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2016-09-14 Many years ago we wrote about the long reach of Aegis and the emergence of the offensive defensive enterprise.
Combining Aegis with the new Joint Strike Fighter will enhance coverage and lead to a global honeycomb of defensive capabilities.
Originally designed as a Cold War tool to bolster fleet defense against a challenging Soviet Navy, the Aegis program has since the 1970s evolved and morphed. Among the factors that have exponentially increased the core program’s capabilities, the software and microelectronics revolution has played a major role.
Targeting precision, C4ISR, and missile technologies have all developed, and today Aegis is a key element in global missile defense.
Of central relevance not only to the program but to global security, Aegis coupled with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter will provide unprecedented modular flexibility at sea for U.S. command authority and our allies as they shape responses to inevitable future crises.
More recently, Captain Nick Walker in his presentation on the Queen Elizabeth carrier referred to the Type 45 destroyer as the wingman of the F-35 which is a variant of our own argument that Aegis can operate as the wingman for the Aegis.
Now tests at White Sands Missile Range are verifying this capabilty.
According to an article by Geoff Ziezulewicz in a piece published by UPI on September 13, 2016:
Lockheed Martin reported Tuesday that the F-35 Lightning II and and the Aegis weapon system worked together for the first time during a live-fire exercise.
The joint exercise Monday between the company, the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps was the first live-fire missile test that successfully demonstrated the integration of the F-35 to support Naval Integrated Fire Control-Counter Air, the company said in a statement.
During the test, an unmodified Marine Corps F-35B acted as an elevated sensor and detected an over-the-horizon threat.
The jet sent data through the aircraft’s Multi-Function Advanced Data Link to a ground station connected to Aegis on the USS Desert Ship, a land-based ship.
The target was then engaged and intercepted with a Standard Missile 6.
Lockheed said the test reflects how the 5th-generation fighter can be a force multiplier.
When the capability is fully realized, it will increase situational awareness using Aegis and the F-35 together to better understand the maritime operational environment.
“Using any variant of the F-35 as a broad area sensor, the aircraft can significantly increase the Aegis capability to detect, track and engage,” Lockheed said.
2016-09-10 This video was shot by Todd Miller when he was onboard the USS George Washington on August 15, 2016.
The video shows VX-23 “Salty Dogs” and VFA-101 “ Grim Reapers” pilots and crew working on carrier qualifications.
The video shows 3 wires, touch and go and a great late wave off which was deck driven.
According to Miller:
“It was all business as planned.
Media probed for human-interest stories from the cadre of pilots on board, “What was it like, after all the simulator hours and practice landings at the airfield to actually land on the ship?”
A new aspect of building, modernizing and evolving the combat capabilities of the new generation of combat aircraft is software upgradeability.
Software upgradeability provides a key opportunity to evolve the capabilities of an air combat platform without having to change the hardware and correlated software configurations through a complicated upgrade process.
One such aircraft is the F-35. Many of the critics of the F-35 have simply missed the point about the F-35, namely that the evolving blocks of software make it an evolving capability aircraft throughout its lifetime.
As Dan Osburn, Deputy Director, 461st Flight Test Squadron (FTS), Intergrated Test Force / Director of Projects, put it during a visit earlier this year to Edwards AFB:
“Software blocks are about combat capabilities, or mission sets. They are additive.
“It is not about whether we have an effective combat product. For example, Block 2B, the USMC aircraft, is an F-35 with clean wing and delivering three types of weapons.
“Over time, and rapidly, now the envelope will be expanded, but this does not mean the Marines do not have the most lethal combat aircraft they have ever had.
“Perhaps it would be better to describe our software approach as one of agile development, of taking a stable foundational software system and evolving its capabilities over time as the plane operates, and inputs come back with regard to what are the most desirable next steps.”
As then Deputy Commandant of Aviation who then became MARFORPAC, Lt. General Robling put it in an interview at the Paris Air Show in 2011:
“Question: What is the next great airplane after the F-35 and the Osprey?
Robling’s answer was something like this:
“Every few years the F-35B will be more capable and a different aircraft.
A U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey (left) descended on Edwards to link up with a Marine F-35B Joint Strike Fighter April 28. Both aircraft are assigned to Marine Operational Test & Evaluation Squadron 22 (VMX-22) out of Marine Corps Air Station Yuma in Arizona. The Osprey dropped by for a test to validate ground refueling from an MV-22 to an F-35B. (U.S. Air Force photo by Christian Turner)
“The F-35B flying in 2030 will be significantly more capable than the initial F-35Bs.
“The problem is that will look the same at the airshows; but will be completely different inside.
“So you guys are going to have a tough time to describe the differences.
“It is no longer about adding new core platforms; it is about enabling our core multi-mission platforms.
It is a very different approach.”
To put it mildly, the critics simply do not get this; but although the F-35 is unique, it is about a generational shift with regard to configuring combat aircraft.
The first large combat aircraft to be software upgradeable is the Wedgetail air battlespace management aircraft built around a 737 airframe.
The Wedgetail version flown by the Australian Air Force has been battle tested in the Middle East and has proven itself to be the most advanced air battlespace management system operating today.
But to get there, required the Aussies to change their procurement mindset.
Instead of setting a hierarchy of requirements, which the aircraft had to meet, they froze the software baseline and put it in the hand of the warfighters and then let them evolve the aircraft in dialogue with the software engineers.
When I interviewed 2nd Squadron at Williamtown Airbase, the squadron operating Wedgetail, the Squadron Commander underscored the challenge of understanding software upgradeability:
“This is a software upgradeable aircraft with a defined launch point (IOC) but no fixed end point (FOC).
“The system will always be evolving and growing as the software code gets rewritten to reflect events and demands from the squadron.
“The squadron works through its experience and shapes change orders, which get sent to the procurement authorities to sort out priorities for the next round of upgrading the aircraft.”
The difference between older and such a new system was outlined by one participant during the visit as follows:
Wedgetail at Red Flag 16-1. Credit Photo: Jaryd Stock
“We have in the same time frame bought a CRC system full up which will look pretty much like it is in 20 years; with Wedgetail it will look nothing like it does now in 20 years.”
This process of upgrading means that the software engineers work closely with the operators in shaping the evolution of the aircraft.
This is a very different approach from legacy systems.
As Paul Kalafos, Vice President of Surveillance Systems at Northrop Grumman has put it:
“We are getting significant feedback from the RAAF on deployment and requests to automate tasks where possible to enhanced the capability of the machine part of the man-machine relationship to shape a way ahead.
“A lot of the input is through the ARCS working group, which is a collaborative study environment involving Boeing, Northrop Grumman, MIT/Lincoln Labs, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC), CEA Technologies, Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO), Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), and the Common Wealth of Australia (CoA). Operational requirements come out of that process and shape the next increment of software development.
“The ARCS is focused on problems and their resolutions.
“These are software updates.
“We get a software refresh out about once a year. Six months are spent doing the study to shape the plausible change; and the next six months are spent doing the integration and then getting it out the door. We shed the specs in favor of resolving problems, which the operational community identified.
“They can even write recommended change requests as well which provides part of the demand side process.”
The P-8/Triton replacement for the P-3 is following a similar process of change.
During a visit to Jacksonville Naval Air Station in late May 2016 with my colleague Ed Timperlake, we had a chance to talk with the P-8/Triton team shaping the new maritime domain awareness strike capability replacing the P-3.
In our discussion with Captain Corapi, the Wing Commander of Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 11, we focused on how the evolution of the P-8/Triton dyad was subsuming within it several of the earlier capabilities flown by the US Navy to do ASW but was doing so from the standpoint of creating a whole new digital capability, one which could be seamlessly integrated with the air and maritime forces.
It is not just a Navy asset; it is a joint and combined warfighting capability, both informed by and informing the entire force operating in the extended battlespace.
“This airplane is completely different from the P-3. It is much more automated, so much more. Everything is just set up so much different in the cockpit, just in particular. We’re finding that the aircrews are making that leap with really no issue.
“Because there’s so many young aviators now that have never seen a P3 and they’re innovating from the ground up, they’re learning how to fight the airplane in a completely different way.”
The combat learning cycle undergone by the P-8 Wing and by the coming Triton squadrons is convergent with the software upgradeable nature of the new air systems.
“All of the squadrons in the Wing are the baseline P-8.Soon these baseline aircraft will be upgraded to Increment 3
“Increment 3 will enhance the networking and communications capability of the aircraft.
“But the core point is that even the baseline aircraft is better than and different from the P-3 from the ground up and the crews are learning the skill sets for a P-8, rather than staying within the boundaries of what a P-3 can do and how it operates.”
The acquisition strategy was similar to the Wedgetail in terms of freezing a baseline.
“In 2005 we snapped a chalk line and we said, ‘Technology, as it exists today, is what goes in this airplane.’ We’ll do the spiral upgrades later. It was a brilliant move.”
And in a follow-up interview with Commander Miguel Martinez, CO of Patrol Squadron 16 and Commander Amanda Hawkins, the Executive Officer of the Squadron, the importance of software upgradeability was highlighted as well.
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The evolution of software aboard the software upgradeable aircraft was part of the ongoing transition which might be characterized as a “permanent revolution,” if what is being experienced to date is continued into the future.
“We have just completed our second deployment.
“A lot of the capability on that deployment did not exist during the first.
“And the main difference was because of software upgrades.”
And as they prepare for their next deployment, more software upgrades are under way.
And the CO commented that the “operators are telling me that we will have capabilities through the software upgrades that would have been extremely useful during the last two deployments.”
And software applies as well to the weaponization of the aircraft.
For now, the P-8 is flying traditional P-3 weapons; but with its software upgradeable weapons system there is no reason to continue such an approach.
In an interview during the Jax Navy visit with the Deputy Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing ELEVEN, Captain James Robinson, the point was driven home about the weaponziation opportunity for the P-8.
“Because the P-8 operates with the common 1760 Bus which is a common weapons standard for smart weapons, the only limit is your imagination with regard to what weapons might be put on the P-8 in the future.
“It is forward compatible with future smart weapons.”
At some point in the future, the P-8 could be in the battlespace armed with hypersonic cruise missiles to go with its capability to see deep into the battlespace.
By building key capabilities for prevailing in the extended battlespace, the USN is building towards the future as it deploys in the present.
During a visit to RAF Lossiemouth earlier this year, there was chance to discuss the coming of the P-8 to the RAF.
The key RAF officer had met with a Navy Captain who had deployed with the P-8 to the Joint Warrior exercise.
During that meeting, the RAF officer highlighted that he was very impressed with the aircraft and very interested in the weapons hard points on the aircraft and their potential for operating in the North Atlantic.
It turns out that the USN Captain involved was none other than Captain Robinson who remembered the exchange well and in his train and equip role was talking with the Brits about future infrastructure for support to the P-8. RAF Lossiemouth is one of the candidate bases for operating UK P-8s as well.
Captain Robinson had worked earlier for Admiral Gortney who in our interview with him had highlighted the threats at the 10 and 2 O’Clock to North America, and when at Joint Warrior, Captain Robinson was operating in the 2’Oclock.
This is a notional rendering of the 10 and 2 O’Clock challenge. It is credited to Second Line of Defense and not in any way an official rendering by any agency of the US government. It is meant for illustration purposes only.
Norway is interested as well in the P-8 which then create a significant interlocking force. For Norway, because the P-8 is not a P-3, they would benefit from seeing much deeper into the maritime space to protect their interests. It is not just about flying to an area of interest and patrolling it. When you take off with the P-8 you link into the data network and are on station when you take off.
As Captain Robinson put it:
“With the P-3 we flew together and shaped a common operating picture largely by voice communication or the archaic link 11.
“It was always a challenge.
“With the P-8 we can share data electronically over hundreds of miles being able to link with other line of site contributors.
“We will be able to have maritime domain awareness over huge square miles of ocean that can be covered by a single P8, even before we discuss what Triton brings to the effort.
“You have a single sensor that from the time aircraft depart is operating miles and miles away, having domain awareness and feeding a common operational picture to the commander or a set of commanders.
That’s incredible.”
And the software will evolve with the evolution of the threat and the coming of additional opportunities to shape a “new” aircraft, which will look the same but not operate the same in the battlespace.
That is the point about software upgradeability.
The slideshow above shows the P-8 working with the Japanese navy. Credit Photos: US Navy
09/06/2016: 4th and 5th generation aircraft soared through the skies at Volk Field on Thursday morning as pilots had combat rehearsal training.
Volk Field Combat Readiness Training Center hosted their annual Northern Lightning combat exercise which provides real-world conflict scenarios for active service personnel from the National Guard, Air Force, and the Navy.
The week long exercise is meant to prepare 700 airmen for combat. Missions practiced at Volk Field are high-end training drills for units from all over the country.
“These exercises allow us to practice full scale operations and they allow us to improve our own instructors so that when we go back to our school house to teach the newest students in the F-35, we can make them better and ultimately improve our combat capability as an Air Force,” Lt. Col. Brad Baeshore, Commander, 58th Fighter Squadron said.
The situations practiced provide extensive training and cohesiveness between joint military services.
“The Air Force just declared initial operational capability, we just did that on the second of August is when we declared that and now the important part is that we are taking the F-35 on the road to train other people what our tactics are and how to manage those tactics so that when we do have to employ in combat everyone is familiar with each other and we know how to execute those to the best of our abilities.” Lt. Col. Brad Baeshore added.
Northern Lightning exercise 2016 is the largest F-35 training to date.
CAMP DOUGLAS, WI, UNITED STATES
Video by Staff Sgt. Tarelle Walker:33rd Fighter Wing/Public Affairs
Recently, The Cyber Brief interviewed the Marines leading expert on fifth generation aircraft, who is an F-22 and F-35 pilot among many other things.
He had these choice words for the F-35 critics:
The question of “Is it worth it?” has to be put into context. You can only determine the worth of this airplane if the capability is understood. If you want to define the capability along 4th generation standards and say it’s not worth the price of the program, that’s a pretty flawed argument to me.
For someone who is pretty familiar with the role and the impact of tactical aviation in a joint warfight – and I’ve been in combat in the F-18 numerous times – I’m very comfortable saying that the F-35 is a much more capable aircraft in terms of missions. It gives us a qualitative advantage, but more importantly, it has, inherent in its existence, an ability to adapt to missions we’re not even familiar with right now. It’s going to create an ecosystem, and it’s going to facilitate a whole host of other contributors to a network of warfighting information without which we would be at a huge disadvantage.
A lot of people either underestimate or misunderstand the actual capabilities of the F-35. It’s almost impossible to overstate how significant the emergence of this airplane is for the Marine Corps and the joint war force in general. Then you start to incorporate concepts like the F-35B and how expeditionary it is, and where it can operate. It can contribute to joint force missions and provide combatant commanders with a specialized aircraft that offers a persistent capability that may not represent 100 percent of what they need, but it’s available to them all the time.
It’s really difficult for me to say how good the airplane is because it’s so much better than anything we even thought of building, let alone have actually built. And part of the reason why it’s delayed is because the technology is so complex and what we’re asking it to do is so significant that it’s going to take some time and a little bit of patience, but ultimately, it’s in the hands of the war fighter now.
And that’s the best place for it to be because people that are using this to support Marines and to support the joint forces are going to figure out what they need out of it and what it can do.
And that’s part of the reason why the program is doing so well lately and why the news is getting better – we’ve got it in the hands of the people that are going to use it.
I’ve always said this: the greatest advocates of the F-35 are the people closest to the program. The biggest skeptics and critics are the people farthest away from the program. The less you know about it, the less you understand it, and the more critical you are of it. If you ever hear someone pining away for the F-16 of 1979 or the F-18 of 1983 or the F-15 of the mid 70’s, you’re talking to a someone who’s so far behind the technology and what the airplane can do that to me, his criticisms are just totally unwarranted.
The people that know the most about the jet are the people who are the biggest advocates for it. And keep in mind these are people with experience in other airplanes and other warfighting assets. I didn’t grow up on the F-35. I had three previous operational experiences with amazing airplanes prior to the Joint Strike Fighter.
My opinion of the F-35 is vastly higher than that of anything else, and that’s just because I understand it.
2016-08-31 According to a UK MoD story published on August 16, 2016, the RAF will be putting ASRAAM on its F-35Bs which means that this potent weapon will be available to the F-35B global user community.
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has awarded a contract worth around £184 million to ensure the UK’s new supersonic stealth combat aircraft will continue to be equipped with the latest air-to-air missile.
Designed and manufactured in the UK, ASRAAM is an advanced heat-seeking weapon which will give Royal Air Force (RAF) and Royal Navy F-35B Lightning II pilots, operating from land and the UK’s two new aircraft carriers, the ability to defeat current and future air adversaries.
The contract is just the latest demonstration of the Government’s commitment to ensuring the Armed Forces have the best possible equipment and aircraft equipped with ASRAAM will operate from land aswell as from the Royal Navy’s two new aircraft carriers, the biggest ships ever to be built for the Navy.
It will see MBDA manufacture an additional stockpile of an updated version of the weapon, allowing F-35 combat jets to use the missile beyond 2022. Work to integrate the new missile onto the UK’s F-35 fleet will be carried out under a separate contract.
Minister for Defence Procurement, Harriett Baldwin said:
“Wholly designed and built in the UK, this air-to-air missile on our F-35 aircraft will secure cutting-edge air power for the UK for years to come.
This contract will sustain around 400 jobs across the country and is part of the MOD’s £178 billion Equipment Plan which is backed by a defence budget that will increase every year from now until the end of the decade.”
The award is part of an overarching agreement with MBDA which is sustaining around 200 jobs at the company’s sites in Bristol, Stevenage and Bolton, with a further 200 sustained across the supply chain. Work on ASRAAM will be carried out at MBDA’s new, £40 million state of the art manufacturing facility that is nearing completion in the Logistic North commercial development in Bolton.
MBDA’s investment in this new facility is a demonstration of the company’s commitment to maintaining highly skilled engineering jobs in the region as well as to providing the very best equipment required by the UK’s armed forces. The award of the contract to MBDA underlines the Government’s commitment to sustaining a cutting edge defence industry in the UK.
ASRAAM, which uses a sophisticated infra-red seeker, is designed to enable UK pilots to engage and defend themselves against other aircraft.
It is capable of engaging hostile air targets ranging in size from large multi-engined aircraft to small drones.
Chief Executive Officer at the MOD’s Defence Equipment and Support organisation, Tony Douglas said:
“ASRAAM will provide vital offensive and defensive options for UK F-35 pilots against a wide range of air-to-air threats.
The project to update the weapon and integrate it with the F-35, the world’s most advanced combat aircraft, provides a clear example of the MOD and UK industry working effectively together to provide our UK Armed Forces with the best equipment possible.”
ASRAAM is currently in service with RAF Typhoon and Tornado aircraft and is being carried daily on missions over Iraq and Syria as part of the coalition fight against Daesh.
The updated missile variant being secured under this new contract is expected to enter service on RAF Typhoon aircraft from 2018 and on RAF and Royal Navy F-35 aircraft from 2022, when the current variant will be taken out of service.
With the biggest defence budget in Europe and the second biggest in NATO the Government is investing in new aircraft carriers, submarines, warships and patrol vessels.
2016-08-31 According to a Press Release from the F-35 Joint Program Office dated August 22, 2016, the F-35 is ramping up its weapons testing.
The F-35 Integrated Test Force (ITF) at Edwards Air Force Base, California, recently completed 25 missions comprising of 12 Weapons Delivery Accuracy (WDA) and 13 Weapon Separation Tests as part of a month-long weapon’s firing test surge.
Historically, WDAs take place once a month given the myriad of coordination required. The highest number previously accomplished in a month, was three in November of 2014 during 2B software testing.
These successful test events — performed using the F-35’s newest block 3F software — demonstrated the accuracy of the F-35’s. Five of the test events featured dropping multiple weapons.
The F-35 weapons test team was given exclusive use of the Sea Test Range, an instrumented Pacific Ocean test area off the central coast near Point Mugu Naval Air Station, California. Tests were also conducted at the U.S. Navy’s China Lake Weapons Range, California and the White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico.
During this unprecedented surge period, a total of 30 weapons were dropped or fired, including the Joint Direct Attack Munition, AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile, GPS-guided 250-pound Small Diameter Bomb, AIM-9X Sidewinder air-to-air heat-seeking missile and GPS/laser-guided munition.
“The WDAs rely on the full capability of the F-35 — multiple sensors, navigation, weapons envelope, mission planning, data links and inter-agency range scheduling — all working in sequence to put steel on target,” said Lt. Gen. Chris Bogdan, F-35 Program Executive Officer.
“This was a tremendous effort by the F-35 test team. They surged and worked seven days a week for more than a month to expend 30 ordnance and advance weapons testing. This testing has moved us that much closer to delivering the full F-35 capability to warfighters within the next two years.”
And a USMC press release added the following:
Three F-35B aircraft and 75 U.S. Marines from Marine Operational Test & Evaluation Squadron 1 (VMX-1) F-35B Detachment at Edwards Air Force Base , CA, along with 21 test personnel from the JSF Operational Test Team at Edwards deployed to Eglin AFB, FL., from August 9 to September 1, 2016 to complete Operational Test missile shots of the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM).
These employment scenarios differed from those conducted in Developmental Test in that they were specifically designed around operational employment scenarios with the aim of further validating and developing tactics, techniques, and procedures for all three variants of the F-35.
“Due to the commonality of the F-35 mission systems and weapons, everything we learned during this detachment directly translates to combat capabilities for the Marine Corps, our sister services, and partner countries,” Lt. Col. Richard Rusnok, VMX-1 F-35B Detachment Officer-in-Charge, said of the test missile shoot.
The detachment completed multiple engineering runs in preparation for the expenditure of five AIM-120 missiles and one Guided Bomb Unit-12 (GBU-12) LASER guided bomb. The operational test team developed complex air-to-air and air-to-ground scenarios and the F-35 weapons system performed as expected to deliver weapons on target. On day one of live fire testing, the team was able to shoot two missiles on two separate test set-ups within 12 minutes – an exceptional level of efficiency in a test environment. Another test mission involved an F-35B dropping a GBU-12 and supporting it with LASER guidance while simultaneously engaging a QF-16 drone. Both weapons successfully guided to their targets.
“This was a phenomenally successful deployment that was made possible by the close coordination between the JSF Operational Test Team, U.S. Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and industry,” Rusnok said.
During the past year, VMX-1’s F-35B Detachment has been involved in multiple high profile events including:
– Block 2B, 3i, and 3F Developmental Test support
– Block 2B Air-to-Surface Weapon Delivery Evaluation
– Global Position System (GPS) testing
– A deployment to the United Kingdom in support of the Royal International Air Tattoo and Farnborough International Airshow
Upcoming events for VMX-1’s F-35B Detachment include:
– Naval Integrated Fire Control – Counter Air (NIFC-CA) testing
– Developmental Test Period 3 aboard USS AMERICA
“I want to congratulate the VMX-1 / JOTT team that did a magnificent job planning and executing this OT missile shoot,” Col. George Rowell, VMX-1 commanding officer said. “ It is a huge achievement for the squadron and the F-35B program. We look forward to many more opportunities to provide positive impact.”
Marine Operational Test & Evaluation Squadron 1 is charged with testing the full range of Marine Aviation Combat Element (ACE) Operational Test and Evaluation including MV-22, CH-53E/K, F-35B, UH-1Y, AH-1W/Z, Command and Control Systems, and Unmanned Aerial Systems. VMX-1 is headquartered at MCAS Yuma, AZ, with detachments at Marine Corps Air Station New River, NC; West Palm Beach, FL; and Edwards AFB, CA VMX-1 was formerly called VMX-22. The squadron’s name changed on May 13, 2016.
The USS George Washington (CVN-73) is hosting the F-35C in its final Developmental Testing cycle (DT-III) Aug. 14-23.
However, for a few of those days the two VX-23 “Salty Dogs” F-35Cs from NAS Patuxent River were joined by 5 F-35Cs from VFA-101 “Grim Reapers” out of Eglin AFB.
The 7 F-35Cs gathered on the deck of the USS George Washington represented the largest carrier contingent of F-35Cs onboard a large deck aircraft carrier to date.
Media were hosted on the USS George Washington August 15 to observe the carrier qualifications at the onset of DT-III. All pilots embarking must perform a number of “cats” and “traps” prior to executing the specific tests involved with DT-III.
DT-III is focused on a number of issues:
Validation of the aircraft’s flying capabilities with full inert internal and external stores (up to 4 GBU-12s and two AIM-9X on external hardpoints);
Handling tests with asymmetrical loads;
Testing for maximum weight launches at minimum power; evaluating all of these in a variety of wind and sea conditions.
As explained by Tom “Briggo” Briggs ITF (Integrated Test Force) Chief Test Engineer, there were additional minor tests to run through, such as ship borne evaluation of minor adjustments made to control laws (based on previous DT testing), and night launches to verify the Gen 3 helmet performed as desired.
Briggs made clear that the testing is to prepare the aircraft launch and recovery bulletins (ALB/ARB). These are the operating guides the Navy will utilize to determine the appropriate launch and recovery parameters for the aircraft given weights and conditions. These bulletins will ensure the aircraft can safely launch with the desired loads to complete assigned missions.
Complete ALB/ARBs will enable the F-35Cs to be very combat capable as they reach IOC utilizing the Block 3F software.
DT-III is a significant milestone for the F-35C program and represents the progression towards US Navy IOC somewhere between August 2018 and Feb 2019.
It was all business as planned. Media probed for human-interest stories from the cadre of pilots on board: “What was it like, after all the simulator hours and practice landings at the airfield to actually land on the ship?
From pilots who had 50 traps with the F-35C to those who had just realized their first – they struggled to provide any other answer; “no drama, no surprise, performed as expected, very vanilla, pretty straightforward.”
No news.
“Any issues moving 7 F-35Cs around the deck at once, or reliability issues?”
No news.
Though not officially part of DT-III, the Grim Reapers of VFA-101 put the state of the F-35C program in context – and made news of their own. VFA-101 represents a cadre of instructors and strike fighter tactics specialists who took this opportunity to carrier qualify so they can prepare the instructor syllabus for the F-35C.
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12 VFA-101 pilots with 5 F-35Cs completed their carrier qualifications (CQs) in just over 1.5 days. That is, as Capt. James Christie of VFA-101 described, 10 landings and 2 touch and goes each – 120 cats, 120 traps and 24 touch and goes.
As U.S. Navy Commander Ryan “Flopper” Murphy, F-35 ITF Lead said: “the greatest satisfaction was to watch the fleet (VFA-101) start to utilize the aircraft.
After all, that is the point of everything we are doing, all the years of work; to equip and empower the Fleet with the F-35C.”
After observing VFA-101 for a few hours, it is clear the equipping and empowering are well underway.
Simultaneously the 5 VX-23 pilots performed their CQs.
Suffice it to say, the F-35Cs on board were very busy, and from an observer’s perspective, landing and launches were very frequent. There were instances of hot refueling, with pilot changes during refuel and the aircraft cycling back for more CQs.
As VX-23 F-35C pilot Ted “Dutch” Dyckman explained, everybody completed their CQs faster than with the Hornet. The additional fuel on the F-35C, the ease of landing due to Delta Flight Path mode, along with the aircrafts reliability all played a part in the accelerated CQs.
The innovative “Delta Flight Path” mode that is engaged on approach alters the control laws, setting auto throttles and maintaining the optimal 3-degree glide slope to landing. This approach makes the pilots job landing on the carrier much easier, and they were hitting the desired 3 wire almost 100% of the time.
Any wave-offs were driven by deck activities – not derived from within the aircraft. Delta Flight Path utilizes the flaps to add or decrease lift during approach so as to maintain the glide slope. Observers can see tremendous amounts of flap adjustments on aircraft approach to the deck – these are all controlled by the computer to provide the pilot what they want – glideslope to the deck.
The Super Hornet and Growler control laws are being modified to feature the same Delta Flight Path in an initiative called “Magic Carpet.”
Once Delta Flight Path is fully integrated on the F-35C, F/A-18E/F & EA-18G the efficiencies created will make a profound, operational impact on naval aviation. Numerous pilots identified the benefits provided by Delta Flight Path; safer, less stressful landings on board; pre-embark training cut by as high as 50%; more time available to focus on tactics and missions; reduced wear and tear on aircraft; fuel savings; fewer “tankers” required in the air during recoveries and more.
USMC Major Elroy Northam, a pilot with VX-23 extoled the value of the F-35 in the battlespace as a stealth platform with an advanced sensor suite that will push its way to the forefront of the battlespace, gather all kinds of information as to what is out there, quickly identify “red or blue,” and push it out throughout the force including to legacy aircraft.
The information will provide an unparalleled situational awareness (SA), and the guy with the best SA usually wins.
Recently appointed to the new position, Director of Joint Strike Fighter Fleet Integration, Rear Admiral Roy “Trigger” Kelley was on the USS George Washington for DT-III. Kelley will direct the F-35C program towards IOC.
Given 70% of the world is covered by water, the US Navy-Marine Corps team can expect to be on the frontlines of any potential battle.
Kelley is excited about the capability the F-35C will bring to the Fleet; first day access into contested areas that host sophisticated air defense systems; the ability to utilize stealth and sensors to define the battlespace combined with advanced command and control capabilities that will empower the entire fleet.
The F-35C and associated technologies (Delta Flight Path) will revolutionize Fleet capabilities, particularly when seen in context of the evolving US Navy “kill web” approach. The information gathering and sharing network consisting of the F-35C, P-8A, MQ-4C, Aegis and others will be a foundation for the maritime services operating in the extended battlespace.
Once DT-III is finished the ITF will look forward to DT-III with the F-35B in October, and then close the loop on additional verification of structural load testing on the aircraft. It is expected that their work in this capacity will wrap up the summer of 2017.
For Briggs, (recognized as the 2015 Test and Evaluation Lead Tester) it is hard to put into perspective an effort that has spanned over a decade and a half. One can feel the professional sense of pride he takes in what is being accomplished by the team including the ITF, Lockheed Martin, the USS George Washington, USMC, US Navy and others.
170 personnel from Pax were on the carrier to support the testing, and many more back on land that have been working tirelessly for many years to make it all happen.
DT-III is a significant milestone, and it is clear the US Navy is now tracking very quickly and methodically to a very capable IOC.
Second Line of Defense would like to thank the following for their support: Sylvia Pierson, F-35 ITF/JPO PA; CDR Dave Hecht, Naval Air Force Atlantic PAO; Capt. Timothy Kuehhas, CO USS George Washington; and the many supporting PAOs on and off shore, pilots, engineers, and C-2 Greyhound crews. The entire US Navy team performed as professional, gracious hosts.
Editor’s Note: The Marines have been operating the B for more than a year after IOC and are getting ready to take their first combat squadron to the Pacific next year.
According to one senior Naval aviator, although the Navy has been perceived to be slow on the uptake on F-35, he believed that a rapid learning curve will be driven by the integrated air wing.
Question: The Navy is the last service to acquire the F-35 and has been widely perceived as dragging its feet and providing significant opposition to acquiring the aircraft.
Does this mean that the roll out of the culture changes (of the sort you are talking about) will see a slow cycle as well?
CDR Murphy: I do not think so.
“There has been a barrage of literature out there, which has not always painted the aircraft in a favorable light, and our carrier pilots read that literature.
“But, as the cadre of pilots grows and the aircraft makes its way to decks of carriers, you will see significant change rapidly.
“We operate air wings; meaning that when a new air system comes to an air wing, the entire air wing is affected and its culture changed.
“And, since the air wing trains together and deploys together, the F-35 will become ingrained as part of that air wing very rapidly.
“Other Navy air wings will look at this experience and competitively seek to be as good or better than the last air wing that operated the F-35.
“Peer pressure is a powerful learning tool.”
We would add as well that Marines are naval aviators and are flying the C as well as the B.
This point is often not realized outside of the naval aviation community but is a key plank in shaping capabilities necessary to prevail in the extended battlespace.
