Air International 2015-03

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Ze al an d

INTERNATIONAL

F-35

On Ice

For the best in modern military and commercial aviation

www.airinternational.com

MARCH 2015 Vol.88 No.3

of Ai rN ew

INTERNATIONAL

Se cre ts

APACHE • BELL 525 • CHINOOK • EC725 • NH90 • TIGER

UK Strike Fighters F 35B Lightning II The Juvenile

Typhoon FGR4 The Adolescent

Tornado GR4 The Grown-up

EC175

North Sea Ops

Super Hornet Networked & Loaded

IL-114

The Revival

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GIVE THE G THAT L IFT ALL YEASTS AR! As AIR In ubscription News

LEADING NEWS STORIES

04 

06 ICE COLD AT EGLIN

BREAKING NEWS

Egypt orders Rafale, Sikorsky starts ground tests with the S-97 Raider, and maiden flights of the Embraer KC-390 and Dassault Falcon 8X.

10 GENERAL NEWS

Japan markets the Kawasaki P-1 to the UK, Malaysia’s A400M makes maiden flight and a new Air Force One

terna to savings tional offers g re on cov er price at See pag . es

AIR International’s Mark Ayton details the ongoing F-35 Lightning II climatic trials at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida

32 for det and 33 ails.

14 NEW BOMBER: INTERESTING, IN A NOT-SO-INTERESTING BUDGET PLAN? Robert F Dorr provides the latest stories from around the US Air Force. 18 F/A-XX, USS John F Kennedy and a new type of Osprey the latest top news stories from the US Marine Corps.

Rick Burgess gives

FRONT COVER: This month’s big feature is about the UK’s first F-35 squadron. Richard VanderMeulen LEFT INSET: NHV MIDDLE INSET: Mass Communication Specialist Everett Allen/US Navy RIGHT INSET: Weimeng/AirTeamImages

50 Features

34 LIVING IN AMERICA

AIR International’s Mark Ayton reports from Edwards Air Force Base, California, on the current activity of the UK’s F-35 Lightning II operational test squadron.

40 

FOUR TRIALS, FOUR TYPHOONS, FOUR WORLD FIRSTS

50 

TONKA

Guy Warner reviews the operational service of the RAF’s Tornado GR4 in the first of a two-part feature.

64 

THE SECRET OF SUCCESS

What has made Air New Zealand one of Asia-Pacific’s best-performing airlines? Nigel Pittaway finds out.

Editor Mark Ayton [email protected] Designer Dave Robinson Production Manager Janet Watkins Ad Production Manager Debi McGowan Group Marketing Manager Martin Steele Marketing Manager Shaun Binnington Commercial Director Ann Saundry

Executive Chairman Richard Cox

• ISSN 0306-5634 • is published monthly by:

Key Publishing Ltd, PO Box 100, Stamford, Lincs, PE9 1XQ, UK T +44 (0)1780 755131 F +44 (0)1780 757261

Henri-Pierre Grolleau outlines the changes under way in French Army aviation.

94 OPERATION OKRA

Nigel Pittaway reviews Royal Australian Air Force missions against ISIL.

74 

RELENTLESS

Mark Broadbent discovers more about Bell’s new 525 twin-engine ‘super medium’ helicopter.

100 IL-114 REVIVAL

Production of the Il-114 is to resume. Piotr Butowski provides details.

78 RAFALE

The Rafale omnirole fighter is flying in combat in Africa and in the Middle East, while Dassault Aviation tests new systems. By Henri-Pierre Grolleau.

‘DESIGN FOR A DECADE’ 82 THE

Dominik Sipinski considers the changes the A350 will bring to Qatar Airways, the type’s first operator, and to the industry as a whole.

Assistant Editor Mark Broadbent [email protected] Managing Director & Publisher Adrian Cox

86 MODERNISING THE ALAT

David C Isby looks at the evolution of the US Navy’s Super Hornet strike fighter and details upgrade programmes intended to enhance its capability.

The entire contents of AIR International is © copyright, and no part of it may be reproduced in any form or stored on any form of retrieval system without the prior permission of the publisher. 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

TRAINING IN TEXAS 104 TACTICAL

Arnaud Boxman and Kees van der Mark visited Fort Hood in Texas to witness how Dutch Apache and Chinook aircrews are trained.

112 EC175 OPERATIONAL

The first operator of the Airbus Helicopters EC175 says the type is already proving its worth. By Mark Broadbent.

Editor’s Secretary Vanessa Smith [email protected] Distribution by Seymour Distribution Ltd • T. +44 (0)020 7429 4000 • Printed in England by Warners Midlands PLC. Please refer to main Subscriptions Advert within the magazine or contact: Subcriptions & Mail Order, P.O Box 300, Stamford, Lincs PE9 1NA UK T +44 (0)1780 480404 F +44 (0)1780 757812 Email Subscriptions: [email protected]

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AIR International’s Mark Ayton outlines recent Typhoon trials conducted by No.41(R) Squadron based at RAF Coningsby.

70 SUPER HORNET

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Breaking News

ATR Crash Prompts Taiwan Safety Review Taiwanese airlines have been ordered by the country’s government to review training and safety procedures after ten of TransAsia Airways’ 49 ATR pilots failed oral proficiency tests on handling the aircraft following engine failure. The tests were conducted after the February 4 crash of ATR72-600 B-22816 (msn 1141), which killed 42 of the 58 aboard. The pilots who failed the test have been suspended and will receive further training and tests. Taiwan’s Aviation Safety Council (ASC) said flight recorder data showed the aircraft lost power in one engine just after departure from Taipei Songshan Airport. The crew shut down the other engine, which was working, and attempted to restart it but the loss of thrust caused a stall and the aircraft crashed into the Keelung River. Investigations into the accident continue. Mark Broadbent

S-97 Raider Blade Testing

Tests on the first S-97 Raider prototype, N971SK, under way at Sikorsky’s Flight Center in West Palm Beach, Florida. Sikorsky Aircraft

Sikorsky began ‘bladed ground testing’ of the first of two prototype S-97 Raiders in February. During this phase of the programme, the company will perform initial ground tests with the helicopter tied down, focusing on verifying correct operation of the propulsion system, drivetrain, rotor control system and pilot-vehicle interface. It follows successful completion of

software qualification, component fatigue and gearbox testing. Final assembly of the second prototype has begun at Sikorsky’s Development Flight Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, following acceptance in January of the fuselage structure from Aurora Flight Sciences. Based on Sikorsky’s rigid X2 rotor co-axial design, the S-97 Raider is

Full Complement of Belgian NH90MTHs Belgium’s four NH90MTHs at Beauvechain Air Base on February 12. Jos Schoofs

The Belgian Defence-Air Component has its full complement of four NH90MTH medium transport helicopters. No.18 ‘Greek Warrior’ Squadron put up all four for a formation flight on February 12. The sortie was a further step in the type’s introduction into service and towards reaching initial operational capability, which is expected by April 2015. Serviceability of the NH90MTH at this stage is around 70%. “A good contract with industry for training, maintenance and spare

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parts supply is a decisive factor in this success,” said NH90 pilot Lieutenant Colonel Michel Gelders. The Belgian Air Component ordered eight NH90s in 2005, comprising four Medium Transport Helicopters (MTHs) and four NATO Frigate Helicopters (NFHs). Both variants are attached to the 1st Wing. The MTHs are based at Beauvechain Air Base, but the NFHs’ forward operating location is Koksijde Air Base on the Belgian coast, because of their search and rescue and navy support missions.

Heavy maintenance of the type takes place at Beauvechain. The first Belgian NH90MTH, RN05, arrived at Beauvechain Air Base on October 2, 2013. The NFHs are operated by No.40 ‘Seagull’ Squadron, with RN02 first to arrive at Koksijde on May 9 last year. Delivery of the fourth NFH and final Belgian NH90 is planned for the first half of 2015. Belgium has adopted the name Caiman for its NH90s, following adoption of that designation by the French Navy for its NH90s. Jos Schoofs

a multi-mission helicopter capable of carrying six troops and external weapons. The co-axial counterrotating main rotors and pusher propeller provide cruising speeds up to 220kts (407km/h). Sikorsky is providing 75% of the investment, with suppliers providing the remaining funding, with a goal of attracting US Government interest in the programme. Mike Jerram

UH-1N Huey Enters CBP Service US Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP’s) Office of Air and Marine has taken delivery of the first of eight former US Navy Bell UH-1N helicopters after a complete overhaul for border security operations. Announcing the hand-over on February 12, the CBP said that the approximate cost for the overhaul is $1.3 million per helicopter, compared to the estimated $9.8 million it would cost for a new replacement helicopter. After returning from overseas operations, the UH-1Ns were declared Excess Defense Articles by the US DoD and sold to the CBP in 2012. After being inspected for corrosion and repairs being made as necessary, the first helicopter was then missionized and repainted by the CBP. The UH-1Ns will be employed in air mobility operations along the US border, enhancing both ground searches and interdiction operations. The first helicopter was due to undergo an operational assessment in El Paso, Texas, before entering service in March in McAllen, Texas, followed by the second in early April. The remaining six will be delivered one every six months through to 2018.

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

Breaking News

Embraer’s KC-390 Flies

The prototype KC-390 multi-role tanker transport, PT-ZNF, returns to Gavião Peixoto after it maiden flight. Embraer

Brazilian manufacturer Embraer has achieved a major milestone with the maiden flight of the first KC-390 military transport and tanker aircraft. The first of two prototypes, PT-ZNF, took to the air for the first time on February 3, from the factory at Gavião Peixoto. At the controls were company test pilots Mozart Louzada and Marcos Salgado de Oliveira Lima, together with flight test engineers Raphael Lima and Roberto Becker. They flew the aircraft for one hour and 25 minutes, conducting an evaluation of flying qualities and performance.

“The KC-390 is the result of a close co-operation with the Brazilian Air Force [FAB] and international partners, representing what is most likely the greatest technological challenge the company has ever encountered in its history. We are profoundly moved for having achieved this key milestone”, said Frederico Fleury Curado, President and CEO of Embraer. “The programme continues to move forward as planned and the KC-390 has drawn interest from several countries around the world,” added Jackson Schneider,

President and CEO of Embraer Defense and Security. The aircraft has been developed jointly by Embraer and the FAB and on May 20 last year the air force signed a series production contract for delivery of 28 KC390 aircraft and initial logistic support. The type will replace the FAB’s current C-130 Hercules fleet. In addition, commitments are held for 32 KC-390s from five other countries, comprising six for Argentina, six for Chile, 12 for Colombia, two for the Czech Republic and six for Portugal.

Dassault’s Latest Falcon Soars

Rafale Secures Egypt Export Order Dassault’s Rafale has achieved its first export order with the signature of a contract for 24 aircraft for Egypt. The deal, signed in Cairo on February 16, covers 16 two-seat and eight single-seat aircraft. French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian travelled to Egypt to sign on behalf of France. The first three Rafales will be taken from the Merignac production line for French Air Force aircraft and diverted to Egypt where they are expected within months. Deliveries are scheduled to be completed within five years. A statement by French President François Hollande’s Élysée office on February 12, initially confirmed the deal, saying: “The Egyptian authorities have just let me know today their intention to acquire 24 Rafale combat aircraft and a multi-mission frigate and associated equipment. This equipment will allow Egypt to increase its security and play a full role in the service of regional stability.” Defence officials say the entire deal, including the FREMM frigate and missiles for the Rafale, is worth €5.2 billion. India had long been expected to be the first export customer, after selecting the type to meet its requirement for 126 new fighters on January 31, 2012. Three years on, the Indian deal is still under negotiation with disagreements over costs and work-share having slowed talks. India’s weakening economy has also stretched the defence budget. Qatar is in discussions with the French manufacturer regarding a potential 36 Rafales, which would comprise a firm order for 24 plus 12 options.

Photographed during the high-altitude cruise, F-WWQA is one of three Falcon 8X test aircraft. Dassault Aviation

The prototype Dassault Falcon 8X has made its first flight. With test pilots Eric Gérard and Hervé Laverne at the controls, F-WWQA (c/n 01) lifted off from the company’s BordeauxMerignac factory at 2pm on February 6 and levelled off at 5,000ft (1,500m). The landing gear was then raised before flight handling manoeuvres and system tests were carried out

at 15,000ft (4,500m). It later climbed to 40,000ft (12,000m) and accelerated to Mach 0.80 before returning to land after a 1hr 45mins flight. “We reached each of the performance objectives set for the first mission and, in a few cases, surpassed target goals. I am confident the remainder of the flight test program will proceed just as smoothly,” commented Gérard.

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

Two further Falcon 8X test aircraft will fly in coming months in the flight test programme expected to last around 500 flight hours. Aircraft c/n 03 will fly mid-year to the Dassault Aviation completion facility in Little Rock, Arkansas, where it will be fitted with a complete interior and undertake systems testing. Mike Jerram. For video of the first flight, visit the AIR International Facebook page.

GOT A NEWS STORY, PHOTO OR FEATURE ? AIR International is keen to hear from readers who have news stories, photos or features of modern civil and military aviation for inclusion in the magazine. Please contact AIR International at the following address [email protected]

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Forty B

NEWS REPORT

E

Ice accretion after three hours of a calibration run on January 25, 2015. Michael Jackson/Lockheed Martin

glin Air Force Base is located on Florida’s sub-tropical Emerald Coast and has an average annual temperature of 75°F (23.8°C). It is one of America’s largest air bases and home to a variety of units including the 96th Test Wing and the F-35-equipped 33rd Fighter Wing with more than 40 Joint Strike Fighters assigned.

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On September 29, 2014 one additional Joint Strike Fighter, mission systems test aircraft F-35B BF-05, touched down at the base at the beginning of a six-month stay. The aircraft is assigned to the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) F-35 Integrated Test Force. Its arrival signalled the start of the type’s all-weather testing. During the six-month test campaign, the aircraft has undergone hot weather testing up to 120°F (48.8°C) followed in sequence by cold weather testing down to -40°F

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Below

NEWS REPORT

Extreme heat, sub-zero temperatures, icing and torrential rain are some of the weather conditions an F-35B Lightning II has undergone during climatic testing at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. By AIR International’s Mark Ayton (-40°C), icing, torrential rain and high-humidity conditions. All test events were undertaken in the McKinley Climatic Laboratory – the world’s largest environmental testing chamber – run by the 96th Test Wing, an Air Force Materiel Command unit. The primary test objective was to verify the F-35 aircraft is able to operate in extreme environments as outlined in its operational requirements document. Around 60% of the test events were dedicated to ground ops to

evaluate, in extreme temperatures, whether maintainers can perform their required tasks and that the pilot can start the aircraft successfully. Aircraft BF-05 was modified for the test programme and had its wheels removed so it could be fixed onto a purpose-built frame using each of its landing gear legs.

Hot Soaks and Solar Loads The first test-based process conducted was an acoustic survey designed to ensure that while the engine was running it was not

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causing the aircraft to shake on the frame and thereby inflict damage to the jet. Test events started with a baseline engine run at 59°F (15°C) – the ambient temperature of the chamber and one that replicates a standard day – to monitor the health of the aircraft. BF-05 was then hot soaked (baked in the chamber’s ambient air temperature) at 103°F (39.4°C) for 24 hours ready for a second engine run to evaluate its performance. Hot weather testing concluded in November 2014 with a third engine run once the aircraft

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NEWS REPORT had been hot soaked at 120°F (48.8°C). Jake Piercy F-35 Platform Coordinator with the NAVAIR F-35 ITF, said: “The process was iterative. From 59°F we raised the temperature to 103°F and let the aircraft sit there for 24 hours. That allowed all of the fluids in the jet, the PAO, oils, fuels, to get to 103 before the engine was started and testing began. Then we raised the temperature to 120°F, which took about 12 hours.” The aircraft was then subjected to a second kind of high-temperature testing called solar load simulation. “We placed a frame over the aircraft with a solar array that allowed us to run through a diurnal cycle simulating the sun going over the aeroplane for a day. At its hottest we started the jet,” said Piercy. Solar load testing is undertaken to determine how the aircraft and its components stand up to exposure to extreme temperatures on the flight line all day without being flown. In such a situation the aircraft and its components must be able to withstand the ambient air temperature and the additional heat reflected off the ramp surface. Such a scenario heats the aircraft from the skin inwards, generating a much quicker rise in the internal temperature, and presents a much tougher environment for the avionics and components. Solar load testing followed a diurnal cycle that started with the aircraft hot soaked at 80°F (26.7°C) before the chamber’s ambient temperature was raised to 95°F (35°C) as the solar lamps were turned on. This meant none of the fluids and internal components were soaked to the outside temperature but were still warming up in a catch-up situation. At each temperature, hot and cold, BF05 ‘flew’ a standard profile in accordance with the test sequence defined in the test plan. The profile involved a normal start-up, a VSBIT (vehicle systems built-in test) to check functionality of all of the onboard systems, a simulated short take-off, a climb-out, running the engine all the way up to full afterburner in

conventional mode of flight and a simulated vertical landing. According to Jake Piercy the test sequence took about two hours. VSBIT is not a process unique to F-35; it is also performed on legacy aircraft. It runs a builtin test of each system such as fuel, electrical, hydraulic and flight controls, and by doing so cycles the actuators, moves the flight controls and opens the doors to ensure systems are operating as they are supposed to. The aeroplane performed really well during hot weather testing right up to the 120°F (48.8°C) test. At that temperature the aircraft’s fuel was only 25°F (3.8°C) from its fuel-hot caution limit of 145°F (62.7°C). “That’s pretty impressive because the fuel is used as a heat sink for everything else,” Piercy enthused.

Cold Soaks Once the hot weather phase was complete the McKinley Laboratory’s chamber was reconfigured for the cold weather tests using

refrigeration. On November 16 another baseline engine run at 59°F (15°C) was performed before BF-05 was cold soaked to 20°F (-6.7°C) for the first engine run at a cold temperature on November 19. Conditions were then made colder and colder: the chamber went to zero degrees (-17.7°C) on November 24, -15°F (-26.1°C) on December 13, -25°F (-31.7C) on December 19 and the coldest, -40°F (-40°C), on December 21, which marked the end of the phase. Explaining the cold weather test process, US Navy F-35 test pilot Cdr Tony Wilson told AIR International: “We started with a series of maintenance actions to see if the maintainers, wearing full protective equipment, could perform the actions required. For example, could they connect the aircraft to the generator, connect hydraulic fittings and perform hydraulic servicing, refuel the jet and conduct standard flight line maintenance? “Then we performed a series of start-ups to

COUNTERING THE HAZARDS Top: The icing tunnel, or ice cloud test fixture, in

front of F-35B BF-05 during calibration runs on January 13, 2015. Andy Wolfe/Lockheed Martin Opposite: F-35B Lightning II BF-05 under the solar array during a diurnal cycle solar load test on October 6, 2014. Michael Jackson/ Lockheed Martin Below left: The forward fuselage of BF-05

enveloped in an ice cloud during a calibration run on January 25, 2015. Michael Jackson/ Lockheed Martin Below middle: Water enters the duct at the

forward point of the tunnel’s contraction section and is blown through nozzles at the jet where it accretes as ice. Michael Jackson/Lockheed Martin

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Exposure to such bitterly cold conditions carried a specific set of hazards which were identified in the test planning process. Conditions were constantly monitored, ground crew were rotated in and out and the amount of time dedicated to a test was limited because there was only ever one pilot assigned to the trials at any one time. For the pilot, time in the cockpit was limited during some of the maintenance tasks undertaken when the aircraft was only operating on power provided by its integrated power pack. “We wore special flight gear that included thermal underwear, a cooling vest typically used for chemical and biological warfare, a ski suit, a thick jacket, boots commensurate with the temperature range, gloves and mittens. All items were operationally representative,” said Cdr Wilson. All temperatures below freezing (32°F/0°C)) were treated relatively the same: the pilot and ground crew relied on the safety factors listed above. The biggest hazard to the pilot was getting stuck in the cockpit: a situation caused in the event of moisture getting between the canopy and the frame, freezing it shut. The fire department was on standby to quickly cut the pilot out in that event, but was never required.

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NEWS REPORT make sure we could start the engine in each condition. Once we got the engine running, we increased it to max power to ensure that it continued to run. We also converted to mode four STOVL flight and performed a full series of inputs to simulate slow landings, vertical landings and vertical take-offs.” The testing was split 60% ground ops and 40% flying throughout the test series: this included engine runs and simulated flying in both conventional and STOVL ops in all conditions. The aircraft handled really well in STOVL mode throughout the cold and hot weather phases, according to Cdr Wilson, who confirmed there were no snags with the hydraulics. Flight control surfaces and all 14 of the STOVL and weapon bay doors opened, closed and cycled correctly. Cdr Wilson pointed out that, when flying, the aircraft had already been exposed to the temperatures tested in the chamber. “We know

aerodynamic characteristics of the wing. “You can go from a surface that’s able to produce a lot of lift with no ice on it to a surface that’s unable to produce any lift in a relatively short amount of time.” Icing tests were performed using a tunnel or ice test fixture purpose-built by McKinley’s own workshop. The tunnel, which is considerably bigger than the aeroplane itself and took almost a week to install, was centred on the nose of the aircraft. Once in place, the test fixture had to be calibrated. Jake Piercy explained: “Liquid water content and droplet size were both controlled by the water nozzle head: the former by pressure to the vein. Water enters the duct at the forward point of the contraction section. We had to calibrate the nozzles to make sure we were generating the correct water content and droplet size in the icing cloud. These were tested in conventional mode, at different

was opened we could see the face of the engine and see if ice was building up. If the engineers suspected that ice was exceeding the limit, the aircraft was shut down for an inspection to check for damage.” After each icing test was completed the chamber’s temperature was raised to 50°F (10°C) to melt all the ice, ensuring the next day’s testing began with a clean aeroplane. The final phase of icing was expected to start in the third week of February and focus on mode four STOVL flying. To accomplish the required test points the tunnel was to be raised by 8ft (2.43m) so the ice cloud can be directed onto the lift-fan inlet which is opened in mode four flying. A pilot was in the aeroplane throughout all the icing tests to simulate flying in various operational environments. One of the last stages of the climatic trials involves rain testing, which is scheduled for midMarch. The frame used to suspend the solar lamps will be repositioned over the top of the aeroplane and configured with piping and veins to supply and direct water at the jet. Test activities for this phase will also include steady, windborne and torrential rain. The fans in the tunnel will be rearranged and used to blow water at various speeds. The torrential rain test will last for 24 hours after which the test team will remove many of the panels to see if and where water got to inside the aircraft. The final phase will involve humidity testing, for which the chamber will be pumped full of steam to reach the required level. At the completion of the final humidity test points, BF-05 will undergo normal regression checks before being returned to flight status for its ferry flight back to Patuxent River.

Requirements and Results

that it handles pretty well, so the icing portion of the trial held the most concern and we were therefore focused on icing with respect to the flying aspect of it. The extreme temperature portion is primarily orientated to ground ops.”

Icing, Rain and Humidity Once the cold weather phase of testing was completed the chamber was reconfigured for icing tests, which Cdr Wilson said were very important: “The F-35, along with most tactical aircraft, has a limited de-icing capability. Unlike a commercial airliner or a transport aircraft that has de-icing capability on the leading edge of the wing, be it an inflatable boom or heated boundary layers, tactical aircraft don’t have that. The major anti-icing measure on a tactical jet is provided by diverting hot bleed air to the inlet of the engine to prevent ice from building up.” Primary objectives of the icing tests were to evaluate whether the bleed air systems operate as they are supposed to; and to characterise ice accumulation on surfaces of the aircraft: specifically the leading edges of the wing, horizontal and vertical stabilisers to better understand how the F-35 performs in icing conditions. Cdr Wilson said even light amounts of icing on the leading edge of the wing or any control surface can drastically change the

airspeeds and temperatures to simulate the required flight test points. “The front of the tunnel housed six fans arranged in two sets of three, one in a triangular formation to control the wind speed blown at the jet.” The aircraft’s icing detector probe is fitted at a different location depending on the variant: the A and C-models differ from the B. To evaluate each model in the one trial, BF-05 had additional probes installed for the A and C-models, both located inside the engine duct about a foot (305mm) before the engine face. The water droplets are super-cooled, but not quite frozen, while in the airstream – so as they hit the surface of the aircraft they freeze and accrete. The images used to illustrate this feature are not representative of the actual test points but of the tunnel calibration runs when the aircraft wasn’t running. The calibration phase took such a long time to complete, ice built up to the level shown which is not representative of any operational environment. During each icing condition tested, the aircraft was subjected to some very harsh conditions, so limits had to be adhered to. “We had cameras located at various points in the hangar,” said Piercy. “So, for example, if the auxiliary air door located behind the lift fan door

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The entire series of all-weather climatic trials are being conducted by Lockheed Martin as part of its contract requirement within the F-35’s System Development and Demonstration phase. Most of the test plan was devised by a team at Fort Worth in Texas, where the ITF’s lead engineer for the trials is based. The test team included pilots from Pax River and Edwards ITFs and an icing expert from BAE Systems. In terms of test results, Jake Piercy told AIR International the team had been able to operate at every extreme and the aircraft had performed very well. According to Cdr Wilson the only problems discovered to date were associated with getting the aircraft started when everything was cold soaked. “When the temperature fell below zero, we encountered issues with getting the fluids moving and the computers to wake up. Once we got down to -15F we were able to run the aircraft exerciser mode for the very first time. From the aircraft’s perspective in terms of cold weather ops we faced the same challenges as any other type of fleet aircraft and didn’t encounter anything unexpected.” He noted that this is the only time the F-35 will go to the McKinley climatic chamber. “It’s a type of testing that doesn’t happen every day. What the McKinley team pulls off at Eglin is a real feat of engineering. It’s been a very surreal experience to walk from normal Florida weather into the hangar where it’s like the Arctic. Testing is still ongoing, and the findings to date have been positive. Overall it’s a very positive test with just minor obstacles to overcome.”

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UK

C-20H at RAF Mildenhall

The last Gulfstream aircraft assigned to US Air Forces in Europe, C-20H 92-0375 (c/n 1256), undertook a crew training flight to RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk, on February 6. The aircraft is operated by the 76th Airlift Squadron, part of the 86th Airlift Wing based at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Colin Johnson

Final MC-130H F-35B Arrives Leaves RAF Mildenhall UK at MCAS Beaufort

The final US Air Force Special Operations Command MC-130H Combat Talon II has been returned to the United States, completing the transition to the CV-22B Osprey. The last aircraft, 88-0195, departed from RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk, on January 8. The aircraft had been operated by the 352nd Special Operations Group/7th Special Operations Squadron (SOS)

‘Air Commandos’, which now only flies the CV-22B. The MC-130H was flown to Hurlburt Field, Florida, to join the 15th SOS ‘Global Eagles’. The 7th SOS MC-130Hs had been at Mildenhall since February 17, 1995, when the unit moved over from RAF Alconbury, Cambridgeshire. The first two Ospreys for the unit arrived at Mildenhall on June 24, 2013.

Flying Squadrons Return to RAF Wittering

RAF Tutor T1 G-BYVI lands at its new home at RAF Wittering on February 4. RAF Wittering/MoD Crown Copyright

Full-time flying operations have returned to RAF Wittering Cambridgeshire, for the first time since departure of the last Harriers in December 2010. The resumption was marked by the arrival of six Tutor T1s from RAF Wyton, Cambridgeshire, which is to close as part of MoD base rationalisation. The aircraft are operated by Cambridge University Air Squadron, the University of

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London Air Squadron and No.5 Air Experience Flight for elementary flying training, which will now be carried out at Wittering. They are due to be joined by additional Tutors from East Midlands UAS and No.115 (Reserve) Squadron, both based at RAF Cranwell, Lincolnshire, which should move in by mid-2015, bringing the total number of Tutors at Wittering to around 25.

One of the three UK Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning IIs, ZM137 (BK-03), has been delivered to Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina. The aircraft arrived at the base on February 3 to join Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501

(VMFAT-501) ‘Warlords’. The aircraft was flown in from Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, by Royal Air Force pilot Sqn Ldr Hugh Nichols, the UK’s senior national representative. This was the last F-35B to be delivered to Beaufort from Eglin.

Eleventh Voyager Joins AirTanker AirTanker has taken delivery of its eleventh Voyager multi-role tanker transport at RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire. The aircraft, ‘MRTT026’ (msn 1498, allocated ZZ340, see RAF Voyager in Thomas Cook Colours, February p16), arrived on February 5 after a flight from Getafe, Spain. It will be the first of the AirTanker fleet to be commercially available, as it is one of the ‘surge’ aircraft, which can be leased

out when not required by the RAF. It will now begin a three-month in-house conversion by AirTanker, during which all military modifications will be removed to restore it to a commercial A330-243, in a 320-seat configuration, with seatback IFE system. Once complete, the aircraft will be registered to AirTanker as G-VYGK, prior to its scheduled operation in support of Thomas Cook Airline’s UK long-haul programme from May of this year.

Japan Markets P-1 MPA to UK Japan has offered its Kawasaki Heavy Industries four-engine P-1 maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) and associated technologies for export to the UK. The proposal was made at ministerial level meetings in London during early January between the two countries’ defence and foreign ministers. Following cancellation of the Nimrod MRA4 programme in

2011, the UK has been left without a dedicated MPA, but has yet to make any formal decision on whether to purchase a replacement. If such a purchase goes ahead, defence sources indicate that the Boeing P-8A Poseidon is likely to be the favoured option and the P-1 seen as an outsider in any possible competition. David C Isby

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Clarion F_P.indd 1

05/02/2015 12:33

Europe Chinese People’s Liberation Army Naval Air Force (PLANAF) Changhe Z8J 9557 (c/n Z8J-006) on board the Type 071 Yuzhao Class amphibious transport dock ship CNS Chang Bai Shan (989). during a port visit to Hamburg, Germany. Another Z8J, 9517 (c/n Z8J-002), was also aboard the vessel. The Type 054A Jiangkai-II Class frigate CNS Yun Cheng (571), accompanied the ship with Harbin Z9C Haitun 9317 (c/n Z9-0280) on board. The ships, along with Type 903 Fuchi Class replenishment ship CNS Chaohu (890), had earlier visited the UK, docking at Portsmouth, Hampshire, from January 12-16. Rene Köhler

Chinese on board in Europe Dutch F-35s Arrive at Edwards Both of the Royal Netherlands Air Force’s (RNLAF’s) F-35A Lightning IIs (F-001/AN-01 and F-002/ AN-02) were ferried across the United States on January 16. They left Eglin Air Force Base, Florida for Edwards Air Force Base,

California to be used in the multinational F-35 Operational Test and Evaluation (OT&E) programme scheduled to last until 2019. The Dutch F-35s are operated by 323 Test, Evaluation and Standardisation (TES) Squadron,

which was re-established at Eglin on November 4, 2014, after disbanding as an F-16 squadron at Leeuwarden Air Base four days earlier. The two Dutch F-35s have ‘OT’ codes applied to their tails. Kees van der Mark

Icelandic Coast Guard Dash 8 in Norfolk Icelandic Coast Guard Dash 8-314Q TF-SIF taxies for departure from Norwich, Norfolk, on January 3. Simon Bullimore

The Icelandic Coast Guard’s Bombardier Dash 8-314Q has returned from a six-week Mediterranean deployment, routing via the UK on February 16. The maritime surveillance aircraft,

EART for 2015

The European Defence Agency (EDA) is to hold a second European Air-toAir Refuelling Training programme (EART 2015) from April 13-24

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TF-SIF, departed from its Reykjavik base on January 2 to support the European Union’s border control agency FRONTEX. Initially flying to Norwich in the UK it continued to Sigonella, Sicily after a night-stop.

It made a similar deployment to Brindisi, Italy, in 2014. This was howbver cut short when it was recalled to Iceland in August to monitor the volcanic activity under the Vatnaökull glacier.

at Eindhoven Air Base following the inaugural event last year. The programme intends to create a realistic training environment to

exchange information and best practices among tanker and jet crews. It also enables completion of certification. Bob Fischer

Apache Strike in Mali Dutch Apache helicopters killed five Tuareg rebels during an air raid in northern Mali on January 20 The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) reported the response to shelling with heavy weapons on peacekeepers. The raid was in self-defence, according to the UN. The Dutch Ministry of Defence, which first declined to comment on the incident, confirmed later on the same evening that two Apache helicopters were sent into action. The shelling was carried out when the Tuaregs advanced to the city of Tabankort, 200km (125 miles) north of Gao, where a pro-government militia is stationed. The UN said warning shorts were initially fired in reply to shots from the vehicle but when the shelling continued, the Apaches ‘neutralised’ the vehicle. The Dutch military mission is primarily intended to provide information but may retaliate in emergencies, and four Dutch Apaches are stationed in Mali for this purpose. United Nations troops are mandated to use an armed response if citizens, military personnel or equipment are endangered. A spokesman for the rebels told Reuters that five fighters were killed in the airstrike. Bob Fischer

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Russia & CIS

An-70 Certified by Ukraine MoD The An-70 was officially certified by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence on January 13. The order was signed by the country’s defence minister, Stepan Poltorak following the successful completion of the joint flight testing and evaluation programme in April 2014. There is only one An-70 currently flying, a prototype, while two more examples are in production. However, completion of the latter is likely to be a protracted undertaking due to a lack of funding for the programme. It remains unclear whether they will ever be completed and flown, which leaves the Ukrainian military with only one prototype aircraft that can be used in an operational environment.

Upgraded Tu-95MSM Delivery

Upgraded Russian Air Force Tupolev Tu-95MSM Bear-H strategic bomber ‘53 Red’ was handed over during a ceremony on January 27. The modernisation primarily involves replacing the avionics system to improve the efficiency of the aircraft’s weapon aiming system and adds the GLONASS navigation system. It gives the aircraft the capability to launch the new Raduga Kh-101 long-range cruise missile, which has a conventional warhead, and also the Kh-102 nuclear variant of the weapon. The upgrade will keep the aircraft in service until 2025. Tupolev

Alexander Mladenov

EMERCOM Fleet Renewal

Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations (EMERCOM) is set to take delivery later this year of its first two Sukhoi SuperJet SSJ100s. Both will be in a highly-customised configuration, outfitted with emergency medical care modules and commandand-control and day/night ground monitoring systems.

The aircraft were ordered under an agreement signed on September 8 last year, which covers planned acquisition of eight SSJ100s and six Ilyushin Il-76-90TDs. They will also be used for rapid delivery of emergency response teams in areas stricken by natural or industrial disasters. Alexander Mladenov

Tu-214 EW Version Under Development A dedicated electronic warfare (EW) version of the Tupolev Tu-214 twinengine airliner is being developed, according to KRET deputy director general, Igor Naumenko. KRET is the leading defence electronics specialist in Russia and is engaged in the project

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UPGRADED IL-38NS DELIVERED

with the Tu-214’s design authority, OAO Tupolev. The EW derivative of the Tu-214 will be used for various types of radar and communication jamming to protect strike aircraft operating in zones with dense air defence. Alexander Mladenov

NEWS BY NUMBERS

A pair of upgraded Ilyushin Il-38N May anti-submarine warfare aircraft were delivered to the Russian Navy’s Pacific Fleet Aviation in January, along with one new-production Antonov An-140 transport. David C Isby

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FIGHTERS DELIVERED TO EASTERN MILITARY DISTRICT During 2014, a total of 36 fighters were delivered to the Russian Air Force’s Eastern Military District. These included 20 Sukhoi Su-35S aircraft for the 23rd Fighter Air Regiment at Dzemgi Air Base (which is co-located with the UAC factory at Komsomolsk-na-Amur), two Su-35s for the 22nd Guards Fighter Air Regiment at Tsentralnaya

Il-76MD Bomber Training

Uglovaya airfield near Vladivostok and 14 Su-30SMs for the 120th Composite Air Regiment at Domna Air Base in Zabaykaliskiy kray. David C Isby

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YAK-130S NOW AT ARMAVIR An additional five Yakovlev Yak-130 advanced trainers have been ferried to Armavir Air Base from the factory at Irkutsk. Following their arrival in January, there are now eight of the type in residence. David C Isby

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UPGRADED MIG-31BMS DELIVERED IN 2014 The Sokol plant in Nizhny Novgorod delivered 18 upgraded MiG-31BMs during 2014. The current contract is for ‘over 50’ of these fighters to be handed over by the end of 2018. David C Isby

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Russian Air Force Il-76MD RF-76714 carrying bombs on underwing pylons during the exercise on February 2. The ordnance is barely noticeable on this massive aircraft. Ilyushin

The Russian Air Force has undertaken its first ever practice combat missions using Ilyushin Il-76MD transport aircraft in the air-to-ground bombing role. Ten Military Transport Aviation (MTA) aircrews undertook the exercise on February 2. The personnel were selected from MTA frontline air bases at Orenburg, Pskov, Taganrog and Tver-Migalovo. They will later serve as instructors, teaching Il-76MD bombing techniques to their colleagues in the air groups. The exercise was intended to provide aircrews with

experience of dropping free-fall bombs, weighing up to 1,100lb (500kg), carried on underwing pylons. This type of ordnance is employed in support of assault landings into enemy territory, with the aircraft flying at between 1,640 and 3,280ft (500 and 1,000m) at a speed of 270kts (500km/h). Aircrews also practised operations from unpaved airstrips in bad weather and parachuting assault parties (from Russia’s elite special operations community) onto unprepared and unlit landing zones. Alexander Mladenov

Su-35S to be Commissioned in 2015 The Su-35S multi-role fighter is set to be officially commissioned into Russian Air Force (RuAF) service this year. This announcement was made on February 3 by the country’s defence minister, Army Gen Sergey Shoigu. He said the type has already been introduced into so-called experimental operation with the RuAF.

Once shortcomings and deficiencies that were revealed during the joint state flight testing effort, undertaken by the RuAF’s 929th State Flight Test Centre at Akhtubinsk, have been rectified the type will formally enter service. Making it fully compliant with the RuAF specification will be the primary tasking for this year. Alexander Mladenov

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NEWS COLUMN

A New Bomb Interesting, in a Not-so In by Robert F Dorr The mystery surrounding the US Air Force’s new bomber deepened when the Obama administration released its budget proposal for Fiscal Year (FY) 2016. Otherwise, the administration’s spending plan — which requires approval by Congress — aroused little interest, imparted no particular vision for the future and got a low score for imaginative thinking from supporters and critics alike. Long Range Strike-Bomber (LRS-B) is the current term for the next-generation strategic platform to conduct conventional and nuclear bombing missions. LRS-B is being billed as a replacement for the 19 B-2 Spirit stealth bombers, the least useful of the three current platforms (the others: 65 B-1B Lancers and 75 B-52H Stratofortresses), the most costly to operate, and the one that will need to be retired soonest. The United States has just 159 bombers and today’s fighter-to-bomber ratio is 12:1. The bomber total was 1,854 and the ratio was 5:1 in 1959. Two teams, led by Northrop Grumman and a partnership of Boeing and Lockheed Martin, are competing to assemble 80 to 100 LRS-B aircraft. Other contractors have worked on the project in total silence while Northrop Grumman tantalised aviation buffs with a science fictionstyle television commercial — timed for the advertising blitz accompanying the Superbowl, the American football championship — that showed a futuristic secret aircraft hidden beneath a cloak. One observer called this ad for the new bomber a “tease”.

Stealth Bomber The February 15 budget announcement (of the request sent to Congress on February 2) includes a hefty $1.2 billion for LRS-B but no information

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about the aeroplane. Selection of an aircraft design is thought to be only a few months away and may occur before the fiscal year starts on October 1. Rumours of a prototype flying clandestinely in Nevada appear to be the most embellished form of internet myth. A second mystery in the US Air Force’s $122.2 billion portion of the overall budget request surrounds $220.5 million for a Red Air aggressor aircraft. The intent appears to be to create a version of the T-X, the projected T-38C Talon replacement (see below), that can be used to simulate enemy aircraft in combat. But the air force has no formal need and until now has treated the aggressor mission as a place to ‘save’ rather than to ‘spend’, having recently pared down its strength to just two squadrons that play the part of the bad guys. At least two very senior officers have suggested that having the aggressor in the budget plan is a mistake by someone who mistook a suggestion for a decision. Apart from the slight tinges of intrigue, the budget plan is unsurprising, unimaginative and unrealistic. Key ingredients, including retiring the A-10C Thunderbolt II fleet, don’t have the remotest chance of surviving congressional scrutiny. A similar problem of credibility confronts the US Army (see below) with its plan for the

AH-64E Apache helicopter. “It’s like the air staff has turned a deaf ear to the wishes of the people holding the purse strings,” analyst retired Colonel Charles McLean told AIR International, referring to Congress. “They’re okay on the bomber and the tanker, and mostly on the F-35, but some of the other stuff in the plan won’t make it past Capitol Hill.” The lack of practicalpolitics realism reflects the unfortunate truth about the climate in which future US spending will be debated: relations between the White House and Congress are at their lowest ebb in living memory, and public support for both branches of government has dropped into single digits. In addition to LRS-B, ‘winners’ in the budget plan include the F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter, KC-46A Pegasus tanker-transport and MC-130J Commando specialoperations aircraft. Exact numbers of airframes depend on fiscal machinations that lie ahead, but the expectation is for 44 F-35As, 12 KC46As and eight MC-130Js. The plan also includes $1.6 billion for “classified weapons procurement,” a category that usually includes munitions. The air force wants to purchase an unspecified number of army UH60A Black Hawks and convert them to fit the nuclear security mission,

which means guarding intercontinental ballistic missile sites — a job performed today by the UH1M Twin Huey.

Sowing the Reaper The ‘loser’ in the plan is the MQ-9 Reaper, with the air force requesting 29 instead of the 38 previously anticipated. The plan reduces funding to support operations by F-15E Strike Eagles and B-1B Lancers. The air force budget plan would keep both the U-2 Dragon Lady in service and RQ-4B Global Hawk Block 30 in development, even though the latter is intended to replace the former. Virtually no progress has been made in integrating the U-2’s all-important Bar Camera into the RQ-4B. The air force is resubmitting its request to phase out the A-10C Thunderbolt II fleet by 2019. Planned divestiture of 39 F-15C Eagles will be postponed to increase nearterm capacity and support the European Reassurance Initiative. The T-X programme, which has been percolating for several years, would yield 350 airframes, with initial operating capability in 2023 to replace 421 T-38Cs. Talons would then be phased out between 2023 and 2029. Northrop Grumman surprised observers by scrapping plans to market a version of

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NEWS COLUMN

mber o Interesting Budget Plan

Under the FY2016 air force budget request, planned divestiture of 39 F-15C Eagles will be postponed to increase near-term capacity and support the European Reassurance Initiative. Paul Ridgway

the BAe Systems Hawk; the US planemaker will submit an entirely new design instead. If the budget-cutting process remains in effect, air force officials say they’ll be forced to retire one or more fleets of aircraft to save costs. Apart from the A-10C, officials are talking about retiring the 59 Douglas KC-10 Extenders, despite the considerable strategic value of this tanker-transport version of the DC-10 airliner. In connection with T-X, officials are looking at a return to a universal pilottraining system in which all prospective aviators would

earn their wings on the same advanced trainer. This would permit retirement of the 157 T-1A Jayhawks used to train multi-engine pilots, although not the 21 T-1As for training combat systems officers (formerly, navigators). This move would be painful to some: the T-1A has the best safety record of any aircraft in inventory, high reliability statistics, and low operating cost.

US Army Aviation The biggest item in the US Army’s $126.5 billion budget proposal is $681 million to remanufacture 64 AH-64D

Apache helicopters to AH64E Apache Guardian Block IIIA standard. The army brass also wants 39 CH-47F Chinooks (12 new, and 27 remanufactured), 94 UH-60M Black Hawks and 28 UH-72 Lakotas. All of these rotary-wing procurements are linked to the army’s plan to transfer all Apaches from the reserve component to the activeduty force. Experts give that plan no chance of surviving on Capitol Hill; in fact, Congress has authorised a commission to study ways to avoid the move. The reserve component (the collective term for the US Army National

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Guard and US Army Reserve) enjoys enormous clout in the legislative branch, so Congress is expected to take the army aviation plan apart, piece by piece. Critics in Washington say the Pentagon isn’t addressing harsh realities (people costs, such as salaries and pensions, which now constitute 45% of all expenditures) and hasn’t decided what kind of wars to prepare for (the budget proposal is not linked to any strategy document). The budget proposal contains a little morsel for everyone but, without clearer focus, is unlikely to assure complete satisfaction to anybody.

AI.03.15

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North America

‘Purple Foxes’ Receive First Osprey The US Marine Corps’ Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 364 (VMM-364) ‘Purple Foxes’ has taken delivery of its first MV-22B Osprey. The aircraft was delivered to the unit at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, California, on January 15. The Osprey had previously been operated by VMM-166 ‘Sea Elks’ at MCAS Miramar, California, where it had been the first of the type to be based on the West Coast. It is the first for a Camp Pendleton unit. VMM-364 had previously flown the CH-46E Sea Knight as Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 364 (HMM-364) but ended operations with the type last year. It was formally re-designated as VMM-364 on October 9, 2014. The first MV-22B Osprey BuNo 165851/’PF02’ for VMM-364 ‘Purple Foxes’ arrives at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, California, on January 15. Cpl Rick Hurtado/US Marine Corps

Boeing MSA Completes Flight Testing The Boeing Maritime Surveillance Aircraft (MSA) has completed its baseline ground and flight testing and is now offering demonstration flights to potential customers. It uses the Bombardier Challenger 605 aircraft integrated with sensors and mission systems developed to be compatible with those on the P-8A Poseidon and E-3 Sentry Block 40/35 AWACS. The aircraft’s potential missions could include anti-piracy, immigration patrols, coastal and border security and long-range search and rescue. Equipment fit includes the Selex ES Seaspray 7300 maritime radar, FLIR Systems Star Safire 380HD EO/ IR sensor and the Shine Micro AIS.

Yokota-based C-130Hs Deploy to Bangladesh Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) Chengdu F-7BG Airguards F934 and F940 from the 5th Squadron ‘Defenders’ based at BAF Base Bangabandhu escort US Air Force C-130H Hercules 74-1661/‘YJ’ from the 374th Airlift Wing/36th Airlift Squadron at Yokota Air Base, Japan, during Exercise Cope South near Kishoreganj, Bangladesh, on January 28. Three Yokota-based C-130Hs deployed to BAF Base Bangabandhu, Dhaka-Kurmitola, Bangladesh, for the exercise, which took place from January 24 to 30. 1st Lt Jake Bailey/US Air Force

David C Isby

B-52H Weapons Capability Upgrade

Members of the 419th FLTS prepare to install a new Conventional Rotary Launcher on B-52H 60-0050/’ED’ at Edwards on December 17. US Air Force

A new Conventional Rotary Launcher (CRL) has been installed in the bomb bay of a US Air Force

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B-52H Stratofortress for trials of the planned new smart weapons capability upgrade for the type.

In a press release on January 15, the USAF said installation of the CRL had been carried out on 412nd Test Wing/419th Flight Test Squadron (FLTS) B-52H 60-0050 ‘ED’ at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on December 17. The CRL gives the aircraft the capability of carrying Military Standard 1760 smart weapons. Global Strike Command had announced on September 23, 2013 it planned to significantly increase the ordnance payload on the type by enabling carriage of smart weapons in the bomb bay for the first time, rather than only on the external pylons. This Internal Weapons Bay Upgrade (IWBU) frees capacity on the wing stations for additional armaments. Alternatively, it allows the aircraft to fly with a clean wing, carrying all its ordnance internally, which increases range and loiter time. The first increment of the upgrade

allows internal carriage of Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs), which could previously only be carried externally. Increment 1.2 will later add the software to enable the aircraft to carry Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSM) and JASSMExtended Range, plus Miniature Air Launched Decoys (MALD) and MALD-Jammers. Initial capability is anticipated by March 2016 and by October 2017 all B-52Hs should have been modified with this capability. The modification will enable carriage of up to eight JDAMs on the internal CRL, in addition to the 12 it can currently carry on exterior weapons pylons. The MIL-STD-1760 IWBU is based on rewiring the existing B-52 launcher in the bomb bay with a digital interface to the new CRL, which allows the B-52 to communicate with the newest weapons in the USAF’s arsenal.

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North America

First USAF Theatre Security Package in Europe Air Combat Command deployed 12 A-10C Thunderbolt IIs to Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, on February 13 as part of a theatre security package (TSP). They are from the 355th Fighter Wing based at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. The TSPs will augment US Air Forces in Europe’s existing efforts as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve by conducting flying training deployments and off-station training with NATO allies to further enhance interoperability. Operation Atlantic Resolve is a demonstration of US European Command and United States Air Forces in Europe’s continued commitment to the collective security of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and dedication to the enduring peace and stability in the region. While in Germany, the unit will conduct training alongside NATO allies to strengthen interoperability and enhance regional security. The unit will also forward deploy to locations in Eastern European NATO nations.

5

F-35CS FOR VFA-101 US Navy squadron VFA-101 at Eglin AFB, Florida, is to take delivery of five US Marine Corps Lockheed Martin F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters. The first of these, 169031 ‘NJ-114’ (CF-19), was delivered on January 28. The USMC plans to procure 80 F-35Cs. David C Isby

Boeing 747-8 Selected as Next Air Force One Boeing was officially selected on January 28 to provide two modified 747-8 airliners to replace the current ‘Air Force One’ Boeing VC25As, which are modified 747-200 airliners. Modification is scheduled to start in 2018. The new aircraft are planned to have 30-year service lives. The type had been in competition with the Airbus A380. Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James said: “The Boeing 747-8 is the only aircraft manufactured in the United States (that), when fully missionised, meets the necessary capabilities established to execute the presidential support mission, while reflecting the office of the president of the United States of America consistent with the national public interest.” David C Isby

‘Chargers’ MH-60S Fitted with M-197 Gun

US Navy MH-60S BuNo168559/‘NG17’ from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 14 (HSC-14) ‘Chargers’ at NAS North Island, California, armed with an M-197 three-barrel 20mm gun system, mounted on the left side of the cabin, during a deployment to Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada, on January 29. The gun is more normally fitted on the AH-1Z Viper and its installation on the MH-60S includes a much larger housing. Frank Mormillo

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PERCENT OF ISIL MISSIONS FLOWN BY A-10CS

NEWS BY NUMBERS

As of mid-January, 11% of US Air Force combat sorties against ISIL in Iraq and Syria had been flown by Fairchild A-10C Thunderbolt IIs. The A-10 joined the air campaign in November. David C Isby

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C-130HS AT YOKOTA TO BE REPLACED BY C-130JS

The US Air Force/374th Airlift Wing’s 14 Lockheed C-130H Hercules, based at Yokota Air Base, Japan, will be replaced by C-130Js starting in 2017. David C Isby

16,000

MANNED SORTIES AGAINST ISIL As of mid-January, 16,000 manned sorties had been flown against ISIL in Iraq and Syria, of which 60% were by the US Air Force. Of the USAF sorties, 41% were by F-16s, 37% by F-15Es, 8% by B-1Bs and 3% by F-22s, plus 11% by the A-10Cs. David C Isby

Weapons School Receives First F-35A US Air Force F-35A Lightning II 12-5049/‘WA and 16WPS’ (AF-60) departs Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada on February 12. Frank Mormillo

The US Air Force Weapons School has received its first Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II. The aircraft, 12-5049/‘WA and 16WPS’ (AF-60) was delivered to the school at Nellis Air Force Base,

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Nevada, on January 15 from the Lockheed Martin-run Air Force Plant 4 in Fort Worth, Texas. It becomes the first of the type with the school’s 16th Weapons Squadron ‘Tomahawks’. In conjunction with the US Air Force Warfare Center and 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron both resident

at Nellis, the school’s first F-35A will be used to drive tactics development. The immediate goal is to create the curriculum for the first F-35 course. The first and subsequent F-35As assigned to the school will initially operate under the umbrella of the Tomahawks, the school’s F-16 squadron. A second and third F-35As for the unit, 12-5051/‘WA and USAFWS’ (AF-62) and 12-5053/‘WA and 57WG’ (AF-64), began flighttesting at Fort Worth in January. The first F-35A student course is tentatively scheduled for January 2018.

AI.03.15

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NEWS COLUMN

F/A-XX, USS Joh and a new type o

A Boeing artist’s concept of F/A-XX. Boeing

by Rick Burgess The chief of naval operations (CNO) said the next-generation fighter — notionally named F/AXX — may be less reliant on stealth and more on an ability to suppress enemy air defences to carry out its missions. He also believed it needs a “manned and unmanned feature.” In response to a question while speaking on February 4 to the Naval Future Force Science & Technology Expo,

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sponsored by the Office of Naval Research and the American Society of Naval Engineers in Washington,

Adm Jonathan Greenert warned that “stealth may be over-rated”. “If something moves fast through the air and disrupts molecules in the air and it puts out heat — I don’t care how cool the engine can be — it’s going to be detectable,” he said. Greenert said that the next-generation strike fighter should have manned and unmanned options of operation, noting that it had to be “interchangeable.” It also has to have a payload capacity for a wide spectrum of weapons,

he said, and gain access “probably by suppressing air defences. Today it’s radar but it might be something more in the future. “I don’t see that it’s going to be super-duper fast,” he said. “You can’t outrun missiles. You can’t be so stealthy that you become invisible. You are going to generate a signature of some sort. You have to be able to deal with that and be able to employ weapons that are going to have longer range and be smarter and more of them… overwhelming of defences — confuse it — or suppress it.”

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NEWS COLUMN

ohn F Kennedy e of Osprey

Budget Proposal Shows Little Drama President Barack Obama’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 defence budget proposal, released on February 2, includes 124 aircraft for the navy and marine corps: 11 fewer than enacted for the 2015 budget. The proposed budget continues production of the MH-60R helicopter and MQ-8 Fire Scout vertical take-off unmanned aerial vehicle as well as the Tomahawk landattack cruise missile. A provision of $693 million will allow the navy to complete refuelling and

comprehensive overhaul of the USS George Washington (CVN 73), so the navy can maintain 11 aircraft carriers in service. The navy requests $2.5 billion for new aircraft carriers (CVNs), including $1.6 billion for the second Gerald R. Ford-class CVN, USS John F. Kennedy, and $875 million for advance procurement of the third, USS Enterprise. The $16.3 billion for aircraft includes nine F-35B and four F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters, five E-2D Advanced Hawkeye radar early warning aircraft, 16 P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, 29 MH-60R Seahawk helicopters, two KC-130J Super Hercules tanker/transports, 19 MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor transports, 12 UH-1Y Venom utility helicopters and 16 AH-1Z Viper helicopter gunships. Also requested are two MQ8C Fire Scouts, three MQ-4C Tritons and seven RQ-21A Blackjack unmanned aerial vehicle systems. Unless modified by Congress, FY2016 will mark the completion of procurement of the MH-60R and the UH-1Y. No funding was requested for the MH60S helicopter, EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft or C-40A Clipper airlifters. The 2016 budget request also reflects the navy’s decision to procure the V-22 Osprey to replace the C-2A Greyhound in the carrier onboard delivery role. The service has requested funds in 2018-2020 for 24 Ospreys, said Rear Adm William Lescher, deputy assistant secretary of the navy for budget. Speaking to reporters at a February 2 briefing at the Pentagon. Lescher said the navy

has delayed the Unmanned Carrier-Launched Strike and Surveillance system but plans to provide an early operational capability to carrier strike groups in the 2022-2023 timeframe. He said the navy review is “part of a broader ISR [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance] portfolio” assessment that will help to refine requirements. The research and development funding requested would support development of the CH53K King Stallion heavy-lift helicopter and the VH92A presidential transport helicopter for the marine corps. Procurement of the AGM-154C1 Joint StandOff Weapon has ended. The navy will procure 30 modification kits to convert infrared-seeker AGM-65 Maverick missiles with an enhanced laser seeker. A re-start of procurement of the Advanced MediumRange Air-to-Air Missile begins in 2016 and the Joint Air-to-Ground Missile programme is scheduled to buy missiles in 2017 to replace AGM-65 Maverick, AGM-114 Hellfire and the Tactical Optically WireGuided missiles. Procurement of the new Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile, as Increment 1 of the Offensive Anti-Surface Weapon requirement, is planned for 2017, and the Small-Diameter Bomb will begin in 2018. The budget proposal also supports the manpower required for a new MH-60R helicopter squadron in Carrier Air Wing 14, the dormant 10th carrier air wing that has been reduced to a handful of squadrons for several years.

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Coast Guard Budget The US Coast Guard has requested no new aircraft for 2016, but is planning $200 million for HH-65 Dolphin helicopter upgrades and for continued modification of C-27J Spartan aircraft into HC-27As. The Coast Guard stood up its C-27J procurement office in June 2014 and expects to have some of the aircraft flying logistics missions by 2016. Retirement of three HC130H Hercules long-range surveillance aircraft is also requested in the FY2016 budget.

Red Lancers The navy will begin the transition of a fifth patrol squadron to the P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft in March. Patrol Squadron 10 (VP-10) ‘Red Lancers’, based at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida, will retire its P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft following its deployment to the US Fifth Fleet and begin training in the P-8A with the fleet replacement squadron, VP-30 ‘The Pro’s Nest’. The last operational P-3 squadron based at Jacksonville, VP-26 ‘Tridents’, departed there on January 22 for a tri-site deployment in support of the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Fleets. Upon return late this year, it will also begin transition to the P-8A. Patrol Squadron 8 (VP8) ‘Fighting Tigers’, the fourth Poseidon squadron, is scheduled to complete transition in February. Once all six active-duty squadrons based at Jacksonville complete transition, those based on the West Coast and Hawaii will commence transition to the P-8 in 2016.

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19

Asia & Australasia

Malaysian A400M’s Maiden Flight The first of four Airbus A400M Atlas airlifters (M54-01, msn 022) for the Royal Malaysian Air Force seen during its maiden flight from the manufacturer’s facility in Seville on January 30. The aircraft is expected to make an appearance in the flying display at the Langkawi Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA) show in March. Airbus Defence and Space

RNZAF Resumes Fiji Patrols A Royal New Zealand Air Force Lockheed P-3K2 Orion has completed the first patrol of Fiji’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) since defence ties between the two countries were suspended in 2006. The patrol was undertaken by an Orion from No. 5 Squadron, based at Whenuapai, on January 31 and was part of a series of activities to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the squadron’s withdrawal from Laucala Bay in Fiji in 1965. The aircraft operated from Suva and co-ordinated its operations with a Fijian Navy patrol vessel. “It is important we know what is happening in both our EEZ and those of our Pacific partners ..to deter any unauthorised activity that may be taking place,” commented RNZAF Chief of Air Force, Air Vice Marshal Mike Yardley. Nigel Pittaway

India Orders 14 Dornier 228s Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) announced on February 5 it had been awarded a contract to supply 14 Dornier 228 aircraft to the Indian Air Force. Nigel Pittaway

Aussie Orion at Red Flag

Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) AP-3C Orion A9-660 from 10 Squadron at RAAF Base Edinburgh, South Australia, on the flight line at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, on January 22 awaiting the start of Red Flag 15-1. Senior Airman Thomas Spangler/US Air Force

A contingent of aircraft and personnel from the Royal Australian Air Force deployed to Nellis Air Force Base in January to participate in Exercise Red Flag 15-1, which was held between January 27 and February 13. Two Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 Hercules from 37 Squadron at Richmond and a Lockheed AP-3C Orion from 10 Squadron at Edinburgh, together with an Air Battle Management contingent from 41 Wing, participated in the exercise alongside aircraft from the US and UK. The Orion (A9-660) is equipped with a non-standard wideband

satellite communications system, delivered under a minor project in 2012-13, as a result of lessons learnt in the Middle East Area of Operations. “Day-time and night-time missions at Red Flag will require large numbers of aircraft to work together across a variety of roles to defeat threats,” Air Commander Australia, Air-Vice Marshal Gavin Turnbull said. “The dangers they face range from aggressor F-16 fighters and simulated missile shots, through to electronic warfare and cyberspace attacks.” Nigel Pittaway

Second Go at KF-X

South Korea has been forced to launch a new tender for its indigenous KF-X fighter design, after only one bidder submitted a proposal by the deadline on February 9. Both Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) and Korean Air were expected to make offers for the programme, but only KAI made the deadline. Korean Air had announced on February 5 that it would team with Airbus Defence and Space on the programme, but is thought not to have had time to put together a joint offer. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration re-issued the tender on February 10, with a deadline of February 24 for bids to be returned. A final selection was anticipated in July, but may now be delayed slightly by the new tender. The $7.95 billion development programme will run from 2015-2025 to develop an aircraft that will replace the Republic of Korea Air Force’s F-4E Phantom II and F-5E/F Tiger II fleets. The ROKAF plans to order a total of 120 KF-Xs, while Indonesia, which is funding 20% of the development costs, plans to order 80.

Potential US-2 Amphibian Joint Production? The potential for joint production of the Japanese-designed US-2 amphibian in India was discussed during the Japanese foreign minister’s visit to India in January.

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India has been showing interest in purchasing the US-2 since 2011 and is looking at acquiring 15 of the type for maritime patrol operations.

India would station the aircraft in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which hold a strategically important location in the Bay of Bengal. They would

then be available for search and rescue missions for both naval and commercial ships operating in southeast Asian waters. David C Isby

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

Asia & Australasia

North Korea Seeks Su-35

South Korean media reports suggest that North Korea’s People’s Army Air Force is seeking to acquire a number of Sukhoi Su-35s multi-role fighter aircraft to modernise its fighter force. The reports quote an un-named senior South Korean military official, who said on January 9 that Choe Ryong-hae, a special envoy of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, travelled to Moscow in November 2014 to discuss the request with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Nigel Pittaway

Philippine C295M

Philippine Air Force (PAF) C295M ‘129’ (c/n S-129) preparing for a test flight at Seville-San Pablo Airport, Spain, on January 23. The aircraft is the first of three on order to replace the PAF’s three remaining F27 Friendships. Antonio Muñiz Zaragüeta

Japan’s 2015 Defence Budget The Japanese parliament has approved the fiscal year (FY) 2015 defence budget. There is funding provided for several major aircraft procurement programmes. These include 20 Kawasakii Heavy Industries P-1 maritime patrol aircraft, five Bell Boeing V-22 Ospreys, one Northrop Grumman E-2D Advanced Hawkeye and six Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters (JSFs). Also included are three Mitsubishi H-60 helicopters (two configured as SH-60K anti-submarine warfare helicopters and one as a UH-60J for search and rescue).

Upgrade programmes funded in the budget include service life extensions for three Lockheed P-3Cs as well as upgrading of the aircraft’s sensors. Modernisation work is also funded for one JASDF Boeing E-767 airborne early warning and control aircraft, eight Boeing F-15J Eagle fighters, nine Mitsubishi F-2 fighters and two Sikorsky SH-60J helicopters. Among the programmes in development funded by the budget is an indigenous helicopter for anti-submarine warfare missions. David C Isby

More LCA Milestones

The second LCA Naval prototype, 3002 (NP-2), takes off from Bangalore on February 7 for its maiden flight. HAL

The first Hindustan Aircraft Limited (HAL) Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) has been handed over to the Indian Air Force. The aircraft, LA-5001 (SP-01), was accepted by Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, from Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar at a ceremony in Bangalore on January 17, some 32 years after the programme was started. Under current planning, the Tejas will receive its final operational

clearance this year and the first squadron will be equipped in 2017. While the Tejas is an indigenous design, around 40% of its content, including its engine and most of its avionics, are imported. A further milestone with the programme has been the maiden flight of the second LCA Naval prototype, 3002 (NP-2). The aircraft took to the air for the first time on February 7 from Bangalore. David C Isby

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

Former Corps’ KC-130Ts for the Philippines The two former US Navy Lockheed C-130T Hercules being acquired by the Philippine Air Force (PAF) will be delivered in the first quarter of 2016, according to the US Embassy in Manila. The sale of the two aircraft was announced in July 2014 (see Hercules for the Philippines, September p20) and a team of representatives from the PAF, led by Major General Victor Bayani, inspected the aircraft for the second time at Joint Reserve Base Naval Air Station Fort Worth, Texas on January 8.

RQ-4 Global Hawk Deal

Northrop Grumman announced on January 18 that the Japan Ministry of Defense had selected the RQ-4 Global Hawk (see also UAV News for more on the latter) to meet its future intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) requirements. The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye will also be acquired (see Japan’s Defence Budget on this page). The numbers of each platform and their delivery schedule have yet to be announced. “We are very pleased the Japan Ministry of Defense has expressed confidence in these systems and look forward to working with our US military customers through the FMS process,” Northrop Grumman Aerospace System’s vice president International Mary Petryszyn commented. Nigel Pittaway

According to the Embassy, a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) was signed by Major General Bayani on January 9, following the visit. The cost of the two aircraft plus spares is estimated to be US$55 million. A photograph of the PAF inspection revealed one aircraft to be ex VMGR-234 KC-130T Bu No 163022. Both will be configured for maritime surveillance missions and will bring the PAF Hercules strength to five. Nigel Pittaway

Indian Rafales in Doubt

The future of India’s Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) project to acquire 126 Dassault Rafale aircraft remains unclear. This follows comments by Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on December 30 that there were “complications” in the negotiations, which have been ongoing since January 2012. Parrikar also told the Indian press that additional Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighters would be “adequate” to meet IAF needs should the Rafale deal not go ahead. India plans to have 272 Su-30MKIs by 2018 and the first example to be overhauled by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd was handed back to the IAF at Nasik on January 9. Nigel Pittaway

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Rest of the World

Peru Orders Two More C-27Js

The first Peruvian Air Force C-27J Spartan, FAP-328/C.S.X62295, on the ramp outside the factory at Turin-Caselle, Italy, on January 14. The FAP has signed a contract for a further two of the tactical airlifters. Alenia Aermacchi

Peru’s Ministry of Defence has placed an order for a further two C-27J Spartan tactical airlifters. Finmeccanica-Alenia Aermacchi announced the €100 million deal on

January 15. An integrated logistic support package and technical assistance is included in the agreement signed on December 31. The C-27s will enter service with

UAE to Donate Ten Mirage 2000-9s to Iraq Ten Mirage 2000-9 fighters are reportedly due to arrive in Iraq in March, having been donated by the United Arab Emirates (UAE). They were offered to Iraq during UAE prime minister Haider al-Abadi’s visit to Baghdad in December. The move was

announced on January 19. The UAE Air Force and Air Defence has a mixed fleet of 65 Mirage 2000-9DAD/EAD/RAD aircraft, comprising both aircraft that have been upgraded from older Mirage 2000 models and new production 2000-9s. David C Isby

Iran Unveils New Saeghe II Fighter

The first Saeghe II, 3-7182, is publicly unveiled. MEHR News Agency

Iran has developed a new version of its HESA Saeghe (Thunderbolt) fighter – a twin-fin variant of the single-seat Northrop F-5E Tiger II. The first of the new model, designated the Saeghe II and based on the two-seat F-5F, was unveiled on February 9. The aircraft, 3-7182, was rolled out wearing the markings of Tactical Air Base 2 (TAB-2) at Tabriz-Shaheed Fakouri on the fin. The Islamic Republic of Iran

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Air Force’s 23rd Tactical Fighter Squadron at Tabriz operates the earlier single-seat Saeghe I aircraft and it is presumed that the new variant will also join that unit. Iran’s FARS News Agency had announced on January 7 that several squadrons of the original Saeghe I version are operational with the IRIAF. All of the IRIAF’s remaining F-5E/F aircraft are to be converted to one of the Saeghe variants by around 2030.

the Fuerza Aérea del Peru (FAP – Peruvian Air Force), which ordered an initial two examples in December 2013. The first two aircraft are undergoing preparations for delivery

in the first half of this year, with the first of the second pair due for delivery next year and the second in 2017. All four will be operated by Grupo Aéreo 8 at Lima-Callao.

UAE Looks at Super Tucanos The UAE has opened negotiations for possible procurement of 24 Embraer Super Tucano training and light attack aircraft following talks with Embraer and Brazil’s defence and external affairs ministries in Brazil in January. According to press reports, the UAE will donate some aircraft to Iraq while others will be used to train Iraqis in

Mexico’s Upgraded King Air 350 A King Air 350ER planned for anticrime and narcotics operations has been made ready for the Mexican Navy. It is fitted with an integrated sensor and communications package installed by US company Integrated Surveillance and Defense. Its on-board systems include the FLIR Systems Star Safire 380 HD and Ku-band satellite communications, IMT line-of-sight downlink and mission management and display systems. The aircraft is one of four King Airs being acquired by the Mexican Navy, although it is unclear whether there are any plans to convert any of the others to this configuration. David C Isby

the UAE. About six aircraft could be delivered at short notice to meet urgent UAE operational needs, although timings have not been stated. This could happen by transferring Brazilian Air Force aircraft as a loan and replacing them when new aircraft are produced, according to press reports. David C Isby

F-15I Thunder’s AESA Radar Twenty-five Boeing F-15I Ra’am (Thunder) aircraft, used operationally by the Israeli Air Force’s 69 Squadron at Hatzor Air Base, are to be upgraded. Work will include fitting a new radar system, most likely the US-built Raytheon APG-82(V)1 active electronically scanned array, together with other electronics. The F-15I has already previously been upgraded with conformal fuel tanks, Israeli-designed satellite communications and integrated with US and Israeli GPS/INS and other guided weapons. David C Isby

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

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Unmanned Aerial Systems

Anka Block B Flies

Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) Anka Block B mediumaltitude long-endurance UAV has made its first flight. TAI said the sortie included a wide degree

of autonomy, with the take-off, landing and much of the flight conducted automatically. Anka B is the second generation of the design and the production-

standard version. The Turkish military ordered ten Anka Block Bs in 2013. The aircraft features a HD electro optical/ infrared payload, including a laser

designator/laser rangefinder and synthetic aperture radar. It is also equipped with satellite communications and a data link. Mark Broadbent

TAI announced in February its Anka B MALE UAV conducted its first test flight on January 30. TAI

Orion’s Endurance Record

The Orion’s record-setting 80-hour flight was carried out as part of the US Air Force Research Laboratory Ultra Long Endurance technology demonstration programme. US Air Force

An Aurora Flight Sciences Orion diesel-powered medium-altitude UAV has set a new endurance record for a powered aircraft. It was airborne for 80 hours. The previous record, 30.4 hours, was set by an RQ-4 Global Hawk in 2001. The feat was announced in January but took place from December 5 to 8 above the Naval Air Station China

NEWS BY NUMBERS

1

JAPANESE RQ-4 FUNDING SECURED

Funding for the first of the Japanese Air Self Defense Force’s three Northrop Grumman RQ-4A Global Hawks was included in the fiscal year 2015 defence budget request. The first RQ-4A is scheduled to be operational in 2019. David C Isby

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Lake weapons ranges in California. The aircraft flew at between 4,500ft (1,371m) and 10,000ft (3,048m) with a 1,000lb (453kg) payload The Orion’s next ultra-long flight, scheduled for later this year, will aim to demonstrate 120 hours endurance at 20,000ft (6,096m), again with a 1,000lb payload. David C Isby

20,000 SINGLE REAPER COMBAT HOURS

The US Air Force’s General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper unmanned air vehicle with the highest number of flight hours passed the 20,000 mark as part of a 17-hour combat sortie over Afghanistan. It was the UAV’s 1,355th flight since it first flew on January 31, 2008. David C Isby

US Navy Delays UCLASS

Northrop Grumman’s X-47B UCAS-D launches from the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) in August 2014 during tests demonstrating its ability to operate safely and seamlessly with manned aircraft. US Navy

The US Navy has delayed the planned in-service date for the Unmanned Carrier Launched Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) aircraft by three years from fiscal year (FY) 2020 to FY2023, according to US Navy budget documents. Contractors working on responses to the UCLASS proposal – Boeing, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman – must now wait until the second quarter of FY2016 for the Department of Defense to issue the formal request for proposals. Revised contract award date is

Q2 FY2017 and the first flight for the winning aircraft is now planned for Q3 2020. That was the year when it was originally intended to achieve initial operational capability, but that will now only take place three years later. The USN’s FY2016 funding request for research and development for the UCLASS programme is US$135 million, down from the FY2015 request of $403 million. The Northrop Grumman X-47B UCAS-D has completed three carrier-based deployments to carriers to validate unmanned operations as part of the UCLASS programme. Mark Broadbent

Spain’s MALE Requirement The Spanish Air Force is looking to procure its first medium altitude long endurance remotely piloted aircraft systems. The US-built General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper is reportedly the leading candidate, with the Israeli-built Israel Aircraft

Industries (IAI) Heron TP/Eitan also under consideration. The Spanish Army and Navy have operated both American and Israeli-built small UAVs, the AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven and Boeing Insitu ScanEagle and the IAI Searcher Mk III J/Hugla. David C Isby

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

Business Aviation

Nextant G90XT King Air Flies Nextant Aerospace is test-flying its G90XT (N190XT c/n LJ-1066) twin turboprop, based on an upgraded Beechcraft King Air C90A. The G90XT has 750shp (559kW) General Electric H75100 engines in place of the C90A’s 550shp (410kW) Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6As, as well as Garmin G1000 avionics and new cockpit and cabin interiors. “The increased power was very noticeable during the take-off run,” reported test pilot Nathan Marker. “I was also impressed by the lower noise levels in the cockpit. The change in the position of the propellers relative to the fuselage combined with the new engines makes for a much quieter and more comfortable flight experience for passengers.” The flight test programme was expected to last around six weeks, with certification and first customer delivery expected in the second quarter. Mike Jerram

Piper Launches Meridian M500

Piper’s new Meridian 500 features Garmin G1000 avionics and a range of safety improvements from previous Meridian variants. Look out for an exclusive flight test of this innovative machine in next month’s AIR International. Piper Aircraft

Piper Aircraft has launched a new top-of-the-range Meridian M500 single-engine turboprop equipped with the latest avionics and enhanced safety features. The aircraft’s Garmin G1000 avionics suite features dual high-resolution 10in (254mm) primary flight displays and a 12in (305mm) multi-function display and upgraded software. There’s also a GFC700 autopilot with

an enhanced autopilot flight control system. Safety features include: electronic stability protection; under speed protection; coupled goaround; an expanded engagement envelope; autopilot auto-engage; and master caution, master warning, gear position and gear warnings. Further improvements include a digital pressurisation system, Aspen EFD-1000 standby

instrument, electroluminescent cockpit placards; a centrally located single audio panel, dual USB charging ports, and an optional GTS 825 Traffic Advisory System. A Garmin GSR-56 global satellite datalink iridium satellite transceiver is also optional. The M500 had a maximum cruising speed of 260kts (481km/h) and range of 1,000nm (1,852km). Mike Jerram

Boeing MSA Ready for Customer Demonstrations

Nextant’s G90XT twin turboprop is based on an upgraded King Air C90A, and features 750shp (559kW) General Electric H75-100 engines and Garmin G1000 avionics. Nextant Aerospace

The Boeing Maritime Surveillance Aircraft is based on Bombardier Challenger, with N614BA (c/n 5614) used for tests. Boeing

Production Citation Latitude Rolls Out

Cessna employees with the first production Citation Latitude outside the company’s Wichita, Kansas, facility. Cessna

Cessna has rolled out the first production Citation Latitude. The four development aircraft had logged 1,200 hours in 500 test flights at the time of the presentation. The Latitude features an all-new fuselage with a

flat floor and a 6ft (1.83m) high cabin in the widest fuselage of any Citation to date. It can accommodate up to nine passengers. The cabin is pressurised to maintain a 6,000ft (1,829m) environment at the aircraft’s

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

45,000ft (1,829m) maximum operating altitude. Its maximum range is 2,700nm (5,000km). Federal Aviation Administration certification is expected in the second quarter. Mike Jerram

Boeing’s Bombardier Challengerbased Maritime Surveillance Aircraft (N614BA, c/n 5614) is ready for demonstration flights, having completed ground and flighttesting of mission systems. Flights for prospective customers around the world are scheduled to begin in the coming months. Testing included hundreds of scenarios to confirm performance of the automatic identification system, radar, electro-optical/infrared camera, communications radios, data links, communications intelligence system and the electronic support measures. The MSA is a multi-intelligence maritime surveillance platform that builds on P-8A Poseidon and E-3 AWACS Block 40/45 mission systems to provide a high capability, low-risk intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platform in a mid-size business jet, the company says. Potential missions include antipiracy, immigration patrols, economic exclusion zone enforcement, coastal and border security and long-range search and rescue. Mike Jerram

AI.03.15

25

Commercial

Delta’s 242 Tonne A330 Flies

The first 242 tonne A330-202 F-WWYY (msn 1628), destined for Delta Air Lines, takes off from Toulouse. Airbus

The first Airbus A330 with the higher maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of 242 tonnes has flown. A330-302 F-WWYY (msn 1628) is now undergoing flight tests ahead of painting and delivery to Delta Air Lines in the spring. Its 242,000kg (533,519lb) MTOW compares to the A330-300’s standard

235,000kg (518,086lb). The 242t weight option was launched in 2012 and is part of Airbus’ strategy to incrementally improve the twin-jet. It is also available for the A330-200, which has a standard MTOW of 238,000kg (524,700lb). The 242t options have an extra

500nm (926km) range, enabling them to fly 6,100nm (11,300km) and operate city pairs the A330 hasn’t been able to serve before, such as London-Tokyo, Frankfurt-Cape Town and Beijing-San Francisco. They also offer a 2% fuel burn reduction from the baseline A330. Mark Broadbent

Atlantic’s Improved RNP-AR Faroe Islands national carrier Atlantic Airways has been cleared to use Required Navigation Performance – Authorisation Required (RNP AR) approach software with a transition to the instrument landing system. Atlantic’s Airbus A319s already used the Airbus ProSky RNP AR 0.1

procedure for landings at its Vágar Airport base, which is frequently affected by poor weather. The latest approval adds curved missed approach functionality. “Thanks to the new procedure, the weather minima compared to the conventional ILS have dropped by 225 feet and the RNP to ILS

approach is fully managed, under the autopilot mode, and with a seamless transition from the RNP AR approach to the ILS mode,” said Atlantic Airways captain Jóhan Í Niðristovu. The approval followed testing that involved the airline, Airbus and the Danish Transport Authority. Mark Broadbent

A321neoLR Launched

Airbus formally launched its A321neoLR with a memorandum of understanding for 90 examples from the Los Angeles-based Air Lease. The manufacturer disclosed last autumn it was working on the variant (see Long Range A321neo, December 2014, p28). The aircraft is targeted at the Boeing 757200W replacement market. The LR will have a 4,000nm (7,408km) range, enabling it to fly transcontinental and transatlantic routes currently plied by 757s. Airbus said the LR’s range will let airlines “tap into new markets which were not previously accessible with current single aisle aircraft”. Airbus confirmed the LR will have a 97,000kg (213,848lb) maximum take-off weight, up from the 93,000kg (205,030lb) in the baseline A321neo. The LR will be optimised for 206 passengers in a two-class layout (190 in economy, 16 in business class), up from the initial seating capacity of 164 suggested last year. The first deliveries are scheduled by 2019. Asked by AIR International about the A321neoLR’s potential impact on its 737 MAX 9, Boeing said the new Airbus “does not change the competitive landscape. The 737 MAX 9 is capable of flying farther than the A321neoLR with less auxiliary tanks”. Mark Broadbent

easyJet Refreshes Livery Cessna 208 Caravan VH-ZKB (formerly ZS-FSA) at Weston Airport, County Dublin, shortly after its transfer to the Australian register. Michael Kelly

Caravans Survey Ireland Two Cessna C208B Caravans operated by CGG Airborne Survey (formerly Fugro Airborne Surveys), have completed a four-month airborne geological research project in Ireland. The flights, over the counties of Roscommon, Longford and Westmeath, were part of the Geological Survey of Ireland (GSI)’s Tellus North Midlands project. The Caravans (ZS-FSA and ZS-SSA) also flew in adjacent areas of Mayo, Galway, Offaly, Kildare and Meath. The aircraft flew at low level

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(295ft/90m over the countryside, 787ft/240m over towns) with devices that measured the Earth’s magnetic field, gamma-ray spectrometry and electrical conductivity. The collected data will be used to manage peat resources, assist in mapping areas of radon gas and minerals and help in land management. After the survey was completed, the aircraft were transferred to the Australian register, with ZS-FSA becoming VH-ZKB and ZS-SSA re-registered VH-ZKG. Mark Broadbent

Low-cost carrier easyJet has introduced the first major change to its colours since the 1990s, with Airbus A319-111 G-EZDE (msn 3426) first to receive the carrier’s revised livery. The new colours will feature on all new deliveries from April 2015. In-service jets will receive the colours in scheduled re-paints. Twenty-nine aircraft will have the scheme by the end of the year and half of the fleet by 2017. easyJet

ATR’s Record YearATR said that with future production Franco-German turboprop manufacturer ATR secured record orders and deliveries last year. It secured commitments for 280 aircraft (160 firm orders and 120 options) and delivered 83 aircraft.

ramp-ups, 2015 should be another record year for deliveries and that it expects to exceed the 100 deliveries per year mark in 2016. Mark Broadbent

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

Commercial

MRJ Testing Milestones

From right to left: the first, second and third MRJ test aircraft in MITAC’s Nagoya factory. The fuselage of the fourth is in the background. MITAC

The Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation (MITAC) has started full-scale testing of the first Mitsubishi Regional Jet (JA21MJ, c/n 10001). One of

Tu-204s for Cosmonaut Training Russia’s space exploration agency Roskosmos is to lease two used Tu-204-300s from Ilyushin Finance for operation by Russia’s Cosmonaut Training Centre. One will be delivered later this year and the second in 2016. The 3.5 billion roubles contract for the aircraft includes training and logistics support. The Tu-204s will replace the Cosmonaut Training Centre’s Tu-134LK and Tu-154MLK and will provide the capability to fly non-stop from Moscow to the Vostochniy spaceport in Russia’s Far East. The Cosmonaut Training Centre operates 16 former Russian military aircraft for transport and zero-g training. The Tu-204-300s, both built in 2008, are two of the six examples formerly operated by Vladivostok Air for nonstop services from Vladivostok to Moscow and St Petersburg. They were withdrawn from use in 2013 when the airline ceased operations. Alexander Mladenov

the initial tests was a run-up of the aircraft’s starboard Pratt & Whitney PurePower PW1100G engine. Separately, wing upbending was carried out on

the static airframe used for ground-based strength testing. Assembly continues of the second flight-test MRJ, which has had its wings and body

joined and landing gear installed. The wing-body joint is under way on the third test aircraft and the fuselage has been completed for the fourth. Mark Broadbent

Repeat Chorus in Canada

Chorus Aviation’s Jazz Air unit will receive up to 23 Bombardier Dash 8 Q400s to replace its Dash 8 100s and 300s. Bombardier

Chorus Aviation has signed an amended capacity purchase agreement (CPA) with Air Canada that will see its Jazz Air unit continue to fly regional feeder services under the Air Canada

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

Express brand until 2025. Chorus has ordered 13 Bombardier Dash 8 Q400s (plus ten options) for the contract. These will replace the Dash 8 100s/300s used by Jazz currently, and operate alongside

CRJ200 and CRJ705 regional jets. Chorus plans to establish a new subsidiary, modelled on the low-cost Air Canada rouge, to operate the Dash 8 100s/300s. Mark Broadbent

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Commercial

Aeroflot’s Extra Superjets Aeroflot has signed a letter of intent for 20 more Sukhoi SSJ100 Superjets. The Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company (SCAC) said the “majority” of the aircraft will be delivered with 87 seats, including 12 in business class. The contract is a follow-on to the Russian flag carrier’s order for 30 SSJ100s, of which 16 have now been delivered. Those aircraft have a 98-passenger single-class configuration. Deliveries of the extra Superjets are scheduled for completion by 2017 Meanwhile, SCAC’s contract to deliver 24 SSJ100s to Russia’s UTAir, signed in 2013, has been frozen due to the airline’s financial problems. An unspecified number of aircraft have been produced and are currently stored at Zhukovsky. David C Isby

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KOREAN AIRLINERS SOLD Korean Air is to sell 44 airliners, mainly Boeing 747s, as it continues to reduce debt. The objective is to raise one trillion won ($924 million) by selling 12 aircraft in 2015, 18 in 2016 and 14 in 2017. David C Isby

92

E-JETS DELIVERED IN 2014 Embraer handed over 92 E-Jets last year, consisting of 62 E-175s, 19 E-190s, ten E-195s and one E-170. The Brazilian company won 149 E-Jet orders last year, taking the total family backlog to 459 (172 E-175s, 100 E-175 E2s, 65 E-190s, 60 E-190-E2s, 50 E-195E2s, seven E-195s and five E-170s). Mark Broadbent

NEWS BY NUMBERS

Boeing, Embraer’s Biofuel Research Boeing and Embraer have agreed to develop a sustainable aviation biofuel research centre at the São José dos Campos Technology Park, Brazil. The Boeing-Embraer Joint Research Center will work with Brazilian universities and other institutions to develop technologies associated with feedstock production as well as economic viability studies and processing technologies. Boeing Research & Technology-Brazil will collaborate with Brazil’s R&D community to design technologies for Boeing’s business units. Mark Broadbent

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January 30 January 30 February 5 Announced January 13

Key: LoI – Letter of Intent; MoU – Memorandum of Understanding. Compiled by Mark Broadbent

Another Oil Spill Response 727 T2 Aviation’s second Boeing 727-2SRF (G-OSRB, c/n 22929, ex N207FE and N480EC) leaving Manchester International Airport on February 4 bound for Doncaster-Robin Hood Airport in Yorkshire. The aircraft was painted by Air Livery into the house colours of Oil Spill Response, for which T2 will operate the aircraft alongside 727 G-OSRA. Rob Skinis

Honeywell Tests Voice Recognition Honeywell Aerospace is testing the use of voice recognition and gesture control for future flight decks. The Honeywell Innovative Prototyping Environment (HIPE) is designed to replace a

traditional multi-purpose control display unit with a tablet. A Honeywell statement said voice recognition could eliminate manual steps required for calling up commands or menus

used infrequently, “for which the crew might otherwise spend significant time searching”. The HIPE functionalities were tested on an Embraer E170. Mark Broadbent

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

Rotary Wing

Ospreys for COD

Tigre Number Three The Spanish Army’s third Tigre HAD (HA28-09-10010/‘ET-709’) at Almagro Ciudad Real on February 9 following delivery to BHELA I (Attack Helicopter Battalion I). The helicopter joins six Tigre HAPs and two Tigre HADs already at the unit, which will receive a total of 18 HADs and six HAPs. Roberto Yañez

The US Navy is to procure the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey for the carrier on-board delivery (COD) mission, with the first procurement dollars said to be included in the upcoming FY 2016 budget request. The procurement decision includes four Ospreys that had been intended for the US Marine Corps in the FY 2018-2020 requests. These will be replaced in later years. The total number of Navy Ospreys to be procured has not been announced. The navy has long had a notional requirement for V-22s for the COD mission, but until now they had never been included in the Department of Defense Future Years Defense Plan. Competitors for the COD mission included rebuilt Grumman C-2 Greyhounds and modified Lockheed S-3 Vikings, the latter taken from storage, as the type has been out of service for some years. David C Isby

AW169 Enters Series Production German NH90s Grounded The German ministry of defence (Bundeswehr) has grounded all NHI Industries NH90 helicopters until further notice. A Bundeswehr statement said this was because of a design error creating the potential for a possible short circuit in the fire-extinguishing system in the engine. Technical improvements need to be carried

8

INDONESIAN AH-64E APACHE GUARDIANS The first series production AW169 under assembly in Vergiate, Italy. There is a second final assembly line in Philadelphia. AgustaWestland

The first series production AgustaWestland AW169 helicopter is on the final assembly line at the company’s Vergiate, Italy facility. European Aviation Safety Agency certification and the first customer deliveries are expected in the second quarter. The flight test programme has involved four prototypes, which by early January had logged more than 1,200 flying hours in Italy, the UK and US. A second AW169 final assembly line is planned at

AgustaWestland’s Philadelphia plant in the US, while its Yeovil facility is producing rotor blades and the tail rotor transmission system. AW169 training systems being set up at AW’s Sesto Calende Training Academy in Italy include a level-D full flight simulator and maintenance trainer. More than 120 AW169s have been ordered for operations that include executive and private travel, air ambulance, law enforcement, offshore transport and utility roles. Mike Jerram

AW189s to the Falklands British International Helicopters/AAR Airlift will operate AgustaWestland AW189s under a ten-year contract for search and rescue missions (SAR) in the Falklands, starting in April 2016. They will replace RAF Westland Sea Kings based there,

which are scheduled to be withdrawn at the end of March next year. The first two AW189s will be delivered in October-November 2015 for training. AAR has ordered 11 AW189s to carry out contract SAR duties based in the UK. David C Isby

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

out before operational flights can be resumed, according to the MoD. The ministry said it expects NH Industries to solve the problems as soon as possible. Airbus, one of the major shareholders in NHI, later said Germany could resume NH90 operations. A statement said there was “no short-term airworthiness issue” with the type. Bob Fischer

NEWS BY NUMBERS

Indonesia has ordered eight Boeing AH-64E Block III Apache Guardians. The deal is worth US$295.8 million. Deliveries to the Indonesian Army Aviation are expected to be complete by February 28, 2018. The package consists of the AN/APG-78 Longbow radar and AGM-114R3 Hellfire anti-tank missiles. Indonesia will be the 14th operator of the Apache and the second in South East Asia. Chen Chuanren

7

BELGIAN A109S TO BE GROUNDED Seven Belgian Air Component Agusta A109BAs operated by 17 Squadron at Beauvechain will be grounded between April and June 2015 for budget savings and as a result of the reduction of annual flying hours from 4,000 to 2,800 per year. Their longterm future will be decided as part of the strategic defence plan due to be presented in the spring. Bob Fischer

5

MORE CH-47S FOR TURKEY

The Turkish government’s Defence Industry Executive Committee has ordered five more Boeing CH-47F Chinooks adding to the six signed for in 2011. Deliveries are scheduled to start in 2016. One of the new CH-47Fs is expected to be allocated to the presidential flight. David C Isby

160

AW189S FOR RUSSIA’S OIL INDUSTRY AgustaWestland will deliver 160 AW189s to Russian oil industry operator Rosneft over the next ten years. HeliVert, a joint venture between the Anglo-Italian manufacturer and Russian Helicopters, will be responsible for final assembly at its Tomilino facility near Moscow. The agreement includes maintenance and training for customers in Russia and CIS countries. HeliVert has been assembling AW139s since mid-2012. Mike Jerram

AI.03.15

29

Rotary Wing

Scottish Ambulance EC145T2s

Hkp15s in Anti-Piracy Operations

Swedish Armed Forces Hkp15B 15039/‘39’ arriving at Maritime Air Station De Kooy in the Netherlands, prior to its departure on board HNLMS Johan de Witt for its participation in Operation Atalanta. Kees van der Mark

The Swedish Armed Forces’ Helikopterflottiljen has deployed two naval versions of the Agusta A109E LUH (designated Hkp15B in Swedish service) as part of the country’s contribution to the European Union’s Atalanta anti-piracy operation off the Somalian coast in the Gulf of Aden. The Swedish contingent, comprising around 70 personnel and including

Slovakian Black Hawks? Slovakia has been offered a quantity of Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawks by the US Government, according to the country’s defence minister, Martin Givác. ˘ The Slovakian Air Force plans to replace its 14 Mil Mi-17s within six years, with the Slovakian MoD estimating 18 new tactical transport helicopters are needed. It plans to procure the aircraft in two stages, with nine aircraft in the first batch. The offer from the US is understood to cover nine UH-60Ms via the US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme. Givác˘ noted there are other procurement options, such as buying helicopters from AgustaWestland or Airbus Helicopters. AgustaWestland is known to have proposed to the Slovak MoD its AW139M model, a militarised version of its AW139 medium twin. The company has already expressed its willingness to co-operate with local industry on possible offset deals. Alexander Mladenov

two Stridsbåt 90H combat boats, operates from the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN) HNLMS Johan de Witt landing platform dock vessel, which left Den Helder harbour on January 24. The Hkp15Bs involved, 15038/‘38’ (c/n 13768) and 15039/‘39’ (c/n 13769), are used by Ronnebybased 3 Helikopterskvadronen.

They arrived at Maritime Air Station (MAS) De Kooy near Den Helder on January 14. Shortly after the Johan de Witt set off, Dutch Defence Helicopter Command/860 Squadron NH90 NFH N277 (c/n 1277/NNLN012) also embarked on the ship. The three helicopters and the ship will return to the Netherlands on May 29. Kees van der Mark

Bond Air Services has received the first of two Airbus Helicopters EC145T2s to be operated for the Scottish Ambulance Service. The second is due to arrive by the end of the first quarter. Bond will equip both helicopters with medical, night vision imaging and communication systems to make them fully functioning for day and night helicopter emergency services operations over water, to enable the Scottish Ambulance Service to reach island communities. The EC145T2s are scheduled to begin work in Scotland this summer. Mark Broadbent

Taiwan’s SAR UH-60s

The Taiwan MoD announced that 15 of its UH-60 Blackhawks will be used by the Ministry of Interior for the search and rescue missions to provide superior night and high-altitude performance over the Eurocopter AS365 Dauphins. David C Isby

Peruvian Navy Takes Dutch AB412s

Agusta AB412SP R-01 landing at Leeuwarden after performing flypasts during the 303 SAR Squadron disbandment ceremony. Kees van der Mark

The Dutch Ministry of Defence has sold the three former Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) 303 Search and Rescue (SAR) Squadron AB412SPs to the Fuerza de Aviación Naval (Peruvian Naval Aviation). The RNLAF’s sole dedicated SAR unit, which ceased operations on January 1, was disbanded on January 15 at its Leeuwarden home base during a ceremony attended by RNLAF commander Lt Gen Alexander Schnitger and Defence Helicopter

Command commanding officer, Air Cdre Jan-Willem Westerbeek. The Peruvian Navy’s acquisition of the AB412s, which entered RNLAF service in 1994 to replace four Sud Aviation SE3160 Alouette IIIs, was rumoured since last summer and was confirmed in the Peruvian press in late November. The AB412SPs are scheduled to enter FAN service in July, and they will be operated as SAR helicopters. They are currently undergoing maintenance

and repaint into a grey-red scheme at Agusta’s maintenance plant at Liège Airport, Belgium, before being shipped to Peru from Antwerp harbour. Arrival in Lima is scheduled for July 1. First to depart Leeuwarden for Liège, on January 6, was AB412SP R-03 (c/n 25641), followed by R-02 (c/n 25638) on January 12. R-01 (c/n 25630) made a short farewell flight during the disbandment ceremony and was the last to leave Leeuwarden, on January 21. Kees van der Mark

India Moves to Acquire Chinook and Apache According to local press reports, the Indian Defence Ministry is set to approach the Indian Cabinet Committee on Security for the acquisition of 15 Boeing CH-47F

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Chinook and 22 AH-64D Apache Longbow helicopters for the Indian Army. The deal was cleared by India’s Defence Acquisition Council

in August 2014 but be signed. Under agreement, the US$2.5 billion price guaranteed up to

has yet to the earlier reported tag will be March 31.

Indian sources suggest that the competition would have to be re-tendered if the contract is not signed by the end of March. Nigel Pittaway

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

Rotary Wing

Aussie EC135 T2+ Airborne

EC135 T2+ D-HECG, pictured at Donauwörth, Germany, is the first of 16 examples that will be delivered to the Australian Defence Force. Charles Abbarr/Airbus Helicopters

The first Airbus Helicopters EC135 T2+ for the Australian Defence Force (D-HECG, c/n 1179) has made its maiden flight from the manufacturer’s facility at Donauwörth, Germany. Fifteen EC135 T2+s are being acquired under Project Air 7000 Phase 7 and will be operated by

the Joint Helicopter School (JHS) at HMAS Albatross, near Nowra, to train Australian Army and Royal Australian Navy rotary wing pilots and crewmen. The bid for the project, also known as the Helicopter Aircrew Training System (HATS), was won by an

Amphibious Surion

The first marine version of the KAI Surion made its maiden flight from Sacheon on January 19. KAI

The amphibious version of the Korean Aerospace Industries KUH-1 Surion made its maiden flight on January 19. The variant has reportedly been under development since mid-2014,

for operation from the Korean Navy’s Dokdo class amphibious warfare vessels. A total of 200 Surions are already on order for the South Korean Army. Nigel Pittaway

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

industry team led by Boeing Defence Australia and based upon the EC135 T2+ platform. “We are thrilled to have reached such a fantastic milestone in only two months from contract signing last November,” commented Airbus Helicopters head of sales Asia Pacific, Peter Harris.

“This clearly demonstrates the commitment that we have towards supporting Boeing Defence Australia in meeting the ADF’s needs for training all combat helicopter aircrew or the RAN and Australian Army.” Initial operating capability for the project is due in late 2018. Nigel Pittaway

Botswana Police Buy Ecureuils

Botswana’s Police already flies three Ecureuils for law enforcement and these will now be joined by three more. Airbus Helicopters

Botswana has ordered three Airbus Helicopters AS350 B3e Ecureuils for its Police Air Support Branch. They will be customised to the Botswana Police Service’s specification, including night vision equipment, and will be delivered later this year. The manufacturer

will also train Botswanan pilots and mechanics. The Ecureuil is also in law enforcement service in Angola, Namibia and South Africa. Worldwide deliveries of the type now total 5,800, of which 4,900 are in service with around 1,800 operators in 120 countries. Mike Jerram

AI.03.15

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AIR International’s Mark Ayton reports from Edwards Air Force Base, California, on the current activity of the UK’s F-35 Lightning II operational test squadron

T

he RAF’s No.17(R) Squadron is a unit like no other. Based at Edwards Air Force Base in California’s Mojave Desert, it currently has one aircraft assigned and a staff of 60, 26 of whom are Royal Navy personnel. It is not big, even by contemporary UK standards. But is size important for the UK’s armed forces in a world beset with seemingly endless budget slashing and force reduction? Probably, but the folk assigned to 17 have plenty to keep them occupied without concern for the unit’s size. They are also in a privileged position

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because their kit is unlike anything the armed forces have ever owned before. What’s more remarkable is that the boss of 17 will alternate between an RAF Wing Commander and a Royal Navy Commander: a situation caused entirely by the joint nature of the UK’s F-35 programme. Since the latest chapter of 17’s history began in April 2013, squadron personnel have continued to arrive at Edwards to help stand-up the squadron. Unlike other F-35 squadrons on the wish list of the current Chief of the Air Staff, or indeed his successors, 17 will remain as the type’s test and evaluation squadron until the aircraft goes out of service in 2048. That’s the current plan, but nobody should be surprised

if that were to change. Once the RAF Typhoon operational evaluation unit, No.17(R) Squadron now forms part of the F-35 Joint Operational Test Team (JOTT). Its tenancy at Edwards is shared with the US Air Force 31st Test and Evaluation Squadron, a detachment from the US Marine Corps’ equivalent; Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 22 (VMX-22) ‘Argonauts’ and 323 Test, Evaluation and Standardisation Squadron of the Royal Netherlands Air Force. Officer Commanding No.17(R) Squadron, Wg Cdr Jim Beck, told AIR International: “We will remain at Edwards until we complete the Block 3 testing. At that point we will remain in the United States but at a location that has

UK F-35B LIGHTNING II MILITARY

Force; the staff of the F-35 JOTT based at the Californian super base. All UK members of the White Force are intrinsically part of 17 and assist with its day-to-day flight operations. Each service, the US Air Force, US Marine Corps, and the UK has a test director on the White Force board: the UK’s is Gp Capt Littlejohn.

Sovereign Capability The UK is the first nation to fly the F-35 under sovereign capability supported by its own IT infrastructure and access to the Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS) network. The UK-owned system at Edwards is linked to the US network through a robust fire wall

but allows sovereign ops, under UK Military Aviation Authority-endorsed regulations. So, for example, aircraft BK-01 is a UK-owned asset flown by UK pilots under UK legislation: a test permit endorsed by the UK F-35 project team at Abbey Wood near Bristol. The initial focus for 17 is to devise how the squadron flies the F-35 by building up the number of flight hours with BK-01 (and later BK-02) supported by its maintainers working to UK regulatory articles, so that they too build their own required understanding. “Once I’m happy with routine flying ops, we will move into early test, the first phase of an incremental build-up using a crawl, walk, run approach,” said Wg Cdr Beck. This is expected to take about six months.

AI.03.15

Richard VanderMeulen

yet to be confirmed. Our test aircraft cannot leave America, because they are fitted with US test equipment and instrumentation.” The UK currently has three F-35Bs operating in the United States. Two, BK-01 and BK-02, are orange-wired aircraft. The term orange-wired is a reference to the orange-coloured test equipment. The third jet, BK-03, is assigned to Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501 (VMFAT-501) ‘Warlords’ based at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort in South Carolina. A fourth, BK-04, is expected to join 17 as its third instrumented jet in the early part of 2016. In addition to core squadron personnel, there are a further 20 UK staff at Edwards. They make up the UK’s contingent of the White

35

MILITARY UK F-35B LIGHTNING II

Once the OC deems the squadron is working at a running pace he must declare that to the duty delivery holder. After the declaration is accepted, the team can embark on testing. Eventually aircraft BK-01 and BK-02 will undergo further modification to Block 2B standard but at different times so that at least one aircraft is on the squadron at Edwards. The third aircraft, BK-04 should arrive in Block 3i configuration ready to join the operational test programme. If like me you are wondering why the UK is starting its operational test campaign with Block 1B software (a load that will never reach the frontline), it’s because parts of Block 1B will never change. A sensor such as the AAQ-40 Electro-Optical Targeting System (which will eventually be evaluated as one system within the aircraft’s sensor fusion capability) will initially being evaluated on its own in an

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operational representative environment by the JOTT. During the first six months, 17’s pilots will focus on flying specific air tasking orders (ATOs) with their aircraft configured with Block 1B software. Tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) used at the initial stage have already been devised and drafted in a multi-national effort. “We have a UK derivative of those, an annex against it, which we own and are specific to us, because we [the UK] will operate the aircraft in some roles differently to other nations. One example is the requirement to be able to operate with Typhoon, for which we’ve got unique quirks, but predominantly we will use multi-national solutions,” said Wg Cdr Beck. The current UK annex is base lined against the aircraft’s lower G limit, but as further flight envelope clearance is received the

annex will be populated with either an initial script of what’s new or an update. “Once I’m content and declare that we’re in the run phase, then the JOTT will be able to issue a unique series of tests appropriate for the capabilities of the UK jets. So for example, close air support will probably be done quite early on because we have that capability,” Beck said. The Brits will be phased into the OT assessment in the mid-part of the year when the JOTT’s operational test plan is due to start: only initial parts of the assessment are currently being conducted. Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 22 (VMX-22) will be one of the busiest squadrons come the spring and early summer. It is charged with conducting those test elements required to meet the US Marine Corps’ IOC declaration, which is expected between July and December.

1

2

UK F-35B LIGHTNING II MILITARY Because the UK is also operating the F-35B STOVL variant, 17 and the UK’s Joint Lightning Force has a very close partnership with the US Marine Corps. All four of the UK’s current F-35 pilots were trained by VMFAT-501 at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida and have continued to fly their currency training with the unit which has now moved to Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort in South Carolina.

Test Procedures Describing the test procedures followed by the JOTT in full would be tedious for the reader. In short, the White Force is the office that sets all OT tasks to be flown by the squadrons. An air tasking order or ATO is issued for each test sortie, which will be conducted as a combat mission and in accordance with the ATO’s requirements.

3

develop their own nation-specific TTPs. This is a process that is very different to operational testing procedures in the UK, where the test and evaluation squadron pilots normally make their own assessment. This process offers transparency. There can be no fudging or deviation of interest. The resultant report is clear and concise stating whether the system met its requirements or not. There is no recourse. The concurrency used in the F-35 programme means the developmental and operational test plans are running in parallel. This allows the OT squadrons at Edwards to provide feedback about deficiencies and recommendations for potential improvements early on, and all in an operational context. UK pilots have already done this for enhancements deemed

British personnel to connect the UK SOU with the Autonomic Logistics Operating Unit: the ALIS mothership in Fort Worth, Texas. The system supports most activities on the squadron from supply, to maintenance, to flight planning, and ops. The Brits are currently running a UK version of ALIS 1.03.3A with a bespoke series of documents that reside in cyber space for UK personnel to use. The UK system is integrated into the global ALIS system via the CPE. That means 17’s localised network is linked to a bigger system that crypts everything into the global system administered by Lockheed Martin. British personnel use an ALIS training facility called the RSIT (Representative System Integration Test) based in Portsmouth at the Maritime Integration

1 Despite its allocation to No.17(R) Squadron, F-35B ZM135 (BK-01) will remain devoid of any squadron markings in accordance with the UK’s operational test criteria. Richard VanderMeulen 2 Artwork decorating the floor of the main F-35 hangar used by the four test squadrons assigned to the JOTT at Edwards. Cpl Neil Bryden/Royal Air Force 3 UK F-35B ZM135 (BK-01) taxies in from runway 22 at Edwards on its arrival at its new home: Edwards Air Force Base, California. Wg Cdr Dylan Eklund/Royal Air Force

Once the ATO is issued, the pilots involved attend a joint planning meeting to devise a solution giving consideration to the aircraft available and which ones can conduct the specific roles required. Tasks are then allocated to the individual lines in the formation, and to any other assets involved in the combined air operation. If the team opts for an eight-ship formation, that could involve a mix of four US Air Force and Royal Netherlands Air Force F-35As, and a similar mix of US Marine Corps and UK F-35Bs: a unique situation for a UK test team. On recovery to Edwards the pilots and engineers de-brief to the respective level of security classification available to them. All mission tapes are handed to the White Force for independent assessment. The tapes are held in a single repository with the associated nation-specific recommendations and alterations to its portion of the TTPs as originally drafted. “I don’t analyse the success or failure of the mission. All analysis is done by the White Force scientists, 10% of whom are funded by the UK. They determine whether we actually achieved our task, what the results were, and what the next steps should be,” said Wg Cdr Beck. The pilots do receive feedback to help

necessary for integrating the Paveway IV precision-guided munition on the F-35B.

ALIS Lockheed Martin’s Autonomic Logistics Information System, commonly referred to as ALIS, was described by one RAF member of 17 as a “massive change from how we do business in the UK” and the “heartbeat of the aircraft”. Billed as the F-35’s operations and management system, ALIS is fully integrated and provides the required operating and maintenance interface with the aircraft. It is also designed to be deployable in the field. Lockheed Martin has planned ALIS as an incremental capability, but has been forced to apply resources to address functionality issues uncovered by the test fleet to date. The most recent version (ALIS 1.03.3, the one currently being used by 17) was rolled out at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona, and in its early days has shown significant improvement, as the manufacturer and the F-35 Joint Program Office work towards ALIS 2.0.1, the version which will support US Marine Corps IOC later this year. The UK team at Edwards has its own ALIS system. This comprises of an SOU (standard operating unit) and a CPE (common point of entry) which is used by

Simulator Centre to rehearse day-to-day procedures. The RSIT is a simulator for ground crew. That’s a vital tool because they are not able to interact with the live, global ALIS system. Nor can anyone learn the intricacies of the system on the job because of the aviation safety requirements inherent when using ALIS to support flight operations. But the RSIT allows maintainers to create work orders and work through the required maintenance actions from the start to the end of the task including demanding spares, drawing tools and complying with UK regulations. On the live, global system, all postflight maintenance requirements are uploaded from the mission data recorded on the aircraft’s ‘brick’, the colloquial term for a flight data cartridge. Information downloaded from the ‘brick’ tells the maintainer what is wrong with the aircraft, provides the associated fault codes, and generates work orders from which the whole maintenance process is coded out. The maintainer can then use ALIS to order the required part or parts, and should receive notification of when it will arrive. The part will then appear on what maintainers call “the last mile”. This tells them that it’s ready for collection from the stores. Fitting the part or

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parts should close the work order. Once the maintainer is happy that the aircraft is fit to fly again, he can sign the jet off in ALIS.

ISR and Air Defence British personnel assigned to 17 said the UK Ministry of Defence is keen to exploit the F-35’s ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) capabilities not just for the benefit of the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, but also the British Army. Wg Cdr

Beck told AIR International: “Being able to process the sheer volume of information and package it, such that the army can use it, will be an incredibly important part of our operational test. That’s probably unique to the UK because we are so reliant on the few assets we have and will champion its alternate capabilities to most importantly, assist the army in its mission.” AIR International asked members of 17 whether air defence is a role the F-35 would 3

1 F-35B Lightning II ZM135 (BK-01) seen on take-off from Edwards on February 5 for a test mission flown under full UK legislation. Richard VanderMeulen 2 The serrated edges of the F-35B’s nozzle are clearly shown in this photo. 3 Wg Cdr Jim Beck loosens up his flight gear after the ferry flight from the East Coast to Edwards Air Force Base on January 13. Cpl Neil Bryden/Royal Air Force 4 OC No.17(R) Squadron, Wg Cdr Jim Beck is a former Tornado GR4 pilot who served with No.XI(B) and No.XIII Squadrons. Wg Cdr Dylan Eklund/Royal Air Force 5 F-35B Lightning II ZM136 (BK-02) was due to be delivered to Edwards Air Force Base in January. The aircraft is now expected at the Californian super base sometime in March.

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eventually assume in the UK. “It can do it. It’s a role we are evaluating, without question. We are looking at how fourth-fifth gen integration can assist the Typhoon Force with its threats. The Typhoon Force has conducted a lot of interoperability work with F-22 Raptors, the results from which are held as a precursor of what the F-35 can deliver. Some of the F-35’s radar capabilities are similar to those of the F-22 so in terms of air defence it’s got a role. Is it going to do it stand-alone? Who knows, but 4

what it offers the Typhoon Force is massive,” said one officer. During the High Rider exercise later this year, No.41(R) Squadron, the RAF Typhoon test and evaluation unit, is expected to undertake a further interoperability trial with the UK’s F-35Bs based at Edwards. Wg Cdr Beck outlined the work already being undertaken with the Royal Navy for F-35B ship integration and first-in-class sea trials onboard the HMS Queen Elizabeth: half of which will require flight operations from the ship. The squadron’s work with the navy also supports the generation of 809 Naval Air Squadron (NAS). Currently 809 NAS is scheduled to be the UK’s F-35 Operational Conversion Unit, but not as a standalone unit. It will be intrinsically linked with No.617 Squadron, and in part be a second operational unit. Both squadrons will be equally manned by Royal Navy and Royal Air Force officers. On February 9, the Ministry of Defence marked the UK’s sovereign capability to fly the F-35 with an event at Edwards Air Force Base attended by Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Andrew Pulford. The occasion was also used to mark the centenary of 17(R) Squadron with a parade supported by the band of the US Marine Corps. The squadron was originally formed at Gosport, Hampshire, on February 1, 1915 equipped with Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2e fighters: one hundred years and 8.1 million source lines of code apart.

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Trials, Typhoons, World Firsts

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AIR International’s Mark Ayton details recent Typhoon trials conducted by No.41(R) Squadron based at RAF Coningsby

aval Air Weapons Station China Lake is located in the Western Mojave Desert, 150 miles northeast of Los Angeles in California. It’s an ideal location for the testing of weapons: the primary mission of the base since World War Two. The RAF’s Air Warfare Centre deploys No.41(R) Squadron to China Lake on an annual basis to conduct trials

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with Typhoon FGR4s and Tornado GR4s. Last year’s autumn detachment involved four Typhoon FGR4s which arrived at the Californian base on September 23 for a fourweek stay. The squadron conducts developmental and operational test and evaluation roles (DT&E and OT&E) for the Tornado GR4 and Typhoon FGR4. Last September’s deployment was for exercise High Rider 14-3 which involved the DT&E of P1EB, the latest software load for Typhoon Tranche 2 and individual trials of four Typhoon systems:

• Integration of P1EB in the air-to-surface

role including release of Paveway IV Mk2 precision-guided munitions • AIM-120C5 AMRAAM missile • Defensive Aids Sub-System (DASS) • Link 16 data link interoperability with the F-35B Lightning II

UK Trials Before the US deployment started, No.41 Squadron led an eleven-month service release proposal trial of P1EB in the UK under the auspices and regulations of BAE

MILITARY TYPHOON FGR4 Systems at Warton, Lancashire. But that trial was not a straightforward process because in October 2013 when 41 first started work on P1EB it was a developmental software load and not released to service. This meant that RAF pilots serving on 41 had to fly the necessary service release proposal trials using Typhoon T3 ZK303/‘AX’ (c/n BT017), an RAF aircraft currently operated by BAE Systems and flown from Warton in the markings of No.41(R) Squadron. Trials included the evaluation of P1EB’s utility for the Quick Reaction Alert role and employment of the Paveway IV precisionguided munition. The former involved QRA-style start-ups, shut-downs, launches and assessment of readiness times from a hardened aircraft shelter at RAF Coningsby. The eleven-month service release proposal trial culminated with the release of two inert Paveway IVs on the Aberporth range. RAF Typhoon test pilot Flt Lt Duncan Forbes and a 41 Squadron colleague dropped the first Paveway IV off a P1EB aircraft at the end of the trial. The work undertaken up to the summer of 2014 led to P1EB’s release to service, which allowed part of 41 to deploy to NAWS China Lake for exercise High Rider 14-3. While High Rider was under way further inert Paveway IV drops were performed from Warton by 41 Squadron Typhoon evaluator pilot Flt Lt Andrew Mallery-Blythe. These included the first double weapon drop in which two Paveway IVs were released simultaneously off aircraft BT017 at Aberporth on October 7, 2014. One interesting fact about the weapon trials came about by coincidence. The first double drop at Aberporth was followed a few hours later by the first live multiple Paveway IV release from a 41(R) Squadron P1EB aircraft at China Lake: two world firsts on the same day.

DASS High Rider test flying began with the DASS trial using defensive techniques against various missile systems on China Lake’s Echo Range. This involved the latest Tranche 2 DASS standard and the towed radar decoy. Flt Lt Mallery-Blythe described the DASS as world class: “It’s the most mission data intensive system on the aeroplane. As a result there’s a huge team writing the mission data files to enable the aircraft to counter real-world threats.” Prior to the Typhoon being equipped with a common defensive aids computer (or DAC), each Tranche of aircraft required its own mission data set: a situation that stretched the capacity of the team responsible for supporting each base standard. High Rider 14-3 was not the first time that 41 Squadron had tested the common DAC, but a major part of evaluating the latest DASS standard on the deployment was to ratify the system and make sure it was performing the way it was supposed to. It also ratified coordinator countermeasures (CCMs) which automates dispensation of chaff and/or flares and the use of electronic countermeasures for the pilot. Historically RAF fighter pilots have had to do this manually. That meant simultaneously recognising the threat system, manually flying the appropriate manoeuvre, dispensing expendables and running

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A double release of Paveway IV Mk2s. The first weapon with post-impact short delay fusing has just hit a horizontal board target to the rear of the 4 x 4 vehicle but has not yet detonated. The second weapon struck the ground around 1m behind the vehicle but totally destroyed it. 41 Squadron/Royal Air Force

TYPHOON FGR4 MILITARY other countermeasures all in a busy hostile environment. Thanks to CCMs, Typhoon now has an audio warning that tells the pilot to manoeuvre, and a green arrow appears in the head-up-display (HUD) guiding the pilot through the optimum sequence of manoeuvres to defeat the threat. CCMs also dispense chaff and/or flares and use electronic countermeasures automatically and simultaneously to defeat the threat. “It’s incredible – it relieves a lot of [the pilot’s] capacity because it’s attention getting and very compelling. No pilot is going to miss the big green arrow and the audio warning: his priority at that moment in time is defeating the system that is trying to shoot him down,” said Flt Lt Mallery-Blythe. Like the other three trials, the one for DASS was conducted incrementally building the complexity of each sortie. The trial started by using a clean Typhoon, with no weapons loaded, to perform manoeuvres against surface-to-air missile threats, dispensing chaff, conducting jamming and using the towed radar decoy. This was repeated with different bomb load configurations and finally a full air-to-air weapon load comprising six AMRAAMs, two ASRAAMs and fuel tanks. Pilots who flew DASS sorties from China Lake found the manoeuvres presented by the CCM increased the survivability of Typhoon by a significant amount, compared with legacy aircraft types. The RAF test team alternated DASS sorties with those flown for the Paveway IV trial. By using this procedure, 41 Squadron’s team was able to analyse results, rectify any faults and prepare for the next sortie for both systems.

Paveway IV Both the DASS and Paveway IV trials involved a series of sorties each of incremental complexity. In the case of Paveway IV the procedure ensured the team had sufficient time to use the analysis and any rectification to ensure that the next weapon release profile was safe to conduct. The profiles of the US weapon releases

were far more complicated than those conducted in the UK, and incorporated the helmet-mounted display and laser designation pod, and also assessed IMUonly, and GPS-only guidance. The first release involved a single weapon guided by GPS to a static target. The next weapon profiles incorporated laser guidance with the helmet-mounted display being used to identify and mark the targets. “The pilot marked the target, generated his own coordinates and set up the attack with them. We then increased the complexity further by using IMU-only guidance to simulate a GPS-denied environment, and extended the weapon’s time-of-flight beyond the accuracy recommendations to asses s the effectiveness of the weapon. We were fairly impressed with the results,” said Flt Lt Forbes. The Paveway IV Mk2 used at China Lake is equipped with an inertial measurement unit (IMU) with its own navigation system. It is designed for use in a battle space in which GPS is unavailable. During some of the China Lake tests the laser and GPS modes were taken out of the loop so the bomb’s guidance was solely dependent on the IMU. “We then conducted a high altitude and fast release flying close to 40,000 feet and at a high Mach number using GPS-only guidance. The Paveway IV time of flight during this profile was considerably longer than anything previously tested. It flew a long way and its impact point was spot on. The result was an excellent demonstration of the aircraft’s air-to-surface potential,” he added. It was the highest and longest drop ever done with Paveway IV, much higher and longer than earlier trials flown with the Harrier GR9 and Tornado GR4. The culmination of the trial involved multiple releases, simultaneously dropping two and later four Paveway IVs using GPSguidance to four targets. Flt Lt Forbes explained: “We changed the impact fusing with different delays and the height of burst function with different heights above the target, to evaluate the weapon effects. We also tried to vary the impact velocity by bringing the weapon in at slow or high speed and from different altitudes,

Above: A single Paveway IV Mk2 strikes a Toyota Landcruiser 4 x 4 vehicle at an impact angle of 50º. Left: The remnants of a 4 x 4 vehicle after a Paveway IV strike. 41 Squadron/Royal Air Force

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DEFENSIVE AIDS SUB SYSTEM (DA SS) Eurofighter’s defensive aids sub-system (DASS) was created specifically for the Typhoon. DASS is an integrated internal electronic warfare suite which provides comprehensive protection against infrared missile and threat radars using a set of self-defence sensors and countermeasures systems positioned at different locations around the aircraft (see below). DASS is integrated with all of the other avionics subsystems and the cockpit display which has a dedicated format giving a plan view of the battle space showing the pilot any threats around the aircraft. The system is data driven and automated. It reduces the pilot’s work load by displaying what threats are in the battle space, how much of a risk each one poses to his or her aircraft and provides automated cues for countermeasures. Mission data uploaded into DASS adapts the system’s behaviour in response to particular threat systems predicted to be in the battle space and also adapts to any modifications made to those threat systems. It is logical to assume that DASS also records threat data but no confirmation of this was forthcoming from BAE Systems.

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CAPABILITIES

The system provides spherical 360° coverage, detecting and evaluating single or multiple threats at maximum range. Threat location is gained using a high-accuracy direction-finding system which calculates and displays the zones of lethality and then automatically activates appropriate countermeasures. DASS thereby makes a vital contribution to the pilot’s situational awareness. The overall system is controlled by a dedicated defensive aids computer (DAC) and interfaces with other avionic sub-systems providing a fully-automated capability to detect, analyse and respond to any threat, even in environments with the highest threat density. The DAC is housed in the avionics bay. Proven clutter-rejection techniques are used to ensure an exceptionally low false-alarm rate. DASS is fully user-programmable. At national level this ensures complete control of the electronic warfare (EW) software library content, and the best exploitation of mission data. This will facilitate future growth and promises to keep Typhoon viable throughout its service life. Differences in mission data make a massive difference to the capability of Typhoons operated by different nations. The

RAF takes mission data especially seriously, so much so that its data has been described as being ‘head and shoulders’ above that of other Eurofighter users.

SENSORS AND COUNTERMEASURES

DASS has electronic surveillance measures (ESM) antennas rated for high pulse-density environments and electronic countermeasure (ECM) jammers housed in the wing tip pods together with forward and aft-staring compact high-sensitivity laser warning and an active missile approach warning (MAW) system. The MAW uses pulse-Doppler technology and is based around three MAW sensors, one in each wing root to give forward coverage and one in the rear fuselage. Because these are active systems they can detect passive weapons such as infrared-guided shortrange missiles as well as radar-guided missiles. The laser warning system is a national fit item and one that has been selected by the RAF. DASS incorporates an RWR (radar warning receiver) system with Super Heterodyne (SuperHet)-based wideband receivers. These are located in the port wingtip pod (front and rear) and within the fuselage, giving full 360°

cov The disp and RF j can off b man The acti boa two whi ECM to ja set TRD both be o env FGR Arie a 10 opti The com

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coverage in azimuth and elevation. The electronic countermeasures (ECM) system displays threat information on the cockpit displays and controls a range of coherent and non-coherent RF jamming and expendable options. The system can automatically actuate the most suitable on or off board response to the given threat, and can be manually overridden by the pilot. The ECM system includes onboard phased array active jammers, and an innovative active off board countermeasures sub-system including two expendable towed radar decoys (TRD) which sit in the right hand wing tip pod. The ECM jammer works in conjunction with the ESM to jam a large spectrum of different airborne and set radars but has no electronic attack capability. TRDs have been successfully deployed at both subsonic and supersonic speeds and can be operated throughout the Typhoon’s flight envelope. The TRD in use with RAF Typhoon FGR4s is a derivative of BAE Systems’ proven Ariel TRD and deploys from the wingtip pod on a 100m (300ft) Kevlar cable containing a fibreoptic link and a separate power distribution line. The DAC’s techniques generator sends commands to the decoy’s RF emitter down the

fibre-optic cable. Passive countermeasures include SAAB Technologies’ BOL-500 integrated chaff dispensers housed in both the wing tip and weapon pylons, and integrated flare dispensers housed in the actuator fairings underneath the wing. These can be activated manually by the pilot, automatically by the DAC or by the MAW sensors. 6

OPERATING MODES

DASS operates in three different modes: fully automated, pilot selectable pre-programmes and fully manual. The level of autonomy will depend on what kinds of responses are programmed in for particular threat systems which are based on the information provided by the intelligence community. The pilot has the ability to configure how automated responses work, for example he or she can force a particular type of response, conserve resources or invoke a different one to what is programmed. If, for example, the pilot wants to combine expendable chaff and flares with an electronic countermeasure, the system will automatically assess the resources available on board and select accordingly. Alternatively the pilot can also cancel any automated response.

1 Typhoon FGR4 ZK332/’EB-J’ on take-off from RAF Coningsby. Paul Ridgway 2 ZK332 on take-off from Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, California loaded with four live Paveway IVs. No.41(R) Squadron/Royal Air Force 3 Twoseater Typhoon ZK303/’AX’ BT017 at low-level in the Mach Loop in north Wales carrying two inert Paveway IVs. Neil Dunridge 4 Typhoon FGR4 ZK332/’EB-J’ loaded with four Paveway IVs at low-level in California. Peter Foster 5&6 Typhoon FGR4 ZK339/’EB-B’ at low-level in a canyon in California. Richard VanderMeulen

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MILITARY TYPHOON FGR4 impact angles and release ranges from the target. The variety of different options tested was as much as was possible with the number of weapons dropped.” In addition, the aircraft at China Lake also had the latest standard of Paveway IV software which gave an improved weapon guidance capability. “The results from the trial showed that the integration of P1EB and Paveway IV on Typhoon in 19 different complex attacks was successful,” opined Flt Lt Forbes. Another notable aspect of the Paveway IV trial is that some of the releases were conducted by pilots from No.1(F) Squadron based at Lossiemouth, the first frontline unit to receive P1EB, and the Typhoon STANEVAL flight from Coningsby. Target coordinates and laser designation was performed using Litening III targeting pods loaded with version 2.75 software that is compatible with P1EB on Tranche 2 aircraft. The new software load provides the pilot with additional information fed from the pod to make it easier to quickly aim the laser in the correct place and go through the required menus to generate coordinates. Explaining the evaluation Flt Lt Forbes told AIR International: “We had to make sure the new software load would still enable us to self-generate very accurate coordinates with our own laser and prosecute an attack using GPS-only guidance against those coordinates. Analysis is still ongoing but the results are looking favourable.” In addition to the Paveway IV trial, the squadron undertook other kinetic sorties, launching AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles over the Pacific Ocean.

of the missile’s flight; the launch, the midcourse guidance phase and the active terminal phase, and to uncover any errors or anomalies in any stage of guidance. The double shot was specifically designed to challenge the radar’s ability to maintain track on two manoeuvring targets and also continue data linking throughout the midcourse guidance phase. The two targets were flying at slightly different altitudes below 5,000 feet, and the missiles were launched within ten seconds of each other. Flt Lt Mallery-Blythe told AIR International: “It was a challenging and changing profile, for which the radar dealt with the scenario and successfully guided one AMRAAM to each target.” One software anomaly was uncovered during the first single shot firing, which led to the AAVI missile being detonated by mission control. Prior to the next shot three days later, the team was able to tweak mission data to fix the problem. All three of the subsequent shots were successful. The AMRAAM trial also evaluated the latest version of the Typhoon radar’s software known as TSP 2.0, and new HUD symbology associated with the AIM-120C5 missile. Combining the new cockpit displays available with P1EB software and the new HUD symbology presents a more accurate representation of employment of an AMRAAM missile. The symbology was verified as accurate during High Rider 14-3.

F-35 Interoperability The fourth trial involved interoperability between an F-35B Lightning II and Typhoons using the Link 16 Multifunctional Information Distribution System which is common to both types. The test team primarily evaluated the data link by getting both aircraft onto the same network and linking to each other. The trial also evaluated the compatibility of the message formats that each aircraft type was capable of sending over the link. There were two such trials in 2014. The first was undertaken between a Tranche 1 Typhoon and an F-35B during High Rider 14-1 in the spring. The second followed in High Rider 14-3 between an F-35B and a P1EB Typhoon equipped with the associated improvements to MIDS when more message formats were found to be compatible. Data gathered is being used to make all versions of Typhoon more compatible with other allied types and the F-35. The trial data is also being used to align the two platforms more closely on the data link for the next version of MIDS software. The F-35B used in both the spring and autumn trials was provided by the 461st Flight Test Squadron ‘Jesters’ based at nearby Edwards Air Force Base.

AMRAAM The AMRAAM trial was an end-to-end test of the P1EB software undertaken to make sure there were no unexpected anomalies or errors in the system. It involved firing four AMRAAM Air Vehicle Instrumented missiles: two single shots and one double shot against two targets. These were the first AMRAAM shots conducted with P1EB. All three sorties were flown from China Lake and each missile was launched in the 36,000 square mile (92,000km2) Pacific sea range controlled by Naval Base Ventura County at Point Mugu in California. Each AMRAAM was fired at a Northrop Grumman BQM-74E drone precisely positioned by time and speed so that the missile achieved the various stages of guidance at the correct place. The Typhoon’s positioning was equally important so that the missile was launched from the correct point to facilitate the various stages of guidance to be achieved at the correct positions. “We used the aircraft’s navigation system to make sure we were at the launch point to the nearest second and precisely at the correct range from the target, because that was the test point under evaluation,” explained Flt Lt Mallery-Blythe. He added: “It’s not as simple as it would be to fire the missile operationally, but it’s more straightforward firing missiles at Point Mugu than the Hebrides or Aberporth because the available safety trace [the area assigned to the test] is bigger.” The two single shots, flown at medium level, were designed to evaluate all aspects

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OPEVAL

One of the first single release Paveway IV Mk2s was targeted against a horizontal board target. 41 Squadron/Royal Air Force

At the end of its four-week stay at China Lake the test team moved to Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada to conduct the operational evaluation of P1EB. Their host was Air Combat Command’s resident 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron. Two missions were flown each day with the US Air Force squadron. One was a large force employment exercise with F-15C Eagles, F-15E Strike Eagles, F-22 Raptors,

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F-35A Lightning IIs and the second was a smaller close air support sortie with A-10C Thunderbolt IIs and F-16C Fighting Falcons. In the large missions flown with F-22s and F-35As, the Typhoon pilots were able to use the battle space picture generated and linked to them by a ground-based command and control station to interoperate with the fifthgeneration fighters. The primary role evaluated at Nellis was self-escort which involved dropping inert Paveway IVs to once again test the precision air-to-surface capability provided by P1EB, this time in an operationally representative scenario. “We tried to escort ourselves to a target area, drop bombs on targets and fight our way out of an area that was defended by enemy surface-to-air and air-to-air threats, all in the presence of electronic attack,” explained Flt Lt Mallery-Blythe. The broader objective was to evaluate all of the different components gained with P1EB, generate data for each one and make detailed observations of each system in isolation. Flt Lt Mallery-Blythe told AIR International: “OPEVAL is an opportunity to throw everything together and operate the aeroplane as a frontline pilot would during high intensity warfighting and try to see where the holes are.” The team, which included its own analysts, was able to quickly determine the root cause of a problem as it arose, and either fix the problem, determine a potential procedural work around, or change tactics to avoid it. This approach represents a traditional OT&E effort, which affects how the systems will actually be used, and determine front line tactics and what can be entered into the mission data.

More on P1EB The software load evaluated by 41 Squadron at China Lake and Nellis will remain in testing with the unit for a minimum of two years simply because it’s the baseline standard for the RAF’s frontline Tranche 2 aircraft until P2E

Above: A single Paveway IV Mk2 strikes a M110 203mm self-propelled Howitzer. Top right: The M110 Howitzer after a direct hit. Both the vehicle chassis and the gun barrel were severed in half. Right: An M60 Patton main battle tank was used to assess the effect of the Paveway IV Mk2 on an armoured type of target. All images 41 Squadron/Royal Air Force

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A single Paveway IV Mk2 set to airburst. The target is the traffic cone beneath it. The ghost image is an internal reflection from the camera lens ca

arrives, which is currently expected in 2018. There are two further strands of improvement yet to be made to P1EB. The main one, known as P1EB Further Work, will incorporate a number of the fixes to problems discovered during development or on the individual system trials at China Lake and the OPEVAL at Nellis. And the reason that further work and enhancements are required is because of the compressed timeline put in place to enable

P1EB to be released to service by 2015: not everything could be completed to achieve that date. Commenting on the current Tranche 2 Typhoon, Flt Lt Mallery-Blythe told AIR International: “It’s now verging on being an effective swing-role aeroplane and the only reason it’s not is the lack of clearance to take Paveway IV supersonic. It can swing very effectively from air interdiction into offensive counter air or air defence, but it is not quite

as capable an air defence aircraft when carrying bombs. That’s only because we haven’t expanded the speed envelope for carrying Paveway IVs. That work is being planned as a high priority. Once we get that, it will be virtually unimpeded as a swing-role aeroplane in either role.” It’s worth remembering the design philosophy of Typhoon which has always required full carefree handling throughout the entire envelope, so the pilot has the ability

PAVEWAY IV Many variants of the Paveway family remain in service with the United States, the UK and other Allied nations. But guiding a bomb with a laser becomes ineffective when the target is obscured by cloud and sometimes dust. Those limitations have been overcome by installing an inertial measurement unit (IMU) on Paveway weapons to provide an all-weather, day-night guidance capability. In addition to the IMU a system called GAINS or GPS-aided inertial navigation, which measures the bomb’s orientation during its flight, provides a GPS-feed to remove any drift out of the IMU. GAINS was first installed on Raytheon’s 1,000lb (454kg) Enhanced Paveway II bomb, which entered RAF service in 2001. This was the first bomb to be employed in combat by Typhoon FGR4s over Libya during Operation Ellamy in 2011. In 2006, the UK Ministry of Defence issued a systems requirement document for a bottoms-up weapon under a project called Precision Guided Bomb. Raytheon won that competition with its 500lb (227kg) class Paveway IV, which was developed specifically for the MoD’s requirements. The RAF’s lead platform for Paveway IV was the Harrier GR9, when it entered frontline service in Afghanistan in November 2008.

COMPONENTS

A Paveway IV weapon comprises various components, and from front to tail these are a laser detector, colloquially called the birdie head, which sits on two floating gimbals and tends to droop. The detector aligns to the wind which is the velocity vector of the weapon. When the weapon is falling, but pulling an angle of attack, the detector is always staring at the target. The next component aft of the detector is the cowling that fits over the GAINS, which is part of the ECCG (enhanced computer control group), and then there’s the CAS (control actuation system), a pneumatically driven system (powered by gas) that gets charged immediately after release from the aircraft. The system comprises a series of solenoids that operate the canards. This form of CAS is referred to as a bang-bang control. On receipt of a control command a solenoid opens and pressurises the canards which bang into the required position. When the control command is complete the solenoid is closed and the canards return to their trail position. The moving canards displace and drive the pitch, at a given number of degrees per second, to steer the weapon as it works through the guidance loop. Because the CAS uses a minimum number of parts (a gas bottle, a couple of valves and piping) the weapon’s guidance is very reliable. Aft of the ECCG is the warhead, the main part of the weapon, which forms its primary structure. Developed specifically for Paveway IV, the warhead has two main features; the capability to penetrate hardened targets, such as bunkers, and is ‘insensitive’ to fire and bullets. In the event that the bomb ignites in an accident situation it will burn out and neither detonate or fragment thanks to its capability to vent. Positioned immediately behind the warhead is the fuse made by Thales Missile Electronics in Basingstoke.

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ELECTRONIC FUSE

The fuse was designed to withstand the forces imposed upon the bomb when penetrating a hardened target, which is why it contains no mechanical moving parts. Consider the physics of a small firing pin and how it would become a big mass when suddenly subjected to 40,000g of force. So the design of the fuse allows it to survive the same penetration and force as the warhead. It continues to function throughout the delay used in post-impact detonation. Paveway IV is the first air-to-surface weapon on which the guidance section and the fuse have been fully integrated and the two communicate with each other throughout the bomb’s flight to the target. Without this ‘smart’ fuse the weapon’s different modes of operation can’t be selected and adjusted by the pilot.

COMBAT AIR CONTROL

Paveway IV was designed as a combat air control weapon. This means the bomb can be employed to suit the conditions of different targets during the mission. Target information can be entered into the aircraft’s stores management system ready for release. What’s more, a Paveway IV can be employed using one of three detonation modes:

• High order burst, which allows the altitude at which the bomb detonates above the ground to be selected.

• Point impact where the bomb detonates on impact. • Post-impact delay in which the bomb detonates a set time after it has penetrated the target.

The pilot can select any of the modes while airborne. For example if he or she is directed to a target area and the forward air controller calls for a strike using high order burst, that’s the mode selected for releasing the weapon. In a strike using high order burst detonation, the guidance section knows the bomb’s exact orientation and speed throughout its flight to the target. Even flying a different trajectory than pre-planned, the guidance section corrects for that, the bomb comes through a set point, the half antenna signals to the fuse with the time remaining, the fuse counts down and detonates on command. The pilot doesn’t have to worry about the timing because the weapon does that for him, all he selects is the preferred mode and the time in milliseconds required. Paveway IV is also capable of coming in to the target at a specified impact angle from 30 to 90° and on a particular impact heading. But the launch aircraft has to be in a given position in the sky, so Paveway IV automatically generates a LAR (launch acceptability region) by constantly calculating a set of algorithms that replicate a six degree of freedom model. The weapon uses its position and the target location, the target constraints input by the pilot, and the attack orientation to calculate an in-range LAR and an in-zone LAR. Both are projected in the HUD to show the pilot his or her position relative to the LARs and when he is in

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camera lens caused by the brightness of the detonation. In airburst mode the altitude at which the bomb detonates above the ground can be selected.

to do pretty much anything with the throttle and stick and the aircraft will look after itself. Currently the pilot can pull full-back on the stick and the aeroplane won’t overstress by pulling too much G and gives warnings if it senses that the maximum airspeed will be exceeded. “That’s a philosophy that we’re reluctant to move away from because historically pilots had to manually observe limits. This consumed much needed attention which now in Typhoon can be used

for other things,” said Flt Lt Mallery-Blythe. The work involved in creating a supersonic clearance for Paveway IV is considerable because every corner of the envelope will have to be fully explored, which requires a lot of sorties. With P1EB now released to service, justification for supersonic Paveway IV has been reached and is likely to go ahead. But that’s in the coming years. Right now what’s to be commended is the cutting edge work carried out with

four P1EB-configured RAF Typhoon FGR4s by members of No.41(R) Squadron. In six weeks the team evaluated the huge developments made to the aircraft’s DASS, undertook interoperability with an F-35B Lightning II, fired the first AMRAAMs from a P1EB aircraft and achieved the first drop, the first IMU-guided release, the highest and furthest drop and the first multiple drops all with Paveway IV. World-first results from a world-class squadron.

WAY IV

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range to release and hit the target. The aircraft has to be within the in-range LAR for the weapon to reach the target. The release position can be from anywhere within the area for the weapon to strike the target but not necessarily to the constraints input by the pilot. If the bomb is released in the in-zone LAR the weapon will reach the target and achieve the constraints (impact angle and heading angle) input. Interestingly, the LAR is generated by the weapon and not the aircraft. The weapons algorithm is embedded in the aircraft’s flight control system. The aircraft decides which algorithm to use (weapon or aircraft), both are available all of the time.

STABILITY AND LIFT

One further component that warrants coverage is the tail plane or tail planes which provide stability and lift for the weapon. Each tail plane (of four) opens slowly to ensure that adjacent stores are safely cleared, and then swings open to a fixed position and locks.

ANTENNAS

Paveway IV has two sets of antenna; one HOB (high order burst) and one GPS fitted to the bomb’s fuselage. The antennas provide connectivity throughout the weapon’s flight time to the target. If the guidance system needs to roll the bomb in flight, at least one of the two antennas (HOB or GPS) will always point to the sky to maintain the link.

LASER, BWAM AND SAASM

The Paveway IV is always given GPS coordinates for the target, the position it heads to immediately after release, and seeks to fly the most energy-efficient route to that point throughout its guided mid-course flight. During the terminal phase, laser guidance takes precedence over a GPS coordinate. If the laser lock is lost, the weapon reverts back to GPS guidance and if a laser designator pod is not present, the bomb will continue to the GPS coordinate. But things can change at the target, which is why laser-guidance takes precedence over GPS coordinates, even though the latter is the most efficient guidance mode. And to improve on capability, Raytheon has successfully designed the weapon’s laser to manage any change at the target or target area.

The Paveway also uses a unique pre-programmed ballistic weapon arming manoeuvre (BWAM) – the fuse has to get through different gates. Each gate shows that the weapon has achieved a specific release procedure: it has released from the aircraft, it is in free flight, and is under its own guidance before the final arming command is given two seconds from the target. This ensures that the munition remains safe in the event that it was released outside the LAR or will not get to the target and will hit the ground elsewhere. And what about the weapon’s ability to counter any spoofing or jamming threat? Thanks to a SAASM (selective availability anti-spoofing module) receiver Paveway IV cannot be spoofed and Raytheon is currently working on an active anti-jamming capability.

MARK 2

Weapons integration onto a fighter aircraft, in this case the Typhoon FGR4, is a lengthy and very expensive process. Raytheon is striving to improve Paveway IV and is doing so with minimum modifications to ensure that the evidence previously gathered to qualify the weapon R ay the on Typhoon is not invalidated. on And the company is able to apply that effort to a new version of the Paveway IV currently being produced for the MoD known as the Mk2. Feedback from RAF aircrew serving in Afghanistan and Libya showed the use they were gaining from the LAR, particularly at steep impact angles, and how they were being used all of the time. RAF aircrew also reported that the weapon can make successful strikes from outside the LAR generated by the current system, and suggested that the area of the LAR generated by the version currently in service is too conservative. The original LAR was developed from wind tunnel data. Using telemetry recorded from the rounds dropped during the weapon’s development to date, Raytheon’s engineers verified that the Paveway IV had more manoeuvrability than originally thought. The extra manoeuvrability was then input into the design of updated algorithms which consequently generate a bigger LAR. Paveway IV Mk2 presents the pilot with ‘wider holes in the sky’ to release weapons from. The Mk2’s LAR takes account of two parameters, the flight parameters of the aircraft and those of the target, and continuously recalculates at a high rate to provide the pilot with a cue for impact in accordance with the constraints.

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MILITARY TORNADO GR4

Part One

Guy Warner reviews the operational service of the RAF’s Tornado GR4 in the first of a two-part feature

T

he Panavia Tornado or Tonka, as it is affectionately known, has quite a remarkable and, perhaps, undersold operational record in RAF service. It had amassed almost a quarter of a century of continuous operational service since preparations began for Operation Granby in Kuwait and Iraq in 1990 by the time the last detachment, from No.31 Squadron, returned from Kandahar, Afghanistan, to RAF Marham on November 22, 2014. To put this in perspective, in order to achieve greater longevity, the DH4 of World War One would have served on the front line until 1942, when the Avro Lancaster would have taken over and carried on until 1967. The fact that the Tornado is still capable of performing at the highest level is a tribute to the original designers and those who have updated the aircraft and its systems ever since; the aircrews who have accumulated an unprecedented amount of operational experience and the engineers who have maintained the Tornado fleet so well. Indeed, that is by no means the end of the story. In the summer of last year the Tornado GR4 Force (TGRF) was at one stage concurrently supporting three operations. One, Operation Shader, will continue from RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus, for the foreseeable future. None of this was even a gleam in the eye of the Air Staff in 1968 who needed to order an aircraft for the RAF to replace the ageing English Electric Canberra in RAF Germany (as a Cold War strike aircraft to confront the Warsaw Pact), the Avro Vulcan bomber and the English Electric Lightning fighter in Strike Command. In years to come it would also replace the Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer, Sepecat Jaguar, McDonnell Douglas Phantom and finally the BAE

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Harrier. All this was to be accomplished in challenging financial times and in the light of the cancellation of TSR2, the F-111 purchase and the Anglo-French Variable Geometry project. By 1968 a collaborative effort had been agreed with West Germany and Italy, who wished to replace its Lockheed F-104 Starfighters, to develop the Multi-Role Combat Aircraft and in 1969 a managing company, Panavia, was established in Munich. The

first prototype of the Interdictor Strike (IDS) version flew on August 14, 1974 and was named Tornado a month later. The Air Defence Variant made its debut on October 27, 1979. Describing the IDS project, Air Chief Marshal Sir Anthony Skingsley, who had seven squadrons of Tornados under his command in Germany in the late 1980s, said: “Despite its problems, the project was ultimately a very successful one. At the end of the day, we, the RAF, got a very good aeroplane, one that is still a world beater in its class. I flew regularly

with the crews and they loved it”. Gary Bootle, the BAE Systems General Manager at RAF Marham, who has worked on the Tornado since he was an aircraft apprentice in Preston 25 years ago, described the design and construction effort as combining the best engineering brains of three countries, “as if Aston Martin, Porsche and Ferrari had built a car together”. In 1976 the RAF Yearbook noted: “The vital factor over the next few years will be the introduction of the Tornado; virtually all the RAF’s eggs are in this one basket and any alteration to the programme will have the most profound effect on the whole future of the service.”

TORNADO GR4 MILITARY

Cpl Nick Howe/Royal Air Force

Service Entry It can certainly be said the Tornado was one of the most important aircraft of its generation. It gave the RAF – for the first time – a genuine and credible blind strike/attack capability, in all weathers, by night and able to operate at low-level and high-speed to enable it to penetrate Warsaw Pact early warning and fire control defences. Its Texas Instruments multi-mode, terrain-following radar (TFR) allowed supersonic flight at 200ft (61m) or lower, while the Ferranti inertial navigation system represented a quantum jump in terms of accuracy and ease of use. The Elliott fly-by-wire command and stability augmentation system and digital autopilot proved very successful in service. The variable-geometry wing, able to sweep from 25° spread to 67° fully swept, was a baseline design concept to meet the multi-role requirement and also to provide

optimum low-speed handling for approach and landing, allied to highspeed mission capability. The wing design also featured extensive provision for high-lift devices on the leading and trailing edges. When the first Tornado was delivered to the RAF by Paul Millet, the Director of Flight Operations at Warton, with Ollie Heath in the rear seat, he believed that, “we were giving the three air forces an excellent product, which would serve them well”. Deliveries of the Tornado GR1 IDS version to the Tri-National Tornado Training Establishment at RAF Cottesmore, Rutland, began in July 1980. The first course at the Tornado Weapons Conversion Unit at RAF Honington, Suffolk, started in January 1982 followed by service introduction with No.IX(B) Squadron (also at Honington) commencing in June of the same year. The unit achieved operational status in 1983. The Tornado GR1A tactical reconnaissance variant was introduced by No.II(AC) Squadron in late 1988 at RAF Laarbruch in what was then West Germany. For its Cold War role, the Tornado GR1 could carry a variety of weapons including the WE177 nuclear bomb, which weighed 950lb (431kg) and had a yield of up to 500 kilotons, or a maximum of eight 1,000lb (454kg) free-fall bombs or, from 1985, a

pair of Hunting JP233 airfield-suppression bomblet dispensers. One of these weighed 5,148lb (2,335kg) and contained 30 SG357 parachute-retarded, runway-crater munitions and 215 HB875 area-denial mines. Interestingly, flight testing of the JP233 on a Tornado had begun in 1982 just as the Vulcan B1 Black Buck raids on Port Stanley were showing the extreme difficulty of completely closing a runway using conventional bombs. The JP233 was banned under the Ottawa Treaty (the AntiPersonnel Mine Ban Convention) signed on December 3, 1997. All weapons were destroyed by 2000. Two 27mm Mauser cannon and provision to mount a self-defence AIM-9L Sidewinder air-to-air missile completed the armaments package. A comprehensive suite of defensive aids included a radar warning receiver, Marconi Sky Shadow active jamming pod and a Philips chaff and flare dispenser. The only fly in the ointment was the aircraft’s unrefuelled range which was lower than desirable but with external tanks could reach a large proportion of the required targets in central Europe. Two Turbo-Union RB199 advanced high by-pass turbofans each gave a maximum thrust (with reheat) of 16,075lb (71.5kN) allowing a maximum speed of Mach 2.2 (1,455kts/2.694km/h) at altitude in a clean configuration; Mach 1.2 (794kts/1,470km/h at sea level and 600kts (1,112km/h, 691mph) configured with external stores.

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Cold War, Gulf War Western politicians sought a ‘peace dividend’ by reducing the size of armed forces following the extraordinarily rapid demise in the 1980s of the Soviet Union, the collapse of the Iron Curtain, the Warsaw Pact, and, in 1990, the re-unification of Germany. This euphoric and somewhat unrealistic assessment at the end of the Cold War was dramatically interrupted on August 2, 1990 when Iraqi forces invaded Kuwait with startling speed and efficiency. The country was occupied within 24 hours and Iraqi troops were starting to mass on the northern borders of Saudi Arabia. The United Nations responded swiftly to stabilise the situation and buy time. A powerful force, the bulk of which was provided by the United States, was deployed to the region as a deterrent against further aggression. Planning, led by the US, was initiated to remove the invader by more forceful means, if diplomacy failed. It was announced within the RAF Tornado force some aircraft would probably go to the Persian Gulf. Few expected to be involved in hostilities. On paper the Iraqi forces presented formidable opponents, having

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the fourth biggest army and tenth largest air force in the world, with 600 modern, fixed-wing combat aircraft, 24 very large and heavily fortified main air bases, 30 major dispersal airfields, some twice the size of Heathrow, and an integrated air defence system consisting of 7,000 surface-to-airmissiles and 10,000 anti-aircraft guns. The first Tornados deployed at the end of August and by January 1991 36 GR1s and six GR1As were in theatre. When the offensive was launched on the night of January 17 the main role of the GR1s was to penetrate Iraqi airspace at low level to attack airfields. This was performed at 150-300ft (45-90m) and 600kts (1,111km/h) through a wall of AAA fire to deploy JP233s. A price was paid. Six Tornados were shot down on operations and five aircrew were killed, most in the first few days of the war. Tactics were switched. RAF Tornados started attacking infrastructure targets such as oil and storage depots from medium level with conventional heavy explosive bombs. Accuracy from

TORNADO GR4 MILITARY 20,000ft (6,096m) using radar-aimed 1,000lb (454kg) bombs was something of a problem, indeed one commanding officer at the time described the role as being like “modern-day Lancasters”. The situation was remedied by the deployment of Hawker Siddeley Buccaneers S2s equipped with Westinghouse AN/ASQ-153 Pave Spike laser designator pods marking the targets for Tornados dropping Paveway II bombs. This allowed precision attacks to be made on bridges and hardened aircraft shelters, usually with a pair of Buccaneers supporting four Tornados. Pave Spike was, however, a stand-alone, manually-controlled daylightonly system. The next step was the arrival of Tornados equipped with the new GEC-Ferranti Thermal Imaging Laser Designator (TIALD) pod, which was fully integrated into the navigation and bombing systems. The TIALD pod allowed self-designation of targets with considerable success by day and night. RAF Tornados also attacked

OPERATIONAL DEPLOYMENTS SINCE 1990 Theatre

Operation

Date

Tornado GR1/GR1A

Operation Granby/Iraq

1990-1991

Tornado GR1/GR1A

Operation Southern Watch/Iraq

1993-2003

Tornado GR1/GR4

Operation Desert Fox/Iraq

1998

Tornado GR1

Operation Engadine/Kosovo

1999

Tornado GR4

Operation Telic/Iraq

2003-2009

Tornado GR4

Operation Herrick/Afghanistan

2009-2014

Tornado GR4

Operation Ellamy/Libya

2011

Tornado GR4

Operation Turus/Nigeria

2014

Tornado GR4

Operation Shader/Iraq

2014 -

Notes The RAF took delivery of 402 Tornados – 162 GR1s, 16 GR1As, 51 dual-control GR1 trainers, ten F2s, eight dual-control F2 trainers, 111 F3s and 44 dual-control F3 trainers. Twenty-six Tornado GR1s were converted to carry the BAE Sea Eagle sea-skimming, anti-ship missile, and designated as Tornado GR1Bs: these were based at RAF Lossiemouth from 1994. Tornados have served with 17 operational squadrons.

1 A target image generated by the Litening III pod as displayed on the cockpit screen. Wg Cdr Ian Gale/Royal Air Force 2,3,4&5 Detailed target analysis of an oblique electro-optical image taken by a RAPTOR pod. Tactical Imagery Intelligence Wing/Royal Air Force 6 Tornado GR4s depart RAF Marham in the early evening bound for Libya. Cpl Nick Howe/Royal Air Force

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Republican Guard positions, targeting individual artillery weapons and tanks. The crews revelled in the fact that instead of dropping sticks of bombs it soon became a case of one target, one weapon, job done – next target. Good use was also made of the BAE ALARM (Air-Launched Anti-Radiation Missile), which had been accelerated into service just before the war began. The ALARM missile achieved a 75% success rate in the first weeks of operational use, launched by Tornados. This statistic included sorties in which RAF GR1s used ALARM missiles in direct support of attacks by Royal Saudi Air Force Tornado IDS bombers. Meanwhile, the Tornado GR1A, equipped with the Tornado Infra-Red Reconnaissance System, using the Vinten 4000 horizonto-horizon line-scan, side-facing, infrared sensor package, made the variant’s operational debut. They flew at night, at very low level and high speed, to locate mobile Scud missile launchers in Western Iraq. Locating the Scuds was of huge importance because they were aimed at Israel. Their destruction kept Israel out of the war, which was vital to the continuance

of the Coalition. The GR1As used TIALD to carry out battle damage assessment of attacks on enemy defences, positions, supply routes and bridges. The longest single reconnaissance sortie lasted for four and a half hours. In the 42-day air war RAF Tornados flew 1,600 operational sorties, dropped 106 JP233s, 4,400 1,000lb (454kg) free-fall bombs, 1,100 laser-guided bombs, fired 104 ALARM missiles and 140 tactical recce missions. The RAF’s TGRF achieved this amount of combat within an overall Allied force comprising 2,400 aircraft which flew a total of 110,000 sorties and dropped 88,500 tons of bombs, 7,400 tons of which were laser-guided. The huge organisational, logistics and engineering effort involved in Operation Desert Storm generated 2,000 to 3,000 carefully planned missions per day.

Northern and Southern Watch Tornados would soon return to the region to enforce no-fly zones established to prevent the persecution by Saddam Hussein’s regime of the Kurdish population in the north of Iraq and the Shias in the south. The zones also covered the main ground

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MILITARY TORNADO GR4 and air supply routes into Iraq, allowing the interdiction of goods and materiel embargoed by UN sanctions. High and medium level reconnaissance capability over Iraq was provided by both TIALD and the Vinten Vicon pod. The latter is a long-range, oblique wet film camera that captures imagery at 5 to 6 miles (8 to 9km) stand-off range. The Vicon pod could be carried by both the GR1 and GR1A. Aircraft supporting Operation Southern Watch were based at Al Kharj in Saudi Arabia and Ali Al Salem in Kuwait. Those participating in Operation Northern Watch were based at Incirlik Air Base in Turkey. Owing to Iraqi non-compliance, further direct military action was initiated as Operation Desert Fox in 1998. Tornado GR1s based in Kuwait flew 32 strike sorties, using Paveway II and Paveway III laser-guided bombs to attack radar and anti-aircraft sites. In 1999 the TGRF was in action again this time bombing targets in Serbia as part of Operation Allied Force, a NATO tasking to persuade the Yugoslavs to stop further assaults on Kosovo.

Tornado GR4 In the mid-1990s the Tornado Mid-Life Update resulted in 142 GR1/GR1As being

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upgraded to GR4/GR4A standard. It included new avionics (such as GPS, a digital map generator, 25° head-up display and multi-function displays), a built-in Forward-Looking Infra-Red sensor and the ability to carry the Storm Shadow conventionally armed stand-off cruise missile and enhanced laser-guided bombs. The GR4A was equipped with the RAPTOR (Reconnaissance Airborne Pod for the Tornado), which added mediumlevel IR night reconnaissance capability and was accelerated into service for Operation Telic. The Marham and Lossiemouth Wings contributed 30 GR4s and GR4As to Operation Telic and the invasion of Iraq in March 2003. Operating from Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait and Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, they attacked Iraqi positions, ranging from artillery and missile sites to command and control centres with Enhanced Paveway II GPS-guided bombs. One of the RAF raids on key sites, including Baghdad, saw the operational debut of the Storm Shadow missile, a deep-penetrating, precision-guided weapon. It enabled the RAF to strike well-protected, high-value targets, without the use of massive force, so lowering the

risk of civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure. Having spent a lot of time over Iraq while enforcing the no-fly zones, the RAF Tornado crews were familiar with Iraqi capabilities and tactics. A favourite method of Iraqi surface-to-air operators was to launch a missile unguided and then engage the radar only a couple of thousand feet below the Tornado formation, allowing little time for evasive action. After a few days, the Tornado GR4’s role in theatre changed from interdiction to close air support, allowing the aircraft to demonstrate its versatility in loitering at medium level. On March 23, 2003 Tornado GR4 ZG710/’D’ was shot down by a US Patriot missile, killing both crew. The Tornados were to remain “in and around Iraq” until 2009, giving considerable service to troops on the ground in the close air support and reconnaissance roles. Imagery could be data-linked from a RAPTOR pod to a ground station, where it would be rapidly analysed and then sent to another Tornado GR4 equipped with the Litening III RD targeting pod, cueing it on to an area of interest or a target. This huge increase in fast intelligence turnaround was to prove of great benefit.

TORNADO GR4 MILITARY Another major advantage of the GR4 was the ability to communicate directly with troops on the ground using secure channels. In 2008 another new weapon made its combat debut, the MBDA dual-mode Brimstone anti-armour missile, which proved to be effective against buildings, avoiding collateral damage. Between 2003 and 2009, all seven front line GR4 squadrons were involved in combat over Iraq. As RAF Marham’s station commander noted: “The Force has changed so much from a static Cold War mentality, to a true expeditionary force that can up sticks and go anywhere, at the drop of a hat, time and time again.” Guy Warner

Operation Ellamy On March 19, 2011 the first strike mission to be launched from the UK since 1945 was made by Tornados from No.IX(B) Squadron at Marham in Norfolk. Each aircraft carrying two Storm Shadow missiles flew a 3,000 mile (4,800km) return trip to Libya – the longest distance bombing mission since the Falklands War. They required air refuelling four times, thrice on the outward leg and once on the way home. This was the start of Operation Ellamy the UK’s contribution to the NATO-led Operation Unified Protector in

support of UN Security Council Resolution 1973. The NATO operation ended with the removal from power of Muammar Gaddafi, who had been using military force to quell unrest among his own people. The next night the Tornados set off again but returned fully armed due to information being received that civilians were in the vicinity of the targets.

Storm Shadow Missions On March 19, 2011, Wg Cdr Andy Turk the then OC No.IX(B) Squadron ‘Bats’ led the first Storm Shadow raid against Libya – the CASOM had last been used in combat eight years ago. Since its combat debut during Operation Telic in 2003, when Tornado GR4s launched dozens of Storm Shadow missiles against Iraq, the RAF has sustained an ongoing upgrade programme for the weapon. But this strategic weapon is not often carried on Tornado GR4s during regular training sorties due to its complexity and size. Instead aircrew receive instruction on the missile with the Storm Shadow Training Flight (SSTF) based at RAF Marham. Each year SSTF stages several courses to keep GR4 aircrew trained in its use. At the time of Operation Ellamy the SSTF was run by Sqn Ldr Dickie James and the

flight played a pivotal role in planning the raids against Libya. “At the start of the work-up all of the crews were sent to fly a Storm Shadow sortie in the simulator. A lot of training was also given by the squadron QWIs [Qualified Weapon Instructors] to ensure all aircrew were fit to launch the missile,” said Sqn Ldr James. As the Tornado GR4 Force approached the first raid, mission planning was taking place around the clock. A team of three including Sqn Ldr James were between them running all of the Storm Shadow planning on a two-shift 12 on, 12 off basis. Sqn Ldr James, who flew Tornados in both Gulf wars, told the author: “At that stage there was no air tasking order or an air space co-ordination order either, an unusual status before the first attack.” But the mission planning under way at Marham could only take place once target co-ordinates, and other data such as approved lines of attack and dive angles had been provided. This information is generated by a Ministry of Defence targeting board and given to the Central Mission Planning Facility (CMPF) based in Permanent Joint Headquarters at Northwood, Middlesex. After receiving the information from the CMPF, from there

1 1 Two Royal Air Force Tornado GR4s break away from the tanker aircraft to continue their mission after refuelling to support coalition forces in Helmand province. Ramon Wenink 2 A Tornado GR4 taxies out of its shelter at Kandahar fitted with a RAPTOR pod and a single Paveway IV for a mission in support of Operation Moshtarak in February 2010. Cpl Dave Blackburn/Royal Air Force 2

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MILITARY TORNADO GR4 Amid the enormous amount of work being carried out on the aircraft, the missile navigation systems and the all-important GPS feed were also being checked out. Storm Shadow is a smart weapon that requires all systems to be aligned so they can communicate with each other. Electrical power from the aircraft was fed to the missiles to ensure that the weapon and the aircraft were communicating with each other through the data bus. “That was one of the most important checks conducted,” said Sqn Ldr James.

Bats Strike First

on the SSTF undertook the entire mission planning at Marham. Normally crews plan and brief themselves and then fly the sortie. In this case, very unusually, the crews were given the brief by SSTF officers to minimise the crew duty hours for the aircrew flying the mission. Lasting over an hour the briefing covered every aspect of the mission; code words, details of the take-off, the transit flight, air-refuelling, the drop-off from

“The engineers were remarkable in getting eight aircraft ready and weapons loaded in such a short space of time,” said Wg Cdr Andy Turk. “Each missile had been individually loaded with the correct card requiring a lot of clever work by the crews to make sure the variables – different aircraft and different combinations of missiles – were correctly constituted. That went well,” he added. Crews performing the aircraft warm-up had to complete a very meticulous check 1 to ensure that the codes all matched – the system highlights when they do not – the tanker, electronic warfare, electronic and make sure that the planned op had countermeasures, details of the Storm been entered into the system correctly. Shadow missiles, the release, climb out and Remember that the crews about to fly the the journey home. This was followed by an sortie were not involved in the mission internal squadron briefing between the flying planning. According to one GR4 pilot, the crews for the mission. system is robust and works very well. While the briefings were taking place, Planning and preparation complete, outside the aircraft dispersals were busy aircraft and crew were ready to go on the with engineers and spare crews, many from night of Friday, March 18. But following the RAF Lossiemouth, already warming up the ceasefire call made by the Libyan leader, aircraft ready for their colleagues to fly. an operational pause was put in place. As

1 Aircrew make final preparations at RAF Marham before a Storm Shadow strike mission to Libya on March 19, 2011. SAC Lisa Conway/Royal Air Force 2 A Tornado GR4 fitted with a Paveway IV bomb and a RAPTOR pod at Kandahar following a night sortie in Afghanistan. Tam McDonald/Royal Air Force SAC Andy Masson/Royal Air Force

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The MBDA Storm Shadow is a conventionally armed stand-off cruise missile (CASOM) carried by the Tornado GR4. Storm Shadow was first used by the RAF in the opening days of Operation Telic in March 2003 when No.617 Squadron ‘Dambusters’ fired dozens of missiles to destroy high-value Iraqi targets. The missile provides the three most desirable requirements of weaponeering – accuracy, penetration and stand-off range. It is designed for pre-planned attacks and heavily defended, hardened facilities, such as bunkers, whose positions have been pinpointed before the mission. The missile is ‘stealthy’ and is all weather, day/night capable with a range in excess of 155 miles (250km). Storm

things turned out, the crews were stood down on the Friday evening only to return the following afternoon. On the evening of March 19 four GR4s departed Marham in two pairs. In accordance with the crucial air-refuelling plan co-ordinated at Marham by an airrefuelling controller from RAF Brize Norton, two VC10s refuelled the first pair and a Tristar accompanied the second pair. “The Tristar supported the four aircraft all the way back to the UK,” said Wg Cdr Turk. The second pair was slightly delayed in getting airborne. So in order to launch the missiles in a compressed timeframe as per the original plan, the first two had to slip, by flying slightly slower, while the second pair flew a little bit faster. Consequently all four aircraft were in the right position when they were over southern Italy, although the time on target was delayed. During transit the systems are powered down to keep the missile from overheating. Storm Shadow has its own internal motor that must power up for launch, an event that is imperceptible to the crew. The system notifies the weapon systems officer when each missile is on line and when the motor is running. A Storm Shadow missile can be launched by position or time. Using the time-based mode allows the missile to be launched to meet the required time on target. An 2 indication is given to the crew at the appropriate time allowing the pilot to either launch the missile or use an abort option if needed. All of the missiles launched on the March 19 mission were fired using the timebased mode. Each of the two Storm Shadow missiles carried by a Tornado GR4 separates from the aircraft in a set time sequence and is programmed to turn and de-conflict from the launch aircraft. Each missile flies a pre-planned route to the target along an assigned airspace corridor. “The tactical phase was pretty uneventful. There was quite a lot of cloud which we punched through at about 4,000ft (1,220m). Everyone confirmed their systems were on line and all the missiles came off as advertised. It is really quite a straightforward first-night-of-war type sortie, if there is such a thing,” said the squadron boss.

STORM SHADOW

DA

MB

Shadow navigates via a combination of GPS and TRN (Terrain Referenced Navigation) and inertial navigation. Use of one or the other is also possible

Post-strike reconnaissance showed that the missiles hit the desired target, which is testament to the work undertaken by the SSTF at Marham. Emphasising the station-wide effort in preparing for the first mission, Wg Cdr Turk recalled how station personnel turned out to see the Tornados leave late that evening. And of particular note for the crews was the presence of the station warrant officer giving them the salute when they took off.... and more significantly when they arrived back at 5am.

Night Two With such a strategically important mission, spare aircraft were prepared to precisely the same standard. “It is quite a large call to generate four Tornados armed with eight Storm Shadow in a short period of time,” said Wg Cdr Howie Edwards the then OC of No.XIII Squadron, who led the second Storm Shadow raid against Libya on March 20. No.XIII Squadron’s engineers undertook much of the work to prepare the aircraft for the missions, according to Edwards. Speaking about the sortie Wg Cdr Edwards stressed how rendezvous with the tanker and time on target were critical factors. “Time on target requires great co-ordination, it’s [the target] over 1,500

depending on the availability of GPS (if GPS jamming is in effect) or accurate terrain modelling. The missile has the capability to attack the target on a basis of pure co-ordinate location (such as in the RAF’s Enhanced Paveway family), or it can use infra-red imagery in a process called Automatic Target Recognition (ATR). ATR requires the target area to be accurately modelled. The modelling data is fed into the missile’s memory. At the terminal phase of the missile’s flight it compares what its seeker is detecting with the stored picture in its memory and subsequently selects the precise detonation point identified in the planning phase. Mark Ayton

miles away with speed, distance and timing factors to adhere to. Loaded with two Storm Shadow missiles, which are big weapons, requires considerable planning to keep the aircraft in the middle of the zone in respect of the fuel load,” he said. “About four hours into the sortie, we were minutes from weapon release when the call came from the AWACS to abort, which was frustrating. Back at Marham during the debrief we learnt that civilians were present at the target, it was very much a feeling of ‘thank goodness we did that’,” said Wg Cdr Edwards. As had happened on the previous night, Wg Cdr Edwards and seven of his squadron colleagues returned to RAF Marham at the end of a sortie lasting more than six hours.

Third Strike When No.XIII Squadron flew the third mission seven days later the targets were ammunition bunkers at Sabha in the southern Libyan Desert. The raid involved flying within enemy airspace, through surface-to-air threats, and countering any Libyan Air Force fighter aircraft remaining in operation. Libya had a coherent and functioning air defence network with a recognisable and functional command and control, good systems and trained operators ready to shoot down attacking aircraft.

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MILITARY TORNADO GR4 “When you’re pushing over someone’s territory, you open yourself up to all of the land-based threats, including infraredguided surface-to-air missiles and antiaircraft artillery. The other thing in the back of your mind is what happens if you eject – you will be landing on enemy territory, not in the sea and into a dinghy from which you can be picked up by a helicopter. That was the big difference between the two [the second and third] sorties,” said the XIII Squadron boss. Ultimately the ammunition complex with about 30 bunkers was struck and thankfully all four Tornado GR4s landed at a base

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in the Mediterranean after an 8 hour 40 minute sortie. When flying missions of that duration, crew duty hours are a significant factor – the rules allow 11 hours of flying within a 14-hour shift. “You can see why the crews weren’t able to come into work to plan like they would normally do. You need planning crews to hand over to the mission crews, so that they have enough duty time left,” said Wg Cdr Edwards. A few days later Tornados deployed to Gioia del Colle Air Base in southern Italy to join RAF Typhoon FGR4s. During the initial days of Tornado operations over Libya,

Brimstone missiles were launched against Libyan armoured vehicles. Later Paveway IV laser/GPS-guided 500lb (227kg) bombs were dropped to good effect: the Tornados worked in partnership with the Typhoons, which were making their combat debut. The GR4s were armed with ASRAAM missiles for self-defence but the air-to-air threat proved to be low. However, there were potentially many surface-to-air, radar-guided weapons available to the pro-Gaddafi forces. The potent capability of the Typhoon to deal with any air threat was a comfort and its superb situational awareness capacity

TORNADO GR4 MILITARY complemented the Tornados’ greater air-to-ground weapons’ options. RAPTOR once more proved its flexibility to collect both focused intelligence to provide information on why a group of trucks were in a certain place, and the substrategic to find where the Gaddafi forces were around a city. Military action continued until October, with the Tornados having flown 4,600 operational hours and engaging 650 targets. A typical sortie’s duration was six to seven hours which is equivalent flying time from London to New England in the United States. Mark Ayton

Operation Herrick Tornados had also been in action in Afghanistan since 2009, taking over at Kandahar from the Harriers which had been conducting Operation Herrick missions to great effect since 2004. There was some discussion at the time as to the capability of the Tornado replacing the Harrier in what was essentially a close air support role. Afghanistan was a much more permissive environment than Iraq, with little surfaceto-air threat, given that the speciality of the Tornado was in taking out infrastructure and conducting reconnaissance at high-

speed. Doubters of the Tornado had not taken into consideration the capabilities of the aircraft and crew. By 2009 the TGRF had amassed nearly 20 years of diverse operational experience and was nothing, if not adaptable. There was a deep pool of expertise and confidence in the Tornado GR4 with its enhanced systems, sensors and weapons. The first Tornado Detachment (also known as the TorDet) to arrive at Kandahar was No.12(B) Squadron from RAF Lossiemouth. The unit arrived for a three to four month tour in June 2009 as part of 904 Expeditionary Air Wing (EAW), having undertaken pre-deployment

The RAF painted Tornado GR4 ZD788 in this colourful scheme to mark the type’s 40th anniversary. RAF Leeming photo section/Royal Air Force

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1 1 No.41(R) Squadron, the RAF’s Tornado GR4 test and evaluation squadron, painted aircraft ZA600 in this special scheme to commemorate the unit’s 95th anniversary in 2011. The aircraft is seen on take-off from RAF Coningsby on April 22, 2013. Paul Ridgway 2 The front cockpit of a Tornado GR4. SAC Chris Hill/Royal Air Force

hostile activity or face the consequences. If this was not sufficient, a low level-pass with reheat at 150ft (46m) and 480kts (888km/h) created a very noisy and imposing show of force by day or, importantly, by night or in adverse weather conditions. Indeed, due to the aircrew’s skills and low-flying training, as well as the TFR, the Tornado could fly lower and noisier than most if not all of the fast jet air assets in theatre. Moreover, another Tornado was always overhead monitoring the situation with a Litening III targeting pod. Often this was sufficient and in line with the ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) doctrine set-out to de-escalate a situation. If the hint was not taken, the next stage would be kinetic using the Mauser cannons, a few rounds from which were used as a

deterrent or to destroy a light target. The cannon is accurate and can be assisted by the nose-mounted laser to mark the target. The MBDA air-to-ground dualmode Brimstone air-to-ground missile was the weapon of choice on fast-moving vehicles carrying high-value Taliban. It’s described as the ideal counter-insurgency weapon for its precise effect. The heaviest weapon used was Raytheon’s 500lb (227kg) Paveway IV precision-guided bomb which has accuracy and lethal effect. Tornados were tasked to fly anywhere in the country and come to the aid of troops of any nationality in the ISAF or the Afghan National Security Forces. A fast response was often required and a GCAS alert at Kandahar (maintained by aircraft from several nations) required a 15-minute time

Tam McDonald/Royal Air Force

training with the Brigade which would be serving in Afghanistan at the same time. This period allowed Tornado crews to familiarise themselves with the same Joint Tactical Attack Controllers (JTAC) with whom they would soon be working. It also allowed the JTACs to learn more about what the Tornado could deliver. The next stage of preparation included participation in Exercise Green Flag at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, which in two weeks provides more scenarios and training events than airmen and soldiers normally see in a year of combat. Close understanding between those on the ground and in the aircrew proved highly important to the success of operations in Afghanistan. There were three main categories: close air support (CAS) for preplanned activities, ground close air support (GCAS) for short notice support to troops in contact situations also referred to as a TIC (an engagement with the Taliban or others) and reconnaissance, primarily seeking evidence of improvised explosive devices. One term used for the Tornado’s role in Afghanistan was armed over watch, supporting the forces on the ground with a finely calibrated, proportionate escalation of force as and when required. The basic level of intervention could be simply the deterrent value of a pair of aircraft overhead. Next is a show of presence at a few thousand feet; at night this could be illuminated by flares. Further up the scale was a low-level pass to show the insurgents or others that they had been spotted and should desist from any

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to launch in the case of a TIC. Even this could be shortened if reconnaissance tasked Tornados were in the vicinity as they always carried weapons, as well as the RAPTOR pod. The RAPTOR and Litening III pods provided complementary intelligence products combining a dual electro-optical and IR sensor with full motion video and IR capability. Guy Warner

RAPTOR in Afghanistan “As a capability, RAPTOR brings a technical quality all of its own – so much so that for all of the Coalition colleagues loved the the intelligence product from Tornado with image RAPTOR, processed by the TIW. It was a analysts: huge operational success,” said Gp Capt “Which is why Rochelle former RAF Marham station we scheduled commander. RAPTOR sorties He told AIR International that Operation every other day,” added Herrick has more than reinforced the Wg Cdr Gale. requirement for RAPTOR, saying: “The “Quite often, jets tasked ISTAR role within Afghanistan was huge, specifically for RAPTOR were albeit in a relatively benign environment, called to perform a show of so it’s essential that the RAF retains a force in support of a TIC [a ‘troops capability of collecting imagery in other in contact’ situation]. But each jet scenarios. The beauty of having RAPTOR carrying RAPTOR was also loaded on the Tornado GR4 means that, in less with Paveway IVs, while the wingman benign situations where there are threats [the number 2 aircraft] was loaded with to aircraft and remotely piloted aircraft, the Paveway IV, dual-mode seeker Brimstone TGRF can still go in, find the areas and and a Litening III pod,” said the Wing bring the products home. These are really Commander. Both aircraft had their key to us and it was a vital element of the gun loaded in case a strafe attack was operation.” required, and both could perform a very According to Wg Cdr Nick Hay, a low-level show of force in all weathers. former OC of No.IX(B) Squadron, the Each RAPTOR mission was primary role for RAPTOR in tasked by the CAOC (combined Afghanistan was to aid the air operations centre) at Al fight against IEDs, for Udeid Air Base in Qatar. which task the aircrew Most sorties were flown used the system to look in Helmand Province, along routes and detect but others took place changes in the surface of elsewhere in Afghanistan to a road that may indicate support Coalition partners where devices have been who actually specified the placed. product because of its quality. As a reconnaissance On that point, Wg Cdr Gale system, RAPTOR has the said it was important to publicise capacity to capture a lot of capabilities so that RAPTOR was imagery. “The pod takes so much 3 used for the highest-priority tasks. imagery that, if we fly with RAPTOR for Since RAPTOR was first introduced, two hours, we’d get the whole of Helmand the pod itself has not changed. What has in the bag,” said Wg Cdr Ian Gale the former changed is the software and the way that boss of No.31 Squadron ‘Goldstars’. So the aircrew can control and utilise the pod. much imagery, in reality, amounts to an area “It is much easier and more flexible to of up to 193 square miles (500km2) in one mission. But the downside is the workload make the pod do what you want, especially

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from the aircrew mission-planning perspective,” said Wg Cdr Gale. The software improvements also yield benefits for the image analysts – who are now involved in RAPTOR mission planning in a way that they never could be before: “Mission planning with RAPTOR was an art in itself whereas, now, it’s become more user friendly with a better human interface for the planning stage,” noted Wg Cdr Gale. From a qualitative perspective, RAPTOR performed well in Afghanistan. “It’s an awesome sensor, the quality of which is absolutely the best that’s out there at the moment,” he said. Supporting that statement, Wg Cdr Andy Stewart, a former OC of the Tactical Imagery Intelligence Wing, said both the electrooptical and infrared imagery is of a very high quality; and the very best is gained in stereo mode, which allows the image analysts

TORNADO GR4 MILITARY to really pick out fine detail. Wg Cdr Gale added, “So much so that, on one mission, we were able to look at the patterns on a person’s mat – you could see a stick lying on it; incredible detail.” In another example, the clarity of the image easily showed a washing line and the shadows of all the different types of clothes that were hanging on it. This level of detail is very useful information for the image analysts. “But, as an electro-optical system, its capabilities are reduced by atmospheric conditions – be it cloud, rain, dust – just like your own camera,” said Wg Cdr Stewart. Near-vertical images provide a good understanding of what has happened in an area, while oblique imagery (taken at an angle) allows the analyst to see the sides of 1 compounds. Infrared imagery, on the other hand,

1 Configured with a Litening III targeting pod, Brimstone missiles and a Paveway IV, this Tornado GR4 is leaving its parking spot on a close air support sortie from Kandahar. Royal Air Force 2 Tornado GR4 ZA550/’042’ high over Afghanistan, loaded with a UTC Aerospace RAPTOR pod and a Paveway IV precision-guided bomb under the fuselage. Ramon Wenink 3 Ramon Wenink 2

shows up heat signatures on the ground, another valuable capability. Mark Ayton

Affection During Herrick, for 12 hours a day, a pair of Tornados would always be in the air (three separate flights), with three ready on the ground. By the end of operations in November 2014 only two fast air assets were deployed in Afghanistan: RAF Tornados and US Air Force F-16s. For the record, the following Tornado GR4 squadrons deployed to Kandahar between June 2009 and November 2014: No.II (AC) ‘Shiny Two’, No.IX (B) ‘Bats’, No.12(B) ‘Foxes’, No.XIII ‘Stabbed Cats’, No.14 ‘Crusaders’, No.31 ‘Gold Stars’ and No.617 ‘Dambusters’. They flew more than 5,000 pairs-sorties, logged 33,500 flying hours, fired 3,000 cannon rounds and released a combined total of 140 Brimstone and Paveway IVs. Tornado crews feel a deep affection for the aeroplane – despite the jet often being several years older than them. One young pilot said he believed the Tornado was now as capable as it had ever been: “I never had any doubts that it would always get me home.” A weapons system officer just back from his first operational tour said the front seat offered more of an ergonomic challenge, as new panels and switches had been added to accommodate updated equipment. A more experienced flight lieutenant, with 1,800 hours flying the Tornado, nearly half of which was operational, commented: “She creaks and groans a bit but is a very potent and versatile weapons system.” Many first tourists in their mid to late 20s have a high proportion of their total flight hours in operational flying, adding to the depth of knowledge of more experienced pilots and weapons system officers with 2,000 to 4,000 hours on type. Guy Warner Next month, we return to RAF Marham to cover Tornado GR4 deployments to West Africa, Cyprus in support of Operation Shader and the final tour at Kandahar for Operation Herrick – don’t miss it!

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Success The Secret of

What’s made Air New Zealand one of Asia-Pacific’s best-performing airlines? Nigel Pittaway finds out

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ir New Zealand will celebrate its 75th birthday in style on April 26 after enjoying a 30% rise in normalised earnings before tax to NZ$232 million in the 2013-2014 financial year, and the promise of more to come this year. Under the stewardship of CEO Christopher Luxon, the airline is currently one of the most profitable in the Asia-Pacific region and is looking forward to an even brighter future. It recently announced orders for Airbus A320/A321neo aircraft to overhaul its

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regional international fleet and in 2014 introduced its first Boeing 787-9s, resplendent in the airline’s new-look black and white livery complete with New Zealand’s iconic Koru and silver fern logos. Last year the company launched an upgrade of its Boeing 777-200ER cabins and airport lounges, formed an alliance with Singapore Airlines and announced a codeshare deal with Aerolíneas Argentinas which will see it flying a direct service between Auckland and Buenos Aires from December this year. These are impressive achievements in a global airline climate where many operators are struggling to return a profit, despite the

fact that Air New Zealand faces the same problems of volatile fuel prices and increased competition both at home and abroad. Its performance is even more impressive when geography is factored into the equation: New Zealand is at the end of a very long flight from London or Los Angeles and even the growing Asian destinations are ten or more flying hours away. Far from using these factors as an excuse for poor performance, Christopher Luxon points out Air New Zealand’s strategy is to look upon them as the canvas on which it must compete.

Meeting the Challenges Luxon joined Air New Zealand as group

AIR NEW ZEALAND COMMERCIAL general manager, international airline, in May 2011 and was appointed CEO on January 1, 2014. In Sydney last December, he spoke candidly about the challenges facing the airline industry in the Asia Pacific region. “I’ve been part of Air New Zealand for three years and I think it’s a pretty special place – we’ve built a business with very good foundations. We’ve certainly met some challenges but today we sit here with Air New Zealand in the strongest position it’s ever been in over a 75-year period,” he said. “The real challenge for us is in an industry that tends to struggle all around the Pacific Rim region.” Some of the constant challenges he mentioned included volatile fuel prices, fluctuating exchange rates, economic meltdowns in some of Air New Zealand’s markets, rising competition and natural disasters, several of which have hit the Asia Pacific region over the past decade. New Zealand itself has not been immune, with devastating earthquakes in Christchurch in 2010 and again in 2011. “What we’ve learnt at Air New Zealand is – and I think the aviation industry often uses

those excuses for poor performance – that if you take a step back and think about it as a business, this just happens to be the canvas that we compete upon and we actually operate in,” he said pragmatically. “And so we’ve said we’re going to have good risk mitigation, but we’ll back ourselves through culture, speed and agility to respond to changing circumstances better than our competitors. What matters most is our relative preparedness when those uncontrollable circumstances happen.” One of the certainties in the business, according to Luxon, is that there will be more of

what he calls “known unknowns” – but he said the key was to be confident the organisation can demonstrate that unforeseen problems can be dealt with. An example, he said, was the recent devaluation of the Japanese yen by 15%, to which Air New Zealand responded by ‘retooling’ its whole Japanese business within three weeks and today it continues to record strong double-digit growth in the market. “So you can choose to do something about that and we have focused a lot more on the controllers of our business,” he added. “As an airline industry we get very obsessed with aircraft capacity – we buy the aircraft, then we work out where we’re going to send them to. “We actually want to come up with another way and think more like a fast-moving consumer business and ask how we can become demand-triggered and build and develop markets all around the Pacific Rim region where we see opportunity – and then deploy the aircraft to meet that demand.” Luxon believes the challenge of geography should be looked on positively rather than as a disadvantage. “I think we have to stop that because, really, we’re sitting on the biggest

Air New Zealand was the first operator of the 787-9. The type’s route network with the airline is set to expand in the coming months. Edwin Chai/AirTeamImages

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COMMERCIAL AIR NEW ZEALAND

AIR NEW ZEALAND FACTS AND FIGURES IATA code: NZ ICAO code: ANZ Callsign: New Zealand Established: April 26, 1940 (as Tasman Empire Airways Limited) CEO: Christopher Luxon (from 2014) Fleet (including orders): 12 Boeing 787-9s, 8 Boeing 777-200ERs, 7 Boeing 777-300ERs, 5 Boeing 767-300ERs, 13 Airbus A320/ A321neos, 24 A320s, 3 Boeing 737-300s Air New Zealand Link Fleet: 9 ATR72-600s, 11 ATR72-500s, 23 DHC-8-Q300s, 16 Beech 1900Ds Air New Zealand domestic destinations: Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Queenstown, Rotorua, Wellington Air New Zealand Link destinations: Auckland, Blenheim, Christchurch, Dunedin, Gisborne, Hamilton, Hastings, Hokitika, Invercargill, Kerikeri, Napier, Nelson, New Plymouth, Oamaru, Palmerston, North, Paraparaumu, Queenstown, Rotorua, Taupo, Tauranga, Timaru, Wanganui, Wellington, Whangarei Overseas destinations: Adelaide, Apia, Brisbane, Buenos Aires, Cairns, Denpasar, Gold Coast, Hong Kong, Honolulu, London, Los Angeles, Melbourne, Nadi, Niue, Norfolk Island, Noumea, Nuku’alofa, Osaka, Papeete, Perth, Port Vila, Raratonga, San Francisco, Shanghai, Singapore, Sunshine Coast, Sydney, Tokyo, Vancouver Alliances: Star Alliance member, Aerolíneas Argentinas, Air China, Cathay Pacific Airways, Etihad Airways, Jet Airways, Singapore Airlines, Virgin Atlantic Airways, Virgin Australia Employees: 11,000 Before tax profit: $NZ332 million (FY 2013/2014) After tax profit: $NZ262 million (FY 2013/2014) Website: www.airnewzealand.co.nz

generational shift of power – economically and socio-economically – from the Atlantic to the Pacific. It’s a pretty exciting time to be in the business and we can genuinely talk about generating big opportunities in Asia, Australasia and across the Americas,” he added. Historically, Air New Zealand has been profitable domestically but has lost money on the trans-Tasman route to Australia, through the Pacific Islands and on its longhaul routes. Luxon noted the airline’s recent focus has been on diversifying its asset base and market exposure to achieve results. “We’ve chosen not to play in the European market place: we will deliver that through our alliances and other ways. We’re going to be very fixated on the Pacific Rim region and the opportunity that represents for us,” he predicted. “The challenge is to make sure we keep working on the underlying business. We have to get the fundamental economic engine of business right. We look at all our routes as if they were product lines in a fastmoving consumer goods business.” Luxon revealed that the airline undergoes a route profitability analysis every quarter, which drives it to make some tough decisions – including the recent withdrawal of services to Beijing and the cancellation of its Hong Kong-London sector. “We had to completely change our mix of traffic between Los Angeles and London along the way, but they are choices you get to make as a business,” he noted. “Basically you get to control the levers and choose to do something about circumstances rather than just accept them as macro-economics driving the outcome, whereby the future is actually happening to you rather than vice versa. So I think it’s more to do with mindset rather than anything. “We’re going to [make] happen our future, not have our future happen to us by virtue of the industry we operate within.”

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1 Boeing 777-319ER ZK-OKO (c/n 38407) is one of several Air New Zealand aircraft to have been branded with ‘The Hobbit’ film markings. Steve Flint/AirTeamImages 2 Mount Cook Airlines operates this ATR72-600, ZK-MVA (msn 1051), for the Air New Zealand Link operation. Colin Hunter/AirTeamImages 3 A320-200 ZK-OJS (msn 4926) departing Queenstown, one of Air New Zealand’s regional destinations. Edwin Chai/AirTeamImages

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Air New Zealand Today For long-haul operations the Air New Zealand fleet is currently based on the new 787-9 and 777-200ER/777-300ERs. A small number of winglet-fitted 767-300ERs are still in service but are being progressively retired as more 787s are delivered. Thirteen of the 23 Airbus A320-200s in the fleet are configured for short-haul international services, predominantly on some of the shorter Pacific and transTasman routes and the balance are configured for domestic operations. The airline still had three of its older Boeing 737-300s in service at the start of 2015, but they will all be withdrawn by December. Most domestic services are operated under the Air New Zealand Link brand by Mount Cook Airlines, based in Christchurch (with ATR72-500/600s), Air Nelson, based in Nelson (Bombardier DHC-8-Q300), and Hamilton-based Eagle Airways. Last June, Air New Zealand announced it would acquire 13 Airbus A320/A321neo aircraft for its trans-Tasman and Pacific Island services. Although the specific mix has yet to be decided, at least three

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AIR NEW ZEALAND COMMERCIAL

Air New Zealand

A321neos will be included. The first A321neo will be delivered in late 2017, with the final aircraft arriving in 2019. An additional A320 for the domestic operation was announced at the same time, for delivery early this year. Air New Zealand became the first airline in the world to take delivery of the Boeing 7879 in July last year, introducing it on services between Auckland and Sydney the following month, followed quickly thereafter by flights to Perth, Shanghai and Tokyo. The 787’s early success has already prompted the airline to convert two options into firm orders. Luxon made the announcement in Sydney on December 8, revealing the aircraft will be delivered in late 2017 and 2018 respectively. A total of 12 787-9s are now on order, with three already in service at the start of 2015, and the carrier holds options on a further six. “We think the 787-9 is the best aircraft in the world and we’ve been pushing them really hard through our long-haul networks – so it’s been a real privilege to be the first airline to be able to fly it first here to Australia via Sydney and Perth,” Luxon told journalists

in Sydney. “Subsequently we’ve gone on to fly it to Tokyo and Shanghai and we really are big fans of this aircraft. It’s fantastic for us as a business but most importantly it’s fantastic for our customers along the way: we are really significantly upgrading their experience.” He added: “In the coming months we’ll announce further destinations we will send those aircraft to and how we’re going to develop markets across the Pacific Rim.”

The Secret of Success In an economic climate which has forced other airlines into the red, Air New Zealand has almost tripled its share price and more than doubled its profit over the past two years or so, and Luxon noted that the past three years have been record years in terms of investments and profitability. He attributes the success largely to the quality of leadership throughout the airline and the building of expertise in market development, as well as tight cost control. “That’s expanding our profit, expanding our cash flow, helping us deliver really good

returns to our shareholders and also allowing us to reinvest back into the business like we’ve never reinvested before,” he said. “Success for us is not just about commercial performance, that’s not really good enough, it’s about what else we can do [with the] customer experience and ultimately the culture of the organisation.” Air New Zealand is in the top five airlines with the longest routes, so according to Luxon understanding what its customers want is important. This thinking led the airline to develop its ‘Skycouch’ product in 2011, a row of three economy seats that can be reconfigured into a flat space. “A trip from Auckland to London is a long way to go and our Skycouch product is really popular with young families, because it means mum and dad can watch the movie while the kids are playing with their Duplo and then they can lie down for a really good sleep,” he explained. “That’s a good example for us of taking customer insight and building innovation around that to actually support business. And the cool thing is we’re not just making money with it at Air New Zealand, but we’ve

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COMMERCIAL AIR NEW ZEALAND now licensed it to other airlines in other parts of the world.” In January 2014, Air New Zealand announced it had signed a licensing agreement with China Airlines to fit the Skycouch to its fleet of new Boeing 777300ERs, which began to enter service late last year. Price is another aspect of marketing strategy that Air New Zealand models very carefully, and the airline has developed what it calls a ‘Seats to Suit’ economy fare structure for its short-haul flights. Passengers are able to buy just a seat (known as a ‘Seat’ fare), add a checked bag (‘Seat + Bag’), a checked bag and a meal (‘The Works’) or the ‘Works Deluxe’, which includes premium check-in, prioritised seating and meal and beverage choices. “A few years ago we were losing about a million dollars a week flying across the Tasman between New Zealand and Australia, and since we introduced this fare structure we’ve seen a 16% increase in traffic,” Luxon said. “It means our customers have a choice and it means for us that we don’t have to create secondary brands: we have one overarching Air New Zealand brand. In the one aircraft we can segment it in such a way

that we can talk to a very diverse set of customer segments and be able to offer our customers choice along that way.”

The Airline of Middle Earth Air New Zealand has been quick to recognise the success of the The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit series of films, which were filmed in New Zealand and have become an important source of inbound tourism for the country.

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In 2012, Air New Zealand became the ‘official airline of Middle Earth’, but it already had a close association with The Lord of the Rings series prior to that. “These films have provided us with a tremendous showcase to be able to talk to lots of potential customers all around the world and over the last few years we have had a lot of fun with it,” Luxon explained. “We’ve had Hobbit-inspired aircraft and amenities kits and we’ve done that for very good commercial reasons as well as obviously having a lot of fun. We’ve embraced all things ‘Middle Earth’ in New Zealand. “We’re doing it because 13% of all visitors to New Zealand last year [2013] came because they were inspired by the Hobbit movies. Twenty percent of Americans and 20% of German [visitors] said very similarly, so there’s a real commercial benefit to that.” The airline recently filmed a Tolkieninspired safety demonstration video, featuring several actors from The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, which when posted on social media was watched by 24 million people in the first week and it became the number one online video in the United States.

that opportunity,” he explained. “We’re starting to work with others and we see that as a really big and important thing to do, because we can’t fly everywhere on our own. This idea of working in alliances with other airlines – so we can leverage the sales and distribution strength that we each have at different ends of the routes – is so important and we’re able to offer our customers much better frequencies, much better connections and a much better experience all round.” Luxon said the service entry of the 787-9 has “really been exceptional” and forward bookings on the routes it currently operates have seen a significant increase. “We’re very proud of our on-time performance and reliability of the aircraft. It’s actually going better than we anticipated and in terms of fuel burn it’s been really fantastic,” he enthused. “We

Future Plans Over the next four years Air New Zealand is set to

invest NZ$2.2 billion in new aircraft, and Luxon points out this investment is in addition to $14 million spent in 2014 upgrading its ‘Koru’ lounges in Sydney and Brisbane, as well as a cabin refurbishment of its Boeing 777-200ER aircraft, bringing them to a similar standard to the 777-300ER and 787-9 fleets. The airline is also investing more in kiosk and mobile technology to provide what Luxon calls a “seamless travel experience” for customers. He also sees partnerships with other airlines as a big future opportunity in the Pacific Rim. “The real opportunity is to work together to be able to hunt in a pack and collaborate in a way to be able to seize on

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had high expectations around customer reaction but, for example, if I look at bookings from Perth between November and April from last year to this year, they are up 10% – and that’s partly due to consumer choice and preference.” Luxon said the two additional 787-9s announced in December are additional

Steve Flint/AirTeamImages

capacity, and he expects Air New Zealand to increase seat capacity between 5% and 6% each year for the next five years. “That’s a pretty big growth for a developed market and we’ll be announcing new routes in the coming months,” he concluded. “We do have routes in mind for these aircraft, we don’t just buy aircraft and then work out where to send them. We have identified markets that we believe we can develop further enough for these aircraft – so watch this space.”

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1 Air New Zealand’s Skycouch is popular with families, especially on long-haul flights. Air New Zealand 2 Dash DHC-8-300 ZK-NET (c/n 642) at Napier, one of 23 used by Air Nelson for Air New Zealand Link operations. Michael Priesch/AirTeamImages 3 The extremes of the Air New Zealand fleet: 777-300ER ZK-OKO together with the Beech 1900 (ZKEAG) operated by Eagle Airways for Air New Zealand Link. Colin Hunter/AirTeamImages 3

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roduction of Boeing F/A-18E and F/A-18F Super Hornet Block IIs for the US Navy is scheduled to end later this year. The third and final multi-year procurement contract between Boeing and Naval Air Systems Command will complete the programme of record total of 292 F/A18Es and 271 F/A-18Fs delivered. But this will not be the end for Boeing’s St Louis, Missouri Super Hornet production line. It will remain open to build EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft for the US Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force, and for other potential export customers, at least until 2017. The Super Hornet will be part of US Navy carrier air wings, alongside the Lockheed Martin F-35C Lightning II, until replaced by the next-generation fighter F/A-XX design: the first of which is currently expected to enter fleet service around 2030. The US Navy has scheduled an analysis of alternatives study for the F/A-XX this year. Thus, the Super Hornet is likely to remain in operation until about 2040. With both the F-35C and the future Unmanned CarrierLaunched Airborne Surveillance and Strike aircraft intended primarily for air-to-surface missions, the Super Hornet will be the navy’s air-to-air fighter for both fleet air defence and offensive counter air roles. To keep the aircraft operationally viable until 2040, the US Navy’s Super Hornet Flight Plan, which is already in progress, defines how the current baseline configuration will be sustained and upgraded as funding is available and technologies developed and tested.

Hornets, which were originally designed for a service life of 6,000 flight hours. This process was conducted as part of the Service Life Assessment Program (SLAP) which has led to an 8,000-hour life, with an extension to 8,600 hours being approved. In parallel, Naval Air Systems Command is currently running the Correction of Operational Deficiencies (COD) programme to implement 39 engineering change proposals on Super Hornet aircraft already serving in the fleet. Under NAVAIR’s current plans, individual Super Hornets will be retired as they reach 9,000 flight hours, but studies ongoing as part of the SLAP will outline a range of service life extensions, including one 12,000hour option. Each option will be based on structural testing and the lessons learnt from implementing the Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) on F/A-18A, B, C and D-models.

In addition to the navy’s planned upgrades, Boeing has funded its own independent research and development efforts for the Advanced Super Hornet (ASH). A baseline F/A-18F Super Hornet on loan from the US Navy configured with multiple ASH systems made its first flight in August 2013: only ten months after the go-ahead was given. Boeing has been smart in its development of the advanced model because it integrates upgrades that can be introduced on new-production aircraft for export customers or retrofitted – as a package or with individual systems – to existing aircraft. While no customer has committed to buy the ASH or any of its upgrades, they show how the Super Hornet might evolve in the years to come.

vulnerability to electronic attack. These upgrades are aimed to remove shortfalls that limited performance and integrate software upgrades that are providing Super Hornets with an multi-spectral integration (MSI) sensor capability. Software is being upgraded by Raytheon and Boeing in three phases and delivered one at a time with the H8, H10 and H12 software loads retrofitted to all Block II Super Hornets. The Phase I upgrade sought to fuse ground target information generated by the aircraft’s sensors with data received via datalink from other platforms. This was enabled by the H8E Phase I software, which entered service with the fleet in 2013. Phase I testing, between June 2012 and May 2013, involved 1,296 flight hours and focused on system software improvements. The more capable H10E Phase II load is focused on improvements to the APG-79 radar intended to correlate ground and surface tracks with

Mass Communication Specialist Everett Allen/US Navy

MILITARY F/A-18E AND F/A-18F SUPER HORNET

Radar and Software The Raytheon AN/APG-79(V) active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar is the system at the heart of the Super Hornet Block II’s networked capability. All Block II aircraft (those delivered from production Lot 25 onward) were wired for the AESA radar unit, though the units were not fitted in production aircraft until Lot 30 (delivered in 2010). Retrofitting 133 early production Block II aircraft is one goal (though as yet unfunded) of the Super Hornet Flight Plan. Upgrades of the APG-79 are in progress to increase reliability and software stability, reduce target location error, improve short-range tracking performance during air combat manoeuvring and reduce

SuperHor Structure Starting in 2008, the US Navy has monitored the structural components of its Super

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those generated by off-board sensors, to improve lethality against stationary or moving targets. Phase II testing, which started in October 2013 and was completed in June 2014, involved 1,884.4 flight hours. The final H12E Phase III load adds counter electronic attack capability and an enhanced air-to-air tactical picture in the cockpit. Addressing shortfalls and upgrading capabilities concurrently has been difficult. The FY2013 Annual Report by the Department of Defense’s Director, Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E), published in January 2014, was critical of the radar, stating that “the navy has not yet addressed long-standing deficiencies” and that “the radar’s failure to meet reliability requirements remains a shortfall”. That these statements were not repeated in the FY2014 edition of this report, published in January 2015, suggests progress has been made. The FY2014 DOT&E report said that

F/A-18E AND F/A-18F SUPER HORNET MILITARY

ornet APG-79 reliability improved during Phase I and II testing compared to previous operational tests and had provided improved performance compared to the legacy APG73 radar used on early production Super Hornets. Nonetheless, the AESA radar’s software instability resulted in a failure to meet reliability and BIT performance requirements.

IRST21 The IRST21 infrared search and track system, developed for Boeing by Lockheed Martin, is based on the AN/AAS-42 used by the Grumman F-14D Tomcat. It is mounted in the nose of a modified centreline fuel tank, with a capacity of 330 US gallons (1,250 litres) (reduced from 480/1,817). The IRST21 will be able to cue the APG-79 AESA or be cued by it, enabling engagement of stealthy targets under radar jamming conditions. It will also provide inputs for the Aided Target Recognition capability developed by the

David C Isby reviews the evolution of the US Navy’s Super Hornet strike fighter and details upgrade programmes intended to enhance its capability

Office of Naval Research to identify and classify surface targets. While the US Navy will operate the pod-mounted version, Boeing has offered an internally mounted IRST as an option on the Advanced Super Hornet. The first flight of the IRST21 pod on a Super Hornet took place on F/A-18F BuNo 166635 at NAWS China Lake, California on February 12, 2014, followed by six flights on an F/A-18F developmental test aircraft between May 14 and July 16, 2014. The FY2014 DOT&E report identified a number of problems with the IRST21. An operational assessment (OA) demonstrated unsatisfactory tracking performance, especially regarding track quality. The report said that most software reliability problems were related to built-in test (BIT), which exhibited a high frequency of false alarms. The most serious issue was tracker process failures not detected by BIT, which could lead to the pilot being unaware that there is

a problem with their situational awareness picture. The programme has identified a fix for this problem and it is currently in flight test for evaluation. To have a true multispectral target tracking capability, a pilot will have to be able to rely on the radar and IRST being aligned so that, even under high-g manoeuvring conditions, they will both be looking at the same target and tracking it as a single target. According to the FY2014 DOT&E report, there were problems with the software’s line-of-sight estimation algorithms (known as servo-transfer alignment). As a fallback, the OA used a mechanical bore sight procedure to produce alignment and this might serve as a permanent solution if the servo-transfer alignment algorithm cannot be improved. An assessment will examine how long the manual bore sight is expected to hold (carrier deck landings will knock anything out of alignment that is capable of being knocked out of alignment) and whether new support

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MILITARY F/A-18E AND F/A-18F SUPER HORNET equipment will be required to re-bore sight the system aboard ship. The first low rate initial production contract for six pods was awarded on January 16, 2015. These are scheduled to achieve initial operational capability (IOC) by 2018.

Multi-Sensor Integration and Electronic Support Measures

Sensor fusion is coming to the Super Hornet by way of the multi-sensor integration programme or MSI. The aircraft’s integrated multi-spectral sensor suite allows radar, infrared and electronic support measures (ESM) to provide the pilot with enhanced situational awareness and be linked with off-board systems. Achieving this capability has been dependent on software upgrades. The FY2014 DOT&E report stated that the aircraft’s MSI software had difficulty integrating IRST data with data from the radar. As a result, the MSI software was not tested but will follow at a later date to ensure the successful integration of IRST track data once the problems with that sensor have been addressed. Computing power for the integrated sensor suite is provided by the General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems Type 4 Advanced Mission Computer (AMC). It first flew in September 2012 and is incorporated in Lot 37 aircraft delivered in 2014, but is not yet planned as a retrofit for earlier production aircraft. The AMC is being offered with the Advanced Super Hornet. The Block IV suite of the Super Hornet’s IDECM (Integrated Defensive Electronic Countermeasures) system, which includes selfdefence active jammers, is also integrated with the sensor suite as part of the MSI programme. Warnings from the Super Hornet’s existing Raytheon ALR-67(V)3 missile warning system are correlated with APG-79 or IRST21 data. Performance of ALR-67(V)3 will also be

enhanced by two new capabilities called single ship geo-location and specific emitter identification. A modified version of Northrop Grumman’s AN/ALQ-218 ESM passive sensor system used by the EA-18G Growler has also been considered for integration on the Super Hornet.

Air-to-Air In the near future, the Super Hornets’ main air-to-air beyond visual range weapon will be the Raytheon AIM-120D AMRAAM (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile). The FY2014 DOT&E report recommended

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an operationally representative end-to-end missile test to demonstrate APG-79 radar and system software support for a multiple AIM120 missile engagement, (and to develop and characterise the full electronic warfare capability of the radar), but under the current Flight Plan, the missile’s full capability will not be fully tested with multi-missile launches against stealthy and other stressing targets until FY2016-2017, when the H12E software will undergo its operational testing.

ADVANCED SUPER HORNET CONFORMAL FUEL TANKS & ENCLOSED WEAPONS POD Not part of the US Navy’s Flight Plan, but among the most distinctive elements of the ASH design are its conformal fuel tanks (CFT) and enclosed weapons pod (EWP). Attached to the upper fuselage, CFTs weigh 870lb (395kg) empty and have the potential to carry 3,500lb (1,587kg) of fuel, providing an additional 260nm (480km) of range while opening up the centreline external pylon and internal space for other uses. The EWP can carry 2,500lb (1,134kg) of munitions with a smaller radar return and less drag because the weapons are carried internally. The CFT and EWP successfully completed flight testing in 2013, and were found to add almost no drag.

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STEALTH, COCKPIT DISPLAYS AND NEW ENGINE Boeing has designed, and Naval Air Systems Command has tested, radar cross section and other survivability improvements for the Super Hornet. Boeing claims “more than a 50% improvement” over the current radar signature when combined with the CFT and EWP. These upgrades are primarily (but not exclusively) intended to reduce the aircraft’s frontal signature. These upgrades are not currently part of the Flight Plan, but could be incorporated in future upgrades. Super Hornets have been offered to export customers with an improved large area display featuring a 19 x 11 inch (482 x 279mm) screen

with touch screen capability. An enhanced engine for the Super Hornet is not a programme of record item in the Flight Plan. But the General Electric F414-400 Enhanced Performance Engine, which offers 26,400lb (120kN) thrust, some 20% more thrust than the baseline F414-400, has been developed by General Electric and Boeing for integration on the Super Hornet. The transonic acceleration of the new engine variant could push a Super Hornet from Mach 0.9 to Mach 1.4 in a third of the time it currently takes. The F414-400EPE is claimed to offer lower operating and maintenance costs, reflecting the improved material technology and improved inlet fan and compressor designs used in the design.

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The other air-to-air missile destined for the Super Hornet is the latest generation short-range, heat-seeking AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder. The AIM-9X Block I is currently fielded with Operational Flight Software (OFS) 8.220, which includes limited lockon-after-launch, full envelope off bore sight capability without a helmet-mounted cueing system, and improved flare rejection. The Block II combines the latest version of the missile, known as AIM-9X-2, and OFS 9.3. The missile includes a new processor, a new battery, an electronic ignition safe/arm device, and the DSU-41/B Active Optical Target Detector fuse/datalink assembly. The OFS 9.3 software upgrade is intended to add trajectory management to improve range, datalink with the launch aircraft, improved lock-on-afterlaunch, target re-acquisition, and improved fusing. The AIM-9X Block II encountered problems during initial operational testing and evaluation (IOT&E). The Block II’s IOT&E started in April 2012 but was halted in July 2013 after several test missiles were observed to oscillate in flight. An investigation showed the cause to be degraded performance by the onboard inertial measurement unit (IMU) due to the effects of high-g forces. By changing the IMU fabrication process, the problem was solved, incorporating upgraded software (OFS version 9.313) without requiring a redesign. According to the FY2014 DOT&E report, the IMU deficiency has been resolved. On June 9, 2014, the Program Executive Officer (PEO) re-certified the AIM-9X Block II to resume IOT&E. Throughout developmental and operational testing, the US Navy and US Air Force conducted 18 live missile shots (five as integrated test events), including two repeated shots due to a previous failure, and 21 captive-carry events. Of the 18 live missile shots attempted [seven by the air force and 11 by the navy], 14 met test objectives by terminating within lethal radius of the target, one misfired, one experienced a known hardware failure, and two resulted in wide misses. Notable live shots, each against an aerial target, included one at 20-plus nautical miles (37-plus km) and another involving the missile being launched over the shoulder at the target 10-plus nautical miles (18-plus km) behind the launch aircraft. The AIM-9X Block II is expected to reach IOC in March 2015. The proposed cancellation of the AIM-9X Block III programme, included in the FY2016 defence budget request, would make the Block II more important for achieving future air-to-air capability. Even if the Block III is cancelled, the navy intends to carry on developing its warhead, which meets insensitive munitions requirements, for retrofit to the Block II design.

Air-to-Surface A Block II aircraft can perform single pass multitargeting with any of the GPS-guided weapons that have been integrated with it: a capability that now includes the AGM-88E AARGM (Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile), added as part of the H8E software upgrade.

F/A-18E AND F/A-18F SUPER HORNET MILITARY

An IRST21 pod fitted to the centreline station of F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 166635 at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, California prior to the first flight on February 12, 2014.

Tom Reynolds/Lockheed Martin

Other weapons cleared for use by the Super Hornet include the BAE Systems semi-active laser-guided APKWS (Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System) for 70mm rockets following testing in summer 2014. US Navy Super Hornets and Growlers are the first operational aircraft capable of using network-enabled weapons: those fitted with Link 16 datalinks to allow remote re-targeting in flight, even against moving targets, and not necessarily by the launch platform. These include the AGM-154C-1 JSOW (Joint Stand-Off Weapon, deliveries of which are expected to start in 2016) and GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) Block II (IOC scheduled by 2020). And by 2019, the navy plans to also integrate Lockheed Martin’s Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM). According to details provided by Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, the LRASM uses autonomous sensing, dynamic routing, advanced signature control, a multi-mode seeker and a 1,000lb (454kg) penetrating blast fragmentation warhead.

Mission Systems Even the earliest Lot 22 Super Hornets built were equipped with advanced mission systems and, 15 years on, the latest Block II aircraft have additional capabilities which are set to be added to with various upgrades. One such system is the Distributed Targeting System (DTS) manufactured by the

Melbourne, Florida-based Harris Corporation. The system enables cooperative targeting by using geo-registration, a process that compares sensor data from the aircraft’s radar, FLIR or off-board sensors with imagery held in an onboard database. The system’s data fusion engine can generate highly accurate target coordinates, even at long range, using the various data feeds: a process also known as GPS grid locking. The DTS achieved IOC in 2014 with F/A-18E-equipped Strike Fighter Squadron 136 (VFA-136)

Hornets. To upgrade the baseline bandwidth and capacity levels provided by these systems, as part of the aircraft’s Flight Plan, the navy will upgrade the Super Hornet’s network capability with the Advanced Tactical Datalink (ATDL), the Concurrent Multi-Netting 4 or the Rockwell Collins-developed Tactical Targeting Network Technology (TTNT).

This is to ensure the nM aircraft can connect into Marti heed k c o the Naval Integrated Fire Control – L Counter-Air (NIFC-CA) operational construct. A further communication upgrade due ‘Knighthawks’ for completion in 2019 is the fleet-wide based at Naval Air Station Oceana Virginia. installation of Rockwell Collins ARC-210 Contracts currently in place with Boeing VHF/UHF radios. include 166 aircraft for upgrade by FY2017, Development of a new integrated flight part of the navy’s goal is to eventually fit the safety system started in 2013 and is DTS to all APG-79-equipped Super Hornets expected to enter developmental testing in and Growlers. FY2016. The Automated Ground Collision The aircraft’s ability to receive target Avoidance System/Automated Terrain information from off-board sensors is enabled Avoidance and Warning System uses digital by datalinks, such as the Link 4 and Link terrain elevation data (DTED) to help 16 systems fitted as standard to all Super prevent ground collision. ntrol

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Relentle

COMMERCIAL BELL 525 RELENTLESS

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Mark Broadbent discovers more about the new Bell 525 twin ‘super medium’ helicopter he Bell 525 Relentless programme is advancing. “Aircraft one is coming together like aircraft 100 would. It’s very mature,” Larry Thimmesch, Vice-President Bell 525 Program, told AIR International. The first flight test vehicle (FTV-1) of the Fort Worth, Texas-based company’s new twin-turbine helicopter was scheduled to have a complete power-up in March (the cockpit was powered-up in November). After the tail boom and rotors are installed, Bell Helicopter will conduct ground runs of the engine and the drive system before flight tests begin. “We expect to get the aircraft fully complete and into the air around the first quarter,” Thimmesch said.

Multi-Role Bell markets the Relentless as a ‘super medium’ helicopter. What does that mean? “We use the term to [refer to] a class of aircraft that can do a majority of the missions of a heavy but do them with medium-class economics,” Thimmesch explained. “Our customers are looking to simplify their fleets. We can provide an aircraft that can do any mission between 50 and 500 nautical miles [92-926km] with the payload and range they need, and do it more cost-effectively from a total ownership perspective than a

medium or a heavy.” An advisory panel, established by Bell Helicopter in December 2010, comprises customers from a range of sectors – offshore oil and gas, corporate/VIP, emergency medical/ rescue and firefighting – who were involved in the Bell 525’s development from the start. The result was that the Relentless was designed to be multi-role. “Our customers identified about a dozen [role] kits and we made them part of the basic aircraft rather than making customers pick them [later],” Thimmesch revealed. “We’ve provisioned a lot of kits into the aircraft, which not only makes it easier to build a configuration but gives the customer the ability to repurpose the aircraft. “The helicopter could be firefighting in one season and in the next it could be performing search and rescue. Or it could be repurposed to transition from oil and gas [transportation] to SAR. We’ve done a lot of integration in the basic design for the kits to give it adaptability, residual value and meet those mission requirements.”

engine helicopters to continue flying and maintain satisfactory safety margins in the event of an engine failure, including during take-off and landing.) The result is that, rather than traditional flight controls, the Relentless has a full authority digital flight control system (FADEC). Pilot inputs are electronically transmitted and processed by three flight control computers and triplex electro-hydraulic actuators.

Benefits

So smart is the fly-by-wire system that it can ‘sense’ how the aircraft is being flown and automatically adjust commands to maximise flying precision. “The pilot can let go of the controls and the helicopter will hold that position until they provide another input,” Thimmesch explained. “They don’t have to be constantly hands-on flying the aircraft. The system will always let you override it, but it’s there and it reduces the overall pilot workload and fatigue. “If the pilot were to become disoriented or enter into an unstable flight condition, the Fly-by-Wire stabilisation system will automatically return the The Bell 525 is the first commercial helicopter aircraft to its previous safe altitude and speed. to incorporate fly-by-wire flight controls. “When “The fly-by-wire can augment the pilot’s we looked at the industry’s future needs the capability to react extremely quickly [to biggest one was safety,” Thimmesch said. “Our emergencies],” Thimmesch continued. “For customer advisory panel said Category A flying example, the system will sense a one-enginewas a non-negotiable requirement that future inoperative event before the pilot can see it payload/range performance and any other on the gauge. It will automatically optimise design requirements would be based on.” the power and controls to the good engine to (Category A is a requirement for twin[enable the pilot to] continue flying safely to a decision point, automatically transition to an 1 auto-rotate and manage the inertia and energy much quicker than a pilot can. Fly-by-wire gives safety.”

Touchscreen Cockpit The Bell 525’s avionics suite is the Garmin G5000H, making the type the first helicopter to have a glass cockpit incorporating touchscreen displays. The cyclic in the Relentless is at the side of the cockpit, rather than in its traditional position between the pilot’s legs, bringing the crew closer to the displays and facilitating tactile input. The G5000H features two ergonomic touch displays with icon-driven menus, making it straightforward for pilots to access the information they want. Situational awareness is provided by synthetic vision technology, which presents a 3D depiction of terrain,

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BELL 525 SPECIFICATIONS Size dimensions have not been released by the manufacturer Engines: 2x General Electric CT7-2F-1 with full authority digital engine control Max cruise speed: 155kts (287km/h) Standard fuel capacity: 634 US gallons (2,400 litres) Range: 500nm (926km) Seating: 2 crew plus 16 passengers (1 or 2 crew plus 20 passengers in high-density layout) Passenger cabin height: 51in (1.37m) Passenger cabin floor area: 88ft2 (8.2.m2) Baggage compartment volume: 128ft3 (3.6m3)

1 The Bell 525 is the first commercial helicopter to have a fully fly-by-wire cockpit. 2 Bell has designed the 525 to be repurposed – for example, from corporate transport to firefighting. All images Bell Helicopter

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COMMERCIAL BELL 525 RELENTLESS

obstacles and traffic in any visibility condition (day or night) and a helicopter terrain awareness and warning system. Other cockpit features include Telligence voice control, 3D audio, video inputs, a data link and a power situation indicator. “You can set up different configurations based on different pilots’ preferences,” Thimmesch added. “If one pilot wants things formatted in a certain way on the primary flight display, he can set it up [and] save it as a preset. Every time he gets into the helicopter he doesn’t have to reformat all the screens. He just goes to his setting and the display brings up his last stored formatting.”

Awareness Reactive Control

RELENTLESS DESIGN POINTS

The Relentless flightdeck is branded ARC Horizon. The ARC stands for Awareness Reactive Control and is meant to reflect how what Thimmesch calls “the whole front office experience” – the cockpit visibility (which Bell Helicopter claims is better than in similar types because the crew are sat further forwards), the fly-by-wire and the avionics – contributes to situational awareness. “It’s hard to put a price on safety but if I can give a pilot an aircraft that he’s much more integrated into, [he’s] aware of a situation, able to react quickly and control the aircraft,” Thimmesch said. “We spent a lot of time 1

The Bell 525 features four LIVE (liquid inertia vibration eliminator) mounts. These are dampeners that isolate the transmission from turning components in the airframe – the rotors, engines, auxiliary power unit and the gearboxes – minimising vibration from these parts into the airframe. Larry Thimmesch explained: “Instead of attenuating the vibration into the airframe and removing it with dampeners, we isolate it at its source. This will provide better comfort for passengers and a much better environment for components in terms of reliability. “This is unique to a Bell helicopter. In an aircraft of this class, where you can spend many hours in it, eliminating that vibration is a real game-changer. We’ve already tested them and proved that they eliminate over 95% of the vibrations.” Other significant design points include a four-bladed, soft-in-plane tail rotor which features airfoil-designed, bird strike-resistant blades and an anti-ice capability. The five-bladed fullyarticulated main rotor hub has been designed to provide low vibration, high durability and damage tolerance. It has a high torsion stiffness, a full de-ice capability and a blade-fold kit is available.

1 Customers have been involved in designing more than 50 different role kits for the Relentless. 2 Offshore oil and gas transport is just one of the roles the Bell 525 Relentless is targeted at.

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BELL 525 RELENTLESS COMMERCIAL looking at the causes of rotorcraft accidents and really understanding what technology could do to improve it. The [Bell 525’s] flightdeck is the culmination of that. “If you’re flying in a commercial airliner today there’s guaranteed performance through all flight regimes. We’re providing a helicopter with that same capability [and] taking the commercial rotorcraft market to where fixed-wing has been for many years.”

Health Monitoring Bell has focused on how to maximise the 525’s availability through what it calls ‘integrated vehicle health monitoring’ and the Relentless will be able to transmit flight data in real time. Bell Helicopter will have a support network to gather and disseminate that information among operators. The idea is to help them, in Thimmesch’s words, “understand all they can about their aircraft, how it’s flying and what they can do to improve availability”. The Bell 525 has been designed in accordance with the latest Maintenance 2 Steering Group-3 (MSG-3) standard, which introduced reliability-centred maintenance. That’s where maintenance tasks focus on the areas requiring the most urgent attention to minimise aircraft downtime. “The more data we can use the more quickly we can optimise the maintenance programme,” Thimmesch noted. “That’s a value-add in ownership costs and availability. We can also take that data, interrogate it and provide visibility for operators, depending on their capabilities and desires.” Bell Helicopter itself will measure around 120 different parameters to monitor the reliability of every Relentless flying. That will help the design team at Fort Worth understand “what’s gone well, what’s not gone well and what we can do to mature the aircraft as quickly as we can”, added Thimmesch.

Fleet Integration Process Bell Helicopter has what it calls a fleet integration process for every customer. “We sit down with them and really understand their requirements, including training and spares, and everything to do with integrating a product successfully into their fleet. We’ll then work through these requirements before they get the aircraft. “Typically a lot of those things happen after a customer gets an aircraft, so they have to wait before they start generating revenue. We’re going to do a lot of those things before – to minimise the time between customer receipt and customer use. We look upon customer receipt as a transition in capability rather than a one-off event. That’s a major departure in how customers receive aircraft today.”

Testing Configurations There will be five Relentless flight test helicopters. The first will test the flight envelope and the second and third performance characteristics. The fourth and fifth will be used for extended function and reliability testing of the different kits installed in the helicopter for its various roles. “We’re designing and certifying 52 kits at the same time as we develop the basic

aircraft,” Thimmesch revealed. “So when we certify it for oil and gas, a lot of our avionics for search and rescue will be certified also. We have another 32 kits that we’re going to be designing during flight testing. We’ll certify those as part of the type certificate programme.” This process of concurrently validating and certifying kits reflects the close involvement of operators through the Bell 525’s development. “It’s to make sure we’ve designed and tested it to the configurations that customers actually want to fly,” Thimmesch said. “That’s the only configuration that’s meaningful to them. The testing is trying to replicate the real life of the helicopter in the customer’s hands. “Those last two aircraft will fly scenarios that could be real, so we make sure we’ve done every little thing we can to improve the aircraft, and that when we hand it to the customer there are no surprises.” Some function and reliability testing was under way as the aircraft went through development. The Bell 525’s fly-by-wire controls, hydraulics, actuators, electrical and avionics systems were extensively tested in a cockpit simulator called the Relentless Advanced Systems Integration Laboratory. Bell Helicopter says this has helped it identify improvements in the fly-by-wire system up front.

Build Process Further maturity has been provided by the build process developed for the Bell 525. Thimmesch explained that, traditionally, the airframe, mechanical and electrical systems would be designed before manufacturing engineers then created “an identity of how they’re going to build the aircraft”. With the 525, he said, Bell Helicopter has instead “built the engineering [build] as we design. Those in assembly know exactly how [a part] is going to be installed in the factory. The digital data that designs the aircraft is the same used in manufacture. The guy out on the shop floor has a little ruggedised computer with virtual work instructions that show him how to assemble the aircraft, and the engineering configurations at the design level. The accuracy between the tooling and the design is just phenomenal because they share the same datum.” Bell Helicopter’s ‘elevator pitch’ to potential operators is that the 525 is an all-rounder, with a flightdeck that provides ease of operation and safety, comprehensive maintenance support, compliance with standards and multi-role flexibility. “There’s a lot of big ‘so whats’ about this product,” Thimmesch concluded. “The more the industry learns about it and understands what’s different, the more they’ll see it’s the right product for the future.”

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Rafale The Rafale omnirole fighter is flying in combat in Africa and in the Middle East while Dassault Aviation tests new systems. By Henri-Pierre Grolleau

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fghanistan, Libya, Mali, the Central African Republic and now Iraq: the Rafale has demonstrated combat versatility in all conflicts involving France since 9/11. Twelve Armée de l’Air (French Air Force) Rafales currently operate from N’Djamena, Chad, and BA104 Al Dhafra, in the United Arab Emirates. They are involved in the fight against terrorism on two fronts simultaneously: against the jihadists hidden somewhere in the Great Sahara Desert and against the Islamic State, in Iraq. Rafales stationed in N’Djamena also provide coverage to the French-led peacekeeping effort in the Central African Republic as part of Opération Sangaris while remaining available to engage Boko Haram extremists in the Lake Chad area, should the situation deteriorate in the region. In addition to the Rafales, three Armée de l’Air Mirage 2000Ds are detached

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to Niamey, the capital of Niger, and another six to Jordan while three Mirage 2000D strike fighters and four Mirage 2000-5F interceptors of Escadron de Chasse 3/11 ‘Corse’ remain at high readiness in Djibouti. At the time of writing, nuclear aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle was heading towards the Persian Gulf with 12 Rafales and nine Super Etendard Modernisés on board, bringing the number of forward deployed French fighters to 49.

Rafale Units The Marine Nationale (French Navy) led the way for Rafale entry into service when Flottille 12F, the first Rafale naval squadron, became fully operational with the type in 2004. In 2011, it was joined by sister squadron Flottille 11F, with the final frontline unit, Flottille 17F, slated to trade its last Super Etendard Modernisés for new Rafales from 2016 onwards. Flottille 17F is due to become fully operational on the new type the following year. The Centre d’Expérimentations Pratiques

de l’Aéronavale (CEPA, the French Navy operational evaluation centre) also operates a single Rafale from Istres for various trials and operational evaluation programmes. The Armée de l’Air has five squadrons equipped with Rafales. The first to accept the new fighter was Escadron de Chasse et d’Expérimentation 05/330 ‘Côte d’Argent’, the evaluation unit that is part of the Centre d’Expériences Aériennes Militaires (CEAM, or French Air Force operational evaluation centre), based at BA118 Mont-de-Marsan. EC 1/7 ‘Provence’, the first Jaguar squadron back in 1973 and the last to fly the ‘Cat’ (until 2005), was selected to become the first Armée de l’Air Rafale squadron. It has been stationed at BA113 St Dizier with Rafales since 2006. The next French Air Force fighter squadron to be equipped with the new type, EC 1/91 ‘Gascogne’, was officially re-created at St Dizier in March 2009, becoming the first Rafale unit to specialise in the nuclear deterrence role. In October 2010, it was followed by Escadron de Transformation

RAFALE MILITARY

Preparing for the Future Every two years on average a new software release is made available by Dassault to frontline users. The omnirole fighter became fully operational with the advent of F3.2 standard software that allowed the full use of all nuclear and conventional weapons, including laser-guided bombs. Since then, three new software updates have been issued: F3.3, F3.3’ and F3.4+. With the refinements contained within each iterative release, the Rafale’s man-machine interface

has been further improved to reduce aircrew workload and provide new functionalities. Dassault Aviation and its partners are testing the next Rafale standard called F3R, which is scheduled to enter service in 2018, with both the French Air Force and the French Navy. It will include a large number of modifications, which will help increase even further the type’s lethality and connectivity on the battlefield. In all, more than 500 test flights will be required by Dassault to develop and test all new systems and associated functionalities between. The flight-test campaign started in the middle of 2014 and is expected to be completed by late 2017. With the advent of the F3R standard,

French fighter pilots will have at their disposal a whole range of new systems offering enhanced operational capabilities thanks to the: • Adoption of the Meteor air-to-air missile and the 1,000lb (454kg) GBU-16 laserguided bomb. • Full integration of the SBU-54, the laserguided variant of the Hammer (Highly Agile, Modular Munition Extended Range) family of precision weapons from Sagem (known in France as AASM for Armement Air-Sol Modulaire). • Expansion of the Link 16 functionalities to enable interoperability with French and foreign assets. • Introduction of the Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System (AGCAS) with a ground watch mode to boost flight safety to unprecedented levels. • Improve the Spectra self-defence/ electronic warfare suite and the countercounter measure modes of the RBE2 electronically scanned radar.

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All images Henri-Pierre Grolleau

Rafale 2/92 ‘Aquitaine’, a joint air force/navy conversion unit that now handles all Rafale aircrew training from St Dizier. In November 2010, EC 3/30 ‘Lorraine’ was re-created at Al Dhafra, in the United Arab Emirates, in effect a forward operating base for Rafale fighters. Escadron de Chasse 2/30 ‘NormandieNiemen’, of World War Two fame, became the fourth Armée de l’Air frontline squadron to convert to the Rafale when it reformed at Mont-de-Marsan in mid-2012.

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2 3 1 A Rafale C loaded with a 500lb GBU-12 and a Damoclès targeting pod taxies to the runway at N’Djamena in Chad. 2,3,4&5 Rafale’s stores and weapons include (left to right) the Meteor beyond-visual-range missile, the Armement Air-Sol Modulaire precision-guided munition, the Pod Reco NG and the Damoclès targeting pod. 6 A French Navy Rafale M fitted with an air-refuelling pod on the centreline station and two drop tanks.

• Adoption of an IFF Mode 5, of a Mode S transponder and an improved GPS. • Entry into service of the new Thales TALIOS targeting pod. • Introduction of refinements to the Pod Reco NG recce pod. F3R integration began on test benches at Istres in April 2014, and flight testing began in early July 2014 when the first test flights with the Meteor flight control system were carried out. New Weapons When F3R is operational, the MBDA Meteor missile will become the Rafale’s weapon of choice in the air-to-air role. The ramjet-propelled weapon will offer unprecedented range and will complement the Rafale’s current Mica IR/RF infrared and radar-guided missiles. Six unguided and unpropelled Meteors have been released

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by Rafales since October 2012 as part of the firing envelope expansion. These tests proved that weapon ejection from the rear fuselage stations presented no separation or aerodynamic problems. Two-seat Rafale B301 was the first aircraft upgraded to F3R for the trials programme and flew the first sortie in July 2014. In September, it was joined by single-seat Rafale C101, the second development aircraft configured to F3R standard. The process to upgrade the aircraft from F3.4+ to F3R standard required an upload of the new software which took a couple of hours to complete. The first series of tests involved the Meteor fire control system and associated modes, including the fighter-to-missile datalink with both passive and active variants of the RBE2 electronic scanning radar. It is anticipated that all Rafales in service with the Armée de l’Air and Marine Nationale will

be cleared to operate with Meteor missiles. Initially, France planned to order 200 Meteors, but this was cut to just 100, due to budget constraints. Five Meteor integration test firings are planned between 2015 and 2017 with propelled and guided rounds fitted with a telemetry system instead of a warhead. The five shots will include the final qualification test to clear the Meteor for service entry on the Rafale in 2018. With the withdrawal of the Mirage F1 last summer, the French Air Force was left with no platform to deliver its arsenal of 1,000lb GBU-16 Paveway II laser-guided bombs. The Armée de l’Air had to make a choice between the Mirage 2000D and the Rafale. The latter was favoured because two GBU-16s could be carried by the twinengine fighter on its under wing pylons. The Rafale had already been cleared to carry the 500lb (227kg) GBU-12 Paveway II, the 500lb

RAFALE MILITARY GBU-22 Paveway III and the 2,000lb (907kg) GBU-24 Paveway III. As AIR International closed for press, the first GBU-16 weapon separation trial was expected any time soon. Three releases will be needed to expand the GBU-16’s operating envelope. The Hammer is among the most important weapons in the Rafale’s inventory. Three variants are operational all featuring a 500lbclass bomb body as a warhead: the SBU-38 with a combined inertial measurement unit/GPS receiver-navigation system for all-weather attacks. the SBU-64 with a combined infrared imager/inertial measurement unit/GPS receiver for day and night attacks. the SBU-54 with a combined laser spot tracker/inertial measurement unit/GPS receiver for high-precision strikes against mobile targets. To meet the need of an urgent operational requirement for the Mali crisis, the SBU-54 was integrated onto the Rafale’s weapon system in a minima configuration in order to provide an initial operational capability. As part of the F3R development effort, integration of the SBU54 will be completed, allowing pilots to take full advantage of the weapon’s impressive capabilities, including the 90° off boresight release mode. Testing will be limited to the fire control system as no new firing envelope

be identified after dark. The new pod will offer improved detection, identification and tracking ranges against pinpoint land and naval targets, day and night. Development flights on an instrumented Mirage 2000D are expected to begin at BA120 Cazaux in early 2016 with trials on the Rafale to follow from mid-2016 onwards. A comprehensive integration trial has been devised to confirm that the pod remains pointed in the right direction when the Rafale is manoeuvring hard, and that the laser beam remains powerful enough to illuminate the target and guide the bombs. TALIOS will be tested from the deck of the Charles de Gaulle to ensure it can resist the violent shocks associated with catapult shots and carrier landings. French Navy Rafales are often configured for the buddy-buddy refuelling mission with a dedicated pod under the centreline pylon, and up to four drop tanks (two 1,250 litre and two 2,000 litre) and four Mica air-to-air missiles. They provide an organic in-flight refuelling capability to the French carrier air group. The current inventory of pods (made by Douglas and Intertechnique) is fast ageing, however, and a new acquisition programme has been launched to procure a Nacelle de Ravitaillement en Vol de Nouvelle Génération (NARANG, or new generation

expansion will be required, because the SBU-54 is aerodynamically similar to the SBU-38 and SBU-64 already in service.

in-flight refuelling pod). Developed by Intertechnique, the NARANG will offer increased fuel flow, better reliability and easier maintainability while retaining an external shape similar to that of the current design. Trials are expected to begin late this year or early in 2016.

Future Rafale Beyond the F3R standard, Dassault Aviation engineers and their partners are actively studying new technical options for the fighter. Various systems are being considered, including new air-to-air missiles to replace the Mica IR/RF. New radar modes are being developed to offer better interleaved functionalities between air-to-air and air-to-surface search and track patterns, taking full advantage of the active electronically scanned array radar technology already in service on some Armée de l’Air and Marine Nationale Rafales. The aircraft’s network connectivity will be improved further thanks to better capabilities to exchange text, images, and even videos. Engineers are also looking at ways to reduce its radar cross section and infrared signature. For the version dubbed Rafale NG, modifications would be more extensive, including more powerful engines, a stretched fuselage and a reworked wing to minimise drag and increase range. Conformal radar antennas would be adopted to expand radar coverage in azimuth around the fighter’s airframe. Finally, directional infrared countermeasures (DIRCM) turrets could be adopted to defeat infrared-guided missile seekers. The proposed Rafale NG would have to be capable of cooperating with

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TALIOS and NARANG Conflicts in Afghanistan, Libya, Mali and currently Iraq have highlighted the need for a new laser designation pod for the Rafale and Mirage 2000D fleets that currently use the Damoclès pod. In February 2013, Thales was awarded a development contract for the new system, initially christened Damoclès XF, and now named TALIOS (Targeting Long-range Identification Optronics System). The new design will closely resemble the current Damoclès, minimising the need for a costly flight test programme. It will include air-to-air operating modes to complement the Rafale’s nose-mounted Front Sector Optronics. The FSO’s powerful TV sensor operates in the visual and near infrared wavelengths and so is ineffective at night, but TALIOS will address this problem allowing airborne targets to

future unmanned combat air vehicles that will equip French and European air arms in the next decade. Cooperative trials between the Rafale and the nEUROn demonstrator have yet to begin, but fighters and UCAVs will all have to operate on the very same network in the not too distant future.

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COMMERCIAL QATAR AIRWAYS AIRBUS A350-900

‘Design for a D The

Dominik Sipinski considers the changes the A350 will bring to Qatar Airways, the type’s first operator, and to the industry as a whole

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he introduction of the first Airbus A350-900 (A7-ALA, msn 6) into the Qatar Airways fleet at the beginning of the year meant more than just a new aircraft for the carrier. The twin-jet type will be a platform for the airline’s expansion – with a total of 80 A350s forming the backbone of the Gulf company’s fleet – but the new type is not the only planned change. When A7-ALA was welcomed in Doha on January 7, it was parked in front of the Premium Terminal, reserved for Qatar’s most valued passengers. It was a symbolic move by the airline to underline how the aircraft will raise the comfort and service offered to a new level, and not just for business class passengers but in economy class, too. The first commercial A350 flight, to Frankfurt, took place on January 15 from the brand new Hamad International Airport in Doha. Qatar Airways’ second A350 is expected to be delivered in March and the airline should have eight jets by the end of this year.

Mid-Size Long-Haul The A350’s entry into service brings Airbus up to par with Boeing, more than three years after its 787 Dreamliner’s first commercial flight. Both new airliners will constitute the core of the mid-sized, long-haul aircraft segment for years to come. “This is a design for a decade,” underlined Akbar Al Baker, Qatar Airways’ Chief Executive Officer, during the press conference in Doha. “Forecasts say that no new wide-body aircraft will be designed in the coming ten years.” Didier Evrard, Airbus Executive VicePresident and Head of Programmes, estimates there’ll be an even longer period – 20 years – until there’s a brand new long-haul design. In the coming years the A330neo and, potentially, a re-engined A380 (an idea strongly supported by Al Baker, although Airbus has not decided on that programme yet) will enter service. But these will only be updated versions of existing aircraft rather than clean-sheet designs.

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As a competitor of both the 787 and the Boeing 777, the A350 is a key type for Airbus. Since Qatar Airways is the first and the biggest customer, having ordered 43 A350-900s and 37 A350-1000s (the larger variant of the type that’s scheduled to enter service in mid-2017), the carrier’s strategy for this jet will be closely watched.

Routes Al Baker has been tight-lipped about detailed plans for the A350’s route network, refusing even to name the next destinations for the A350 after its introduction on the DohaFrankfurt service. But in February the carrier disclosed the second A350 route – Doha-Singapore, to be operated by the new aircraft from June 16. In mid-July a second A350 will be introduced on this service, and by mid-August the Qatari carrier plans to operate all three daily flights between Doha and Singapore with A350s. During the event in Doha, Al Baker said: “[The] A350 will be deployed to New York, secondary cities in Europe, the Indian subcontinent [and the] Far East. In those markets it will replace the 777.” Al Baker listed St Petersburg (a new destination for Qatar Airways), Warsaw

(currently served daily by the airline with A320s) and Washington among the routes that might see the A350 introduced later this year. “We want to show the A350 in other places in Europe, as well as in the United States this year,” added Al Baker. So far Frankfurt remains the main focus for the new airliner. Qatar plans to serve the city with its second A350 following delivery, making its double-daily frequency between Doha and the German hub an all-A350 operation. Speaking at a press conference in Frankfurt, Al Baker made no secret of the fact that this is a challenge to Lufthansa. The German airline’s executives have in the past criticised the Gulf carriers and have lobbied to limit their access to the new Berlin Brandenburg Airport, now scheduled to open in 2017 after years of delays.

Connections Like the Dreamliner, the A350 has been designed for those connections that don’t generate enough traffic to fill a larger A380 or 777, but that still have enough demand to make a direct route viable. As a smaller and much more economical airliner (Airbus claims it uses 25% less fuel

QATAR AIRWAYS AIRBUS A350-900 COMMERCIAL

Decade’ 1 The first customer A350-900, Qatar Airways’ A7-ALA, during the Doha launch event. All images BaoLuo/AirTeamImages unless stated 2 Seat pitch in economy on the Qatar A350 is 31in (787mm).

The A350 features an improved cabin environment with new air filters, among them an ozone filter. The cabin air is changed every two to three minutes during the flight. There are no draughts or temperature fluctuations and the cabin crew can control the temperature. The cabin altitude is set at 6,000ft (1,829m), which is equal to the Dreamliner’s. However, in contrast to the American aircraft, Airbus did not opt for increased humidity. As one of the test pilots confided during the media event, the reason for this was concern about the impact of condensation on the airframe in the long-term.

Carbon Fibre Airframe corrosion should be much less of an issue for the A350 than it is for older airframes. Two-thirds of its structure is made from non-corroding materials: 53% is carbon fibre and 14% is titanium. The carbon fibre parts include the entire wing structures. This 1 is marginally more than Boeing’s Dreamliner: the share of carbon fibre and titanium in the than older twin-jet widebodies), the A350 also suits connections with large shares of business traffic. Due to lower operational costs, carriers can deploy the A350 twice a day to cater for the needs of business passengers, who typically want frequency, rather than use a larger aircraft only once a day. This is the strategy that Qatar Airways will use initially on its Frankfurt service. By doing so the airline hopes to respond to the needs of passengers who are willing to pay a premium for quick connection times, as opposed to waiting for a single daily departure.

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Quietness and Comfort The A350 will also bring improvements beyond routes and schedules. The new airliner is much quieter than previous widebody twin-jets; Airbus itself was surprised when it achieved a noise footprint 21 decibels below the current ICAO Chapter 4 regulatory standard. Qatar underlined this performance in January by flying A7-ALA on a demo flight to Heathrow, one of the most noise-sensitive airports. Al Baker is very clear about the focus of Qatar Airways on passengers’ comfort.

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COMMERCIAL QATAR AIRWAYS AIRBUS A350-900 787 is around 65%. Airbus gave up on lithium-ion batteries after issues with them grounded the 787s for nearly half a year, so the A350 has conventional nickel-cadmium batteries instead. The A350 also features traditional window blinds rather than the electronic gizmos that control the windows on the 787 – although business class passengers in the Qatar A350 can use innovative two-stage blinds installed between the window panels. The A350 also features a wider cabin (120mm or 4.7in wider than the 787s) and more space at shoulder height. Qatar Airways offers a generous in-flight entertainment system and comfortable seats. “This [aircraft] is being delivered four years after the first 787 so [Airbus] has incorporated technological advances that have happened in the last four years into this aircraft,” said Al Baker in an interview with Euronews. In fact, the A350 was delivered fewer than three-and-a-half years after the first 787 was delivered to All Nippon Airways in September 2011.

Premium Class What has raised the eyebrows of some observers in the industry is the lack of first class on board the Qatar A350. “Our premium passengers are mostly travelling on business. That is why we forecast to keep only a small number of first class seats on the A380,” said Al Baker. None of the A350-900s or the larger A3501000s entering service with the airline will have first class, he confirmed. Qatar’s regional competitors follow another path. Apart from some A330-200s and 777s, all widebody aircraft used by Emirates and Etihad Airways have first class seats. Abu Dhabi-based Etihad has recently raised the luxury bar by introducing The Residence VIP suites aboard its A380s.

New Business Seat Al Baker doesn’t see first class as an 1 advantage. “We are now developing new seats with proprietary rights which will be 2 unrivalled,” he promised. “With that I don’t think you need first class anymore. We will provide you with a double bed at the price of a business seat.” In 2016, the new business class seat will replace the current one, which is already a comfortable and well-equipped lie-flat seat, which converts into a 1,950mm/76in-long and 640mm/25in wide bed. It will debut before the introduction of the A350-1000 in mid-2017. Al Baker says he does not want to wait for the business class revamp until 2016 as, by then, the current business class seats will be, in his words, “obsolete”. Al Baker was asked if he was afraid of losing out to regional competitors in the race for more luxury. “We always raise the bar for our dear friends around the region so that they can copy us,” he responded with his famous wit. Al Baker reminded those gathered for the press conference that Qatar was the second airline, after British Airways, to offer lie-flat seats both in first class in 2001, and in business class the year after.

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QATAR AIRWAYS AIRBUS A350-900 COMMERCIAL The Qatar airline was also only the second carrier globally to introduce live TV on board its aircraft. Currently Qatar Airways offers first class on its A330-200s, -300s, A340-600s and A380s. The carrier’s 787s (it ordered 30 of this type, 18 of which are now in service) are in a two-class layout, as are the 777s. The airline will not expand into the lowcost market, Al Baker underlined, despite other carriers using 787s for this purpose. The A350/787 class aircraft are well suited for long-haul, low-cost flights. Norwegian Air Shuttle uses Dreamliners for transatlantic low-cost flights from Scandinavia and London Gatwick to the United States. Scoot, the Singapore Airlinesowned long-haul, low-cost operation, will introduce the first 20 Dreamliners at the end of March.

Regional Centre Alongside the 80 A350s to be delivered to Qatar Airways, 62 others will be handed over to Etihad Airways, ten to Kuwait Airways and ten to Yemenia, making the Gulf region the largest global hub for this new airliner, despite Emirates cancelling its order for 70 A350s in mid-2014. These orders – 162 aircraft in all – give an edge to Airbus over Boeing in the A350/787 orders competition in the Gulf. There will be 131 787s based there (30 for Qatar, 71 for Etihad, 16 for Gulf Air, six for Oman Air and eight for Saudia). With the Middle East forecast to be the fastest-growing region globally, both the A350s and the 787s will play a crucial role. Qatar Airways having taken delivery of its first A350 and earlier introduced the Dreamliner, means all eyes are on that airline. 1 Business class on the Qatar A350 – the airline won’t be introducing first class on the type. 2 The A350’s low noise performance was showcased by A7-ALA at Heathrow, where the jet is pictured on finals. Simon Gregory/AirTeamImages 3 The pilots for the first flight from Frankfurt to Doha in the A350. Felix Gottwald/AirTeamImages 3

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MILITARY FRENCH ARMY AVIATION

Tigre HAPs are due to be upgraded to HAD standard. All images Henri-Pierre Grolleau

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FRENCHFRENCH ARMY AVIATION MILITARY MILITARY ARMY AVIATION

Modernising the

ALAT The French Army’s air arm, the Aviation Légère de l’Armée de Terre (ALAT), is maintaining a high operational tempo as it undergoes change. Henri-Pierre Grolleau reports

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LAT aircrews are trained to carry out the full spectrum of airmobile operations, either on their own or as part of a wider force on the battlefield: reconnaissance and intelligence gathering, anti-tank missions, air assaults, anti-helicopter combat, logistics support, medical evacuations, immediate extractions and special operations. The service, which celebrated its 60th birthday in 2014, is in the middle of a major modernisation. It currently fields 305 helicopters and 13 fixed-wing aircraft (eight upgraded TBM700s and five PC-6s) served by 5,000 men and women, including 1,300 aircrew. “The latest Defence White Paper published in April 2013 stipulates that the ALAT will retain 273 rotorcraft, including 140 reconnaissance and attack helicopters to be split into 60 Tigres and 80 Gazelles, 115 transport and assault helicopters and 18 Fennecs for training,” said General Olivier Gourlez de la Motte, ALAT’s commander, or COMALAT. “From 2019 we will lose 32 aircraft compared to what we have today and the number of Tigres to be procured will be slashed from 80 to 60. Our Tigres will either be new-build HADs [Hélicoptères Appui Destruction], or HAPs [Hélicoptères Appui Protection] upgraded to HADs, bringing the fleet to a common standard.”

New Generation The introduction of a new generation of helicopters into the frontline ALAT began

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in late 2013 when the first Tigre HADs and NH90 Caïmans arrived at Phalsbourg from Le Luc, where all initial training for aircrews and maintainers was carried out. More Caïmans and Tigre HADs are now entering service with frontline escadrilles (flights) and both types have just deployed to Africa to support French forces operating in Mali and the Central African Republic.

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“With these two new types, the 1e Régiment d’Hélicoptères de Combat [1e RHC] has become fully representative of a not-toodistant future for the ALAT,” remarked Gen Gourlez de la Motte. “Their entry into service went according to plan, and the good news is the new aircraft fly very well, with very few teething problems.” Even though Caïman numbers are

increasing, ALAT tactical mobility will rely for the foreseeable future on a fast-ageing inventory of Pumas and upgraded Cougars. “The upgraded Cougar is a superb helicopter which is going to give us some breathing space until enough Caïmans are operational,” the general explained. “When it was accepted into service, the Cougar’s operational capabilities immediately impressed aircrews and commanders 2 alike. After being upgraded, it has nearly all the characteristics of a new-generation rotorcraft: a modern instrument panel with multifunction displays for better situational awareness, a FLIR [forward looking infrared] turret for increased safety at night and a selfdefence/electronic warfare suite for improved survivability on the battlefield. “The 115 transport and assault helicopters mentioned in the Defence White Paper are 26 upgraded Cougars, 68 Caïmans, eight EC725 Caracals and 13 additional helicopters. The Puma is to soldier on until 2025 and I am firmly convinced we should purchase an additional batch of NH90s to fill the gap. I think it would prove far less costly to buy 13 additional Caïmans than try to push 13 Pumas on until 2030. “It’s nevertheless essential to ensure the Puma stays in service for a few more years and this is the reason why 30 aircraft are being updated with a modernised avionics suite which will allow them to remain

FRENCH ARMY AVIATION MILITARY operational until reaching their 2025 out-ofservice date.” Alongside the Caracal used by the 4e Régiment d’Hélicoptères des Forces Spéciales for special operations, the NH90 Caïman represents the latest generation of tactical transport and air assault helicopters which will progressively supplant the Puma. “At the end of 2014, 13 NH90s were in service: one at Valence for various trial programmes, six at Le Luc for aircrew training and six at Phalsbourg with the 1eRHC for air assault missions,” added the COMALAT. “Thanks to a very strong synergy between the DGA [France’s defence procurement agency], NHIndustries, the navy and the ALAT, we managed to proclaim an initial operational capability in October 2014, paving the way for the first deployment to Africa. We undoubtedly benefited from the experience gained by the navy and the foreign operators of the TTH90. Under the latest plans, the last of our 68 Caïmans will be delivered in 2025.”

Tigre The Tigre is the vanguard of the ALAT’s capabilities and now plays a central role in French combat forces. “Our enemies fear the Tigre and our troops on the ground don’t plan any more single operations without its reassuring presence,” said Gen Gourlez de la Motte. “A significant number are not available for daily use, however, because the maintenance scheduled every 400 flight hours takes longer than anticipated. Additionally, we’re still rotating HAP Step 2 helicopters through an upgrade programme to bring them up to full operational standard. Six of the 15 that will need to be modernised have been updated and delivered back to the ALAT.”

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Like most Western nations, France has reduced its defence spending and, according to the latest Defence White Paper, procurement of Tigres will be stopped at 60 instead of 80 – although all will be HADs. The retrofit of the HAPs to HADs will be a major programme significantly boosting the type’s offensive capabilities. All Tigre HADs will be capable of firing AGM-114N1/K1A Hellfire air-to-surface missiles. “The retrofit contract has not been signed yet, and discussions between the DGA and the industry are still ongoing,” revealed the COMALAT. “Spain has led the way,

however, transforming its six HAPs into HADs. “As a result, the technical feasibility of the project is guaranteed. For us, the main difficulty will be to make sure the industrial programme delivers on time if we want to avoid having too many aircraft stuck in the upgrade at the same time. The second challenge will be to bring all Tigres to the very same standard, with the more powerful MTR390-E turbines which equip the HAD. “We’ve already set up a common training pipeline for HAP/HAD pilots and aircraft commanders within the EFA [École FrancoAllemande, the Franco-German school in 4

1 Compared with the Puma, the new Caïman brings massively uprated capabilities to the French Army. 2 The EC120 Calliope has proved incredibly successful, gaining plaudits as a training platform and for its low noise level. 3 French Air Force and Army Pumas are in service with the Groupe Interarmées d’Hélicoptères, a joint Armée de l’Air/ALAT unit that specialises in anti-terrorist missions. 4 Several Pumas are receiving a limited upgrade so they can soldier on until retirement in the next decade.

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MILITARY FRENCH ARMY AVIATION Le Luc], with only a short additional training syllabus for those selected to fly the HAD. “As a result, a HAD pilot is qualified on the HAP, but the opposite is not true. This commonality will eventually extend to the maintenance, the spare parts inventory and the simulators.”

Fennec and Calliope The 18 Fennecs used for IFR (instrument flying rules) training at Le Luc have all been upgraded to AS555UN2 standard so they comply with the latest civilian regulations and are now fitted with a contemporary instrument panel and autopilot. They

are flown by the DJAR (Division Joint Airworthiness Requirements) unit of the École de l’ALAT, the army aviation school. The EC120B NHE (Nouvel Hélicoptère École, new training helicopter) is now named ‘Calliope’, after a type of hummingbird with red streaks on its throat that’s found in North America. The name reflects both its paint scheme and Airbus Helicopters’ name for the EC120B, Colibri, which is French for hummingbird, and the type has gained plaudits for its very low noise level. The Calliope is civilian-owned and militaryoperated for elementary and basic rotary training at Dax in southwest France. The first

was delivered in 2009 and the fleet is already approaching the 80,000 flying hours mark. Compared to the civilian EC120B, the NHE has two multifunction displays, a radio compass, a radalt, VHF/UHF radios, a data recorder and external and internal night vision goggles (NVG)-compatible lighting. “Regarding the EC120, I can only say one thing: top class,” opined Gen Gourlez de la Motte. “The partnership with the civilian contractors has, so far, gone perfectly well and we’re extremely satisfied with the training provided to ALAT, Armée de l’Air, Marine Nationale and Gendarmerie pilots plus a number of foreign trainees

CAÏMAN IN COMBAT

One of the first NH90 Caïman crews at Phalsbourg just a few days before its deployment to Mali.

In October 2014, the 1e RHC at Phalsbourg hosted a press briefing on the entry into service of the NH90 Caïman. Only a couple of days later, the first two aircraft were sent to the Sahara theatre of operations. For the regiment, the simultaneous entry into service of the Tigre HAD and the Caïman while Gazelle and Puma aircrews and maintainers were deployed in Africa was a major undertaking. “We successfully addressed the challenge,” explained Lieutenant Colonel Frédéric Beutter, the unit’s commanding officer. “The introduction of modern simulation tools considerably facilitated our mission and they contributed to the early deployment of the Caïman into a combat zone. The idea is to deploy only two helicopters for the time being as we want to retain enough aircraft in Phalsbourg to continue training additional aircrews. We already have six NH90s here and will have 15 by the end of 2015.” Compared to the Puma, the NH90 offers noticeably improved operational capabilities. “It’s faster, more powerful, goes much further and carries more,” said Lt Col Beutter. “All these characteristics prove decisive in accelerating the battle tempo, even in a hot-and-high environment. “We’re still learning how to take advantage of the Caïman’s remarkable endurance. For example, after an air assault we can wait while the troops search a village or remain airborne for a medevac quick reaction alert while a key target is being taken – impossible with the Puma which would need to be refuelled, or relieved [by another helicopter]. “There’s a real coherence between the Tigre’s and the Caïman’s radii of action. With an external fuel tank, the Tigre can remain airborne for even longer than the NH90: it can get there, secure the landing area for the NH90s and cover the extraction of the troops at the end of the intervention.” The NH90’s comprehensive role equipment has also proved satisfactory. “With the Caïman, we now have a rotorcraft that offers unprecedented safety levels. It’s fitted with crash-resistant energy-absorbing seats for aircrews and passengers and has an integrated self-defence/electronic

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warfare suite which can detect an incoming missile so the crew can immediately react. “All main pieces of kit, including the winch and the hook, are permanently mounted, and we don’t need to land anymore to reconfigure, as required on the Puma.” The NH90 opens a range of new options for the ALAT, according to the colonel: “During the operational evaluation, we tested new tactics that will allow us to go much further than with the Puma to obtain a military effect on the battlefield. We’ll be able to operate in much more severe weather conditions thanks to the Caïman’s advanced avionics suite and its considerably improved aerodynamic performance. “For instance, we could attack sanctuaries that were previously inaccessible, landing on extremely high mountain tops, even in hot areas, to drop troops and dislodge enemy combatants.” The Caïman is fitted with the latest communication systems for integration in the digital battlespace. “We’re now actively working on battlefield digitalisation and on the integration of helicopters into network-centric command structures,” said Lt Col Beutter. “Today, French Army infantry, cavalry and aviation units all closely co-operate, but we’re exploring new ways to interact even better with the infantry during air assaults. Troops equipped with the Félin system [Fantassins à équipements et liaisons integers – infantry soldiers with fully integrated equipment, communication systems and data links] need a lot of time to acquire unambiguous situational awareness after being given a lift by Pumas. “In the near future, the NH90 will be capable of forwarding tactical information to the Félin troops via a data link, so there will not be any interruption in the flow of data and intelligence while they’re being flown to the target area. “I think that, in five years, this capability will be fully integrated into the Caïman as part of the wider Scorpion modernisation programme – which will eventually lead to the creation of an entirely digitalised French Army battlefield network.”

FRENCH ARMY AVIATION MILITARY from selected allied countries. We’re now conducting studies to determine how we could increase the use of Calliopes by combat regiments in need of additional training hours, as [it’s] less expensive to fly than Tigres, Pumas or Cougars. With its 36 helicopters, Hélidax [the company which operates the EC120B] can provide up to 20,000 flight hours per year, more than enough for this additional requirement.”

Training Budget reductions have forced the ALAT to find innovative solutions to ensure pilots remain proficient. Taking the Tigre as an example, each year a pilot on the type gets 340 productive training hours: that’s 140 on the Tigre itself, 20 on the EC120 for additional IFR/NVG training, 20 in the full mission simulator (FMS) at Le Luc, 80 in the cockpit procedure trainer and 80 in the Edith tactical simulator, at either Pau or Phalsbourg. “The combined 160 flight hours on the Tigre and EC120 are an absolute threshold below which crews must not be prior to a deployment, [but] I nevertheless have to 1 admit we had to split aircrews into three Gen Gourlez de la Motte. “We had never categories,” the COMALAT said. “Rank 1 found ourselves in such a situation before. pilots have at their disposal all the resources We’re involved in extremely hard fights they need before a deployment. Rank 2 against experienced and determined foes. aircrews receive only part of their hourly “It’s not Bosnia or Kosovo: our aircrews allocation while Rank 3 pilots maintain their are often in direct contact with the enemy. In qualification as a minimum [for ALAT] to keep the Kapisa and Uzbin valleys in Afghanistan, a surge capability, should the need arise. our enemies used very clever tactics and “I’m fully aware this is not a satisfactory they never surrendered. We had to organise situation, but we have to optimise the use of the co-ordination of all activities, including scarce resources in these times of financial UAV, helicopter and fast jet flights and constraints. For example, during an EC120 artillery fire. The arrival of our helicopters in Calliope sortie, pilots will leave their usual the two valleys turned the situation back in training areas – sometimes to go to the our favour and we were able to impose our mountain flight training centre in Saillagouse own tempo of operation on the enemy. – to train in a demanding environment.” “In this type of engagement, the helicopter Combat Operations offers multiple advantages. Its inherent Over the past two decades, the ALAT has mobility allows us to force the enemy to fought in many campaigns: the first Gulf War, manoeuvre, day and night: we acquire the Bosnia, Kosovo, Ivory Coast, Afghanistan, target, identify it and push it to reorganise Libya, Mali and the Central African Republic. while thwarting its plans in the field. “Since 2009, the ALAT has been engaged “The helicopter also allows Western in a succession of deployments,” observed armies to overcome, to some extent, hostile 3

1 Gazelles and Tigres share the ALAT’s attack missions. 2 General Olivier Gourlez de la Motte, the ALAT’s commander. 3 A new NH90 simulator is now operational at Phalsbourg.

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environments – as demonstrated by the ALAT many times in recent years: mountains in Afghanistan, partitioned urban and lagoon areas in Ivory Coast, aero-maritime expanses in Libya, desert in Mali and equatorial rain forest in the Central African Republic. Since 2009, we’ve operated in all types of environment, except in polar areas, and our personnel easily managed to adapt.” Once French involvement in a conflict has been decided, helicopters become essential: the generals in charge no longer plan combat operations without rotary support. “Tactical manoeuvre with helicopters has become paramount, but we’re not only concentrating on support tasks,” said the general. “Like the infantry or the cavalry, the ALAT has become a key close-combat player performing ‘shock and fire’ actions, either alone or as part of a much wider force. Today, the ALAT is everywhere, and we often provide emergency logistics support. “For example, in Mali, our helicopters

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ALAT COMBAT HELICOPTERS COMPARED Payload

Endurance

Radius of action

Puma 8 commandos

1h 40min

170km (105 miles)

12 commandos

42 min

75km (47 miles)

Cougar upgraded 8 commandos

1h 54min

215km (134 miles)

12 commandos

1h

115km (71 miles)

Caïman 8 commandos

2h 30min

320km (199 miles)

12 commandos

1h 54 min

240km (149 miles)

All these profiles flown at 35°C and 1,000ft

deliver, over long distances, everything isolated troops might need in the desert, including ammunition, water, food and spare parts. Since January 2013, we have deployed to Mali a Pilatus PC-6 of the 9e BSAM [9e Bataillon de Soutien Aéromobile, or airmobile support battalion, which specialises in helicopter maintenance from its Montauban home base] for use as a ‘fast’ light transport asset and as an airborne command post.”

Libya The ALAT engagement in Libya in 2011 was a total success. A composite helicopter strike squadron made up of 12 Gazelles, four Pumas and two Tigres launched hundreds of night sorties to harass forces loyal to Colonel Gaddafi, destroying hundreds of targets and

1 A 5e RHC Puma about to land in a clearing. 2 The highly successful Gazelle, here with special forces snipers at the door, will prove hard to replace. 3 Special forces commandos at the door of this 4e RHFS Caracal, flying at very low level. 4 All Fennecs have now been upgraded to AS555UN2 standard for instrument flying rules training. 5 The new Tigre HAD has already been deployed to a combat theatre of operation, in Africa.

suffering no losses. “Compared to Afghanistan, Libya was a much more complex theatre of operations with a much better organised enemy, which imposed the use of electronic warfare to counter the few surface-to-air missile systems still active at the time,” the COMALAT explained. “For us, the situation on the ground proved ideal, against an enemy we knew perfectly well. There was, on board nuclear aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle within the embarked naval aviation headquarters, a French Army officer who knew the structure of a Soviet-type division on which all Libyan main units were based. Thanks to the intimate knowledge he had of their way of operating, the enemy became partially predictable and we knew where to look when preparing the missions on maps before the attack itself. “The Libyans positioned their artillery precisely where we expected them to. We used deception to counter enemy tactics: for instance, NATO warships fired at shore targets to pretend they were insurgents in order to trick the loyalists into firing back 1 and revealing their locations. After the war, our military intelligence services came to the conclusion that half a Libyan brigade was destroyed by ALAT helicopters.”

Rapid Reaction Force There is continuity in the types of tasks performed from one operation to the next, and the experience acquired in one theatre can be reinvested in the next. “Unquestionably, our recent deployments in Africa have benefited greatly from the operational experience in Afghanistan, where our troops became more battle-hardened,” said the general. “Our capability to rapidly project helicopters from one continent to another and the ability of their crews to live and operate anywhere, including in the middle of a desert, are among the most important lessons totally mastered today. “Our deployment capabilities are really impressive thanks to the dedication of our technicians, to the professionalism of Armée de l’Air logisticians and aircrews and to the reactivity of chartered civilian companies. “The main difference between Libya and Mali is that we are engaged in long-haul operations as part of a major campaign, first with Operation Serval, then Barkhane, and Sabre for the special forces. In Mali, we peaked at 28 helicopters against 18 in Libya. It’s a significant increase, but it was required because of the distances involved and because we need to counter a very aggressive enemy.” Specific skills had to be renewed. “In Libya and in Mali, crews had to learn how to operate in ‘wolf pack’ formations to cover a large area with many helicopters. In Timbuktu, 12 helicopters co-operated with troops on the ground to free the historic town from jihadists. In the Adrar des Ifoghas mountain range in northern Mali, eight rotorcraft were engaged simultaneously.”

High-Tempo Operations Like the rest of the French armed forces, the

2 ALAT has suffered from successive rounds

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FRENCH ARMY AVIATION MILITARY of cuts since the early 1990s, but the force is still required to participate in high-tempo operations. The COMALAT revealed: “At this very moment, we have 39 aircraft deployed in Africa out of 200 in frontline service with the four combat regiments.” (The rest are dedicated to training and to the anti-terrorist permanent alert held by the Groupe Interarmées d’Hélicoptères, a joint Armée de l’Air/ALAT unit based in Villacoublay.) “It’s a high percentage. In Mali, combat has proved very hard and 12 of our helicopters have been hit, including two Tigres that safely flew home after sustaining 14 and 19 hits respectively. All these aircraft had to undergo battle damage repair and were unavailable for weeks, sometimes months. When you add to this a significant number of Cougar and Tigre HAP airframes rotating through their upgrade programmes, you quickly realise how the situation can sometimes become quite tense for training back in France.” The aircrew deployment rate is another cause for concern. “All our frontline aircrews spend at least three months deployed per year, except Puma and Tigre crews who tend to deploy more and for even longer,” Gen Gourlez de la Motte noted. “This rate is worrying because personnel tend to wear out fast in the harsh African environment where living conditions are often difficult. An aggravating factor, when they come back to France, is they have to participate in various training courses away from their regiments or take part in exercises in the field.” The sustained engagement rate has had a positive impact, however, on the average experience level of aircrews and maintainers. “We now often decorate young ALAT captains with the Légion d’Honneur [the highest French medal] for acts of valour in combat,” said the COMALAT. “The new-generation aircrews are much more combat-hardened, with a corresponding increase in the operational efficiency and proficiency of combat units.”

A Vital Role French ministry of defence decisionmakers have realised how important the ALAT is to the French armed forces and its modernisation will continue without any more significant cuts despite a new round of cuts within the Armée de Terre. The need for helicopters in combat operations is such that it was important to stabilise troop and regiment numbers after the successive disbandments of the 2e, 6e and 7e RHCs, 4e RHCM (whose history was transferred to the 4e RHFS) and numerous support and liaison units. A number of ALAT bases were also closed at Friedrichshafen, Lille-Lesquin, Les Mureaux, Lyon-Corbas, Gap, Nancy-Essey and Compiègne. With the entry into service of the Tigre HAP, EC725 Caracal, EC120 Calliope, NH90 Caïman, Tigre HAD and the upgraded Cougar, the ALAT’s future looks bright – and the force will remain a powerful combat tool for the foreseeable future.

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Operation Okra Nigel Pittaway reviews Royal Australian Air Force missions against ISIL

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n September last year, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced that an Air Task Group (ATG) would be deployed to the United Arab Emirates under Operation Okra, as part of coalition efforts to assist Iraqi forces in their struggle against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) fighters. The group, comprising six Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornets and single examples of the Boeing E-7A Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning and Control and Airbus KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport, and around 400 personnel departed Australia for Al Minhad Air Base in the UAE on September 21. Wedgetail and KC-30A support operations over Iraq began on October 1 and, following Australian Government approval to commence strike missions, the first Super Hornet attacks were conducted a week later on the night of October 8. By mid-January the Australian ATG had achieved 100 days of combat ops and conducted its first rotation of personnel, including a change of command.

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During that time the group had flown more than 3,500 combat hours and the Super Hornets were credited with the destruction of 61 individual targets. The type also provided direct support to Kurdish ground forces in the liberation of the Yazidi people trapped on Mount Sinjar, in the north of Iraq. With no end in sight to combat ops, planning is now under way to replace the Super Hornets with F/A-18A Hornets from one of the RAAF’s three ‘classic’ Hornet squadrons in the March timeframe.

Deployment Australia joins the United Kingdom, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, the Netherlands and the United States in the fight against ISIL within Iraq. Operation Okra represents the first operational deployment of RAAF combat aircraft since 2003, when Hornets were used against the forces of Saddam Hussein, as part of Operation Bastille. The deployment also makes history in that

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Two Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18F Super Hornets break away after air-to-air refuelling to begin their mission over Iraq. Sgt Andrew Eddie/Royal Australian Air Force

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it represents the capability of the RAAF to deploy an organic Air Task Group at short notice and the ability to sustain a force at great distance from Australia, and for an extended period of time. Prior to the deployment, C-17A Globemasters and C-130J-30 Hercules from

the RAAF’s Air Mobility Group had been dropping food and arms to communities besieged by ISIL forces in northern Iraq and humanitarian missions continue on an asrequired basis. The C-17As of No.36 Squadron also provided air lift support for the deployment

which staged from Amberley (KC-30A and Super Hornets) and Williamtown (E-7A), and routed via Pearce in Western Australia and Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, before arriving at Al Minhad on September 24. The three types selected for the initial deployment represent the cutting edge of the RAAF’s ability to project and sustain air power, although it should be noted that both Wedgetail and the KC-30A are still working up to their respective final operating capabilities (FOC). Shortly after the arrival of the ATG in theatre Australia’s Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin provided some perspective to the deployment, by noting that in just over a week since the government announcement, the complete force and their supporting equipment had been moved 6,500 nautical miles (12,000km) and was ready to begin ops. “I was quite pleased with how we deployed and I was also pleased that we 1 didn’t have to rush around and add anything to any of the aeroplanes either,” commented Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Geoff Brown when looking back on the initial effort at the end of January. “It was nice to have aeroplanes ready to go and two of the aircraft, Wedgetail and KC-30, are really only through IOC [initial operating capability].” 2

1 The crew of an E-7A Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft during a mission over Iraq. Wg Cdr Paul Carpenter/Royal Australian Air Force 2 A Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18F Super Hornet arrives back at Al Minhad Air Base after dark, completing another Operation Okra mission. Sgt Andrew Eddie/Royal Australian Air Force 3 A KC-30A Multi Role Tanker Transport aircraft maintenance crew prepares to launch the jet at dusk, beginning another mission refuelling Coalition aircraft over Iraq. Sgt Andrew Eddie/ Royal Australian Air Force 4 Royal Australian Air Force E-7A Wedgetail A30-005 in the skies of the Middle East during Operation Okra. Sgt Andrew Eddie/Royal Australian Air Force

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Operations The first combat sortie involving Super Hornets was conducted on the night of October 5, when two aircraft were tasked with air interdiction and close air support missions over northern Iraq, supported by the Wedgetail and KC-30A, however no targets were allocated and the aircraft returned with their weapons to Al Minhad. The first weapons release followed three nights later when a single aircraft dropped two bombs on an ISIL facility. The air strikes are intended to target ISIL’s means of transportation, command and control (C2) nodes, logistics and supply centres and heavy equipment. RAAF Super Hornets have also conducted strikes against heavy earthmoving equipment which ISIL has been using to build (and subsequently 4 repair) berms used to divert water from the Fallujah Dam outside Baghdad. In the first 100 days of combat flying the ATG also led a coalition air strike which destroyed a Daesh (ISIL) bomb factory and discovered a bunker system that was destroyed in a subsequent attack. More recently the group provided support for the relief of Mount Sinjar as previously described. “We’ve actually had a couple of missions that have almost been all-Australian, where the targeting has been all-Australian [from the CAOC], where the Wedgetail was controlling the Super Hornets, which were refuelled by the tankers and were then in contact with an Australian Joint Terminal Attack Controller on the ground in Iraq,” Air Marshal Brown noted. “It is very satisfying and I think it just demonstrates how capable the air force is.” The current commander of the ATG is Air Commodore Glen Braz, who took over the role from Air Commodore Steve Roberton on

January 5. “We have helped the Iraqi ground forces halt Daesh’s advance, and coalition air forces continue to apply relentless pressure,” he noted shortly after taking command.

Weapons To date, the only weapons used by the ATG have been 500lb (227kg) GBU-12 and GBU38 JDAM precision weapons, with the bomb bodies themselves purchased locally from US Air Force stocks in the Middle East and the guidance kits supplied from Australia. To the end of January a total of around 175 weapons had been released. Air tasking is provided via the US Air Force Combined Air Space Operations Centre

(CAOC) in-theatre, albeit with an RAAF team embedded, and the ATG also has to work within strict sovereign rules of engagement. Air Marshal Brown was the head of Australia’s contingent in the CAOC during Operation Bastille in 2003 and is therefore well-placed to compare the two. “I thought 2003 had quite strict collateral damage limitations, but we’re extremely tight on collateral damage for this operation. It’s a far more difficult environment for command & control because of the way Iraq is. To actually drop a bomb in Iraq is far more difficult than it was in 2003,” he noted in late January. “The coalition is probably only flying 60 or 70 strike aircraft each day, whereas in 2003

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MILITARY OPERATION OKRA total RAAF Super Hornet flying time since in entered service at the end of 2010. The aircraft are tasked with maintaining a close air support combat air patrol (CAS CAP), and the average mission length is between eight and nine hours, with the longest to date lasting 10 hours and 24 minutes. “You have to remember we’re holding a close air support CAP at 1,200 nautical miles from base, which is not your usual type of mission,” Air Marshal Brown explained. “We fly both day and night missions, and it just depends on where they are slotted [by 1 The wingman of a Royal Australian Air Force the CAOC]. A lot of it is day into night and F/A-18F Super Hornet watches as his leader prepares to when the mission is ten hours long, it just refuel from a US Air Force KC-10A tanker aircraft mid-air as the sun sets over Iraq. Royal Australian Air Force 2 Royal Australian Air Force depends on when they launch.” armament technicians load live ordnance onto an F/A-18F Super To maintain skills in all Super Hornet roles, Hornet. Sgt Andrew Eddie/Royal Australian Air Force 3 Royal Australian Air crews are rotated home after three months. Force F/A-18F Super Hornet A44-224 with the afterburners engaged as it breaks away “If you look at the missions that they’ve from the tanker during a mission over Iraq. Sgt Murray Staff/Royal Australian Air Force 1 done and the length of time they are airborne, they really are clocking up quite a Amberley are deployed to Al Minhad, with up there were two to three thousand missions few hours and it is one specific mission set,” to four aircraft available for daily tasking. a day in the CAOC, so it was a much bigger Air Marshal Brown detailed. The aircraft are almost identical to the air campaign. This campaign is about “So if we rotate them after three months latest US Navy Block II standard, equipped holding ISIL, making sure it doesn’t make they can get back into a normal training with the APG-79 active electronicallyany progress and supporting Iraqi Security programme.” scanned array radar, ASQ-228 ATFLIR Forces and Peshmerga forces where they Wedgetail targeting pod and fitted with AIM-9X and need it. So there’s no intent to wipe out ISIL Australia’s E-7A AEW&C platform, flown by AIM-120C7 missiles for self defence. from the air because there just aren’t enough No.2 Squadron, is now performing extremely Operational tempo is such that the assets there to do that. well after a great number of technical Australian jets can go four of five days “The plan is to make sure they don’t take difficulties during its entry into service. without releasing a weapon and then have any more territory and help the forces on the Not least of these included a shortfall in a flurry of activity where several bombs are ground make their own progress.” performance of its primary sensor, the dropped in one day. On one mission on the Air Marshal Brown said that studies Northrop Grumman multi-role electronically night of January 21, for example, four aircraft are under way to determine if any other scanned array radar and problems with the dropped a total of eight weapons, but on combination of weapons might be more integration of its electronic support measures average they are perhaps bombing twice a effective in the future, but predicted that the (ESM) system. week. forthcoming ‘classic’ Hornet deployment During recent high-end exercises, such as The six aircraft flew 75 sorties between would most likely retain the GBU-12/GBURed Flag in the United States and Australia’s them in December and dropped a mix of 38 mix as the weapons of choice. “For the Pitch Black, it has reportedly established 61 GBU-12 and GBU-38 guided munitions. majority of the targeting, the 500lb bomb itself as the AEW platform of choice and is The deployed Super Hornets are flying class works well within the collateral damage continuing to earn respect in the Middle East. around four times the normal peacetime rate limitations,” he said. On once such mission over Iraq, the back in Australia and by late January had Super Hornet aircraft deployed with the ATG made history accumulated 2,100 hours. To put this into Six Super Hornets from No.1 Squadron at for the longest Australian command and some perspective, this is around 10% of the control sortie in a war zone, with a flight that 2 lasted 16 hours and 18 minutes, and required air refuelling from US Air Force tankers on two occasions. The aircraft had been on station over Iraq for a number of hours when advised by the CAOC that its relief would be delayed. After assessing the situation and their ability to continue the mission, the Wedgetail crew elected to stay on station until eventually relieved. “I flew on a Wedgetail mission over Christmas and it was fascinating to watch how busy they were as a C2 platform, controlling 70-odd aeroplanes, on ops in Iraq and Syria, and how well the radar was working. It now meets our original specifications and the ESM is working, so there really wasn’t much to complain about with Wedgetail,” Air Marshal Brown recalled. “The Americans have six E-3s in theatre to do two lines of tasking and I think when Wedgetail’s not there they do miss it. On the more complicated missions it’s recognised probably as the better platform for everybody to work with.” Air Marshal Brown also noted that the decision to commit only one of the RAAF’s six Wedgetails to Operation Okra was taken

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because of the requirement to build crew numbers as the type works towards FOC. “Plus you’ve got to plan for the long-term; we certainly could have sent more aeroplanes and crews in, but then if we’ve got to do this for a longer term, it would have made it more difficult to rotate,” he explained.

KC-30A Australia’s KC-30A tanker has also experienced technical difficulties but is now earning respect as a very capable hose and drogue platform. Final certification of the boom system for RAAF use is scheduled to occur during the course of 2015 but in the meantime the single aircraft deployed for Operation Okra is displaying a reliability rate of between 98 and 99%, and its crews are earning a reputation for their flexibility. “I think it has a following because we have some pretty operationally-focussed crews over there and they tend to chase the fighters around to make sure they are in the right position at the right time,” Air Marshal Brown reflected. “It’s an incredibly reliable platform, 9899% reliability and they are often doing two missions a day just with the one aeroplane. “The tanker has nearly flown a thousand

hours and offloaded ten million pounds (4,535 tonnes) of gas and I think we’ve qualified it on 12 or 13 different aircraft types. It went into theatre only qualified to tank our Super Hornets and classic Hornets.” Prior to the likelihood of combat ops, work was begun to issue a contingency clearance for US Navy and US Marine Corps Hornets (F/A-18A through to EA-18G Growler), EA-6B Prowlers and AV-8B Harriers, RAF Tornado GR4s and Typhoon FGR4s and French Air Force Dassault Rafale F1s to receive fuel from the KC-30A. French Rafales were the first to receive fuel over Iraq on October 3, when two aircraft successfully connected with the KC-30A, and missions with the range of probe-equipped coalition fighters in theatre is now routine. “Those two single platforms have even really amazed me, just how serviceable they have stayed, given the length of the logistics pipeline that we’ve got there,” Air Marshal Brown said of both the KC-30A and the Wedgetail.

Future Operations The Chief of Air Force said that when Operation Okra was first being planned, the complexities of collateral damage estimations indicated that a two-seat fighter might have been a better option, hence the decision to

send Super Hornets on the initial deployment. “We thought we’d send the Super Hornets first, when we looked at the operation. As we have worked our way through we’re happy with the classics for the next deployment,” he said. “The classics have got a really good targeting pod with the [Northrop Grumman] Litening AT and all the upgrades we’ve done. For this mission they’re equally capable [but] they’re a little older, so the logistics will be a little harder with them. “The only disadvantage the classic has, compared with the Super, is the Super Hornet can do its own GBU-38 targeting with the radar.” When asked how effective Operation Okra has been and whether coalition air strikes are providing the desired support to local ground forces, Air Marshal Brown said that indications to date were positive. “I think in general it’s succeeding. If you look at the tactics that ISIL have now had to adopt, they really can’t move anywhere during the day or night and I think they’re in trouble,” he concluded. “Certainly if they do attack Iraqi or Peshmerga forces, they quickly come under aerial attack. I think they’ve been reduced to field mice to a certain extent.”

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COMMERCIAL ILYUSHIN IL-114

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Il-114 Revival

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Production of the Il-114 turboprop is to resume, with Ilyushin planning new special mission variants. Piotr Butowski reports

he Russian aircraft industry has closely co-operated with its Western counterparts on a number of programmes in recent years. Many Russian civil aircraft and helicopters (and military models intended for export) were fitted with Western engines and avionics. Yakovlev and Italy’s Alenia Aermacchi jointly developed an advanced jet trainer, manufactured in Russia as the Yak-130 and in Italy as the M346. The first post-Soviet passenger aircraft in Russia, the Superjet, is manufactured by the Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company, in which Alenia Aermacchi has a 25% share, and its powerplant is a joint Franco-Russian product.

Co-operation Russian aggression against Ukraine and the resulting Western sanctions have frozen co-operation with the West, including the

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plan to start assembling Bombardier DHC-8 Dash 8 Q400 NextGen regional turboprop airliners in Russia. The initial plan, which emerged in 2012, involved assembly of the Q400 at the Aviacor plant in Samara, which belongs to the Russian Machines Corporation. The project was later taken over by the Rostec (Russian Technologies) state corporation, led by Sergey Chemezov. Rostec signed a three-part agreement with Bombardier at MAKS 2013 at Zhukovsky, near Moscow, where the Canadian manufacturer displayed the Q400 (it had previously done so in 2011). This consisted of a letter of intent for the sale of 50 Q400 NextGens and a market development agreement for Rostec to place at least 50 more Q400 NextGens in the region. The final part was a memorandum of understanding to research setting up a Q400 NextGen final assembly line in Russia to be jointly managed by Rostec and Bombardier. For the Russians this was the most important part as Rostec intended to assemble

the aircraft in a new facility at the special economic zone at Ulyanovsk airport. This was not Bombardier’s first agreement with the Russians. In February 2013 the Ilyushin Finance Leasing Company concluded a contract for 32 Bombardier CS300 aircraft with an option for ten. Deliveries were scheduled to start this year. Bombardier agreed to make its global maintenance, repair and overhaul network accessible to the Irkut MC-21 airliners under development. The MC-21 uses many systems in common with the CSeries.

Il-114 Relaunch In March 2014, owing to the sanctions imposed by Canada against Russia following the annexation of Crimea, Bombardier suspended the plans for Q400 assembly in Russia. “Right now there’s going to be a delay because of what’s going on,” Bombardier President and Chief Executive Pierre Beaudoin told Bloomberg at the time. In the same month Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin proposed reviving

ILYUSHIN IL-114 COMMERCIAL

THE IL-114 STORY

two previously shelved Ilyushin projects: the 64-seat Il-114 passenger airliner and the six-tonne payload Il-112 transport aircraft. These have a common powerplant – Klimov TV7-117S turboprop engines rated at about 2,500shp (1,800kW) for the passenger variant, and uprated to 2,800shp (2,050kW) for the transport version. During a conference in Samara on July 21 the TASS news agency reported Russian President Vladimir Putin had instructed Ilyushin to “analyse the possibility of launching the series production of the Il-114 regional airliner”. A Russian Ministry of Industry and Commerce working group was established to review the project. On August 26 the then deputy industry and trade minister Yuri Slyusar (appointed to CEO of United Aircraft Corporation in January 2015) stated that resuming Il-114 production would be unprofitable, with an insufficient number of customers for the aircraft. According to the ministry’s initial analysis, cited by the country’s press, by 2020

Russian airlines would “theoretically” need 60-70 aircraft of the Il-114’s class and later, between 2021 and 2032, just 40-55 aircraft. However, another working group led by Deputy Prime Minister Rogozin said the Il-114 aircraft was needed for Russia. On October 14, Rogozin wrote on Twitter: “V V Putin has supported the idea of development in Russia of the turboprop regional passenger airplane based on the Il-114.”

Costs Initially, it was planned that Il-114 production would be resumed by Aviacor in Samara, but last autumn another candidate appeared – the Sokol plant at Nizhny Novgorod, which belongs to the state-owned United Aircraft Corporation. Aviacor Chief Executive Officer Alexei Gusev estimated the cost of reopening the production line, renovating the aircraft and its documentation and preparing production in Samara would be 10 to 12 billion roubles. Later, the governor of Samara, Nikolai Merkushkin, said that “after a careful

Ilyushin began developing the Il-114 in 1986. The designation intentionally refers back to one of the most popular Russian passenger aircraft, the Il-14 of 1950, of which 1,065 were built in the USSR, 203 in Czechoslovakia and 80 in East Germany. The first Il-114 (registration CCCP-54000) took its maiden flight on March 29, 1990 piloted by Vyacheslav Belousov. It was planned to achieve Western certification and launch series production at two plants, the Chkalov facility in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and the Ilyushin workshop at Khodynka airfield near Moscow. The latter built three flying prototypes of the Il-114 and two airframes for static strength and fatigue tests. However the crisis in the Russian economy in the 1990s caused the trials to drag on and the Moscow plant gave up plans to produce the type. The Tashkent plant meanwhile was prepared for manufacturing 60 to 80 Il-114 aircraft a year, but there was neither money nor any orders. It built 15 production aircraft, the first of which flew on August 7, 1992. Seven were the Il-114-100 version with Pratt & Whitney engines and Rockwell Collins avionics (the first flying on January 26, 1999) and two in the Il-114T cargo version (first example flown September 14, 1996). Production dragged on for years, with long gaps. The final Il-114-100 built at Tashkent, the factory’s very last aircraft before its closure, first flew on July 11, 2012. Currently only eight Il-114s are in use: seven Il-114-100s with Uzbekistan Airways and one Il-114LL (Letayushchaya Laboratoriya, flying test bed), which is used by Radar MMS at St Petersburg. The latter first flew in April 2005 and has been used for trials of elements of the Kasatka (killer whale) mission system for maritime patrol aircraft and helicopters, an alternative to the Leninets Novella (Sea Dragon) system in the Il-38.

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COMMERCIAL ILYUSHIN IL-114 calculation” some 24 billion roubles would be needed. And in the Ministry of Industry and Commerce’s ‘Project of production and advancement of Il-114’ report prepared in October 2014, the total cost of the programme between 2015 and 2025 was estimated at 55 billion roubles. The last figure probably includes the cost of producing the first 24 aircraft, costing 960 million roubles each. The Samara plant is ready to invest three billion roubles of its own money, the rest coming from state subsidies.

Production Plans According to Alexei Gusev, enough parts still exist for the assembly of about ten Il-114s, which would be followed by production of the new, upgraded version of the aircraft. 1 The modernisation is necessary because (Foto-Kartograficheskiy) that could replace radio sonobuoys, a magnetic anomaly its first flight was in 1990 and its production the An-30s currently used in the role. detector and electronic support measures. documentation exists only on paper. The It’s also planned that the Il-114MP will be avionics must be entirely replaced and the Maritime Patrol able to carry two Kh-35 anti-ship missiles. engines must be more reliable. A major As well as new executive aircraft to replace The Il-114MP will weigh 30 tonnes more than revision of the programme, including ageing An-24s and Tu-134s, the Russian the basic Il-114 (23.5 tonnes) or the Il-114P (26 possible amalgamation with the Il-112, is armed forces have requirements for new small tonnes), which will require more powerful Al-20D now being considered. special duty aircraft. Ilyushin has several turboprop engines with a take-off rating of According to Gusev, digitising the proposals that use the Il-114 for such roles. 5,180shp (3,800kW) each. However, these are documentation and upgrading the aircraft One planned version is the Il-114MP Ukrainian engines, which could be a limitation would take around five years. The October maritime patrol aircraft for detecting, tracking given the current political situation. 2014 plan calls for the first upgraded Il-114 and attacking surface ships and submarines from Samara to fly in 2018. Recce and Jamming and laying mines. It would include the radar Twenty-four production aircraft are to be Further proposed military derivatives include and electro-optical turret from the Kasatka built by 2024 – interestingly, a production system in the Il-114P but would also have the Il-114PR for signals intelligence, the rate that doesn’t fit the demand estimated for the aircraft. Any interest from China is doubtful given development of its own 76RADOME IL-114 seat turboprop, the AVIC MA700. Another proposed derivative is There are serious questions about the Ilthe Il-140 airborne early warning 114’s potential longer term, should economic and control aircraft, featuring problems impact on state-funded civil aircraft a rotating radar dome developments or if Western sanctions on above the fuselage. Russia were eased and the plan to assemble Q400s in the country revived.

Killer Whale For those reasons, Ilyushin has on paper several proposed Il-114 variants for special duty roles in both civil and military environments. One of these is a patrol version, the Il-114P, designed for monitoring coasts, sea borders and a 200-mile economic zone as well as for ecological monitoring. It would include a variant of the Kasatka (killer whale) mission system developed for the Il114LL (see Il-114 History). The Il-114P would feature two sensors: a radar installed in the fuselage nose and an electro-optical turret with infrared and TV cameras under the mid-fuselage. There’d be two containers under the fuselage: a SPPU-687 gun pod with 30mm cannon and 150 rounds, and a pod with searchlight and loudspeakers. Four other pods with rescue equipment would be carried under the aircraft wing. The passenger cabin would be subdivided into two compartments: a front part for carrying stretcher cases, survivors or 3,000kg (6,613lb) of cargo and a rear part for system equipment and positions for two operators and standby crew. Projected civil derivatives are the Il114ORR (Okeanskiy Razvedchik Ryby, ocean fishery monitoring), which would be used to detect shoals of fish, mainly salmon in the Kamchatka and Kuril Islands regions; and a photogrammetry variant called the Il-114FK

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ILYUSHIN IL-114 COMMERCIAL

IL-114-100 SPECIFICATIONS Engines: Two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW-127H turboprops rated at 2,050kW (2,750shp) take-off power each, with sevenblade Hamilton Sundstrand propellers. Fuel capacity: 8,780 litres (2,319 gallons) Wingspan: 30m (98.41ft) Length: 26.877m (88.16ft) Height: 9.324m (30.58ft) Wing area: 81.9m2 (881.56 sq ft) Fuselage diameter: 2.86m (9.41ft)

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1 The Il-114’s cockpit requires serious modernisation – if production does resume, it would come 25 years after the first flight. 2 The fairing beneath the Il-114LL’s nose covers sensors under test by Radar MMS, including a deployable electro-optical turret and an active missile seeker, probably an ARGS-35 for the anti-ship Kh-35 missile.

Cabin length: 18.93m (62.11ft) Cabin width: 2.64m (8.33ft) maximum, 2.294m (7.5ft) at floor; cabin height 1.92m (6.29ft) Maximum take-off weight: 23,500kg (51,808lb) Maximum payload: 6,500kg (14,330lb)

IL-114 VARIANTS Top to bottom: the Il-114LL test platform; the Il-114P designed for coast, sea border and 200-mile economic zone surveillance; and the Il-114MP for anti-ship and anti-submarine operations.

Cruise speed: 270kts (500km/h) Cruise altitude: 24,935ft (7,600m) Range with full fuel: 4,650km (2,889 miles) Range with 64 passengers: 1,400km (870 miles) Take-off run: 750m (1,460ft) Landing run: 550m (1,805ft)

Il-114PRP for electronic jamming and a gunship version, the Il-114T-OP (Ognevaya Podderzhka, fire support). The latter would be a conversion of the cargo Il-114T with 120mm 2S23 Nona cannon installed in a turret under the fuselage and 30mm 2A42 cannon in a turret under the rear part of the fuselage. The cannon will be handled by four operators. Another proposal is to use the Il-114 for the Il-140 tactical airborne early warning and control aircraft project, with radar in a rotating dome above the fuselage. It would retain the dimensions of the base aircraft, but would be much heavier – its maximum take-off weight would be 28 tonnes and its maximum allowable weight, with g-load restrictions, 32 tonnes. The Il-140 is designed to patrol for ten hours and up to 300km (186 miles) from base; the 32-tonne variant could keep duty for 14 hours at the same distance. Its engines will be the same 5,000shp (3,730kW) AI-20 turboprops that power the Il-114MP.

IL-114 PATROL VERSIONS SPECIFICATIONS Il-114P

Il-114MP

Length

27.40m (89.8ft)

29.654m (97.3ft)

Wingspan

30m (98.4ft)

30m (98.4ft)

Height

9.186m (30.1ft)

9.186m (30.1ft)

Maximum take-off weight

26,000kg (57,320lb)

30,000kg (66,139lb)

Speed

186-216kts (350-400km/h)

186-216kts (350-400km/h)

Ceiling

26,247ft (8,000m)

26,247ft (8,000m)

Endurance

8-12 hours

9-12 hours

Engines

2x TV7-117S

2x AI-20D series 5

Flight crew

2

2

Mission crew

2-4

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All images Arnaud Boxman and Kees van der Mark

MILITARY DUTCH HELICOPTER TRAINING

Tactical T in Tex Arnaud Boxman and Kees van der Mark visited Fort Hood in Texas to witness how Dutch Apache and Chinook aircrews and Air Mobile Brigade soldiers are trained

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ith more than 45,000 assigned soldiers and 8,900 civilian employees, and covering almost 340 square miles (880km2), the US Army base at Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas, is the largest active-duty armoured post in the United States and one of the biggest military installations in the world. Among the many operational and training units based here is the 21st Cavalry Brigade (Air Combat) – or 21st Cav – which is responsible not only for the fielding and training of US Army units operating the Boeing AH-64 Apache, but also foreign Apache units in the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) training programme. Unlike other nations – including Egypt, Greece, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Singapore, Taiwan, the United Arab Emirates and the UK – which had their Apache crews trained at Fort Hood for limited periods, the Netherlands continues to have a permanent presence at Fort Hood.

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l Training exas

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MILITARY DUTCH HELICOPTER TRAINING

Apache Training Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) pilots first came to Fort Hood in June 1996 when 301 Squadron, the first Dutch Apache unit, went through the 21st Cav’s six-month Unit Fielding and Training Program (UFTP) to prepare for their operations with 12 leased US Army AH-64As. With deliveries of 30 AH-64Ds to the RNLAF commencing in 1999, Dutch pilots returned to Fort Hood in April that year for tactical training on the ‘D’ model, for which the RNLAF established the Netherlands Apache Training Detachment (NATD) at Hood Army Airfield (AAF). Eight RNLAF AH-64Ds were delivered straight from the Boeing factory in Mesa, Arizona, to Hood AAF where the NATD took care of the tactical training of Apache pilots following their conversion to the ‘Delta’ model with Boeing in Mesa. This continued until mid2000 when the role was taken over by the US Army in Fort Rucker, Alabama. By mid-2002 all RNLAF Apache pilots had completed their type conversion and tactical training. At the time there were

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two Apache units, 301 Squadron and 302 Squadron, each with three flights. But 302 was disbanded in 2005 and now 301 has five flights, named Diablo, Havoc, Hawkeye, Phoenix and Thunder. Dutch Apache pilots then started returning to the NATD once every year for four weeks’ training to recertify their skills for operational deployments. Since 2002, the detachment has also provided initial mission qualification training (IMQT) for newly-trained pilots coming straight from Flight School XXI in Fort Rucker.

Enter the Chinook

In 2008 it was decided to permanently station three of six newly acquired Boeing CH-47F(NL) Chinooks – ordered in February 2007 to supplement the 11 CH-47Ds in use with 298 Squadron – at Fort Hood for tactical training, including IMQT for Chinook pilots and loadmasters. The availability of both Apaches and Chinooks in Fort Hood would enable the crews to jointly prepare for operations in a realistic setting. After all, both types often operate closely together during their deployments (see International Operations). In turn, the presence of Dutch transport helicopters also meant elements of the Royal Netherlands Army’s (RNLA’s) 11 Air Mobile Brigade could join in, giving additional training value for all parties involved. After the success of a small-scale ‘proof of concept’ joint exercise in May 2010, 11 Air Mobile Brigade started participating in the joint training courses at Fort Hood at company level in April 2011. With the Dutch CH-47Fs yet to be delivered, US Army UH-1 Hueys and UH-60 Black Hawks were used to airlift the Dutch soldiers during the exercises. With these developments, the NATD was transformed into the Joint Netherlands Training Detachment (JNTD) in early 2011.

Its mission was described as “[facilitating] high-quality and realistic joint air assault training for Royal Netherlands Army air assault infantry and Royal Netherlands Air Force helicopter crews to prepare for future combat deployments. In addition, the JNTD is responsible for conducting initial mission qualification training for both Apache and Chinook flight crews.” The JNTD was declared operational on January 1, 2012. Around the same time, the 21st Cav, including the Dutch detachment, relocated from Hood AAF to nearby Robert Gray AAF where the Dutch have a large, purpose-built hangar at their disposal – which can accommodate the unit’s eight Apaches and three Chinooks – plus three buildings with staff offices, briefing rooms and working spaces for the visiting units.

A Unique Squadron Another change for the detachment came on November 25, 2013 when the JNTD was formally integrated in the Dutch Defence Helicopter Command (DHC) and renamed 302 Squadron in a ceremony at Robert Gray AAF, attended by Dutch defence minister Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, RNLAF commander Lt Gen Alexander Schnitger and DHC commander Air Cdre Jan-Willem Westerbeek. “Our squadron is as joint as can be,” according to Lt Col Emco Jellema, 302 Squadron’s commanding officer, who’s led the Dutch detachment in Texas for almost ten years now. Second in command is Major Larry Hamers, an army officer with 11 Air Mobile Brigade, who explained: “There are just 23 Dutch army and air force members within the 60-strong squadron staff; the remainder are US Army and civilian personnel. Including about 60 maintainers from a US contractor company, 302 Squadron consists of 120 personnel.” Among 302 Squadron’s staff members are two RNLAF instructor pilots and two instructor loadmasters for the Chinook – plus four instructor pilots for the Apache: two from the RNLAF and two civilian, former US Army pilots. What makes this Dutch squadron unique is that it’s fully integrated in the command structure of the 21st Cav. “We get our assignment from the DHC commander and the commander of the Air Mobile Brigade, who work closely together,” Lt Col Jellema explained to AIR International. “For our day-to-day operations, I report to the 21st Cav commander, Col John White, who’s responsible for the execution of our training.” The annual training schedule includes two IMQT courses and five so-called Level IV (army jargon for company level) joint training programmes. “Executing all of these takes 43 weeks,” Lt Col Jellema explained. “With one week in between to write evaluation reports and rotate the visiting units in and out, our schedule is very tight. “Where possible, we integrate coalition training in our Level IV and IMQT courses.

DUTCH HELICOPTER TRAINING MILITARY

1 Lt Col Emco Jellema, 302 Squadron’s commanding officer. 2 Apache and Chinook mission qualification training will be fully integrated at Fort Hood this year, underlining the joint nature of the operation there. 3 Three CH-47F(NL)s are based at Fort Hood alongside the eight Apaches. 3

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MILITARY DUTCH HELICOPTER TRAINING US Army assets that have recently participated in our training programmes include Fort Hood-based [General Atomics MQ-1C] Gray Eagle unmanned aircraft and helicopters. Both our forces and the US Army’s III Corps, which is a rapid reaction unit focused on European operations, benefit from this co-operation.”

Many Advantages There are several reasons why Fort Hood is an excellent training location for the Dutch forces. The availability of the Western Training Area (WTA), an area measuring 109 by 165 miles (175km by 265km) immediately adjacent to Fort Hood, is one of them. At 17,905 square miles (46,375km2), it is 1.24 times the size of the Netherlands. “The sheer size of the WTA, with its low-flying areas and the fact that there are less than 250,000 people living in it, offer possibilities we can only dream of in our densely populated country,” said Lt Col Jellema. “We get very few noise complaints here. The Texans tend to be patriotic and are very co-operative to the US and allied military

when it comes to using their land or the airspace above it. Plus we hardly ever have to cancel missions due to weather conditions. “Our helicopters are dedicated training assets, and therefore operational deployments do not affect their availability. The 21st Cav and the contractors they hire are certified to perform maintenance on our aircraft according to Dutch Military Aviation Authority rules. Maintenance is performance-based and the crews work in two shifts. “As a result, the serviceability of our helicopters is high. Over the years, we’ve been able to fly as many as 95% of the planned missions with our Apaches. Because of our busy training schedule, this is essential to us.” Maj Hamers said the available assets add to the base’s training value: “We have our own training ‘villages’ in the Netherlands, but the MOUT [Military Operations in Urban Terrain] training facilities over here are more sophisticated. The ‘shoot houses’ have speakers producing sounds like crying children; you can smell fruit at a market place; there are smells of cooking – it really creates a realistic effect.”

Opposing Forces Another advantage is the presence of dedicated opposing forces (OPFOR). “They use vehicles, simulated RPGs [rocketpropelled grenades] and radar pulses – creating circumstances that give our pilots goose bumps from time to time,” said Maj Hamers. “And they operate in line with the latest TTP [tactics, techniques and procedures] of our opponents.” Apache pilot Maj Jeroen, Head of Operations (Air) within 302 Squadron, added: “The OPFOR people really understand what it takes to maximise training value for us; they’re not fighting their own fights.” During the exercises, the ground forces – including OPFOR – and the Apaches use a Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System (MILES) which indicates whoever has been neutralised after being hit during the fight. The Apaches are fitted with sensors, and their M230 30mm guns and Hellfire missile training rounds are modified with spotlights. The results can be monitored via the Tactical Engagement Simulation System (TESS), which can be

INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS Fort Hood-based 302 Squadron plays a crucial role in preparing crews of 298 and 301 Squadrons for deployments as part of the Dutch armed forces’ participation in international operations led by NATO, the United Nations (UN) or the European Union (EU). Since the late 1990s, Chinooks and Apaches have joined many such operations, often with both types deployed simultaneously. Between 1998 and 2004, RNLAF helicopters were used in peacekeeping operations in the Balkans. Two 301 Squadron AH64As were deployed to BosniaHerzegovina in 1998/1999 to support

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ground troops in the Stabilisation Force (SFOR), and during the Kosovo Crisis in 1999, CH-47Ds from 298 Squadron deployed to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) and, later, Albania. Chinooks returned briefly to the FYROM as part of an EU monitoring mission during elections in September 2002 and equipped the Dutch SFOR detachment at Divulje Barracks near Split, Croatia, in the first half of the year. Meanwhile a detachment with Chinooks operated from Dek’emhare in Eritrea in 2000/2001 to support the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE). AH-

64Ds of 302 Squadron operated in Djibouti in 2001 to provide air cover in the event of an extraction of Dutch UNMEE troops. As part of the Stabilisation Force Iraq (SFIR), Chinooks deployed to Tallil Air Base, Iraq, in 2003. They were replaced by Cougars in 2004, the same year as Apaches from 302 Squadron were added to the SFIR detachment at Tallil, which returned in spring 2005. By far the largest commitment was the almost continuous presence of 301 Squadron’s Apaches in Afghanistan between early 2004 and late 2010. Operating first from Kabul International Airport,

the Dutch helicopters moved to Kandahar Airfield in 2006 and then to the Dutch camp in Tarin Kowt, Uruzgan, later that year. Chinooks from 298 Squadron operated from Kandahar in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in 2005/2006 and returned for ISAF in 2007-2008, 2009 and 2010, alternating with 300 Squadron’s Cougars. Currently, four AH-64Ds and three CH-47Ds operate from Goa in Mali in support of the Dutch troops in the UN-led Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). The Apaches began operations in Africa last June and the Chinooks in October.

DUTCH HELICOPTER TRAINING MILITARY used in playback mode during debriefings. The Fort Hood ranges offer Apache crews more live weapons training possibilities than elsewhere. The 30mm gun and unguided 2.75in (70mm) folding fin aerial rockets (FFARs) can be used in Europe – for instance, during the annual gunnery exercises in Bergen-Hohne, Germany – but Fort Hood is the only training location where Dutch Apaches fire live AGM114 Hellfire guided missiles.

Mission Qualification Each of the two annual IMQT classes comprises two Apache pilots, two Chinook pilots and two loadmasters. “After graduation from Flight School XXI, the pilots can fly,” explained Maj Hamers, “but they still have to learn the basics of the tactical part of the job: using weapons, picking up sling loads and so on. That’s what we teach them here in nine weeks. Six students may not seem that many, but it’s a demanding course.” This year the IMQT will be altered to become MQT (mission qualification training) courses. “Part of the tactical training is currently done in the Netherlands and elsewhere in Europe,

within the so-called Blaze exercises,” said Lt Col Jellema. “Although some of these, like High Blaze in Italy and Snow Blaze in Norway, will continue to be held in Europe; others will be integrated in the MQT here at Fort Hood. These include Tac Blaze, dealing with electronic warfare, and Hot Blaze, set up to train in hot and brown-out conditions. “Basically, the technical flying part of the mission qualification will be run from the Netherlands and the tactical part here at Fort Hood. Additionally, the Apache and Chinook MQTs will be fully integrated in 2015, with the crews operating jointly from day one. The changes will not affect the duration of the course: they will still last nine weeks.”

Joint Training In the Level IV joint training courses, an Apache flight of up to 15 pilots from 301 Squadron, a Chinook flight of up to 25 aircrew from 298 Squadron and one of 11 Air Mobile Brigade’s nine companies (comprising 120 soldiers) train together at Fort Hood for almost five weeks. “Including support personnel and evaluators 1

from the Netherlands and some 130 additional US support personnel, up to 400 people can be involved in these courses,” said Lt Col Jellema. Maj Hamers added: “After one week of preparations come four weeks packed with air assault training, six days per week, including four large-scale operations. One of these is a combined arms live-fire exercise with two Chinooks, five Apaches and 120 soldiers using live ammunition, including mortars.” When AIR International visited Fort Hood, Operation DAYTONA was in full swing. This was the final joint air assault operation of a Level IV training course, involving Flight 4 (‘Havoc’) of 301 Squadron, Flight 5 of 298 Squadron and Charlie Company of 13 Infantry Battalion (Air Assault). The scenario saw the participating units deploy to ‘East Wodan’ as a joint task force to support an ongoing mission in this imaginary failed state, which was threatened by its neighbour and an internal opponent, the East Wodan Liberation Front (EWLF). In the operation, the task force engaged EWLF warriors during an air assault operation against ‘object Tungsten’ and ‘object 1 Eight AH-64Ds are based at Fort Hood, where pilots complete a nine-week course. 2 CH-47F(NL) D-893 undergoing maintenance in the open air at Robert Gray AAF.

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302 SQUADRON HISTORY Established on February 22, 1965, 302 Squadron was one of two reserve units within the Groep Lichte Vliegtuigen (GPLV, light aircraft group) of the RNLAF, the other being 301 Squadron. Reserve personnel occasionally trained with Piper Super Cubs and would only become operational during wartime. After the last Super Cubs retired in 1976, the unit operated as a flight within 300 Squadron, using six Sud Aviation SE3160 Alouette III light utility helicopters. On May 19, 1995, 302 (interim) Squadron was established at Gilze-Rijen to operate all the RNLAF’s remaining Alouettes, which were transferred from 298 and 300 Squadrons at Soesterberg as they prepared to receive Boeing CH-47D Chinooks and Eurocopter AS532U2 Cougar Mk2s. No 302 (i) Squadron was decommissioned on September 12, 1996, handing over its Alouettes to 299 Squadron, before being re-established on September 15, 1998 as the first operational RNLAF AH-64D unit. Its first two Apaches arrived at Gilze-Rijen on July 13, 1999 and the squadron was fully operational by 2003. But, as a result of force reductions announced that year, the unit was disbanded in 2005, its helicopters and personnel transferring to 301 Squadron. The unit was set up again on November 25, 2013 when the Fort Hood-based JNTD was renamed. In 1998 it inherited its badge, a marsh harrier against a yellow background, from 316 Squadron, a former F-16 unit which disbanded on April 1, 1994.

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MILITARY DUTCH HELICOPTER TRAINING Magnesium’ in a demilitarised zone (DMZ). The main objectives were to capture ‘Blue Eye’, a smuggler of arms including surface-to-air missiles, neutralise EWLF forces and seize and destroy weapons and ammunition caches. The task force was airlifted to two separate landing sites by two CH-47F(NL)s while five AH-64Ds supplied air cover. Once the sites were secured, the Chinooks returned to drop off sling loads and additional soldiers. The DMZ was located at the Comanche Springs ranch in Bosque County, Central Texas, 57 miles (92km) north of Fort Hood. Five times a year, ranch owner Chad Horne allows the Dutch forces to exercise on his land free of charge. “I’m very proud to be able to help one of our key allies this way,” he said. “There’s plenty of space here to manoeuvre, allowing 1 them to prepare in conditions similar to what

DUTCH APACHES AND CHINOOKS The Apaches and Chinooks in 302 Squadron’s fleet are among the four major types operated by the Dutch Defence Helicopter Command (DHC). The others are the Eurocopter AS532U2 Cougar Mk2 and NHIndustries NH90 NATO Frigate Helicopter (NFH). The RNLAF took delivery of 30 AH-64Ds between May 1998 and May 2002. Until they arrived, 301 Squadron flew 12 AH-64As on loan from the US Army, which were delivered to Gilze-Rijen Air Base in November 1996; the last six were returned in February 2001. Eight RNLAF Apaches (Q-02, Q-03, Q-06, Q-07, Q-11, Q-12, Q-27 and Q-28) went straight from the Boeing factory in Mesa, Arizona, to Fort Hood, Texas, for training. The other 22 entered service with 301 and 302 Squadrons at Gilze-Rijen. One AH-64D (Q-20) was lost in Afghanistan on August 29, 2004 and today 21 are operational with 301 Squadron. By 2009, all 29 Dutch Apaches had the new Lockheed Martin Arrowhead Modernized Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor (MTADS/PNVS) fitted. The entire Apache fleet will be upgraded to Block II standard, comprising fitment of new communication equipment including a high-frequency radio, replacement of some analogue systems by digital versions, upgrade of the identification friend or foe (IFF) system to mode 5 standard, a blue forces tracker and a new data modem. By the autumn of 2014, three Fort Hood-based AH-64Ds (Q-02, Q-03 and Q-12) had gone through the modification programme. Thirteen Boeing CH-47D Chinooks entered service with 298 Squadron at Soesterberg Air Base between December 1995 and March 1999. They included seven ex-Canadian CH-147s (CH-47Cs; RNLAF serials D-661 to D-667) – which went through an extensive rebuild by Boeing – plus six new-build CH-47Ds (D-101 to D-106). The Dutch CH-47Ds were the

first Chinooks to feature a Honeywell Avionics Control and Management System (ACMS) glass cockpit. Two CH-47Ds were lost during operations in Afghanistan in 2005 (D-105 on July 27 and D-104 on October 31), fortunately without loss of life. Together with 300 Squadron, 298 Squadron relocated from Soesterberg to Gilze-Rijen in the second half of 2008. A helicopter capacity report published by the Dutch ministry of defence in 2004 confirmed the need for additional Chinooks and led to the acquisition of six new CH-47F(NL)s (D-890 to D-895) – including replacements for the two lost helicopters – in a contract signed on February 15, 2007. Three ‘F’ models (D-893 to D-895) remained in the US to serve with the JNTD at Fort Hood, Texas, while the other three joined 298 Squadron. The first two CH-47F(NL)s entered service with the JNTD on September 7, 2012, followed by the first two for 298 Squadron a month later. The third was delivered to the JNTD in January 2013 and the final ‘F’ model arrived at Gilze-Rijen in September 2013. Dutch CH-47Fs feature an upgraded Block 6 version of the ACMS cockpit and can be equipped with an L-3 WESCAM MX-15HDi electrooptical/infrared (EO/IR) turret under the nose. Other equipment includes a Honeywell Primus 700A colour weather radar, BAE Systems digital automatic flight control system (DAFCS) and a Terma CHASE (Chinook Aircraft Survivability Equipment) suite with provisions for the AN/AAQ24(V) DIRCM (directional infrared countermeasures), or similar, system. Together with the new helicopters, the Dutch ministry of defence acquired four special operations kits and intends to keep the Chinook in service until 2045. A decision on whether the 11 CH-47Ds will be upgraded to ‘F’ standard or replaced by new CH-47Fs is pending.

1 Fort Hood provides a training area greater in size than the Netherlands. 2 At Fort Hood the Chinook pilots learn the basics of tactical flying, including picking up sling loads. 3 The Dutch Apaches’ arsenal includes this 30mm M230 gun, 2.75in (70mm) rockets and AGM-114 Hellfire missiles. 4 Realism in training at Fort Hood is provided by the Royal Netherlands Army’s 11 Air Mobile Brigade. 5 The Dutch Apache is being upgraded with new communications equipment and data modem and an upgraded IFF system. 6 US Army and civilian contractors maintain the RNLAF helicopters according to Dutch Military Aviation Authority rules. 2

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they’ll face when deploying for missions in other parts of the world. These guys are really professional. I enjoy watching them work.”

The Future

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Lt Col Jellema noted: “Without the support of the 21st Cav and supporting units, we would not be able to reach the high level of training that we do.” But the 21st Cav has been earmarked for disbandment as part of a US Army-wide reallocation of equipment and personnel. A ‘discontinuance ceremony’ is scheduled for March and the official disbandment date set for June 1. The final flight of a 21st Cavassigned US Army AH-64D was made on July 21 last year and 302 Squadron’s parent unit in the future has yet to be announced. “All I can say now is that it will not be another training unit, but an operational one,” said the Dutch CO. “We certainly look forward to continuing the co-operation and the good relations we have established here.”

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he NHV Group – a helicopter services provider for the oil and gas industries, based at Oostende in Belgium – has big ambitions. “We want to become the European helicopter operator of choice [for the sector],” said Steven Igodt, NHV’s Business Unit Manager Northern Europe, in an interview with AIR International. And the Airbus Helicopters EC175 is playing a key role in the attempts to reach that goal. NHV was the first to receive the twin-

engine medium utility helicopter in December, when two examples from its 16-aircraft order were delivered. They are now operational at NHV’s facility at Den Helder in the Netherlands. Six more will be handed over this year and the remaining eight between 2016 and 2018. “The EC175 is mainly used for transportation from onshore to offshore and inter-platform hopping in the North Sea to support the requests of our clients,” Igodt explained. Those clients are the major oil and gas production companies. NHV’s helicopters (it also operates EC225s, EC155B1s, AS332L2s and AS365 N3 Dauphins and AgustaWestland AW139s) are used to fly

these firms’ personnel to, from and between rigs and for ad-hoc missions to deliver supplies and equipment offshore.

Global Presence NHV is the only company of its kind operating in all the major oil and gasproducing countries bordering the North Sea (Belgium, Denmark, France, the Netherlands, Norway and the UK). It also has operations in Nigeria, Ivory Coast and Ghana. That global presence reflects NHV’s ambitions, and will dictate the basing of the EC175s yet to be delivered. “The first two EC175s are at Den Helder – the rest will go where our clients want them,” Igodt said.

EC175

Operational The first operator of the Airbus Helicopters EC175 says the type is already proving its worth. Mark Broadbent reports

EC175 SPECIFICATIONS Length (main rotor disc to tail rotor disc): 18.06m (59.25ft) Length (nose to tail rotor disc): 15.68m (51.44ft) Main rotor disc diameter: 14.80m (48.56ft) Tail rotor disc diameter: 3.20m (10.50ft) Overall height: 5.34m (17.52ft) Cabin length: 4.1m (13.45ft) Cabin width: 2.13m (6.99ft) Cabin height: 1.40m (4.59ft) Cabin volume: 12m3 (423.8ft3) Luggage compartment volume: 2.3m3 (81.9ft3) Maximum take-off weight: 7,500kg (16,535lb) 7,800kg (17,196lb) from 2016 Typical oil and gas mission empty weight: 4,603kg (10,150lb) Engines: 2 x Pratt & Whitney PT6C-67E with dual channel FADEC Take-off power: 1,324kW (1,776shp) Maximum continuous power: 1,227kW (1,645shp) One engine inoperative (30sec): 1,541kW (2,067shp) Fuel tank capacity: 2,066kg (4,555lb)

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AIRBUS HELICOPTERS EC175 COMMERCIAL Potentially, therefore, EC175s could be based in the UK at the airports from where NHV aircraft already operate – Humberside, Norwich and Aberdeen – but, equally, they may go to bases in other European countries or in Africa. “It all depends on the needs of our clients,” Igodt explained. “We’re approved by all the major players in the oil and gas industry. As a service provider we have no restrictions. It’s very difficult to say ‘the aircraft will go to that specific spot’ because [customer] needs can change.”

Made for the Industry The EC175 was launched at Heli-Expo in Houston in February 2008. The original flight-test example first flew on December 17, 2009 from Marignane, France. Certification by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) was originally planned for 2012, and the first delivery in 2013, but delays meant EASA approval was only attained in January 2014. “We did a lot of analysis of the different types of aircraft in the market,” Igodt said. “After speaking to our engineers and pilots we decided to go for the EC175 because of the operational advantages we saw in the aircraft, the technologies and the maintenance philosophy. It’s an aircraft made for the oil and gas industry, so we believe the EC175 will be a winner for the

type of operations we target.” Key among the helicopter’s benefits are its speed and range characteristics. Those factors are becoming more important for service providers such as NHV because oil and gas production companies are locating new rigs further offshore to reach harder-toaccess reserves. “It seats 14 to 16 passengers, it’s very comfortable and it takes them 140 nautical miles [259km], which is a sweet spot for a lot of platforms in the North Sea,” Igodt said. The EC175 offers a 12m3 (423.8ft3) airconditioned cabin, a luggage compartment with 2.35m3 (83ft3) capacity and low vibration and noise levels.

Helionix Avionics Another important factor in the EC175’s selection, according to Igodt, was its Helionix avionics. The helicopter has a dual-duplex four-axis automatic flight control system (AFCS), which provides precision handling and stability and uses attitude as its primary parameter, helping to keep the aircraft’s position in poor conditions. The Helionix has a self-monitoring function that automatically highlights any potential problems with systems. Pilots are also assisted by an automatic recovery mode in the event of crew disorientation; and systems that help with angle of approach, vertical speed, ground track/heading and final approach.

A one engine inoperative (OEI) mode enables hands-off flying in the event of one engine failing. A controlled flight into terrain prevention system levels the helicopter at 150ft (45m) and there are automatic take-off and go-around procedures at maximum power. Enhanced situational awareness is provided by digital maps, helicopter terrain awareness, synthetic vision and TCAS II traffic collision systems, the latter coupled to the autopilot.

Reduced Workload There are four 6in x 8in (152mm x 203mm) displays. One presents primary flight and navigation information, AFCS and fuel data, fire limit indicator, rotor speed, alerts and advisories. Another shows mission information while vehicle monitoring pages present essential performance information, such as electrical, hydraulics and transmission systems. The consolidation of key data on these pages combined with the safety features means, Igodt said, “the pilots’ workload has been tremendously reduced, which gives them more focus on operating the aircraft and safety”. At its maximum weight, the EC175 can hover in International Standard Atmosphere (ISA) +20°C (‘hot-and-high’ conditions) up to an altitude of 4,500ft (1,371m). It also has a high power margin if one engine is inoperative.

NHV is using its first two EC175s to transport passengers offshore to rigs in the North Sea. All images NHV

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COMMERCIAL AIRBUS HELICOPTERS EC175

1 The EC175 is in the 7.5-tonne medium helicopter class. 2 NHV will take on another 14 EC175s in the next three years, following the deliveries of the first two, PH-NHV and PH-NHU, seen here at Den Helder.

1

“These margins constitute an important safety guarantee and enable the EC175 to maintain hover flight or a rate of climb better than 500ft/min [152m/min] in ISA+20°C conditions at sea level,” Airbus Helicopters says in its EC175 specifications.

Cabin Safety Besides the redundancy in the avionics and the engines’ performance, the EC175 has been designed with a range of cabin safety features – essential in the offshore oil and gas transportation role. The type exceeds EASA’s Type IV certification requirements, which specify a rectangular opening of no less than 480mm (19in) wide by 660mm (26in) high to ensure quick and easy emergency exits. Each passenger is seated no further than one seat away from an emergency exit. Two wide pilot doors, two extra-wide sliding doors and eight large push-out windows mean the aircraft can be evacuated in a matter of seconds. Pilot and passenger seats, landing gear, fuel tanks and helicopter structure are all designed to be energy-absorbing. In the event of a ditching, there are 18 life-rafts and oversized front and aft emergency flotation devices that can be used in sea state 6, where waves are 4 to 5 metres (13 to 20ft) high. Passenger safety on the ground is provided by a high tail rotor ground clearance (2.3m/7.5ft), and a tailfin-mounted forwardlooking camera enables the crew to control boarding from the cockpit’s multi-function display.

Search and Rescue While transport is its primary role, NHV’s EC175 will also be capable of conducting 2 search and rescue (SAR) missions. Its helicopters are expected to achieve clearance for the role later this year. “We’re in the early stages of the development of the SAR mode in cooperation with Airbus Helicopters to fine-tune the aircraft,” Igodt said. “We’re fully in the process to prepare the aircraft for search and rescue missions as soon as possible.”

Maintenance A major area where the EC175 differs from previous Airbus Helicopters is its maintenance philosophy. It is the first Airbus type designed in accordance with Maintenance Steering Group-3 (MSG-3) standards. The Air Transport Association (ATA) created the MSG in the 1960s to increase

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aircraft availability and reduce costs without compromising safety by improving maintenance efficiency. The latest MSG-3 standard, released in 2009, introduced reliability-centred maintenance (RCM). As its name implies, this model analyses potential failure modes based on their criticality and the level of maintenance needed to fix them. The idea is that maintenance tasks focus on the areas needing the most urgent attention to minimise aircraft downtime. The MSG-3 philosophy takes root in the EC175 with an on-board monitoring system and an on-ground maintenance reporting capability, a health and usage monitoring system and 3D technical publications. There are also full-flight simulators, optimised scheduled maintenance and a continuous maintenance review process which has input from operators and Airbus Helicopters’ own support organisation.

Training NHV’s pilots follow a five-step training programme before they are ready to fly commercially. The training starts with a three-week ground school course at HELISIM in France. A flight navigation and procedures trainer – and time spent in the full-flight simulator – precede the pilots flying the EC175 for real. They then return to Den Helder for line training before flying commercially. The training for airframe technicians takes six weeks – five at Marignane using education software and a full-size mockup followed by a week at Flight Safety International in Paris for training on the engine (avionics technicians don’t go through the engine rating).

As NHV was the first EC175 customer, the company closely interacted with Airbus’ instructors in fine-tuning the training courses for the type. Currently NHV has 14 pilots and ten engineers trained on the EC175 (seven specialising in the airframe, three in avionics). The company told AIR International it estimates it will train at least 96 pilots and 48 engineers to operate the 16-aircraft fleet.

Reactions Even though NHV has only operated the EC175 since December, it says its pilots are already noticing a difference from other helicopters in the company’s fleet. “They’re really impressed by the [reduced] workload; they can really focus on the mission. On the performance side, they’re impressed by the powerful and proven engine,” Igodt said. “It’s difficult to compare the EC175 to the other types [in the fleet], which have specific characteristics in their domain, but the aircraft is fast, has a low noise level and is very comfortable for passengers; and its cost per passenger per mile is impressive. “It’s making a difference. It’s doing everything we and the clients need. In the North Sea, it has the perfect range, the perfect performance and is competitive on different levels. “It’s adaptable and can be used for different things,” Igodt added. “The fact that it can be used for several purposes means we can adapt to the needs of the market and what the clients would like to have. “It’s very important for us to be a trendsetter in different areas,” he concluded. “I’m sure this aircraft will open eyes in the industry.”

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