2015-11-12 By Robbin Laird and Ed Timperlake

In late October 2015, we had a chance to sit down and talk with key members of the Air Combat Command (ACC) staff about the evolution of the air combat force and the way ahead under the influence of new technologies coming into the force.

Participating in the ACC discussion were Lt. Col. Jay Flottmann, ACC Pilot Physciaian, Lt Col Scott Hamilton, ACC lead for the Multi-domain Adaptable Processing System, Major Glen Whelan, ACC F-15C Requirements Officer, Lt.Col. Scott Hoffman, Deputy Chief of the Operations Division at Air Combat Command (ACC/A3O, and Major Justin Anhalt, the Air Combat Command F-22 Program Element Monitor and requirements officer.

Their bios are found at the conclusion of the article.

The combination of talents of the group, in many ways reflects the evolution of the air force itself with an F-22 and F-15 C requirements officer, an A-10 pilot and the point man for the forthcoming allied exercise at Langley where the F-22, the Typhoon and the Rafale will fly together, an airborne networking requirements officer, and experts on air combat, more generally.

It is about the evolution of the air combat force – you fight with the force you have – and about how that force is changing under the template of fifth generation capabilities.

In an interview with the Commander of the ACC, General “Hawk” Carlisle, the point was made that the F-22 was a key enabler for the air combat force currently, and had led to a re-norming of airpower in practice.

Carlisle emphasized throughout our meeting the importance of the training transition throughout the fleet, not simply the operation of the F-22 and the coming of the F-35 as in and of themselves activities.

It is about force transformation, not simply the operation of the fifth generation aircraft themselves as cutting edge capabilities.

General Carlisle: “It is important to look at the impact of the F-22 operations on the total force. We do not wish, nor do the allies wish to send aircraft into a contested area, without the presence of the F-22.

It’s not just that the F-22s are so good, it’s that they make every other plane better. They change the dynamic with respect to what the other airplanes are able to do because of what they can do with regard to speed, range, and flexibility.

It’s their stealth quality. It’s their sensor fusion. It’s their deep penetration capability. It is the situational awareness they provide for the entire fleet which raises the level of the entire combat fleet to make everybody better.”

The shift is to a new way of operating.

What is crucial as well is training for the evolving fight, and not just remaining in the mindset or mental furniture of the past.

It is about what needs to be done NOW and training towards the evolving and future fight.

General Carlisle: “The F-22s are not silver bullets.

The F-22s make the Eagles better, and the A-10s better, and the F-16s better. They make the bombers better.

They provide information. They enable the entire fight.

And its information dominance, its sensor fusion capability, it’s a situational awareness that they can provide to the entire package which raises the level of our capabilities in the entire fight.

This is not about some distant future; it is about the current fight.”

The discussions with the ACC staff added not only granularity to Carlisle’s comments but broadened the discussion about re-norming and the way ahead as well.

The exercise coming up at Langley in December 2015 will feature the F-22 flying with the Typhoon (XI Squadron from the RAF) and the Rafales from the French Air Force. What these three aircraft have in come is that they all are about 10 years old in terms of combat experience and life.

This is a good reminder that it takes a decade for a new combat aircraft to get its “combat legs,” so to speak and to start to come into its own.

And in this case, these three different aircraft, which will fly for the next thirty years together in combat; and training and forging common tactics, is a core activity to shape overall capability for an air combat force.

The F-22 and its impact are good case studies in a key challenge facing the defense analytical community.

The aircraft is stealthy; its impact is anything but.

The F-22 is a breakthrough capability in terms of having redefined what a tactical fighter can do and what its impact can be.

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As the A-10 pilot in the room underscored, fifth generation really is not about its tactical effect, it’s about the operational impact of fifth generation on the entire fleet.

“Prior to the F-22, the individual pilot could only have a tactical effect.

Now the pilot can have an operational effect. I can take a much smaller package to have a larger operational effect, which can have strategic impact.

Four F-15Cs or 4 A-10s showing up does not have a strategic effect; 4 F-22s can have such an effect.”

A key reason this is true is that the F-22 is the first of the fifth generation multi-tasking aircraft.

What this means that it can change its role during a mission appropriate to the combat task.

Or put another way, the F-22 was designed for air superiority but it has redefined the operational meaning of air superiority away from a classic air-to-air role and become an operational impact aircraft enabling the entire air combat force.

The F-22 pilot in the room discussed how the aircraft has been used in the Middle East, and highlighted its flexibility – shifting from dropping weapons, to providing force protection, including dealing with ground based threats to the air combat force, to becoming the ”quarterback” in contestable airspace.

Put in other terms, the F-22 is providing the mission assurance role for the air combat force.

This transformation has simply become part of operational practice; it is the quiet transformation infusing the USAF and the air combat force.

The F-22 pilot highlighted that although sensor fusion can be considered a key attribute of fifth generation, the ability to fly where you needed to go was a real discriminator.

“It is about stealth enabled sensor fusion; it is not just about generating information in the battlespace. There are places where legacy aircraft simply can not go and survive.”

The USAF started by shaping tactical integration of the F-22s with the F-15s.

That was a key effort of the first five years of the life of the F-22.

As one the ACC participants highlighted: “We started by flying F-22s with F-15s; the F-22s went out fired their weapons, had their impact and returned home.

The F-15s then fended for themselves with not always good results in our exercises.

It did not take us very long to grasp that integrated tactics were required where the F-22 enabled the F-15s and the F-15s supported the F-22s.”

The last five years have seen this type of tactical integration broaden out from the classic air superiority role to encompass the broader force to enable the operational effects, which the A-10 pilot spoke about.

There are three broad impacts of this shift to fifth generation enablement for the force.

The first impact is re-thinking the modernization strategy for 4^th generation or legacy assets.

As the F-15 C requirements pilot highlighted: “When the USN gets a new carrier, the ships that can’t keep up get retired.

The USAF needs a similar approach with regard to the intersection of fifth generation with legacy.

But for those legacy assets to be modernized we need to modernize in terms of complementarity to fifth generation.”

The F-15C requirements officer noted that the modernization strategy was no longer stove-piped.

It was not about upgrading the F-15C for the air superiority mission; it was about upgrading for interoperability, with the goal of playing to strengths while minimizing weaknesses in both aircraft.

“How are we going to make it more in interoperable with fifth-gen fighters so it can keep up and it can complement that force and not operate alone doing its own thing, but rather as part of the total package.

F-15 and F-22 Joint Operations from SldInfo.com on Vimeo.

The second impact is re-working the interoperable air combat force.

The officer working air combat integration highlighted the intersection between fifth generation aircraft and the reworking of the connected air combat force.

To be clear, fifth generation aircraft are unique capabilities within an air combat force, not simply another data generator.

“Networking the force is a clear way ahead.

Whether it is interconnecting the fifth generation force or connecting the fifth with the fourth generation, and being able to share information in a multinational environment, the challenge is to enhance the operational connectivity of the air combat force.

The implicit assumption is that everybody has some piece of a puzzle.

Nobody has the entire picture, whether it’s piece of identification information or weapons quality track solution.

How do we network between and among the various participants in this joint multinational force to get the results we need to have?”

The third impact is continuously evolving the integrated tactics of the air combat force as the fifth generation element grows in significance and impact.

A key limit to the fifth generation cultural shift simply has been how few pilots exist for the F-22 and then the spin off effects from experienced F-22 pilots being available to shape the evolving combat culture.

In short, the F-22 enabled air combat force is here and operational. It provides a template for further innovation, as legacy fleets are co-modernized with the software upgradeable F-35 coming into global air combat forces.

ACC Participant Biographies:

Lt Col (Dr.) Jay T. Flottmann is the Air Combat Command MAJCOM Pilot-Physician.  Prior to this assignment, he was a graduate student at The Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, National Defense University at Ft Leslie J. McNair, Washington D.C.  The National Defense University is an institution of higher education funded by the United States Department of Defense, intended to facilitate high-level training, education, and the development of national security strategy.  His previous assignments include the Chief of Flight Safety for the 325th Fighter Wing where he was the sole USAF Pilot-Physician in the F-22A, Raptor.

Lt Col Scott Hamilton is the ACC lead for the Multi-domain Adaptable Processing System (MAPS). He is assigned to the Combat Forces Division, Directorate of Planning, Programming and Requirements, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia. As the MAPS lead, Lt Col Hamilton develops requirements for the integration of an Infrared Search and Track system and multi-domain integration gateway into the F-15C.

During his time at ACC, he has led Research and Development (R&D) activities to identify potential solutions for addressing tactical data link requirements and managed AF programs for improving data link communications and interoperability among all AF platforms as part of the Joint Aerial Layer Network. Lt Col Hamilton

also leads the AF-Navy Joint Tactical Networking working group. Lt Col Hamilton’s operational experience includes tours as a Weapons Systems Officer (WSO) on the F-111 and F-15E.

Maj. Glen Whelan is the ACC F-15C Requirements Officer. His background on the F-15 includes the following: Jun 2002 – Jul 2003: UPT Student Jul 2003 – Nov 2003: IFF Student Nov 2003 – Jun 2004: F-15C B-course student Jun 2004 – Jun 2007: F-15C pilot,58 FS, Eglin AFB Florida Jun 2007 – Oct 2009: Air Liaison Officer, 4 ASOS, Mannheim Germany Oct 2009 – Jun 2013: F-15C pilot, 44 FS, Kadena AB Japan Jun 2013 – Jun 2014: ACSC Student Jun 2014.

Lieutenant Colonel Scott Hoffman is currently the Deputy Chief of the Operations Division at Air Combat Command (ACC/A3O) at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, VA.  In this capacity, he leads 48 members responsible for Commander Air Combat Command’s (COMACC) plans, readiness and readiness reporting, manpower, rated manpower, Command and Control (C2) systems, Continuity of Operations (COOP) program, and Counter-Drug detection and monitoring for Homeland Defense.  In addition, he provides oversight to the Unit Level/Unit C2 (UL/UC2) Program and functional management for Global Command & Control System (GCCS).

He also supervises the planning and execution of COMACC exercises and as well as provides support to 8 Combatant Commanders’ exercise programs which encompasses over 80 exercise events utilizing more than 1,400 aircraft and 21,000 ACC personnel on an annual basis.

Lt Col Hoffman has flown the B-1b, A-10A, and A-10C aircraft during his career.  A Command Pilot with more than 2900 flying hours, including over 2300 in the A-10, he has flown sorties in support of OPERATION SOUTHERN WATCH and OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM.

Major Justin “Stick” Anhalt is currently the Air Combat Command F-22 Program Element Monitor and requirements officer. In this position Major Anhalt defines modernization requirements that direct a $4.5B portfolio. Major Anhalt also serves as a 5th Generation advisor for numerous ACC core functions, advanced programs, F-35, and defense contractors. Major Anhalt earned his commission in 2002 through ROTC.

He has had numerous operational assignments in both the F-15C and the F-22.  During these assignments he twice deployed as part of F-22 Theater Security Packages in Asia. Major Anhalt holds numerous degrees andis a senior pilot with more than 1,400 flying hours in the F-22A, F-15C/D, T-38A/C, and T-37.

Editor’s Note: A key element of the ACC is constantly working on ways ahead in the competitive areas of high tempo combat and on ways to enhance the effectiveness of the air combat force.

Our visit to Nellis AFB highlighted those efforts, where Red Flag Exercises are a regular feature of combat learning with allied aircraft and training against both live and virtual adversarial systems.

https://sldinfo.com/red-flag-nellis-going-forward-training-the-force-of-the-expanded-battlespace/

In the video below is an example of ways to work the challenge.

The slideshow above highlights the F-22 and its interaction with the air combat force.

The slideshow shows various shots of the Raptor, the Eagle and of the F-22s training with F-35s and these aircraft area key elements of the renorming effort for the “fighter” force. Clearly, there are other participants as well but Raptor and Eagle integration tactics have led the way, and the coming of the F-35 will bring impetus to the next wave of renorming efforts, practices and concepts of operations.

The first photo shows an F-22 Raptor, from the 199th Fighter Squadron increasing in altitude shortly after taking off from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, June 6, 2015. Pilots of the F-22 from the Hawaii Air National Guard’s 199th Fighter Squadron and the 19th Fighter Squadron teamed up with maintenance Airmen from the 154th Wing and 15th Maintenance Group to launch and recover 62 Raptors in a day. The previous record was 46 sorties in one day with 14 aircraft, this recorded was broken using only 12 of the 18 aircraft in the smallest F-22 squadron in the Air Force.

The second photo shows an AH-1W Super Cobra from Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 773 Detachment A prepares to land as crew chiefs ready a Tyndall F-22 Raptor for take-off Oct. 27, 2015, during Exercise Southern Strike at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Belle Chasse, La. Southern Strike allowed pilots to perform in a realistic environment and train with fourth and fifth generation fighters in high threat scenarios.

The third photo shows an F-22 Raptor from the 199th Fighter Wing as it soars over the island of Oahu as a part of Warrior Day exercises at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, Oct. 28, 2015.

The fourth photo shows an F-22 Raptor returning to Langley Air Force Base, Va., from a deployment to the Middle East, Oct. 9, 2015. Approximately 200 members of the 1st and 192nd Fighter Wings were assigned to the United States Central Command providing support and stability to the region.

The fifth and sixth photos show an F-22 Raptor landing at Langley Air Force Base, Va., April 17, 2014. The 94th Fighter Squadron F-22 returned from a nearly four-month deployment to Kadena Air Base, Japan.

The sixth and seventh photos show an F-15 Eagle aircraft from the 104th Fighter Wing, Massachusetts Air National Guard deploy for two weeks in support of the United States Air Force Weapons Instructor School (WIC) located at Nellis Air Force Base, Las Vegas on Friday, Oct. 30, 2015. WIC teaches graduate-level instructor courses to elite fighter pilots, and provides the world’s most advanced training in weapons and tactics employment to officers of the combat air forces.

The eighth, ninth and tenth photos show F-22 Raptors from the 94th Fighter Squadron, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., and F-35A Lightning IIs from the 58th Fighter Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., perform final preflight checks before taking off for an integration training mission on Eglin Training Range, Fla., Nov. 6, 2014. The F-35s and F-22s flew offensive counter air, defensive counter air and interdiction missions, maximizing effects by employing fifth-generation capabilities together.

The 11th photo shows a KC-135 Stratotanker with the 756th Air Refueling Squadron, Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility, Md., refuels a 1st Fighter Wing’s F-22 Raptor from Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va. off the east coast, May 10, 2012.

The first Raptor assigned to the Wing arrived, Jan. 7, 2005. This aircraft was allocated as a trainer, and was docked in a hanger for maintenance personnel to familiarize themselves with its complex systems.

The second Raptor, designated for flying operations, arrived, Jan. 18, 2005.

On Dec. 15, 2005, Air Combat Command commander, along with the 1st FW commander, announced the 27th Fighter Squadron as fully operational capable to fly, fight and win with the F-22.

The 12th photo shows a U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor takes off from Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, to participate in a training sortie over Europe Sept. 3, 2015.

The U.S Air Force deployed four F-22 Raptors, one C-17 Globemaster III, approximately 60 Airmen and associated equipment to Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany.

The deployment occurred from August 28 to mid-September 2015.

The F-22s are deployed from the 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall AFB, Fla. While these aircraft and Airmen are in Europe, they conducted air training with other Europe-based aircraft.

The F-22s also forward deployed from Germany to maximize training opportunities.

The 13th photo shows a U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon from the 480th Fighter Squadron, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany participate in a training sortie with F-22 Raptors Sept. 9, 2015, over the United Kingdom.

The 14th photo shows six F-22 Raptors from the 95th Fighter Squadron from Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., fly over the Gulf of Mexico Nov. 5, 2015 during a local training mission.

The group of six F-22s were part of a large group formation of 15 Raptor

The final photo shows two F-15 Eagles fly in formation with an F-22 Raptor April 24, 2008 during a support mission near Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.

The F-15s act as “aggressors” to replicate potential adversary air force capabilities, tactics, training and equipment.

Credit Photos: US Air Force

The video at the beginning of the article shows the F-22 and F-15 taking off in Southwest Asia are shown from the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing flightline.

The F-22 is from the 525 fighter squadron based at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, and the F-15 is from the fourth fighter wing, based at Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina.

Credit: 380th Air Expeditionary Wing

4/3/14

2015-11-13 By Robbin Laird

The first flight of Italian F-35 pilots occurred on November 5, 2015.

The two pilots flew a USAF and a RAAF jet. The flight aboard the Australian jet highlighted the role of the partners in the F-35 program, and a harbinger of things to come.

As the Italian pilots highlighted in an interview after the flights:

Question: You flew an Australian jet yesterday.  

You do not normally work with Australian pilots, but you will get to know them from the ground up as well as you train at Luke and fly each other’s jets.  

What is your sense of this dynamic? 

Answer: The young guys will grow up in a very advanced warfighting and multi-national environment because of this program. 

They will be used to not just working together from time to time in an exercise, but will build in common tactics from the ground up and help each other innovate as well. 

https://sldinfo.com/italy-and-two-historic-first-flights-in-2015-shaping-the-f-35-global-enterprise/

The partners, the USMC, the USN and the USAF is learning to fly their most advanced jet AT PRECISELY THE SAME TIME as key allies.

Put bluntly, rather than learning to fly WITH the U.S. services on different jets, the Italians and other F-35 nations are shaping common training, tactics and procedures for a global fleet FROM THE GROUND UP.

To get a sense from the Australian point of view of the event and it’s meaning, I had a chance to discuss the Australian experience with Group Captain Glen Beck, Director of the Air Combat Transition Office in the Royal Australian Air Force.

He is responsible for how the RAAF transitions its air combat elements, and is primarily focused on the introduction of the F-35 as well as the Growlers into the force. He is the senior F-35 pilot in the transition, which means that the pilots at Luke AFB involved in F-35 training report to him.

A bio of Group Captain Beck can be found at the end of the interview.

“The way we think about it is that we are not focused simply on the platforms but upon the evolution of air combat capabilities as we introduce the new platforms. It is about balancing the strengths over time of the various platforms and looking at balance and complementary capabilities among the air platforms, such as Super Hornet, F-35, Growler and Wedgetail.”

Question: How important is it to get in on the ground floor with the F-35 and working together with the partners?

Group Captain Beck: The model being shaped at Luke is standing up critical mass with integrated USAF and partner efforts. It is a much better model than several small groups nationally trying to work it out for themselves.

It also means that the users can speak with one voice about the development of the program, and what is working and what is not working.

This allows us to address ways to improve things like the working of ALIS, how the maintainers work together, how to maintain and sustain, how the spare parts pool can work more efficiently, how to improve IT support, etc.

The critical mass can work towards a common set of solutions, rather than everyone coming at it from very different angles.

This makes approaches to change more coherent.

It allows us to prioritize tasks to be dealt with at the project level as well in moving ahead with training.

Question: The Italian pilots highlighted the importance of sharing common TTPs. 

How important is this from your point of view?

Group Captain Beck: It is important to have shared understanding.

It is about the end state you are driving towards.

It is about interoperability for the warfighter.

If you can shape that understanding as you are learning the system then you are setting yourself up for better combat success in the future.

Question: How is the Luke AFB process helping shape this common approach?

Group Captain Beck: We are in the 61^st Fighter Squadron with the USAF.

The guys there are finding it relatively seamless working with the USAF in the squadron. We have many commonalities in how we train, think and operate.

As far as the Italians and the Norwegians at with the 62^nd Fighter Squadron working with the USAF.

We will have less day-to-day interactions with the Italians and Norwegians, but the way the program is set up you could have Australian instructors and students working with the 62^nd Fighter Squadron as well as the reverse.

http://flightlines.airforcetimes.com/2015/06/22/luke-stands-up-new-f-35-squadron/

We are working with the same curriculum and syllabus within the program.

Question: You are working critical mass not just from a pilot perspective but from the air systems perspective. 

Is that how to look at it?

Group Captain Beck: It is. Not everyone has enough jets at the beginning but by being part of a coalition critical mass they have access to more than simply their own national jets.

By putting the various national participants in a common pool you can accelerate learning and shape more effective solutions from the beginning.

And we are seeing a clear acceleration of this process, something not easily recognized by those not participating in the program.

And with the growing numbers of F-35 pilots and maintainers, you will bring fifth generation into the main stream. Rather than simply being a niche capability, it will become the mainstay for change for the air combat force.

It is going to become more of a day-to-day experience; it is going to become less “special” and more normal.

A lot of people don’t realize how much momentum we have in the program and we are rapidly achieving critical mass in the program.

This will be the premier fighter in the 21^st century; several nations will be using it; and sharing their combat experiences, and building an evolving capability over time. In my opinion, a lot of people are yet to think through what the impact of this will mean.

Question: And the capability of partners and allies to work through their own ways ahead will be enhanced as well.

How do you view the regional opportunities inherent in the program?

Group Captain Beck: There is a clear capability to work to build greater regional collaboration as well. Instead of a FMS approach to buying a US system, the F-35 is more of a global network of depots, suppliers and there are opportunities to collaborate as well regionally from an ownership of capability perspective.

Bio – Group Captain Glen Beck

Current Responsibilities 

The position of Director Air Combat Transition Office (DACTO) retains overall responsibility for coordination of the RAAF’s air combat transition composing F18F, F18G and JSF. DACTO is specifically responsible for introduction to service of the F-35A as a representative of the Capability Manager in the Australian JSF Division Integrated Project Team.

Previous Service

Group Captain Glen Beck was born in Melbourne in 1969. Upon completing high school he attended the University of Melbourne for one year before joining the RAAF in 1989. Group Captain Beck continued his studies at the Australian Defence Force Academy and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1990.

After completing No. 158 Pilot’s course, Group Captain Beck progressed to 3 SQN to fly the F/A-18. At the completion of his first flying tour he became a Qualified Flying Instructor and instructed at 2FTS in Pearce, followed by teaching F/A-18 conversion course at 2OCU.

In 2003 Group Captain Beck saw combat action over Iraq with 75 SQN, and shortly after returning became the Executive Officer (XO) at 3 SQN. In 2006 Group Captain Beck attended Staff College in Toronto, Canada, where he earned a Master of Defence Studies Degree. Upon returning to Australia he was promoted to Wing Commander and spent 2 years in Capability Development Group, doing fast jet project work in Canberra.

Group Captain Beck was appointed Commanding Officer of No. 77 Squadron from 30 June 2009 until 14 January 2013, for which he was awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross. He was promoted to Group Captain and appointed Chief of Staff for Air Combat Group for two years until his present DACTO role commenced in January 2015.

Group Captain Beck has approximately 4500 flying hours including more than 3000 on the F/A-18.

Editor’s Note: Group Captain Beck was involved in last year’s Cape North exercise which is discussed in this USAF piece published on 2/16/14.

By Tech. Sgt. Zachary Wilson Pacific Air Forces Public Affairs2/16/2014 – ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam  — More than 1,800 service members and approximately 50 aircraft from the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, Japan Air Self-Defense Force, Royal Australian Air Force and Republic of Korea Air Forces came together to kick off the 85th iteration of Pacific Air Forces’ Cope North exercise Feb. 14 on Andersen Air Force Base, Guam.The trilateral field training exercise features a full spectrum of fighters, bombers, transport, re-fueling and command and control aircraft from the U.S., JASDF, and RAAF designed to improve combat readiness, develop a synergistic disaster response, and increase interoperability between partner nations.Also as part of Cope North 14, Republic of Korea Air Force will join with the other nations to conduct humanitarian assistance and disaster relief training.”Cope North is a tremendous opportunity for nations in our region to train together at Andersen building a common set of tactics, techniques and procedures” said Brig. Gen. Steven Garland, 36th Wing Commander. “We live in a very dynamic region of the world and the Airmen participating this year in our largest Cope North to date, all recognize the value provided to the region from great team work.” The flexibility and rapid response exhibited during the recent Philippine typhoon relief effort of Operation Damayan underscores the value of training opportunities during times of relative calm so nations are prepared to respond in times of crisis to support their nation,” said Garland. Exercise directors representing each nation’s component all remarked on the uniqueness and quality of Andersen’s infrastructure, facilities and the Central Marianas airspace the units will use during the two-week exercise. “We have great facilities, great airspace here and this exercise is all about getting better, learning from each other and doing it safely,” said Col. John Parker, U.S. Cope North exercise director and 35th Operations Group commander at Misawa Air Base, Japan. The three participating countries each feature an exercise director, leadership teams, planning sections, aviators, maintenance and other support members, said Maj. Micah Bell, an exercise planner from 5th Air Force at Misawa. Through interoperability, the three teams each assume the lead on various operations throughout the exercise and work closely with their counter-parts. “Interoperability is a word that gets used often during this exercise,” he said. “We take that very literally; we want to not only get safe, effective training, but also want to learn from our partners and share lessons learned.” The exercise is unique in that it combines air-to-air and air-to-ground combat training with allied partners and additionally incorporates a humanitarian aid and disaster response portion concurrently. “We live in a region with lots of natural disasters,” said Group Capt. Glen Beck, RAAF exercise director. “The (Australian Air Force) isn’t very large so we are always grateful for training opportunities; this is the largest international exercise we do and it’s definitely the largest footprint.” Col. Hiroshi Kurata, serving as exercise director for JASDF, noted the significance of both training for disaster and building professional relationships. “It’s been three years since the earthquake hit eastern Japan and I appreciate all the support and cooperation we received during Operation Tomodachi,” he said. “Additionally, I ask three things from all in attendance here: Do your best, enjoy your job and make as many friends as possible.”

http://www.andersen.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123400490

2015-11-14 The first two Norwegian F-35 aircraft are seen arriving at Luke AFB, AZ and the first Royal Norwegian Air Force F-35 student pilot’s initial flight as well in the video below.

Norway is one of the F-35 partner nations currently training pilots at Luke AFB.

The two Norwegian F-35 jets arrived from the Lockheed Martin plant at Ft. Worth, TX and will join the 62nd Fighter Squadron which is training both Norwegian and Italian pilots in addition to US pilots.

Maj. Morten Hanche of the Royal Norwegian Air Force also did his initial F-35 flight and is the first Norwegian student to complete F-35 training at Luke AFB.

Both events took place on Nov. 10th, which is the birthday of the Royal Norwegian Air Force.

Norwegians at Luke AFB: First Norwegian F-35s Arrive from SldInfo.com on Vimeo.

Credit: 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

11/10/15

According to a piece by Senior Airman Grace Lee of the 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs published on 11/10/15:

The first two Norwegian F-35s arrived today at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz. Shortly after, a Norwegian pilot flew the F-35 Lightning II for the first time today, in conjunction with the Royal Norwegian air force’s birthday.

The F-35 program took its first step forward integrating partner nations with the arrival of the first Australian F-35 Dec. 18, 2014, at Luke. Almost a year later the next big international step for the program came when two Italian pilots completed their first flight in an F-35 Nov. 5 here.

This marks the second international partner to have F-35s arrive for training at Luke.

“Today is a great day for the 62nd Fighter Squadron, the 56th Fighter Wing, and the U.S. and Norwegian air forces,” said Lt. Col. Gregory Frana, 62nd FS commander. “Since the 62nd FS stood up as an F-35 squadron back in June of 2015, we have been focused on training the world’s best F-35 pilots. Today, as we accept our first partner aircraft into the squadron, we are one step closer to fulfilling our mission of training the best F-35 pilots from around the world.”

The day was a result of the combined efforts of the U.S. and its Norwegian partners.

“Over the past few months we have been working closely with our Norwegian partners to ensure that we are ready to receive and fly the most technologically advanced aircraft the world has ever seen,” Frana said. “Today is the result of a monumental team effort, but the effort will not stop here. The effort will continue as the U.S. and our partners bring the F-35 to initial operational capability and utilize this amazing machine to strengthen alliances and defend our national interests.”

Similar to the partnership Norway had with the U.S. and other partner nations with the F-16, the F-35 partnership will make for an unstoppable force.

“When it comes to the partnership, we see a very good transfer from our experience with the F-16 to the F-35,” said Royal Norwegian air force Maj. Morten Hanche, 62nd FS training pilot. “Working with the same and some new partners, will allow us the same benefits. Also, it will allow us to easily integrate and operate together as one force. This is because we train together, we know each other and we keep it very similar.”

Eight other nations will be training alongside the U.S. on the new airframe. Other partner nations that will be joining the U.S., Norway and Australia in the F-35 training program here will be Turkey, Italy, and the Netherlands, in addition to Foreign Military Sales countries Japan, Korea and Israel.

“When the F-35 deploys in the future, it will be alongside our Norwegian partners,” said Brig. Gen. Scott Pleus, 56th FW commander. “The relationships built here in the West Valley will be critical to both our nations as we move forward. Building partnership activities is priceless as the Air Force reinforces long-established bonds and cultivates new friendships through training opportunities, exercises and military-to-military events.”

Luke currently has 32 F-35s and by 2024, Luke is scheduled to have six fighter squadrons and 144 F-35s. Norway will have seven F-35s stationed at Luke.

Recently, two Italian pilots flew a USAF and a RAAF F-35 as part of their training at Luke AFB.

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The USAF is learning to fly its most advanced jet AT PRECISELY THE SAME TIME as key allies. Rather than simply learning to fly WITH the USAF on different jets, the Italians and other F-35 nations are shaping common training, tactics and procedures for a global fleet FROM THE GROUND UP.

As one of the Italian pilots put it:

Question: You flew an Australian jet yesterday.  

You do not normally work with Australian pilots, but you will get to know them from the ground up as well as you train at Luke and fly each other’s jets.  

What is your sense of this dynamic? 

Answer: The young guys will grow up in a very advanced warfighting and multi-national environment because of this program. 

They will be used to not just working together from time to time in an exercise, but will build in common tactics from the ground up and help each other innovate as well.

The impact of the joint training from the ground up was highlighted by Group Captain Glen Beck, Director of the Air Combat Transition Office in the Royal Australian Air Force.

Question: You are working critical mass not just from a pilot perspective but from the air systems perspective.  

Is that how to look at it? 

Group Captain Beck: It is. Not everyone has enough jets at the beginning but by being part of a coalition critical mass they have access to more than simply their own national jets. 

By putting the various national participants in a common pool you can accelerate learning and shape more effective solutions from the beginning. 

And we are seeing a clear acceleration of this process, something not easily recognized by those not participating in the program. 

And with the growing numbers of F-35 pilots and maintainers, you will bring fifth generation into the main stream. Rather than simply being a niche capability, it will become the mainstay for change for the air combat force. 

It is going to become more of a day-to-day experience; it is going to become less “special” and more normal. 

A lot of people don’t realize how much momentum we have in the program and we are rapidly achieving critical mass in the program. 

This will be the premier fighter in the 21st century; several nations will be using it; and sharing their combat experiences, and building an evolving capability over time. In my opinion, a lot of people are yet to think through what the impact of this will mean. 

What follows is the Norwegian judgment about receiving their first F-35 in late September 2015.

On Tuesday 22 September, the first Norwegian F-35 was officially presented in Texas. This marks the beginning of a new era for the Norwegian Armed Forces.

The aircraft was rolled out in front of some 300 prominent guests in Lockheed Martin’s aircraft final finishes hall in Fort Worth, Texas. Among the guests were Norwegian Minister of Defence, Ine Eriksen Søreide, and Chief of Defence, Admiral Haakon Bruun-Hanssen.

 “This is a joyful day for us all. This shows that we are modernising our defence, and that is an important part of our activity,” said the Admiral.

 ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY

Norway has decided to buy up to 52 new F-35A multirole fighters within 2025. The jets will replace today’s F-16 fighters gradually from 2019. The F-35s, however, are more than just a replacement for today’s Norwegian fighters. 

“This jet’s combat capability is significantly better than the F-16’s. The advanced stealth technology increases its survivability and makes it easier to get close to an opponent without being detected. Also, the weapon systems have a significantly longer range than we have on the F-16s,” Bruun-Hanssen said.

NORWEGIAN MISSILE

 In her speech, Norwegian Minister of Defence Ine Eriksen Søreide, pointed out the long-lasting and close relationship between Norway and the USA. 

Several Norwegian companies have also contributed to the development and construction of the F-35s. Among them is Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, which has developed the Joint Strike Missile in cooperation with the Norwegian Armed Forces. The missile will be integrated in the Norwegian F-35s.

 STAYS IN THE USA

 During the ceremony, the internationally renowned Norwegian trumpeter Ole Edvard Antonsen played his song “Vidda” (the mountain plateau in English). Antonsen wrote the song after being a passenger on board an F-16. 

The building of Norway’s first F-35 started in September 2013. After some final testing it will fly to Luke Air Force Base in Arizona in November. Norway’s second F-35 is soon to be completed, and in 2016, Norway’s next two jets will be completed. The first four Norwegian jets will all be based at Luke, where the training and education of Norwegian F-35 pilots will be carried out.

 A VITAL CAPACITY

The first Norwegian F-35 is scheduled to land in Norway in 2017, a milestone that the Chief of Defence is looking very much forward to:

 “Absolutely. The F-35 is one of the most important platforms in tomorrow’s Norwegian defence.

We build most of our defence around the F-35s, and all the capacities in this jet,” said the Admiral.

The photos in the slideshow highlight the arrival of the Norwegian F-35 jets at Luke AFB.

The first photo shows the second Norwegian F-35 Lightning II touches down at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., Nov. 10, 2015. The jet marks the scheduled arrival of the first of two F-35s for the Royal Norwegian Air Force, making Norway the newest partner in the international F-35 joint-partnership program at Luke.

The second photo shows Maj. Gen. Morten Klever, the program director of the Norwegian F-35 program, accepts the first two Norwegian F-35 Lightning IIs after they arrived at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., Nov. 10, 2015. Shortly after, a Norwegian pilot flew the F-35 for the first time, in conjunction with the Royal Norwegian Air Force’s birthday.

The third photo shows Norway’s first F-35 Lightning II taxis to the parking ramp Nov. 11, 2015, at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz.

The final photos shows Royal Norwegian Air Force Maj. Morten Hanche, a 62nd Fighter Squadron training pilot, prepares for his first F-35 Lightning ll flight Nov. 10, 2015, at Luke Air Force Base.

Credit Photos: USAF