperability and bonds of friendship,” Lieutenant Commander Aitken said.

Diamantina and Gascoyne have been deployed on the Maritime East-Asia Deployment since September.

This article was published on the Australian Department of Defence website on 26 November 2019.

The featured photo shows Commander Brett Dawe, left, being welcomed onboard Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force ship, JS Uraga, by Captain Masahiko Koseki as part of Exercise Hyuga Nada.

Photo: Lieutenant Commander Kelli Lunt

 

 

Another F-35 First: USAF F-35 Pilots Operate Onboard USS America

11/30/2019

Given that the USAF is having to relearn mobile basing and are flying the same aircraft as the USMC (although the the USAF for now is not following the recommendation of an earlier COS of the USAF that they acquire F-35Bs), it is not surprising to find USAF pilots onboard the Lightning Carrier, in this case an amphibious ship.

During a 2016 interview at RAF Lakenheath with then Col. Novotny, now BG Novotny, he highlighted that having the B force at RAF Marham and the coming USAF A force at RAF Lakenheath was a natural opportunity for USAF pilots and maintainers to not just get familiar with the Bs but engage in an enterprise approach.

He highlighted the advantages of joint learning by pilots and maintainers associated with the correlated standup at RAF Marham and at RAF Lakenheath.

“We’re talking about exchange opportunities across the logistics enterprise, and among the pilots as well. If you can fly the A you can fly the B; and vice versa; it is an adjustment, not a whole new training process.

“We are looking to have RAF pilots flying USAF jets and vice versa.

“Doing Red Flags requires bring forces to Nellis and expending monies to come to the exercise, clearly an important task notably in learning to fly together in high intensity warfare exercises.

“But what can be shape from the RAF Marham and Lakenheath bases is frequency of operations with core allies flying the same aircraft.

“The same aircraft point can be missed because the UK did not fly F-16s, the Norwegian, the Danes and the Dutch do. And the USAF does not fly Typhoons and Tornados; the UK does. Now they will ALL fly the same aircraft.

And not to put too fine a point on it, so are the Marines and the USAF.

Now to the USAF onboard the USS America.

According to a story by Lance Cpl Juan Anaya, published on November 1, 2019:

Hundreds of Marines and sailors embarked aboard the amphibious assault ship USS America. Among the sea of naval warriors stood two service members who see the sky as home.

U.S. Air Force Captains Spencer G. Weide and Justin J. Newman, both pilots assigned to Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., made history as the first operational Air Force pilots to fly the F-35B Lightning II aboard an amphibious assault ship as part of an integrated training exercise aboard the USS America in the Eastern Pacific on Sept. 27, 2019.

“This is a unique opportunity for the Air Force to integrate with Marines and sailors overseas,” said Weide, with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 122, Marine Aircraft Group 13, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.

The two-week exercise allowed the pilots to refine their skills and apply their training to an integrated naval environment.

“Integrated training like this is important because we operate off of a ship, and we get to learn the naval and Marine warfare functions.” said Newman, with VMFA-122.

“This will allow us to return the knowledge back to the Air Force for better future integration.”

Launching aircraft from ships allows the Navy and Marine Corps to project air power across the globe. Amphibious assault ships, such as the America, provide flexibility to the joint force by supporting a spectrum of air operations from fifth generation jets to heavy lift helicopters.

That’s all part of the superior training the pilots received, Weide added.

Integrating the Marine Aircraft Wing’s combat power and capabilities with the capabilities and skills of the Navy and Air Force leads to an armed force team that is better trained, equipped and ready to respond to crises across the globe.

The whole purpose of this training was integration,” Weide said.

“With the Marines, Navy and Air Force, we are able to build that integrated team.”

The featured photo shows U.S. Air Force Capt. Spencer G. Weide, left, and Capt. Justin J. Newman, F-35B Lightning IIs pilots with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 122, Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) 13, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW), posing with an F-35 aboard the amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) during routine operations in the eastern Pacific, Oct. 6, 2019.

Amphibious assault ships, such as the America, provide flexibility to the joint force by supporting a spectrum of air operations from fifth generation jets to heavy lift helicopters.

 

 

 

UAE To Support Kenya Air Force Aircraft

By defenceWeb

The United Arab Emirates’ Global Aerospace Logistics (GAL) has signed an agreement with the Kenya Air Force to provide maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services for its aircraft.

GAL, part of the newly created Edge defence conglomerate, made the announcement during the Dubai Air Show last week. It said the Kenyan agreement is its first international contract.

The framework agreement for logistics and maintenance involves the provision of spares, logistics support, MRO and other aviation-related requirements to the Kenya Air Force fleet.

Speaking on the signing, Tareq Abdul Raheem Al Hosani, Chairman of GAL, said: “This contract marks the start of a long-term relationship that will see GAL play a critical role in Kenya Air Force’s primary mission of securing Kenyan airspace.”

GAL is part of the Platforms & Systems cluster of EDGE, which was inaugurated in November 2019. GAL provides aircraft sustainment solutions for military and civilian customers and has partnerships with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and MRO service providers such as AAR, Airbus Helicopters, Bell, Pratt & Whitney, Boeing and Leonardo.

GAL says it holds several maintenance and integrated logistics services contracts across the UAE, and continues to expand its support capabilities to customers throughout the region. It offers engineering and technical services, maintenance services for aircraft and defence systems, logistics and supply chain management, components and system overhaul/repair, aircraft sales, aviation consulting and project management.

GAL is also able to assist customers with aircraft modifications and upgrades, and capability development such as intermediate maintenance shop design.

It is not clear what types of Kenya’s aircraft GAL will maintain. The Kenya Air Force flies some two dozen F-5E/F Tiger II fighters, a dozen Tucano trainers, a dozen Y-12 transport aircraft, half a dozen G120A basic trainers, several dozen MD 500 helicopters and recently took delivery of AH-1 Cobra attack helicopters. Kenya also flies small numbers of other different types, such as Pumas, Mi-17s etc. Recent acquisitions include AW139 and UH-1H helicopters, with deliveries of MD530Fs and C-27J Spartan transports imminent.

This article was published by defenceWeb on November 26. 2019.

The featured photo shows a Kenyan Grop G120 trainer.

Also, see the following:

UAE’s EDGE Positions Itself in the Global Technology Competition

 

 

Another Italian First with the F-35: An Update on the NATO Iceland Air Patrol Mission Provided at the International Fighter Conference 2019

11/29/2019

By Robbin Laird

The Italians have had a number of firsts with regard to the F-35 global enterprise.

As I wrote in 2015:

At the beginning of the 20th Century, Italy was a pioneer in combat aviation.

Although different at the beginning of the 21st century, Italy has again emerged as an important player in military aviation.

They are key players in the two key 21st century multinational military aviation industrial coalitions, Eurofighter and F-35, as well as establishing a center of excellence for pilot training along with introducing one of the best 21st century trainers, the Aermacchi M-346…..

The Italians like the British are undergoing a double transition, whereby the Eurofighter is being modernized in two ways, namely, subsuming Tornado missions and replacing the Tornado and adding a new AESA radar to the airplane and introducing the F-35 to help shape joint force transformation.

The Italians have built a significant facility at Cameri air base to build the F-35, wings for F-35s and to provide sustainment for the operational fleet throughout the region as well.

The first Italian F-35 left the factory at Cameri in March 2015.

Earlier this Fall, the first F-35 came off of the Cameri line and flew successfully in Italian Air Space.

The facility was built in only four years and the first flight was ahead of schedule.

On Sept. 7, the first F-35A assembled outside the US, made its very first flight from Cameri airbase.

The aircraft, designated AL-1, is the first of eight aircraft currently being assembled at the Final Assembly and Check Out (FACO) facility at Cameri, in northwestern Italy.

During the flight, that lasted about 1,5 hours, the F-35A was escorted by a Eurofighter Typhoon.

As Secretary Wynne, the man who started the talks on building the Italian facility with the Italians put it with regard to the importance of the event:

“This flight makes the F-35 truly an international program.”

Lt. General Preziosa noted “the quality of the aircraft which has come off of the Italian line clearly demonstrates the competence of our industry and the importance of our strategic partnerships with U.S. and global defense industry. The fact that the Dutch Air Force will buy planes from the Italian line is also a recognition of the quality of the Italian effort……

After the first flight of an F-35 built outside of the United States, came the first flight of an Italian pilot of an F-35 at Luke AFB.

On November 5, 2015, Italian pilots flew a USAF F-35A and an Australian F-35A, becoming the first Italian pilots to fly the airplane….

Now the First F-35 built outside of the United States has been officially delivered to the Italian Air Force customer

Next up was another first, the first F-35 flown across the Atlantic.

On Feb. 5, 2016, the Italian Air Force’s first F-35, AL-1 with code “32-01” and markings of the 32 Stormo Wing landed at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, at the end of the JSF’s first ever transatlantic flight.

The aircraft was piloted by “Ninja,”an Italian Air Force test pilot, belonging to the Reparto Sperimentale Volo (Test Wing) from Pratica di Mare, and who had successfully completed his initial F-35 flight training at Luke AFB in November 2015.

To put this in perspective, the pilot had only 50 flight hours of F-35 flying experience.

And the Lightning II which Ninja flew across the North Atlantic in winter had only 15 flight hours on before he took off on his historic flight. 32-01was the first plane to came off of the Italian assembly line at Cameri Italy.

And this was done in the middle of winter, flying in and out of cloud layers over the turbulent North Atlantic against 120-knot headwinds. It was remarkable flying.

And then in 2017, the first F-35B ever built outside of the United States rolled out of the factory to a Ministry of Defence sponsored ceremony.

According to a press releases published on May 5, 2017:

The first Short Take-Off/Vertical Landing version of the F-35, or F-35B, assembled outside the United States rolled out of the Final Assembly and Check Out (FACO) facility here today.

The rollout exhibits the ongoing strong partnership between the Italian Ministry of Defense, industry partner Leonardo and Lockheed Martin.

The Italian FACO is owned by the Italian Ministry of Defense and is operated by Leonardo in conjunction with Lockheed Martin with a current workforce of more than 800 skilled personnel engaged in full assembly of the Conventional Take-off/Landing F-35A and F-35B aircraft variants and F-35A wing production.

Gen. Claudio Graziano, Italian chief of defense, Gen. Carlo Magrassi, secretary general of defense/director of National Armament, Adm. Mathias Winter, deputy program executive officer at the F-35 Joint Program Office, Filippo Bagnato, Leonardo Aircraft Division’s Managing Director, and Doug Wilhelm, Lockheed Martin F-35 Program Management vice president, spoke at the milestone event.

“Italy is not only a valued F-35 program partner that has achieved many F-35 program ‘firsts’, but is also a critical NATO air component force, providing advanced airpower for the alliance for the coming decades,” Wilhelm said.

“Italian industry has participated in the design of the F-35 and Italian industry made components fly on every production F-35 built to date.”

BL-1’s first flight is anticipated in late August and it is programmed to be delivered to the Italian Ministry of Defense in November. In addition, two Italian F-35A aircraft will deliver from Cameri this year, the first by July and the second in the fourth quarter.

To date, seven F-35As have been delivered from the Cameri FACO; four of those jets are now based at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, for international pilot training and three are at Amendola Air Base, near Foggio on the Adriatic coast.

The Aeronautica Militare (Italian Air Force) has already flown more than 100 flight hours in its Amendola-based F-35As.

After a series of confidence flights from Cameri, an Italian pilot will fly their first F-35B jet to Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, early in 2018 to conduct required Electromagnetic Environmental Effects certification…..

https://sldinfo.com/2017/05/another-italian-first-the-first-f-35b-built-abroad/

The latest Italian first was highlighted at the International Fighter Conference 2019.

Col. Stefano Soreafuco, CO Task Force Air (TFA) 32nd Wing, briefed the participants on the first NATO deployment of F-35s on a NATO mission.

The Air Policing Mission to Iceland was to provide an air defense capability for Iceland.

The F-35 team prepared for the mission by leveraging lessons learned from an earlier Italian deployment, that one done by Italian Eurofighters.

In his briefing Col. Soreafuco highlighted three key operational tasks: Performing cold weather scramble operations; executing an alert recall plan activated by the Icelandic Coast Guard, and executing full integration with the NATO air defense system, including Link 16 real time information sharing and providing digital control for the C2 leadership process.

During the mission 103 sorites were flown, with 14 at night. 159 flight hours were expended in support of these sorites. There were 8-10 planned sorties per day, with six jets available for advanced missions. There were six tango scrambles tasked from the CAOC at UEDEM. And there were two slow mover intercept training missions.

The training mission was highlighted in the slide from his presentation seen below:

The logistics side of the mission went well as they were able to verify the operational capability and sustainability of the F-35s in the mission in terms of cold weather operations.

The logistical support provided to the six jets was facilitated by the supply chain support being transferred to the deployment base.

A key discriminator for the F-35 clearly is its integratability of the F-35 into the C2 process to deal with advanced threats as well which was highlighted in the following slide from his presentation:

He argued that the F-35 was an “omnirole” weapons system which required no aircraft “customization” for its various roles but due to its integrated capabilities would operate seamlessly across the operational spectrum.

It was able as well to share its core tactical information through its various digital capabilities, including Link 16, MADL and VMF.

As Paolo Valpolini put it in his report on the briefing at the IFC 2019:

Talking of the advantages of the new fighter deployed by the Italian Air Force the TFA32 CO, he underlined the huge advantage of gathering information while delivering effects in different domains, all at the same time, as well as helping legacy assets to convey those effects in a better way.

Another key element was the capacity of the jet to provide valuable and very reliable information and data along the command chain, permitting decision makers to provide the right commands to the effectors according to established Rules of Engagement, all in near real time.

The F-35 showed very good interceptor characteristic, the amount of fuel carried avoiding the need of external fuel tanks.

Coming to connectivity, the Italian detachment exploited considerably the Link 16 capabilities, for connecting with the CR and the CAOS, as well as the Multifunction Advanced Data Link (MADL) that allows direct links among the F-35 community.

As no land assets were available for air-to-ground training, the Variable Message Format (VMF) was not used.

The Iceland operational deployment was based on a build-up approach that saw Italian Air Force Lighting II deployed in Great Britain, Greece, and other European countries for training, bringing the 32nd Wing to become fully start real operations around one year after having received its IOC status.

In short, the Italians delivered on this first NATO mission as they have throughout their record of firsts in the F-35 global enterprise.

The photos in the slide show below are credited to the Italian Air Force.