The “Standing NATO Mine Counter Measures Group One Change of Command

Posted on | by Robbin Laird
01/22/2015

2015-01-22  Murielle Delaporte, the Co-Founder of Second Line of Defense and the editor of Operationnels SLDS, is currently with one of the two NATO counter-mining groups. Her full report will appear on the Operationnels website and magazine.

The change of command of the group is held twice a year and Dutch Navy Commander Peter A.J. Bergen Henegouwen is now the Commander of the SNMCMG1, replacing Lithuanian Navy Commander Premeneckas.

It was the first time Lithuania was commanding this naval group, which was just reactivated given the Ukrainian crisis.

“Lithuanian Navy Commander Giedrius Premeneckas has been the commander of the group since August 2014, and the Lithuanian Navy ship the LNS Jotvingis has functioned as the flagship” says HQ MARCOM news release.

Lithuanian Flagship

The Standing NATO Mine Counter-Measures Group ONE (SNMCMG1) will include a total of seven ships.

In addition to the German flagship FGS Donau, from which the Dutch CO will be commanding the group,  the BNS Lobellia (Belgium),  the HMS Pembroke (UK) and the FGS Auerbach (Germany) are to leave the Dutch military harbour Den Helder.

Three other ships from the Netherlands, Poland and Norway will join the group later on.

Hand-over ceremony in Den Helder NETHERLANDS - Commodore Minderhoud offering a NATO flag to new COM SNMCMG1 Commander Bergen Henegouwen - 22 JAN 2015 photo by WO C.ARTIGUES (HQ MARCOM). Lithuanian Navy Commander Giedrius Premeneckas handed over command of Standing NATO Mine Counter-Measures Group one (SNMCMG1) to Dutch Navy Commander Peter A.J. Bergen Henegouwen during a brief Ceremony conducted by NATO Allied Maritime Command's deputy Chief of Staff Operations Commodore Arian Minderhoud. Credit: NATO
Hand-over ceremony in Den Helder NETHERLANDS – Commodore Minderhoud offering a NATO flag to new COM SNMCMG1 Commander Bergen Henegouwen – 22 JAN 2015 photo by WO C.ARTIGUES (HQ MARCOM). Lithuanian Navy Commander Giedrius Premeneckas handed over command of Standing NATO Mine Counter-Measures Group one (SNMCMG1) to Dutch Navy Commander Peter A.J. Bergen Henegouwen during a brief Ceremony conducted by NATO Allied Maritime Command’s deputy Chief of Staff Operations Commodore Arian Minderhoud. Credit: NATO 

“SNMCMG1 has been a critical asset for the Alliance in the past year, playing a major role in providing maritime situational awareness, and in providing assurance to Allies of NATO’s commitment to collective defence,” said Commodore Minderhoud.

“We are very proud of the outstanding job Commander Premeneckas and his team have done these past six months in rising to every challenge, and we look forward to continued great work under Dutch command, as SNMCMG1 will continue to play an important role in sustained assurance measures in 2015.”

According to a story on the MARCOM website, some additional data was provided with regard to the past deployment.

Commander Premeneckas took command of the Group on August 7 during a port visit to Klaipeda, Lithuania. 

This deployment marked the first time that one of the Baltic States commanded one of NATO’s four Standing Naval Forces. 

During his time in command, the Group participated in a number of large-scale multinational exercises, including the Finnish Navy-led NORTHERN COASTS 2014 and the Royal Navy-led joint forces exercise JOINT WARRIOR 2014.  

The Group’s ships also put their specialized skills and equipment to use conducting historic ordnance disposal operations off the French coast, clearing mines dating back to World War I and II in an effort to make the waters safer for all who use them.

“I am grateful to the Commanding Officers and crews, staff personnel of SNMCMG1 for their professionalism and dedication serving under my command,” said Commander Premeneckas.

“All our achievements surely have to be credited to their exceptional team work, and I would feel privileged having a chance to serve with them in the future.”

The Group also visited numerous ports in the Baltic, demonstrating Alliance commitment to collective defense with visits to Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania, and strengthening partnerships with a visit to Finland. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shaping Flexible C2 at Sea: The Role of Flexible Infrastructure

Posted on | by Robbin Laird
01/21/2015

2015-01-22 Second Line of Defense visited the next generation carrier CVN 78 (Gerald R. Ford) on January 9, 2015.

We had a chance to interview the Skipper of the ship, Captain John Meier, and afterwards tour the ship with the Captain and senior construction personnel.

We will publish the interview with the Skipper next week, but this week will publish three interviews conducted during the visit that highlight innovations and changes associated with the new class of carriers.

We noted earlier:

The ship is designed as well to allow for a very flexible approach to future innovations.

But the most significant change associated with the ship can only be partially seen in our photos, for the combat systems areas are not photographed nor the new command post areas. 

The significant computational power aboard the ship with a very powerful C2 system, new radars with significant capability to support the enhanced C2, plus a very unnoticed innovation whereby flexible command posts can be configured rapidly aboard the ship to support a diversity of missions, all add up to a very different type of carrier.

This carrier can operate much more than as a contribution to a strike mission; and much more as a joint and coalition C2 enabler, and one which could operate to shape a regional engagement force. 

It is clear that a key aspect of CVN 78 is its potential role as a very flexible C2 at sea command platform.

The technology inherent in the ship provides for such a possibility, and is discussed with the Skipper of the ship in a separate interview.

The USS Gerald Ford unders construction. Credit: USN
TCVN 78 under construction. Credit: USN

But less obvious is the capability to use the physical structure of the ship to put in place a variety of command spaces for USN, joint or coalition forces to come onboard and to work together for exercises or operations.

When visiting the ship, we discussed what the CVN 78 team calls “flexible infrastructure” on board the ship with Chris Howell, Combat Systems Construction Supervisor.

Question: What is flexible infrastructure aboard the USS Gerald Ford?

Howell:  There are currently 19 components on the ship that contain flexible infrastructure and flexible infrastructure contains three elements, a deck system, an overhead system, and a bulkhead system.

The deck system and the overhead system are both designed and shipboard qualified by Newport News.

The bulkhead track system uses a commercially available track.

What this has done is given us the flexibility — therefore flexible infrastructure — in designing or layout of the combat command spaces on the ship.

There are one-inch increments in the slotted overhead and deck track.

The overhead is set on two-foot centers and the deck track spacing is on one foot centers.

This allows for infinite flexibility and layout of the space.

We’ve allowed for the layout whether it’s furniture, equipment racks, lighting, and ventilation, anything that would mount in this space can be mounted with bolts.

There’s no welding involved.

There are no hard mounts once it’s put on the track system.

Everything can be reconfigured.

Question: So you can move a variety of equipment into the rooms, and fit the room and the equipment together so to speak dependent on who is using the C2 space?

Howell: That is correct.

It’s not unlike an airliner.

The airliners can adjust the legroom of how many people you want to carry in the plane.

We are using exactly the same concept, but we are doing so with regard to workspace.

One can put chairs or desks or workstations into the space as makes sense for your C2 work area.

There’s another element with that too on the ventilation side, which allows you to cool your electronic equipment.

You’ll notice the two big vent trunks on the starboard bulkhead coming down from the overhead.

This is the supply ventilation trunk that feeds under the deck that is distributed through thermostatically controlled louvers controlled by the ventilation control panel.

The diffusers can be moved around the room. You can actually move the ventilation to blow closer to that heat load.

The return vent system is in the overhead.

There will be louvers in the overhead ceiling tiles that can be reconfigured to pull the heat off of the equipment.

Not only can we cool it from underneath, we’re going to pull the heat out through the overhead.

It’s inherently much easier to change or alter a compartment without having to come into a shipyard for major rework with welding and other hotwork, and it can be done in fairly short order.

Question: How rapidly?

Howell: Recently, the innovation center tested the concept and was able to do a reconfiguration during lunchtime.

The innovation center has a mock up with three rooms like this one to work with.

The cost of the system to build in flexibility is higher up front, but the downstream costs are much less as you can reconfigure onboard the ship without shipyard reconfiguration costs.

Editor’s Note: Huntington Ingalls described flexible infrastructure as follows:

Flexible infrastructure architecture that allows spaces to be adaptable to rapid changes without the use of “hot work.”

It eases compartment reconfiguration to support changing missions, maximizes time for technology development prior to equipment installation, and eliminates cost and schedule impacts associated with the traditional conflicts from rework.

Ford-class technology – Newport News Shipbuilding

For an engineering look at the reconfigurable command spaces approach adopted by the USS Gerald Ford, see the following:

Reconfigurable Command Spaces

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Egypt Diversifies its Arms Suppliers

Posted on | by Robbin Laird
01/20/2015

2015-01-20  Egypt is interested in procuring 20 Rafale fighter jets as well as two FREMM frigates from France in a potential deal worth nearly six billion euros.

French newspaper La Tribune reported that France has offered two DCNS FREMM multi-mission frigates worth 1.8 billion euros and 20 Dassault Rafales worth 3.6 billion euros, with representatives from the companies visiting Egypt this week to promote the deal.

La Tribune quotes ‘reliable sources’ as saying the deals could be finalised soon, with contracts signed in the coming weeks. MBDA would supply missiles for both the ships and aircraft.

Egypt apparently expressed interest in up to 24 Rafales in September last year during a visit by French defense minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. The country had originally shown interest in the Rafale in 2011 during the Arab Spring.

Rafale Fighter, Credit: defenceWeb
Rafale Fighter, Credit: defenceWeb

The Egyptian military has fairly close ties with France, and operates French equipment such as vehicles and around 18 Mirage 2000 fighters. The country recently ordered four Gowind 2500 corvettes from France, which will deliver one and build the remaining three in Egypt.

As a result of the U.S. suspension of some of its $1.3 billion in annual military aid following the ouster of President Mohamed Mursi by the military in July 2013, Egypt has looked elsewhere to meet its military needs, notably Russia. In September, Alexander Fomin, Russia’s chief of Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, said Egypt had agreed to a $3.5 billion arms deal that includes fighter jets, surface-to-air missiles, submarines and other equipment.

Russian defense industry official Sergei Chemezov earlier told RIA Novosti that arms exports to Egypt would include deliveries of small arms, air defence systems and artillery.

Russia earlier expressed interest in MiG-29/35 fighters, Mi-35 attack helicopters and other hardware.

Presumably part of the deal, Egypt is buying S-300VM air defense systems from Almaz Antey for around $500 million. This is according to Russian daily Vedomosti.

The Fontanka newspaper earlier this month reported that a factory in St Petersburg was building 22 tracked vehicles used with the S-300VM for an unidentified foreign customer.

Reprinted with the permission of our partner defenceWeb

http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=37606:egypt-interested-in-purchasing-rafale-fighters-fremm-frigates&catid=35:Aerospace&Itemid=107

 

 

 

 

Cameroon Diversifies Arms Suppliers: Russia Added to the Mix

Posted on | by Robbin Laird

2015-01-20 Cameroon will this year receive artillery, missiles, armored trucks and other weapons from Russia, according to the country’s government.

Russia’s ambassador Nikolay Ratsiborinskiy met with President Paul Biya on January 16 and discussed a number of issues.

In a statement released after the meeting, the president’s office said that, “By the end of the year, the Cameroonian army will be equipped with the most sophisticated military equipment from Russia.

This will include other latest generation of weapons, heavy artillery, including missiles, air protection, anti-aircraft missile system, and cannon.

Armored trucks of Russian production will also be delivered to Cameroon to transport troops. To ensure proper use of this equipment, Russia is ready to welcome the young Cameroonians for the training of civilian and military specialists.”

Russian T-90. Credit: defenceWeb
Russian T-90. Credit: defenceWeb

Cameroon has increased its defence budget as it attempts to deal with Boko Haram militants carrying out raids in its territory.

According to figures obtained by IHS Janes from a Cameroonian defence official, the Ministry of Defence’s budget will grow from CFA198.5 billion ($355 million) in 2014 to CFA212 billion ($376 million) in 2015.

After taking into account inflation of 2.7%, this works out as an increase of $16 million in real terms.

At the end of last year, Cameroon became the first country outside of Nigeria to launch coordinated air strikes against Boko Haram. According to Reuters, about a thousand Jihadists had entered the country, “attacking five villages and temporarily seizing a Cameroonian military base”.

“Fighter planes went into action for the first time since the start of the conflict,” Cameroonian Communications Minister Issa Tchiroma Bakary told Al Jazeera. “Militants were driven out after two strikes and heavy fire”, he added. Later on President Biya reportedly deployed more than 1 000 troops to the Nigerian border to fortify against follow-up attacks.

Meanwhile, neighbouring Chad has agreed to send troops to Cameroon to combat Boko Haram.

If Cameroon does indeed receive weapons from Russia, it will be a shift away from China, which is supplying a significant amount of hardware to the West African nation, such as two P-108 patrol vessels being built by Poly Technologies.

In May last year Cameroon unveiled a variety of new Chinese hardware, including Type 07P infantry fighting vehicles and PTL-02-type tank destroyers.

Apparently Germany has provided over a 100 military vehicles to Cameroon to help it fight Boko Haram militants. Cameroon’s forces are gradually being re-equipped – for example in August 2013 Cameroon ordered Mi-17 helicopters from Russia and in July that year received a CN235-300 medium transport from Airbus.

A French OPV-54 patrol craft was delivered in 2012 while two Aresa-320 patrol boats from Spain were delivered last year.

Reprinted with the permission of our partner defenceWeb

http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=37607:cameroon-to-receive-russian-weapons&catid=50:Land&Itemid=105

 

 

 

 

 

 

F-35 and F-22 Operational Integration Training Mission

Posted on | by Robbin Laird
01/19/2015

2015-01-19 Although the F-22 and F-35 have flown together previously, now training to bring together the core competencies of the two systems into a coherent combat force has begun.

As the former head of the Air Combat Command put it in an interview with Second Line of Defense:

People focus on stealth as the determining factor or delineator of the fifth generation, it isn’t, it’s fusion.  Fusion is what makes that platform so fundamentally different than anything else. And that’s why if anybody tries to tell you hey, I got a 4.5 airplane, a 4.8 airplane, don’t believe them.  All that they’re talking about is RCS (Radar Cross Section).

Fusion is the fundamental delineator. 

And you’re not going to put fusion into a fourth gen airplane because their avionic suites are not set up to be a fused platform.  And fusion changes how you use the platform.

What I figured out is I would tell my Raptors, I don’t want a single airplane firing a single piece of ordinance until every other fourth gen airplane is Winchester.  Because the SA right now that the fifth gen has is such a leveraging capability that I want my tactics set up to where my fourth gen expend their ordinance using the SA that the fifth gen provides, the fifth gen could then mop up, and then protect everybody coming in the next wave.

F-22 Raptors from the 94th Fighter Squadron, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, and F-35A Lightning IIs from the 58th Fighter Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, fly in formation after completing an integration training mission over the Eglin Training Range, Florida, Nov. 5, 2014. It was the first operational integration training mission for the Air Force’s fifth generation aircraft. The F-35s and F-22s flew offensive counter air, defensive counter air and interdiction missions together, employing tactics to maximize their fifth-generation capabilities. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Shane A. Cuomo)
F-22 Raptors from the 94th Fighter Squadron, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, and F-35A Lightning IIs from the 58th Fighter Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, fly in formation after completing an integration training mission over the Eglin Training Range, Florida, Nov. 5, 2014. It was the first operational integration training mission for the Air Force’s fifth generation aircraft. The F-35s and F-22s flew offensive counter air, defensive counter air and interdiction missions together, employing tactics to maximize their fifth-generation capabilities. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Shane A. Cuomo)

It’s radically changing how we fight on the battlefield.….

Question: One of the concepts we’ve played with was what we called the S Cubed, which is the tradeoffs between sensors, stealth, and speed. 

And how you played them off against one another. 

Does that make sense?

General Hostage: It does. I think an excellent portrayal of the value of looking at the interaction of those parameters is to examine Raptor versus the Lightning.  A Raptor at 50-plus thousand feet at Mach 2 with its RCS has a different level of invulnerability than a Lightning at 35,000 at Mach .9 and it’s RCS.

The altitude, speed, and stealth combined in the two platforms, they give the airplanes two completely different levels of capability.  The plan is to normalize the Lightning’s capability relative to the Raptor by marrying it up with six, or seven, or eight other Lightnings.

The advanced fusion of the F-35 versus the F-22 means those airplanes have an equal level or better level of invulnerability than the Raptors have, but it takes multiple airplanes to do it because of the synergistic fused attacks of their weapon systems.

And that’s the magic of the fifth gen F-35, but it takes numbers of F-35s to get that effect, that’s why I’ve been so strident on getting the full buy.  Because if they whittle it down to a little tiny fleet like the Raptor, it’s not going to be compelling…..

The Raptor brings a significant force protection capability to an overall air combat force, as seen in the operations over Syria and Iraq.  And the Raptor has trained with legacy aircraft like the Eurofighter and with the SA which the Raptor brings to the fight, according to an RAF pilot involved in Typhoon-Raptor exercises, “the F-22 enhances the lethality and surviability of Typhoon.”

Now two SA platforms are being brought together and in the case of the F-35 the fusion systems are even more advanced than the Raptor.

https://sldinfo.com/ffifth-generation-combat-training-f-35s-and-f-22s-train-for-joint-air-ops/

In a story publishedStaff by Sgt. Marleah Robertson, 33rd Fighter Wing on November 19, 2014:

11/19/2014 – EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. — The U.S. Air Force deployed four F-22 Raptors from Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, to Eglin Air Force Base, earlier this month for the unit’s first operational integration training mission with the F-35A Lightning II assigned to the 33rd Fighter Wing here.

The purpose of the training was to improve integrated employment of fifth-generation assets and tactics. The training allowed both units to gain operational familiarization and capture lessons learned to improve future exercises.

“When the F-22 and F-35 come together, it brings out the strength of both airplanes,” said Lt. Col. Matt Renbarger, F-35 pilot and 58th Fighter Squadron commander. “The F-22 was built to be an air-to-air superiority fighter and the F-35 was built to be a strike fighter. These airplanes complement each other and we’re trying to learn how to take that from a design perspective into a tactical arena and be the most effective combat team we can be working with the F-22s.”

The F-35s and F-22s flew offensive counter air, defensive counter air and interdiction missions together, exploring ways to maximize their fifth-generation capabilities.

“The missions started with basic air-to-air and surface attacks,” said Maj. Steven Frodsham, F-22 pilot and 149th Fighter Squadron, Virginia Air National Guard, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia. “As the training progressed, the missions developed into more advanced escort and defensive counter air fifth-generation integration missions.”

The Air Force recently employed fifth-generation combat airpower for the first time against the self-proclaimed Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant during the most recent joint coalition campaign. The ground strike was the F-22 Raptor’s combat debut, demonstrating the decisive impact fifth-generation capabilities bring to real-world scenarios.

Like the F-35, the F-22 brings an unrivaled stealth capability to the fight. However, as seen in the recent employment in Syria, it’s the aircraft’s ability to provide heightened situational awareness to other aircraft through the platform’s integrated avionics and fused sensors – often referred to as “fusion” – that makes all the aircraft in the strike package more lethal and survivable, maximizing the full capabilities of airpower.

“Fusion and stealth – those are the two things that fifth-generation aircraft bring to the fight,” said Renbarger. “It’s all of those sensors coming in to give me that fused battle picture that I have displayed in my cockpit along with fifth-generation stealth that enables me to go undetected into the battlefield with that high situational awareness to do what I need to do for the fight.”

The F-22 sparked the Air Force’s fourth-to-fifth generation integration efforts. Now that the F-35 program is moving closer to its initial operational capability, it too can begin to integrate with the fourth-generation systems as well as its fifth-generation F-22 counterpart.

“The F-22 and F-35 squadrons integrated very well,” said Frodsham. “The lessons learned and tactics developed from this training opportunity will help to form the foundation for future growth in our combined fifth-generation fighter tactics.”

Transforming the Royal Australian Air Force’s Sustainable Reach: The Key Role of the RAAF’s Air Mobility Group

Posted on | by Robbin Laird
01/17/2015

2015-01-17 By Robbin Laird

The Royal Australian Air Force is in the throes of significant modernization.

As I wrote during my visit earlier this year to Australia about the process of change:

The Aussies entered the 21st century with an aging Air Force. The silver lining in that difficult position is that as the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) began to modernize, they could do so within the context of new 21st century capabilities.

The process really began by adding the C-17, which was at the end of its production run, but introduced a new lift capability for the force.  The reach, range and lift performance of the aircraft was important for the Afghan engagement, but will become a key asset as the Aussies focus primarily on Pacific defense.

The new A330MRTT tanker is the next piece.  The impact of the tanker, which is refuelable, will be significant in allowing the Aussies (individually and in terms of coalition contributions) to engage with extended reach, range and endurance in the Pacific.

With the RAAF self-deployment from Australia to engage in the air strikes against ISI, a visible change in capability is apparent. 

A key element in this process of change is the transformed role of the Air Mobility Group. In early January 2015, I had a chance to discuss the process of change with the commander of the Air Mobility Gorup, Air Commodore Warren McDonald (whose bio can be seen in the PDF included below).

Air Commodore Warren McDonald

Question; On April 1, 2014, your command changed its name from Airlift Group (ALG) to Air Mobility Group (AMG). 

You have gone from the Caribou/C-130 package to now a more comprehensive mobility package of C-130Js, C-27Js, C-17s and KC-30As which clearly is the material foundation for shifting the name, but how best to understand the transition?

Air Commodore McDonald: The shift was motivated in large because of the reintroduction of Air to Air Refueling (AAR) through the KC-30A and the growing maturity of this platform. 

The shift also highlights the expansion of AMG capabilities of roles within the RAAF.

Renaming the Group signaled an important change to the focus of AMG and the way ahead. The name change also aligns us with naming conventions of both the RAF and USAF Air Mobility commands.

Question: The basic change has been core lift to move personnel and equipment to extended range sustainment of the RAAF and the Australian forces, isn’t it?

Air Commodore McDonald: Correct.  AMG now has considerable capacity, sustainability, speed and reach.

The sheer capacity of our AAR assets and heavy lift platforms has fundamentally changed the landscape of Air Mobility within Air Force.

Question: The movement of the RAAF from Australia to Iraq was a major statement about the self-deployment capability of the RAAF enabled by the AMG.  Could you describe this effort?

Air Commodore McDonald: This was a defining moment for the RAAF and really the first time we self deployed an air combat package, equipment and personnel over such a long distance and in such a short period of time.

The maturing of the KC-30A was the game changer, in conjunction with our heavy lift fleet.

As you know from visiting the KC-30A squadron earlier this year, we have been very focused on assembling a combat focused capability piece by piece.

This has not been without its challenges, as the KC-30A still has a foot in both the operational space and project space.

However, both the project and operational teams are working the issues collegiately.

Operation Okra has accelerated the maturing process of the KC-30A. 

At the end of 2013, the squadron was transferred from a project focused Transition Team to Number 86 Wing – and in doing so was placed directly into the hands of the war fighter. In 2014 the Wing, in conjunction with the project office,  addressed the training and key operational issues that were preventing the full utilization of the KC-30A.

The shift in operational focus, as a result of transferring the KC-30A to the Wing, is reflected in the increase in AAR from 40% to 75%.

The deployment to the Middle East has also accelerated the certification of aircraft able to be tanked by the KC-30A.

In three months, we have dramatically increased the number of aircraft certified. 

This would not have happened without the press of events and the operational tempo associated with the deployment.

It is the tanker of choice in Iraq we are being told by coalition partners.

Question: The KC-30A has been doing hose and drogue refueling but what is the status of the boom and its coming into service with the KC-30A?

Air Commodore McDonald: In July last year boom testing was successfully completed in Spain.

We are now close to achieving a Special Flight Permit that will enable boom operation for the RAAF.

To secure an SFP, an Airworthiness Board (AWB) will be convened in late March, which will review the overall status of the KC-30A, and we are confident that a favorable outcome will result.

The boom was assessed as having flying handling qualities of 1 across almost all of the envelope, with an evaluation of 2 in a small area – 1 is the highest ranking and 10 is the lowest, so you can see we have a quality product here.

Of the two aircraft still in Spain one will return in February and the other in March.

After clearance from the AWB, both aircraft will finalize upgrades and begin flying in late April.

Some other software changes and modifications will be made over that same period.

Question: The RAAF is really the launch customer for the KC-30A, which has its advantages, and challenges for you.

Air Commodore McDonald: By being at the cutting edge with this tanker we have learnt a lot of lessons in the engineering and technical capabilities space.

Any large project has its challenges, however, the rewards are evident in the ability of Air Force to now deploy our own forces the Middle East and contribute to the global coalition.

The challenge now for AMG is to smoothly introduce the boom AAR capability, as this method of AAR will progressively rise in importance as we approach the end of the decade.

The reason for the increased importance of the boom is reflected in the shift that Air Force will make away from hose and drogue being the primary method of AAR to that of the boom.

This shift is driven primarily by the introduction of the F-35 into Air Force and as more boom refueled aircraft enter service.

Indeed, the KC-30A is an essential partner for the introduction of the F-35.

Question: In the Iraqi operation, the RAAF has deployed the Wedgetail and the KC-30A and this gives your new capabilities exposure.

And one can assume that through the combined use of the KC-30A and the Wedgetail that the KC-30A could contribute more to the battlespace than just an AAR capability in the future?

Air Commodore McDonald: That is certainly true.

And as we go forward, the excess of space, weight and power that resides in the KC-30A lends itself to the introduction of capabilities that can work effectively with combat aircraft and the Wedgetail.

In the future, the KC-30A will clearly be used as a communication node in the battlespace and thereby compliment the capabilities of the Wedgetail.

Question: Murielle Delaporte interviewed your counterpart in France, and the focus was on the coming of the A400M.

The French General made the point that the coming of the new platform allows him to re-think how to use his other assets differently and going forward how to think about modernization of the legacy assets.

Are you doing the same as the C-17 and KC-30A have come into the force?

Air Commodore McDonald: We are.

The Chief of Air Force has set the foundations for Plan Jericho, which looks at the interactivity and connectivity of key platforms in the RAAF and how best to transform Air Force to meet future operational needs.

Obviously, AMG is a key part of this effort.

We are looking not at just adding lift and tanking capabilities but are focused on how these traditional assets can connect to our forces in the battlespace and provided enhanced C2 and situational awareness for Australian and coalition warfighters.

We currently have disparate levels of communication capabilities across each platform within AMG.

To address this shortfall we are installing satellite links in 12 C-130Js by the end of 2016.

We are also working the ground station piece and are focused on having an AMG control center able to know where our aircraft are at all times in order to better support the force.

Similiarly, we are focused on shaping a more effective rapid air tasking capability across the fleet and to do so we are adding significant situational awareness capabilities across our aircraft. 

In doing so we will provide a very wide range of options for decision makers.

To your point about recrafting legacy assets as new air mobility aircraft enter service, the C-130J is a good example.

With broader lift needs now being met by the C-17s and the KC-30As we have the capacity to better tailor our training and capabilities, in the C-130J, to the needs of the Special Forces.

We will also extend this reshaping to the C-17A and the C-27J.

And as we move forward with the KC-30A, modifications for that aircraft as well a modernization program for the rest of the fleet will provide a wider range of roles that can be applied to the networked battlespace.

For us, the KC-30A is a brilliant platform for enhancing our overall capabilities.

Question: The nature of air mobility has changed dramatically over the last decade.  How do you view these changes in terms of changing the role of the AMG within the RAAF overall?

Air Commodore McDonald: By 2017, with the maturing of the KC-30A and the introduction of the C-27J, we can rethink the role of AMG.

We will have considerable flexibility and capacity with regard to airlift within Air Force, and this allows for us to create options that better integrate AMG with overall RAAF and defense operations.

Question; My visit to the Wedgetail and KC-30A squadrons highlighted that their introduction was about culture change, not simply buying a new platform. 

How do you view the culture change aspect?

Air Commodore McDonald:  The Air Force transformation under Plan Jericho is not just about networking; it is about changing the way we think about operations and integrating as a fighting force.

In that sense, cultural change is inevitable.  In that context, it is clear that the introduction of new capabilities into AMG is a key driver on that journey.

The Chief is leading a broad process of cultural change that includes training, experimentation and the development of tactics.

All of these initiatives will allow the RAAF to operate more flexibility and adapt readily to the future.

Question: How has the US reacted to the Australian KC-30A in Iraq?

Air Commodore McDonald: There was some hesitation as the US Navy looked at the KC-30A for AAR operations.

However, in the Fall of last year NAVAIR came to Australia to test the aircraft refueling the F-18.

These tests were very successful and we provided the USN with a robust level of confidence in the KC-30A as a result.

And the operation in Iraq has also removed many barriers, as you know the USN is a war fighting machine and they have quickly seen what we can do with the KC-30A.

They now know how it can contribute a core capability which the USMC and USN utilize for Pacific operations as well.

AAR in the Pacific will be further enhanced as Singapore introduces its KC-30As.

RAAF Air Mobility Group Fact Sheet

KC-30A

Part acquisition, part sustainment and still under a Special Flight Permit conducting combat operations.

Acknowledge support of Heavy Air Lift Systems Programs Office (HALSPO), Air to Air Refuelling Project Office (ARPO ), Northrop Grumman Integrated Defence Services  (NGIDS) and  Airbus Defence & Space in their one team approach to providing an accelerated combat capability.

Initially only cleared to refuel RAAF F/A-18 A and F

Deployment has enabled many more receivers to be cleared:

  • USN F/A-18E/F/G
  • USN EA-6B
  • USMC F/A-18C/D
  • USMC AV-8B
  • FAF Rafale
  • RAF EF 2000 Typhoon
  • RAF Tornado GR4
  • RCAF CF-18
  • RSADF Tornado IDS

Two KC-30A deployed six F/A-18F 21 Sep 14 and arrived in theater 23 Sep 14.

One KC-30A remained in theatre while the second aircraft returned to Australia to continue a further Air Mobility Support deployment in support of Okra.

Concurrent hose reel response and probe loads T&E conducted by Aircraft research and Development Unit and observed by NAVAIR  – Testing was flown over eight sorties from RAAF Edinburgh between 18 and 28 October. Hose Reel Response and in-flight refuel probe loading were assessed during 134 engagements across a range of closure rates up to 6 knots. As a result of the successful testing a full clearance is expected by 31 Jan 15.

This will lead to a full clearance from the US, for the F18, and has greatly improved the confidence in the aircraft by coalition partners.

The KC-30A typically flies two mission per day and is being well reported by coalition.

As of 8 Jan 14

108/110 flown/tasked (98% completion). 100% maintenance success as two uncompleted sorties were due other reasons.

835.6 hours flown

Fuel offloads averaged 2.5 million pounds each in Oct and Nov, and this increased to 3.3 million pounds in Dec.

Total fuel offload of 8,529,139 lbs.

Approximately 50 people deployed ISO the Air Mobility Task Unit which represents a lean support element in theater.

Updated as of mid-January: The RAAF has offloaded 10 million lbs. of fuel from their KC-30As. 

C130J

Enduring presence since 2003.

Currently two aircraft deployed that support Operations in the MER, Afghanistan and Sudan.

Since 2003 have flown 5401 missions that includes 17 860 sorties and carried 102 million pounds of cargo.

Conducted five humanitarian airdrops to refugees in vicinity of Mt Sinjar.

C-17A

Supplements the C-130s by theater dwelling on regular fortnightly sustainment missions.

Conducted 420 missions that includes 1038 sorties and carried 34.5 million pounds of cargo.

RAAF Air Mobility Group

The slideshow above provides various shots of the activity of the RAAF Air Mobility Group.

The photos in this slideshow are credited to the Royal Australian Air Force and were produced in the past year.

  • The first photo shows the KC-30A on take-off.
  • The second and third photos show USMC personnel disembarking from a KC-30A in Darwin.
  • The fourth and fifth photos show a KC-30A, F/A-18F, E-7A Op OKRA formation flight.
  • The sixth and seventh photos show a Super Hornet dusk/night-time refueling over Iraq.
  • The 8th and 9th photos show the KC-30A at Al Minhad Air Base supporting Iraqi operations.
  • The tenth photo shows three Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) F/A-18F Super Hornet aircraft conduct mid air refueling from a RAAF KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport en route to the Middle East Region.
  • The 11th photo shows a KC-30A refueling  French  Air Force Rafale  over Iraq.
  • The 12th photo shows the KC-30A landing in Honolulu.
  • The 13th photo shows the KC-30A in Guam.
  • The 14th photo shows the KC-30A in Darwin.
  • The 15th photo shows the KC-30A at Yokota Air Base in Japan.
  • The 16th and 17th photos show a classic Hornet Formation with the KC-30A.
  • The 18th through 20th photos show USAF imagery of an Australian C-17A attending the AATTC course in the United States (flying component in Arizona).
  • The 21st photo shows an Australian C-17A on UN support to South Sudan.
  • The 22nd photo shows an Australian C-17A on MH17 Support to Ukraine/Netherlands.
  • The 23rd photo shows an Australian C-17A Ammunition Stores mission to Iraq.
  •  The final photo shows the C-17A launching from Amberley Air Base in Australia.

For our interview with the KC-30A squadron conducted in the first quarter of 2014 see the following:

https://sldinfo.com/the-raaf-adds-new-tanking-capability-a-key-step-in-building-out-its-reach-range-and-sustainability/

The video above shows the KC-30A operating in Iraq. 

Australia’s Air Task Group (ATG) consisting of six RAAF F/A-18F Super Hornets, an E-7A Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft and a KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport aircraft continue to support Operation OKRA with missions in Iraq.

The ATG comprises around 400 RAAF personnel who have deployed to the Middle East. Australia’s efforts are in response to a request for assistance by the Iraqi Government in combating ISIL terrorists.

Operation OKRA is the Australian Defence Force’s contribution to the international effort to combat the ISIL terrorist threat in Iraq.

Australia’s contribution is being closely coordinated with the Iraqi government, Gulf nations and a broad coalition of international partners.

Credit: Australian Ministry of Defence : 11/14/14

For a PDF version of the above article, see the following:

Transforming the Royal Australian Air Force’s Sustainable Reach

Editor’s Note:

The RAAF is not the only Air Force flying the new Airbus tanker. 

One of the key allies doing so is the Royal Air Force.

According to RAF data, as of mid-December, the RAF Voyager fleet had flown over 100 sorties, 700 flying hours and provided over 4 million liters of fuel, which has been transferred to RAF, US Navy, French Air Force and Royal Canadian receivers.

For other players see the following:

https://sldinfo.com/shaping-a-global-a330mrtt-fleet-shaping-sustainable-airpower-reach/

https://sldinfo.com/shaping-a-global-fleet-rolling-out-the-a330mrtt/

For a version of this article published by our partner OPERATIONNELS SLD, No. 23, January 2015 see the following:

KC30A Ops January 2015

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Next Chapter in Renorming Airpower: The F-35 Arrives at the USAF Weapons School

Posted on | by Robbin Laird
01/16/2015

2015-01-15 By Robbin Laird and Ed Timperlake

Nellis AFB, Nevada

A new chapter in developing the next generation of combat airpower has just opened at the USAF Weapons School, Nellis AFB.

We attended the arrival ceremony of the first fully operational F-35A into the USAF Weapons School.

F-35s have been flying with the 53rd Test and Evaluation Group.

But on a sunny Thursday morning January 15 the first tactical Lightning escorted by two Vipers landed and taxied in, thus beginning the tactical preparation for next year’s F-35A IOC entry into the USAF operational fleet.

According to a Nellis press release provided on January 14, 2015:

The F-35 arrival marks the first step in creating Weapons Officers who will build, teach and lead the Air Force’s F-35 community. These Block 3 aircraft will be used to advance the combat tactics development and train our Weapons School cadre as they create the F-35 Weapons Instructor Course. 

Initially, the 16th Weapons Squadron will fly the F-35’s in concert with the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron to support the United States Air Force Warfare Center’s part in the initial operational test and evaluation program. Additionally, Weapons School missions will incorporate the F-35s to further develop integrated tactics in preparation for initial operational capability.

The arrival at Nellis AFB marks the next phase of the beginning of the introduction of the F-35A into USAF combat service. 

The testing and training will continue but with an aircraft configured exactly like those to follow into initial operational capability (IOC).

IOC for the F-35 has to be placed in the overall context of how the U.S. services and allies are looking at their F-35s.

The IOC of the F-35 is not simply about the introduction of a replacement aircraft but the next phase in the revolution of airpower and inextricably intertwined with doing air combat differently.

In our discussions with the pilots, maintainers and industrialists involved in the launch of the F-35 worldwide, there is clear awareness that the F-35 is not simply about business as usual. 

There is a clear sense of excitement seen by the F-35 launch cadre.

And each service or allied partner has a particular launch point with regard to transformation, which various Type/Model/Series of F-35s enables or facilitates.

The weapons school at Nellis is where it will happen for the F-35A.

This is not a replacement aircraft in and of itself, but rather it is the driving technology catalyst for a transformation of combat air power in this next phase of military aviation history.

Capt. Brent Golden, 16th Weapons Squadron instructor, is greeted by Maj. Gen. Jay Silveria, U.S. Air Force Warfare Center commander, after arriving in the Weapons School's first F-35A Lightning II at Nellis, January 15, 2015. Credit: USAF
Capt. Brent Golden, 16th Weapons Squadron instructor, is greeted by Maj. Gen. Jay Silveria, U.S. Air Force Warfare Center commander, after arriving in the Weapons School’s first F-35A Lightning II at Nellis, January 15, 2015. Credit: USAF

According to the fact sheet describing the important role of the USAF Air Warfare Center, the arrival of the first F-35A for the weapons school, falls in line with its identified core objectives:

Commander’s Vision and Mission

The mission of the U.S. Air Force Warfare Center is to develop innovative leaders and full spectrum capabilities through responsive, realistic, and relevant Air Force and joint testing development, and advanced training across all levels of war.

The U.S. Air Force Warfare Center’s  vision is to maintain a team of innovative, highly skilled Airmen providing effective weapons, tactics, and command and control integrated across air, space and cyberspace for the Joint Force Commander.

Commander’s Priorities:

  • Enable On-time F-35 Initial Operational Capability Declarations
  • Maximize Testing, Tactics, and Training to Enhance Total Force Integration of Air, Space, and Cyberspace.
  • Lead Implementation of Realistic and Relevant Live, Virtual, and Constructive Exercise and Training Across the Air Force and Joint Communities.
  • Strengthen Joint Warfighting Capabilities and Thinking in a Contested, Degraded, and Operationally-Limited Environment.

In discussions at the ceremony highlighting the arrival of the F-35A to the weapons school, we spoke to the head of the air warfare center, the pilot who flew the plane from Fort Worth to Nellis, the commanding general of the Wing where the weapons school operates, and the F-35 Crew Chief. Each provided insights into how they see the transition and the importance of this historical moment.

More detailed interviews will be provided after our return from Nellis, but this day was an exciting one for the USAF here at Nellis and was clearly seen as marking an important step in the next phase of the USAF and its worldwide operations.

For Major General Silveria, the Commander of the USAF Warfare Center, a qualified F-35 pilot, the arrival of the aircraft to the weapons school marks a crucial moment in shaping the way ahead.

Having this aircraft at Nellis represents the beginning in the operational tests in earnest for the F-35 program and represents the beginning of tactical development of the F-35 at the weapons school.

We have some F-35s here in earlier configurations, but the plane, which landed today, is the plane we will go operational with. We need this aircraft and this configuration to shape the tactics in taking the aircraft into operation in 2016.

This is the first of many as more F35s will flow into Nellis this year and next. The pilot who has landed today is the first pilot in the 57th Wing in Nellis, which will be writing the syllabus for the Weapons School with the first pilots graduating from that program in 2018.

The Commander of the 57th Wing, Brigadier General Chris Short, highlighted that “today is very exciting for us.  We are putting iron on the ramp and we can press on with taking this leading edge capability and integrating into the combat air force.”

He also highlighted the importance of a relationship with the USMC, the service that is first putting the F-35 into operation.

The pilot who flew the plane into Nellis was Captain Brent Golden.  An F-15 strike eagle pilot with combat experience in operations in the Middle East, the Captain highlighted the importance his flying in the newly configured aircraft.

He emphasized that the work at Nellis is about getting the F-35 integrated into the combat air force. When a local reporter asked him what he meant by integration, he answered that he was not really focusing on the aircraft per se but on its impact on the evolution of the overall operational capabilities of the combat air force.

“We are focused not simply on the aircraft but on its integration within the entire battlespace.”

He emphasized that the integration of the plane into the weapons school was a microcosm of the integration of the plane within the combat air force overall.

Prior to the event, we had a chance to talk with one individual who makes it all happen for the combat pilots a fully trained F-35 Crew Chief.

Staff Sargent Jason Anderson is a dedicated crew chief on the F-35 with the 57th Wing, who earlier had been an F-15 crew chief  and thent went to Eglin AFB to qualify on the F-35.

His well-qualified professional background in greeting the new F-35A reflected the importance of the commonality in the program.

Earlier, he had worked on F-35Bs at Eglin.  He observed that the F-35B was an amazing technological achievement.

“I love the STOVL model.  It is an amazing airplane and I worked on it for two months at Eglin.”

He is a combat airman with two tours in Afghanistan being based at Bagram.

He underscored the importance of the shift from the F-15 maintenance approach to that of the F-35 in terms of moving from gauges and many additional tools for maintenance to having a computer based maintenance approach.

He argued that this shift brings a much more efficient and accurate appraoch to maintaining the aircraft

“It is early days with the maintenance regime for the F-35, the way ahead is clear.

We hook up to a computer and we can see almost everything.

It eliminates a lot of the maintainer learned judgment that we had rely on from the maintainer side with the F-15 and it allows us to get maintainers up to speed much more rapidly and to build out a common computer data base for maintainers joining the team to draw upon as they get up to speed.”

The Crew Chief highlighted the importance of the new approach as well its symmetry with what is becoming known as I-Pad generation maintainers.

“This is exactly how it should be with a new aircraft.

The new guys can pick up quickly because of the approach.

We are writing the book, for we are correcting mistakes as we go along and changing the manuals.

But the impact can be significant of the new capabilities.

For example, the new guys were able to in one week were able to refuel aircraft themselves. “

The sense of excitement was palpable by all from the Commanding General to the pilots and maintainers making this historic day possible.

A page has been turned and the fighting air force is working towards a more effective combat force going forward, under the impact of the F-35 and its capabilities.

What follows are useful Nellis links to various key commands and persons involved with the F-35 integration in the combat air force:

http://www.nellis.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=4082

http://www.nellis.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=4098

http://www.nellis.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=4100

http://www.505ccw.acc.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=15206

http://www.505ccw.acc.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-130730-026.pdf

http://www.nellis.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=19160

http://www.nellis.af.mil/library/biographies/bio.asp?id=17532

http://www.nellis.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=18506

Several media pieces highlighted various aspects of today’s events and excerpts are provided along with the links below:

From a piece by Keith Rogers published in the Las Vegas Review Journal:

The Lightning has landed.

Nellis Air Force Base received its first F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter jet Thursday for the United States Air Force Weapons School, part of the 57th Wing at Nellis.

The stealthy gray jet, which arrived at 9:38 a.m. from Lockheed Martin’s production plant in Fort Worth, Texas, was escorted by two F-16s from the 57th Wing.

It will be used by a cadre of experienced pilots for doctorate-level training to develop and validate the combat tactics playbook for the high-tech F-35.

Capt. Brent Golden said after flying more than 900 miles in about two hours — cruising at about 8 miles per minute — that he was awestruck when he looked down and saw the Las Vegas Valley.

“It was a pretty amazing feeling,” the 32-year-old pilot said, standing in front of the F-35 after he parked it under a shade structure on the Nellis ramp.

“It was a pretty impressive sight to see the entire Vegas Strip there in front of me,” he said.

“It was a very special feeling. I was very proud and it was very humbling.”

Golden, a native of Philadelphia who has flown F-15 Strike Eagles on combat missions, said the F-35 is a smooth-flying jet.

It has multifaceted capability to fuse many streams of flight information simultaneously that “reduces the pilot workload significantly.”

From a piece by Denise Wong reporting for local TV station KTNV:

History was made Thursday morning at Nellis Air Force Base as the first F-35 fighter jet that will be used at the weapons school touched down.

“This is happening,” said Brigadier General Chris Short, 57th Wing Commander.

“And to put iron on the ramp, it’s exciting…..”

The one that landed at Nellis will be used to train the next generation of fighter pilots in the valley. Pilots will also get to test out what the aircraft is truly capable of.

“So we’re going to test it, we’re going to run it out, we’re going to run it out on the Nellis ranges,” said Major General Jay Silveria, Warfare Center Commander at Nellis AFB. “We’re going to get everything we can out of this airplane.”

They’re going to develop tactics to make this the war-fighting machine it’s meant to be.

“It’s an incredibly smooth aircraft to fly. I found it’s really easy to fly,” said Capt. Brent Golden, who flew the aircraft in from Dallas just a few hours before. He praised the F-35’s capability to share information with other aircraft, which will make flying in combat that much better for pilots.

“So it reduces the pilot workload significantly,” said Capt. Golden. “And it really allows us to really concentrate on the flying piece and make decisions a lot faster because you have information like that more readily available to you.”

He should know. He’s been in combat before.

And according to The Global Aviation Report:

A new era began at the U.S. Air Force Weapons School when its first F-35A Lightning II touched-down on the flightline here Jan. 15, flown straight from the Lockheed Martin plant in Fort Worth, Texas.

Working in conjunction with the U.S. Air Force Warfare Center and 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron, Col. Adrian Spain, USAFWS commandant, said the Weapons School’s first F-35 will be used to drive tactics development and that the Weapons School’s immediate goal is to create the curriculum for the first F-35 course.

“That’s going to be the initial focus over the next year,” Spain said.

“Certainly in the next year-and-a-half or so, we will be far enough along in continuing [tactics development] to develop a weapons school syllabus for the F-35 … in the next two years, we’ll be transitioning pilots in the short term to get F-35 experience, but we’ll also be developing the [combat air forces] syllabus.”

The arrival and integration of the F-35 into the Weapons School is a natural evolution toward the Air Force’s desired force mixture and will have far-reaching effects, explained Spain.

“The addition of the F-35 is something that is unquestionable in terms of its impact on the rest of the Air Force and our ability to wage war in a modern battle space,” Spain said.

“Because it’s the latest fighter we have in our inventory, those capabilities need to be integrated as quickly as possible and as efficiently as possible, so the rest of the field knows how to go to war with it, if it’s ever called upon.”

The slideshow above are photos shot on January 15, 2015 at the arrival of the F-35A at Nellis.

The first photo shows the location of the landing which was at the Thunderbirds Maintenance facility at Nellis.

The second and third photos show the land arriving and then turning into its hanger.

The fourth photo shows the plane in its hanger

The fifth photo shows Major General Silveria; the sixth Brigadier General Short; the seventh the pilot, Captain Golden, the eighth crew chief Anderson and the final photo shows us a reminder of who makes the enterprise run at the airbase.

The photos are credited to Second Line of Defense.

 

 

Initial Maintenance of the French A400M at the Clermont-Ferrand Air Base

Posted on | by Robbin Laird
01/14/2015

2015-01-14 Clermont-Ferrand is a key location for the maintenance of French Air Force (FAF) aircraft.

The arrival of the A400M at Clermont-Ferrand for its first maintenance at the FAF maintenance facility on January 12, 2015. Credit: FAF
The arrival of the A400M at Clermont-Ferrand for its first maintenance at the FAF maintenance facility on January 12, 2015. Credit: FAF

As the A400M squadron is stood up and its operations normalized, the A400M will enter the normal French systems of maintenance and support. 

The arrival of the first A400M at Clermont-Ferrand is a step in this process of normalization and maturation.

According to an article on the French Air Force website published on 1/14/15, the process has begun.

“On January 12, 2015, the Atlas landed at Clermont-Ferrand for its first maintenance visit at the AIA maintenance facility.

The operation is part of a maintenance contract with Airbus Military, which will last until the end of 2017.

After this 18 month period, Clermont-Ferrand will be able to maintain the aircraft on an autonomous basis.”

The article points out that the advanced qualities of the aircraft are leading to changes at the maintenance facility.  The article mentions the need to repair composites, which represent more than 30% of the airframe, and to work the paper documentation of the maintenance process by the use of digital media and tablets.

The AIA was created in 1939 and is operated by around 1300 people. The major task of the center is to maintain the FAF aircraft and their equipment (Rafale, Mirage 2000, Alphajet, helicopters, C-160, C-130 and Atlas).

The AIA in Clermont-Ferrand is a site, which depends on the SIAé (Service Industrial for Aeronautics) which is based in various locations in France.

“The SIAé  is a major actor in the maintenance of military aircraft, and is reposnbile for the operational maintenance of the principle aircraft of the FAF.”