Air Forces Monthly UK 2013-06

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TODAY'S DAMBUSTERS AT 70

Offіcially the World's Number One Military Aviation Magazine | www.airforcesmonthly.com

World Aerobatic Teams AFM'S 16-PAGE PULLOUT DETAILING ALL THE WORLD'S MILITARY DISPLAY LINE-UPS 16-page pullout

Exercise reports

IRANIAN FULCRUMS Guardians of Tabriz

FRANCE OVERSEAS

From Mali to Afghanistan

IRON FIST

Plus Frisian Flag & Joint Warrior Force Report

BOLIVIAN AIRModernising FORCEin Latin America

GRAND SLAMMERS Flying with the 379th AEW

POLAND'S FUTURE PLANS JUNE 2013 UK £4.50

AN AFM EXclusive

We Talk to the Chief of the Polish Air Force

CONTENTS CONTENTS JUNE

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28 Typhoons Swing at Red Flag Jon Lake evaluates the RAF’s first serious test of Typhoon during Red Flag at Nellis AFB, Nevada.

32 Tornado GR4: Life in the Old Dog Yet Tim Ripley examines the role of the RAF Tornado GR4 force over Iraq during Operation Telic and how that experience paved the way for success in Afghanistan and Libya.

FREE DVD! Subscribe to AirForces Monthly and claim your FREE F-16 Cockpit or Indian Military Spectacular DVD worth £12.49. See pages 10 and 11 for details.

38 In the Shadows of Giants AFM'S editor, Gary Parsons, reports from RAF Lossiemouth on how 617 Squadron plans to mark the 70th anniversary of the Dambusters.

44 Poland’s Plans Exclusively for AFM, Krzysztof Kuska interviewed the Commander of the Polish Air Force, Lieutenant General Lech Majewski, about its current tasks and future projects.

52 Turbulent Times for Tornado One of the oldest wings in the German Air Force, Jagdbombergeschwader 32, disbanded at the end of March with its Tornados distributed to other units. Mathias Grägel explains why.

56 Grand Slammers Martin Scharenborg & Ramon Wenink/Global Aviation Review

Press fly with the US Air Force’s 379th Air Expeditionary Wing over the Persian Gulf.

64 Tabriz Guardians Babak Taghvaee details the IRIAF’s MiG-29 Fulcrum squadrons deployed near Iran’s northern border with Turkey.

68 Task Force Musketeer Now that French forces have left Afghanistan, Erwan de Cherisey tells the story of Task Force Musketeer, the Gallic rotary wing working in the hot and high climate.

76 Mali – A French Perspective In another exclusive for AFM, Georg Mader speaks to Lt Gen (Retired) Jean-Patrick Gaviard, a former high-ranking French Air Force officer who is now a key adviser to NATO on Operation Serval.

Cover Feature Supplement - 2013 MILITARY DISPLAY TEAMS of the World Mark Broadbent details all the military demonstration teams from around the world in our 16-page pull-out special.

News 5 6-7 8-9 12 - 13

Headlines UK Europe North America Special – US Air Force Standdown Details 14 - 15 North America 16 - 17 Latin America 18 Middle East 19 Africa 20 Russia & CIS 22 - 23 Asia Pacific 24 Australasia

Regulars 4

Editorial

AFM looks forward to the Northern Hemisphere airshow season.

24 Deployments and Contracts 25 Attrition

Military aircraft accidents.

50 Feedback/Gallery

Some of the best of recent correspondence by AFM readers.

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80 Force Report: Bolivian Air Force

Santiago Rivas reviews an air force that is looking towards the future.

88 Exercise Report: Iron Fist

Kedar Karmarkar reports from the midst of jet noise, explosions, bombs and rockets in India.

89 Ops Board

All of the major aerial events and

airshows for the next month.

Warrior of the year.

90 Exercise Report: Frisian Flag

98 And Finally…Just call him Tao…

AFM’s Jerry Gunner was at Leeuwarden for the largest air power exercise in Europe.

94 Exercise Report: Joint Warrior AFM’s editor Gary Parsons reports from Scotland on the French invasion at RAF Leuchars for the first Joint

Christophe Gasztych finds out what it takes to become a French Air Force Rafale display pilot.

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IT’S EARLY May and the sun is shining over Key Towers in Lincolnshire – could this be a sign that this year’s summer will be better than the washout we endured in 2012? Of course, summer means airshows, and Europe is set for another busy season with some major events, despite the gloomy economic times besetting the Western world. In this issue you’ll find our guide to all the world’s military aerobatic teams operational today, most of which will be displaying somewhere in Europe over the next six months. What better excuse is there to get out and enjoy the skills of the best pilots in the world, all hand-

Editor: Gary Parsons Assistant Editor: Jerry Gunner World Air Forces Correspondent: Alan Warnes Military News Editor: Dave Allport Military News Analyst: Steve Rush Editor’s Secretary: Julie Lawson Chief Designer: Steve Donovan Assistant Chief Designer: Lee Howson Production Editor: Sue Blunt Deputy Production Editor: Carol Randall Sub Editor: Norman Wells Advertising Manager: Ian Maxwell Production Manager: Janet Watkins Marketing Manager: Martin Steele Mail Order Subscription Manager: Roz Condé Group Editor-in-Chief: Paul Hamblin Commercial Director: Ann Saundry Executive Chairman: Richard Cox Managing Director & Publisher: Adrian Cox

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picked for their professionalism, dedication and prowess. It’s an elite group of around 300 pilots, all of whom have reached the top of their game in their respective air forces. But the military demonstration team is a threatened species – already sequestration in the US has led to the grounding of the US Air Force’s Thunderbirds and US Navy’s Blue Angels, while the Swiss Government is saying its air force’s Patrouille Suisse will be disbanded in 2015 possibly in favour of sharing a display team with the Swedish Air Force. The RAF’s own Red Arrows is constantly in the national headlines as the press argues the merits of keeping the team versus

Copies of AirForces Monthly can be obtained each month by placing a standing order with your newsagent. In case of difficulty, contact our Circulation Manager. Readers in USA may place subscriptions by telephone toll-free 800-676-4049 or by writing to AirForces Monthly, 3330 Pacific Ave, Ste 500, Virginia Beach, VA23451-9828. We are unable to guarantee the bonafides of any of our advertisers. Readers are strongly recommended to take their own precautions before parting with any information or item of value, including, but not limited to, money, manuscripts, photographs or personal information in response to any advertisements within this publication. Postmaster: Send address corrections to AirForces Monthly, Key Publishing Ltd, c/o Mail Right International Inc. 1637 Stelton Road B4, Piscataway NJ 08854. Printed in England by Warners (Midlands) plc, Bourne, Lincolnshire. AirForces Monthly (ISSN 0955 7091) is published monthly by Key

better equipment being provided for soldiers in Afghanistan. One thing is for sure, few teams will be flying ‘fast’ jets in the future and it’s likely many will convert to turboprop aircraft for economy and practicability. But having witnessed Pilatus’s PC-21 in action in Switzerland, its near-Hawk performance is sparkling – maybe nine painted in Royal Air Force colours wouldn’t be so bad after all! So here’s to some great weather and fantastic flying for all the major events coming up – we’ll be reporting from most of them, but if you get to a more obscure airshow please share it with us on our Facebook page (www. facebook.com/AirForcesMonthly)!

Publishing Ltd and distributed in the USA by Mail Right Int., 1637 Stelton Road B4, Piscataway, NJ 08854. The entire contents of AirForces Monthly is a copyright of Key Publishing Ltd and cannot be reproduced in any form without permission. The Editor is happy to receive contributions to AirForces Monthly. Please note that all material sent to the Editor is forwarded at the contributor’s own risk. While every care is taken with material, the publishers cannot be held responsible for any loss or damage incurred. All material rates available on request. Submitted material (especially illustrations) should have the contributor’s name and address clearly marked and a stamped addressed envelope should be enclosed if it is required to be returned. All items submitted for publication are subject to our terms and conditions, which are regularly updated without prior notice and are freely available from Key Publishing Ltd or downloadable from www.keypublishing.com. All digital imagery should be at least 300dpi

Red Arrows - Crown copyright/MoD Cover image: Patrouille Suisse - SAF/Katsuhiko Tokunaga

Here comes the summer!

GARY PARSONS, EDITOR and 10 x 8 inches (25.4cm x 20.3cm) in size and submitted on a CD/DVD with thumbnail prints to the Editor at Key Publishing Ltd, PO Box 100, Stamford, Lincolnshire, PE9 1XQ, UK. CD/DVDs will not be returned unless accompanied by a stamped addressed envelope. Telephone: +44 (0)1780 755131 Fax: +44 (0)1780 757261 Subscription: [email protected] Website: www.keypublishing.com Distributed by Seymour Distribution Ltd, 2 Poultry Avenue, London, EC1A 9PP. Tel: +44 (0)20 7429 4000 Fax: +44 (0)20 7429 4001

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NEWS HEADLINES

For daily news stories visit www.airforcesdaily.com e-mail the news team at: [email protected]

US DOD 2014 Budget Details Released DoD Requested Aircraft Acquisitions Comparative figures in the table are given for the previous two years, but it should be noted that only FY12 funding has been approved, the FY13 funding is still subject to change. Type

FY14 FY13 request request

FY12 funding

US Air Force

Above: US Air Force F-35A Lightning II 10-5009 ‘OT’ from the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron taxies out at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, for the unit’s first training mission with the type on April 4. The DoD’s 2014 budget request includes 19 F-35As for the USAF, although sequestration may cut this down to 14. USAF/Senior Airman Brett Clashman

THE US Department of Defense (DoD) budget request for fiscal year 2014 was revealed on April 10. However, the $526.6 billion proposal does not include any information about overseas contingency operations funding, details of which are expected to be submitted in May. Nor does it take account of the automatic cuts now being enforced by sequestration, which may lead to further reductions in acquisitions proposed in the budget unless Congress can quickly override the sequester law. For the US Air Force, the planned acquisition of 24 F-35As in FY14 has been cut to just 19, to comply with the Budget Control Act. However, speaking at the Pentagon, Major General

Edward Bolton, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Budget, said that sequestration was likely to reduce this number even further. Of the new aircraft programmes, significant development funding ($1.56 billion) has been requested for the USAF’s new KC-46A tanker, a militarised variant of the commercial Boeing 767-2C. The US Army is focused primarily on further acquisitions of three helicopter types: the AH-64E Guardian (Apache Block III), CH-47F Chinook and UH-60M Black Hawk, as part of its modernisation plan. Funding is also being sought for conversion of OH-58D Kiowa Warriors to the OH-58F model with cockpit and sensor upgrades, pending a

decision on acquisition of a new armed aerial scout helicopter. Also included are the last ten UH-72A Lakotas, indicating that the total purchase of 346 has now been cut to 315. Aquisition of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet for US Naval Aviation is being put to one side for a year – instead the Navy is seeking to increase its EA-18G Growler fleet, with a request for 21 emphasising the importance now being attached to these electronic attack aircraft. Other Navy acquisition requests are generally as expected (see table), although two unmanned air vehicle programmes, the MQ-4C Triton and MQ-8C Fire Scout, have been postponed, with no production funding requested in FY2014.

Royal Air Force Now Controlling Reapers from UK ROYAL AIR Force crews have begun controlling MQ-9A Reaper Remotely Piloted Air Systems (RPAS) in Afghanistan from the UK. The UK Ministry of Defence confirmed on April 25 that personnel from 13 Squadron are now controlling the Reapers from RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire. Previously these operations had been controlled from the US Air Force’s Creech Air Force Base, Nevada. The five RAF Reapers in Afghanistan are based at Kandahar Airfield, where they will be joined by five more under plans announced by Prime Minister David Cameron in 2010. The new aircraft are scheduled to begin arriving

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in Afghanistan this summer. The fact that these aircraft are being controlled from the UK is stirring up controversy, with around 600 campaigners marching outside RAF Waddington on April 27 to protest against the use of remote-controlled ‘drones’, as they are termed by such groups as CND, the Drone Campaign Network, Stop the War and War on Want. The march coordinator, Helen John, was a founder of the Greenham Common protests in the early 1980s and she has now set up a ‘peace camp’ opposite the airfield beside the A15 road. She told local reporters “What I would like to see is that this base does not have one hour of rest. What they

are doing is completely illegal and what I would like to do is organise a mass walk-in into the base so we would be arrested and have to explain ourselves in court. We should make sure that everyone who works there is trembling in their boots about going to work.” The MoD said “UK Reaper aircraft are piloted by highly trained professional military pilots who adhere strictly to the same laws of armed conflict and are bound by the same clearly defined rules of engagement which traditionally apply to manned RAF aircraft. In all military operations everything possible is done to avoid civilian casualties and this is no less the case with Reaper operations.”

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F-35A 19 19 18 CV-22B 3 4 5 Osprey MQ-9A 12 24 48 Reaper Combat Rescue 2 H/c US Navy: E/A-18G 21 12 12 Growler F/A-18E/F 26 28 E-2D Adv 5 5 5 Hawkeye F-35C 4 4 7 MQ-4C 3 Triton MH-60R 19 19 24 MH-60S 18 18 18 P-8A 13 11 Poseidon 16 T-6B 29 33 36 Texan II US Marine Corps: F-35B 6 6 7 KC-130J 2 1 AH-1Z 28 (inc 25 (inc 10 Viper UH-1Y) UH-1Y) UH-1Y 28 (inc 25 (inc 15 Venom AH-1Z) AH-1Z) MV-22B 18 17 30 Osprey RQ-21 UAV 25 5 US Army: AH-64E 50** 27 Guardian 42* CH-47F 28*** 44 45 UH-60M 65 59 89 UH-72A 10 34 39 Lakota MQ-1C Gray 15 19 29 Eagle RQ-11 234 1,131 Raven Fixedwing 1 2 2 utility Aerial Common 4 Sensor NATO: RQ-4E Global 2 3 Hawk Notes: * all remanufactured airframes; ** 40 remanufactured and ten new-build; *** comprises six new-build and 22 remanufactured airframes.

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NEWS UNITED KINGDOM Final Flight for QinetiQ BAC OneEleven QINETIQ’S LAST operational BAC One-Eleven made its final flight on April 26 when it departed from MoD Boscombe Down, Wiltshire, to Newquay Cornwall Airport (the former RAF St Mawgan) in Cornwall. The 33-year-old aircraft, OneEleven Srs 539GL ZH763 (c/n 263, ex G-BGKE), has been donated by QinetiQ to the Classic Air Force museum at Newquay where it will be preserved. Built in 1980, the aircraft made its maiden flight from Bournemouth-Hurn Airport, Dorset, on January 26, 1980, and was officially registered to British Airways as G-BGKE on January 30, 1980. On March 1, 1994, it was transferred to military control as ZH763, moving to Boscombe Down in July of the same year. It was fitted with an enhanced surveillance radar (ESR) and then employed purely for ESR trials until 2002. After QinetiQ formally took ownership in 2003, it was progressively transformed into a large flying laboratory, which included the addition of large, removable belly and side-mounted radomes for radar trials work. It was the last flying One-Eleven in the UK when it was retired from operational service on December 13 last year. QinetiQ is replacing its elderly Andovers and One-Elevens with two second-hand BAe Avro RJs, the first of which, RJ100 QQ101 (c/n E3368, ex G-BZAY), was formally commissioned into service on October 15. The second, Avro RJ70 QQ102 (c/n E1254, ex G-BVRJ), is currently undergoing extensive modifications prior to entering service in 2014.

For daily news stories visit www.airforcesdaily.com e-mail the news team at: [email protected]

RAF’s 17(R) Squadron Ends Typhoon Operations

Above: Typhoon FGR4 ZK332 ‘EB-J’ on the flightline at RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire on April 22. It is one of four Typhoons transferred to 41(R) Squadron following the stand-down of 17(R) Squadron. Key – Gary Parsons

A CEREMONY was held at RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire, on the afternoon of April 12 as 17 (Reserve) Test and Evaluation Squadron (TES) marked the formal end of Eurofighter Typhoon operations by the unit, which is now destined to become the UK’s Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II TES. As such, the unit will shortly re-form at Edwards Air Force Base, California, to bring the F-35B into

RAF and Fleet Air Arm service. The event also marked the unit receiving a new Standard and the end of Wg Cdr Steve Williams’ tenure as Officer Commanding 17(R) TES. Commenting on the changes, he said: “I’m delighted to be the squadron commander on the occasion of receiving a new Standard. No 17 Squadron has been integral to the development of the Typhoon – we are extremely proud of our part

in bringing the platform from its entry into service to where it is now. I would also like to pay tribute and say ‘thank you’ to the fine personnel of my squadron. It is the qualities of these people that have delivered the success of the squadron.” The Typhoon TES role will be undertaken by 41 (Reserve) Test and Evaluation Squadron, also based at Coningsby, which currently flies the Tornado GR4.

First Three-Point Voyager at Brize

Above: Voyager KC3 ZZ332 (still wearing its manufacturer's number, MRTT019) arrived at RAF Brize Norton on April 26 following conversion with Cobham at Bournemouth Airport. This is the first three-point tanker and fourth Voyager for the RAF. Paul Kyte

UAE C-17 in South Yorkshire

News Brief THE US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has notified US Congress on April 16 of a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to the UK of 500 AGM-114-N4/P4 Hellfire air-tosurface missiles at an estimated cost of $95 million. They will be used to provide close air support to counter enemy attacks on coalition ground forces in Afghanistan.

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United Arab Emirates Air Force and Air Defence C-17A Globemaster III 1226 arrived at Robin Hood Doncaster Sheffield Airport on April 23 on a cargo flight from Istres-Le Tubé Air Base, France. The aircraft arrived devoid of air force markings, believed to be due to its recent involvement in assisting the French military intervention in Mali earlier this year. Glenn Beasley

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French Helicopters in UK Training Exercise SIX SA342M Gazelles, a SA330Ba Puma, 20 pilots and 13 technicians from the French Army’s aviation arm (Aviation Légère de l’Armée de Terre – ALAT) deployed to AAC Middle Wallop, Hampshire, on April 15. Their week-long navigation exercise (navex), hosted by 7 (Training) Regiment/670 Squadron, saw the seven helicopters from 3 Combat Helicopter Regiment (Régiment d’Hélicoptères de Combat) fly two day-long sorties on April 16 and 18. On April 18 the formation departed Middle Wallop and headed east to fly along the air lanes over the centre of London before heading north to Duxford in Cambridgeshire, where the French personnel spent two hours sampling the delights of the Imperial War Museum. They then flew to RAF Shawbury, Shropshire, before returning to Middle Wallop. The deployment was part of the ongoing development of interoperability between

Above: ALAT SA330Ba Puma 1093 ‘DCG’ takes off from Duxford on April 18 en route to RAF Shawbury. Bob Franklin

the UK and French armed forces following signature of the Lancaster House Treaty on November 2, 2010 – which

Meteor Flies by Chinook

has enabled UK airspace familiarisation flying to allow the French to gain a better understanding of the UK low-

flying system and its associated regulations, while at the same time undertaking navigation training. ALAN WARNES

Gambian B727 Flies Home

Having been on very long-term maintenance at Southend Airport, Essex, since August 2010, Republic of The Gambia Boeing 727-95 C5-GAF (c/n 19252/327) finally left for home on April 30. Martin Patch

First Tac Blaze of 2013

Above: On April 22, Meteor T7 VW453 was lifted from its previous home of Imjin Barracks, Innsworth, Gloucestershire, to the nearby New Jet Age museum at Staverton airport by an RAF Chinook HC2, ZA674, from RAF Odiham in Hampshire. The Meteor had been gate guardian for RAF Innsworth before the site was transferred to the Army in 2008. Liam Daniels

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Above: Exercise Tac Blaze, a small-scale rotary-wing exercise by the Royal Netherlands Air Force Defence Helicopter Command, took place in the EnglishScottish ‘Borders’ region between April 8 and 26 under the command of Major Klip. Around 180 aircrew and supporting staff from Gilze Rijen Air Base, together with four AH-64D Apache helicopters from 301 ‘Redskin’ Squadron and three Chinook CH-47Ds from 298 ‘Grizzly’ Squadron, deployed to a forward operating base set up on the edge of Carlisle Airport. The three-week exercise involved weekly aircrew changeovers, provided mission qualification training for junior pilots and served as a Helicopter Weapons Instructor Course (HWIC) for more experienced pilots as well as a refresher course for electronic countermeasure evasive training. Nicholas Hoenich

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NEWS EUROPE

For daily news stories visit www.airforcesdaily.com e-mail the news team at: [email protected]

Escadrille BR11 'La Cocotte' Celebrates 100 Years

Romania Finalising Portuguese F-16 Purchase ROMANIA’S MINISTER of National Defence, Mircea Dusa, made an official visit to Portugal on April 16 to meet his Portuguese counterpart, José Pedro AguiarBranco. On the agenda was Romania’s proposed purchase of F-16s from Portugal. The two ministers agreed to continue negotiations, but set a deadline of the end of June to finalise a deal. Romania wants to buy 12 F-16A/B MLU fighters from the Portuguese Air Force (Força Aérea Portuguesa) to replace the Romanian Air Force’s (Fortele Aeriene Române - FAR) MiG-21 LanceRs. If agreed, it is anticipated that deliveries will start in 2017. The purchase has been under discussion since last year, when the then Romanian Minister of Defence, Corneliu Dobritoiu, announced on May 30 that this was one of the options being considered. It was stated Romania would pay around €670 million over a period of five years to cover a complete package, including aircraft, pilot training, maintenance, upgrades and logistics support. Options for replacements for the FAR LanceRs have been under consideration for the last eight or nine years, but original plans to acquire new-build aircraft were abandoned due to lack of finance. In addition, although the FAR ideally requires 48 fighters to cover its own air defence requirements and its commitments to NATO, the number has been continually reduced in line with defence budget constraints.

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Above: French Air Force Mirage F1CR 604 ‘118-CF’ from Escadron de Reconnaissance 2/33 (ER 2/33) ‘Savoie’ lands after making its first flight from BA118 Mont-de-Marsan on April 11 following painting in a special scheme to mark 100 years of ER 2/33’s second Escadrille, BR11. Bob Archer

A DAY of celebrations took place at Base Aérienne 118 Mont-de-Marsan on April 12 to mark the centenary of French Air Force's (Armée de l’Air) Escadrille BR11 ‘Cocotte’ and also 30 years of the Mirage F1. The event was organised by Escadron de Reconnaissance (ER) 2/33 ‘Savoie’, which had received permission just two days earlier to apply special markings to one of its aircraft. The celebratory scheme was applied overnight on April 10/11 and the Mirage flew in its new colours that morning. It is planned to retain the scheme on the aircraft until

its retirement in September, when it will become part of a museum planned for the base. BR11 was formed on June 10, 1913, as Escadrille C-11 at Brayelle, near Douai, flying Caudron G-3s. Its current BR11 designation was adopted in November 1917. Since its inception, the Escadrille has been involved in every major conflict in which France has had a part, from the First World War to the present day. For the last 20 years it has been an Escadrille of ER 2/33 and has seen involvement in Operation Harmattan in Libya and Operation Serval in Mali over the past two years.

French C-130 Upgrades Planned

SABENA TECHNICS announced on April 17 that it has been selected by France’s Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA) to undertake a study into the modernisation of the French Air Force's five C-130Hs and nine C-130H-30s. “We are proud of the trust of the DGA,” said Rodolphe Marchais, Chairman and CEO of Sabena Technics. “the Belgian Defence as well as others have been trusting us with their C-130s for several decades, both for maintenance and modification.”

Maiden Flight of First Belgian NH90 NFH

Above: The first Belgian Armed Forces NH90 NFH, 98+51, undertakes its maiden flight on April 5 at the Eurocopter facility in Donauwörth, Germany. NHI

THE FIRST NH90 NFH (NATO Frigate Helicopter) ordered by the Belgian Armed Forces has made its maiden flight at the Eurocopter facility in Donauwörth, Germany. NHI made the announcement on April 5. The Belgian NH90 NFH will be

delivered in its full operational capability standard, known as the ‘Step B’ variant. This aircraft is very close to the Dutch NH90 NFH Step B currently operational with the Royal Netherland Navy.

“This first flight is an important milestone for NHI because we know that the Belgian Air Component has an urgent need to replace its ageing Sea King helicopters,” said Xavier Poupardin delegated managing director of NHI.

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First Production Tiger HAD Delivered DELIVERY OF the first production Eurocopter Tiger helicopter in the HAD (Hélicoptère d’Appui Destruction) attack configuration to France’s armament procurement agency, the DGA, took place on April 19. The helicopter will be operated by the French Army Aviation Corps (Aviation Légère de l’Armée de Terre). France has ordered 40 Tiger combat helicopters in HAD configuration and 24 have been ordered by the Spanish Left: The first production Tiger HAD to be delivered, 6002 ‘BJB’ (c/n 6002 ex F-ZWBV), took centre stage at a handover ceremony on April 19. Eurocopter/ Thierry Rostang

Turkish Stars’ CN235 New Colours

The Airbus Military CN235 support aircraft for the Turkish Air Force’s (Türk Hava Kuvvetleri) aerobatic team, Türk Yıldızları (Turkish Stars), has been painted in the team’s new colours. It previously wore a two-tone camouflage scheme. Peter Reoch

Government to equip Spanish Army Aviation (Fuerzas Aeromóviles del Ejército de Tierra). Six of the HAP support and escort versions will be retrofitted to HAD configuration for fire support and attack missions. Improvements over the Tiger HAP variant include two enhanced MTR390 turboshaft engines providing 14% more power, improved ballistic protection, a new optronic sighting system, the capability to target and launch Hellfire air-to-surface missiles, an evolved electronic warfare suite and an IFF (identification, friend or foe) interrogation system.

News briefs DELIVERY OF all 15 Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawks to the Swedish Armed Forces was completed on April 24 when the final pair arrived at Linköping, Sweden, on board a Boeing C-17A Globemaster III of the NATO Airlift Management Organisation’s Heavy Airlift Wing. After being fully checked over by Sweden’s Defence Materiel Administration (Försvarets Materielverk), the Swedish-designated HKp16s will be handed over to the Helicopter Wing based at Malmslätt and operated by 2 Helicopter Skvadron. Four of the Hkp16s have already begun operations in Afghanistan, the first pair having been air freighted there from Linköping on March 12.

C295 in Marte Missile Tests

Anniversary Alouette

Above: Airbus Military and MBDA have successfully demonstrated the release of an instrumented, inert Marte Mk 2/S anti-ship missile installed under the wing of the C295 maritime patrol aircraft. The March 21 flight was the last of a series of trials performed to validate the aerodynamic integration of Marte on the C295, its handling qualities and performance tests. The Marte Mk 2/S is already integrated on the AW101 and NH90 NFH (NATO Frigate Helicopter) helicopters in service with the Italian Navy, and integration activities for the Marte ER on the Eurofighter Typhoon are currently under way. According to MBDA it is a fire-and-forget, allweather, medium-range sea-skimming anti-ship weapon system, equipped with inertial mid-course guidance and radar homing terminal guidance, capable of destroying small vessels and heavily damaging major vessels. Airbus Military

Above: On April 20 SA316B Alouette III 19376 was rolled out in anniversary markings to celebrate the type’s 50 years of service with the Portuguese Air Force (Força Aérea Portuguesa - FAP). The scheme is a mix of markings the Alouettes have worn over the past five decades. In all the FAP operated 142 Alouette IIIs in five regions: Angola, Mozambique, Guinea Bissau, East Timor and Portugal. It was the first air force to use it in combat and the third largest user of the type. Today just six remain operational with Esquadra 552 'Zangões' at Beja, maintaining two 24/7 search and rescue standbys – at Beja and at Ovar in the north. Aside from SAR, the Alouette performs training missions and battlefield support and scouting. Paulo Mata

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29/04/2013 11:55

NEWS SPECIAL NORTH AMERICA

For daily news stories visit www.airforcesdaily.com e-mail the news team at: [email protected]

USAF Combat Squadrons Grounded through Sequestration

AS A result of the cutbacks enforced by sequestration, on April 9 the US Air Force began standing down active duty combat units to ensure those remaining can continue to support worldwide operations through the rest of the fiscal year to September 30. Air Combat Command (ACC) confirmed that 17 combat squadrons stood down either immediately or as they returned home from deployment. The cuts were implemented to shave off approximately 45,000 training hours from the schedule before October 1 and affected about one-third of the active-duty combat aircraft. “We must implement a tiered readiness concept where only the units preparing to deploy in support of major operations like Afghanistan are fully mission capable,” said General Mike Hostage, ACC commander. “Units will stand down on a rotating basis so our limited resources can be focused on fulfilling critical missions. Historically, the air force has not operated under a tiered readiness construct because of the need to respond to any crisis

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Above: With the already planned withdrawal of the A-10 from Europe, the dwindling fleet has been further hit by sequestration as the 303rd FS based at Whiteman AFB in Missouri has been grounded until October. USAF/Senior Airman Micaiah Anthony

within a matter of hours or days,” he said. “The current situation means we’re accepting the risk that combat airpower may not be ready to respond immediately to new contingencies as they occur.” Units stood down will shift their emphasis to ground training, using flight simulators and academic training to maintain basic skills and knowledge. Maintainers will complete upgrade training and clear up backlogs of scheduled inspections and maintenance. Hostage said that on average aircrews lose currency to fly combat missions within 90 to 120 days. It generally takes 60 to 90 days to return aircrews to mission-ready status, and the time and cost associated with that retraining lengthens the time that crews stay on the ground. “This will have a significant and multi-year impact on our operational readiness,” explained Hostage. “But right now, there is no other acceptable way to implement these cuts.” CHARTS COURTESY AL CLARK & DAVID CENCIOTTI

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1 Aviano AFB, Italy

2 RAF Lakenheath, UK

3 Spangdahlem, Germany

4 Hickam Field, Hawaii

5 Kadena AB, Japan

6 Kunsan AB, RoK

7 Misawa AB, Japan

8 Osan AB, RoK

9 Barksdale AFB, LA

10 Burlington ANGB, VT

11 Davis Monthan AFB, AZ

12 Dyess AFB, TX

13 Ellsworth AFB, SD

14 Hill AFB, UT

15 Holloman AFB, NM

16 Joint Base Langley, VA

17 Maxwell AFB, AL

18 Minot AFB, ND

19 McEntire JNGB, SC

20 Moody AFB, GA

21 Mountain Home AFB, ID

22 Offut AFB, NE

23 Seymour Johnson AFB, NC

24 Shaw AFB, SC

25 Tinker AFB, OK

26 Whiteman AFB, MO

27 Eielson AFB, AK

28 JB Elmendorf, AK

18th Aggressor Squadron, F-16C Stood Down

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NEWS NORTH AMERICA USAF Activates Expeditionary AWACS Squadron A NEW AWACS squadron, the 968th Expeditionary Airborne Air Control Squadron (EAACS), was activated on March 25 in a ceremony at Al Dhafra Air Base, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The unit will come under the control of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing. Lt Col Peter Mykytyn relinquished command of the 963rd EAACS and then assumed command of the 968th EAACS during the ceremony. “This squadron was activated to usher in a new era in AWACS,” he explained. “For the first time, this unit will have a one-year commander supported by units from Pacific Air Forces and Air Combat Command.” While the squadron will continue the expeditionary mission and capabilities of the 963rd EAACS, it will also take on a more enduring role in Southwest Asia, keeping its unit designator as rotations come and go.

For daily news stories visit www.airforcesdaily.com e-mail the news team at: [email protected]

Oldest Flying Raptor Completes 1,000 Sorties

Above: US Air Force 412th Test Wing F-22A Raptor 91-4007 ‘ED’, the oldest example of the type still flying, made its 1,000th sortie on April 19. Lockheed Martin/David Henry

THE F-22 Combined Test Force (CTF) celebrated an impressive milestone on April 19 when the oldest F-22A Raptor still flying successfully completed its 1,000th sortie. Among members of the CTF, the aircraft, tail number 91-4007 ‘ED’, is affectionately referred to as the “James Bond jet” owing to its tail number as well as its “lethality and good looks”.

According to Lt Col Devin Traynor, F-22 CTF director of operations, the 1,000th mission tested the Raptor’s next software upgrade. “Just as you see software changes and updates to the operating system on your computer, we are working to upgrade the software on the F-22. This sortie was one of the first flight tests of Increment 3.2A, the next major software

upgrade to the aircraft which will enhance its lethality and self-defence capability,” he said. Boeing test pilot Steve Rainey was at the controls for the jet’s momentous flight. “These 1,000 missions were not reiterations of the same combat or combat training mission – the vast majority were unique test missions,” said Lt Col Daron Drown, F-22 CTF director.

USMC Ospreys in Africa Crisis Response Deployment SIX MV-22B Ospreys and two KC-130J refuelling aircraft from the US Marine Corps have been sent to Morón Air Base, Spain for a long-term deployment. They arrived on April 26 to form part of a 500-strong force of Marines that will provide a new rapid reaction force to respond to threats to US citizens, government personnel or installations in Africa. Morón’s location in southern Spain, only 85 miles (137km) from the North African coast, will enable the force to react quickly to any situation in the region. Aircraft involved comprise six MV-22Bs from Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 365 (VMM-365) ‘Blue Knights’ at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) New River, North Carolina, plus two KC-130J Hercules from Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 252 (VMGR-252) ‘Otis’ at MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina. When the force is fully operational, it will be required to be airborne within six hours of receiving a tasking order, providing a type of response not previously possible in the region. The move is in response to heightened security concerns

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Above: US Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey 166719 ‘YM-09’ from Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 365 (VMM-365) ‘Blue Knights’ at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar, California, landing at Morón Air Base, Spain on April 26. The Osprey was one of six of the type arriving to form a new rapid reaction unit that will be deployed at the base. Antonio Muñiz Zaragüeta

following the attack in Benghazi, Libya, on September 11, 2012, which killed US Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans. In addition to protecting embassies and diplomatic compounds, the marine force will protect US citizens, rescue downed pilots and assist in any other elements of US military

operations as required. Spanish approval for the deployment was given the day before the deployment and it will be fully in place at the end of May. Pending approval, the MV-22Bs and KC-130Js had been waiting in Maine for the go-ahead before making the transatlantic crossing. A Pentagon official said the unit is fully equipped to enter any

area under combat conditions and, if ordered to do so, will be deployed without the permission of the local government in an emergency situation. Details of the deployment were provided to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense on April 24 by General James Amos, Commandant of the Marine Corps. He said that Morón was seen as a temporary home for the unit, which in the longer term could rotate to locations around Africa, at the discretion of top commanders. Amos said that he does not yet know where the unit will be permanently stationed, but said that they should expect to be moved around quite frequently.

Aircraft Deployed MV-22B 165850 ‘YM-00’ (VMM-365 flagship) MV-22B 166721 ‘YM-10’ MV-22B 168225 ‘YM-12’ MV-22B 166718 ‘YM-02’ MV-22B 166690 ‘YM-04’ MV-22B 166719 ‘YM-09’ (special markings for MWSS-272 ‘Untouchables’) KC-130J 168069 ‘BH-069’ KC-130J 165810 ‘BH-810’

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F-35A’s 45-Day Delivery Flight to Nellis!

US AIR Force Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II 10-5011 ‘OT’ (AF-23) was finally delivered to Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, on April 24, six-and-a-half weeks after departing Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, Texas. The aircraft left Fort Worth on March 11 for Nellis, along with a second F-35A, 10-5012 ‘OT’ (AF-24), but when a caution light activated in the cockpit, the two aircraft made a precautionary diversion to Lubbock International Airport, Texas, at around 1240hrs. With AF-23 safely on the ground at Lubbock, AF-24 continued its delivery flight to Nellis on the same day to join the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron (TES). However, AF-23’s stay at the Texas airport proved to be quite lengthy – Lockheed Martin engineers traced the problem to a wire connector in the flight control system. This was fixed, but upon powering the aircraft up for departure another caution light indicated a problem with the communications system, so the aircraft remained at Lubbock. On April 8, it eventually departed, but instead of flying on to Nellis it was flown back to the factory at Fort Worth to be more thoroughly checked out before delivery. Finally, on April 24, US Marine Corps Lt Col Rodger Hardy (one of the US military’s most experienced F-35 pilots) from the Defense Contract Management Agency, flew AF-23 from Fort Worth to Nellis, where it landed at 1318hrs. Although Lockheed Martin has reported almost all previous deliveries, it did not announce the arrival of this aircraft. In addition, although Nellis officials reported the fourth F-35A delivery on April 24 for the 422nd TES, they did not identify it as AF-23 and photographs of its arrival were all close-ups in which it was not possible to see the aircraft serial. Meanwhile, the production rate for the F-35s at Lockheed Martin's production line at Forth Worth continues to increase. The latest F-35A model to fly was 10-5017 (AF-29) in the hands of Lockheed test pilot Al Norman on April 27. Earlier, company test pilot Paul Hattendorf flew F-35B 168725 'VK-07' (BF-27) for the first time on March 19.

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Eglin F-35s Perform 16 Sorties in Three Hours

Above: US Marine Corps/Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501 (VMFAT-501) at Eglin AFB executed the first eight-ship launch for air-to-air and air-to-ground training, completed hot refuelling on all eight jets and launched them on a second mission within three hours on April 26. Lockheed Martin

250th US Army UH-72A Lakota Delivered THE US Army has fielded the 250th UH-72A Lakota light utility helicopter to join Army and National Guard units since the first in 2006. The announcement was made by EADS North America on April 25. It added that every Lakota – including an additional five produced for the US Naval Test

Pilot School – has been delivered on time and on budget. The combined Lakota fleet’s operations have now exceeded 150,000 flight hours, while the manufacturer says it is maintaining greater than 90% availability. The Lakota is completed at EADS North America’s Eurocopter

facility in Columbus, Mississippi. The 250th army Lakota will be operated out of Oklahoma City by the Oklahoma National Guard, which received its first two UH-72As in early April and will take delivery of two more in May. They will replace four Bell OH-58C Kiowas that have been in service for more than 30 years.

Bell and AgustaWestland Unveil Military Helicopter Concepts

Above: Bell Helicopter and AgustaWestland both unveiled new helicopter designs at the Army Aviation Association of America Annual Professional Forum and Exposition in Fort Worth, Texas, hoping to win future major US contracts. Above is an artist’s impression of Bell’s V-280 Valor, a clean-sheet, new technology tiltrotor design unveiled on April 10 as a candidate to replace the US Army’s UH-60 Black Hawk utility helicopters. Bell Helicopter Below: AgustaWestland unveiled its AW169 AAS military helicopter, claiming it is an advanced twin-engine helicopter with the capability to meet all US Army Armed Aerial Scout (AAS) mission requirements. AgustaWestland

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NEWS LATIN AMERICA Guatemala Orders Six A-29 Super Tucanos

EMBRAER DEFENCE and Security announced at the LAAD exhibition in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on April 9 that it is to produce six A-29 Super Tucano aircraft for the Guatemalan Air Force (Fuerza Aérea Guatemalteca – FAG). They are part of a larger deal for implementing a surveillance and protection system for the Maya Biosphere Reserve in Guatemala, the largest tropical forest area in Central America. This will enable Guatemalan authorities to identify and combat points of deforestation, forest fires, illegal occupation and illicit economic activities, such as the extraction of natural resources in an area of more than 8,108 square miles (21,000km2).

For daily news stories visit www.airforcesdaily.com e-mail the news team at: [email protected]

UH-60 Training Centre Opens in Colombia

Above: The latest Colombian Black Hawk deliveries were these five S-70is for Colombian Army Aviation (Aviación del Ejército), which were accepted into service on February 11. Sikorsky announced an Ejercito order for two more on April 10. Sikorsky

SIKORSKY AEROSPACE Services (SAS) announced on April 9 during the LAAD Defence and Security Exhibition in Rio de Janeiro that a new UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter flight simulator training centre at the Colombian Air Force (Fuerza Aérea Colombiana) base in Melgar has now opened. The first of its kind in South America,

it provides pilot and flight crew training for the Colombian armed services and Sikorsky military customers throughout the region. The centre houses the region’s only full-motion, high-fidelity, FAA Level D-equivalent Black Hawk simulator, the highest qualification currently available. Equipped with motion and control

New TBM850 for Argentine Gendarmería Left: A new addition to the Argentine National Gendarmerie Aviation Service (Servicio de Aviación de Gendarmería Nacional Argentina) inventory is SOCATA TBM850 GN-816 (c/n 580, ex-LQ-CNR, N850S). The aircraft had originally been purchased for the Airport Security Police (Policia de Seguridad Aeroportuaria) in June 2011, but when faced with unspecified problems with its operation it was donated to the Gendarmerie. Juan Carlos Cicalesi/Gendarmería Nacional

Fourth Additional Argentine Sea King Finally Arrives

Above: The last of four ex-US Navy UH-3H Sea Kings purchased by Argentine Naval Aviation (Comando de Aviación Naval Argentina) was received by the country on April 19. The helicopter, 2-H-243, arrived by sea together with an additional Sea King to be used for spares. The four UH-3Hs were acquired as attrition replacements for two written-off in crashes and another two destroyed in a fire aboard the icebreaker ARA Almirante Irízar (B-5) on April 10, 2007, off the Patagonian coast. The first two replacements (2-H-240 and 2-H-241) arrived in August 2008 and the third (2-H-242) on June 26, 2009.

loading technology, it offers a highly detailed cockpit replication of all controls and aircraft systems including wide-field outside-world visual systems. All components are mounted on six-degree-of-freedom motion platforms that respond to pilot control movements and external aerodynamic factors.

Brazilian Air Force’s Second 767 to be Converted in Brazil

THE SECOND of two Boeing 767s bound for the Brazilian Air Force as in-flight refuelling tankers will be converted in Brazil under an agreement with prime contractor Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). It will be modified by a Portuguese TAP airline subsidiary TAP Manutenção e Engenharia Brasil. IAI was selected in March to convert two commercial airline 767s into air refuelling tankers (see AFM May p18), with options for two more. The 767-300ER aircraft will be configured in the same way as the current Boeing 707-based KC-137s, which are equipped with two wing hose-and-drogue pods, ensuring the winner of Brazil’s delayed F-X2 fighter competition will be compatible. IAI is offering the 767s with a flexible configuration comprising of under-wing pods, refuelling boom, or both. The local conversion will be supervised by IAI in an effort to increase its cooperation with the aerospace defence industry in Brazil. The FAB currently operates three KC-137 tankers with 2°/2° GT 'Corsário'.

Juan Carlos Cicalesi

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Brazilian Navy Begins UAS evaluation

THE BRAZILIAN Navy (Marinha do Brasil) has started evaluations of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) for its missions. It is currently looking at two options; the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Heron 1 and the Elbit Systems Hermes 450, both of which are in service with Brazilian forces in other configurations - the Heron 1 is in service with the Brazilian Air Force’s 'Horus' Squadron from Santa Maria Air Base in Rio Grande do Sul and the Hermes 450 with the Brazilian Federal Police for drug trafficking control. IAI and Elbit have already developed maritime versions of their UAS, equipped with maritime search radar and electro-optical/infrared sensors and the Brazilian Navy now wants to field a version of its own.

Former Drug-Running Cessna 210 Joins Honduran Air Force

Above: A former drug-running Cessna 210 Centurion has recently been put into Honduran Air Force (Fuerza Aérea Hondureña – FAH) service. The aircraft, now serialled FAH-280, previously carried the Mexican registration XB-LRK. It is currently operating from Base Aérea Coronel Héctor Caraccioli Moncada at La CeibaGoloson but had previously been in storage in a hangar at La Ceiba after being impounded by Honduran authorities. Mario Theresin

Colombian Tucanos Upgrade THE COLOMBIAN Air Force’s (Fuerza Aérea Colombiana – FAC) fleet of 14 Embraer T-27 Tucanos is undergoing an upgrade by Brazilian and Colombian engineers at the Embraer facilities in Brazil. Work will involve installation of a new wing (FAC Tucanos have the highest number of hours in the world), an updated Cobham avionics and Collins navigation/ communication systems and new undercarriage assemblies. The upgrade began on May 1 and will end in late 2014 with the first aircraft returning to service this August. JUAN CARLOS CICALESI

Chile Drops Trainer Plan

Brazil's Seventh P-3AM Nearly Ready for Service LOCKHEED P-3AM Orion 7208, formerly US Navy P-3A 152167, was noted at Airbus Military's plant at Seville, Spain in late April where the finishing touches were being applied. It will become the seventh of nine to be delivered to Brazil's 1° Esquadrao of 7° Grupo de Aviacão (1°/7° GAv) ‘Orungan’.

Above: The Chilean Air Force (Fuerza Aérea de Chile) has scrapped its planned buy of advanced jet trainers. The defence ministry in Santiago informed interested companies last month it was axing its plan to replace its aged fleet of ten Spanish-built CASA T-36 Halcón jets (pictured) for budget reasons. Alenia Aermacchi’s M-346, BAE Systems’ Hawk and Korean Aerospace Industries’ T-50 were the prime candidates. Around a dozen aircraft were expected to be purchased to replace the T-36s, which are now in storage. Embraer A-29B Super Tucanos are currently being used for the advanced training role. Juan Carlos Cicalesi/Raul Zamora

News Briefs EMBRAER DEFENSE and Security and the Brazilian Air Force (Força Aérea Brasileira – FAB) signed a contract on April 10 at the LAAD Defence and Security show in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for support services to the FAB’s fleet of 92 A-29A/B Super Tucano aircraft. The contract is worth R$252 million. ALENIA AERMACCHI has signed a three-year, €58 million contract with the Brazilian Air Force to provide logistics support services for its AMX fleet, named A-1s in Brazil. The company says it was selected by the FAB because of its previous logistics experience and its proven results in providing spare parts and maintaining a high efficiency level in the AMX fleet currently in service in Italy. The agreement is part of a larger FAB programme designed to guarantee

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full operational capability of the AMX fleet for the next 20 years. It will be integrated into the AMX upgrade programme, known as A-1M, led by Embraer and directly supported by Alenia Aermacchi. AGUSTAWESTLAND AND Embraer have abandoned plans for a joint venture to establish production of AgustaWestland helicopters in Brazil. The two companies signed a memorandum of understanding for the JV on January 21, but on April 19 announced a joint decision “to terminate negotiations without reaching an agreement for the establishment of a joint venture in Brazil”. No further details were given. THE PERUVIAN Air Force has purchased a Learjet 45XR to replace its Dassault Falcon 20F (FAP-300), which was severely

damaged during an emergency landing at Chiclayo city airport on June 18, 2010. The aircraft was purchased second-hand from the United States and has been assigned to the 8th Air Group (2nd Air Wing) based at Jorge Chávez International Airport, El Callao, Lima. JUAN CARLOS CICALESI SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT revealed on April 10 at April’s LAAD Defence and Security International Exhibition that Colombian Army Aviation (Aviación del Ejército) has contracted to buy two additional S-70i Black Hawk helicopters, augmenting five that arrived in January to join special forces of the Colombian Army’s Air Assault Division. The aircraft are expected to be delivered by October and then flown by Colombian aircrew to the Army Special Operation Aviation Military base in Tolemaida.

SAAB HAS won an additional SEK 325 million ($50.5 million) order from the Brazilian Air Force for the upgrade of the Embraer E-99 Erieye airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) mission system to increase its operating capacity. Saab had already announced on February 28 that it had received a previous order from Embraer as part of the same upgrade programme. Deliveries will take place from 2014 until 2017. THE MEXICAN National Defense Secretary (Secretaría de Defensa Nacional) has announced Mexico is to buy six AgustaWestland AW109SP helicopters for the Mexican Air Force at a cost of $62.8 million. They will replace eight Puma helicopters used by the Presidential Guard (Estado Mayor Presidencial) for national VIP flights. SANTIAGO RIVAS

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NEWS MIDDLE EAST Yemen Seeks New Seekers THE US Department of Defense Office of Military Cooperation is believed to have tabled plans to fund 12 Seabird SB7L-360 Seeker Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) with forward-looking infrared cameras and video data downlink, together with 120 light tactical patrol vehicles and 54 data and video downlinks for the Yemen Air Force, Coast Guard and Border Guards. The aim of the investment is to protect and monitor Yemen’s maritime borders by providing integrated air-toground/maritime operations. The deal depends on the Coast Guard being transferred from the Ministry of Interior to the Ministry of Defence, as stated in Presidential Decree 104, issued in February. Of Australian design, Seabird Aviation America (SAAM) was recently organised to manufacture the Seabird SB7L Seeker in New Mexico.

For daily news stories visit www.airforcesdaily.com e-mail the news team at: [email protected]

Upgraded Saudi Tornado Finally Heads Home

Above: Royal Saudi Air Force Tornado IDS (6631)/ZH917 (CS037) made a fuel stop at Malta on April 23 using BAE Systems’ callsign ‘Tarnish 09’. It was passing through on delivery back to the RSAF from Warton, Lancashire, where it had spent eight years on trials as part of the RSAF Tornado Sustainment Programme. Malcolm Bezzina

ROYAL SAUDI Air Force (RSAF) Tornado IDS (6631)/ZH917 (CS037) has finally returned home after spending eight years at Warton, Lancashire, involved in development work for the RSAF Tornado Sustainment Programme (TSP), a major mid-life upgrade (MLU) for the

type. The aircraft left Warton on April 23, flying to Malta for a fuel stop before continuing via Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, and onwards to Saudi Arabia. The aircraft was one of three RSAF Tornado IDS aircraft that had returned to the factory at Warton from Khamis

Mushayt on April 12, 2005, for development work on the TSP/ MLU programme. The other two were 6606/ZK113 (CS026) and 7503/ZH907 (CT017), of which 7503 went back to Saudi Arabia on December 7, 2009, painted in a new grey colour scheme, while 6606 remains at Warton.

Yemen Seeking Oil-for-Weapons Deal?

Above: One of eight Yemen Air Force MiG-21s occupying the compound at the Odessa Aircraft Repair Plant in 2011. Due to Yemen’s financial situation they have not yet been delivered, but after three years at the facility they were test flown in December 2012, possibly for demonstration to the Croatian Air Force. Chris Lofting

DURING HIS recent visit to Russia, Yemen’s President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi told the press he had discussed modernising Yemen’s Air Force and counter-terrorism strategies with Russian President Putin. “When the Yemeni province of Abyan came under the control of al Qaeda, the government’s army managed to free it, but we did this, to a large extent, thanks to Russian arms,” he said. President Hadi revealed in an interview with National Yemen that he has asked Russia to sell Yemen new aircraft and

helicopters: “We asked the Russians to help us upgrade our aircraft inventory. [But] we have no money for such acquisitions. It includes helicopters, military cargo planes, fighter planes, some of which are quite outdated.” The Yemen Post reports that the Yemen Oil Ministry is calling for investors and has extended this invitation to Russian companies, potentially in the hope this may lead to an oil-for-weapons deal. Yemen is hoping for a $1 billion deal in order to buy new MiG-29s and attack helicopters, added the Yemen Post.

an electronic warfare system. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, with an expected completion date of April 30, 2014.

Marietta, Georgia,on September 12. It is unclear whether the VIP fit will be a removable installation to enable normal cargo operations to be undertaken when the machine is not in use as a VIP aircraft.

News Briefs A POSSIBLE $371 million Foreign Military Sale to the Kuwait Air Force (KAF) of a single Boeing C-17A Globemaster III was announced on April 17 by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA). This would be the KAF’s second C-17A – the first is now in production. ON APRIL 22 US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Israeli Defence Minister Moshe Ya’alon confirmed at a joint news conference in Tel Aviv, that they have agreed a package of new defence capabilities for Israel. The most significant item is

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the supply of the Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey to the Israeli Air & Space Force (IASF). Hagel said the tiltrotor will give the IASF “long-range, high-speed maritime search and rescue capabilities to deal with a range of threats and contingencies.” LOCKHEED MARTIN Aeronautics Corporation was awarded an $830 million firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to a previous Foreign Military Sales contract on April 30 for additional production of 18 Iraq F-16C/D aircraft and associated support, services and

ROYAL AIR Force of Oman (RAFO) Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 Super Hercules 525 (c/n 5698) arrived at Glasgow-Prestwick Airport, Scotland, from Larnaca International Airport, Cyprus on April 28 using callsign ‘ORF 7'. It was en-route to San Antonio, Texas, where it will be outfitted with an interior VIP kit. The work is expected to take approximately one month. The aircraft was delivered from

ALENIA AERMACCHI has signed a contract worth around €170 million with Eurofighter GmbH to supply components, systems and services for the 12 Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft ordered by the Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO). Alenia will start producing components in 2014 and the first complete aircraft will be delivered by Eurofighter in 2017.

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NEWS AFRICA

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Exercise Majestic Eagle in Morocco

Lockheed Martin F-16Cs 88-0541 ‘AV’ and 89-2011 ‘AV’ taxi out at Ben Guerir Air Base in Morocco. They were among six US Air Force F-16Cs from the 31st Fighter Wing's 510th Fighter Squadron ‘Buzzards’ at Aviano Air Base, Italy, deployed for the bilateral training Exercise Majestic Eagle 2013 in mid-April. The exercise brought airmen from both countries to train together in air interdiction, air superiority, air refuelling and reconnaissance in order to improve interoperability. In addition to the F-16s, KC-135R Stratotankers from the 100th Air Refueling Wing at RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk, also deployed to support the exercise. US Air Force/Staff Sgt Stephen Linch

First Tunisian C-130J-30 Delivered LOCKHEED MARTIN delivered the initial C-130J-30 Super Hercules to the Republic of Tunisia on April 4, marking the first delivery of the type to an African country. The aircraft, Z21121/TS-MTK (c/n 5718), is one of two for the Tunisian Republic Air Force (TRAF - Force Aérienne

de la Republique de Tunisie). It was rolled out of the paint shop at Marietta, Georgia, on December 12 (see AFM March p22) and made its maiden flight on February 12. The second aircraft is due for delivery in 2014. Tunisia’s two Super Hercules are

the longer fuselage (or stretched) variant. The TRAF currently operates a fleet of nine C-130Hs and C-130Bs, first purchased in the mid-1980s. The new C-130Js will support Tunisian relief efforts around the world, fire-fighting and traditional airlift sorties.

Nigerian Air Force 737-500 Enters Service

Four More Egyptian F-16 Block 52s Delivered

A FURTHER four Lockheed Martin F-16C/D Block 52s have been delivered to the Egyptian Air Force (EAF), the second batch from 20 on order. The latest arrivals left Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, Texas, on April 11 bound for Egypt. They comprised F-16Cs 9752 (c/n JJ-02, USAF/10-1002) callsign 'Retro 91'; 9754 (c/n JJ-04, USAF/10-1004) 'Retro 92', 9755 (c/n JJ-05, USAF/10-1005) 'Retro 93' and F-16D 9821 (c/n JK-01, USAF/10-1017) 'Retro 94'. Support was provided by a US Air Force KC-10A from the 305th Air Mobility Wing. All 20 aircraft are scheduled to be delivered by the end of this year.

News Brief Above: Former SAS Boeing 737-505 LN-BRV (c/n 25791) departs from Shannon Airport, Ireland, on January 20 using Nigerian Air Force callsign ‘NGR916’ and is now allocated serial NAF 916. Malcolm Nason

A CEREMONY was held at the Nigerian Air Force’s (NAF) 209th Executive Airlift Group hangar at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on April 11 to formally inaugurate ex-SAS Boeing 737-505 LN-BRV (c/n 25791) into service. It left Shannon Airport, Ireland, on January 20 on delivery to the NAF (see AFM March, p22). At that time it was using callsign ‘NGR916’, and it has now taken up the serial NAF 916.

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Minister of State for Defence Erelu Olusola Obada said that the aircraft will be used to build NAF troop airlift capability in support of the United Nations and African Union Peace Support Mission. It has been acquired in a public-private partnership by the NAF Holding Company’s Aeronautical Engineering and Technical Services Ltd (AETSL) and Solicom Engineering Nigeria Ltd. It will be operated on a commercial

basis, with its main clients being Nigerian and other African armed forces, police and para-military services – however, when not required for military work it will be available for charter, operating under United Nigeria, according to Air Vice Marshal Alkali M Manu, Managing Director of AETSL, who also revealed that that the new NAF air services venture intends to purchase an additional aircraft, a Boeing 737-400, this August.

THE SENEGALESE Air Force (Armée de l’Air Sénégalaise) has signed an agreement with Embraer Defense and Security to purchase three A-29 Super Tucano light attack and advanced training aircraft. The contract, which was signed on April 10 at the LAAD Defence and Security exhibition in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, includes a training system for pilots and mechanics in Senegal. The aircraft will be deployed on border surveillance and internal security missions. The exact variant and timescale for deliveries has not yet been disclosed.

#303 JUNE 2013

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NEWS RUSSIA & CIS NEWS

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MChS Rossii Takes Delivery of First An-148-100EM

Above: MChS Rossii Antonov An-148-100EM RA-61715 was delivered on April 17 from the factory at Voronezh to Zhukovsky. VASO

RUSSIA’S MINISTRY of Emergency Situations (MChS Rossii) accepted delivery of its first Antonov An-148-100EM, RA-61715 (c/n 42-02) ‘Alexander Pokryshkin’, from the Voronezh Aircraft Manufacturing Company (VASO) on April 10.

The aircraft, named after a famous Russian Second World War fighter pilot and three-time Hero of the Soviet Union, was then flown on April 17 from Voronezh to the MChS base at Zhukovsky. A second An-148 for MChS Rossii, named ‘Ivan Kozhedub’, is due

for delivery this summer. The aircraft is now complete and on April 9 it was transferred from the VASO final assembly line in Voronezh to the flight test station. The two An-148s are configured for both passenger and medical evacuation missions.

Russian Future Strategic Bomber Approved RUSSIAN AIR Force Commander Lt Gen Viktor Bondarev revealed on April 11 that the Air Force has approved the conceptual design and specification for its future PAK-DA strategic bomber. The approval paves the way for development of components for the aircraft. Bondarev said that development is going as planned and all relevant documents have now been signed to allow industry

to commence design and development of systems for the aircraft. Plans for the PAK-DA have been examined for several years, but it was not until last year that the Russian leadership gave the formal go-ahead for the project. The new bomber will replace the Russian Air Force's current fleet of strategic bombers, comprising 63 Tupolev Tu-95MS Bears and 13 Tupolev Tu-160 Blackjacks, over the next decade.

The Tupolev design bureau won the tender to develop the PAK-DA with its concept for a subsonic, flying wing design, which the company says has superior stealth capabilites. It is anticipated that the new bomber will go into production around 2020 and will be built at a new assembly line at Russia's Kazan Aircraft Production Association factory in Kazan, which built the Tu-95MS and Tu-160.

Second Turkmenistan AW101 Delivered

France Shuts Down Dushanbe Transport Detachment

FRANCE CLOSED its Operational Transport Group (Groupement de Transport Opérationnel – GTO) detachment (détachement air) at Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on April 15 after supporting the operations of French soldiers and coalition forces in Afghanistan since December 2001. The detachment had comprised 30 personnel (aircrew, mechanics, air traffic control officers, firemen and meteorologists) and two French Air Force (Armée de l’Air) Transall C160s, which were supplemented when required by a C-130H Hercules. These were maintained at an operational readiness level that enabled deployment on medical evacuation missions at only three hours’ notice. Since 2001 the GTO has undertaken almost 11,000 airlift missions and accumulated around 21,500 flight hours, 60% of them spent supporting French soldiers in Afghanistan. The remainder supported other members of the International Security Assistance Force. Between 2001 and 2008 GTO operations were solely based at Dushanbe, after which aircraft were regularly detached to Bagram, Kabul and Kandahar for airlift within theatre. During 12 years of operations, close to 89,000 passengers and more than 14,500 tons of cargo were transported. Under a bilateral cooperation agreement between France and Tajikistan, the GTO also trained Tajik Army airborne forces, sharing expertise in airdrop, and transported foreign military and civilian authorities’ personnel, including Tajiks, between Dushanbe and Kabul. The agreement requires France to renovate the airfield runways at Dushanbe before leaving.

News Brief

Above: The second and final AgustaWestland AW101 Mk 643 for the Turkmenistan Government, ZR336/EZ-S714 (c/n 50241), was delivered recently, departing from Yeovil, Somerset, on March 29 for airfreighting out of London-Stansted Airport. Greg Cayhill

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BELARUSIAN PRESIDENT Alexander Lukashenko said on April 30 that his country is interested in buying "about two dozen" Su-27s and MiG29s. He dismissed an earlier statement by his Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu that the aircraft would be Russian operated.

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NEWS ASIA PACIFIC India Approves Acquisition of Nine MultiMission Aircraft AT A meeting of India’s Defence Acquisition Council on April 20, Defence Minister A K Antony granted approval for an Indian Air Force (IAF) proposal to purchase nine multi-mission, signals intelligence (SIGINT) and communications jamming aircraft at a cost of 11 billion rupees ($203 million). A request for information (RFI) for aircraft to meet the requirement had been issued in April 2012, with offers submitted the following month. It is unconfirmed which companies responded, but some details of the RFI are known – only two of the aircraft are required as dedicated SIGINT platforms, the other seven will have a multi-role aircraft use for survey and target towing missions and be certified for passenger and cargo transport. Three of the seven will also have communications jamming equipment installed. The RFI specifies that, despite the differing roles, all nine are to be based on the same aircraft platform and fully certified to FAA/JAAR or equivalent standards. It must be a modern turbofan type, is required to have minimum capacity for ten passengers and two crew, with provision for five operator workstations for its special mission roles.

Bangladesh Navy Prepares for Do228NGs

SWISS COMPANY RUAG was expecting to deliver two Dornier 228NGs to the Bangladesh Navy by May. They were ordered on July 20, 2011. This follows the granting of export clearance, which was received in March. Three pilots have already been trained in Germany and co-pilots will also undergo basic training there before taking a final course of instruction from a RUAG pilot in Bangladesh. The aircraft will be equipped with a Telephonics RDR 1700B 360° radar integrated with a moving map display. They will also have two airdeployable life rafts on board to enable them to undertake search and rescue duties.

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#303 JUNE 2013

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JMSDF P-1 Pre-Production Aircraft Delivered

Above: Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force Kawasaki P-1 5504 undertakes a wheels-up overshoot at Atsugi Air Base, Japan, in early April during one of its first flights after delivery to 51 Kokutai . Pieter van Gemert

THE JAPAN Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) took delivery of the first two pre-production Kawasaki P-1 (5503 and 5504) maritime patrol aircraft at Gifu Air Base on March 26, as mentioned in News Briefs last month. A few days later they were flown to Atsugi Air Base to join the two prototypes operated by 51 Kokutai (Air Squadron) for two

years of operational flight testing. The Japanese Ministry of Defense began the development of the XP-1 in 2001 alongside the XC-2 (replacement for the C-1 of the Japan Air SDF). It was the first development and design programme covering two large aircraft in a single concept. Kawasaki Heavy Industries was selected in late 2001 as the main

contractor for the programme. Four P-1s have been delivered and six are on order, including two in the 2013 budget at a price of ¥40.9 billion ($411 million). It is anticipated that about 70 P-1s will be purchased to replace approximately 80 P-3 Orions and the first operational unit will be 5 Kokutai at Naha Air Base, Okinawa. PIETER VAN GEMERT

Do228 Delivered to Seychelles Air Force

Above: HAL-built Dornier Do228 SY-010 of the Seychelles Air Forces (SPDF) at a welcoming ceremony on April 27 after its arrival at Seychelles-Mahé International Airport-Pointe Larue, following its delivery flight from India, which donated the aircraft. The new aircraft, built by Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) at Kanpur, had officially been handed over on January 31, but remained in India. It will replace an Indian Coast Guard Dornier 228 that had been temporarily deployed to the islands. Seychelles Government

New Royal Thai Army Black Hawk Deliveries

Above: A Royal Thai Army (RTA) Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawk is unloaded from the container ship MV Rickmers Seoul at the port of Laem Chabang, Thailand, on April 8. The helicopter was one of three new-production RTA UH-60Ms (7220, 7221 and 7222) that had been shipped from New Orleans, Louisiana, in the USA. Seven S-70A-43 Black Hawks had previously been delivered to the RTA, but only six remain in service, one having been lost in a crash on July 19, 2011. The new deliveries are from a batch of six that are believed to be on order. US Embassy Bangkok

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ROK Marines Plan to Buy 40 Surion Helicopters

KOREA AEROSPACE Industries (KAI) has been selected as the preferred bidder to supply a total of 40 Surion helicopters to the Republic of Korea (ROK) Marine Corps. Korea’s Defence Acquisition Programme Administration (DAPA) said that all 40 are scheduled to be delivered by 2023 and are required to support ROK marines in landing operations on outlying border islands. KAI says it plans to start the development programme, worth 800 billion SK won ($713 million), in July. The company expects to complete development by 2015, following which production will commence. The ROK marines’ version will incorporate an integrated flotation system, specialised communications equipment, an auxiliary fuel tank to increase range and various other modifications. The helicopters are expected to operate from the ROK Navy’s Dodko-class amphibious assault ships, which can carry up to 15 helicopters.

First Cheetal Being Readied for Afghanistan Air Force

Above: The first of three Cheetal helicopters for the Afghan Air Force undertakes its initial ground run on March 27 at the HAL Helicopter Division’s facility in Bangalore. HAL

HINDUSTAN AERONAUTICS Ltd (HAL) has started ground testing the first of three Cheetal helicopters ordered by the Afghan Air Force. A contract for the helicopters was revealed on April 22 by Indian Minister of State for Defence, Shri Jitendra Singh, in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, India’s lower house of parliament. The Cheetal is a re-engined

version of the Cheetah, which has been manufactured by the HAL Helicopter Division for more than four decades and is a development of the French Aérospatiale SA315 Lama. Compared to the Cheetah, the Cheetal has improved hot and high performance and can operate at altitudes up to 22,965ft (7,000km), has a range of 400 miles (640km) and a threeand-a-half hour endurance.

Malaysian EC725 Operations Begin

Above: The first two EC725s for the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) attended LIMA 2013 at Langkawi in late March, where they showed tremendous agility during a tactical scenario played out by the RMAF on the first day. Twelve EC725s were ordered in late 2010 with these first two handed over at Eurocopter’s Subang facility last December. They are now based at Kuantan with 10 Squadron. A second helicopter unit, 7 Squadron at Kuching, is expected to be operational in mid-2014. Initially configured for search and rescue, the EC725s will eventually be upgraded to combat, search and rescue (CSAR) standard. A fifth aircraft, M55-05, was seen test flying at Eurocopter’s Marseille-Marignane facility on April 7 and should be delivered along with the third and fourth examples. All 12 helicopters should be in Malaysia by the end of the year. Alan Warnes

Australia Offers Five More C-130Hs to Indonesia AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE Minister Stephen Smith, speaking in Jakarta, Indonesia, on April 3, revealed, that five Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) C-130Hs have been offered to the Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU).

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Australia has already donated four retired RAAF C-130Hs to the TNI-AU and is now offering the additional examples at a cut-price rate, according to Smith. The RAAF had retired its eight remaining airworthy C-130Hs

last November earlier than originally planned, due to Australian defence budget cuts. They currently all remain in storage at their former base at RAAF Base Richmond, New South Wales.

News Briefs SOUTH KOREA’S Defence Acquisition Programme Administration (DAPA) announced on April 17 that the Boeing AH-64E Guardian (Apache Block III) will be the new attack helicopter for the Republic of Korea Army. Two other types competing with the AH-64E for the 36-helicopter requirement were the Bell AH-1Z Viper and Turkish Aerospace Industries T-129. RAYTHEON announced on April 10 that the Republic of Korea has selected the RACR (Raytheon Advanced Combat Radar) for the ROK Air Force’s fleet of KF-16C/D Block 52 Fighting Falcon combat aircraft. It is an export-ready, active electronically-scanned array radar designed specifically for the F-16 airframe. Subject to final approval by the US Government, Raytheon will deliver 134 RACR systems to Korea starting in late 2016. SYSTEMS INTEGRATOR L-3 Link Simulation & Training (L-3 Link) has been awarded a contract to build two UH-60M operational flight trainers for the Republic of China Army. The deal, announced on April 8, has been awarded by the US Army Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training and Instrumentation. They will be similar to trainers used on the US Army’s Flight School XXI programme. THREE AIRBUS Military CN235 maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) have been ordered by the Indonesian Navy (TNI-AL) with the first expected to be delivered by mid-2013. Indonesian company PTDI will integrate the Thales AMASCOS 200 maritime system, which will house the Oceanmaster 400 radar. The remaining two aircraft should be delivered by the year-end. The Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) has also ordered another CN235 MPA, six years after the only example was delivered to Skadron Udara 5 at Madassar. Thales signed a contract in 1996 for an initial requirement for three MPAs, but Indonesia’s rupiah currency was devalued with the country’s financial collapse in the late 1990s. Contract costs hit prohibitive levels and just one aircraft was delivered. The new aircraft is expected by the end of 2015.

#303 JUNE 2013

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NEWS AUSTRALASIA - DEPLOYMENTS & CONTRACTS

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Draken International Now Flying ex-RNZAF Fast Jets

Above: Two of Draken International’s former Royal New Zealand Air Force fleet, comprising TA-4K Skyhawk N141EM and MB339CB N349EM, fly in formation from the company’s base at Lakeland, Florida, on April 9. Draken International

DRAKEN INTERNATIONAL’S recently-acquired former Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) McDonnell Douglas A-4K/ TA-4K Skyhawks and Aermacchi MB-339CBs have undertaken their first flights in US airspace. In an April 9 announcement,

the company said it would use the fleet of nine MB-339CBs, six A-4Ks and two TA-4Ks to provide threat simulation, research and development and adversary support to various agencies within the US military and defence industry.

Military Aircraft Deployments Date

AF/Unit

Type

Location and Notes

April 6

USAF/354th FS

18 x A-10C

Depart Bagram, Afghanistan, for home

April 19-21 US Army/1-10th AVN

8 x AH-64D

Deployed to Bagram, Afghanistan

April 22

USAF/389th FS

10 x F-15E

Depart Mountain Home AFB for Afghanistan

April 25

USAF/77th FS

17 x F-16C

Returned to Shaw AFB from Kandahar, Afghanistan

April 26

USMC/VMM-365

6 x MV-22B

Arrived Morón, Spain, for long-term Africa rapid response force

April 26

USMC/VMGR-252

2 x KC-130J

Arrived Morón, Spain, for long-term Africa rapid response force

Draken International’s fleet is composed of more than 50 tactical aircraft and its equipment includes radar and sensors commonly found in fourthgeneration fighter jets, enabling the company to simulate various modern threat scenarios.

New Zealand to Buy ex-Australian Seasprites

NEW ZEALAND’S Government has approved the purchase of ten former Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Kaman SH-2G(A) Super Seasprite helicopters to replace five existing SH-2G(NZ) variants operated by its air force. The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) will purchase eight operational Seasprites, plus two spare airframes, from Kaman Aerospace under a $242 million deal, which includes a simulator, missiles and other additional components. The contract, which will be finalised shortly, was announced by New Zealand’s Defence Minister, Dr Jonathan Coleman, on April 19. The ex-RAN airframes have improved capabilities and will replace the fleet of five helicopters, which the government considers is too small. The current fleet has just two helicopters regularly available for deployment on board Royal New Zealand Navy ships, five of which are now capable of operating them. Compared with the existing RNZAF Seasprites operated by 6 Squadron at Whenuapai, the new helicopters will come with modernised sensor, weapons (Penguin, rather than Maverick missiles) and flight control systems. In addition, having eight in service will allow them to be embarked on all five helicopter-capable vessels.

100 Years of Central Flying School

New Contract Award Summary Air Force/ Company Organisation

Contract Number and Type Date

Delivery Date and Notes

Republic of China Army

Boeing

April 25

? x AH-64E Guardian

Not announced

Colombian Army

Sikorsky

April 10

2 x S-70i Black Hawk

By October 2013

Guatemalan Air Force

Embraer

April 9

6 x A-29 Super Tucano

Not announced

Senegalese Air Force

Embraer

April 10

3 x A-29 Super Tucano

Not announced

US Army

AeroVironment

March 30 ? x RQ-11B Raven UAVs

By July 25, 2013

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Above: On April 19 the RAAF celebrated the 100th anniversary of its Central Flying School, the first military aviation unit to be formed in Australia. The occasion was marked by a flypast of its aerobatic team, the Roulettes, together with a privatelyowned de Havilland Vampire, the type equipping the CFS in the 1960s. RAAF

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ACCIDENT REPORTS D: Oct 26, 2012 N: USAF/432nd Wing T: MQ-1B Predator During a surveillance mission from Jalalabad, Afghanistan, about ten hours into the flight, a high temperature caution message was received by the crew, indicating a problem with the propeller pitch control. The propeller had failed in flight, giving the crew limited control. While attempting to resolve the problem, the pilot adjusted the controls to reverse thrust, causing a loss of momentum. It meant the UAV was unable to return to base and the pilot was directed to crash the aircraft to ensure its destruction. The Predator and one AGM114 Hellfire air-to-ground missile were destroyed – with a combined value of around $4.6 million. The Accident Investigation Board report, released on March 20, found that the crash had been caused by mechanical failure of the engine and the pilot making unnecessary movements of the propeller pitch control lever. Additionally, the board found that insufficient checklist guidance and incorrect simulator training contributed to the crash. D: April 6, 2013 N: Syrian Air Force T: MiG-?? The Free Syrian Army (FSA) claims to have shot down the aircraft in Hama, in the northern part of the al-Sawa’eq neighbourhood. One of the pilots was reported as missing, while the other escaped to the military base in Zain al-Abdeen Mountain. Five people on the ground were reportedly killed by debris from the crash. D: April 6 N: Syrian Air Force T: MiG-?? Reported as having exploded in flight after being targeted by the Free Syrian Army (FSA) while flying near Zain. D: April 8 N: UAEAF T: F-16F Crashed on landing at Al Dhafra Air Base, but both crew members ejected safely. Further details are unknown.

US Marine Corps/HMM-262 CH-53E Super Stallion 162484 seen after what was initially reported as merely a ‘heavy landing’ in South Korea on April 16. The helicopter in fact rolled over, burst into flames and was destroyed by the post-crash fire. Yonhap News Agency

D: April 16 N: US Marine Corps/HMM-262 T: CH-53E Super Stallion S: 162484 The helicopter made a hard landing and rolled over during an exercise in Cheolwon county, South Korea – but all 21 personnel on board survived the accident. However, the CH-53E broke-up when it hit the ground D; April 9 N: Syrian Air Force T: Mi-17? Free Syrian Army rebels claimed to have shot down this helicopter whilst it was landing at Deir Ezzor Military Airport. D: April 9 N: US Army/B/1-104th AVN T: AH-64D Apache This Apache crashed in Nangarhar Province, eastern Afghanistan, due to technical problems during a reconnaissance mission. Two personnel on board were killed when the helicopter crashed in an open field, according to local officials. A second helicopter flying with the accident aircraft landed nearby to provide assistance. The accident is reported to have taken place in the Gera Khel area of Pachir Aw Agam district. Officials from the Pennsylvania Army National Guard confirmed the following day that the two crew members killed in the crash were Chief Warrant Officer 3 Matthew Ruffner, 34, from Harrisburg and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jarett Yoder, 27, from Mohnton. Both were serving with the Pennsylvania Army National Guard’s Company B, 1-104th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, based at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania. Their unit had been mobilised

at 1345hrs and was destroyed by a post-crash fire. The accident happened during routine flight operations near South Korea’s Jipo-ri Range and it came down about 15 miles (24km) from the North Korea border, at a time of heightened military tension on the Korean Peninsula. Five crew were among the 21 taken to hospital, but 15 of the personnel

were quickly released and the remaining six were initially in a stable condition. The accident occurred during ongoing exercises between US and South Korean forces. An investigation is under way into the cause, which is currently unclear. The helicopter was assigned to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit in Okinawa, Japan.

for deployment to Afghanistan last August. On April 10, the US Army Combat Readiness/Safety Center at Fort Rucker, Alabama, dispatched a centralised accident investigation team to lead the inquiry into the crash. The team of experts in safety, maintenance, operations and training will examine the facts and circumstances surrounding the accident and make recommendations aimed at preventing a similar occurrence in the future.

D: April 11 N: Syrian Air Force T: 4 x MiG-??

D: April 10 N: Syrian Air Force T: Mi-17? Claimed destroyed by Free Syrian Army rebels whilst it was landing at Raqqa, killing the crew. D: April 10 N: Syrian Air Force T: Unidentified aircraft Claimed shot down by Free Syrian Army rebels in Yabroud. D: April 11 N: Syrian Air Force T: Mi-17? The Free Syrian Army (FSA) claims to have shot down a helicopter north of Maarat Nouman while it was carrying supplies to two Syrian regime bases, Wadi al-Deif and Al-Hamdiyeh, which had been under siege for months. A total of eight fatalities were reported.

The FSA claims to have destroyed these four aircraft on the ground at Deir Ezzor Military Airport. D: April 12 N: Malian Republic Air Force T: Unidentified helicopter All five Malian military personnel on board were killed when a helicopter crashed during the morning in central Mali. The helicopter suffered mechanical failure before it crashed and caught fire near the village of Ouro-Modi, 37 miles (60km) from Sevare, while en route to the north of the country. Malian military officials said that an army colonel was among those killed. The helicopter had come from Sevare to Bamako several days earlier for maintenance. It had been due to return north on April 11, but was delayed for a day by bad weather. The type of helicopter involved in the accident has not been reported, although it is believed that Mali has very few rotary-wing aircraft remaining operational with recent losses in fighting rebels. Three Mi-24 Hind attack helicopters, one or two Mi-8 Hips and a single Z-9A Haitun are thought to have remained active in recent years.

Abbreviations: D: Date N/U: Nationality/Units T: Type S: Serials

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ATTRITION JUNE

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ACCIDENT REPORTS D: April 12 N: Syrian Air Force T: MiG-?? TheFSA claims to have shot down the aircraft over Marj Sultan, near Damascus. D: April 14 N: Syrian Air Force T: MiG-?? The aircraft had attacked the Shababiya area in Damascus and then was, according to claims by the FSA, shot down by its Ababil Division, crashing at Dumair military airport. D: April 15 N: Syrian Air Force T: Mi-17? The FSA claims it hit a helicopter while it was hovering over Tabaqa Military Airport and forced it to make an emergency landing, during which it was damaged or possibly destroyed. D: April 16 N: Syrian Air Force T: MiG-21bis The pilot reportedly lost control and the fighter crashed in a field at Mansoura, Raqqa, killing the pilot. It was possibly shot down by the FSA. D: April 19 N: Iraqi Military T: Unidentified helicopter While flying from the Thirthar area of Iraq, a helicopter crashed near Habbaniyah Air Base. All four on board were seriously injured and taken to hospital. The cause of the crash is unknown. Many Iraqi military helicopters are now operated by the Iraqi Army Aviation Corps, although some types are still flown by the Air Force. It was unclear which force it this particular helicopter was assigned to. D: April 21 N: Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force T: F-5F Tiger II The aircraft crashed in highlands near the town of Abdanan in Ilam province, close to the Iraqi border, killing both crew. It came down shortly after take off from the 4th Tactical Air Base at DezfulArdestani (Vahdati), 280 miles (460km) south-west of Tehran. Dezful is home to three F-5 units, the 41st, 42nd and 43rd Tactical Flighter Squadrons.

Spanish Guardia Civil Eurocopter EC135P2+ HU.26-18 ’09-312’ sits precariously on a mountain ridge after colliding with a building and then landing heavily in Los Gredos, Spain, on April 25.

D: April 25 N: Spanish Guardia Civil T: EC135P2+ S: HU.26-18 ’09-312’ The helicopter was damaged in a heavy landing on a mountain ridge in Los Galayos, Sierra de Gredos. It appears to have clipped a mountain refuge shelter with its main rotor blades, tearing off the ends of the blades. D: April 21 N: Syrian Air Force T: MiG-?? Claimed shot down in Atebah, in the Damascus suburbs, by the FSA. D: April 23 N: International Security Assistance Force T: Various A freak storm at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, with hailstones the size of golf balls, is reported to have caused extensive damage to numerous aircraft on the base. The violent downpour lasted for around 30 minutes and is reported to have killed three Afghan civilians caught in the open when it struck. International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) officials have declined to provide precise details of the extent of the damage because of concerns about operational security. However, several US officials confirmed that around 50 helicopters were damaged – with UK aircraft among them – and those most severely impacted were grounded, pending repairs. An ISAF spokesman confirmed that the storm “caused damage to a number of Coalition aircraft at Kandahar Airfield” and that “actions have been implemented to mitigate the effects of the storm and our forces continue to receive all necessary support.” Officials said that most of the damage can be repaired quickly.

It then came down on uneven, rocky ground, partially collapsing the skid undercarriage and leaving the helicopter perched tail down and tilted over – close to the edge of a sheer drop. None of the occupants are thought to have been injured, but the remote, high-altitude location of the accident is likely to hamper recovery operations. D: April 23 N: Kazakhstan Air Force/Military Unit 50185 T: MiG-31 Foxhound S: ‘02 Blue’ Crashed during a night training flight at 2241hrs near its base at Karaganda. Both crew members ejected, but the captain, Colonel Marat Yedigeyev, died from his injuries. The co-pilot, Major Ruslan Galimzyanov, was taken to hospital but did not have life-threatening injuries. A technical failure is suspected as the cause of the crash. The MiG had undergone maintenance in Aircraft Repair Plant No 514 at Rzhev in the Tver region of Russia and only returned in December. Since then it had flown just 42 hours. D: April 23 N: Unknown T: Unidentified UAV This UAV, which had attempted to violate Israeli airspace from the north at 1400hrs, was shot down 5nm (10km) off the coast of the northern Israeli city of Haifa. It had been tracked by Israeli Defence Force (IDF) ground and aerial surveillance assets for the duration of its flight as it approached Israel’s coast. It was intercepted by an Israeli Air Force F-16, which downed the UAV while it was flying at an altitude of 6,000ft (1,830m). IDF naval forces

subsequently searched the area, but it has not been reported whether any wreckage was found. Israel has made no mention of where the UAV might have come from and suspicions that the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah were operating it were denied through a statement on Hezbollah’s Al Manar TV later that day. A Hezbollah UAV infiltrated Israeli airspace previously on October 6, 2012. It was eventually shot down by an Israeli F-16I over the northern Negev desert. D: April 27 N: USAF/361st Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron T: MC-12W Liberty All four crew members were killed when the aircraft crashed in southern Afghanistan. International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) officials initially reported there was no insurgent activity in the area when the aircraft crashed. It went down in the Shah Joy district of Zabul province, between Kandahar and Ghazni, 110 miles (177km) northwest of Kandahar. The crash site was secured and the cause of the accident is being investigated. The aircraft was operating as part of the 451st Air Expeditionary Wing at Kandahar Airfield. The US Department of Defense on April 28 identified those killed as Captain Brandon L Cyr, assigned to the 906th Air Refueling Squadron, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois; Captain Reid K Nishizuka, assigned to the 427th Reconnaissance Squadron, Beale Air Force Base, California; Staff Sgt Richard A Dickson, assigned to the 306th Intelligence Squadron, Beale Air Force Base, California; and Staff Sgt Daniel N Fannin, assigned to the 552nd Operations Support Squadron, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. It was the first recorded loss of one of the 42 MC-12Ws currently in USAF service, the first of which was delivered in April 2009. D: April 28 N: Syrian Air Force T: MiG-?? Claimed shot down by the FSA Army over Abu Dahour Airport. Additional material from: Donny Chan and Scramble/Dutch Aviation Society.

Abbreviations: D: Date N/U: Nationality/Units T: Type S: Serials

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ACCIDENT REPORT UPDATES June 28, 2005: One of the two US Army/A Co/1-14th AVN AH-64Ds that were involved in the collision at Hooper Stagefield, Ozark, Alabama, 99-05105 ‘05G’, was eventually repaired and had appeared back in service by November 2010, when it was noted operating with the 21st CAV at Hood Army Air Field, Fort Hood, Texas. The other Apache involved in the collision, 98-05082 ‘82F’ and a third example that was damaged by debris, 98-05056 ‘56C’, have not been seen since the accident and are assumed therefore to have been declared write-offs. (August/September 2005 and April 2006) April 10, 2006, (not May/ June) was the exact date of the accident involving RAF Chinook HC2 ZA675 in Afghanistan. After being returned to DARA Fleetlands, Hampshire, for repair, it was flying operationally again by September 2007. (November 2006) August 30, 2007: It is now known that Royal Thai AF/ 2 FTS Pilatus PC-9 B.F.19-25/39 ‘25’, which was extensively damaged in an accident at Kamphaeng Saen Air Base, was eventually rebuilt and returned to service. It had previously been assumed to have been written-off. Although the wreck was still at Kamphaeng Saen in January 2008, the RTAF subsequently decided that the aircraft could still be repaired . The extensively damaged airframe was completely rebuilt by Thai Aviation Industries Co Ltd (TAI) in Thailand. A press release by TAI on January 15, 2011, shows photographs of the basic aircraft fuselage shell and wings looking as good as new. On arrival at TAI’s facility in Kamphaeng Saen, it was engineless and the cockpit was devoid of instruments. It is unclear when exactly it returned to service, but it appears to have taken some time to re-assemble the PC-9, refit all the instruments and equipment, and then test fly it before its return to service. It was first noted back in operational use in March 2012, since when it has regularly been seen active and is now fully operational again.

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Above: The fuselage of rebuilt Royal Thai Air Force Pilatus PC-9 B.F.19-25/39 ‘25’ is lifted prior to being re-attached to its wings at the Thai Aviation Industries Co Ltd (TAI) facility in Kamphaeng Saen, Thailand, during repairs following its crash on August 30, 2007. The aircraft is now back in operational service. TAI Below: Albanian Air Force AS532AL Cougar FA-630/F-ZWDL (c/n 2800) during a predelivery test flight. On a subsequent test mission on July 25, 2012, the aircraft was destroyed in a crash that killed all on board. Eurocopter

(October/November 2007) August 19, 2011: The USAF lists an MQ-1B Predator as having been involved in a Class A accident on this day and this is therefore assumed to be the previously unidentified UAV that crashed into a house in Mogadishu, Somalia. (November 2011) September 19, 2011: The Naval Safety Center confirms that the crash of USMC/HMLA(T)-303 AH-1W 161015 ‘QT-451’ at Camp Pendleton, California, was as a result of in-flight break-up of the helicopter following a bird strike. (November/December 2011) September 28, 2011: USMC/ HMLA-269 'Gunrunners' AH-1W 165320 ‘HF-25’ that crashed in Afghanistan on this date completely destroying the aircraft and killing the pilot came to grief after the skid tow ring caught on the landing pad during take-off. (December 2011/January 2012) July 25, 2012: The Albanian Air Force AS532AL Cougar that crashed on a pre-delivery test flight in France was FA-630/ F-ZWDL (c/n 2800), the first of five on order. (October 2012) April 7, 2013: The US Navy/ VFA-103 'Jolly Rogers' F/A-18F that crashed in the Persian Gulf while operating from USS Dwight D Eisenhower was 166616 ‘AG-206’. (May

)

US Navy/VFA-103 F/A-18F Super Hornet 166616 ‘AG-206’ on board USS Dwight D Eisenhower (CVN 69) on July 12, 2012. The aircraft crashed in the Arabian Sea on April 7 during a mission from the Ike, although both crew ejected safely. Matthew Clements

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TYPHOON AT RED FLAG

Typhoon Swings in Nevada Jon Lake reports on the RAF’s first serious test of its front-line fighter at Red Flag at Nellis AFB

W

HEN GERMAN Eurofighters deployed on Exercise Red Flag Alaska last year, they operated solely in the air-to-air role. It was expected the RAF would follow suit when it deployed nine Typhoons (one of them a two-seater) in January to Nellis to participate in Red Flag 13-3. Instead the RAF detachment (mainly drawn from XI Squadron at RAF Coningsby) flew in both the air-toair and ‘swing’ roles, often attacking ground targets with simulated Enhanced Paveway II dual-mode bombs and using the Rafael Litening III laser designation pod (carried by three of the deployed aircraft) to ‘spike’ (designate) ground targets. On a number of occasions, Typhoon pilots acted as air interdiction (AI) package commanders, leading and controlling – not merely participating – in the ‘blue’ side’s air-toground effort. And, following on from real-world operational experience gained over Libya during Operation Ellamy, the aircraft proved itself to be a highly capable air-to-ground weapons platform. The RAF Red Flag Detachment Commander, Group Captain Johnny Stringer told AFM that Typhoon could have been purpose-designed for the air-to-

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Above: A US Air Force KC-10 Extender assigned to the 305th Air Mobility Wing, McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey, refuels two Typhoons and an F-22 Raptor during Exercise Razor Talon at Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina, on February 7. Razor Talon is a monthly Atlantic Coast large force exercise. USAF/Staff Sgt Andy M Kin Below: Typhoon FGR4 ZJ916 ‘QO-S’, a jet wearing XI Squadron markings and a 3(F) Squadron tail code, takes off on a Red Flag mission equipped with a Litening III pod. Chris Wood

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Typhoon FGR4 ZJ933 ‘DF’ is an Operation Ellamy veteran, sporting many mission markings on the nose. Chris Wood

ground role, as it enjoys all of the necessary ‘key attributes’: “Start with the basics. [You would] Make sure that you’ve got an airframe that’s got sufficient payload capacity, performance and agility to get the number of weapons you want to the right place. I think we’ve satisfied that one. Make sure you’ve got a suitable and an advanced array of sensors, particularly for the air-to-surface mission – with Litening III, we have got that. Then get the optimisation right in the cockpit. Even allowing for the austere [air-toground] integration that the UK undertook a few years ago and was used in Op Ellamy, actually you’ve got a rather good platform, and it will only get better. In terms of the interface with the pilot – we’re happy with it.”

Meanwhile development of the Typhoon’s air-toground capabilities is proceeding apace, driven in part by the requirements of export customers and campaigns. “P1EA [the next big software update] will allow us more in the air-to-ground role – one of the things we find with almost every aircraft we’ve brought into service is that we take a baseline product and improve it with things we learn from test and evaluation, from what we learn in the real world and particularly from what we learn on high-quality exercises like Red Flag,” added Gp Capt Stringer. He highlighted the ways in which the programme of software ‘drops’ had allowed real enhancements to be incorporated on Tranche 1 Typhoons. As it exists today, this is a formidable swing-role fighter, and this capability was demonstrated during Red Flag, as one of XI Squadron’s pilots, Flt Lt Mark Long, explained: “When we push on an AI footing, we’ll have pre-planned targets and we’ll carry four EPW2 [Enhanced Paveway II], four AMRAAM [advanced medium-range air-to-air missile] and two ASRAAM [advanced short-range AAM] on the swing missions. If we are operating in the air-to-air role we’ll go with six AMRAAMs and four ASRAAMs. “A lot of the AI sorties are swing role, because once we’ve prosecuted the target we have fuel and four AMRAAMs on board, so we’re ready for the air-to-air fight. On sorties that I’ve flown I’ve penetrated the MEZ [missile engagement zone], dropped using the Litening pod to designate the target, then swung back to TAR CAP [target combat air patrol] somewhere and held down a Red Air ‘regen’ [regeneration] airfield for another 15 minutes, before going home. “That’s something we train to do back in the UK, but not to the same level. The process of dropping

a weapon is the core skill [practised at home], but at Red Flag we can experience the process of transiting into a MEZ where you’re going to get lit up for real on your DASS [defensive aids sub-systems], defend ourselves against that threat, drop the weapon, and then go back and fight against a highly capable air threat. That is something we don’t routinely train for.” And on Red Flag, as in the real world, air-to-ground mission success is not just about the capabilities of individual aircraft types, as Gp Cpt Stringer explained: “It’s about how your swing role four- or six-ship formation, when plugged into a greater force, can work as a team.” Though the Typhoon’s swing role capability was impressive during Red Flag, the aircraft is at the start of its multi-role transition, and much more is to come, as Gp Cpt Stringer explained: “Clearly you want an

“I think the guys got it right when they designed it” aircraft that provides the government with options in defending the national interest. Clearly there are things that we want to put on Typhoon, especially with the Tornado GR4 out-of-service date [by 2019]. Now that has to be balanced against affordability, but ultimately we’ve got a jet that is nicely sized to take whatever enhancement packages we need in the future. So I think the guys got it right when they designed it.” AFM understands that the RAF’s future capability ‘roadmap’ is now clear (though as yet it may not be fully funded) and that Storm Shadow, dual-mode Brimstone, Meteor and an E-scan radar form the most important ‘pillars’.

Above: F-22A Raptors from Langley AFB worked with the Typhoons, depending on the mission profile. Chris Wood

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TYPHOON AT RED FLAG Learning from Western Zephyr

While flying air-to-ground missions on Red Flag was a first for the RAF’s Typhoon force, XI Squadron was following in the footsteps of a succession of bomber squadrons that have built up an enviable reputation in the strike/attack roles, achieving their objectives with regular success. What was new for the RAF was to deploy to Red Flag with an aircraft that was more than capable of holding its own in the air-to-air arena. Before deploying to Red Flag, XI Squadron took its Typhoons to Langley AFB for Exercise Western Zephyr (see AFM May, p14), which provided a valuable opportunity for the RAF to develop and get used to the tactics it would be using on Red Flag. This meant that when the Typhoons began flying during the exercise they were already able to “start running, not walking”, according to Gp Cpt Stringer. Some dissimilar air combat training saw the Typhoons fighting the Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor and a variety of other types, including Boeing F/A-18 Hornets. The RAF was scrupulous about not discussing details of these engagements or kill:loss ratios, although there was evident satisfaction with how Typhoon had performed. The close working relationship forged between XI Squadron and the USAF’s 27th Fighter Squadron was clearly based on mutual respect, and there is an acceptance that the two aircraft both bring different things to the fight, and that both have complementary strengths. “It’s very simplistic to say ‘fifth gen good, fourth gen bad’,”said Gp Capt Stringer. “That, quite frankly, is rubbish. The aim is to maximise and optimise the contribution of both.” Following Western Zephyr, the Typhoon and F-22 pilots had a much greater understanding of each other’s capabilities, and developed appropriate tactics. Frequently that meant using four or six Typhoons operating around 20 miles (32km) ahead of a pair of Raptors, hitting the leading edge of the enemy force (which might easily be 24 aircraft strong), and with the Raptors providing sensor support. The Typhoons would tend to take long-range missile shots before resetting to a CAP, while the Raptors went in to ‘clear up’ any remaining enemy aircraft.

Ready for the fight

The sheer size of Red Flag is one of the biggest differences to normal UK-based training, as Flt Lt Long told AFM. “Personally it was quite a big step up to go from traditional training at home with maybe a fourship versus eight, to coming out here and being part of a 60-ship. We’re not used to flying with another 55 aircraft in the sky with us and it takes time getting used to the discipline of when you have comm time, what exactly to say to get your message across, being very succinct, but also very accurate.” The majority of engagements on Red Flag were long-range missile shots, and the Typhoon’s BVR

The RAF’s XI Squadron took a single twin-seat Typhoon T3 to Nellis, enabling US pilots to experience the Eurofighter. Chris Wood

(beyond visual range) capabilities came as an unpleasant surprise to the enemy, as Flt Lt Long explained: “When we are holding a CAP position we can stay on station a long time. But when we are using our long-range shot, we exploit Typhoon’s ability to go high and fast, and that comes with a fuel penalty. However, that fuel penalty is more than outweighed by the effectiveness of those long-range shots. We’ve had some shots taken at Mach 1.6 and 45,000ft. The aggressors have been surprised by the kinematics we can give the missile. There have definitely been raised eyebrows in the post-mission shot eval [evaluation] when you’re calling a very long-range shot and then calling a kill on it.”

“This has shown the jet has the performance that we always knew it had” Gp Cpt Stringer highlighted this capability, telling AFM that “This has shown the jet has the performance that we always knew it had. It’s got pace, it can achieve some really quite impressive altitudes out here. Put those two things together and it puts extra energy into the air-to-air missiles you are carrying. That allows you to engage targets at greater range.” However, while taking advantage of Typhoon’s performance for long-range shots is Typhoon’s raison d’être, there will always be some occasions when the pilot will have to close visually with an enemy aircraft, as Stringer told AFM. “In demanding scenarios there are going to be situations you would have loved to have had sorted at 60-plus miles, but which collapse in the fog and friction of the fight. That’s inevitable. I gunned someone on my first [Red Flag] trip.” Typhoon is not wanting in the close-in fight, according to Flt Lt Long: “If we go into the merge, we will win against our aggressors. Against a fourth generation F-15/F-16 we will have the advantage, even without the latest helmet-mounted sight, because of afm the performance of the Typhoon.”

The latest Drops

The Typhoons deployed on Red Flag were all to Drop 2 software standard and all fitted with the latest R2Q radar, which allowed pilots to consistently track targets at long range. Drop 2, which rolled out just before Western Zephyr, provided welcome enhancements to the human-machine interface, and Typhoon’s DASS so impressed the Americans it was claimed to be the “envy of the Raptors”. Mission data specialists from the RAF’s Typhoon force refined how the aircraft can combat threats during the exercise. Flt Lt Long described how quickly this could be done: “In a couple of hours… the Raptors were very impressed with the turnaround of our mission data. If you put it into context, you can have real-world threats – something that will pop up that hasn’t been spotted by intelligence – and you can rewrite your mission data to help protect you against that threat. That’s a very slick process.” Typhoon pilots place great trust in the accuracy and reliability of the DASS, and much of that trust flows from the work done on mission data. Typhoon has been tested in real-world combat operations over Libya and now at Red Flag – many experts believe the latter represents the sterner test, with a less benign threat environment than Libya had, with participants facing (and often being out-numbered by) more capable ‘enemies’ and with more complex and more demanding scenarios and missions. The lessons learned on Red Flag are of more than short-term relevance – by being able to operate its Typhoons alongside the fifthgeneration F-22 Raptor, the RAF was able to look ahead and get useful pointers as to how best to operate the F-35 Lightning II alongside Typhoon, and even to start thinking about new tactics, techniques and procedures for the new type. “We need to take opportunities like this to absolutely nail our conceptual development,” Gp Cpt Stringer averred. “We will really plough that back into our nascent thinking on how Lightning II is going to be employed with Typhoon in the coming years, to ensure that the UK absolutely maximises its return on the size of the fighter force that it’s going to have.” The XI Squadron Typhoons on the flightline at Nellis for Red Flag. Tony Lovelock

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TORNADO GR4: FROM TELIC TO HERRICK

Life in the

Tim Ripley examines the role of the RAF Tornado GR4 Force over Iraq during Operation Telic between 2003 and 2009 and how it paved the way for the type’s success in Afghanistan and Libya

OLD DOG YET Right: Tornado GR4A ZA398, otherwise known as ‘Shiny Two’ – the flagship of II(AC) Squadron, based at RAF Marham in Norfolk – flies through a Welsh valley. Twenty-five years of the unit’s 101 years in existence have been spent flying the ‘Big Fin’, as the Tornado is nicknamed. Neil Bates Far right: A Tornado GR4 takes on fuel from a KC135 Stratotanker of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing during an Operation Iraqi Freedom mission. US Air Force/Senior Airman Erik Hofmeyer

“As US Army tank columns raced towards Baghdad, the GR4 crews were increasingly tasked to fly close air support patrols over ‘kill boxes’ to the south of the Iraqi capital. Air and ground-based forward air controllers directed the Tornados to strike tanks, artillery and other vehicles when they emerged from cover”

An armed Tornado GR4 is prepared for a mission at Ali Al Salem – note the low-vis RAF roundels. Most aircraft would eventually be adorned with artwork, as happened during the first Gulf War in 1991. Tim Ripley

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O

N MARCH 19, 2003, Royal Air Force Tornado GR4 crews were poised to play their part in the ‘shock and awe’ campaign which devastated Iraq’s air defence network, opening the roads to Baghdad and Basra for US and British tank columns. Just over six years later XIII Squadron Tornado GR4s flew the last Operation Telic mission and brought to an end the RAF’s involvement in the Iraq campaign. The Tornado GR4 force ‘came of age’ in those years of Operation Telic, from the brief warfighting phase in 2003 – and then maintaining a continuous presence locally – to providing top cover for coalition troops fighting to maintain order as Iraq was convulsed by civil war. During this long commitment, the Tornado GR4 fielded a range of new weapons and systems and proved the aircraft’s ‘plug and play’ computer systems, which allowed upgrades to be installed quickly, at minimal cost.

Invasion Ops After a lot of hard work, by June 2001 the GR4’s new computer systems had been ‘debugged’ in time for the first aircraft to deploy to Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait to participate in no-fly zone (NFZ) enforcement missions, under the code name Operation Resinate (South).

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The spring of 2003 saw the RAF ramp up its presence in the Gulf ahead of the invasion of Iraq. A surge deployment saw GR4 combat wings set up at Ali Al Salem and at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. At Al Salem the detachment was mainly provided by crews from RAF Marham’s II(AC), IX(B), XIII and 31 Squadrons as well as RAF Lossiemouth’s 617 Squadron; the Qatar operation was a mainly RAF Lossiemouth effort built around XII(B) and 617 Squadrons, but with some personnel from II(AC) Squadron. In total 32 GR4s were deployed when combat operations started on March 19. They took with them a full suite of the latest smart weapons, including MBDA Storm Shadow long-range cruise missiles with penetrating warheads, enhanced GPS-guided Paveway bombs, ALARM anti-radar weapons and the Goodrich RAPTOR digital reconnaissance pod (see AFM January 2013) – which had not yet completed full operational evaluation, but its long stand-off range and high-resolution digital imagery made the RAF decide to deploy it before it was fully debugged. The GR4 crews participated in a wide range of combat operations from the first minutes of the war alongside US and Australian comrades. A high priority was hunting down suspected mobile

From MLU to GR4 At the end of the 20th century the RAF’s Tornado GR1 Force was in turmoil as it foun d itself heavily committed to operations in Koso vo and the Middle East. At the same time, the aircr aft was in the midst of a major midlife upgrade. This programme to create the GR4 variant (which featured a new computer-drive mission system allowing the integration of a wider range of ‘sma rt’ precision-guided munitions) was dogged by delay s and cost overruns. The need for the upgrade, whic h would enable the Tornado to employ satellite-guided weapons with an all-weather capability, was dem onstrated during the 1999 Kosovo campaign when bad weather inhibited the use of laser-guided weapons. This prompted Air Marshal Brian Burridge, the UK’s joint commander during the opening phase of Oper ation Telic, to describe the Kosovo campaign as a “debacle” for the RAF. Bomb damage assessmen t data leaked to the media revealed that during the 78-day campaign the Tornado GR1 strike missions achie ved only a 65% hit rate with 1,000lb (450kg) Raytheon Paveway II laserguided bombs (LGBs) in combinati on with Ferranti’s Thermal Imaging Airborne Lase r Designator (TIALD) pod. Only some 53% of targets were hit with the bigger 2,000lb (900kg) Paveway III weapons, nowhere near the requirement of the ‘sma rt weapon’ era.

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TORNADO GR4: FROM TELIC TO HERRICK Iraqi Scud missile launchers in western Iraq to prevent a replay of the 1991 conflict when Scuds had been fired at Israel in an attempt to split the coalition. To support special forces patrols on the ground, the GR4 force flew some 18 low-level patrols totalling 103 hours over so-called Scud ‘boxes’ to be ready to strike any missile launchers that emerged from their hiding places. The rest of the force had to wait two days to go into action during the famous ‘shock and awe’ strike on the Iraqi ‘super missile engagement zone’ (MEZ) around the capital, Baghdad. In the space of a few hours, every Iraqi air defence command post, radar site, surface-toair missile launcher site and fighter base, as well as scores of so-called regime leadership targets across the city, were hit. Hundreds of British and US aircraft were in the air during the strike, requiring a massive coordination effort to ensure Iraq’s air defences were taken down in one attack. Television images of the strikes were broadcast live around the world, demonstrating the

Above: Typical working conditions at Al Udeid – a Tornado GR4 sits in a portable hangar awaiting the Enhanced Paveway II LGB (foreground) to be fitted. Tim Ripley Below: A US Air Force image from 2005 showing aircraft deployed to the Middle East to support Operation Iraqi Freedom – a KC-135R tanker leads two Tornado GR4s, supported by two F-16Cs and an F-15E Strike Eagle. US Air Force/SSgt Suzanne Jenkins

precision of coalition airpower. The GR4s played an important role in the attack, firing off eight Storm Shadow missiles against air defence command bunkers. All these plus the remainder of the 27 Storm Shadows fired during the campaign hit their targets with pinpoint precision. At first, imagery analysts could only find 26 holes in the roofs of the bunkers until a post-war visit to the sites revealed that at least one missile had entered the target through the hole made by another weapon! As US Army tank columns raced towards Baghdad, the GR4 crews were increasingly tasked to fly close air support patrols over ‘kill boxes’to the south of the Iraqi capital. Air and ground-based forward air controllers directed the Tornados to strike tanks, artillery and other vehicles when they emerged from cover.

Continuing duty After the fall of Baghdad in April 2003, the two GR4 combat wings were stood down and their personnel

Tornado GR4s at Ali Al Salem, Kuwait, in March 2003 at the onset of Operation Telic, the overthrow of Saddam Hussein’s rule in Iraq. The aircraft wear the light grey camouflage specially applied for the campaign. Note the vast pan of helicopters in the background. Tim Ripley

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Three Tornado GR4s formate for the camera during a mission in 2011. All aircraft have received the medium-grey scheme, and squadron markings do not guarantee the aircraft is being operated by a particular unit, as fleet management is pooled. Peter Foster

returned home. To help secure Iraq’s borders and deter intervention by its neighbours, a strong contingent of US and British airpower was maintained in the Gulf region. The RAF contribution was a detachment of six GR4s based at Ali Al Salem – crews of XIII Squadron took on this task in May 2003 and soon found their main activity was flying photographic reconnaissance missions using the Vinten Digital Joint Reconnaissance Pod (DJRP) system. With hostilities over, the British Army command in Basra reduced manning in its air liaison cell to a single officer working part-time on other duties. Offensive air support was not on the agenda. In October 2003 the Tornado Detachment (TORDET) had to move from Ali Al Salem when major runway repairs started at the Kuwaiti base. It set up shop at Al Udeid alongside the major USAF combat wing in the Gulf region and remained there until the end of Operation Telic in 2009. The spring and summer of 2004 saw Iraq convulsed by heavy fighting as rival Sunni and Shia militias took up arms against the occupation forces. Beleaguered US and British troop detachments started calling up air support to help them drive off insurgents surrounding their bases. In Al Amarah, British troops holding an outpost in the centre of the town fought running battles for weeks against Shia insurgents. A major operation was planned to secure the relief of the base, with RAF Nimrod MR2 patrol aircraft flying over the town to find targets for GR4s and USAF AC-130 Spectre gunships. While overwhelming US air power was committed to battles around the Sunni insurgent stronghold Fallujah to the west of Baghdad, the RAF helped fill gaps patrolling over other Iraqi cities. This crucial battle seemed to bring calm to Iraq and relatively peaceful elections went ahead in January 2005, resulting in a period of almost a year when TORDET’s aircraft dropped no weapons in anger – until December 25, 2005 when 14 Squadron dropped a 1,000lb bomb on an insurgent target.

deployments to share-out the workload or allow them to gain operational experience. Squadron Leader Andy Arnold, 31 Squadron’s executive officer, was the detachment commander in September 2006. During a visit to the air base by the author, he said emphasis of operations had shifted to what was termed “non-traditional intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance” (NTISR) using TIALD pods to monitor the situation on the ground. “It’s all about non-kinetic effect – support to the army by presence overhead and shows of force [SOF],” he said. “Doing NTISR you have to look out and interpret the situation on the ground for the army commander.” Typical tasking was to launch two pairs of aircraft a day, one for close air support (CAS)/NTISR and another for CAS/Tac Recce. Although missions were usually tasked for three to four hours over Iraq, the tactical situation usually meant they were extended by two or three airto-air refuelling sessions, pushing the sortie length to up to eight hours – which Sqn Ldr Arnold described as “hard work” for the aircrew. “Crews fly about four times a week and we can flex to surge if needed,”he added. During NTISR missions, GR4 crews looked for insurgent mortar teams, roadside bombs or improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and protected coalition convoys. “We can look [with pods and binoculars] on the roofs of houses to see if people are on them or ahead of convoys,” said Sqn Ldr Arnold. “The majority of our work is with the US.

We provide available and visible deterrence as well as escalatory responses. Army guys were able to hear that we are offering protection. First, we do SOFs – putting down noise, providing a visible menace to stabilise a situation, dispersing riots and deterring people from firing. We don’t want to kill people, but to start to win hearts and minds. It’s very rare that we go up the ladder. If you drop bombs you’ve lost. “We concentrate [our operations] on Baghdad,” he added. “Airpower can be over the top of an incident in ten to 15 minutes. There is a constant presence, 24 hours a day.” TORDET was also in demand to collect still imagery with its DJRP as it was the only tactical reconnaissance asset in theatre. “DRJP is both highly used and valued,” said the squadron leader. “The Tornado is platform of choice for deep target analysis.” GR4 sorties during the insurgency were conducted in a relatively benign environment compared to the pre2003 no fly zone (NFZ) missions when RAF crews faced Iraqi surface-to-air missiles and anti-aircraft artillery fire on an hourly basis. “There are not the same risks as flying NFZ missions – the Iraqis are not firing missiles at you,” said Sqn Ldr Arnold. “But [now] if you’re on the ground [if your jet goes down] you face a greater risk if a terrorist group gets hold of you.” Flight Lieutenant Kim Smith, a 31 Squadron NFZ veteran, said that by 2006 missions over Iraq were

TORDET By then the GR4 force had settled into a routine to sustain the detachment at Al Udeid, each squadron in the unit spending two months at a time on duty in the region. In 2006 TORDET’s six jets provided oneeighth of the coalition offensive air power in theatre. Each detachment usually consisted of seven or eight aircrews and between 80 and 90 ground personnel. This was effectively 50% to 70% of a squadron’s personnel and many units rotated their people during www.airforcesdaily.com

A Tornado GR4 blasts off from RAF Lossiemouth, Moray, early in 2013. The veteran bomber is now in its 31st year of operational service with the RAF. Mike Kerr

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TORNADO GR4: FROM TELIC TO HERRICK very different. “In the old days the maximum sortie duration was two hours. You went into the NFZ as part of a large package [of other aircraft] because of the threat from Iraqis,”he said. “Now there is no identifiable [ground-to-air or air-to-air] threat. Today it’s a different role. We operate on our own. We have no predesignated targets before we take-off on our missions. We know roughly where we’re going. Things are made up on the hoof as the situation unfolds. Before we throw weaponry at a problem we try to solve it by us just being there. Nine times out of ten the bad guys just melt away.”

Tornado GR4 ZA609 ‘072’ banks away from its tanker during an Operation Herrick mission over Afghanistan in late 2012. It is carrying Dual-mode Brimstone missiles at the rear, something introduced to the Tornado since its time in Iraq. Ramon Wenink

Litening the load During the first half of 2006 the Tornado Force began to look to replace its TIALD 500 pods with a system that had greater resolution and a downlink to enable live or real-time transmission of video imagery to groundbased forward air controllers (FACs) – or Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTACs), as the US military calls them – equipped with early versions of the ROVER terminal. The 1980s-vintage TIALD pod was designed to identify tanks and other large pieces of military hardware, but was showing its age during the Iraqi insurgency when ground commanders wanted aircraft crews to identify and track individual insurgents in complex and confused urban environments. An urgent operational requirement (UOR) for the purchase of a batch of Rafael’s Litening III advanced targeting pods was given the go-ahead in the middle of 2006. Sqn Ldr Arnold described the move to Litening III as a “leap forward” because it would allow Tornado crews to identify specific weapon types being carried by insurgents, or IEDs.

“We desperately need it to track people and vehicles and send information direct to the ground controller,” he said. “This will give us connectivity to US JTACs.” It fell to 14 Squadron to introduce the new pod to the Iraqi theatre in the first weeks of 2007. Flt Lt Bryn Williams described the exercise: “This process involved squadron aircrew being hands-on from a very early stage in the service life of the pod, introducing it onto the jet after only limited testing by the Fast Jet Operational Evaluation Unit, and then designing the standard operating procedures for use of this awesome new capability,” he wrote in the squadron newsletter. “Similarly, the squadron engineers have been heavily involved with integrating the pod from a ground perspective. Litening III supplements the TIALD pod, which has been in use for the last decade and a half, and gives the GR4 a major improvement in

capability. Not only are the fidelity and definition of the images received by the aircrew (the pilot as well as the navigator can now see the real-time images) much improved, but the pod also has a datalink capability that allows the FAC you’re working with on the ground to receive the imagery, real-time, via a laptop computer. This understandably speeds up the whole process of CAS operations.” According to Flt Lt Williams, this made a big difference to the capability of the Tornado force and increased its combat utility. “The feedback we received from the FACs within theatre was very positive and the quality of picture delivered by our new capability was the best from any fast air asset. This, coupled with the flexibility that we offered, meant we found ourselves in situations we would have never previously been in with the afm TIALD pod.”

the success of the offensive which soon had the insurgents on the run. Not only did the Tornado crews have to engage moving targets inside the city, they also had to operate in very congested airspace, de-conflicting their attack runs with Predator flights, as well as making sure they avoided coalition helicopters and keeping away from British artillery fire. Charge of the Knights was a full-blown battle that saw the Tornado crews tested in a way not seen since the invasion phase of Operation Telic in March and April 2003. Although the offensive against the Basra militias was over after little more than a week of intensive fighting, TORDET remained on duty at Al Udeid until June 2009 when the last British combat troops finally pulled out of Iraq. TORDET clocked up one more ‘first’ at this time, with IX(B) Squadron operationally flying with the Dual Mode Brimstone anti-armour missile for the first time in December 2008, although none was fired in anger. The final flight by TORDET brought to an end nearly 19 years of continuous presence in the Gulf by the RAF Tornado Force. Operation Telic proved to be the greatest test of the GR4 and saw its successful use of a range of new weapons and systems – Storm Shadow,

Enhanced Paveway, RAPTOR, Litening III and Dual Mode Brimstone – paving the way for its subsequent deployment to Afghanistan in June 2009 to replace Joint Force Harrier. At the time there was some concern in the media and Parliament that the Tornado Force would not be able to step into the shoes of the Harrier crews, who were described by their advocates as the “RAF’s CAS specialists”. The Tornado Force, however, had built up an unsurpassed bank of CAS experience during counter-insurgency operations over Iraq, and the GR4 crews never missed a beat when they first arrived at Kandahar Airfield. Nearly four years on, the deployment endures, with squadrons from RAF Lossiemouth due to take up the duty in turn from mid-2013. At present there is no definite withdrawal date, despite the government’s promises that British forces will have left Afghanistan by the end of 2014.

Charge of the Knights The introduction of the Litening III pod saw the Tornado force in the forefront of combat operations during 2007, with most of the work being in support of the US surge around Baghdad. British troops in Basra also called on the Tornado crews to cover their retreat from their headquarters in the centre of the war-torn city, and for weeks ahead of the withdrawal they flew missions along the escape route to spot insurgents trying to plant IEDs. March and April 2008 saw the Tornado force involved in its most intense period of combat operations, which overlapped the handover of TORDET at Al Udeid between 13 and 14 Squadrons. RAF aircrew were at the forefront of providing offensive support to Iraqi, British and US troops advancing into the heart of Basra to drive out Shia militia fighters. Operation Charge of the Knights got under way on March 28 with US and British FACs working closely with Iraqi infantry brigades to bring down precision air strikes on militia strong points in urban areas or insurgent rocket and mortar teams trying to fire on coalition bases. A near-continuous presence was maintained over the city by RAF Tornados, USAF Predators and US Navy F/A-18 Hornets. The close integration of air and ground forces was central to

By 2006 the Tornado deployment adopted the UK-spec medium grey colour scheme with high-vis roundels and was based at Al Udeid in Qatar. Tim Ripley

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TORNADO GR4: 617 SQUADRON DAMBUSTERS

In the Shadows of

Giants

AFM editor Gary Parsons talks to the boss of the Royal Air Force’s 617 Squadron, more famously known as the Dambusters, as the unit celebrates its 70th anniversary

Above: Tornado GR4 ZA412 is one of a pair painted with special 70th anniversary tail markings and will be seen at the major UK airshows later this year. Jamie Hunter Below: OC 617 Squadron, Wg Cdr David Arthurton. Bob Franklin

G

UY GIBSON and Leonard Cheshire are perhaps the two most famous Bomber Command squadron leaders of the Second World War. Both served with 617 Squadron in its early years and from such legends folklore was born. Today’s Officer Commanding (OC) is 41-year-old Wing Commander David Arthurton, who is fully appreciative of the squadron’s heritage and prestige. He took command on October 15 last year and was already thinking about the 70th anniversary celebrations that lay ahead. He said: “People ask ‘Why the 70th?’ One of the reasons is that it’s likely to be one of the last major anniversaries where we have some of the surviving aircrew from the dams raids. Of course there were many other raids in the months that followed – including the Tirpitz – but there will come a day when there won’t be any veterans to commemorate these events. That brings added poignancy to the events for me.”

History – a lot of it! Despite its heritage, 617 Squadron is seen as the junior squadron among its peers, most of which were 38

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formed prior to 1918 during the First World War. The Dambusters was formed as a special squadron on March 23, 1943, for Operation Chastise, the planned destruction of dams crucial to the Nazi war effort in the German Ruhr valley. Perhaps the most famous RAF mission of the entire war, the squadron entered the hearts and minds of the British public through books and the 1955 film starring Richard Todd as Guy Gibson. The epic tale is set to be retold in another movie in the near future, this time directed by The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit director Peter Jackson. In many ways the 1943 dams raid can be regarded as the first use of precision weapons by the RAF. The Upkeep bouncing bombs had to be placed within a few feet of the base of each dam and weeks of low-level training were needed to perfect the task before the mission on the night of May 16. The story of the mission is not for retelling here – see Key Publishing’s Dambusters Salute special detailed on page 55 and on sale at all good newsagents. Wg Cdr Arthurton said: “I did my first tour at RAF Lossiemouth with 12 Squadron, on the other side of the airfield from 617. There was always something www.airforcesmonthly.com

a little different about 617 – it seemed to have a stronger identity. Whether it was the black T-shirts and roll-necks, looking in from the outside there seemed to be a greater sense of belonging. There is always an identity with any squadron, but it is particularly strong with 617. You don’t have much choice in what you get as a command, but I was delighted to be given this squadron considering its history.” From that first raid there are three crewmen still alive – George (Johnny) Johnson in the UK, Les Munro in New Zealand and Fred Sutherland in Canada. Johnson, a bomb aimer with Joe McCarthy’s crew, and pilot Munro are hoping to be in the UK during May. Sutherland, however, is not well enough to travel so Wg Cdr Arthurton had planned to take 617 Squadron to him on the way back from the planned deployment to Red Flag Alaska in early May. “I was going to stage through Calgary and meet him,” he said. “It’s important that he’s part of the anniversary.” Unfortunately Red Flag Alaska was cancelled just days before the squadron was due to leave in early April, throwing Wg Cdr Arthurton’s plans to see Sutherland into disarray. www.airforcesdaily.com

Planning for Red Flag Alaska TALKING BEFORE the planned deployment to Eielson Air Force Base (AFB), Wg Cdr Arthurton detailed the benefit of training somewhere as far away as Alaska. “The type of flying we do these days is skewed towards the immediate operational environment [of Afghanistan], but part of my drive over the last six months has been to regenerate some of the skill sets that had faded since the last Operation Herrick deployment.” The squadron undertook two deployments to Afghanistan in quick succession as the Marham-based units supported Operation Ellamy over Libya in 2011, so has not had a normal cycle of UK-based operations for nearly two years. “We’ve had a real focus on regenerating core skills such as low-level flying with [night vision] goggles – it’s a niche skill, not necessarily deployed in every combat scenario, but is something that we used in Iraq in 2003. It’s not the sort of skill that you can just turn on overnight. “We have the North American exercise programme – each squadron prepared a number of jets which are being used first by

12 Squadron at Nellis in Nevada for Red Flag – then they are going to Hill AFB for Torpedo Focus [which XV(R) Squadron attended] electronic warfare training and from there they will trail the jets up to Eielson, where we will be flying on Red Flag Alaska. The flying will be great – it’ll hark back to the Goose Bay days of old. It’s building on higher-end capabilities – there’ll be a significant air threat from US fighters and Canada. There’s a two-week flying window for the exercise, but we’ll start with some familiarisation flights. We’re well-versed in the Herrick scenario – most of the aircrew have done at least two rotations and I’m not losing many of them before the next deployment in November. The close air support expertise and theatrespecific knowledge is strong, that’s why I’m keen to grow other competencies at places like Red Flag Alaska.” Unfortunately the US budget deficit scuppered the squadron’s plans as the exercise in Alaska was cancelled due to financial constraints brought on by sequestration (see AFM April 2013, p6).

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617 SQUADRON DAMBUSTERS Tornado GR4 ZA404 ‘013’ sits in the sun outside its hardened aircraft shelter (HAS) in February. All 617 Squadron operations are run from the southern HAS site at RAF Lossiemouth. Key – Gary Parsons

617 Squadron today

Above: Today’s colour scheme is only worn by a handful of jets due to the pooled nature of the Tornado fleet. ZG729 ‘127’ is one of the last GR4s to be built and is carrying a Litening III laser designator pod. Peter Foster Below: With its nose wearing mission marks from Operation Herrick in Afghanistan, GR4 ZD715 speeds through a Cumbrian valley during a training sortie. Peter Foster

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It’s a slightly smaller squadron than in 1943. Wg Cdr Gibson had 21 Lancasters to choose from, with 19 aircraft and 133 aircrew taking off from RAF Scampton, in Lincolnshire, bound for the Ruhr valley on May 16. Of those, eight aircraft were lost together with 53 personnel. “Today I have ten aircraft and 14 crews, which is about right – we’re not constrained for day-to-day operations,” said Wg Cdr Arthurton. Of those ten aircraft, eight are dedicated to strike and reconnaissance and two are twin-stick trainers although, if needed, the latter are just as combat capable. However, few actually carry the squadron colours – today the Tornado GR4 fleet is managed by a pool system from RAF Marham, in Norfolk, with aircraft allocated as they emerge from deep maintenance or repair out of the BAE Systems facility. Flight Lieutenant Jim Goodship is one of two Junior Engineering Officers (Jengos) in the squadron. “BAE Systems allocate aircraft to fleet planners at Marham who dictate which squadron gets what aircraft,” he explained. “If it’s a jet from BAE Systems’ Combined Maintenance and Upgrade facility [CMU] it’ll come out freshly-painted and gleaming, but otherwise it may have old squadron markings on. We will hang on to the jet until the next major servicing – it’s up to us to manage the hours, maybe as many as 200. We’ve got three jets with 617 markings at the moment, plus the two specials.” Two aircraft, ZA412 and ZA492, have received special 70th anniversary tail markings and are expected to be a main feature of this year’s season of air shows around the UK. “It was a design that grew from within the squadron, rather than an external agency,” explained Wg Cdr Arthurton. “It draws on the themes on the squadron badge – the breached dam, pictures of the Lancaster and Tornado, with the appropriate dates. I’m perhaps biased, but I think it’s good. We got two aircraft allocated, based on the amount of engagement planned for the summer, and we’ve been approached by all the major airshows. We’re looking at a formation plan with the Lancaster, but are a little restricted on what altitude we can fly in formation with it – we won’t be able to fly it over the dams in the UK, but will probably fly a trail of some sort.” www.airforcesmonthly.com

From Telic to Herrick for the Boss WG CDR ARTHURTON is unusual in that he was away from the Tornado force between 2004 and 2012. He can reflect on the changes to the platform since his early Operation Telic days of 2003: “I was away from the force for eight years after leaving XIII Squadron in 2004. It was a long lay-off, although I flew other aircraft in between, and the force has developed for the better. I had 1,500 hours on Tornado and there’s a wealth of experience that comes with that. Some things came back very quickly – the first time I engaged TFR in the sim, it was like I’d done it just yesterday. The way it’s configured is unique to the Tornado. The areas that took a little longer to come back were where you do something similar to the previous platform, but not identical. Small procedural aspects, formation procedures, that sort of thing. I had a two-week stint at RAF Valley on the Hawk, both T1 and T2, then did a 12-sortie syllabus at XV(R) Squadron and arrival check rides here at 617.”

Speaking in late February, he continued: “I’m now doing my electro-optical NVG refresher training – I flew the sim earlier in the week and have my check ride later today.” Unfortunately for Wg Cdr Arthurton the notorious Lossiemouth ‘haar’ [sea fog] rolled in off the North Sea and all flying was cancelled that particular afternoon. “When I left [in 2004] we had a jet that was capable of dropping EP [Enhanced Paveway] II, EP III, ALARM, Storm Shadow and legacy Brimstone. The major changes have been EP IV, which is fantastic. I worked as the desk officer in the capability area on that for a while so I had a good understanding of it. It’s a step change from EP II – we’re ahead of the majority of European air forces in terms of that capability. Dual Mode Brimstone was another new weapon, which came about through an

Above: In 2008, 617 Squadron celebrated its 65th anniversary by applying the wartime code ‘KC’ to a few of its jets. Here ZA367 ‘002/KC-N’ flies through the Derwent valley after passing over the dam. Gary Parsons Below: New and the old: At RAF Coningsby, Tornado GR4 ZA412 sits alongside the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight’s Lancaster, which wears the colours of a 617 Squadron aircraft for the 2013 display season. Key – Gary Parsons

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urgent operational requirement for Iraq. Again, an enormously capable weapon, which has the advantage of being low collateral with the ability to strike moving targets. We’ve also lost all the legacy ‘dumb’ weapons now. No 1,000lb [450kg] free-fall bombs, or even practice munitions. We’ve definitely cut that link to the Cold War and what we’ve got as a result is a platform that is much more agile and adaptable to a number of different roles. I remember when I joined the force it was ‘lay down or loft’ – so we have come a long way. We’ve got the helmet-mounted sight in theatre and are getting Link-16 data exchange capability in the very near future. I find it reassuring that there’s a sustained investment in the platform, and the rate of development has actually increased.”

Below: TV presenter Dan Snow was at RAF Coningsby in March – he will be presenting a BBC documentary on the dams raid during the anniversary week. Key – Gary Parsons

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617 SQUADRON DAMBUSTERS

70th Anniversary Events May 15 – Dambusters fi lm event at Kinema in the Woods, Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire, (ticket-only event) with flypast by Lancaster and Tornados operating from RAF Coningsby. May 16 – Dams flypast (Derwent, Abberton and Eyebrook) followed by a sunset ceremony at RAF Scampton (private event). May 17 – Memorial service at Lincoln Cathedral with flypast by Lancaster and Tornados operating from RAF Coningsby. May 18 – Dambusters day at Biggin Hill Airport, Kent, with Tornado landing. May 19 – Unveiling of new 617 Squadron memorial at Woodhall Spa with flypast by Lancaster and Tornados operating from RAF Coningsby.

70th anniversary “From a squadron perspective there are three phases to the 70th anniversary celebrations,” continued Wg Cdr Arthurton. “First the formation of the squadron, which is why on March 21 we unveiled the tails alongside the Lancaster and recreated the classic Dambusters squadron photo with the Lancaster in the background. We’re trying to build links between the past and the present in everything we’re doing.”

RAF Lossiemouth has been home to 617 Squadron since 1994. With the drawdown of the Tornado fleet due to begin soon, it may find itself returning to RAF Marham in Norfolk, where it reformed on the Tornado in 1983 after operating the Vulcan from RAF Scampton for the previous 20 years. Mike Kerr

The second phase kicked off on May 14, beginning a whirlwind week for the OC and chosen aircrew who deployed to RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire. The final stage is the summer air show season of flypasts and static displays. With the axing of the Tornado GR4 Role Demonstration this year, 617 Squadron is helping plug the gap of fast jet action at major events. “We’ll be doing the major shows – Waddington, RIAT and Leuchars – with as many others as possible,” confirmed Wg Cdr Arthurton. Smokin’! A 617 Squadron GR4 touches down at RAF Lossiemouth on the short east-west runway. Mike Kerr

Outside the unit's headquarters stand the three bombs of the Second World War that are synonymous with 617 Squadron - Grand Slam, Upkeep and Tallboy. Key – Gary Parsons

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Herrick again After the airshow season finishes in September the squadron will work up for its third Operation Herrick deployment, a four-month stint, in late November. Fortunately Wg Cdr Arthurton expects to maintain crew stability throughout the summer with only a handful of new members joining. Of the 14 crews he has today, most will be around for Herrick. “If you’ve got stability in crewing you know your people well – you can tailor training and you get payback in the investment you’ve made. The sum effect makes you a more effective combat unit. “My clear focus this year is Operation Herrick and the support we give to the Afghan National Security Forces [ANSF]. Over the summer our focus will be on pre-Herrick work-up while supporting mandatory tasks. We will train with our army brethren – we regularly send guys down to RAF Waddington and the Air Battlespace Training Centre to help training – it’s to our advantage as well as the army’s. Anything we can do to make them better prepared for deployment will be to the advantage of 31 Squadron, the guys preparing to go out to Afghanistan next. The Tornado force is exactly that. We work as a whole. We’re not interested in deriving personal gain for each squadron. “There’s immense value in face-to-face debriefing – it’s high quality feedback and really counts for a lot. You can get subtleties across that are difficult to portray over the phone or on a feedback form.” Captain Duncan Fraser is an army Ground Liaison Officer attached to 617 Squadron at RAF Lossiemouth. “The good thing about Afghanistan is that it concentrates skills,” he explained. When not in that deployment cycle it’s difficult to maintain those. Recently two Royal Marine commanders met up with some of the aircrew they had been talking to on the radio during training. It’s important to build those links.” Herrick deployments are now four-month stints, increased from three. “It’s easier on the force to have a longer rotation,” said Wg Cdr Arthurton. “I recall Operation Resinate stints at Ali Al-Salem, in Kuwait, being just two months. The benefit of the shorter deployment is your recovery to normal flying is that much quicker. But the demands of the operating environment in Afghanistan are greater, so the training burden required makes it sense to use that gained expertise for longer. Four months is a manageable figure. We have to send crews back occasionally for an intense package of simulator work to make sure they’re competent to handle any emerwww.airforcesmonthly.com

Despite its 1970s design philosophy, the Tornado has been adapted to suit 21st century warfare. Mike Kerr

Keeping the 'old dog' flying MOST TORNADO GR4s are now more than 30 years old – the first rolled off the production line in 1980 and the last, ZG794, in 1992. With the youngest over 20 years old, there are challenges in maintaining serviceability across the 100 plus airframes left in the inventory. Flt Lt Goodship explained some of the challenges: “The environmental control system regularly snags – the main temperature control valve needs to get changed regularly. Other than that it’s rubbing strips on the flaps and slats and seals, that sort of thing. Occasionally there are snags that cause people to scratch their heads, but there’s not much that hasn’t been seen before. If there isn’t anyone with experience on the squadron you can usually find someone in the force. It’s pretty solid for a 30-year old aeroplane. “Much of our time is spent on investigation and fault-finding – it’s not like the Typhoon where the computer tells you what’s wrong. We perhaps rely more on experience than Typhoon guys do.” As the Tornado fleet draws down, many are being sent to RAF Leeming, in North Yorkshire, for spares recovery through the Reduce to Produce (RtP) programme. Initially most of the Tornado F3 fighter fleet was recycled, but GR4s are now beginning to be stripped. “We do get some RtP parts if there’s a shortage of new in the supply system,” said Flt Lt Goodship. “It’s becoming more regular as the fleet winds down – we had one aircraft depart for RAF Leeming last week.” Some parts are generic to both the F3 and GR4, but not all. There is a programme to modify F3 canopies so that they can be used on GR4, for example. The squadron has around 60 engineers on two flights, all controlled by the Senior Engineering Officer (Sengo). On each shift will be a Jengo, Flight Sergeant and trades and line control personnel. “We do a week of days then a week of nights,” said Flt Lt Goodship. “Days can be long weeks as you don’t have a night shift on Friday

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and you’ll be prepping for Monday morning. The pay-off is the short week on nights!” In terms of capabilities, the squadron looks after the aircraft between major services. Flt Lt Goodship explained: “We change major assemblies – it’s a ‘box out, box in’ approach. Small components such as sensors we will change plus explosives in the ejector seats, although major assembly of seats is done at Marham. We can do a whole engine change which is then taken to the Propulsion Support Team, which will overhaul it. Engine changes are straightforward, it’s just held in by six bolts. But it’s the preparation time that’s longest. It’ll take two shifts for an engine change. Some airframe repairs are possible – we’re doing a repair to a rudder at the moment. If the fin needed to come off we would call in 71 (IR) Squadron from St Athan for inspection and repair. It deals with primary structures on aircraft.” It will be Flt Lt Goodship’s first deployment overseas when he leaves for Afghanistan later in the year. “Two shifts of engineers will deploy [to Kandahar] – almost a full squadron. A small party will remain behind for domestic tasks. There’ll be a week’s handover of the jets. We work to the same standard wherever we are. On operations there may be a need to make a call whether it’s safe to fly, when we definitely wouldn’t [let it go] here in the UK. But we’ll never fly an unsafe jet. I can make that call as Jengo, as can the Flight Sergeant. We both have the ‘reds and greens’.” These are the authorisation colours awarded to the rank. “Working conditions are pretty good over there, I believe,” he added. “The last time the squadron went was for a summer deployment when it was very hot. Welfare is good at Kandahar. There isn’t any hangarage out there, it’s all sun shelters, and there’s the threat of indirect fire attacks. But it’s as refined as it can be.”

gencies out in theatre, but that’s the only downside – apart from being separated from our families, of course. “It takes about a month for the squadron to get back into UK flying after serving abroad on Operation Herrick, with post-op deployment leave and ‘reset’ to get the aircrew and engineers back into the UK methods of working. The air environment is very different. It’s a matter of going back to basics, the pilots doing check rides, that sort of thing. At the moment our tangible planning horizon is through to the end of Herrick in March 2014 when we’ll hit the ‘reset’ button again.”

Beyond Herrick It’s no secret that the RAF’s Tornado force will draw down over the next six years through to the aircraft’s out-of-service date of 2019. As the Typhoon force builds up at RAF Lossiemouth from the end of this year the Tornado squadrons are expected to relocate to RAF Marham, with at least two disbanding amid some numberplate swapping. “The Typhoon force is building and it will be a balance of Force Elements At Readiness [FEAR],” confirmed Wg Cdr Arthurton. “The trigger points will be Typhoon’s air-to-ground capability and, at the back end of the decade, Lightning II [F-35B] entering into service.” The five operational squadrons today are expected to be reduced to three by 2015. It is highly unlikely that 617 Squadron will be one of those axed, unless it is to become one of the afm RAF Lightning II units. #303 JUNE 2013

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POLISH AIR FORCE FUTURE PLANS

Poland’s Plans Exclusively for AFM, Krzysztof Kuska talks to the commander of the Polish Air Force, Lieutenant General Lech Majewski, about its current tasks and future plans

A new jet trainer for Poland The Polish Ministry of Defence confirmed in early April that four bidders have submitted proposals to meet the country’s advanced jet trainer (AJT) competition. The four competing aircraft are Alenia Aermacchi’s M-346 Master, BAE Systems’ Hawk AJT, Czech Aero Vodochody’s L-159T1 and Lockheed Martin/KAI’s T-50 Golden Eagle. Although the proposed purchase is for just eight aircraft, it will be significant for the winner, opening the doors to other potential NATO and European customers. The winning aircraft will be selected by the end of the year, with introduction into service planned for 2017.

AFM: What are the Polish Air Force’s main tasks for 2013? Lt Gen Majewski: Our superiors have increased the flying hours to the highest levels for many years – now over 48,000 hours. As such, we aim to translate intensive training, which we focused on in 2011, and the quality of training, which was on the agenda in 2012, into operational efficiency. There’ll be many opportunities to do this. We’ll be hosting the international Falcon-13 event, combining our Orzeł-13 rocket launcher field training with the former international exercise Eagle

Talon. An advanced warning and control systems (AWACS) type aircraft will be used during the exercise. Additionally, the pilots and ground crews of our F-16, MiG-29 and C295 fleets will participate in Tactical Leadership Programme (TLP) courses and the [NATO] Squadron Exchange programme. So you’ll see our 'planes flying over Spain, Norway, the Netherlands and Israel. Moreover, the first groups of American airmen flying in for joint manoeuvres are already exercising at our bases. Their input will aid in the training of our pilots and technical staff in coalition operations. A constant priority is to ensure a high level of flight safety. In this regard, we are focusing on prevention, correct identification of threats and risk assessment. At the same time we intend to expand the operational capabilities of our dispatch units, introduce new equipment and ensure the widespread knowledge of English. Our flying units will be performing duties as part of NATO’s Integrated Air Defence System.

AFM: What are the reasons for this high involvement of Polish airmen in training exercises abroad? Being trained in an international environment, together with the best people, in conditions that are different to those in our country yet very similar to potential future theatres of war; using the English

Right: Pilots report back to Lt Gen Majewski after training missions during Exercise Zlot 2011.

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defence system from a different, wider perspective. A good example of this was the participation of Polish airmen in the Distant Frontier and Red Flag exercises in Alaska last year. Nevertheless, taking into account our country’s geographical location, the fact that we’re constantly modernising our bases and equipment and – most importantly – the fact that our military is full of talented people, we wish to see more bilateral and international military exercises being organised in Poland. I believe our neighbours already see us as an attractive partner and see the benefits of expanding our cooperation. The MiG-29 Fulcrum is still a key aircraft for Poland. An upgrade programme will allow another 15 years’ service with the Polish Air Force. All images by Piotr Łysakowski

language in practice; and performing tasks that not so long ago were not part of official training. All this provides the best opportunity to learn new solutions, improve one’s qualifications and develop creativity, but also to promote our own achievements and motivate airmen to remain on the force. Our aim is to send mostly young personnel to such training. This is our investment in the future. I have the opportunity to observe how participation in training abroad changes the mentality of Polish soldiers and allows them to look at their role in our country’s

AFM: You are rapidly updating personnel training. What are you modelling it on? In the field of aviation, if you’re not advancing, you’re actually going backwards, sometimes with tragic consequences. We’ve already had some painful experiences that hammered this point home, which is why now we’re doing everything in our power to implement a safe, state-of-the-art training system. In recent years we’ve sent our

“I believe our neighbours already see us as an attractive partner and see the benefits of expanding our cooperation”

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POLISH AIR FORCE FUTURE PLANS flight deck personnel on regular simulation-based training courses abroad and we’ve made efforts to acquire modern flight simulators of our own. The purchase of these simulators is currently an inherent aspect of every weapons replacement scheme. We’ve also organised numerous courses on risk assessment and flight medicine and in 2012 published several new manuals and regulations that draw comprehensively on the experiences of the past. We’re currently in the process of developing quality assurance systems for military aviation. We also have other ideas up our sleeve on how to innovate further. AFM: You appear to be in an excellent situation and don’t need to cut costs as most other European countries do I can assure you that we’re very careful and economical with how we spend taxpayers’ money. Nevertheless we’re also extremely glad that the current flying hours are at a record high. Nowadays you don’t hear anyone complaining about lack of fuel. It’s been more than ten years since we’ve had a similar situation, so our main task right now is to train as many young pilots as possible to help them achieve the highest level of skills they can. I believe that, in two or three years, we’ll see the benefits of this approach. The rule is simple – in order to maintain the acquired habits and remain a good pilot, you have to fly a lot. Above: The PZL-130TC-1 Orlik is the PAF’s basic training aircraft – 28 aircraft serve with 2 Aviation Training Centre at Radom. Below: The C-130E Hercules is the biggest transport aircraft in Poland. Five serve with 14 Air Transport Squadron at Powidz.

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This much is clear from our flight safety statistics. In the years 2008 to 2010 our flying limit was approximately 37,000 hours and every year we had serious incidents. Between 2011 and 2013 this limit was raised by 30% and we haven’t had a serious accident in 36 months. At the same time, both within and outside the borders of Poland, our flight crews performed tasks that nobody in the country had dreamed of before – this is all thanks to the daily challenging and responsible work done by the commanding officers and pilots: in particular, the proper organisation of work, implementation of new procedures, improving the condition of flight equipment and ensuring better flight safety. AFM: Will the air force be able to introduce the Link 16 system this year? Right now the system’s at preliminary operational readiness. The plan is to make it fully operational in 2014. To do that we’ll need to finalise several ongoing infrastructure projects, the purchase of equipment and accreditation of Link 16 by the Military Counterintelligence Service. I’m convinced everything

will happen according to schedule, and the implementation of the system will further improve our standing as an attractive military training partner. AFM: The Polish radar system is in need of change – what are your plans? Our radar forces have been the subject of comprehensive modernisation for several years and we’ve recently established six long-range ‘backbone’ radar stations. Between 2015 and 2017 the facilities of the 3rd Wrocław Radar Brigade will be supplemented with eight new, medium-range, three-dimension NUR-15M mobile radiolocation stations; they will add to two acquired in 2012. Later we’re planning to replace our aircraft area control stations with passive coherent locator systems. Due to the fact that we’ve joined the NATO Early Warning Force, and that our soldiers serve on Boeing E-3A AWACS

“I can assure you that we’re very careful and economical with how we spend taxpayers’ money”

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The F-16Cs can be equipped with two external conformal fuel tanks.

'planes, I believe the radio-technical segment of our air force fulfils its role both in terms of our own military needs and our allies’ requirements. AFM: Apart from the radars, an important component of any air defence system is anti-aircraft. What are the plans of the Polish Air Force in terms of purchase or domestic production of rocket systems? We’ve prepared a schedule for rearming the squadrons of the 3rd Ground Based Air Defence (GBAD) Brigade. Currently we’re focusing on language courses for soldiers who will work with the new short- and medium-range units. I can’t say if the supplier will be foreign or domestic – all purchases are handled by the Armament Inspectorate, and a tender procedure has not yet been announced. However, when awarding contracts the Ministry of Defence often prefers that the weapon systems be ‘Polonised’, which helps future operation. AFM: What is the schedule for implementing the new anti-aircraft weapons system? We’ll begin by equipping the weapons squadrons of the 3rd GBAD Brigade with very shortrange artillery-rocket units. The first of these should be delivered in 2015. Next, the squadrons will receive new multi-channel short-range units. Medium-range units will be introduced last. Obviously it’s in the best interests of the whole country to ensure that the purchased weapon systems are advanced, easy to modernise, userfriendly, cost-efficient and with the best tactical and technical characteristics. Using the experience acquired by our anti-aircraft troops during joint training with American soldiers, who were in Poland with their Patriot battery, I’m convinced the soldiers of the 3rd GBAD Brigade will be able to master the operation and the tactical applications of anything we buy for them. AFM: The Ministry of Defence has ultimately decided to cancel the modernisation of the Sukhoi Su-22 – are there any plans to replace the decommissioned 'planes? We’re considering various options. One of these is to replace the Su-22s with a squadron of multirole 'planes. But there are other ideas, too. Right www.airforcesdaily.com

now we are finishing training of the youngest pilots who have begun flying the Su-22 and we’re waiting for instructions from our superiors on what to do next. I can assure you that Świdwin air base will not be abandoned [as has been widely speculated in the Polish press]. AFM: One of the more pressing issues is training new military aircraft pilots. Poland still lacks a sufficient number of advanced jet trainers. What are you planning to do in this matter? Is there a final decision on the profile of these aircraft – will they be just trainers or training/combat machines? On February 25 the Armament Inspectorate issued a call for tenders for an advanced training system along with advanced jet trainers intended for the 41st Air Training Base in Dęblin. The infrastructure is already being modified to incorporate new jet -planes, a simulator and ancillary equipment. The technical modernisation programme specifies that eight 'planes are to be purchased, with the possibility of increasing this by four. These will be jet trainers, in which a lot of the on-board flight systems, such as the radiolocation station, are simulated.

AFM: You are currently in the process of modernising the MiG-29 Fulcrum. How will it make this aircraft type more advanced? Our pilots have already test flown the first fighter jet upgraded by the Wojskowe Zakłady Lotnicze nr 2 SA. The company assures us that by the end of 2014 all 16 MiG-29s intended for modernisation will be ready. AFM: How long will you continue to operate the MiG-29? We’re planning for at least 15 more years. They’re sure to be part of the Baltic Air Policing mission, and our pilots will be able to use the additional capabilities offered by the upgrade programme, which first and foremost improves their situational awareness. AFM: Many countries are investing heavily in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Does the Polish Air Force have similar plans? We don’t ignore global trends. In 2017 we’re going to acquire our first MALE-class [medium-altitude long endurance] UAV sets. They’ll be stationed at the 12th UAV Base, which is to be established in Mirosławiec.

Above: One of 36 Sukhoi Su-22M-4 Fitter-Ks serving at Swidwin. An upgrade for the aircraft has been abandoned and the type will be retired in the near future.

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POLISH AIR FORCE FUTURE PLANS AFM: How long are you planning to use the Hercules? The 'planes aren’t exactly new, but they’ve been modernised and I think they’ll be in service for at least ten years. Thanks to the use of the C-130 and the cooperation with the US Air Force, whose units visit Poland for training, we’ll be able to gain experience in the operation of heavy-duty transport aircraft. In a couple of years, with that experience under our belt – and with the knowledge about the needs of the country as a whole and the actual deadline for decommissioning the C-130E – we’ll be considering if and when these 'planes should be replaced. This is not a decision we necessarily need to make right now. We’re part of the Strategic Airlift Capability and SALIS [Strategic Airlift Interim Solution] initiatives, plus we participate in the ATARES [Air Transport, Air-to-Air Refuelling and other Exchanges of Services] programme – we can, at any given moment, charter an aircraft for the transport of personnel or cargo. We may continue our involvement in international projects or take part in new European initiatives focused on pooling and sharing. Poland has 48 Lockheed Martin F-16s, comprising 36 single-seat ’C and 12 two-seat ’D models.

AFM: Will those be surveillance drones, or are you considering the purchase of UAVs with offensive capabilities? We don’t yet have any experience with UAVs, so it seems prudent to start with surveillance types. We’ll be introducing offensive UAVs at a later date. AFM: Poland is currently in the last stages of a large purchase of helicopters for the army. Will the air force benefit from this? The technical modernisation plan for 2013 to 2022 specifies the purchase of 70 helicopters for the Polish Army. Ten of these will go to the Polish Air Force. Additionally, this year we’ll receive four new W-3WA Sokół helicopters intended for VIP transport; one was delivered in February. AFM: What is the progress of modernising the fleet assigned to VIP transport? The air force units responsible for transporting state VIPs are the 1st Airlift Base [W-3WA helicopters] and the 8th Airlift Base [C295 transports]. These units have at their disposal the most advanced aircraft in the air force. Government officials are currently analysing the possibility of re-employing the air force to transport VIPs using jet-planes.

“We don’t yet have any experience with UAVs, so it seems prudent to start with surveillance types. We’ll be introducing offensive UAVs at a later date” technicians ten years ago. The last two will reach Poland this autumn and then we’ll have 16. They’ve become the workhorses of our air force – completely changing the transport capabilities of the whole Polish Army. C295s replaced the long-serving Antonov An-26s and we’ve been very pleased with their performance. They fly all over Europe, but if need arises they can reach Afghanistan or Africa, doing missions for the Ministry of the Interior or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I believe that we’ll be using them for at least another 30 years, as they’ll be successively upgraded. Our Hercules aircraft are similarly busy.

AFM: In 2013 you will be hosting the International Air Show at Radom. What can we expect? All fans of flying, be it military aviation or flying clubs, are cordially invited to our show. It will be held on August 24/25. Pleasingly, many commanders of air forces from NATO and the EU have accepted my invitation to attend, as such events serve to establish and maintain good relations between states. I am very grateful to all these commanding officers because, thanks to their involvement, our aviation fans will have the opportunity to see, among other things, a Ukrainian Air Force Su-24 and a Su-27. The Polish Air Force will celebrate its 95th anniversary and also commemorate the 50th anniversary of introducing the TS-11 Iskra jet trainer aircraft into service. You’ll also be able to admire our F-16s, MiG29s, Su-22s and other types of aircraft. A novelty during this year’s show will be the exhibition of rocket launcher systems and radiolocation stations – we want to emphasise the joint character of operations of a contemporary air force. This event, which has become a permanent fixture in the calendar of main European aviation shows, is simply something you have to see with your own eyes. In short, I hope to see you all in Radom! afm

AFM: An increasing number of countries have made the decision to acquire multi-role tanker transport (MRTT)-type aircraft. Has Poland considered the purchase of these? The Ministry of Defence, the General Staff of the Polish Army and the Polish Air Force Command are all analysing different possibilities – ranging from buying MRTT 'planes to finding international partners. No decisions have yet been made and, to be honest, there’s more at stake here than just the needs of the airmen. The operational possibilities offered by MRTTs would also be a valuable asset to the army, the navy, special forces and logistics, as well as VIPs and the country as a whole. AFM: Poland has recently received additional Airbus Military C295s. What are the objectives for military transport aviation? It seems hard to believe, but the first Spanish-built transport 'planes were delivered to our pilots and 48

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Above: The CASA/Airbus Military C295M is the workhorse of Polish military transport.

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FEEDBACK

Write to, AFM Editor, Key Publishing Ltd, PO Box 100, Stamford, Lincolnshire, PE9 1XQ Email [email protected] or visit our Facebook page at facebook.com/AirForcesMonthly

What the MDS? As a long-time reader, congratulations on a cracking January issue. The feature on the Raptor was a concise overview of this aircraft, which potentially is a revolutionary weapon system – when it works as advertised. One thing though: I never understand why some aviation writers feel the need to invent designations – in the table on page 53 there is a column headed MDS which, although not explained in the article, stands for Mission Design Series, the US Department of Defense name for its official aircraft designation system.

A SCOTTISH AIR FORCE?

Under the MDS system, manufacturers’ code letters and production block numbers have NOT been part of an aircraft’s designation since the 1980s. The only official designations for the Raptor therefore would be YF-22 for the two prototypes, F-22A for the 195 production examples and, once permanently grounded as instructional airframes, GF-22A for 91-4001, 91-4002, 91-4004 and 91-4005. The author’s F-22A-1-LM, F-22A10-LM etc are pure invention. Kym Wilson Melbourne, Australia

Afghanistan – Tornado F3 a way forward? tail codes Both the Iraqi and Afghan air forces were discussed in the March issue – the increasingly robust Iraqi economy has been able to finance progressive steps to totally rebuild its air force and will see the introduction of F-16s from 2014 to complete a comprehensive order of battle. Afghanistan, however, is a different story. To equip or bequeath the Afghans with aircraft that it will not be able to afford to maintain or operate is the crux of the matter, be they A-10s or Su-25s. The steady build-up of Afghan ISTAR capability, combined with an adequate transport fleet, both fixed-wing and rotary, with a strike force being either provided or financed by NATO, seems to be the only practical answer for the time being. Charlie Clark Via e-mail

Some time in the 1990s the RAF Tornado GR4 fleet switched to numerical tail codes based on those remaining in service. Similarly, the Harrier GR7/9s were recoded based on their BAe build numbers. However, with the Tornado F3, I noticed their codes were switched to a mish-mash of two random letters (mainly near the end of the alphabet) some time in the late 1990s/early 2000s. Would anyone know if there was any ‘rhyme or reason’ to the code letters applied? Steven Marchitelli Toronto, Canada Can anyone help Steve with his question? - Ed

Plugging the MPA gap with Hercules After reading the May issue I thought I’d drop you a line to say that I think AFM is moving from strength to strength with a wideranging, interesting and thoughtprovoking issue in particular. One comment that I have to raise is regarding the ‘Plugging the MPA Gap’ article, which had no mention of Lockheed’s proposed

SC-130J Sea Hercules. Given the UK’s history of operating the C-130, I’d have thought that this variant would be one of the most likely contenders, along with Boeing’s P-8A, rather than disparate types like the CN235 or the Saab 2000 Swordfish. Richard Stockley Sheffield

Northern

Exposure? Twenty-five years ago been met with derisionthe notion of a Scottish Air Force would have . However, a referend Scotland in 2014 on whether um is due to be held in the country should remain part of the UK. Just what politically effect would the break-up have on the Royal Air of Britain Force – and what might Scottish Air Force look like? Stephen Taylor a post-independence takes a look

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HILE AT present merely a hypothetical debate, the impending vote on Scottish independence has been concentrating minds in the UK’s defence community lately.

RIP Kinloss and Leuchars

And then there was one… The RAF’s presence in Scotland has steadily diminished After 2015 RAF Lossiemouth in recent decades. Until will be the sole remaining 2010 the air force had three air base in Scotland, taking main bases ‘north of the over responsibility for border’: RAF Leuchars, defending the skies of northern RAF Lossiemouth and Britain. But the RAF’s RAF Kinloss, along with connection with Scotland several other installations. extends beyond its bases Further cuts to the RAF in – it is estimated that around Scotland were unveiled in 14% of the service’s the UK Government’s 2010 personnel are Scots. If Strategic Defence and Security an independent Scotland Review (SDSR), which joins the Commonwealth, announced that two of as the Scottish Nationalist the bases – Leuchars and Party (SNP) – which currently governs Kinloss – were to be axed. at the devolved Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh Opened in 1939, RAF Kinloss – insists it would, in Moray had, since the service personnel would early 1970s, been home be entitled to continue their to the Nimrod patrol aircraft. careers with the RAF. Some, But the SDSR’s controversial however, may opt to join decision to cancel the a new Scottish Air Force troubled Nimrod MR4A (SAF) that the SNP intends programme, and scrap to the establish, should the nine aircraft already built, 2014 referendum go the left Kinloss without a role. nationalists’ way. The station’s 73-year history with the RAF thus ended Scotland serves as an important on July 26, 2012 when the Ensign was lowered for the training ground for RAF crews, as well as last time and the base assumed those of NATO allies. The its new role as an army sparsely populated and barracks with the arrival mountainous terrain of of 39 Engineer Regiment the in Scottish Highlands the same month. makes the area ideal for Tornado and Typhoon crews to hone Further south in the county their low-level flying skills. of Fife, RAF Leuchars is an RAF Tain, near Inverness, important air defence station, is the largest Air Weapons its resident squadrons of Range in the MoD’s Defence Typhoons handling the northern Training Estates, primarily Quick Reaction Alert used by the trainee crews of XV(R) Squadron based

Lack of radar is the Hawk’s main disadvantage as a defensive fighter, plus its range and performance is lacking compared to fourthaircraft. Crown copyright/MoD and fifth-generation

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(QRA) commitment. Also famed for its annual air show, Leuchars is due to end its association with the Royal Air Force in 2015, and as with Kinloss, the current plan is to hand over the base to the army.

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A Scottish Air Force? Reference your April issue feature, an independent Scotland, not a NATO member and with no obvious enemies, needs no offensive or defensive forces. Look at the Republic of

Congratulations for trying to make a reasoned attempt at dealing with a potential Scottish Air Service. There are a few points I’d like to raise. An SNP government would look to spend around £2.6 billion a year on defence, which would put Scotland slightly behind Denmark and on a par with Belgium, so there is every possibility of Scotland being able to fulfil its international obligations, whether by land, sea or air. But quoting the Hawk as any kind of frontline fighter is ridiculous. You refer to the F-16, but Scotland could also opt for Gripen or even F-18 (either legacy or new). Scotland would be expected to play a full part in European (and other) security needs, such as patrolling the Greenland/Iceland/Scotland gap, so a twin-engine type might offer more security for pilots. I would estimate around 20 to 25 fighters would be needed. Scotland would need a maritime patrol aircraft, but to say ‘three or four Orions’ is facile. You rightly refer to Scotland’s coastline and resources, and the need to protect these. Far better would

Ireland just across the Irish Sea to get an idea of what a Scottish air arm might comprise. Peter Taylor, Hal Safi, Malta be a choice of one of several other types such as a CN235/295, Saab or Bombardier, which would probably be cheaper, allowing perhaps a dozen to be bought. Transport aircraft would also be needed and the ubiquitous C-130 would fill the gap, possibly in some form of composite squadron with a number of C-27s in support. Personally, I would have helicopters ‘owned’ by the army, likely to be the greatest user of such types. You also refer to Scotland’s ‘share’ – it’s interesting to note that the Treasury estimates Scotland contributes just under 10% of the UK defence budget, so in effect, 10% of everything owned by the UK MoD is Scottish! Can you see the MoD taking delivery of 40 Atlas transports and promptly handing four of them over to Scotland? In all a good effort to deal with this topic – far better than some comments made by politicians, some of whom really should know better. Lloyd Carey Frome, Somerset

Meteor for F-35? In the March issue article by David Hamilton on F-35 (F-35: More Questions than Answers, p18-19), he wrote that Meteor is planned for external carriage only.

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We believe it is destined for carriage in the bay – a cropped fin design should ensure it will fit. Conal Walker, Media Relations UK Manager, MBDA

Correspondent's reply: METEOR is currently at best a JSF Block 4 candidate only and to my knowledge no UK Ministry of Defence order has been confirmed

(or funding allocated) for a ‘cropped-fin’ version to be tested and fully integrated for carriage in the F-35B weapons bay. David Hamilton

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Readers’ Gallery

e n y

how, al Air is to

ing for AF’s ses e’s nd ist ed d, eir n o n-

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Above: The funeral of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher brought several government aircraft from around the world to the UK. Here Royal Canadian Air Force Airbus CC-150 Polaris 150002 departs London Luton Airport on April 17 with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper on board. Charles Cunliffe

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4 1: The first production Kawasaki P-2 for the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force, 51-5503, seen at NAS Atsugi on April 27 during the base’s open house. Junji Sato

2: Caught preparing for its 2013 airshow season at Comox air base was the Royal Canadian Air Force CF18 solo, spectacularly painted as is the Canadian way. The pilot this year is Captain Patrick ‘Flocho’ Pollen. Stuart Sanders

3: A Lockheed Martin C-130J from the 86th Airlift Wing lands at Ramstein Air Base in Germany during an early spring evening. Timm Ziegenthaler

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4: Proving that the US Air Force has a sense of humour, two Sikorsky HH60Gs from the 56th Rescue Squadron based at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk each sported a black moustache during Exercise Joint Warrior at RAF Lossiemouth in April. Chris Milne 5: RAF Chinook HC2A ZH777 takes to the air after dropping off troops during Exercise Pashtun Dawn, the Afghanistan pre-deployment exercise for Herrick 18, on Salisbury Plain during February. Mick Holland

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LUFTWAFFE JBG 32 DISBANDMENT

Tornado Turbulent Times for

One of the oldest wings within the German Air Force, Jagdbombergeschwader 32, disbanded at the end of March and its Tornados were distributed to other units. Mathias Grägel explains why

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AGDBOMBERGESCHWADER (JBG) 32 (FighterBomber Wing 32), based at Lechfeld air base in Bavaria since 1958, was the only Luftwaffe (German Air Force) unit equipped with the electronic combat reconnaissance (ECR) version of the Tornado. As part of structural reform of the Luftwaffe, the unit formally disbanded on March 31 after a private ‘last call’ event and flypast ten days earlier. To commemorate the occasion Tornado 46+45 was painted in a blue colour scheme. Equipped with the specialised Tornado ECR, JBG 32 was the Luftwaffe’s and NATO’s specialist in the highly demanding suppression of enemy air defence (SEAD) task. The threat of surface-to-air missiles and anti-aircraft artillery can be extremely sophisticated – the Tornado ECR was designed from the outset as a SEAD platform and is unique in the European NATO air order of battle. After flying the F-104G Starfighter the wing converted to

Tornado Interdiction Strike (IDS) with a conventional fighter-bomber role in 1984. In mid-May 1991 one of its squadrons, 321 Staffel ‘Tigers’ began to receive the new ECR variant from the Luftwaffe’s order for 35. It was equipped with the AGM-88B High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM) and a special emitter location system (ELS), designed to find fixed or mobile enemy radar sites. Other differences to the IDS version were a radar warning receiver (RWR), a forward looking infrared sensor and RB199 Mk105 engines, with a higher thrust rating. To accommodate these changes the 27mm Mauser cannon was removed. Avionics changes included a MIL-STD-1553B avionics digital databus, and the

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Operation Data Interface System which works together with the ELS and allows data sharing with other ECRs. The wing’s second squadron, 322 Staffel ‘Flying Monsters’, also took on some ECR aircraft alongside its IDSs and the wing’s first operational missions were flown under NATO command on August 7, 1995, over the Balkans. In 1999 the wing participated in the NATO Operation Allied Force over Kosovo – it was the first deployment of German combat aircraft since the Second World War. Based at Piacenza, Italy, more than 2,500 missions were flown and 236 HARMs fired at Yugoslav military targets to counter attempted use of radar against allied aircraft. Last October 321 Staffel disbanded, and JBG 32’s last action was a FORCEVAL, a tactical assessment of the Luftwaffe by 200 NATO experts at Schleswig-Jagel at the end of February. The disbanding of JBG 32 does not mean the end for Lechfeld air base as it will be become a reserve airfield for JG 74 (see AFM, May 2013) and the Luftwaffe's Technical School No 1 (TSLw 1 - Technische Schule der Luftwaffe) will relocate there after Kaufbeuren closes in 2018. The new force structure of the Luftwaffe will retain just 85 Tornados (48 x IDS, 20 x ECR and 17 x IDS-T trainers) until 2025. The SEAD role and the remaining ECRs have moved to Aufklärungsge schwader (AG) 51 (Reconnaissance

1

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‘This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Tornado in German service, but the aircraft needs the mid-life upgrade to be ready for another decade of operations’ 1: No. 322 Staffel ‘Flying Monsters’ also produced some outstanding special paint schemes. In 2012 Tornado 46+29 was the last ‘Monster’ jet flying. 2: One of the IDS Tornados of JBG32 carries a laser designator pod after a mission during Exercise Elite 2010 at Lechfeld. All images by the author unless stated otherwise 3: ‘Goodbye Lechfeld’ – Tornado ECR 46+45 wears the farewell scheme of JBG32. It will soon be back to its grey scheme and upgraded to ASSTA 3. Andreas Zeitler

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LUFTWAFFE JBG 32 DISBANDMENT Wing 51) based at Schleswig–Jagel in the north of Germany. Alongside the ECRs at Jagel, around five IDS airframes will be used for training and reconnaissance missions. Some of the JGB 32 IDS-T trainers were transferred to JBG 33 at Büchel in the first half of last year. JBG 33 will have the largest Tornado fleet with around 45 IDS. The German Air Force Flying Training Center at Holloman AFB in the USA will still operate 14 IDS aircraft.

System Upgrades

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Tornado in German service, but the aircraft needs a mid-life upgrade to be ready for another decade of operations. Cassidian (previously EADS defence and security) has been working on the ASSTA (Avionics System Software Tornado Ada) programme series of three stepped upgrades, since 1999. ASSTA 1 renewed the weapons computer and its software with a military standard MILSTD 1553/1760 digital databus. Additionally, a new navigation platform laser inertial navigation system/ global positioning system and new electronic countermeasures equipment Tornado Self Protection Jammer were fitted. With the new computer, it was possible to integrate new weapons and components, including HARM III, Rafael Litening II laser designator pod and GBU-24 Paveway III laser-guided bombs by 2001. ASSTA 2 covered two main areas of improvement: the display system upgrade marked the first changes in the cockpit since commissioning and with the Tornado Defensive Aids Subsystem the crew received more information than ever before in a clearer representation with two new LCD displays installed. In the front cockpit the pilot’s head down display (PHDD) and in the rear cockpit, the navigator’s head down display provided

Above: A three-ship formation of JBG 32 Tornado ECRs flying over Bavaria with the Alps in the background. JBG 32

the crew with a digital map (digital map generator) of the area to be traversed, displayed the tactical situation and provided technical reports on the weapons systems. A new, coloured electronic warfare indicator showed the current threat situation to the pilot. On December 22, 2009, the first production ASSTA 2 Tornado ECR 46+40 flew at Manching in Bavaria and was delivered to the Luftwaffe’s Technical Centre and Test wing 61 (WTD 61) there on April 8, 2010.

Fleet adaption

ASSTA 2 was practically skipped with just 13 aircraft modified, including five for operational testing – not a single aircraft entered front-line service. All Tornados will get ASSTA 3 from now on. After it made its maiden flight on February 8, 2012, Cassidian delivered the first Tornado IDS (45+57) upgraded to the new standard to the Luftwaffe at the end of June. The aircraft has been returned to JBG 33 following certification and acceptance by Cassidian and WTD 61. As part of ASSTA 3, the German Tornado fleet is being

Above: As member of the NATO Tiger Association 321 Staffel produced many awesome Tiger schemes. This Tornado, 46+33, was the last. The aircraft has been scrapped. Below: Tornado ECR 46+31 takes off from Lechfeld Air Base in the standard SEAD training configuration, carrying one AGM-88 HARM, a BOZ-102 pod on the right wing pylon, an Elta TSPJ (Tornado Self Protection Jammer) on the left wing pylon and an additional fuel tank under each wing.

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adapted to meet the Luftwaffe’s current requirement for all-weather, high-precision and network-centric capabilities. The integration of the multifunctional information distribution System (MIDS) is one of the key elements – it uses NATO’s Link-16 communication standard (STANAG 5516) for the exchange of tactical data. MIDS enables the crew to exchange flight, mission and navigation data plus voice commands, encrypted and in real time, with other aircraft and ground stations. ASSTA 3.0 standard includes a stateof-the-art VHF/UHF radio, a digital video and data recorder and the full integration of the GBU-54 Laser Joint Direct Attack Munition, which can be guided to its target by satellite navigation or laser. Cassidian verified these precision weapons during flights in Vidsel, Sweden in September 2010. By the end of September ten ASSTA 3 Tornado IDSs had been delivered back to the Luftwaffe. The development of ASSTA 3.1 began in June 2011 to take the upgrade further. It will involve replacing the monochrome cathode ray tube monitors in the rear cockpit with colour displays, a new BOZ-102EC chaff/ flare dispenser and expanding the functionality of the MIDS with a full mission control display and video imagery from reconnaissance and targeting pods. The Tornado ECR will get an update to the ELS. The first ECR (46+23) is currently being upgraded to ASSTA 3, which will allow the type to carry laser designator and RecceLite pods in the future. All 85 Tornados in service are scheduled to be upgraded to ASSTA 3 standard including service life extension to 8,000 flying hours by 2018. Modernisation work to 62 aircraft will be done by Cassidian at Manching and the Aviation Service Center of the Luftwaffe in Erding will revise a further 23. A smaller but more powerful Tornado force will be afm ready for the next decade of operation.

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70

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11/04/2013 11:06

us air force 379th Air Expeditionary Wing

Grand

Slammers Martin Scharenborg & Ramon Wenink/Global Aviation Review Press fly with the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, the largest of the US Air Force, over the Persian Gulf

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t is a warm summer’s night at the home base of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing (AEW). While a Lockheed C-130H Hercules is prepared for an aeromedical evacuation flight, a Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker passes by on the taxiway on its way to the runway holding point. Suddenly, personnel turn towards the runway as the engines of a Rockwell B-1B Lancer fill the air with thunder – the Middle East sky is illuminated by four blue afterburners as the aircraft powers to the sky. For security reasons we are not allowed to disclose where we are.

Glorious history Above left: Lt Col Chuck Sargent is commander of the 746th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron. Above right: Lt Col Stuart Newberry is commander of the 37th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron.

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The wing’s history dates back to the Second World War when the 379th Bombardment Group, assigned to the 8th Air Force, was established on October 28,

1942. During May 1944 the group had the lowest mission-abort rate, largest number of attacking aircraft and tonnage of bombs dropped, and best bombing accuracy. It was the only unit awarded the ‘8th Air Force Operational Grand Slam’award and today proudly uses the nickname ‘Grand Slammers’. In the wake of September 11, 2001, the 379th was re-activated the following April as the 379th AEW in support of overseas operations. During the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 the wing hosted fighter aircraft, but that has gradually changed to a more versatile wing comprising fighter, bomber, tanker, transport and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft. Today the wing supports operations in the

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AFCENT (United States Air Forces Central) area of responsibility (AOR) such as Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Combined Task Force Horn of Africa and has seven tenant flying squadrons.

Continuous bomber presence

Currently, the 37th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron (EBS) conducts all B-1B operations in the AOR, equipped with around a dozen aircraft integrated from all operational B-1B units. Commander of the 37th EBS, Lt Col Stuart Newberry, started his career on the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon and then transitioned to the Rockwell B-1B Lancer on which he has more than 2,000 flying hours. It is his third combat deployment with the Lancer: “Operations over Afghanistan can sometimes be very intensive. The average mission length is 12 to 13

Largest in the world The 379th AEW is the largest in the world, having thousands of personnel plus joint and coalition tenants employed. It is one of the top three installations providing aerial port mov ements, handling more jet fuel than the next top five US Air Force bases combined. Brigadier Gene ral Roger H Watkins, commander of the 379th AEW, is proud of the wing’s achievements: “We are unique by virtue of both our size and the diversity of our oper ation, he said. “Our central location in the region mak es this an ideal base from which to conduct man y different types of missions. Because we have oper ated from here for the last decade, our facilities and infrastructure are relatively mature, especially when compared to other bases in the region. Although the 379th AEW was first established as an expeditio nary unit, we continue to evolve toward an endu ring posture in order to better support future exercises and engagements on behalf of Air Force Central Com mand.”

Above: JDAMs loaded on B-1B Lancers of the 37th EBS. Right: A B-1B is prepared before starting engines for another mission over Afghanistan. Below: The 816th EAS is a tenant unit of the 379th AEW. Besides moving cargo with its C-17s, the unit conducts a wide range of tasks including aeromedical evacuation and airdrops. All images by the authors

“Operations over Afghanistan can sometimes be very intensive. The average mission length is 12 to 13 hours”

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US AIR FORCE 379TH AIR EXPEDITIONARY WING hours. It takes two and a half hours to get to the AOR – we fly eight to nine hours in country, aerial refuel twice, and then head back home again. To save duty time, another crew does the pre-flight checks – the engines are running and systems are going – and if everything is OK we swap crewmembers and take off. Because our sorties are so long it saves two hours on the ground.” The B-1B is always fully loaded with a wide range of armament when flying to the AOR. “We are dropping a lot more GBU-38 JDAMs than GBU-31s – primarily that is to do with limiting collateral damage. If there is a building nearby that we don’t want to touch, we drop a smaller bomb or use a delayed fuse setting to minimise damage. In comparison with our last deployment, the Sniper pod is a huge improvement for target designation. Data from our radar is integrated with the Sniper pod – the radar has a range of about 50 to 60 miles, and the Sniper pod takes over inside ten miles. It is a magical combination! The JTAC [Joint Terminal Attack Controller] can direct us to the exact location, and I can guide the laserguided weapons, even if the target moves.” The B-1B is renowned for a capability to carry a large number and diversity of bombs and also for its deterrence. “It all depends on what the desired effect is for the ground forces. There will be times where the JTAC wants a supersonic ‘show of force’, when we typically fly higher. If he wants an audible afterburner as well as a visual indication of an airplane in the area, we fly as low as we can,” said Lt Col Newberry, who is clear about the strengths and weaknesses of the B-1B compared with fighter bombers. “We can carry more bombs and stay on station longer than an F-15, but it can defend itself and fight its way out more easily. Our main advantage is large weapons capability and the flexibility and variety of weapons carried.”

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Above: A Boeing KC-135R Statotanker belonging to the 128th ARW/126th ARS, Wisconsin ANG, taxies towards the runway past a line-up of E-8Cs assigned to the 116th ACW/128th ACCS, Georgia ANG. Below: A line-up of several Boeing KC-135R Stratotankers assigned to the 340th EARS. Around 40% of the daily refuelling in the AOR is covered by aircraft from the squadron.

379th Air Expeditionary Wing/379th Air Expeditionary Operations Group Unit

Type

7th Expeditionary Air Command and Control Squadron

Northrop Grumman E-8C Joint Stars

37th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron

Rockwell B-1B Lancer

340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron 

Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker

379th Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron

C-21A, C-17A, C-130, KC-135

379th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron

C-21A

746th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron

Lockheed C-130 Hercules

763rd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron

Boeing RC-135V/W Rivet Joint

Current tenant units 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron

Boeing C-17A Globemaster III

Taskforce 57

Lockheed P-3C/ EP-3E Orion/Aries

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A technical crew releases a Lockheed C-130H Hercules from the 746th ERS ramp for its next mission.

Training is essential to prepare for these operations. “Operating over Afghanistan is completely different than during Operation Odyssey Dawn over Libya in 2011, where we were among the first aircraft to fly over the country added Lt Col Newberry. "Over Afghanistan there is a very busy and active airspace and, as we are flying between flight level 200 and 250, we have to watch out for low-flying helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles and other aircraft when dropping our bombs. To prepare we typically start six months ahead with exercises such as Green Flag and local exercises with Canadian and US JTACs.”

“We can carry more bombs and stay on station longer than an F-15, but it can defend itself and fight its way out more easily”

Busy workhorse

One of the busiest units of the 379th AEW is undoubtedly the 746th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron (EAS), equipped with a handful of Lockheed C-130 Hercules from both an active duty and a reserve squadron. At the time of AFM’s visit in late 2012, the deployed units were the 758th Airlift Squadron (AS)/911th Airlift Wing (AW), AF Reserve Command based at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and the 36th AS/374th AW from Yokota Air Base in Japan. “This is a unique period of time where we have the C-130H1 and C-130H2 together,” said the 746th EAS Commander Lt Col Chuck Sargent, a 9,000 flying-hour veteran and reservist with the 911th AW, who flies Boeing 737s for a commercial airline company. “The crews are dual qualified and able to fly in each other’s airplane. Our C-130s are the oldest in the fleet, dating from 1974. Normally the 746th operates the H-model, but from time-to-time C-130J units take part in the rotation.” Crews usually consist of two pilots, a flight engineer (systems expert), a navigator (defensive system specialist) and two loadmasters. “You never know what cargo or www.airforcesdaily.com

Lt Col Barry Hutchison of the 37th EBS prepares paperwork before a walk-around and another mission B-1B mission over Afghanistan.

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US AIR FORCE 379TH AIR EXPEDITIONARY WING passengers you are going to get in theatre,”added Lt Col Sargent. “Our primary missions go to Afghanistan. What we do varies day-to-day. We can do aeromedical evacuations or we can be moving cargo or soldiers. There are all kinds of threats that we are briefed on and have to be ready for. It changes day to day. When we deploy we have armour in the cockpit and in the back with the loadmasters. The aircraft is additionally protected by LAIRCM (large aircraft infrared counter-measures). We move around anywhere in the region, from Jordan to Africa and to Iraq. We also fly missions in support of Joint Task Force Horn of Africa – boats and larger 'planes bring the materials here, and we distribute it to airfields in Africa or smaller locations down range. “We can operate from prepared or unprepared runways with a minimum length of 3,000 feet. There are places in Afghanistan where there will be a gravel runway with 500 feet of metal plating on the beginning for touch-down, with roll-out onto rocks. As we normally visit more than one air base during a mission in Afghanistan, we will go to the forward base first because we will be lighter and we can stop the airplane in a shorter distance.” With on average three missions a day, the 746th EAS has transported interesting cargo and passengers. “We can haul everything. Two rotations ago we transported passengers with their working dogs from Iraq. The dogs were so well disciplined that they let them out of their cage, and they were just lying around in the back – I was thinking,‘I hope they don’t misinterpret anything back here for a tree or a fire hydrant!’ “The most interesting cargo I flew was Avgas. You get a big bladder 30-feet long. After we collected that,

“Tankers are about flexibility. I’d like to tell my folks that we don’t bring fuel to the fight, but that we bring flexibility”

Above: A Lockheed C-130H Hercules of the 746th EAS is prepared for an aeromedical evacuation flight with a crew from the 379th EAES on board. Below: Aircraft are protected overnight or at remote unsecured locations by FAST (Fly-Away Security Teams) of two to four troops. Here a two-man FAST poses in front of a C-17 Globemaster III.

Above left: Lt Col Todd Groomes, 816th EAS Commander. Above middle: Lt Col Max Bremer, commander of the 340th EARS. Above right: Lt Col Allen Kidd, commander of the 379th EAES. Below: A Rockwell B-1B Lancer at night on the ramp of the 379th AEW. A dozen ‘Bones’, as the B-1 is known, are assigned to the 37th EBS flying multiple missions daily.

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they gave us rockets! So I had both rockets and a big empty fuel bladder in the back. I’d rather it had been full as the fumes were highly flammable! “Of the others the most interesting thing we got to carry into Afghanistan was undoubtedly the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders. Everyone was like, ‘we want in on that one!’ We also move high-level people every once in a while. One of the best pictures I have from my passengers is of John McCain and Hillary Clinton sitting shoulder-to-shoulder wearing Kevlar helmets and body armour. Normally they wouldn’t be sitting next to each other, but they were smiling and having a great time!”

Largest tanker squadron in the world

Filling the greater part of the massive ramps at the 379th AEW’s home base is the 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron (EARS). The unit took over the heritage of the 340th Bombardment Wing, founded in 1952, in 2002 when it was reactivated and equipped with a variety of Boeing KC-135 configurations. Around two dozen tankers are present at any time with personnel from 20 to 25 different units ranging from active duty, Air National Guard (ANG) and AFRC. Sometimes during the summer the number of tankers can reach 36, making it the largest tanker squadron in the world. Around 40% of the daily refuelling missions in the AOR is covered by aircraft from the 340th EARS. Lt Col Max Bremer, commander of the unit, has 3,300 flying hours on the KC-135 and is proud to be the commander of such a diverse squadron. “Tankers are about flexibility. I like to tell my folks that we don’t bring fuel to the fight, but that we bring flexibility. The more flexible we are with our missions, the more flexible other combat assets can be. It is a challenge in today’s world because everything is about efficiency and there is always a tradeoff between efficiency and flexibility. If I am carrying less gas for a divert, my options are much smaller – if the receiving aircraft are carrying a smaller amount of gas, their choices are fewer” With so many different aircraft types flying in the AOR, there is a growing need for different tanker configurations. “With the MPRS [Multi-Point Refueling System] you can do boom and drogue refuelling at the same time, which can become important in theatre when you need to offload your fuel in an emergency to a fighter jet or another tanker.

Above: A Rockwell B-1B Lancer assigned to the 37th EBS taxies to the runway.

The main reason for the MPRS is that certain aircraft can only use the basket – specifically AMX and the Harrier – where we use the MPRS pods.” Operating in extreme high temperatures all year round puts the unit and the KC-135 to the challenge. “When the boom operator goes to the back for his pre-flight check, I take a thermometer,” said Lt Col Bremer. “Last summer it reached 150° Fahrenheit [66°C]. You can cook a roast back there. When you take off and climb to altitude it very quickly drops to 30° and you can freeze water. One of the challenges when you heat and cool metal is it expands and contracts, and that makes it very difficult for maintenance – couplings loosen up, you end up with leaks, not to mention the physiological challenges on the aircrew. You take off when it’s hot and you can’t drink enough water to make up for the sweat – then you get up there and you risk hypothermia with your now completely soaked flight suit. Because of the heat the aircraft’s gross weight is limited, as is the engine thrust. So we can’t take as much gas in summertime. When it is hottest, all the other aircraft can’t take off with as much gas, so we have to fly more lines to keep the same amount in the air.” Refuelling is of crucial importance for both aircrew and troops on the ground. Lt Col Bremer recalls proudly: “The most challenging mission was with a Grumman EA-6B Prowler when we ended up having to go pretty low – they were on one engine so were low on power

and we went further into the country than planned. There were some challenges with communication and weather – there was a dust storm. It was a close call. We got them refuelled. Recently we had a Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle that was supporting a ‘troops in contact’ [TIC] action. Our troops were in real danger. I tell my maintenance and ops folks who often work more than 12 hours a day that these marines are still alive today because they were willing to push.” In 2012, 342 million pounds of gas was offloaded during 6,475 missions, totalling some 50,000 flying hours. Lt Col Bremer concluded: “What the ANG brings is experience. Those are the guys I turn to if I have a question as they have been flying the jet longer than I have. The active duty crews are very young – for a lot of them this is the first time they have been deployed anywhere. There are some guys that joined the air force just 14 months ago, where some ANG guys flew in the first Gulf War in 1991. But there is an advantage to having some young folks – I get to train the next generation that is going to sit in my seat. The active duty is good for sending people out here, getting hours and a chance to see this, because in 20 years they are going to be the ones making decisions. In a way this is the ultimate training environment.”

Flying Doctors

Together with Aeromedical Evacuation Squadrons at Bagram, Kandahar and a detachment at Camp Bastion, the 379th Expeditionary Aeromedical

Above: Boeing RC-135V/W Rivet Joint aircraft are assigned to the 763rd ERS. Below: A handful of Northrop Grumman E-8C Joint Stars are assigned to the 7th EACCS. They operate side-by-side with the RC-135V/W Rivet Joints of the 763rd ERS.

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“We are universally qualified, which means we can fly on multiple different airplanes” Evacuation Squadron (EAES) ‘Airlifting Wounded Warriors’ is a specialised medical unit of 37 personnel – with no specific aircraft assigned – providing inter-theatre aeromedical evacuation for service members and Department of Defense contractors throughout the AFCENT AOR. Commander of the 379th EAES is Col Allen J Kidd, who said: “We have five-person aeromedical crews of two nurses and three enlisted medical technicians. We are universally qualified, which means we can fly on multiple different airplanes. Primarily we use C-130s, Boeing C-17As and KC-135s. We can also fly on the Learjet C-21As of the 379th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, but those are only for single patients and we don’t do that a lot. All the flight crews are medically qualified and come from medical groups, hospitals and clinics and who volunteered for aviation duty. They go to school, become flight qualified and then come into one of the 32 airevac squadrons. Of them, only four are with the active duty air force. On every mission we are required to carry a list of medical equipment – intravenous pumps, cardiac monitors, defibrillators, an in-flight kit with bandages, litter straps and all the things you can imagine we might need to use in flight. We carry a lot of equipment like port-

able suction, vital signs machines – we can provide IV-medication and everything a patient could need. “Assigned to this EAES is one CCAT [Critical Care Air Transport Team] containing a critical care physician, emergency room trained physician, a critical care nurse and a respiratory technician. When we have a critical patient, we can bring the CCAT with us and they can set up an intensive care unit environment inside the airplane. They are dedicated mostly to one patient, who is often on a ventilator and IV treatment. Such a patient really exceeds the capability of a basic aeromedical evacuation crew.” The Joint Patient Movement Requirement Center (JPMRC) at Al Udeid in Qatar coordinates transportation needs and tasks the different EAESs. The 379th’s aircraft of choice is the Lockheed C-130 Hercules. “It is a reliable airplane and easy to configure,” explained Col Kidd. “It has plenty of room – we can carry a large load of patients and get into remote locations. It is small enough for what we call ‘intratheatre’ airlift. In the case of a critical patient who needs better medical care very quickly, we will take a C-17A immediately. We fly the person out of the AOR to Ramstein Air Base in Germany, from where they go to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center [a US-run overseas military hospital]. Sometimes our mission

Above: A Grumman EA-6B Prowler of Electronic Attack Squadron 133 ‘Wizards’ belonging to Carrier Air Wing (CVW-9), based on the aircraft carrier CVN-74 USS John C Stennis, over Afghanistan having been refuelled by a KC-135R Stratotanker of the 340th EARS. Below: A USAF Boeing E-3C AWACS assigned to the 970th EACCS/380th AEW about to refuel from a KC135R of the 340th EARS over central Afghanistan.

A Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornet of Strike Fighter Squadron 14 (VFA-14) ‘Tophatters’, belonging to Carrier Air Wing (CVW-9), based on the aircraft carrier CVN-74 USS John C Stennis, flies over the Afghan plains.

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Above: An A-10C of 354th Fighter Squadron ‘Bulldogs’ over the north-east of Afghanistan after refuelling by a 340th EARS Boeing KC-135R. Below: A 20th Fighter Wing/77th Fighter Squadron ‘Gamblers’ F-16C flying over southern Afghanistan following refuelling by a KC-135R Stratotanker belonging to the 340th EARS.

is just gathering up patients and bringing them back here to the central hub, before they go to Germany.” The unit normally transports up to 36 patients a week in the summer, but in the winter it is roughly 20. During 2012 the unit flew 643 sorties in 286 missions, transporting 1,600 patients.

More than 20 years of continuous ISR presence

Present for more than 20 years since the outbreak of the first Gulf War in 1991 are the Boeing RC-135V/W Rivet Joint aircraft from the 55th Wing, normally based at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska. A handful of Rivet Joints are assigned to the 763rd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron (ERS) to support troops in theatre with near real-time, on-scene intelligence collection and analysis. For this the aircraft has a large array of signals intelligence (SIGINT) equipment such as steerable beam antennas, direction and altitude finders and

a wide array of datalink systems and communication suites including a Global Broadcast Service to enable communication with all players in theatre, including UAVs. The crew consists of three pilots, two navigators and a mission flight crew ranging from 21 to 27 personnel, depending on mission requirements, but the minimum is usually three electronic warfare officers, 14 intelligence operators and four in-flight airborne maintenance technicians. The aircraft share the same ramp space and work closely with the handful of Northrop Grumman E-8C Joint Stars assigned to the 7th Expeditionary Air Command and Control Squadron (EACCS), an airborne battle management, intelligence, command and control, surveillance and reconnaissance platform. Its primary mission is to provide theatre ground and air commanders with ground surveillance to support attack operations and targeting that contributes to the delay, disruption and destruction of enemy forces. Its antenna can be tilted either side

of the aircraft and develop a 120-degree field of view covering nearly 19,305 square miles (50,000 square kilometres) and is capable of detecting targets at more than 150 miles (250km). It has some limited capability to detect helicopters, rotating antennas and low, slowmoving fixed-wing aircraft. The information is relayed in near-real time to US Army and US Marine Corps common ground stations and to other ground command, control, communications, computers and intelligence, or C4I, nodes. The E-8C has a flight crew of four and normally up to 15 US Air Force mission crew, and three US Army specialists, which may change according to a specific mission. The commander of the 7th EACCS, who preferred to remain unnamed, said:“Our men and women have contributed tremendously to overseas contingency operations, flying more than 82,000 combat hours in support of operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, New Dawn, Odyssey Dawn and afm Unified Protector.”

Middle Eastern tenant units Although not reporting directly to the 379th AEW, but directly to the 385th Air Expeditionary Group and Tanker Airlift Control Center (TACC) of Air Mobility Command (AMC), the 816th EAS plays an important role in Operation Enduring Freedom and supporting the 379th, equipped with the Boeing C-17A Globemaster III. Besides moving cargo, the unit conducts a wide range of tasks: “One sad mission we randomly get tasked with is repatriation of fallen soldiers,” explained Lt Col Todd Groomes, commander of the 816th EAS. “We pick up the bodies and take them back to the States. Aeromedical evacuation is another, where we take individuals back to Ramstein for them to get the care that they need. We have taken off from Afghanistan and flown all the way back to the US non-stop. Today patients are taken from their field hospital to another location, such as Kandahar, Bagram, Camp Bastion, and then here when we then take them to Ramstein and Landstuhl. Some aircraft are modified with extended range tanks in the wing, increasing our range by about 60,000lb of gas, roughly three hours’ worth of flying. We have the ability to download fuel from our aircraft, so at the beginning of OEF we were flying into airfields, would land, download fuel into a tank, take-off, hit a tanker, upload fuel, come back and land, and download again!”

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Having started his career at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, where he accomplished 1,500 flying hours on the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy, Lt Col Groomes has logged 2,400 hours on the C-17. He underlined the tough conditions faced when working in a daily changing environment: “The biggest challenge is the length of the mission, followed by the number of stops and the environment. When we fly at home we are flying at sea level – everything at Charleston is very flat. Out here one of our most testing airfields is at 7,000 feet [2,130m] altitude with mountainous terrain around. Flying in the summer with high temperatures has a significant effect on the aerodynamics of the airplane when it’s landing and trying to stop – and on top of that you have the mix of communication between tactical controlling agencies, local ATC and users of the airspace.” The C-17s from both the 816th and the 817th EAS based at Manas Airport, Kyrgyzstan, fly daily in the AOR with ‘Moose’ callsigns. “Moose is primarily used in the AOR to define the C-17,” confirmed Lt Col Groomes. “It’s because when we refuel and air escapes out of the u-latch space in the wing it makes a sound like a Moose call. In Alaska we have had Moose come out of the woods because they have heard the aircraft refuelling and think it’s is another Moose!”

The unit’s missions are 70% cargo transportation, 25% air drops and 5% medical evacuation. It prepares thoroughly for an operation like Enduring Freedom. Lt Col Groomes explained: “We participate in a few of the external large force exercises like Green and Red Flag to prepare for the strategic part of this deployment. There is also a mobility air forces exercise for the KC-135, C-17 and C-130 weapon school. They will all get together and fly an exercise at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada together with different Army units and we will carry equipment so that we can simulate what it would be like if we were on a large force entry into an area or airfield. Here over Afghanistan we carry out parachute operations for the army and airdrops, such as 40 bundles of water and fuel and food to forward operating bases. It is a daily job!” Another tenant unit is the US Navy ‘Task Force 57’ that operates a handful of Lockheed P-3C Orion and Lockheed EP-3E Aries II aircraft to provide a secure maritime environment in the AFCENT, USNAVCENT and Fifth Fleet AOR. This area encompasses two and a half million square miles of water including the Gulf of Oman, Red Sea, the Arabian Gulf and parts of the Indian Ocean. The Orion and Aries II aircraft are from mixed units.

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IRIAF MIG-29 FULCRUM

Tabriz

Guardians Babak Taghvaee tells the story Douglas F-4E Phantom II fighter-bombers flew in of the IRIAF’s MiG-29 Fulcrum Iranian airspace unmolested by Iranian air defences. squadrons deployed near Iran’s northern border with Turkey New kit

I

N 1993 Iran recognised that it could not prevent incursion into its airspace in its north-west. Turkish forces, prosecuting punitive strikes against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK - Partiya Karkerên Kurdistanê), shelled their camps on both sides of the border and Turkish Air Force McDonnell

The first group of Fulcrums entered service with the 11th Tactical Fighter Squadron between October and December 1990. In the same year Iran’s defence ministry ordered eleven MiG-29As (9.12A) for the IRGCAF (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Air Force) – but only four had been delivered by the time of the collapse of the Soviet Union and these were quickly

passed to the air force for use by the 11th TFS. In 1991 more jets were ordered: 40 MiG-29As (9.12A) and eight MiG-29UBs (9.51B) to form three other TFSs at TFB1, TFB2 and TFB7 in 1993. The collapse of the USSR led to the programme being cancelled after the US applied pressure to Boris Yeltsin’s government in Moscow. By 1992, the IRIAF had one Fulcrum-equipped squadron with 18 MiG-29As and seven MiG-29UBs. (One Fulcrum-C was a former Iraqi jet which had escaped from the US-led invasion at the start of the first Gulf War in January 1991.)

The move north

When the incursions over the Turkish border began, Iran decided its best option was to send half of the 11th TFS’s inventory, nine MiG-29As and three MiG-29UBs, to re-form the by now disbanded 22nd TFS at Tabriz. A severe shortage of spare parts now arose because the inventory was designed to sustain one squadron flying from one base. This was overcome with the help of Russian RSK MiG advisors and by ignoring airframe overhaul schedules as set out in technical orders.

1 1: This MiG-29A of the 22nd TFS taxies after landing carrying APU-470 and APU-72-1D launchers used for Vympel R-27R (AA-10 Alamo)radar-guided and R-73E (AA-11 Archer) IR-guided air-to-air missiles. Babak Taghvaee

2: MiG-29A 3-6114 was one of the most reliable Fulcrums of the 11th TFS and usually served as a QRA aircraft. It has been upgraded with new ILS/SHORAN and TACAN systems (their related blade antennas are visible under the nose and on the fuselage behind the canopy). This aircraft moved to the 22nd TFS in September 2011. Babak Taghvaee

3: MiG-29UB 3-6301 was the first delivered on October 7, 1990 to Mehrabad airport – a further MiG-29UB and eight MiG-29As also arrived that month. Today it still carries its original USSR colour scheme. Babak Taghvaee

‘Turkish forces, prosecuting punitive strikes against the PKK, shelled their camps on both sides of the border and Turkish Air Force McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantom II fighterbombers flew in Iranian airspace unmolested by Iranian air defences’ 3 64

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Rebuilding after the Iraq war The eight years of the long, bloody war with Iraq took a massive toll on the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) which lost over 52% of its strike aircraft inventory. In 1988 the deputy of the IRIAF’s management and planning organisation set up at least three tactical fighter squadrons (TFSs) equipped with a new air defence fighter; the squadrons were to be ready by 1992. The three air bases chosen lacked the equipment for the aircraft to do their jobs as interceptors. Tactical Fighter Base (TFB) 1 at Mehrabad had a handful of PMC (partially mission-capable) F-4Ds with inactive fire control or radar systems; the jets were mainly used for CCT (combat crew training) roles. TFB2 at Tabriz had a small number of Northrop F-5E Tiger IIs fitted with Emerson Electric’s AN/APQ-159 radar system. Although this was a good radar system in its day, it could only fire the Raytheon AIM-9 Sidewinder short-range air-to-air missile (AAM) – and not the Raytheon AIM-7 Sparrow medium-range semi-active radar-homing AAM. The 71st TFS at TFB7 near Shiraz also flew F-5Es.

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Air force senior officials decided they needed at least 60 new interceptors to provide local air defence for these important air bases. The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29A (series 9-12A) was chosen and an agreement to buy 14 MiG-29A Fulcrum-As (9.12A) and six MiG-29UB Fulcrum-Bs (9.51B) was signed between Iranian air force agents and the RSK MiG company in November 1989. Related training courses for 40 pilots (most of them former F-4, F-5 and F-14 pilots trained in the US before the Islamic revolution of 1979) and more than 200 ground crew plus the necessary technical and flight manuals, ground equipment and spares were included in the deal. Weapons comprised the following AAMs and their related launch rails: 150 Vympel R-27R AA-10 Alamo-A (medium-to-long-range); 400 Vympel R-60M AA-8 Aphid-B (short-range); and 300 Vympel R-73E AA-11 Archer (short-range). Other stores included 40 external centreline fuel tanks plus B-8M rocket pods and dumb bombs. In the event, not all of this materiel reached the customer.

Tabriz’s Fulcrums were each flying between 50 and 60 flying hours a year by the mid-1990s.

Recent Years

By 2002, each of the squadron’s MiG-29As had built up around 600 flying hours on their airframes, but hadn’t been overhauled since their service with the IRIAF began in 1990. The air force was suffering because of a lack of skilled technicians – many of whom had reached retirement age and had not been replaced – which led to a reduction in maintenance quality. At 2100hrs local time on June 7, 2002, a MiG-29A of 22nd TFS took-off from TFB2 for a night training mission. Some minutes later the pilot heard a bang and his gauges showed that the right engine was running very hot. Despite shutting-off the fuel to the affected engine the aircraft caught fire and panels flew from the empennage after an explosion pitched the jet out of control. The pilot ejected safely but the machine was a total loss. The subsequent inquiry blamed the crash on low-quality maintenance – particularly eight years without major airframe overhaul – and nonstandard engine and airframe repairs. After the incident, investigators from the IRIAF and Russia determined that six other MiG-29As and one MiG-29UB from the squadron were worn out: they were immediately grounded until they could be overhauled. The first MiG-29A to enter this overhaul programme was serial number 3-6112, with work starting at TFB2 in 2004 and ending in 2006.

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IRIAF MIG-29 FULCRUM Another problem was that there were very few serviceable Klimov RD-33 turbofan engines available for the fleet. As a result, only half of the IRIAF’s Fulcrums were airworthy.

Overhauls

Maintenance problems had been compounded by the refusal (after US pressure) by Russia to provide parts, including engines, and technical support. The IRIAF started its own overhaul programme, aided by a Ukrainian maintenance team, at Mehrabad airport in 1998. A MiG-29UB and a MiG-29A underwent an overhaul guided by technical orders and documents obtained from former USSR republics. Despite the success of that effort, vital spare parts for their fire control and weapons system, inertial navigation system (INS) and engines were in very short supply in Iran. Under the agreement signed in 1988, RSK MiG had guaranteed to provide all required spare parts for the MiGs for 20 years, but political pressure and arms embargoes stopped them fulfilling their obligation. Consequently, the 11th and 22nd TFSs could only muster three airworthy single- and two twin-seat MiG-29s each in 2004, and the slow rate of airframe overhauls coupled with the scarcity of serviceable engines made matters difficult. In 2005 three jets were made airworthy again when a supply of engines was found. There was a brief glimmer of hope when, on October 16, 2007, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a US $150 million deal with Iran for 50 RD-33s to be built at the Chernyshev machine building plant. The contract was agreed at the Caspian regional summit in Tehran where RSK MiG agreed to assist IACI (Iranian Aircraft Industries) in extending the lifetime of, and modernising, Iranian Fulcrums; but the programme became another victim of arms embargoes and no contracts were signed, leaving IACI to go it alone. Iran’s defence ministry signed an agreement with a Belarusian maintenance company to modernise and increase the lifetime of Iran’s Fulcrums and the MiG29 maintenance centre at TFB1 increased its work rate. More recently, TFB2 has begun its own upgrade programme on the MiG-29. Generally speaking, IACI performs regular maintenance checks and upgrades while TFB1 and TFB2 carry out major servicing, taking on average about 20 months per machine. A major

Above: This promotional photo shows 22nd TFS Fulcrum-As and -UBs and the variety of weapons acquired from Russia following the 1989 military agreement between the two countries. Rahim Sharafi

MiG-29A 3-6105 carries two R-73E and two R-60Mk air-to-air IR missiles during a promotional ‘Alpha Scramble’ at Mehrabad airport in the 1990s. Former TFB-1 alert facility shelters are visible behind, as are a variety of air-to-ground armament such as B-8M1 rocket launchers, FAB-500 free-fall bombs and S-24B rockets. Yadollah Bagheri-Ra`ad

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Left: This promotional photo shows 22nd TFS Fulcrum-As and -UBs on a sunny day in June 2005. Most of the squadron’s aircraft were still in the two-tone green/grey camouflage scheme they were painted with when they were delivered. The nearest aircraft to the camera carries two R-73E and two R-27R air-to air-missiles. Over 300 R-73Es and 150 R-27Rs were delivered to the IRIAF by Russia in 1990 and 1991. Rahim Sharafi Below: The second group of IRIAF aircraft fly over Iran’s 2011 military day parade in Tehran. The second aircraft is one of the 22nd TFS’s Fulcrum-UBs and the fourth is refurbished Fulcrum-A 3-6109. Babak Taghvaee

‘With its MiG-29 fleet Iran has demonstrated once again that it is capable of maintaining, and even improving upon, a fleet of ageing warplanes ostensibly without much help from foreign partners’ service at IACI will generally be done to a higher standard and take some 28 months per aircraft.

Chinese-manufactured monochrome LCD multifunction displays (MFDs) in the cockpit.

The programme continues

Still going strong

The 2nd TFB ‘Fakkuri AB’ MiG-29 maintenance centre continues to complete major airframe overhauls of MiG-29As and in June 2010 there was a ceremony to celebrate the successful completion of serial number 3-6109’s functional check flight (FCF) before it was handed back to the 22nd TFS. Base commander Brigadier Mohammad Hellat Abadi announced that 14,000 hours’ work by 18 technicians had gone into the airframe over two years. He also revealed that the jet had been grounded for more than nine years before the process began, but there is photo evidence that it had been flying in 2005. In February 2011, sister-ship 3-6111 was officially delivered to the same squadron, Abadi saying that the jet, which had been grounded since 2009 following structural damage, had required 13,800 hours’ work. Both 3-6109 and 3-6111 were received back on the squadron with zero time on the airframes and fresh Klimov RD-33 Turbofans. The jets were repainted in a two-tone dark sea grey/olive green paint scheme before redelivery. Serial number 3-6110 was the first 22nd TFS MiG-29A to be fully overhauled and modernised. It was delivered back to the squadron during an official ceremony held at the base on August 4, 2012. Base commander Brigadier Massoud Roozkhosh and Lt Col Taher Najaf-lu, head of the 2nd TFB maintenance group, told those present that the overhaul and modernisation took 19 technicians a total of 21,000 working hours over two years to complete. They also revealed that the upgrades included new electrical and avionic components. The new upgrade is similar to the TFB1 MiG-29 maintenance centre Phase I upgrade package which is known to include a new Chinese-made ILS system (with a blade antenna visible under nose of the jet), new U/VHF radios, a new INS and two www.airforcesdaily.com

Today, most of the airworthy 22nd TFS MiG-29s are FMC (fully mission-capable), a reflection of the quality of their maintenance. Readiness of the squadron’s Fulcrums for air defence missions has increased. During the 16th Non-Aligned Movement Summit in Tehran in August 2012 (See AFM November 2012) the squadron’s jets along with two detached Fulcrums, a MiG-29A and a MiG-29B from 11th TFS, provided a daily CAP (combat air patrol) over the

north-west of Iran and an escort for NAM members’ aircraft through Iranian airspace to Tehran. Today, the roles of both of Iran’s MiG-29 squadrons are similar: the local air defence of north-west Iran. TFB2 maintains two MiG-29As on QRA (quick reaction alert), one armed with four R-73E AAMs and fitted with a centreline external fuel tank; and another with two R-73Es and two R-27R semi-active radar-homing AAMs – plus a further aircraft as a spare. The jets have an air-to-ground capability and, since 2008, the squadron has received locally-made versions of Russian general-purpose dumb free-fall bombs. The IRIAF HQ has instigated annual air-toground training exercises for the jets’ pilots. With its MiG-29 fleet Iran has demonstrated once again that it is capable of maintaining, and even improving upon, a fleet of ageing warplanes ostensibly afm without much help from foreign partners.

Above: MiG-29A 9-12A seen during landing at Mehrabad Airport to participate in the IRIAF flypast in 2010. It is still wearing its original delivery colour scheme of 1990. Babak Taghvaee Below: MiG-29UB 3-6303 is the 22nd TFS’s favourite twin-seat aircraft. It still wears its old 11th TFS camouflage pattern, reportedly painted after its major service at TFB-1 overhaul centre in the early 2000s. This particular Fulcrum is popular with its pilots as it is easy to fly and has a well-balanced centre of gravity. The image was taken in 2008 shortly after the aircraft participated in the military day parade flypast. Babak Taghvaee

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´ ` Bathelico Bataillon d'helicopteres

Task Force

Musketeer Now that French forces have finally left Afghanistan, Erwan de Cherisey tells the Gallic side of the air war after being embedded with rotary-wing forces

French troops of the 92ème Regiment d’Infanterie (Infantry Regiment), part of the Battle Group Wild Geese deployed in Surobi until July 2012, wait to embark aboard an AS532 to Kabul where they were relocating after transfer to FOB Tora to the ANA.

ECPAD

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F

ORWARD OPERATING Base (FOB) Nijrab, August 26, 2012. It is almost 1800hrs. The sun is slowly setting below the horizon – the night comes early in Afghanistan. Sitting on the FOB’s small gravel ramp are a couple of Aérospatiale SA342M Gazelle Vivianes, two Eurocopter EC665 Tigre attack helicopters and a single Eurocopter EC725HUS Caracal longrange tactical transport helicopter. With a scream of its Turbomeca Astazou turbine, a single Gazelle slowly takes-off before suddenly banking forward and disappearing swiftly over the FOB’s walls into the darkness of the surrounding mountains. A Tigre follows seconds later, scrabbling from the tarmac in a huge cloud of brownish dust. All night long, helicopters come and go, disturbing my sleep. Back then, four to six French choppers were permanently deployed to Nijrab, conducting transport, recce and escort duties in support of vital logistics convoys crossing the Kapisa valley as part of the French withdrawal from Afghanistan. These helicopters were part of the BATHELICO (Bataillon d’hélicoptères – Helicopter Battalion), the unit then in charge of operating all French rotary-wing aircraft in Afghanistan.

Helicopters and Afghanistan

Back in the dark days of the war between the Soviet Union and mujahideen, helicopters played a key part in all military operations. The Mi-24 Hind and Mi-8/17 Hip became the stalwarts of all combat operations conducted by Soviet and Afghan forces. More than a decade later, in the late 1990s, the leader of the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance, Ahmad Shah Massoud, employed a handful of Hips and Hinds against the Taliban, the helicopters providing critical air sup-

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Half of CPA-30’s personnel deployed in Afghanistan in 2012 appear in this image. As CSAR specialists they provided a critical capability to the BATHELICO in all its missions. Erwan de Cherisey

port and logistical back-up. When Taloqan, the capital of Takhar Province in northern Afghanistan, fell in 2000, a couple of battered old Mi-17s were all that Massoud’s forces could field to provide ammunition resupply and medical evacuation. Nowadays, after more than eleven years of Western military presence in Afghanistan, the situation could hardly be more different. All major roads have been rebuilt and, in theory, road transportation should be quick and easy. Travelling by road, however, remains a hazardous business with insurgents conducting frequent IED attacks on all major routes – with the consequence that ISAF troops only travel in convoys of armoured vehicles; and not before the area they are preparing

to cross has been checked for potential threats by engineers. Moving by convoy requires fire support points to be established along the way, so that a quick reaction force can be available at a moment’s notice to bring in reinforcements in case of ambush. Aircraft must be in the air, providing top cover. Convoys are slow – reaching an FOB such as Nijrab, in the Kapisa valley, takes around five hours from Kabul. A helicopter makes the same journey in less than 20 minutes. Helicopters are therefore essential means of transportation, both fast and safe. Except during take-off and landing, they are hardly exposed to any kind of real threat from the insurgents, who still lack sophisticated anti-aircraft weapons.

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´ ` BATHELICO BATAILLON D'HELIC0PTERES An unforgiving environment

Afghanistan is a nightmare for any helicopter operator. The country is mostly mountainous with the capital, Kabul, at an elevation of 5,905ft (1,800m), surrounded by even higher mountains. The ubiquitous dust of the summer is so thin it gets everywhere. Luckily it isn’t very sticky or abrasive and carefully scheduled and performed maintenance is enough to prevent excessive wear to engines. The sand filters mounted on the turbines still need to be checked twice as often as those in use anywhere else and it is also necessary to thoroughly inspect and clean certain valves on a much more frequent basis. The blistering heat prevalent from May to October drastically affects the performance and operational capabilities of all helicopters, even the sturdy Russian models. In summer the hot and high environment of the Kabul area and surrounding valleys is the worst possible combination for helicopter operations. French choppers, flying between Kabul IAP and Nijrab or Tagab, operate at the very limits of their endurance. Back in 2012, Gazelles, Caracals and Cougars taking-off from Kabul would be severely limited because of their relatively poor hot-and-high performance. But the Tigre attack helicopters found themselves much less affected by the altitude and heat due to their very powerful

Above: During the summer of 2012, the Task Force Musketeer still fielded a pair of AS532 Cougars, one of which was eventually withdrawn in December 2012, followed in March by the remaining aircraft when French helicopter operations in Afghanistan ceased.

engines – and that the type of missions flown mostly required the use of their 30mm cannon, with the result that Tigres would fly without any external load, leaving a fair amount of engine power in reserve.

Below: The first French helicopter to be deployed to Afghanistan in 2006, the EC725, was also the last. It remained in Kabul along with a single AS532 and the two aircraft performed mainly Medevac flights until their withdrawal in March. ECPAD/Sergent J d’Arcangues

Musketeers fire in anger

ECPAD/Sergent J d’Arcangues

TheTigre’s arrival in Afghanistan meant the BATHELICO’s air support missions took on a new dimension. With this new bird at hand, the Musketeers finally had an aircraft designed from the outset for combat duties and attack missions. It offers significant protection to the crew and wields some serious firepower in the shape of 68mm rockets and 30mm cannon shells. TF Musketeer’s fifth deployment, during the summer of 2011, saw exceptional activity and an unprecedented amount of combat action for the French helicopters, which were heavily involved in supporting ground forces. The bloodiest year for French forces in Afghanistan was 2011 with 25 soldiers killed in action. The summer was by far the tensest period with French forces deployed in Kapisa and Surobi engaging in combat as never before. For helicopters, the operational tempo was as intense as that of the ground forces – between May and August some 400 combat missions were flown. From June to October, 130 close combat attack (CCA) missions were conducted, 67 of which saw the helicopters involved open fire. This surge in air support operations was a direct result of the strategy imple-

A brief history of the BATHELICO French military forces have been involved in Afghanistan since 2001, from the earliest days of the US campaign, finally settling in Kabul as part of the newly-established ISAF (International Security Assistance Force). Helicopter numbers increased from 2006 when the nucleus of a rotarywing detachment was finally established in Kabul with two French Air Force (Armée de l’Air – Adl'A) EC725HUS Caracals. These two machines, belonging to the Air Force’s EH 1/67 ‘Pyrénées’ Squadron, arrived in November and were immediately engaged in transport, reconnaissance, Medevac and combat search and rescue (CSAR) operations. On September 2007 the French Army Air Corps (Aviation Légère de l’Armée de Terre – ALAT) took over from the Air Force with two AS532UL Cougars belonging to the 1er Regiment Hélicoptères de Combat (RHC – 1st Combat Helicopter Regiment) from Phalsbourg. They were both replaced in April 2008 by a new pair of Caracals from the ‘Pyrénées’. That same year, the newly-elected French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, pledged to strengthen the French military presence in Afghanistan significantly, with French troops switching from security duties to combat missions and deploying to new areas of the country, namely the Surobi

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and Kapisa valleys. The so-called Uzbeen ambush in Surobi on August 18, 2008, which cost the lives of nine French soldiers, graphically brought home the reality of the war in Afghanistan to the French public. The Adl'A’s Caracals were heavily involved supporting troops pinned down by the Taliban. Ammunition and more troops were flown in while Medevac flights carried wounded soldiers back to Kabul. Despite the unforgiving environment, the crews flew non-stop, at the edge of the choppers’ capabilities. The Uzbeen tragedy highlighted the urgent need for a major strengthening of French airmobile assets in Afghanistan. By late 2008, the number of French helicopters based there tripled with the arrival of an extra Adl'A EC725 and three ALAT SA342Ms. In December, the DAOS (Détachement ALAT des Opérations Spéciales – Army Aviation Special Ops Detachment), now the 4th Special Forces Helicopter Regiment (RHFS – 4e Régiment d’Hélicoptères des Forces Spéciales), finally deployed to Afghanistan from its base at Pau-Uzein, with two Caracals replacing a pair of Adl'A EC725s. This was the first operational deployment of the ALAT’s own Caracals. In 2009 two ALAT Cougars and, most importantly, three Tigre HAP attack helicopters arrived on

their first ever deployment to a combat zone. The decision was, in part, the result of a major lobbying effort from Eurocopter to have the French Army finally fielding the Tigre in Afghanistan, a highly demanding combat area where it would be possible to evaluate the helicopter’s capabilities. The continued strengthening of the French helicopter fleet in Afghanistan resulted in the establishment of the BATHELICO to ensure the efficient management and maintenance of an eleven-strong helicopter fleet. The BATHELICO was to be known as Task Force Musketeer to the rest of the ISAF. Over the following years the fleet numbers fluctuated, reaching a peak in October 2011 with 15 aircraft: four Tigres, five Gazelles, three Cougars and three Caracals. In Afghanistan, the French pilots fly a profile known as vol tactique (tactical flying) which involves flying 30ft (9.5m) above the ground at 100 knots, making it very difficult for the enemy to detect and engage them. The aircraft’s engine noise is muffled by the ground. This flight profile was also put to great use by the French during Operation Harmattan over Libya and was originally intended to make up for the Gazelle’s lack of armour.

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mented at the time by Task Force La Fayette (the name of the French operation in Afghanistan), which focused on aggressively tracking and engaging the enemy in the ‘green zone’ along the Helmand River in the notoriously dangerous Helmand Province – where combat was brutal and took place at extremely short range. This pattern of contacts made the job much tougher for all supporting assets, which were restricted in their firing opportunities by the very close proximity of the civilian population. There was a constant danger of ‘friendly fire’ because of the overlapping nature of the contacts between French troops and insurgents; and it is worth remembering that most shots were fired at targets less than 110yds (100m) from friendly forces. Among the most memorable missions carried out by the BATHELICO at the time was the series of CCA flights conducted in support of the paratroopers of Battle Group Raptor on July 12, 2011 in the aftermath of a suicide attack in the hamlet of Joybar, in the Kapisa valley. The troops were providing security for a Shura (local meeting of Muslim leaders) when an insurgent dressed as an Afghan policeman reached a position occupied by GCPs (Groupement des Commandos Parachutistes – Commando Parachute Group) and blew himself up, killing five men and injuring many more. Only moments after the explosion, a combined Gazelle-Tigre helicopter patrol was already coming in and hitting the insurgents who had opened fire in the immediate aftermath of the suicide bomber’s attack. The helicopters’swift intervention soon quelled the ambush and allowed for the rapid evacuation of the wounded and the proper withdrawal of the remaining French ground forces in the area. During the night of July 13/14 a combined patrol of Afghan Police and French special forces was hit while operating in the Alassay valley. The contact lasted for several hours with the French and Afghan troops being pinned down by the enemy and unable to safely disengage. Called to the rescue, a pair of Tigre HAPs blasted the insurgents, finally allowing some of the friendly forces to withdraw. A French Navy special forces soldier lost his life in the course of the operation. On September 7, another combined French-Afghan operation ended up in a fully-fledged battle against the Taliban. French and Afghan troops were conducting a sweep of an area in the vicinity of the village of Mobayan when paratroopers of the 1st Régiment de Chasseurs Parachutiste (RCP) were aggressively engaged by the enemy while covering the sched-

This Tiger HAP opens fire with air-to-ground 68mm rockets during the Portos live firing exercise early in the summer of 2012. ECPAD/

Sergent J d’Arcangues

Above: The Tiger HAPs seldom used their 68mm rocket launchers in Afghanistan. A team of technicians reloads a rocket basket at KAIA, in 2009, shortly after the first three EC665s arrived in Afghanistan. Yves Debay Left: In a country where military road traffic proceeds in convoy and takes hours, helicopters allow for much swifter and safer transport. An AS532 Cougar prepares to move an external cargo by sling during the withdrawal of French forces from FOB Tora in Surobi. ECPAD Below: An AS532 gunner behind his 7.62mm MAG LMG. All French transport helicopters were fitted with a pair of these machine guns in Afghanistan for self-defence. Yves Debay

Despite limitations caused by the heat of the Afghan summer and the altitude of the French operational area, the Gazelle demonstrated that it is still a capable combat platform, proving highly efficient in recce and observation flights, thanks to its excellent roof-mounted optical sight. Its ability to fire the HOT missile also gave it a very precise fire support capability. Yves Debay

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´ ` BATHELICO BATAILLON D'HELICOPTERES

French Choppers in Afghanistan

Eurocopter SA342M Gazelle Viviane

Five SA342M Gazelle Vivianes were deployed to Afghanistan where they conducted recce and close air support (CAS) missions. While the Gazelle can carry up to four HOT wire-guided anti-tank missiles when operating in France, the type’s weapon’s load was limited to only one when flying in Afghanistan. The HOT would not be mounted at Kabul International Airport (IAP) to avoid further degrading the already limited performance of the Gazelle in the Afghan summer. Instead it would be installed on the machine at Nijrab, the FOB’s lower altitude allowing an easier take-off than in Kabul. The SA342Ms deployed in Afghanistan were all fitted with rotor blades designed for the Aérospatiale AS550 Fennec, providing more lift in the thin Afghan air, and the Gazelle’s maximum take-off weight was boosted from 4,188lbs (1,900kg) to 4,670lbs (2,100kg). The roof-mounted sight on the Viviane incorporates a laser rangefinder and heat-seeking camera: the latter was seldom used in the Afghan summer mainly because heat haze didn’t allow for sufficient differentiation between the heat signature of a human body and its rocky surroundings. But the optical day sight provides an image quality close to that of the Tigre’s Strix sight. In Afghanistan, the Gazelle optical sight was an essential tool for observation, recce and positive identification of targets before engagement. To save weight when flying in theatre, Gazelle crews would comprise only the pilot and crew chief, who also acted as weapons operator. With a ground temperature around 35°C (95F), the helicopter would be flying at the very edge of its performance, with an endurance not exceeding 80 minutes. Gazelles could fire their single wireguided HOT air-to-ground missile at a distance of Below: The Gazelle and the Tiger, seen at FOB Nijrab, were the two types of combat choppers used by the French in Afghanistan, escorting Medevac and transport flights as well as logistics convoys on the ground. They were also critical air support assets to the troops on the ground be they French, ISAF allies or ANSF. Yves Debay

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Above: An EC725 at FOB Nijrab. The Caracal earned its ‘combat-proven’ label in Afghanistan, conducting a wide range of missions from transport to Medevac and Special Forces support. Erwan de Cherisey up to 3,800 meters (4,155yds) from the target. The missile is very accurate and proved to be highly efficient when fired against Afghan compounds, the thick dried mud walls of which are notorious for stopping most rounds, even 0.50-calibre shells. The HOT also proved effective against light vehicles or caves where insurgents frequently hide. Maintenance was run on scheduled hourly cycles and certain additional checks were made because of the harsh environment. Turbines would be washed after every five hours of flight and polished every 12. Every 25 hours, besides running a standard engine inspection, the mechanics would check the compressor’s blades with an endoscope for signs of wear. In more than 5,000 missions in Afghanistan, the BATHELICO’s Gazelle fleet logged in excess of 7,000 flight hours and fired more than

60 HOT missiles (compared to the 431 fired during the war in Libya by the French Gazelle).

Eurocopter Tigre HAP (Hélicoptère D’appui Protection – Support and Escort Helicopter) The Eurocopter EC665 attack helicopter, better known as the Tigre, made its combat debut in Afghanistan in 2009. The Tigre was the only aircraft in TF Musketeer not to suffer from the hot and high environment in Afghanistan, thanks to its powerful engines and that most missions were flown without any external loads (the cannon alone being enough in the majority of air support missions). The aircraft’s endurance remained at 2 hours and 30 minutes. And, unlike the Gazelle – which could barely take-off with a single HOT – if needed the

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Tigre could fly with a full load of 30mm shells and a pair of 68mm rocket launchers (although endurance would be affected). Originally only the crew’s seats were armoured, but for Afghanistan extra armour plates were added externally on each side of the cockpit and, internally, on the floors and at the front, offering protection against rounds of up to 7.62mm. In addition, the lower part of the aircraft’s main fuel tank is self-sealing. Dust filters were added to the turbine’s air intakes prior to deployment in Afghanistan, both fitted with a sand-cleaning ventilator. Both the pilot and the crew chief/weapons operator are equipped with Thales TopOwl helmets. These are fitted with side-mounted NVGs, the helmet’s visor acting as a screen onto which an image is projected. The TopOwl has an integrated helmet-mounted sight that can be coupled to the Tigre’s 30mm cannon: the weapon simply follows the movement of the pilot’s head, allowing for reflex shooting on any target the crew lays its eyes on. The crew chief/weapons operator is seated in the rear cockpit and can rely on the gyro-stabilised roof mounted Strix with its infrared camera, charge-coupled device television camera (CCD TV), laser rangefinder and direct optical sight to locate and engage targets. The footage captured by these sensors can be directly projected onto the TopOwl’s visor if needed. The Strix’s accuracy is a great asset in ensuring positive identification of any target before opening fire. The Tigre offers excellent crew protection in case of a crash, as the February 2011 accident in Kapisa showed – the aircraft went down during a storm and the impact with the ground severed the tail section. The crew walked away unharmed and the wreck was eventually recovered by a US Chinook. Despite its weight the EC665 is more manoeuvrable than the much smaller Gazelle and much easier to fly thanks to its fly-by-wire controls and rigid main rotor. The Tigre fleet’s availability in Afghanistan stood at over 80% and an aircraft would not spend more than a week in the hangar before taking to the air again. All servicing was conducted by a maintenance platoon dedicated to attack and recce helicopter servicing. For the Tigre this process was simplified by its integrated maintenance software which monitors the aircraft and its components and recommends specific interventions when needed – so servicing is no longer done on an hourly basis. A total of seven Tigre HAPs were fitted with the full range of modifications for operations in Afghanistan, although they were never all simultaneously deployed to the country. Despite its very high level of sophistication, the Tigre also proved its ruggedness by being left out in the open at the FOBs when not flying, yet suffering no maintenance issues.. All in all, in three years in Afghanistan, the French Tigre carried out 2,600 missions, logged some 4,215 flight hours and fired no fewer than 19,000 rounds of 30mm cannon ammunition and some 420 68mm rockets.

Aérospatiale AS532UL Cougar By the summer of 2012, the Musketeers were still operating a pair of AS532 Cougars. The type proved itself as an invaluable transport tool, providing critical air mobility to French troops deployed in Afghanistan. The two examples still on strength at the time both belonged to the ALAT’s 5e RHC and, like all helicopters deployed to Afghanistan, had received a number of improvements designed to increase the crew’s protection and the aircraft’s survivability. Side-mounted armour plate was fitted outside the cockpit, supplementing the pilot’s and co-pilot’s armoured seats and the aircraft’s armoured floor. Exhaust shrouds were also installed to reduce the Cougar’s IR signature. A 7.62mm MAG was mounted on each side-door of the helicopter for self-protection. All Cougars are fitted with flares and chaff

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Above: French helicopter pilots wore class III CIRAS bullet-proof vests when flying in Afghanistan. They carried a 9mm PAMAS pistol, a 5.56mm FAMAS assault rifle with at least six spare magazines, a basic medical kit and a strap to rope themselves to a Tiger’s landing gear in an emergency extraction after a crash. The crew’s agility was hampered by the amount of kit, further complicating flying the aircraft. Erwan de Cherisey dispensers although these aren’t wired to any kind of electronic countermeasures (ECM) or missile alert sensor, making it necessary for the crew to spot any incoming missile and fire the decoys manually. Given the weight of the extra kit installed and the Afghan ‘hot-and-high’ environment, the Cougar’s useful load was significantly reduced – so much so that with a 35°C ground temperature, a crew of two pilots, one mechanic, two gunners and a commando, only four passengers could be taken on board (as opposed to 20 in France). Despite these limitations the Cougars performed well and proved their worth in the transport and Medevac roles.

Eurocopter EC725HUS (Hélicoptère Pour Unités Spéciales – Special Forces Helicopter) Caracal The EC725 was the first French helicopter in Afghanistan, back in 2006, and was also the last. As with the Tigre, Afghanistan was the type’s first operational deployment and its ‘baptism of fire’. The Caracal has also been the French Air Force’s only helicopter type to operate in the country in all 11 years of French operations in Afghanistan. In August 2012, two EC725s were attached to TF Musketeer, one of them belonging to the ALAT, the other to the Adl'A. The two choppers on strength in 2012 were fitted with equipment specifically intended for operations in Afghanistan, among which were externally-mounted side armour plates on the cockpit and exhaust shrouds for the turbines. Unlike the Cougars, the EC725s are fitted with an active self-protection package comprising a full range of sensors and ECM devices, all of which are wired to a series of flares and chaff dispensers and automatically activated when threats are detected. All Caracals are armed with a pair of cabinmounted MAG 7.62mm machine-guns firing on both sides of the aircraft. Like the Cougars, the EC725s suffered from the resulting increase in weight in Afghanistan and were affected by the high temperatures and altitudes. Unlike the Cougar, however, the EC725s are all fitted with a chin-mounted turret fitted with an electro-optical/infrared camera, laser rangefinder and laser marker, which turned them into effective observation and surveillance platforms, a most useful capability when operating in support of the French special forces they frequently worked with in Afghanistan. The EC725 was, and still is, often employed in Medevac and transport duties. As part of the withdrawal from FOB Tora in Surobi, the Caracals were used to airlift supplies using their underbelly sling.

uled withdrawal of their Afghan counterparts. The French soldiers met with devastating enemy fire and found themselves blocked, with no possibility of a safe extraction. The Musketeers were soon overhead with Tigre patrols coming in on strafing runs against enemy positions. Despite the heavy air support, the insurgents did not flinch and continued firing on the paratroopers. The helicopters were hampered in their attacks by the very close proximity of the Taliban to the friendly forces. In the meantime, a small column of fresh troops from the 1st RCP was attempting to link-up with isolated French paratroopers to allow them to withdraw. This proved impossible and the defenders were still some metres away from their rescuers. With choppers still in the air and hitting the Taliban continuously, the isolated French soldiers finally made a run for it, one of them carrying a wounded army dog in his arms! This operation saw the death of an officer of the 17eme Régiment de Génie Parachutiste (RGP – Airborne Engineer Regiment), killed at the peak of the battle, and many wounded troops, some of them severely injured. A journalist who had been accompanying the patrol was also wounded, albeit lightly. Air support to logistics convoys was another recurring task for the helicopters of TF Musketeer. In the summer of 2011, almost every convoy was hit by the enemy with sometimes aggressive and large ambushes. French choppers would either be on call, ready to take-off and intervene, or already in the air, overflying the column and ready to suppress any enemy threat. Throughout the summer of 2011, there was no single day when the helicopters were not called in to support ground forces. The TF Musketeers’ pilots devised a number of methods and protocols for reducing the scope of the threat continuously posed by the insurgency in Afghanistan. Among these was the very low, high-speed vol tactique, but they also flew at higher altitudes to keep well clear of any small-arms fire. Hovering was all but banned and all support fire delivered in strafing runs, always in pairs, with one aircraft covering the other. The roofmounted SAGEM Strix turret-mounted, gyro-stabilized observation and sighting system was always used in fire support missions to maximise the accuracy of the rounds fired. However, the crew could still fire back if under attack by locking onto the target with their helmet-integrated sights.

Above: French Air Force CPA-30 commandos acted as a CSAR force in the summer while the army’s mountain commandos took over during the winter. The CPA-30’s state-of-the-art weaponry comprises the H&K 416 assault rifle and FN Minimi LMG. Erwan de Cherisey

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´ ` BATHELICO BATAILLON D'HELICOPTERES At the time of AFM’s visit in late August 2012, the BATHELICO was commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Xavier Mouret, an ALAT Puma pilot from the 1st RHC at Phalsbourg. The battalion had a strength of 138 men and women and fielded 13 aircraft: five Gazelles, four Tigres, two Cougars and two Caracals, one of them belonging to the air force. Personnel detached from the 1st RHC were tasked with operating and maintaining the Gazelle as well as providing some of the technicians for servicing the Tigre helicopters and the command structure for the entire BATHELICO. The Tigres were flown by a mix of pilots belonging to the Le Luc-based French-German School, the ALAT’s 5e RHC (which also provided the balance of the maintenance crews for the type) and 4e RHFS. The Caracal module was run by the 4e RHFS and a detachment from the Air Force’s EH 1/67 Pyrénées squadron. The 5e RHC was also in charge of operating the Cougar transport helicopters, providing both crews and maintenance technicians. A service technician from the Australian Army Aviation Corps was also attached to the TF Musketeer’s Tigre module, with a pilot from Australia expected to take over within the following months. A CPA-30 (see panel) ten-man team was deployed as part of the BATHELICO for CSAR purposes. Aside from acting as reserve in case of an incident requiring the deployment of a CSAR team on the ground, the CPA-30 group also had a single crewman aboard all Caracal and Cougar flights. By mid-September a fifth Tigre was dispatched from Pau to temporarily boost the combat potential of the BATHELICO at a time when the withdrawal process was speeding up and the increase in logistics convoys demanded more air assets for top cover. When AFM visited the BATHELICO, the Musketeers were on their seventh rotation in Afghanistan. To prepare for it, personnel had gone through a rigorous MCP (mise en condition avant projection – preparation prior to deployment) in France for a period of six months. The final step was a major exercise known as Bearnistan, which took place in south-west France and enabled all standard mission patterns in Afghanistan to be rehearsed: escort, air support, reconnaissance and Medevac. Great emphasis was placed on night vol tactique training using NVGs, and on high mountain operations. The MCP also allowed for the development and cooperation between the crews coming from the 1er RHC and those of the 5e RHC and 4e RHFS.

The CPA-30 in Afghanistan The Commando Parachutiste No 30 (CPA-30) is a French Air Force unit based at Base Aérienne (BA) 106 Bordeaux-Mérignac in south-west France. An élite outfit specialising in CSAR operations, a type of mission for which it claims to be the leading force in Europe, it has some 250 personnel on strength and is divided into three companies. All members of the CPA are fully-trained and highly-proficient paratroopers. They are also qualified as forward air controllers (FACs) and joint tactical air controllers (JTACs), allowing them to direct air strikes on ground targets when needed. But CSAR remains their first assignment. CPA-30 first deployed to Afghanistan in 2006, when the first French helicopters arrived in-country. Since 2010, it has been deploying in the summer to Afghanistan while the winters have seen first the ALAT’s PRBs (pelotons de reconnaissance et de balisage - specialised platoons trained in locating and preparing landing zones for helicopters; dissolved in 2011) and then the French Army’s Groupement Commando Montagne (GCM – Mountain Commando Group) take over. The CPA-30 detachment deployed in 2012 comprised ten men: a radioman, a

Withdrawal

The French drawdown from Afghanistan did not result in a reduction in the activity of the TF Musketeers – quite the opposite in fact. The increase in logistics convoys resulted in a greater number of requests for air support, in the shape of reconnaissance or escort flights. Whether ‘on call’ or ‘on station’, the Tigre-Gazelle combo would be the one in the air most of the time. The ageing roof-sight of the Gazelle Viviane is still a highly efficient sensor and in Afghanistan it often proved ideal for observation and reconnaissance duties, easily pinpointing potential enemy concentrations or movements. The Tigre’s 30mm cannon turned out to be the most suitable weapon for operations, affording deadly accuracy and, therefore, the minimum of civilian casualties or ‘friendly fire’ incidents. The French helicopters were also frequently called in to support Afghan National Army (ANA) ground operations, acting as a key deterrent against the insurgents on more than one occasion. Medevac

combat doctor, a machine gunner armed with a 5.56mm FN Minimi ‘mini machine-gun’, a sniper equipped with a 0.338 Lapua Magnum Sako TRG-22 rifle, a detachment leader (a captain) and his deputy, a team leader and his deputy and two riflemen. In Afghanistan the primary mission would be personnel recovery, although the commandos would also be available if necessary for JTAC duties. If operating on its own, the team would have at least six men on the ground. While there is always at least one commando aboard every transport helicopter flight, Medevac sorties would see two men embarking to provide additional security and assistance to the medic and doctor aboard, since all commandos are fully trained in basic field medical assistance. The detachment equipment included a full range of HF and VHF radios for communication with ground forces and aircraft, a ROVER 5 terminal for transmitting live images and footage to coalition aircraft, an ANPQ-4 laser designator for marking targets, Panasonic CFU1 Toughbook laptop computers and OB-70 NVGs. Standard weapons are the 5.56mm Hechler and Koch 416 assault rifle and Pamas G1 9mm pistol. All men wear a bulletproof Eagle Industries CIRAS vest.

missions were very frequent, be they in support of French forces and Afghan National Security Forces, or occasionally for wounded civilians, who were ferried to the French military hospital at Kabul. Transport duties were the last major duty of the BATHELICO’s fleet, mainly to ferry support personnel and VIPs for staff meetings. All missions would be flown as two-ship formations, transport helicopters generally being escorted by a Tigre or a Gazelle, while air support and reconnaissance flights would see a pair of Gazelles flying together – or two Tigres, or a mix of the two types, depending on availability. The latter was always high, despite the intense rhythm of operations and would continuously stand at between 80% and 90%. With FOB Tagab finally handed over to the ANA, TF Musketeer started withdrawing, all five Gazelles being shipped back to France in October 2012 along with a single Tigre. The process continued until March 12 when all helicopters had been afm returned to France.

After departing from Kabul the Gazelle would come in to land at Nijrab, refuel and be armed. The FOB’s lower altitude made it easier for an armed SA342 to take off. Erwan de Cherisey

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INTERVIEW - LT GEN GAVIARD

Mali

A French perspective In an exclusive for AFM, at Abu Dhabi Georg Mader spoke to Lt Gen (Retired) Jean-Patrick Gaviard, a former French Air Force officer and today a key adviser to NATO

Lt Gen Jean-Patrick Gaviard retired from the Armée de l’Air in mid-2006. Today he is a ‘senior concept developer’ with NATO. Images ECPAD/SIRPA-air

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T GEN Jean-Patrick Gaviard retired from the French Air Force (Armée de l’Air) in mid-2006 and since November 2008 has been a ‘senior concept developer’ with NATO Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (SACT) in Norfolk, Virginia, and an adviser to French national security authorities. A former commander of Dijon air base and ER 3/33 ‘Lorraine’ reconnaissance squadron, he accumulated over 4,000 hours in his flying career. He holds the honours of Officier de la Légion d’honneur and Commandeur de l’Ordre National du Mérite. In 1999 he was the French senior representative within Operation Allied Force at the NATO Air Operations Centre at Vicenza in Italy and from 2001 to 2003 was responsible for French armed forces aligned with US forces in Afghanistan, NATO in the Balkans and the EU in Africa (Democratic Republic of the Congo, Chad and Ivory Coast). From 2004 to 2005 he was Général de Corps Aérien, heading Air Defence and Air Operations Command.

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AFM: Since 2011 the Armée de l’Air has demonstrated its effectiveness in Operations Harmattan [Libya] and Serval [Mali]. What does modern air power mean for your country today? Gaviard: The air force and ‘air power’ are political tools. For our political leaders, the ability of what we call ‘first entry’ is very important – if we intervene and have to take on responsibility. It is more important than stabilisation missions, such as Afghanistan, which are not that popular with the public. AFM: So it’s all about rapid initial action? Gaviard: It’s about the ability to launch an operation – remember Libya in 2011: on March 17 the UN Security Council [UNSC] resolution was passed in New York and less than 48 hours later Rafale and Mirage 2000s went into Libyan airspace and destroyed armoured units that would have claimed a lot of civilian casualties in Benghazi. A strong first strike. Today you have to plan to be ready for that, anytime and anywhere.

Above: Two of the French version of the IAI Heron UAV the EADS Harfang (Snowy Owl) – flew daily ISR support missions with ER 1/33 from an inflatable hangar at Niamey airport in Niger. Below: One of the Gazelle HOT helicopters from the 4ème Régiment d’Hélicoptères des Forces Spéciales (RHFS) from Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Its relative vulnerability – compared to the Tigre – was demonstrated in the first night of Operation Serval when pilot Lt Damien Boiteux who was hit and bled to death soon after his emergency landing near Mopti.

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AFM: And over Mali, you were able to repeat this ‘first-strike’ concept? Gaviard: With the Mali operation we benefited from an effective decision-making chain from the President downwards. He said on January 10 that we had to intervene in Mali – and just 12 hours later the initial strikes happened, with very good effect. A clear signal that France has the ability to react worldwide. Of course, it had been anticipated by the presidential National Intelligence Council that we would have to respond [once the UN Secuity Council resolution was passed], such was the evolving situation in Mali highlighted by intelligence gathered over the previous two weeks. AFM: This suggests that French forces were already well placed around Mali and ‘omnipresent’ in the region? Gaviard: Well, ‘omnipresent’ is maybe not true. First, the region is a very large theatre of operations, but also a very empty one with just a few traffic arteries and population centres. Second, the events in Mali, the advance of the Islamists from north to south last year, were obvious and well documented – you needed no intel to see that. In late 2012 a combined air management centre, JFACC [Joint Force Air Component Command], was built at N'Djamena in Chad where the Mirage 2000Ds and F1Cs were deployed, so there was a command and control [C2] capability available for an entire area of operations, not just Mali. The potential theatre was a triangle from N'Djamena to the Malian capital, Bamako, west to Dakar in Senegal and 1,000km south to the port of Abidjan in the Ivory Coast. So we were not ‘omnipresent’, but well placed. AFM: What else was in theatre ahead of the French ‘first entry’? Gaviard: It’s true we had pre-positioned forces placed quite discretely. Because of a problem south of Chad [at the same time, a rebel coup in the Central African Republic was threatening French citizens] these forces not only included the fighters but also refuelling assets and some very special forces. For

For the first time, Atlantique ATL-2s from Dakar dropped GBU-12 bombs from their weapons bays. Not yet able to laser-designate on their own, the final phase guidance of released munitions was conducted by Harfang UAVs via datalink. According to French sources, this combination was highly effective against fi xed targets in the northern Ifoghas Mountains at the end of March. Datalink

“Their leaders had expected to only meet the weak Malian army, not French special forces and guided weapons” ISR [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance], some maritime patrol Atlantique aircraft were based at Dakar and some months earlier a few Harfang UASs [unmanned aerial systems] and their datalink infrastructure were placed at Niamey in Niger. Also, airlift assets were present at Abidjan in the Ivory Coast. All this was planned and coordinated by the CAOC [combined air operations centre] near Lyon and commanded by 20 personnel in the JFACC at N'Djamena, who did all the air tasking work. That was almost all in place when Mali began to ‘turn hot’. AFM: Were special forces active in the area? Gaviard (grinning): Well, they were here and there… As I said, ‘very’ special forces – not to elaborate fur-

Above: Early in Operation Serval, Lt Gen Gaviard’s son commanded the Mirage 2000Ds at N'Djamena.

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ther. We developed a concept of how to use them in Afghanistan and adopted this for Africa. It worked quite well. They had been stationed at Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso for six months, including an air support element of armed Gazelle helicopters from the 4th Regiment. As you may know, we have French hostages from Niger in the hands of Islamists now in the Adrar des Ifoghas Mountains on the border with Algeria. Our elite forces did a lot of ‘travelling’ in the region looking for them, so they were not there because of Mali. Hostages could be sold – they’re like commercial goods within these criminal structures. It’s much more about transnational crime than about religious war. AFM: However, all those forces knew the situation as the Islamists’ Toyota pick-up trucks moved into central Mali? Gaviard: Yes. Thanks to the multi-layer ISR picture, we followed the moves of the two pick-up convoys, each with about 150 vehicles and about 600 Islamist warriors from AQIM [Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb], Ansar Dine and MUJAO [Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa]. One drove the weak Malian Army out of Konna and attempted to seize Mopti, the important river harbour. The other was heading west from Dibali towards the capital, Bamako, where there were 12,000 Westerners, among them 6,000 French citizens. This motivated our President to act. Also a factor was that Mali could become a Sharia state of terror, with grim consequences for the entire region. Those were the threats which came up at our National Security Council on January 10, which led to the President’s decision to stop the convoys. Their leaders had expected to only meet the weak Malian army, not French special forces and guided weapons. That was highly asymmetric to them – and to their disadvantage. AFM: Then there were the first air strikes. How do you see them today? Gaviard: They were well executed, I think. The first missions happened in the night of January 11, just under 24 hours after the decision was taken in Paris. The first shot in anger was fired by Gazelle helicopters of the special forces. Unfortunately, a pilot was hit and died after conducting an emergency landing near Mopti. As the western column was too distant for the helicopters, Mirage 2000Ds from N'Djamena were called into action. In what was a five-hour mission with two refuelling sessions near the Mali/Niger border, each dropped two smart munitions against the convoy. A very good operation – we killed many fighters. The rest fled northwards immediately, shocked by precise 500-pounders out of nowhere in the night. #303 JUNE 2013

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INTERVIEW - LT GEN GAVIARD AFM: There were the long-distance missions by Rafales from EC 1/7 ‘Provence’ and ER 2/30 ‘Normandie-Niémen (Nou-Nou)’ – these were flown against fixed targets, correct? Gaviard: Yes, that was 24 hours later and had nothing to do with the convoys. A very interesting mission – six Rafales took-off from St Dizier, each fitted with three GBU-12 LGBs [laser-guided bombs], three AASM [Armement Air-Sol Modulaire] Hammers, three drop-tanks and a Damocles targeting pod. I have to endorse Hammer, a remarkable weapon – 250kg, GPS and IR-guided for use up to 18km [11 miles], if necessary with rocket boost. Targeting can come from the launch aircraft and also from external sources. With their criminal income from kidnappings and smuggling, the North African jihadists had built military structures in the conquered north of Mali with ammunition depots, training camps and APCs [armoured personnel carriers] taken from Gaddafi’s arsenal. So, these were stationary targets, usually not expected in an asymmetric terrorism scenario. Those targets were bombed by the Rafales after three air-refuellings. As some GBU-12s didn’t hit satisfactorily, the crews changed the mission priorities and attacked certain targets a second time. This demanded two further refuelling sessions on the final leg to N'Djamena. From 24 guided weapons, they dropped 21. I think that, with this nine-and-ahalf hour mission, our President is now aware of the capability of Rafale and the value of air power. AFM: Initially all the jets operated from N'Djamena, but later some Mirages operated from Bamako – is that correct? Gaviard: Yes, it was necessary to progress operations. Bamako was closer to the fighting and after a week our Mirage 2000Ds and F1Cs were moved there. My son there, commanding the Mirages, could not talk about the missions for security reasons as there was no secure line, and all he could say was that they flew many up to mid-February, and that it was hard because of temperatures of 45°C [113°F] and no air conditioning in the camp. AFM: Were there were other classic missions flown during Operation Serval? Gaviard: I’m sure you mean combat jumps by paratroopers? If you mean ‘classic’, you’re correct in that this hasn’t been done in recent times. But the paras

Of the four ex-Bulgarian Mi-24D Hinds delivered to Mali between 2007 and 2009, at best two survive. One was damaged by the withdrawing Islamists at Gao and another lost in an accident involving troops from Burkina Faso in March.

were the right tool to secure the airfields of Timbuktu, Gao and Tessalit. They were flown in aboard C-130s and C160s from Abidjan, under the full-motion TV eyes of the Harfangs. Everything was followed live in N'Djamena as well as in Lyon – no need to wait for hours to know how it went and what resistance they met. AFM: France was initially alone, but soon a number of nations were flying support missions. Gaviard: A little later we enjoyed a lot of support. On the initial airlift there was a shortage, but this will be resolved when the Airbus Military A400M and A330MRTTs enter service. Later there were the C-17s from the US, UK, Canada and Sweden, all of which did a great job.

AFM: ISR assets are viewed as the most critical for future operations. How was the ‘ISR coalition’ staged this time for Mali? Gaviard: European assets worked alongside US EP-3 Orions and Global Hawks – which came from as far away as Sicily – and MQ-1 UAVs, which operate together with our drones from Niamey. With this dense ISR network we were able to tighten the noose around the enemy swiftly most of the time. As an ‘arrogant’ Frenchman I want to mention the French Navy’s ATL-2 Atlantiques, which for the first time attacked ground targets with smart munitions such as GBU-12s. But, as they will only be able to aim their own laser after modification in 2017, Harfangs guided the dropped munitions over Mali. It’s a very

Behind the two armed Mirages F1CRs on the apron at Bamako, the whole (former) Malian AF fighter force is visible – six MiG-21MFs, two MiG-21UMs and the tail of a sole MiG-17.

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interesting and expandable concept – if you have a datalink network like Link 16, you can use very different platforms very differently from their original purpose. Generally, the UAVs were very important, their ‘full-motion’ video-signal going through Niamey and via satellite to both the planning team in Lyon and the operational command at JFACC – and thus to any user. This enables very dynamic targeting. AFM: Did anybody else bring armed assets to the mission? Didn’t neighbouring Chad operate several Sukhoi Su-25s? Gaviard: Not within our operation. They had 2,000 ground troops – good soldiers, a different kind of troops trained in a different way. We’ve known each other very well for 30 years. They also had losses – about 30 men so far. But Nigeria allocated two Alpha Jets and two Mi-35s, which operate from Niamey. AFM: As we know, there’s no expected Islamist opposition in the air. But did they bring any ground-based air defence assets into battle – MANPADs [man-portable air-defence systems] from Libya, for example? Gaviard: Yes – in contrast to Libya, where our 'planes were always equipped with air-to-air missiles [AAMs] as we knew too little about the Libyan air force’s status, it was known that over Mali there’d be nobody to encounter in the air. So the AAMs were left on the ground. They had some ZSU-23/4 GBAD [ground-based air defence], but didn’t use them. They also became targets for us. It was also discovered there were some SA-7 MANPADs present, presumably from Libyan stocks. But either they weren’t familiar with these or they were defunct. You always need fresh batteries for each targeting – and they only last for minutes. It’s more often the lack of training and supplies that’s the problem [for them]. So, on paper, there was little air defence to consider.

Civil structure spared

Islamist compound struck An Islamist ammunition dump close to the Gao broadcasting station. Hit by manned and unmanned platforms, this is an example of the accuracy achievable today, avoiding collateral damage. According to Lt Gen Gaviard, civilian deaths mostly occur because of poor intelligence.

but it will not bring them back to power. And Mali will not evolve as an undisturbed terrorism hub. Algeria also has no interest in their presence – on its borders it does everything to limit movement of these militants, some of which are Algerians. AFM: Where is the focus on training for these types of missions? All these procedures are highly interconnected and sometimes need rapid decision-making. Gaviard: Exactly. Today we have to better educate key personnel for working as controllers in AOCs and as forward air controllers [FAC]. Previously, you ‘grew’ into this role over the years – for me it culminated when I commanded about 100 French aircraft from Vicenza in 1999 during Operation Allied Force against

the former Yugoslavia. Sure, it requires a lot of experience, therefore it should be trained for much earlier. As we in France – and most other air arms – are under budgetary constraints, more simulation is important. We’d like to move training sorties from fast jets onto cheaper‘companion trainers’, such as the Pilatus PC-21 or a modernised Alpha Jet. Today modern trainers can simulate a lot – we can’t do all training missions with jets like Rafale as it is too expensive. We can import virtual data via Link 16 to give realistic training. This gives crews increasingly necessary adaptability and flexibility, especially during that stressed ‘first entry’. Take Link 16 – the real-time format is a true revolution in situational awareness. In France, we have a practice facility with two Multifunctional Information Distribution Systems [MIDS] to receive a digital format of data recorded in Lyon. At the Tiger Meet at Cambrai in 2011 we practised this with the Americans and Germans – the whole thing was merged at Mont-deMarsan where JFACC staff were trained, not Cambrai. AFM: So, gains from all that preparation and skills were applied to the Mali operation? Gaviard: Yes – if you have those ‘high-tech’ assets, the personnel need to know and exploit their potential. Training, training, training – but that costs... AFM: Any technical conclusions or lessons from Opération Serval? Gaviard: A first conclusion is that everything now entering an air force inventory must have a MIDS terminal on board – specifically tanker platforms, with their long presence in such areas, which can be true Link 16 relay stations. It’s almost like magic, and this needs to be expanded. Also I think it’s again been proven that for long and complex missions, two-seat combat aircraft are to be preferred – one of the crew needs to master that entire C2/ afm datalink-networking.

AFM: Earlier you mentioned Afghanistan. What was different for French troops in Africa compared to south-west Asia? Gaviard: There are several general differences. There were more sensors available in the Mali operation than had initially been the case in Afghanistan. Unlike Afghanistan, in Mali we operated with the overwhelming support of the local population. The jihadists had set up a cruel Sharia regime in northern Mali and beyond, which they sought to extend. The local people were horrified and outraged by executions, draconian penalties, destruction of cultural heritage, no music, no drinking and so on. When our troops and the Malian army pushed forward north and reached those villages and towns, they were hailed as liberators. Only a few Western troops in Afghanistan have ever enjoyed such status. Militarily we benefited from the Afghan experience up to 2012, because the fight against this type of insurgent opponent is not so different. AFM: Isn't it like Afghanistan, where the modern military, with air dominance, quickly pushes back the insurgents, who filter back in again and create a precarious security situation with isolated suicide attacks, such as the ones in Gao? Gaviard: That is today’s ‘common scenario’ in asymmetric warfare against irregulars. First, it’s crystal-clear that the jihadists and their terror tourists have sympathisers and sleepers to carry out isolated single attacks. In Gao we had that problem, www.airforcesdaily.com

On January 20, two Alpha Jets and two Mi-35s Hinds from the Nigerian Air Force were deployed to Niamey from Abuja. According to NAF Air Marshal Alex Badeh, their participation was considered as important training, as Nigeria has its own Islamist problem in northern provinces where Sharia law is proclaimed by ‘Boko Haram’ (‘Western education is sin’). Kenneth Iwelumo

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FORCE REPORT BOLIVIAN AIR FORCE

FAB force Bolivia looks to the future

The Bolivian Air Force (Fuerza Aérea Boliviana – FAB) operates very old aircraft alongside some very new ones. Santiago Rivas examines the force’s ambitious modernisation programme

M

ILITARY AVIATION began in Bolivia on October 12 1923 when the Military Aviation School (Escuela Militar de Aeronáutica - EMA) was founded at El Alto airport outside the nation’s capital, La Paz. Between 1932 and 1935 military aviation played an active part in the war with Paraguay, with air-to-air combat against Paraguayan aircraft, air strikes and supply missions. After the

war, despite the importance of air power growing considerably worldwide, the army’s air wing remained at pre-war levels in terms of number and sophistication. Modernisation of the air fleet started again in 1946, Bolivia receiving surplus military aircraft from the United States. The FAB was officially created on September 26, 1957

but growth was slow because of the country’s economic problems. Bolivia’s first jets were Canadair CT-33 Mk-III Silver Stars, already long obsolete when they were delivered in 1973. They were followed shortly after by Korean War-era North American F-86F Sabres – replacing North American P-51 Mustangs! The FAB is the last air force in the world to fly the T-33 operationally, including some former French

Above: One of the five BAe 146-200s owned by TAM – generally two or three of these are in service at any one time.

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Current organisation

The FAB General Command is divided into five main branches – Personnel, Intelligence, Operation s, Logistics and Education. As well as six main Brigada Aérea (Air Brigades) there are three independent units: the Servicio Nacional de Aerofotogrametría (National Aerial Mapping Service/ SNA) and two task forces dedicated to fighting drug traffickers – the Diablos Negros (Black Devils) and the Diablos Rojos (Red Devils).

Five brand new K-8s of the FAB in formation. FAB/Lt Sanchez

Air Force aircraft purchased in the 1980s. For many years its transport fleet consisted of Douglas DC-3 variants and Convairs of different models. These were replaced in part by six Fokker F-27-400Ms from 1979 and some Lockheed C-130A, B and L-100 Hercules. The helicopter fleet is very small, comprising mainly Bell UH-1H Huey IIs owned by the US Department of State.

Above: This Cessna 210 of the Aviation School was confiscated from drug traffickers. The Bolivian Air Force benefits from the capture of smugglers'aircraft, which are then pressed into service for liaison duties. Most of them keep their civilian livery. Left: The last example of the Canadair CL-66B in service with Transportes Aéreos Militares is in perfect condition and still making passenger and cargo services for the military-run airline. All images by the author unless stated otherwise

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FORCE REPORT BOLIVIAN AIR FORCE

Above: A Learjet 25B of the Servicio Aerofotogramétrico, which uses this and a 25D for photo-survey operations as well as VIP flights. The aircraft has a camera mounted on a modified door.

I Brigada Aérea This unit is resident at Base Aérea (BA) General Walter Arze, co-located at El Alto International Airport near La Paz. At 13,300ft (4,054m) above sea level it is the highest military air base in the world. The brigade’s 31 Fighter Group (Grupo Aéreo de Caza 31 - GAC 31) ‘General Jorge Jordán Mercado’ is the main combat

BRAZIL Cobija

Riberalta

PERU

Lago Titicaca LA PAZ

BOLIVIA

unit of the force. Subordinate units to GAC 31 include 311 Fighter Squadron (Escuadrón de Caza 311 - EC 311) – local title ‘General de Brigada Aérea Jorge Jordán Mercados’ – equipped with the T-33 Mk III: serial numbers FAB 606, 607, 610 and 612 are airworthy and capable of offensive operations while a further machine, FAB 614, is out of service and disassembled. The T-33s were put through an upgrade programme between 2000 and 2003 by Kelowna Flightcraft of Canada when multi-function displays, head-up displays, upgraded navigation and communications systems were added. Also assigned to the squadron are T-33SFs serials 628, 634, 636 and 639. These have no weapons and are used for training. The Mk IIIs are used mainly for ground attack with bombs and rockets, as well as for to air-to-air mission training armed with two internal Browning AN-M3

Chapacura El Trompillo Cochabamba Robore Puerto Suarez

Villamontes

PACIFIC OCEAN

Tarija

P A R A G U AY CHILE

ARGENTINA Above: Two McDonnell-Douglas DC-10s are being used by Transportes Aéreos Bolivianos for international cargo flights, mainly to Miami. They are the FAB’s biggest aircraft and one of the largest in service with a Latin American air force. Below: One of the two Chinese MA-60 transport aircraft based on the Antonov An-24 that TAM purchased to replace the Fokker F-27. The landing gear apparently proved problematical, causing one aircraft to suffer two accidents – after the second incident the MA-60 was grounded pending repairs so one of the Fokker F-27s was returned to service instead.

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Above: Three CASA 212-100s and one C-212-200 are mainly used by TAM but also for cargo flights by the air force.

12.7mm machine-guns mounted in the nose. Despite their age, the T-Birds are in pristine condition but negotiations are taking place with China to replace them with the Hongdu L-15. For liaison duties the unit has a Beechcraft Baron, serialled FAB-031. Also based at El Alto, the Presidential Air Group (Grupo Aéreo Presidencial) operates VIP flights for the government. It is equipped with one Dassault 900EX, a Sabreliner 90A, a Beechcraft 200 Super King Air, a Beech 1900, a Rockwell Commander 690 and a Beech King Air 90C. From June 2006 two Eurocopter AS332B1 Super Pumas were loaned from the Venezuelan Military Aviation VMA (Aviación Militar Nacional Bolivariana de Venezuela) and operated in dual markings. One (FAB-752) was lost in an accident on July 21, 2008 and the other returned to Venezuela in 2011. Another unit assigned to I Brigada Aérea is Transport Group

Above: One of the nine Diamond DA40 trainers that have replaced the old Beech Mentors and Aerotec Uirapurús for basic training. They have a glass cockpit but can’t perform aerobatics or carry weapons, which is a limitation for some stages of training carried out in the past by the Bolivian Air Force. Below: The FAB has two Ecureuils, together with a single Alouette III, with Grupo 51 at Cochabamba. They are used for VIP flights and SAR operations in the mountains. The unit also operates two new Eurocopter EC145s for presidential flights.

71 (Grupo Aéreo de Transporte 71) and its 717 Transport Squadron ET 717 (Escuadrón de Transporte 717) which flies aircraft belonging to Military Air Transport (Transporte Aéreo Militar - TAM), a domestic airline founded on June 15 1945 to provide low-cost passenger flights inside Bolivia: overland transport is very difficult in the country because of the mountainous terrain and thick jungle. In the past TAM flew eight Convair 580 turboprops, but only one, Canadair CL-66B (FAB-74), a Canadian-built derivative, is still in service. Six FAB Fokker F-27-400Ms were used by TAM but currently only one, FAB-90, is in service; FAB-92 is at Santa Cruz de la Sierra awaiting repairs following an accident on July 23, 2008. FAB-93 and 95 are abandoned at El Alto, FAB-91 was lost in an accident on April 16 2006 and FAB-94 was scrapped, its fuselage abandoned at El Alto together with another, unidentified, F-27 fuselage. To increase the turboprop fleet, two Xian MA-60s were purchased in China in 2006, arriving in Bolivia on February 21 2008 after a ferry flight of ten days. Serialled FAB-96 and 97, their operations have been blighted by landing gear problems. FAB-96 has made two belly landings, the first, on March 18, 2011, causing minor damage; a second, on January 9, 2012, resulted in more serious damage which has yet to be repaired. TAM’s main assets are five BAe 146-200s, purchased second-hand and given serial numbers FAB-100 to 104 (a single BAe 146-100, serial FAB-99, was purchased but used only for spares). Two, FAB-101 and 102, are operational; two more, FAB-100 and 103, are being

Above: The main helicopter unit of the Bolivian Air Force is the Diablos Rojos Task Force, located at Santa Cruz de la Sierra, which operates the Bell UH-1H Huey II, delivered by the US State Department. Four standard UH-1Hs were donated recently by the Brazilian Government, joining eight already in service.

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FORCE REPORT BOLIVIAN AIR FORCE

overhauled; and FAB-104 is out of service awaiting a decision about its future. A Boeing 727-224Adv, which was formerly operated by Aerolíneas Sudamericanas with the serial CP-2499, was added to the fleet in 2011. After a long overhaul by the air force, the airliner entered service as FAB-111 and the name Tupac Katari, in honour of an aboriginal leader of rebellions against the Spanish empire in the 18th century. The 727 shares the load with a Boeing 727-200Adv loaned from Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano, registration CP-1367. On June 30, 2012 the first of three Boeing 737-200s purchased from Chilean Sky Airlines, 737-2Q3 Advanced FAB-112 (c/n 23117, ex CC-CTD), was delivered. The second, FAB-113, another 737-2Q3 (c/n 23481, ex CC-CTB), joined it on September 28.

Above: This Falcon 900EX was purchased to serve as the presidential aircraft, replacing the old Sabreliner 75A. Below: A Pilatus PC-7 of Grupo Aéreo de Caza 32 taxies at El Trompillo Airport during an advanced training mission.

II Brigada Aérea

Above: FAB-470 is the flagship PC-7 of Grupo Aéreo de Caza 32. Below: GAC 32 has six former French Air Force T-33s in its inventory – together with the PC-7, they provide advanced training for pilots destined for fighter units.

The II Brigada Aérea at Cochabamba has two main units: GAC 34 and the Grupo Aéreo 51. GAC 34 ‘TCnl Rafael Pabón Cuevas’ flew Pilatus PC-7 trainers until 2010 when they were transferred to GAC 31. On June 23, 2011 the unit received six new Hongdu K-8Ws purchased in China from manufacturer CATIC.

The Embraer Super Tucano and IA-63 Pampa were also evaluated but the Chinese type was eventually chosen after a deal to buy Aero Vodochody L-159 ALCAs fell through. The K-8s were bought for $57.8 million – including training, weapons and ground support equipment – and serialled FAB-660 to 665. They are the air force’s most modern jets, less powerful but more manoeuvrable than the T-33s. Despite rumours that an extra batch of K-8s will be purchased to replace the T-33s at GAC 31, no further negotiations have taken place. The small trainers are fitted with a 23mm cannon installed in a belly-mounted pod along with Chinese and Argentine-built bombs and rockets. No air-to-air missiles were purchased. The unit also has a Cessna 206 and a 210 (FAB-290 and FAB-362). Grupo Aéreo 51 ‘Ct Rafael Estívariz Cardozo’ is equipped with two Eurocopter AS350B-3 Ecureuils, FAB-754 and 755, purchased second-hand but with only a few hours flown, and a single Aérospatiale SE 3160 Alouette III, FAB-747, the survivor of two donated by Venezuela in March 2007. The other, FAB-746, was lost in an accident on June 28, 2007. The unit used to fly a fleet of Aérospatiale SA315B Lamas and Helibrás HB-315B Gaviãos, but the last example, FAB-730, was written-off on October 4, 2009. The unit operates search and rescue, VIP and liaison flights. In 2011 the FAB ordered two new Eurocopter EC145s for VIP transportation and to provide support during natural disasters, rescue missions, fire-fighting and medevac missions. They will serve with GA 51 until the end of 2013 and transfer to the Grupo Aéreo Presidencial. The first helicopter, FAB-003, was

The sole Boeing 727 operated by TAM.

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delivered in August 2012 and the second, FAB-004 in January 2013. The brigade has one more unit, 22 Training Group (Grupo Aéreo de Entrenamiento 22 - GAE 22) ‘General de División Aérea, Alberto Paz Soldán Pol’, which was created in September 2010 and is based at Chimoré, Cochabamba. Six Robinson R-44 Raven IIs, FAB760 to 765, were delivered – the first three on July 5, 2011 and the rest in May 2012. They are used by the group’s Escuadrón Aéreo 220 (220 Training Squadron/EA 220) to train helicopter crews.

A T-33SF and a Mk III at La Paz.

III Brigada Aérea Based at El Trompillo airport in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, III Brigada Aérea is the third main unit of the air force. Subordinate to it is Grupo Aéreo de Entrenamiento 21 ‘Tentene Augusto Escobar Quiroga’, the flying unit of the Military Flying College (Colegio Aéreo Militar - CAM) in charge of

The FAB’s sole remaining C-130A, a veteran of the Vietnam War, still carries out domestic cargo flights for TAB. It’s one of the last C-130As still operational in the world.

training new pilots. The group is divided into the Primary Flying Training Squadron (Escuadrón Primario), with six Cessna A152 Aerobats and three Cessna 182R Skylanes for elementary training and aircrew selection; and the Basic Flying Training Squadron (Escuadrón Basico), with five Sociedade Construtora Aeronáutica Neiva T-25C Universals donated by Brazil and nine Diamond DA40s which arrived on June 2010 to replace Beech B45 Mentors

Fighting the Fighting thedrug drugwar war Black Devils Task Force (Fuerza de Tarea Diablos Negros)

Since 2001 the Black Devils have operated against drug traffickers from their El Alto base using three C-130Bs for tactical transport and a single Beechcraft B200 Super King Air (FAB-11). The C-130s were delivered and operated by the US Government between 2001 and 2002 and officially transferred to Bolivia in 2003. Maintenance is carried out with the support of US contractors and the unit’s operations are under the control of the NAS (Narcotics Affairs Section) of the US Department of State.

Red Devils Task Force (Fuerza de Tarea Diablos Rojos) The Red Devils were created in 1987 at BA Jorge Wilsterman, Cochabamba, with the support

of the US Department of State, to fight against increasing drug production in Bolivia. At the time, the force had only three UH-1Hs, assigned to Grupo 51 ‘Ct Rafael Estívariz Cardozo’. These aircraft have since been retired, replaced by a series of deliveries from the US amounting to 37 helicopters. Six of these were later transferred to Peru, four have been lost in accidents and four retired from service. Four more have been donated by Brazil, the first two (FAB-726 and 727) arriving in Bolivia on October 3, 2012. The remaining Hueys perform interdiction missions against drug traffickers, working with the Bolivian Police, and transport teams

The Beech B200 Super King Air used by the Diablos Negros force, dedicated to anti-narcotics operations, undertakes liaison operations. The force also has three C-130B Hercules transporters.

destroying coca plantations across the country – especially in the Chapare region, with the Joint Task Force based at Chimoré. US company DynCorp maintains the aircraft but responsibility for the helicopters is to be transferred to the

Bolivian Government this year. Plans to replace them with Huey IIs have, however, been dropped following a deterioration of relations between the Bolivian and US administrations. Two Cessna 208s are assigned to the unit for liaison duties.

One of the three C-130Bs operated by the Diablos Negros. The aircraft mainly support the Diablos Rojos helicopter force based at La Paz.

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Above: Two Alouette IIIs were donated by the Venezuelan Government, but one was subsequently lost in an accident. The remaining helicopter is still operational, being the last military Alouette III serving in South America. Left: The FAB’s fleet of Robinson R-44s at Santa Cruz de la Sierra. FAB

and Aerotec T-23 Uirapurús. Escuadrón Primario is stationed at BA TCnl José Luis Ernst Rivera at Villamontes, because the flying circuit at El Trompillo is very busy. After an initial 50 hours of flying, trainees move to the Diamond to learn navigation and instrument flying, finishing with aerobatics and formation flight on the Universal – flying 150 hours in total at El Trompillo or at BA TCnl José Manuel del Carpio at Puerto Suárez. They are then assigned to operational units or move on to further training in preparation for combat flying with Grupo de Aviación de Caza 32 (GAC 32) ‘General Bernardino Bilbao Rioja’ at the same base. GAC 32 has six T-33SFs and SCs (FAB-621, 625, 626, 627, 631 and

637), but only two are serviceable at any one time, and four Pilatus PC-7s (FAB-453, 467, 470 and 471), the survivors of 24 purchased between 1979 and 1981. They make the Combat Aviators Specialisation Course (Curso de Especialización Para Aviadores de Combate - CEPAC). PC-7s are used for air-to-ground training then advanced training on the T-33. The PC-7s are also used for close support operations with the army – and it is planned that, if a proposed law to permit the shooting down of illegal drug flights is passed, they will be used on such missions. They are armed with 7.62mm or 12.7mm machine-guns on wing-mounted pods. The unit also uses a Cessna 210, FAB-354, for liaison flights.

IV Brigada Aérea IV Brigada is based at BA Arturo Valle, Tarija; its main flying unit is Grupo Aéreo 41, equipped with a Cessna U206G-6 Stationair, Cessna 210 Centurion and Piper PA-34 Seneca. Grupo Aéreo’s 63 Escuadrón 630, at BA José Luis Ernst Rivera at Villamontes, operates the Cessna 172K and Cessna 206.

V Brigada Aérea The V Brigada was created in 2010 at BA ‘Tte Humberto Orellanos Viruez’, Trinidad, in the Beni region, on the Amazon. Its GA 62 ‘TC Nataniel Verduguez Terceros’ is equipped with Cessna 152, 206 and Piper Seneca aircraft. GA 72 ‘Ct Fabian Monasterios Claure’ flies former Spanish Air Force

CASA C-212-100s (FAB-86 to 88) and C-212-200 (FAB-85) for TAM, although the latter is out of service. They also fly the Cessna 182, 206, 210 and Piper Seneca. One Basler BT-67 (TAM-38) has been stored at Santa Cruz since 1991.

VI Brigada Aérea This unit was created in 2010 at Pando. Its GA 64 ‘General Alfredo Santalla Estrella’, based at BA Capitán Anibal Arab at Cobija, is equipped with the Cessna 206.

Servicio Nacional de Aerofotogrametría This, the sole photographic unit of the FAB, has a Learjet 25B (FAB-008), a 25D (FAB-010) and a Cessna 402 (FAB-021). They are used for photo surveys across the country and their capabilities have recently been upgraded by the acquisition of an Israeli-built digital camera. Plans are in place to add a Cessna 402 or a similar type for medium-level operations, a Cessna 210 for low-level work and for the Learjets to be replaced with newer versions. Despite the unit’s designation, FAB-008 is mainly used for VIP and medical evacuation flights.

Transportes Aéreos Bolivianos (TAB)

One of the newest aircraft in the FAB fleet is the Hongdu K-8W. Six of the light trainers were bought new from China and entered service witht the FAB in August 2011.

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TAB is another airline operated by the air force. It is a non-scheduled operator whose main role is cargo transport charters throughout the country and up to Miami, Florida. The fleet consists of a single C-130A (a Vietnam War veteran and one of the last operational C-130As anywhere), a C-130H, a DC-10-10 and a DC-10-30. The Hercules are used for domestic flights and are based at El Alto. The widebody jets are based at Santa Cruz de la Sierra and usually fly to Miami. They also operate from Cochabamba afm and El Alto airport.

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Bolivian Air Force inventory Aircraft

Delivered Current Losses Withdrawn Sold  AS332 B1 Super Puma

2

1

 AS350 B3 Écureuil

2

2

BAe (British Aerospace)

 BAe 146-200

5

5

Basler Turbo Conversions

 BT-67

1

0

 Beech 200 King Air

2

1

Aérospatiale

Beechcraft

Bell Helicopter Boeing Bombardier Canadair

Cessna Aircraft Company

On Order Unit

1

VMA 2

Escuadrón Aéreo No.511 Transporte Aéreo Militar

1

Grupo Aéreo No.72

1

 Beech 200C King Air

2

1

 Beech 55 Baron

2

1

 Beech E90 King Air

1

1

 T-34A Mentor

6

0

 T-34B Mentor

5

0

 VT-34A Mentor

8

0

 UH-1H Iroquois

32

6

3

 UH-1H-II Huey II

8

7

1

 737-2Q3

2

2

 Learjet 25B

1

1

 Learjet 25D

1

1

 CC-109 Cosmopolitan

1

1

 T-33A/N Silver Star

42

9

 CASA 212-100 (T.12B) Aviocar

1

1

1

1

 CASA 212-200 Aviocar

1

1

 Cessna 206

38?

10+?

 Cessna 210 Centurion

18?

8?

 Cessna 402B Utililiner

4

0

 Cessna 402C Utililiner

1

1

 Cessna A152 Aerobat

12

4+?

 Cessna T210L Turbo Centurion

6

1

CASA (Construcciones Aeronáuticas  CASA 212-100 SA) (T.12C) Aviocar

Stored

1

Servicio Nacional de Aerofotogrametría 

1 6 1

4

Withdrawn

8 14

1

4 7?

Fuerza de Tarea Diablos Rojos  Transporte Aéreo Militar Servicio Nacional de Aerofotogrametría 

7

20

6

Escuadrón de Caza Nos.311 & 320

Transporte Aéreo Militar

3?

1

Escuadrón Aéreo Nos.212, 820 & 831; Grupo Aéreo Nos.62, 63, 64 & 72

25? 7?

3

2

1

Escuadrón Aéreo No.820 Servicio Nacional de Aerofotogrametría 

7+? 3

1

1

Escuadrón Aéreo No.820

1

2

3

Transporte Aéreo Militar

 Cessna U.206G Stationair 6

1

1

Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation (Convair)

 CV-580 Convairliner

8

2

Dassault Aviation

 Falcon 900EX

1

1

Escuadrilla Presidencial

Diamond Aircraft

 DA40 CS

9

9

Escuadrón Aéreo No.211

Eurocopter

 EC145

2

2

 F-27-200 Friendship

1

0

 F-27-400M Troopship

6

1

1

Helibrás (Helicópteros do Brasil SA)

 HB.315B Gaviao

8

2

3

Hongdu Aviation Industrial Group (HAIG)

 K-8VB Karakoram

6

6

 C-130A Hercules

7

1

1

5

Transportes Aéreos Bolivianos

 C-130B Hercules

6

3

2

1

Escuadrón Aéreo No.711, Fuerza de Tarea Diablos Negros (FTDN), Transporte Aéreo Militar

 C-130H Hercules

2

1

1

 DC-10-10F

1

1

 DC-10-30F

1

1

North American Aviation

 Sabreliner 60

1

1

Pilatus Aircraft

 PC-7 Turbo Trainer

24

11

 PA-31 Navajo

1?

1?

 PA-32RT Turbo Lance

3

1

 PA-34 Seneca

4

1

 R44 Raven II

2

2

 Aero Commander 680 Super 1

0

 Aero Commander 690 Super 1

1

 Gulfstream 695 Jetprop 980

1

0

Sociedade Construtora Aeronautica  T-25C Universal Neiva

6

5

Xi'an Aircraft Manufacturing Company

2

1

Fokker

Lockheed

McDonnell Douglas

Piper Aircraft Robinson Helicopter Company Rockwell International

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 MA60

Escuadrón Aéreo No.511 1

Escuadrón Aéreo No.712

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Escuadrón Aéreo No.712, Transporte Aéreo Militar

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Escuadrón Aéreo No.511 Escuadrón de Caza No.340

Transportes Aéreos Bolivianos Escuadrilla Presidencial 5

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Escuadrón de Caza No.340 Grupo Aéreo No.81

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Escuadrón Aéreo No.831

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Escuadrón Aéreo No.212 4

Escuadrón Aéreo No.220

1 Escuadrón Aéreo No.310 1 1

Escuadrón Aéreo No.210 1

Escuadrón Aéreo No.712

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EXERCISE REPORT IRON FIST 2013 MiG-27MU Flogger-J TU-647 from 32 Wing, based at Jodhpur, lets loose a salvo of rockets. All images by the author

‘Boom’! Here comes the

P

ICTURE THE scene – bombs and rockets are exploding everywhere, jets are screaming overhead and the whole area is lit up by flares. No, I wasn’t in the middle of a combat zone or a movie set, but attending Exercise Iron Fist 2013, the Indian Air Force’s annual Fire Power Demonstration in the desert ranges of Pokhran,

near Jaisalmer city, Rajasthan. More than 100 aircraft from a dozen air force stations around the country demonstrated their combat capability. All the frontline aircraft - Sukhoi Su-30MKI Flankers, Dassault Mirage-2000s, Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 Fishbeds, MiG-27 Floggers and

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MiG-29 Fulcrums, SEPECAT/HAL Jaguars, BAE Systems Hawk – took part. India’s own fighter, the HAL Tejas Light Combat Aircraft, also made its presence felt, although it is not in service yet. Attack helicopters were also involved. The aircraft took off from local bases in Rajasthan and others from

as far as Nagpur in Maharashtra, Gujarat, some 500 miles (800km) away. Supporting the ‘on-screen stars’ were a variety of behind-thescenes assets consisting of Beriev A-50 AWACS, Antonov An-32 Clines, Ilyushin Il-76 Candids and Il-78 Midas tankers and Searcher afm UAVs. KEDAR KARMARKAR

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1: Jaguar IS JS221 releases flares as it drops its load of conventional free-fall bombs. 2: India’s new Light Combat Helicopter was demonstrated at the event. It is a derivative of HAL’s Dhruv and 179 have been ordered for the air force and army. 3: A Hawk Mk132 fires a salvo of rockets. The type is used for advanced jet training but also has an attack role if needed. 4: A MiG-21bisUPG Bison flies alongside a MiG-27MU. Practically a vintage aircraft, many variants of the Fishbed still equip several squadrons of the Indian Air Force. Up to 125 Bisons have been upgraded from existing MiG-21bis airframes.

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OPS BOARD

OPS BOARD

If it’s a major military airshow or exercise being held around the world, here’s the place to find it with our new operations board, which will be updated every month. With sequestration affecting airshows in the US, we strongly advise you check before making travel plans!

If you would like to see your event listed here, e-mail us at [email protected] Date

Exercise/Event

Location

Remarks

May 17 -18

Air Fair

Poland - Bydgoszcz

www.airfair.pl

May 18

Open House

USA - Sheppard AFB, Texas

May 18 – 19

Wings over Wayne Airshow

USA – Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina

CANCELLED

May 18 -19

Fairchild AFB SkyFest

USA - Fairchild AFB, Spokane, Washington

CANCELLED

May 18 -19

Festyn Lotniczy

Poland - Ostrów

www.festynostrow.pl

May 19

80° Anniversario Crociere Atlantiche

Italy - Orbetello, Grosetto

May 25

Letecký Den/Airshow

Czech Republic - Cáslav

May 25

70ème Anniversaire de la Base Aérienne de Sion

Switzerland - Sion

May 25 – 26

Air Show

Germany - Weeze

May 25 – 26

Southend Air Festival

UK- Southend

CANCELLED

May 25 – 26

Salute to Veterans Air Show

USA - Columbia, Montana

www.salute.org

May 25 – 26

Bethpage Jones Beach Air Show

USA - Wantagh, New York

www.jonesbeachairshow.com

May 25 – 26

Airshow Side

Turkey – Side, Antalya

May 25 - 26

Meeting Aérien

France - BA701 Salon de Provence

60 years of the Patrouille de France

May 25 - 26

Bratislava Air Show

Slovakia – Bratislava Airport

CANCELLED

May 26

Royal Canadian Air Force Run: Snowbirds Display

Canada – Winnipeg, Manitoba

www.airforcerun.ca

May 26

Volkel in de wolken

Netherlands – Volkel

www.volkelindewolken.nl

May 26

Battle of the Atlantic 70th Commemoration Flypast

UK – Liverpool

www.royalnavy.mod.uk

May 26

Västerås Flygshow 2013

Sweden - Västerås Flygplats, Hässlö

www.flygmuseum.com/evenemang

May 26

Spring Airshow

UK - Duxford

www.iwm.org.uk/visits/iwm-duxford

May 29

Snowbirds over Niagara Falls

Canada – Niagara Falls, Ontario

May 31 – Jun 2

Patriotic Festival

USA – Virginia Beach, Virginia

www.patrioticfestival.com/oceanfront-air-show

June 1

102nd Anniversary of the Turkish Air Force

Turkey – Akinci, Ankara

www.hvkk.tsk.tr

Jun 1 - 2

Air Show

Czech Republic - Pardubice

www.aviatickapout.cz

Jun 1 - 2

Płocki Piknik Lotniczy

Poland – Plock

www.lotniczyplock.pl

Jun 1 -2

Waterloo Air Show

Canada - Waterloo, Ontario

www.waterlooairshow.com

Jun 1 -2

50 Jahre Flugplatz Amlikon

Switzerland - Flugplatz Amlikon, Amlikon-Bissegg

June 2

Festa della Repubblica

Italy – Rome

June 2

Grande Manifestation aérienne

France - BA279 Châteaudun

Open door event www.meeting-chateaudun.fr

June 4

Isle of Man TT Races Red Arrows Display

UK – Ramsey, Isle of Man

www.iomtt.com

June 5

North Bay Armed Forces Day 2013

Canada – North Bay, Ontario

www.cityofnorthbay.ca

June 7 – 9

Mid-Atlantic World War II Weekend

USA – Reading, Pennsylvania

www.maam.org

June 8

Folkestone Airshow 2013

UK – Folkstone, Kent

www.folkestoneairshow.com

June 8

Throckmorton H4H Air Show

UK – Pershore, Worcestershire

www.throckmortonairshow.webs.com

June 8 -9

OC Air Show

USA – Ocean City Beach, Maryland

www.ocairshow.com

June 8 - 9

Canadian Forces Appreciation Days

Canda – Sydney, Nova Scotia

June 8 - 9

Selçuk Airshow

Turkey – Selçuk, Izmir

June 8 - 9

Aero Show

Sweden – Gothenberg Säve

www.aeroseum.se

June 8 - 9

Thunder on the Lakeshore

USA- Manitowoc, Wisconsin

www.thunderonthelakeshore.com

June 8 -9

Trois Rivières Air Show - 50e anniversaire de l’aéroport

Canada – Trois Rivières, Quebec

www.lapresse.ca

June 9

RAF Cosford 75th Anniversary Air Show

UK – DCAE Cosford

www.cosfordairshow.co.uk

June 9

Welshpool Air Show

UK – Welshpool, Powys

www.welshpoolairshow.co.uk

June 12

Greenwood Snowbirds Display

Canada – Greenwood, Nova Scotia

June 14

Yorkshire Universities Air Squadron Open Day

UK – RAF Church Fenton, Tadcaster, North Yorkshire

June 14 – 15

Luchtmachtdagen Air Show

Netherlands – Volkel AB

100 years of Dutch Aviation

June 14 – 16

Lappeenranta International Airshow 2013

Finland - Lappeenranta Airport, Lappeenranta

Finnish AF 95th anniversary - www.lias2013.fi

June 14 – 16

Cholmondeley Pageant of Power

UK – Cholmondeley, Chehire

www.cpop.co.uk

June 15 -16

Wickenby Wings and Wheels

UK – Wickenby, Lincolnshire

www.wickenbyairfield.com

June 15 -16

Oris Ambri Fly-In 2013

Switzerland – Ambri

www.ambri-airport.ch

June 15 – 16

Thunder Over Michigan

USA – Willow Run Airport, Michigan

www.yankeeairmuseum.org/airshow

June 15

Queen’s Birthday Flypast

UK – London

www.visitlondon.com

June 15 – 16

40 years Heritage Flying Air Show

Canada – Hamilton, Ontario

www.hamiltonairshow.com

June 16

Festival Aéreo

Spain - Granada

www.aaao.es

June 17 - 23

Paris Air Show

France – Le Bourget

Public days 21 – 23 - www.paris-air-show.com

www.airforcesdaily.com

www.lw.admin.ch

www.raf.mod.uk/yorkshireuas

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EXERCISE REPORT FRISIAN FLAG 2013

Frisian Flag 2013

The annual round of air defence exercises in Europe has begun with one of the biggest, Frisian Flag 2013, conducted over two weeks in mid-April at Leeuwarden Air Base in the Netherlands. Jerry Gunner was there for AFM

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ATO EXERCISE Frisian Flag 2013 took place in airspace over northern Holland, southern Denmark and western Germany – with most of the aircraft and personnel involved flying from Leeuwarden airbase near Holland’s North Sea coast. Since the end of the Cold War, Western nations have fought wars and large-scale military engagements in Europe, Africa and the Middle East and there is little sign of that situation changing. Frisian Flag is designed to address the training needs of those who may be called upon to fight such wars – from relatively low-level insurgencies to full-scale nation-against-nation conflicts.

‘Wonderful opportunity’

It is extremely unlikely nowadays that any Western nation would contemplate a large-scale military operation other than as part of a coalition. The obvious nation group are NATO members, which have taken part in activities in the Balkans and other theatres. But even the United Nations, over Libya for instance, has organised a “coalition of the willing”. A newer association is formed by the nations that make up the ‘Partnership for

in the campaign. He said his government believes that, when the use of force is necessary, acting in concert with allies as part of a coalition is “the right way to do it”.

Threats and missions

Försökscentralen) at Malmslätt’s Linköping-Malmen air base, too. The colonel went on to explain it was not only aircrews that benefited from the exercise: deploying such a large number of Gripens was a challenge for everyone involved. Luleå is almost in the Arctic Circle and the logistical challenge of getting the equipment and personnel down to Holland was a significant exercise in itself. When asked why Sweden, not a member of NATO, was taking part, Holmbom explained that, as a founder member of PfP, his nation was committed to contributing to world peace and was one of the first to commit aircraft to operations over Libya in 2011, deploying Gripens to Sigonella in Sicily early

Throughout the course of the exercise, different scenarios are played out but the planning and execution of large-scale combined air operations (COMAO) packages are at the heart of everything. Frisian Flag gives participants the chance to train with different air forces flying aircraft with different capabilities, and is key in getting them used to working together as they will in times of crisis. The exercise ranges over large areas of north-western Europe. On the day of AFM’s visit, ground targets were in Germany while another aspect of the day’s ‘play’ was to defend Leeuwarden AB from attack by ‘Red-Air’ – the ‘enemy’. Each player is afforded the opportunity to fly offensive counter air (OCA) and defensive counter air (DCA) missions in a very realistic environment. Not only do attacking fighters have to evade defending fighters, but the full Electronic Warfare spectrum is used, with jamming making communication more difficult. Sprinkled

assets and the AWACS all flew from their home stations. Leeuwarden is a big base with plenty of parking spots but the four heavies would have taken

up a lot of room. The Dutch tanker planned to fly two missions a day, one for each wave, returning to refuel between launches from Leeuwarden.

Skyline Aviation provided converted Gates Learjet 36A N116MM to act as a jamming aircraft during the first week of the exercise. Royal Norwegian Air Force Dassault Falcon 20ECM 041replaced it for the second week of flying. Kees van der Mark

Peace’ (PfP) organisation, 22 countries invited by NATO to work in conjunction with it on peacekeeping and humanitarian missions. Sweden, a participant at Frisian Flag, was the fifth country to join PfP, in May 1994, and has been a key member of the alliance ever since. It is for this reason that the Swedish Air Force was the only non-NATO country to take part in Frisian Flag. Detachment chief for the Swedish deployment, Lt Col Frederick ‘Kodak’ Holmbom from F21 Wing based at LuleåKallax, told AFM that, in order to get as much benefit as possible from the exercise, Sweden had sent 28 pilots –not only from F21 but F7 based at Såtenäs and the Test and Evaluation Centre (FC –

Fast jet participation SIX AIR forces, including the home nation's, sent fighter aircraft to Leeuwarden. Non-fast jet types at the base for the exercise included an upgraded Lockheed C-130 Hercules from the KLu’s 336 Sqn based at Eindhoven AB. Any exercise today accentuates the importance of electronic warfare (EW) and Frisian Flag is no exception. The Dutch Hercules was part of the net-centric battlespace and was able to communicate with other players via Link 16 datalink. Electronic countermeasures (ECM) were provided by two dedicated platforms. For the first part of the exercise a private contractor, Skyline Aviation BV, detached a ‘missionised’ Learjet 36A from its base at Groningen airport, Eelde. The Lear was replaced for the second week by the familiar

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shape of the Royal Norwegian Air Force’s (RNoAF – Luftforsvaret) Dassault Falcon 20ECM from Rygge AB-based 717 Sqn/FEKS (Electronic Support Centre – Forsvarets EK-Støttesenter), a regular visitor to such exercises for many years. Additionally, a number of tanker assets took part. A US Air Force Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker from RAF Mildenhall 's 100th Air Refueling Wing provided fuel on some days while on others an Airbus A310-MRTT from the Luftwaffe’s FBS BMVg, based at Köln Bonn airport, took over. The home nation provided its McDonnell Douglas KDC-10 which is assigned to 334 Sqn at Eindhoven airport. Lastly, a NATO Boeing E-3A Sentry AWACS operated from its home-plate of Geilenkirchen AB in Germany. The three refuelling

FAST JET PARTICIPATION Air Force

Type

Unit

Home Base

Number

KLu*

F-16 MLU

323 & 322 Sqn

Leeuwarden

8x flying, 2x spare

KLu*

F-16 MLU

312 & 313 Sqn

Volkel

4x flying, 1x spare

GAF**

Eurofighter

JbG 31

Nörvenich

4x flying, 4x spare

FAF***

Mirage F1CR

ER.2.33

Mont-de-Marsan

4x flying NO spares!

FAF

Mirage 2000

EC.2.5

Orange

4x flying, 2x spare

PAF•

F-16C– 52+

31 BLT

Poznañ

4x flying, 2x spare

SwAF••

JAS-39 Gripen

F21 Luleå

Luleå - Kallax

6x flying, 3x spare

BAF•••

F-16 MLU

349 Sqn

Kleine Brogel

6x flying, 2x spare

Notes: * Royal Netherlands Air Force (KLu – Koninklijke Luchtmacht) ** German Air Force (GAF – Luftwaffe) *** French Air Force (FAF – Armée de l’Air) • Polish Air Force (PAF – Siły Powietrzne Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej) •• Swedish Air Force (SwAF – Svenska Flygvapnet) ••• Belgian Defence – Air Component (BAF – Composante Aérienne)

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throughout the exercise area were nasty surprises for the pilots in the shape of real and simulated surfaceto-air systems. The German Army deployed a number of live SA-6 Gainful SAMs and their associated radars while the Royal Netherlands Air Force (KLu - Koninklijke Luchtmacht) positioned realistic-looking inflatable targets representing missile systems, tanks and other equipment at weapons ranges as well as so-called ‘Smokey SAMs’. The GTR-18 Smokey Sam is a low-cost unguided rocket system with its own radar that, when launched, produces a white plume of smoke simulating a genuine surfaceto-air missile (SAM) launch. For secure communications, Link 16 datalink is used by all parties on the ground and in the air as it would be in a real conflict. The Dutch National Datalink Management Cell (DNMC) deployed to Leeuwarden to support the exercise by controlling and co-ordinating the Link 16 network. OCA missions might include air interdiction (AI) missions, planning and executing strikes on ground targets. To throw some

Poland attended Frisian Flag for the third year running bringing F-16C Block 50s from the 31st Tactical Air Base at Poznañ - Krzesiny. The United States Air Forces in Europe provided air-to-air refuelling for the exercise with a KC135R tanker from its 351 ARS based at RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk. Richard Cooper

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EXERCISE REPORT FRISIAN FLAG 2013 Red Hawk DCRC – the eyes and ears of Frisian Flag

Major Peter Karthaus, leader of the Red Hawk DCRC – the eyes and ears of Frisian Flag. Attached to the fence behind him is a ‘borrowed’ road sign for Holzdorf – the German village where the DCRC is based.

WITH DEPLOYED operations becoming the norm for NATO and PfP nations, the command and control (C2) of aircraft is getting more attention and more resources. Frisian Flag 2013 demonstrated this by deputing responsibility for C2 for aircraft involved in the exercise to a mobile control and reporting centre (CRC) station for the first time; it was supplied by Germany. Formerly, C2 for Frisian Flag was handled by Dutch tactical air controllers from the Air Operations Control Station (AOCS) based at Nieuw Milligen aided by German colleagues on their side of the border, but to make things even more realistic this year the Bundeswehr’s Deployable Control and Reporting Centre (DCRC) of the Luftwaffe’s C2 service (Einsatzführungsdienstes der Luftwaffe) handled the air picture. Major Peter Karthaus, detachment commander and AFM’s guide to the station, was enthusiastic

about his charge, describing it as a “CRC on wheels”. Essentially the centre comprises a modular village made up of tents and 13 standard 10-tonne shipping containers parked side-by-side. Each container makes up one discrete segment of the station, containing one or more of the 18 work-stations necessary to accomplish its task, such as ‘Track Production’, ‘Identification’, ‘LinkManager’ and ‘Battle Manager’. The containers are packed with computer systems, servers, data interfaces and associated aeronautical equipment. The DCRC can vary in size depending on the task at hand and the area of sky to be monitored – the one at Leeuwarden was 70m long. In the associated tents were facilities for the troops: TV, pinball machine and canteen as well as storage, briefing and other support functions. The whole complex is nuclear bacteriological and chemical (NBC) warfare-resistant and electronic components are proofed against EW and electronic pulse damage. The setting up of such a facility is a mammoth task and the first soldiers arrived at Leeuwarden from their Holzdorf base on March 24, the last one not scheduled to leave for home until May 6. It takes a week to set up the system and another to initiate and validate all the systems. For Frisian Flag it was staffed by 80 German and 12 Dutch soldiers. The whole ethos of DCRC, better known by its callsign ‘Red Hawk’, is that it can quickly deploy anywhere in the world. Major Karthaus would not say how quickly (the information is classified) but he did say “all I need is the trucks – then we can go”, so it would appear it’s a matter of hours rather than days.

From the outside the DCRC might look like just any collection of tents and trailers.

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On a day-to-day basis the Red Hawk team is part of the NATO Integrated Air Defence System (NATINADS), working from fixed facilities at its home base. The equipment of the deployed version provides exactly the same capability. No detail to increase efficiency has been overlooked, even to the extent that the same telephone and extension numbers are used when abroad as when at home to call anywhere in the world. As Major Karthaus put it: “If I want to call my boss I dial the same number I would at home with no extra digits. On the downside, the same goes for him!” For Frisian Flag, Red Hawk was in control of all exercise air traffic, via datalink or voice, across an area encompassing the southern part of Danish, eastern German and a significant part of Dutch airspace. It is responsible for generating a recognised air picture (RAP) and distributing it to command posts or headquarters. It also provides a major contribution to the air portion of a common relevant operational picture (CROP) as well as automated data exchange with airborne and groundbased command posts and weapon systems by means of different tactical datalinks (Link 11B and Link 16). For safety’s sake Red Hawk coordinated with adjacent civil controllers in maintaining separation from civilian traffic going about its everyday business. For debriefing purposes, where the DCRC controllers join with the fighter pilots in analysing the day’s events, a ‘God’s eye-view’, as Major Karthaus put it, can be projected onto a large screen to clearly demonstrate the locations of different players. ‘Red’ and ‘Blue’ forces are indicated on the screen in those colours to make understanding the air picture simpler.

spice into the mix a pilot may be planning to attack one target and while already in the air receive instructions, either from home base or forward air controllers (FACs) on the ground, to divert to another. Although there were no dedicated SEAD (suppression of enemy air defences) assets taking part in this Frisian Flag, it is practised as another OCA task – as is achieving and demonstrating air superiority. As for DCA, a pilot could be tasked with protecting a ground target, or a slow-moving or high-value airborne asset, either autonomously or in cooperation with other air defence systems. Advantages of having all the fast jets, and the C-130, at one base is that debriefings can be more thorough and immediate, and full and frank exchanges can be made, significantly improving the learning experience. To improve the data used at the briefings, each participating aircraft is fitted with a GPS tracker which continually records its position in time and space. With the ‘spy in the cab’ there can be no arguing: “I can’t have been shot down – I was somewhere else!”

Day-to-day activities

So how does the day play out? Noisily! Fortunately Leeuwarden is in a remote part of this very densely-populated country and the KLu takes great pains to keep the local population aware of what’s happening, giving plenty of warning. Each day will see two launches from Leeuwarden of 40 or so jets each. On the day of AFM’s visit, 42 took-off in less than an hour, with the first launch at 0715Z (the Netherlands is two hours ahead of UTC or ‘Zulu’ time, so it was 0915 local time). But the day’s work starts a long time before take-off. The designated flight leader will spend six or more hours planning his or her portion of the mission and at 0515Z a mass briefing for all participants, lasting around 30 minutes, is held in one of the well-appointed briefing rooms. The various ranges are active from 0730Z – 15 minutes after the first aircraft, typically one of the jammers, takes-off – and remain live until 1000Z. Flight time for each aircraft is usually around 90 minutes so the first mass debriefing takes place between 1100Z and 1230Z. The period between 1315Z and 1615Z is taken up with so-called ‘Blue Planning’ (where the next stage in the exercise is planned) with activities being wrapped up by around 1615Z, a long day for all

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Return of the French

Above: Although nine Saab Gripens were assigned by Sweden for the exercise only eight made the journey south from Luleå - Kallax near the Arctic Circle – the ninth remained on standby at home. Kees van der Mark Below: France’s veteran Mirage F1CRs were probably taking part in their last multinational exercise. The four jets assigned had one of the best availability rates of any of the types taking part. Images by Key - Jerry Gunner unless otherwise specified.

involved. The second launch of the day, with the first take-off at 1130Z, follows a similar pattern.

Joint operations

The large number of aircraft of different types makes the COMAO exercise very realistic with each unit bringing its own particular skills set to the party. Lockheed Martin F-16s of various specifications provided the bulk of the jets, with the host nation and Belgium bringing F-16AM MLU multi-role aircraft. That they were involved in different types of missions could be inferred from the variety of external stores they carried. Poland’s newer Block 52 F-16Cs were also present as multi-role platforms. Germany’s Luftwaffe was represented by Eurofighters, the first time that Nörvenich-based Jagdbombergeschwader 31 (JbG 31) ‘Boelcke’ had taken part since its conversion from Tornado. They were flying solely in the air-to-air role. Sweden’s Saab JAS-39 Gripens and France’s Dassault Mirage 2000Cs (and one ‘B’) joined the F-16s as multi-role aircraft. Sticking out like a sore thumb on the fighter-filled ramp was one of the Dutch Lockheed C-130H Hercules. The KLu’s 336 Sqn flies two C-130H-30s, in service since the 1990s, and two more recently acquired short-bodied former US Navy aircraft; it was one of the

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latter at Leeuwarden on the day of AFM’s visit. The big transports have, as part of a cockpit upgrade programme (CUP), received a full glass cockpit and new avionics as well as Link 16 datalink. The upgrade included the facility to operate using night-vision equipment. For Frisian Flag the Herc was performing various

missions, including inserting special forces. Apparently the crew were itching to try out all the new equipment on their aircraft in such a realistic environment. Last, but far from least, was a detachment of four Dassault Mirage F1CRs from the French Air Force’s ER 2/33 ‘Savoie’ usually based at Mont-de-Marsan in southern France. This is the last full year of French Mirage F1 operations and the elderly jet could be forgiven for being unserviceable a little more often than some of the younger platforms taking part. Not a bit of it! Major Obriot, the officer in charge of maintenance for the French detachment, proudly told AFM that no missions had been cancelled for serviceability issues by the time of its visit. As well as its betterknown reconnaissance role the Mirage was used for air-to-ground attack, as it has been recently in Mali during operation Serval. The French detachment, comprising 118 personnel, was commanded afm by Lt Col Canto, an F1 pilot.

Above: Royal Netherlands Air Force 336 Squadron C-130H CUP G-998 ‘Willem den Toom’ prepares to land at Leeuwarden. The big slow-moving transport added another dimension to this year’s exercise. Kees van der Mark Below: The host nation provided F-16AMs, such as J-020 from 322 ‘Grey Parrot’ squadron, which had the luxury of flying from Leeuwarden, its home base, for Frisian Flag.

THIS YEAR’S edition of Frisian Flag saw the French Air Force (FAF) return after five years. It previously participated in 2001 (Mirage 2000N), 2002 (Mirage F1CR) and 2008 (Rafale B/C). The F1s were primarily used as air-to-ground assets, but sometimes flew defensive counter-air missions too. The Mirage 2000s deployed as multi-role aircraft. Capt Joan ‘Duss’ Dussourd, one of 13 Mirage 2000C pilots at Leeuwarden told AFM: “Most of our sorties are air defence-related, but we are also tasked with air interdiction and close air support [CAS] missions. Nowadays, we only use Magic II air-to-air missiles – which we call Fox 2 – in air combat, but over here we simulate the use of Fox 3 or MICA AAMs. For air-to-ground missions, we rely on GBU-12 [laser-guided] and Mk82 bombs and our two guns. There are not many CAS-tasked aircraft in France that have guns, but they can be very useful in some situations, as our recent operations in Mali have proven. Of course the Mirage 2000C is old when compared to the Rafale and we do not have helmet-mounted cueing, the latest weapons or a designation pod. But it is still a pretty effective platform.” Most of those taking part were experienced former Cambrai pilots, but EC 2/5 was also given the chance to bring along a young pilot who was yet to become combat ready. “Frisian Flag is well organised and the support from the RNLAF is great”, said Capt Dussourd. “The available airspace is large and the exercise scenario is very realistic, incorporating a lot of experience from recent conflicts. And there is ample opportunity to discuss with pilots from other nations. Exercises like these allow us to get to know each other and learn about the other countries’ capabilities which is certainly useful for future operations.” KEES VAN DER MARK & ARNAUD BOXMAN

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EXERCISE REPORT JOINT WARRIOR 13/1

RAF Leuchars

French aircraft carrier N AFM reports from Fife in Scotland at the start of the UK’s first major exercise this year

OW A major biannual event across the UK, the first 2013 Joint Warrior exercise was again centred on Scotland and the north of England, as it has been in recent years. In the fictional scenario, western Scotland played the part of the Wallian Archipelago, a disputed

Above: One of the Super Étendards at RAF Leuchars was fitted with an air-to-air refuelling pod under the centre fuselage. Thirty-five Super Étendard Modernisés remain in the French Navy inventory and will be retired in 2016 according to current plans. Key – Gary Parsons

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area between the two nations of Pastonia (eastern Scotland) and Dragonia (Cumbria), with Avalon (eastern England) acting as an intermediary. The exercise simulated a number of current-day and potential operations involving the asymmetric threats of terrorist activity and piracy. Most of the seaborne and land-based action took place in the western approaches of west Scotland, with air assets based at the two Scottish bases of RAF Lossiemouth in Moray and RAF Leuchars in Fife for the two weeks between April 15 and 29. Joint Warrior was coordinated by the Joint Tactical Exercise Planning Staff, a team of Royal Navy and RAF personnel, based at HM Naval Base Clyde. RAF Leuchars, the Typhoon base near St Andrews, hosted a significant detachment from the French Navy (Aeronautique Navale) consisting of seven Dassault Super Étendard Modernisé (SEM), eight Dassault Rafales and a single Grumman E-2C Hawkeye. Wg Cdr Blythe

Crawford, OC Ops for RAF Leuchars, explained why the French had come to the base. “Exercise Joint Warrior is now one of the largest in Europe and has expanded to cover everyone in NATO, together with some PfP [Partnership for Peace] nations. It’s an ideal way to test our interoperability as a joint force with the army and navy, plus our allies. “Here at Leuchars we’re hosting the French Carrier Air Group [CAG] and up at RAF Lossiemouth maritime patrol aircraft from the US, Canada, and Brazil are based. Land and sea forces from the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, France, Poland, Italy and Germany are taking part – although the exercise is taking place across the UK, there is a command and control element overseeing the whole thing. You may have marines landing at Arbroath while there’s an air war going on off the east coast of Yorkshire, for example. “Here at RAF Leuchars we’ve got Typhoons from 6 Squadron,

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Above: Two French Navy Super Étendards wait at the end of the RAF Leuchars runway as a home-based Typhoon from 6 Squadron comes in to land. Ben Montgomery Right: One of the French Navy’s three E-2C Hawkeyes was at RAF Leuchars operating in the airborne early warning role. Dr Séan Wilson/Prime Images Below right: The maritime patrol aircraft for Joint Warrior were based further north at RAF Lossiemouth in Moray. The most interesting visitor was this Brazilian Air Force P-3AM 7203 from 1º/7º GAv ‘Orungan’, resident at BA de Salvador. The squadron has six Orions, all recently upgraded by Airbus Military. Alan Worsley Below: A Typhoon FGR4 from 6 Squadron taxies to the runway as a Rafale gets airborne in the background for another Joint Warrior mission. Key – Gary Parsons

who will play a mixture of good guy and bad guy – blue air and red air – Hawks from 100 Squadron, who generally play the bad guys and the French Carrier Air Group, aircraft off the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle. “Generally we’re planning three

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missions a day including anti-ship sorties where the Typhoons will escort a bomber package to attack a group of ships from a variety of nations to test their anti-air defences. The afternoon sortie is generally focused on air-to-air engagement. You’ve got

a controlling aircraft, such as the E-2, which will get airborne first and establish what the air picture is – what bad guys are out there – before the fast jets get airborne. “The Rafales and Super Étendards are flying as a package together with some Tornado GR4s from Lossiemouth – they’ll formate somewhere off the east coast to attack targets in the Spadeadam area and then we’ll have the Typhoons and Hawks working against them to try to stop them getting in.” The commanding officer of 6 Squadron, Wg Cdr Mike Baulkwill, added: “The missions on Joint Warrior range from close air support [CAS], protecting troops on the ground, right through to defensive counter-air where we are defending airspace or assets, such as ships. We are operating Typhoon as a multi-role aircraft just as the French are with Rafale. Joint Warrior brings together our pilots and engineers with their French equivalents who have a slightly different way of operating, so we can learn lessons from them and, likewise, they can learn lessons from us. It is about making sure that when we go and do this for real we can get it right first time.” It was the first time that the RAF Typhoon force had worked closely with the French Navy Rafale fleet, all previous engagements having been with the French Air Force (Armée de l’Air). “I haven’t noticed any differences between the French Navy and Air Force in the air,” said Wg Cdr Baulkwill, “but the aircraft are slightly different, as you know.” Although 6 Squadron was the host unit, it didn’t mean that it had to look after the Aeronavale once in the air. “The main Joint

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EXERCISE REPORT JOINT WARRIOR 13/1 Warrior coordination centre determines who’s going to lead a particular mission or package, so everyone’s getting a go at leading,” confirmed Wg Cdr Baulkwill. “Every squadron has someone at the centre advising what’s needed for the next day’s tasking so that we can drive the training to suit everyone’s needs.” When questioned about 6 Squadron’s ability to perform swing-role missions, he had no hesitation in replying: “We have a mix of jets – we have a Tranche 1 T-bird and we operate Tranche 1 jets whenever we go away. As a squadron the engineers can work on either Tranche 1 or 2 and the pilots can fly either. I’m a previous flight commander from XI Squadron and helped bring the multi-role function in during 2008. It’s the same for 1(F) Squadron – they’re away in Malaysia with some Tranche 1 jets [borrowed from 3 Squadron]. For day-to-day activities the main aircraft is Tranche 2 and we’re eagerly awaiting the P1E update later this year. “We're not hampered at all in Joint Warrior – we’re doing a bit of everything from CAS right through to self-escort missions, taking bombs to targets. There’s a lot of functionality in the Tranche 2 jet that we can use and I don’t see any disadvantage. Typhoon Tranche 2 has a Paveway II

Above: Eight Rafales were present at Leuchars and providing a good opportunity to compare them with the locally-based RAF Typhoons. The French Navy has 25 Rafales so far, comprising 24 F3 standard machines and a single F1. A further nine F1s are being upgraded to F3 standard and another 12 F3s are on order. Key – Gary Parsons

clearance, but not an enhanced Paveway [EPW] one yet – with P1E it’s going to go straight to EPW IV. We dropped seven bombs recently on [the range at] Garvie and all were direct hits – it was the first time in a long while the guys there had seen that!” Commanding the French deployment was Capt Eric Aymard, Chief of the CAG, who confirmed that the training was a key part of the work-up before deploying back aboard the Charles de Gaulle in July. “We expect to deploy in

October to ‘somewhere in the Middle East’,” he confirmed. “Carrier qualifications will be about a week for the experienced guys, but slightly longer for new pilots. For now Joint Warrior suits our training needs as a deployed force – we normally have 25 to 30 aircraft on the carrier, but here we have 15 aircraft, so it is about half our normal operating size.” Due to its small size, the French Fleet Air Arm has about 60 fixed-wing pilots in all, and just six of them fly the E-2C

Above: Fierce dust storms during the first week of action at RAF Lossiemouth caused ‘Afghan-like’ conditions for many of the participants – here three HH-60Gs from the 56th Rescue Squadron, US Air Forces Europe, normally based at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk disappear into the murk. Duncan Monk Below: Despite sequestration biting in America, the US Navy managed to send two P-3C Orions from VP-4 for the duration of the two-week exercise. Niall Paterson

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Hawkeye. Two E-2Cs are in service at any one time, with the third in maintenance. The rest of the fixed-wing cadre comprises Super Étendard and Rafale pilots, although the former are progressively converting to the Rafale as it enters service. Cdr ‘Louxor’ is the commanding officer of the last Super Étendard squadron, Flottille 17, and has 1,650 hours on the veteran fighterbomber. “It is true the SEM is not a fighter, it is a strike aircraft,” he admitted. “It is 40 years old – but it’s reliable. It’s a bomber at sea and over land. Our main mission is maritime strike with the Exocet missile, but we are doing more CAS, especially in Afghanistan and Libya recently. We do some recce work, although the Rafale is now taking on that role. “The SEM has been able to laser designate since the Kosovo war and in 2008 gained a GPS designator. We also have a datalink between the fighter and the Forward Air Controller on the ground for CAS. We are hoping for a limited Link 16 facility in the near future so we can talk to the Hawkeye. “It is great to fly – it’s not like a fourth-generation jet with fly-by-wire where if you say ‘I wanna go there’, it just does it – with the Super E, you pull the controls and hope it goes there! It’s 60% flying the jet, 40% mission management, but with the Rafale it’s 20% and 80%. We will become a Rafale squadron in the summer of 2016.” Capt Aymard confirmed the current plan is for a three-squadron Rafale force by 2016 of 55 jets and afm 48 to 50 operational pilots.

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AND FINALLY...

The Rafale solo display is full of afterburner, noise and speed!

Key – Gary Parsons

Just call him Tao... Christophe Gasztych finds out what it takes to become a French Air Force Rafale display pilot

T

HE FRENCH Air Force (Armée de l’Air) 2013 Rafale display pilot is Captain Benoît ‘Tao’ Planche, 35, an instructor with Escadron de Transformation Rafale (ETR) 2/92 Aquitaine, the Rafale conversion unit, based at Saint DizierRobinson AB. Tao was a former Mirage 2000N pilot with Escadron de Chasse (EC) 1/4 Dauphiné, stationed at Luxeuil, before he moved to the Rafale with EC 1/91 Gascogne in 2007 at St Dizier. The mission was the same, but the new Rafale constituted a serious leap forward. With Gascogne, Benoît Planche flew 25 missions over Libya as part of Operation Harmattan in 2011. Then the time came for him to pass his knowledge on to younger pilots and he moved to ETR 2/92, which has been tasked with providing the Rafale display team since 2009. Captains Cédric Ruet and Mickaël Brocard were the first, with the previous display pilot coaching his successor for two years. Entering this exclusive club is not for everyone: you need well over

500 flying hours on the fighter, be a flight leader, and show career potential with the Armée de l’Air. The chosen pilot will have accompanied the team during most of the previous year to see how everything works, and as soon as the season finishes trains for the next. Early winter brings a session of centrifuge tests and the future display jockey then goes south to Salon-de-Provence for back-seat flying with the Patrouille de France and aerobatics on the Extra 300. All this is to ensure he is in peak physical condition for the serious flying training that starts anytime between November and January, depending on weather. The pilot and his coach go through the manoeuvres and prepare the ‘ribbon’, the succession of moves that will make up the display. Flying starts for real at a safety altitude of 5,500ft (1,700m) and as weeks go by and flying becomes tighter, the altitude is lowered to 2,000ft (600m) and then to 1,000ft (300m). When the

pilot and the coach agree that the time is right, the whole display is rehearsed at 500ft (150m). Finally, the team goes to different locations to train in varying conditions; for example Solenzara in Corsica provides ideal conditions for flying over the sea. Each flight lasts about ten minutes and is treated as a usual operational sortie with a briefing, debriefing and completion of the flight log. Every Rafale solo display also has his usual job as a flight instructor. The team has to find slots in the traffic at St Dizier because training the Rafale force remains the key task. As the weather was lousy for most of this spring, the team spent an extra week at Solenzara to make up for lost time. At last comes the display validation at Salon de Provence where all the Armée de l’Air display teams perform a dress rehearsal in front of the top brass. If you enjoyed the 2012 Rafale display, be ready for an even afm better spectacle this year!

Tao, a former rugby player, instructs in the Vietnamese martial arts discipline of Viet Vo Dao. Here he rehearses his display by following a red line marked on his office floor. Christophe Gasztych

Next Issue of AFM on Sale June 20th* *UK scheduled on sale date. Please note that the overseas deliveries are likely to be after this date.

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AIRFORCES MONTHLY 16-PAGE SUPPLEMENT JUNE 2013

Display Teams Military

Edited by Mark Broadbent

of the World 2013

IR FORCES operate display teams to showcase the raw skills of airmanship, precision and teamwork that underpin military flying and to promote awareness and recruitment. They also have an ambassadorial role, promoting an air force and country overseas. Many covered in this supplement display overseas each year and, in some cases, frequently undertake international tours. Teams are also used to promote a country’s aerospace industry, playing informal roles in sales campaigns. As financial constraints continue to affect air force budgets globally, it will be interesting to see if aerobatic teams can maintain their military, political and industrial value.

FRECCE TRICOLORI - AMI

A

Military display teams of the world 2013 Australia Roulettes

Roulette 1

Sqn Ldr Stephen Baker

Roulette 2

Flt Lt Andreas Jacobs

Roulette 3

Flt Lt Andrew Lynch

Roulette 4

Flt Lt Jay Tuffley

Roulette 5

Flt Lt Colin Burrows

Roulette 6

Flt Lt Steve English

Roulette 7 (r) Flt Lt Shaun Rajzbaum

ARGENTINE AIR FORCE (Fuerza Aérea Argentina) English translation: Southern Cross Official designation: La Escuadrilla Acrobática Cruz del Sur (Southern Cross Aerobatic Squadron) Aircraft: 5x IA-63 Pampa II Base: Mendoza AB

examples in August 2012. As it is still receiving new aircraft, no displays will take place until later in the year, probably during the South American summer between November and February. Pilots 2013: Information unavailable at the time of going to press.

European countries – the cost of using front-line fighters for aerobatic teams was becoming prohibitive, so in 1965 it re-equipped with the Fouga Magister. Displays continued around Europe until budget cuts led to its disbandment in late 1977. To mark its 65th anniversary in 2011, the Belgian air force resurrected the ‘Red Devils’ by

re-naming its ‘Hardship Red’ team of four SF260s formed in 2009. Display: The four SF260s perform close formation aerobatics in ‘box’ and ‘swan’ patterns before splitting into three aircraft and a solo. These elements then carry out basic formation and solo manoeuvres. Pilots 2013: Information unavailable at the time of going to press.

FAA

Belgium Red Devils BELGIAN AIR COMPONENT (Composante Aérienne - COMOPSAIR) Official designation: Belgian Air Force Display Team Aircraft: 4 x SIAI Marchetti SF260M Base: Beauvechain AB History: The Red Devils (also known as Diables Rouges) was formed in 1957 with four Hunter F4s. By the 1960s – as was happening in many other

Australia - Roulettes 2

History: The Cruz del Sur team was established in 1997 with seven Sukhoi Su-29As painted in Argentina’s national colours, although only four or five were used for displays. Status: The team has begun transitioning onto the FMA IA-63 Pampa II, receiving its first of six

Military Display Teams of the World - 2013

Belgium - Red Devils

BAF

Pilots 2013

Argentina - Cruz del sur

RAAF

ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE Official designation: Royal Australian Air Force Aerobatic Team Aircraft: 6 x Pilatus PC-9 Base: RAAF Base East Sale History: The Roulettes team was established in 1970 for the RAAF’s Golden Jubilee using the Vampire’s replacement, the Macchi MB326. It grew from its initial four aircraft to seven in 1981, but a year later was reduced to five. The Roulettes transitioned onto six PC-9s in 1989. The team uses standard CFS PC-9s, the colour scheme for the fleet having been designed so that aircraft can be switched between training duties and the Roulettes. Display: The Roulettes perform various six-ship formations before splitting into a fourship and a pair, the latter including opposition and synchronised manoeuvres. Trivia: The Roulettes rarely perform outside Australia – the only overseas displays in recent years having taken place at the Singapore Airshow.

ARGENTINA Cruz del Sur

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Brazil Esquadrilha da Fumaça

Brunei Alap-Alap Formation

BRAZILIAN AIR FORCE (Força Aérea Brasileira) English translation: Smoke Squadron Official designation: Brazilian Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron Aircraft: 7 x Embraer T-27 Super Tucano Base: Pirassununga AB History: The team was established at the Air Force Academy in 1952 using four North American T-6s. The ‘Smoke Squadron’ name was an informal moniker derived from the T-6’s smoke system. It was officially recognised as the Brazilian AF Demonstration Squadron in 1954 and began operating T-24s (Fouga Magisters) in 1968, but the hot-and-high climate didn’t suit the aircraft and it reverted to the T-6 in 1972 before disbanding in 1977. It was re-formed in 1983 with T-27s (Tucanos) but overseas appearances have been limited – the USAF’s Golden Air Tattoo at Nellis AFB (1997), a brief 2005 tour of Portugal and France, and RIAT 2008 at RAF Fairford. In 2012 the EdF began receiving new Super Tucanos. Display: Following an opening seven-ship loop and break, there follows a varied series of manoeuvres mixing formations, synchronised flying and breaks by different numbers of aircraft including pairs, four-ships and a solo. Trivia: Set a Guinness World Record in October 2009 by flying eleven aircraft (the seven display examples plus four spares) inverted in close formation for 30 seconds.

ROYAL BRUNEI AIR FORCE (Angkatan Tentera Udara DiRaja Brunei - ATUDB) English translation: Eagle Formation Official designation: Royal Brunei Air Force Aerobatic Team Aircraft: 3 x Pilatus PC-7II Base: Rimba AB History: Alap-Alap Formation was established in February 2011 to mark the 50th anniversary of the founding of military aviation in Brunei and the 20th anniversary of an independent Royal Brunei Air Force. The team’s aircraft and pilots come from the 3rd Squadron of the air force’s training wing. Alap-Alap has only flown a handful of displays at Brunei’s National Day and the 2010 BRIDEX defence exhibition. Display: The PC-7s perform close formation aerobatics with twin-trail smoke from electrically-powered generators in the wings before a final break. Pilots 2013: Information unavailable at time of press.

Leader

Lt Col Marcelo Gobett Cardoso

Right Wing

Capt Marcelo Oliveira da Silva/Capt Eduardo Maia Arantes

Exterior Right Wing

Maj Álvaro Escobar Verissimo

Left Wing

Capt Murillo Nagib de Oliveira Boery/Capt André Fabiano da Silva

Exterior Left Wing

Capt João Igor Silva Pivovar/Capt Fabricio Carvalho

‘Ferrolho’/ Bolt

Maj Imaro Reno Faria/ Capt Marcos Mendes Conrado Veiga

Solo

Capt Marcelo Franklin Rodrigues/Capt Nelson de Araujo Silva

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FAB ATUB

Brunei - Alap-Alap Formation

Canada The Snowbirds

ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FORCE Official designation: 431 Air Demonstration Squadron Aircraft: 9 x Canadair CT-114 Tutor Base: CB Moose Jaw History: The Snowbirds’ origins lie in the CT-114-equipped Golden Centennaires, formed in 1967 to mark Canada’s centenary. The Centennaires’ leader was determined to keep an aerobatic team going, and under his leadership in 1970-71 Tutors from 2 Canadian Forces Flying Training Squadron unofficially performed flypasts at various events. The formation grew in size to seven as a display was gradually formulated. In 1975 the team was

officially recognised and named the Snowbirds. It flew in the 1988 Winter Olympics opening ceremony and in 2001 became the first jet display team to have a woman pilot, Lt Maryse Carmichael, who returned in 2010 as its commander. Display: All nine Tutors spend the first half of the display together before breaking into a group of seven – which itself splits into smaller groups for certain manoeuvres – and a pair. Signature manoeuvres include the display opener, a nine-Tutor line-abreast pass and the Maple formation to represent Canada’s national symbol. Trivia: In 1974 The Snowbirds was

the first aerobatic team to perform inside the Arctic Circle, flying at midnight – in daylight – at Inuvik. It has only performed outside North America once (Mexico in 1994).

Pilots 2013 Snowbird 1

Maj Wayne Mott

Snowbird 2

Capt Padruig MacIntosh

Snowbird 3

Capt Iain Cummings

Snowbird 4

Capt Gregg Wiebe

Snowbird 5

Capt Trevor Shawaga

Snowbird 6

Capt Denis Bandet

Snowbird 7

Capt Regan Wickett

Snowbird 8/ Opposing Solo

Capt Guillaume Paquet

Snowbird 9/ Lead Solo

Capt Brent Handy

Canada - The Snowbirds

DND

Pilots 2013

BRAZIL - Esquadrilha da Fumaça

2013 - Military Display Teams of the World

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Military display teams of the world 2013 Chile Los Halcones

CHILEAN AIR FORCE (Fuerza Aérea de Chile) Nickname: Los Halcones English translation: The Hawks Official designation: Escuadrilla de Alta Acrobacia Halcones (Hawks High Aerobatic Squadron) Aircraft: 5 x Extra EA300L Base: Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport, Santiago

FACh

Chile - Los Halcones History: The Chilean AF established Los Halcones in September 1981, the aim being to use advanced aerobatics to showcase the Chilean AF and promote air-mindedness in the country. It was equipped with five Pitts S2A Special biplanes, later replaced by upgraded S2Ss. It switched to the Extra EA300 in 1990, itself superseded by the Extra EA300L in 2003. Although

Los Halcones primarily appear at Chilean events, it is the most widely travelled South American military display team, having appeared in the UK, France, Belgium, Israel, Canada and the USA. Display: Formation aerobatics by four Extras are followed by a solo from the fifth aircraft. The four-ship breaks into two pairs, each performing synchronised

and formation manoeuvres, alternating with more gyroscopic aerobatics from the solo. Trivia: The team’s signature manoeuvre involves the Extras drawing the Chilean national symbol of a fivepoint star in smoke. Pilots 2013: Information unavailable at the time of going to press.

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Military Display Teams of the World - 2013

China - rED FALCON

China Red Falcon

China - bA YI

Wikipedia/Yuxuan1122

PEOPLE’S LIBERATION ARMY AIR FORCE (Zhongguó Rénmín Jiefàngjun Kongjun) English translation: August 1st Official designation: PLAAF August 1st Air Demonstration Team Aircraft: 6 x Chengdu J-10 Base: Yangchun Air Force Base History: August 1st was established in 1962 and initially flew the Shenyang J-5 before using variants of the Chengdu J-7. Westerners got first sight of the team at the inaugural Airshow China in 1996. In 2009 its mounts were replaced by the Chengdu J-10, which were painted in a new predominantly blue colour scheme. Display: The six-ship formation breaks into a fourship and a pair. The four-ship flies formation loops and passes and the pair carries out a head-on break and an opposition cross. The J-10 is then shown in high- and slow-speed configuration before a concluding break. Trivia: The team is named after the founding date of the People’s Liberation Army in 1927. Pilots 2013: Information unavailable at the time of going to press.

Chinese Internet

China Ba Yi

Official designation: PLAAF Red Falcon Air Demonstration Team Aircraft: 8 x Nanchang JL-8 Base: Jinzhou-Xiaolingzi Air Force Base Team history: One of two PLAAF aerobatic teams formed in 2011, Red Falcon comprises eight Nanchang JL-8 jet trainers from the 3rd Flying Academy. The aircraft are predominantly white and produce white, blue, yellow and red smoke. Display: All eight JL-8s perform passes in different formations before a pair splits away. These elements then alternate, performing formation passes, synchronised manoeuvres and breaks.

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denmark Baby Blue

Chinese Internet

CHina Tianzhiyi

China - Tianzhiyi team established in 2011. Like Red Falcon, the Sky Wing’s pilots are flying instructors – in this case from the Chinese Air Force University in Changchun. The CT-6s, painted in a similar colour scheme to August 1st’s J-10s, produce white, purple

and orange smoke. The first public demonstration of the team was on September 1, 2011 at Aviation Open Day held in Changchun City in Jilin province. Pilots 2013: Information unavailable at the time of going to press.

egypt Silver Stars

CROATIAN AIR FORCE AND AIR DEFENCE (Hrvatsko Ratno Zrakoplovstvo i Protuzracna Obrana) English translation: Wings of Storm Official designation: Croatian Air Force Aerobatic Team Aircraft: 6 x Pilatus PC-9Ms Base: Zemunik AB History: Krila Oluje was established in 2004 by instructors at the Croatian AF’s main training base at Zemunik. Its first display was the opening ceremony of the European Sailing Championships in Zadar. In 2009 the team expanded from the original four aircraft to six. Its aircraft are standard PC-9Ms from Zemunik’s 20-strong inventory and therefore do not carry special display markings or emit smoke. Display: Six-ship loops and rolls precede a split into two groups of three which feature more intricate synchronised, opposition and solo manoeuvres. Unusual figures include a threeaircraft synchronised tail-slide and a triple-mirror formation.

Denmark - Baby Blue

Cristian Schrik

Croatia K rila Olu je

1/Leader

Maj Matija Vrđuka

2

Maj Nenad Hasnek

3

Capt Josip Čolak

4

Capt Edvard Krišto

5

Capt Siniša Hucika

6

Capt Božen Tadić

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Croatia - Krila Oluje

Antonio Prlenda

Pilots 2013

AVEX

English translation: Sky Wing Official designation: PLAAF Sky Wing Air Demonstration Team Aircraft: 6 x Nanchang CT-6 Base: Jinzhou-Xiaolingzi Air Force Base Team history: Sky Wing is the second PLAAF air demonstration

ROYAL DANISH AIR FORCE (Danske Flyvevåbnet) Official designation: Royal Danish Air Force Aerobatic Team Aircraft: 4 x Saab T-17 Supporter Base: Karup AB History: Baby Blue’s origins date back to when instructors from the RDAF Flying School performed flypasts with four aircraft over war cemeteries to mark the date of Denmark’s liberation at the end of the Second World War. During the 1980s this evolved into a full display using T-17 Supporters. The team mainly appears at events in Denmark and Scandinavia, but occasionally performs in other Western European countries. Display: The four T-17s perform passes in various four-ship formations before a break. Trivia: The T-17 is difficult to fly in formation, especially in turbulent conditions. Pilots 2013: Information unavailable at the time of going to press.

Egypt - Silver Stars ARAB REPUBLIC OF EGYPT AIR FORCE (Al Quwwat Al Jawwiya Il Misriya) Official designation: Egyptian Air Force Aerobatic Team Aircraft: 9 x Hongdu K-8E Karakorum Base: Belbeis Airport History: The Egypt Air Force formed the Silver Stars in the mid-1970s and initially flew four L-29 Delfins before switching to Alpha Jets in 1984. The team subsequently expanded to nine aircraft. The K-8E arrived in 2004. The Silver Stars’ pilots are all flying instructions with the Egyptian Air Academy. Display: The team’s display features aircraft flying in different formation shapes along with solo manoeuvres, with the aircraft trailing white, red and blue smoke.

2013 - Military Display Teams of the World

5

Military display teams of the world 2013 France Patrouille de France

FinAF

Finland Midnight Hawks

Finland - Midnight Hawks FINNISH AIR FORCE (Suomen Ilmavoimat) Official designation: Finnish Air Force Aerobatic Team Aircraft: 4 x BAE Systems Hawk Mk51 Base: Kauhava AB History: The arrival of Fouga Magisters in 1961 revived interest in formation aerobatic displays among instructors at the Air Force Academy. They subsequently began flying four-ship displays for Kauhava’s

annual Midnight Sun Airshow. Hawks replaced the Magisters in 1986 and in the mid-1990s the team was named Midnight Hawks. The team’s aircraft have recently had twin ‘smokewinders’ fitted to provide a greater visual impact. Display: The Midnight Hawks display features loops and passes in basic formations, opposition passes, a corkscrew manoeuvre and a head-on break. Trivia: The team makes few

appearances outside Finland. It has only displayed at six locations overseas: Austria (2000), the UK (2004), Netherlands (2006), Poland (2009), Switzerland (2011) and Russia (2012) with a return to Poland planned for later in 2013.

Pilots 2013 Leader

Capt Jonne Hovilainen

Left Wing

Capt Henri Vormisto

Right Wing

Capt Marc Fuss

Slot

Capt Henrik Väre

France Cartouche Doré FRENCH AIR FORCE (Armée de l’Air) English translation: Golden Patrol Aircraft: 3 x Socata TB-30 Epsilon (plus spare) Base: BA709 Cognac History: Cartouche Doré was formed in 1989 to mark the TB-30’s 100,000th flying hour in French service. A black and yellow colour scheme on the

FRENCH AIR FORCE (Armée de l’Air - AdlA) Official designation: Patrouille Acrobatique de France Aircraft: 8 x Dassault-Breguet/ Dornier Alpha Jet E Base: BA701 Salon de Provence History: One of the oldest teams in the world, the PdF celebrates its 60th anniversary in May. In 1953 four AdlA Republic F-84Fs were performing at an event in Algeria, where the commentator referred to them as the ‘Patrouille de France’. The name stuck and in 1964 a full-time unit was created at the École de l’Air using Fouga Magisters. Alpha Jets arrived for the 1982 season. The PdF was the first European military team to display in China (2004) and South America (2009), and in November 2009 became the first to appoint a female leader, Cmdt Virginie Guyot. Display: Formation aerobatics precede the team splitting into smaller groups to perform various manoeuvres before a final break. Trivia: New pilots on the team are affectionately known as ‘Smurfs’.

Pilots 2013 loops, passes and a split lead into opposition and solo manoeuvres, a caterpillar loop, then a final break. With thanks to Pierre-Alain Antoine

aircraft inspired the name. Subsequently the team became an official French AF display unit in 1995. In 2012 the team’s four aircraft (three display ships plus a spare) received a new dark blue colour scheme. It has only started to perform overseas in recent years, with appearances in Belgium and the UK. Display: Close formation

Athos 1/ Cmdt Raphaël Nal Leader Athos 2

Capt Olivier Blanc-Tailleur

Athos 3

Capt Hervé Aubert

Athos 4

Capt Jean Michel Herpin

Athos 5

Capt Guillaume Smets

Pilots 2013

Athos 6

Capt Vincent Plantier

Leader

Athos 7

Capt Phillipe Castagnet

Athos 8

Capt William Leroy

Athos 9

(S) Capt Antoine Hauser

Capitaine Damien Depayras

Right Wing Ltt Bertrand Butin Left Wing

Ltt Cédric Ollivier

6

Military Display Teams of the World - 2013

France - Patrouille de France

AdlA

AdlA

France - Cartouche Dore

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Israel Israel Aerobatic Team

Key - Gary Parsons

India Sarang

India - Sarang INDIAN AIR FORCE (Bharatiya Vayu Sena) English translation: Peacock Official designation: Indian Air Force Helicopter Display Team Aircraft: 4 x HAL Dhruv Base: Yelahanka AB History: Formed in 2003 to showcase India’s aerospace capabilities and promote the IAF by demonstrating the HAL Dhruv, Sarang was created using aircraft

and pilots from the Attack Light Helicopter Evaluation Flight that had undertaken the Dhruv’s operational trials prior to its service entry in 2002. Sarang’s first public display was at the 2004 Asian Aerospace show, Singapore, which preceded the team being granted official status in the IAF as 151 Helicopter Unit. In addition to performing at Indian military events and Aero India, Sarang has

displayed in the UAE and the UK. Display: Opening with the four Dhruvs in formation, the leader then splits and reverses in between a formation of the other three. The display includes a range of manoeuvres, the most unusual being the ‘Dolphin Leap’ where three Dhruvs perform a synchronised stall turn. Pilots 2013: Information unavailable at time of press.

ISRAEL AIR & SPACE FORCE (Zroa Ha’Avir Ve’Hahalal [or Heyl Ha’Avir]) Aircraft: 4 x Hawker Beechcraft Texan II Base: Hatzerim AB History: This team was established in 1973 using four instructors and IAI Tzukit aircraft (a locally produced version of the French Fouga Magister) at the Israel Air Force Flight Academy at Hatzerim AB. It was specifically created to perform at the academy’s pilot graduation days. The Tzukit was operated until September 2010 when replaced by the Hawker Beechcraft Texan II. Display: The team performs box-four formation aerobatics, including loops and barrel rolls, before a concluding bomb-burst break. Trivia: It flies exclusively on pilot graduation days at Hatzerim AB, the annual IAF Open Day and other ceremonial events. Pilots 2013: Information unavailable at the time of going to press.

various formations lead into a break with a four-ship and pair performing separate routines. The latter flies opposition passes while the four-ship formation completes synchronised manoeuvres. Trivia: The team’s name comes from the Indonesian AF’s instructors’ call-sign. Pilots 2013: Information unavailable at the time of going to press.

Israel - Aerobatic Team

Dietmar Fenners

the Jupiter Blue team in 2001 comprising three Hawks and two F-16s. A fatal accident in 2002 led to its disbandment. In 2008 the Indonesian Air Force re-activated the Jupiter team using KT-1s and four instructors from Training Squadron 102. It received training from the RAAF Roulettes before growing to six aircraft in 2010 when the aircraft were repainted in Indonesia’s national colours. Display: Loops and passes in

IASF

Indonesia Jupiter Aerobatic Team INDONESIAN NATIONAL DEFENCE - AIR FORCE (Tentara Nasional Indonesia - Angkatan Udara) Official designation: Indonesian Air Force Aerobatic Team Aircraft: 6 x KAI KT-1 Woong Bee Base: Adisucipto International Airport, Yogyakarta History: For many years the Indonesian Air Force had two display teams – Elang Biru with F-16s and Jupiter with Hawk Mk53s. These were merged into

Indonesia - Jupiter Aerobatic Team www.airforcesdaily.com

2013 - Military Display Teams of the World

7

Military display teams of the world 2013 Italy Frecce Tricolori

Japan Blue Impulse

ITALIAN AIR FORCE (Aeronautica Militare Italiana) English translation: Three-coloured arrows Official designation: Pattuglia Acrobatica Nazionale/313° Gruppo Addestramento Acrobatico (Aerobatic Demonstration Squadron) Aircraft: 10 x Aermacchi MB339PAN Base: Rivolto AB, Udine History: The Frecce Tricolori was formed at Rivolto on March 1, 1961 as the AMI’s dedicated aerobatic team, replacing those operated by individual frontline fighter wings. The team spent two years flying the North American F-86 before moving onto the Fiat G-91PAN and quickly became renowned for its flamboyant and colourful routine. The MB339PAN replaced the G-91PAN for the 1983 season and in 1986 the team undertook its first, and so far only, tour of North America. In 1988 the Frecce was involved in the Ramstein tragedy, which killed 70 spectators and precipitated the

safety rules which now apply at Western European airshows. Display: After an opening ten-ship formation loop the team separates into groups of five and four, which perform various splits and formation manoeuvres, interspersed with solos from the tenth aircraft. The latter includes the distinctive ‘Lomcevak’ and low-level ‘crazy flying’. The display concludes with nine MB339s smoking the colours of the Italian flag set to ‘Nessun Dorma’ sung by Pavarotti.

Japan - Blue Impulse JAPAN AIR SELF DEFENSE FORCE (Nihon Koku Jieitai) Official designation: Japan Air Self Defense Force Aerobatic Team Aircraft: 6 x Kawasaki T-4 Base: Matsushima AB History: The JASDF formed a five-ship F-86F formation team called Tenryu in 1959 after being inspired by the USAF Thunderbirds’ visit to Japan that year. The team was renamed Blue Impulse in 1961 when the aircraft received a white and blue paint scheme. At the 1964 Tokyo Olympics the team drew five giant rings in the sky with smoke. Six Mitsubishi T-2s were operated from 1982 before Kawasaki T-4s arrived in late 1995.

Pilots 2013 Pony 0

(Sqn Cmdr) Magg Jan Slangen

Pony 1

(Leader) Capt Mirco Caffell

Pony 2

Capt Gaetano Farina

Pony 3

Capt Filippo Barbero

Pony 4

Capt Mattia Bortoluzzi

Pony 5

Capt Vigilio Gheser

Pony 6

Capt Marco Zoppitelli

Pony 7

Capt Pierangelo Semproniel

Pony 8

Capt Stefano Centioni

Pony 9

Capt Stefano Vit

Pony 10 (Solo) Cpt Fabio Capodano

8

Military Display Teams of the World - 2013

Key - Gary Parsons

jordan Royal Jordanian Falcons

Jordan - Royal Jordanian Falcons

Anno Gravemaker

Pierpaolo Maglio

Italy - Frecce Tricolori

ROYAL JORDANIAN AIR FORCE (al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya Almalakiya al-Urduniya) Official designation: Jordanian National Aerobatics Team Aircraft: 4 x Extra 300L Base: Aqaba History: The team is an unusual joint venture between Jordan’s air force and airline – the pilots and engineers are RJAF personnel, but the aircraft are owned by Royal Jordanian Airlines. It was formed in 1978 at the express wish of King Hussein Bin Talal to act as roving ambassadors for Jordan. The team was equipped with two, later three, Pitts S2A (and latterly S2S) Specials. These were replaced in 1992 by Extra 300s, wearing a new colour scheme, when the number also grew to four aircraft. In 2007

Display: The Blue Impulse display begins with manoeuvres by a four-ship interspersed with solos by the other two T-4s. One solo joins the four-ship for several synchronised and opposition figures. All six aircraft perform patterns in delta formation, which is followed by five T-4s drawing a fivepointed star in the sky. There are more four-ship and pair manoeuvres before a concluding six-ship gear-down pass. Trivia: An appearance at the USAF’s Golden Air Tattoo at Nellis AFB in 1997 remains the Blue Impulse’s only display outside Japan. Pilots 2013: Information unavailable at the time of going to press. newer Extra 300Ls were received. A comparative lack of airshows in their home region and the team’s mission means most of the Falcons’ time each year is spent undertaking a European tour. It has also displayed in Indonesia and the US. Display: Close formation fourship aerobatics are followed by three-ship figures interspersed with solo aerobatics before the four aircraft re-join for the finale. One unusual manoeuvre is an inverted push-out from a loop.

Pilots 2013 Director

Mohammed Al Jaloudi

Leader

Capt Abdel Hameed Macknay

Left Wing

Capt Mohammad Ma’abreh

Right Wing Capt Shadi Al-Arabi Slot/Solo

Maj Nofan Alghrair

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Malaysia -SMOKEY BANDITS two pairs, which both perform breaks. An opposition pass is followed by a solo and further passes by the four-ship, including a formation gear-down flypast, before a final break. Trivia: The team’s name comes from the distinctive smoke trail left in the sky by the MiG-29’s engines. Pilots 2013: Information unavailable at the time of going to press.

by Aerotree, a defence services company, and the pilots are Royal Malaysian Air Force personnel from different ethnic groups, thereby symbolising the 1Malaysia concept. The team made its debut at LIMA 2011 and has performed there and at other major national events. Display: The display comprises loops, barrel rolls and passes in a boxfour formation before splitting for opposition, solo and synchronised manoeuvres including synchronised tail-slides. There’s a heart formed by smoke before a concluding break.

Trivia: The pilots received training in the UK from members of The Blades, a team made up of former Red Arrows pilots. Krisakti takes its name from a Malaysian national symbol representing a sacred dagger.

Malaysia K risakti

Official designation: 1Malaysia Aerial Display Team Aircraft: 4 x Extra EA300 Base: RMAF Butterworth History: In 2011 the Malaysian government announced it would establish the country’s first permanent professional national aerobatic team as part of its 1Malaysia programme, which aims to promote national unity and ethnic harmony in the country. Like the Royal Jordanian Falcons, the team is a military-civilian venture – the aircraft are owned

Malaysia - KRISAKTI www.airforcesdaily.com

Pilots 2013 Exc Tm Ldr

Dato Halim Othman

Sakti 1

Maj Mohd Imran Yeap Abdullah

Sakti 2

Maj Mohamad Ezal Zainal

Sakti 3

Mej Shamsul Shahreen

Sakti 4

Maj Mej Abdul Rahim Bin Jusoh

MOROCCO - MARCHE VERTE

Morocco Marche Verte

events, Malaysia’s biennial LIMA airshow at Langkawi and the annual Formula One Malaysia Grand Prix at Sepang. The Smokey Bandits made its debut appearance outside Malaysia in 2010 at the BRIDEX exhibition in Brunei. Display: The display begins with a pass by the solo aircraft before a formation flypast by the other four MiGs. The four-ship then separates into

Alan Worsley

ROYAL MALAYSIAN AIR FORCE (Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia) Official designation: Royal Malaysian Air Force Aerobatic Team Aircraft: 6 x MiG-29N/NUB Base: Kuantan AB History: The Smokey Bandits was established in 1997 using aircraft and pilots from 17 Squadron at Kuantan. The team performs few displays, only appearing at national

Key - Gary Parsons

Alan Worsley

Malaysia Smokey Bandits

MOROCCAN ROYAL AIR FORCES (al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Malakiya Marakishiya) English: Green March Official designation: Patrouille Acrobatique Maroc (Aerobatic Patrol [or team] of Morocco) Aircraft: 7 x Avions Mudry CAP232 Base: Marrakech-Menara International Airport History: Marche Verte was formed in 1987 on the order of King Hassan II. The team’s initial development was supervised by a French aerobatic pilot, Jean Michel Otelli. It began with two CAP10B aerobatic aircraft, one of the first displays being the 1987 International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford. Marche Verte subsequently re-equipped to CAP230s/231s and grew progressively to four, five, six and finally seven aircraft. It transitioned onto the CAP232 during 2002-2003. In addition to events in Morocco, the team frequently appears at French airshows. It has also displayed in the UK, Belgium, the Netherlands and the UAE. Display: Marche Verte is the only display team to currently fly with its aircraft tied together by ropes. The aircraft take off and perform formation loops tied together before breaking formation and snapping the ropes. There follows a number of formation, opposition, solo and synchronised manoeuvres before a final break. Trivia: The team is named after the 1975 demonstration in Morocco against Spain to hand over disputed territories of the Sahara. Pilots 2013: Information unavailable at the time of going to press.

2013 - Military Display Teams of the World

9

Military display teams of the world 2013 New Zealand Red Checkers

Pakistan Sherdils

ROYAL NEW ZEALAND AIR FORCE Aircraft: 5 x Pacific Aerospace CT-4E Airtrainer Base: RNZAF Base Ohakea History: The Red Checkers was established on Harvards in 1967 at the RNZAF’s Flight Training School. It displayed for six years before disbanding in 1973, but was re-activated in 1980 on four CT-4B Airtrainers, a fifth being added later. Upgraded CT-4Es have been used since 1999 when the team expanded to six. Two accidents, one fatal, in early 2010 led to the Red Checkers being grounded, but it resumed displays in 2011 as a five-ship. Despite a long history, it still doesn’t have an official designation within the RNZAF. Display: A five-ship arrival leads to one aircraft breaking off. Four-ship formations then alternate with solo aerobatics. The four-ship splits into two pairs for synchronised manoeuvres before the team re-joins for a final break. Trivia: The name is from the red-and-white chequerboard nose markings worn on the aircraft.

Checkers One

Sqn Ldr Oliver Bint

Checkers Two

Flt Lt Stuart Anderson

Checkers Three

Flt Lt Matt Walls

Checkers Four

Sqn Ldr Matt Alcock

Checkers Five

Flt Lt Jimmy Davidson

Checkers Six

Flt Lt Robert Cato

Display Director WO Ash Wilson

Mike Jorgensen

Pilots 2013

New Zealand - red checkers

Poland Biało-Czerwone Iskry POLISH AIR FORCE (Sily Powietrzne Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej) English translation: Red and White Sparks Official designation: Polish Air Force Aerobatic Team Aircraft: 7 x PZL TS-11 Iskra Base: Deblin AB History: Known better as Team Iskry, the team is named after the trainer it flies and the colour scheme worn by its aircraft.

Formed in 1991 with four aircraft, the team expanded to nine two years later. It was stood down in 1998 while its TS-11s received cockpit upgrades, resuming in 2000 as a seven-ship. It has displayed around Europe since, although overseas displays are infrequent. Display: Loops, barrel rolls and passes are performed in different formations before a split and cross-over. There follows solo

PAKISTAN AIR FORCE (Pakistan Fiza’ya) English translation: Lion Hearts Official designation: PAF Academy Aerobatics Team Aircraft: 4 x Hongdu K-8 Karakorum Base: PAF Risalpur History: In 1972 the Basic Flying Training Wing of the PAF Academy at Risalpur formed a team of four Cessna T-37s, which began using the name Sherdils from 1974. It expanded to six in 1980 when the current white, red and blue paint scheme was adopted. The Sherdils received the joint K-8 Karakorum in the mid-2000s, preceding an expansion to eight and then nine aircraft. However, according to the PAF’s official website, “engine thrust demands were excessive for the outer formation members to cope with” and recently the Sherdils have only performed as a four-ship. Display: The team flies a relatively sedate display of loops, passes and barrel rolls in formation, before performing a bomb-burst. Trivia: Overseas displays by the Sherdils have included the Al Ain Aerobatics Show in the UAE (2007) and Airshow China (2010). Pilots 2013: Information unavailable at time of press.

Pakistan Sherdils manoeuvres, opposition passes and groups of three and four aircraft flying various formation and synchronised figures. A break leads into a cross-over involving all seven aircraft. Trivia: The TS-11’s low power and hydraulic controls means it is difficult to fly close formation aerobatics. Pilots 2013: Information unavailable at time of press.

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Military Display Teams of the World - 2013

John Andrews

Key - Gary Parsons

Poland - Bialo-Czerwone Iskry

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Portugal Rotores de Portugal

Poland Team Orlik with aerobatics interspersed with manoeuvres by the main section. This formation then splits down into smaller groups to create a smoke heart and perform opposition passes before more solo aerobatics and a final break. Trivia: Team Orlik now flies the TC-II version of the PZL-130 equipped with upgraded avionics.

Pilots 2013 Ldr

Capt Dariusz Stachurski

L Wg

Capt Krzysztof Kidacki

Outer L Wg Lt Michał Czerwiec R Wg

Lt Michał Anielak

Outer R Wg Capt Robert Osys Solo

Capt Dariusz Stańczyk

Russia Russkiye Vityazi RUSSIAN AIR FORCE (Voyenno-Vozdushniye Sily) English translation: Russian Knights Official designation: TsPAT 4th GTsPAP i VI MO Aircraft: 4 x Sukhoi Su-27P and 2 x Su-27UB Base: Kubinka AB History: The Russian Knights was established in April 1991 and performed overseas for the first time five months later with a brief tour of the UK. It subsequently displayed at airshows in Europe, the USA and Canada as well as at Russian events and official parades. In December 1995 two of the team’s aircraft crashed in Vietnam while en route to Malaysia, grounding the team for 18 months. It now performs with anything from four to six aircraft and sometimes in a composite display with the Swifts, as at the biennial MAKS show. More recently it has performed overseas more regularly than for many years – in 2012 it appeared at Airshow China and already

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in 2013 has displayed at Aero India and LIMA in Malaysia. Display: The team performs loops and passes in close formation before breaking into a box-four and a pair (or solo, as applicable), which respectively fly formation and opposition manoeuvres. The composite display with the Strizhy involves both teams flying together before separating and giving their own individual routines. Trivia: In December 2012 Russian media reported the team would receive Su-30CMs and Su-35Cs, though no timescale has been given for their arrival.

FAP

and down-sizing to two. The team moved to Esquadra 111 in 1991 before disbandment in 1994. It was re-activated in 2005 on Esquadra 552 with three Alouettes and continues to display mainly at Portuguese events. Display: The display includes formation passes and hovering before splitting into a pair and a solo, which respectively fly synchronised and solo manoeuvres. Trivia: The world’s last remaining Alouette III display team.

Russia Berkuty RUSSIAN AIR FORCE (Voyenno-Vozdushniye Sily) English translation: Golden Eagles Aircraft: 5 x Mi-28 Base: Torzhok AB History: The team was established in 1992 and performed with varying numbers of Mi-24 Hinds at major Russian aviation events including the biennial MAKS airshow. In 2012 the team re-appeared as a six-ship

operating the new Mil Mi-28 Havoc and displayed at the Russian Air Force’s 100th Anniversary Airshow at Zhukovsky. Display: The display begins with all six helicopters in formation before a pair breaks away. Four Mi-28s carry out more formation manoeuvres, interspersed with synchronised hovering, breaks and opposition flying. Trivia: Currently the only display team flying attack helicopters.

Russia - berkuty

Pilots 2013 Leader

Lt Col Andrey Alekseyev

Left Wing/ Deputy Team Commander

Lt Col Vitaly Melnikov

Right Wing

Lt Col Alexander Bogdan

Slot

Lt Col Oleg Erofeev

Far Left Wing

Lt Col Sergey Shcheglov

Far Right Wing

Major Denis Plaksin

Key - Gary Parsons

Official designation: Polish Air Force Aerobatic Team Aircraft: 6 x PZL-130 Orlik TC-II Base: Radom AB History: Team Orlik was established in 1998, initially as a replacement national representative while Team Iskry was stood down for aircraft upgrades. It continued to perform after Iskry returned to airshows and grew from its original six aircraft to nine, before down-sizing. Budget cuts caused Team Orlik to be stood down for a year, but it returned in 2011 as a six-ship. Display: Loops, barrel rolls and passes in various formations precede a solo breaking away,

Portugal - Rotores de Portugal PORTUGUESE AIR FORCE (Força Aérea Portuguesa) English translation: Rotors of Portugal Official designation: National Helicopter Display Team Aircraft: 3 x Sud Aviation Alouette III Base: Beja AB History: Rotores de Portugal was established in 1976 and consisted of four Alouettes and pilots from Esquadra 102 until moving to Esquadra 552 in 1982

Key - Gary Parsons

Key - Gary Parsons

Poland - Team Orlik

Russia - Russkiye Vityazi 2013 - Military Display Teams of the World

11

Military display teams of the world 2013

Russia - Strizhi

Key - Gary Parsons

Saudi Arabia Saudi Hawks

Russia Strizhi It subsequently appeared at shows in Belgium, Malaysia, Thailand, Finland and in Red Square flypasts and events such as MAKS. The team’s MiGs received a new white, red and blue paint scheme in 2003. Today it typically displays four or five aircraft and often appears in a composite display with the Russian Knights. Display: A similar display to the Russian Knights, involving formation loops, barrel rolls and passes before it breaks into smaller groups for formation

and solo figures. As with the Russian Knights, the Swifts release flares during its routine.

Pilots 2013 Col Dmitry Koposov Maj Denis Kuznetsov Col Selyutin Viktor Markovic Lt Col Sergei Osyaykin Col Alexander Petrov Maj Dmitri Ryzhevolov Maj Dmitry Selivano Lt Col Igor Sokolov Maj Dmitry Zubkov

Singapore Black K nights

12

Military Display Teams of the World - 2013

Pilots 2013

Singapore - Black Knights

Saudi Arabia - Saudi Hawks

Wikipedia/Kok Leng Yeo

REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE AIR FORCE Official designation: Republic of Singapore Air Force Aerobatic Team Aircraft: 6 x Lockheed Martin F-16A Base: Tengah AFB History: The Black Knights was formed in late 1975, giving its first display at Changi in June 1976 on Singapore Air Force Day. It flew four Hunters until 1983 when it changed to five F-5E Tigers. In 1990 the Black Knights switched to six A-4SU Skyhawks and from 2000 operated a mix of four A-4SUs and two F-16s. After a period of de-activation the team re-appeared in 2008 with six F-16s. It regularly displays at Singapore’s Asian Aerospace show and national ceremonial and military events. Display: The display comprises loops and barrel rolls in various formations before splitting into a four-ship and a pair which alternative with each other. A smoke heart follows before a final bomb-burst by all six aircraft. Trivia: The team has only performed once outside Singapore, in Thailand in 2009. Pilots 2013: Information unavailable at the time of going to press.

Saudi 1

Lt Col Hamidi Ben Yahia Nahsai 

Saudi 2

Capt Fahad Bin Sultan Al Owais

Saudi 3 Maj Waleed bin Abdulrahman Saudi 4 Capt Mishaal bin Abdi Anzi Saudi 5

Maj Saeed bin Abdullah al-Shahrani 

Saudi 6

Capt Saud bin Abdullah Al-Sahli 

RSAF

RUSSIAN AIR FORCE English translation: Swifts Official designation: TsPAT 4th GTsPAP i VI MO Aircraft: Up to 6 x Mikoyan MiG-29A/UB Base: Kubinka AB History: The Swifts was formed in 1990. Its first displays, at Kubinka and Uppsala, Sweden the following year were both private events. Its first public appearance was in France in 1992 to mark the 50th anniversary of the French Air Force’s ‘Normandie-Niemen’ squadron.

ROYAL SAUDI AIR FORCE (al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Malakiya as Sa’udiya) Official designation: Royal Saudi Air Force Aerobatic Team Aircraft: 6 x BAE Hawk Mk65 Base: King Faisal AB History: The team was established in 1998 with training overseen by a former Red Arrows pilot. Its first public display was in January 1999 and several ex-Red Arrows pilots have been posted on exchange as advisors since. It displays at events in Saudi Arabia and other major airshows in the Middle East, undertaking its first European tour in 2011 and performing at UK events in 2012. Display: The Saudi Hawks display closely resembles the Red Arrows format of formation aerobatics followed by smaller groups of aircraft performing more dynamic manoeuvres, including the Synchro Pair. Trivia: The team’s signature manoeuvre is the ‘Saudi Logo’, involving four aircraft breaking upwards and two others crossing, their smoke trails drawing the Saudi national symbol in the sky.

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Christopher Szabo

SPain Patrulla Ãguila

South Africa - Silver Falcons

South Africa Silver Falcons SOUTH AFRICAN AIR FORCE (Suid-Afrikaanse Lugmag) Official designation: South African Air Force Aerobatic Team Aircraft: 5 x Pilatus PC-7 MkII Astra Base: AFB Langebaanweg History: The Silver Falcons was formed in 1966 following the arrival of the Atlas Impala (Macchi MB326), and gave its first displays the following year. It expanded to five in 1988 and performed at Nelson Mandela’s Presidential inauguration in 1995. With the

Impala’s retirement, the team was disbanded, but the arrival of the PC-7 MkII led to its re-activation as a four-ship in 1999 then it regained a fifth aircraft 2008. In December 2012 its dedicated C-47 support aircraft crashed in the Drakensberg Mountains with the loss of all aboard. Due to budget cuts the team’s 2013 schedule has been axed, but pilots will still maintain currency. Display: The team performs five-ship formation aerobatics, followed by a split and various

formation, synchronised, opposition and solo manoeuvres. Trivia: The PC-7 Mk IIs were re-painted in 2008 into their distinctive dark blue and white paint scheme with a stylised falcon shape on the fuselage.

Pilots 2013 Falcon 1

Maj Roy Sproul

Falcon 2

Captain Mark Gentles

Falcon 3

Lt Jacques Poolman

Falcon 4

Maj Werner Vermaak

Falcon 5

Maj Beau Skarda

South Korea Black Eagles REPUBLIC OF KOREA AIR FORCE (Han-guk Kong Goon [or Dae Han Min Guk Kong Goon]) Official designation: RoKAF Aerobatic Team/53rd Air Demonstration Group Aircraft: 8 x KAI T-50B Golden Eagle Base: Wonju AB History: The Black Eagles name was first applied to a team of seven Northrop F-5As (later RF-5As) that displayed from 1966 to 1978. The title was resurrected in December 1994 when the RoKAF created a full-time aerobatic team flying six Cessna T-37Cs. Its first displays

solo figures before a final break. Trivia: The signature manoeuvre involves drawing the Korean flag in the sky with smoke.

were in 1995, appearing at Korean national and military events. In 2007-2008 the team moved onto the indigenous KAI T-50B, a version of the Golden Eagle developed for display purposes, and first displayed with it in 2009 to mark the RoKAF’s 60th anniversary. Display: The eight T-50Bs perform loops, barrel rolls and passes in various formations. A bomb-burst break leads into a second half where the formation separates into smaller groups which perform a range of formation, synchronised, opposition and

Pilots 2013

Pilots 2013 T Cmdr

José Ignacio Sánchez-García

Águila 1/Ldr

Cmdte Antonio Jesús Gutiérrez Santiago

Águila 2 Cmdte César Piquer Martínez

1 Ldr

Maj Jeon Wook-cheon

2 L Wg

Capt Lee Sang-wook

3 R Wg

Capt Jung Jong-duk

4 Slot

Maj Cho Kwang-hui

5 Synchro

Maj Ko Dae-hyup

Rubén Pérez Águila 5 Cmdte González

6 Synchro

Capt Shim Kyu-yong

Águila 6 Cmdte Moisés Roca Rubira

7 Solo

Capt Jung Chul-woo

8 Solo

Maj Noh Nam-seon

Mariano Marín Águila 7 Cmdte Navarro

Antonio M Monge Águila 3 Cmdte Pereira Pedro Martínez Águila 4 Cmdte Monleón

Spain - Patrulla Aguila

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EdA

RoKAF

South korea - Black Eagles

SPANISH AIR FORCE (Ejército del Aire) English translation: Eagle Patrol Official designation: Spanish Air Force National Aerobatic Team Aircraft: 7 x CASA C101B Aviojet Base: San Javier AB History: The Patrulla Águila was established in 1985 using the recently-introduced C101 and flying instructors from the Air Force Academy at San Javier. Patrulla Águila’s first overseas display was in Belgium in 1986 and it has since appeared in most European countries. To mark the 1992 Olympic Games the team received red and yellow markings. Its pilots undertake rehearsal and displays in their spare time. Display: During the first half, the seven C101s perform loops, barrel rolls and passes in different formations. They then split into a group of four, a synchro pair and a solo for different manoeuvres before re-joining for a final break. Trivia: One of the few display teams to perform a formation landing with all seven aircraft touching down together.

2013 - Military Display Teams of the World

13

Military display teams of the world 2013 Switzerland - patrouille Suisse

EdA

Spain - Patrulla ASPA

spain Patrulla ASPA SPANISH AIR FORCE English translation: ASPA Patrol Official designation: Ala 78 Aircraft: 5 x Eurocopter EC120B Colibri Base: Armilla AB History: Ala 78, the unit which trains all Spanish armed forces and police helicopter pilots, created Patrulla ASPA in September 2003, with the team’s first display taking place in nearby Seville in May 2004. Since then it has mainly appeared at major Spanish air displays. Overseas performances have been restricted, but it has appeared at events in France, Belgium and Portugal and later in 2013 will display in the Czech Republic. The team is unusual in having two pilots trained for each position.

Display: The five-ship breaks into a four-ship and a solo. A varied display includes four-ship formations, synchronised figures, hovering, opposition passes, breaks and solo manoeuvres.

Pilots 2013 Punto 1

Cpt Antonio Martínez Serrano and Teniente Juan José Villaescusa Adam

Punto 2

Cmdte Jose Ángel Alcaráz Martínez and Capitán Fernando Pérez García

Punto 3

Cmdte Pablo Diego Sánchez and Comandante Carlos I Villalón Árias

Punto 4/Solo

Cpt Miguel Angel Pemau Martín and Capitán Roberto Conde Marcos

Punto 5

Cpt Ricardo Vidal Díaz and Capitán Javier Barranco García

SAF

Switzerland - PC-7 Team

SAF

Switzerland Patrouille Suisse

Switzerland PC-7 Team SWISS AIR FORCE (Schweizer Luftwaffe) Official designation: Swiss Air Force Aerobatic Team Aircraft: 9 x Pilatus NPC-7 Base: Emmen AB History: The PC-7 Team was formed in 1989 to mark the Swiss Air Force’s 75th anniversary. In 2008 it received upgraded NPC-7s finished in the Swiss national colours. As with the Patrouille Suisse, the PC-7 Team’s pilots undertake practice and display duties in addition to their front-line duties, meaning they perform a restricted number of displays. It has, however, become more active internationally over the last decade, having performed in France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden,

14

Malta, Bulgaria and the UK. Display: Formation manoeuvres are flown before splitting and performing a range of synchronised and opposition manoeuvres by different-sized groups as well as solo aerobatics before a concluding break.

Military Display Teams of the World - 2013

Pilots 2013 T Ldr/1

Hptm Martin Vetter

2

Oblt Marius Krüsi

3

Oblt Mario Thöni

4/Slot

Hptm Mario Schwarz

5

Hptm Cyril Johner

6

Hptm Thomas Hilpert

7

Hptm Christoph Schneider

8

Capt David Menth

9

Hptm Martin Hess

SWISS AIR FORCE (Schweizer Luftwaffe) English translation: Swiss Patrol Official designation: Swiss Air Force Aerobatic Team Aircraft: 6 x Northrop F-5E Tiger II Base: Dübendorf AB History: The Patrouille Suisse was established in 1964 as a four-ship Hunter aerobatic team to mark the Swiss AF’s 50th anniversary and perform at that year’s Lausanne Expo. A fifth Hunter was added in 1970 and a sixth followed in 1978 for the first performance overseas, in France. With the Hunter’s retirement in 1995 the team transitioned to Northrop F-5Es painted in the Swiss national colours, performing its first display in 1996 and is a regular attendee of major European airshows. In February 2013 the Swiss defence minister told the country’s parliament that the Patrouille Suisse will be disbanded at the end of the 2015 season as retirement of

the F-5E begins from the Swiss Air Force as it is replaced with the Saab JAS-39E, which has led to a national outcry. Display: Close-formation loops, barrel rolls and passes are followed by a split into a box-four and a pair. The four-ship performs closeformation aerobatics while the pair flies opposition, synchronised and solo manoeuvres. All six aircraft re-join for the finale involving the F-5Es simultaneously firing flares. Trivia: Several formations are named after Swiss national icons, including 'Toblerone', 'Milking Stool', 'Matterhorn', 'Fondue Fork' and 'Federer'.

Pilots 2013 T Ldr/1

Capt Simon Billeter

2

Capt Rodolfo Freiburghaus

3

Capt Gunnar Jansen

4

Capt Gaël Lachat

5

Capt Michael Meister

6

Capt Reto Amstutz

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Taiwan Thunder Tiger REPUBLIC OF CHINA AIR FORCE (Chung-Kuo Kung Chuan) Official designation: Republic of China (Taiwan) Air Force Aerobatic Team Aircraft: 7 x AIDC AT-3 Tz-Chiang Base: Tainan AB History: The team was established in 1954 with four F-84Gs, later increased to nine. In 1959 it transferred to the F-86F and in the same year its pilots flew to the US where they borrowed USAF F-86s to display at Nellis AFB. Thunder Tiger later flew F-5As (1967-75)

Analayo Korsakul

RoCAF

Taiwan - Thunder Tiger

Thailand - Blue Phoenix

Thailand Blue Phoenix ROYAL THAI AIR FORCE (Kongtap Agard Thai) Official designation: Royal Thai Air Force Aerobatic Team Aircraft: 6 x PC-9 Mustang Base: Nakhon Pathom Kamphang Saen AFB History: Blue Phoenix was formed in early 2012 using PC-9 basic flying trainers and instructor pilots from the 2nd Training Squadron of the RTAF Flying Training School, in order to mark the Royal Thai Air Force’s 100th anniversary. A public debut took place on March 27, 2012 during an

and F-5Es (1975-88) before moving to the Air Force Academy in 1988 and transferring to the indigenous AT-3. Initially it flew as a six-ship, but later expanded to seven. Display: All seven aircraft perform formation manoeuvres before a solo breaks away. The six-ship and solo then alternate before the six-ship splits down further into smaller groups for synchronised and break manoeuvres. Pilots 2013: Information unavailable at the time of going to press.

UAE - Al Fursan

THK

Key - Gary Parsons

SAF

Turkey - Türk Yıldızları

airshow at its home base and it has since participated in various RTAF events including a centenary celebration at Don Muang last July. Display: Loops and passes are flown in various formation shapes before breaking into a four-ship and a pair, with each performing further formation and synchronised manoeuvres. The team then re-joins for a concluding break. Trivia: Thailand’s first military aerobatic team. Pilots 2013: Information unavailable at the time of going to press.

Turkey Türk Y ıldızları TURKISH AIR FORCE (Türk Hava Kuvvetleri) English translation: Turkish Stars Official designation: Turkish Air Force Air Demonstration Team Aircraft: 8 x Canadair NF-5A Base: Konya AB History: It was not until 1992 that the Turkish Air Force decided to establish a permanent, full-time team in the form of the Turkish Stars using seven NF-5As. Training began in 1993 and the first public display was given in Ankara on Republic Day in October 1994. The Turkish Stars subsequently displayed at national military events and international airshows, its first overseas display being

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in Belgium in 1995. It expanded to eight NF-5As in 2004. Display: The first half sees the NF-5As performing passes in various formation shapes before separating. There follows opposition manoeuvres, synchronised figures from groups of two, three and four aircraft and solo flying, including a heart, before a concluding break. Trivia: The Turkish Stars reputedly set an unofficial world record by performing in front of a million spectators during a display in Baku, Azerbaijan, in 2001. Pilots 2013: Information unavailable at the time of going to press.

UAE Al Fursan UNITED ARAB EMIRATES AIR FORCE & AIR DEFENCE English translation: The Knights Official designation: UAE National Aerobatic Team Aircraft: 7 x Aermacchi MB339NAT Base: Khalifa Bin Zayed Air College, Al Ain AB History: Al Fursan was established in late 2009, with its first appearance being a single flypast by four MB339As at the 2010 Al Ain Aerobatics Show. Aermacchi has produced the MB339NAT (National Aerobatic Team) variant for the team, involving the removal of wing tip tanks and the addition of a smoke system. Al Fursan’s pilots began

training with the Frecce Tricolori in July 2010 and debuted at the Dubai Airshow 2011. It displayed overseas in the UK at RIAT in 2012. Display: The influence of the Frecce Tricolori training is evident. Al Fursan performs some different figures from the Frecce, however, including an upwards split to represent a palm tree and a corkscrew where the solo rolls around the main formation. Trivia: The MB339NAT’s colour scheme represents the UAE – the undersides show the country’s national colours and the black and gold symbolise its sand and oil reserves. Pilots 2013: Information unavailable at time of press.

2013 - Military Display Teams of the World

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Military display teams of the world 2013 USA Thunderbirds

Pilots 2013 Lt Col Greg Moseley

Thunderbird 2

Capt Joshua Boudreaux

Thunderbird 3

Maj Caroline Jensen

Thunderbird 4

Maj Curtis Dougherty

Thunderbird 5

Maj Blaine Jones

Thunderbird 6

Capt Jason Curtis

MoD/Crown copyright

UNITED STATES AIR FORCE Official designation: US Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron Aircraft: 6 x Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon Base: Nellis AFB History: The team was formed in May 1953 and initially operated F-84Gs, then F-84Fs. In 1956 the team moved onto the F-100, which was used until 1964 when F-105s arrived. These were flown for just six displays before being dropped due to safety concerns, the pilots quickly reverting to the F-100 before operating F-4s in 1969-73. The Thunderbirds then spent a decade flying the T-38 before receiving the F-16A/B in 1983. These were replaced in 1992 by F-16Cs/Ds, which in 2009 received an upgrade to Block 52 standard. Due to celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2013, the impact of sequestration cuts to the US defence budget has suspended the team’s flying activities until the end of September. Display: The display begins with Thunderbirds 1-4 taking off into the Diamond Loop before the two solo pilots take off separately, performing their own manoeuvres. The rest of the display sees the fourship alternating with the solos, the main group performing a number of formation manoeuvres and the pair solo, opposition and synchronised figures. The six F-16s then form up for a pass in Delta formation.

Thunderbird 1

USA Blue Angels

Uk - Red Arrows

UK Red Arrows ROYAL AIR FORCE Official designation: The Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team Aircraft: 9 x BAE Systems Hawk T1 Base: RAF Scampton History: After the RAF created the world’s first jet aerobatic team with Vampires in 1947, various front-line fighter squadrons in the 1950s and 1960s formed their own teams including the famous 111 Squadron Black Arrows. The RAF in 1964 decided on cost grounds to equip them with trainers – the Red Pelicans flying Jet Provosts and the Yellowjacks flying Gnats. The following year a single full-time RAF Aerobatic Team flying seven Gnats was created, and the name Red Arrows chosen to connect with the previous Red Pelicans and the popularity of the Black Arrows. Its size increased to nine aircraft in 1968. Hawks replaced the Gnats for the 1980 season. Following a difficult year in 2011 with the loss of two pilots in separate incidents, seven aircraft were displayed in 2012

but the Red Arrows return as a nine-ship formation in 2013 and will perform its 4,500th public display during the summer. Display: The Red Arrows display format – a first half of all aircraft together in formation, followed by a second half of manoeuvres by smaller groups of aircraft including the Synchro Pair – has been the model for many teams worldwide. Its manoeuvres have also been copied or adapted countless time by other teams.

Pilots 2013 Red 1

Sqn Ldr Jim Turner

Red 2

Flt Lt Oliver Parr

Red 3

Flt Lt Mark Lawson

Red 4

Flt Lt Martin Pert

Red 5

Flt Lt Steve Morris

Red 6

Flt Lt Chris LyndonSmith

Red 7

Flt Lt James McMillan

Red 8

Flt Lt Ben Plank

Red 9

Flt Lt Mike Child

Red 10 (Commentator) Sqn Ldr Mike Ling

UNITED STATES NAVY Official designation: US Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron Aircraft: 6 x Boeing F/A-18 Hornet Base: NAS Pensacola History: The Blue Angels team was established in April 1946, making it the longest-serving military display team. Its first display that July used the F6F-5 Hellcat, which it operated for just two months before switching to the F8F Bearcat. Subsequent aircraft were the F9F Panther (1949-55), F9F-8 Cougar (1955-57), F11F Tiger (1957-69), F-4J Phantom (1969-74) and A-4F Skyhawk (1974-1986) before transferring to F/A-18s in 1986. The Blue Angels C-130 ‘Fat Albert’ support aircraft arrived in 1975 and its JATO (Jet Assisted Take Off) display was incorporated into performances. The final JATO was performed in 2009 as the last stockpile of JATO bottles was expended, but ‘Fat Albert’ is still part of the routine. Like the Thunderbirds, the team has undertaken several overseas tours, including one to Europe in 2006. Again, due to the impact of sequestration on the US defence budget, the Blue Angels schedule has been suspended until the end of September. Display: The Blue Angels display starts with a performance takeoff and solo manoeuvres by ‘Fat Albert’. Blue Angels 1-4 then launch in Diamond formation, followed by the two solos. The two groups then alternate, the four-ship performing formation manoeuvres and passes, and the solos carrying out opposition runs and synchronised figures. The six Hornets then join for a break and cross-over. Trivia: The team was named after a nightclub in New York City.

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Military Display Teams of the World - 2013

USA - Blue Angels

US Navy

USA -thunderbirds

USAF

Pilots 2013 Cmding Officer/ Flight Ldr

Cmdr Thomas Frosch

R Wg

Lt Cdr John Hiltz

L Wg

Lt Nate Barton

Slot

Capt Brandon Cordill, USMC

L Solo

Lt Cdr David Tickle

O Solo

Lt Mark Tedrow

C-130 pilot

Maj John Hecker, USMC

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