Air Forces Monthly UK 2014-10

OCTOBER2014 Issue#319 EXERCISE REPORT HOT AND HEAVY IN HAWAII OCTOBER2014 Issue#319 Officially the World's NUMBER ONE Military Aviation Magazine | www...

29 downloads 39 Views 27MB Size

Download PDF

OCTOBER 2014 Issue #319

EXERCISE REPORT HOT AND HEAVY IN HAWAII

Officially the World's NUMBER ONE Military Aviation Magazine | www.airforcesmonthly.com

GOLDSTARS ARE GO! MISSION READY

BACK FROM THE DEAD Indonesian Aerospace PTDI

UK NAVY AGGRESSORS

ATTACK HELICOPTERS

OCTOBER 2014 £4.60

Made in China

736 Naval Air Squadron

THE BEAR IS BACK

Russian Intruders Return

AIRCRAFT PROFILE 01_UK_Cover_Oct.indd 1

AH-1 TZEFA 08/09/2014 15:20

CONTENTS

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

News

40

All the world’s military aviation news, by region. 4-5 Headlines 6-9 United Kingdom 10-12 Europe 14-17 North America 20-22 Latin America 23-25 Middle East 26-27 Africa 28-29 Asia Pacific 30 Russia and the CIS 32 Australasia 33 Contracts & Deployments 34-35 AFM AFM’s ’s Dave Allport reports on the world’s military accidents.

36 Mission Rehearsal Exercise – RAF Marham In the first of a two-part feature, AFM’s Glenn Sands describes how RAF Marham’s 31 ‘Goldstars’ Squadron is preparing for the last Tornado Force deployment to Kandahar, Afghanistan.

40 Indonesia’s Revival Revitalising Indonesia’s aerospace industry after the 1997 Asian

FREE DVD

Claim your FREE Mirage F-1 or Flying DVD worth up to £19.99 when you subscribe to AirForces Monthly. See pages 14 & 15 for details.

Find us on

Facebook

facebook.com/AirForcesMonthly Cover: Despite approaching its 40th anniversary, the Tornado has emerged as one of the most potent close-air support aircraft in the world today following extensive combat operations over Afghanistan. This RAF Tornado GR4 is from 31 ‘Goldstars’ Squadron based at RAF Marham, Norfolk. Jamie Hunter

do’ with transports both old and new in a challenging unfamiliar world.

76 Afghanistan’s C-27A Fleet Alan Warnes investigates why after only five years of service the Afghan Air Force C-27A fleet is being scrapped.

80 736 NAS Royal Navy financial collapse has been a struggle, but as Alan Warnes discovered during a visit to Baddung, the future is looking brighter.

56 Oman’s Jaguars

44 Chinese Attack Helicopters

60 EXERCISE REPORT - RIMPAC 2014

In a world where sanctions, vetoes, clones and copies play a big part, China’s attack helicopters are finally emerging from the shadows as Jakub Fojtik explains.

Neil Dundridge examines one of the largest annual air and maritime exercises in the Pacific region, focusing on how the Canadian Forces dealt with threats from above and below the waves.

54 Russian Aviation Expansion Dr Dave Sloggett considers how Russian military aviation is increasingly showing signs of behaviour reminiscent of the Cold War.

Editorial

Every dog has its day, so the old saying goes, and this is certainly the case for the RAF’s Tornado GR4s squadrons. I recall back in 2009 when it was first proposed that Tornados would replace the Harrier GR9s as the ‘new’ close-air support platform for the UK’s commitment to Operation Herrick in Afghanistan. There was a wave of criticism from the armchair experts who were certain the Tornados were not up to the job. As a long-term devotee of the Tornado, I’ve closely followed its development and career from those Cold War-era camouflaged GR1s that entered service in 1982, to the current rather scruffy looking GR4s of today. It may look as though very little has changed with the aircraft.

As the Jaguar is retired in Oman, Peter R Foster takes a brief look at the aircraft’s history in the kingdom.

66 FORCE REPORT USAF Air Mobility Command Bob Archer describes the operational fleet of the USAF’s Air Mobility Command – a force that’s ‘making

However a recent assignment to RAF Marham for a long chat with combat-tested aircrews revealed that this is not the case at all. There have been many capability improvements ‘under the skin’ and all ensure that bombs and missiles can be put on a target with as little collateral damage as possible. For many coalition forces out in theatre, the GR4 has become the close-air support platform of choice: ‘a very fast bomb truck’. The RAF’s Tornado Force at Marham is involved in two on-going deployments: 31 Squadron heads to Kandahar for the GR4’s last commitment to Operation Herrick (see pages 36-39, Goldstars are Go!), while 2 Squadron has moved from its temporary base at RAF Akrotiri,

Lewis Gaylard reports on how Royal Navy Hawks are an aggressor force to be reckoned within the skies of the UK.

88 AIRCRAFT PROFILE Israeli AH-1 Tzefa Ofer Zidon examines the remarkable career of Israel’s first battlefield attack helicopter, the AH-1 Tzefa, and how it shaped Israeli Air Force tactics.

96 Debrief Reviews of recently published books on military aviation.

98 Just a Nice Pic A Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18F Super Hornet formates with a Mirage 2000-9 from the United Arab Emirates Air Force during Exercise Pitch Black 2014.

Cyprus to an unspecified location. The US is keen to form a ‘core coalition’ to combat the forces of the Islamic State (IS) militants in Iraq, and the UK looks set to take an active role. Observers in Washington have already stated that this campaign might take two or three years to fulfil its aim and squeeze the jihadists from the region. If the RAF does take part in air strikes then the highly capable Tornado Force will be there for however long it takes. Not bad for a former 1980s Cold War veteran, eh? Glenn Sands AFM Brand Editor

60

www.airforcesdaily.com

03_Contents_Oct.indd 3

#319 OCTOBER 2014

3

09/09/2014 11:56

NEWS HEADLINES

War on Terror Part Three

Above: A US Navy F/A-18C Hornet from Strike Fighter Squadron 15 (VFA-15) ‘Vallions’ lands on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS George H W Bush (CVN 77) on August 15, 2014. The aircraft is armed with an asymmetric load, comprising two laser-guided bombs under the port wing, with an AGM-65 Maverick and external fuel tank under the starboard wing, plus another fuel tank on the centreline station. Hornets from the carrier were involved in the first air strikes on Iraq on August 8. US Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Brian Stephens

FIRST IT was Iraq, then Afghanistan and now Islamic State (IS) fighters are trying to set up their own caliphate as the War on Terror moves into a third stage. After weeks of advancing into Iraq, IS fighters had, by early September, found themselves on the back foot. Determined local Kurdish forces, aided by almost 150 US air strikes, pushed the IS forces out of key areas, such as the Haditha and Mosul Dams. The bombing by F/A-18s, F-15Es, B-1Bs and MQ-9s appeared to be having the intended effect upon the jihad movement. In retaliation, two US hostages, James Foley and Steven Sotloff, were murdered and more executions are being threatened if the US does not halt the air strikes. James Foley and Steven Sotloff were journalists working in Syria during 2012 when it is believed they were captured by jihadi fighters. Videos of them being beheaded were posted on the internet, shocking the world. Addressing President Barack Obama, in the video, Sotloff’s executioner spoke of the consequences of more attacks: “So just as your missiles continue to strike our people, our knife will continue to strike the necks of your people.” The killer made it clear that a third hostage – David Haines, a British aid worker who was snatched in Syria in March 2013 – would be next. There is growing speculation that the UK and US Special Forces, which

4

OCTOBER 2014 #319

04-05_Headlines_Oct.DJ.indd 4

are in the region, will be inserted into Syria. Their likely area of interest would be Raffaq, an IS stronghold in the south of the country, where it is thought most of the hostages are being held.

First Strikes The US air strikes started on August 7, when President Obama authorised the US military to bomb the Islamic militants. The IS was threatening the Kurdish provincial capital of Erbil, where US diplomats were assigned along with about 40 US troops manning a joint operations centre that had been set up in July. The following day, two US Navy F/A-18C Hornets from USS George W Bush (CVN 77) dropped laser guided bombs (LGBs) on IS artillery firing at Kurdish Peshmerga who were trying to defend Erbil from attack. A few hours after the Hornets struck their targets, an MQ-9 Reaper fired a Hellfire missile at IS fighters manning a mortar. Later that night, four F/A-18s struck a stationary militant convoy of seven vehicles and a mortar position. During two passes, the Hornets dropped eight LGBs which ‘neutralized’ the targets, according to Pentagon Press Secretary, Rear Admiral John Kirby.

were reaching crisis point with the UN fearing that residents would be massacred – IS having been accused of carrying out atrocities in other areas under its control. The US launched three air strikes in conjunction with a US-led international air drop of relief supplies on the town. Two RAF C-130Js were involved as well as transport aircraft from Australia and France. The US Government is making it clear that any large ground attack on the IS has to come from a broad coalition that will involve Iraqi troops. It is widely believed the deployment of additional RAF Tornado GR4s to the region could signal an expansion of their role – namely to conduct

air strikes against IS in Iraq. By September 6, the US had launched the first attacks against IS forces in the western province of Anbar. In doing so, it was departing from its strategy of defending US personnel in the northern provinces, as Obama stated on August 7. With IS fighters settled in their own safe haven in southern Syria, political observers fear that an air campaign would ultimately expand into that country to destroy the militants’ main operating base. Such action would require the US to call on aircraft and personnel from other countries in the Middle East and Europe. Whether such alliances will work remains to be seen. Alan Warnes & Glenn Sands

QinetiQ Merlin HM2 Undertaking Project Crowsnest Flight-Testing

Looking for allies By September 1, US air strikes had helped to break a two-month siege of Amerli by IS fighters. Conditions in the town, around 100 miles (161km) north of Baghdad and populated mainly by Shiites,

QinetiQ AgustaWestland Merlin HM2 ZH831, outfitted with two large radar sensor pods on the fuselage sides for trials as part of the Project Crowsnest airborne surveillance and control programme, prepares to take off from Boscombe Down, Wiltshire, on September 3, for a test flight. The helicopter is fitted with the Lockheed Martin UK system, which is in competition for the requirement with Thales UK. (For more details on the programme, see British Helicopters on the Up, September, p86). Rick Ingam

www.airforcesmonthly.com

09/09/2014 15:13

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

RAF Surveillance

On August 11, three RAF Tornados from No II (AC) Squadron left RAF Marham, Norfolk for RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus, after UK Prime Minister David Cameron said “it is no good just sending aid” (a reference to the humanitarian air drops to thousands of stranded Yazidis on Mount Sinjar). The aircraft will work with its worldclass RAPTOR (Reconnaissance Air Pod for Tornado) and its Litening III pod. Four days later, on August 15, the new UK Defence Minister, Michael Fallon, confirmed the RAF’s solitary RC-135W Rivet Joint Signals

Ukraine Cease Fire Agreement

UKRAINE AND pro-Russian separatists have agreed a truce, which came into force on September 5. As AFM closed for press, three days later, the fragile cease fire appeared to be holding, although there had been sporadic fighting in some areas, with both sides blaming the other for breaking the agreement. It is hoped the peace plan can put an end to five months of fighting, which has killed more than 2,600 people. Prior to this, the separatists had continued to target Ukrainian AF aircraft, downing a further eight - see Attrition.

Intelligence aircraft was in the Middle East, listening and locating the source of telephone calls, e-mail and internet traffic. The aircraft had left its base at RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire, on July 14, as the IS advance into Iraq gained momentum.

Above: The sole RC-135W Rivet Joint in RAF service, ZZ664, belonging to 51 Squadron, is based at RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire. The aircraft is now operating in the Middle East and has been undertaking SIGINT flights over Iraq since late-July in support of operations against IS. Key- Glenn Sands

Pakistani F-16s & AH-1s Strike Militants in Northern Waziristan THREE MONTHS into Operation Zarb-e-Azb, Pakistan’s Army, with support from its AH-1s and Air Force F-16s, continued their fight to rid the Northern Waziristan region of militants. Since June 15, government forces have been trying to flush out foreign and local fighters from their sanctuaries in Miranshar and Boya, Degan and Mirali. The PAF F-16s, comprising 5 Sqn F-16C/Ds and 9/11 Sqn’s recently upgraded F-16A/Bs, have been targeting the jihadi hide-outs day and night with laser-guided bombs, using their Litening and

ATLIS targeting pods. Artillery and tanks were also being used to target locations located by PAF C-130B and Army Beech 350 surveillance aircraft. Personnel from all three AH-1 units, 31, 33 and 35 Squadrons at Multan, have deployed to forward operating bases to support the Army as they clear up the areas and move into the towns for house-to-house searches. Around 900, including many Uzbeks, have been killed, while the Army has lost around 80 soldiers to date in some fierce fighting. Alan Warnes

Tornados to Search for Nigerian Schoolgirls THREE RAF Tornado GR4s have been deployed to assist with multi-national operations hunting for the 200+ schoolgirls kidnapped by the Boko Haram militant Islamic group in Nigeria. The aircraft, from II (Army Co-operation) Squadron at RAF Marham, Norfolk, left from there in the last week of August for their deployment. Marham’s Station Commander, Group Captain Harvey Smith, had confirmed on August 21 that the base was preparing to send the aircraft out for the mission. According to defence sources, the Tornados are operating from N’Djamena International Airport in Chad, where France’s long-term Opération Épervier detachment is based and is believed to be hosting the GR4s. The aircraft are providing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities over the region

www.airforcesdaily.com

04-05_Headlines_Oct.DJ.indd 5

in which Boko Haram operates, attempting to track their movements as efforts continue to find the kidnapped girls. The RAF has also committed a Sentinel R1 from V (Army

Co-operation) Squadron at RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire, to assist with the search. It left Waddington on May 18 to operate from Accra, Ghana, on surveillance flights over Nigeria.

Brand Editor: Glenn Sands World Air Forces Correspondent: Alan Warnes Editorial contact: [email protected] Military News Editor: Dave Allport 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: Ann Petrie Commercial Director: Ann Saundry Executive Chairman: Richard Cox Managing Director & Publisher: Adrian Cox 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 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 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, Lincs., PE9 1XQ, UK. 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

Above: Royal Air Force Tornado GR4 ZA592 ‘059’ from II (Army Co-operation) Squadron landing at RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus, on August 16 after a surveillance mission over Iraq. The aircraft was one of three deployed on August 12, each equipped with Litening III reconnaissance pods, to undertake these missions. An additional three Tornado GR4s from the Squadron have also now been deployed to N’Djamena, Chad, to assist in the search for the schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram in Nigeria. MOD Crown Copyright/Cpl Neil Bryden

#319 OCTOBER 2014

5

09/09/2014 15:08

NEWS UNITED KINGDOM Government Remains Evasive on Possible UK Poseidon Lease

RUMOURS PERSIST regarding possible plans for the UK to lease Boeing P-8A Poseidons from the US (see Poseidon for Britain?, September, p4), but there is still no official comment. Most recently, Philip Dunne, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State and Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology, refused to divulge any information in a written answer to a direct question on the matter in the House of Commons on September 1. Angus Robertson MP asked: “what communication (a) he and (b) officials in his department have had with the Boeing Company regarding the lease of four P-8A aircraft.” Mr Dunne responded: “I am withholding the information requested, as disclosure would be likely to prejudice the formulation of development of Government policy.” Government officials state that no decision will be made before next year’s Strategic Defence and Security Review. In order to prevent ‘skills fade’ after the scrapping of the Nimrod MRA4, under Project Seedcorn British aircrew are flying with other air arms to maintain maritime aircrew experience.

Both New UK Carriers Will Enter Service

UK PRIME Minister Davision Cameron has confirmed that the second of the new UK aircraft carriers, HMS Prince of Wales (R 09), will also be brought into service. Its future had been in doubt after the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review recommended that only one be kept in service and the other held in strategic reserve. Cameron announced the decision on September 5 after the NATO Summit in Wales. Even allowing for maintenance periods, this will ensure one carrier is available for 100% of the time. The first of these carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth (R 08), was formally named during a ceremony on July 4 at Rosyth, Scotland, in the dry dock where she was built. After being floated out on July 17 she is now being fitted out with combat systems, prior to sea trials in 2016.

6

OCTOBER 2014 #319

06-07_UKNews_Oct DJ.indd 6

Air Livery Resprays New Niger Government 737 BBJ

Above: An unusual recent visitor to Norwich Airport, Norfolk, for a respray by Air Livery was newly acquired Niger Government Boeing 737-75U(W) 5U-GRN (c/n 28976, ex VP-BRM). The aircraft arrived at Norwich on July 19 in the colours of its previous operator and is seen here leaving on August 28 in its new Niger Government scheme. For more details on the acquisition, see Africa News, p26. Peter Hudson

Army Air Corps’ 654 Squadron Disbanded AS PART of the re-organisation of 4 Regiment, Army Air Corps, under the Army 2020 reforms, the unit has been reduced from three to two squadrons. The Regiment, which flies the Apache AH1 and is based at Wattisham Flying Station, Suffolk, previously comprised 654, 656 and 664 Squadrons. A ceremony was held at Wattisham on July 8 to mark the disbandment of 654 Squadron. The Regiment will, however, retain its previous manning

levels and the same number of helicopters. The two surviving units, 656 and 664 Squadrons, will each have an increased number of Apaches and personnel, enabling them to better support 16 Air Assault Brigade. As part of the disbandment parade, flypasts were carried out by an Auster aircraft, plus Gazelle, Lynx and Apache helicopters, representing types that have all been flown by 654 Squadron on operations since it was formed in 1942.

Contract for New F-35 Academic Training Centre at Marham AS PART of preparations for UK operations of the F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), Lockheed Martin is to set up a UK JSF Academic Training Centre. This will be located at RAF Marham, Norfolk, which was confirmed as the first main base for the UK’s F-35Bs on March 25, 2013. The contract, valued at $19.99 million, was awarded by US Naval Air Systems Command on August 26 as a modification to the previous F-35 Low Rate Initial Production Lot VI deal. Work, which comprises site activation and stand-up of the facility, is to be completed by December 2015.

RAF C-17As & C-130Js Deliver Military Support to Iraq ROYAL AIR Force C-130J Super Hercules have assisted in delivering much-needed military equipment to Iraq. UK Ministry of Defence officials confirmed on September 1, that the previous night, two RAF C-130Js had delivered 11 tonnes of equipment directly to Erbil, Iraq. The mission was undertaken from RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus, from

where the two Hercules had been undertaking humanitarian aid drops over Iraq since August 9. The delivery to Erbil consisted of 7.62mm ammunition from other nations, plus body armour, helmets and sleeping bags from the UK. RAF C-17A aircraft have also carried a range of non-lethal support (gifted by the UK to Iraq) to RAF Akrotiri, following

which it was transported on to the Kurdish forces. As of September 1, the RAF had made seven successful air drops of UK aid over Mount Sinjar, Iraq, including water containers, solar lamps and shelter kits. In addition, the Department for International Development has made six humanitarian aid flights directly into Erbil.

Royal Air Force/99 Squadron C-17A Globemaster III ZZ171 transporting UK aid for Northern Iraq, which was flown from RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, on August 30 to RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus. It was then transferred to RAF C-130J Hercules for delivery into Iraq. MOD Crown Copyright/Cpl Neil Bryden

www.airforcesmonthly.com

08/09/2014 16:27

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

Helicopter Carrier HMS Illustrious Decommissioned

ROYAL NAVY helicopter carrier HMS Illustrious (R 06) has been decommissioned. A formal ceremony to mark the occasion was held at Portsmouth Naval Base, Hampshire, on August 28. The ship had sailed into Portsmouth for the last time on July 22 and was then withdrawn from service. Prior to docking, she met up with her replacement, amphibious assault ship HMS Ocean (L 12), off the south coast, for a ceremonial handing over of duties. HMS Ocean will now become the Royal Navy’s primary helicopter landing platform as HMS Illustrious retires after 32 years of service. Ocean is currently Britain’s biggest warship, although that will change when the new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth (R 08) enters service. To mark the retirement of Illustrious, Apache, Lynx, Merlin and Sea King helicopters flew over the ship as she entered Portsmouth harbour at the end of her final voyage. There were also flypasts on August 28 during the decommissioning ceremony, involving an Apache AH1, Lynx HMA8 (ZD257 ‘644’), Merlin HM1 and HC3, Sea King HC4s (ZA296 ‘Q’ and ZG821 ‘G’), Sea King HU5 XV661 ‘26’ and Sea King ASAC7 XV649 ‘80’, plus a Wildcat, Falcon 20 G-FRAO and Sea Vixen G-CVIX. The Ministry of Defence hopes she can now be preserved and has invited tenders from private companies, charities and trusts to secure her future, with the proviso that she must remain in the UK.

RAF Tornado GR4 Gains 40th Anniversary Scheme

Above: RAF Marham Wing Tornado GR4 ZD788 has been painted in special colours to mark the 40th anniversary of the type’s maiden flight. The aircraft is seen here at RAF Marham, Norfolk, during the families day on August 21, when it was publicly unveiled. James Vaitkevicius

Special Scheme Portuguese F-16 Arrives for NATO Summit Flypast

Above: Força Aérea Portuguesa (FAP - Portuguese Air Force F-16AM 15136 from Esquadra de Caça 201 Falcões (Falcons) at Monte Real landing at RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, on September 3 in readiness for the NATO summit flypast two days later - see p8 for more details and photos. The aircraft wears special tail markings to celebrate 20 years of FAP F-16 operations. Jamie Ewan

News Brief TRANSFER OF the second of two Royal Air Force Typhoon units from RAF Leuchars, Fife, to RAF Lossiemouth, Moray, has now been completed. The second unit, 1 (Fighter)

Squadron, marked the occassion on September 8 by putting up a special eight-ship formation in the shape of a number 1. The unit was preceded in the move to Lossiemouth by 6 Squadron,

which completed its transfer on June 20. Both squadrons officially began providing the Northern Quick Reaction Alert cover from their new home at Lossiemouth on September 8.

USAF Boeing C-32A Visits Mildenhall During NATO Summit

US Air Force/89th Airlift Wing/1st Airlift Squadron Boeing C-32A 09-0015 (callsign ‘SAM95’) arriving at RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk, on September 3 in connection with the NATO Summit in Wales. The aircraft was one of no less than four of the type visiting the UK at the time in connection with the Summit. Another, 980002, landed at London-Stansted Airport, Essex, while a further two, 99-0004 and 99-0016, flew into RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire. Colin Johnson

www.airforcesdaily.com

06-07_UKNews_Oct DJ.indd 7

#319 OCTOBER 2014

7

08/09/2014 16:27

NEWS UNITED KINGDOM

NATO Summit 2014 Wales W ITH THE eyes of the world on Wales in September as the NATO Summit got under way, a flypast of 22 aircraft took place on September 5 over its venue, the Celtic Manor Resort. The formation represented some of the NATO countries that have been involved in policing the airspace across Europe, as part of the Alliance’s efforts to support and reassure its Eastern member states. A few days prior to the summit a formation rehearsal was flown involving the nine air forces taking part. Many of them had flown into RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, on September 2 in order to prepare.

1: The German Air Force sent two EF2000 Typhoons, 30+53 and 30+98, (with a stylised R on the fuselage representing Manfred von Richthofen), from Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader (TkLg) 31 Boelcke, based at Nörvenich. All images Jamie Ewan 2: Supporting the two Portuguese Air Force F-16AMs of Esq 201 Falcões (Falcons) out of Monte Real was this CASA C295M, 16706 operated by Esquadra 502 Elefantes (Elephants) from Lajes Air Base, Azores. 3: One of two Royal Danish Air Force Fighting Falcons of Esk 730 from Skrydstrup Air Base arrives at RAF Brize Norton. This F-16AM, E-600, carries a pair of AIM-120 AMRAAMs on its wingtips and a large baggage pod on its inner pylon. 4: Three Polish Air Force MiG-29A Fulcrums, 40, 67 and 108, serving with 1 Eskadra Lotnictwa Taktycznego from Minsk Mazowiecki, were each adorned with portraits of World War Two Polish aces on the inside of their tails. No 67 paid tribute to Wg Cdr Wojiech Kolaczkowski.

1

2

3

4

8

OCTOBER 2014 #319

08_UKNews_Oct.aw.indd 8

www.airforcesmonthly.com

05/09/2014 14:57

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

New Mission Markings on RC-135U Combat Sent

NOTED ARRIVING back at RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk, on August 30 with newly applied mission markings was US Air Force RC-135U Combat Sent 64-14849 ‘OF’, callsign ‘Thru 56’. The aircraft is operated by the 55th Wing’s 45th Reconnaissance Squadron at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. The new mission markings are applied just above the forward crew door on the port side of the fuselage. They comprise four Russian hammer and sickle symbols and three silhouettes of vessels, which appear to have a similar outline to the Russian Navy aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov. The aircraft had arrived at Mildenhall on July 29 and began flying regular missions, two or three times a week, from August 1. These have reportedly been monitoring areas of Russia along the Baltic Sea coast. Ryan Dorling

RAF’s First A400M Atlas Makes its Maiden Flight

Above: The first RAF A400M Atlas, (ZM400)/EC-405 (c/n 015), taking off for its maiden flight on August 30 from Seville-San Pablo Airport, Spain. Airbus Defence and Space

AIRBUS DEFENCE and Space has flown the first Royal Air Force A400M Atlas. The aircraft, (ZM400)/EC-405 (c/n 015), made its maiden flight on August 30, from Seville-San Pablo Airport, Spain, where the A400M Final Assembly Line (FAL) is located. It took off from Seville at 1425hrs local time and was airborne for 5hrs 5mins before landing back there. Edward Strongman, the company’s Chief Test Pilot Military, captained the flight. He said after landing: “It was

very satisfying to conduct this first flight of the first A400M for the Royal Air Force. I have no doubt that its combination of true tactical capability with strategic range will be an enormous contributor to future air mobility in the RAF.” The aircraft is the first of 22 ordered by the UK and will be available for delivery by the end of September. It had undertaken its first taxi trials in Seville on August 10, when it was still only painted in primer.

Also now complete at the Seville factory are the second and third RAF examples, ZM401 (c/n 016) and ZM402 (c/n 017), which were yet to fly as this issue closed for press. The fourth and fifth RAF aircraft, ZM403 (c/n 020) and ZM404 (c/n 021), are also in production on the FAL. Airbus plans to deliver the first four RAF aircraft by the end of this year, followed by six more in 2015, another six in 2016 and the remaining four of the 22 on order by mid-2018.

RAF Rivet Joint Undertaking Recce Flights Over Iraq

Above: Close-up of the nose of US Air Force/55th Wing/45th Reconnaissance Squadron RC-135U Combat Sent 64-14849 taxiing in at RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk, on August 30 with newly applied mission markings above the forward crew door. Ryan Dorling

News Brief THE FIRST Royal Air Force Merlin HC3 has recently appeared with Royal Navy titles in preparation for transfer of these helicopters to the Fleet Air Arm. The Merlin, ZJ124 'H', was noted with the new titles on the ramp outside the Merlin Depth Maintenance Facility at Royal Naval Air Sation Culdrose, Cornwall, on September 2. It carried 'Royal Navy' titles on the forward section of the tail boom and a small white ensign and Royal Navy titles below the cockpit.

www.airforcesdaily.com

09_UKNews_Oct.aw.DJ.indd 9

UK ASSISTANCE in providing humanitarian aid to the Yazidi refugees in northern Iraq has been stepped up with the addition of surveillance flights by the Royal Air Force’s sole RC-135W Rivet Joint aircraft. UK Ministry of Defence officials confirmed on August 16 that the aircraft, ZZ664 operated by 51 Squadron at RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire, had already carried out a number of flights during the previous week or two, over areas in northern Iraq that had been targeted by the advancing Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) extremists. The MOD said that Rivet Joint had assisted in building up a picture of the situation on the ground to enable determination of the best options for providing humanitarian assistance for the Yazidi people. Deployment of the aircraft was confirmed by UK Defence Secretary Michael Fallon, who was at RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus, on August 16 to visit the teams preparing the aid bundles that were being flown out of the base at that time on two RAF Hercules for air dropping

to the refugees on Mount Sinjar. With the requirement for aid subsequently easing, more recent RAF flights have included sending military equipment to Kurdish forces. This included 11 tonnes of 7.62mm ammunition provided by other nations, plus body armour, helmets and sleeping bags provided by the UK, which were shipped out on the night of August 31. The equipment was flown out of Akrotiri on the night of August 31, directly into Erbil, Iraq. RAF C-17As have also transported non-lethal support equipment to Akrotiri for onward transport to Kurdish forces. The Rivet Joint had left its base at Waddington on July 14 for its first overseas deployment, to Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, where it is being operated in association with the US Air Force’s 763rd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron. The unit maintains a detachment of around five USAF Rivet Joints at the base at any one time as part of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing. It is thought the RAF Rivet Joint has continued to operate from there

for its Iraqi surveillance missions. Although the RAF currently only has one Rivet Joint, a total of three are on order and work is now under way converting the remaining two. The second, which is being modified from ex-US Air Force KC-135R Stratotanker 64-14838, was delivered to L-3 Communications at Majors Field, Greenville, Texas, in December 2013 to begin the lengthy conversion process. It is expected to be delivered to the RAF next year as ZZ665. The third and final aircraft for conversion is KC-135R 64-14830, which was previously operated by the 100th Air Refueling Wing at RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk. It left Mildenhall on July 14, 2014, for Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, where it will be stripped of unnecessary equipment. This will include removal of the air refuelling boom, boom operator’s station and some fuel tanks. It will then undergo periodic depot maintenance and rectification before it too is delivered to Greenville for RC-135W conversion. Delivery to the RAF as ZZ666 is anticipated during 2017.

#319 OCTOBER 2014

9

08/09/2014 10:19

NEWS CONTINENTAL EUROPE

French Rafales Deploy to Norway for Arctic Thunder

Germany and Netherlands Support Baltic Air Policing

DUTCH AND German fighters have been deployed to bolster the Baltic Air Policing mission in response to the crisis in Ukraine. First to arrive were four Luftwaffe Eurofighters from Taktischen Luftwaffengeschwader 74 (Tactical Air Force Squadron 74) at Neuburg, which deployed to Ämari Air Base, Estonia, on August 28. They took over Baltic airspace protection on September 1 – replacing four Royal Danish Air Force F-16s which had undertaken the task since April 30 – and will continue the mission until December. An additional two Eurofighters will be maintained on a 96-hour standby in Germany, ready to deploy if required. The Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) contingent of five F-16s arrived at Malbork Air Base, Poland, on September 3. They took over the Baltic mission on September 5, replacing French Air Force Mirage 2000s that had been in place there since June 2. The RNLAF is also sending a KDC-10 tanker, to provide support, including air-toair refuelling of NATO E-3A Sentry AWACS operating in the region.

Above: Seven of the 11 French Air Force Rafales which deployed to Norway for Exercise Arctic Thunder on the ramp at Banak Air Station. Armée de l’Air/O Ravenel

ELEVEN DASSAULT Rafales from the Armée de l’Air (French Air Force) deployed to Banak Flystasjon (Air Station)/Lakselv Airport in northern Norway from August 24 to September 5 for Exercise Arctic Thunder – which involved some 200 French airmen, including 30 aircrew, from Escadron de Chasse (EC) 1/7 ‘Provence’ and EC.1/91 ‘Gascogne’, both based at Base Aérienne (BA) 113 St Dizier, and EC.2/30 ‘Normandie-Niemen’ at BA118 Mont-de-Marsan. Banak was the furthest north the Rafale has ever been. “This is a first in many ways”, said exercise

director Lt-Col François Tricot. “It’s the first firing campaign conducted by the French Army above the Arctic Circle and also the first time Rafale aircrews have participated in air-to-ground weapons training outside France with the laser-guided Armement Air/Sol Modulaire (A2SM, modular air-to-ground) weapon.” Norwegian authorities made various facilities available to the French pilots, including the Halkavarre range near the base. The range is equipped with different types of targets and the terrain provides for delivery of various weapons, including training

Omani Royal Flight EC225LP in Rare Netherlands Visit MAKING A rare visit to the Netherlands on August 28 was Omani Royal Flight Eurocopter EC225LP Super Puma Mk II+ A40-HD (c/n 2648, ex F-WWOC). The helicopter made a fuel stop at Groningen-Eelde Airport while en route to Stavanger-

Sola Airport, Norway. It is believed the EC225 was being flown to Stavanger for maintenance at Heli-One’s facility there. The helicopter is the oldest of six EC225LPs delivered to the Omani Royal Flight between 2007 and 2009. Kees van der Mark

News Brief SIX US Air Force F-16s from the 31st Wing at Aviano Air Base, Italy, deployed to Lask Air Base, Poland, on September 4. They will undertake joint training with the Polish Armed Forces through to September 19 as part of the expanded commitment to security in eastern Europe.

10

OCTOBER 2014 #319

10-11_EuropeNews_Oct.DJ.indd 10

Above: Omani Royal Flight Eurocopter EC225LP Super Puma Mk II+ A40-HD departing from Groningen-Eelde Airport in the Netherlands. Kees van der Mark

munitions, cannon, A2SM and laser-guided GBU 12 munitions. It also offers opportunities for multiple tactical scenarios. In conjunction with their Norwegian counterparts, specialists from the Centre d’Expertise de l’Armement Embarqué (CEAE – literally, centre of expertise for embedded weapons) ensured the smooth running of operations and assessed pilots’ performance during the exercise. An aircrew rotation on August 30 enabled the maximum number of Rafale pilots and navigators to take part in the exercise.

RUAG & ISS Team on Self-Protection Systems RUAG Aviation has signed a teaming agreement with HISS Inc to deliver electronic warfare solutions for airborne platforms. Announcing details of the deal on August 27, RUAG said their focus will be on the ISSYS integrated self-protection system, which was developed by RUAG Aviation together with Saab, as well as other related systems. The company claims that , through their teaming, electronic warfare operators worldwide will benefit from the complementary competencies of the two companies. Swiss company RUAG Aviation is a provider of electronic warfare products and solutions. HISS has wide experience in aircraft mission system integration, installation and service support, with an extensive, established presence in international markets.

www.airforcesmonthly.com

08/09/2014 10:16

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

Fourth French Air Force A400M Atlas Delivered

AIRBUS DEFENCE and Space has delivered the fourth Armée de l’Air (French Air Force) A400M Atlas airlifter, 0011/F-RBAD (c/n 011, ex EC-401), to France’s Direction générale de l’armement (DGA). It was handed over to the DGA on August 13, departing the same day on delivery to Base Aérienne 123 (BA123) Orléans-Bricy, where it has joined Escadron de Transport 1/61 ‘Touraine’. Its arrival followed delivery of the third French aircraft, 0010/F-RBAC (c/n 010), which arrived at Orléans on July 25. The first two French A400Ms, 0007/F-RBAA (c/n 007) ‘Ville d’Orléans’ and 0008/F-RBAB (c/n 008) ‘Ville de Toulouse’, were delivered in 2013. Another milestone was achieved by one of the French aircraft, 0008, which made an almost 7½-hour transatlantic flight to Washington DC on August 9. Operating in support of European Air Transport Command, it left its base at Orléans for Cologne, Germany, where it picked up a cargo of freight before flying to Washington via a brief stopover in Shannon, Ireland. The Atlas then continued to Canada, stopping off at Calgary and Quebec City airports, before flying non-stop back from the latter to Brussels and then returning to Orléans.

First Turkish C-130 with Upgraded Avionics Delivered

Above: The first Türk Hava Kuvvetleri (THK, Turkish Air Force) Hercules to be modernised with new avionics under the Erciyes programme, C-130E 13188, during its handover ceremony at TAI’s facilities in Ankara on August 8. TAI

TURKISH AEROSPACE Industries (TAI) has delivered the first Türk Hava Kuvvetleri (THK, Turkish Air Force) C-130 Hercules to be modernised under the ‘Erciyes’ programme. The aircraft, C-130E 13188, was handed over to the THK during a ceremony at TAI’s facilities in Ankara on August 8. The programme covers all 19 Hercules in the Turkish fleet, which comprises six C-130Bs and 13 C-130Es. A contract for the upgrade was originally signed between Turkey’s Savunma

Sanayii Müsteşarlığı (SSM, Undersecretariat for Defence Industries) and TAI in December 2006, covering the six C-130Bs and seven C-130Es in service at the time. Six C-130Es acquired from the Royal Saudi Air Force in 2010 have since been added to the programme. The work primarily involves an avionics upgrade to comply with the latest GATM, RVSM and CAT-II ILS requirements. The C-130s’ new avionic display and lighting system is fully night-vision compatible and

includes a glass cockpit with four multi-function displays, two control display units and two multi-mission computers. Within the scope of the Erciyes programme, TAI has been responsible for design, integration test and check-out of the system on two prototypes. It will also deliver kits for the remaining 17 aircraft, installation of which will be undertaken by the THK’s 2nd Air Supply and Maintenance Centre Command at Kayseri. TAI will also be responsible for post-delivery support of the whole system.

A400M Completes Refuelling Trials with Hornet AIRBUS DEFENCE and Space has successfully conducted air-to-air (AAR) refuelling tests with its A400M and a Spanish Air Force EF-18 Hornet fighter. Announcing completion of the trials on August 28, the company said the A400M tanker

test campaign comprised five flights, during which the A400M carried out 33 dry contacts and dispensed 18.6 tonnes of fuel to the EF-18 in 35 wet contacts. The A400M has a basic fuel capacity of 50.8 tonnes which can be increased by the use of

extra cargo-hold tanks. It has full provisions for air-to-air refuelling operations installed as standard and only requires an optional AAR kit to become a tanker, having been designed as from the outset to be a dual-role transport and tanker aircraft.

Special 40th Anniversary Colours on Luftwaffe Tornado

Above: Landing at Manching, Germany, on September 3, Luftwaffe Tornado IDS 44+61 has been painted in special colours to mark the 40th anniversary of the type’s first flight. The colours replicate those of what was then known as the Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) prototype, D-9591 (P.01), which made its first flight at Manching on August 14, 1974. Dr Andreas Zeitler

www.airforcesdaily.com

10-11_EuropeNews_Oct.DJ.indd 11

#319 OCTOBER 2014

11

08/09/2014 10:16

NEWS CONTINENTAL EUROPE

Canada and Portugal Take Over Baltic Air Policing

Above: Four Royal Canadian Air Force CF-18 Hornets at Šiauliai Air Base, Lithuania, after arriving on August 26 from Campia Turzii Air Base, Romania, to supplement the Baltic Air Policing mission. Seen behind are two of the four RAF Typhoons which, along with four Polish Air Force MiG-29s, had been carrying out the mission for the past four months. Lithuanian MOD

CANADIAN AND Portuguese fighters have taken over the latest rotation of the Baltic Air Policing mission. A formal ceremony was held on September 1 at Šiauliai Air Base, Lithuania, to transfer responsibility from Poland and the UK to the new incumbents. Although Portugal is contributing for the second time, this is the first occasion that Canadian fighters have been

involved in the mission. The Canadians will supplement the Portuguese detachment as part of the increased commitment in the region owing to the ongoing situation in Ukraine. The outgoing rotation, comprising four Polish Air Force MiG-29 Fulcrums and four RAF Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4s, had been undertaking the mission since April 30.

They have now been replaced for the next four months by six Força Aérea Portuguesa (FAP – Portuguese Air Force) F-16s and four Royal Canadian Air Force CF-18 Hornets. The four RCAF CF-18s arrived at Šiauliai on August 26 from Campia Turzii Air Base, Romania, where they had been deployed since May 7 as part of the NATO reassurance measures in

response to the Ukraine crisis. The Canadian Air Task Force operating in eastern Europe is known as Operation Reassurance. The six FAP F-16s joined them at Šiauliai on August 29. The Canadian and Portuguese aircraft will continue to be deployed in Lithuania for the next four months, forming the 36th rotation of the Baltic Air Policing mission.

First Upgraded French Air Force KC-135RG Delivered THE FIRST of three ageing Armée de l’Air (French Air Force) Boeing C-135FR Stratotankers has been upgraded in the USA and returned to France. The aircraft, 23574 ‘93-CP’, arrived back at Base Aérienne (BA) 125 Istres on August 21 to rejoin Groupe de Ravitaillement 2/91 ‘Bretagne’. The Boeing, now designated a KC-135RG, was flown back from Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, by a US Air Force crew. Temporary US military markings were taped on for the ferry flight, including ‘AFRC’ (Air Force Reserve Command) titles on the fin and a star and bar on the rear fuselage. The modernisation primarily involves the avionics, with the installation of the RENO Global

12

OCTOBER 2014 #319

12_EuropeNews_Oct.aw.indd 12

Air Traffic Management (GATM) system. This provides a new interface, which gives navigation standards identical to those of the US Air Force KC-135, together with a more efficient and secure integration into general air traffic control systems. While preserving the on-board intercom, which is specific to French aircraft, the KC-135RG also now has a high-frequency wire antenna. Furthermore, it has been re-configured to enable carriage of standard cargo pallets. Technical experts from the Équipe de Marque Ravitaillement en Vol et Transport Stratégique (EM RVTS – Air Refuelling and Strategic Transport Programme Team) and the future 31ème Escadre Aérienne

de Ravitaillement en Vol (EARV - Air Refuelling Wing) will support the Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA – General Directorate of Armaments) during the certification flight testing. Commencing in the fourth quarter of this year, the air force will undertake a series of test and evaluation flights to establish specific operating and maintenance procedures. The EM RVTS is a remote unit of the Centre d’Expériences Aériennes Militaire (CEAM – Military Air Experimental Centre) attached to the new

31ème EARV, which formed on August 27 at BA125. Its remit is to ensure operational expertise in three areas: 1) Improving the capacity for operational use of the C-135FR RENO2 and KC-135RG; 2) Preparing for the arrival of the new A330 MRTT; 3) Tracking and managing international agreements for refuelling under NATO Standardisation Agreements (STANAGs). Below: Newly upgraded Armée de l’Air (French Air Force) KC-135RG 23574 ‘93-CP’ at Base Aérienne (BA) 125 Istres on August 21 following its return from Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, to rejoin Groupe de Ravitaillement 2/91 ‘Bretagne’. Armée de l’Air/P Monnier

www.airforcesmonthly.com

05/09/2014 15:55

Airbus F_P.indd 1

02/09/2014 11:41

NEWS NORTH AMERICA UH-60L to UH-60V Cockpit Upgrade Contract Award

NORTHROP GRUMMAN has been selected by Redstone Defense Systems to supply and integrate mission avionics equipment for a digital cockpit upgrade of the US Army’s UH-60L Black Hawk helicopters. Announcing its selection on August 15, the company said it will provide a scalable, fully integrated mission equipment package to replace the older analogue gauges with digital electronic instrument displays. After being upgraded, the Black Hawks will be re-designated as the UH-60V model. The system replicates the newer UH-60M pilot-vehicle interface, thus standardising cockpits across the fleet. Northrop Grumman’s design solution has already been flight tested on a UH-60L. The system features a centralised processor with a partitioned, modular operational flight programme. It has an integrated architecture that enables new capabilities to be added through software-only solutions, rather than hardware changes. The company says that the architecture maximises the UH-60L’s performance and reliability while minimising total life cycle cost. The system is also smaller in size, lower in weight and requires less power than legacy processing systems. An estimated 700 to 900 Black Hawk helicopters are expected to be modified under the UH-60V digital cockpit upgrade, which represents the first fully integrated avionics system for US Army utility aircraft.

Long-Lead Order for US Navy P-8A Poseidons AN ADVANCE acquisition contract for the procurement of long-lead items for the manufacture and delivery of 12 Lot II Full Rate Production (FRP) P-8A Poseidons for the US Navy has been received by Boeing. The $295.6 million contract, awarded on August 14, covers materials for eight aircraft for the US Navy and four for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).

Contract completion is anticipated in April 2018. The initial funding released for the US Navy aircraft at the time of contract award was $152 million. Following six development aircraft, Boeing has previously been contracted to manufacture 53 low-rate initial production and FRP Poseidons for the US Navy. The additional eight P-8As being

The 16th production Boeing P-8A Poseidon, 168756 ‘756’ (c/n 42252, ex N753DS), departing on August 26 from Boeing Field, Seattle, Washington, on delivery to Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida. Boeing

Preliminary Design Review Completed Initial Operational on E-2D Refuelling Capability Capability for E-3G A NORTHROP Grumman and US Navy team has completed the preliminary design review (PDR) for the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aerial refuelling system. Northrop Grumman announced the milestone on September 3 and said the programme could proceed to critical design review. This is a further step towards manufacturing and installing the system on new production E-2Ds, as well as retrofitting to E-2Ds operating in the US Navy fleet. Northrop Grumman is designing several system upgrades to

accommodate the aerial refuelling capability under a $226.7 million engineering, manufacturing and development contract awarded on September 27, 2013. These include new seats to enhance pilot field-of-view and decrease crew fatigue; formation lights for better visualisation and air space orientation; and enhanced software in the aircraft’s flight control system to assist the pilots with aircraft handling qualities when refuelling. Work on the contract is scheduled to continue until January 2019.

Last US Coast Guard HC-144A Now in Flight Test

The 18th and final Airbus HC-144A Ocean Sentry ordered by the US Coast Guard, 2318 (c/n S-211), landing at the Airbus Defence and Space facility in Seville-San Pablo Airport, Spain, on July 31, after its second test flight of the day. The aircraft is due for delivery later this year. Roberto Yáñez

14

OCTOBER 2014 #319

14-15_USNews_Oct.indd 14

acquired under the new contract bring total production orders to 61 aircraft for the USN, which has taken delivery of 16 production P-8As to date. The most recent delivery, of the 16th production aircraft, took place on August 26, when 168756 ‘756’ (c/n 42252, ex N753DS), departed Boeing Field, Seattle, Washington, for Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida.

AWACS Block 40/45

INITIAL OPERATIONAL Capability (IOC) has been achieved with the US Air Force’s E-3G Sentry Block 40/45 airborne warning and control system aircraft, operated by the 552nd Air Control Wing (ACW). Public Affairs officials at the type’s base – Tinker AFB, Oklahoma – said IOC had been declared by the Commander of Air Combat Command, Gen Mike Hostage, on July 28. The announcement was made on August 15. Col Jay R Bickley, 552nd ACW commander, said: “This modification represents the most significant upgrade in the 35-plus year history of the E-3 AWACS.” Gordon Fitzgerald, the 552nd ACW’s Director for Requirements, said six Block 40/45 modified aircraft had been delivered to the 552nd ACW and two of the E-3G models had been successfully deployed in support of counter-drug operations. The 552nd ACW is home to the E-3, with 27 of the fleet’s 31 AWACS aircraft being housed at Tinker AFB. Of the other four, two are stationed at Kadena Air Base, Japan, and two at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska. The entire fleet of E-3s is scheduled to be upgraded to E-3G standard by FY 2020.

www.airforcesmonthly.com

05/09/2014 16:53

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

US Army Contract for VADER Operations in Afghanistan Northrop Grumman Systems has a new contract from US Army Contracting Command for continued operations of the Vehicle and Dismount Exploitation Radar (VADER) in Afghanistan. The $34.7 million deal, awarded on August 18, is a modification to a previous VADER contract, won by the company on July 11, 2012 covering engineering and tech services to support the system. Initial financing of $16.3 million was released at the time of contract award. The new deal extends operation of VADER in theatre until December 31, 2014. The VADER system allows accurate ground moving target indicator (GMTI) data and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery to be readily available to ground commanders in real time. The antenna has the ability to detect people travelling on foot from altitudes of up to 25,000ft (7,620m), which makes it ideal for its primary mission – detecting teams planting improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Afghanistan. Originally tested by Northrop Grumman on a BN-2 Islander, it was designed for use on the US Army’s MQ-1C Gray Eagle UAV. Its use has since expanded to fixedwing aircraft and two Twin Otters equipped with VADER, mounted under the nose of the aircraft, are believed to be still operating with the US Army in Afghanistan. On April 18 Lockheed Martin also gained a US Army contract to install the VADER system on a King Air 350ER aircraft. This modification work is due to be completed by the end of March 2015.

USAF Orders Three More Global Hawks NORTHROP GRUMMAN is to build three Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) Lot 11 RQ-4B Global Hawk Block 30M air vehicles for the US Air Force. A $240.65 million contract for their production was awarded on August 15. Each vehicle will contain an Enhanced Integrated Sensor Suite (EISS) and an Airborne Signals Intelligence Payload (ASIP). The contract also includes two additional ASIP sensors as retrofit kits for installation in existing air vehicles. Work is expected to be completed by June 30, 2017.

www.airforcesdaily.com

14-15_USNews_Oct.indd 15

Long Lead Funding Contract for 14 More USAF C-130Js LOCKHEED MARTIN has won a contract for long lead parts required for production of 14 C-130J Super Hercules in FY 2015. Work is expected to be completed by June 30, 2015. The $116.7 million deal was awarded on August 6 and the aircraft on order comprise seven C-130J-30s, four HC-130Js and

two MC-130Js for the USAF plus one KC-130J for the USMC. This represents a modification to the Multi-Year Production Contract II (MYPC II), which covered 79 aircraft that are planned to be funded between FY 2014 and FY 2018 for delivery between FY 2016 and FY 2018. MYPC II also funded six

C-130J-30s, five AC-130Js, four MC-130Js, one HC-130J and two KC-130Js in FY2014. It is planned to fund 28 more in FY 2016 (14 C-130J-30s, eight MC-130Js, five HC-130Js and one KC-130J), 11 in FY 2017 (two C-130J-30s, five MC-130Js, three HC-130Js and one KC-130J) and eight in FY 2018 (six MC-130Js and two KC-130Js).

US Air Force C-130J-30 Super Hercules 11-5752 (c/n 5752) departing from the factory at Marietta, Georgia, on August 21, on delivery to the 19th Airlift Wing’s 61st Airlift Squadron ‘Green Hornets’ at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas. This was the sixth new C-130J-30 for the Green Hornets, which are scheduled to receive nine of the type. Lockheed Martin/Andrew McMurtrie

Bell, Sikorsky-Boeing Selected for US Army JMR-TD TWO TEAMS have been selected to build prototypes for Phase 1 of the US Army’s Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstrator (JMR-TD) programme. Bell Helicopter, which is offering its new V-280 Valor tiltrotor design, and a Sikorsky-Boeing team, proposing the SB-1 Defiant based on Sikorsky’s X2 co-axial design, were selected by the US Army Aviation Technology Directorate. Boeing and Sikorsky announced they had been selected on

August 12. Bell Helicopter has made no comment. Two other teams had also been competing. AVX Aircraft (with a co-axial rotor compound helicopter) and Karem Aircraft (offering a variable-speed tiltrotor) are now out of the running. They may still gain some work on elements of technology for the programme. Both of the JMR-TD demonstrators are scheduled to fly in late Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 and are expected to undertake

a three-year test programme. JMR TD will be used to develop technology and configurations for the US Army’s Future Vertical Lift (FVL) programme, which aims to find a successor to the UH-60 Black Hawk. A contract for FVL is expected to be placed in 2019, leading to achievement of an operational capability from the mid-2030s. FVL aims to deliver the next generation of vertical lift aircraft with greater performance, reliability and affordability.

HMMT-164 ‘CAG-Bird’ CH-46E Retired to AMARG

New at the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group’s facility at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, is CH-46E Sea Knight 152562 ‘YT-00’, seen here on the arrivals ramp at the base on August 25. The helicopter wears the ‘CAG-bird’ colours of its last unit, Marine Medium Helicopter Training Squadron 164 (HMMT-164) ‘Knight Riders’ at Marine Corps Air Station Pendleton, California. HMMT-164 is replacing the type with the MV-22B and relocating to MCAS Miramar, California. USAF/309th AMARG

#319 OCTOBER 2014

15

05/09/2014 16:53

NEWS NORTH AMERICA Moody AFB Confirmed as Base for Afghan A-29 Training

THE US Air Force has completed an environmental analysis, confirming selection of Moody Air Force Base (AFB), Georgia, as the US training location for Afghan Air Force (AAF) Embraer A-29B Super Tucano pilots and maintenance personnel. Officials made the announcement of the decision at Moody on August 22. The base had initially been named as the preferred choice for the mission on June 25, following site surveys at the three potential locations, the others being Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, and Shaw AFB, South Carolina. Completion of the environmental analysis marks the final step of the US Air Force’s formal basing process to determine the most suitable location for the contingent of A-29 aircraft and the associated instructors and students. “Moody AFB was selected because of the availability of the airfield, airspace and suitable facilities. Additionally, the overall cost to complete the bed-down in the timeframe required to initiate the training programme made Moody the best choice,” said Timothy K Bridges, the deputy assistant secretary of the air force for installations. Under the Light Air Support (LAS) programme, Moody AFB will support 20 A-29 aircraft, 17 USAF instructor pilots, and 24 maintenance and support personnel. They will train a total of 30 Afghan pilots and 90 Afghan maintainers over the next four years. On August 27 the first A-29 for the LAS porgramme, 13-2001, was noted outside the Embraer facility in Jacksonville, Florida, where the type is being assembled. Under current plans, the aircraft may arrive at Moody AFB as early as September and the first Afghan trainees are expected to begin training in February 2015. The initial proposed commitment for this training mission entails a limited presence at the base from 2014 into 2018. US Department of Defense officials had determined that a Stateside training option was to be the most feasible way of delivering capability to the AAF. All 20 A-29 aircraft are to be transferred to the AAF following the completion of the training programme.

16

OCTOBER 2014 #319

16-17_USNew_Oct.aw.DJ.indd 16

Last of 12 MV-22B Ospreys for HMX-1 Delivered

Above: US Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey 168339 ‘12’, the 12th and final example for Marine Helicopter Squadron 1 (HMX-1) ‘Nighthawks’ departing from the Bell Helicopter production facility in Amarillo, Texas, on delivery to Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia. Bell Helicopter

BELL HELICOPTER has delivered the last of 12 US Marine Corps MV-22B Ospreys to Marine Helicopter Squadron 1 (HMX-1) ‘Nighthawks’ at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia. The company announced on August 29 that the aircraft, 168339 ‘12’, had left the Bell Helicopter production facility in Amarillo, Texas, the previous week for Quantico. The first HMX-1 Osprey, 168280 ‘01’ (c/n D0197), had made its maiden flight in Amarillo on

January 22, 2013. It was then delivered on April 5, 2013, to Quantico, prior to being officially inducted into service on May 4. After some months of training, the first operational mission by an HMX-1 Osprey took place on August 10. The full list of known HMX-1 Ospreys is as follows, although a serial tie-up for the tenth aircraft, or construction numbers for the most recent deliveries, are not yet known:

HMX-1 ‘Nighthawks’ MV-22B Osprey Fleet List Serial

Code Cn No.

168280

‘01’

D0197

168284

‘02’

D0201

168289

‘03’

D0206

168292

‘04’

D0209

168297

‘05’

D0214

168302

‘06’

D0219

168306

‘07’

D0223

168324

‘08’

Not yet confirmed

168327

‘09’

Not yet confirmed

?

‘10’

Not yet confirmed

168335

‘11’

Not yet confirmed

168339

‘12’

Not yet confirmed

Japan GSDF AH-1s & OH-6D Deploy to US for Training FOUR JAPAN Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) helicopters deployed recently to the USA for a series of training exercises. They comprised three AH-1S Cobras (73483, 73487 and 73490) from the 2nd Thai Sehsha Herikoputatai (Anti-Tank Helicopter Squadron) at Hachinoe, plus one OH-6D (31277) from the 12th Ryodan (Brigade)/12th Herikoputatai/ Honbuzukitai (Headquarters Squadron) at Somagahara. The helicopters arrived at the Port of Tacoma, Washington, on August 26. After being unloaded and reassembled, they departed the same day by air for the Yakima Training Center, also in Washington, routing via Gray Army Airfield at Joint Base Lewis-McChord for a fuel stop. They were escorted by helicopters of the Washington

Above: Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) AH-1S Cobra 73483 flying from the Port of Tacoma, Washington, to Gray Army Airfield at Joint Base Lewis-McChord for a fuel stop en route to the Yakima Training Center on August 26. US Army/PFC Brianne Paterson

Army National Guard’s 66th Theater Aviation Command. The JGSDF has slready undertaken 20 previous annual deployments to the Yakima Training Center under Operation Rising Thunder. A JGSDF task force normally deploys with an infantry company, including a heavy mortar platoon and anti-tank platoon, an armour

company and a field artillery battery. An aviation unit also usually provides support – last year AH-1s and AH-64 Apaches deployed for the exercise. Training includes the full spectrum of JGSDF operations, including live fire exercises. Joint training with US forces is also undertaken so that each can learn from the experience of the other.

www.airforcesmonthly.com

08/09/2014 10:08

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

Last Active-Duty HC-130P Deployment Completed Structural Cracks Ground 82 USAF F-16Ds OVER HALF of the US Air Force’s 157 F-16D Fighting Falcons were grounded recently due to the discovery of canopy sill longeron cracks between the front and rear pilot seats. Their removal from flight status was announced by USAF officials on August 19. The cracks were found after an immediate action time compliance technical order (TCTO) to inspect all F-16Ds due to initial structural cracks that were discovered during post-mission flight inspections. Following the TCTO, individual F-16 units conducted inspections on the USAF’s 157 F-16Ds. By August 18, inspections on all 157 aircraft had been completed. Cracks were found in 82 aircraft, while the other 75 F-16Ds were returned to flight status. International operators of the F-16B and D variants were also told to check their aircraft. The other F-16 variants were not affected. As of early September, a fix that involves attaching steel and aluminium straps to the forward fuselage had been developed and work was under way to begin producing a repair kit.

USMC Retires its final UH-IN

AFTER MORE than 40 years of service, the US Marine Corps has finally retired the last of its ageing Bell UH-1N Huey helicopters. To mark the end of an era, a sundown ceremony' was held at Naval Air Station New Orleans Joint Reserve Base, Louisiana, on August 28. Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 773 (HMLA-773) 'Red Dogs' maintained its Detachment A 'Nomads' at New Orleans, which ultimately became the final operator of the UH-1N. All other USMC UN-1N units have now transitioned to the new UH-1Y Venom. HMLA-773 has its main base at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, where it took delivery of the first of its replacement UH-1Ys on June 11, direct from the factory in Amarillo, Texas (see USMC's 'Red Dogs' Receive First UH-1Y, August, p16). In addition to Det A at New Orleans, the unit has Det B 'Coyotes' at Joint Base McGuireDix-Lakehurst, New Jersey. Both have now relinquished the UH-1N in favour of the UH-1Y.

www.airforcesdaily.com

16-17_USNew_Oct.aw.DJ.indd 17

Above: US Air Force HC-130P Combat King 64-14860 ‘FT’ assigned to the 71st Rescue Squadron flies overhead before landing at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, on August 5, 2014, after a five-month deployment. This ended the final active-duty HC-130P deployment. US Air Force/Airman 1st Class Ryan Callaghan

TWO US Air Force HC-130P Combat Kings recently returned to Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, marking the end of the final active-duty deployment of the HC-130P in USAF service. The aircraft, 64-14860 ‘FT’ and 65-0982 ‘FT’, and 30 plus airmen returned home on August 5 after spending five months supporting Air Forces Africa. The HC-130Ps, assigned to the 71st Rescue Squadron, are currently being phased out as the USAF transitions to the newer HC-130J Combat King II. The 71st

RQS is scheduled to complete the transition to the upgraded J-model by September 2015. “Today is a special day for us, because it’s the last deployment return of the active duty HC-130Ps,” said US Air Force Lt Col Sean Hosey, 71st RQS commander. “This culminates around 50 years of combat experience for this aircraft. [These aircraft have] a long and distinguished legacy of valour that we’re bringing to a close.” Even though the HC-130P is scheduled to retire, Hosey says it

has been a tremendous asset to the mission at the 71st RQS. “In the last four years alone, we’ve flown over 2,000 missions in combat and combat support,”

“We’ve saved over 1,500 lives and we’ve assisted in saving over 2,000 [additional] lives.” he said. “We’ve saved over 1,500 lives and we’ve assisted in saving over 2,000 [additional] lives. It’s been extremely useful in both the Afghanistan and Horn of Africa areas of responsibility.”

Sixth F-16 Departs AMARG for QF-16 Conversion ANOTHER RETIRED US Air Force F-16 has left the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG) facility at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, to become a QF-16 Full Scale Aerial Target (FSAT). The aircraft, F-16C 85-1562 ‘AC’, flew out on August 14. It had been operated by the 177th Fighter Wing/119th Fighter Squadron ‘Jersey Devils’ at Atlantic City IAP, New Jersey, before being retired to

AMARG on June 10, 2010. It was the sixth aircraft to leave AMARG this year in support of the QF-16 programme. A QF-16 engineering, manufacturing and development (EMD) contract was awarded to Boeing on March 8, 2010. It included an order for six EMD aircraft, converted from early model F-16s, plus options to buy up to 126 FSATs, although the ultimate requirement could be for up to 210 aircraft. Boeing

was then awarded a contract on October 10, 2013, for low rate initial production (LRIP) of 13 QF-16s. This was followed on May 20, 2014, with a contract for 23 more QF-16s, forming production Lot 2. Boeing undertakes the conversion work at its facility in Cecil Field, Florida. Below: US Air Force F-16C 85-1562 ‘AC’ leaves Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, on August 14. This is the sixth F-16 to depart AMARG this year to join the QF-16 Full Scale Aerial Target programme. USAF/309th AMARG

#319 OCTOBER 2014

17

08/09/2014 10:08

E E FR F1 OR E G A IR M E E R F R U O Y IM CLA TAKE U O Y N E H W D V D ’ G IN Y ‘FL IT B E D T C E IR D R O R A E -Y OUT A 2 SUBSCRIPTION TO

3 EASY WAYS TO ORDER... THIS FANTASTIC SUBSCRIPTION OFFER!

ONLINE

www.airforcesmonthly.com

PHONE

UK 01780 480404 OVERSEAS +44 1780 480404 FAX UK 01780 757812 OVERSEAS +44 1780 757812

POST

COMPLETE THE FORM AND POST TO

AIRFORCES MONTHLY, KEY PUBLISHING LTD, PO BOX 300, STAMFORD, LINCS, PE9 1NA, UNITED KINGDOM

CHOOSE FROM

MAKE HUGE SAVINGS when you pay by easy Direct Debit – just £9.99 every quarter

 YES, I would like to subscribe to

MIRAGE F1 COCKPIT

We join EC 2/33 Squadron at Montde-Marsan Air Force Base in France with coverage of the Mirage F1 including exclusive footage of the war in Mali and flights over Africa. After four decades of service, Dassault’s durable air superiority fighter and attack aircraft is still a force to be reckoned with – this superb DVD tribute takes you inside the cockpit to see what made it a French Air Force legend. Region-free DVD, Running time 70 minutes.

OR

RRP £12.49

PAYER’S DETAILS Title Address

Witness cutting-edge fighter jets in their element with this collection of 5 stunning aviation films from renowned filmmaker Lionel Charlet. This ‘best of’ collection showcases Charlet’s phenomenal camera work to give the viewer a unique look at aircraft including Mirage, Rafale and F-18 in the dramatic setting of the Swiss Alps. Region-free DVD, Running time 115 minutes. 720 /14 IMAGE: GERT KROMHOUTA

RRP £19.99

Surname

Postcode Email address

Country

Please complete to receive news updates and offers from us by email. Please send gift card tick here 

Gift Choice: Mirage F1 

DELIVERY DETAILS Title Address

FLYING

First name

(IF DIFFERENT)

First name

Postcode Email address

Flying 

Surname

Country

SPECIAL OFFER (PLEASE TICK) 12 FOR THE PRICE OF 10

24 ISSUES FOR THE PRICE OF 19 PLUS FREE DVD

UK

12 issues

 £45.00

24 issues

 £84.99

Europe

12 issues

 €66.00

24 issues

 €121.00

USA

12 issues

 $75.00

24 issues

 $137.50

12 issues

 £55.00

24 issues

 £99.99

Rest of the World

PAYMENT DETAILS I enclose a cheque for £/$/€ ................................. made payable to Key Publishing Ltd Please debit my Mastercard  Visa  Maestro (UK Mainland only)  for £ / € / $ ...............

Issue number Expiry date

Security Code (3 digit code on reverse of card)

(Maestro only)

OFFER CLOSE DATE: 31 OCTOBER 2014 PLEASE QUOTE: AF1014

Signature ....... ............................................... Today’s date ............. ...................................................

INSTRUCTION TO YOUR BANK OR BUILDING SOCIETY TO PAY BY DIRECT DEBIT Please ﬁll in the form in ballpoint pen and send to: Key Publishing Ltd, PO Box 300, Stamford, Lincolnshire, PE9 1NA, UK Please tick:

UK Direct Debit

Quarterly £9.99

Name and full postal address of your Bank or Building Society To: The Manager

Bank/Building Society

Originator’s Identiﬁcation Number

6 5

8

9

6

0

Reference Number

Address

Instruction to your Bank or Building Society Postcode Name(s) of the Account Holder(s)

TELEPHONE TOLL-FREE: 800-676-4049 WRITE TO: AirForces Monthly, 3330 Pacific Ave, Ste 500, Virginia Beach, VA 23451-9828 ALTERNATIVELY, ORDER ONLINE: www.imsnews.com/airforcesmonthly QUOTING/ENTERING CODE: AF1014

Signature(s) Bank/Building Society account number Date Branch Sort Code Banks and Building Societies may not accept Direct Debit Instructions for some types of account

✂

AMERICAN READERS

Please pay Key Publishing Ltd Direct Debits from the account detailed in this instruction subject to the safeguards assured by the Direct Debit Guarantee. I understand that this Instruction may remain with Key Publishing Ltd and, if so, details will be passed electronically to my Bank/Building Society

The Direct Debit Guarantee This guarantee should be detached and retained by the Payer • This guarantee is offered by all banks and building societies that accept instructions to pay Direct Debits. • If you receive a refund you are not entitled to, you must pay it back when Key Publishing Ltd asks you to. • If an error is made in the payment of your Direct Debit by Key Publishing Ltd or your bank or building society you are entitled to a full and immediate refund of the amount paid from your bank or building society.

• If there are any changes to the amount, date or frequency of your Direct Debit Key Publishing Ltd will notify you 10 working days in advance of your account being debited or as otherwise agreed. If you request Key Publishing Ltd to collect a payment, confirmation of the amount and date will be given to you at the time of the request.• If you receive a refund you are not entitled to, you must pay it back when Key Publishing Ltd asks you to. • You can cancel a Direct Debit at any time by simply contacting your bank or building society. Written confirmation may be required. Please also notify us.

Direct Debit UK only. If paying by Direct Debit please send in form. Please allow 28 days for gift delivery. Payments are accepted by Direct Debit, cheque, Postal Order, Credit Card and US Dollar check. Payments by credit or debit card will be shown on your statement as Key Publishing Ltd. Key Publishing will hold your details to process and fulfil your subscription order. Occasionally we may wish to contact you to notify you of special offers on products or events. If you do not wish to receive this information please tick here ■ or mention when calling. Gift subject to change. Any alternative gift will be of equal or higher value. Please note: Free gift is only available on Direct Debit with a minimum 2 year subscription. Should you cancel your subscription earlier then an invoice will be raised for the full price of the gift. 356/14

NEWS LATIN AMERICA Sovereign Skies Stops Illicit Drug Trafficking IN JUST over three years, the Sovereign Skies programme has cut the number of illicit air tracks per annum over the Dominican Republic from an average of 130 to zero. US officials revealed details of this successful programme on August 28. In 2010, drug runners were brazenly taking off from the Venezuelan region and landing at remote strips just inland from the Dominican coast to offload their illicit cargo before being airborne again in a matter of minutes. This was being repeated every 72hrs. As a result, Dominica took it upon itself to acquire eight A-29B Super Tucanos to stop the drug runners. Eight aircraft were delivered to the Fuerza Aérea Dominicana (FAD - Dominican Air Force) in 2010. US officials then arranged for crews to be instructed on the type in Colombia, which also operates the A-29B. The FAD now has eight trained pilots and two instructors, with plans to train four more pilots and two more instructors. Today, Dominica has regained its air sovereignty.

USAF ANG F-16s and Colombian Kfirs Train Together

Above: A Fuerza Aérea Colombiana (FAC) Kfir C10 and two South Carolina ANG F-16Cs on a joint training mission from Rionegro, Colombia, on August 12. The Kfir is FAC 3059 from Escuadrón de Combate 111; the F-16Cs are 93-0547 and 93-0549 ‘169 FW’ from the 157th Fighter Squadron ‘Swamp Foxes’. US Air Force/Major Matthew Booth

SIX US Air Force F-16s from the South Carolina Air National Guard (ANG) recently took part in Exercise Relampago 2014 (Lightning 2014) in Colombia. They landed at the Fuerza Aérea Colombiana’s (FAC’s) Base Aérea Militar 6 Rionegro, near Medellin, on August 10, a day after support personnel and equipment for the deployment had arrived aboard Tennessee ANG C-17A Globemaster III 94-0065 from the 164th Airlift Wing/155th Airlift Squadron ‘Memphis Belle’, based at Memphis.

The F-16s, from the 169th Fighter Wing/157th Fighter Squadron ‘Swamp Foxes’ at McEntire Joint National Guard Base, together with 102 airmen, took part in bilateral combined air operations with the FAC, the first major joint air engagement opportunity under the South Carolina’s State Partnership Program (SPP) with Colombia. The US jets trained with IAI Kfirs from Escuadrón de Combate 111, the only FAC unit still operating the type, which had deployed to

New Brazilian T-Xc Military Trainer Makes First Flight NOVAER CRAFT’S T-Xc Pilgrim military basic trainer prototype, PP-ZKV – which was unveiled on March 31 – has made its first flight. The aircraft took off at 1130hrs on August 22 from São José dos Campos Airport, Brazil, after completing two weeks of engine run-ups, taxiing and other ground tests. It is based on the K-51 aerobatic aircraft designed by aerospace engineer Joseph Kovács – who also created the Embraer EMB-312 Tucano and Neiva T-25 Universal

– and was flown on its maiden flight by his son Otávio, who said he found it very docile, but at the same time agile in response to commands, similar to the K-51. Development has been assisted by FINEP, the Brazilian Government agency supporting the aerospace, defence and security sectors, together with finance from the State of Santa Catarina. Manufactured entirely from carbon fibre, it will be developed in two versions, the T-Xc military two-seat trainer

and a four-seat civil version, the U-Xc Stardream. Both will be powered by a 315shp (235kW) Lycoming piston engine. The T-Xc is designed as a potential replacement for the Força Aérea Brasileira’s (Brazilian Air Force’s) Neiva T-25 Universal primary trainer. Novaer will also offer the T-Xc as a primary/basic military trainer on the wider defence market and the four-seat U-Xc to civilian customers as a light passenger transport and for flight instruction at flying schools.

The Novaer T-Xc Pilgrim military basic trainer prototype, PP-ZKV, on its maiden flight on August 22 from São José dos Campos Airport, Brazil. Novaer

20 OCTOBER 2014 #319

20-21_Latin_Oct.aw.DJ.indd 20

Rionegro from its home base at BAM2 Palanquero, Puerto Salgar, for Relampago 2014. The exercise enabled the US and Colombian airmen to share tactics, techniques and procedures, including defensive air operations, operations co-ordination and scheduling and best maintenance practices. Ending on August 20, Relampago 2014 was a continuation of bilateral training that began when FAC Kfirs deployed to Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, in 2012 for Exercise Red Flag.

News Briefs AIRTEC INC is to provide intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) services in Bogota, Colombia, in support of the US Army's Southern Command. The California, Maryland-based company was awarded a $10.78 million contract through the US Naval Air Warfare Center on August 28 to provided the ISR services utilising two contractr-owned, contractoroperated aircraft. The contract will run until May 2015. A FURTHER milestone has been achieved on the Embraer KC-390 programme with the achievement of engine certification for the aircraft. IAE International Aero Engines confirmed on August 27 the the V2500-E5 engine for the type, which generates 31,330lbs of thrust, has gained Federal Aviation Administration certification. The engine was selected in July 2011.

www.airforcesmonthly.com

08/09/2014 10:01

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

Argentine AF G120TP-As to Return to Service Shortly A RENEGOTIATED payment plan has now been finalised for ten Grob 120TP-A basic/advanced training aircraft that are being acquired by the Fábrica Argentina de Aviones (FAdeA, Argentine Aircraft Factory) for lease to the Fuerza Aérea Argentina (FAA, Argentine Air Force). Although the first four aircraft had already been delivered to the FAA, resignation of the FAdeA’s management team in March has delayed financing of the deal. According to local media reports, FAdeA’s problems resulted in spares not being provided for the aircraft. In addition, concerns after the management shake-up led to delivery of the remaining six Grob 120 TP-As being put on hold. Beacause of the lack of spares, those already delivered were also grounded – although one was already out of action after an accident on September 6, 2013. This aircraft will now be returned to the Grob factory in Germany for repair. With financing problems now resolved, the additional six Grobs are now due for delivery in either October or November of this year, along with a consignment of spares. Once the aircraft are back in the air again, the FAA hopes to restart flight training early next year. The aircraft had first entered service in August 2013 with the Escuela de Aviación Militar (EAM, Military Aviation School) at Córdoba for training as part of the Curso Básico Conjunto de Aviador Militar (CBCAM, Joint Basic Course in Military Aviation), which instructs pilots for all of the services. Juan Carlos Cicalesi

Three Refurbished Venezuelan Cougars Back in Service

THREE REFURBISHED AS532 Cougar helicopters were inducted back into service with Venezuela’s Aviación Militar Bolivariana (AMB, Bolvarian Military Aviation) at a handover ceremony on August 20 at the Dirección de Mantenimiento y Desarrollo Aeronáutico (DIMADEA,

Venezuelan Aviación Militar Bolivariana AS532AC Cougar 59194 ‘AJ’ being unloaded after arriving at El Libertador on August 8 aboard an Antonov An-124. Note that the helicopter wears FANB (Fuerza Armada Nacional Bolivariana (Bolivarian National Armed Forces), rather than AMB, titles. It was inducted back into service, along with two others, on August 20. FANB

Directorate of Aeronautical Maintenance and Development) facility in Base Aerea El Libertador, Palo Negro, Aragua. The Cougars are two tactical transport AS532AC variants and a VIP AS532UL from Grupo Aéreo de Operaciones Especiales 10 (Special Air Operations Group 10) at El Libertador and Grupo Aéreo de Transporte 4 (Air Transport Group 4) at BA Generalisimo Francisco de Miranda. They were returned to France in May last year for rework by Eurocopter (now Airbus Helicopters) in Marignane. The helicopters were stripped down to check for any faults or corrosion in the structure and components before a rebuild which will extend their service lives for another 12 years. The AMB has seven AS532ACs, two AS532ULs and three older AS332B1 Super Pumas, all of which will eventually go through the modernisation programme. One Cougar was refurbished last year, returning to Venezuela on April 5, 2013.

Ex-Drug Trafficking UB-58 Baron Joins Uruguayan AF

Above: Fuerza Aérea Uruguaya Beechcraft UB-58 Baron FAU-792, recently inducted into service after being confiscated from drug traffickers. Juan Carlos Cicalesi

A RECENT addition to the Fuerza Aérea Uruguaya (FAU, Uruguayan Air Force) is Beechcraft UB-58 Baron FAU-792, which was seized from drug traffickers in the Salto

department before entering FAU service. The aircraft has been assigned to Escuadrón Aéreo No 7, part of Brigada Aérea III at Montevideo-Melilla. The FAU

already has two UB-58 Barons in service which, delivered new in December 1998, are flown by the Escuela Militar de Aeronáutica at Pando. Juan Carlos Cicalesi

New Colour Scheme for Chilean AF Boeing 767-300ER Fuerza Aérea de Chile (FACh, Chilean Air Force) Boeing 767-3Y0ER 985, newly repainted in a drab grey scheme, taxies out for departure from Runway 09L at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Georgia, on August 26 after a D-check and respray with Delta Techops. It flew to Miami International Airport, Florida, for a technical stop before continuing to Chile. Carlos Barcelo

www.airforcesdaily.com

20-21_Latin_Oct.aw.DJ.indd 21

#319 OCTOBER 2014

21

08/09/2014 10:01

NEWS LATIN AMERICA

Mexican Navy T-6C+ and King Air 350ER Deliveries BEECHCRAFT HAS delivered two T-6C+ Texan II trainers and one additional King Air 350ER to Mexico’s Secretaría de Marina (SEMAR) for operation by the Armada de Mexico Fuerza Aeronaval (Mexican Naval Air

Arm). Hand-over of all three took place at the factory in Wichita, Kansas, on August 20. The two T-6C+s, 1307/N2832B and 1308/N2840B, are the first for the Mexican Navy and departed the same day on their delivery

flight. They had been ordered under a contract that was announced on March 25, 2014. The King Air is the second of four ordered earlier this year. Delivery of the first was announced by the manufacturer on July 15 at

the Farnborough International Air Show and the remaining aircraft should be delivered by early 2015. In addition both contracts with SEMAR include parts support as well as training for pilots and mechanics.

Mexican Navy Beechcraft T-6C Texan IIs 1307/N2832B and 1308/N2840B taxi out for departure from the factory in Wichita, Kansas, on August 20 to begin their delivery flight to Mexico. Beechcraft

News Brief THE FIRST Fuerza Aérea Ecuatoriana (FAE - Ecuador Air Force) C295M, FAE-1030 (c/n S-117, ex EC-005), has been formally inducted into service. The ceremony was held at Base Aérea Eloy Afaro, Manta, on August 7. Its delivery commences final replacement of

EscuadrÓn 1112's veteran Avro HS748s. One of the latter, FAE-743, participated in the induction ceremony at Eloy Afaro. The new C295 had left Spain on its delivery flight on July 31 (see First Ecuadorian Air Force C295M Leaves Spain on Delivery, September, p20).

Final Colombian Air Force T90 Calima Delivered

More T-6C+ Texan IIs for Mexican Air Force FOLLOWING ON from its initial acquisitions, the Fuerza Aérea Mexicana (FAM – Mexican Air Force) is planning to buy more Beechcraft T-6C+ Texan IIs. Most recently, on August 8, a document published by Mexico’s Secretaría de Hacienda y Crédito Público (SHCP – Ministry of Finance and Public Credit) revealed details of the allocation of 6.3 billion Mexican Pesos ($478.3 million) to fund a further round of T-6C+ acquisitions. The number involved has not been specified by the SHCP, which said they were being ordered to re-equip three FAM Escuadrón Aéreos (EA – Air Squadrons) that currently fly the Pilatus PC-7. These comprise EA201 at Base Aérea Militar (BAM) 4 Cozumel, EA202 at BAM6 Tuxtla Gutiérrez and EA203 at El Cipres. As each squadron normally has a complement of 12 aircraft, it’s likely 36 aircraft will be required.

22 OCTOBER 2014 #319

22_LatinNews_Oct.aw.DJ.indd 22

An initial order for six aircraft for the FAM had been announced on January 9, 2012, and the first four were accepted into service on August 22, 2012, with the remaining two following the next month. Beechcraft then announced on October 24, 2013, that it had received an order for a second batch of six, which were handed-over in January 2014. Although not made public, it is understood that the FAM placed a further order in December 2013 for a third batch of T-6C+s, believed to have been for 12, bringing the total to 24. The first 12 FAM T-6C+ deliveries were to the Escuela Militar de Aplicación Aerotáctica de la Fuerza Aérea (EMAATFA) at BAM 11 Santa Gertrudis, Chihuahua. The next dozen will re-equip EA402 at BAM2 Ixtepec. In both cases they are replacing the PC-7s currently operated by these units.

Above: Lancair T-90C Calima FAC 2464, the last of 25 ordered for the Fuerza Aérea Colombiana (FAC – Colombian Air Force), at its hand-over ceremony on August 29. FAC

THE LAST of 25 Lancair T90 Calima training aircraft has been delivered to the Fuerza Aérea Colombiana (FAC – Colombian Air Force) the FAC’s Comando Aéreo de Mantenimiento (CAMAN – Air Maintenance Command) Grupo Aeroindustrial facilities at Base Aérea Madrid-Cundinamaraca ‘Justion Marino Cuesto’. The order for 25 T90s, a version of the Lancair Legacy FG adapted specifically to meet FAC requirements, had been announced on February 3, 2009. Aircraft were supplied to Colombia in kit form by Lancair and then assembled by the Corporación de la Industria Aeronáutica de Colombia (CIAC – Colombian Aviation Industry Corporation) in the CAMAN

facilities at Base Aérea Madrid. The final 15 (of the 25) are the upgraded T90-C version, which incorporate aerodynamic, structural and avionics improvements. These modifications will eventually be retrofitted to the initial ten aircraft. The first three were produced by CIAC in 2010, followed by four in 2011, six in 2012 and 12 in 2013. The seventh aircraft, 2446, appeared at the RIAT Air Show at RAF Fairford in 2012. To date, 51 pilots have trained on the Calima, which has proved very successful in FAC service. A further 13 students are also undergoing primary flight training on the aircraft, which is replacing the T-34 Mentor.

www.airforcesmonthly.com

08/09/2014 09:50

NEWS MIDDLE EAST

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

Two More Royal Saudi AF Typhoon Deliveries

Iraq Closer to Finalising Deal for ex-Czech L-159As

A PLANNED deal for surplus Czech Air Force Aero L-159 Advanced Light Combat Aircraft for the Iraqi Air Force (IqAF) is edging closer, following complex negotiations between the parties involved. At a press conference on August 28, Czech defence minister Martin Stropnicky announced successful conclusion of lengthy talks to establish the basic terms of an agreement between Aero Vodochody and the Ministry of Defence (MOD). Aero will deliver 12 operational aircraft to the IqAF, comprising ten single-seat L-159As and a pair of twin-seat L-159Ts. Overall, Aero will repurchase 15 L-159s from the Czech MOD, comprising 11 retired examples and four active aircraft, including the two twin-seaters. Once all the approvals have been given, it is hoped to finalise a contract this autumn. First deliveries should then follow within a few months. The number of aircraft in the deal has changed constantly since first being mooted several years ago. Only two weeks before the latest announcement, officials said it was to be for 14 aircraft, comprising 11 of the withdrawn L-159As that have been in long-term storage, plus three currently operational with the Czech Air Force. A total of 36 Czech L-159As have been up for sale since 2004, since when they have been preserved in near flyable storage, at considerable expense, awaiting a buyer. On July 19, 2014, a deal was finalised to sell 14 to US company Draken International, which also took out options on a further 14. The Iraqi sale will now finally conclude disposal of all 36 aircraft.

www.airforcesdaily.com

23-24_MENews_Oct.aw.DJ.indd 23

Above: Royal Saudi Air Force twin-seat Eurofighter Typhoon 1016/ZK396 (CT015) and single-seat 1018/ZK391 (CS026), leaving the factory at Warton, Lancashire, on August 7 to begin their delivery flight. Charles Cunliffe

A FURTHER two Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) Eurofighter Typhoons were delivered in August. The latest pair, twinseater 1016/ZK396 (CT015) and single-seat 1018/ZK391 (CS026), left the factory at Warton, Lancashire, on August 7 to begin their delivery flight. The two most recent deliveries

prior to this had been on May 16, when a pair of single-seaters, 1014/ZK389 (CS024) and 1015/ ZK390 (CS025), left Warton. The latest departures bring total deliveries from this second batch of 48 aircraft for the RSAF to 16 (nine two-seat and seven singleseat aircraft), following on from 24 (18 single-seat and six-twin

seat) delivered in the first batch. Three additional RSAF Typhoons are also now flying at Warton. These comprise twin-seaters 1016/ZK397 (CT016, first flown on April 9, 2014) and 1020/ZK398 (CT017, first flown on July 28, 2014), plus single-seater 1019/ZK392 (CS027, first flown on June 16, 2014).

IAI Tests 767-300ER MMTT with New FBW Boom ISRAEL AEROSPACE Industries (IAI) has recently performed successful test flights on a Boeing 767-300ER aircraft, equipped with an advanced fly-by-wire (FBW) refuelling boom system. Announcing the tests on August 31, the company said that the new capability for this specific type of aircraft further expands its experience in the field. This has included converting dozens of aircraft (including Boeing 707s and 767s, C-130 Hercules and Ilyushin Il-78s) to tankers or multi-mission tanker/transport (MMTT) platforms, for more than 12 customers worldwide, including the Israeli Air Force (IAF). IAI’s concept is based on conversion of pre-owned 767

passenger aircraft. The company believes the low utilization rate of MMTT platforms compared to commercial passenger aircraft allows a long-term service life at a considerably lower life-cycle cost than for new aircraft. The conversion involves replacing, upgrading or refurbishing a major part of the structure, wiring and systems. New engines, new military avionics, including a glass cockpit and new selfprotection systems can also be tailored to the customer’s specific requirements. Following the successful trials, IAI is now offering MMTT platforms based on converted Boeing 767-300ERs. This version, with over 400,000lb (18,145kg)

maximum take-off weight, can carry over 200,000lb (90,720kg) of fuel, more troops and extra cargo pallets. IAI says it can also provide a ‘smart tanker’ version which performs additional tasks, such as: electronic intelligence (ELINT), signals intelligence (SIGINT) and electronic support measures (ESM) missions, alternatively it can serve as a communications hub or as a command and control post. Launch customer for the 767-300ER MMTT is the ForÇa Aérea Brasileira (FAB Brazilian Air Force), which announced selection of the type on March 14, 2013, to meet its KC-X2 requirement. Two 767-300 MMTTs will replace the FAB's KC-137s.

IAI’s Boeing 767-300ER MMTT during testing with its new FBW boom. IAI

#319 OCTOBER 2014

23

08/09/2014 09:47

NEWS MIDDLE EAST L-3 Gains Order for Two ISR King Air 350s for Saudi Arabia TWO MORE Beechcraft King Air 350 aircraft for the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) are to be modified forintelligence surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions. L-3 Communications Corporation’s Integrated Systems Group was awarded a $61 million US Air Force Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contract on August 22, for integration of their ISR capabilities. Work will be performed at Greenville, Texas, and is scheduled to be completed by December 31, 2015. Initial FMS funds of $30 million were released at the time of the award. The RSAF took delivery of an initial two King Air 350s in August 2011. A larger order was then placed for an unspecified number of additional aircraft. At least 12 are now in service and it is believed that up to 30 may have been ordered, although it is not known how many are planned to be in ISR configuration.

Polish AF Hercules Delivers Aid to Northern Iraq

Polish Air Force C-130E Hercules 1504 from 14 Eskadra Lotnicza Transportowego (Air Transport Squadron) at Powidz on the ramp at Erbil, Northern Iraq, on August 17, prior to delivering humanitarian aid. Polish Ministry

A POLISH Air Force Hercules has delivered a consignment of humanitarian aid to Northern Iraq. The aircraft, C-130E 1504 from 14 Eskadra Lotnicza Transportowego (Air Transport Squadron) at Powidz, landed in Erbil on August 17. The relief was then delivered to the Iraqi Christian

and Yezidi refugees who had found refuge in Iraqi Kurdistan. The assistance was organised in response to dramatic appeals from the Kurdistan Regional Government and church authorities, among others, to the international community. The delivery included food, tents,

blankets, camp beds, sleeping bags and first aid kits that had been made available by aid agency Caritas and the Ministry of the Interior. The transport was co-organised by the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of National Defence and the Government Centre for Security.

US Approval for $2 Billion Saudi E-3A AWACS Upgrade

First Two Overhauled Omani PC-9s Returning Home

PILATUS HAS redelivered the first two overhauled Pilatus PC-9s back to the Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO). The two aircraft, 429 (c/n 646) and 433 (c/n 650), left the factory at Stans-Buochs, Switzerland, on August 15 to return home. The RAFO PC-9s are undergoing heavy maintenance at Stans

following 15 years of service (see First Omani PC-9 Completes Major Overhaul at Stans, September, p23). The first to be completed was 429, followed by 433, while a third example, 426 (c/n 643), is still being worked on. The RAFO has a total of 12 PC-9s, all of which are operated by 1 Squadron at Masirah. It

is expected that all 12 will be overhauled at Stans in due course.

Above: Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO) Pilatus PC-9 433 (c/n 650) taxiing at Stans-Buochs, Switzerland, on August 6. This was the second example to complete major overhaul there and left on delivery back to Oman, along with the fi rst aircraft, on August 15. Stephan Widmer

News Brief KUWAIT'S FINAL KC-130J Super Hercules has now been delivered. The aircraft , KAF328 (c/n 5751), callsign 'KAF3230', arrived at St John's International Airport, Newfoundland and Labrador,

24

OCTOBER 2014 #319

23-24_MENews_Oct.aw.DJ.indd 24

Canada, on September 3, having originally started its delivery flight at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina. It then flew to Chateauroux, France, on September 5 before

continuing onwards to Kuwait. Details of the first two Kuwait Air Force KC-130J deliveries, which took place in August, are given on p25 (see Kuwait AF Takes Delivery of Two KC-130Js).

THE US State Department has approved a planned $2 billion Foreign Military Sale to Saudi Arabia for upgrade of its five Boeing E-3A Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft operated by Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF). The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified Congress of this possible sale on August 12. The Saudi request is for five AWACS Block 40/45 mission computing upgrade systems and 20 AN/UPX-40 next generation Identification Friend or Foe (NG IFF) systems. Communication equipment, spares and support, are also included. This Block 40/45 modernisation covers new mission computing hardware and software with open architecture – such as computers, servers and mission interactive displays. The NG IFF major defence equipment includes receivers, interrogators and processor hardware for earlier detection of friendly contacts. Since being delivered in the mid-1980s, the Saudi E-3s have been regularly upgraded at Boeing Field, Seattle.

www.airforcesmonthly.com

08/09/2014 09:47

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

Saudi National Guard Orders 24 AH-6i & 12 UH-60M Black Hawks A LONG-EXPECTED order for 24 AH-6i helicopters for the Saudi Arabian National Guard (SANG) has now been finalised. Boeing was awarded a $234.7 million Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contract on August 29 by US Army Contracting Command to procure long lead items for the production and delivery of these helicopters. The deal also includes an initial spares package and ground support equipment. Funding of $115,003,000 was released at the time of the contract award and the estimated completion date for the deal is December 31, 2016. As far back as October 20, 2010, the US Defense Security Co-operation Agency had notified Congress of a possible FMS deal for 36 AH-6i helicopters as part of a $25.6 billion package of helicopters

being acquired to establish an air arm for the SANG. On February 13, 2012, Boeing officials said that a Letter of Acceptance between Saudi Arabia and the US had been signed a few weeks earlier for the acquisition, paving the way for finalisation of a production contract and delivery schedules. More recently, it became apparent that requirements had changed and the order was to be for only 24 helicopters. Boeing had announced on November 18, 2013, that it had recently signed an FMS agreement with the US Army for the first international sale of the AH-6i. The number or customer involved was not revealed, but at the time it was suspected to have been the Saudi deal. However, prior to this, on

May 12, 2010, it was announced that Jordan had submitted a Letter of Intent to Boeing for the planned purchase of 18 AH-6is, with options on a further six, which will be flown by its Special Operations Aviation Brigade. It could be that last November’s Dubai announcement related to finalisation of the Jordanian deal, which would make Jordan the launch customer for the new variant. However, it could also be that the latest announcement was merely finalisation of the earlier deal. In a separate deal, 12 Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawks have been ordered for the SANG. US Army Contracting Command awarded the $30,351,927 Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contract to Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation for these helicopters on August 19.

Iraqi Army’s First Mi-28NEs Arrive in the Country IRAQ HAS begun taking delivery of Mil Mi-28NE Night Hunter attack helicopters that were ordered from Russia. The country’s defence ministry announced on August 30, that the first batch of these helicopters have now arrived. The number delivered is unconfirmed, but a video released by the Iraqi MOD showed at least three of the type in a hangar at an unspecified Iraqi air base. All were in desert-type camouflage with their Iraqi Army Aviation Corps titles and serials still taped over. Two days earlier, three Iraqi Army Mi-28NEs were noted at the factory in Rostov-on-Don, with rotors removed and ready for airfreighting out to Iraq. It seems likely, therefore, that the delivery comprised three helicopters. In October 2012 it was reported Iraq was acquiring 30 MI-28NEs, but soon afterwards allegations of corruption led to the deal being put on hold. By mid-2013, it was apparent that the deal was on again, although it is not known how many helicopters were ordered under the revised agreement. There have since been unconfirmed reports that Iraq may acquire up to 36-40 of the type.

www.airforcesdaily.com

25_MENews_Oct.aw.DJ.indd 25

The deal is a modification of the $2.8 billion multi-year contract awarded to the manufacturer on July 11, 2012, for up to 916 UH-60/MH-60 helicopters for the US Army, US Navy and FMS customers. Estimated completion date for the new contract is August 31, 2017. The SANG is seeking a total of 72 UH-60Ms, according to a US Defense Security Co-operation Agency notification to Congress on October 20, 2010. A Letter of Offer and Acceptance for the first 24 UH-60Ms was signed on November 30, 2011. In addition, a contract was awarded to Sikorsky on December 20, 2013, to modify eight UH-60Ms (presumably from this initial batch) to a ‘General Service Configuration’ for the SANG. Left: This still from an Iraqi MOD video shows one of the Mi-28NE attack helicopters delivered to an unspecified air base for the Iraqi Army Aviation Corps. Iraqi MOD Below: The first Kuwait Air Force (KAF) KC-130J Hercules, KAF326 (c/n 5746), seen on August 8, arriving at RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, during its delivery flight to Kuwait. The second KAF KC-130J, KAF327 (c/n 5749), arrived at Brize Norton on August 23 on its delivery flight and left the next morning. A third is sexpected soon. Jonathan Warner

Kuwait AF Takes Delivery of Two KC-130Js LOCKHEED MARTIN has delivered the first two Kuwait Air Force (KAF) KC-130J Super Hercules out of an order for three. The first one, KAF326 (c/n 5746), arrived at RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, on August 8 from Reykjavik, Iceland, on its delivery flight. It departed on August 10 en route to Kuwait.

The second, KAF327 (c/n 5749), callsign ‘KAF3228’, passed through St John’s International Airport, Labrador and Newfoundland, Canada, on August 21. It then continued to Keflavik, Iceland, and left there for Brize Norton on August 23, before leaving the next morning to journey onwards to Kuwait. The third aircraft, KAF328 (c/n 5751), is also due for delivery this year. Options are still held

on an additional five KC-130Js. Prior to the delivery flight, KAF aircrew have been training on these aircraft at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina, where the first aircraft had arrived from the factory in Marietta, Georgia, on July 1. Following on from the first two, the third aircraft will also pass through Cherry Point, where each Hercules undergoes a safety inspection before delivery to Kuwait.

#319 OCTOBER 2014

25

05/09/2014 17:04

NEWS AFRICA

Columbia Helicopters Refurbishing CH-47Ds for Morocco

Above: Ex-US Army CH-47D Chinook 89-00149 arriving at Columbia Helicopters’ newly opened military maintenance facility at its headquarters at Aurora (Oregon) State Airport, Oregon, on August 11. The helicopter is one of three being refurbished for delivery to the Royal Moroccan Air Force. Columbia Helicopters

Niger Takes Delivery of New Presidential Jet NIGER HAS taken delivery of a Boeing 737-700BBJ, which will act as the new presidential jet. The country’s defence minister, Karidjo Mahamadou, confirmed on state television on September 1 that the jet had been delivered the previous day. He said the aircraft had been purchased with around 20 billion CFA francs ($40 million) of government money. The acquisition has provoked anger in the impoverished country. The second-hand aircraft, 737-75U(W) 5U-GRN (c/n 28976, ex VP-BRM), was ferried from Basel, France, via Strasbourg to Geneva, Switzerland, on July 16 and then left on July 19 for painting in the UK by Air Livery at Norwich Airport, Norfolk (see Air Livery Resprays New Niger Government 737 BBJ, p6-7). It left there on August 28 on delivery. Currently, the Niger Government uses a 36-year old Boeing 737-2N9C as the Presidential VIP aircraft. This was delivered new to Niger in April 1978. It will remain in service alongside the new aircraft.

26 OCTOBER 2014 #319

26_AfricaNews_Oct.aw.indd 26

COLUMBIA HELICOPTERS is currently reworking three ex-US Army CH-47D Chinook helicopters for delivery to the Royal Moroccan Air Force (RMAF). The company announced on August 12 that it had been awarded a $6 million US Department of Defense Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contract for the work. The first helicopter, 89-00149 (c/n M-3303, originally CH-47C c/n B-644/70-15002), arrived at

Columbia’s newly opened military maintenance facility at its headquarters at Aurora, Oregon, on August 11. The second joined it on August 12 and the third on August 13. Morocco had been seeking three CH-47Ds to boost its grounded fleet of CH-47C variants for some years (see Keeping Up With The Neighbours, July 2014 p82-87) On October 26, 2009, the US DSCA had notified Congress of

the planned FMS acquisition of these three CH-47Ds by the RMAF. It then took a further five years to finalise a deal. Columbia will clean, inspect and repair the CH-47Ds, while also carrying out a 400-hour aircraft phase maintenance inspection. The Chinooks will then be painted in RMAF desert camouflage. Company personnel will also deliver, reassemble and flight test the aircraft in Morocco.

US Army MFO UH-60A Back from Sinai for Overhaul US ARMY Sikorsky UH-60A Black Hawk 85-24410 has been airlifted from its base in Sinai, Egypt, to Germany for advanced maintenance. It will then return to service in the Sinai peninsula with the Aviation Company, 1st Support Battalion, (1st USASB) Task Force Sinai, supporting the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO). In order to get the Black Hawk to Germany, US Air Force C-17A Globemaster III 10-0219 from the 62nd Airlift Wing at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, flew into an old Israeli airstrip at the MFO’s main base at North Camp, El Gorah, Sinai, on August 19. After the UH-60A had been carefully loaded onto the C-17A, it departed again the same day for Ramstein Air Base, Germany. From there it will be transported to Coleman Barracks to undergo deep maintenance before returning to the desert. Eight UH-60As are assigned to the 1st USASB to support MFO,

US Army UH-60A 85-24410 from the Aviation Company, 1st Support Battalion, Task Force Sinai, awaiting loading onto a US Air Force C-17A 10-0219 on August 19 on an old Israeli airstrip at El Gorah, Sinai, Egypt. US Army/Sgt Thomas Duval

an independent international organisation that has been responsible for peacekeeping operations in Sinai since the 1979 Egyptian-Israeli Peace Treaty. Unlike the drab colours of most US Army helicopters, the unit’s Black Hawks are painted in a

distinctive, high-visibility red and white scheme. They have been operational in Sinai since 2006, when they replaced ten similarly painted UH-1Hs. In addition to the main base at North Camp, the unit also maintains a detachment at Ophira Airfield, Sharm-el-Sheikh.

www.airforcesmonthly.com

05/09/2014 17:28

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

Uganda Police W-3A and GrandNew Order

UGANDA’S MINISTRY of Internal Affairs has ordered one A109 GrandNew light twin and one W-3A Sokol for the Uganda Police Air Wing. The order was announced at the Farnborough International Airshow on July 14. Both helicopters will be delivered in 2015. The contract, which was awarded to PZL´Swidnik, AgustaWestland’s Polish subsidiary, includes a comprehensive training and support package. The GrandNew, which will be assembled at the AgustaWestland plant in Vergiate, Italy, will be equipped with a cargo hook, search light and loud speaker system. The W-3A Sokol will be assembled at the PZL-´Swidnik facility. It will be equipped with a cargo hook, rescue hoist, search light, loudspeaker system, rappelling kit, FLIR and provisions for firefighting equipment and an emergency floatation system.

News Brief SOUTH AFRICAN defence group Paramount has acquired 100% of local aerospace company Aerosud Aerospace Systems. Paramount already had a minority stake in Aerosud, with which it has been collaborating on the new AHRLAC armed reconnaissance aircraft, which recently made its maiden flight (see Paramount Group AHRLAC Maiden Flight, September, p25).

New Nigerian Air Force Acquisitions

Above: Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Beechcraft King Air 350i NAF202 seen on approach to land at Las Palmas-Gran Canaria Airport, Spain, on July 30 during its delivery flight from the USA to Nigeria. Alejandro Hernández León

THREE NEW Beechcraft King Air 350i light transport aircraft have been delivered to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF). The aircraft, serials NAF202, NAF203 and NAF204, passed through Las Palmas-Gran Canaria Airport, Spain, on July 30 on their delivery flight. Upon arrival in Nigeria, they were formally handed over to the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu by Scott Plumb, Textron Aviation’s Vice President Sales, Middle East. They will be operated by the NAF’s 209 Executive Airlift Group (EAG) at Abuja-Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, where the hand-over ceremony was held. Also currently at AgustaWestland’s facility in

Yeovil, Somerset, being prepared for delivery to 209 EAG is AW101 Srs 641 NAF280 (c/n 50251), which was previously destined for the Indian Air Force as ZW4307, before the order was cancelled. It was noted in the flight sheds at Yeovil on August 14, fully painted in the white and green VIP colours worn by other aircraft in the 209 EAG fleet. It is believed to be the first of two on order for Presidential transport and other missions.

‘It is believed to be the first of two on order for Presidential transport and other missions.’ Details have also surfaced of a new light trainer aircraft, dubbed the ‘Farawa 2’, which has been

Second Chad AF C-27J Spartan Now Flight Testing ALENIA AERMACCHI is currently flight testing the second and final Force Aérienne Tchadienne (Chad Air Force) C-27J Spartan, 1402/TT-PAH/C.S.X62294 (c/n 4162). The aircraft was noted flying from the company’s main facility at Turin-Caselle Airport, Italy, on August 28. The first aircraft, 1401/ TT-PAG/C.S.X.62292 (c/n 4180), had begun test flying in early December 2013. It is not known when or if the aircraft has yet been delivered. Of note, the Chad Air Force titles on the forward fuselage were wrongly painted in plural as ‘Forces Aériennes Tchadiennes’, whereas they are correct on the second C-27J. The order for these two aircraft was not disclosed by

www.airforcesdaily.com

27_AfricaNews_Oct.aw.DJ.indd 27

Above: The second and final Force Aérienne Tchadienne (Chad Air Force) C-27J Spartan, 1402/TT-PAH/C.S.X62294 (c/n 4162), landing at TurinCaselle Airport on August 28 after a test flight. Marco Rossi

the manufacturer until last October, by which time the first was almost complete and the second well advanced in

production. It is expected they will replace the two ageing Antonov An-26s, which have been in Chadian service since 1992.

designed and developed by the NAF Institute of Technology (AFIT) as a replacement for the NAF’s current primary trainer, the DANA Air Beetle T.18, which the NAF says has been troublesome in service. Details of the Farawa 2 were disclosed for the first time on August 5 by AFIT Commandant, Air Vice Marshal Toni Adokwu, during the Institute’s 43rd graduation ceremony. The Air Beetle was a locallyproduced version of the US kit-built Vans RV-6A and was constructed at Kaduna from 1995 but has been plagued by high unserviceability, with problems including high engine temperatures and uncomfortable seats for the instructors and students. The Farawa 2 is intended to address the Air Beetle’s problems, but development is at an early stage and requires considerable funding to progress any further. As this cannot be provided by the NAF, the institute is looking elsewhere for finance. In addition, the 209 EAG recently officially accepted Mi-17-V5 5N-BGY into the NAF inventory. The helicopter had previously been operated by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for search and rescue duties. However, NEMA had been unable to find pilots for the Mi-17, which has therefore been transferred to the NAF so that a comprehensive SAR service can be maintained.

Egyptian Air Force Orders Eight More C295s A FURTHER eight Airbus C295 transport aircraft have been ordered by the Egyptian Air Force (EAF), bringing its fleet to 20. This now makes the EAF the biggest customer for this tactical airlifter. The deal was announced at the Farnborough International Airshow by Airbus Defence and Space on July 16. Deliveries of the new batch of aircraft will begin next year, following the 12 aircraft previously ordered, of which six are now in service. The contract also includes a service support package for spares, training, and maintenance of the fleet.

#319 OCTOBER 2014

27

08/09/2014 09:40

NEWS ASIA PACIFIC Indian Navy Multi-Role Helicopter Buy Going Ahead A PROPOSAL to purchase 16 advanced multi-role helicopters (MRH) for the Indian Navy has been given the go-ahead. They will supplement and ultimately replace the Indian Navy’s veteran Sea Kings. Approval for the acquisition was given at a Defence Acquisition Council meeting on August 29. Two companies have bid for the MRH requirement, with the NHIndustries, offering the NH90 NATO Frigate Helicopter (NFH), in competition with Sikorsky and its S-70B Seahawk. Their tenders, submitted over two years ago, will now be opened, following the DAC decision. The requirement is for all 16 helicopters to be delivered within 46 months of contract signature. It was previously intended that the navy would then have the option to purchase an additional 44 helicopters. However, that plan was changed in early 2013, when it was announced that a new RFI for no less than 123 helicopters would be issued under a new N-MRH programme.

News Brief A CEREMONY was held at Cazaux Air Base, France, on September 3 to induct the M-346 into Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) service. The RSAF's 150 Sqn now operates 12 of the type.

Beriev Completes Another Indian Tu-142ME Overhaul

Above: Indian Navy Tupolev Tu-142ME IN317 departing from Taganrog, Russia, on August 8 after Beriev had completed an overhaul of the aircraft. Beriev

BERIEV AIRCRAFT Company has overhauled another Indian Navy Tupolev Tu-142ME long-range anti-submarine warfare aircraft at its Taganrog facility in Russia. The company handed over the aircraft, IN317, to the customer on August

6, when it departed on delivery back to India. Eight Taganrog-built Tu-142MEs were delivered to the Indian Navy from April 1988. They are operated by Indian Naval Air Squadron 312 ‘Albatross’ and based at Indian Naval Station

India Clears Plans to Buy 22 AH-64Es and 15 CH-47Fs TWO MAJOR Indian defence acquisition programmes have been given approval by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), namely the purchase of 22 AH-64E Guardian attack helicopters and 15 CH-47F Chinook heavy-lift helicopters. The DAC cleared the offset proposals for the two deals at its meeting on August 29. The deals will still have to go before the Cabinet Committee on Security for approval, but this is expected to be a formality. Both types will be operated by the Indian Air Force. Together, the orders are expected to be worth around $2.5 billion.

The US manufacturer, offering the CH-47F, had been announced as the preferred bidder for 15 heavy-lift helicopters on December 5, 2012. Boeing had submitted an upgraded version of the Russian Mi-26 Halo, a type that has already been in IAF service for over 25 years. Similarly, it was confirmed on August 21, 2012, that the AH-64D Apache Longbow Block III (since re-designated the AH-64E Guardian) had been selected as the preferred candidate for the requirement for 22 new attack helicopters. It had beaten off competition from the Russian Mi-28N Night Hunter.

TAI Delivers Last Four Upgraded Pakistan AF F-16A/Bs TURKISH AEROSPACE Industries (TAI) has delivered the last four F-16Bs of 41 upgraded Pakistan Air Force (PAF) F-16A/Bs. They were formally handed over during a ceremony on September 2 at TAI’s facility in Ankara, Turkey. The mid-life upgrade (MLU) was carried out under the PAF F-16A/B Peace Drive II programme, for which TAI signed a contract on June 29, 2009. The deal originally covered 42 aircraft, representing the entire remaining PAF F-16A/B fleet, but the fatal crash of an F-16A on July 16, 2009, reduced the number to 41. The MLU will modernise the avionics and aircraft structure.

28 OCTOBER 2014 #319

28_AsiaNews_Oct.aw.DJ.indd 28

One of the last four upgraded Pakistan Air Force F-16s, F-16B 92619, provides a backdrop to the hand-over ceremony on September 2 at TAI’s facility in Ankara, Turkey. The aircraft carries the markings of 9 Squadron ‘Griffins’ at Shahbaz. TAI

Rajali, Arakkonam. In total, the aircraft have flown 28,000 hours in over 25 years without any incidents or accidents. Over 21 years, a total of 21 overhauls of Indian Navy’s Tu-142MEs have been conducted at Taganrog.

India Scraps Purchase of 197 Light Utility Helicopters

INDIA HAS abandoned a purchase of 197 Light Utility Helicopters (LUH) after lengthy investigations into corruption allegations. The decision to terminate the acquisition programme was made on August 29, at a meeting of India’s Defence Acquisition Council (DAC). The contract would have purchased 133 helicopters for the Indian Army and 64 for the Indian Air Force (IAF). Overall, the LUH programme, which has been under way since 2003, covers acquisition of 384 helicopters to replace the ageing army and IAF Cheetah and Chetak fleets. Of these, the first 197 would have been bought from an overseas supplier, with the remaining 188 (64 army and 124 IAF) produced by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) in India. However, it was decided at the DAC meeting that all of the helicopters will now be built in India, with overseas collaboration. Latterly, the competitors had been narrowed down to the AS550C3 Fennec and the Kamov Ka-226T. However, as the programme has been on hold for the last 18 months no winner had been selected. The programme will start again, but only Indian companies will be allowed to bid. HAL is most likely to benefit from this decision, having already been developing an indigenous LUH for the last four years. However, progress has been slow, due to difficulties in finding a suitable engine.

www.airforcesmonthly.com

08/09/2014 09:13

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

Singapore Acquiring Eight More Boeing F-15SGs AN ADDITIONAL eight Boeing F-15SG Strike Eagles are being acquired by the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF). There has been no official acknowledgement of a deal for these aircraft from either Boeing or the Singapore Ministry of Defence. However, on August 8, Boeing registered eight F-15SGs with the US Federal Aviation Authority, presumably to allow pre-delivery flight testing. The aircraft comprised: N361SG/05-8361 N363SG/05-8363 N366SG/05-8366 N368SG/05-8368 N373SG/05-8373 N376SG/05-8376 N378SG/05-8378 N837SG/05-8371 As the F-15SG is a designation specific to the RSAF variant, these must be destined for Singapore. The 83xx serial numbers quoted also tie-in with the current RSAF F-15SG serial range, while the ‘SG’ suffix to the registrations is another obvious clue as to their end user. Singapore was open about the purchase of its first 24 F-15SGs, the first four of which were delivered in May 2009. These are operated by 149 Squadron at Paya Lebar Air Base and by the Peace Carvin V training det at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, where they are flown by the 428th Fighter Squadron ‘Buccaneers’ as part of the US Air Force’s 366th Fighter Wing. In addition to these 24 aircraft, it is rumoured that a further eight F-15SGs have already been delivered to the RSAF after being acquired through a direct commercial sale. Evidence of this was revealed by Boeing’s announcement on January 3, 2013, of its fourth quarter deliveries for 2012, which included eight F-15s. As all other F-15 deliveries have been accounted for, these eight were almost certainly additional F-15SGs delivered to the RSAF. From November 2013 onwards, several new F-15SGs with serial numbers higher than those previously reported have been seen operating with the RSAF from Mountain Home, also suggesting these were recent deliveries. It is now therefore believed that Singapore has bought a total of 40 F-15SGs.

www.airforcesdaily.com

29_AsiaNews_Oct.aw.DJ.indd 29

Special Markings for ROCAF AIDC F-CK-1A Ching Kuo

Above: Republic of China Air Force (ROCAF) AIDC F-CK-1A Ching Kuo 1427/84-8045 from the 427th Tactical Fighter Wing at Ching-Chuan-Kang returning from a solo display flight at the Taichung Air Base Open Day on July 19. The aircraft is one of two of the type (the other being 1428/84-8046) now wearing special colours on their tails, marking the first time in its 20 years of service that non-standard colours have been worn. Mike Leonard

Japanese Government to Buy Two Boeing 777-300ERs JAPAN HAS selected the Boeing 777-300ER to replace the two Japanese Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) Boeing 747-47Cs currently operated as VIP transports for the emperor, prime minister and members of the imperial family. The decision to purchase two 777s was made by a government panel chaired by Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kazuhiro Sugita on August 12. All Nippon Airways (ANA) will acquire and maintain the aircraft, which are to enter service from the beginning of Fiscal Year 2019, which starts on April 1, 2019. ANA won the contract in competition with Japan Airlines (JAL), which maintains the two current JASDF

747s, As with the current 747s, the new 777s will be operated by the JASDF’s Tikubetu Koku Yusodai (Special Airlift Group)/701st Hikotai (Squadron) at Chitose Air Base. One will act as the primary aircraft, with the second as a back-up. The two current 747s entered service in 1991 and are scheduled for retirement at the end of Fiscal Year 2018. ANA Holdings offer estimated the cost of purchasing the two 777s at 85 billion yen ($818,402,100), while the company believes that operation, maintenance and other expenses will amount to 38 billion yen ($365,688,820) over 20 years. The Japanese Defence Ministry plans to sign a formal contract with ANA Holdings this autumn.

India to Buy Replacement C-130J-30

ANOTHER C-130J-30 Super Hercules is to be purchased by the Indian Air Force (IAF) as a replacement for KC-3803, which crashed on March 28, 2014, killing all five crew members. Plans for the purchase were revealed on August 19, by the IAF’s Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha. The IAF Hercules are operated by 77 Squadron ‘Veiled Vipers’ as part of 28 Wing at Air Force Station Hindon. Six were in service before KC-3803 was lost, while another six have also been ordered. Lockheed Martin was awarded a contract to produce an extra six C-130J-30s on July 18, 2014.

China Flight Testing New Changhe Z-18F ASW Helicopter A NEW Chinese anti-submarine warfare helicopter, the Changhe Z-18F Sea Eagle, is being developed for the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Naval Air Force (PLANAF), which is expected to deploy the type on its first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning. In-flight images, which first began appearing on the Chinese internet in mid-August, have confirmed that test flying of the new helicopter is now under way. One photograph shows a Z-18F in PLANAF colours, marked ‘Z18F-02’ on the tail rotor pylon, suggesting that this is probably the second prototype. In other images, a Z-18F appears in slightly different colours and this is believed to be the first prototype, Z18F-01. Reports of the existence of the Z-18F had been circulating since February, but until now no photographs of it had been seen. The new variant uses the airframe of the standard

Above: New Changhe Z-18F ASW helicopter Z18F-02, which is thought to be the second prototype. The type is under development for service with the PLANAF. via Chinese internet

transport Z-18, itself a recent development, based on and intended as a replacement for the old Z-8, which was developed from the French SA321 Super Frelon. The Z-18F features a large under-nose surface search radar, while a FLIR turret is mounted on the starboard side

of the nose. A big opening under the fuselage is thought to be for a new dipping sonar, while two weapons pylons on each side of the fuselage will enable carriage of four torpedoes or four anti-ship missiles. The rear loading ramp also has openings for deployment of sonobuoys.

#319 OCTOBER 2014

29

08/09/2014 10:52

NEWS RUSSIA & CIS Contract Signed for Seven More Su-30SMs for Russian Navy A CONTRACT has been signed for a further seven Sukhoi Su-30SMs for the Russian Navy. Finalisation of the deal was announced on September 5 by the Russian Ministry of Defence. Contract signature took place at the 10th International Exhibition on Hydroaviation, Gidroaviasalon 2014, at Gelendzhik. Deputy Defence Minister Yuri Borisov and the President of JSC Irkut Corporation, Oleg Demchenko, signed the order in the presence of Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturova. The Russian Navy took delivery of its first three Su-30SMs on July 19 (see First Three Su-30SMs Delivered to the Russian Navy, September, p29). These were from a batch of five ordered in late 2013.

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

Iranian Air Force Falcon 50 Visiting Dushanbe

Above: Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) Dassault Falcon 50 9011/EP-TFI (c/n 120, ex YI-ALD/Iraqi Government) visiting Dushanbe Airport, Tajikistan, on August 10.

AN INTERESTING visitor noted recently at Dushanbe Airport, Tajikistan, was Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) Dassault Falcon 50 9011/EP-TFI (c/n 120, ex YI-ALD/Iraqi Government). The aircraft, seen on August 10, is one of three Falcon 50s

‘acquired’ by Iran during the 1991 Gulf War, when they were flown to supposed safety in Iran. Instead, all three, along with numerous other Iraqi Air Force aircraft, were inducted into IRIAF service. The Falcon wears Islamic

Republic of Iran titles and is used on government VIP flights. When originally entering IRIAF service, it carried serial 5-9011, but the prefix has been dropped and it now wears just 9011. The civil registration is only worn in small letters on the nosewheel door.

Antonov Beginning Assembly of First An-178

First Batch of Upgraded Mi-8AMTSh Helicopters Delivered

RUSSIAN HELICOPTERS has delivered the first consignment of four upgraded Mi-8AMTSh transport helicopters to Russia’s Defence Ministry. Announcing the milestone on September 1, the company said they were built at Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant (UUAP) as part of the state defence order and have now been flown to their operational bases. A contract for an unspecified

30 OCTOBER 2014 #319

30_RussiaNews_Oct.DJ.indd 30

Upgraded Mi-8AMTSh ‘231 Yellow’ during a pre-delivery test flight on August 27. Russian Helicopters announced on September 1 that the first batch has been delivered to the Russian Defence Ministry. Russian Helicopters

number of upgraded Mi-8AMTSh helicopters was signed in Ulan-Ude in August 2013. The improvements to the aircraft – the first of their type in series production – are intended to reduce operating costs across its life-cycle by about 25%-30% compared to the basic model. The recently delivered Mi-8AMTSh helicopters are fitted with enhanced VK-2500 engines and an upgraded and strengthened transmission, while operating costs across the life-cycle of the helicopter have been reduced by about 25%-30% compared to the basic model, according to Russian Helicopters. The company says this will improve operational efficiency

in mountainous terrain and hot climates. They also come with new TA-14 auxiliary powerplants with improved thrust and power output, and there are new weapons systems capabilities. Increased lightweight metal cladding protects the crew and essential support systems, while batteries with enhanced capacities mean electrical systems can function autonomously for longer periods. Introduction of the latest navigational equipment enables night missions using night-vision goggles. The new helicopter now has a time between overhaul of 2,000 hours (up from 1,500 previously) and a service life of 35 years (up from 25).

ANTONOV JSC is progressing with manufacture of the prototype of its new An-178 cargo and military transport aircraft. The fuselage of the first aircraft, c/n 178/01-01, was unveiled to the press during a media event at the Kiev factory in Ukraine on July 29. The twin-jet, high-wing aircraft was mounted in a fuselage assembly jig ready to be mated with the other main components – wing, empennage, engine pylons and nacelles. Antonov plans to undertake the maiden flight of this prototype in 2015. The An-178 is a further development of the An-148 and An-158 family, but is aimed primarily at the military and cargo aircraft market, with a rear ramp for ease of loading. It is designed as an An-12 replacement. However, unlike the latter, it will feature a pressurised cargo compartment. It should also be far more efficient to operate, with an anticipated 40% higher cruising speed. It will also have a new glass cockpit with digital avionics. The aircraft will be able to carry up to 99 soldiers, 80 paratroopers or 70 sick/injured personnel, while alternatively having the ability to transport 18 tons of cargo. The variant has much commonality with the already certified An-158, in order to reduce development time and costs.

www.airforcesmonthly.com

08/09/2014 09:23

NEWS AUSTRALASIA Initial Order for First Four RAAF P-8A Poseidons

AN INITIAL deal for the first four Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Boeing P-8A Poseidon aircraft has now been signed. On August 14 US Naval Air Systems Command awarded the advance acquisition Foreign Military Sales contract to Boeing for the procurement of long-lead items. The award formed part of a $295.6 million deal that covered long-lead items for 12 Lot II Full Rate Production (FRP) P-8As, comprising eight for the US Navy and four for the RAAF. The Australian element is worth $143.6 million, of which $55.8 million was released when the contract was awarded. Approval to purchase eight P-8As for the RAAF was announced on February 21. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2017, with all eight due to enter service by 2018 and be fully operational by 2021.

News Briefs L-3 COMMUNICATIONSPlatform Integration Division of Waco, Texas, was awarded a $10 million US Air Force Foreign Military Sales contract on September 5 to provide C-27J aircrew and maintenance training to Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) personnel. The contract is to be completed by December 31, 2017. The first RAAF C-27J was handed over on July 23.

Singapore, Thailand and UAE Participate in Pitch Black 2014

United Arab Emirates Air Force and Air Defence Mirage 2000-9 747 formates with Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18A Hornet A21-14 on August 15 during an Exercise Pitch Black 2014 sortie. Commonwealth of Australia/Cpl David Gibbs

THIS YEAR'S Exercise Pitch Black 2014 (PB14), was the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF’s) largest and most complex air exercise, involved up to 110 aircraft and more than 2,300 personnel. The exercise ran from August 1 to 22. Held in the Northern Territory every two years, PB14 included offensive counter air and defensive counter air missions, which were launched from RAAF Bases Darwin and Tindal. The Delamere Range Facility and Bradshaw Field Training Area were also used. Mission scenarios became progressively larger and more complicated through the course of the exercise, requiring mission commanders to factor in a variety of air combat roles. Those practised during Exercise Pitch Black included air-to-air

combat, air-to-ground attack, airborne early warning and control, air-to-air refuelling and tactical air transport. In addition, many other ground-borne roles – such as combat support, joint battlefield airspace control, employment of combat controllers (including joint terminal attack control) and exercise co-ordination – were also practised. The exercise areas used for Exercise Pitch Black are some of the largest in the world and feature realistic, simulated and re-created threats and targets. International personnel and aircraft involved included B-52H Stratofortress and F-16 Fighting Falcons from the US Air Force; F-16C/D, F-15SG Eagle, Gulfstream 550 Conformal Airborne Early

Warning (CAEW) and KC-135R Stratotanker aircraft from the Republic of Singapore Air Force; JAS39 Gripens from the Royal Thai Air Force; combat support personnel from the Royal New Zealand Air Force; Mirage 2000-9s from the UAE Air Force and Air Defence; and CN235 transport aircraft from the French Air Force in New Caledonia. Local participation from the Royal Australian Air Force included F/A-18A Hornets, F/A-18F Super Hornets, AP-3C Orions, KC-30A multi-role tanker transports, C-130J-30 Super Hercules, King Air 350s and E-7A Wedgetail AEW&C aircraft. Civilian contracted aircraft, including a Boeing 707 air-to-air refuelling tanker from Omega Air, were also utilised.

RNZAF’s First Two T-6C Texan IIs Arrive in New Zealand

Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) Beechcraft T-6C Texan II NZ1402/ N2826B flying over Auckland on August 22 prior to landing at RNZAF Base Ohakea at the end of its threeweek delivery flight from the factory in Wichita, Kansas. NZ Crown Copyright

32 OCTOBER 2014 #319

32_AussieNews_Oct.aw.DJ.indd 32

THE FIRST two Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) Beechcraft T-6C Texan IIs have now arrived in the country, after completing a threeweek delivery flight. They touched down at RNZAF Base Ohakea, New Zealand, on August 22. The two aircraft, NZ1401/ N2824B and NZ1402/N2826B, had departed from Beech Factory Airport, Wichita, Kansas, on July 30. Their route took them through Canada, Greenland, Iceland, UK, Italy, Greece, Jordan, UAE, India, Thailand, Singapore, Bali, Australia, the Solomon Islands and New Caledonia before they finally arrived in New Zealand. They will be formally

handed over to the RNZAF on October 31, after maintenance personnel have finished training on them in New Zealand and pilot conversion courses have been completed in the USA. A contract for 11 T-6Cs for the RNZAF had been signed on January 24, 2014, following which the first T-6C, NZ1401/ N2824B, made its maiden flight from Wichita on June 10. The remainder of the aircraft on order have already started down the production line ahead of schedule and all deliveries will be completed by June 2015. The first trainee pilot intake on the new aircraft is scheduled for early 2016.

www.airforcesmonthly.com

08/09/2014 09:35

Contracts & Deployments

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

Dutch F-16s Commence Baltic Air Policing

USMC EA-6B Prowlers Return Home From Al Udeid

Above: Royal Netherlands Air Force F-16AM J-871 lands at Malbork Air Base, Poland, on September 3. It arrived along with four others to take on the Baltic Air Policing role. Polish MOD Left: US Marine Corps EA-6B Prowler 161242 ‘MD-02’ (callsign ‘Mazda 25’) from Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 3 (VMAQ-3) ‘Moondogs’ on approach to Moron Air Base, Spain, on August 9. The aircraft was one of five from the unit that passed through the Spanish base en route home from Al Udeid, Qatar, to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina. Antonio Muñiz Zaragüeta

New Contract Award Summary Air Force/ Organisation

Company

No & Type

Royal Australian Air Force

Boeing

4 x P-8A Poseidon Aug 14

By Apr 2018, longlead items only

Military Aircraft Deployments

Bangladesh AF

Agusta Westland

2 x AW139

Jul 14

By end of 2015

Date

Egyptian Air Force

Airbus Defence and Space

8 x C295

Jul 16

From 2015

AF/Unit

Type

Location and Notes

Jun 30

Royal Netherlands AF F-16

Afghanistan operation ended at Mazare-Sharif

Jul 11

Royal Danish AF

3 x AW101

First deployment to Afghanistan

Jul 15

US Navy/VP-5

P-8A

Starts deployment to Kadena, Japan

Jul 15

US Navy/VP-16

P-8A

Royal Navy/845 Sqn

Sea King ASaC7

USMC

Ceremony at Owego, New York, to mark K-MAX CRUAS return from Afghanistan

USMC/VMAQ-3

5 x EA-6B Prowlers

Through Moron, Spain, en route home from Al Udeid, Qatar

Aug 12 RAF/2 Squadron

3 x Tornado GR4

Deployed to Akrotiri, Cyprus, for operations over Iraq

Aug 26 RCAF

4 x CF-18 Hornets

End deployment to Campia Turzii, Romania, and fly to Siauliai, Lithuania, for Baltic Air Policing

Aug 28 German AF/TLG 74

4 x Eurofighter To Amari, Estonia, for Baltic Air Policing

Sep 1

Royal Danish AF

4 x F-16A

Return home from Amari, Estonia, after Baltic Air Policing

Sep 1

Polish AF

4 x MiG-29

Sep 1

Portuguese AF

Sep 1

RAF

Sep 3 Sep 5

French Air Force

Jul 18 Jul 24 Aug 9

Delivery Date and Notes

Date

Indian Air Force

Lockheed Martin 6 x C-130J-30

Jul 18

By Apr 30, 2020

Japan/Yokohama Fire Dept

Agusta Westland

1 a AW139

Jul 14

2015

Ends deployment to Kadena, Japan

Qatar Emiri Air Force

Boeing

24 x AH-64E Guardian

Jul 14

Not announced

Last two left Camp Bastion, Afghanistan

Royal Saudi Air Force

L-3 2 x Be350 ISR Communications

Aug 22

By Dec 31, 2015

Saudi Arabian National Guard

Sikorsky

12 x UH-60M

Aug 19

By Aug 31, 2017

Saudi Arabian National Guard

Boeing

24 x AH-6i

Jul 29

By Dec 31, 2016. Long lead items only

Swedish Police

Bell Helicopter

7 x Bell 429

Jul 14

2015

Uganda Police Air Wing

AgustaWestland

A109 GrandNew

Jul 14

2015

Uganda Police Air Wing

AgustaWestland

PZL W-3A Sokol

Jul 14

2015

Return home from Siauliai, Lithuania, after Baltic Air Policing

US Air Force

Lockheed Martin 14 x C-130J

Aug 6

By Jun 2015. Long lead items only

6 x F-16A

Take over Baltic Air Policing at Siauliai, Lithuania

US Air Force

Northrop Grumman

3 x RQ-4B Global Hawk

Aug 15

By Jun 30, 2017

4 x Typhoon FGR4

Return home from Siauliai, Lithuania, after Baltic Air Policing

US Navy

Beechcraft

29 x T-6C Texan II

Jul 21

Mid-2016

Royal Netherlands AF 5 x F-16AM

To Malbork, Poland, for Baltic Air Policing Baltic policing changes

US Navy

Boeing

8 x P-8A Poseidon Aug 14

By Apr 2018, longlead items only

4 X Mirage 2000-5

Return home from Malbork, Poland, after Baltic Air Policing

Venezuelan Military

Hongdu

24 x L-15 Falcon

Not announced

www.airforcesdaily.com

33_Contracts_Oct.DJ.indd 33

Jul 24

#319 OCTOBER 2014

33

08/09/2014 16:33

ATTRITION Accident Reports D: Aug 12 N: Indonesian Air Force/Skn 101 T: AS-202/18A3 S: LM-2022

After taking off from Adi Soemarmo Air Base, Surakarta, the aircraft made an emergency landing near Sukoharjo, Central Java. The pilot and student were uninjured. Damage to the aircraft is unconfirmed. D: Aug 12 N: Iraqi Army Aviation Command T: Mi-17 or Mi-171E

Having completed one mission to deliver aid and rescue Yazidi refugees on the Sinjar Mountain, the helicopter crashed shortly after taking off for a return trip. One pilot was reported killed and several people were injured. D: Aug 13 N: Islamic Rep of Iran Naval Aviation T: AB212ASW S: 6-2414

Above: Islamic Republic of Iran Naval Aviation Agusta-Bell 212ASW 6-2414 in a badly damaged state after its accident at Dayyer on August 13 while en route to Bushehr from Assalouyeh. Four of the six on board were injured in the heavy landing. N: Ukrainian Army/16th Avn Bgde T: Mi-8 S: Unknown

The same crew that were flying '62 Yellow' that was shot down the previous day were shot down again over Donetsk and this time they were severely injured. D: Aug 19 N: Italian Air Force/102° Gruppo T: 2 x Tornado S: MM7009 ‘6-46’, MM7087 ‘6-36’

En route to Bushehr from Assalouyeh. southern Iran, this helicopter force landed at Dayyer due to a technical malfunction. Four were injured and two escaped unhurt.

These two aircraft collided during a training flight and crashed at Gimigliano di Venarotta, 18 miles (30km) from Ascoli. All four crew members were killed.

D: Aug 15 N: Honduran Air Force T: Cessna 210 S: FAH-245

D: Aug 20 N: Guatemalan Air Force T: Bell 206L-1 Long Ranger S: FAG-132

While landing in gusty conditions at Celaque Airport, Lempira, the aircraft veered off the runway into a hollow, where it flipped over and sustained extensive damage. The six occupants escaped with minor injuries.

All five on board this LongRanger were killed when it crashed at El Aguacate, Nenton. It was en route to Ixquisis, but due to bad weather was diverting to the military base in Las Palmas.

D: Aug 16 N: Ukrainian Air Force T: MiG-29 S: ‘53 White’ (c/n 2960729047)

The aircraft was shot down by proRussian separatist over the Luhansk region. The pilot ejected safely.

D: Aug 20 N: Ukrainian Air Force T: Su-25 Frogfoot

While operating in the Luhansk region, this aircraft was shot down near the village of Georgievka. The pilot was seen to eject, but his condition was unconfirmed.

D: Aug 20 N: Ukrainian Air Force T: 2 x Mi-24 Hind S: ‘09 Yellow’ plus one

D: Aug 26 N: Colombian Army T: Cessna 208B Grand Caravan S: EJC-1137

Pro-Russian separatists fired on these two Mi-24 Hind attack helicopters over the village of Georgievka, near Luhansk. The military confirmed that one Mi-24 ('09 Yellow') had been shot down, while the second was also hit by ground fire. The latter was damaged, but the pilot was able to make an emergency landing near the village.

Following engine problems en route from Cali to Tumaco-La Florida the aircraft made an emergency landing in a field near Mercaderes, Cauca. The Cessna ran into a bush, damaging its propeller and port main undercarriage. None of the seven passengers and crew were injured.

D: Aug 21 N: Ukrainian Air Force T: Su-24 Fencer

Pro-Russian separatists shot down this aircraft over the city of Luhansk. Both pilots ejected, but their status was not immediately known. D: Aug 24 N: Spanish Guardia Civil T: Bo-105CBS-4 S: HU.15-90 ‘09-118’

While trying to rescue an injured mountain climber, the helicopter’s rotor blades struck the side of a mountain near Polinosa. The Bo-105 then rolled down a rocky slope, killing all three people on board. A fourth crew member had exited just before the crash and was unhurt.

D: Aug 26 N: Hellenic Air Force/336 Mira T: A-7E Corsair II

During a joint exercise with the army, the aircraft developed a technical problem, causing engine failure. It then crashed in the Komotini mountains of northern Greece. The pilot ejected safely. D: Aug 26 N: UN Mission in South Sudan/UTAir T: Mi-8AMT Hip S: RA-22430

Three crew members were killed when this United Nationscontracted Mi-8 helicopter crashed near Bentiu, Unity State, South Sudan. One other crew member survived with injuries. The helicopter was on a routine cargo flight from Wau in western Bahr El Ghazal State to Bentiu. It may have been shot down.

D: Aug 18 N: Syrian Air Force T: Unidentified fighter

Syrian opposition rebels are reported to have shot down this unspecified fighter near Hamah Air Base. D: Aug 18 N: Ukrainian Army/16th Avn Bgde T: Mi-8MT S: '62 Yellow' (c/n 94239)

The helicopter was shot down over the Donetsk region. The crew escaped unhurt.

Above: Fuerza Aérea Hondureña (FAH – Honduran Air Force) Cessna 210 FAH-245 on June 27 at La Ceiba-Goloson International Airport. This was the aircraft which was involved in a landing accident on August 15 at Celaque Airport, Gracias, Lempira. Mario Theresin

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

34 OCTOBER 2014 #319

34-35_Attrition_Oct.DJ.indd 34

www.airforcesmonthly.com

09/09/2014 09:22

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

D: Sep 4 N: Russian Air Force T: MiG-31 Foxhound

D: Aug 27 N: US Air Force/Mass ANG/104th FW/131st FS T: F-15C Eagle

The aircraft crashed near Deerfield in western Virginia on a routine training mission. It was on a ferry flight from the unit’s base at Westfield-Barnes Airport, Massachusetts, to NAS New Orleans, Louisiana, for a radar system upgrade. The pilot, who had declared an emergency at high altitude, was killed. D: Aug 27 N: Yemen Air and Air Defence Force T: L-39ZA Albatros

This jet trainer crashed on landing at Ta’izz Ganed Air Base, killing the pilot., but further details of the circumstances of the accident are unknown. D: Aug 29 N: Libyan Air Force T: MiG-21UM S: 069

Libya’s Ansar al-Sharia rebel group claim to have shot down this fighter, which was being operated by the militia forces of renegade General Khalifa Haftar. It crashed in al-Baida, eastern Libya. Although a spokesman for General Haftar confirmed it had crashed, it was said to be due to a technical fault. The pilot was killed. D: Aug 29 N: Ukrainian Air Force T: Su-25M1 Frogfoot S: '08 Yellow'

This aircraft was shot down by a missile while undertaking a mission against Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine. The pilot ejected safely and was uninjured.

Above: Italian Air Force Tornado MM7087 ‘6-36’ at the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire, in July 2005. This was one of the two which collided on August 19, killing all four crew members. Maurits Even D: Sept 1 N: US Marine Corps/VMM-263(R) T: CH-53E Super Stallion S: 162485

This helicopter lost power and ditched in the Gulf of Aden as it attempted to land aboard the USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19). All 25 people aboard were safely recovered. Personnel with minor injuries were treated aboard the ship.

D: Sep 2 N: Turkish Air Force/182 Filo T: F-16C

Due to a reported technical failure, this F-16C crashed on landing at the 8th Main Jet Base at Diyarbakir. The pilot ejected safely. The aircraft came to rest upright on its belly in the grass alongside the runway, causing several commercial flights to be diverted. It was not immediately clear whether it had sustained any significant damage.

D: Sept 2 N: Libyan Air Force T: MiG-21UM S: 114

D: Sep 2 N: US Navy/HSC-6 T: MH-60S

During a flypast over Tobruk, this aircraft crashed in a residential area, killing the pilot and two people on the ground. Nine others injured. The accident happened during a low-level pass over the city to honour the pilot killed in the crash on August 29.

While landing during a routine training mission near Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada, the helicopter rolled over onto its side. All five crew members escaped significant injury. The extent of damage incurred to the helicopter is as yet unconfirmed.

While returning from a routine training flight, the crew of this aircraft reported a problem with the starboard main undercarriage while they were on approach to the air base at Armavir. The aircraft crashed 40 miles (25km) from Armavir city in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region. Both pilots ejected safely before the MiG-31 plunged into a field and was destroyed. The crew were unhurt and recovered to the base by helicopter. D: Sep 4 N: Air Force of Zimbabwe/6 Squadron T: SF260 S: - ‘H’

Soon after taking off from HarareCharles Prince Airport, along with three others of the type, the aircraft crashed and was destroyed, killing both crew members. It came down in a compound at the nearby Willdale settlement in Mount Hampden. The SF260 was from 6 ‘Tiger’ Squadron, based at Thornhill/Gweru Air Base, which is the only AFZ unit operating the type. It is believed the four aircraft were practising for the Big African Air Show, which was due to be held at the airport two days later, on September 6. Additional material from: Donny Chan, Chris Lofting, Scramble/ Dutch Aviation Society and Vladimir Trendalifovsky.

D: Aug 31 N: Ukrainian Air Force T: 2 x unidentified helicopters

Pro-Russian separatists claimed to have caused unknown damaged these two helicopters during a night-time attack on an unspecified airfield. D: Sep 1 N: Ukrainian Air Force T: Su-27 Flanker

Unconfirmed reports claim that this Flanker was shot down by pro-Russian separatists in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine. It was said to have been hit over the village of Mereschki, about 25 miles (40km) southeast of Donetsk. The fate of the pilot was not reported.

www.airforcesdaily.com

34-35_Attrition_Oct.DJ.indd 35

Above: Wreckage of the Air Force of Zimbabwe SF260 following its crash on September 4, near Harare-Charles Prince Airport, which killed both crew members.

#319 OCTOBER 2014

35

09/09/2014 09:43

Mission Rehersal Exercise - RAF MARham

Goldstars are Go! In the first of a two-part feature, AFM’s Glenn Sands describes how RAF Marham’s 31 ‘Goldstars’ Squadron is preparing for the last Tornado Force deployment to Kandahar, Afghanistan.

36 OCTOBER 2014 #319

36-39_Gold_Oct.indd 36

www.airforcesmonthly.com

05/09/2014 16:40

!

Mission Rehersal Exercise - RAF MARham

T

he thump of a rocket echoes around the aircraft hangars as a siren wails in the background. A short distance away, RAF personnel can be seen running to the area as an ‘Afghan’ civilian appears from behind a building and cries for help. He’s disorientated and in pain, clutching his chest and head and barely able to stand. A senior RAF NCO barks orders to his troops as some stand, kneel or lay in the prone position with their weapons ready and pointing towards areas from where they feel a threat may come. As I looked around me it was clear the personnel were at the top of their game; from the lance corporal serving within the RAF Regiment to the Tornado crew waiting for instructions to land or hold amid this insurgent attack. This was as real as it could get and the pressure for all was slowly increasing But this was not Kandahar, Afghanistan, it was RAF Marham, Norfolk, on a sunny day in late July. It was the final stage of what is known as the Mission Rehersal Exercise (MRX) – a single week when a squadron due to deploy to Afghanistan is tested to its limits and beyond. Every aspect is

evaluated, from how Tornado GR4 aircrews fly their close-air support strikes for troops in contact to the paperwork in the engine maintenance department. Nothing is left to chance. The original concept of such an exercise was developed back in the ‘Cold War’ when it was expected the Tornado Force (TF) would be flying four or eight-ship formations against targets in Warsaw Pact countries, led by the commanding officer of the squadron. Those days have long since passed and the TF has adapted to challenging and changing times with a professionalism that has seen the GR4 become one of the most respected close-air support aircraft in the world – silencing the pro-Harrier critics once and for all. Along with changes within the TF, there was a fresh look at how to train the squadrons deploying to Afghanistan in a more realistic manner.

Getting ready

Squadron Leader Simon Reade, a highly experienced RAF helicopter pilot for some 20 years, explained how the idea for MRX came about: “It was when 12 Squadron were tasked to support

Left: Squadron Leader Simon Reade, the man behind the MRX concept – his team has changed the way an RAF squadron prepares for an overseas deployment to a warzone.

Exercise Crown Condor in November 2010, which was part of the RAF’s deployed operations training syllabus. It was cancelled at the last minute which meant there was a Tornado squadron getting ready to deploy to Afghanistan that had no scheduled training. My team and I wrote an exercise scenario at very short notice to deliver training for Operation Herrick in Afghanistan. “At the time we were basically using friends, and friends of friends, to pull together this exercise in a month, which we delivered. Back then, 617 Squadron, which was next to deploy, saw the exercise and said: ‘We’d like to do that. Can you do something similar for us?’” Below: The distinction of being the last RAF Tornado Squadron to deploy to Kandahar, Afghanistan, goes to 31 Squadron from RAF Marham, Norfolk. Two of its GR4s are pictured here on a training flight over the UK a few months before departure. The Tornado in the foreground carries two Storm Shadow long-range, stand-off, air-to-ground missiles under its fuselage. Key - Jamie Hunter

www.airforcesdaily.com

36-39_Gold_Oct.indd 37

#319 OCTOBER 2014

37

05/09/2014 16:40

MISSION REHERSAL EXERCISE - RAF MARHAM

Through word of mouth, the MRX exercise grew until it became a mandated event as part of the TF pre-deployment schedule. It seems an odd concept to transform a little piece of Norfolk into Kandahar for a week but, as Simon explained, the actual location where the MRX takes place is not a big deal. It’s how the aircrews, grounds crews and support personnel react to the series of tests that occur, and how they learn from them, that matters. “At Marham we simulate what they’d have at Kandahar, so they’re generating aircraft and facing the sort of threats and problems they’ll face out in Afghanistan. So they have force protection issues they’ll have to manage such as the risks of indirect fire from the rockets that occasionally land on the base. It’s teaching personnel how to respond to the threat, how to deal with the aftermath of a rocket attack. “We throw in a scenario where ground equipment or a Tornado has been damaged during an attack, asking the squadron personnel what effect that has on their operational tempo of being able to generate aircraft. Then we look at the first-aid side of things, with ground personnel simulating injuries. “But we’ve learnt to look beyond just the actual mechanics of the first-aid techniques. It’s teaching the individual to deal with the incident him or herself, along with the entire trauma that goes on around that. We hope it’ll never occur but, if it does happen out in Kandahar, he or she will know what to do and lives will be saved.”

Top to bottom

While any member of the squadron on the ground may face an unfamiliar situation, the MRX team are keen to point out that the entire week is viewed as a learning process. There’s no ‘pass’ or ‘fail’. It’s all about what has been learnt at the end of the week. How they can put that into practice, what would they like to know or develop more and how can the MRX training team help? It’s a procedure that has worked extremely well. As I stood in the temporary MRX headquarters, with numerous phones ringing, charts on the wall, maps laid out on a large table and countless lists of what to do next, there’s an air of patient professionalism. Sqn Ldr Reade explained: “The MRX is going really well at the moment and is where I’d expect it to be by the third day. It’s the 15th we’ve run for the TF [Tornado Force]. “Of course, there’s the occasional niggle; some things are better and some worse. But a whole lot of learning is taking place and we see these early days as very much a ‘crawl, walk, run process’. “What you see on the first day is personnel getting to grips with understanding the alerts and alarms and seeing a slightly sluggish response as people come to terms with what they’re doing, because it’s translating what they’ve learnt in a parity training environment to doing it as a squadron and getting the squadron as a whole to respond to it. “Day two sees the development of that – and by day three we, as a team, step back and make the situation increasingly complex and let them deal with it. We’ll

debrief them afterwards at the end of each event. The training team will pass on our points from what we observed. Thursday is the final day, a bit of a climax day, and we deliberately make it testing for that reason. But the squadron will rise to the challenges – it’s the nature of the people we [the RAF] employ.”

Proof for the boss

It’s clear this MRX, and many others over the past few years, have concentrated on the Afghanistan theatre of operations. But plans are already in place to adapt the exercise to a‘less focused’environment while not taking away any of the lessons learned from Operation Herrick. For now, the attention is on getting 31 Squadron prepared and to ensure ground units already in theatre will have a Tornado squadron that arrives ready and has ‘ticked all the boxes’back in the UK. Squadron Leader Gareth Pendergast, a veteran Tornado GR4 Qualified Weapons Instructor with 31 Squadron, explained the approval procedure: “Once we have completed the MRX it proves to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Joint Below: RAF Marham Station Commander Group Captain Harvey Smyth taxies his Tornado back to the ramp following a ground support sortie at one of the local training ranges during MRX week.

“It’s teaching the individual to deal with the incident him or herself, along with the entire trauma that goes on around that.”

38 OCTOBER 2014 #319

36-39_Gold_Oct.indd 38

www.airforcesmonthly.com

05/09/2014 16:41

MISSION REHERSAL EXERCISE - RAF MARHAM Right: Members of the RAF Regiment investigate an ‘Afghan’ civilian found on the air base after a simulated rocket attack. Below: The purpose of GCAS is to provide two aircraft and two crews at a high state of readiness for tasking anywhere within the Afghan Area of Operations. This was simulated at RAF Marham with these two Tornado GR4s operating from 31 Squadron’s hardened aircraft shelter complex.

Command NATO, which we call the IJC, that we as a squadron are able to meet any event that could be occurring in any particular episode. “If there are troops in contact and friendly forces come under fire, it’s having that ability, if necessary, to launch aircraft as quickly as possible to get into the overhead and provide support. This will allow [the friendly forces] to safely disengage from the contact and get back behind their own lines. “But in order to meet that we need to ensure the jets are primed and ready to go and that they can get airborne as quickly as possible, as part of our Ground Close-Air Support commitment (GCAS). We’re normally airborne within 20 minutes of being told there’s something happening. We then race to the scene to do whatever we can. That doesn’t mean

simply dropping bombs or firing rockets, it could be something as simple as putting engine noise in the overhead. This displays an intent on our behalf to tell the bad guys they’d better ‘get out of Dodge’ and stop firing at our people, or else it may all start going downhill for them.” Sqn Ldr Reade echoed Gareth’s comments on the way GCAS missions have adapted over the last few years, explaining: “Afghanistan has changed as we’ve gone from what was an overtly very kinetic campaign to where the emphasis is on understanding the environment. Reconnaissance is vitally important and the majority of effort in theatre is understanding what’s on the ground. Every time you put people out there they need to know intensely the environment they’re operating in.

Above: A thumbs up to the pilot from a member of 31 Squadron’s ground crew, gives the all clear to taxi out to the runway on a practice GCAS sortie. As the week progressed ‘scramble times’ were reduced to just 20 minutes. Key – Glenn Sands unless stated

“Every event doesn’t necessarily mean the employment of force, but there are steps the aircrews and command and control staff have to go through: the steps of ‘can I, can’t I, should I?’ employ my weapons system to support the situation on the ground. Such procedures have to be followed and these have been added to the MRX and constantly modified as the conflict has gone on to ensure we legally follow the correct procedure every time if weapons need to be deployed.”

Command and control

For the command and control (C2) personnel in the squadron, the MRX team evaluates their ability to communicate and manage a situation on the airbase – from the most junior individual to a senior member of the staff. Sqn Ldr Reade explained some of the potential pitfalls: “We look at how the C2 use their radios; simply giving a person a radio is an easy way to ensure they will jam the airwaves if something happens. We coach them on how to keep chatter to a minimum and only when necessary. “Once we’ve done that we look at the layers of management within the squadron and where we stress those levels. An example of this could be simply getting an aircraft diverted, so we’d simulate sending an aircraft to Bagram and then make it go unserviceable. The C2 staff would have to work out how they’re going to recover the Tornado. We then have a crash exercise, so that involves an expeditionary situation. How do you deal with that? “In the UK you have preservation of evidence and deal with the aftermath in a very controlled environment. [In Afghanistan] they have an operational output they’ve got to sustain. So how would they keep that while dealing with a crashed aircraft? At the same time, we’d be giving them an outside request for close air support (CAS) from troops in contact, along with an order for an intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) sortie they would normally do daily out in theatre.” So it’s clear that the MRX team has a wealth of scenarios they can ‘throw’ at 31 Squadron – afm and this is only day three…

Next Month In part two, AFM hears from the GR4 aircrew, RAF Regiment and exercise instructors on how the ‘confidence’ all comes together.

www.airforcesdaily.com

36-39_Gold_Oct.indd 39

#319 OCTOBER 2014

39

05/09/2014 16:47

INDONESIA REVIVAL

T

WENTY YEARS ago, Industri Pesawat Terbang Nusantara (IPTN) was a vibrant aerospace company. Backed by the Indonesian Government it employed around 16,000 personnel working with CASA (then EADS and now Airbus Defence and Space [ADS]) on the licensed production of the CN212 and CN235 medium-range airlifters for customers in the Asia Pacific region. There was a similar agreement with Aerospatiale (then Eurocopter and now Airbus Helicopters) which led to the licensed production of 123 Bo105s, 11 SA330 Pumas and 19 AS332 Super Pumas. With all this new technological know-how, IPTN dreamt of producing its own indigenous airliner – the N250 (short for Nurtanio, two-engine 50-seater). Demand from the many local airlines looking to serve the needs of the estimated 230 million people meant

the future looked bright. Indonesia’s 741,000 square miles (1,919,000km2) which includes 6,000 inhabited islands and a burgeoning airport network meant airlines were hungry for more aircraft. Two N250 prototypes were built and two more were planned. Then it all went wrong. When the 1997 Asian financial crisis hit, the Indonesian Government was forced to stop funding the ambitious project. The N250 was subsequently dropped and IPTN teetered on the verge of collapse. The work force was cut to 4,000.

1997 Financial Crash

CN235 export deals

PTDI’s first overseas CN 235 deal was with the United Arab Emirates Air Force (UAEAF), which led to seven CN235M-110s being delivered between 1993 and 95. Unfortunately, another contract to supply the

Back from the D

40 OCTOBER 2014 #319

40-43_Indonesian_Oct gs.aw.indd 40

www.airforcesmonthly.com

05/09/2014 11:39

INDONESIA REVIVAL

Above: The first CN295 to be assembled by PTDI is close to making its first flight. It is the eighth aircraft on order for the Indonesian Air Force, the first seven were delivered direct from Spain. Below: PTDI will deliver a third CN235MPA shortly, registered AX-2341 (Build No 62) to the Indonesian Navy as part of the stalled MARPAT (maritime patrol) 1 programme, which was signed in 2009. All photos, Alan Warnes

e Dead

Revitalising PT Dirgantara Indonesia (Indonesian Aerospace) after the 1997 Asian financial collapse has been a struggle, but as Alan Warnes discovered during a recent visit to Bandung, the future is looking brighter.

UAEAF with four CN235MPA Persuaders, awarded in 1997, fell through due to the financial crisis. A single CN235 was delivered to the Royal Brunei Air Force in late 1998. Six CN235M-220s for the Royal Malaysian Air Force (M44-01/AX-2315 to MM44-06/AX-2320) followed in mid-1999. However, it is the Republic of Korea (South Korea) that has probably provided the most help during the lean years. Eight CN235s were ordered by the RoKAF in 1995, but because of Indonesia’s financial issues, PTDI could not supply the six tactical aircraft to Seoul until December 2001, with the last arriving five months later. They were joined by two VIP examples in December 2002. The Pakistan Air Force acquired four CN235s, one in a VIP fit, during 2004. The two CN235M-220-VIPs that were delivered to the RMAF in August 2005 and February 2006 were the last new CN235 exports for three years. A couple of deals with African countries helped the manufacturer tick along. A single 1992-built CN235-110 was handed over to the Burkina Faso Air Force at Bandung on September 13, 2007, after being upgraded to -220M standard from a civilian specification. Meanwhile two CN235-110s, built in the 1990s and formerly operated by an airline, were sold to the Senegalese Air Force after they were overhauled and reworked to a -220 specification. The first was delivered on November 1, 2010, and the second followed in late August 2011. Then South Korea came back on the scene, this time the Korean Coast Guard placed a $100 million order for four CN235-220MPAs, equipped with Elta EL/2022M airborne maritime surveillance radars. They were delivered between May 2011 and March 2012. It remains the biggest export contract to date and relieved PTDI’s financial crisis considerably.

Guinea Mystery A single Indonesian-built CN235M-100 was acquired by the Guinea Air Force from an unknown source in June 2012. However, its career in the west African state was short-lived as it was destroyed in a crash near Charlesville, Liberia, resulting in 12 fatalities, on February 11, 2013. Among those killed were the head of the Guinea armed forces, General Souleymane Kelefa Diallo, plus other senior officials, who were part of a delegation flying from Conakry in Guinea, to Monrovia-Roberts International Airport, Liberia.

New Eurocopter deals

In 2008 the 30-year-old partnership with Eurocopter paid further dividends when a $42 million contract was signed to set up an assembly line at PTDI’s Bandung factory for Super Puma airframes. The deal, expected to last until 2020, includes the production of EC225/725 tail booms and fuselages. The first batch of tail booms was completed in March 2010, to ease the company’s serious cash flow crisis. Then on November 15, 2011, work began on assembling the first EC225/725 fuselage. Prior to this, on July 1, 2011 a teaming agreement was signed with Eurocopter to cover industrial co-operation and the marketing of its products to Indonesia’s government departments. Henri Stell, Eurocopter Deputy Vice President Sales and Customer Relations (Asia Pacific) said at the ceremony “both Eurocopter and PTDI can capitalize on each other’s strengths – PTDI’s strong local insights, network and solid infrastructure; and Eurocopter’s global strategy www.airforcesdaily.com

40-43_Indonesian_Oct gs.aw.indd 41

#319 OCTOBER 2014

41

05/09/2014 11:39

INDONESIA REVIVAL

NC212i The NC212i is a development of the Airbus Military C212-400. It is being pitched to civil and military customers as a highly competitive and versatile transport with new digital avionics and autopilot systems, as well as a new commercial interior for 28 passengers rather than the current 25. It will be EASA and FAA FAR 25 certified. Thailand’s Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MOAC) will be the first recipient of a C212-400 (c/n 109)

and network, coupled with having the world’s widest helicopter product range – to secure upcoming local procurement programmes and grow the business together.” Immediately, the agreement proved hugely beneficial, with orders for over 40 helicopters being placed by Indonesia’s military. This included 12 AS550/AS355s, one AS350B3, six AS355NPs and five AS550C3 Armed Scouts for the army and six EC 725s, along with up to 12 EC 135s for the air force. In mid-2014, the first three EC 725s and a sixth fuselage was seen on the production line at Eurocopter’s Marseille-Marignane factory in France and delivery was expected in 2015. Most of the helicopters built or assembled in Bandung have remained in Indonesia serving the local military, however the Royal Malaysian Air Force did acquire a single NAS332L Super Puma in 1988 that was lost in an accident on April 16, 1994.

built at PTDI. It is currently being test-flown at Bandung. The last six NC212-200s were on the production line in March 2014 and all were expected to be delivered to the Indonesian military. One had been contracted for and the remaining five are likely to gain official orders on an incremental basis. According to PTDI, c/n 103 is for the Indonesian Air Force, c/n 104 for Indonesian Navy and c/ns 105-108 also for the Indonesian Air Force.

Above: This is the fi rst newly developed NC212-400 (c/n 109) now simply known as the NC212i which is destined for Thailand’s Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MOAC). Below: This is one of the last NC212-200s (c/n 103) to come off the PTDI production line, destined for the Indonesian Air Force. The final aircraft, c/n 108, should also be going to the Indonesian Air Force.

Airbus Military

In October 2011, Airbus Military (now part of Air Defence and Space [ADS]) entered into a teaming agreement with PTDI. President Director, Budi

42 OCTOBER 2014 #319

40-43_Indonesian_Oct gs.aw.indd 42

Below: In the mid-1990s IPTN was a vibrant aerospace company with around 16,000 employees. The N250 was part of what was expected to be an exciting future but funding was withdrawn when the Asian financial crisis hit in 1997. Two prototypes had been built by this stage.

www.airforcesmonthly.com

05/09/2014 11:39

INDONESIA REVIVAL Left: PTDI’s contract to assemble 30 Bell 412EPs ordered by the Indonesian MoD in early December 2010 is almost complete. The helicopters were delivered to Indonesia in this state and PTDI will add the engines and avionics. These three examples, 36654, 36655 and 36656 are the last of 24 ordered by the Indonesian Army (TNI-AD). The remainder were delivered to the navy and the Indonesian Polis (Police). Below: The signing of the NC212i Development Plan Agreement at the LIMA exhibition in Langkawi, Malaysia. Putting their signatures to the start of the aircraft’s development phase are PTDI President, Budi Santoso and Airbus Military’s Domingo Ureña Raso.

Santoso said at the time: “This agreement follows up on the Strategic Collaboration Agreement signed three months ago and is proof of our serious intent to make PTDI a world class company.’ Airbus Military announced on January 24, 2013 it had delivered the last C212-400 assembled in Spain (the third for the Vietnam Marine Police). This ended more than 40 years of continuous production of the C212 at the Airbus Military final assembly line in Seville, Spain. The C212400 production was subsequently transferred to PTDI. The next step towards recovery came on March 26, 2013 during the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA) exhibition, when the two parties signed a commitment to develop the NC212i light utility transport (see opposite). The deal ratifies and details the joint manufacturing, marketing and support packages for the new NC212i, launched in November 2012. The aircraft will be delivered from PTDI’s facilities in Bandung and promoted/supported by PTDI and Airbus Military teams worldwide. A firm contract between Airbus Military and PTDI wassignedatSingaporeAirshowonFebruary16,2012 to supply nine CN295s to the Indonesian Air Force. The first seven aircraft were built at the ADS plant in Seville, with deliveries to 2 Squadron at Halim taking

place between October 2012 and mid-2014. The last two are being built at PTDI’s CN295 light assembly line at Bandung. Plans for the CN295 include a substantial industrial collaboration between PTDI and Airbus Military. PTDI’s President Director, Budi Santoso said at the Singapore Air Show ceremony: “It will provide our country with the right capability for the years to come and allows PTDI to grow its aerospace business as a tier 1 supplier.” He added: “This will position PTDI on the global aerospace scene.” Fulfilling the ambitions to build its own aircraft, it harboured in the mid-1980s, may take a little longer, but with production of the NC212i, CN235, CN295 and EC725 underway work is building up. PTDI is now stepping up its marketing efforts for the maritime versions of the CN235. Arie Wibotwo, PTDI’s Vice President of Marketing, told AFM the company is now bidding for several maritime patrol requirements in the region. “A contract is expected to be signed soon with the Philiipines for two CN235ASWs, with delivery taking place 26 months afterwards,” he said. Working with PTDI as a mission systems supplier will be Raytheon Systems, marking the first time a US company has partnered with the Indonesians if the deal is clinched.

Into the future

Several other CN235 MPA/ASW proposals are on the table “but the mission systems will be flexible, completely the choice of the customer,” Wibotwo added. “Malaysia prefers Thales, Vietnam wants the ADS Fully Integrated Tactical Systems [FITS] or a Swedish SSC system, while Thailand and Brunei seem more relaxed.” This means PTDI could soon be working with several different systems integrators from Europe and the US. Having recently delivered a CN235 to Thailand with options on another two, PTDI feels it is well positioned to provide the Royal Thai Navy with a solution for its ASW/MPA requirement for up to four aircraft. Domestically, PTDI will shortly deliver a third CN235MPA to the Indonesian Navy as part of its MARPAT (maritime patrol) 1 programme. These aircraft are equipped with the Thales AMASCOS system. “Another two CN235MPAs are contracted by the navy as part of MARPAT 2, but the radar system will come from Telephonics,”Wibotwo revealed. The company now appears to be on the road to recovery. With support from ADS, may even see a return to its halcyon days. There are plans to launch a new 19-seater N219 multipurpose aircraft, that will be designed to operate in the many remote parts of Indonesia. It may even be ready by 2016 when afm the company celebrates its 40th anniversary.

Above: One of two NAS332 Super Pumas to come off the PTDI line is seen here in the final assembly shed.

www.airforcesdaily.com

40-43_Indonesian_Oct gs.aw.indd 43

#319 OCTOBER 2014

43

05/09/2014 11:47

Chinese attack helicopters

In a world where sanctions, vetoes, clones and copies all pl

EMERGING FROM as Jakub Fojtik explains

T

he People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China was initially introduced to the concept of armed battlefield helicopters when eight HOT anti-tank missile-equipped SA342L Gazelles from Aérospatiale were delivered during the 1980s. These light and agile machines were used to develop antiarmour warfare tactics, as well as undertaking border patrols and simulating hostile aircraft during military training exercises for Chinese special forces. Licence production of the SA342L was under consideration for some time, but this was abandoned when the Cold War ended. Nevertheless, the PLA’s experience with its modest fleet of Gazelles eventually led to procurement of additional scout helicopters. Boasting the world’s longest land border 13,800 miles (22,000km), China clearly needed an armed helicopter capable of lengthy patrols more than any other country. This was particularly the case in the 1980s when China did not enjoy cordial relations or a secure border with many of its neighbours. War raging between Soviet-backed government forces and the Mujahideen in Afghanistan for much of the decade, during which Islamist insurgents routinely fled into China via Pakistan, was a typical example.

44 OCTOBER 2014 #319

44-52_China_Oct copy.indd 44

Although such violations clearly threatened China’s homeland security, the PLA repeatedly failed to buy attack helicopters to tighten its borders. Nevertheless, armament options continued to be evaluated and evidence suggests Chinese engineers visited Angola to inspect locally operated Mil Mi-8TVK transport helicopters equipped with antitank guided missiles (ATGMs). Such trips were clearly worthwhile, for Folding-Fin Aerial Rocket (FFAR) pods and freefall bombs were subsequently introduced to PLA Harbin Z-5 (a Chinese licence-built version of the Mil Mi-4) and Mi-8 helicopters. China also looked at purchasing Mi-24s after the PLA managed to capture one of the type (probably from Mongolia) for evaluation purposes. Its weapon systems were studied to see if they could be manufactured in China for fitment to types already in PLA service at the time. Even if the Chinese had wanted to pursue the purchase of Mi-24s, it is highly unlikely the Soviet Government would have agreed due to concerns about the deployment of attack helicopters along the Sino-Soviet border. Their presence would almost certainly have evoked memories of the SinoSoviet conflicts of 1929 and 1969.

Right: A head-on view of the WZ-10, which originally was thought to be the first indigenous Chinese design for a dedicated attack helicopter. Subsequently, however, it emerged that the basic design had been developed by Kamov in Russia, although prototype construction, flight testing and further development were all undertaken in China. All photos via author

‘In the late 1980s China evaluated the Agusta A129 Mangusta’

www.airforcesmonthly.com

04/09/2014 14:44

Chinese attack helicopters

s all played a big part, China's attack helicopters are finally

M THE SHADOWS In the late 1980s China evaluated the Agusta A129 Mangusta, and in 1988 secured an agreement with the US Government to acquire AH-1 Cobras and licence-build BGM-71 TOW missiles – it is no secret that Chinese engineers had visited Iran several years earlier to evaluate the type. Both deals were cancelled when a strictly enforced arms embargo was introduced on China by Western governments in the immediate aftermath of the Tiananmen Square protest repression in June 1989. With the collapse of the USSR in 1991, China approached Bulgaria, Ukraine and Belarus in the hope it could acquire a number of second-hand Mi-24s. The PLA planned to send the helicopters to South Africa for modernisation, but once again the purchase failed to materialise. In the mid-1990s China approached Russia about acquiring new Kamov Ka-50s and Mil Mi-28s, but the sale of both types was vetoed by the Kremlin although the recently formed People’s Liberation Army Ground Force Aircraft (PLAGFAF) could have been the helicopters’ first export customer. The final rejection convinced senior officers in the PLAGFAF to push to develop dedicated, indigenous, attack and scout helicopter.

www.airforcesdaily.com

44-52_China_Oct copy.indd 45

#319 OCTOBER 2014

45

04/09/2014 14:44

CHINESE ATTACK HELICOPTERS Scout for any mission

By the mid-1990s the Chinese had fielded an armed helicopter, developed from the medium utility Harbin Z-9. Licence-built clones of the Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin, some 200 unarmed Z-9s, entered service with the PLAGFAF during the early 1990s. The type was deemed powerful enough to cope with the added weight of anti-tank missiles, their pylons and associated sighting sensors. It also had the lowest possible dependence on equipment supplied by foreign manufacturers of any helicopter then in Chinese production. Approximately 70% of the Z-9B was constructed from Chinese-made components, with the rest supplied by France. However, the latter’s input consisted of the most sophisticated items installed in the helicopter such as its avionics and engines. China worked hard to reduce the level of French equipment in the Z-9, and by the time the Z-9A100 model began flight-testing only 9% of the components in the engine and 18% of the airframe and its systems had been supplied by Eurocopter. The Z-9A-100 was later selected as the baseline model for series production of scout and attack versions of the helicopter. The first variant, designated the Z-9C, was intended for maritime patrol and support operations with the People’s Liberation Army Naval Air Force (PLANAF). It was followed by the Z-9W, which was equipped for scouting missions and providing direct fire support for PLA troops on the ground. The Z-9W’s principal weapon was the locally built

Above: Chinese People's Liberation Army Aviation Corps Aerospatial SA342L Gazelle LH94307. Eight of the type were delivered during the 1980s, providing China with its first armed battlefield helicopters. Below: China has had some degree of success in exporting the Z-9 in both armed and unarmed variants. Seen here is Royal Cambodian Air Force Z-9 MH-909 (c/n Z9-0669), one of 12 delivered in 2013.

‘The missile’s warhead was also upgraded so it could penetrate explosive reactive armour fitted to modern tanks’

China developed the Z-9W, an anti-tank version of the Harbin Z-9 (a licence-built Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin), which entered service in the early-to-mid 1990s. This was followed by the more advanced Z-9WA, which added an all-weather, day/night capability. Seen here are Z-9WAs from the 4th Army Aviation Brigade/65th Group Army, based at Beijing-Tongxian. Note that all are armed with TY-90 air-to-air missiles.

46 OCTOBER 2014 #319

44-52_China_Oct copy.indd 46

www.airforcesmonthly.com

05/09/2014 10:24

CHINESE ATTACK HELICOPTERS

Above: The Kenyan Air Force (KAF) was the first export customer for the Z-9WE, buying four in 2010. This KAF example, 585 (c/n Z9-0685), is from a second batch of four that were delivered.

HJ-8 anti-tank guided missile, a non-licensed derivate of the optically tracked and wire-guided Russian AT-3 Sagger ATGM – the Chinese ‘copy’ incorporated improvements in the weapon’s construction, guidance systems and warhead effectiveness. The specially developed, increased range, HJ-8B model optimised for employment from a helicopter was the weapon of choice for the Z-9W. Locally manufactured, pod-mounted 57mm and 90mm unguided FFARs (the former are copies of Soviet-era S-5 rockets) and 7.62mm, 12.7mm and 23mm calibre cannon pods could also be carried by the helicopter.

The first Z-9Ws were spotted participating in a military exercise as early as 1989, two years after the prototype completed its maiden flight. Following exhaustive weapons acceptance trials, the helicopter was formally cleared for service with the PLAGFAF in 1993. Production of the Z-9W was well under way by then, Harbin reportedly manufacturing around 50 helicopters. In 1999 the development of the more advanced allweather day/night Z-9WA variant was launched by Harbin. The main difference between it and the Z-9W was a nose-mounted forward-looking infrared (FLIR) ball turret installed for weapons guidance and flight navigation. The HJ-8B missiles were replaced by the more modern HJ-8E version with thermal imaging, all-weather day and night guidance capability and an increased range of up to 3.7 miles (6km). The

missile’s warhead was also upgraded so it could penetrate explosive reactive armour fitted to modern tanks. Newer ATGMs such as the HJ-10 (sometimes referred to as the ADK-10) were cleared for use by the helicopter too. An indigenously developed weapon that is similar in capability to the American AGM-114 Hellfire, the missile is available in infrared-, laser- and TV-guided versions. For self-defence, the Z-9WA was cleared to carry the unique TY-90 infraredguided anti-helicopter missile, which has a range of 6km. The TY-90 is presently the only air-to-air missile developed specifically for dogfighting helicopters. The first Z-9WA prototype almost certainly started flight testing in 2000 with its first public appearance shortly after confirming significant improvements by the Chinese defence industry in local design and production of an armed helicopter. Most surviving Z-9Ws were subsequently upgraded with systems developed for the Z-9WA. China is also considering further improvements to the helicopter, including a crew helmet target cueing system, which is presently under development. In 2010 China achieved a notable first when four export-specification Z-9WEs were sold to the Kenyan Armed Forces. The helicopters made their combat debut during a six-month deployment to neighbouring southern Somalia in 2012, the Z-9WEs supporting ground forces and conducting armed patrols over territory occupied by Al-Shabaab Islamic terrorists. According to Kenyan military sources, two helicopters were permanently armed with FFARs

Licensed helicopters The Chinese aerospace industry’s introduction to helicopter construction came in 1958 after the Soviets agreed to deliver four Mi-4 piston-engined helicopters and blueprints to allow their local manufacture. Although Harbin managed to fly a prototype in 1959, production examples of the Z-5 (as the type was designated) only began to reach frontline PLA units from 1963 due to technical delays. By the time production ceased in the 1970s around 545 Z-5s had been built. While most served served the Chinese military, 40 were supplied to the Albanian Air Force and 50 to the Korean People’s Army Air Force. In 1976 China signed a contract with French company Aérospatiale that allowed Changhe to licence produce the three-engined SA321A Super Frélon heavy transport helicopter, locally designated the Z-8. The first example, which differed in many aspects from the French model (13 Aérospatiale-built helicopters had also been acquired in 1977-78), was delivered to the People’s Liberation Army Naval Air Force nine years later. Since then land- or ship-based anti-submarine warfare/search and rescue Z-8s, Z-8Ss and Z-8JHs have entered service with the navy, while Z-8As, Z-8Ks and Z-8KAs have been acquired by the People’s Liberation Army Air Force to perform the SAR mission. China has also recently developed a domestic civil helicopter variant of the Z-8 known as the Avicopter AC313, which is powered by three Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6B-67A engines. In 1980 China acquired rights for local assembly, and later production, of the AS365 Dauphin. Designated the Z-9, more than 200 examples have been built to date by Harbin. Another French-inspired Chinese helicopter is the Z-11, which, despite CAIC claims that it is an independent development, is clearly a reverseengineered AS350. Indeed, the machine uses identical dynamic parts and a locally produced version of the Arriel turboshaft engine.

www.airforcesdaily.com

44-52_China_Oct copy.indd 47

Harbin has also been building the AS350’s French replacement, the Eurocopter EC120, since 2004, the assembly line in northern China being the only plant for the helicopter outside of France. Both the PLAGFAF and local police forces have purchased examples, which is designated the HC-120 in China. Another Airbus Helicopters design is also set to go into production in China in the near future following the signing of an agreement between the manufacturer and Avicopter on March 25, 2014. As many as 1,000 EC175/AC352 seven-ton medium utility helicopters could be built as the Z-15, replacing the Mi-8, Sikorsky S-70, Z-8 and Z-9 in Chinese military service. According to an Airbus Helicopters press release at the time the agreement was signed: “While development work has been equally shared between Airbus Helicopters and Avicopter for the EC175/AC352 project, production is likewise shared, combining the capabilities of both companies. Coming from a common platform, two different rotorcraft are being built: the AC352, assembled and supported from China by Avicopter, mainly for the Chinese market; and the EC175, assembled and supported by Airbus Helicopters from Marignane, France, for the worldwide market.” On a much smaller scale, Italian manufacturer Agusta entered into licence production with CAIC in 2000 for construction of its A109E light utility type. A modest number of helicopters have since been built by the Jiangxi ChangheAgusta Helicopter Company under the designation CA109. Finally, Russian helicopter giant Mil established a joint manufacturing plant with the Sichuan Lantian Helicopter Co for local assembly of Mi-171 helicopters from 2008. Capable of delivering up to 80 helicopters a year, the plant was built in Sichuan province by Mil when it realised its two Russian factories could not cope with the volume of orders received China.

#319 OCTOBER 2014

47

04/09/2014 14:44

CHINESE ATTACK HELICOPTERS

Unlicensed helicopters Chinese manufacturers have an unfortunate reputation of reverse-engineering technology supplied by foreign companies. For example, the Z-8 was used as the basis for the ‘fully domesticated’ AC313, the largest helicopter ever ‘developed’ in China featuring new avionics, a redesigned fuselage, new engines and many other upgraded systems not previously seen in the Super Frélon or the licensed Z-8. The first prototype made its maiden flight on March 18, 2010, and China views this type as a local counterpart to imported Mi-171 and Mi-17V-5/7 helicopters. The medium utility Z-9 platform has also been significantly upgraded and redesigned, allowing it to perform myriad armed and unarmed roles. In its most modified form the helicopter is the basis for the WZ-19 battlefield scout. The light Z-11 model has also recently been upgraded by Avicopter as the AC311, which evidentially combines features of both the AS350 and EC120. China now also has the economic power to influence the helicopter market. For example, with the EC175 model, Avicopter was initially contracted in 2008 to deliver airframes, gearboxes, fuel systems and undercarriage units, as well as to co-operate on the overall design of the helicopter. However, by early 2014 Chinese officials had ‘persuaded’ Airbus Helicopters to launch the locally built AC352 (Z-15 in military service) powered by Chinesemanufactured WZ-16 engines – a licence-built development of the Turboméca Ardiden turboshaft engine – rather than the PT6C67Es that will power the EC175. If production of the AC352 is a success, Airbus Helicopters will also offer the machine as an option to customers. Should this happen, it will be the first time that a leading aerospace manufacturer has agreed to sell a Chinese-developed version of one of its products. Proving China has not ‘kicked’ its habit of developing unlicensed versions of foreign military hardware, on December 23, 2013 a photo appeared on a Chinese website of a medium utility helicopter dubbed the Z-20 making its first flight. Clearly based on the Sikorsky S-70C-2 (24 of which were procured by China in 1983), the new machine has a five-bladed rotor, a larger cabin than the original and a different landing gear and tail. China has long sought a medium sized military utility helicopter, and having failed to legitimately buy more S-70s, it now appears to have taken matters into its own hands.

Above: A ground crew member talks to the crew of a WZ-10 as a pair of Z-9WAs prepare for landing in the background.

and cannon pods. Although operations in Somalia were of low intensity, successful deployment of the Z-9WE in combat greatly improved the marketability of the helicopter with other potential customers. Aside from the Kenyan Armed Forces, Z-9WEs have been delivered to Kampuchea, Laos, Mali, Pakistan and Venezuela, with further sales of baseline Z-9s to other countries.

SA342 replacement

With the SA342 helicopter clearly outdated by the 1990s, the PLAGFAF chose an upgraded version of the locally built Changhe Aircraft Industries Corporation (CAIC) Z-11 as its replacement. Based on the Eurocopter AS350 Écureuil, the Z-11 project started in 1989 under the leadership of Wu Ximing, who would subsequently act as general designer for the WZ-10 attack helicopter and WZ-19 battlefield scout. The flight test programme for the Z-11 was completed in October 2000, and soon work on the CZ-11W battlefield surveillance, reconnaissance and light attack variant began. The CZ-11W variant was unveiled after three years of development. Capable of carrying up to four HJ-8 ATGMs, the helicopter was also equipped with a roof-mounted FLIR ball turret. Less than 24 CZ-11Ws

have been acquired by the PLAGFAF to date as direct replacements for the ageing SA342s, as the Z-9WA is considered a more flexible and powerful option for the armed scouting role. However, the CZ-11W’s ‘hot and high’ performance is superior to the larger Z-9WA, which means the CAIC-built machine is particularly suited to operating in mountainous areas.

WZ-10 – a real attack helicopter

Development of a dedicated attack helicopter was launched in China as a direct result of the overwhelming Coalition victory during Operation Desert Storm in 1991. Targeting Iraqi tanks and armoured vehicles in Kuwait and southern Iraq, US Marine Corps AH-1 Cobras and US Army AH-64 Apache attack helicopters were in the vanguard of the Coalition ground offensive. Keen to use the experience of foreign manufacturers in the design and construction of a new machine, the Chinese Government courted overseas manufacturers to work alongside the 602nd and 608th Research Institutes to create the ostensibly civilian oriented six-ton class China Medium Helicopter (CHM). Eurocopter (rotor installation and design consultancy), Pratt & Whitney Canada (PT6C turboshaft engine) and Agusta

Below: Two WZ-10s from the 5th Army Aviation Brigade/1st Group Army at Nanjing seen in northern China during 2013 while participating in an exercise to test combat tactics in complex weather situations.

48 OCTOBER 2014 #319

44-52_China_Oct copy.indd 48

www.airforcesmonthly.com

05/09/2014 10:24

CHINESE ATTACK HELICOPTERS China's first helicopter display team, the Fenglei (Wind and Thunder), was formed with five WZ-10s from the 4th Army Aviation Brigade/65th Group Army at Beijing-Tongxian, on August 25, 2013. They are seen here taking off to perform their first display ,on September 5, 2013, at the China Heli Expo in Tianjin.

Westland (transmission) all provided significant technical assistance. It soon became obvious the CHM project was merely a subterfuge for the Armed Helicopter Developmental Work Team that created at around the same time. Such clandestine activity was forced on the Chinese due to the long-standing, and often ignored, arms embargo placed on the country by the West following the bloodshed of Tiananmen Square. In 1998, after four years of development work, the 602nd Research Institute proposed the armed helicopter programme should take priority over the CHM. It was at this point that the new machine was first designated the Wu Zhi (WZ) 10. With the collapse of a deal to purchase Ka-50 helicopters from Russia in 2000, work on the WZ-10 assumed even greater importance. Its development was kept under stricter secrecy than the Chengdu J-10 fighter of the same period, the WZ-10 programme being called the Special Armed Project.

‘The helicopters made their combat debut during a six-month deployment to neighbouring southern Somalia in 2012’

Publicly, the 602nd Research Institute was assigned as the chief originator of the new machine to convince the outside world that the helicopter was a home-grown product. In reality, the Kamov design bureau had been secretly contracted by the Chinese Government to perform developmental work on the WZ-10 as far back as 1995. Indeed, the Russian company had a free hand when it came to establishing base specifications such as weight, payload capacity and speed. Ultimately, although prototype construction, flight testing and further development were performed by the Chinese, the WZ-10 was a Kamov design. This was confirmed, somewhat surprisingly, by Kamov’s chief designer Sergei Mikheyev during Heli Expo 2013 when he announced that the WZ-10 was the end result of a joint Russian-Chinese enterprise known as Project 941. United Technologies Corp and its subsidiaries Pratt & Whitney Canada and Hamilton Sundstrand had been fined US$75 million by the US Justice Department in June 2012, after they broke a long-standing arms embargo with China by supplying it with engine control software that aided development of the WZ-10. This charge was vehemently denied by the Chinese defence ministry. According to press reports, Pratt & Whitney Canada had agreed to help China build its first military attack helicopter in return for being in with a chance of securing lucrative contracts

to provide engines for civilian aircraft. Harbin of the CAIC was chosen initially to build the WZ-10, although responsibility was ultimately transferred back to the parent company in 2000. The first prototype was constructed the following year and made its maiden flight in April 2003. Six prototypes were eventually built, while WZ-10 components were also flown on Mi-171 and Z-8 testbeds. During the course of the exhaustive test programme the helicopter’s design was significantly modified in light of the results gleaned from the flight trials. For example, the streamlined fuselage panels, initially seen on the first two prototypes, were replaced by flat panels with a lower radar cross-section (RCS) signature. The engine mounts and exhaust outlets were also redesigned, while the nose-mounted sensors were replaced by upgraded versions of these systems. The first of 12 pre-production helicopters was seen at an air base near Beijing in 2009, and it is believed that as many as 74 WZ-10s are now in frontline service with the PLAGFAF. Although the WZ-10 was supposed to be a totally indigenous helicopter, initially it relied on locally built copies of the French Turboméca Makila engine during the early phase of its test programme. This was primarily because the Chinese-developed Wozhou-9 engine was then still under This close-in view of a WZ-10 shows its traditional attack helicopter layout, with a tandem, stepped, two-seat cockpit and nose-mounted sensor turret.

www.airforcesdaily.com

44-52_China_Oct copy.indd 49

#319 OCTOBER 2014

49

04/09/2014 14:44

Chinese attack helicopters development. Although the second least powerful engine of the five tested for fitment to the WZ-10, the Wozhou-9 has the advantage of being totally free of foreign-built components. Nevertheless, Western observers have claimed the Chinese turboshaft engine is merely a copy of the Russian Klimov TV3-117 as used in most Mil and Kamov medium-lift, utility and attack helicopters. However, unlike the latter engine, the Wozhou9s fitted to the WZ-10 have been installed aft of the helicopter’s gearbox – the layout of the TV3117 precludes such an arrangement. Designers working on the WZ-10 specifically chose this engine position due to the lower vibrations associated with this type of layout, as well as to ease main gearbox construction. Another key difference between the Russian and Chinese engines is that the TV3-117 relies on an auxiliary power unit when starting, while the WZ-10 has an inbuilt electrical starter. Looking at the crew layout of the production standard WZ-10, the helicopter has stepped tandem cockpits in typical modern attack helicopter fashion. However, unlike the Apache or the Mi-24, the pilot occupies the front cockpit and the weapon systems officer (WSO) is seated behind him – identical to the Eurocopter Tiger and Kawasaki OH-1 layout. It is believed both cockpits will be made fully NVG-capable during production, unlike the first examples now in service. In a first for a Chinese helicopter, the WZ-10 has reportedly been fitted with fly-by-wire controls, operated via HOCAS (hands-on collective and stick) buttons. However, on the few video clips of the helicopter’s cockpit uploaded onto the internet, the WZ-10 appears to have conventional controls – which were developed in parallel to HOCAS as a backup. In some imagery, pilots and WSOs are seen

Above: Four WZ-10s from the Fenglei (Wind and Thunder) display team fly past during their first display on September 5, 2013, at the China Heli Expo in Tianjin, while the fifth helicopter sits in the foreground.

wearing helmets similar to the Honeywell IHADSS (Integrated Helmet Display Sight System) used by AH-64D Longbow Apache crews. Each cockpit is equipped with two large LCD multifunction displays (MFDs), with the front cockpit also boasting a head-up display. The WZ-10 is one of the first Chinese helicopters equipped with a flight management system, which facilitates easy mission planning and debriefing. Both cockpit tubs, which are made of polycarbonate, are protected by composite armour on the bottom and sides. The canopy features bulletproof glass that is up to 38mm thick, making it capable of withstanding direct hits from both shrapnel and rounds fired from

machine guns up to .50-calibre in size. The WZ-10’s fuselage is primarily constructed from aluminium alloy, with composite materials accounting for around 30% of it. Although the helicopter was designed with a reduced RCS signature and reduced electro-magnetic characteristics, the WZ-10 cannot be called ‘stealthy’, although it has reportedly been camouflaged in radar-absorbent paints. Behind the cockpits within the fuselage structure is the main gearbox, which harnesses power from the two nacelle-mounted Wozhou-9 turboshaft engines. The engine inlets are protected by wire mesh to prevent possible FOD ingestion. The helicopter’s main rotor was designed by a team led

‘However, unlike the Apache or the Mi-24, the pilot occupies the front cockpit and the weapon systems officer (WSO) is seated behind him’ Right: Four WZ-10s from the 5th Army Aviation Brigade/1st Group Army at Nanjing participate in a training exercise. The weapons pylons carry HJ-10 anti-tank missiles.

50 OCTOBER 2014 #319

44-52_China_Oct copy.indd 50

www.airforcesmonthly.com

04/09/2014 14:44

Chinese attack helicopters available to the WZ-10, namely a 23mm indigenously developed gun, a Chinese copy of the 2A72 30mm weapon and a reverse-engineered version of the 25mm M242 Bushmaster. Up to two smaller calibre machine guns can also be fitted into a nosemounted turret, along with a grenade launcher. The helicopter’s stub wings have two hardpoints each, and they are individually capable of carrying up to four ATGMs. These include the locally built HJ-8, HJ-9 and HJ-10. Although the latter weapon also has an anti-helicopter capability, the principal air-to-air missile used by the WZ-10 is the TY-90. The helicopter can also be equipped with a variety of FFARs ranging in size from 20mm to 130mm. Smaller calibre rockets are pod-mounted, while the 130mm weapons are carried individually on the hardpoints. Free-fall bombs up to 500kg in weight, and 7.62mm, 12.7mm and 23mm cannon pods can also be uploaded to the stub wings.

A WZ-10 demonstrates its agility in a steep climb, showing off its profile to advantage.

by Li Meng, who was deputy chief engineer at CAIC during the WZ-10’s early development phase. The rotor consists of five Type 95KT composite blades, which were developed by CAIC as one of ten critical home-grown technologies included within the WZ-10. The Spheriflex rotor head system installed in the AS350 was the inspiration behind the damping system fitted to the helicopter. Initially, a fenestron tail configuration had been planned for the WZ-10 following the success of the Z-9 – an early mock-up of the helicopter was seen with such an arrangement. However, the greater power requirements associated with the fenestron tail, as well as its increased weight and higher construction and maintenance costs, saw the ‘fan-in-fin’ replaced by a more conventional four-bladed X-shape tail rotor similar to that used on the AH-64. This simpler layout also has a reduced noise signature. Both main and tail rotor blades have been designed to withstand direct hits from 12.7mm bullets. The Chinese have said the avionics suite in the WZ-10 is more advanced than that of Russian attack helicopters. This equipment includes the fully solid state and digitised YH millimetre wave (MMW) fire-control radar, which is integrated with other subsystems of the helicopter’s electronic warfare system such as its radar warning receivers, laser warning receivers, electronic support measures and electronic countermeasures. The WZ-10’s primary fire control system (FCS) is electro-optical, and its development has been strongly influenced by China’s previous experience manufacturing similar French and Israeli systems. The software used by the FCS is indigenous, however. The system relies on colour daytime TV cameras, night vision cameras and imaging infrared cameras, and has a laser designator/illuminator and range finder in a conventional chin-mounted FLIR turret. The FCS can be slaved to the crew’s helmet-mounted sights. The prototype WZ-10 was also equipped with a Modernised Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor system similar to that installed in the AH-64D, but all production examples lack this device. Thanks to its modular design and GJV289A standard databus architecture (Chinese equivalent of the MIL-STD-1553B), the WZ-10 can be armed with a wide variety of weapons of both Russian and Western origin. Internal armament consists of a chain-fed autocannon installed under the chin of the helicopter. Three types of autocannon are www.airforcesdaily.com

44-52_China_Oct copy.indd 51

WZ-19 scout

At the same time as the WZ-10 was being developed, Wu Ximing of the 602nd Research Institute began work on modifying the Z-9 into the WZ-19 reconnaissance and attack helicopter. One of the primary reasons for its creation was the price of the WZ-10, which at around US$27 million per unit is the most expensive Chinese helicopter built to date. With this figure firmly in mind, the Chinese defence ministry initiated the parallel development of a cheaper, and smaller, armed helicopter based on the Z-9. Unlike the WZ-10, which was designed exclusively for the PLAGFAF, the WZ-19 will also be used by the People’s Liberation Army Naval Air Force and the Ministry of Public Security, which is responsible for border security. After a series of design changes

Above: A rear view of the WZ-10 in a clean configuration, with its weapons pylons devoid of stores. Below: This head-on shot of a WZ-10 shows to advantage the stepped cockpit, which also gives the rear crew a good forward view.

#319 OCTOBER 2014

51

05/09/2014 10:24

Chinese attack helicopters

Above: The WZ-19, which was developed in parallel with the WZ-9 and is intended as a cheaper and smaller reconnaissance and attack helicopter.

a final layout was settled upon in 2004 following a detailed evaluation of the combat experience of Coalition battlefield helicopters in Afghanistan and Iraq. Having analysed the tactics used by Western armed forces in these countries, the PLAGFAF asked for the development of a scout helicopter that could be employed in combined operations with the WZ-10, or independently of it in low-intensity conflicts. Indeed, this is how the French EC665 Tiger and SA342M Gazelle Viviane or AH-64D Apache Longbow and OH-58D Kiowa Warrior have been fielded in Afghanistan, operating in ‘hunter-killer’ teams. Scout and attack versions of the WZ-19 for maritime and border patrol use were subsequently expected to be introduced into service. In 2005 the first photograph of a mock-up version of the helicopter appeared on the internet, the WZ-19 being parked in front of the administrative centre of the Harbin manufacturing plant. At this time the mock-up featured a dummy radar above the main rotor mast, and a second photograph that emerged on the internet a year later showed a modified horizontal tail flap design. The definitive layout of the helicopter was revealed in May 2010 when the WZ-19 prototype made its first flight. Although such events are usually covered by Chinese media, strangely in this case, there was no official public announcement. Unfortunately the prototype crashed on September 18 that same year (more recently, on March 4, 2014, a PLAGFAF WZ-10 was written off in a crash in central Shaanxi province). As a result of this early setback, the public unveiling of the WZ-19 was delayed until the Zhuhai Airshow in November 2012, when two prototypes – devoid of fuselage numbers – were displayed. Study of these machines has revealed that the WZ-19 employs the dynamic system of the Z-9, including a pair of Arriel 1C1 turboshaft engines. However, press reports have also noted that the Chinese-developed WZ-8C derivative of the Arriel has been fitted to the helicopter too. Dispensing with the conventional Z-9 forward fuselage section, Wu Ximing and his team adopted stepped cockpits, as seen on most modern battlefield helicopters. Like the WZ-10, in the WZ-19 the pilot is seated in the front cockpit with the WSO behind him. The helicopter’s avionics suite is also similar to that installed in the WZ-10, with both cockpits being equipped with MFDs. There is also a HUD for the pilot, and the cockpits are helmetmounted sight compatible. The flight controls, however, are conventional, rather than employing a fly-by-wire/HOCAS system as seen in the WZ-10. The WZ-19 has a FLIR ball turret under the nose for 52 OCTOBER 2014 #319

44-52_China_Oct copy.indd 52

navigation, weapon guidance and tracking, and is also fitted with the YH millimetre wave (MMW) firecontrol radar system. Reflecting its battlefield scout role, the helicopter lacks an integral cannon – such armament is also missing from the OH-1 and OH-58 helicopters, for example. Four stub wing-mounted weapons racks can carry a combination of guided HJ-8 and HJ-10 ATGMs, 20mm, 57mm or 90mm FFAR pods, free-fall bombs up to a weight of 500kg or 7.62mm, 12.7mm or 23mm cannon pods. Finally, the WZ-19 is equipped with radar warning receivers, flare dispensers and reduced infrared signature exhausts.

‘The Chinese will at last have an attack helicopter in their inventory that is capable of operating from the flight deck of destroyers’ As previously noted, the WZ-19, thanks to its smaller size and cheaper cost, will also see service with the People’s Liberation Army Naval Air Force and the Ministry of Public Security. It is a particularly important type for the navy, as with the WZ-19’s introduction, the Chinese will at last have an attack helicopter in their inventory that is capable of operating from the flight deck of destroyers, assault ships and aircraft carriers. The WZ-10 has conducted deck trials in the recent past, but the more compact WZ-19 appears to be the favoured type for maritime service.

Increased power

With the imminent fielding of both WZ-10s and WZ-19s, the PLAGFAF is on the cusp of having a

‘hunter-killer’ team of battlefield helicopters that rivals, if not exceeds, the capabilities of any from its Asian neighbours. For the first time in China’s history it will be able to effectively defend its borders against the full spectrum of potential threats. The helicopters’ introduction will also significantly increase the PLAGFAF’s offensive capabilities. Presently, WZ-10s equip the 1st Army Aviation Regiment (of the 54th Group Army) based in Xinxiang, the 5th Army Aviation Brigade (of the 1st Group Army) in Nanjing, the 6th Army Aviation Brigade (of the 42nd Group Army) in Dalio (Sanshui), the 8th Army Aviation Brigade (of the 38th Group Army) in Baoding, and the 9th Army Aviation Brigade (of the 39th Group Army) in Liaoyang. The WZ-19 is still undergoing testing, and is not scheduled to enter service with the PLAGFAF until late 2015. Subsequent production of WZ-19 variants for the People’s Liberation Army Naval Air Force and the Ministry of Public Security will further increase the military effectiveness of China within its Asian sphere of influence. Chinese aerospace engineers are now working on fourth-generation attack helicopters that boast stealth capabilities. According to Wu Ximing, these programmes were initiated several years ago following China’s continued lack of success in obtaining the latest attack helicopters from Russia or the USA, CAIC commencing the ambitious development of a high-speed stealth (or at least low RCS) attack helicopter and a heavier ten-ton machine that will boast similar attributes. Funding for these helicopters could come from exporting WZ-10s and WZ-19s, although neither type has yet been officially offered for sale to foreign customers. One of the key attributes of both is that they are free of export-controlled systems supplied by the West or Russia. This means that China can sell them to anybody. At present it would appear that Pakistan could be the WZ-10’s first export customer, the type being bought as a replacement for combat-weary AH-1F Cobras – the Pakistanis are also being offered the T-129 by Turkish manufacturer TAI. There is concern, however, that the WZ-10 is as yet unproven in combat. The Chinese defence ministry is acutely aware of this, and, according to some press reports, is trying to find somewhere in Africa where it can send a small number of helicopters to operate in a peacekeeping capacity. It is hoped that the WZ-10’s performance in such an expeditionary role will demonstrate its credentials as a true afm battlefield helicopter.

Another view of one of the WZ-19 prototypes, two of which were built. Development is still under way and the type is not scheduled to enter service until late-2015.

www.airforcesmonthly.com

04/09/2014 14:45

Russian Aviation expansion

The Bear is Back? Dr Dave Sloggett considers how Russian military aviation is increasingly showing signs of behaviour reminiscent of the Cold War.

R

ussian President Vladimir Putin is not known for shirking the limelight. There have been numerous occasions where, unlike his Western contemporaries, he likes to pose without his shirt on. Not only does he like to flex his own muscles for the media but is also increasingly using Russian military aviation to create a similar strategic effect reminiscent of the Cold War. In the 1970s and 1980s barely a week went by without Norwegian, Dutch, Danish or British fighter jets being scrambled to intercept Soviet TU-160 Blackjack or Tu-95 Bear bombers. During this time the Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) would typically intercept around 500-600 Soviet Air Force missions a year. The nadir of that activity came in the 1990s. For nearly a decade, Russian military aviation, like many of its naval counterparts, languished in a state of disrepair as Russian politics became embroiled in turmoil and an unsteady democracy emerged in Moscow. The election of Vladimir Putin as the second Russian President in 2000 changed all of that. He lamented the passing of the Cold War and Russia’s status as a superpower and wanted to restore some of its former military strength. His room for manoeuvre, however, was tempered by the state of the country’s economy. Slowly, but surely as the oil and gas revenues began to flow into the Kremlin, Putin was able to increase his investment in military spending and one of the beneficiaries of that was Russian strategic aviation. Due to a long-standing dispute over ownership of

54 OCTOBER 2014 #319

54-55_Bear_Oct.indd 54

the Kuril Islands, off Japan, Japanese air space was the first priority for this resurgent capability. From the outset of Putin’s presidency, Russian military aviation was active in and around Japan more than 100 times a year, peaking at close to 150 flights in 2002. By 2007, as Vladimir Putin came towards the end of his first two terms as Russian President, the levels of flights into Japanese airspace almost doubled to 250 in the year. By 2010, that rate of activity had increased to 290 and has been maintained with Russian strategic aviation flying greater distances. In one recent incident, two Tu-95MS bombers flew a 19-hour sortie that encircled Japan. In the course of the mission ten fighters from the South Korean Air

Force and Japan’s Self Defense Forces (thought to have flown from the Air Regiment base at UkrainkaSeryshevo) escorted the Russian aircraft. This pattern of aviation activity was not the same globally. Russian strategic aviation had fallen into such poor shape that only a small number of aircraft could be mobilised, hence the decision to focus initially on Japan. That led some NATO countries to conclude the threat from Russian strategic aviation had passed. In 2007, President Putin signalled the end of this lethargy by stating that the Russian Air Force had ‘resumed’ long-range bombers flights that had been suspended in 1992. In March 2010 a Russian TU-160

Above: Another view of the intercept on April 23, 2014, when two Russian Air Force Tu-95MS Bear-Hs were shadowed by Typhoon FGR4s from RAF Leuchars, Fife. MOD Crown Copyright Below: A Russian Air Force Tupolev Tu-95MS Bear-H long-range strategic bomber ‘24 Red’/RF-94130 seen in international airspace off the coast of Scotland during a routine training sortie. MOD Crown Copyright

www.airforcesmonthly.com

04/09/2014 14:47

Russian Aviation Expansion

Above: One of the latest suspected intrusions by Russia occured on August 28, when this Border Guards An-72 RF-72010 flew into Finnish airspace. The aircraft was intercepted by F/A18C Hornets. Finnish Air Force via Perttu Karivalo

Blackjack was intercepted over the Atlantic Ocean, 100nm (185km) off Stornoway in the Hebrides. The RAF had scrambled two Tornado F3 fighter aircraft to investigate in one of 20 similar events since the start of 2009, close to an average of one a month. This drumbeat has been maintained up until the middle of this year with Russian strategic aviation steadily getting back in business in areas outside Japan. While the activity levels reported by the RAF have remained quite low, the RNoAF has seen a gradual increase in Russian military aviation over the High Arctic. In 2010, the air force reported it had scrambled to intercept Russian military aviation on 36 occasions. In the previous two years, 90 intercepts had taken place. In 2011, the figure was almost identical when the RNoAF was called into action 34 times with 38 aircraft intercepted. The Russian Air Force (Voyenno-Vozdushniye Sily – VVS) has started to deploy increased packages into the High Arctic. In 2012, that figure went up again to 71 aircraft intercepted in the course of 41 missions flown. The

‘An RAF source described the actions of the Russian aircraft as, “a bit of military posturing”’ pattern of flying the same number of missions, but with more aircraft, seems to have been established. The British Government has deployed a detachment of four Typhoons from 3 (F) Squadron, RAF Coningsby to Siauliai Air Base in Lithuania, as part of efforts to provide a positive response to Moscow’s increasing activity in the Baltic. This is a significant deployment because the RAF is working alongside four Polish MiG-29s and four Danish F-16s. The last time the RAF participated in the Baltic Air Policing (BAP) operation was in 2004/2005 when Tornado F3s were deployed by UK. The deployment has already seen the Typhoons called into action against a number of different threats and they were scrambled six times in the first half dozen weeks. The Polish-led force has since been called into action 13 times in a single week with the most significant incident on June 17, 2014.

On that date two RAF Typhoons were scrambled to intercept multiple Russian aircraft detected by NATO air defences. Once airborne, the RAF Typhoons quickly visually identified the aircraft as a Russian Tu-22 Backfire bomber accompanied by four Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker fighters, a Beriev A-50 Mainstay airborne early warning aircraft and an An-26 Curl, apparently conducting a training exercise. An RAF source described the actions of the Russian aircraft as, “a bit of military posturing”, noting the exercises could have been carried out, “anywhere inside Russia”. The pattern of increased Russian military aviation activity is also being maintained elsewhere, including off the coast of Alaska, over the last two years. Prior to 2012, only 50 bombers had been intercepted by USAF jets in the previous decade. In early June of this year, four Russian Tu-95 Bears suddenly appeared off the coast of Alaska. The Tu-95s have a range of 9,400 miles (15,128km) and were supported on this mission by two Il-78 Midas tankers. Previously on February 12, Russian aircraft circumnavigated Guam and both incidents would appear to be a demonstration of strategy and power by its strategic aviation over long distances. Latterly, rising numbers of flights have been accompanied by a pattern of increased aggression, according to the West. On June 4 this year, over the Sea of Okhotsk, a Russian Su-27 Flanker fighter flew across the nose of a USAF RC-135V Rivet Joint flying on what was described as a ‘routine mission’ around 60 miles (97km) off the coast of Russia within international airspace. Another incident involving a RC-135V occurred on July 18 which resulted in the USAF reconnaissance aircraft rapidly retreating into Swedish airspace without obtaining authorisation from the local authorities. Such actions provide President Putin with a method of sending a simple message to the Western powers. Russia is back on the international stage as a player and use of its strategic bombers is a display of force. That suits President Putin’s ‘tough guy’ image and reflects his desire to flex his muscles personally afm and geopolitically.

Above: Royal Air Force 3 (Fighter) Squadron Typhoon FGR4 ZJ920 ‘QO-A’, which was at the time detached to Siauliai Air Base, Lithuania, shadowing Russian Air Force Su-27 Flanker ‘28 Red’, one of four from the 7,000th Air base at Khotilovo that were intercepted over the Baltic region on June 17, 2014. Also intercepted on the same day in the region were a Tupolev Tu-22 Backfire bomber, a Beriev A-50 Mainstay early warning aircraft and an ELINT-configured Antonov An-26RT. MOD Crown Copyright

www.airforcesdaily.com

54-55_Bear_Oct.indd 55

#319 OCTOBER 2014

55

04/09/2014 14:47

Oman's Jaguars

W

ITH A farewell flypast of four aircraft on August 6, the Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO) brought to a close another chapter in the history of the venerable Sepecat Jaguar. Presumably the type’s retirement will also see the RAF’s last two Jaguar pilots, Wing Commander Craig Wilson and Squadron Leader Tony Hedley, head home. Both were on ‘loan service’ to the RAFO. Hedley has amassed more Jaguar flying time than anyone else, beating the previous RAF pilot, Dave

Bagshaw, by quite a margin – having reached the magical 4,000 hours back in 2009. These four aircraft among were the last still operational in the Kingdom. In February 2014, the fleet, flown by the RAFO’s 8 Squadron, comprised six serviceable aircraft – numbered 200, 211, 213, 215, 219 and 222 – of which 200 was apparently awaiting engines and 222 was expecting a wing replacement having flown a lot in recent times. Others thought to include 203, 209 and 210, were in store. Technically

The RAFO Jaguar’s desert colour scheme blended in well at low level with Oman’s arid landscape. The markings remained the same throughout the type’s 20-year service.

CAS urgency The war in Dhofar, which at the time was the most backward and exploited area of Oman began as a tribal separatist movement against a reactionary ruler. The rebellion backed by leftist elements within the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen (PDRY) lasted from 19621976, with the intention of overthrowing of Said ibn Taimur, an ultraconservative leader who was opposed to any kind of change. During the insurrection in Dhofar, the Sultan’s son, Qabus ibn Said Al Said replaced his father in a coup. The son, a graduate of Sandhurst, began to modernise the country’s armed forces. Support came not only from the British, but also Jordan and Iran before the People’s Front for the Liberation of Oman, previously known as the PDRY, was defeated. The Dhofar campaign led to a rethink in strategy and structure of the armed forces. In 1977, an integrated air defence system was inaugurated with Jaguars, Rapier missiles and a radar network. Lessons learnt from the campaign led to the construction of Thumrait airfield, giving policing support to Oman’s southern desert areas.

venerable

Oman bids farewell to the

Jaguar As the Jaguar is retired in Oman, Peter R Foster takes a brief look at the aircraft’s history in the desert kingdom.

56 OCTOBER 2014 #319

56-58_Oman_Oct.indd 56

www.airforcesmonthly.com

04/09/2014 14:15

Oman's JAguars nine aircraft still remained in service. Oman received its first Jaguar in 1977. At the time its air force was one of two anonymous export customers announced on August 28, 1974, and the order was made up of 12 Jaguar Internationals and a pair of two-seat trainers. Deliveries by company pilots began in March 1977, equipping 8 Squadron at Masirah, the aircraft flying to Oman via Toulouse and Akrotiri, Cyprus. The second batch equipped 20 Squadron, also at Masirah, with deliveries running from May to November 1983. The two twin-seaters of this order, 213 and 214, had the same ARI 18223 radar warning receiver as the single-seat versions and were the only Warton-built aircraft to have French-style fixed in-flight refuelling probes.

New base for fast jets Above: The large air intakes of the Jaguars can be clearly seen in this image, which shows two aircraft in different configurations. One carries two large fuel tanks while the bare pylons of the nearest might indicate it has dropped a couple of bombs. Below: Heading off for a training sortie, this Jaguar OS is equipped with a CBLS carrying practice bombs on the centre pylon. UK forces regularly deploy assets to Oman’s Magic Carpet manoeuvres. The exercise area spanning 1,800sq m (4,662km2) in the west of Oman comprises two weapons ranges – it’s an ideal environment for all types of training.

‘The whole Dhofar campaign led to a rethink in strategy and structure of the Sultan of Oman Armed Forces’

One of the lessons of the conflict in Dhofar was the need for a base capable of operating all types of aircraft to defend the region and provide support to the oil industry: it was constructed at Thumrait, a 90-minute drive from the nearest big town, Salalah. Built initially to operate Sultan of Oman Air Force (SOAF) Hawker Hunters, then the new Jaguars, Thumrait underwent a major upgrade at the time of the first Gulf War when the US introduced a number of improvements to facilitate Boeing B-52H operations. The Americans had some 3,000 troops stationed in Oman during that period. With a single main runway and two runway-wide parallel taxiways, the base eventually housed the RAFO’s two Jaguar squadrons along with a groundattack Hawker Hunter unit. Initially manned in the mid-1970s almost entirely by RAF loan service pilots, the SOAF gradually, with help from other nations, began altering its balance of aviators to include more of those who had been born and raised in Oman. The resident 6 Squadron, flying ex-Royal Jordanian AF Hunters until 1994, when it received Hawk Mk 203s was eventually joined at Thumrait by 8 Squadron, equipped with the Sepecat Jaguar. Built to the ‘Jaguar International’ specification the aircraft were fitted with overwing missile rails and tasked not only with ground attack but also air defence, a role they performed during daylight hours until the arrival of the air force’s Lockheed Martin Block 50 F-16 Fighting Falcons in 2005. A second Jaguar unit, 20 Squadron, formed in May 1983 equipped with aircraft built from the 1982 follow-on order. Deliveries were completed by November 1983.

A 20 Squadron two-seat Jaguar equipped with a CBLS leads two single-seaters into battle. The left one is carrying nothing but a centre-line fuel tank and the one on the right has an ECM pod.

www.airforcesdaily.com

56-58_Oman_Oct.indd 57

#319 OCTOBER 2014

57

04/09/2014 14:15

Oman's Jaguars Attrition during in the initial five years of operation was relatively high, leading to the purchase of a number of second-hand aircraft as replacements. A twin-seater, XX138, on loan to India as J1001, was sold directly to Oman at the completion of its lease. It was later flown to the UK for overhaul by the Jaguar Maintenance Unit at Abingdon between September and December 1983. A pair of former RAF Jaguar GR.1s followed in November 1986 and August 1998 after being brought up to ‘Jaguar 96’ specification. The whole fleet entered an upgrade to a similar standard and later to ‘Jaguar 97’ configuration, akin to the Above: Shown to good effect here are the differing shades of camouflage worn by the Jaguar fleet. The two-seater’s pristine colours have withstood the fierce Omani sunshine. Below: A pair of single-seat Jaguars bank over a typical Omani desert scene.

Above: A 20 Squadron Jaguar lifts off Thumrait’s runway.

List of RAFO Jaguar aircraft Serial Mk

Previous ID

200

XX138, JI 001

T.2

First Flight

Delivery Pilot(s)

Delivery Date

Note

07.03.77

w/o 01.03.81 25 miles north of Thumrait

201

OB

G-27-278

04.11.76

E Bucklow/V Malings

202

OS

G-27-280, G-BEET

27.01/77

J Lee

07.03.77

203

OB

G-27-279, G-BETB

06.04.77

A Love/J Evans

27.06.77

Ten lives instead of nine

204

OS

G-27-281

18.05.77

E Bucklow

27.06.77

205

OS

G-27-282

18.08.77

A Love

26.09.77

w/o 27.10.91 five miles south of Masirah

206

OS

G-27-283

19.08.77

T Ferguson

26.09.77

wfu Thumrait by 02.09

207

OS

G-27-284

07.10.77

E Bucklow

07.11.77

w/o 17.12.91 west of Jebel Abhdor Range

208

OS

G-27-285

14.10.77

E Bucklow

07.11.77

w/o 31/12/85

209

OS

G-27-286

16.12.77

E Bucklow

06.02.78

wfu by 01/14?

210

OS

G-27-287

12.01.78

P Ginger

06.02.78.

wfu by 01/14?

211

OS

G-27-288

08.03.78

E Bucklow

08.05.78

212

OS

G-27-289

31.03.78

E Bucklow

08.05.78

213

OB

G-27-375

05/11/82

S Aitken/K Hartley

23/05/83

214

OB

G-27-376

26/11/82

P Orme/L Hurst

25/07/83

w/o 26/02/79 after bomb exploded – pilot F/L Rick Lea)

215

OS

G-27-377

15/09/82

E Bucklow

23.05.83

OS

G-27-378

02/11/82

S Aitken

23.05.83

w/o 29.01.91 40 miles north east of Thumrait

217

OS

G-27-379

07/01/83

S Aitken

25.07.83.

Fate? w/o 21.06.84 near Salalah

218

OS

G-27-380

12.05.83

C Yeo

25.07.83

219

OS

G-27-381

26.04.83

E Bucklow

19.09.83

220

OS

G-27-382

18.05.83

C Yeo

19.09.83

w/o 11.09.13 following a mid-air collision with 224 w/o 22.06.10 nr Masirah

221

OS

G-27-383

01.06.83

P Orme

19.09.83

OS

G-27-384

15.06.83

P Gordon-Johnson

24.11.83

223

OS

G-27-385

07.07.83

E Bucklow

24.11.83

w/o following mid-air collision with 225

224

OS

G-27-386

15.07.83

E Bucklow

24.11.83

w/o Thumrait following a mid-air

225

GR.1

XX740, J1017

04.11.86.

wfu collision with 223 – see above

226

GR.1 XX719

10.08.98.

wfu Thumrait.

Table Key: w/o: written off. wfu: withdrawn from use

58 OCTOBER 2014 #319

56-58_Oman_Oct.indd 58

Losses continued to mount through mishaps and fatigue life until the force was down to just a handful of aircraft. The Jaguar’s out-of-service date had initially been scheduled as 2012, and it is testament to the maintenance personnel – both service and contract – that the fleet was kept on the front line for a further two years. Although its passing was tinged with some sadness for all those associated with the type, it was well overdue. With the arrival of a second squadron of F-16 Fighting Falcons just around the corner, followed by eight Eurofighter Typhoons in 2016/17, the RAFO is well equipped to play a pivotal role in the Middle East from its strategically important afm location for many years to come.

w/o after landing short of the runway whilst night flying

216

222

RAF Jaguar GR.3A. With it came a wider-ranging selection of ordnance along and improved navigation equipment.

Above: Two Jaguars taxi back to their spots at Thumrait after another mission. Sun sheds are an increasingly common sight at bases where aircraft operate in hot climates, as they offer air and ground crews some much-needed respite from the baking heat.

www.airforcesmonthly.com

04/09/2014 14:16

Aerospace & Defence Conferences & Exhibitions

Connecting business

to international markets Connecting business to aerospace & defence procurement opportunities in international markets through our tailored conferences & exhibitions

Our 2014 event line-up includes: Maritime Surveillance Aircraft 3rd - 4th November 2014 | Indonesia With recent events highlighting the urgent need for maritime search & surveillance aircraft in the Asia Paciﬁc, this dedicated conference focusses on the regions requirements for new MSA platforms as well as the challenges faced in the procurement of these platforms.

Electronic Warfare GCC 18th - 19th November 2014 | UAE Senior leaders, military operators and EW decision makers from the six GCC member states, responsible for Electronic Warfare operations, speciﬁcation and procurement, are again set to come together in Abu Dhabi to discuss their current & future EW requirements.

Cyber Security – Middle East 7th - 9th December 2014 | Qatar Qatar has identiﬁed cyber as a priority threat that needs to be urgently addressed. CS 2014 is designed to help identify & combat the growing cyber threat against both state & industry interests in Qatar and the Middle East.

Radar 9th - 10th December 2014 | Saudi Arabia Radar 2014 will explore military radar requirements in Saudi Arabia. It presents a unique opportunity to gain access to one of the world’s biggest defence markets and help meet their radar requirements.

Sponsor & exhibitor opportunities available Contact us for details For our full events schedule, please visit: www.tangentlink.com

For more information, please contact: Guy McCulloch | E: [email protected] | T: +44 (0) 1628 550 045 www.tangentlink.com

EXERCISE REPORT RIMPAC 2014

Hot & Heavy Neil Dunridge examines one of the largest annual air and maritime exercises in the Pacific region focusing on how the Canadian Forces dealt with threats from above and below the waves.

in Hawaii

“The flights are typically seven hours long and involve several taskings during one mission.”

60 OCTOBER 2014 #319

60-65_Hawaii_Oct gs.aw.indd 60

www.airforcesmonthly.com

04/09/2014 14:23

Location: Hawaii, USA Participants: CAF, JMSDF, RAAF, ROKAF, RNZAF, USAF & US Navy

H

ELD EVERY two years by the Commander, US Pacific Fleet (PACFLT), Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) is a multinational maritime exercise conducted in and around the Hawaiian Islands colour. RIMPAC 2014,– the 24th in the series, which began in 1971 – ran from June 26 to August 1, with 49 ships, six submarines, more than 200 aircraft and roughly 25,000 personnel from 22 nations taking part. The exercise involves three phases – Harbour, Force Integration Training (FIT) and free play – each offering a different experience and giving participants opportunities to assume a variety of leadership positions. The Harbour Phase is designed to build professional and personal relationships between shipborne individuals from participating

nations, the aviation assets began to arrive while the Harbour Phase was being conducted. The FIT phase was aimed at enabling participants to operate at the task force level, and included live-fire gunnery and missile exercises, anti-submarine warfare, maritime interdiction, vesselboarding exercises and air defence and amphibious landings exercises. This part of the exercise was a prelude to the ‘free play’ phase where commanders and units had to respond to various scenarios. AFM was allowed access to the Canadian contingent, which included several senior leadership members such as Rear-Admiral Gilles Couturier, as the Combined Forces Maritime Component Commander (CFMCC), and Colonel

Above: The RCAF deployed a single CC-130H Hercules tanker to support CF-18A Hornets. The aircraft proved to be an ideal platform to operate within the narrow air-refuelling tracks during the later stages of the tactical phase. Below: Two VFA-2 ‘Bounty Hunters’ F/A-18Fs join up with the Polaris to take on fuel. Each Hornet carries live Mk82 bombs. The squadron had the opportunity to drop live GBU-12s at USS Ogden during SINKEX.

Arise Auroras Fourteen Auroras are undergoing a Block III modernisation; with the first crew conversion course performed in March 2013. Six aircraft have now passed testing and achieved initial operational capability. The CP-140 Aurora Incremental Modernisation Project, which began in 1998, and is an amalgamation of 23 individual projects grouped into four block upgrades. Block II was implemented in two phases focusing on navigation and flight instruments in the first set and communications management systems in the second. The major external difference is the new AN/ALQ-217 electronic support measures (ESM) system on

www.airforcesdaily.com

60-65_Hawaii_Oct gs.aw.indd 61

each wingtip, which is more bulbous than the AN/ALR-502 Block II system it replaces. These are not merely add-ons – the aircraft are also receiving new wings as part of a mid-life structural upgrade being carried out by IMP Aerospace in Nova Scotia, Canada. The wing replacement is part of the Aurora Structural Life Extension Project, which also includes the replacement of the centre-wing lower surface and horizontal stabiliser. Both versions of the ESM system contain four receiver antennas used to passively detect and locate radio frequency (RF) emitters in a full 360˚ around the aircraft. Talking to the CP-140 crews, AFM was told the sensor

suite on the CP-140M has dramatically improved its individual capabilities, specifically the acoustic and ESM systems. Crew complement remains the same, and there is no planned change based on new capabilities; and there are no new sensors, simply upgrades to existing ones. The CP-140 Aurora is Canada’s premier strategic command, control, surveillance and reconnaissance platform although RIMPAC did not provide the opportunity for a Command and Control role. Auroras provided still and video imagery of land targets, ships, submarines on the surface, as well as detection and tracking of submerged submarines.

#319 OCTOBER 2014

61

04/09/2014 14:24

EXERCISE REPORT RIMPAC 2014 Dave Lowthian, the Deputy Commander Combined Forces Air Component Command (D/CFACC). Under their command were CF-18A Hornets, an Airbus CC-150T, a CC-130T Hercules and CP-140 Auroras, Canada providing a substantial contribution to the air component force. Other aviation assets from participating countries included Boeing P-8As and, P-3 Orions from the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), Japanese Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF), Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) and US Navy. The USAF provided F-15E Strike Eagles from the 391st Fighter Squadron, 366th Fighter Wing; F-16Cs from the 301st Fighter Wing; and KC-135s from both the Arizona Air National Guard and the 909th Air Refuelling Squadron, which is part of the 18th Wing at Kadena Air Base, Japan. Local squadrons taking part included the 154th Wing of the Hawaii ANG, providing KC-135s, F/A-22 Raptors and C-17 Globemaster IIIs as support. Out at sea the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan participated with Carrier Air Wing Two and the US Marine Corps (USMC) deployed the USS Peleliu (LHA5) with HMH-463 ‘The Pegasus’ Squadron with CH-53Es, VMM-161 ‘Greyhawks’ with MV-22 Ospreys and HMLA367 ‘Scarface’ with AH-1Ws and UH-1Ys – along with a US Navy search and rescue detachment from HSC-21 Detachment Two operating the MH-60S Knighthawk. The USMC also deployed KC-130s from VMGR-152 ‘Sumos’ and VMGR-234 ‘Rangers’ along with F/A-18Cs from VMFA-122 ‘Werewolves’ to Kaneohe Bay.

Task Force

Above: A US Navy search and rescue detachment from HSC-21 ‘Blackjacks’ Det 2 operated a MH-60S from the deck of the USS Peleliu (LHA5); medical evacuations amongst coalition ships were one of the tasks they were able to train for during the exercise.

The US Army provided helicopters – and, in a notable first on July 19, AH-64E Apache Guardian helicopters (assigned to the 1st Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment, Combat Aviation Brigade, 25th

Infantry Division) landed aboard the USS Peleliu in the Pacific Ocean during deck landing qualifications. Eight Apache Guardians were shipped to Hawaii in June from Fort Carson, Colorado, for RIMPAC.

Above: Bell AH-1Ws from HMLA-367 ‘Scarface’ were deployed aboard USS Peleliu as armed escort for the insertion of troops by MV-22B Ospreys and CH-53E Stallions as part of the USMC air combat element (ACE). Below: When not involved in RIMPAC operations, deck training was carried out aboard LHA5. Here a MV-22B Osprey from VMM-161 ‘Greyhawks’ approaches landing spot eight to fit between a AH-1, MH-60S and a CH-53E of HMH-463 ‘Pegasus’ squadron.

Making up the maritime force of the Canadian contingent, all units of the Canadian Long Range Patrol (LRP) fleet were represented, operating the CP-140 and CP-140M with Royal Canadian Air Force’s 404 (LRP) and test Squadron, 405 (LRP) Squadron, 407 (LRP) Squadron and the Maritime Proving and Evaluation Unit (MPEU). There was no official detachment name other than ‘Canadian LRP Det RIMPAC 2014’ (also identified as CTU172.1.2). Comprising maritime patrol aircraft from six different countries’ air forces – the USAF, ROKAF, JMSDF, RAAF, RNZAF and RCAF – led to Combined Task Force (CTF) 172, bing temporarily established for the exercise, controlled all maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft (MPRA) and provided the backbone of anti-submarine warfare (ASW) for RIMPAC. It was delegated these roles by the Combined Force Maritime Component Commander (CFMCC). CTF 172 planned the tasks based on the priorities assigned and managed their execution. The group was controlled by two sub-units called Combined Task Group (CTG) 172.1 and CTG 172.2. Each had operational control (OPCON) of the airborne aircraft from the tactical operations centre (TOC) and briefed and debriefed crews based on the mission. RIMPAC offered numerous training facilities and assets for the Canadian Forces (CF) but these had to be balanced between dollar cost, value of training, and what other global commitments were ongoing. Typically, missions varied depending on the phase of the exercise; starting with the Combined ASW Exercise (CASEX), before moving

“One of the aims of the squadron’s participation at RIMPAC was continuation training.”

62 OCTOBER 2014 #319

60-65_Hawaii_Oct gs.aw.indd 62

www.airforcesmonthly.com

04/09/2014 14:25

Location: Hawaii, USA Participants: CAF, JMSDF, RAAF, ROKAF, RNZAF, USAF & US Navy

Hawaiian Air National Guard F-22A Raptors from the 199th Fighter Squadron flew combat sorties against four-ship flights of F/A-18E/Fs from the USS Ronald Reagan. Raptors also provided air defence for the maritime fleet.

to the advanced FIT phase and then free play. The primary training audience for the CASEX exercise was the MPRA aircraft and crews. As a result the five hour missions were scripted and provided ideal training opportunities for aircraft, helicopters, ships, and submarines to work together. In the advanced FIT phase, integration was greater and the missions were aimed at training the entire surface action group (SAG) – a task force of ships – with MPRA simply supporting. The flights were around seven hours involving several tasks during one mission such as ASW, surface warfare, or intelligence gathering. The free-play phase was similar but the objectives were strategic and the scenario evolved like in the ‘real world’ mission. The latter two phases saw continuous round-the-clock sorties.

Tanker support

An exercise area covering the entire Hawaiian chain of Islands and beyond, it was essential to have tanker coverage for aircraft taking part in RIMPAC. Fast-jets were permitted to fly supersonic

Above: Lt Col Steve Lamarche, the out-going Commanding Officer of 435 Squadron, being supervised by a hula girl over controls, take a break between aerial refuelling to enjoy the view of the Pacific Ocean.

in allocated boxes around the islands so the RCAF provided a Lockheed CC-130H Hercules of 435 Squadron from Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Winnipeg and an Airbus CC-150T Polaris from 437 Squadron at CFB Trenton. The CC-150 rendezvoused with the CF-18As half way between Cold Lake, Alberta and Travis AFB, California, trailing the Hornets in two groups of three for the five hour flight to Hawaii. One of the aims of the squadron’s participation

at RIMPAC was continuation training allowing for pilot’s to obtain proficiency and currency by working within a Canadian detachment but also within a large exercise environment. Major Gary Giacomuzzo, a Flight Refuelling Specialist with 437 Squadron explained to AFM about the squadron’s participation in RIMPAC and about the Polaris. “We get the mission for the next day about 1800hrs local when the air tasking order (ATO) is published

from the combined air operations centre (CAOC). During the day you get dribs and drabs on what the following day will look like but when the ATO is published that is the definitive plan. We plan to fly once a day and as the exercise ramps up we start to fly two sorties. “Within CAOC there is a tanker cell, each country has its own tanker liaison officer within the cell and the CAOC is a good experience for our officers to see how the air tasking officer’s master air attack plan is put together. “We record all the air-to-air refuelling training that goes on, with the cameras. We can see the fighters join up, move astern, connect and disconnect. Receivers give directions if they are out of position; we will also keep the CC-150 pilot updated so that they have situational awareness as they can’t see much behind the wing tips.” Transit times to the refuelling areas were minimal, 30 minutes at most and a lot of the squadron’s trade were the US Navy. Although the exercise area was vast, the need for the fighters to have space to conduct dogfighting meant that refuelling tracks were smaller than the aircrews would have liked. Major Giacomuzzo explained: “There are nine air refuelling tracks with ‘aerial highways’ to join them up; we have been in Redsox [one of the tracks] a few times now. As a crew we find it a narrow, it’s only 13 miles (21km) wide so at 260300kt (482-555km/h) our turning radius is fairly wide. If there is any wind, it to pushes us out of the box so we have to be careful of that.” The RCAF also provided a CC-130H from 435 Squadron, Lt Col Steve

The CC-150 Polaris from 437 Squadron, 8 Wing, CFB Trenton, provided aerial refueling support for the US Navy F/A-18E/ Fs from Carrier Air Wing Two aboard the USS Ronald Reagan. The short transit times to the refueling tracks meant the Polaris could be on station for up to six hours.

www.airforcesdaily.com

60-65_Hawaii_Oct gs.aw.indd 63

#319 OCTOBER 2014

63

04/09/2014 14:25

EXERCISE REPORT RIMPAC 2014 know what to expect, in the free play to some extent we don’t.”

Hornet force

The RCAF operated as part of Combined Task Force 172. It brought two of the latest Block III CP-140M Auroras; recognisable by the AN/ALQ-217 electronic support measures systems on each wingtip.

Lamarche; out-going Commanding Officer, told AFM about his squadron’s role during RIMPAC: “We are a totally different tanker to the Polaris and KC-135, they have a lot more fuel to off load but when it gets to the more tactical phase we have the added ability of moving into areas that are smaller to operate in. “The Polaris guys think the refuelling tracks are small, we think they are huge. Our normal tracks are 20 miles (32km) in length, here they are double that. The Polaris and KC-135s have two altitude blocks, low and high. Obviously we don’t usually go into the high ones as the weights and temperatures for the CC-130H are too great for us, the mid-teens altitudes are best.” Normal fuel weights for the CC-130H was 62,000lb (28,123kg), on a mission and depending on tasking they could give away up to 40,000lb (18,144kg) of gas. The CF-18s usually take on 6-8,000lb (2,722kg-3,629kg) of fuel each. The fuel tank in the cargo hold carries 24,000lb (10,886kg) of

fuel and is roll on roll off unit; although the CC-130H can refuel without the tank being fitted, it’s beneficial to have it as the pods do not have their own pumps. Lt Col Lamarche continued: “The main focus of operating in RIMPAC is to work with our allies and learn about the environment that we don’t see very much,

back in Canada. These large scale exercises replicate some possible ‘real-world’ scenarios and it does help us learn how the US Navy works. It’s a win/win exercise. “Right now we are in the FIT phase, there have been some major events such as SINKEX (see later) but, it’s been leading up to the free play phase. In the FIT phase we

RIMPAC isn’t only confined to maritime aircraft. The training opportunity brought five CF-18As and one CF-18B, along with 15 pilots of 409 Squadron from 4 Wing CFB Cold Lake. Talking to AFM, Lt Col Dave Moar, Commanding Officer 409 Squadron and deployment commander for the CF-18 Hornet force was impressed with the opportunities his squadron and the RCAF as a whole were getting. “So far it’s been a banner deployment as far as getting training done, nearly every single mission we have flown has been something critical we have to regularly practice; I am very happy that’s its worked out better than we had hoped. We brought either very experienced or newly qualified Hornet pilots on purpose and that was for the aim of optimising what we are doing here, every mission

The CC-150 refuelling hose extends to 75ft (22.8m) with the ideal refuelling taking place within 55ft (16.7m) of hose trailing from the two wing tip mounted Mk32B pods.

Below: A CF-18A taxis out for another sortie alongside 301st Fighter Wing F-16Cs from the Air Force Reserve Command; a number of RCAF Hornets carried mission markings from Operation Mobile; Canada’s 2011 military intervention in Libya.

64 OCTOBER 2014 #319

60-65_Hawaii_Oct gs.aw.indd 64

www.airforcesmonthly.com

04/09/2014 14:26

Location: Hawaii, USA Participants: CAF, JMSDF, RAAF, ROKAF, RNZAF, USAF & US Navy

The CF-18B of 409 ‘Cougars’ Squadron was used extensively to upgrade pilots who had recently joined the squadron.

we fly we are using as an upgrade mission. It’s been a good mix and we have been able to learn a lot” said Lt Col Moar, he continued: “We took part in the initial planning process as it was important what we could get out of RIMPAC. It’s important to optimise everything we are doing on the training side so coming to a large scale exercise, you could potentially lose control of your training objectives because you are supporting a larger machine. You may not always get the flexibility to get the exact training. Here we carry out a year’s worth of different types of missions in three weeks.”

dropped inert GBU-12 laser-guided bombs and Mk82 inert bombs. Lt Col Moar explained: “We used our standard tactics and procedures that we would fly against a maritime target and tried to make it as tactically real as possible as far as ingressing and egressing the area. It proved excellent training for us but the bad weather impacted some

of our mission profiles. Because of the cloud base it drove us to make lower weapon deliveries. “There were marine vessels outside the kill box as well as airborne early warning aircraft to monitor the area. In the last line of defence are the pilots doing their job, in this case I was the range safety officer for our portion of the

Killing ships

An early opportunity for the Hornet squadron to take part in a unique training scenario only available at within RIMPAC was SINKEX on July 14. The USS Tuscaloosa (LST1187) was due to be sunk in 15,000ft (4,572m) of water. A number of countries had a chance to plan a mission against the vessel. Hornets

Above: A modification on both the Canadian and German Airbus tankers was a control panel for the flight refuelling specialist. It’s possible to record and review any refueling. Here an F/A-18F from VFA-2 ‘Bounty Hunters’ tops up with ‘gas’ in the Redsox refuelling track.

attack. I was checking the radar to see if there were any civilian ships showing up unintentionally in the area. We had to make visual identification of the Tuscaloosa first before we began our strike. “The plan of attack is based on altitudes and air speeds, where we fly ourselves to an exact point in space to initiate a delivery point. For maintaining awareness on the ship location aside from visually we have the heads-up display and helmet mounted cueing system along with the sniper pod that’s tracking the bomb delivery.” Another opportunity was for the Canadian Hornet pilots to fire AIM-7 Sparrow missiles. It was important for the newer guys to shoot their first live missile so they can see what it looks like. Lt Col Moar stated: “We consider ourselves a multi-role platform and we have multiple mission sets, we fly anything from dogfighting all the way to a large scale coalition strike. We might be tasked to defend ships or provide close air support. One thing RIMPAC does is test every capability we have in the Canadian fighter force. One day we are loading bombs, the next we are loading missiles and the next we are going out defending a ship. “There are unique aspects of flying in this exercise, one I would like to highlight is at home we don’t get to work in large coalitions, we will see it at Maple Flag and if we go to Red Flag but mainly our participation is with the Americans whereas in RIMPAC it’s a multi-service, multi-country so it’s a real combined joint coalition exercise and that’s got a lot of unique aspects to it that afm effect the way we operate.”

“One day we are loading bombs, the next we are loading missiles and the next we are going out defending a ship.”

Above: A VFA-34 ‘Blue Blasters’ F/A-18C goes around after a fouled deck signal from the landing signal officer aboard USS Ronald Reagan (CVN76). Note the ADM-141C decoy missile under the starboard wing.

www.airforcesdaily.com

60-65_Hawaii_Oct gs.aw.indd 65

#319 OCTOBER 2014

65

04/09/2014 14:26

FORCE REPORT USAF AIR MOBILITY COMMAND

USAF’s Airlift Now and the Future

T

HE UNITED States Air Force’s airlift capability is in the hands of Air Mobility Command (AMC). The command is responsible for providing the necessary lift to resupply the USAF other branches of the US Department of Defense, as well as civilian organisations involved in humanitarian and emergency relief operations. AMC is midway through a re-equipment programme to improve the reliability of elderly aircraft types and enable it to be fully effective for at least the next two decades. The majority of the US Air Force aircraft are ageing and in fairly urgent need of planned replacement. The average age of the USAF fleets is: The figures are subjective, as some of the more elderly types in the airlift/tanker/bomber role have been upgraded with modern

66 OCTOBER 2014 #319

66-75_USAFAirlift_Oct.aw.indd 66

technology to enhance capabilities. Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) is the ‘golden boy’ of the procurement budget, closely followed by AMC. Although AMC is ostensibly the

USAF fleet average age Role

Total Fleet

Average Age (years)

Attack/Fighter

2,012

23.2

Bomber

159

37.5

Helicopter

170

34.8

Intelligence/ Surveillance/ Reconnaissance & Command/Control

491

32.1

Special Operations

130

26.9

Tanker

501

35.1

Trainer

1,189

26.1

Transport

783

22.7

Total

5,435 25.2

USAF’s active duty component’s provider of worldwide airlift and aerial refuelling, it also has responsibility for the operations of the transport and tanker assets of the Air National Guard (ANG) and Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC), which become part of AMC when mobilised. AMC was formed on June 1, 1992 when Military Airlift Command was renamed. The primary purpose of this re-flagging was to shed secondary missions, such as search and rescue, and concentrate on core duties. Aerial refuelling was assigned to AMC following the decommissioning of Strategic Air Command. Tankers have a secondary function of passenger and cargo delivery. Headquarters AMC is at Scott AFB, Illinois. For many years, the 15th and 21st Air Forces, located

at Travis AFB, California, and Joint base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, respectively, were responsible for overseeing operational units, divided roughly geographically. On October 1, 2003, AMC reformed the 18th Air Force (Air Force Transportation) at Scott AFB, and redesignated the two existing numbered Air Forces as the 15th and 21st Expeditionary Mobility Task Forces (EMTF), respectively. An over-riding requirement to send personnel and equipment to combat areas including the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as humanitarian aid to nations in Africa and the Caribbean, following natural disasters and emergencies, brought about the change. The Air Mobility Warfare Center (AMWC) was formed on May 1, 1994 to prepare airlift and

www.airforcesmonthly.com

05/09/2014 12:24

Bob the the Com ‘ma bot cha

t

e

Branch: USAF Air Mobility Cmmd Role: Troop Transport, Aerial Refuelling, Strategic Airlift

Bob Archer describes the operational fleet of the USAF’s Air Mobility Command – a force that’s ‘making do’ with transports both old and new in a challenging, unfamiliar world.

‘The primary purpose of this re-flagging was to shed secondary missions, such as search and rescue’ aerial refuelling units for combat operations. It evolved into the USAF Expeditionary Center on March 4, 2007, to more effectively coordinate and prepare forces before deployment to areas such as the Middle East and Africa. The end of US combat operations in Iraq enabled the 15th and 21st EMTFs to be deactivated in March 2012.

suited to theatre resupply. The remaining two heavyweights are the McDonnell-Douglas (now Boeing) KC-10 Extender and Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker which,

although primarily conducting refuelling, are equally adept at performing resupply. These five aircraft types are the backbone of AMC’s global mission.

Aircraft and Transport Fleet

AMC, and its ANG and AFRC related components, operate a mixed feet of about a dozen transport types, along with two distinct air-refuellers. The C-5 and C-17 can best be described as strategic airlifters, with intercontinental range. The Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules, while possessing trans-oceanic range, is more

www.airforcesdaily.com

66-75_USAFAirlift_Oct.aw.indd 67

Above: A C-27J belonging to the 175th AW, Maryland ANG. The Wing was one of the first to receive the C-130J, before switching to the C-27J in February 2012. The premature withdrawal of the Spartan has resulted in the unit reverting back to the C-130J. All images Bob Archer collection unless stated Top: Rarely seen operating at such a low altitude, a C-17A 06-6165 from the 436th Airlift Wing (AW) flies a practice mission over Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania in early February.

Airlift and Air Refuelling Total Aircraft Inventory

The USAF’s Total Aircraft Inventory (TAI) at the end of Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 (September 30, 2013), represents the most recent detailed list of AMC’s assets. It is divided into the active duty, Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve components: Other AMC assets, most of which have a specialised role, are presented on page 69, even though the majority are outside of the remit of this article. Note that the figures for tankers, within the total USAF fleet, presented at the beginning of the article, includes HC-130J/N/P variants of the Hercules, which are assigned to Air Combat Command and AFSOC, and are not part of the overall AMC operation.

#319 OCTOBER 2014

67

05/09/2014 12:24

FORCE REPORT USAF AIR MOBILITY COMMAND

Major Aircraft Types The AMC’s five major aircraft types (C-5, C-17, C-130, KC-10 and KC-135), have completed an upgrade programme; are in the process of modernisation or are being replaced:

Lockheed Martin C-5 Galaxy

The C-5 is the largest airlifter in the fleet, designed to carry all manner of outsized loads over intercontinental range. A total of 81 C-5A variants were initially ordered between 1966 and 1970, followed by 50 improved C-5B models purchased between 1983 and 1987. The requirement for the C-5 is undiminished, despite it having the lowest reliability rate for transport aircraft in the USAF, often little more than 50%. Avionics are now antiquated and engines fuel inefficient. Between 1980 and 1987, 76 C-5As received a major wing modification to extend the service life by a further 30,000 hours. Wing cracks had restricted load capacity. Lockheed Martin’s upgrade proposal was to produce a version designated the C-5M ‘Super Galaxy’ which featured two basic improvement packages. The first was an avionics modernisation programme (AMP) which replaced the aircraft’s avionics with modern, digital technology. The AMP began in June 2002, but the original number to be improved was reduced from 111 to 79, as a cost-cutting measure. The second was a reliability enhancement and re-engining programme (RERP), replacing the four General Electric TF39-GE-1C turbofans with F138-GE-100 powerplants, from the same manufacturer. The new engines deliver 22% more thrust, 30% shorter takeoff distance, and a 58% faster climb rate, while also reducing fuel consumption. The first conversion emerged from Marietta, Georgia, on June 6, 2006 and, following a protracted evaluation, the initial production version joined the 436th Airlift Wing at Dover AFB, Delaware, on November 15, 2010. A significant milestone was reached on December 23, 2013 with the delivery of 87-0036, the 16th conversion.

68 OCTOBER 2014 #319

66-75_USAFAirlift_Oct.aw.indd 68

A C-17A 97-0048 from the 445th AW waits for its cargo to be added at NAS North Island, California alongside a C-5A 70-0445 from the 433rd AW. Both aircraft were supporting a US Navy exercise in April.

This benchmark enabled initial operational capability (IOC) to be declared for the C-5M with the 436th AW on February 21, 2014. The IOC also marked completion of the qualification test part of the operational test and evaluation (OTE), clearing the path to full service entry. The remainder of the conversions are due for completion by 2017. The 436th AW is scheduled to receive 18 airframes, with further C-5M conversions joining the 60th Air Mobility Wing, the first of which, 87-0042, was flown from Marietta to the unit’s base at Travis AFB, California, on May 8, 2014. Deliveries were expected to switch to the Air Force Reserves, with the remaining 16 initially planned to join the 439th AW at Westover Air Reserve Base, Massachusetts. That plan appears to have changed, with the latter

unit now expected to receive half that number; the remainder joining the 433rd Airlift Wing at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, as the formal training unit (FTU). Headquarters AMC is reported to be happy with the modifications. It occasionally operates the C-5 in a surge-type environment, when small number of Galaxies fly a similar mission in reasonably quick succession. During this style of sortie, mission capable rates (MCR) of between 80 and 90% have been achieved. Official annual MCR figures for the C-5 tell a different story. The C-5A had a 42% MCR in FY 2009, rising to 67.2% in FY 2013, when significantly lower numbers of this variant remained in service. Those with the worst performance record were the first to be retired. The C-5B MCR was 61.4% in FY 2009,

increasing to 70.4% in FY 2013. In contrast, the expensive C-5M programme achieved 54.3% in FY 2009, but had only risen to 60.8% by FY 2013 – considerably poorer than the hugely unpopular

TUSAF AMC Inventory Type

Active ANG AFRC Total Duty

C-5A

-

16

15

31

C-5B

13

-

16

29

C-5C

2

-

-

2

C-5M

10

-

-

10

C-17A

180

20

18

218

C-130H

57

122

84

263

C-130J/ C-130J-30 66

16

10

92

LC-130H

10

-

10

-

KC-10A

59

-

-

59

KC-135R

134

154

66

354

KC-135T

30

Sub-total 551

24

-

54

362

209

1,122

‘The C-5 had the dubious reputation of the lowest reliability rate transport aircraft in the USAF’ An 80ft (24m) US Navy boat is loaded aboard a C-5 at NAS North Island in 2012. No other US military aircraft could accommodate such a huge load.

www.airforcesmonthly.com

05/09/2014 12:24

Branch: USAF Air Mobility Cmmd Role: Troop Transport, Aerial Refuelling, Strategic Airlift

The first C-5M, 86-0025 with a DayGlo instrumented nose extension at Edwards AFB, California, during evaluation.

C-5A. Teething problems did little to improve matters. The USAF initially intended to apply AMP and RERP to the entire fleet of C-5s. The number was reviewed several times and reduced to 52, comprising a single C-5A, both C-5Cs and 49 C-5Bs, with the remainder of the fleet being gradually retired. The first retiree, serial 70-0458, was flown to the USAF’s Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG) at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, for storage and reclamation on November 11, 2003. A total of 49 had been withdrawn by April 9, 2014. Current plans envisage a further eight in FY 2014, eight more in FY 2015 and the final six in FY 2016, bringing the total to 71, with missing examples either being scrapped after completion of test work,

or earmarked for preservation. Of the 49 retired so far, the first 13 were salvaged of all useable parts and scrapped. Subsequent retired aircraft are being placed in ‘Type 1000’ storage, by order of Congress. It means they are held as a flyable reserve and could be returned to service if necessary. This storage requires regular time-consuming and expensive inspections and the air force is anxious for Congress to concede, enabling aircraft to be scrapped.

Boeing C-17 Globemaster III

The C-17 is the most versatile and successful strategic airlifter ever to enter USAF service. It is capable of flying intercontinental ranges and landing on improvised airstrips with little or no navigational aids. The C-17 was designed to

be capable of performing both strategic and theatre airlift, which have both been key capabilities during operations into the Middle East for the last 20 years. It is the only airlifter capable of both, direct air-land or air-drop of outsize cargo into a tactical environment. The C-17 was the first military transport to feature a full digital fly-by-wire control system. The C-5 has frequently required extensive maintenance to generate a single sortie but the C-17 has achieved a significantly better reliability rate, despite a utilisation tempo far in excess of that envisaged when initial orders began. Deliveries to Air Mobility Command started in June 1993 and continued until the 223rd example emerged from Boeing’s facility at Long Beach, California, in September 2013. The C-17

joined AMC, Pacific Air Forces, Air Education and Training Command for aircrew conversion, as well as the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve Command. The C-17 has achieved a remarkable safety record despite a high utilisation rate and thousands of sorties into Middle Eastern combat zones. To date, only one has been lost, and that was attributed to pilot error, whilst practising for an air show. Another was extensively damaged in a landing accident at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, in August 2005. It was repaired and returned to service. Various enhancements have been applied to the C-17 during its 20 years-plus of manufacture, resulting in older aircraft having different specifications to newer examples. These included extra fuel tanks to increase range. It

Air Mobility Command Units The Air Mobility Command unit structure is as follows: Air Base Wings 87th ABW

Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey

628th ABW Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina 319th ABW Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota Air Mobility Wings 6th AMW

MacDill AFB, Florida

KC-135R, C-37A

60th AMW

Travis AFB, California

C-5B/C, KC-10A, C-17A

305th AMW Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey KC-10A, C-17A 375th AMW Scott AFB, Illinois

C-21A, C-40C Active Associate*, KC-135R Active Associate*

Airlift Wings and Groups 19th AW

Little Rock AFB, Arkansas

C-130H/J

43rd AG

Pope Field, North Carolina

C-130H Active Associate*

62nd AW

Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington

C-17A

89th AW

Joint Base Andrews, Maryland

C-20C, C-32A, C-37A, C-40B, VC-25A

317th AG

Dyess AFB, Texas

C-130J

436th AW

Dover AFB, Delaware

C-5B/M

437th AW

Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina

C-17A

Tanker Wings 22nd ARW

McConnell AFB, Kansas

KC-135R/T

92nd ARW

Fairchild AFB, Washington

KC-135R/T

* = Active Duty Associate. These active duty units have no aircraft of their own, but are assigned to a reservist squadron with AFRC aircraft.

www.airforcesdaily.com

66-75_USAFAirlift_Oct.aw.indd 69

#319 OCTOBER 2014

69

05/09/2014 12:24

FORCE REPORT USAF AIR MOBILITY COMMAND

Above: An LC-130H, 73-0490, of the 109th AW, New York ANG takes off from a remote location on the Greenland ice cap in July 2010. Despite their unique tasking of arctic supply, the activities of the Wing are incorporated into the role of the 618th Tanker Airlift Control Center, located at Scott AFB.

is the intention of AMC to bring all aircraft up to an identical specification. Two upgrades, which will be incorporated during major overhaul, are a new version of the onboard inert gas generation system, which will make fuel tanks safer, and a common configuration fuel system, with the same tankage installed in each aircraft. It is anticipated all aircraft will be identically configured to Block 18 standard towards the end of the present decade. Major overhauls are carried out by the Warner-Robins Air Logistics Center at Robins AFB, Georgia, and sub-contracted to Boeing at its giant San Antonio, Texas, facility. High utilisation rates in recent years means the number of C-17s undergoing major overhaul at present is almost 40 at

any given time. This will reduce to fewer than 25 at a time by 2017. Investigation by AMC has revealed a service life extension program (SLEP) will not be necessary, as the C-17 will be able to achieve its projected lifespan into the 2040s in its present configuration, with just minor modifications.

Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules

The C-130 has been the backbone of the tactical aircraft capability since the second half of the 1950s,

although those original airframes have long since been consigned to history. Evolution began with the C-130A, proceeded through the B and E models, before the ‘H version was introduced. Technological innovations were applied to the basic design, which resulted in the C-130J which, while similar in appearance to previous variants, features newer powerplants as the most visual difference. The A, B and E models have all now been retired from USAF service, leaving the C-130H variant in relatively

Airlift Squadrons The list below details the number of airlift squadrons authorised for the last three years. Strategic

2011

2012

2013

Active duty

16

16

16

Tactical

2011

2012

2013

10

10

10

ANG

6

6

6

20

21

21

AFRC

16

16

16

9

9

9

high numbers, with 57 active duty, 122 ANG and 84 with AFRC. The C-130J was not initially popular with the USAF; with most orders placed by export customers. The Royal Air Force and Royal Australian Air Force were the launch air arms to acquire this new version. The USAF did place small orders, although these were for the reserves in both the airlift and specialist roles. Seventeen were ordered between 1994 and 2005 as the C-130J, but it was the stretched C-130J-30 that offered an improved capability, with a significant increase in payload. Again, the reserves were the first to receive this version, beginning in 1999. The successful introduction of both variants eventually convinced the active duty to begin replacing older Hercules. The first active duty C-130J-30s joined their respective units in 2004. Subsequently the units had 66 at the end of FY 2013, while the ANG and AFRC had 16 and ten, respectively. The C-130J features Rolls-Royce AE 2100 D3 turboprop engines driving Dowty composite propellers. Internally, a fully digital avionics suite is featured, along with a head-up display for both pilots. The advanced avionics has removed the necessity for a navigator. The C-130H will probably continue in service for the remainder of the decade, as at least one third have had wing

Above: Seven C-130J Hercules transports taxi in after landing during the Joint Forcible Entry exercise on June 21, 2014, at Creech AFB, Nevada. The aircraft supported airmen and soldiers from Nellis AFB to provide enhanced service interaction, while also demonstrating the type’s ability to move heavy equipment and troops at short notice. USAF/1st Lt Stephani Schafer

70

OCTOBER 2014 #319

66-75_USAFAirlift_Oct.aw.indd 70

www.airforcesmonthly.com

05/09/2014 12:24

Branch: USAF Air Mobility Cmmd Role: Troop Transport, Aerial Refuelling, Strategic Airlift

Water sprays from the from modified cargo ramp of a C-130H from the 145th Airlift Wing, North Carolina. The aircrew were demonstrating the Modular Air Fire Fighting System over a remote part of California.

refuelling types, with the expense of spare parts, maintenance and procedures in triplicate. Divesting AMC of the expensive KC-10 could potentially make great savings, easing the budget pressure on acquiring and operating the new refueller. Should the decision be made, the KC-10 fleet will take four years to retire from service, beginning in 2015 or 2016. In July 2011, Rockwell Collins was awarded a contract to replace the elderly displays with

systems integration and avionics for the KC-10 communication, navigation, surveillance/air traffic management (CNS/ATM) cockpit modernisation programme. This programme provides technology to ensure the KC-10 meets current and future CNS/ATM requirements, allowing it to operate in commercial airspace throughout the world. These new capabilities will potentially allow the aircraft to use conventional airways, in so doing arriving at its destination more quickly, enhancing mission effectiveness and saving fuel.

boxes replaced, extending their lives beyond 2020. The C-130J will provide the long-term theatre airlift capability, with 104 due to have entered service by the end of 2014. The 15ft (4.8m) fuselage extension, which created the stretched C-130J-30, will continue to be the airlift version of choice, as the additional capacity is achieved with little extra running costs. The USAF has an eventual requirement for 265 of this version, although the number of aircraft authorised at present is 134. Major overhaul, known as programme depot maintenance (PDM), of earlier C-130s is accomplished every four or five years but the C-130J benefits from advanced technology, requiring a 12-year inspection at this anniversary, followed five years later by a full PDM overhaul. AMC now needs to decide on the precise number of new aircraft to acquire over the remainder of this decade, taking into consideration the future airlift requirements of the US Army, its main Department of Defense (DoD) ‘customer’.

has reviewed plans, with several types considered for premature retirement as a method of funding more important aircraft, such as the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fighter. The A-10, U-2 and KC-10 have all become frontrunners on the proposed retirement agenda. Budgetary problems, brought about by the recent sequestration issue, are at the heart of the retirement debate. Acquisition of the new Boeing KC-46 tanker would present AMC with three different versions of aerial

McDonnell-Douglas KC-10 Extender

On 10 March 2014 the USAF announced additional structural changes. Most will involve reductions, although there are a small number of additions. The details are as follows; in state order for aircraft types appropriate to this feature (the full list was presented in AFM for May 2014 page 5)

The KC-10A was initially planned as a refueller to long-distance deployments of bomber, fighter and attack aircraft and to accommodate support personnel and equipment to the final destination. The 60 USAF Extenders were among the final examples of the DC-10 produced. Every major airline has long since replaced its DC-10s with more modern equipment but the USAF continues to use 59 surviving aircraft, within two frontline Wings. Although the aircraft’s 1960s technology is fairly expensive to operate, remarkably high reliability rates are being achieved, with quoted figures of 78.1% in 2009, rising to 87.1 % in 2013. All too frequently cells of deploying attack/fighter types are unable to complete deployments as scheduled due to a KC-10 being unserviceable, making it not as popular as the KC-135. Congress

www.airforcesdaily.com

66-75_USAFAirlift_Oct.aw.indd 71

Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker

Three aircraft types, which either began production or saw the majority produced during the 1950s, remain in service. The Boeing B-52, Lockheed Martin C-130 and the KC-135 all have longevity of service. The C-130 has been superseded by an advanced version but the two other types remain effective through

An Air Force Reserve Command C-130H fires off a salvo of decoy flares while on a sortie over Afghanistan. Such procedures became common place during the campaign.

Structrual Changes

State Arkansas

19th AW at Little Rock AFB plus ten C-130J in FY 14, minus 12 C-130H in FY 15

California

60th AMW at Travis AFB minus four C-5B/M in FY 15 to the Backup Aircraft Inventory (BAI) 452nd AMW at March ARB plus eight KC-135R in FY 15

Colorado

302nd AW at Peterson AFB minus four C-130H in FY 15, and close active duty association

Delaware

436th AW at Dover AFB minus four C-5B/M in FY 15 to the BAI 166th AW at New Castle County Airport to close active associate unit

District of Columbia 89th AW at Joint Base Andrews minus five C-20B Florida

6th AMW at MacDill AFB plus eight KC-135R in FY 18

Hawaii

154th Wing at Joint Base Pearl-Harbor-Hickam minus four KC-135R in FY 15, and close active associate unit

Maryland

175th Wing at Martin State Airport, Baltimore plus eight C-130J in FY 18

Michigan

127th Wing at Selfridge ANGB, plus eight KC-135R/T in FY 17

North Carolina

440th AW at Pope Field minus ten C-130H in FY 14 (erroneously quoted as C-130J)

Oklahoma

507th ARW at Tinker AFB plus four KC-135R in FY 16

South Carolina

437th AW at Joint Base Charleston minus eight C-17A in FY 15/16 to the BAI

Washington

62nd AW at Joint Base Lewis-McChord minus eight C-17A in FY 15/16 to the BAI

Wyoming

153rd AW at Cheyenne Airport minus four C-130H in FY 15, and close active associate unit

Note: The 16 C-17As and eight C-5s will be withdrawn and placed into the Backup Aircraft Inventory (BAI). These will not be retired for storage at Davis-Monthan AFB. Instead these will be removed from flying status at their home station. The operating budget will be reduced accordingly, although funds are made available to maintain the C-5s/C-17s in flyable condition.

#319 OCTOBER 2014

71

05/09/2014 12:24

FORCE REPORT USAF AIR MOBILITY COMMAND

Right: High over California KC-135Rs from the 452nd AMW, March Air Reserve Base, are often tasked with refuelling test aircraft from nearby Edwards AFB. On just such a sortie KC-135R 58-0052 refuels the eighth prototype of the F/A-22A Raptor over a barren mountain range. Above left: A 927th Air Refuelling Wing KC-135 soars overhead after refuelling a C-17 Globemaster III on July 1, 2014. USAF Airman 1st Class Clayton Cupit Left: Tech Sgt Joe Parker, a boom operator with the 336th Air Refuelling Squadron, refuels an F-35A Lightning II from the 58th Fighter Squadron at Eglin AFB, Florida. USAF/MSgt John R Nimmo Sr.

modernisation programmes. A total of 729 standard tankers were produced, although retirements and attrition have reduced this number to 354 KC-135R models and 54 designated as the KC-135T. The active duty has 134 and 30 of each variant, respectively, while the ANG has 154 KC-135Rs and 24 KC-135Ts. The remaining 66 KC-135Rs are with AFRC. It is not difficult to understand that the reserves, which operate the lion’s share of the KC-135 fleet, have well in excess of half the aerial refuelling task. The KC-135R’s average age was 51.9 years at the end of FY 2013, while the KC-135T averaged 53.6. Despite their age, the tankers remain effective with an MCR averaging around the 80% mark. The continued success of these elderly aircraft is due to investment in upgrade programmes. Enhancements have been the Pacer CRAG (Compass, Radio and Global Positioning System) replacement of the old analogue cockpit arrangement with a new, state-of-the-art digital ‘glass’ instrument layout, linked to a GPS and a traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS). Installation of CFM International CFM56 engines, designated in military parlance as

72

OCTOBER 2014 #319

66-75_USAFAirlift_Oct.aw.indd 72

the F-108-200, have revolutionised the tanker’s capability. More recently, the ROBE system, which is an abbreviation for Roll-on, Beyond-Line-ofSight, has been fitted to 40 KC-135s. ROBE was developed by Northrop Grumman and introduced during the early 2000s, as a pallet-mounted suite of electronics carried aboard tanker and cargo aircraft to enhance battlefield command and control by automatically relaying communications via satellite. To ensure the KC-135 remains an effective tanker and airlifter, the air force awarded Rockwell Collins an engineering, manufacturing and development (EMD) contract in September 2009 to modernise the fleet to Block

45 standard. The programme will upgrade the flight deck with the latest generation autopilot, flight director, radar altimeter and electronic instrument display. The EMD phase involved 22nd ARW KC-135T 60-0343 and KC-135R 63-7987 being modified to establish the production baseline for the remainder of the fleet. The two aircraft had been modified by the end of 2012 and were being evaluated by the 412th Test Wing at Edwards AFB, California, during the first weeks of 2013. A second upgrade involved the 171st Air Refueling Squadron at Selfridge ANGB, Michigan, which has overseen the evaluation of the large aircraft infrared countermeasures (LAIRCOM) system, known as Guardian.

Boeing KC-46 Pegasus

The programme to introduce a replacement for the KC-135 began during the first years of the present century. To circumvent the usual protracted purchasing system, the USAF wished to lease 100 KC-767s from Boeing. The plan created a political storm, with the air force electing instead to buy 80 KC-767s and lease 20 more. This also ran into difficulties, amid accusations of corruption and the entire programme was placed in abeyance. The air force was later authorised to go ahead with a programme to determine which aircraft was the most ideal from a selection of existing airframes, although in reality only Airbus (EADS) and Boeing had such airframes. Airbus

Above: A KC-135R taxies through the wash rack, also known as the ‘bird bath’, after a mission in August 2014 – the Stratotanker is assigned to the 134th ARW of the ANG. USANG/Tech Sgt Jonathan Young

www.airforcesmonthly.com

05/09/2014 12:25

Branch: USAF Air Mobility Cmmd Role: Troop Transport, Aerial Refuelling, Strategic Airlift

‘Present situation shows the airlift resources to be in reasonably good shape’

Air Force Reserve Command - units reporting to AMC when mobilised Wing

Location

94th AW

Dobbins ARB, Georgia C-130H

302nd AW

Peterson AFB, Colorado C-130H (including Modular Airborne Firefighting System)

315th AW**

JB Charleston, South Carolina C-17A

349th AMW** Travis AFB, California C-5A/B/C, C-17A, KC-10A 403rd Wing

Keesler AFB, Mississippi C-130J, WC-130J (Hurricane Hunters)

433rd AW**

JB San Antonia-Lackland, Texas C-5A/B formal training unit

434th ARW

Grissom ARB, Indiana KC-135R

439th AW

Westover ARB, Massachusetts C-5B

440th AW

Pope Field, North Carolina C-130H

445th AW

Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio C-17A

446th AW**

JB Lewis-McChord, Washington C-17A

452nd AMW

March ARB, California C-17A, KC-135R

459th ARW

JB Andrews, Maryland KC-135R

507th ARW

Tinker AFB, Oklahoma KC-135R

512th AW**

Dover AFB, Delaware. C-5M, C-17A

514th AMW** JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey C-17A, KC-10A 908th AW

Maxwell AFB, Alabama C-130H

910th AW

Youngstown ARS, Ohio C-130H

911th AW

Pittsburgh Airport., Pennsylvania C-130H

914th AW

Niagara Falls Airport., New York C-130H

916th ARW

Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina KC-135R

927th ARW**

MacDill AFB, Florida KC-135R

931st ARG**

McConnell AFB, Kansas KC-135R

932nd AW

Scott AFB, Illinois C-40C

934th AW

Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport., Minnesota C-130H

** Classic associate, with aircraft owned by the active duty units, but jointly operated by the AFRC.

www.airforcesdaily.com

66-75_USAFAirlift_Oct.aw.indd 73

(EADS) teamed with Northrop Grumman to produce the KC-30 (designated KC-45 by the USAF), based upon the A.330 Multi-Role Tanker, and planned to create a new production facility for construction and maintenance in Mobile, Alabama. In February 2008 the Northrop Grumman proposal was accepted. Protests by Boeing led the Defense Department to cancel the agreement in September 2008, stating the programme would be reinstated in 12 months. Northrop Grumman pulled out, leaving EADS and Boeing as the two contenders. The two submitted final tenders on February 10, 2011. Boeing was awarded the contract a fortnight later on February 24. Boeing began preparations to construct four development aircraft having achieved its goal of a firm contract for the first 18 of the 179 total order. First flight was due to take place in late 2014. After an initial short period of company test-flying, the first aircraft will be evaluated by the 412th Test Wing at Edwards AFB, California, which is the flying component of the Air Force Flight Test Center. The USAF is reluctant to introduce its new aircraft without completing the usual, lengthy test and evaluation process, although the Boeing 767

airframe is a highly proven design in the commercial sector and a small number of tankers have been in service with overseas air arms for a number of years,. Testing will include all manner of scenarios including operations in extreme climates, both very hot and very cold. The primary duty of aerial refuelling will be the foundation of the test programme. Each receiver type will need to be appraised to ensure parameters are defined for safe operations, once in service. These will vary from the new, small F-35 through all types of bomber and airlifter up to and including the C-5M. While testing is continuing, Boeing was to deliver seven Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) examples in FY 2015, followed by 12 in 2016, and 15 manufactured annually from 2017 until 2027. On May 8, 2014 the House Armed Services Committee defence authorisation bill for FY 2015, deducted US$226.3 million from the programme, reducing the LIRP from seven to six aircraft. The cut will no doubt have a knock-on effect in future years. The 97th Air Mobility Wing at Altus AFB, Oklahoma, is well advanced producing the relevant course structures and paperwork necessary to begin the first training classes. The

#319 OCTOBER 2014

73

05/09/2014 12:25

FORCE REPORT USAF AIR MOBILITY COMMAND

Above: When it enters service the KC-46A Pegasus will bring a widebody, multi-tanker role that promises to revolutionise the air mobility mission. Boeing

Wing is tentatively scheduled to begin receiving initial aircraft in FY 2016. Around the same time the first active duty unit will commence exchanging its KC-135s for the new KC-46. The 22nd Air Refuelling Wing at McConnell AFB, Kansas, is expected to receive its examples beginning in FY 2016, with an eventual complement of 36. The location of McConnell AFB is extremely convenient, as it is across the runway from the large Boeing Wichita maintenance plant. At the same time as the active duty 22nd ARW, the AFRC’s 931st Air Refuelling Group, which is the associate unit in residence, will also transition to the KC-46. The National Guard Bureau intends to transition one ANG unit with 12 aircraft. Five locations are being investigated: All five are equipped with the KC-135R/T at present. Once the location is selected, infrastructure improvements will need to be made before the first aircraft are delivered, tentatively in FY 2018. The New Hampshire ANG, due to its location in the far north-eastern USA, considers itself to be the front runner. The aircraft will be assigned directly to the ANG, but with an active duty associate unit being formed to spread the operating budget. Once deliveries are under way, the second KC-46 basing schedule will be decided. The 6th AMW at MacDill AFB, Florida, and the 92nd ARW at Fairchild AFB, Washington, were in the running during the first assessment period and will

74

OCTOBER 2014 #319

66-75_USAFAirlift_Oct.aw.indd 74

almost certainly be selected later in the decade. Furthermore additional ANG, and possibly direct assignment to the AFRC, could also be included in round two. The final examples of the KC-46A are due to be produced by FY 2028.

Tanker Airlift Control Center

Day-to-day management of the huge tasking of Air Mobility Command is the responsibility of the 618th Tanker Airlift Control Center (TACC), at Scott AFB. Formed on April 1, 2007 the unit is AMC’s operational branch for planning, scheduling, and directing a fleet of more than

1,300 mobility aircraft in support of combat delivery and strategic airlift, air refuelling and aeromedical evacuation operations around the world. The 618th is the global air operations centre responsible for centralised command and control of military and commercial contract air mobility assets. The Center is administered by active duty and reserve personnel as the ANG and AFRC units are included within the scheduling missions carried out daily. The organisation was previously known simply as the Tanker Airlift Control Center, having become operational on April 1, 1992 but was given a numerical identity 15 years later.

Other Commands’ Airlift

Airlift within continental USA is the direct responsibility of AMC, elsewhere it is divested to the local commands. Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) has C-17As, C-130Hs and KC-135Rs assigned to active duty and reserve units, enabling a degree of self-sufficiency for its own operations. PACAF could not hope to satisfy its full requirements across such a vast area and relies heavily upon AMC for routine airlift. PACAF’s airlift and aerial refuelling assets are based in Alaska, Hawaii, and Japan (Okinawa). C-130Hs are operated at Yokota AB, Japan,

A KC-10 Extender flies over Afghanistan. The type was able to refuel all the coalition aircraft that were in theatre because it was equipped with a refuelling boom and a hose and drogue centreline system. USAF/Staff Sgt Aaron Allmon

www.airforcesmonthly.com

05/09/2014 12:25

Branch: USAF Air Mobility Cmmd Role: Troop Transport, Aerial Refuelling, Strategic Airlift

A trio of C-27Js from the Maryland, Mississippi and Ohio ANG units. All of the aircraft have now been withdrawn from USAF service.

occasions when PACAF or USAFE capability is available for AMC.

New Airlifter C-X

‘AMC will gradually liaise with Air Force Materiel Command for general requirements’ with the 374th Airlift Wing, which is scheduled to upgrade to the C-130J-30 in due course. In Europe, the command is now known as the United States Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa. The European element operated almost in isolation, with just the occasional Middle Eastern or African sortie. To accomplish its mission, the command has one squadron of C-130J-30s stationed in Germany, and one KC-135 squadron in England. In recent years the involvement in Africa has increased to become a priority mission for the USA, with more and more activities, particularly by Special Forces. To enable USAFE to fully complete its remit, the C-130J-30s of the 86th AW at Ramstein AB, Germany, have been bolstered by the presence of active duty and reservist C-130s rotating from the USA. In both cases the airlift and aerial refuelling missions are generated by the requirements of US Pacific Command and US European Command. Despite a degree of independence, the 618th TACC does have a small input into daily missions, as there are Option 1 - Forbes Air National Guard Station, Kansas Option 2 - Joint Base McGuireDix-Lakehurst, New Jersey Option 3 - Pease Air National Guard Station, New Hampshire Option 4 - Pittsburgh Air National Guard Station, Pennsylvania Option 5 - Rickenbacker Air National Guard Station, Ohio

www.airforcesdaily.com

66-75_USAFAirlift_Oct.aw.indd 75

General Paul J Selva, Commander US Transportation Command is looking beyond the next two decades. He wishes to avoid the command having to fund replacement programmes for the three major airlifters (C-5, C-17 and C-130J) which could conceivably come to the end of their service lives around the same time. The conceptual C-X aircraft could feasibly replace both the C-17 and C-130 with a single design. The future plans of the US Army, particularly the rapid movement of personnel, equipment and heavy weapons, will have a major impact on future airlift considerations. One significant factor is for an airlifter able to function within congested airspace, similar to that of Western Europe, and/or a combat arena such as that found in Afghanistan and Iraq in recent years. Improved stealth characteristics could also be a factor. It is highly unlikely a large airlifter would be unmanned, as the prospect of a robotic craft transporting troops to a combat zone verges on science fiction. With little more than five years before the end of the present decade, AMC will gradually liaise with Air Force Materiel Command for general requirements. Additionally the Air Force Research Laboratory will be involved with theoretical analysis of the appearance and capability based on perceived characteristics. The success of General Selva in guiding AMC operationally through the tortuous period of sequestration was rewarded with promotion to the Commander of US Transportation Command on May 5, 2014. USTRANSCOM is the organisation responsible for directing and formulating policy for all military-based ground, sea and air transportation and General Selva can now continue his quest to devise long-term plans for transportation for all three services, as well as the necessity to contract with afm the commercial sector.

Air National Guard - units reporting to AMC when mobilised Squadron

Location

101st ARW

Bangor Airport, Maine KC-135R

103rd AW

Bradley Airport, Connecticut C-130H

105th AW

Stewart ANGB, New York C-17A

107th AW

Niagara Falls Airport/ARS, New York C-130H - reserve associate (RA), MQ-9 (planned 2014)

108th Wing JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey KC-135R 109th AW

Schenectady County Airport, New York C/LC-130H

113th Wing JB Andrews, District of Columbia C-38A, C-40B 117th ARW

Birmingham Airport, Alabama KC-135R

120th FW

Great Falls Airport, Montana C-130H

121st ARW

Rickenbacker ANGB, Ohio KC-135R

123rd AW

Louisville Airport./AGS Standiford Field, Kentucky C-130H

126th ARW

Scott AFB, Illinois KC-135R

127th Wing Selfridge ANGB, Michigan KC-135T 128th ARW

General Mitchell Airport, Wisconsin KC-135R

130th AW

Yeager Airport, West Virginia C-130H, RC-26

133rd AW

Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport/ARS, Minnesota C-130H

134th ARW

McGhee Tyson Airport, Tennessee KC-135R

136th AW

NAS JRB Fort Worth, Texas C-130H

137th ARW

Will Rogers ANGB, Oklahoma KC-135R - reserve associate

139th AW

Rosecrans Memorial Airport, Missouri C-130H

140th Wing Buckley AFB, Colorado C-21A 141st ARW

Fairchild AFB, Washington KC-135R - reserve associate

143rd AW

Quonset State Airport/Quonset ANGB, Rhode Island C-130J

145th AW

Charlotte/Douglas Airport, North Carolina C-130H MAFFS

146th AW

Channel Islands ANGS, California C-130J, MAFFS

151st ARW

Salt Lake City Airport, Utah KC-135R

152nd AW

Reno/Tahoe Airport May Field, Nevada C-130H

153rd AW

Cheyenne Airport, Wyoming C-130H, MAFFS

154th Wing Joint Base Pearl-Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii C-17A, KC-135R classic associate 155th ARW

Lincoln Airport, Nebraska KC-135R

156th AW

Luis Munoz Marin Airport, Puerto Rico C-130H

157th ARW

Pease Intl. Tradeport ANGS, New Hampshire KC-135R

161st ARW

Sky Harbor Airport, Arizona KC-135R

164th AW

Memphis Airport, Tennessee C-17A

165th AW

Savannah Hilton Head Airport, Georgia C-130H

166th AW

New Castle County Airport, Delaware C-130H

167th AW

Allen C. Thompson Field/Jackson Airport, West Virginia C-5A (C-17 planned FY2015)

168th ARW

Eielson AFB, Alaska KC-135R

171st ARW

Pittsburgh Airport/ARS, Pennsylvania KC-135R/T

172nd AW

Allen C Thompson Field/Jackson Airport, Mississippi C-17A

176th Wing JB Elmendorf-Richardson Alaska, C-17A classic associate, C-130H, 179th AW

Mansfield Lahm Airport, Ohio C-130H

182nd AW

Greater Peoria Airport, Illinois C-130H

185th ARW

Sioux Gateway Airport/Col. Bud Day Field, Iowa KC-135R

186th ARW

Key Field, Mississippi KC-135R

189th AW

Little Rock AFB, Arkansas C-130H

190th ARW

Forbes Field, Kansas KC-135R

#319 OCTOBER 2014

75

05/09/2014 12:25

AFGHAN AF C-27A

Beyond Belief! After spending nearly $600 million dollars on overhauling and supporting the Afghan Air Force C-27A fleet over the past five years, the aircraft were scrapped in August. Alan Warnes investigates their short-lived career.

W

ITH JUST three years of operational service on the clock, the Afghanistan Air Force’s 16 C-27As have been scrapped. All were chopped up, at a rate of one a day, in August. The speed at which the work was done was breathtaking, but as the aircraft stood idle, their ailerons and rudders flapping in the wind, they continued to be an embarrassment to everyone involved in this sorry tale. Now they are gone, the USAF might find it easier to forget that it spent around $600 million

of US taxpayers’ money in a deal that was doomed within weeks of the first aircraft being delivered in November 2009. In 2008 the US Department of Defense (DoD) purchased, for the AAF 20 Aeritalia G222s, which in USAF service is known as the C-27A. Most had been in open-store store at Pisa for around five years, having served the Italian Air Force for 20 years. Their ability to operate from short unprepared airstrips and also increase the AAF’s airlift battlefield mobility seemed to the US like an ideal solution to what it considered were the AAF’s medium airlift requirements.

Grounding the Antonov fleet

Many in the AAF leadership never quite understood why the US selected the C-27A. The Afghans had years of operational service with the Antonov fleet (first the An-26 and then the An-32) and they considered it had served them very well, they also had plenty of transport pilots to fly them. They couldn’t fathom out why their fleet of five An-32s and solitary An-26 couldn’t do the job. The over-powered An-32s were ideal for the hot and high climates of Afghanistan which the C-27A would have to perform in. Three An-32s had just been acquired, ironically via a US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme in 2008, and had barely been in

How the $596 million adds up

An initial $287 million contract was awarded on September 29, 2008, by the USAF to Alenia North America for 18 refurbished former Italian Air Force G222s, for delivery to the AAF. A further $7 million was added to the deal on September 29, 2009, to support the purchase. Alenia North America then gained a $30.24 million contract on September 16, 2010, for the acquisition of two G222s, bringing the total order to 20. On March 4, 2011, the company was awarded a further

76

OCTOBER 2014 #319

76-78_Belief_Oct.aw.indd 76

$20 million to cover parts for the aircraft. It was given another contract on March 30, 2012, when $107.689 million was provided for G222 sustainment services; which included spares, repairs, contractor logistics support and engineering support. This was due for completion in March 8, 2014. Along with costs related to constructing a large base facility, plus those associated with logistics, operations and training, the sum is believed to total $596 million.

www.airforcesmonthly.com

04/09/2014 14:20

Afghan AF C-27A service two years when the US persuaded the AAF to retire them and replace them with 20 C-27As, free of charge. There had been some incidents of poor airmanship on the Antonov fleet which may have contributed to this decision. A high-profile crash of An-32 (serial 354) occurred on October 8, 2009 about 2 miles (5km) from the Iranian border allegedly after the crew took the aircraft without official authorisation. Fortunately no one was seriously hurt. The fleet was subsequently grounded while AAF Antonov personnel went through safety drills, it was then returned to the air, and then grounded again in November 2010, again for another review of operational and maintenance procedures. They were finally withdrawn from use in June 2011.

Maintenance issues

The US signed an initial $287 million contract with Alenia Aermacchi North America on September 29, 2008 to retrieve, overhaul and modernise 18 newly designated C-27As. A second contract worth around $30 million added two more C-27As to the Afghan fleet, but with logistical and spares support the total cost ballooned to $596 million. Two were to be used by the Presidential Airlift Squadron. They were expected to serve until 2019, however, issues with the aircraft started to surface shortly after the first pair was delivered to Kabul on November 15, 2009. Over the next three years, the fleet was regularly grounded, but deliveries continued until June 2012 when the 16th and final C-27A arrived. Spares and servicing problems led to the revelation early in 2012 that only seven of the C-27As were still airworthy. This saw a fleet stand-down lasting around six months whilst maintenance

and management procedures were analysed and addressed. During the stand-down, a simulator was delivered, enabling training to continue, and the aircraft were returned to flying status one at a time. A three-day conference held in Kabul in September 2012 attempted to clear up maintenance issues across the AAF and consistent doctrine procedures were drawn up.

Contract cancelled

In August 2012, a contractual cure notice had been issued to Alenia by the USAF, outlining concerns with its performance on the G222 contract. The Italians responded by bolstering its in-country maintenance capability and supply chain. According to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) which was supervising the aircraft’s introduction into service, “the efforts did not result in sufficient progress towards meeting contract requirements.” As a result the USAF decided to let the contract expire." USAF spokesman Ed Gulick told the Wall Street Journal on December 27, 2012: “Alenia North America

Afghan C-27A Fates Serial

c/n

54078

4078 MM62136

Ex-AMI No Fate

64087

4087 MM62154

Scrapped

64088

4088 MM62145

Scrapped August 26, 2014

74016

4016 MM62111

Scrapped August 25, 2014

74090

4090 MM62155

Scrapped

74092

4092 MM62152

Scrapped August 21, 2014

84020

4020 MM62115

To Ramstein, March 26, 2013

84023

4023 MM62117

Scrapped August 23, 2014

84024

4024 MM62118

Scrapped August 11, 2014

84025

4025 MM62119

To Ramstein, March 21, 2013

84026

4026 MM62120

To Ramstein, March 23, 2013

84028

4028 MM62122

Scrapped

84093

4093 I-RAIS

Scrapped

94030

4030 MM62124

Scrapped August 24, 2014

94031

4031 MM62125

Scrapped

04095

4095 MM62153

To Ramstein, March 17, 2013

14014

4014 MM62109

Scrapped

14046

4046 MM62133

Scrapped

14048

4048 MM62135

Scrapped

14050

4050 MM62137

Scrapped August 22, 2014

Scrapped August 20, 2014

Top: One of the Afghan Air Force C-27As is chopped up by a US contractor’s bulldozer at Kabul during mid-August. Photos, via author unless stated Above left: Two Afghan Air Force C-27As and an An-32 they replaced, perform a flypast as part of the Victory Day Parade at the Olympic Center in Kabul, on April 28, 2010. The parade is held every year to commemorate the day when the Afghan Mujahideen overthrew Afghanistan’s communist government headed by President Mohamad Najibullah in 1992. USAF/ Staff Sgt Markus M Maier Below: The short take-off/landing C-27A was acquired to work on desert strips and in the hot and high climates of the Afghanistan. They replaced the An-32s, renowned for coping well in these conditions, but failed abysmally. USAF/Master Sgt Adrian Cadiz

www.airforcesdaily.com

76-78_Belief_Oct.aw.indd 77

#319 OCTOBER 2014

77

04/09/2014 14:20

AFGHAN AF C-27A

All the C-27As were towed over to the north side of the Kabul IAP in early August, and one by one pushed into the scrapping area. Work has already started on an aircraft, as can be witnessed by the wing tips lying on the ramp. In the background are aircraft serialled 74090, 74092, 94030, 14046.

was notified on December 18, 2012 that its contract to maintain and support the planned total of 20 refurbished G222s for the AAF would not be renewed after it expires in March, 2013. Although fleet maintenance issues were starting to be addressed, only ten of the G222s were reflown after the December 2011 grounding was lifted.” An AAF spokesman, Colonel Mohammad Bahadur, said that only between four and six of these aircraft could be flown at any one time. Bahadur said: “The basic problem is that these airplanes were purchased without spare parts.” As a result, even for a small part it was sometimes necessary to wait weeks or even months for delivery. Reacting to the USAF decision to ground the fleet in March 2013, Afghan Defence Ministry spokesman General Zahir Azimi said: “We are very happy to hear of the cancellation of the aircraft’s purchase. They are not usable by the Afghan Air Force anymore and we thank those who have taken this decision.” The ISAF subsequently issued a statement: “A number of factors led to the decision to stop the programme. First, a number of challenges were encountered with sustainment of the aircraft, particularly the unavailability of spare parts. Second, the G222’s operational performance

envelope proved unsuitable in the harsh Afghanistan climate, especially at high altitude and in very hot temperatures, greatly limiting the aircraft’s range and payload capacity. Finally, the limited aircraft availability debilitated the G222 aircrew and maintainer effort. Thus, in December 2012, the Afghanistan Government requested C-130s as a solution, and DoD directed the USAF to deliver capability (C-130Hs) in the earliest time frame practicable.’ The need for C-130Hs led to a pair of ex-USAF examples (74-1675 and 74-1677) delivered on October 9, 2013 to overcome the AAF’s desperate tactical airlift needs and the final two (74-1665 and 74-1689) should be delivered by the end of 2014

Last flights

The decision to halt the contract led to the four undelivered C-27As, 84020, 84025, 84026 and 04095 being flown from Naples to Ramstein Air Base, Germany, in March 2013 where they still remain in store and will probably be scrapped. At the same time, the last operational Afghan Air Force C-27A sortie is believed to have taken place on March 21, 2013. In March 2014, all 16 examples were towed into the ‘junkyard’ at Kabul International Airport (Kabul IAP) in preparation for their disposal which had

Work on the first aircraft to be scrapped, 84024, began on August 8, but had to be halted for three days over an issue with the fuel tanks. A US Army UH-60, one of many based at Kabul, is seen flying overhead.

78

OCTOBER 2014 #319

76-78_Belief_Oct.aw.indd 78

been authorised under the USA’s FY14 National Defense Authorisation Act. Although the C-27As were intended for donation to the AAF, they remained on charge with the US DoD charge, which ordered the aircraft aircraft to be scrapped after they became an eye-sore. By early August all the C-27As had been towed to the ISAF’s facility and scrapping of the first, 84024, began on August 8. A leak, from one of the fuel tanks led to a halt in the work, but by August 11, the aircraft was just a pile of scrap metal – by the end of August, all 16 along with the load trainer had been destroyed. In doing so, it brought an undignified end to what has afm been a scandalous waste of money.

One positive milestone

Colonel Aimal Pachs, Captain Shahnawaz Nabi Zada, and Major Nik Mohamad of the AAF’s Kabul Air Wing stand in front of a C-27A after their flight.

www.airforcesmonthly.com

04/09/2014 14:21

OCTOBER ISSUE OUT NOW: FREE SUPPLEMENT USAF 2014 AIR POWER REVIEW

T 24-PAGE SUPPLEMEN

NORTH AMERICA’S

BEST-SELLING MILITARY

INSIDE

In this supplement, Tom Kaminski provides a detailed look at units, bases and aircraft at a time when challenges have never been bigger for the world’s greatest air force.

AVIATION MAGAZINE

AIRCRAFT

BASES

SPECIAL REPORT: JAPAN’S FUTURE FIGHTER

PROCUREMENT

STATUS

20/08/2014 13:28

47 Supplement cover

C.indd 47

Mitsubishi’s prototype of the Advanced Technology Demonstrator-X (ATD-X) was rolled out on July 12. Andreas Rupprecht investigates how a maiden flight of the aircraft can be expected later this year.

PILOT PROFILE: THE BLUE ANGELS

Ken Neubeck talks to LCDR Nate Barton, Blue Angel 3, to find out how the US Navy Blue Angels are back in action after sequestration all but wiped out their attendance at airshows during 2013.

INDUSTRY REPORT: THE CASE FOR THE GROWLER

JUST

£4.30 October Issue available NOW from

With renewed questions about the service entry timeline of the F-35C Lightning II and the future importance of electronic attack platforms, Brad Elward evaluates continued efforts to keep the Super Hornet and Growler production line open beyond 2016.

AND MUCH MORE!

and all other leading newsagents

A LT E R N ATIVE LY, ORDE R DIRE CT: Free P&P* when you order online at

www.keypublishing.com/shop

*Free 2nd class P&P on all UK & BFPO orders. Overseas charges apply. Postage charges vary depending on total order value.

OR

Call (UK) 01780 480404 (Overseas) +44 1780 480404 Lines open 9.00am - 5.30pm

Also available on also available for PC, MAC & Kindle Fire from

Search: Combat Aircraft 714/14

714 CAM Latest FP.indd 79

05/09/2014 11:19

ROYAL NAVY 736 NAS

R

OYAL NAVAL Air Station (RNAS) Culdrose, on Cornwall’s Lizard Peninsula, is home to an elite unit staffed by naval aviators specialising in the maritime aggressor role. Flying 14 British Aerospace Hawk T1 and T1A two-seat trainers at high speed and extremely low level, 736 Naval Air Squadron (NAS) recently celebrated its first anniversary following recommissioning on June 6, 2013. The reformation of the squadron signalled the end for the longrunning Fleet Requirements and Air Direction Unit (FRADU) at Culdrose and its Naval Flying Standards Flight (Fixed Wing) Hawk Detachment at RNAS Yeovilton, in Somerset. Designated the Royal Navy’s maritime aggressor squadron, 736 NAS is controlled by the Joint Service Air Tasking Organisation (JSATO) based at Yeovilton. It provides the squadron with tasking for a number of defence customers in roles including air-to-air and air-to-ground threat simulation and close air support (CAS).

Restructured for the future

Boasting strong links to Culdrose, 736 NAS was the logical choice as the new maritime aggressor unit formed at the Cornish airfield following the restructuring of FRADU in 2013. With the merging of the Fleet Requirements Unit and the Air Direction Training Unit, FRADTU was formed on December 1, 1972 at RNAS Yeovilton – the word ‘Training’ was dropped the following year. It initially operated a mixed fleet of Sea Vixens, English Electric Canberras and Hawker Hunters. When the Sea Vixens were withdrawn from FRADU service in February 1974 the unit was left with various marks of Canberra and Hunter aircraft to carry out its numerous tasks.

80 OCTOBER 2014 #319

80-86_Navy_oct.aw.indd 80

The Canberra was officially withdrawn from FRADU service in November 1992 when the last of the TT18s left Yeovilton. On April 4, 1994 the unit received its first Hawk T1A (XX175). With good availability of surplus Hawks from RAF stocks, it was decided to bring forward the retirement of Sir Sydney Camm’s elegant Hawker Hunter from FRADU and Royal Navy service. The final four examples were withdrawn in May 1995, thus ending the aircraft’s 37-year association with the Fleet Air Arm (FAA). That same year, following the relocation of Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST) from Portland, Dorset, to Plymouth, Devon, the FRADU Hawks were transferred to Culdrose. The move was completed by December 1, 1995 and it is where the recommissioned 736 NAS now calls home. The squadron’s first commanding officer after 41 years in abeyance is Lt Cdr Tim Flatman, who has served with the FAA since 1997. Having initially flown Sea Harrier FA2s until the aircraft was retired in 2006, he re-trained as a Harrier GR7 pilot and flew combat sorties over Afghanistan as part of the RAF’s Joint Strike Wing. “No.736 NAS has a long tradition of operating fixedwing aircraft and it has previously been based here at Culdrose, so it was a straightforward decision to allocate the number to this unit,” Lt Cdr Flatman explained. When asked about the major differences between his unit and the previous civilian-run set up, Flatman stated that, “One of the key changes from the FRADU days is that we are now not necessarily contract-obligated as before. Doing it this way round is rare, as normally it is military operations that are being outsourced. We are no longer beholden to an external contractor. We are, of course, given roles to fulfil by the Royal Navy and there are still certain

defence customers that we have to service – acting as a training asset is, after all, the principal reason for our existence. We will always exist to perform core defence training requirements, both our own and those of our NATO allies. “The real difference is that all the Hawk pilots were previously provided by Serco [the outsourcing company that ran FRADU under contract to the Royal Navy, as well as London’s Docklands Light Railway and numerous prisons – FRADU had previously been managed by Airwork in the 1970s until Flight Refuelling Aviation won the competitive tender in 1983]. Now, the contracted Serco pilots augment the squadron. At the moment we have six naval aviators from the FAA, one or two trainee pilots and two Serco pilots who effectively boost the squadron’s manpower. “Thanks to the vast operational knowledge and fast jet background of the Serco guys, they provide the continuity and core of experience that you would typically find in most frontline squadrons. ‘Older’ chaps who’ve been there and done it all before in the Hawk are invaluable to my squadron. The FAA has also provided us with some slightly younger naval aviators who are on their first tours following the completion of their pilot training courses.

www.airforcesmonthly.com

04/09/2014 14:35

ROYAL NAVY 736 NAS Then there is the Senior Pilot and myself, who are on our command appointments. So, between the service pilots and the experienced Serco guys, we have a vast wealth of knowledge to call upon.” As in all walks of life, change is not always easily accepted especially if it affects an organisation that has been operated to a set structure for many years. “The restructuring of FRADU into 736 NAS has been challenging at times,” Lt Cdr Flatman continued. “Because FRADU did what it did, successfully, for many years, to try to get former employees to operate differently was always going to be a tricky idea to ‘sell’. But that’s what we have had to do. In terms of the ‘culture’ that existed here at Culdrose in respect to performing the maritime aggressor mission, it was initially very difficult to implement the changes that were deemed to be necessary by JSATO. However, we are now a long-way down the road to where we want, and need, to be.”

Above: An ‘aggressor pilot’ keeps a keen eye on the horizon as he pulls his Hawk into a tight starboard turn at low-level during a simulated attack on a Royal Navy destroyer. Lt Cdr Mark Brayson Below: The squadron currently has 15 Hawk T1s within its fleet; 14 are its own aircraft, but one, seen in trail during take-off, is on loan from 208 Squadron based at RAF Valley in Wales. Insert: The Royal Navy’s new aggressor pilot patch.

“Chocks away” when we say Any squadron is only as good as its maintainers and 736 NAS can call on some

Royal Navy Aggressors 736 Naval Air Squadron Lewis Gaylard reports on how Royal Navy Hawks are a force to be reckoned with in the skies of the UK. www.airforcesdaily.com

80-86_Navy_oct.aw.indd 81

#319 OCTOBER 2014

81

04/09/2014 14:36

ROYAL NAVY 736 NAS

Past pedigree No 736 NAS can trace its lineage back more than 70 years to May 1943. Commissioned at Yeovilton as the School of Air Combat, the unit was originally equipped with Supermarine Seafire IBs and given the job of teaching naval aviators the latest air combat techniques – a role that it had taken over from the RAF Fighter Leaders School. 736 NAS continued to train Fleet Air Arm (FAA) aircrew in numerous fighting roles through to VJ-Day, flying a wide variety of types including the Fairey Barracuda II, Miles Master II and Grumman Avenger III. Post-war, 736 NAS moved to Culdrose in February 1950 as the Naval Air Fighter School, equipped with no fewer than 50 Hawker Sea Furies (a mixed fleet of F10s, FB11s and two-seat T20s), as well as Seafires, Fairey Fireflies, Miles Martinet TT1s and de Havilland Sea Hornets. In August 1952, sister unit 738 NAS, was created when the burgeoning 736 NAS split in May 1950, took over all the Sea Furies allowing 736 NAS to move into the jet age. Re-forming out of 702 NAS as an Advanced Jet Flying School, the squadron was equipped with Supermarine Attacker F1s and Gloster Meteor T7s. In November 1953, the unit moved to RNAS Lossiemouth, in Scotland, where weather conditions proved more suited to flying training needs. Here, 736 NAS subsequently replaced its existing aircraft with de Havilland Sea Vampire T22s and various models of Hawker Sea Hawk. Following the arrival of these new types the squadron was also tasked with giving pistonengined pilots experience in naval jets. In 1955, 736 NAS passed on all of its Sea Hawks to 738 NAS and assumed responsibility for converting naval aviators to both British standards and aircraft following the completion of their flying training in the USA. Three years later the squadron was again reorganised to become the Naval Air Fighter and Strike School (NAFSS), using Sea Hawk FB3s, FGA4s, FB5s and FGA6s to train FAA pilots in photo-reconnaissance, ground attack, low-level navigation and air-to-air combat. Graduates of the highly demanding NAFSS course qualified for frontline service with fleet squadrons. From June 1959, 736 NAS began to replace its Sea Hawks with Supermarine Scimitar F1s to provide better support for operational squadrons – the last of the Sea Hawks went to 738 NAS in July 1960. By 1965, most Scimitars had been replace by the de Havilland Sea Vixen and 736 NAS was disbanded on 26 March 1965. However, the squadron re-formed later that same day with Blackburn Buccaneer S1s and aircrews from recently downgraded 809 NAS. Designated a Jet Strike Training Squadron for naval aviators destined to fly the Buccaneer with fleet units, 736 NAS remained at Lossiemouth. Supplementing its fleet of S1s with S2s from May 1966, the squadron subsequently shared a pool of aircraft with 803 NAS (the Buccaneer Headquarters Squadron and weapons trials unit) from 1967. The following year it was announced that the RAF would take over the FAA’s S2s following the gradual retirement of the Royal Navy’s fixed-wing carrier force. In the wake of this decision, 736 NAS took on the training of RAF crews destined to fly the Buccaneer. To cope with this, several S1s were taken out of storage to increase the number of aircraft available. A handful of RAF aircrew, who had served exchange tours with FAA Buccaneer squadrons, was also posted to 736 NAS as instructors. With the last RAF aircrew trained, the unit disbanded on February 25, 1972.

82 OCTOBER 2014 #319

80-86_Navy_oct.aw.indd 82

of the most experienced aircraft engineers in the UK, supplied by civilian contractor Babcock. The vast majority previously served in the RAF or FAA, working on Hawks. All former FRADU employees, the maintainers now provide critical support to 736 NAS. Veteran engineers like Mike Froggett fully understand the requirements of the new squadron. He explained: “736 NAS currently has 15 airframes, 14 of which are permanently with the unit and one on temporary loan from 208 Squadron at RAF Valley, in Wales. Of the 14, two are still T1 ‘pre-mod’ 2010 jets that are likely to be retired to RAF Shawbury, in Shropshire, in the near future. The temporary loan airframe, XX236, is an Engine Usage and Monitoring System (EUMS) aircraft used to collect data for RollsRoyce so the company can see how our jets are flown and the effects the maritime aggressor mission has on the Hawk’s Adour 151 engine. XX187 is also an EUMS airframe, although it is one of our permanent aircraft. “A normal day can vary in the amount of flying required. It can be anything from two up to 19 sorties, including aircraft swaps with our sister facility at Yeovilton, which is home to two airframes

Above: The cockpit of the Hawk clearly shows its 1970s design; although throughout the decades the aircraft has served the Royal Navy well.

on a permanent basis. All sorties are carried out during the day, with no more than eight aircraft being required. Some will fly more than others and their airframe hours are monitored to fit in with servicing plans and schedules, as well as the equipment modification state of each jet. “The squadron has 29 engineering staff – including four at Yeovilton – and they are split into two shifts. These work alternate weeks of 0700hrs to 1600hrs and 0830hrs to 1730hrs. The 0700hrs shift does the before flight inspections servicing and the 0830hrs shift takes over the flightline activities for the day ahead. The early shift is then occupied in the hangar with routine maintenance and repairing unserviceable airframes. The only deeper scheduled maintenance activity undertaken by 736 NAS is primary 150-hour servicing and engine changes. All other in-depth Hawk T1 maintenance is carried out at Valley by 208 Squadron or at RAF Leeming, in North Yorkshire, with 100 Squadron.

Above: A wave from Commanding Officer Lt Cdr Tim Flatman to the ground engineer lets him know he’s ‘good to go’. Right: The patriotic tail of Hawk XX337 will soon be replaced with the squadron’s lightning bolt. It is intended that the Hawk will remain in service until 2020, and a potential replacement could be older Block F-16s. All images Lewis Gaylard unless stated

www.airforcesmonthly.com

04/09/2014 14:36

ROYAL NAVY 736 NAS “From time to time 736 NAS is required to operate away from Culdrose, specifically during the twiceyearly Joint Warrior exercises held at Lossiemouth in April and October. The unit also supports a regular detachment to Yeovilton. We are required to support the Hawk T1s when they are ‘on the road’, which can sometimes be a little challenging but also very interesting, as 736 NAS has a requirement for a few rear seat-qualified travelling engineers to accompany the pilots and provide them with ground support. This requirement is being exercised more frequently as 736 NAS is a FAA squadron and overseas detachment training is becoming a must. “Overall, the Hawk T1 is a very reliable aircraft that rarely suffers from serviceability issues. Unforeseen technical problems can always tax the brain but these, thankfully, are few and far between. Thanks to the aircraft’s excellent Rolls-Royce Adour 151 engine, the Hawk is a pleasure to work on.”

Core role for Joint Strike Fighter

No 809 NAS has been chosen to be the Royal Navy’s F-35B Lightning II frontline squadron, working alongside the RAF’s 617 Squadron. With many FAA naval aviators maintaining their fast jet experience with overseas exchange postings to the USA and France, it has been shown that the Royal Navy needs a squadron to act as a ‘stepping stone’ for future F-35B aircrew. According to Lt Cdr Flatman, this requirement has now been addressed by 736 NAS. “There is a recognition that the Royal Navy has to operate fast jets in the UK environment. The work going on in the USA with our guys flying high performance jets like the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is critically important, as it will allow them to maintain their core skills, especially when operating from the US Navy’s ‘big deck’ aircraft carriers. However, we will have individuals coming back to the UK with years of experience in the F/A-18, including Topgun, who are effectively US Navy Lieutenants, not

Routine maintenance for the Hawks is conducted in 736 Squadron’s own hangar at Culdrose, while deeper scheduled engineering work will be carried out by the RAF at Valley or Leeming.

FAA naval aviators. If the Royal Navy wants the F-35B to be a success as soon as it enters service then we must have pilots flying them who have experienced operating fast jets here in the UK. “As you can imagine, the flying found here in the UK is very different from that in the USA. Weather conditions are often variable and the airspace we fly in is also more restricted. Finally, our operational procedures differ significantly. If we don’t expose potential F-35B pilots to these factors then there may be unforeseen consequences when the aircraft finally enters fleet service. On the ground, air traffic controllers at Culdrose and Yeovilton need to keep up their experience levels when it comes to handling fast jets both day and night. Operations personnel at both sites also have to be able to manage the needs of fast jets. If we ignore these seemingly routine requirements then we could get to the F-35B and realise that we haven’t done ‘x, y or z’ since the Harrier days!

“It’s also about the young guys we have coming into the squadron who will fly F-35Bs in the future. Obviously flying a Hawk T1 is going to be very different to flying the Joint Strike Fighter, but during a tour with us they will gain valuable experience that will stand them in very good stead once the Lightning II enters service.”

Maritime Aggressors and the ‘Thursday Wars’

The core role of 736 NAS is to act as the maritime aggressor whilst undertaking Simulated Ship Attacks and Airborne Early Warning (AEW) exercises in conjunction with various other units. The most familiar of these exercises is the legendary ‘Thursday War’, the colloquial name given to the weekly war-fighting and damage control exercises held during FOST. The operational readiness of Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels is rigorously tested through a series of drills and exercises in simulated war-fighting scenarios. This intense training period tests the reaction of a ship’s company

“If the Royal Navy wants the F-35B to be a success as soon as it enters service then we must have pilots flying them who have experienced operating fast jets here in the UK.”

www.airforcesdaily.com

80-86_Navy_oct.aw.indd 83

#319 OCTOBER 2014

83

04/09/2014 14:36

ROYAL NAVY 736 NAS

Lt Cdr Tim Flatman Commanding Officer 736 Naval Air Squadron “Now that the squadron is approaching the end of the first phase of its existence, it is starting to stretch its legs. The inaugural 736 Naval Air Squadron (NAS) overseas training flight took place in Oslo during a weekend in May. Overall a success, it was a highly valuable training evolution that exercised all the wheels of planning and executing an overseas detachment. Skills reinvigorated here will be put to good use later in the year. As an aggressor unit, the squadron has ambitions to expand beyond its current skill-set. Air-to-air threat simulation is not necessarily its forte, compared to 100 Squadron at RAF Leeming. However, any aggressor squadron worthy of the title needs an air-to-air string to its bow, and especially with F-35B on the horizon. The first step on this journey was participation in the Combined Qualified Warfare Instructors (CQWI) exercise, held at RAF

Coningsby in July. This exercise has a pedigree of using the most up-to-date tactics and procedures in its ultimate aim of training the next generation of warfare instructors. It was the perfect vehicle to expose squadron pilots to the planning and execution of a large force exercise such as CQWI. No 736 NAS sent three aircraft, three pilots and six engineers to RAF Leeming, to combine forces with 100 Squadron. It proved to be a valuable opportunity to promote an inter-service exchange of ideas.” On their way to CQWI, the squadron took part in the Royal Navy’s flypast over HMS Queen Elizabeth for her naming ceremony on July 4. It was led by the squadron’s senior pilot, Lt Cdr Bouyac, who has plenty of deck experience as a former Harrier and Sea King pilot.

to various situations and emergencies, with vessels experiencing simulated attacks by aircraft, missiles and submarines. Designed in such a way that the ship’s operational readiness to fight in a real conflict can be accurately gauged, the ‘Thursday War’ is the culmination of the FOST training period. The maritime aggressor role played by 736 NAS in the FOST event remains similar to the mission tasking fulfilled by FRADU for four decades. “The ‘Thursday Wars’ have remained basically the same for us, with

just a little bit of tweaking here and there,” stated Lt Cdr Flatman. “We talk a lot to FOST to ensure it gets what it needs and we have a qualified Air Warfare Instructor in the unit who helps us get the best out of the sorties. We also work closely with Cobham Aviation, which operates several Dassault Falcon 20 aircraft from Bournemouth Airport in the ECM and radar threat simulation roles. Ultimately, it’s up to us to suggest ideas that will improve these sorties and we try to provide the vessels with as realistic a threat

Right: Commanding Officer Lt Cdr Tim Flatman, a man very proud of ‘his’ new squadron.

Above: The sun has certainly not set on Hawk operations within the Royal Navy. Over the next few years it’s likely the aircraft’s role will be expanded far beyond that of a jet trainer. Below: Even though some of the squadron’s aircraft are slated for retirement soon, it’s evident from their immaculate appearance that the ground crew take great pride in their Hawks.

84 OCTOBER 2014 #319

80-86_Navy_oct.aw.indd 84

simulation as possible. “What qualifies us as the maritime aggressors is our proximity to the training areas off the southwest coast, where we act as both enemy aircraft and missiles for FOST. At the moment we aren’t doing a lot of aerial combat, other than working with the Royal Navy School of Fighter Control [RNSFC], also known as ‘D School’. Fighter controllers are responsible for controlling and guiding the fighter assets assigned to protecting British warships. We undertake a similar training role for FAA observers performing the AEW mission with Westland Sea King ASaC7-equipped 849, 854 and 857 NASs. When exercising with the ‘Baggers’ my pilots are tasked to fly sorties where they receive direct airborne fighter control against another aerial asset or are tasked with identifying ground targets acquired by an AEW helicopter. “If you look at other aggressor squadrons in foreign air arms they undertake a lot of air-to-air combat training and there is no reason why we can’t do that as well. However, at the moment, the bulk of our tasking and flying hours are used up by FOST and RNSFC. The more seasoned pilots in 736 NAS have experience of dissimilar air combat training. In order to take advantage of this we need to be tasked in that role a little more frequently. “The squadron also works with a handful of different ground units such as 3 Commando Brigade and various British Army regiments, providing them with CAS training. Affiliation

www.airforcesmonthly.com

04/09/2014 14:36

ROYAL NAVY 736 NAS Navy Hawks from Culdrose spend more time over the sea than their RAF counterparts, training ship's crews against air attack.

training is also provided to the helicopter squadrons at Yeovilton, the Hawks being used to ‘attack’ them as part of their ongoing training.”

RNAS Yeovilton’s fast jet role

RNAS Yeovilton was commissioned as HMS Heron on June 18, 1940 as a base for naval fighters. For almost 70 years it was home to most of the FAA’s fighter aircraft, from the Seafire through to the Sea Harrier. However, since the retirement of the last of the

‘SHARs’ in March 2006, the only fast jets permanently based at Yeovilton have been the two Hawk T1s of what was the Naval Flying Standards Flight (Fixed Wing) until the recommissioning of 736 NAS in June 2013. Presently, there are no plans to increase the unit’s ‘footprint’ at the Somerset airfield, as Lt Cdr Flatman (who was the last commanding officer of the Yeovilton Hawk Detachment) explained: “For the next couple of years the majority of our squadron flying will be from Culdrose. Nevertheless, there

Above: Hawk T1 XX240 was the first to receive the new 736 NAS markings which consist of a subtle lightning bolt on the tail, ‘Royal Navy’ near the serial and large call-sign nose numbers. Below: The twice-yearly UK-led Exercise Joint Warrior off the coast of Scotland involves several naval air squadron Hawks being deployed to RAF Lossiemouth to fulfil the aggressor role. This pair are setting off on such a sortie.

will still be a Hawk presence at Yeovilton. At the moment we are not looking to split the squadron between the two bases because we have insufficient manpower to support a permanent detachment. We’ve decided it is easier to supervise and manage the squadron as a whole from here at Culdrose. However, we realise that it’s important to keep Yeovilton up to speed with fast jet operations, so that means we will conduct regular, smaller, detachments to the base. Furthermore, because of the changeable weather we experience here in Cornwall, some of our mission tasking has to be flown from Yeovilton in any case. “Finally, one of our key‘customers’– the RNSFC – has recently moved from Culdrose to Yeovilton. It used to share office space with us. It’s a little unfortunate that just as we are getting established in Cornwall the RNSFC has been transferred to Somerset as it would have been greatly beneficial for student controllers to have briefed training missions and developed tactics with us‘face-to-face’. “The plan is that sometime over the next two years we will be able to man and operate a bigger, permanent, detachment from Yeovilton. It will be easier when the guys on exchange tours to the USA start coming back to us. Over the past five or so years, we, the Royal Navy, have sent a lot of guys to the US Navy to fly F/A-18s but to date we have only had three complete their tours and come back! As we start to progress towards the service entry of the F-35B that number will start to increase and it will

“What qualifies us as the maritime aggressors is our proximity to the training areas off the southwest coast, where we act as both enemy aircraft and missiles for FOST.”

www.airforcesdaily.com

80-86_Navy_oct.aw.indd 85

#319 OCTOBER 2014

85

04/09/2014 14:37

ROYAL NAVY 736 NAS make sense for most, if not all, of those guys returning to the FAA to have an ‘appointment’ with us before moving on.” With the out-of-service date (OSD) for the Hawk T1 set for 2020, there is a need to find a suitable replacement for 736 NAS’ jets. “The OSD is only six years away, and the requirement to find a replacement is ongoing,” said Lt Cdr Flatman. “As yet no decision has been made, but there are several options being evaluated. We could have some Hawk T2s, identical to those flown by the RAF. There is also the possibility of buying some older Block F-16s that could easily perform the various jobs we do, but this is very much wishful thinking at the moment! “In respect of the aircraft we currently fly, contrary to what the public might think, the Hawks we operate are ours. They do not belong to the RAF. All British Hawks are operated under the Hawk Integrated Operational Support contract, with aircraft being allocated to both the RAF and us. We do, however, occasionally swap jets with 208 and 100 squadrons whenever the need arises.” Further emphasising 736 NAS’ ownership of its Hawk T1s, and its maritime aggressor role, the unit has recently started repainting its fleet of aircraft. Lt Russ Evans, Deputy Senior Aircraft Engineer for the Fixed Wing Force, said:“It is a very subtle black and white paint scheme incorporating new tail fin livery that features the historic 736 NAS lightning bolt. “Additional features include call-sign nose numbering reminiscent of the historic FAA Hunter and Canberra force. The new squadron tail livery also incorporates the RNAS Culdrose designator lettering ‘CU’ for recognition purposes, along with a Royal Navy flash included in the scheme adjacent to

Above: Stalking a warship off the coast of Cornwall as part of the Royal Navy’s Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST) exercise, Hawk T1 XX337 prepares for a simulated attack run. Recently the FOST has benefitted from the addition of a qualified Air Warfare Instructor. IPO Phot Bernie Pettersen/Crown Copyright 2014 Below: Fleet Air Arm pilots destined to fly the F-35B Lightning II with 809 Naval Air Squadron (NAS), which is scheduled to enter service at the end of decade, will undergo fast jet training with 736 NAS. One of the squadron’s tasks will be the regenerating naval fixed-wing, fast jet pilots to the navy.

the airframe serial number.” The first two Hawk T1s in these colours made their public debut at the RNAS Culdrose Air Day on July 31, 2014. The recommissioning of 736 NAS, although having taken place somewhat under the radar, is a significant step for the FAA in particular and the Royal Navy in general. 736 NAS is the first fully naval fast jet squadron since 801 NAS decommissioned following the retirement of its Sea Harrier FA 2s in March 2006. While not only fulfilling its role as an aggressor squadron, 736 NAS will also be a valuable

stepping stone for future naval aviators destined to fly the F-35B. Indeed, the FAA is hoping the unit will play a major role in the regeneration of naval fixedwing, fast jet operations. For Lt Cdr Flatman, who is now halfway through his tour as the squadron’s commanding officer, this is an important evolution: “I’m tremendously proud to be the CO of the newly-formed 736 NAS. We have a wealth of operational expertise here and the guys are eager to deliver. We exist, we are here and we are afm open for business.”

“There is also the possibility of buying some older Block F-16s that could easily perform the various jobs we do, but this is very much wishful thinking at the moment!”

86 OCTOBER 2014 #319

80-86_Navy_oct.aw.indd 86

www.airforcesmonthly.com

04/09/2014 14:37

NEW ! 704/14

Produced by AIR International’s worldwide team, 135 The World’s Greatest Tanker... and more, is a 100-page publication giving a comprehensive proﬁle of the KC-135 Stratotanker and all remaining special mission variants led by the RC-135 Rivet Joint.

JUST

£5.99

Features include:

HISTORY

A synopsis of the evolution of Boeing’s veteran tanker.

SYSTEMS

Details of the KC-135’s engines, air refuelling boom, cockpit and upgrades.

MAINTENANCE

Maintaining 57-year-old aircraft for daily operations requires skill and diligence by dedicated maintenance personnel – we provide a special report from the main air logistics depot in Oklahoma City and behind the scenes insight into the work of the RAF Mildenhallbased 100th Air Refueling Wing.

OPERATIONS

Seven major US Air Force commands and four allied air forces ﬂy KC-135 operations around the world: we present comprehensive coverage.

TEST TANKERS

AIR International visited Edwards Air Force Base and the 412th Test Wing – home of the KC-135R ‘Speckled Trout’ and ﬂight test tankers.

SPECIAL MISSION VARIANTS

Offutt Air Force Base near Omaha, Nebraska is home to Air Combat Command’s 55th Wing and its ﬂeet of OC-135, RC-135, TC-135 and WC-135 aircraft: we detail the aircraft, the systems and the missions.

AND MUCH MORE! AVAILABLE NOW FROM

AND ALL OTHER LEADING NEWSAGENTS Alternatively, Order Direct

JUST £5.99 FREE P&P* *Free 2nd class P&P on all UK & BFPO orders. Overseas charges apply.

Free P&P* when you order online at www.keypublishing.com/shop

OR

Call UK: 01780 480404 Overseas: +44 1780 480404 Monday to Friday 9am-5:30pm

S U B S C R I B E R S C A L L F O R Y O U R £ 1. 0 0 D I S C O U N T ! 715 KC-135 Now.indd 87

03/09/2014 11:22

AIRCRAFT PROFILE ISRAELI AH-1 TZEFA

VIPERS DRAW LAST BREATH

T

HE ISRAELI Air Force (IAF) has retired its AH-1 Tzefa helicopter fleet with it just months away from celebrating 40 years’ service in 2015. The writing was on the wall for the Tzefa (Hebrew name for Viper) when the Israeli Government cut NIS 3 billion ($1 billion) from its defence budget in May 2013. The Tzefa is inferior to its younger cousins – the AH-64A Peten (entered IAF service in 1990) and AH-64D Saraf (entered IAF service in 2005) – with a less powerful single engine, shorter range and a basic armament package, even though it is does have the deadly Rafael Spike missile system. The gradual growth in AH-64 numbers, especially after the arrival of the advanced AH-64D in 2005, led to a reduction in Tzefa activities and the downsizing of the fleet over subsequent years. All three AH-1 helicopter squadrons, the ‘First Attack Helicopter’ squadron in Palmachim AFB,

Ofer Zidon examines the remarkable career of Israel's first battlefield attack helicopter the AH-1Tzefa and how it shaped Israeli Air Force tactics.

‘US studies showed a squadron of 20 attack helicopters was equal to the firepower and kill rate of two armoured brigades.’

88 OCTOBER 2014 #319

88-95_Vipers_Oct gs.indd 88

www.airforcesmonthly.com

04/09/2014 14:53

the ‘Red’ squadron serving the Advanced Training Center at Ovda AFB, and the IAF Academy rotary wing advanced attack helicopter training squadron were disbanded over the past year, bringing to an end the veteran attack helicopter’s impressive career.

Yom Kippur war aftermath

IAF interest in attack helicopters became critical in the wake of the October 1973 Yom Kippur war. It was evident a strong strike helicopter force could have stopped the massive Syrian and Egyptian armoured columns much more efficiently and with fewer Israeli casualties. Israel security doctrine is based on a small regular army coupled with a large reserve force. It dictates that in the case of an enemy attack (especially a surprise one), the small regular forces should secure front lines

www.airforcesdaily.com

88-95_Vipers_Oct gs.indd 89

until the mobilisation and arrival of the massive reserve forces 24-48 hours later. Attack helicopters would effectively bridge the time and firepower gap between war breaking out and the arrival of reserve units on the front lines. In addition, US studies showed a squadron of 20 attack helicopters was equal to the firepower and kill rate of two armoured brigades. The IAF’s first move was the acquisition of six AH-1G Cobra helicopters in 1975 and establishment of an evaluation unit in charge of assessment and development of fighting tactics for this new weapon system. The unit was located alongside the ‘Rolling Sword’ squadron in Tel Nof AFB until December 1, 1977 when the ‘First Attack Helicopter’ squadron was established as a separate squadron. The new helicopter was called ‘Tzefa’ (Viper) by the IAF. During 1978-1979 the squadron received a dozen of the improved AH-1S (Modernised) Cobra and on September 17, 1979 the squadron was transferred to its permanent home in Palmachim AFB. The AH-1S brought an improved

Spike – the Tzefa secret weapon A large part of Tzefa operations were against ‘soft’ targets such as vehicles and buildings close to civilians. An accurate but less destructive weapon system was needed and the IAF chose a derivative of the Rafael Spike missile family. The missile used by the AH-1 Tzefa was a version of the longer range Spike NLOS (Non Line of Sight) missile and was called ‘Machtselet’ (Mat) in the IAF. The Machtselet is a multipurpose, electro-optical missile system with a real-time wireless data link for ranges up to 18 miles (25km). It incorporates an electro-optical seeker with dual sensor capable of effectively engaging targets day and night and in adverse weather. The data link allows the operator to communicate with the missile after launching, including sending mid-course navigation commands and real-time targets changes. The missile’s long range and advanced electro-optical guiding

mechanism enables the execution of a stand-off attack with no line of sight and the benefit of not being heard or spotted over the target area. Damage assessment and obtaining real-time intelligence can be done using the missile’s TV camera sending a video signal to the operator via the data link. The Machtselet was in use with the Tzefa fleet for two or so decades, including heavy operational use in recent conflicts on Israel’s northern border with Lebanon and in the Gaza strip. A typical operational scenario would incorporate a UAV flying high altitude over the conflict area and identifying targets such as a team of rocket launchers. The target location transferred the target information in real time to the AH-1 Tzefa attack helicopter weapon system which would launch a missile against the identified target, preferably from an out-of-sight long-range distance.

Below: A last landing of some of the Tzefa helicopters of the ‘Red’ squadron at their deactivation ceremony in July 2013. All images by author unless stated

#319 OCTOBER 2014

89

04/09/2014 14:53

AIRCRAFT PROFILE ISRAELI AH-1 TZEFA weapon system – the 20mm M197 three-barrelled Gatling chin cannon instead of the wingmounted 7.62 mm multi-barrel Minigun. The Minigun was fixed to the wing and the helicopter had to be manoeuvred in line with the target but the Gatling gun moved towards the target in sync with the sight. The new helicopter also had an improved engine (1,800hp instead of 1,100hp) allowing a faster rate of climb and better maximum take-off weight (4,500kg instead of 4,300kg).

Strengthening the attack helicopter force The helicopter fleet grew after the IAF and armoured corps commanders from the Israel Defence Force (IDF) successfully completed evaluation trials to understand the merits and limitations of the

Above: This AH-1G Tzefa A, 124 is seen wearing the insignia of the evaluation unit. The original tail number of this Tzefa was 324 but was renumbered in 1983 after being upgraded to AH-1S standard – replacing the exhaust pipe and rotor blades. The helicopter is armed with TOW missiles and rocket launcher under the wing and a 7.62 multi-barrel Minigun and grenade launcher in the chin turret. Below: AH-1G Tzefa A, 315 is one of the original six evaluation AH-1G which arrived in 1975. Note the evaluation unit insignia, the triangle shaped exhaust pipe, the square-shaped main rotor blades and the intakes – all features of the US Army AH-1Gs. Both IDF/IAF Magazine

Below: The AH-1 Tzefa was withdrawn from use, due to budget restrictions, within months of it completing 40 years with the IDF. The attack helicopter played a big part in guerrilla warfare operations in Lebanon, Gaza and the West Bank. Here, a Tzefa C serialled 375, hovers over a Merkava III MBT during a joined training exercise in the Golan Heights along the border with Syria. IDF/IAF Magazine

AH-1 Tzefa. The US stopped the purchase of more AH-1 gunships and Israel was forced to purchase 30 examples of the smaller MD-500 Defender. Deliveries started in November 1979. Following the arrival of the Defenders, called ‘Lahatut’ (magic trick) in the IAF, the ‘Magic Touch’ Squadron was established during March 1980 as a dedicated Lahatut operator. The 1982 First Lebanon War was a baptism of fire for the attack helicopters and their concept of operations. They successfully fought against Syrian armoured forces with the MD-500 Defender more accurate and successful than the AH-1. The helicopters also flew many close-air support missions to assist IDF infantry and armour advances. In all, the ‘First Attack Helicopter’ squadron flew 62 operational sorties, firing 72 TOW missiles with a 71% success rate in the process.

‘The 1982 First Lebanon War was a baptism of fire for the attack helicopters and their concept of operations.’

90 OCTOBER 2014 #319

88-95_Vipers_Oct gs.indd 90

www.airforcesmonthly.com

05/09/2014 10:27

Two AH-1S Tzefa Bs, 232 and 235 fly in formation back to Palmachim AFB. They are armed with only four TOW missiles in order to improve the helicopter performance. IDF/IAF Magazine

Between 1983 and 1985, US restrictions were lifted, leading to the sale of 24 AH-1S to Jordan and a similar number to Israel. The IAF’s older AH-1 airframes were upgraded to the AH-1S (Modernised) standard at the same time. In June 1985 the growing number of helicopters allowed the activation of a second Tzefa squadron at Palmachim AFB – the ‘Fighting Family’ squadron. Airframes were divided between the two Tzefa squadrons, with the youngest receiving the newly arrived AH-1S, together with the oldest airframes in the fleet. A year later, on July 10, 1986 the ‘Fighting Family’ squadron launched its first operational sortie against a terrorist camp in

Above: AH-1S Tzefa B No 234 takes off from one of the squadron’s frontline ramps close to the Israel-Lebanon border. The Tzefa is armed with eight TOW missiles. Below: Tzefa F No 660 was one of the 1996 shipment helicopters which entered service in the ‘Fighting Family’ squadron, changing its colour to the IAF helicopter brown – at first painted in a lighter shade before getting the more regular brown colour scheme.

Fatal accidents Over the years the Tzefa community suffered some fatal crashes. The last one took place on March 12, 2013 when AH-1F ‘Tzefa D’ No 447 from the ‘First Attack Helicopter’ squadron crashed upon return from a night training sortie. The crew’s last report said “six minutes to landing” and then, at around 0100hrs contact with the helicopter was lost. A technical malfunction in the transmission or rotors system caused the tail rotor to break while the Tzefa was 1,000ft (300m) above the ground. The pilots, Lt Colonel Noam Ron and Major Erez Flexer, tried to crash land the helicopter but

www.airforcesdaily.com

88-95_Vipers_Oct gs.indd 91

both were killed from the impact. The entire Tzefa fleet was grounded until the crash investigation was finished. Previous fatal crashes took place on September 10, 2008 over Izrael valley in the north of Israel with Major Yuval Holzman and Major Shay Dinur killed. On March 15, 1998 the commander of Palmachim AFB, Brigadier General Shmuel Eldar and Lt Ilan Gur were killed, while on March 18, 1987 the squadron commander Lt. Col. Zion Bar Or and Lt Yuval Wagner lost their lives. Another noteworthy accident took place on October 21, 1985 when a

pair of Tzefa helicopters from the ‘First Attack Helicopter’ squadron flew over the Sea of Galilee. One of the helicopters hit the water, crashed and sunk into the mud upside down with its crew still strapped to the cockpit. The second Tzefa landed nearby and the crew rushed to help, trying to keep the heads of the strapped-in pilots above the water. A unit 669 rescue team arrived and the pilots were saved and flown to a hospital. The helicopter was refurbished in a four-year restoration project, only to crash again in the March 1998 accident mentioned above.

#319 OCTOBER 2014

91

04/09/2014 14:53

AIRCRAFT PROFILE ISRAELI AH-1 TZEFA South Lebanon, near Tire. Three months later, on October 16, 1986, an IAF F-4 Phantom was hit by the detonation of one of its own bombs over Lebanon. The navigator, Ron Arad, became a POW in Lebanon and subsequently disappeared. The pilot was rescued under heavy fire, hanging on to the skids of a Tzefa from the unit. Additional Cobra helicopters were supplied to Israel in 1991 after the Gulf War in Kuwait, and again in August 1996 when the IAF received 14 ex-US Army AH-1Es. These batches replaced the MD-500 in frontline squadrons and the IAF flight school.

More than a decade of operations in Lebanon

The Tzefa community was involved in IDF operations in South Lebanon between 1985 and 2000 mainly in close-air support and with precision attacks against high-value targets. The continuous fighting allowed constant enhancements in the attack helicopter’s fighting tactics, which culminated in a night attack by a ‘Fighting Family’ four-ship formation of Tzefas on February 13, 1987. Two illuminated the area while the second pair launched missiles against a target in a refugee camp, again in Tire. Another night operation took place near Mount

Above: Tzefa helicopters from the ‘First Attack Helicopter’ squadron resting in a frontline ramp in the north of Israel during the 1982 First Lebanon War. IDF/IAF Magazine Below: A ground crew member giving the go-ahead salute to the pilots of the Tzefa.

Hermon on September 15, 1987. An IDF infantry force was attacked and suffered losses, leading to AH-1s being called to escort the evacuating Bell 212 Anafas. During the rescue operation they engaged enemy forces, forcing them to stay low and seek shelter. One Tzefa aircrew team flew five consecutive hours, constantly changing helicopters. Every time fuel ran low in one Cobra, they flew to a rendezvous point to return to the battle zone in a waiting freshly-fuelled helicopter. In December 1988 some Tzefas took part in a joint IAF-IDF raid (called ‘Blue and Brown’) against terrorist groups in South Lebanon. Four IDF infantry soldiers were separated from the main force Below: A Tzefa F from the IAF’s flight school. This hovering example, 652 kept its original US dark green colour while 658 was painted in the Israeli brown. Both carry the Flight School insignia on their tails.

92 OCTOBER 2014 #319

88-95_Vipers_Oct gs.indd 92

www.airforcesmonthly.com

05/09/2014 10:27

This Tzefa E, 521 from the ‘Red’ squadron in Ovda AFB. The helicopter was transferred from the ‘First Attack Helicopter’ unit as evident by the white snake motif under the cockpit. Note the ‘Red’ squadron insignia on the tail and the red coloured TOW launcher, another identification sign of a ‘Red’ squadron helicopter.

during the raid, leading to ten AH-1 helicopters participating in the search for the soldiers. Eventually they were found and evacuated under heavy fire, seated on top of the Cobra’s cannon ammunition chamber doors. The peak of AH-1 activity in Lebanon was during the July 1993 Operation Accountability with more than 150 Tzefa sorties and in the March-April 1996 operation, Grapes of Wrath, with some 500 Tzefa missions. They were used to create an effective air blockade on South Lebanon, in a bid to stop short-range rockets launching against the main cities in Israel’s north. When the IDF units finally

started leaving South Lebanon on May 24, 2000, Tzefa helicopters flew escort to the Israel border to prevent last-minute Hezbollah attacks against soldiers and vehicles on the ground. Tzefas also made a major contribution in strikes against targets in the West Bank and Gaza. An accurate weapons system allowed it to strike terrorist targets while in close vicinity to the civil population, including the targeted killings of terror leaders

and operatives. The first attack in the West Bank took place in September 1996 in the city of Nablus when an infantry force was caught in the open and attacked from the roof tops. The helicopters arrived at the scene, opened fire on the hostile forces, allowing the IDF soldiers safe passage. Since 2000, the AH-1 fleet has taken part in other large confrontations, including the 2006 Second Lebanon War and December 2009 – January 2010

‘An accurate weapons system allowed it to strike terrorist targets while in close vicinity to the civil population, including the targeted killings of terror leaders and operatives.’

A Tzefa D, 444 from the ‘First Attack Helicopter’ squadron releasing flares during a capabilities demonstration to IDF company and regiment commanders’ course.

Tzefa numbering system The six used AH-1Gs which arrived in 1975 received numbers in the range of 109-130. They were sent back to the US to be converted to AH-1S (Modernised) standard and returned as part of the Tzefa A and B batch. Upon return, their tail numbers were given the ‘3’ prefix. The second batch of Cobra helicopters arrived from June 1978 and contained two types: the Ex AH-1G with rounded canopy that became an AH-1S (Modernised) which were numbered in the range of 309-330 and named ‘Tzefa A’, and new AH-1S ECAS (later known as AH-1E) which were numbered in the range of 332-339 and named ‘Tzefa B’”. A third batch arrived in 1983 after the US had lifted its

www.airforcesdaily.com

88-95_Vipers_Oct gs.indd 93

restrictions on selling attack helicopters to Israel. These were new AH-1Fs which entered service in two series, ‘Tzefa C’ (numbered in the range of 350-397) and ‘Tzefa D’ (numbered in the range of 405-483). The helicopters from both series were externally identical. At the same time the IAF had upgraded its older Tzefa A and Tzefa B to Tzefa C/D standard with new Kaman rotor blades and a larger exhaust. Their tail numbers were changed – Tzefa A examples had returned to their original 1XX numbers (ie AH-1G No 115 was upgraded to Tzefa A No 315 and now was renumbered as 115 again) while Tzefa B received the prefi x ‘2’ (ie Tzefa 335 was renumbered as 235). When the ‘Fighting Family’ squadron

was activated in 1985 it received some of the newly arrived Tzefa D together with the oldest Tzefa A and B examples from the ‘First Attack Helicopter’ squadron. The next batch of helicopters delivered after the 1991 Gulf War in Kuwait saw the AH-1Fs named Tzefa E and divided equally between the two squadrons. The helicopters were numbered in the 501-531 range. The last batch of AH-1 helicopters was supplied to the IAF in mid-1996. The 14 ex-US Army surplus AH-1Es were designated Tzefa F and numbered in the range of 651-686. Most found their way to the IAF flight school, with only a handful entering service with frontline squadrons.

#319 OCTOBER 2014

93

04/09/2014 14:53

AIRCRAFT PROFILE ISRAELI AH-1 TZEFA Cast Lead operation, when it was used in surgical strike operations against terrorists. During these conflicts the Tzefa supported IDF fighting forces, eliminating direct threats, attacking rocket launchers, launch teams and other high-value targets. The Tzefa also escorted UH-60 Yanshuf and CH-53 Yasur helicopters in SAR missions, including day time rescue operations under heavy Hezbollah fire. The ‘First Attack Helicopter’ squadron initiated thousands of operational sorties during the 50 days of fighting in the 2006 Second Lebanon War and one of the squadron’s aircrew teams received the Chief of Staff citation for support during a rescue mission of a badly wounded soldier. The mission took place during the day from an area under threat by Hezbollah snipers and mortar teams. It led to a Tzefa escorting a UH-60 Yanshuf in and out of the area, eliminating the constant threats to the rescue mission.

Reducing the Tzefa fleet

The Tzefa fleet reached its 30th anniversary in 2005 and in the same year the IAF’s newest attack helicopter – the AH-64D Saraf – arrived. These events signalled the beginning of a change in the IAF attack helicopter community. The balance shifted towards the new and advanced AH-64 fleet, leaving the ageing AH-1s behind; although the Tzefa fleet was the sole operator of the Spike weapon system. Maintenance problems, lack of spare parts and some mishaps and accidents forced the IAF to amalgamate two Tzefa squadrons in September 2005. The ‘Fighting Family’ squadron was deactivated with an impressive fly-past of more than 30 helicopters, leaving the ‘First Attack Helicopter’ squadron in charge of Tzefa activities. Some of the ‘Fighting Family’ airframes found their way to a helicopter flight within ‘Red’ squadron, formerly known as the ‘Flying Dragons’, at Ovda AFB, home to the Advanced Training Centre where aggressor training with IAF fighting units is carried out. ‘Red’ squadron specialises in enemy tactics allowing IAF and IDF forces to practise battle tactics against ‘opposing’ attack helicopters. Other airframes were delivered to the Flight School Rotary Wing advanced training – attack helicopter squadron, which is in charge of training flight school cadets for this role. Cuts to Israel’s defence budget forced the IAF to phase out the AH-1 Tzefa from active duty. All

94 OCTOBER 2014 #319

88-95_Vipers_Oct gs.indd 94

Above: Tzefa F, 655 during its maiden flight in Israel. Note the US Army intake covers and dark green colour. IDF/IAF Magazine Below: An AH-1S Tzefa departs the squadron’s line at Palmachim for an evening training sortie.

www.airforcesmonthly.com

04/09/2014 14:54

three Tzefa outfits were deactivated over the following eight months. The first to be disbanded was the ‘Red’ squadron’s helicopter flight in a ceremony that took place on July 29, 2013 at Ovda AFB. It was followed on August 2, 2013 by the ‘First Attack Helicopter’ squadron at Palmachim AFB and on March 20, 2014 the AH-1 Tzefa helicopters of the IAF Academy Rotary Wing advanced training attack helicopter squadron afm made their last flight. Above: Tzefa C, 396 from the ‘Fighting Family’ squadron departs Palmachim AFB armed with four TOW missiles. Right: A Tzefa D, 483, from the ‘First Attack Helicopter’ squadron launches a TOW missile during the Tzefa tactical display in the graduation ceremony of new pilots. Left: Two Tzefa Ds, 444 and 483 returning from training sortie. Below: Crews trained extensively for the wars they were likely to fight using the Rafael Spike missile system which can be seen on the furthest Tzefa, 452.

www.airforcesdaily.com

88-95_Vipers_Oct gs.indd 95

Tzefa Unit Insignia A.

B.

A. Evaluation Unit B. ‘Fighting Family’ Sqn C. ‘First Attack Helicopter’ Sqn

#319 OCTOBER 2014

C.

95

04/09/2014 14:55

DEBRIEF The Design and Development of the Hawker Hunter The History Press Tony Buttler. £20 ISBN 978-0-7524-6746-7 There are very few iconic aircraft in the world that have set standards in terms of design, performance and operational history – the Hawker Hunter is one such aeroplane. Its revolutionary design incorporated a wealth of new aerodynamic features, many of which are still evident in the modern fighters of today. Of course, where there is innovation there are usually teething troubles as well. However, the end result was a fighter that not only served

Tusker Charge Illustrated History of No.5 Squadron, IAF Pushpindar Singh The Society for Aerospace Studies. £24.99 ISBN 978-93-82811-03-9 The distinction of being the last SEPECAT Jaguar operator in the world is with the Indian Air Force (IAF), whose 5 ‘Tuskers’ Squadron has established a combat record that’s second-to-none. The unit was formed in 1948, with warweary American Consolidated B-24 Liberators from World War Two. This book explores the early years and the author has pulled together a wealth of period photographs from both official and personal collections. Within a decade, the squadron had become an all-jet bomber unit, the first in the Indian Air Force. The quality of information

96 OCTOBER 2014 #319

96_Debrief_Oct.indd 96

with countless RAF squadrons, but was adopted by air forces around the world and this is the theme that most authors tend to follow when writing a book on the Hunter... not so here. Tony Buttler has taken a fresh approach to the subject by focusing on the aircraft’s design, development and testing rather than its operational service. Information has been gleaned from the archives and drawings of the Air Staff and Ministry, and the text interwoven with accounts from test pilots on the trouble-shooting, trials and weapons testing that eventually made the aircraft a world-beater. The collection of images, obtained from both private and official sources, also makes this book stand out. Many are black and white, but there are a

within the text is incredible, everything is here – from the changes within the command structure of the squadron to specific combat missions during the two Indo-Pakistan wars in 1965 and 1971. Striking hard and deep behind Pakistan lines, the unit became one of the most highly decorated within the IAF, winning numerous awards for gallantry. There are some fascinating combat accounts of Canberra pilots conducting low-level strikes against enemy convoys, all the time dodging Pakistan AAA, and getting away with very little damage, which is surprising for what was a relatively large fighter-bomber. Sadly this section of the book was let down by the illustrations. While I concede it may not have been possible to source good-quality photographs from the 1960s, I would have appreciated a map showing where the air strikes were conducted. Fortunately, as the book moves into the Jaguar-era there are plenty of exceptional colour images. Beginning with the first cadre of Indian pilots who learnt to fly the Jaguar in the UK, through to the formation of the first squadron in India, all these events are explained in great detail. Bringing the story up to date, the author covers current operations, upgrades and plans for the Jaguar force, leaving the reader in no doubt that ‘the last cats flying’ have a secure future overseas. Glenn Sands

few colour gems, such as that showing the second Hawker P.1109A, WW598 at the Royal Aircraft Establishment Llanbedr, Wales, wearing a splendid blue and white scheme.

The text occasionally gets a little bogged down in performance figures relating to the flight testing, this is only a minor quibble for what is a great read. Glenn Sands

Great Lakes Conflagration: the Second Congo War, 1998-2003 30˚ South Publications Tom Cooper. £16.95 ISBN: 978-1-909384-66-8 The second of two volumes covering military operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) explores developments in the DRC that led to an outbreak of violence in August 1998. This in turn expanded into a full-scale war, that drew in the forces of neighbouring Angola, Namibia, Zimbabwe and other African states, and led to the expansion of the Congolese, Rwandan and Ugandan armies in response. It was a messy and confusing situation on the ground which is carefully broken down in the easy-to-read chapters, but the brutality of the conflict is still clear and images within this book show how civilians caught up in the fighting had little chance of escape. Attempts by Rwanda to topple the government of Laurent Kabila saw some of its best units from Kigali and Goma being redeployed to the western DRC – events that are clearly explained without overwhelming the reader in the politics of the situation. This attempted coup witnessed some

of the fiercest air and land clashes between Zimbabwean and Angolan forces, as each struggled to gain control culminating in the Battle of Kinshasa, which led to a stalemate and conflict in the city streets that dragged on for last months. During the early phases of these conflicts, foreign mercenaries flying Zimbabwean Hawk and Lynx light strikers carried out intensive ground support missions from N’Djili airport, often coming under small arms fire from the occupied by Rwandans, Ugandans and Congolese rebels who occupied half of the facility. This is a stunning piece of work and is highly recommended to any serious student of modern warfare. Glenn Sands

These titles are available from: The Aviation Bookshop, 31-33 Vale Road, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN1 1BS, United Kingdom. Telephone: +44(0)1892 539284 Website: www.aviation-bookshop.com

www.airforcesmonthly.com

09/09/2014 14:27

JUST A NIC PIC Royal Australian Air Force 1 Squadron F/A-18F Super Hornet A44-205 and United Arab Emirates Air Force Mirage 2000-9 747 fly in formation on August 15 off the Australian coast during Exercise Pitch Black 2014. Commonwealth of Australia/Cpl David Gibbs

Next Issue of AFM on sale October 16th* *UK scheduled on sale date. Please note that the overseas deliveries are likely to be after this date.

98 SEPTEMBER 2014 #318

98_Picture_Oct.indd 98

www.airforcesmonthly.com

04/09/2014 15:02

AV A WI ILAB ND LE KIN OW NOW DLE S 8 O FIR AND N E!

Your favourite magazine is now available digitally. DOWNLOAD THE APP NOW FOR FREE.

FREE APP with sample issue

IN APP ISSUES £3.99

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE RIAT 2014

Many of the aircraft could lay claim to be stars of the RIAT, but for AFM it was the Polish Air Force Sukhoi Display Team’s sublime display that shone brightest as Alan Warnes reports.

Above: From left to right: Major ‘Iras’ Starzynski (pilot of 3612), Capt ‘Awax’ Mejka (pilot of 9616) and Detachment Commander Colonel ‘Leszczu’ Leszczyk who has more than 1,500 hours flying Su-22s. All three serve the 40 Eskadra Lotnictwa Taktycznego (Tactical Air Squadron).

F

48-49

IRE PUT paid to the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter’s (JSF) world debut at the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) so another star was sought to steal the show. The entire fleet of the UK’s nextgeneration fighters was grounded in the US after the June blaze wiped out its planned appearance at RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire. With so many fast jets available to fill the void left at the three-day event in July, it could have been one of the Eurofighter Typhoons, Gripen or Super Hornet. The RAF Chinook and army Apache were also candidates. But in AFM’s view the stars of RIAT 2014 were undoubtedly the Polish Air Force Su-22 team, which took to the air over the weekend. Fitters have visited RAF Fairford before of course, during its heyday in the July 1995

there were four Czech Air Force Su-22s including a two-seat Su-22UM4 gracing the Gloucestershire skies. But that was 20 years ago and the old Russian fighters that seemed ever-present for a period in the ’90s have been missed. The pair of Sukhois made the most of their time in the air with some magnificent low fly-bys during their 15-minute slot. Showing off sleek lines – with the lead aircraft flying past with wings swept back and the second with wings swept forward – it was the first time such a display had been witnessed in the UK. In August 2013 they wowed the crowd at Kecskemét International Airshow in Hungary. Both pairs flew on day one but the second saw just a single ship after one suffered serviceability issues.

There would be no such disappointment at RIAT, with three attending, even though it meant the spare aircraft parked on the northern side rather than in the static display as many would have liked. The team based at S´ widwin/21st Tactical Air Base brought around 20 maintenance personnel to RIAT, headed by Colonel ‘Leszczu’ Leszczyk, and supported by a CASA 295. He told AFM how everyone involved was proud to be at arguably the world’s biggest military airshow: “We are very pleased to be appearing in the UK and fly in front of so many people. It is a real privilege and the reception has been fantastic.” The Su-22s have planned six displays this year, with just two outside Poland: at RIAT and AIR14 Payerne in Switzerland. Lucky RIAT, lucky us! afm 1: The Italian Frecce Tricolori fly low over the spare Su-22, while one of the groundcrew puts his finger to his ear. 2: Both Su-22s taxi back to their parking slot after their 15-minute display, which had the crowd buzzing. 3: Fitters Forever! The two Su-22s are put through their paces. Key-Glenn Sands 4: Given the Su-22s are some 30 years old, it is not surprising they need a big ground crew. 5: Major ‘Iras’ Starzynski waits for permission to taxi his Su-22 jet to the end of the runway, while the massive RIAT crowd looks on. All photos, Alan Warnes unless stated

1 2

Monthly £2.99 6 issues £19.99 12 issues £34.99

RIAT 2014

Pages RIAT’s Stars

3

“We are very pleased to be appearing in the UK and fly in front of so many people. It is a real privilege and the reception has been fantastic.”

4

SEARCH: Airforces Monthly

5

58 SEPTEMBER 2014 #318

58-59_RIAT_Sept.indd 58

Read on your

iPhone & iPad

www.airforcesmonthly.com

04/08/2014 15:28

#318 SEPTEMBER 2014

www.airforcesdaily.com

58-59_RIAT_Sept.indd 59

59

04/08/2014 15:28

PC & Mac

Android

kindle fire

SEARCH:

SEARCH Britain at War

ALSO

COMBAT AIRCRAFT

AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD

Blackberry

Windows 8

SEARCH

AIR INTERNATIONAL

FREE APP

FREE APP

IN APP ISSUES £3.99

IN APP ISSUES £3.99

with sample issue

NEW Aviation Specials App FREE DOWNLOAD

with sample issue

How it Works.

Simply download the AirForces Monthly app and receive your sample issue completely free. Once you have the app, you will be able to download new or back issues (from December 2010 onwards) for less than newsstand price or, alternatively, subscribe to save even more!

IN APP ISSUES

£3.99 Simply download to purchase digital versions of your favourite aviation specials in one handy place! Once you have the app, you will be able to download new, out of print or archive specials iTunes for less than the cover price!

Don’t forget to register for your Pocketmags account. This will protect your purchase in the event of a damaged or lost device. It will also allow you to view your purchases on multiple platforms. PC, Mac & Windows 8

Available on PC, Mac, Blackberry, Windows 8 and kindle fire from Requirements for app: registered iTunes account on Apple iPhone 3G, 3GS, 4S, 5, iPod Touch or iPad 1, 2 or 3. Internet connection required for initial download. Published by Key Publishing Ltd. The entire contents of these titles are © copyright 2014. All rights reserved. App prices subject to change.

721 AFM Digi.indd 99

721/14

03/09/2014 12:04

Alenia F_P.indd 1

04/08/2014 12:37