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10/19/2017: Marines with 3rd Platoon, Rocket Battery F, 2nd Battalion, 14th Marine Regiment, Marine Forces Reserve, arrive at Landing Zone Bull Attack near the Chocolate Mountain Aerial Gunnery Range, California, Oct. 9, 2017 .
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The Marines are participating in Weapons and Tactics Instructor course 1-18 during their two-week annual training and using the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System to fire Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System rockets in a ‘sensor to shooter integration’ exercise with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, flying the F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter.
During my past visits to Denmark, I have had the opportunity to talk with the current head of the Danish Royal Military Academy, Rear Admiral Nils Wang.
During past discussions, we focused on the evolving Nordic Defense Zone from the Arctic to the Baltics.
With the Russian actions in Crimea and the Middle East, the Russians are demonstrating a clear military activism in support of Russian national objectives.
The Danish government has just recently released their defense agreement proposal to parliament, and this agreement highlights the need for increased Danish expenditures and focus on defense, in light of regional developments.
During my visit this October to Denmark, Admiral Wang focused on what he believes is the nature of the Russian military threat to Denmark as well as the importance of integrated air-naval modernization to address what he called a “reverse engineering” approach to deterring the Russian A2/AD threat throughout one might call the Nordic Zone of Security.
He discussed a briefing he gave last month to the Parliament’ s Defence Committee which addressed the question of whether investing in the Danish submarine force was a priority.
According to an article written by Anders Puck Nielsen and published September 21, 2017:
The Defense Commission of the Danish parliament yesterday conducted a hearing on the question of whether Denmark should reintroduce submarines and sea mines in the naval arsenal.
Both were phased out in 2005 but especially the importance of submarines has been a question of intense debate ever since.
Rear Admiral Nils Wang, commandant of the Danish Defence College, made some headlines in local newspapers with a statement from the hearing that an investment in submarines would be “a flagrant waste of money”.
Wang’s argument was that a military conflict in the Baltic area would encompass a Russian invasion of the Baltic states and a subsequent Russian defensive posture in the Eastern part of the Baltic basin.
Denmark would thus find itself in a position where the navy must play the offensive role in a mission to escort troops to the Baltic states under the support of allied forces counting several carrier strike groups located in the North Sea.
In this scenario Wang primarily sees a need for area air defense, land attack strike missiles, a range of anti-submarine warfare (ASW) assets, and mine counter measures (MCM).
However, Wang does not see a role for submarines in this scenario as, supposedly, they do not give any particular advantage in ASW in littoral areas.
In our discussion, Rear Admiral Wang contrasted how he saw the Soviet-Warsaw Pact threat as opposed to the contemporary and evolving Russian threat.
The Soviet-Warsaw threat was one of invasion and occupation and then using Nordic territory to fight U.S. and allied forces in the North Atlantic.
In many ways, this would have been a repeat of how the Nazis seized Norway during a combined arms amphibious operation combined with a land force walk into Denmark.
In such a scenario, the Danes along with their allies were focused on sea denial through use of mines, with fast patrol boats providing protection for the minelayers.
Aircraft and submarines were part of a defense in depth strategy to deny the ability of the Soviets to occupy the region in time of a general war.
He contrasted this with the current and evolving situation in which the Russians were less focused on a general war, and more on building out capabilities for a more limited objective, namely controlling the Baltic States.
He highlighted the nature of the arms modernization of the Russian military focused on ground based missile defense and land and sea based attack missiles along with airpower as the main means to shape a denial in depth strategy which would allow the Russians significant freedom of maneuver to achieve their objectives within their zone of strategic maneuver.
A core asset carried by the Russian forces is the Kalibr cruise missile, which can operate off of a variety of platforms.
With a dense missile wolf pack so to speak the Russians provide a cover for their maneuver forces. They are focused on using land based mobile missiles in the region as their key strike and defense asset.
Rear Admiral Wang quoted the open source Danish intelligence judgment that the Russians can mobilize quickly to seize and hold the Baltic states if they choose to do so.
And the Russians have developed cruise missile which make it difficult for allied navies to operate in the Baltic and adjacent waters to contribute to Baltic defense.
“The Russian defense plan in the Baltic is all about telling NATO we can go into the Baltic countries if we decided to do so.
“And you will not be able to get in and get us out.
“That is basically the whole idea.”
Rear Admiral Wang then argued for what he called a reverse engineering approach.
“When people are talking about the Cold War as reoccurring, they are completely wrong.
“They are missing the whole picture because we are in the complete different situation than we were during the Cold War
“If the Russians are neglecting NATO’s deterrence deliberately or by accident?”
“Then we are in a situation where we go from a defensive to an offensive dynamic because NATO then need to kick them out again.
“If we are going to cope with that situation, the first thing we need to do is to neutralize the mobile missile batteries in the woods of Kaliningrad and along the borders of the Baltic nations.
“And you don’t do that with submarines unless they have strike capability.
“You do that with F-35s and with strike missiles.
“And you do that with Danish frigates together with a US aircraft carrier, or a Brit aircraft carrier, and whoever wants to come too.
“One needs to create air superiority, or air dominance as a prerequisite for any operation at all, and to do that NATO would need to assemble all the air power they can actually collect together, inclusive carrier-based aircraft in the Norwegian Sea.
“This is where the ice free part of the Arctic and the Baltic gets connected. We will have missions as well in the Arctic at the northern part of Norway because the Norwegians would be in a similar situation if there is a Baltic invasion.”
He argued as well for a renewal or augmentation of ASW capabilities by the allies to deal with any Russian submarines in the Baltic supporting the operation, notably any missile carrying submarines.
He saw a focused Danish approach to frigate/helo based ASW in the region as more important than buying submarines to do the ASW mission.
“There is a fundamental misperception by many in Denmark that the best weapon against a coastal conventional submarine is another coastal conventional submarine.
“And that is simply not the case.
“And especially not in the Baltic Sea where you can hide in the salt layers, where there is so much background noise that you are not able to hear anything in the same moment you start to accelerate yourself in your own submarine.
“The best weapon is a combination of Maritime Patrol Aircraft, ASW ships/ helicopters, satellites working together to destroy the Kilo class missile launchers in the Baltic.”
Rear Admiral Wang saw the “reverse engineering” approach as combing several key elements: a combined ASW, F-35 fleet, frigate and land based strike capabilities, including from Poland as well.
The Admiral’s position is based in part on the arrival of the F-35 and notably the F-35 as a core coalition aircraft with a capability to work closely with either land based or sea based strike capabilities.
An alternative view to that of the Admiral was provided by a German naval officer who argued both that submarines were crucial for the operations he envisaged in the area as well as crucial to have a European autonomy in dealing with the Russians.
But without an F-35 force or without an ally with a flexible and significant nuclear force, it is difficult to see how the German naval officer’s view would square with dealing with the threat as described accurately, I would add, by Rear Admiral Wang.
Whereas the German officer was clearly focused on the Cold War threat, where certainly aircraft working with submarines were key elements in deterring an amphibious strike force, what Wang focuses on is an ability to go after mobile missiles in the area of interest supporting Russian occupation of the Baltics and operating via its offensive and defensive missiles at area denial of the Western forces.
Commodore Ulrich Reineke of the German Navy begged to disagree with his Danish colleague, saying that Germany finds submarines crucial for ASW and has good experiences with coordinated use of aircraft, surface units, and submarines for ASW in the Baltic.
Reineke also stressed the important role for submarines in intelligence collection and operations with special forces.
The disagreement also seemed to cover basic assumptions about the nature of the operations as the German point of view was that the regional powers must be prepared to manage a conflict in the Baltic Sea without external support from allies.
I first met Col. Anders Rex at the Danish Airpower Conference in 2015. There he provided a significant presentation on the key focus within the Danish Air Force on how to work effectively within coalitions.
Being a good coalition partner takes practice.
We have a core group in the Danish Air Force, which has done several coalition operations, and when we are not doing that we participate in multinational exercises.
This is a core competence that the Danish Air Force has developed, and as we do so we work to find the gold in each coalition operation…..
A key focus of effort among the Allied air forces is clearly upon how to make the most of a coalition and to work more effectively together.
He coined the term “coalitionability” and set a goal for allied and partner Air Forces ways to shape higher levels of “coalitionability.”
He is becoming COS of the Royal Danish Air Force as they prepare for the introduction of the F-35 and as core allies in the region are doing so as well, notably, the UK (onboard the Queen Elizabeth), the Dutch and the Norwegians. The coalition opportunity clearly is right in front of these partners, and in the UK case, the UK has not flown the same aircraft with the Nordic Air Forces for a long time indeed.
Col. Anders Rex, Danish Air Force. seen at the Copenhagen Airpower Conference, 2015. Credit: Second Line of Defense
At the earlier seminar, Col. Anders noted that the USAF being as large as it was had less opportunity to work “coalitionability.”
Of course, the USAF is a much larger force than that of Denmark’s.
But Col. Rex underscored that “it’s so big that if you look at the rate of coalition training opportunities per airman I’m sure it’s a lot lower than an air force like the Danish one.”
For the operations which we undertake “It’s really important to know and understand how to make the most out of a coalition, how to dig out the gold.”
In an interview I did last year with then head of the USAF at RAF Lakenheath, Col. and now General Novotny underscored how important he saw the coalition aspect of the standup of the F-35 in the region, notably the UK and the US based at Marham and Lakenheath, respectively:
“I see there is great potential for two countries to develop in concert, side-by-side, and to set, set the model for joint operations.
“As we get this right, we can bring in the Danes, the Norwegians and Dutch who are close in geography and the Israelis and Italians as well to shape the evolving joint operational culture and approach.
“Before you know it, you’ve got eight countries flying this airplane seamlessly integrated because of the work that Lakenheath and Marham are doing in the 20 nautical miles radius of the two bases.”
As important as this might be for the USAF overall, for the Danes and the Nordics it is the coin of the realm.
To be blunt: to leverage every aspect out of the F-35 as a common coalition aircraft will be essential to defense in the Nordic region and the transformation of their forces to deal with the direct Russian threat.
This means leveraging common pilot training, leveraging pilots across the enterprise in case of shortages within a national air force, common logistics stores in the region, common maintenance regimes, common data sharing, and shared combat learning.
This clearly is a work in progress and what one might call F-35 2.0.
F-35 1.0 is getting the plane and operating it in squadrons; F-35 2.0 is leveraging the aircraft as part of an overall transformation process.
In my discussion during a visit to Copenhagen in October 2017, I had a chance to talk again with ERA (his call sign).
And he was clearly focusing on F-35 2.0, probably in part because the new Danish defense agreement in process if clearly focused on countering the Russian A2/AD strategy in the region.
“When I talk with F-35 pilots, the same message is drilled into me – this is not a replacement aircraft; this is not like any aircraft you have flown before.
“The aircraft enables our air combat forces to play a whole new ballgame.
“And from my discussions with Australians, the Norwegians, the Dutch and the Brits, it is clear that the common drive is to shape a fifth generation combat force, not simply fly the current 256 F-35s as cool, new jets.”
He clearly had in mind working on F-35 2.0 to trigger a broader transformation.
And this makes sense, because in large part the F-35 is not simply a fighter which you define but what it does by itself organically, but, rather by what it can trigger in the overall combat fleet, whether lethal or non-lethal payloads.
“We need to focus on the management of big data generated by the F-35 and other assets that will come into the force.
“How do we do the right kind of command and control within a rich information battlespace?
“We need to build self-learning systems as well.
“The F-35 is a revolutionary man-machine system and sets in motion not only the challenge of new approaches to working information and C2, but new approaches to combat learning.
“How do we get there?
“That is what generating a fifth generation combat force is all about.”
It is clear that the F-35 is part of a significant culture change.
“We need to be open to significant culture change.
“Many Danish F-35 pilots will be converted from 16s and will learn the new ways of operating.
“At the same time, s new generation of pilots will have F-35 as their first combat aircraft and have no operational experience on legacy aircraft and are open to radical changes in how the jet can be used and in working with the other combat assets.
“We need to facilitate and channel such open ended learning as well as we build out or force transformation with those pilots with F-16 experience and the new F-35 pilots as well.
“Part of that is captured by the notion of integrating legacy aircraft with the F-35, but that is too narrow of a concept.
“We are really looking at shaping a different kind of force, F-35-enabled but which incorporates the old which remains valuable and adds new systems which can expand the combat effectiveness of the evolving fifth generation force.”
“How do we make sure that we don’t settle with the reality that the F-35 is better than anything out there and it makes the fourth gen better?
“That will not get us to a fifth generation combat force.
“We need to leverage it to drive continuous transformation to ensure that we have the kind of capabilities which our demanding strategic environment requires.”
Editor’s Note: We published the following piece earlier this year about the F-35 global enterprise and its impact, and a key Danish contribution to that effort:
2017-01-09 A subtle but important contribution of shaping a global F-35 system is the US services and core allies deploy similar high-end warfighting capability at the SAME time.
This means that there is collective learning of higher end warfare shared across the services and the coalition partners built in.
When we highlighted the S Cubed revolution and underscored how the F-35 can help deal with the coming hypersonic cruise missile threat it might be misread by those who do not grasp that “no platform fights alone.”
The F-35 as a deployed global asset with shared Situational Awareness and with software upgradeability built in can evolve the collective defense capability over time at the high end.
This is a key foundational element, but one which will drive other innovations in the defense domain.
It is not the end of history but the opening of the aperture on shared experience and combat learning for high-end warfare and shaping a foundation for crafting ongoing share concepts of operations going forward for the US with its coalition partners.
Denmark is going to buy the F-35 in large part because of by doing so they can work on collaborative combat learning with core allies also learning how to cope with 21st century threats.
Because Denmark is part of this collective effort, not only do the Danes learn but they contribute as well to the collective effort.
It is a bit like the Three Musketeers motto, “All for one and one for all.”
In the video below, the role of a Danish airman in the evolution of the F-35 is highlighted.
It is not about what the Danes got from the US; it is about what the Danes contributed to the F-35 global coalition, including the US.
When one asks for allies to do more, the F-35 global coalition is staring one in the face.
For our Special Report on Integrating Innovative Airpower: A Report from the Copenhagen Airpower Symposium, see the following:
10/17/2017: A U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II fighter aircraft lands on the flight line Oct. 12, 2017, at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska.
The F-35 is here to conduct cold weather testing to ensure the fifth generation multi-role fighter aircraft performs optimally in Alaska’s harsh weather conditions.
And this is about testing the Norwegian modified F-35 as well.
According to a KFQD News item published on October 2017:
An F-35 fighter jet landed at Eielson Air Force Base to undergo testing on the aircraft’s ability to land in cold conditions.
The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports that the F-35A Lightning II that arrived on Thursday was the first to land at the base near Fairbanks.
54 of these aircraft will be based at Eielson along with about 3,500 airmen, civilian employees, contractors, and military family members by 2020.
The aircraft will undergo testing on its ability to land on icy runways, and its drag-chute modification will also be evaluated.
The drag chute is a modification that has been requested by an F-35 program partner, the Royal Norwegian Air Force.
A Norwegian test pilot will demonstrate the modification that aims to help the fighter jet land in Arctic conditions.
And Eielson Air Force base has been selected as the first operational USAF base to receive F-35s.
In an April 4, 2016 Air Force news note, Eielson was highlighted as the first operational base to receive the aircraft.
Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, was selected as the new home for the Air Force’s first operational overseas F-35A Lightning IIs.
Air Force officials chose Eielson AFB after a lengthy analysis of the location’s operational considerations, installation attributes, environmental factors and cost.
“Alaska combines a strategically important location with a world-class training environment.
“Basing the F-35s at Eielson AFB will allow the Air Force the capability of using the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex (JPARC) for large force exercises using a multitude of ranges and maneuver areas in Alaska,” said Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James.
“This, combined with the largest airspace in the Air Force, ensures realistic combat training for the (Defense Department).”
Proximity to the JPARC will enable the Air Force to take advantage of approximately 65,000 square miles of available airspace for realistic, world-class training in the Air Force’s most advanced fifth-generation fighter.
The decision culminates a three-year process that included an extensive environmental impact statement that examined impacts on such factors as air quality, noise, land use and socioeconomics.
“The decision to base two F-35 squadrons at Eielson AFB, Alaska, combined with the existing F-22 Raptors at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, will double our fifth-generation fighter aircraft presence in the Pacific theater,” said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III.
“Integrating that fifth-generation force with Navy, Marine, and allied F-35 forces will provide joint and coalition warfighters unprecedented survivability, lethality and battlespace awareness in contested environments. It’s an exciting time for Pacific airpower.”
Notably, the testing is about the coming of the F-35 to Norway, which will begin next month.
This November, Norway will receive its first three F-35 combat aircraft.
The arrival will be marked with a ceremony on the Royal Norwegian Air Force’s 73rd anniversary on 10 November 2017.
The ceremony will take place at Ørland Air Station in central Norway from 13:30 to 15:15.
2017-10-13 In October 2017, the Danish government released its proposed new five-year defense guidance and defense spending guidelines.
The government was very clear about what the threats facing Denmark are, the importance of allies modernizing and working effective interdependence in the defense of the North Atlantic and beyond, and need to invest more in new equipment and personnel.
Here is how the Danish government in the document describes the way ahead for Denmark:
Denmark faces more serious threats than in any other period following the fall of the Berlin Wall. The freedom and security we value so highly cannot be taken for granted.
To the east, NATO faces a confrontational and assertive Russia. Instability in the Middle East and North Africa is fuelling militant Islamism, sowing the seeds for the threat of terror and irregular migration flows.
Threats in cyberspace have serious security and socio-economic consequences.
Propaganda campaigns challenge our democratic principles and established rules, while in the Arctic, there is increased activity and military presence.
These are challenges which we cannot afford to ignore.
That is why the Government wishes to substantially increase military spending over the next six years.
The substantial increase will be gradually phased in and ultimately result in the Danish Defence’s annual budget in 2023 being increased by DKK 4.8 billion.
This amounts to an increase of 20% compared to current military spending.
The Government wishes to maintain the existing garrisons so that the Danish Defence will remain a good and attractive workplace across all of Denmark.
The substantial increase in spending will increase operational capacity, and as a whole, the Danish Defence will have more staff, a less leadership-heavy structure and more operational units and soldiers by the end of the period covered by the agreement.
We take the security of Danes seriously, and we back up our words with action.
A Core Ally in NATO
NATO is the cornerstone of Denmark’s defence and security policy. We have a strong interest in maintaining our cooperation in NATO and the Transatlantic bond as the primary guarantor of our security.
The substantial increase in spending will improve the Danish Defence’s annual budget by more than 20% compared to today.
At the same time, with the significant investments in major equipment over the budget period, Denmark will live up to the NATO target of allocating 20% of defence spending on investments in major equipment.
This proposal by the Government reflects that we have listened to NATO’s wishes for the development of Denmark’s military defence over the coming years.
The Government’s proposal for a new defence agreement is a substantial investment in the Danish Defence as a strong safeguard of Denmark and the freedom and security of Danes.
It underscores our determination to keep Denmark as a core ally in NATO.
It will strengthen Denmark’s contribution to ensure that NATO remains the world’s strongest military alliance and a credible guarantor of our security.
The Danish Defence must have the strength, depth and robustness so that we together with NATO deter and prevent other countries from attacking our allies and, ultimately, Denmark.
It must be a credible, collective defence.
This applies in particular to the Baltic region, where Russian activities give cause for growing concern.
Russia is investing heavily in its military and carrying out large-scale military exercises along the Baltic Sea and the Baltic countries’ borders with disregard for international norms and principles. Russia is also active on hidden fronts.
It is important that NATO acts clearly and unambiguously towards Russia.
There can be no misunderstandings or doubts about our resolve or willingness to act, nor our capacity to do so. That is the essence of NATO’s Article 5, the so-called musketeer oath.
Ultimately, this is also crucial to Denmark’s own security.
History has shown that democracies must act and negotiate from a position of strength.
The intensified threat level demands that we invest in the right capabilities so that Denmark together with our NATO allies, can field a defence that can counter, and most importantly deter, a more equal opponent.
Enhanced International Involvement
Denmark is known and recognised for our substantial engagement in international military operations. The Danish Defence makes a significant difference in several of the world’s hot spots.
We should be proud of the fact that our significant contribution to NATO, the UN and the international coalition against ISIS puts us at the forefront of the battle for the security and safety we must safeguard.
Our substantial increase in spending to further enhance the Danish Defence’s ability to participate in the defence of NATO alongside our allies will also mean that the Danish Defence’s ability to participate in international missions will be strengthened.
Denmark faces serious and complex threats from the east and south.
We must not only contribute to NATO’s deterrence, but also to international operations that deal with terrorism and irregular migration.
The Danish Defence is well-equipped for international operations, and will be even more so in the long run with the acquisition of new, high-tech F-35 fighters. The brigade as well as the other new capabilities will further enhance Denmark’s ability to participate in international operations.
For the entire document released by the Danish government in October 2017, please see the following:
2017-10-15 The F-35 manufacturing and supply chain approach has been to drive innovation from design to production to sustainment and to do so throughout the global enterprise.
A case in point is the Danish firm Terma.
According to an article published on October 13, 210 on Evertiq:
Danish manufacturer Terma has ben involved in the F-35 program for about 15 years now. During this time the company has invested heavily in making Terma in Grenaa a strong player for the production of carbon fiber and composite aerostructures.
In a press release the Terma states that the company has entered into contracts on eight additional programs for the world’s largest defense industrial project, F-35 Lightning II, with Lockheed Martin as the main contractor.
And now; the company has marked another milestone as supplier to the F-35 program.
Since October 2015, the entire factory layout has been modified and optimised.
For example, the internal transport distances have been reduced by 50%.
A new bonding facility has been established in a new 4’000 square meter factory building. In this facility, the “raw” carbon fiber materials are cut – by laser positioning equipment – and laid up in tools and prepared to be cured in one of three major autoclaves.
To ensure the right quality, all parts are subsequently scanned in the newly acquired 5-axis ultrasound scanner.
A new large tool storage area has also been established as well as a new automatic cold store for raw materials.
Further, the capacity for the manufacturing of aerostructures has doubled with the investments in new machining centers (Precision Milling Machines) and high-precision measuring equipment.
The company has also recruited about. 80 new employees.
By 2021, when F-35 production reaches full-rate production of approximately 150 aircraft per year, total staff is expected to have increased by 130-150 to almost 500 employees, the company writes.
The U.S. Air Force trained and graduated the 500th F-35 Lightning II pilot across the joint and international enterprise Sept. 19, 2017, here.
Maj. Chris Campbell, 461st Flight Test Squadron director of operations, is an F-16 test pilot with more than 1,000 fighter hours and 245 combat hours. He began F-35 fighter pilot training at the 33rd Fighter Wing this summer and became the 500th pilot to graduate the program.
“As a test pilot, working on the F-35 is an opportunity for me to be a real force-multiplier,” Campbell said. “Flying the F-35 has been a long-term goal of mine. I am thrilled to be part of the program and I hope to make a positive impact.”
U.S. Air Force Capt. Michael Slotten, 61st Fighter Squadron F-35 student pilot, climbs into an F-35 Lighting II at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., July 7, 2017. Slotten dropped GBU-12 Paveway II bombs for his first time from the F-35 during training at the Barry M Goldwater Range. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Jensen Stidham)
While training as an F-35A student pilot at Eglin Air Force Base, Campbell completed approximately 200 hours of academics, 14 simulators, a high-speed taxi, and six flights in the aircraft before being deemed qualified.
The coursework takes full advantage of emerging technology by leveraging virtual reality training for pilots to compliment the military’s most advanced weapon system.
“As we discover new ways to employ the F-35 based on its expanding capabilities, we have to adapt the way we train our pilots to ensure they meet the needs of our combat air forces,” said Col. Paul D. Moga, 33rd Fighter Wing commander. “The world of fifth-gen tactics is rapidly evolving. It is changing the way we think, train and execute as a joint and multi-national force.”
Since the first aircraft was delivered in 2011, the F-35 enterprise and integrated training program have delivered more than 200 additional jets, produced more than 4,500 maintainers, and flown more than 100,000 hours.
“The F-35 and the capabilities it brings to the joint fight are key to the Air Force’s ability to dominate in any airspace,” Moga said. “The Airmen we train and graduate today are the finest in the world. Their skills, coupled with the survivability and lethality of this weapon system, will ensure continued air superiority for the U.S., our partners, and our allies for decades to come. Five hundred down, thousands to go.”
“This milestone represents the epitome of a team effort: active duty, Guard, Reserve, civilian, contractor, Air Force and Navy personnel all coming together with a common purpose to accomplish a common mission–train and graduate outstanding professionals for the combat air forces.”
Campbell plans to use his experience as a legacy test pilot to help improve the fifth-generation fighter through developmental testing on the aircraft.
“The F-35 will be the backbone of the Department of Defense’s tactical fighter fleet,” Campbell added. “Making the product better in the developmental test phase will have a huge positive impact on the Combat Air Force in the future.”
Eglin AFB is one of two bases in Air Education and Training Command responsible for the F-35 training mission. Together, Eglin AFB and Luke AFB, Arizona, enable AETC to provide F-35 flying and maintenance training that are critical to the joint fight.
2017-10-14 As the first Queen Elizabeth class carrier has begun its two year period of sea trials earlier this year.
Part of the preparation for operations is ski jump training for F-35B pilots.
This training is being initially at Pax River where a ski jump test and training facility has been built.
In an article published in 2015, we highlighted the beginning of this proces:
2015-06-24 The ski jump is a feature on UK warships which have operated the Harrier and will operate the F-35B.
The joint UK-US test team at Pax River has recently completed the first test of the ski jump for the F-35B.
In the photos below, there are three shots of the ski jump as used by the British.
The first shows it in use during USMC harrier certifications in 2007 aboard the HMS Illustrious, which also saw the first landing on a foreign warship of the Osprey.
The second shows the ski jump aboard the HMS Queen Elizabeth.
The third shows the first launch of the F-35B off of a ski jump at the Pax River test facility.
The fourth photo shows the F-35B taking off from the USS Wasp without a ski jump.
The ski jump provides an advantage for launching with more weight and with less-end speed.
The fifth photo shows an RAF F-35B at MCAS Beaufort with Squadron Leader Hugh Nichols.
78934random1.05.0
The F-35 is generated by and will be supported by a global enterprise.
For the British, the immediate advantage of this is to be able to leverage US-located facilities as their own are built over the next three years in the United Kingdom.
This means that the UK F-35Bs can be deployed about the HMS Queen Elizabeth fully capable in 2018 rather than having to start at that point, which is when infrastructure has been put in place in the UK for operations.
In the video below, ski jump training is highlighted for the UK pilots and the USMC pilots who will train and potentially operate off of the new UK carriers as well.
As one source put it:
Once HMS Queen Elizabeth and sister ship HMS Prince of Wales, due to be handed over to the Royal Navy in 2019, join the navy after £6bn of investment, they will provide all three sectors of the UK Armed Forces with eight acres of sovereign territory which can be deployed around the world.
Col. Anders Rex, Danish Air Force. seen at the Copenhagen Airpower Conference, 2015. Credit: Second Line of Defense
This applies in particular to the Baltic region, where Russian activities give cause for growing concern. 
U.S. Air Force Capt. Michael Slotten, 61st Fighter Squadron F-35 student pilot, climbs into an F-35 Lighting II at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., July 7, 2017. Slotten dropped GBU-12 Paveway II bombs for his first time from the F-35 during training at the Barry M Goldwater Range. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Jensen Stidham)
