AirForces Monthly 2013-02

February 2013 ISSUE 299

RAF'S 100 SQUADRON - TYPHOON ADVERSARY!

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Postcards from...

STILL SERVING THE US AIR FORCE

Israel's A-4 Ayit Reaches its 45th Anniversary

Force report

China & Japan Exercise Report

Vampirex 2012

AFGHANISTAN AIR FORCE Starting from Scratch

NUCLEAR EUROPE Still a Deadly Capability

FRENCH & SPANISH TIGERS On the Prowl TINY TRAINERS Denmark's T-17 & Belgium's SF260

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2013 Produced by Key Publishing and featuring articles written with and by RAF personnel, RAF 2013 is a 132-page special magazine that provides behind the scenes insight into the aircraft, equipment and people of one of the world’s premier air forces. FEATURES INCLUDE AIR POWER Discover the RAF’s vision of air power, through control of the air, attack, ISTAR and air mobility.

OLYMPIC AIR SEC U R I T Y The inside story of how the RAF provided aerial security for the London 2012 Olympics, using Typhoon fighters and sniper-armed helicopters.

TORNADO AT 30 After three decades in service, the RAF’s Tornado is at the pinnacle of its capability, offering unmatched precision air power.

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CONTENTSFEBRUARY CONTENTS

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NEWS 5 6-8 9 - 11 14 - 17 18 - 19 20 - 21 24 26 27 - 29 30 - 31

Headlines UK Europe North America Latin America Middle East Russia and CIS Africa Asia Pacific Australasia

FREE DVD! Subscribe to AirForces Monthly and claim your FREE Hellenic F-16 Cockpit DVD worth £12.49. See pages 12 and 13 for more details.

40 Training hard to fight easy

58 Tiny Trainers: Doing things the Danish way

Lewis Gaylard visited the Royal Navy’s Commando Helicopter Force, based at RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset, to see what the future holds.

Cristian Schrik/Aimhigh.nl discovers that the Danish air force has found a new way of educating tomorrow’s air force with its diminutive T-17 Supporter.

Cover Feature 44 Phantoms West

62 Tiny Trainers: Learning to fly the Belgian way

Gary Wetzel was lucky enough to fly with the US Air Force Heritage Flight’s QF-4 Phantoms, which still perform an important task for the frontline fighter fleets.

Teaching people to fly is expensive, but as Manolito Jaarsma tells us, there are ways to make it cheaper– as evidenced by the Belgian Air Component and its SIAI Marchetti SF260s.

50 95 to ‘The Ton’

66 A Hit at 45

The boss of the Royal Air Force’s 100 Squadron, its largest operational jet squadron, talks to AFM’s Editor, Gary Parsons.

Bob Archer describes the McDonnell Douglas A-4 Ayit, better known as the Skyhawk, as it reaches its 45th anniversary in

Israeli service with the air force.

70 French Special Forces Come of Age Yves Debay explains the structure of the French Special Forces Command on its 20th anniversary and finds out how it trains with army helicopters.

76 Nuclear Days Even though the Cold War has ended, Europe’s air forces still have a nuclear capability. Pieter Baastiens assesses the facts.

88 Tigerland Dirk Jan de Ridder and Menso van Westrhenen report on current operations by Spain’s only attack helicopter unit and its future with the Eurocopter Tigre.

Regulars 22 Opinion: A New Paradigm for Air Power

Dr Dave Sloggett explores the implications of the Hamas rocket attacks on Israel and how the country defended itself.

32 Attrition

Military aviation accidents.

35 Deployments and Contracts 38 Deployment Report: Four goes to Finland

Flt Lt Stefan Brown from the RAF’s IV(R) Squadron, based at RAF Valley in Anglesey, describes the unit’s first overseas foray when it visited the Finnish Air Force.

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72 Exercise Report: Vampirex 2012

The French army, navy and air force conducted a joint exercise in the south-west of France in mid-November 2012 – HenriPierre Grolleau reports.

80 Force Report: Afghan National Army Air Force

Alan Warnes looks at the air force’s evolution since the US-led coalition began the modernisation process five years ago.

92 Exercise Report: Apache Live Fire in South Korea Gordon Arthur reports on the ‘Death Dealers’, the US Army’s solitary Apache battalion in

South Korea, as it undertook a live-fire exercise.

93 Postcard from… China

Gordon Arthur reviews the ninth China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, held at Zhuhai in November.

94 Postcard from… Japan

Dr Andreas Zeitler reports on Nyutabaru’s weather-cancelled airshow.

95 Feedback/Gallery

Messages and images from AFM's Facebook page in a oneoff special.

96 Ops Board

AFM’s guide to exercises and airshows in the months to come.

98 And Finally… RIAT 2013 – An Insider’s View

Tom Gibbons, the new head of the Royal International Air Tattoo’s (RIAT) air operations team, reflects on 2012 and what this July’s event will bring to RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire.

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Left: It looks like the VC10 will be service beyond April – in late December the organisers of the Royal International Air Tattoo in July confirmed one would be present at the airshow. Geoff Lee/Planefocus Below: QF-4 cover image by Gary Wetzel; 100 Sqn Hawk by Geoff Lee/ Planefocus and J-10 by Gordon Arthur.

New Year, New Challenges With just hours to spare, on January 1 US Congress came up with a deal that averted sequestration (see January’s AFM). This isn’t the end of the story however, as all that has been agreed is a two-month deferment so that more talking can be done – the Democrat-led Senate is still at odds with the Republican-dominated House of Representatives over taxes and budget cuts. One thing that has finally been resolved is the $633 billion 2013 Defense Authorization Act, which should have come into effect on October 1 last year – President Obama finally signed it off on January 2, paving the way for 2014 budgets to be set, normally required by early February… Approval of the Act now means that planned aircraft disposals and squadron Editor: Gary Parsons Assistant Editor: Jerry Gunner MILITARY NEWS TEAM: World Air Forces Correspondent: Alan Warnes Military News Editor: Dave Allport Military News Analyst: Steve Rush Editor’s Secretary: Julie Lawson Group Art Editor: Steve Donovan Assistant Group Art Editor: Lee Howson Production Editor: Sue Blunt Sub editor: Norman Wells Advertising Manager: Ian Maxwell Production Manager: Janet Watkins Marketing Manager: Martin Steele Mail Order Subscription Manager: Roz Condé Group Editor-in-Chief: Paul Hamblin Commercial Director: Ann Saundry Executive Chairman: Richard Cox Managing Director & Publisher: Adrian Cox

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disbandments will definitely happen, so by September it will be goodbye to the A-10s of the 52nd Fighter Wing in Germany and the C-27Js operated by the Air National Guard. Eurofighter had a good winter, much better than the last one when it missed out on three fighter competitions. It finally nailed the Oman order – although a small one at just 12 aircraft, Typhoon is now establishing itself as the fighter of choice in the Middle East and it should open the door for a much bigger deal with the United Arab Emirates, which seems to be back-tracking from its original intention to buy Dassault’s Rafale. As the contract may be for as many as 60 aircraft, it may just be the cake under the Oman order’s icing. Copies of AirForces Monthly can be obtained each month by placing a standing order with your newsagent. In case of difficulty, contact our Circulation Manager. Readers in USA may place subscriptions by telephone toll-free 800-676-4049 or by writing to AirForces Monthly, 3330 Pacific Ave, Ste 500, Virginia Beach, VA23451-9828. We are unable to guarantee the bonafides of any of our advertisers. Readers are strongly recommended to take their own precautions before parting with any information or item of value, including, but not limited to, money, manuscripts, photographs or personnel information in response to any advertisements within this publication. Postmaster: Send address corrections to AirForces Monthly, Key Publishing Ltd, c/o Mail Right International Inc. 1637 Stelton Road B4, Piscataway NJ 08854. Printed in England by Warners (Midlands) plc, Bourne, Lincolnshire. AirForces Monthly (ISSN 0955 7091) is published monthly by Key

Meanwhile China has been busy, building a brand-new transport aircraft behind closed doors after unveiling the J-31 and J-20 fighters in the past year. With production of its own variant of the Tupolev Tu-22M3 Backfire strategic bomber, the H-10, also believed to be under way, the country seems to be in overdrive in strengthening its military capabilities. Maybe it’s not the best of time for the US to be facing drastic defence cuts as the balance of power in the Far East shifts uneasily for Obama. Lastly, just to prove AFM has its finger on the pulse, it is rumoured that the RAF has postponed the retirement of its last six VC10 tankers from April until September – maybe the powers-that-be read our Opinion piece in last November’s issue! Publishing Ltd and distributed in the USA by Mail Right Int., 1637 Stelton Road B4, Piscataway, NJ 08854. The entire contents of AirForces Monthly is a copyright of Key Publishing Ltd and cannot be reproduced in any form without permission. The Editor is happy to receive contributions to AirForces Monthly. Please note that all material sent to the Editor is forwarded at the contributor’s own risk. While every care is taken with material, the publishers cannot be held responsible for any loss or damage incurred. All material rates available on request. Submitted material (especially illustrations) should have the contributor’s name and address clearly marked and a stamped addressed envelope should be enclosed if it is required to be returned. All items submitted for publication are subject to our terms and conditions, which are regularly updated without prior notice and are freely available from Key Publishing Ltd or downloadable from www.keypublishing.com. All digital imagery should be at least 300dpi

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NEWS HEADLINES

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

China's New Transport Aircraft Emerges

China’s Ministry of National Defense confirmed on December 28 the country is developing an indigenous transport aircraft, believed to be in the Ilyushin Il78 Candid class of airlifter. Designated the Y-20, the aircraft has been spotted outside the Xi’an Aircraft Industrial Corporation factory in Yanliang District, Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, undertaking taxi trials. Bai Wei

Oman Finalises Typhoon Deal A LONG-EXPECTED contract for 12 Eurofighter Typhoons has now been finalised with the Sultanate of Oman, BAE Systems confirmed on December 21. The deal, worth £2.5 billion, also includes purchase of eight Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) aircraft. As well as supplying aircraft, BAE Systems will provide in-service support to the Royal Air Force of Oman’s (RAFO’s) operational tasks. Deliveries are scheduled to commence in 2017 and the aircraft are expected to replace the RAFO’s fleet of 12 SEPECAT Jaguars acquired between 1977 and 1986. It is believed the aircraft will be drawn from Tranche 3A and will consist of nine single-seat and three twin-seat aircraft. It was originally thought the aircraft would come from the UK’s production allocation, but Chris Boardman, managing director of BAE Systems Military Air and Information, is reported to have said that the order is additional to RAF commitments and that there is no ‘netting off’ or reduction to UK purchases. The order for Hawk AJTs follows a similar order from Saudi Arabia in May 2012 and takes the total number of Hawk aircraft sold, or on order, to 998.

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Afghan C-27A Fleet is Suddenly Withdrawn THE US Air Force (USAF) has decided to dispose of the 16 Alenia C-27A transport aircraft that have so far been delivered for use by the Afghan National Army Air Force (ANAAF), abandoning a programme of considerable investment and refurbishment in the fleet. The air force notified Alenia Aermacchi North America on December 18 that its contract to maintain and support a total of 20 refurbished aircraft would not be renewed when it expires in March, USAF spokesman Ed Gulick, told the Wall Street Journal (WSJ). He added: “This decision comes after failed attempts by the contractor to generate a sufficient number of fully mission-capable aircraft that would provide an effective

airlift capability for the A[NA] AF.” In response to the December 18 notification, an Alenia representative told the WSJ: “We have not received any information that a decision has been made… It’s all a bit surprising that this decision is being made now when the [remediation] plan is being fully implemented.” To date, the programme has cost around $596 million, which includes buying and refurbishing 20 ex-Italian Air Force G222 transporters and maintaining them. On May 27, 2012, a statement from the Office of the President of Afghanistan revealed concerns over the slow pace of revival of the country’s air force. A briefing presented by the Afghan MoD noted that of the 15 C-27As then delivered,

all were grounded due to their “old age and lack of spare parts”, despite the fact that the first two of the newly refurbished aircraft had only been delivered to Kabul in November 2009. Operational safety concerns led to the C-27A being grounded in mid-December 2011. A USAF plan to get the aircraft back in the air was under way, and by December 2012 ten were flying again. It is believed that the C-27A fleet had amassed more than 5,000 hours in Afghan service, although US personnel who had worked on the aircraft, operated by the 373rd Transport Kanak based at Kabul International Airport, claimed the performance of the type was inadequate for the hot and high conditions of Afghanistan.

An Afghan National Army Air Force C-27A. Neil Dunridge

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NEWS UNITED KINGDOM UK MoD Awards Sea King Support Contract AGUSTAWESTLAND AND the UK Ministry of Defence announced on December 20 that a £260 million contract has been signed that will provide Sea King Integrated Operational Support (SKIOS) from April 1, 2013, through to the type’s out of service date in March 2016. This contract follows on from Phase 1 and Phase 2 of SKIOS, which provides technical and maintenance services for the fleet up to the end of March 2013. The SKIOS contract provides a comprehensive availability-based support package for the UK MoD’s fleet of Sea King helicopters, which are operated by the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. It includes payments for achieved flying hours and incentive arrangements associated with delivering agreed levels of aircraft serviceability and operational fleet aircraft numbers. Under the SKIOS contract, AgustaWestland delivers Sea King Depth Maintenance, Second Line Workshop services, spares and technical support services. Additionally, AgustaWestland also delivers 1st and 2nd Line Maintenance Services for Search and Rescue Sea Kings stationed at eight bases comprising Wattisham Airfield, Suffolk; RAF Lossiemouth, Moray; DST Leconfield, East Yorkshire; RMB Chivenor, Devon; RAF Boulmer, Northumberland; RAF Valley, Anglesey; HMS Gannet, Prestwick, Scotland; and Mount Pleasant Airfield, Falkland Islands. These Sea Kings provide 24 hour SAR cover for the majority of the UK and the Falkland Islands. The SKIOS contract, which began in 2005, introduced a payment by the flying hour arrangement, the first integrated support contract awarded by the UK MoD for a helicopter. The UK MoD’s fleet of Sea Kings totals almost 90, comprising the Royal Air Force’s HAR3 and HAR3A SAR aircraft and the Royal Navy’s HC4 amphibious support aircraft, HU5 SAR aircraft and ASaC7 Maritime Airborne Surveillance and Control (ASaC) aircraft.

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

UK Pilots Begin F-35 Training at Eglin

Above: Royal Navy Lt Cdr Ian Tidball is now training on the Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. Royal Navy

TWO UK pilots, one from the Royal Air Force and one from the Royal Navy, have joined an elite group of pilots who will shortly be taking to the air in the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter. Royal Navy Lt Cdr Ian Tidball and a Royal Air Force colleague, Squadron Leader Frankie Buchler, have joined US pilots at Eglin Air Force Base (AFB), Florida, where they are undergoing initial F-35B training with US Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501 (VMFAT-501). Once they

have completed the six-week training, they will become Instructor Pilots on VMFAT-501. After gaining valuable experience on the aircraft, Lt Cdr Tidball and Sqn Ldr Buchler will move to Edwards AFB, California, where they will form part of a UK Test and Evaluation Squadron tasked with conducting operational tests on the new aircraft. Lt Cdr Tidball said: “Undergoing this training is a great opportunity and the US Marines here at Eglin have welcomed us with open arms, making us truly

feel like a part of the team. It is a great privilege to be one of the first pilots to fly this jet. It will allow the Royal Navy to play a leading role in maritime power projection and far exceeds the capabilities of the Harrier.” The Royal Navy and Royal Air Force will start receiving frontline F-35s in 2016, with landbased testing and training flights taking place through to 2017, followed by initial test flights from the carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth (R 08) in 2018, as the UK regenerates its carrier strike capability.

Meteor Launched from Typhoon

Above: Two-seat development Eurofighter Typhoon ZJ699 (IPA1) takes off from BAE Systems’ factory airfield at Warton, Lancashire, carrying a Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile. On December 4 the aircraft undertook the first launch of the Meteor missile, on the Aberporth range in Wales. Note that the drop tanks have been modified to house cameras to record the launch. BAE Systems

BAE SYSTEMS announced that the Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile was successfully launched from a Eurofighter Typhoon for the first time, as part of the Future Enhancements Flight Test Programme, on

December 4. The missile was eject-launched from a rear fuselage missile station, which on Eurofighter Typhoon is semiconformal for aircraft drag and radar signature reduction. The missile motor was fired, providing

data that will enable the missile launch envelope to be expanded. The flight trials were conducted with integrated support from QinetiQ and MBDA at a firing range in Aberporth, Wales, using two-seat development Typhoon ZJ699 (IPA1).

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RAF’s £25 Million Paveway IV Contract A NEW £25 million contract with Raytheon UK for the purchase of Paveway IV precision weapons for the Royal Air Force was announced by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) on December 3. The MoD says that the contract will sustain around 450 jobs at Raytheon UK’s plants. Paveway IV proved highly effective during the 2011 Operation Ellamy air campaign over Libya. Its global positioning system technology gives the UK the capability to conduct 24-hour precision attacks against a wide range of targets. Aircrew also have the ability to reprogramme the weapon during a mission. This year the MoD has awarded contracts worth more than £100 million to Raytheon for orders of around 1,600 Paveway IV bombs.

BAE Systems’ First RAF Typhoon Full Service Completed

Above: Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 ZJ939 seen on November 2 at RAF Coningsby. It is one of three aircraft undergoing major maintenance and had been stripped of paint. Key – Gary Parsons

BAE SYSTEMS announced on December 5 that it has completed the first ever major maintenance on an RAF Typhoon aircraft, after it had clocked up 1,600 flying hours. This has been carried out as part of the Typhoon Availability Service contract, which was awarded by the UK MoD to BAE Systems in 2009. It requires

a complete strip-down of the aircraft to enable detailed inspections to be performed. Repairs and modifications are also undertaken. The first aircraft to complete the programme was Typhoon FGR4 ZJ921 ‘QO-H’, which has now returned to 3(F) Squadron at RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire, which also houses the Typhoon

RAAF A330 in UK

Above: Passing through RAF Brize Norton on November 30 was Royal Australian Air Force KC-30A A39-005 from 33 Squadron, based at RAAF Amberley in Queensland. The RAAF KC-30, based on the Airbus Military A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport, has been in service since June 2011; the fifth and final aircraft was handed over on December 4. Neil Dunridge

US Army Dash 8-102 Passes Through Norwich

Above: Wearing military-style dark grey colours and US Army titles, heavily modified Dynamic Aviation Dash 8-102 N1000 (c/n 024) visited Norwich Airport, Norfolk, on November 30, prior to departing for the USA via Wick, Scotland. Clearly apparent are the many sensors now fitted to the aircraft for its ISR role. Right: The intriguing mission marks carried by the Dash 8. Both Matthew Clements

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Maintenance Facility (TMF). This was one of the aircraft to fly out to Gioia Dell Colle Air Base in Italy to support Operation Ellamy over Libya. Maintenance is divided into primary (after 400 hours), followed by minor (800 hours), then major. Coningsby’s TMF is currently working on another three aircraft.

Next Stage of UK MFTS Revealed ASCENT FLIGHT Training, a partner of the Ministry of Defence, has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for fixed-wing aircraft to support the latest stage in delivering the UK Military Flying Training System (UKMFTS). Ascent, a joint venture between Lockheed Martin and Babcock International, will manage the procurement process to provide a complete training service, including the new aircraft, from 2015. The new contracts will deliver aircraft for use in elementary, basic, multi-engine and fixed-wing rear crew training for the RAF, Royal Navy and Army Air Corps. Companies are being asked to submit proposals for supplying aircraft, aircraft-related infrastructure and support to at least 2030. The elementary phase of MFTS will replace that currently done at RAF Cranwell and RAF Barkston Heath in Lincolnshire with the Grob Tutor; the basic phase will replace that at RAF Linton-on-Ouse in North Yorkshire with the Shorts Tucano, and the multi-engine and rear crew phase will replace that at RAF Cranwell with the Beechcraft King Air.

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NEWS UNITED KINGDOM News briefs DETAILS HAVE emerged on the proposed timescale for the Typhoon squadrons at RAF Leuchars in Fife to move to RAF Lossiemouth in Moray. According to the Typhoon Transition Team, three squadrons will eventually be based at RAF Lossiemouth with the first, 6 Squadron, arriving in December 2013 into a refurbished No. 1 hangar. No. 1(F) Squadron will follow in 2014 and use No. 3 hangar. RAF LYNEHAM, Wiltshire, officially closed on December 31. A ceremony had been held on December 18 at which the RAF Ensign was lowered for the last time. In July 2011 the MoD announced that the base would become a new site to centralise all British Army, RAF and Royal Navy technical training.

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

WB-57F Transits UK

Above: Staging through RAF Mildenhall on December 2 on its way back to the US was WB-57F N926NA operated by NASA. It had been operating over Afghanistan fitted with BACN (Battlefield Airborne Communication Node) systems. Mike Kerr

A WEEK AT WARTON Neville Beckett reports on a busy last week in November

Tranche 2 Typhoon T3 Delivered to RAF THE LATEST Tranche 2 Eurofighter Typhoon T3 to be delivered to the RAF finally arrived at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire in the afternoon of December 13. The twin-seat T3 ZK382 previously attempted the trip on November 29, but apparently had to turn back to BAE Systems’ Warton airfield because of a technical problem.

First flight of Second Batch RSAF Typhoons

Above: The first flight of the second batch of the 72 Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft currently being supplied to the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) under the ‘Al Salam’ contract took place at BAE Systems’ Warton facility on November 30. The first batch of 24 Typhoons was delivered between June 2009 and September 2011, while two-seater CT012/ZK090 is the first to fly of the remaining 48 – deliveries of which will commence this year.

Damocles on Typhoon

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Left: A milestone was reached in BAE Systems’ contract to supply Saudi Arabia with Typhoons when the type’s first flight carrying a Damocles pod took place on November 29. The Thales pod was flown on Typhoon trials aircraft BT017/ZK303. While the UK plans to equip its Typhoons with the Rafael/Ultra Litening pod, the RSAF has elected to use the Damocles multi-function targeting, designating and navigational pod, which enables self-designated air-to-ground smart weapon delivery. The RSAF already has Damocles in service on its updated ‘Tornado Sustainment Programme’ Tornado IDS strike aircraft. Damocles and Litening pods are of broadly similar configuration, both incorporating a rotating ball nose for the IR sensor and laser designator, but differ in the cooling air intake arrangement at the rear. Damocles has a distinct circular ram-air intake, whilst Litening features a ‘conformal wrap-around’ arrangement.

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NEWS EUROPE

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Maiden Flight of First Spanishbuilt NH90 MAKING ITS maiden flight on December 18 at Albacete, Spain, was the first NHIndustries NH90 to be assembled at the Eurocopter España plant located at the airfield. The helicopter, TTH variant GSPA03 (c/n 1264), flew for 30 minutes before landing safely back at the factory. Although still unpainted, the NH90 had ‘1st Flight FAL NH90 Albacete’ titles applied to the rear fuselage and a logo depicting a bat – representing the coat of arms of the city of Albacete – applied to the forward fuselage. The helicopter is the third NH90 for Spain and follows two examples built at the company’s main production facility in Marignane, France. Spain originally ordered 45 NH90 Tactical Transport Helicopter (TTH) variants under a contract announced on December 28, 2006. This was renegotiated in November 2011 to reduce the number to 38, although options are still held on the remaining seven for purchase after 2015. They will primarily be operated by the Fuerzas Aeromóviles del Ejército de Tierra (FAMET - the Spanish Army’s aviation arm), although an unspecified number will also be allocated to the Ejército del Aire (Spanish Air Force) for search and rescue duties. Initial deliveries to the FAMET are expected to commence in 2013. ROBERTO YÁÑEZ

Alpha Jet’s 50,000 Hours in Portugal

Above: To mark the feat of the Portuguese Alpha Jet fleet passing the 50,000 flight hour milestone, the aircraft that logged the hour, 15236, has received a commemorative paint scheme by artist Miguel Amaral. The artwork was presented in a ceremony at Beja Air Base, home of 103 Squadron, the remaining operator of the type within the Portuguese Air Force, on November 15. Just six aircraft remain operational and are set to be retired in 2018. Paulo Mata/Lt Silva Ferreira

Denmark Signs for Nine MH-60R Seahawks THE US NAVY announced on December 6 that the Danish Government has signed an official letter of offer and acceptance (LOA) to buy nine Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk helicopters and comprehensive logistics support for its Maritime Helicopter Replacement Programme. Valued at 4 billion Kroner ($686 million), the aircraft will be procured via the US Government’s Foreign Military Sales programme. Signature of the LOA follows an announcement on November 21

by the Danish Defence Ministry that it had selected the MH-60R to meet the requirement. Denmark is the second country to buy the MH-60R following Australia’s purchase of 24 in 2011. Danish deliveries will begin in 2016 and all nine will be delivered by 2018. They will be configured for anti-surface warfare operations, including defending Danish interests in the North Atlantic, executing antipiracy operations and conducting other missions during international deployments.

Last Polish An-2 is Retired AFTER 56 years of service with the type, the Polish Air Force finally retired its last Antonov An-2 (An-2TD 0852 (c/n 1G108-52) on December 14 during a ceremony at 42.Baza Lotnictwa Szkolnego (42 Air Base School) at Radom-Sadków. Although the type had been in Polish service since 1956, the final aircraft was comparatively new, having rolled off the production line in 1969. Around 140 An-2s served in Poland.

Swiss Aurora Centaur OPV Delivered

News brief TERMA BV revealed in an announcement November 26 that it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Fokker Services, Airborne International and Verebus. The signing, during the NIDV (Dutch military and homeland security) symposium held in Rotterdam on November 15, has the goal of offering an efficient and cost-effective solution for maintenance of the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) AS532U2 Cougar II fleet. Eight Cougars are to be retained by the RNLAF from its fleet of 17 aircraft for combat search and rescue duties.

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Above: The new Swiss Department of Defence Aurora Flight Sciences’ Centaur optionally-piloted aircraft (OPV) R-711 above the Swiss countryside on November 30 during a sortie from Emmen Air Base, Switzerland. It had been delivered to the base two days earlier. armasuisse

AURORA FLIGHT Sciences has delivered the world’s first production optionallypiloted aircraft (OPA) system to Switzerland’s Department of Defence. The Centaur OPA, serial R-711, flown by an onboard crew in the FAA Normal Category, departed from Aurora’s facility

at Manassas Regional Airport, Virginia, on November 26 for delivery to armasuisse, the Swiss Department of Defence’s official procurement agency. It completed the delivery flight two days later, when it arrived at Emmen Military Airfield in Switzerland. The Centaur OPA is a new

type of aircraft that can be flown in both manned and unmanned configurations. A third flight configuration, the hybrid mode, allows for control from the ground with a safety pilot onboard the aircraft to watch for other aircraft or to take control in an emergency.

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NEWS EUROPE

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Croatia to Sell its An-32B Clines TWO ANTONOV An-32B Cline tactical transport aircraft, which have been in service with the Croatian Air Force and Air Defence (Hrvatsko ratno zrakoplovstvo i protuzracna obrana - HRZ i PZO ) for 17 years, are being offered for sale as a cost-saving measure. They will continue to fly with the HRZ until buyers can be found. Serial 727 (c/n 28-10, formerly 9A-BAC) was constructed in October 1991 and aircraft 707 (c/n 33-10, formerly 9A-BAB) was manufactured in March 1993. They were operated by Eskadrila transportnih aviona (ETA - Transport Aviation Squadron) at Zagreb-Pleso Air Base and have been used for passenger and cargo transport, medevac and parachute exercises. The aircraft were regularly maintained at the Ukrainian Aircraft Repair Plant 410 in Kiev. They are equipped with radar warning receivers and chaff-flare dispensers and NATO/ICAO communication and navigation equipment, including GPS and digital altimeters. The future of the ETA squadron at Pleso is still open. Some of the An-32 crews will possibly get the opportunity to fly HRZ Bombardier 415 water-bombers in the Protupožarna eskadrila (Fire-Fighting Squadron) Air Base. ANTONIO PRLENDA

Dassault nEUROn UCAV Demonstrator Makes First Flight

Above: The Dassault nEUROn unmanned combat air vehicle demonstrator, F-ZWLO, lifts off the runway at Istres, France, at 0820hrs on December 1 for its maiden flight. Dassault Aviation/Alex Paringaux

FIRST PROTOTYPE nEUROn unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) stealth technology demonstrator, F-ZWLO, completed its maiden flight from the Dassault Aviation company’s flight test base in Istres, France on December 1. The flight was in collaboration with the flight test personnel of the French defence procurement agency, the Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA).

The nEUROn programme was launched in 2005 by the DGA and involves France, Greece, Italy, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. With Dassault Aviation as prime contractor, the programme was designed to pool the skills and know-how of Alenia Aermacchi (Italy), Saab (Sweden), EADS-CASA (Spain), HAI (Greece), RUAG (Switzerland) and Thales (France). With a length of 32ft 9in (10m),

News brief AIRBUS MILITARY announced on January 2 that it has commenced flight-testing of a modification to add winglets to the C295 medium transport aircraft. The C295 prototype, EC-295 (c/n P-001), also in use as an AEW&C testbed, has been modified with the winglets and

made its first flight with them on December 21 from SevilleSan Pablo Airport, Spain. The company says that the winglets have the potential to improve hot and high runway performance, increase range and endurance, and reduce operating costs.

Marshall Aerospace Completes Dutch Hercules Upgrades

Above: On November 22 all four operational Lockheed C-130H-30 Hercules transport aircraft of the RNLAF were at Eindhoven after the fourth and final upgraded C-130, G-275 ‘Joop Mulder’, was delivered by Marshall Aerospace earlier in the week. Joris van Boven

MARSHALL AEROSPACE of Cambridge, UK has completed the fourth and final installation of the Cockpit Upgrade and Cabin Safety Improvement Programmes (CUP/CSIMP) for the Royal Netherlands Air Force’s (RNLAF’s) fleet of C-130H Hercules aircraft. The programme completion, announced by the company on November 21, included the

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removal of legacy/redundant systems and the integration of commercial off-theshelf equipment. Marshall Aerospace had also developed solutions specifically for the aircraft in order to meet the RNLAF’s requirements – for example, the CUP includes a communications, navigation and surveillance system for air

traffic management (CNS-ATM), which will enable the aircraft to fly in civil airspace without prior approval from the Civil Aviation Authority. Additionally, the revamped cockpits are now night vision goggle compatible. On November 22, all four C-130H-30 Hercules of the RNLAF gathered at Eindhoven for a formation flypast.

a wingspan of 41ft 0in (12.5m) and an empty weight of 5 tons, the aircraft is powered by a RollsRoyce Turbomeca Adour engine. The nEUROn will continue to undergo testing in France until 2014, at which time it will be sent to Vidsel in Sweden for a series of operational trials. It will then go to the Perdadesfogu range in Italy for further tests, in particular firing and stealth measurements.

European Tanker and Transport Co-operation LOI Signed A LETTER of intent has been signed for a European Strategic Multi-role Tanker Transport initiative. The Netherlands-led preparation of the legal document that was signed on November 19 at a meeting of the European Defence Agency (EDA) steering board. The EDA says that it has developed a global approach to the requirement, with three primary objectives: increasing overall capacity, reducing fragmentation of the fleet and optimising the use of assets. The agency has already begun work on short-term solutions, including access to commercial air-to-air refuelling (AAR) services and optimising use of existing assets. In the longer term, it is planned to acquire more AAR kits and increase overall strategic tanker capacity in Europe by 2020. Ultimately, the EDA is looking at the possibility of co-operation between several European Union countries in the joint procurement and operation of tanker and transport aircraft.

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NH90 End-ofYear Deliveries THE HANDOVER of the second Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) NH90 NFH took place in a ceremony at AgustaWestland’s Tessera facility in Venice, Italy, on November 28. The first delivery had been made on November 30, 2011, when SAR-configured helicopter 049 (c/n 1049, NNWN03) was handed over at Vergiate, Italy. The second helicopter, 058 (c/n 1058, NNWN05), is also a SAR-configured version. The NH90s are entering service with 337 Skvadron at Bardufoss Flystasjon, where they will replace the RNoAF’s Lynx Mk 86s. During two ceremonies on December 21 at Eurocopter’s facility in Marignane, France, the company delivered Belgium’s first NH90 Tactical Transport Helicopter (TTH) and the French DGA’s (defense procurement agency) first NH90 NATO Frigate Helicopter (NFH) in its naval 'Step B' version, to be used by the French Navy. The Belgian NH90 TTH is the first of eight NH90s - four will be the TTH variant and four the NFH. The latter will replace the ageing Sea King in the search and rescue role. The French DGA’s first NH90 NFH will join the fleet of seven already delivered to the French Navy in the first standard configuration.

Italian AV-8B Modification Programme Update

Above: Col Mitchell Bauman, Fleet Readiness Center (FRC) East Commanding Officer, stands with the first Italian Navy AV-8 to undergo planned maintenance and modification work at the facility through the Harrier Integrated Supply Support (HISS) contract. FRC East recently completed the extensive aircraft upgrades in 201 days – 19 days earlier than projected – and more than $275,000 under estimated costs. Rear Admiral Paolo Treu, Commander of Italian Naval Aviation, said: “Please convey my deepest admiration and appreciation to your ‘artisans’… they did a fantastic job.” The next Italian Harrier to be modified was due to arrive at FRC East in early January 2013. NAVAIR

Third of New Batch of Polish C295Ms Delivered

Above: The third of a new batch of five C295Ms for the Polish Air Force, serial 025, is seen here after its arrival at Kraków-Balice Air Base, Poland, on December 1. Polish Air Force/Cpl Wlodek Baran

DELIVERY OF the third of five new Airbus Military C295Ms ordered by the Polish Air Force took place on December 1 when serial number 025 arrived at Kraków-Balice Air Base, Poland, from the factory in Seville, Spain. Unlike the blue colour scheme of the first 12 aircraft delivered, the new batch all wear a two-tone grey camouflage. The final two aircraft will be delivered this year, making Poland the world’s largest operator of the C295M, all operated from 8 Baza Lotnictwa Transportowego (8 Air Transport Base) Kraków-Balice by 13 Eskadra Lotnictwa Tranportowego (13 Air Transport Squadron).

Phirst Phinal Phantom! CH-53s Transfer to Luftwaffe Above: On November 22 the Luftwaffe rolled out its first specially-painted F-4F Phantom to mark the end of flying operations scheduled for June 2013. F-4F 38+10 has been painted in a ‘retro’ camouflage scheme depicting the type as it entered service in the 1970s. The painting was done at Jever air base and the aircraft returned to JG 71 at Wittmund shortly afterwards. The aircraft has about 55 flight hours left ‘on the clock’ and is expected to be in service until the very end on June 29. Three other aircraft are expected to receive special markings. Michael Balter Right: Heavy Transport Helicopter Regiment 15 of the German Army Aviation (Heeresflieger) ceased operations on December 13, with its CH-53Gs leaving Rheine-Bentlage for a new home at Laupheim. Operations were due to restart on January 1 under Luftwaffe (German Air Force) control and Rheine-Bentlage will continue as a technical base. It is scheduled to close altogether at the end of 2016. Rene Köhler

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NEWS NORTH AMERICA Eglin Declared Ready for F-35A Training FOLLOWING AN evaluation of Eglin Air Force Base’s capability to conduct F-35A Lightning II pilot training, Air Education and Training Command (AETC) announced on December 17 that the 33rd Fighter Wing (FW) met all relevant criteria. “The preliminary results provided by the Joint Operational Test Team show the F-35A aircraft and its pilot training and sustainment systems are robust enough to conduct the planned pilot transition and instructor upgrade courses,” said Air Education and Training Command commander, General Edward A Rice Jr. The Operational Utility Evaluation (OUE) began on September 10 and encompassed intensive classroom and simulator training along with six flights, for four primary and two back-up upgrading student pilots over a planned 65 days. “With good weather, an accomplished maintenance team and talented instructors to train the pilots, the OUE process lasted only 46 training days,” said Col Andrew Toth, 33rd FW commander, an F-35A instructor pilot. During the OUE, experienced pilots transitioned from F-16 and A-10 aircraft to the F-35. “Their performances were superb – that smile each student had after landing his first flight showed they were well prepared and the jet was easy to fly, just as I had experienced,” said Lt Col Lee Kloos, 58th Fighter Squadron (FS) commander, charged with overseeing the squadron’s daily flying operations. “The OUE showed the men and women at Eglin are ready,” said Gen Rice. “The culmination of those labours was successfully demonstrating the Integrated Training Center can conduct safe and effective flying operations in addition to academic training.” Training began on January 7 with four 58th FS pilots and two operational test pilots. “We look forward to 2013 as we integrate the US Navy’s ‘Grim Reapers’ and F-35C into our flying operations along with our international partners, the Dutch and UK,” continued Gen Rice.

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AH-1W Painted in Tribute to New York Fire Department

Above: US Marine Corps AH-1W Super Cobra 160820 ‘SN-21’ from Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 169 (HMLA-169) sits on the Camp Bastion flightline in Afghanistan on December 15. It has been specially painted with a depiction of the New York skyline prior to September 11, 2001, to remind service personnel why they are deployed to Afghanistan. It also carries a tribute to the New York Fire Department on the lower forward fuselage. Regional Command Southwest/Sgt John Jackson

Bidders Pull Out of USAF Rescue US Announces Plans to Downsize Helicopter Competition PLANS BY the US Air Force to seek a replacement for its ageing Sikorsky HH-60G Pave Hawk rescue helicopters are in turmoil as all but one of the bidders has withdrawn from the competition. Bell, Boeing, EADS North America and Northrop Grumman all indicated on December 11 that they no longer plan to compete for the USAF’s Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH) requirement for 112 new helicopters, leaving only Sikorsky as a potential bidder, throwing into doubt whether the competition can continue. A request for proposals (RFP) for the CRH requirement was issued on October 22 with bids due in

by January 3. After examining the RFP thoroughly, industry executives have unofficially stated that they feel the specification is so tight that it favours a variant of the Sikorsky Black Hawk. Sikorsky, which is teamed with Lockheed Martin for the bid, says it still plans to submit a proposal. Northrop Grumman was planning to bid, teaming with AgustaWestland, while Boeing was to offer a version of the CH-47 and also jointly propose the V-22 Osprey with Bell, but neither offer will now be submitted, even though both types exceed USAF requirements, according to the manufacturers.

Lajes Field

US DEPARTMENT of Defense officials announced on December 13 that Lajes Field in the Azores will transition from an air base wing to an air base group, with a corresponding reduction of more than 400 military personnel. The changes are to be completed by September 30, 2014. The 65th Air Base Wing (ABW) and other US military organisations are lodger units at Lajes Field, a Portuguese Air Force installation, designated Base Aérea No 4 and the Headquarters of the FAP’s Azores Air Zone Command.

Another MC-130J Commando II Delivered to USAF

Above: US Air Force Lockheed Martin MC-130J Commando II 09-5710 (c/n 5710) leaves the company's factory in Marietta, Georgia on December 10 on delivery to Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, where it is due to enter service with the 522nd Special Operations Squadron. Lockheed Martin/Todd McQueen

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X-47B Completes Initial Carrier Trials

Above: The second prototype X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) demonstrator, 168064 ‘NG-502’ (AV-2), taxies for the first time on December 10 on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Harry S Truman (CVN 75) in the Atlantic Ocean. Truman, underway supporting carrier qualifications, is the first aircraft carrier to host test operations for an unmanned aircraft. US Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class David R Finley Jr

SAILORS ABOARD the aircraft carrier USS Harry S Truman (CVN 75) and personnel from the US Navy Unmanned Combat Air System programme office (PMA-268) integrated test team taxied an X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) demonstrator aircraft for the first time aboard a carrier on December 10. During the test phase, UCAS deck operators used an arm-mounted control display unit (CDU) to remotely control the aircraft. Gerrit Everson, one of the operators who controlled the X-47B, second prototype 168064 ‘NG-502’ (AV-2), said the UCAS demonstrator displayed excellent integration with Truman’s flight deck. “With the CDU, we followed the aircraft director’s signals to move the aircraft left or right, over the arresting wire, to and from the catapults and to various spotting positions,” he said. “These tests

proved that we can taxi the X-47B with the precision that an aircraft carrier’s flight deck requires.” Lt Cdr Larry Tarver, Truman’s aircraft handling officer, said every test on the aircraft brings the US Navy one step closer to unmanned carrier aviation. “Nobody has ever done this before,” he said. “Unmanned aerial vehicles have flown all over the world, but an X-47B has never operated on an aircraft carrier. Every evolution with this aircraft is taken stepby-step because we don’t fully know how it will react to a carrier environment. It’s a little out of our comfort zone, so our safety precautions are maximised.” The testing programme was completed on December 18. “The system performed outstandingly,” said Don Blottenberger, programme manager for the N-UCAS Program Office (PMA-268). “We’ve learned a lot about the environment that

we’re in and how compatible the aircraft is with a carrier’s flight deck, hangar bays and communication systems.” Although the X-47B, as a demonstration aircraft, will never be put into production, Blottenberger said Sailors may one day see similar aircraft aboard ships. He attributed much of the UCAS-D’s success to the Truman crew’s open communication and support. “Approximately 40% of our test team onboard had never been on a navy ship before,” he said. “I think it was eye-opening for the team to see the complexities involved in running and organising a ship effectively. The Truman has been outstanding.” With X-47B’s deck testing completed, Blottenberger said the aircraft will return to Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River, Maryland, for further testing and is scheduled to embark on

JASDF C-130H Undertakes Tactics Training in USA

Above: Japanese Air Self-Defense Force C-130H Hercules 75-1076 on the ramp at Rosecrans Memorial Airport, St Joseph, Missouri, on December 6. The aircraft was present for aircrew instruction at the 139th Airlift Wing’s Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Center. US Air National Guard/Master Sgt Mike R Smith

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another carrier in mid-2013. “I’m a believer that this is only the beginning,” said Blottenberger. “We are planning to get it back on a carrier to complete catapult launches, arrested landings and aerial refuelling tests. There is a lot ahead for our programme and a lot of hard work behind us. I look at Truman as the beginning of future unmanned integration with the fleet.”

News Briefs BAE SYSTEMS has been selected by the US Navy to maintain and service T-34, T-44 and T-6 trainer aircraft under a contract valued at approximately $400 million over five years. The company will perform scheduled inspections, along with required repairs, modifications and logistical support for more than 300 aircraft operated by the Chief of Naval Air Training. The work will be conducted at Naval Air Station (NAS) Corpus Christi in Texas, at NAS Pensacola and NAS Whiting Field in Florida. Aircraft variants involved are the single-engine T-34, the twinengine T-44A and T-44C and the single-engine T-6A and T-6B. NASA’s LOCKHEED ER-2 N806NA has undergone five months of maintenance work and completed a functional check flight from Palmdale, California, on December 12. A new addition is the NASA Airborne Science Data and Telemetry System that records navigation data and controls uplink and downlink capabilities through Iridium satellites. An upgraded Experiment Interface Panel has a new Ethernet capability that enables more data transmission and command and control options for science payloads.

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NEWS NORTH AMERICA News briefs LOCKHEED MARTIN announced on December 4 that it has flown the first MC-130J Commando II that will be converted into a new AC-130J gunship. The aircraft made its maiden flight from the factory at Marietta, Georgia, on November 30. After installation of a Precision Strike Package, the aircraft is scheduled to fly again as a gunship in early 2014. The US Air Force has a total requirement for 37 AC-130J gunships, although to date only the first two have been ordered under a US Department of Defense contract awarded on February 29, 2012. ON DECEMBER 3 Lockheed Martin announced that the F-35 Lightning II programme surpassed 5,000 flight hours in November. This milestone was reached by the combined F-35 System Development and Demonstration (SDD) aircraft flying at Edwards Air Force Base, California; Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland; and the training aircraft flying at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. Since the programme’s first flight in December 2006 F-35s have flown 3,464 times including 91 flights by the original test aircraft, AA-1; 2,510 test programme flights and 863 production-model flights. BUILDING ON the F-35’s weapons testing momentum in 2012, the F-35 integrated test force at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, completed a weapons ejection milestone for the F-35C carrier variant on November 28. The second F-35C test aircraft, CF-02, ejected a 2,000lb (907kg) inert GBU-31 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) and a 500lb (227kg) GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bomb from an internal weapons bay into a foam-covered concrete pit. BOEING HAS been awarded a $56 million five-year contract to maintain US Navy aircrew training devices for six aircraft types including P-3C, EP-3, P-8A, EA-6B, EA-18G and SH-60B located at Naval Air Stations across the continental USA and Kadena Air Base, Japan.

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USAF Special Ops Aircraft Retired

Above: On September 19 the 6th SOS flew its last ever UH-1 Huey mission with Colonel James Slife, the 1st SOW Commander, at the controls of UH-1N 69-6654, which wore a similar paint scheme to this UH-1H, 73-21857. Erik Roelofs

THE 6th Special Operations Squadron (SOS) at Hurlburt Field, Florida, was the last Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) unit to fly the legendary Bell UH-1H Huey. With a long legacy as a part of the 1st Special Operations Wing (SOW), the combat advisory unit flew both the UH-1H Iroquois and UH-1N

Twin Huey while educating foreign forces in the art of special air operations. Besides the occasional airshow appearance, the spectacularly camouflaged Hueys remained very camera shy and rarely made public appearances. The 6th SOS is being reassigned to the 919th SOW at Duke Field, Florida, and will transfer to the

Autonomous Black Hawk Flight AN AUTONOMOUS flight by a Black Hawk helicopter was undertaken for the first time on November 5 over the Diablo Range, east of San Jose, California, according to the US Army. Two safety pilots were on board during the two-hour flight, carried out by the US Army's Aviation and Missile Research Development and Engineering Center (AMRDEC), but all manoeuvres were conducted autonomously. The helicopter used for the test was the JUH-60A Rotorcraft

Aircrew Systems Concept Airborne Laboratory (RASCAL) 78-23012/N750NA, developed jointly by the US Army and NASA Ames Research Center. It is equipped with the H N Burns 3D-LZ laser detection and ranging system for terrain sensing. The US Army says that the landmark demonstration is critical to the next generation of technological advances in military rotorcraft: obstacle field navigation and safe landing area determination.

Air Force Special Operations Training Center. As part of this reassignment, the 6th SOS will lose its mixed fleet of UH-1 and Mi-171 Hip helicopters and An-26, C212 and Turbo Dakota fixed-wing aircraft. Instead, the squadron will receive the C-145A Skytruck light transport aircraft. ERIK ROELOFS

US Navy Orders Two Clippers BOEING WAS awarded an $145 million contract on December 20 for the supply of two more C-40A Clippers to the US Navy by 2015. Twelve C-40As have previously been ordered, the last of which was delivered from Boeing’s facility in Wichita, Kansas, on October 21, 2011. The USN has a requirement for 17 C-40As, leaving just three aircraft to be ordered.

Final Cherry Point CH-46 Overhaul Completed

Above: US Marine Corps CH-46E Sea Knight 156476 ‘00’ at a ceremony on November 9 at Fleet Readiness Centre (FRC) East, MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina, when it was handed back to Marine Transport Squadron 1 (VMR-1) as the final H-46 to be refurbished there. USMC/Cpl Scott L Tomaszycki

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Carrier Corner THE US Navy announced on November 21 that it had directed the temporary return of the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D Eisenhower (CVN 69) from her current overseas deployment, allowing her to return home for two months before being sent back to the Middle East. The unusual move was made to accommodate delays in repair work to USS Nimitz (CVN 68), which had been scheduled to replace Ike in theatre. After 51 years of service, a formal inactivation ceremony was held at Norfolk, Virginia on December 1 for the world’s first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, USS Enterprise (CVN 65). However, at the same time, it was announced by Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus that the third Gerald R Ford-class aircraft carrier to be built will be named the USS Enterprise (CVN 80), maintaining the tradition of using this historic name.

Lockheed Martin Awarded Contract for 32 F-35s

Above: One of the most recent Joint Strike Fighters to fly, the final System Design and Development aircraft, F-35C CF-05, undertook its maiden flight from the production facility at Fort Worth, Texas, on November 30. It was delivered to Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, on December 11. Scott Fischer

LOCKHEED MARTIN received an $128 million modification to the previously awarded F-35 Lightning II Program Air System Low Rate Initial Production

Sixth Production C-5M Super Galaxy Delivered

Above: The sixth production C-5M Super Galaxy, 85-0001, takes off from Marietta, Georgia, on November 30 on its delivery flight back to the US Air Force. Lockheed Martin/Thinh Nguyen

(LRIP) Lot 5 contract on December 14. This modification comprises 22 US Air Force F-35A conventional take-off and landing variants, three US

Marine Corps F-35B short takeoff/vertical landing versions and seven US Navy F-35C carrier variants. Work is expected to be completed by October 2014.

New T-53A on Show at Nellis

Grey Cup Flypast

Top right: US Air Force T-53A 10-0102 of the 557th Flying Training Squadron (FTS) attended Aviation Nation 2012, held at Nellis AFB in Arizona on November 9. The Cirrus SR20, designated T-53A Kadet 2 with the USAF, entered service in 2011 equipped with a parachute rescue system, but devoid of air conditioning, despite being based at the United States Air Force Academy Airstrip in Colorado Springs. Michael Kelly Below right: The Royal Canadian Air Force carried out a special flypast over the Canadian Football League’s Grey Cup (season final) game on Sunday November 25. Two CF-18 Hornets from 425 Tactical Fighter Squadron ‘The Alouettes’ based at Bagotville, Quebec, overflew the street festival before kick-off at the Rogers Centre in Toronto. Andrew Cline

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NEWS LATIN AMERICA New Israeli Comms for Brazilian Bandeirantes BRAZILIAN AIR Force (Força Aérea Brasileira – FAB) Embraer P-95 Bandeirante Patrulha maritime patrol aircraft are to be fitted with a new communications system under a contract announced on November 20 by Israel’s Orbit Communication Systems Ltd. After evaluating several options, the FAB selected Orbit’s Airborne Digital Management Systems (ADAMS) for its proven performance and costeffectiveness. ADAMS is a secure system designed for large-crew aircraft such as transports, tankers, special missions types and commercial airliners. A modular commercial off-theshelf product, it can support up to 20 full-capability users, eight intercom-only users, 16 radios and 31 receivers, six recording outputs, discrete lines and several internal intercom networks. The FAB currently operates around 18 P-95A/B Bandeirante Patrulhas, flown by four units under the control of II Força Aérea at Base Aérea (BA) de Galeão. These comprise 1° Esquadrao/7° Grupo de Aviacão (1°/7° GAv) at BA de Salvador; 2°/7° GAv at BA de Florianópolis; 3°/7° GAv at BA de Belém; and 4°/7° GAv at vBA de Santa Cruz.

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

Mexican Navy Takes Delivery of Two EC725 Cougars

Above: Eurocopter EC725 Cougar Mk 2+ AMHT-231/F-ZWBQ, the second of three destined for the Mexican Navy, at Ostend Airport, Belgium, on November 15 while on delivery from the factory at Marignane, France. It was then shipped by sea to Mexico. Nik Deblauwe

TWO EUROCOPTER EC725 Cougar Mk 2+ helicopters have recently been delivered to the Mexican Naval Air Arm (Fuerza Aeronaval) following an apparent revision to a Mexican Air Force (Fuerza Aérea Mexicana – FAM) contract. The FAM had signed a contract on September 15, 2010, for six additional EC725s, but local reports indicate the deal was revised in December 2011 with three of the six earmarked for delivery to the Navy instead. The Cougars will be used for maritime search and rescue, disaster response, tactical transport and in support of forces fighting organised crime. The first EC725, AMHT-230/ F-ZWDU, was noted passing through Ostend Airport, Belgium, on September 13 prior to being shipped by sea to Mexico, where

it arrived in late October. The second helicopter, AMHT-231/ F-ZWBQ, followed a similar route, arriving at Ostend on November 15 before beginning its sea voyage. The third Cougar has yet to be delivered. Mexican Navy pilots and mechanics drawn from various units, including those with extensive experience on the AS565MB Panther, have been trained on the EC725 at the Eurocopter facility in Marignane, France. During the latter part of their training, they moved to the French Navy base at LanveocPoulmic to fly French Navy EC225s and AS565 Panthers. The Cougars will be assigned to a new squadron to be formed at the Mexican Navy’s air station at Minatitlán – Coatzacoalcos National Airport, Veracruz.

Chilean Chopper Competition THE CHILEAN Army Aviation Brigade is planning to open an international competition for a combat helicopter in 2013. Chile’s defence ministry has indicated that Boeing’s AH-64 Apache is on its ‘wish list’ and is not ruling out the acquisition of second-hand machines. The Netherlands operates 12 AH-64A Apaches delivered under a leasing contract - if it can exchange them for ’D models, transfer to Chile may be possible via the Dutch company Daedalus, which maintains the F-16s acquired from the Dutch Government. JUAN CARLOS CICALESI/ HERNÁN IGLESIAS

Centennial of the Creation of the First Argentine Army Aviation Unit

Above: A ceremony to mark Argentine Army Aviation day was held at Campo de Mayo military airfield, Buenos Aires on November 30 – the occasion also celebrating the centennial of the creation of the first Army Aviation unit, the Military Aviation School (Escuela de Aviación Militar), founded on August 10, 1912. A capabilities demonstration began with three Bell 206 B JetRanger IIIs of the Army Aviation School followed by two Bell UH-1H-BF Iroquois (from Escuadrón de Aviación de Exploración y Ataque 602) performing a rocket attack simulation; and an air assault by UH-1Hs and Aérospatiale AS-332B Super Puma AE-526 (pictured) from Batallón de Helicópteros de Asalto 601. Esteban Brea

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Sole Honduran Air Force Arava in New Markings News briefs

Above: IAI 201 Arava FAH-317, the only example in service with the Honduran Air Force (Fuerza Aérea Hondureña -FAH), has recently been resprayed in this matt grey colour scheme. The aircraft is based at BA Teniente Coronel Hernán Acosta Mejia, Tegucigalpa where it operates with Escuadrilla de Transporte. It was seen at Juan Manuel Gálvez International Airport in Roatan, Honduras on November 15. Mario Theresin

Brazil Defers FX-2 Decision NO FINAL decision has been made on the winner of Brazil’s competition for a new jet fighter, says the country’s President Dilma Rousseff. Dassault’s Rafale is the preferred option for the 36-aircraft buy, but a final commitment to a deal has yet to be made. At a joint press conference on December 11 with the French President François Hollande, Rousseff also said that the timing will depend on Brazil’s economy, and could be deferred until 2014. Other contenders include Boeing’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and Saab’s JAS-39E/F Gripen.

New Super Tucanos for Escuadrilha da Fumaca

JUAN CARLOS CICALESI – GONZALO GODOY SEVES

Above: After 29 years operating the Embraer T-27 Tucano, the Brazilian Air Force (Forca Aerea Brazileira – FAB) aerobatic team Escuadrilha da Fumaca is converting to the modern and more powerful A-29B Super Tucano. The first, serial FAB-5966, was presented to the public on December 18 and will be part of the Escuadrón de Demostración Aérea (Air Demonstration Squadron) at Pirassununga, Sao Paulo. It is planned to replace all 12 aircraft (seven are used for displays) in early 2013. The paint scheme is based on the Brazilian flag. Juan Carlos Cicalesi/Sgt Johnson Barros

Chilean Navy on Display at Exponaval 2012

Above: Seen at Exponaval 2012 at Valparaiso in Chile on November 6 were a number of helicopters operated by the Chilean Navy (Aviación Naval), including this AS332L Super Puma from HA-1 based at Base Aeronaval Viña del Mar, Concón. Álvaro Romero

Guatemala Receives Additional Hueys TWO BELL UH-1H helicopters (FAG-100 and FAG-130) that have been donated by the Taiwanese government to the Guatemalan Air Force (Fuerza Aérea Guatemalteca - FAG) were handedover on December 10. Taiwan

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CONTRARY TO reports by several news agencies, three Brigada de Chilean Army Aviation Brigade (Aviación del Ejército de Chile) SA330 Puma helicopters overhauled in Romania were not withdrawn from use nor exchanged with Eurocopter for a new Cougar. All are regularly operated: one was transferred to 4º Pelotón de Aviación ‘Coyhaique’ at Aysén while the other two are for general purpose use, one based at Santiago and the other in Rancagua. One participated in the joint exercise ‘UNIDEF 2012’ at Baterias, Base Naval Puerto Belgrano, in Argentina recently. Chile is also talking to the Netherlands with a view to acquiring eight Eurocopter AS532 Cougars recently retired by the Royal Netherlands Air Force. Meanwhile the Chilean Army Aviation Brigade has finally withdrawn from use its last three Cessna R172K Hawk XP IIs.

also funded overhaul of two of the FAG's existing UH-1Hs (FAG-110 and FAG-120), which re-entered service on the same day. The donation is to help the Guatemalan Government respond to natural disasters, bolster the

fight against drug trafficking and boost national security, said Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense. The FAG currently operates six UH-1Hs with the Escuadrón de Helicópteros.

ON NOVEMBER 15 during the 195th anniversary celebrations of the Uruguayan Navy (Aviación Naval Uruguayan), its commander, Admiral Ricardo Giambruno, announced negotiations are under way with Portugal for two patrol ships and two Westland Super Lynx Mk95 helicopters for delivery in 2013 or 2014. SANTIAGO RIVAS AFTER 54 years of service with the Argentine Air Force (Fuerza Aérea Argentina - FAA) the Beechcraft B-45 Mentor has been withdrawn from the basic training role. A small fleet of 12 aircraft will be retained in the light liaison role and to maintain pilots’ flight hours. Six aircraft are currently being overhauled by the FAA. JUAN CARLOS CICALESI FOR TWO weeks commencing on November 28, Brazilian Air Force (Força Aérea Brasileira FAB) Embraer E-99A FAB 6704, equipped with a PS-890 Erieye radar, visited the Argentine Air Force's I Brigada Aerea at El Palomar to familiarise FAA personnel with the aircraft. Argentina’s defence ministry plans to lease one aircraft for a year before buying three. The FAB’s E-99As are assigned to 2º Escuadron of 6º Grupo de Aviacao (2º/6º Gav), based at Anapolis. JUAN CARLOS CICALESI

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NEWS MIDDLE EAST Elbit Outlines Israeli Air Force M346I Training Centre ON DECEMBER 3 Elbit Systems announced details of the flight training centre it will establish and operate as part of an Israel Ministry of Defense (IMOD) contract awarded in September 2012 to TOR-Advanced Flight Training, a joint venture between Elbit Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries. TOR was established to conduct the Israeli Air Force’s (IAF) future trainer aircraft programme using the Aermacchi M346I trainer. With the introduction of the M346I, emphasis will be given to ground-based training for the IAF’s flight school cadets, combat pilots and navigators. Elbit Systems’ ground training centre will incorporate a variety of modern trainers and simulators and is expected to begin operation in mid-2014. Once ground-based training is completed, cadets will proceed to airborne training using Elbit Systems’ EVA (Embedded Virtual Avionics), which allows trainees to gain experience operating advanced systems such as radar, optical sensors and early warning systems as well as virtual weapons.

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Iraqi Air Force’s First C-130J-30s Delivered

Above: One of the first three Iraqi Air Force C-130J-30 Super Hercules, YI-306, at Prestwick Airport in Scotland on December 15 during its transit flight from the US to Iraq. Tony Lovelock

A CEREMONY was held on December 13 at Lockheed Martin’s facilities in Marietta, Georgia, to mark the official handover of the first three C-130J-30 Super Hercules for the Iraqi Air Force (IqAF). Only one of the three was present for the ceremony, the first two aircraft having departed from Marietta the previous day on their delivery flight to Iraq. Iraq has ordered a total of six C-130J-30s through the US Foreign Military Sales programme. Four were ordered under a contract awarded on April 30, 2009, and a contract for the final two followed on August 11, 2009. Including spares, support equipment and aircrew and maintenance personnel training, the overall order is worth $681 million.

The remaining three aircraft will be delivered in 2013. The serial numbers follow on from the three US Air Force surplus C-130Es (YI-301 to YI-303) already in Iraqi service. Training of IqAF pilots and maintenance personnel has been undertaken since June by the US Air Force/Rhode Island Air National Guard’s 143rd Airlift Wing/143rd Airlift Squadron at Quonset Air National Guard Base, North Kingstown. It was selected as it is the USAF’s longest-serving C-130J unit, having operated the type since 2001. It was also the USAF’s first unit to fly the C-130J in combat. In addition to crew training, 143rd AW aircrew flew the first three Iraqi C-130J-30s to Iraq.

Iran Claims to Have Captured US Scan Eagle UAV IRAN’S STATE television service claimed on December 4 that the Iranian Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) had captured a US Scan Eagle unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) after it had entered Iranian airspace over the Persian Gulf. This was denied by Commander Jason Salata, a spokesman for the US Navy’s 5th Fleet, who said: “The US Navy has fully accounted for all unmanned aerial vehicles operating in the Middle East region. Our operations in the Gulf are confined to internationally recognised waters and airspace. We have no record that we have lost any Scan Eagles recently.” Despite the US denial, Iranian TV showed what appeared to be a complete and undamaged Scan Eagle which, it said, had taken off from a US ship. It was shown mounted on a stand in a hangar, being examined by two Guard officers. IRGC navy

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chief General Ali Fadavi said the UAV had been conducting a reconnaissance flight and gathering data over the Persian Gulf during the previous few days, and had been captured as soon as it entered Iranian airspace. Iranian officials made no comment about how they had managed to capture the aircraft in a complete and undamaged state, or when this occurred, only saying that it landed safely and intact.

It is possible that the Scan Eagle was operated by another country, as the type has been exported to several overseas customers including nations in the Gulf region. In a later statement the IRGC claimed it had fully extracted data from the Scan Eagle and that “the drone, in addition to gathering military data, was used to pursue gathering data in the field of energy, especially the transfer of oil from Iran’s oil terminals”.

Above: A screen grab from the video shown on Press TV on December 4 of the Scan Eagle supposedly captured by Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces.

Yemen’s Military Restructured A MAJOR restructuring of the Yemen’s armed and security forces, aimed at creating a unified military force, was announced on December 24 by President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi. The move appeases protesters who want all loyalists and relatives of former President, Ali Abdullah Saleh, removed from key military posts. As part of the restructuring, two of Yemen’s main military commands, the Republican Guard and First Armoured Division, have been abolished and the armed forces regrouped into four main categories: land, air, naval and border forces. Under President Hadi’s decree, both Brigadier General Ahmed Sadeh, the former president’s eldest son and Commander of the Republican Guard, along with First Armoured Division Commander, Gen Ali Mohsen Al-Ahmar, were stripped of their military powers. The move paved the way for the formation of special missile units that will be under the direct control of the President, who is supreme commander of the armed forces. There had been a major dispute in December between Hadi and Brigadier General Sadeh over the control of long-range Scud missiles still under Republican Guard command. The Brigadier General refused President Hadi’s order to turn them over to the Defence Ministry although, after mounting pressures, he did eventually soften his stance. The presidential decree is in line with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) power transfer deal that saw Saleh relinquish power to his deputy Hadi in February.

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Israeli Aircraft Reported to Have Attacked Khartoum Weapons Factory THE GOVERNMENT of Sudan says it believed Israel was responsible for a number of explosions at the Yarmouk weapons production factory in the suburbs of Khartoum on October 23. Culture and Information Minister Ahmed Bilal Osman said four warplanes attacked the factory and two people had been killed. Israel declined to comment. The targets were containers parked in a remote area in the southern outskirts of the city. The factory buildings themselves were not targeted. Sources in Tel Aviv say the mission was launched in the belief that Iranian weapons were being smuggled through the factory to Hamas militants in Gaza. The same sources believe the raid may well have been carried out by Boeing F-15I Ra’am fighter-bombers of ‘The Hammers Squadron’, flying from Hatzerim Air Base. The distance to Khartoum is approximately 1,100 miles (1,760km) – although it is unlikely the aircraft would have flown straight to the Sudanese capital as this would have involved overflying Egypt and large areas of Sudan, alerting air defence controllers. The return distance would have exceeded the range of the aircraft, so it is possible an Israeli KC-707 tanker would have been positioned to conduct aerial refuelling; at least two KC-707s have been repainted in a matt black colour scheme to reduce their radar signature. BOB ARCHER

Omani Weapons THE ROYAL Air Force of Oman has requested weapons for its F-16C/D fleet from the US Government. The proposed US Foreign Military Sale – worth $112 million – was notified to US Congress by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency on December 12. The request is for 27 AIM-120C-7 advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles (AMRAAM), 162 GBU-12 Paveway II 500lb (227kg) laser-guided bombs and fuses, 210 BLU-111B/B 500lb general purpose bombs and 32 CBU-105 wind-corrected munitions dispensers.

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Six Huey IIs Delivered to Lebanese Air Force

Above: Newly-refurbished Bell UH-1H-II Huey II N4496B (c/n 10364, ex US Army/68-15434) on November 19 at Dallas, Fort WorthAlliance Airport, Texas. The helicopter was destined for the Lebanese Air Force and, together with five others, passed through Glasgow-Prestwick Airport, Scotland, on December 11-12 aboard an An-124, which left for Beirut. Ruvan Gonzales Jr

A BATCH of six Bell UH-1H Iroquois helicopters, newly upgraded to UH-1H-II Huey II standard, has been delivered to the Lebanese Air Force. They arrived in Beirut on December 12 from Dallas,Texas, as airfreight aboard Volga-Dnepr Airlines An-124-100 RA-82081 (callsign ‘VDA1932’). All six Hueys were painted white overall, with no markings apart from their former US Army serial numbers taped onto the cabin doors. The

helicopters had been seen at Fort Worth in November wearing US civil registrations, although at the time their end user was unknown. The US Congress had been notified of the potential sale of six Huey IIs to Lebanon on July 20 by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency. Including spare and repair parts, maintenance, support equipment, training and logistics support, the deal is worth $63 million.

UH-1H-II Huey IIs Delivered to Lebanon Serial

C/n

FAA Reg Reg Date

68-15434 10364 N4496B Jun 29, 2011 69-15841 12129 N42307 Apr 26, 2011 70-16203 12508 N451GC Nov 23, 2011 70-16456 12761 N92414 Apr 26, 2011 74-22381 13705 N42472 Apr 26, 2011 76-22651 13869 N570SA Feb 18, 2011* *(also ex EV-7704/Venezuelan Army)

Gulf Cooperation Council Forms Unified Military Command MEMBERS OF the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) announced on December 25 that the GCC will form a unified military command structure because it considers Iran poses a “very serious” security threat to the Middle East. Heads of state from the six member countries – Bahrain,

Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE – attending the 33rd GCC Summit in Manama, Bahrain, agreed to co-ordinate air, land, and marine forces under one structure. Bahrain’s Foreign Minister, Sheikh Khalid Bin Ahmed Al-Khalifa, made the announcement during a press conference and said much of

the discussion at the summit related to countering the threat of Iran and its ballistic missiles. He said: “We have several commands at the moment in different countries, but we want to create a central command that co-ordinates between all sub-commands and makes them work under one umbrella.”

ELBIT SYSTEMS announced on December 19 that it has been awarded a contract by the Israel Ministry of Defense to upgrade the Israeli Air Force’s C-130H Hercules transport fleet. The aircraft will be modernised with a digital cockpit, head-up display system and a new radar. The project will extend the operational life of the aircraft and “significantly improve its operational capability, particularly in precision flying, low-level night flight and operations in adverse weather”, says the company.

LOCKHEED MARTIN Missiles and Fire Control of Orlando, Florida, was awarded a $32 million Foreign Military Sales contract on November 29 by the US Air Force for AN/AAQ-33 Sniper advanced targeting pods for the Iraqi Air Force. The number of pods involved in the deal was not announced. Work is expected to be completed by July 2015. The pods are for installation on F-16C/D Block 52s (F-16IQ) on order for the Iraqi Air Force. Iraq has ordered two batches of 18 F-16s, each split between 12 F-16Cs and six F-16Ds.

News briefs THE QATAR Emiri Air Force’s (QEAF) fourth C-17A Globemaster III, MAE (F-252, USAF/12-0204), was handed over on December 10 in a ceremony at the factory in Long Beach, California. The aircraft made its maiden flight there on November 20. Qatar was the first Middle East nation to order the C-17, signing an agreement with Boeing on July 21, 2008, for two airlifters with options for two additional aircraft. Boeing delivered Qatar’s first two C-17s in 2009.

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NEWS OPINION

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A New Paradigm

In last November’s short conflict between Israel and Hamas, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) combined theatre missile defence with offensive air power, creating a new paradigm for the application of military air power. Dr Dave Sloggett explores the implications

I

N THE last 12 years nearly 13,000 Grad, Katyusha and Farj-5 rockets have been launched from the Gaza Strip into Israel. Throughout this period its citizens have lived in constant fear of bombardment, awaiting the bleep of the attack warning systems that the government has provided. With no political solution in the offing – as the peace process was effectively stalled –some form of confrontation was inevitable. For Israel a key question was how to destroy the Hamas missiles whilst doing all it could to reduce the inevitable number of civilian casualties. In 2006 a land incursion was tried and whilst that temporarily reduced

for Air Power

the launch rate of the missiles, Hamas, with the help of Iran, gradually rebuilt its capability and added the longer-range Farj-5 to its arsenal. For Israel a new approach was needed. No matter how hard anyone tries to avoid collateral damage, conducting airborne bombing, naval gunfire and artillery shelling against such a complex background as the Gaza Strip is bound to have consequences. Each attack comes under forensic examination by a media often lacking specific expertise in understanding some of the limitations under which air power is applied – perceptions that technology affords the military with almost perfect situational awareness abound. Pilots of manned and unmanned aircraft have to make split-second decisions about

whether or not to attack a target. Mistakes inevitably arise. Images, published by the Israelis, tried to seize the initiative in the media coverage of the conflict. They showed leaflets being airdropped in specific areas of the Gaza Strip to warn the population to evacuate. This was apparently backed up with phone calls

and text messages into specific areas where missile launches had been detected. Clearly the Israelis were conscious of the court of international opinion and wanted to do what they could to minimise the damage to their reputation and to maintain the support of their allies. But those measures alone were still not enough. Some attacks had to be called off, which allowed rockets to be launched into Israel. To combat this situation Israel developed a new approach – instead of air power and ground forces being deployed into Gaza in a repeat of Operation Cast Lead in 2006, Israel used a new combination of weapon systems. In this case air power was backed up with a theatre missile defence architecture incorporating Iron Dome, built by Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, to address a short-range threat travelling at one kilometre a second.

Israel’s Arrow system is designed to counter ballistic missiles. IDF

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Iron Dome provided another layer of defence by intercepting those rockets that air power could not destroy. It comprises three key elements, the first being the radar system, which detects and tracks rockets from their point of launch. Each Iron Dome operates autonomously, its radar feeding data direct to a dedicated battle management system that also controls a battery of interceptors. Given that the Hamas rockets are fairly basic and cannot manoeuvre, the Iron Dome battle management system has a relatively simple job to perform. With incoming rocket flight times of 15 to 30 seconds, the likely impact point has to be worked out very quickly. If that falls outside a defined defensive perimeter, the inbound missile is not engaged. Where it is determined that it will threaten the population, a salvo of two missiles is launched on a shaped trajectory to place the interceptor warhead on a reciprocal path – the interceptor then detonates a fragmentation warhead in close proximity to the inbound missile. Drones also played a vital role in identifying the pattern of life on the ground in Gaza and helped spot the rockets, such as the Fajr-5, before they were launched. This was a new form of time-sensitive targeting that placed even more pressure on the decision cycle between those identifying the target and those who would disable it. As decision time becomes shorter, so the potential for error grows. November 2012 was the first time these three elements worked together so conclusively. It allowed the IDF to launch attacks against an enemy while knowing that where it failed to stop a launch, it had a back-up system. This was very different from the conflict with Hezbollah in 2006 during which 250,000 Israelis had to be evacuated from northern Israel due to a barrage of over 4,000 rockets fired at settlements, killing 44 citizens. While both sides involved in the recent conflict have claimed to have achieved their objectives, any true analysis would argue that the IDF emerged with the more positive outcome. In a brief eight-day campaign it launched numerous air strikes on Hamas rocket installations while its Iron Dome system provided a high degree of protection against those that eluded the air attacks. During the course of Operation Pillar of Defense between November 14 and 21, the IDF

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The launch pad system for Iron Dome. Noam Eshel

claims that Hamas launched over 1,500 rockets – some fell short on the Gaza Strip. IDF figures state that 426 rockets were destroyed in flight, a success rate of 84% with the Iron Dome system only engaging missiles whose trajectory actually threatened Israeli population centres. The IDF also maintains that only 7% of rockets launched were accurate enough to achieve their aim. For Hamas the psychological impact of the rockets is one thing, but a lack of accuracy and the performance of the Iron Dome system provide a serious barrier in any future conflict. Going forward, if Hamas is to maintain pressure on Israel, it needs to change its rockets and its tactics. Hamas tried variations in rocket launches in an attempt Iron Dome missile launching during a test programme. Rafael

to overwhelm the Iron Dome system – on one occasion seven rockets were launched in a salvo to saturate the defence system, but they had little effect. The IDF had three aces up its sleeve during Operation Pillar of Defense; the first was the use of drones. During live media coverage of the conflict the sound of the engines could always be heard. Up to six were noted to be in the air simultaneously by reporters on the ground. Their sensor systems were able to detect rocket launch sites and the potential for civilian casualties. One video released by the IDF shows an attack on a rocket site being called off at the last moment as civilians appear in the scene. The second ‘ace’ was the precision with which

F-16s could strike designated targets, although with Israel conducting between 200 and 300 sorties a day against the launch sites, it must have known some collateral damage would occur. The third and final ‘ace’ was the Iron Dome system. To defeat ballistic missiles launched from Syria or Iran is a very different matter – the ‘David’s Sling’ and Arrow interceptor missile systems have been designed to address that higher speed threat. With tensions in the Middle East unabated they are being rushed into service. If Israel is serious about attacking Iran, it will need to have at least the Arrow system deployed to counter any reprisals from Iranian ballistic missiles. Iron Dome has had an impressive debut in a combat situation. However greater challenges lie ahead as Israel seeks to create the ultimate hermetically-sealed missile defence shield over its territories. Countries such as Turkey and South Korea will be looking carefully at the outcome of the short confrontation between Hamas and the IDF. They too face uncertain border situations with erratic neighbours armed with a variety of missile systems. Export orders for Iron Dome may well follow. NATO may also show an interest in the system as a means of protecting overseas bases and short-term deployments into high-threat environments. The impressive combat debut of Iron Dome will have caused many who had written off the idea of ballistic missile defence to afm re-evaluate their ideas.

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NEWS RUSSIA & CIS

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Russian Air Force Gets New Sukhois

Above: One of the Sukhoi Su-34s departs from the Novosibirsk Aircraft Production Association (NAPO) factory airfield on December 25 for delivery to the Russian Air Force. Sukhoi

SUKHOI HAS completed delivery of two Su-30SM Flanker-C fighters, five Su-34 Fullback front line bombers and six Su-35S Flanker-E multi-role fighters to the Russian Air Force. Firstly, a delivery and acceptance ceremony was held on November 22 at JSC Irkut Corporation’s Irkutsk Aviation Plant to formally hand over the first two Sukhoi Su-30SM fighters, ‘01 Blue’ and ‘02 Blue’, to the Russian Air Force. The Su-30SM multi-role fighter is a further development of the Su-30MK family - a contract to purchase 30, for delivery by 2015, was signed between the Russian Ministry of Defence and JSC Irkut Corporation on March 22, 2012.

The first Russian Air Force Su-30SM flew at Irkutsk on September 21 followed by the second on September 25. On December 25, five series production Su-34s took off from the Novosibirsk Aircraft Production Association (NAPO) factory airfield on delivery to the Western Military District’s 7,000th Air Base at Voronezh-Baltimor. The first major production contract for the supply of 32 Su-34s to the Russian Defence Ministry was signed in December 2008, following which an order for 92 more of the type,announced on March 1, 2012, covers production through to 2020. These aircraft are progressively replacing the

Russian Air Force’s Su-24 fleet. Sukhoi also announced on December 28 that it had handed over the first six production Su-35S fighters to the Russian Ministry of Defence during a ceremony at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Production Association (KnAAPO) factory. This completes the State Defence Order for the type for 2012 and the aircraft will be flown to an unspecified Russian Air Force air base in the near future to enter service. A contract for 48 Su-35S aircraft was announced on September 20, 2010, following which the first production example of the type made its maiden flight at Komsomolskon-Amur on May 5, 2011.

Second Kazakhstan Air Force C295M Test Flying

Above: Airbus Military began test flying the Kazakhstan Air Force’s second C295M, ’02 Red’ (c/n 096), using callsign ‘CASA 96’ on December 11 at Seville-San Pablo Airport, Spain. The aircraft is one of an initial two on order for the Kazakhstan Air Force under a contract that was announced on February 29, 2012, by the Kazakh Defence Ministry and subsequently confirmed by the manufacturer on March 1. The order was placed through Kazspetsexport, a state company belonging to the Ministry of Defence of Kazakhstan. The deal also includes a memorandum of understanding which provides options on a further six aircraft for delivery by 2018. Antonio Muñiz Zaragüeta

Russian Aerobatic Teams to Get New Flankers RUSSIAN AIR Force commander Viktor Bondarev announced on December 24 that aerobatic teams the Swifts and the Russian Knights will receive new Sukhoi Su-30SM Flanker-C and Su-35S Flanker-E fighters

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ahead of regular units. The Swifts currently fly the RAC MiG-29 Fulcrum and the Russian Knights the Su-27 Flanker, both teams having used these aircraft for over 20 years. No timeframe has been given

for the introduction of the new fighters. However, the Russian Air Force currently has two Su-30SMs and is planning to receive 30 by 2016 whilst the first six Su-35S were handed-over in December.

News briefs RUSSIAN INSPECTORS made observation flights over Spain and Portugal between December 10 and 15 under the Open Skies Treaty. A Tupolev Tu-154MLk-1 operated from Lisbon for the flights, which were the 37th and 38th conducted by Russia over territories party to the treaty. THE FOURTH prototype Sukhoi T-50 PAK FA made its maiden flight on December 12 from Sukhoi’s KNAAPO aircraft plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur. The aircraft was flown by test pilot Sergey Bogdan and was airborne for 40 minutes before landing back at the factory airfield. Aircraft stability tests were undertaken during the flight, in addition to evaluating powerplant performance. RUSSIAN HELICOPTERS announced on December 18 it has delivered two multi-role Mi-8AMT helicopters built by Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant to the Republic of Tatarstan Interior Ministry. They are RF-28972, which was painted in camouflage, and RF-28971, in a blue and white scheme. The previously unannounced contract for these helicopters was signed in August 2012. The Mi-8AMTs will be operated by the Tatarstan Policiya (police) and will fly various missions including being deployed as part of the security arrangements for this year’s XXVII World Summer Universiade (Student Games) in Kazan, Russia. JSC IRKUT Corporation has handed over the first three Yakovlev Yak-130 combat trainers from the second batch for delivery to the Russian Air Force. Pilots from the Russian Air Force Training Centre at Borisoglebsk flew all three aircraft on November 20 from the Irkutsk Aviation Plant to Borisoglebsk. The first three Irkut-manufactured Yak-130s had been handed over on October 5 last year, when they were flown to Borisoglebsk, while another three followed on October 9. All six are now fully operational there in the training role. Ten Sokolbuilt Yak-130s had previously been delivered to Borisoglebsk and the latest deliveries brought the total now resident at the base to 19. A contract had been signed on December 7, 2011, with Irkut Corporation for 55 Yak-130s for the Russian Air Force, of which nine have now entered service. All 55 of these aircraft are due for delivery by 2015.

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NEWS AFRICA

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US Navy Fire Scouts Complete Five-Month Deployment A FIVE-MONTH detachment of US Navy MQ-8B Fire Scouts aboard the Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate USS Klakring (FFG 42) in the US Africa Command Area of Responsibility ended on December 1 when the ship returned to Mayport in Florida. This was the US Navy’s fourth Fire Scout detachment, which achieved several milestones. The detachment logged more than 500 flight hours in support of anti-piracy operations and providing real-time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) support. “We have proven that a ship with a multi-vehicle Fire Scout detachment can provide the same support to the operational commander as that which would otherwise require multiple land-based intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance [ISR] assets,” said Cdr Darrell Canady, USS Klakring commanding officer. “Our team perfected the art of managing maintenance requirements and crew rest in proving that 12-hour-a-day operations could be sustained almost indefinitely.” With a record number of unmanned helicopters aboard Klakring, Fire Scout regularly maintained 12-hour days on station, switching aircraft to provide continuous and thorough support. The system accomplished a new single-day endurance record, providing continuous ISR support for an entire 24-hour period. For the first time ever, Helicopter Anti-submarine Squadron Light (HSL) 42 conducted dual air vehicle operations, allowing the ship’s commander to keep a constant watch on targets of interest. “The real achievement on this deployment was a surge we executed to provide just over 24 continuous hours of ISR coverage, in late September,” said Lt Cdr Jay Lambert, HSL-42 detachment officer-in-charge. “Completing this milestone required ten separate flights, refuelling aircraft eight times and having the ship setting flight quarters for launch or recovery 20 times.”

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French Mirages Train with KC-130Js in Djibouti

Above: A US Marine Corps KC-130J from Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 352 (VMGR-352) refuels French Air Force Dassault Mirage 2000-5 45 '188-EF' at 15,000ft (4,570m) over Djibouti on November 22. US Air Force/Tech Sgt Joseph McKee

DASSAULT MIRAGE 2000-5Fs on detachment in Djibouti took advantage of a US Marine Corps KC-130J to undertake an air-to-air refuelling training mission last November. With no permanently assigned French Air Force (Armée de l’Air) tanker assets available in the east African nation, a Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 352 (VMGR-352) ‘Raiders’ KC-130J carried out the task.

The squadron, based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, and assigned to the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, undertook the Mirage refuelling mission on November 22 at 15,000ft (4,570m) over Djibouti. The aircraft operated from Camp Lemonnier, a military enclave at Djibouti’s Ambouli International Airport, designated by the French as Base Aérienne 188 (BA188) ‘Colonel Emile

Massart’. VMGR-352 currently has 41 Marines and two KC-130Js detached at Camp Lemonnier from Miramar. Although it has undertaken regular refuelling training missions, this was the first time the detachment had worked with the French to refuel their Mirage 2000-5s. France maintains a permanent, rotational detachment of Mirages at BA188 in addition to helicopter and transport assets.

Ethiopian Mi-35Ps Returned Home from UNAMID Operations UNITED NATIONS sources admitted in mid-November that the detachment of Ethiopian Air Force Mi-35P attack helicopters deployed to support the United Nations – African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) had returned home several weeks earlier. The withdrawal had not been reported at the time. The UN had been appealing for helicopters to support the peacekeeping operation ever since the UNAMID operation in Sudan’s Darfur region began in January 2008. Finally, on February 5, 2010, the Ethiopian Government announced that it had agreed

to deploy five Mi-35Ps to support UNAMID. They arrived on February 16, 2010, and officially started operations on February 25, after a ceremony at Nyala, South Sudan, where they were to be based. A UN mission statement at the time said that they would largely be used for troop deployment and security monitoring. In July the UN Security Council noted that it had “deep concern at the increased restrictions and bureaucratic impediments placed by the Government of Sudan upon UNAMID movements and operations, particularly to areas of recent conflict.” According to

Sudanese Coaler in Nigeria

Above: Antonov An-72-100D Coaler ST-PRM – believed to be in service with the Sudan Police Air Wing – at Abuja, Nigeria, on November 29. The aircraft entered service in November 2008, but its ownership has been disputed in the Russian courts since December of that year. Alan Kenny

the UN the Sudanese Government had been increasingly hampering operations and on some occasions refused to give the Ethiopian helicopters clearance to fly. It is not immediately clear whether the restrictions led to the decision to withdraw the Mi-35Ps back to Ethiopia. UNAMID does, however, still have access to a separate fleet of helicopters, which provide logistical support and undertake medical missions.

News brief BOEING WAS awarded a $56 million US Army contract on December 20 for AH-64D Apache Longbow Helicopters for the Arab Republic of Egypt Air Force (Al Quwwat Al Jawwiya Il Misriya); the number of helicopters was not specified, US Congress was notified on May 22, 2009, of a planned acquisition by Egypt of 12 AH-64Ds. The proposed contract had an estimated value of $820 million. With production now focused on the AH-64E (formerly AH-64D Block III), it seems likely that Egypt’s new aircraft will be of this variant. In view of the small contract award, it is presumed the $56m deal is an initial order with more to follow.

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NEWS ASIA PACIFIC Tejas Resumes Flying After Three-Month Grounding INDIA’S TEJAS Light Combat Aircraft resumed flight testing in mid-November 2012 after the type had been grounded for three-and-a-half months because of safety issues. The action, which had not previously been publicised, was revealed by the Indian media. The safety measure was implemented when it was found that new pilot helmets protruded above the top of the ejection seats. During an ejection the helmet would impact the canopy before it had been jettisoned. Flight-testing was halted while a solution was found. India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) says the problem has been resolved by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), which oversees the Tejas programme. A back-up mechanism has been installed to ensure the canopy is blown off before the pilot’s head hits it. The grounding was a further blow to the long-delayed Tejas programme. According to the ADA’s most recent figures, the Tejas development aircraft completed 1,964 test flights as of January 2, 2013. Aircraft by aircraft, these comprised 233 by serial KH2001 (c/n TD-1), 305 by KH2002 (TD-2), 242 by KH2003 (PV-1), 222 by KH2004 (PV-2), 348 by KH2005 (PV-3), 74 by KH2011 (LSP-1, ex KH2006), 238 by KH2012 (LSP-2, ex KH2007), 36 by KH-T2009 (PV-5), 84 by KH2013 (LSP-3), 56 by KH2014 (LSP-4), 113 by KH2015 (LSP-5), nine by KH2017 (LSP-7) and four by Naval prototype KHN-T3001 (NP-1).

News Brief BOEING HAS beaten Russia’s Mi-26T2 in the competition for 15 heavy-lift helicopters for the Indian Air Force with its CH-47F Chinook. This was confirmed by Indian Defence Minister A K Antony, in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha (the Council of States, India’s Upper House of Parliament), on December 5. The Chinook was less expensive in terms of initial direct acquisition costs as well as life cycle cost.

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First Arrested Landing on Chinese Carrier Liaoning

Above: China's Xinhua news agency has confirmed that Shenyang J-15 fighters have made their first arrested landings on the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy’s only aircraft carrier, the newly-inducted CNS Liaoning. Chinese Navy officials said the “capabilities of the carrier platform and the J-15 have been tested, meeting all requirements and achieving good compatibility”. The first J-15 arrested landing took place on November 21, flown by test pilot Dai Mingmeng from the China Flight Test Establishment (CFTE). Xinhua

India Issues RFP for 56 Aircraft to Replace Air Force HS748s AIR MARSHAL Jagdish Chandra, Air Officer Commanding-inChief of Indian Air Force (IAF) Maintenance Command, told a press briefing during the Sonegaon Air Force Station airshow on November 25 that a Request for Proposals (RFP) has now been issued for 56 new transport aircraft. These will replace the IAF’s fleet of ageing twin-turboprop HS748s, known locally as Avros after their original manufacturer, which were built

under licence by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) in India. Approval for the acquisition was given on July 23, 2012, at a meeting of India’s Defence Acquisition Council. The first 16 aircraft will be purchased off-the-shelf from the winning supplier, but the successful bidder must partner with a local manufacturer to produce the remaining 40. Sixteen of these must incorporate 30% local content, whilst the remaining 24 must

include 60% indigenouslyproduced components. Options thought to be under consideration include the Airbus Military C295M, Alenia C-27J Spartan, Antonov An-148 and Ilyushin Il-114. HAL is not planning to become involved in local production. The Avros first entered IAF service in September 1961, since when a total of 67 have been delivered; at least five have been written off and it is thought that up to 40 are still operational.

Bangladesh Army Dauphins Delivered

Above: Two new Bangladesh Army AS365N3+ Dauphins, which entered service on November 28, are seen outside the Eurocopter South East Asia facility in Singapore. Eurocopter South East Asia/Kiw Hui Bin

TWO NEW Eurocopter AS365N3+ Dauphin helicopters were formally introduced into operational use during a ceremony at the Bangladesh Army’s Dhaka Cantonment headquarters on November 28. They will be deployed on United Nations humanitarian missions and operated in multi-role transport duties for the Republic of Bangladesh. The Dauphins were supplied through the Eurocopter South East Asia subsidiary and are

the first Eurocopter-built rotorcraft to join the Bangladesh Army’s aviation fleet at Dhaka-Tejgaon (Bashar AB). In preparation for the twinengine Dauphin’s service introduction, an initial group of Bangladesh Army pilots attended ground school classes at Eurocopter South East Asia’s Singapore facility and will use the subsidiary’s AS365N3+ full-flight simulator there. Additional crew members are to follow, including pilots who

will be qualified as instructors. “These two Dauphins will significantly enhance our capabilities, as we continue to participate actively in world peacekeeping missions,” explained Brigadier General Abdullah Al Azhar. “The provision of simulator training by Eurocopter South East Asia has greatly facilitated the service entry of the aircraft, allowing our pilots to operate them from the onset with confidence and ease.”

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NEWS ASIA PACIFIC

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First P-8I Handed Over to Indian Navy

Above: On December 19 Boeing made an on-site delivery in Seattle of the first P-8I aircraft to the Indian Navy, in accordance with its contract. India will receive this aircraft and two more of its eight contracted P-8Is in 2013. Boeing says the programme is progressing on schedule with the fourth and fifth P-8Is under assembly. Boeing

Philippine Air Force Huey Requirement misses deadline

Above: A Philippine Air Force UH-1H Iroquois. A severe shortage of the type has led to a tender to acquire an additional 21 refurbished examples, but none of the bidders has been able to meet the Philippine Department of National Defense’s (DND) time requirements. Philippine Air Force

ALTHOUGH TWO bidders submitted tenders to supply the Philippine Air Force (PAF) with an additional 21 refurbished, second-hand Bell UH-1H Iroquois helicopters, their bids have been rejected because they could not meet the government's schedule. The Philippine Department of National Defense (DND) set the deadline for submissions for December 4. Six companies had expressed an interest in bidding but only two submitted proposals – a joint offer from Israeli companies Star Defense System/Radom Israel and a specially formed consortium, Rise Aircraft Services Inc. Undersecretary for Finance,

Munitions Installations and Materiel, Fernando Manalo, had said the PAF required delivery no later than February 28, 2013, to provide assistance during the national elections. This was an extremely short period of time to furnish the aircraft specified in the invitation to supply document, posted on the Philippine DND website on October 29, 2012, that specified 13 UH-1Hs, plus eight ‘UH-1H upgraded’ (presumably UH-1H-II Huey IIs). The approved budget for the purchase is 1,265 billion pesos but the required delivery date would seem to be the stumbling block. Manalo said the two firms

could ask the DND and Awards Committee (BAC) to allow them to make another submission. Since 1969, the PAF has taken delivery of more than 200 Hueys. At least 30 have crashed and many more have been withdrawn from use or are in storage because of lack of funds for spares and maintenance. A recent report by the Philippine Defense Acquisition System assessment team states that there are currently only 16 fully or partially mission-capable Hueys in the PAF inventory. This means that the PAF is 51 units short of its optimum requirement for operational combat utility helicopters.

India Orders More Helicopters and Fighters from Russia INDIA SIGNED contracts with Russia on December 24 for 71 more Mil Mi-17V-5 helicopters and the purchase of kits to assemble 42 additional Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighters. Both deals were signed during a visit to New Delhi by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Su-30MKI deal is valued at $1.6 billion and will provide kits for local assembly of the aircraft by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL). The $1.3 billion Mi-17V-5 order will see the helicopters built in Russia by Kazan Helicopters. A contract for a batch of 80 Kazan Mi-17V-5s for the Indian Air Force (IAF) was announced in December 2008, with the first delivered to India on September 29, 2011 and all scheduled to arrive by 2014. Plans for additional Mi-17V-5s had initially suggested that 59 more would be purchased, but the final deal has increased this number. India had initially purchased 36 Su-30Ks, delivered between 1997 and 1999, but these have since been part-exchanged for new Su-30MKIs and returned to Russia. They were followed by a first batch of 32 Irkutsk-built Su-30MKIs delivered between 2002 and 2004, after which HAL Nasik commenced local production of a further 140 of these fighters. In addition, an order was placed in April 2007 for 18 Irkutsk-built Su-30MKIs to replace the Su-30Ks, followed in August 2007 by a deal for 40 more aircraft, 15 of which were to be assembled at Irkutsk, 15 supplied partially-assembled for completion by HAL and the remaining ten in kit form for assembly at HAL. The latest order brings the IAF Su-30MKI total to 272.

New Indian Air Force Armed Mi-17 Squadron A NEW Indian Air Force (IAF) squadron equipped with armed Kazan Mi-17V-5 helicopters was scheduled to be formed at Phalodi-Suratgarh Air Force Station in the Jodhpur district of Rajasthan on January 7. An induction ceremony for the

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first ten helicopters with the unit was scheduled to have taken place presided over by IAF head Air Chief Marshal N A K Browne. Once up to full strength, the unit will eventually have 16 to 18 Mi-17V-5s, although the squadron’s full complement of

manpower has already arrived at the base. Phalodi, situated only 60 miles (100km) from the border with Pakistan, was previously home to an IAF aviation maintenance unit, but was formally commissioned as the IAF’s

sixth air base in Rajasthan on April 6, 2010. It now houses 21 Squadron with MiG-21bis UPG Bison fighters and 104 Helicopter Unit with Mi-35 Hind-E attack helicopters, while there are also plans to deploy a squadron of Su-30MKIs.

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HAL Flies Upgraded Indian Air Force Jaguar

News briefs ON DECEMBER 21 the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of a possible sale of four Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Block 30 (I) Global Hawk aircraft to the Republic of Korea. The deal has an estimated value of $1.2 billion.

Above: The newly upgraded Indian Air Force Darin III Jaguar, JM255, makes its first flight on November 28. HAL

HINDUSTAN AERONAUTICS Limited (HAL) undertook the maiden flight on November 28 at Bangalore of Indian Air Force Jaguar serial number JM255, the first aircraft to undergo the Darin III avionics upgrade. The upgrade incorporates new avionics architecture, including Mission Computer,

India's AW101s DELIVERY OF the first of 12 new AgustaWestland AW101 Mk 641 VVIP helicopters to the Indian Air Force (IAF) commenced in late December when three were flown out of the factory airfield at Yeovil, Somerset, to London-Stansted Airport, Essex, from where they were air-freighted out on board An-124s to Palam Air Force Station. The first, ZR338/ ZW-4301 (c/n 50242), was flown to Stansted on December 16, while ZR341/ZW-4304 (c/n 50245) followed the next day and the third, ZR340/ZW4303 (c/n 50244), arrived at the Essex airport on December 21.

Engine and Flight Instrument System (EFIS), Solid State Digital Video Recording System, Solid State Flight Data Recorder and additional functions in the inertial global positioning system (INGPS), autopilot, radar and radar warning receiver. Other improvements include modern navigation, electronic

warfare and weapon delivery systems with INGPS using primary and reversionary modes, state-of-the-art, man-machine interface (near glass cockpit) with two smart multi-function displays and a head-up display. At the same time the aircraft will be overhauled to extend their service lives.

Last Afghan AF Cessna 208B Grand Caravans Delivered DELIVERY OF the final eight of an order for 26 Afghan Air Force Cessna 208B Grand Caravans ordered on May 26, 2011 is now complete. Four machines, (YA22409)/N95416 (c/n 208B2409), (YA22410)/N2034L (c/n 208B2410), (YA22411)/N9542P (c/n 208B 2411) and (YA22412)/N9542Y (c/n 208B2412) left Newton CityCounty Airport, Kansas, on November 26 for CFB Goose Bay, Canada, from where they flew directly to Glasgow-Prestwick Airport, Scotland, for an overnight stop before departing for Ankara, Turkey on their way to their final destination,

Shindand Air Base, Afghanistan. The final four aircraft, (YA22414)/N95421 (c/n 208B2414), (YA22415)/N9543Z (c/n 208B-2415), (YA22416)/ N95432 (c/n 208B-2416) and (YA22418)/N9544Z (c/n 208B2418) left Newton City-County on December 12, flying up to Gander International Airport, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. They then flew directly to Prestwick, where they made an overnight stop, before departing for Ankara and onwards to Afghanistan. The first three aircraft were delivered on October 22, 2011.

First Indian Air Force C-17A Completed

Above: The first Indian Air Force (IAF) Boeing C-17A Globemaster III, CB-8001 (c/n F-253), has been seen outside on the ramp at the production facility in Long Beach, California, painted in full IAF colours. A contract for ten C-17As for the IAF was announced on June 15, 2011, with a Foreign Military Sales contract subsequently awarded to Boeing on February 2, 2012. First delivery is scheduled for 2013, with all of the remainder due to enter service by the end of 2014. The IAF is also looking to purchase a further six of the type, but no agreement has yet been finalised. Barry Ambrose

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RUSSIAN AIRCRAFT manufacturer RAC MiG announced on December 29 that it has delivered the first four MiG-29K/KUB carrier-based fighters to the Indian Navy. India had previously taken delivery of 12 MiG-29Ks and four MiG-29KUBs under a contract signed in 2004, the last of which arrived by the end of 2011. In March 2010 India signed a $1.5 billion contract for an additional 29 MiG-29K/KUBs, although the split between the two variants has not been confirmed. A FURTHER two W-3A Sokol helicopters were delivered from PZL Swidnik in Poland to the Philippine Air Force in mid-November 2012. They arrived at Clark Air Base in Pampanga on November 26 to be prepared for service by the 410th Maintenance Wing. They will join the first four, operating with the 505th Search and Rescue Group and are the fifth and sixth from an order for eight; the final two are expected to be delivered imminently. THE FIRST two Eurocopter EC725 helicopters for the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) were officially handed over during a ceremony in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on December 3. The Malaysian Armed Forces is to receive a total of 12 EC725s (comprising eight for the RMAF and four for the Army), with the last due in 2014. They will be used for search and rescue, and utility missions. AIRBUS MILITARY confirmed on January 7 that its A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) has been selected as the preferred option to meet an Indian Air Force (IAF) requirement for six new tanker aircraft. The type was competing with the Ilyushin Il-78 Midas, six of which are already in IAF service. Negotiations will now commence to finalise the details of a contract that will be finalised in fiscal year 2013-2014. The IAF hopes to begin taking delivery of the new aircraft from 2017.

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NEWS AUSTRALASIA Australia’s Future Air Combat Capability AUSTRALIA'S MINISTER for Defence Stephen Smith and Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare provided an update on planning for the country's future air combat capability in a statement on December 13. “Australia’s air combat capability is a vital part of our national security framework", he said. "The government will not allow a gap to occur.” In May 2012, Mr Smith announced that the Air Combat Capability Transition Plan would be presented to the government by the end of 2012. The plan includes an assessment of the Lockheed Martin F-35’s project progress and any potential capability gap between it entering service and the retirement of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) ‘classic’ F/A-18 Hornet fleet. The plan outlines the process for managing the transition from the current mix of classic Hornets and Super Hornets to future air combat capability fighters, including the F-35. Also included is the option to purchase additional new Super Hornets in the future. The classic F/A-18C Hornets entered RAAF service in 1985 and have undergone an intensive maintenance programme to ensure they are fully combat-capable until around 2020. The RAAF currently has 24 F/A-18Fs that entered service between March 2010 and October 2011. They have now achieved full operational capability (FOC) and the government is acquiring the Growler electronic warfare system for them from the US – 12 aircraft have been pre-wired for conversion to E/A-18Gs. The government has yet to make a decision to purchase more Super Hornets, but has sent a letter of request to the US seeking cost and availability information for an additional 24 aircraft. Australia is a Tier 3 partner in the F-35 programme and has previously indicated it wants to buy 100 F-35As. It has approved funding for 14, with the first expected in 2014.

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Royal Australian Navy Retires First Seahawk

Above: Royal Australian Navy Sikorsky S-70B-2 Seahawk N24-015 ‘(8)84’, callsign ‘Tiger 884’, undertakes its final flight at HMAS Albatross, Nowra, New South Wales, on December 4 prior to decommissioning the same day. This was the first RAN Seahawk to be retired before the type is replaced from 2014 by the MH-60R. N24-015 had entered RAN service in 1989. Commonwealth of Australia/Navy Imagery Unit-Albatross/LSIS Yuri Ramsey

Serial Prefixes Allocated for Future Australian Aircraft Types AUSTRALIAN DEPARTMENT of Defence officials have confirmed that serial prefix designations have now been officially allocated for three new types destined to enter service in the future. Appropriately, the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter has been allocated the ‘A35-’ serial prefix, ready for when the first aircraft for the RAAF is delivered in 2014 for pilot training. Serials will commence at A35-001 and run consecutively. Although the precise number of Australian F-35As has yet to be finalised, it is expected be around 100. Manufacture of components for the first RAAF F-35A, A35-001

(AU-1), began on October 9, when the first parts for the centre fuselage were loaded into an assembly jig at Northrop Grumman’s production facility in Palmdale, California. This first aircraft is scheduled for rollout in late 2013. Another future RAAF type, the Alenia C-27J Spartan, has been allocated the ‘A34-’ prefix, with the ten aircraft on order to be serialled A34-001 to A34-010 inclusive. For the Royal Australian Navy, the prefix ‘N48-’ has been assigned for the 24 Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk helicopters on order. These will have serials N48-001 through to N48-024.

News brief THE ROYAL Australian Air Force’s Boeing E-7A Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) Wedgetail aircraft has achieved initial operational capability (IOC), Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare announced on November 19.

RNZAF Seeks New Training Aircraft NEW ZEALAND’S defence minister, Dr Jonathan Coleman, announced on December 7 that tenders are being sought for a new pilot training capability for the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF), saying: “The requirement for a modernised pilot training system with suitable aircraft is clear and Cabinet has agreed to the next step in the process with the Ministry of Defence to issue a request for tender.” Pilot training is currently conducted using single-engined CT-4E Airtrainers for the primary stage and twin-engined turboprop King Air B200s for the advanced stage of the course. The service life of the current RNZAF CT-4Es is due to end in 2018 and the King Air B200s’ lease expires in 2018.

Australian MRH90 Meets New Zealand NH90

Above: Royal Australian Navy (RAN)/808 Squadron MRH90 A40-014 on the ramp at Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) Base Ohakea on November 16 alongside RNZAF NH90 NZ3303 from the Helicopter Transition Unit. The visit of the RAN helicopter enabled personnel to compare the capabilities of each other's newly-acquired NH90 variants. Australian Defence/LSIS Brenton Freind

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RAN to Form New Training Squadron for MH-60R THE AUSTRALIAN Government provided an update on the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk acquisition programme on December 13. It was confirmed that the new training unit to be formed to operate the MH-60R ‘Romeos’ will be 725 Squadron at HMAS Albatross, Nowra, New South Wales. The unit will be the operational training squadron, while 816 Squadron, which currently operates the S-70B-2 Seahawk that it will replace, will become the MH-60R operational support squadron. The 725 Squadron designation was selected as the unit has a long lineage of helicopter and anti-submarine operations and training. Notably, the squadron was involved in the rescue of sailors following the collision between the aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne and destroyer HMAS Voyager on February 10, 1964. It also undertook escort duties in the 1960s for HMAS Sydney in her resupply missions to Vietnam and flood relief operations in Nowra in July 1974 when the RAN’s air arm rescued some 352 people. The squadron was last decommissioned at HMAS Albatross on December 27, 1975, after 33 years operating the Westland Wessex HAS31B. The RAN has ordered 24 MH-60Rs, with first deliveries expected in mid-2014.

Last RAAF Orion Returns from Middle East

Above: RAAF/92 Wing Lockheed AP-3C Orion A9-665, callsign ‘Coopers 63’, dispenses flares over the Royal Australian Navy ANZAC-class frigate HMAS Anzac in international waters during the aircraft’s final operational mission from Al Minhad Air Base, United Arab Emirates, on November 21. The aircraft arrived back at RAAF Base Edinburgh, South Australia, on November 29, ending a decade of RAAF Orion operations in the Middle East. Commonwealth of Australia/Sgt W Guthrie

AFTER a decade of operations in the Middle East, the last RAAF AP-3C Orion to have been deployed there arrived back at RAAF Base Edinburgh, South Australia, on November 29. Hundreds of service personnel who had previously served in the Middle East turned out at the base to welcome the aircraft, A9-665, and its crew home after the long flight from Al Minhad Air Base in the United Arab Emirates.

Final Royal Australian Air Force KC-30A Delivered

Above: RAAF KC-30A A39-004 arriving at RAAF Base Richmond, New South Wales, on November 23. Airbus Military announced on December 3 it has now completed delivery of all five RAAF KC-30As. Commonwealth of Australia/Cpl Colin Dadd

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The aircraft, using callsign ‘Coopers 63’, had flown the RAAF’s final mission from Al Minhad on November 21. Since the Task Unit first began operating in the Middle East area of operations in early January 2003, the Orions have completed 2,410 missions as part of Operation Slipper. Over the ten years, two AP-3Cs have been detached at any one time to the Middle East, the RAAF’s 92 Wing rotating over 3,500 personnel

during this period on threeto six-month tours of duty. The AP-3C’s role expanded considerably from being almost exclusively maritime-focused to becoming a vital intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) asset in support of overland operations. One of its primary roles was transmitting realtime surveillance video to ground force commanders, providing them with vital situational awareness.

RAAF Hornets Return from Exercise High Sierra

Above: Eight RAAF F/A-18C Hornets flying in formation as they returned home on December 6 to RAAF Base Williamtown, New South Wales, from Exercise High Sierra at RAAF Base Townsville, North Queensland. Commonwealth of Australia/Cpl Mark McConnell

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ACCIDENT REPORTS D: Nov 28 N/U: Syrian Arab AF T: Unidentified fighter

Above: South African Air Force/35 Squadron C-47TP Turboprop Dakota 6877 seen after its landing accident at Mthatha Airport on November 6.

D: Nov 6 N/U: South African Air Force/ 35 Squadron T: C-47TP Turboprop Dakota S: 6877 The aircraft was involved in an accident at Mthatha Airport after

the crew was unable to lower the starboard main undercarriage and it veered off the runway on landing. The starboard wing, propeller and engine were damaged. None of the 16 people on board were injured.

D: Nov 17 N/U: US CBP T: Cessna 550 S: N6763L The aircraft collided with a deer on landing at 1145hrs on Runway 09 at Greenwood County Airport, South Carolina. The deer ran into the path of the Citation five seconds into the landing rollout, striking the leading edge of the port wing above the port main undercarriage and rupturing an adjacent fuel cell. Although the pilot maintained control and stopped on the runway, the aircraft was spilling fuel and on fire. The two crew performed an emergency shutdown and egressed safely, but the aircraft was consumed by the postcrash fire. It was being flown at the time by Stevens Aviation Inc, which had just completed a cockpit upgrade and was using the flight to test new autopilot and flight director systems.

D: Nov 27 N/U: Venezuelan Military Aviation/ EdV CSAR T: AS532AC Cougar The helicopter was launched in an attempt to recover the two pilots of the K-8W Karakoram that had crashed during the military parade at El Libertador (see report below). However, it encountered unspecified problems and crashed shortly after takeoff. The crew were reportedly unharmed.

D: Nov 27 N/U: Syrian Arab AF T: Mi-8/17 A video posted on the internet shows what is claimed to be this helicopter being shot down near Aleppo, Syria. A surfaceto-air missile is seen streaking up from the ground towards the helicopter, which suffers a direct hit and then explodes in a ball of flames. The helicopter was strafing an area surrounding the military base at Sheikh Suleiman, which rebels had been trying to capture for several weeks.

A jet fighter, type unconfirmed, was shot down by rebels in the northwest of the country, 6 miles (10km) from the border with Turkey, according to local reports. The aircraft was reportedly hit by a surface-to-air missile (SAM) fired by the rebels before it crashed and exploded in an olive grove on a hill at Dar ez-Za, on the border between the Syrian provinces of Aleppo and Idlib. Two crew members were said to have ejected from the aircraft and a video posted on the internet shows one of them being carried away with a bloodied face, after capture by the rebels. This appears to have been the second shoot-down by the rebels using SAMs, which have recently been acquired from an unrevealed source, according to the UK-based watchdog group, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. D: Nov 30 N/U: Indian Air Force T: Jaguar Crashed at 1315hrs in a forest near Lik in Upper Dzongu, North Sikkim, after taking off from Bagdogra Air Force Station, West Bengal. The pilot ejected, but was seriously injured.

D: Nov 30 N/U: Indonesian Police T: Enstrom 480B Guardian The helicopter sustained substantial damage in an accident at its base at Pondok Cabe, Jakarta. Whilst hovering at around 10ft (3m) above the ground prior to landing during a training mission, control was lost and it suddenly fell, nose first, into the ground at around 0950hrs. Both police officers on board were injured. D: Dec 2 N/U: Royal Saudi AF/13 Squadron T: F-15C Crashed into the Gulf whilst on a training mission from DhahranKing Abdul Aziz Air Base in the Kingdom’s Eastern Province. After an extensive search, the Saudi Defence Ministry announced on December 4 that the pilot’s body had been found. D: Dec 3 N/U: Royal Saudi Air Force/ Saudi Hawks T: Hawk Mk 65 The Hawk crashed at Tabuk-King Faisal Air Base following a technical fault. The pilot ejected safely. The aircraft, was approaching the runway to land when it suffered a problem and crashed. D: Dec 3 N/U: USAF/8th Fighter Wing T: F-16 The F-16 ran off the runway at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, at approximately 1415hrs. The pilot was unhurt. D: Dec 5 N/U: Mexican Navy/ Escuela de Aviación Naval T: Zlin 242L The Zlin crashed at around 1130hrs, 22 miles (36km) southeast of La Paz, in Baja California Sur, Mexico, killing both crew members.

Above: Dramatic image of the Venezuelan K-8W Karakoram as the two crew eject a split-second before impact after it encountered problems during a flypast at Palo Negro-El Libertador Air Base on November 27. Erwin Fuguet Gedde

D: Nov 27 N/U: Venezuelan Military Aviation/ EOE-151 T: K-8W Karakoram This K-8W crashed during a military parade at Palo Negro-El Libertador Air Base, Aragua. The

aircraft suffered an unspecified technical malfunction, but the two crew members were able to eject safely before it hit the ground. The parade was celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Aviación Militar Bolivariana.

D: Dec 5 N/U: USAF/57th Wing/26th WPS T: MQ-9A Reaper The UAV crashed in mountainous terrain on the Nevada Test and Training Range at 1914hrs. No-one was injured in the incident, which occurred in a remote location west of Hiko, Nevada, north of Mount Irish. The remotely piloted aircraft was participating in a combat training mission as part of the US Air Force Weapons School Mission Employment phase.

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

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#299 FEBRUARY 2013

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D: Dec 9 N/U: US Navy/VAW-120 T: E-2C Hawkeyes S: 164112 ‘647’ and 165296 ‘641’ A flight deck incident on board the aircraft carrier USS Harry S Truman (CVN 75) at 1649hrs in the east coast operations area resulted in Class A damage to these two E-2C Hawkeyes. Both were chocked and chained on the flight deck at the time, with their wings folded. However, the starboard wing of one of the E-2Cs suddenly lowered, uncommanded, for reasons unknown, before striking the spinning propeller of the other Hawkeye and causing damage to both aircraft. Above: The tail of a Chinese PLAAF/9th Fighter Division/27th Air Regiment Chengdu J-7 is seen here embedded in a building in the city of Shantou after its crash on December 4.

D: Dec 4 N/U: Chinese PLAAF/9th Fighter Division/27th Air Regiment T: Chengdu J-7 The J-7 crashed at around 0900hrs in Shantou, Guangdong province. The pilot ejected D: Dec 5 N/U: Zambian Air Force T: Z-9 Haitun Crashed at 1100hrs after an engine problem on take-off in the Shiwa Ng’angu area of Muchinga Province for a flight to Matumbo. The Z-9 was seen to spiral out of control towards a tree before coming to rest against a marquee, part of which was torn away by the helicopter’s main rotors. The three crew and seven passengers were unhurt, but one person on the ground was injured. D: Dec 6 N/U: Brazilian AF/1°/10° GAv T: AMX A-1 S: FAB-5540 Crashed, killing the pilot, when it struck a 130ft (40m) transmission tower at the Machadinho electricity generation plant in Pariatuba, Santa Catarina, during a training mission. It came to rest partly submerged in a lake. D: Dec 7 N/U: USAF/19th and 199th Fighter Squadrons T: F-22A Raptor Suffered a tailstrike at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, as a result of which both horizontal stabilisers were damaged beyond repair. The aircraft had participated in a flyover during

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safely from the aircraft, but it then crashed into a building and injured four people on the ground, three of whom had to be hospitalised. One of them, a 26-year-old woman, was said to be in a serious condition. a Pearl Harbor Anniversary Day Commemoration event, marking the 71st anniversary of the Japanese attack on December 7, 1941. The pilot was unhurt.

D: Dec 10 N/U: Algerian Air Force T: 2 x unidentified fighters The two aircraft collided and crashed at 2030hrs during a training mission in the area between Hassi Zahana and Sidi Abdelli, northeast of Tlemcen. Both pilots were killed in the collision. Local media reports suggest they were both MiGs, therefore probably MiG-29 Fulcrums, although there has been no official confirmation of the types involved.

Above: The mangled remains of South African Air Force/35 Squadron C-47TP Turboprop Dakota 6840 seen after its fatal crash on December 5, in the Drakensberg Mountains.

D: Dec 5 N/U: South African Air Force/ 35 Squadron T: C-47TP Turboprop Dakota S: 6840 This Dakota crashed in the Drakensberg mountains in poor visibility whilst en route from Waterkloof Air Base to Mthatha Airport in the Eastern Cape in bad weather. The crew of the aircraft, which was operated by 35 Squadron, last contacted air traffic control when flying at 11,000ft (3,350m) over Giant’s Castle, when they said they were flying in instrument

meteorological conditions. An SAAF Oryx sent out to look for the aircraft had to abandon its search due to the very bad weather but the wreckage was found the following morning near Ladysmith in KwaZuluNatal province. All eleven people on board, comprising six crew and five passengers, were killed. The example involved, serial number 6840, was the SAAF Silver Falcons aerobatic display team support aircraft, which was repainted earlier this year in the team’s colours.

D: Dec 10 N/U: Russian Federal Security Service T: Mi-8MT S: RF-23148 The helicopter was writtenoff when it crashed whilst attempting an emergency landing at 1310hrs following tail rotor failure in mountains near Lake Ritsa, northern Abkhazia, Georgia. Seven of the eleven on board were injured, two of them critically. The Mi-8 had taken off from its base at Babushary Airport, near Sukhumi, at 1000hrs and was heading to Adler as part of a training flight. D: Dec 11 N/U: Sudanese Air Force S: An-24/26 Sudanese rebel forces claimed on December 17 that they had shot down another Sudanese Air Force Antonov transport aircraft with anti-aircraft fire whilst it was bombing an area in South Kordofan. SPLM-North rebels said in a statement that the shoot-down had taken place on December 11, although it was unclear why they had waited a week to make the claim. D: Dec 12 N/U: ISAF T: Unidentified UAV The unidentified UAV crashed in the Barana area of Nava district, Helmand Province, Afghanistan. An International Security Assistance Force spokesman confirmed that there had been an incident involving a UAV, but would not confirm the location or type of UAV until recovery operations had been completed. D: Dec 15 N/U: Nigerian Navy T: AW1092E Power S: 07 This AW109E crashed in Ogbia Creek in the Nembe area near Okoroba village in Bayelsa state, Nigeria, around 1530hrs. The accident killed all six on board, including the Governor of Kaduna state. The helicopter had departed from Okoroba after a funeral and was heading back to Port Harcourt when it crashed only five minutres after take-off and burst into flames, for reasons as yet unknown.

#299 FEBRUARY 2013

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ATTRITION FEBRUARY

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

ACCIDENT REPORTS

Above: US Navy MH-60R Seahawk 166591 ‘TZ-710’ from Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 75 (HSM-75) ‘Wolf Pack’ lifts off the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) on June 18, 2012. This helicopter was involved in an accident at 2258hrs on December 12 at Naval Air Station North Island, California, which injured all four crew members. US Navy/Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Ryan J Mayes

D: Dec 12 N/U: US Navy/HSM-75 T: MH-60R S: 166591 ‘TZ-710’ The helicopter was involved in a heavy landing at 2258hrs at Naval Air Station North Island, California, resulting in injuries to all four crew members on board. The Seahawk was returning D: Dec 16 N/U: US Army/S Dakota ArNG/ Co/1-189th AVN T: UH-60A Damaged at around 1620hrs when its main rotors struck a hangar while taxiing at Winner Regional Airport, South Dakota. The helicopter sustained damage to its main rotors and fuselage, but no injuries were reported to the four crew and one passenger. The UH-60 was en route back to Rapid City from Brookings and had stopped at Winner Airport for fuel. D: Dec 17 N/U: Italian Guardia di Finanza T: NH-500MD S: MM81136 'GF-116' Crashed at 1230hrs into a 10,757ft (3,279m) mountain in the region of Madesimo (Valchiavenna) near Pizzo Tambo, Sondrio Province. The three occupants suffered only minor injuries and were transported to hospital by helicopter for treatment. D: Dec 19 N/U: Sudanese Air Force T: MiG-29? Crashed and caught fire after technical problems whilst on approach to El Obeid Air Base in North Kordofan State, after returning from a mission. The pilot was killed. Some reports say it was a MiG-29 that was involved, but there has been no official confirmation of the type.

from a routine training mission when it suffered an in-flight emergency. It impacted the ground on approach to landing pad 9, coming down just short of the pad, but remaining upright after the landing. It sustained Class A damage and has been categorised as destroyed. D: Dec 21 N/U: United Nations/Kolavia T: Mi-8AMT S: RA-27003 The helicopter, which was operating a reconnaissance flight on behalf of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) was shot down at around 1000hrs near Likuangole, in Jonglei state, South Sudan, killing all four Russian crew members on board. It is thought it was mistaken for a helicopter intruder from the north.

D: Dec 21 N/U: USMC/VMFA-323 T: F/A-18C S: 164736 ‘WS-410’ Experienced an engine fire in flight and diverted to make an emergency landing at 1040hrs without further problems. There were no injuries, but the Hornet sustained repairable Class A damage. The unit is based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, but it was not reported whether the aircraft diverted back to its home base or elsewhere. D: Dec 25 N/U: Israeli AF T: F-16 While landing at Ramat David Air Base after a routine training mission, the aircraft appears to have suffered a technical malfunction, causing it to veer off the runway. The aircraft sustained unspecified structural damage, but the pilot was unhurt. D: Dec 25 N/U: Kazakhstan Border Guards T: An-72-100 S: UP-72859 (c/n 36576092859) While flying from Astana Airport to Shymkent Airport, Kazakhstan, the aircraft was destroyed after it came down from a height of 2,600ft (800m), about 12½ miles (20km) from its destination at 1855hrs, killing all 27 on board, including seven crew members. Weather at the time was poor, with heavy

Above: Royal Thai Army Aeros A40D Airship A40D-21, which was damaged in an emergency landing on December 13. Aria International

D: Dec 13 N/U: Royal Thai Army/ Fourth Army Division T: Aeros 40D Airship S: c/n A40D-21 This airship, the sole example operated by the Army, sustained considerable damage during an emergency landing in bad weather at a military camp in the Nong Chik district of Pattani province. The airship had been assigned to provide surveillance for a visit by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, but on

take-off it was determined that the weather was too poor for safe operations and it made a heavy landing from a height of around 65ft (20m). The crew, comprising two pilots and two technicians, lost control and leapt from the airship’s cabin before it hit the ground at around 1500hrs. They were all reported to have sustained only minor injuries. The very hard landing caused damage to the cabin, propulsion system and some internal equipment.

snow falling and poor visibility. Amongst those killed was Colonel Turganbek Stambekov, acting director of the National Security Committee’s Border Guard Service. The aircraft was en route to Shymkent for an end of year meeting of the Military Council of the Border Guard Service. D: Dec 25 N/U: Ukraine Ministry of Internal Affairs T: Mi-8MT Crashed at around 1600hrs, after control appeared to have been lost shortly after take-off from Oleksandriia in the Kirovohrad Oblast, Ukraine. All five on board, comprising three crew and two technicians, were killed. Although there was no fire, the helicopter slid for 300-500ft (100-150m), coming to rest on its port side with the tail boom separated and cabin crushed. Dec 27 N/U: USAF/California ANG/ 144th FW/194th FS T: F-16C The aircraft was flying at between 12,000-15,000ft (3,6504,570m) when it suffered an in-flight emergency at 1535hrs, forcing the pilot to eject whilst flying over the remote and desolate Owens Valley, east of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The aircraft crashed into the Owens Lake bed, whilst the pilot came down safely in the Inyo National Forest, just south of Lone Pine, following which he was picked up and taken to a nearby military hospital for a check-up. D: Jan 2 N/U: Israeli Air Force T: F-16D The aircraft suffered a technical malfunction on approach to Ramat David Air Base and, after landing at high speed, the two crew ejected whilst the aircraft was still on the runway. Both crew members were said to be in good condition but were taken to hospital to be checked over. The aircraft was extensively damaged when it rolled over and caught fire before it came to a halt just beyond the end of the runway. Additional material from Juan Carlos Cicalesi and Scramble/ Dutch Aviation Society.

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

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NEWS DEPLOYMENTS & CONTRACTS

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

Last AC-130H Returns Home

RAAF AP-3Cs End Middle East Ops

Above: US Air Force Lockheed AC-130H Spectre gunship 69-6575 ‘Wicked Wanda’ from the 27th Special Operations Wing (SOW)/16th Special Operations Squadron (SOS) prepares for engine shutdown on the flightline at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, on December 20. The return of this gunship from deployment to an 'unspecified location' marked the first time in 12 years that the entire fleet has been home stateside. US Air Force/Senior Airman Alexxis Pons Abascal Left: A traditional water cannon salute is provided by the station fire brigade at RAAF Base Edinburgh, South Australia, when Royal Australian Air Force/92 Wing Lockheed AP-3C Orion A9-665 arrived back on November 29 after its detachment to Al Minhad Air Base, UAE (see news item). This was the final RAAF AP-3C to return home from the Middle East, ending almost a decade of operations with the type in the region. Commonwealth of Australia/LAC Brenton Kwaterski

Military Aircraft Deployments Date

Unit

Type

Location and Notes

November ??

Ethiopian AF

5 x Mi-35P

Returned home from UNAMID deployment in Darfur

November 25

Australian Army/TLAG

3 x S-70A-9

Returned home after final deployment to Timor-Leste

November 29

RAAF/92 Wing

1 x AP-3C

Returned from type’s final deployment to Al Minhad, UAE

December 1

US Navy/HSL-42

2 x MQ-8B

Returned from five-month det on USS Klakring

December 10

USAF/186th FS

3 x F-15C

Returned home from JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, after 2yr+ deployment

December 13

German Army/KHR-36

2 x Tiger ASGARD

Deployed to Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan. Two more to follow

December 20

USAF/16th SOS

1 x AC-130H

Last to return from overseas deployment

December 27

Rwandan AF

3 x Mi-17

Left for Juba, South Sudan, to support UNMISS

Number and Type

Contract Date

New Contract Award Summary Air Force

Company

Delivery Date and Notes

Royal Australian Air Force

Boeing

12 x EA-18G Growler

December 20

By March 2015

Belarus Air Force

Irkut Corporation

4 x Yak-130

December 18

2015

Royal Danish AF

Sikorsky

9 x MH-60R

December 6

2016-2018

Egyptian Air Force

Boeing

12? AH-64D

December 20

By June 30, 2014

Finnish Border Guard

Eurocopter

2 x AS332L1e

December 20

2015

Indian Air Force

Kazan Helicopters

71 x Mi-17V-5

December 24

Not announced

Indian Air Force

Sukhoi

42 x Su-30MKI

December 24

Not announced

Israeli Air Force

Elbit Systems

? x Hermes 900

December 31

By December 2015

Philippine Navy

AgustaWestland

3 x AW109E Power

December 20

Unknown

Royal Air Force of Oman

BAE Systems

12 x Typhoon

December 21

From 2017

Royal Air Force of Oman

BAE Systems

8 x Hawk AJT

December 21

From 2017

US Air Force

Lockheed Martin

22 x F-35A

December 14

By October 2014

US Air Force

Lockheed Martin

18 x F-35A

December 28

By February 2015

US Air Force

Bell-Boeing

4 x CV-22B Osprey

December 28

By September 2016

USMC

Lockheed Martin

3 x F-35B

December 14

By October 2014

USMC

Lockheed Martin

6 x F-35B

December 28

By February 2015

USMC

Bell-Boeing

17 x MV-22B Osprey

December 28

By September 2016

US Navy

Lockheed Martin

7 x F-35C

December 14

By October 2014

US Navy

Lockheed Martin

7 x F-35B

December 28

By February 2015

US Army

Boeing

1 x MH-47G

December 11

By October 31, 2015

US Navy

Boeing

15 x F/A-18E

November 30

By July 2015

US Navy

Boeing

2 x C-40A Clipper

December 20

By March 2015

US Navy

Boeing

12 x EA-18G Growler

December 20

By February 2015

#299 FEBRUARY 2013

35

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Farnborough Airshow 2012 DVD

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O N LY £ 1 1 . 9 9 F-16 Cockpit DVD

This superb DVD bundle pack features the best action from the last two RAF Waddington International Airshows. Featuring stunning displays from the Korean Black Eagles, USAF F-16 Thunderbirds display team, Eurofighter Typhoon, Tornado GR4 Role Demo and many more. This is the perfect way to re-live the 2011 and 2012 airshows! Combined running time: Over 4 hours. Region-Free DVDs.

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Night Stalkers DVD This is Night Stalkers - the amazing story of the Stealth aircraft that for nearly a decade held a secret trump card for America. Fly with the F-117A, the B-2 Stealth Bomber and the SR71 Blackbird and learn all about their incredible stealth systems. Region-free DVD. Running time: 60 minutes.

AirUtopia take you inside the F-16 Fighting Falcon of the Hellenic Air Force (HAF) – with sorties over the Aegean Sea, aerobatics and formation flying. HAF pilots guide you through every aspect of flying this legendary fighter aircraft with multiple camera angles and commentary offering a unique pilots-eye view. Region-free DVD. Running time: 60 minutes.

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Waddington Airshow DVD Bundle Pack

This superb DVD features the best action from the last Farnborough International Airshow. Featuring stunning displays from the likes of the F-22 Raptor, Airbus A380, Vulcan XH558, Boeing F-18A Super Hornet and many more. This is the perfect way to re-live the 2012 airshow! Running time: 120 mins. Region-Free DVD.

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Mirage 2000-5 Cockpit DVD Join AirUtopia in the cockpit of one of the world’s premier fighter aircraft flown by the Hellenic Air Force in the skies over the Aegean Sea. This superb DVD features spectacular formation flying, multiple camera angles and pilot commentary. Region-free DVD. Running time: 60 minutes.

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F-16 Mission Afghanistan DVD

KC-135R Cockpit DVD Fly in the cockpit with AirUtopia as they climb aboard the legendary Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker for an air to air refuelling exercise! The KC-135R is the USAF’s main tanker aircraft allowing American forces to reach any conflict, anytime. The highly trained 3-man crew offers their unique perspective of what it takes to complete a successful mission. Region-free DVD. Running time: 90 minutes.

Strap on your very own F-16 Fighting Falcon and experience the visual spectacle of the air war over Afghanistan! Witness the daily challenges that face the brave men and women (both in the air and on the ground) from training sorties in the USA to actual deployment and live operations in Afghanistan! Region-free DVD. Running time: 60 minutes.

A-7 Corsair II DVD Enjoy a rare and historic look into one of the most distinctive shapes in the sky - the A-7 Corsair II! Having entered service during the Vietnam War, this mighty warbird soldiers on in the capable and trustworthy hands of the airmen proudly serving Greece and the Hellenic Air Force. Includes commentary from real-life A7 pilots! Region-free DVD, Running time 60 minutes.

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A richly illustrated history of one of the most controversial British aircraft designs of all time whose cancellation still generates comment over 40 years after its abandonment. This book, for the first time, reveals the complete history of how Britain struggled to create a technological masterpiece at huge cost only to abandon the concept. 128 pages. Laminated hardback

Go where few have been before... on board the super carrier USS John F. Kennedy during the first wave of attacks during the Gulf War. AirUtopia cameras were the only ones there! You’ll feel like you’re on board as you watch this live action production with numerous unbelievable takeoffs and landings, both day and night. Witness the intensity and the afterburners! A must see for all military aviation fans! Region-free DVD. Running time: 70 minutes.

llustrated history of the formidable F-16, one of the world’s leading fighter-bombers. A multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force, the F-16 has been in service for an incredible 36 years, with no sign of retiring. 80 pages, softback.

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07/01/2013 14:49

Air Superiority 2013 Calendar

Flying Legends Calendar

Avro Vulcan Book

The Air Superiority 2013 sixteenmonth calendar features modern military aircraft from around the world, captured in flight by awardwinning photographer John M. Dibbs. Razor-sharp, unretouched air-to-air photography puts you in the sky with these contemporary combat aircraft—you can almost hear the roar of their jet engines as they fly past the photographer. Each calendar starts from September 2012.

A stunning pictorial tribute to an iconic British aircraft, with images from throughout its service career, celebrating the awesome Vulcan’s return to flight and the 25th anniversary of its historic Falklands missions.128 pages, Hardback.

The Flying Legends 2013 sixteen-month calendar features legendary World War II warbirds from around the world, captured in flight by award-winning photographer John M. Dibbs. Razor-sharp, un-retouched airto-air photography brings these old warbirds to life. The calendar starts from September 2012 so there’s no better time to buy your perfect accompaniment to the year ahead!

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Code: M136

O n ly £ 1 0 . 4 9 O n ly £ 1 0 . 4 9 O n ly £ 1 6 . 4 9 F-4 Phantom Vol.1 Book F-4 Phantom Vol.2 Book AirForces Monthly Binder Designed originally as a carrierborne interceptor armed only with missiles, its beginnings were so promising that the USAF adopted it as a tactical fighter ands was quickly followed by an impressive number of other air forces around the world which explains why certain examples are still in service today. This volume details US Navy and US Marine Corps versions of the aircraft. 80 pages, softback.

With more than 5000 examples built, some of them under license, the McDonnell F-4 Phantom is considered as one of the most characteristic fighters of the sixties and seventies. this second volume dedicated to the Phantom presents the versions providing the USAF and the Air Forces of several foreign countries including Israël, Japan, Western Germany and Egypt. 80 pages, softback.

Code: B372

Code: B373

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DEPLOYMENT REPORT FINLAND - UK

IV(R) Squadron Hawk T2s alongside two Hawk Mk66s from HävLLv 41.

Finland Four goes to

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Flt Lt Stefan Brown from the RAF’s IV(R) Squadron, based at RAF Valley in Anglesey, describes the unit’s first overseas foray

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N FRIDAY September 28, 2012, three Hawk T2 aircraft from IV(R) Squadron – along with supporting engineers, ops and medical staff – flew to the Finnish Air Force Base (AFB) at Kauhava to take part in Exercise Kauhava 2012. It was a joint BritishFinnish exercise to showcase the Hawk T2 (see Four to the Fore, AFM December 2012) as a potential replacement for the ageing Finnish Hawk training aircraft and to compare flying training systems. The unit was hosted by 41 Squadron (HävLLv 41), Finnish Air Force (FinAF), Finland’s flying training unit equivalent of IV(R) Squadron, which operates old Hawk Mk51s (similar to the RAF Hawk T1). It also has some recently acquired ex-Swiss Air Force Mk66s, externally similar to a Hawk T1 but with a host of upgraded avionics including digital instruments and a large colour multi-function display (MFD) with moving map and IN/GPS (see Training to the Finnish, AFM November 2012). Additionally, the Mk66 has an uprated engine and weighs 700kg (1,543lbs) less than a T1, so has a sparkling performance, which made for interesting Dissimilar Air Combat Training (DACT) with the Hawk T2, which is significantly heavier. At Kauhava, 41 Squadron takes all Finnish ab initio pilots on Phase 3 and 4 training –the students come straight from the Valmet Vinka (a small propellerdriven aircraft similar in size to the RAF’s Grob Tutor) and they have no Tucano equivalent as an interim step, so the jump in aircraft performance is significant. Phase 3 training is conversion flying, similar to that on A Flight of IV(R) Squadron.

Above: Hawk T2 ZK018 formates with F-18C HN-457 from HävLLv 31, based at Kuopio/Rissala AFB. All images Crown copyright/IV(R) Squadron

Phase 4 takes students through the tactics and weapons phase, similar to training just started within B Flight. Phase 4 is designed to give students skills to operate the McDonnell Douglas F-18C on the front line and undertake the air defence role as part of the country’s Quick Reaction Alert (QRA). The jump from the Hawk to the F-18C is also significant, and is similar to the problem the RAF identified many years ago, which resulted in the Hawk T2 being procured. The FinAF is interested in how the RAF is adapting its training system and ‘downloading’ training from the front line to save time and money, as well as better preparing students for front line operations.

In the air

Flying undertaken in Finland was a mixture of familiarisation (‘famil’) flying, DACT and large combined air operations (COMAO) towards the end of the week. IV(R) Squadron was also tasked

The detachment team at Kauhava.

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to fly a number of passengers to ‘show off’ the capabilities of the Hawk T2, which are new to the RAF. The DACT was to be onev-one with the Mk66s and some two-v-one with F-18Cs (on which most of their instructors are dual qualified, flying approximately 30 to 40 hours a year on the type). It was a good opportunity to test the capabilities of the T2 and also useful to validate B Flight’s newly-devised tactics against capable front line fighters. The results were mixed; in the one-v-one arena the T2 is outperformed by the Mk66, but it shone in the two-v-one phase, particularly against the F-18C. During the detachment IV(R) Squadron also flew with a number of Finnish instructor passengers during basic radar sorties to show them, via the MFDs, how the squadron plans to use the datalink and synthetic radar capabilities of the T2 to teach basic and advanced radar techniques. The Finnish instructors were very impressed

with the functionality and reliability of the aircraft systems and the speed IV(R) Squadron’s syllabus has matured. It is clear the Finnish training system is very mature, focused towards air defence, and the students’ level of ability at the end is slightly higher than that of the RAF and Royal Navy students who used to graduate from 19(R) Squadron on the Hawk T1 before the end of 2011. However, this is mainly due to the students spending two years at Kauhava, where they fly more than double the number of flying hours of UK students and concentrate on only one discipline (air defence). The Hawk T2 is changing this for the RAF and RN as IV(R) Squadron is able to train students in more disciplines, in fewer hours (due to the synthetics of the simulators), and download a lot of the training from the front line, allowing the Operational Conversion Units to concentrate on advanced tactics. Finland is a great place and 41 Sqn hosted us with great hospitality and enthusiasm. As the first foreign detachment of the T2 and IV(R) Squadron, it was also good to see all parties – Babcock, BAE Systems and the RAF/RN – working together to get the aircraft and ground equipment out to Finland and operating successfully from a foreign base without the usual luxuries and base support. Only one sortie was lost in five days of flying, testament to the professionalism of the engineers and support staff. We left a foggy Finland ten days after arriving, hoping that this will become a regular exchange and we may see Finnish Hawks arriving at afm RAF Valley one day.

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RN COMMANDO HELICOPTER FORCE

Fight easy Training hard to

Lewis Gaylard visited the Royal Navy’s Commando Helicopter Force, based at RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset

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HE COMMANDO Helicopter Force (CHF) based at RN Air Station (RNAS) Yeovilton in Somerset currently comprises four Naval Air Squadrons (NAS), a Combat Service Support Squadron as well as the Command Headquarters. Nos 845, 846 and 848 NASs currently operate the venerable Westland Sea King MK4, while 847 NAS operates the Mk9A version of the Westland Lynx.

RFTG

Over the past year the CHF squadrons have been extremely busy around the world with various commitments, both in the front line and on training exercises. Towards the end of 2012 they took part in the large-scale Cougar 12 Response Force Task Group (RFTG) deployment, which involved joint operations alongside the French Navy. Work-up started with an initial phase off the coast of Cornwall and in Plymouth Sound, working closely with the Sea King ASaC7 ‘Baggers’ of 854 NAS and the Royal Marines. The RFTG was headed by the Royal Navy’s Flagship HMS Bulwark and included the Helicopter Carrier HMS Illustrious with more than 3,000 sailors, Royal Marines, soldiers and airmen. They worked four warships, one amphibious support ship, a transport ship, three commando units and helicopters. Personnel from eight Fleet Air Arm (FAA), RAF and Army Air Corps (AAC) squadrons were committed to the three-month deployment. With the initial phase in the UK complete the RFTG set sail for the Mediterranean where Sea Kings from 845 and 846 NASs would provide the troop lift 40

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and under-slung load capability throughout the deployment. CHF operated as part of a Tailored Air Group (TAG) alongside AAC Apache AH1s of 656 Squadron, a Sea King ASaC7 of 854 NAS and Merlin HM1s from 814 NAS, RNAS Culdrose.

‘Pirates off the Barbary Coast’

Exercise ‘Corsican Lion’, held between October 18 and 26 last year, was a joint amphibious operation between the UK RFTG and French Naval Forces and

Marines from the 2nd Marine Infantry Regiment. This joint exercise took place off the coast of Corsica, which for the duration had been re-named ‘Barbary Coast’, and would see Sea Kings of the CHF deploy Royal Marines alongside their French counterparts as part of the newly formed Combined Joint Expeditionary Force (CJEF). This exercise was the first time that the UK and French elements of CJEF had been tested in a major naval exercise. The French Carrier battle group was headed by

Above: A CHF Sea King about to land on the back of RFA Mounts Bay during Exercise Corsican Lion. Crown copyright/ LA(Phot) Joel Rouse

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Above: Sea King HC4+ ZE427 from 845 NAS lands during Exercise Albanian Lion. Crown copyright/LA(Phot)

Joel Rouse

the nuclear powered FS Charles De Gaulle, which embarked nearly 40 fixed-wing aircraft including Dassault Rafale Ms and Dassault-Breguet Super Étendards. With the future in mind, this was a first opportunity for the CHF pilots from HMS Illustrious to get a feel for operating from a large aircraft carrier in readiness for when the UK’s Queen Elizabeth class carriers enter service, as Sea King pilot Lt Will Orme commented: “It’s an awesome size ship; it’s like a small airfield at sea. Flying onto her between the waves of fixed wing taking off and landing is pretty tight – it’s an insight for our future carrier operations.” Corporal Mark Haffenden, a commando aircrewman, said: “Trooping drills with the French Marines is the same as with our Royal Marines. They have some different ways of operating and everyone is interested in [each other’s] kit. We’ve flown around the exercise area and they have the same tactics as 3 Commando Brigade.”

‘Albanian Lion’

Having previously spent more than a decade operating in the area, 845 NAS, along with the other elements of the RFTG, returned to the Adriatic Sea last November. They had previously been based at the Croatian seaport of Split while supporting the NATO-led operations in Bosnia and the former Yugoslavia. However, this time it was to take part in Exercise 'Albanian Lion', where the ‘Junglies’ would be supporting 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines. Colour Sergeant Pete Wooldridge, who had previously seen action in the area, said: “It’s a little strange coming back to the Adriatic after all these years. The squadron was based at Split for quite a while. This exercise is proving its worth for all involved – working with the Commando Brigade and the Royal Marines and getting back to doing what we are trained to do – amphibious ops – is fantastic.” With the focus firmly on its core role as an amphibious force, the Sea Kings of CHF transported the marines inland from its naval platforms onto steep, rocky hillsides and other treacherous landing sites. www.airforcesdaily.com

Above: A Lynx AH9A prepares to take off from NAF El Centro, California. Crown Copyright / PO (Phot) Max Merrill

Along with the core role of flying heavily equipped Royal Marines ashore, there were other areas where the Sea Kings were used. Heavy artillery was provided by 29 Commando Royal Artillery with its highly effective L118 105mm Howitzer. The Junglie Sea Kings made light work of transporting the heavy guns from ship to shore, despite the underslung loads taking the helicopters very close to their maximum flying weight and testing the skills of the aircrew to their fullest. A vital component of the exercise was operations carried out by CHF’s Commando Mobile Air Operating Teams (Cdo MAOT). Days before the main units arrive they are inserted into the chosen landing area and secure it, making sure it is safe for friendly forces before ‘boots hit the ground’. Cdo MAOT also provides expert help to the aircrew and gunners to ensure that the

105mm Howitzers are correctly rigged for flying. Petty Officer Aaron ‘Monty’ Byrne of the Cdo MAOT Team, said: “There’s a lot to think about when choosing a landing site and load lifting with helicopters. Not only thinking about the safety of the troops and the aircrew, there is also a very heavy artillery gun dangling below the aircraft. Getting the job done safely and efficiently is our main objective.” Although the two-week exercise was an extreme test of personnel and aircraft, it was a good opportunity to bring together the amphibious and air components to hone their skills for any future need for a sea-borne assault. “CHF has delivered results in an impressive style, which can only come from working closely with the Royal Marines and their supporting arms,” said Lt Nathan ‘Tac’ Dale of the Joint Helicopter Force Contingency Headquarters.

Above: The first all-RN crew began training on the RAF Merlin HC3 in August and graduated on November 16. They will form the first cadre of instructors at RNAS Yeovilton. Crown copyright/MoD Left: Cpl Rob Hughes operates a 12.7mm Browning M3M machine gun fitted to a Lynx AH9A during a gunnery shoot on the ranges surrounding NAF El Centro. Crown copyright/PO(Phot) Mez Merrill

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RN COMMANDO HELICOPTER FORCE “Off-loading 45 Commando RM, the lead Commando Group, and sustaining all the moving pieces needed to keep a fighting brigade in the battle is a complex evolution, but our training and experience has contributed much to the success of this exercise.”

847 NAS goes West

While Cougar 12 was in full swing, another squadron from the CHF headed for the United States of America. Prior to its deployment to Afghanistan this January, this would be 847 NAS’s third deployment in four years. Under the command of Lt Colonel Nick Venn RM, the unit deployed to the US Naval Air Facility at El Centro in California for Exercise 'Lynx Vortex'. Over recent months the squadron has converted from the Lynx AH7 to the AH9A fitted with new CTS800-4N engines, as fitted to the AW159 Lynx Wildcat; they have transformed the performance of the Lynx, which is now able to fly all year round in extreme temperatures. The AH9A is fitted with the M3M machine gun, a 0.5inch calibre weapon capable of firing more than 850 rounds a minute. These upgrades, along with the addition of the WESCAM MX-15 electro-optic/infrared (EO/IR) sensor turret, have significantly improved the capabilities of this fine aircraft. On arrival to El Centro 847 NAS underwent the

Above: A Royal Navy Sea King drops an artillery gun to 29 Commando during Exercise Albanian Lion. Crown copyright/LA(Phot) Joel Rouse

mandatory 48-hour acclimatisation period, predeployment training (PDT) and mission specific training (MST). Once completed, the air and ground crew set about familiarising themselves with the harsh and extreme desert environment that this area of California provides. While there, 847 NAS supported the ‘Americans helping Americans’ programme set up by the Feed the Children Charity – this involved the squadron distributing food and hygiene parcels, consisting of a 25lb (11kg) box of

Above: Training on the Sea King HC4 will continue at RNAS Yeovilton until 2014, after which all aircrew will have converted to the Merlin. Lewis Gaylard Below: An 847 NAS Lynx AH9A training over the desert at the US Naval Air Facility El Centro, California. Recirculating sand is similar to that experienced in Afghanistan. Crown copyright/PO(Phot) Mez Merrill

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food and a 10lb (4.5kg) box of personal items to over 400 pre-identified families in California's Imperial Valley area. Lt Keith Adams RN said of this effort: “It was a privilege to be able to provide a helping hand with such a worthwhile charity and it was a real eyeopener to see how many people were in need of these charitable donations.” As AFM went to press, 847 NAS had deployed to Afghanistan for its latest tour of duty, set to last until June.

At home

While the front line squadrons are away, 848 NAS, the training squadron, has carried on the job of bringing the next group of air and ground crews up to the standard required of a front line Junglie. The squadron, when boosted by personnel under training, is one of the largest in the Royal Navy and has a complement of 170 personnel. During the course of an average year it will train up to 50 pilots and aircrew. Alongside this the squadron will also train more than 150 ground crew in various trades. Although elements of 845 and 846 NASs operate successfully in Afghanistan, 848 continues to train

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all future front line personnel in maritime and land environments. One recent deployment saw 848 NAS detach to Okehampton Camp in Dartmoor for a week of very wet and inhospitable training, quite a stark change from the hangars at Yeovilton. Setting up a main operating base (MOB) on the wide open spaces of Dartmoor allowed air and ground crew to introduce new trainees to the rigours of operating in a stressful environment. The majority of the trainees had not experienced this type of ‘unfriendly’ area in which they were expected to operate their aircraft. Now operating from a forward operating base (FOB), the trainees would also be under the guidance of the Royal Marines from CHF who would instruct in field skills and Above: Royal Navy Lynx Mk9As from 847 NAS being loaded onto an Antonov An-124 on November 17 for transportation back to the UK from the USA. The squadron conducted pre-deployment training and mission specific training at the Naval Air Facility El Centro USA in preparation for future deployments. Crown copyright/PO(Phot) Mez Merrill

Left: Three CHF Sea Kings recover to the deck of HMS Illustrious during pre-Cougar 12 trials. Crown Copyright/PO(Phot) Ray Jones

how to defend the FOB should it come under enemy attack. Post-crash management is now a vital part of training since a CHF Sea King in Afghanistan was hit by a Taliban-fired rocket propelled grenade (RPG). The aircraft, which had crash landed in a Taliban controlled area, was assessed as repairable and had to be stripped of most of its heavy components prior to being airlifted back to Camp Bastion. With Exercise 'Clockwork' in Norway under way in January and Exercise 'Joint Warrior' to follow in April, the future of CHF afm looks busy.

The future is bright – the future is Merlin WITH THE retirement of the Sea King HC4 set for 2016, CHF has already started the long transition phase to the Merlin HC4. The final Sea King pilots will graduate in December 2013 with ground crew training completed in 2014/2015. The year 2016 will see the end of the Sea King’s 37 year association with the Junglie squadrons that goes back to the end of 1979 when 846 NAS received its first aircraft. Looking to the future, the first complete Royal Navy Merlin Commando aircrew graduated at RAF Benson in Oxfordshire on November 16 last year, with the second course having started the previous month. Currently there are more than 100 Royal Navy personnel undergoing conversion training at RAF Benson. Understandably, plans for the move of its Merlin fleet to FAA service were initially met with some resistance from the RAF. However, it is pleasing to hear that these objections have ceased and both sets of personnel

are getting on well. Cdr Matt Grindon, Head of the Merlin Transition Team (MTT), commented: “The RAF is fully supportive of this transitional phase and is working closely with Joint Helicopter Command (JHC) to implement the plan, which remains fully on track. All the crews and maintainers are getting on well at Benson and have been made to feel thoroughly welcome.” With roles the Merlin will be expected to undertake, there are some vital modifications needed if it is to perform as a Junglie. Some quite straightforward changes include tie-down points for flight deck operations, an I-Band transponder, which will give navigational assistance outside the range of ships’ radar, extra lighting in the cabin for ease of access to troops at night, to name a few. However, the most vital modification needed is a folding mechanism for the main and tail rotors. Without them they cannot use the current aircraft hangar lifts

onboard HMS Illustrious and hangar the aircraft in the new Queen Elizabeth class carriers. A date for delivery of the first aircraft to AgustaWestland has yet to be finalised, but is expected in 2014. The first of 25 ex-RAF Merlins is anticipated to enter Royal Navy service with 846 NAS in 2015 (an interim upgraded Merlin HC3) with the second squadron, 845 NAS, receiving its first aircraft in 2016. The first fully-converted Merlin HC4 is not expected at Yeovilton until 2017. It is currently planned that only two FAA squadrons, 845 and 846, will operate the Merlin, of which one will be a fully front line squadron while the other will have a dual-role of training and front line operations. At this stage it is not known which will be which. As the CHF prepares to say ‘thank you and goodbye’ to a faithful servant in the Westland Sea King HC4, it is with much expectation that they look forward to welcoming the newest member of the Junglie family.

An RAF Merlin HC3 with a full RN crew at the controls during training at RNAS Yeovilton. Lewis Gaylard

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QF-4 PHANTOM

The end is nigh for the much-loved F-4 Phantom II in the US military but, as Gary Wetzel explains, the old jet is still performing an important function for the US Air Force

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HE UNITED States Air Force has used retired frontline fighter jets as full-scale aerial targets (FSATs) for a long time: F-86 Sabres, F-100 Super Sabres, QF-106 Delta Darts and, since 1997, the QF-4 Phantom. Having been removed from frontline service with the USAF in 1996 when the last F-4G Wild Weasels were retired, the Phantom was chosen to replace the QF-106 – and after the delivery of the 318th and final QF-4 to the USAF in January 2013, production will shift to the QF-16, the next FSAT airframe. With 5,195 airframes built, the legendary McDonnell Douglas fighter still remains active in the air arms of several nations. The Phantom was the first jet to serve concurrently with US Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps and, by acting as a target, is still serving all three services to ensure future American fighter pilots

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go to war with the most accurate and lethal air-to-air missiles the country can produce.

Becoming the QF-4

The process of converting a retired F-4 into a QF-4 takes nearly seven months and costs over two million dollars to complete. The first step is to remove a selected airframe from long-term storage at the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG) at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona. Once the F-4 is returned to flying status it’s flown to Mojave, California, where BAE Systems will convert it into a QF-4, installing the ‘drone peculiar equipment’ (DPE) that converts the jet into a remotely-controlled FSAT. The conversion includes telemetry monitoring equipment and remote flight controls, including throttles, flaps,

landing gear, steering, brakes (including the braking parachute) and even the tail-hook. Also fitted is a vector Doppler scorer system (VDOPS) which is the QF-4’s missile scoring system, transponder, second autopilot and navigation aids. Once the Phantom is returned to the air force the airframe undergoes a systems acceptance flight evaluation (SAFE) flight. A successful such flight is mandatory for the jet to be received for use as a drone aircraft. Depending on service life remaining on the airframe, the ‘new’ QF-4 will be categorised as ‘unrestricted’, where the jets are flown by an onboard pilot to support the FSAT mission; or ‘restricted’, where it will be used as an unmanned target aircraft, with all life support equipment removed, and flown by pilots who are safely on the ground. Such remotely-piloted QF-4s are designated ‘NULLO’ (not under live local operator); and while they are intended to be re-usable, the Phantoms do not always make it back to base. www.airforcesmonthly.com

Both images: QF-4E 72-1490/TD (TD - Tyndall Det) and stablemate 74-1627/HD are painted in South-East Asia colour schemes for their roles as display aircraft with the Heritage Flight. The Vietnam-era-painted Phantoms have become firm favourites at airshows throughout the US. All images by Gary Wetzel unless stated

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QF-4 PHANTOM

Det 1

Located at Holloman AFB in south-western New Mexico is Detachment 1, 82nd Aerial Targets Squadron (ATRS). The unit is responsible for half of the USAF’s QF-4 operations and is a detachment of the 82nd ATRS based at Tyndall AFB, Florida, the ‘other half’ of the FSAT assets. At Holloman, Det 1 is responsible for the overland portion of the FSAT programme, conducting the majority of its operations over the adjacent White Sands Missile Range, or WSMR. Tyndall’s flights are conducted over the Gulf of Mexico. WSMR is the largest military installation in the United States, spread over 3,200 square miles (8,288km2). It is home to the Trinity site, where the world’s first atomic weapon was exploded in July 1945. The highlyinstrumented range is used to test the latest versions of surface-to-air and air-to-air weaponry as well as air-to-ground ordnance. By any standards, the military footprint of Det 1 is minuscule. Four air force personnel (two pilots and two enlisted airmen) comprise the military commitment. During AFM’s visit, only one pilot was assigned: the commanding officer, Lt Col Patrick ‘Ichi’ Karg. Six civilians are also part of Det 1, three of whom are QF-4 pilots; aircraft maintenance is performed by Defense Support Services (DS2), a civilian contractor. Det 1 has ramp space for 35 QF-4Es at Holloman, and when AFM visited 30 of those slots were full. The QF-4s belonging to Det 1 are categorised in three ways: unrestricted manned flyers, NULLO jets or pure

Above: This view of the Holloman ramp shows QF-4s wearing the usual colour scheme for FSATs. The jets sport the faded grey camouflage worn when they were retired to AMARG and the fluorescent panels added to make them more conspicuous.

“During Vietnam, the air force had a lot of missile failures. To prevent that happening again on that scale, WSEP was created”

drones. Some jets are kept in long-term storage, in near-mothballed state and only receive minimal attention until such time they are needed for missions; then they are resurrected to flight status. For the QF-4 FSAT at Holloman the mission is fivefold. The primary task is to provide full-scale targets to Department of Defense (DoD) and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) projects and can include supporting programmes such as F-22, AMRAAM, AIM-9X, Patriot and Stinger. A major element of this mission is supporting WSEP, or Weapons System Evaluation Programs. Lt Col Karg explained: “During Vietnam, the air force had a lot of missile failures. To prevent that happening again on that scale, WSEP was created – and, along with it, Combat Archer and Combat Hammer. In doing these evaluations, what are tested are the man, machine and ammunition. We make sure the maintainers can get the jets ready to go that have come to Holloman for the WSEP, make sure the pilots know how to pre-flight and take-off with the weapons being tested and how to effectively deliver the ordnance.” Combat Archer is the air-to-air WSEP and Combat Hammer the air-to-ground WSEP; both missions are

Above: The featureless wastes of the New Mexico desert are perfect for missile testing. Below: The second jet in this line-up of grey-painted QF-4s at Tyndall AFB, Florida, in September 2006 is 74-1627, before it was selected for service with the Heritage Flight. It was retired to Davis-Monthan AFB by its last operator, the 704th Tactical Fighter Squadron, at Bergstrom AFB, Texas, on April 8, 1991. Key collection

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Above: Twenty grey-painted jets and three South East Asia-scheme Phantoms grace the ramp with even more of the type in the hangar.

conducted at Holloman and WSMR. Additionally, Combat Sword is an event during WSEP where the aircraft either delivers air-to-ground ordnance and fires an air-to-air missile, or vice versa, on the same sortie. Data collected from Combat Archer, Hammer and Sword exercises are briefed annually to the Chief of Staff, and the Secretary, of the Air Force, presenting evidence of how the weapons are performing. The majority of QF-4 flights from Holloman are manned, but NULLO flights are not only flown when the QF-4 is the target of a missile – in January 2008, an air-to-surface missile was fired from a NULLO QF-4. That firing, the first from a FSAT, was on a mission in support of the higher-speed anti-radiation demonstration (HSAD) project, which combines the seeker from the AGM-88E advanced anti-radiation guided missile and a ramjet motor. The ability to employ ordnance from the QF-4 opened the door for new ways to test weapons. Lt Col Karg explained the other missions fulfilled by the QF-4s of Det 1: “We also do manned test support, where we go out and fly missions for, perhaps, Patriot testing over White Sands. That usually involves the evaluation of new software or such – and with us flying target for them, they are able to determine how the radar is tracking. As well, we provide support to the Japanese Hawk and Chu-SAM systems based at Ft Bliss. They will bring in their own operators for evaluations and instruction, and we head down to the McGregor Range near Ft Bliss to fly different patterns for them. www.airforcesdaily.com

“Something new for us here at Holloman is Combat Banner, which is what we call our towing a 40ft (12.2m) banner 2,000ft (610m) behind the Phantom so the F-22s can shoot their gun at us. Also, as far as the F-22s are concerned, we provide adversary support a few times a week. We are not doing air combat, but we do maintain the currency in the F-4 for air combat manoeuvring. When we fly our proficiency sorties, we save some gas at the end of the mission and help the [co-located] 49th FW and their

F-22 pilots train. It is a win-win for everybody and we get another chance to support the USAF mission as much as possible. “The last thing we do is support Air Combat Command and the Heritage flight programme. We are allowed to support six airshows during the year, and in support of that mission we fly somewhere in the range of 40 to 50 flights a year, either training for qualification, travelling to the show or flying at the show itself.”

In their element.

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ARTICLE QF-4 PHANTOM TITLE

‘Major Million Miracles’

The sole reason for having the QF-4 is to have an FSAT that can simulate a targeted aircraft, allowing the US military to measure the effectiveness of its air-to-air and surface-to-air missiles. The process of executing a NULLO launch is a work of perfection; safety is paramount. “We call it the Major Million Miracles,” explained Jim ‘WAM’ Harkins Jr, one of the three civilian QF-4 pilots at Holloman. He is a retired USAF Lt Col who flew A-10s in Europe, was an exchange pilot flying SEPECAT Jaguars with the RAF and was the first American combat-ready pilot in the type. He finished his active military flying career on the Lockheed Martin F-16 Viper. “When we go unmanned we invest at least an additional three hours in our preparation. The unmanned QF-4 has to be perfect; nothing can fail, unlike the manned flights where we would take more risks and a less perfect airplane.” Drone launches at Holloman almost always take place early in the morning, primarily to ensure safety and to avoid any issues with impacting traffic on Route 70, which is the main road between Alamogordo (where Holloman AFB is located) and Las Cruces, New Mexico, to the west and Dune Drive within the White Sands National Monument. The tourist track is right below the flight path of the QF-4s when they are outbound from, or returning to, Runway 22 at Holloman.

Above: Life with the Heritage Flight is a little less dangerous than that of the run-of-the-mill drones; this jet has been assigned to the flight since early 2005.

For an 0700hrs launch, the work begins at 0100hrs when the maintainers show up to service the aircraft and begin systems checks. Once they’re satisfied, the jet is towed out from the ramp to Taxiway Echo where it’s prepared for the next step in the launch preparation cycle. Approximately four hours before the launch time (‘T minus 4’), the mission commander (MC) and the two drone controllers, X-Ray and Yankee, make the hourlong drive to the drone formation control system (DFCS) at WSMR. DFCS is where primary control of the entire mission is carried out from, although there is a back-up control element in the form of the ‘Bread Van’, a yellow vehicle on station at Holloman in case

control cannot be achieved at DFCS. Lt Col Karg: “We normally prep two or three QF-4s to ensure we will have a good drone. These tests that come to us are multi-million dollar events so we want to make sure that, even if we are delayed a little by the primary drone not working, we can launch a spare one. As the MC at WSMR, we’re making sure all the controls and communications with the drone are working. We start the engines from four miles away and very importantly we make sure the FTS (flight termination system) is working. We check the datalinks, the antennas and we work up until ‘T minus 1’ when we stop [engines] to prep the drone back at Holloman for flight. “Safety is paramount. During launch and recovery in the Bread Van, the launch control destruct officer has authority to blow the drone up, as he has visual sight of the jet. After that, between Holloman and WSMR, the MC will have the authority to detonate the drone; however, once on the range, missile flight

Above: Legendary pilot Col Robin Olds’ jet, F-4C 64-0829 ‘SCAT XXVII’ is commemorated in the paintwork of QF-4E 72-0162 (rear). Col Olds scored two of his four MiG-21 kills while commanding the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing ‘Wolfpack’ in Vietnam. He died on June 14, 2007. Below: Immaculate-looking QF-4E 74-1652 was subsequently painted in the South East Asia scheme for use by the Heritage Flight. In the 1970s it flew with the 86th Tactical Fighter Wing from Ramstein AB, West Germany, before moving to Spangdahlem where it served with the 81st Tactical fighter Squadron. Retired to Davis-Monthan AFB on June 25, 1991, it survives at Holloman.

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safety (MFS) assumes that control. We each have a separate device to destroy the jet – we just need to coordinate who has authority to initiate destruction. Our biggest concern when making this decision is ensuring no other airplanes are nearby and that wreckage will fall where it will not hit anything.” The punch to self-destruct the QF-4 comes from a strategically placed AIM-9 Sidewinder warhead. When the jet is sent up as a NULLO, the warhead is inserted in the compartment where the oxygen bottle for the crew is kept in a normal aircraft and connected to the FTS system. The MC, MFS and the launch control destruct officer can terminate the FSAT if it becomes unresponsive or receives so much damage that it cannot be safely landed back at Holloman. As an added safety feature, the QF-4 is only authorised to fly over the instrumented ranges of WSMR. The jet’s controllers receive critical positional information from the six WSMR antennas situated around the range. At ‘T minus 10 minutes’, the countdown is frozen to allow the jet’s self-destruct mechanism to be armed, and another round of checks is completed to ensure the QF-4 is working properly. When systems checks are complete, the aircraft is ready for launch and the controllers at DFCS at WSMR begin the take-off roll. “During take-off, actual flying of the drone and landing,” explained Lt Col Karg, “we have one controller in charge. That controller is called the X-Ray, and they are the primary drone controller. They have a series of panels in front of them showing the flight information coming from the jet. This is all done at WSMR, and the X-Ray is running the whole operation and running through the checklists. During these missions, the Yankee controller is there as well – he is another certified controller and will

Above: Trailing its drogue ’chute, 72-1490 rolls to a stop on Holloman’s ramp. In the 1980s the jet served with the 480th Tactical Fighter Squadron from Spangdahlem AB, West Germany. It last flew with the 704th Tactical Fighter Squadron, at Bergstrom AFB, Texas before being retired to Davis-Monthan AFB on June 27, 1991.

watch the X-Ray to make sure nothing is missed or overlooked. We use cross-check and redundancy to make sure everything is safe with the drone flight.” Despite extensive planning and preparation, even the most straightforward test can produce surprising turns as Jim Harkins explains: “We call it the ‘fog of test’. Changes can happen quickly, especially when the customer who has decided not to shoot the drone down changes their mind and decides to shoot the drone down. The customer may want to see how the warhead does against the drone, how the warhead explodes and what

damage it causes. Or, they want to get multiple shots to read the telemetry. There are always different test objectives. And then there are the unintended impacts which can cause a drone to crash. Each customer has to obtain a ‘Kill Authorisation’ for any of our drones, even if they do not intend to shoot one down: so every time one of our drones is launched, the customer has to accept the risk of destroying it. We plan for the worst and hope for the best. If the drone gets used again, that’s great. But if it’s shot down, then there’s just one less drone afm in the fleet.”

Phabulous Phantoms Phorever For the Phantom, there is no light at the end of the tunnel. After 50 years of service with many air forces around the world, the end for the F-4 is drawing closer. Still, flying the Phantom, especially at this point in the aircraft’s career, is rewarding. For Lt Col Karg, this is his second time flying F-4s despite being a F-15C Eagle pilot. His first opportunity came with the 20th FS ‘Silver Lobos’ and the German Air Force flying the F-4F, also at Holloman AFB. For Jim Harkins, flying the QF-4 was his first chance to fly the Phantom: “For me as a civilian, I have died and gone to heaven,” he said. “When I first drove out here for the interview and saw 34 Phantom tails on the ramp, I was excited to say the least. It’s a fun job… most of the time. The non-fun part is when you’re in the airplane and you’re not flying it.” For those flights, the thrill of flying the Phantom as part of Det 1 can definitely lack the lustre flying a F-4 would normally have. As safety pilots they are merely along for the ride and the jet is being controlled from WSMR, 40 miles from Holloman, by another qualified QF-4 pilot or controller. “Those flights, from take-off to landing, are purely to train the controllers and provide them feedback on how they are doing without flying the drone unmanned,” Jim Harkins explained. “Being the safety pilot sucks; when I am the controller, I am flying that guy in my little rocking seat, and there’s a dude in that jet all white-knuckled, waiting for something to go wrong, whether the airplane screws up or I screw up. That’s the non-glamorous part of our

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job where we earn our money. If something goes wrong with the jet while I am controlling it, the pilot in the airplane or a pilot flying chase will be the first person to tell me something is wrong. The safety pilot will feel it in his butt and see it with his eyes before I see the problem on my two flat panels, trying to keep situational awareness in 3D in a 2D environment.” Lt Col Karg agrees about being the safety pilot: “It definitely is a gut-check as you balance giving the controller their training and you staying alive. You never really get used to it.” Aside from being the safety pilot, flying the QF-4 and being one of the last group to do so is a huge honour. “Even though sometimes I have to be the safety pilot,” said Jim Harkins, “I still get to fly a USAF-owned and maintained F-4 fighter as a civilian. There are only three of us here. In

the F-16 where I came from, the Viper would keep me in check, not allowing me to overfly the airplane. In the F-4 it is possible to fly it out of its envelope, to become out of control. The Phantom is an airplane that you have to fly – those are rare these days.” “This is the second time flying Phantoms for me and you can compare the F-4 to an old muscle car,” Lt Col Karg said. “I love flying it. Our maintainers here at Det 1 are fantastic – we are flying late 1960s and early 1970s airplanes and I can count on one hand the number of times we have had broken jets here. Everything we do here, all the test and evaluation, is in direct support of the war-fighter and current efforts. Compared to the F-15 or F-16, which are so easy to fly, the F-4 is an airplane you have to fly: a real airplane with a real feel. The F-4 is an absolute pleasure.”

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ARTICLE RAF 100 TITLE SQN

95 to ‘The Ton’

The Boss of 100 Squadron, the largest operational jet squadron in the Royal Air Force, talks to AFM's Editor, Gary Parsons

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ASED AT RAF Leeming in North Yorkshire, 100 Squadron performs a diverse range of tasks supporting training of UK armed forces. It has adapted and evolved to meet the everchanging nature of modern warfare and has never been busier. Equipped with the Hawker Siddeley (now BAE Systems) Hawk T1, it is a unit that rarely hits the headlines, but without which operations overseas would be much tougher for British forces and their international allies. The squadron formed at Hingham in Norfolk on February 23, 1917 and celebrated its 95th anniversary in 2012 by painting two of its Hawk T1s in wartime camouflage to represent its Avro Lancaster bomber flying era. Today, its commanding officer is the ebullient Wing Commander Christian Gleave, a former Red Arrows team member and Harrier pilot. “The ‘core’ of 100 Squadron’s capability is my A and B flight pilots – they provide a responsive and agile aggressor force all over Europe,” he said. The squadron is large, reflecting the diversity and rapid

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tempo of tasks it performs. He has 18 Hawks at his disposal; “While the aircraft fleet and officer corps on 100 Squadron is nearly double the size of a front line RAF squadron, the engineers are all civilian, so the reporting responsibilities and management burden is less when you compare it with a Typhoon unit’s in-service engineers,” he added. Babcock Aerospace acts as a sub-contractor to BAE Systems and is mandated to provide eight aeroplanes, three times a day. “Babcock has surpassed our expectations and at RAF Leeming has excelled in the last two years,” said Wg Cdr Gleave. “The relationship is healthy and the engineers’ allegiance to the squadron so effective that they have often provided up to ten aircraft during a ‘surge’ period or when we are committed to more than one detachment.”

Raison d’être

“The primary role of 100 Squadron is to act as an aggressor force to the RAF’s indigenous air assets, specifically the Typhoon OCU and front line, Tornado and the helicopter force,” explained Wg Cdr

Gleave. “However, h av i n g m o n i t o re d t h e shift in emphasis of our tasking during the recent period of overseas operations, the ‘pie chart’ showing how our flying is apportioned has changed. The way the squadron has morphed is testament to how adaptable the RAF has become. “In rough terms we break our task down into six main categories: attack, aggressor, major exercise, trials, close air support [CAS] and domestic training, but we also include engagement and influence, when we’re flying external agencies. In 2011 we had a target of 4,501 hours - we were grounded in December for nearly a month due to the tragic incident at RAF Scampton, so we lost nearly three and a half weeks of flying, but still managed to exceed our target and flew 4,526 hours by the www.airforcesmonthly.com

’

The two ‘camo’ Hawks from 100 Squadron formated with the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Lancaster in June 2012. At the time the Lancaster was painted in 100 Squadron wartime markings as ‘Phantom of the Ruhr’. Geoff Lee/Planefocus

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“On 100 Squadron, the quantity of flying hours flown should really be irrelevant – the RAF is most interested in the quality”

Hawks and Alpha Jets fly together over France during 100 Squadron’s visit to EE 2/2 at Dijon in mid-2012. Crown copyright/Flt Lt Dan Curnow

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end of March 2012.” [A Red Arrows pilot died at Scampton when an ejector seat malfunctioned.] “But on 100 Squadron, the quantity of flying hours flown should really be irrelevant – the RAF is most interested in the quality. However, the statistics speak for themselves; UK air and land operations made huge demands on the squadron to provide credible support to Operation Herrick [Afghanistan] and supporting the Tornado and Typhoon Force deployment to Operation Ellamy [Libya]. There was a real paucity of assets left in the UK to provide CAS and bespoke air training to meet the specialist training tasks.” CAS and attack tasks have become increasingly important – in the past Jaguars and Harriers supported British Army training across the UK, but with the withdrawal of both types it had become a task solely carried out by the Tornado GR4 force. However, with the increase in operational tempo in 2011, the Hawk was drafted in to fill the void and is a much cheaper platform for the job. Alongside 100 Squadron at RAF Leeming is the JFACTSU (Joint Forward Air Controllers Training and Standards Unit), a fellow RAF 1 Group unit responsible for training Forward Air Controllers (FAC). It is the only NATO and US Joint Services accredited schoolhouse in UK defence for FACs and Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTAC) and uses 100 Squadron aircraft. Wg Cdr Gleave continued: “I supervise the pilots, but their role and task is completely separate to that of 100 Squadron. I make sure they operate effectively, but they are tasked by the Joint Air Land Organisation [JALO] through Air Officer Commanding 1 Group. That said, there are real advantages to being co-located at RAF Leeming and using the same assets.” To service the NATO standard agreement (STANAG), JFACTSU has to provide a certain number of bomb drops on each JTAC course. Previously this was provided by front line fast jets, but with Tornado and Typhoon busy on ops in 2011, 100 Squadron has helped fill the breach. “The integration of a bombing capability is another example of the Babcock ‘can-do’ attitude,” said Wg Cdr Gleave. “Staying current in the essential skills of CAS, to keep soldiers safe from the air, has become a fundamental requirement.” The squadron made its first ‘live’ drops in March 2012. The wing commander explained: “JFACTSU pilots are qualified to deliver weapons already and I’ve got one Weapons Instructor on 100 Squadron who is actively training a

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Above: An Alpha Jet from EE 2/2 parked outside 100 Squadron’s hangar at RAF Leeming, in April 2012. Key – Gary Parsons

small cadre of air-ground weaponeers. While we are primarily here to support the fast-jet front line, we are seeing a burgeoning task to support ground forces. The more concerning issue is weapon availability – we’re about to run out of life on the 3kg ‘smoke and flash’, so they will either have to be extended or new weapons procured.” The squadron is one of the busiest in the air force. “Of the 4,500 hours we flew in 2011, nearly 1,000 were allocated to domestic training – that is, the task required to train new pilots and develop their individual skill-sets,” stated Wg Cdr Gleave. “We have to stay current in emergency handling by visiting the simulators at RAF Valley in Anglesey – it’s a long drive, but if you’re fortunate enough to get an aeroplane we can fly a productive sortie there, a simulator sortie at Valley and then return to Leeming. The sims themselves are old and fragile; cost alone makes any prospect of moving them to Leeming prohibitive. If RAF Leeming were to become the hub of Hawk T1 training, as is possible, we would continue to use the sims at Valley.” In early 2012 there was a strong possibility the squadron would pick up the legacy Hawk T1 training task, with the planned disbandment of 208(R) Squadron at RAF Valley, but the latter now has a five-year extension for International Defence Training and will continue the T1 refresher task for RAF pilots for the foreseeable future. No. 100 Squadron is proving to be a very popular posting – pilots can expect to be constantly challenged and get in up to 30 flying hours a month, compared to as little as 15 on a front line Typhoon or Tornado squadron. Wg Cdr Gleave: “My preferred

Exercising in Joint Warrior

During two separate Exercise Joint Warriors in 2012 the French and British units operated mixed packages in three waves a day. The first wave was normally an eight-ship formation of four Hawks and four Alpha Jets on combined air operations [COMAO] missions at low-level attacking targets on the west coast of Scotland, as well as maritime targets or ships. Wg Cdr Gleave said: “The onus now in Joint Warrior is ‘purple’ operations; interoperability between air, land and sea. The focus has to be on efficiency and effectiveness based on smaller armed forces. If we deliver the right capabilities at the right time, this multi-layered cake has exactly the right ingredients – the point is this isn’t just a single-service UK national effort, this is a multi-service joint, international exercise. “While the French would get some training benefit from leading packages in the UK, it would be quite unfair to expect them to lead such complicated missions in foreign airspace. No. 100 Squadron has led the majority of missions in the UK, so that they can sit on the wing and listen and watch, but in France we flip-flopped and we acted as the subordinate elements – it’s simply a case of protocol.” The middle wave was an ‘in-house’ training Dissimilar Air Combat Training (DACT) sortie between the Hawks, Alpha Jets and Typhoons based at RAF Leuchars. The third wave would be specifically targeted on CAS missions. The formation would then split into pairs, sometimes singletons, based in different areas of Scotland, to different FACs.

Above: Hawk T1 XX246 is the personal mount of Wg Cdr Gleave and carries the mission marks of Lancaster EE139 ‘Phantom of the Ruhr’ on the nose. Key – Gary Parsons Left: Wg Cdr Christian Gleave, OC of 100 Squadron. Geoff Lee/Planefocus

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Above: Major Ludovic Meffre (left) and Wg Cdr Christian Gleave during EE 2/2’s first visit to RAF Leeming in April 2012. Key – Gary Parsons

option for arriving pilots is to choose a second or third tourist, possibly from Typhoon, because he’s the most current in air-to-air tactics and is entirely familiar with what the Typhoon needs from its training. Qualified Weapons Instructors [QWI] and third- or fourth-generation fighter exchanges on the F-16, F/A-18 or F-15 are an enormously precious resource too.” But how many of these actually exist? The wing commander answers: “They’re like gold dust and in parallel, the Typhoon Force is rapidly expanding and therefore, retaining its people. So I usually get a guy who’s done extremely well on the front line after one tour, is keen to keep flying and also sees the potential to use 100 Squadron as a ‘stepping-stone’ for bigger and better things. When he comes here he may have already completed several operational tours and up to two-and-a-half years of medium-level close air support in Afghanistan. But while these chaps are operationally current, I need pilots with the full gamut of qualifications – for example, low-level pairs and four-ship leaders, dissimilar air combat qualified, bounce pilots and combined air operations [COMAO] leaders. Therefore, the supervisory and training requirements are increased – 2,000 hoursplus is ideal to allow my pilots to have seen some of these skills before, but now some have as few as 800. I will accept him onto the squadron and then, depending on his strengths and weaknesses, watch and monitor him very carefully while he does his combat training and beyond. “Trying to simulate a radar threat in Hawk has some obvious disadvantages – a lack of radar being the main one! The flying is so varied that my pilots need to have high situational awareness and, with such a lack of cockpit-aids, some do it amazingly well! Of course, 100 Squadron has pilots from every fast-jet background, the ‘mud-movers’ pride themselves on time-on target exercises and the air-defenders always volunteer for the air combat sorties.” Until July 2012, 100 Squadron undertook Weapons Systems Officer (WSO) training, but the last graduate went to the Tornado force at the beginning of last August. “The end of Tornado in service means that there isn’t a future for fast-jet WSO training,” confirmed Wg Cdr Gleave. As a result, 15 officers have left the squadron, leaving it “feeling smaller and in some ways diluted, but still very effective," said Wg Cdr Gleave. “Although I lost an enormous amount of supervision and experience when WSO training closed, 100 Squadron has become entirely focused on providing a first-class aggressor squadron, as opposed to a mix of 1 Group and 22 Group training requirements.” #299 February 2013

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Legacy Hawk

2013

“There are some restrictions [to using Hawk ises in Cyprus The squadron has some big exerc T1],” revealed Wg Cdr Gleave. “It remains hugely ths six aircraft ned for 2013. For up to three mon plan reliable and for an old aircraft, immensely adaptTraining (DACT) bat Com Air r mila Dissi rm will perfo able, but this is a legacy aeroplane, bought in conduct Mission missions against Tornados and 1975 on a 25-year contract, with a recent life- Specific training (MST) close air support (CAS) with d for about six extension programme to 2020.” Indeed, the pilots ‘cycling’ through the perio iterranean, the Med the as well As . original Hawk was not intended to last more than weeks at a time cipating in the 40 years (a milestone it reaches in 2016) and so squadron can look forward to parti bined Qualified usual major exercises such as Com the cockpit, which has never been substantially ior and Warr Joint ses, cour r ucto Weapons Instr upgraded, is fitted with early 1970s analogue Tactical Leadership Programmes. technology. “Some of our avionics are increasingly fragile,” said Wg Cdr Gleave. “To provide a Flying high over the French countryside in 2012. Crown copyright/Flt Lt Dan Curnow credible adversary to Typhoon and JSF [Joint Strike Fighter], the future for any successful aggressor squadron will rely on a new platform with a radar and some serious performance.” Despite its drawbacks, it remains popular with its pilots. “It’s like an old sports car,” they say. The fleet has been through two substantial wing replacement programmes and was originally scheduled to be retired in 2018, but this has been pushed back by two years with careful management of airframes. However, 2020 is deemed to be immovable, according to the authorities. “The Ministry of Defence [MoD] is shuffling Hawk T1s, depending on priorities – we’re not the only operational support squadron to employ Hawk – Royal Navy FRADU [Fleet Requirements and Air Direction Unit] uses it to fulfil the Fleet task and RAFAT [RAF Aerobatic Team the Red Arrows] is also asking for jets, so the fleet is being managed very carefully,” said Wg Cdr Gleave. “Although some jets stored at RAF Shawbury are relatively young in fatigue terms, we’re flying 7g combat missions and RAFAT builds fatigue about twice, if not three-fold the rate that we do. The real win for Hawk is its serviceability; it has been a total success story. We’ve also had an unparalleled safety record. The aircraft is remarkably easy to fly and there’s very little to be distracted by inside the cockpit.” But there is one thing that Wg Cdr Gleave would love to see added to the Hawk T1 in the very near future – a new GPS (Global Positioning System). “The none of that kit’s in the Hawk,” he said. “The real T1 doesn’t have any equipment to mitigate two major problem occurs when the pilot is distracted in cockpit risks – controlled flight into terrain [CFIT] and air during high-workload environments – perhaps collision. Most recent aeroplanes have RADALT [radar working hard at 5g, low-level, in poor weather against altimeter], TCAS [traffic collision avoidance system] a helicopter – by using the current GPS. Interpolating and GPWS [ground proximity warning system] – but the information presented to me quickly, and

manipulating the information in the current GPS, is less than intuitive. A more advanced GPS display, perhaps with collision warning integrated, would be of immense value and reduce these risks. “The French Alpha Jet Aggressor Squadron based in Dijon, that we work with very closely, has suffered exactly the same problems and integrated a new, colour GPS that ultimately affords more capacity and, therefore, more time to look out of the cockpit. The advantage the French have over the Hawk during major European exercises is cockpit situational awareness. They can download airspace changes, NOTAMS [Notice to Airmen] and ATOs [Air Tasking Order] routing from their Advanced Mission Planning Aid [AMPA]. Although AMPA information is refreshed daily and is UK force-wide, I can’t download that information into my GPS. The French had all that information immediately accessible in the cockpit. During Exercise Joint Warrior for example, when we were jointly operating in congested airspace, we were asking the French if we were infringing restrictions, because they had the better awareness. I know there are various companies working hard on clinching a Hawk deal.”

French connection Above: French pilots enjoying the North Yorkshire air after a training sortie. Key – Gary Parsons

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Talk of the French Air Force and Exercise Joint Warrior www.airforcesmonthly.com

brings up the subject of the squadron’s recent close working with the Dassault Alpha Jets from EE 2/2 Côte d’Or, from Base Aérienne 102 Dijon-Longvic, which performs exactly the same task as 100 Squadron. EE 2/2 is a smaller squadron, with just 12 pilots, but all the engineers serve in the French Air Force. “There is political intent at the highest level for entente cordiale,” said Wg Cdr Gleave. “In every respect – politically, economically and demographically – the two air forces are almost exactly the same. I have every respect for the French – under financial pressures they have become very effective operators, great pilots with a lot of experience. When you compare our relative positions, you could almost overlay them completely – that’s why we’re working so well together, because we recognise in each other similar weaknesses and strengths and by superimposing them on each other, we have worked

A Hawk taxies out from RAF Leeming fitted with a Sidewinder acquisition round – a dummy missile with the seeker head enabled – used for Red air aggressor training against Typhoons and Tornados. Key collection

Above: Wg Cdr Gleave was the lead pilot for the Hawk ‘E II R’ formation during the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee display over Windsor Castle last June. “It was the biggest formation I have ever been in – and I think it was probably the biggest ever Hawk formation with 27 jets,” he said. The formation took three and a half months to prepare, and three weeks of flying practice to perfect. Three Hawks from Leeming made up one of the columns of the ‘II’ with the other element from the Royal Navy at RNAS Yeovilton. The rest of the formation was split into the ‘E’ from IV(R) Squadron and the ‘R’ from 208(R) Squadron from RAF Valley. The formation was repeated at the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford, in July. Key – Gary Parsons Below: A Hawk T1 from 100 Squadron flies alongside an Alpha Jet from the French Air Force during Exercise Joint Warrior in 2012. Both types entered service in the late 1970s as advanced trainers and will be withdrawn from service at the end of the decade. Crown copyright/Flt Lt Dan Curnow

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together to fill and compensate for those gaps. Of course there is the language barrier and culturally, there are some important differences. We shouldn’t try to change that – there is immense mutual respect. The strength of the relationship we have developed with our sister squadron in France is one I’m very proud of. We have been trail-blazers in that regard. “From the moment we arrived at Dijon in 2011 it was obvious the air force was there to look after us – the hosting was impeccable. I would dare to say that we have become symbiotic partners with EE 2/2 – we realised very quickly that by working together, we can provide the adversary with a new challenge and stimulate a new approach to air-to-air tactics. While we could get into the detailed technical differences [between the Hawk and Alpha Jet] in performance terms, the way it turns, the way it looks, the way it manoeuvres, the kit inside, the avionics, the way the cockpit is composed, in reality the aircraft are effectively the same. I flew in the Alpha Jet at Dijon, and I found it easy to fly, because it’s so similar. Of course, it has two engines, a bigger wing, and I’m afraid to say, more performance. In a one-on-one combat scenario, they can generally beat us – as

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RAF 100 SQN

ex-front line guys from Mirage 2000 and Rafale, they know how to fly the aeroplane. But in the twoon-one arena – a well-versed 100 Squadron tactic because we always work as pairs – we had some very successful results. But we’re not here to fight them – we’re melding our capabilities to the point where others are realising that this has become an enormously powerful training opportunity. It’s one of the first times the French and the Brits have merged individual capabilities and are working so closely together. “On the last day of our first visit to Dijon in September 2011 we even swapped flying suits after a few beers! It made no difference – in the big exercises we are now capable of flying as one combined aggressor force, in four and eight-ship mixed packages of Alpha Jet and Hawk, providing close air support or Red air, DCA [Defensive Counter-Air], OCA [Offensive Counter-Air] – whatever it takes. “Major Ludovic ‘Tapla’ Meffre, the boss of EE 2/2, is moving on in the summer of 2013 and it’s very important we keep the relationship going – the new OC of 100, Wg Cdr Tony Cann, will come with me in March, back to Dijon, to build on the friendship and meet ‘Tapla’s’ successor. We were also joined in Dijon last October by four Typhoons from 6 Squadron – we flew a large-scale mission with Typhoon and Rafale acting as the ‘Blue’ package against ‘Red’ Hawks, Alpha Jets and Mirage 2000Cs. We briefed, flew together, debriefed together and learned an enormous amount from the entire experience – it could not have gone better. It’s a vital link to sustain – I am an absolute advocate of a formal pilot exchange scheme between 100 Squadron and EE 2/2. It’s just happened between Typhoon and Rafale and I’d like

The insignia of 100 Squadron is the skull and crossbones, as is painted on the underside of the two ‘camo’ aircraft for the 95th anniversary. Crown copyright/Flt Lt Dan Curnow

“What would be really good value for money,” he added, “is if the French Air Force and RAF consolidated forces so closely together that we could hop around Europe as a combined aggressor force and provide a service to all the exercises”

A home from home “RAF Leeming is the perfect location for us,” says Wg Cdr Gleave. “It’s conveniently positioned next to Spadeadam, the ranges at Holbeach and Donna Nook, the North Sea Active Combat Areas and for low-flying in the Dales, Lake District and Northumbria. We also enjoy an excellent weather factor, the only real issue being the north-south orientated runway, where we lost about four days flying last year [due to crosswind]. RAF Leuchars is a reasonable

transit, especially with a RAIDS [Rangeless Airborne Instrumented Debriefing System] pod fitted – but we can easily fuel-stop and brief face-to-face with the Typhoon crews. As the Hawk’s serviceability rate is so impressive, a more efficient way to operate is to send two jets to a base and work autonomously.” In December 2012 there were three jets at RAF Coningsby night flying for 29(R) Squadron; two at RAF Marham [CAS at Stanta Range and Tornado GR4

Aggressors] and two at RAF Leuchars [Typhoon front line]. “By servicing the front line from a ‘satellite’ station we more sensibly employ resources and optimise time on task for our ‘customers’. There are never ever complaints from the engineers, either – especially when we deploy to Cyprus. While Leeming is a perfect place from which to operate, we will also continue to operate in this ‘hub and spoke’. It’s our modus operandi – a good, happy place to be.” The 100 Squadron flightline outside the hangar at RAF Leeming in North Yorkshire. “It’s a good, happy place to be,” says Wg Cdr Gleave. Key collection

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to send a pilot on exchange with EE 2/2. I also know there would be plenty of French volunteers to come to RAF Leeming!” Talk of the Hawk and Alpha Jet inevitably draws comparisons – both were introduced into service in the late 1970s and equip the two national display teams. Both have had international sales success, but no updated Alpha Jet has appeared, unlike the development of the Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) and the RAF’s own T2. “There’s very little difference in the maximum speed between the two jets, but the critical difference is how quickly the Alpha Jet can get to that speed. With two engines and a bigger wing, so with a lot more power, the time taken to accelerate to say 500 knots, is far less,” exclaimed Wg Cdr Gleave, “and in combat, when coupled with a bigger wing, that can be a huge advantage.” Ironically the Alpha Jet may be withdrawn from service before Hawk T1, but as yet the French Air Force has not revealed any plan to replace the airframe.

Hawks and Alpha Jets share the flightline at RAF Leeming. Key – Gary Parsons

Future

“We are in a fortunate position – 100 Squadron is a good place to be and one of the very few growth areas in the RAF,” said Wg Cdr Gleave with justification. “In February 2012 we flew the highest ever flying hours on the squadron at 503 hours and 15 minutes and we have secured an uplift of hours, jets and pilots for 2013.” However, the future of a UK military aggressor force is up for debate at the moment, he hints: “There are civilian contractors who are capable of offering a cheaper option. But it’s not necessarily the cheaper option – they may be ex-air force guys, operationally experienced, flying civilian aeroplanes with a datalinked pod providing CAS, but they can’t deliver fast or low effect, can’t deliver weapons and aren’t current. The minute they walk out of the air force they start to lose recency and credibility. “There’s a really strong argument that 100 Squadron and EE 2/2 are providing a very robust solution for CAS, Red air and aggressor tactics; but in a platform that needs replacing. The real problem boils down to finance and support – where does the money come from to replace Hawk in 2020 and if it’s replaced, with what? I was involved on the Hawk T2 programme and it was built and designed to ‘download’ the training

burden from Typhoon to an aircraft that’s cheaper to run – T2 is one-quarter the operating cost of Typhoon – and of course, with the provision of synthetic training, the costs are further reduced. Hawk T2 provides a complete avionics upgrade to those moving on to Typhoon – so the natural emphasis is on in-cockpit management and operation of radar. However, T2 can’t drop bombs, a STANAG (and legal) requirement for FACs to keep current in close air support, and what 100 Squadron does is provide a service to an external user – no amount of in-cockpit simulation can assist with that task. So for me, any suggestion that the 100 Squadron capability could be increased by adopting Hawk T2 is a flawed one. What is required, if the MoD agrees that it needs a future aggressor force, is a radar-equipped aircraft – if I’m going to simulate future Red air and aggressor tactics, I need a radar. It also needs to be a high-performance aircraft and capable of credibly simulating today’s adversaries – you’re looking at a cheap F-16. When the Black Eagles visited RAF Leeming from South Korea in 2012, the KAI T-50 was very impressive. A beautiful aircraft – block 3 and 4 capable, big stick, radar, supersonic – now we’re talking as an aggressor.

Above: The Alpha Jet’s two engines give it a performance advantage over the Hawk, but the difference is slight between the two trainers. Key – Gary Parsons

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The danger is that from operating against Hawk, Typhoon pilots are learning the wrong lessons - when gaining air superiority, shooting Hawk should not prove to be a difficult task. In ‘contested’ airspace, which may happen in a future conflict, with mixed fighter formations of JSF, Typhoon and F-22, training has to be valuable and credible. “What would be really good value for money,” he added, “is if the French Air Force and RAF consolidated forces so closely together that we could hop around Europe as a combined aggressor force and provide a service to all the exercises.” But the Wing Commander’s biggest surprise was yet to come: “Air Command is analysing the options to ‘build capacity’ and provide a manning pool for Joint Strike Fighter. Where are they going to get those pilots from? The Typhoon force is growing and needs to maintain its experience, and Tornado, [though] committed to operations, is also drawing down. There will be an inevitable shift of Tornado guys into JSF, but where is there room and capacity on the front line to put guys who’ve come through the flying training system that otherwise are going to wait for two years without doing anything? 100 Squadron. In generating a full spectrum of skill-sets and having true ‘multi-role’ pilots, 100 Squadron has developed real interest from the RAF in how to resource and manage its JSF Squadrons. The multi-role capability of any future RAF fast-jet squadron will mean that cross-pollination and learning from each other across an entire spectrum of skills will be essential. At the risk of sounding pretentious, we have demonstrated on 100 Squadron that operational pilots from different backgrounds can work in harmony. "[In the future] Air Command may consider sending ab-initio pilots to RAF Leeming to gain experience and be exposed to some very diverse and valuable flying before JSF arrives. Lightning II will draw a mix of front line experience in both air-to-air and airto-ground roles. For that aircraft, the RAF is going to need radar experienced, single-seat, multi-role capable pilots, which 100 Squadron can provide – we have become an established multi-role squadron, with the highest calibre operators that requires afm all those skill sets from our pilots.” #299 February 2013

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Danish way Doing things the

Cristian Schrik/Aimhigh.nl discovers that the the Danske Flyvevåbnet (Royal Danish Air Force/RDAF) has found a new way of educating tomorrow’s air force

History

lished on July 2, 1921 An army flying school was estab After the Second en. nhag at Kløvermarken in Cope ced at Avnø Air World War flight training commen wing the foundafollo , 1951 1, ary Janu on and Station a separate entity, as Force Air sh Dani tion of the Royal a dedicated flying ) FLSK ol, the Flyveskolen (Flying Scho years ago in February ty Twen d. lishe estab was ol scho air base. 1993 the FLSK moved to Karup

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T

HE ROAD to become a military pilot within the RDAF is long and hard. The first step is to pass psychological and physical tests at the RDAF selection centre, also at Karup. Having passed these and been accepted into the ranks as a sergeant, basic military skills need to be learned. Then, to become an officer, a one-year college course is undertaken at the officer’s school in Denmark’s capital, Copenhagen. Successful candidates then move on to six months at the FLSK, which provides two basic flight training regimes, one for pilots and one for navigators. Elementary flying training for potential pilots comprises basic flying, aerobatics, instrument flying and navigation. A similar curricu-

lum is followed by trainee navigators with a greater emphasis on navigation skills. After a final checkride at the end of the course, carried out at lowlevel (150ft [46m] at 100 knots), the student will continue his or her training at a front line squadron. Until recently FLSK taught two classes a year, but because of budget cuts and a reduced need for pilots within the RDAF there is now only one. Only a third of the eight to 12 potential pilots who start each February will make it to the finish line. Civilian instructors hold ground school classes in aviation-related subjects such as meteorology, aerodynamics, English language, aircraft systems and procedures. More instruction in practical

matters and flight training is given by military personnel. One of the training aids is the complete cockpit of a Saab T-17 that came to grief many years ago, which is now kept in a corner of a hangar. All the cockpit instruments function properly and students are encouraged to use it to practise cockpit procedures in a system known as ‘chair-flying’. “I spent many hours in the cockpit going through procedures to exclude mistakes,” says 1st Lt Stephen ‘GEA’ Galea, who until recently was to have flown the Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon. Following budget cuts, the numbers of F-16s in the RDAF, and the pilots to fly them, have been reduced. GEA explained: “After my graduation from NATO Flying

Right: The Flyveskolen's building at Karup is 'purposeful' - the RDAF doesn’t go for elaborate infrastructure! Far right: Flying finished, it’s time to hit the books... Above: Formation flying is one of the prerequisites of military flying.

All images by the author

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TINY TRAINERS

Saab T-17 Supporter

Of the 27 T-17s that survive from the original 32 purchased, 23 are stationed at Karup, two at Skrydstrup and two more at Aalborg where they function as base-flight aircraft. A very lightweight monoplane, the T-17 has a forward-swept wing which provides good downward visibility for the pilot. It is equipped with a 200hp Avco Lycoming IO-360-A1B6 air-cooled flat-4 piston engine and can carry up to four persons, two in the front of the aircraft and two in backwardfacing passenger seats behind them. With a cruising speed of 105kts, it stalls at 55kts. Denmark’s T-17s are equipped for instrument flight rules (IFR) flight conditions and have both UHF and VHF communications. Capt Helm told AFM: “It’s a good stable platform and great for learning to fly. The negative side of the T-17 is that it is underpowered, and that affects aerobatics and climbs.” The fleet still has many hours on its airframes and there are no plans to replace or upgrade the aircraft. Private company Danish Aerotech is responsible for maintaining the RDAF’s T-17s, performing structural repairs as well as modifications on the type.

Operational commitments FLSK T-17s are not only used for flight training – they also have a role in training forward air controllers (FAC) instead of F-16s. They are much cheaper and because of its low speed the T-17 is a better platform for the task. The little pistonengine aircraft is also used as a VIP transport for high-ranking officers. The aircraft’s ability to land on a grass runway makes it very handy, being able to get into locations a larger platform, like the CL604, cannot. The FLSK is part of the Karup Helicopter Wing (KAHW) and its aircraft are used as light transports by the unit as a cheaper means of ferrying small or light items than a helicopter. Once a year, children aged 15 to 16 from all over Denmark go to the KAHW for a week to experience life in the RDAF and fly in the T-17.

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Training in Canada [NFTC] at Canadian Forces Base [CFB] Moose Jaw, I was send to Fort Rucker, Alabama, USA for helicopter training.” He is now at the FLSK, awaiting his operational conversion to the Eurocopter AS550 Fennec C2, and is working as an Instructor Pilot (IP) at the FLSK. “Unusually in the RDAF, I have both fixed-wing and helicopter wings,” he added.

A day in the life

Galea explained: “A normal day at the FLSK starts at 0730hrs with a morning brief of the day’s flying programme. Students prepare their flight on their own, and will execute the flight with an IP. Afterwards the students debrief their flight with the IP. If you fly in the morning, you have theoretical lessons in the afternoon, or the other way around. At 1530hrs the day finishes and hours of studying start. If you don’t study afterwards, you’ll encounter problems!” Student pilots only fly once a day, and make up to three flights a week. A total of 40 or more hours are flown in the T-17 in the six months at FLSK; the first two months are ground school only. The first 12 flying hours consist of basic aircraft handling, take-off, circuits, landing, stalls and basic navigation. At the end of this period the student completes his or her first solo flight. Subsequent flights consolidate the student’s knowledge with low-level navigation, basic aerobatics, instrument flying and simulated emergency landings. There are only four full-time IPs at Karup, although former IPs serving on operational squadrons can be

called upon to help out when the need arises. Capt Helm, call-sign ‘GEM’, one of the IPs, joined the RDAF in 1986 and graduated from Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training (ENJJPT) at Sheppard AFB, Texas in 1991. He finds his work at Karup very rewarding. “It’s the best working place in the entire RDAF because of the relaxed atmosphere, working with young people and the demanding role,” he says. Helm has been an IP at Karup since 2006 when his former squadron, No 726, gave up its F-16s and disbanded. In the first few weeks at FLSK, students do not receive any grades but, later on, points from minus 2 to 12 are awarded during debrief after each flight. If student pilots keep making mistakes and no progress is being made, they face a review board comprising an instructor, the FLSK commanding officer, a representative from Tactical Air Command (TAC) and a psychologist. Those who fail to make the grade as a pilot are offered other jobs within the RDAF instead. Performance at the FLSK plays a huge part in determining the students’ eventual career path. Instructors discuss the class and rate the students on their performance, ranking them in order on a list. When the list is complete it is sent to RDAF TAC Headquarters where it is reviewed and skills matched with the needs for pilots within the various disciplines in the RDAF. The best students can usually choose their own career path, provided there is an opening in that field; if not they will be assigned to their second or third choice. Below: A student and instructor prepare their aircraft before taking to the skies.

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Right: T-17 serial number T-424 was damaged beyond repair on October 29, 1986 when it struck a hightension wire near Porsmose while making a practised forced-landing; nobody was seriously hurt. Today the cockpit is used as a procedures trainer at Karup. Below: It’s a testament to the aircraft and its maintainers that there is not a drip-tray in sight in the immaculately clean hangar at Karup.

After graduation from the FLSK, students receive a silver T-17 pin, but they are not yet qualified to fly. Another year’s higher military education awaits them at officer school. After that it’s back to FLSK for three to four weeks of refresher flying training.

Advanced training

Having got so far at home, students will now be sent overseas for advanced training in either Canada or the United States. Fixed wing pilots go to the NFTC at CFB Moose Jaw, where they fly the Hawker Beechcraft CT-156 Harvard II for about 150 flying hours. From there it’s on to the BAe CT-155 Hawk for 100 hours more, at the end of which the students are awarded their wings as qualified RDAF pilots. Those destined to become F-16 pilots go on to CFB Cold Lake for their lead-in fighter training course where they learn tactics, air combat and how to use the jet’s weapons. Operational conversion to the F-16 is currently carried out at Tucson International Airport, Arizona, using F-16s assigned to the 162nd Fighter Wing of the US Air Force. There are plans for fighter pilot training to transfer to the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Programme (ENJJPT). Helicopter pilots go to Fort Rucker, Alabama, for ten months and then head back to Karup to convert to the AgustaWestland AW101 Mk 512 Merlin, AgustaWestland Super Lynx Mk90B or AS550. Transport pilots first of all go to Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola, Florida, for one year. Afterwards, those destined to fly the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules go to Little Rock AFB, Arkansas, for four months and then head back to Denmark. Those chosen to fly the Bombardier CL-604 Challenger go to Montreal in Canada for three weeks’ training on a simulator, followed by four more weeks’ multi-crew training before they too go home to Denmark.

FLSK Commander

Lt Col Michael ‘BIT Rosenkrands, the commander of the FLSK since August 2010, has a wide range of instructing experience behind him. “I need to lay out the strategy of the flying school so it is in conjunction with air force strategy, including maintaining quality and selecting pilots of tomorrow’s air force. My specific role is… to do occasional flights with the weaker students to see how bad he or she actually is. I need to have some hands-on experience with those students, as I am the chairman of the evaluation commission if students have problems, and then I need to make the call – ‘yes, you can continue’ or ‘no, you cannot’. I also need to maintain the quality of my IPs here at the FLSK, and I want IPs from all types of aircraft and helicopters we operate within the RDAF.” Rosenkrands explained how he looks abroad to see how other nations train and if necessary adapts those methods to Denmark’s needs. For instance, Turkey has recently started a system of psychological profiling of students and instructors and then pairs like with like. “It has already been proven that they have a better product now, so I am thinking about how I can implant that into the FLSK.”

A new approach

‘Positive Approach to Air Crew Selection’ (PAACS) is the new standard for training and selection of pilots and crew in the RDAF. Instructor Pilot 1st Lt Michael ‘Com’ Carlsson explained that everything has changed since the end of the Cold War when strict standard operating procedures (SOPs) applied without much flexibility. Now Denmark plays a part in NATO operations in expeditionary warfare, over Libya in 2011, and in Afghanistan today. One difficulty experienced by trainers is that modern recruits come from what the RDAF terms ‘Generation Y’, characterised as having little interest in the military

Above: Excellent visibility is afforded to the crew by having the leading edge of the forward-swept wing join the fuselage behind the pilot’s seat.

way of life and unlikely to respond to traditional military life. There was a realisation that different tactics were needed if the wastage rate of recruits was not to be extremely high. Carlsson says ‘Generation Y’ have their own ways of communicating, learning and processing information. They use social network sites to connect with each other, and do not believe they need to hold vast amounts of knowledge in their heads, preferring to look something up on line when needed; a new system of instruction was needed. That new system required a change in culture and a toolbox. “We use 90% of the same tools we did in the past, but use them differently now,” Carlsson said. Instruction is much more student-centric with an emphasis on problem-solving – working through a problem to see how it arose and investigating ways to fix it rather than following SOPs. There has been a concerted effort to make students feel they are valued and part of a team rather than raw material to be beaten into shape. Every Thursday, students gather with a pizza and a beer to have a so-called ‘screw-up’ meeting. They write down their own or colleagues’ mistakes and put them in a large mailbox emptied once a week. The class commander reads them all out and the class votes to decide how bad each one was. Depending on the severity of the ‘screw-up’, the student receives a fine of between 5 and 20 Danish kroner (50p to £2). All the money is collected and used for the graduation party at the end of their FLSK period. Instead of IPs standing aloof and berating students, everyone is made to feel they are working together towards attaining the same goal, providing the RDAF with the best possible afm aircrew.

Baby Blue Display Team

Above: The view from the cockpit is as good as in most helicopters, giving the student a wonderful all-round view.

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Every May 4 for many years it was a custom for the FLSK to fly a four-ship formation (first in ‘finger-four’ followed by ‘missing-man’) over the church in the small town of Svinø. This was to commemorate the fallen, and the liberation from the Nazis, in the Second World War. This formation, using the call-sign 'Baby Blue', went on to perform more displays throughout Denmark in the summer months from the mid-1980s, but when the display pilots left the FLSK the team stopped performing. However, in February 1993 when the FLSK moved to Karup, a new group of young pilots decided to revive the Baby Blue tradition. Today Baby Blue is Denmark’s only aerial demonstration team and, despite the limitations of its equipment, performs at airshows across Europe.

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Right: A 5 Smaldeel SF260D, ST-47, comes in to land. The student seems happy with his sortie! Key – Gary Parsons

Below: Inside SF260D ST-46, showing the instrument panel. The extra gauges for instrument flying are on the left side of the panel where the student sits on the ‘D’ model. Manolito Jaarsma

T

HE BELGIAN Defence – Air Component (Composante Aérienne - BAF) trains its new pilots at five locations. The advanced training centres are all in France, while basic flight training is conducted by the Basic Flight Training School (BFTS) based at Beauvechain Air Base, 25 miles (40km) east of Brussels. Beauvechain is also home to the Centre de Compétence Air Component (Competence Centre of the Air Component [CC AIR]), which stood up in the autumn of 2010. CC AIR trains all BAF personnel and manages the Combat Survival Centre for the flying branch, which teaches both land and sea survival tactics to aircrew. Number 1 Wing (1W) remains the host unit, but after a number of restructuring operations within the BAF it lost its SABCA-built Lockheed Martin F-16 squadrons in 1996. The Dassault Alpha Jet fleet of 11 Smaldeel (Squadron) relocated to Beauvechain from nearby Brustem AB before moving on in September 2005 to the AJeTS (Alpha Jet School), which was set up together with the Armée de l’Air (French

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Belgian way Learning to fly the

Air Force - FAF) at the FAF air bases at Tours and Cazaux. During September 2010 the Agusta A109 helicopters of 1 Wing moved in from Liege-Bierset AB to share the air base with the BFTS. The BFTS is responsible for two squadrons – 5 and 9 Smaldeels. Today 5 Sm is responsible for the basic flight training of all future pilots and occasionally student pilots from the federal police. Students undergo ten months of ground school, as well as basic military training before moving on to basic flying training, which usually begins in August. The latter starts with a one-week academic phase based on knowledge gained during ground school, an English language aviation course (reading and understanding aircraft manuals and air traffic control communication) and study of the SF260, known as the Marchetti in Belgium, and its systems. The students, together with six SF260s and six instructors, will travel to the French base at Cognac-Châteaubernard to take advantage of the better weather in southern France. Cognac is www.airforcesdaily.com

home to the Armée de l’Air’s (French Air Force) fleet of Socata TB-30 Epsilon and Grob Aerospace G 120A-F training aircraft, and over four weeks of flying they will amass 12 flight hours. The instructor pilots (IPs) will test their students’ ability to perform straight and level flight, turns, climbs, descents and stalls. A student doesn’t progress through the course until he or she has mastered the knowledge and skills of each phase being assessed. Students’ progress is monitored with a colour coding system: green, yellow or red. When a student is rated red they are offered further training to achieve a ‘green’ rating - however there are limits to the number of extra flights. The BFTS Information Board will be convened if a student fails to pass the academic and/or flying tests. It may, rather than deciding to end the student’s flying career, offer further training or another attempt at the exam, which for the flying part includes two additional flying hours. Failure at this stage would then signal the end of the road for the student. After

Teaching people to fly is expensive, but as Manolito Jaarsma tells us, there are ways to make it cheaper

graduating, the pilots progress to the advanced flying training stages for either fixed or rotary wing. Upon returning to Beauvechain from Cognac students consolidate their learning with circuit bashing followed by the first solo flight, which usually takes place around mid-October/early November. During the third phase, aerobatics are taught and they also cover instrument flight rules (IFR) training, formation flights and more complicated navigation. With the successful completion of this phase, usually ten months into the syllabus, it’s time to start the consolidation phase, which will see the introduction of flying as a wingman in a two- or four-ship formation. The fourth phase ends with an exam incorporating all previously taught modules. When the student passes this last part, he or she is assigned to the appropriate advanced flying programme, either fixed wing or rotary. The students’ own preferences will be taken into account – visits are made to operational squadrons so they can experience life #299 FEBRUARY 2013

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SF260 Marchetti Belgium's BFTS and the Aeronautica Militare Italiana (Italian Air Force) are the only active SF260 operators in Europe. The BFTS flies two versions, the SF260D and SF260M. There are two main differences between them: the D-model is IFR equipped, with the instruments placed on the left-hand side of the cockpit, in front of the pilot in command (PIC). The student sits on the left to have access to the IFR panel in the ’D model, but on the ’M he or she occupies the right seat. The ’D model weighs a little more than the ’M because of its avionics fit. The fleet comprises 23 SF260Ms and nine SF260Ds, which were purchased some years after the ’M models. All maintenance is carried out by 1 Wing; the aircraft are only returned to the manufacturer for modifications. A few years ago the aircraft went back to the manufacturer to be fitted with new wings and to have the airframes overhauled to give them a further 7,000 flight hours. At some point it will be necessary to reconfigure the cockpit to allow for the fact that the average Belgian is taller than he used to be! Legislation in Belgium, affecting the military as well as civilian sectors, mandates that seating in the workplace must be ergonomically correct. The SF260M is also operated by the Belgian Air Component’s demonstration team the ‘Red Devils’. The team has five aircraft at its disposal and these can easily be recognised by their red colour scheme. The rest of the fleet is painted in high-visibility yellow with the Belgian national colours of black, yellow and red running up the tail. The team stood up some years ago as the ‘Swallows’ before becoming ‘Hardship Red’ but changed its name again to the ’Red Devils’ in 2011 to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the foundation of the Belgian Air Force. The Red Devils aerial demonstration team is famous in Belgium; it flew Hawker Hunters and then the Fouga CM-170R Magister until the type was retired in 1977, the team was then disbanded.

The Red Devils aerobatic team is made up of SF260 instructors from 5 and 9 Smaldeels. The team uses the SF260M. Key – Gary Parsons

in the squadron as well as learn about the future aircraft they might be flying. The grading received from the BFTS Information Board and the need for pilots in the fighter, transport and helicopter community will also influence the decision. Normally around 20 student pilots start their training with 5 Sm each year; about 30% of them will complete their training, making 102 flights in the SF260, each lasting between 60 and 75 minutes and amounting to between 110 and 120 flying hours; they will also undertake 26 ‘flights’ in the simulator. In total 58 days are spent on ground school. No 9 Sm has two instructors and three administrative staff to train new instructors, conversion training (eg F-16 to transport aircraft) and monitor flying standards of up to 50 pilots assigned to staff duties.

Instructor Pilots

There are ten Instructor pilots assigned to BFTS, five of whom are selected from the fighter community, two from transport and three from helicopters. In the 2011/2102 class they were responsible for 30 students. Helicopter pilots need different navigation skills to the other specialisations because the flight profiles of their missions rely on old-fashioned map, stop-watch and compass as much as hightech instruments, so these will be taught by the helicopter instructors. In the same way, transport IPs teach the IFR part of the syllabus with fighter pilot IPs teaching formation flying and aerobatics. To maintain a consistently high standard all IPs joining 5 Sm are required to have a minimum of 1,500 flight hours and when selected will join an internal IP training course run by the Standards and Evaluation (STANEVAL) section of CC AIR within 9 Sm. The training, which lasts three to five months, is concluded by a flight test in which one of the IPs plays the role of student and makes numerous deliberate mistakes. The IP will be judged on how he responds and the advice he gives. They also receive specialist teacher training to help them to deal with the different types of people they might encounter during their minimum tour of three

years. A student will be assigned a primary IP with whom he will ideally spend all his flying time, but a secondary IP will also be nominated.

Beyond BFTS

Advanced flying training is conducted jointly with the FAF for fighter and transport pilots and the French Army for helicopter pilots. Aviators selected for A109 and NH90 helicopters continue their training on the Eurocopter EC120 Colibri at Dax, the home of the French Army’s helicopter training school, École d’Application de l’Aviation Légère de l’Armée de Terre (EAALAT) in the foothills of the Pyrenees. Those destined for the Agusta will go back to Beauvechain to join the Operational Conversion & Training Unit before being posted to 17 or 18 Sm. Pilots assigned to the transport community will continue their training at Avord AB in central France flying Embraer EMB-121AA/AN Xingus and then be posted to Melsbroek AB, co-located with Brussels International Airport with 20 Sm flying the Lockheed-Martin C-130H or the small fleet of VIP aircraft flown by 21 Sm. Pilots selected to fly the F-16 have the most intensive and longest training course - first stop is the FAF training base at Tours where they spend ten months on the Dassault Alpha Jet. From here they move south to Cazaux and 11 Sm’s Alpha Jets for the lead-in fighter-training phase, which lasts a further eight months. Those who successfully complete the course will go back to Belgium and the Operational Conversion Unit at Kleine-Brogel after which the pilot would be assigned to 2 Wing at Florennes or stay at Kleine-Brogel to join 10 Wing.

Future

No 5 Sm, with its dedicated instructor pilots and support staff, is set to continue to provide the Belgian Air Component with high-quality pilots, ready to embrace the future with new aircraft such as the NH90 transport helicopter and the afm Airbus Military A400M transport.

Above: SF260M+ ST-35 sits on the ramp at Beauvechain awaiting its next student. Manolito Jaarsma Below: ST-45 gets airborne from Florennes air base during a training sortie. As Belgium is a small country all its air bases are used for navigational training by the BFTS. Key – Gary Parsons

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ISRAELI A-4

A Hit at 45

Bob Archer describes the McDonnell Douglas A-4 Ayit as it reaches its 45th anniversary in Israeli service

O

NLY A few air arms currently operate the A-4 Skyhawk, these being in Argentina, Brazil, Singapore and Israel. The Israel Air and Space Force (IASF) operates the largest number with approximately 39 airworthy. They are known locally as the ‘Ayit’, Hebrew for ‘Eagle’ or ‘bird of prey’. The exact number of A-4s obtained by Israel is unsure, as both new and second-hand aircraft have been acquired, but is believed to be 347. The first four aircraft – A-4Fs (designated A-4H in Israeli service) and TA-4Hs – were delivered by sea to the port of Haifa on December 29, 1967. Subsequent versions received were the TA-4J and A-4N, which was a derivative of the A-4M. The acquisition of

Fighting Hawk

A-4s enabled the Israelis to break the weapons supply chain with France, whose government at the time was becoming increasingly pro-Arab, and marked a new trade relationship with the US Government that has continued for the subsequent five decades. Deliveries were made to at least nine squadrons, the aircraft forming the backbone of Israel's offensive capability, replacing the Dassault Mystère IVA and Sud-Aviation Vautour. During service in many campaigns, more than 100 were lost with some 60 destroyed by Syrian and Egyptian guns and missiles in the Yom Kippur War of October 1973. The A-4 subsequently relinquished most of its tactical ground attack missions to the formidable

F-4 Kurnass and F-16 Netz and Barak fighters. Enemy defences have improved to the point where the A-4 is relegated to the advanced training role. Surviving A-4s have been centralised at Hatzerim Air Base where they are operated by 102 ‘Flying Tiger’ Squadron, part of the IASF Flight Academy. The squadron was formed in August 1967 in readiness to operate the new A-4, and has flown the type ever since. It was the second unit to receive the Ayit, being stationed initially at Ramat David Air Base before relocating to Hatzerim Air Base in June 1969, where it has remained ever since.

Right: A-4N 336 taxiing from the covered flightline at Hatzerim AB in October 2012. The 30mm cannon is visible in the wing adjacent to the fuselage. All images by the author

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Ayit today

Three versions remain current - the A-4N is the only single-seat type still operational, with around 24 still in service. It differed from the US A-4M with the installation of the Israeli DEFA 552 30mm cannon in place of the 20mm gun. In the cockpit the weapons control console was relocated to a more convenient position beneath the windscreen. Improved avionics produced under licence in Israel were installed in the raised fairing positioned behind the cockpit. A landing brake parachute was also fitted beneath the rear fuselage to aid operations from hot desert air bases. Another modification was the extended tail pipe to reduce the heat signature and offer more protection from heat-seeking missiles. A dedicated training version was produced as the TA-4H, the first two arriving in Israel in 1969 followed quickly by eight more. It was essentially similar to the A-4H but with a second cockpit to house the instructor pilot Above: A-4N 332 at Hatzerim AB in October 2012, re-serialled as 102 to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the first Skyhawk being delivered to Israel on December 29, 1967. The ‘Flying Tiger’ squadron tail marking, normally applied in various camouflage shades, has been replaced in full colour.

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ISRAELI A-4 Israeli A-4 Skyhawk Orders/transfers Year

Total

1967

48 A-4H new production

1968

42 A-4H new production

1968

10 TA-4H new production

1970

60 A-4E ex-US Navy

1971

117 A-4N new production

1973 1974 19??

46 A-4E/F ex-US Navy 15 TA-4J new production 4 TA-4Fs no other details, probably ex-US Navy 2 TA-4Js ex-US Navy possibly delivered in the late 1980s/early 1990s 3 TA-4Js ex-US Navy delivered in the early 1990s Total 347

19?? 19??

– and while the A-4H was combat-configured, the TA-4H had no such capability. Around 60 surplus US Navy A-4Es, TA-4Fs and TA-4Js were supplied to Israel in 1971. In 1973 there was an urgent need to replace the substantial A-4 losses in the Yom Kippur War, so the US withdraw A-4Es and TA-4Js from operational and training squadrons, including the Naval Fighter Weapons School at NAS Miramar, California. These were flown to Israel by a unique delivery method involving a number of US Navy aircraft carriers positioned across the Atlantic to act as floating airfields. Some of the early TA-4Hs and TA-4Js remain operational. TA-4H 544 is the oldest serving Skyhawk with the Israeli Air Force, having been delivered in 1969. Four surplus TA-4Fs are reported to have joined the IASF, but no details are known and all may well have been lost in combat. The current inventory is believed to be 18 A-4Ns from 117 originally delivered, just two TA-4Hs from ten obtained and 18 TA-4Js from 20 acquired. The surviving Ayit force has continued to provide advanced jet flying training for new pilots ahead of their assignments to operational squadrons. The A-4s also perform a lead-in fighter role, enabling a smooth transition to combat operations in a modern aircraft

Above: TA-4H 544 is the oldest Skyhawk in Israeli service, having been delivered in 1969. Just two TA-4Hs remain in service, the other being 545.

type. In 1994 the Israeli Ministry of Defense announced the A-4 would be retired following the introduction into service of an autonomous air combat manoeuvring instrumentation (AACMI) system in F-16A/B Netz fighters. The RADA Electronic Industries Autonomous Combat Evaluation system became operational at Ramon Air Base in 1997, although its shortcomings forced the retention of the Ayit in the lead-in fighter role. Delays in funding a suitable replacement resulted in reprieves for the Ayit – the retirement date was initially delayed until 2005, then extended to 2010; and it now appears to be 2015 at the earliest. An evaluation of the most suitable candidate to replace the Ayit was reduced to a straight choice between the Korean Aerospace Industries T-50 Golden Eagle and the Alenia-Aermacchi M-346 Master. The latter was selected on February 16, 2012 and a formal contract for 30 aircraft was signed on July 19. Deliveries are due to begin in 2014. To remain effective in training new pilots to fly advanced fighter aircraft such as the Boeing F-15I Ra’am (Thunder) and the Lockheed Martin F-16I Sufa (Storm), surviving Ayits have been upgraded by Israeli Aircraft Industries. Improvements include providing

compatibility with the RADA ACE-II debriefing system along with an avionics upgrade encompassing a GPS-based navigation system; a head-up display; a weapons management and ordnance delivery system; and modernised multi-function cockpit displays. A-4N 342, the prototype conversion, flew for the first time in December 2004. Meanwhile, the Israeli defence ministry awarded the Bedek Group a ten-year maintenance contract providing services on a ‘power-by-the-hour’ basis whereby various levels of planned overhauls are undertaken at Hatzerim Air Base by Bedek personnel. The Pratt & Whitney J52 turbojet engines are refurbished at Bedek’s plant near Tel Aviv. The contract will end about the same time as the M-346 takes over the advanced flying training mission from the A-4. All three versions of the Ayit have been modified, bringing the cockpits up to a common standard. Modified aircraft have the Hebrew inscription ‘Ayit Meshupar’ (Improved Eagle) applied to the fuselage side adjacent to the national insignia. afm

Future: M-346

The replacement of the A-4 with the M-346 will complete the IASF’s modernisation programme for fixed-wing students. The intro duction of the Grob G-102A-1 Snunit for fl ight screening and the Beechcraft T-6A Efroni for primary pilot training have revolutionised the first two phases of the Flying Training Scho ol. The arrival of the M-346 will complete the transition to 21st century training aircraft. In the interim, A-4 sorties are gene rated daily at Hatzerim from the two lines of individual aircraft ‘barns’, located in the cent re of the air base. To commemorate 45 years of service, A-4N 332 has had its sand camo uflage ‘flying tiger’ motif on its tail repainted in full colour. Additionally the serial ‘102’ has been applied to match the squadron number, although the IASF prefers to refer to their units by their names rather than their numerica l identity.

Above: A-4N 342 landing at Hatzerim in October 2012. The aircraft was the first ‘Improved Eagle’ and first flew following upgrade in December 2004. Below: A quartet of A-4M Ayits awaits clearance to taxi out for a sortie at Hatzerim Air Base in October 2012. Within two years the Skyhawk will begin to be replaced by the Alenia-Aermacchi M-346 Master.

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FRENCH SPECIAL FORCES

A Puma from EOS 4 dropping reconnaissance divers of 13ème RDP in the sea near Calvi in Corsica. All images by the author

Come of Age French Special Forces

Yves Debay explains the structure of the French Special Forces Command on its 20th anniversary

T

HIS YEAR, the French COS (Commandement des Opération Spéciale – Special Forces Command), which plans, co-ordinates and conducts special operations, is 20 years old. Under the direct command of the military Chief of Staff it is headquartered at Taverny, near Paris where 80 military personnel control 3,000 elite soldiers from all three of the armed forces – the army, navy and air force. Details of COS missions are difficult to reveal because of the secret nature of the work, but it has overseen action in Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ivory Coast, the Central African Republic, Lebanon, Afghanistan and in the Sahara.

Army

The Special Forces (SF) units of the army (Armée de Terre) are grouped into the Brigade des Forces Spéciales Terre (BFST), based at Pau in the Pyrenees and includes three units. First is the 1er Régiment Parachutistes d’Infanterie de Marine (1 RPIMa), based in Bayonne. It keeps alive the traditions of the Second Wold War SAS and today conducts strategic offensive missions. Secondly, the 13ème Régiment de Dragons Parachutistes (13 RDP) based in Souge, near Bordeaux, consists of elite soldiers who can infiltrate adversaries by High AltitudeLow Opening and High Altitude-High Opening (HALO-HAHO) parachute jumps. The regiment provides strategic reconnaissance behind enemy lines. Finally, the 4ème Régiment d’hélicoptères 70

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Above: A UH-60L Black Hawk of the Saudi 3rd Avn Group dropping Special Force troops. Below: A sniper from 1 RPIMa stands on a Gazelle from 2e EOS during a counter-terrorist exercise.

des Forces Spéciales (14 RHFS), also based at Pau, is tasked with grouping the best pilots of the Aviation Légère de l’Armée de Terre (ALAT) in support of the COS. It has 39 helicopters at its disposal from the army and two Eurocopter EC725 Caracals from the air force (Armée de l’Air – AdlA). The unit has crew from all the French forces – for example, during Exercise Tigre 2 (see below), one of the Caracals was flown by a navy pilot, the co-pilot was from the army, and the loadmaster/gunners were from the army and air force. The unit 14 RHFS has five Escadrille des Opérations Spéciales (EOS): 1e EOS equipped with Cougar; 2e with Gazelle Viviane; 3e using the Caracal and 6e with the Tigre. Finally, 4e is a Groupe d’hélicoptères d’intervention (GIH) unit with seven Pumas detached to Villacoublay near Paris, used by the Group www.airforcesmonthly.com

Left: A Tigre firing rockets during Exercise Tigre 2. Below left: A Eurocopter Tigre of the special force helicopter regiment. These helicopters saw action in Libya covering the infiltration and extraction of Special Forces. Below: A Saudi Bell 206 CS (Combat Scout) at Solenzara.

d’Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale (GIGN), a crack unit designated to operate in counter-terrorism.

Air Force

The AdlA also has its own SF units included in the COS with the Bureau des Forces Spéciales du Commandement des Forces Aériennes, based at Dijon. They are the Commando Parachutiste de l’Air n°10 (CPA 10), specialised in combat search and rescue (CSAR) and close air support missions and the Escadron de Transport 3/61 ‘Poitou’, based at Orléans-Bricy, which has four C-160 Transalls, two C-130 Hercules and two DHC6 Twin Otters used for HALO and HAHO training.

Navy

The navy (Marine Nationale) is represented in the

COS by the Force Fusiliers Commando (FORFUSCO), which consists of six marine commando units. They could be considered as some of the best soldiers in the world. Marine commandos are also very involved in the fight against piracy off the coast of Somalia.

Exercise TIGRE 2

Every year the COS organises a large-scale field training exercise called Gorgones, with all its components taking part. This year Gorgones was combined with Exercise Tigre 2, a French-Saudi field training exercise held between October 2 and 15 in Corsica. Since the 1960s France and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have enjoyed military co-operation and the first edition of Tigre took place in March 2011. The exercise scenario was ‘classified’, but in

general terms Special Forces were involved in preparing a large theatre of operations for the arrival of a large conventional force. There were two phases: the first was field integration training to get to know each other and practice procedures and the second phase, lasting for ten days, was the exercise. French forces involved 300 soldiers from 1 RPIMa, 13 RDP, CPA 10 and Commando Marine ‘de Montfort’ and ‘Kiefer’, two Caracals, three Gazelles, and one C160 used for parachuting and air assault. Saudi forces were under the command of Brigadier General Saeed al Qahtani and comprised 200 commandos of the 64th SF Brigade and a helicopter detachment from the 3rd Helicopter Brigade comprising four UH- 60L Black afm Hawks and two Bell 206CS Combat Scouts. Left: A Eurocopter EC725HUS (hélicoptère pour unités spéciales/Special Forces helicopter) from 3e EOS; the type is used extensively in Afghanistan. Below: A C-160 stops on the runway at Calvi to release some Véhicules de Patrouille Spéciales of 1 RPIMa.

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EXERCISE REPORT VAMPIREX 2012 O

RGANISED BY the Aviation Légère de l’Armée de Terre’s (ALAT’s) 4e Régiment d’Hélicoptères de Forces Spéciales (4e RHFS, or 4th Special Forces Helicopter Regiment), Exercise Vampirex 2012 was conceived to reinforce links between combat helicopter, fighter and maritime patrol aircraft communities.

Special Forces Group

“The whole Vampirex project was initiated by EOS6 [Escadrille des Opérations Spéciales 6, part of 4e RHFS], to train Tigre pilots, but progressively morphed into something much more complex and became a regiment-level exercise,” said ‘Colonel C’ (name withheld on request), the commanding officer of 4e RHFS. “What we wanted to do was practise the whole spectrum of Special Forces missions in a hostile environment, against fighter aircraft – insertion, extraction, reconnaissance, observation and commando attack to liberate hostages. We wanted the exercise to be a joint effort, using Armée de

Above: With snipers at the doors, this Gazelle hovers just in front of a time-sensitive moving target. All images by the author

l’Air Rafales to escort helicopter raids and create a protection ‘bubble’ around our rotorcraft. We’re also taking advantage of Vampirex to experiment with new target designation tactics and procedures that could be used in the future by a Rafale to spike a mobile [target] before it is engaged by our Tigres with their 30mm cannon and 68mm rockets.” The scenario for Vampirex was fairly standard: a conflict had erupted between two

neighbouring countries, one of them friendly to French interests and the other totally hostile, French hostages were being held by militiamen at a local airfield close to the small town of Oloron-Sainte-Marie in the Pyrénées. A Special Forces group (SFG) supported by fighters was immediately authorised by the French authorities to locate the paramilitaries and liberate the hostages. Mont-de-Marsan served as the main operating base with three

Rafales from Escadron de Chasse 2/30 ‘Normandie-Niemen’ and an SFG engaged in the exercise. The SFG comprised seven helicopters of 4e RHFS; an ODESSAA (Observation et destruction de sites par l’arme aérienne – observation and destruction of sites by air strikes) team of the Commando Parachutiste de l’Air No 10 (CPA 10, or No. 10 Air Force Airborne Commando); an antiterrorist group of the 1e Régiment Parachutiste d’Infanterie de Marine (1e RPIMa, or 1st Naval Infantry Airborne Regiment), commandos who have been trained in jungle, mountain and desert warfare (its history can be traced back to the Free French members of the Special Air Service, or SAS, during the Second World War); a recce team of the 13e Régiment de Dragons Parachutistes (13e RDP, or 13th Airborne Dragoons Regiment), the Special Forces regiment in charge of reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering missions deep behind enemy lines; and a detachment of the Compagnie de Commandement et de Transmissions de Forces Spéciales

“The whole Vampirex project was , initiated by EOS6 to train Tigre pilots but progressively morphed into something much more complex and became a regiment-level exercise” Right: An EC 2/30 Rafale equipped with a Pod Reco NG under the centreline pylon was tasked with recce missions during Vampirex.

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Vampires Flying with

(CCT FS, or Command and Signal Company – Special Forces) of the Brigade des Forces Spéciales Terre (BFST, or French Army Special Forces Brigade). A single Aéronautique Navale (French Navy) Atlantique 2 flew missions directly from its base at Lorient Lann-Bihoué naval air station. In addition, various 4e RHFS units deployed in the field to simulate enemy forces including one Cougar, one Caracal, two Pumas, two Tiger HAPs, one Gazelle Viviane and one regular Gazelle for snipers armed with 7.62mm HK417 precision rifles.

Fast jet support

For EC 2/30 ‘Normandie-Niemen’, Vampirex 2012 was a good

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Above: This 4e RHFS Tigre HAP is equipped with an external fuel tank.

opportunity to work with combat helicopters and Special Forces units. Lt Col François Tricot, its CO, explained: “Even though all pilots from every single Rafale unit are cleared to carry out airto-air and air-to-surface missions,

EC 2/30 is rated as the expert Rafale squadron for surface attacks with precision weapons and for reconnaissance with the Pod Reco NG. “The main reason for us to take part in Vampirex came from the

In mid-November 2012, the French army, navy and air force conducted a joint exercise in the south-west of France – Henri-Pierre Grolleau reports from Mont-deMarsan analysis of the Libyan conflict, which showed a clear need to improve co-operation between fast jets and combat helicopters even further. In the Armée de l’Air, we are all fully trained to handle combat search and rescue procedures, but we need to practise more often with ALAT helicopters, including Special Forces. Vampirex is a logical consequence of the operations in Libya – with a final aim of issuing a new operating manual that will include procedures to be used when Special Forces helicopters and fast air co-operate. For us, as a recently re-created squadron, it was the first time we had taken on such a large exercise.” For Vampirex, nine sorties

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EXERCISE REPORT VAMPIREX 2012 (three on each of the three nights of the exercise) were logged by EC 2/30 pilots. “We provided one Rafale daily which carried out a recce sortie with its reconnaissance pod to generate very high quality, annotated, georeferenced imagery,” continued Lt Col Tricot. “Two other Rafales, each equipped with a Damocles laser designation pod, tookoff from Cazaux to escort the helicopter raids.” This had been the case in Libya, when ALAT units operating from the amphibious warfare ships Mistral and Tonnerre received intelligence data collected by Mirage F1CRs and Rafales, hence 4e RHFS command could rely on ‘Normandie-Niemen’ photo interpreters to prepare up-todate imagery used for mission planning.

Night flying

Vampirex was spread over three days but most of the flying was conducted in the dark, usually from 22:00 to around 04:30. On the Monday, all participants (except the French Navy Atlantique 2) regrouped at Montde-Marsan for a first round of briefings. The exercise kickedoff in the evening when a 13e RDP recce team was inserted into enemy territory by a Puma escorted by a Tigre. The raid was protected by a pair of Rafales, which used their Damocles pods to scan ahead of the helicopters to detect any potential threat. The fighter sweep trained to communicate with the helos using dedicated procedures and to act as a communications relay between the raid at low level and the command centre at Mont-deMarsan. One of the two Rafales left the formation every now and then to use its RBE2 electronic scanning radar to search for

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not until 03:30 that they were recovered by an Imex (immediate extraction) team.

Targeting communication antennas

Above: The Eurocopter EC725 HUS, the heaviest helicopter in use by the ALAT.

small targets flying at low speeds hidden deep in mountain valleys. At 22:50 the Puma dropped the 13e RDP recce team onto its intended insertion point and immediately took off again – only to be ‘shot down’ a few minutes later! The crew had been given an envelope before take-off with instructions to open it at a specific time. Inside were instructions telling them to land in a field and pretend to have been shot down by enemy fire. For the crew, an escape and survival exercise had begun (the Puma was ‘recovered’ and taken back to base by another

crew). They started running towards friendly lines while the command tried to figure out what had happened and what to do next. An enemy search party sent out to locate the aircrew had to demonstrate basic infantry skills with ‘simunitions’ (simulated ammunition, a kind of plastic bullet) fired from their 5.56mm HK416 assault rifles. These are not dangerous, but their impact is painful enough to motivate aircrews to avoid them. Once their pursuers’ simunitions had been depleted, the crew had to fend-off their enemy using closecombat techniques and it was

The second phase of the first night was devoted to offensive operations: “The main targets were two communication masts located between Oloron-SainteMarie and Pau,” said ‘Lt Col V’, 4e RHFS’s operations and training officer. “A mixed Tigre/Gazelle Viviane two-ship was in charge of the mission, with the Gazelle due to strike the target with HOT anti-tank missiles while the Tigre provided escort and support.” During the low-level penetration, information came through suggesting an enemy convoy had been detected. The decision to intercept this time-sensitive target was made, and Rafales were sent to locate it. Thanks to their Damocles, they soon had the vehicles in sight and were able to guide the Tigre which, with its 30mm gun, easily ‘destroyed’ the soft-skinned vehicles. “Our fighters did a target designation using the Damocles’ infrared pointer/marker,” revealed Lt Col Tricot. “It’s a variant of the SCAR (strike co-ordination and reconnaissance) procedure optimised for cooperation with helicopters.” The two communication masts were eventually destroyed by the Gazelle/Tigre pair, a serious setback for the hostile militiamen.

Enter the Atlantique 2

Above: A 1e RPIMa anti-terrorist team armed with an assortment of HK416 assault rifles and shotguns photographed in front of the Cougar. Below: This 4e RHFS Tigre HAP has just started its turbines, ready to depart for another training mission.

On Tuesday morning new intelligence showed the hostages were likely to be transferred from Oloron-Sainte-Marie to Pau. Using darkness as cover, a convoy was due to leave the enemy airfield sometime that evening.

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The single Cougar engaged during Vampirex taxies past a Gazelle Viviane.

Thanks to various assets deployed in the field, 4e RHFS command was hopeful of getting a precise description of the vehicles to be used for the transfer. Reinforcements had been requested, and the Atlantique 2 maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) had taken off from Lann-Bihoué with a forward air controller (FAC) onboard. With a mission to guide Rafales and combat helicopters during precision strikes, it arrived on station at dusk and set up a surveillance orbit high above Oloron-Sainte-Marie, its infrared sensor pointed onto the airfield where the hostages were held. Suddenly, a message from a friendly source confirmed the hostages had been loaded into three cars, which had left the area at high speed – so the anti-terrorist specialists of 1e RPIMa, working hand-in-hand with 4e RHFS aircrew, chose the most appropriate tactic. Speed is decisive against a moving target, and a powerful force prepared itself – composed of a Caracal, a Cougar, a Puma Imex, a Tigre, a Gazelle Viviane and a Gazelle carrying two snipers.

Unforgiving weather

The convoy was followed by the Atlantique and the helicopter force was scrambled. The MPA and two Rafales handled surveillance, orbiting at medium levels with the fighters staying 1,000ft (300m) below the Atlantique, ready to attack. However, the weather in the area rapidly deteriorated and the Rafale and the MPA lost the convoy: the decision was made to stop the exercise, as the risk of intercepting

civilian vehicles that had nothing to do with Vampirex was quite high on the busy road the convoy had taken. Cloud had ruined the attempt to liberate the hostages and brought the exercise to a standstill – the same could happen during a live operation, and a decision to cancel the assault would have to be made in order not to betray the presence of the helicopter strike package. Escorted by a Gazelle Viviane, the EC725 took advantage of the cloud

Above: While an Antonov unloads equipment from Afghanistan at Mont-de-Marsan, this Gazelle Viviane prepares for a strike mission. Below: A Puma, a Tigre, a Cougar and a Caracal share the apron at Mont-de-Marsan during Vampirex.

to penetrate deep inside enemyheld territory to recover friendly forces at Oloron-Sainte-Marie. By 03:00 all helicopters were back at Mont-de-Marsan and, without up-to-date intelligence, no further action was possible until the following evening.

Adapted Firing Centre

Late on Wednesday morning, aircrew and command personnel were busy collecting data and briefing sorties. Intelligence provided by pro-French ‘freedom fighters’ had shown that the convoy had arrived in military facilities in Pau. Another night operation was then planned, but French Special Forces security rules restrict what the author can reveal. What we can say is that Vampirex 2012 ended in a unique facility called the Adapted Firing Centre, a huge modular facility where commandos can carry out training with live ammunition, firing through 360° , under stress, in an incredibly realistic close-combat environment. The facility is remarkably well designed and its internal layout can be easily altered for various scenarios. Transport helicopters fast-roped commandos onto a 37m (120ft) high tower from which the assault team started its tactical progression inside the building to liberate the hostages. In minutes, the French citizens had been recovered and the enemy neutralised by a deadly combination of ‘shock and awe’.

Co-operation forged

Designed to forge a long-term co-operation between 4e RHFS aircrews and French Air Force fast jet pilots, Vampirex was a remarkable success. New tactics were tested, and discussion between helicopter and fast jet pilots will help refine afm operating procedures.

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NUCLEAR EUROPE

Tornado IDS MM7083/6-72 from Ghedi AB’s 156° Gruppo CB landing during Steadfast Noon. No nuclear weapon ‘shapes’ were noted being carried by the Tornados but B61 nuclear bombs are stored at Ghedi. Dino van Doorn

(GMAP)

T

HE STRIKE evaluation Exercise Steadfast Noon 2012 (SFNN 2012), which was held late last year at the Belgian Air Component base at Kleine Brogel, demonstrated that NATO still maintains an airborne nuclear component, despite the fact that the Cold War ended more than two decades ago.

Cold War Legacy

In the mid-1980s, NATO boasted an impressive arsenal of tactical nuclear weapons. Nine nuclear systems were deployed in Europe, including nuclear-tipped surface-to-air missiles (Nike Hercules), surface-to-surface missiles (Lance and Pershing) and ground-launched cruise missiles, as well as heavy artillery capable of delivering nuclear rounds. Specialist army engineers were in charge of handling nuclear mines in wartime, and maritime patrol aircraft were capable of dropping nucleararmed depth bombs for anti-submarine warfare. All these capabilities were discarded one by one during the immediate post-Cold War era. However, one capability has survived to this day. NATO fields a limited number of so-called dualcapable aircraft (DCA), which can carry both conventional and nuclear stores. US nuclear capability in 76

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Above: It might come as a surprise to some that USAFE’s F-16CMs – like this one from Aviano’s 510th Fighter Squadron – are nuclear capable. Dino van Doorn (GMAP)

Europe remains a pillar of NATO unity. NATO’s dualcapable aircraft contribute directly to nuclear deterrence. US submarines equipped with Tomahawk land attack missiles (TLAM-N) also regularly operate in the European theatre; however, these nuclear-tipped cruise missiles will be retired as part of the changes to the US nuclear arsenal announced in the Nuclear Posture Review 2010. According to US tactical nuclear weapons in Europe,

2011, a publication by Robert S Norris and Hans M Kristensen in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, approximately 180 US B61 tactical nuclear weapons are still deployed in Europe. These bombs are stored at six bases in five countries; the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Italy and Turkey. The majority are kept in US facilities at Aviano Air Base (AB) in Italy and Incirlik AB in Turkey. Volkel AB in the Netherlands, Kleine Brogel AB in Belgium, Büchel AB in Germany and Ghedi AB in www.airforcesmonthly.com

Nuclear Days

Pieter Baastiens assesses NATO’s airborne nuclear capabilities in Europe

Italy are also home to limited numbers of B61 bombs. These nuclear gravity bombs are in custody of US personnel stationed locally as part of a series of Munitions Support Squadrons (MUNSS). The 52nd Munitions Maintenance Group (MMG) at Spangdahlem AB provides a single organisation to oversee these geographically separated MUNSS. It is likely that there are a limited number of other NATO air bases where nuclear weapons storage vaults are maintained, but currently not in use. The USAF announced a contract in 2004 for the upgrade of nuclear weapons storage and security systems at 12 NATO air bases, according to Ian Anthony and Johnny Janssen in The future of nuclear weapons in NATO, 2010.

Nuclear-Capable Aircraft

Lockheed Martin F-16s and Panavia Tornados, both iconic late Cold War legacy fighter bombers, form the backbone of NATO’s current tactical nuclear delivery capability. USAF F-15E units seem to have relinquished their nuclear task in recent times, because demand for Strike Eagle in conventional missions is exceeding available assets. This doesn’t mean that the F-15E has lost dual-capability altogether, just that these units currently do not train for nuclear weapons www.airforcesdaily.com

Above: B61 nuclear weapons in an underground Weapons Security and Storage System (WS3) at a secret location. Key archive Below: General Roger Brady, former USAFE Commander, is shown B61 nuclear weapon disarming procedures on an inert training round in an underground Weapons Security and Storage System (WS3) vault at Volkel Air Base, Netherlands, on June 11, 2008. USAF

delivery. The nuclear readiness requirements for those units that do continue to take care of the strike mission have been dramatically reduced over the years and their ability to assume combat readiness posture is now measured in months, rather than minutes. These fourth-generation DCA will start to reach the end of their service lives within this decade. At the same time, the inventory of B61 tactical nuclear bombs is in need of a life extension programme. Drastically shrinking defence budgets in European NATO member states complicates recapitalisation of nuclear-capable fighter aircraft. In addition, the introduction of advanced air defence systems may challenge the future penetration and delivery credibility of these nuclear forces and other supporting airborne assets. Some NATO countries are already pursuing an option for replacing their DCA fighter forces by investing in the development of the Lockheed Martin F-35, known as the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), which has an operational requirement for delivery of tactical nuclear weapons. NATO’s nuclear posture is also expected to be influenced in the near future by Belgium not taking part in the JSF programme. #299 FEBRUARY 2013

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NUCLEAR EUROPE Meanwhile, German Tornado IDS (interdictor/strike) units are in the process of receiving Typhoon fighters that are not dual-capable. In 2010, German Ministry of Defence (MoD) figures indicated that maintaining a total number of 46 Tornado IDS aircraft was deemed essential to guarantee Germany’s current share of NATO’s tactical nuclear capability. This also seems to explain why Büchel AB will be maintained as a Tornado fighter bomber base, despite German Tornado numbers being cut from 185 to 85 before 2017 as part of the recently announced reforms of the German armed forces. Integrating the strike task with Eurofighter is not planned at this time. Furthermore, it is likely that European corporations will be reluctant to share their aircraft technical data with the US. All this means that only the Netherlands, Italy and Turkey are now expected to replace their current fighter aircraft with successors that could provide dual-capability.

Above: Belgian F-16AM MLU with AN/ALQ-131(V) electronic warfare pod - its base at Kleine Brogel in Belgium is home to some of NATO’s B61 nuclear weapons. Dino van Doorn (GMAP) Below: Royal Netherlands Air Force 312 Sqn F-16AM J-057 - the unit is based at Volkel AB, another B61 storage centre. Dino van Doorn (GMAP)

Growing Uncertainty

After having joined NATO after the end of the Cold War, Poland is a country in favour of broad NATO support for continued deployment of US tactical nuclear weapons in Europe. However, some politicians in countries where US tactical nuclear weapons are stationed such as Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands have questioned their relevance in recent times. This contradiction is reflected in NATO’s new Strategic Concept, which is rather vague when it comes to US tactical nuclear deployment in Europe. While it states that “the supreme guarantee of the security of the Allies is provided by the strategic nuclear forces of the Alliance – particularly those of the United States,” it also says “the independent strategic nuclear forces of the United Kingdom and France, which have a deterrent role of their own, contribute to the overall deterrence and security of the Allies.” Coincidentally, there seems to be discord within US circles as well. The report of the Secretary of Defense Task Force on Department of Defense (DoD) Nuclear Weapons Management of December 2008, was instigated as a result of widespread atrophy of the strategic nuclear mission within the USAF. It states: “In the long-held view of US European Command (USEUCOM), deterrence provided by US Strategic Command’s strategic nuclear capabilities outside of Europe are more cost effective. USEUCOM argues that an ‘over the horizon’ strategic capability is just as credible. It believes there is no military downside to the unilateral withdrawal of nuclear weapons from Europe. This attitude fails to comprehend – and therefore undermines – the political value our allies place on these weapons, the political costs

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of withdrawal, and the psychological impact of their visible presence as well as the security linkages they provide”. The same report also states that “while USAFE’s surety appears sound, nuclear operations units have fallen victim to a similar weakening that afflicts their Continental USA (CONUS)-based counterparts. USAFE headquarters staff lack a requisite-level of operational DCA fighter expertise. The USAFE units that maintain nuclear operational readiness are uniquely challenged as they are the only such fighter units in the United States Air Force trained to perform the nuclear mission. From an aircrew perspective, the mission may be less operationally demanding than some other conventional missions; however, there is no margin for error. When aircrews arrive at nucleartasked units, they typically have had minimal (if any) training in nuclear weapons delivery procedures.” Right: This Mirage 2000N assigned to EC 2/4 ‘Lafayette’ is seen at its Istres-le-Tubé base with a single ASMP (Air-Sol Moyenne Portée – medium-range air-tosurface missile) on its centreline stores point. Sébastien Buyck

At the same time, Task Force panel members indicated that USAFE commitment to the safe and secure storage of nuclear weapons in Europe was encouraging, which contrasted sharply with findings on the American continent.

Exercise Steadfast Noon 2012

Kleine Brogel AB was home to the latest edition of this multi-national exercise between October 15 and October 26. Organised each year, it evaluates multinational interoperability with US systems intended for strike missions within NATO. Security, which is provided by varying combinations of US and host nation security personnel, is one of the issues assessed during the exercise. Ground crews of nuclearcapable NATO air units are cross-trained in loading and employing nuclear bombs from different DCA. In addition, participating aircrews conduct a series of strike missions to assess their currency in using the tactics and procedures needed to successfully plan, execute and evaluate this specific kind of operation. Assessing command and control procedures is another goal. Kleine Brogel hosted Italian Air Force (6° Stormo) and German Air Force (JBG 33) Tornados as well as Royal Netherlands Air Force (312 Squadron) and USAFE (31st FW) F-16s. The previous edition of Steadfast Noon at Volkel AB also featured some Turkish Air Force aerial assets - three F-16Cs from Balikesir

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Above: A B83 nuclear weapon training round. USAF Right: These Block 50 F-16Cs are assigned to the Turkish Air Force’s 191° Filo. The unit’s home base, Balıkesir, has storage facilities for nuclear weapons but it is thought that they are no longer in use. These Vipers visited Volkel for exercise Steadfast Noon in 2011. Pieter Baastiens

AB took part during the first week of the exercise in 2011. This demonstrates that participation in Steadfast Noon is not just limited to US or coalition nuclear certified air units stationed at the above bases. Over the years NATO has developed a wider approach to engaging non-nuclear allies in the NATO nuclear posture through a programme known as ‘SNOWCAT’ (Support of Nuclear Operations with Conventional Air Tactics). This is why support aircraft that provide suppression of enemy air defence (SEAD) or offensive counter air (OCA), for instance, can also take part. In addition, some NATO air units might still be nuclear capable, albeit without having nuclear weapons at their air bases. This seems to have been the case with the two Turkish F-16 wings, one of which is now believed to have lost its nuclear task (see table). Some Turkish sources indicate that the Turkish Air Force has given up the strike task altogether, just like its Greek counterparts. In this case, their F-16s would still be used in a supporting role because the Turkish

Government continues to feel very strongly about burden-sharing obligations within NATO. There is a common belief in Turkey that the US weapons constitute a credible deterrent against threats such as Iran’s nuclear programme and the possible further proliferation of nuclear weapons in the neighbouring region in response to Tehran.

European Capabilities

As mentioned in NATO’s new Strategic Concept, France still maintains its own independent strategic airborne nuclear component. The French Air Force has three nuclear-certified air bases (Bases Aériennes à Vocation Nucléaire - BAVN) at Istres, Saint-Dizier and Avord. Its nuclear-capable fighter aircraft are also capable of conducting conventional operations, as was demonstrated during Operation Harmattan (the French contribution to Operation Unified Protector over Libya) by Mirage 2000Ns executing numerous missions. Mirage 2000N K3s (EC 2/4 ‘Lafayette’ at

Above: The gradual retirement of the nuclear-capable Mirage 2000N fleet means that France’s airborne nuclear deterrent will be carried by the Dassault Rafale like this one on a flight from Mont de Marsan with an ASMP-A (AirSol Moyenne Portée - Amélioré (improved medium-range air-to-surface missile). SIRPA Air

Istres) and Rafale B F3s (EC 1/91 ‘Gascogne’ at Saint Dizier) have been capable of carrying the new ASMP-A (Air-Sol Moyenne Portée-Amélioré – improved medium range air-to-surface missile) nuclear-tipped cruise missiles since October 2009 and July 2010 respectively. Avord was in the process of having its facilities upgraded for ASMP-A operations during 2010, according to official French MoD figures. Exercises are held on these nuclear-certified air bases on a regular basis; for instance BA 113 Saint DizierRobinson was the scene of ‘Airnuc 2011’, a national nuclear safety exercise held between September 13 and 14, 2011. ASMP-A operations are not just limited to the air force. Aeronavale Rafale M F3s of both 11 and 12 Flotille can be equipped with the nuclear system Rafale M has taken over the carrier-based airborne nuclear role from the Super Etendard Modernisé, which is gradually being phased out. It seems likely that a number of nuclear weapons storage vaults are kept under caretaker status at former Forces Aériennes Stratégiques (Strategic Air Forces) air bases. Various publications indicate that the air bases at Mont-de-Marsan, Luxeuil and, to a lesser extent Cazaux and Orange, were available for nuclear operations with ASMP-A’s predecessor system, the ASMP. British nuclear forces have nowadays been consolidated in a maritime component of submarines equipped with Trident strategic nuclear missiles. March 31, 1998, marked the stand-down of the RAF’s nuclear weapon capability. The complete stock of WE177 nuclear gravity bombs was withdrawn from service and dismantled at the Atomic Weapons afm Establishment at Aldermaston.

Status of US tactical nuclear weapons in Europe, post-Cold War Country

Air base

Custodian

Platform

Remarks

Netherlands

Volkel AB

703rd MUNSS

F-16 MLU (RNLAF, 312 Sqn)

Nuclear certified

Belgium

Kleine Brogel AB

701st MUNSS

F-16 MLU (Belgian Air Component, 10 Wing) Nuclear certified

Germany

Büchel AB

702nd MUNSS

Tornado IDS (Luftwaffe, JBG33)

Vaults - possible caretaker status

Memmingen AB

Closed

Ramstein AB

Italy

Turkey

Greece United Kingdom

Nuclear certified

Nörvenich AB

Spangdahlem AB Hahn AB Ghedi AB Rimini AB Aviano AB Incirlik AB Akıncı AB Balikesir AB Erhaç AB Eskişehir AB Araxos AB RAF Lakenheath RAF Upper Heyford RAF Bentwaters

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Vaults - possible caretaker status 52nd MMG 704th MUNSS

Tornado IDS (AMI, 6 Stormo)

MUNSS of 31st Fighter Wing 39th Air Base Wing

F-16C (USAFE, 31st FW) F-16C (THK, 4th Wing) F-16C (THK, 9th Wing)

Greek F-16Cs not nuclear capable USAFE F-15Es no longer nuclear capable

Non-nuclear; MMG provides command to 701/702/703/704 MUNSS Closed Nuclear certified Now non-nuclear Nuclear certified Nuclear certified Vaults - possible caretaker status Vaults - possible caretaker status Vaults - upgrade unlikely Vaults - upgrade unlikely Vaults - possible caretaker status Vaults - possible caretaker status Closed Closed

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FORCE REPORT AFGHAN NATIONAL ARMY AIR FORCE

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Starting from Scratch Alan Warnes looks at the evolution of the Afghanistan Air Force since the US-led coalition started assisting in its modernisation more than five years ago

O

VER THE past year, the modernisation of the Afghan National Army Air Force (more commonly referred to as the Afghanistan Air Force – AAF) has gained real momentum. Receiving six MD530F helicopters, 26 Cessna 208 Caravans and six Cessna 182Ts has boosted the hopes of both Afghans and personnel from the NATO Air Training Command – Afghanistan (NATC-A): these training aircraft have finally allowed Afghans to train incountry, and the foundations for

a professional, fully independent and operationally capable AAF are now in place. But these positive vibes have not spread to all areas of the AAF. The transport fleet of 20 ex-Italian Air Force Alenia Aeronautica G222s (designated C-27As by the US), which cost around $275 million, has suffered maintenance problems – with only two aircraft serviceable at the time of writing. Acquisition of a brand new light air support (LAS) platform, which was budgeted at around $355m, seems further off than it did a year ago. The Embraer/Sierra Nevada Super Tucano was chosen for the role, but following a lawsuit from Hawker Beechcraft, which had tendered the AT-6 and was dissatisfied with the selection process, the

buy was abandoned last March and a new competition launched. The net result is that more time has been lost in ramping-up the AAF’s operational tempo. A decision on the type is now expected in June, with planned deliveries expected in the third quarter of 2014. According to Brig Gen Timothy M Ray, NATC-A’s commander until last September, it means the AAF is now unlikely to be fully independent until 2017 – and it will not be armed and ready with a modern, capable counterinsurgency (COIN) asset when the US and its coalition partners leave as planned in 2015. Original plans were for the first ten LASs to be based at Shindand Air Base (AB) in western Afghanistan and the other ten at Kandahar AB, Helmand Province.

Organisation and Objectives AAF modernisation was initially overseen by the US-led Combined Air Power Transition Force (CAPTF), which drew up an Air Corps Master Plan in 2007. The CAPTF was renamed NATC-A on September 7, 2010 to better reflect the organisation’s transition from a predominantly US-led mission to broader NATO command. Since then the AAF has continued to modernise and has a requirement for around 145 aircraft, organised into three air wings at Kabul, Kandahar and Shindand. Four detachments – at Herat, Mazar-e-Sharif, Jalalabad

NATO Air Training Command – Afghanistan

Over 1,000 personnel drawn from 14 nations make up NATC-A. The majority are from the US but are joined by troops from Belgium, Canada, Croatia, the Czech Republic, El Salvador, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvi a, Lithuania, Mongolia, Portugal, Ukra ine and the UK. Above left: An AAF Mi-35P Hind attack helicopter on patrol over Afghanistan. All images NATC-

A/438AEW unless stated

Left: A USAF pilot discusses aircraft technology with a group of ‘Thunder Lab’ students at Kabul. Created in May 2010, Thunder Lab is designed to improve the English and technological knowhow of young lieutenants preparing for pilot training.

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FORCE REPORT AFGHAN NATIONAL ARMY AIR FORCE HIGHS & LOWS

Since 2007 there have been many highs and lows for the Afghan air arm. • In 2009 an initial cadre of Afghans was sent to the US for pilot training; Mi-35 pilots began working with live rockets for the first time since the Taliban lost power in 2001; the first C-27 transport aircraft was delivered. • In June 2010 the Afghan National Army Air Corps (ANAAC), as it was previously known, was renamed the Afghan National Army Air Force; pilot training overseas was ramped-up to 120 slots per year. • In 2011, the Jalalabad detachment stood up, pilot training at Shindand began and deliveries of Cessna 182Ts, Cessna 208 Caravans and MD530s commenced. But 2011 also saw the helicopter and transport mission capability rates decline. During the spring, two newlydelivered Mi-17V5s crashed, at Parun and Asadabad. In April, nine US air advisers of the NATCA’s Command and Control (C2) were gunned down by 50-yearold AAF pilot Ahmed Gul after an argument on the ramp at Kabul International Airport. NATC-A pulled its advisers out of Kabul IAP for a week. • The AAF currently has about 100 aircraft and some 5,000 active personnel. By 2016 the NATO training mission in Afghanistan hopes to have expanded the ranks of the AAF to 8,000 and increased the air fleet to 140.

Above: An AAF C-27A, with its former AMI serial MM62152 still visible, departs Runway 23 at Kandahar Air Field. On December 18, 2012 the US Air Force notified contractor Alenia Aermacchi North America that it will dispose of all 16 aircraft. Cristian Schrik

and Gardez – have been created and eight air units for forward tactical operations are also being set up. All operations are supervised by AAF HQ and the USAF Central Command’s 438th Air Expeditionary Wing at Kabul International Airport, where No 1 Air Wing is also located with three operational squadrons comprising one fixed-wing (Cessna 208), one rotary-wing (Mi-17/Mi-24/35) and the Presidential Airlift Squadron (Mi-17) supported by the USAF’s 438th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group (AEAG). No 2 Air Wing at Kandahar operates one helicopter squadron (Mi-17/Mi-24/35) shadowed by the 838th AEAG. No 3 Air Wing at Shindand, home of

the AAF’s training academy, has a fixed-wing training squadron (Cessna 182T/208) and a helicopter training unit (MD Helicopters MD 530F) and is supported by the 738th AEAG. From the outset, the NATC-A’s objectives have been to train, assist and mentor the AAF (under the Afghan Ministry of Defense) as well as the Air Interdiction Unit, now Special Mission Wing (subordinate to the Ministry of Interior), and seek to create a sustainable air arm in four areas – by building the size of the AAF; creating a trained, motivated and talented group of airmen; building and improving airfields and aviation facilities throughout Afghanistan; and increasing

the amount, types and scope of air operations. “Safe and effective air power is a critically important part of the security and strategic road map for Afghanistan,” Brig Gen Steven M ‘Shep’ Shepro, NATC-A and 438th AEW commander, said recently. “The Afghan Air Force is not only growing as an institution and building the quality of its human capital, it is also increasing effective support to Afghan National Security Forces in current operations.”

In-country training

The AAF has been developing its capacity to conduct pilot training in-country since the air training mission began in 2007.

Members of the 438th AEW pay their final respects to nine NATC-A colleagues gunned down at Kabul by an AAF pilot on April 27, 2011. The NATC-A is assisting in the modernisation of the AAF.

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Programmes include medical and educational screenings, English language and initial flight screening (IFS) where the pilot candidate’s aptitude is evaluated, followed by basic flying training, undergraduate fixed- and rotarywing pilot training, and then qualification training for the pilots in operational aircraft. Critical infrastructure developments, aircraft acquisition and other developments have led to the first classes in each of these programmes being launched at Shindand Air Base.

Four AAF flight students from class 91-02, along with their US instructors, prepare to fly the MD530F during undergraduate helicopter training on August 29, 2012 at Shindand Air Base, Afghanistan. The four students were expected to graduate from their course in early January.

New helicopters for training

Several Mi-17s were delivered to Shindand in the autumn of 2011 as dedicated helicopter training platforms to enable existing AAF pilots to be upgraded to aircraft commanders and instructor pilots. This was a prelude to the arrival of six MD530Fs ordered from MD Helicopters Inc (MDHI) on March 20, 2011 – as part of a $186m deal, modified on September 8, 2011 at a cost of $14.24m, to include logistics support and flight training devices (FTDs). Support for the MD530Fs and two FTDs is provided under the contract until March 31, 2016. There are also options for a further 48 helicopters and two more FTDs. All six helicopters were formally handed over to the AAF at MDHI’s Mesa-Falcon Field factory in Arizona in September 2011 and delivered to Shindand AB by December 12, 2011. Acceptance flights were flown in local air space. The first course comprised three phases of instruction on the MD530F, according to Lt Col Jeffery Bouma, the US Army Security Assistance Training Management Organization (USASATMO) team chief. The first phase taught the fundamentals of flying a helicopter, such as normal traffic patterns, hovering and emergency procedures. The second included basic instrument flying and the final phase covered tactical manoeuvres such as formation flying and dust and brown-out landings. “Each student accumulated 140 hours of flight time in the MD530 and the FTD,” Bouma said. The final phase of training included an extended cross-country flight from Shindand to Kandahar and back, a round trip of around 475 miles (765km). Students were responsible for the entire process of the trip, such as flight planning and fuel consumption estimates. The class leader, 1st Lt Ahmad

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Bakhshi, said it “was a great opportunity for us to fly in our own environment”. Four AAF lieutenants began helicopter pilot training in their home country for the first time during February 2012 in a programme that led to a graduation ceremony at Shindand on July 1 – Bouma said the occasion marked not only an achievement for them, but for their families, the AAF and the people of Afghanistan. Ahmad Bakhshi added: “We’re proud and excited that we are the first four students to complete training inside our country to become pilots in the Afghan Air Force and serve our people.” All four graduates then underwent advanced aircraft qualification in the Mi-17, which concluded their training in late August, before assignment to operational squadrons throughout

Afghanistan. In addition to training future pilots, Bouma said efforts are under way to train instructor pilots and mechanics for the MD530s. The plan is to transfer the whole programme over to the Afghan Air Force by January 2015. “It’s vital we train the newer generation of Afghan officers and soldiers to be a professional, selfsufficient force,” he said. “They have the capacity – it’s simply providing them the knowledge on how a professional organisation operates.” The second class of the Rotary Wing Flight Training Program is now under way.

Fixed-wing pilots graduate

History was made again on October 15 when three AAF pilots, First Lieutenants Walid Noori, Emal Azizi and Khan Agha Ghaznavi, became the first fixedwing students to earn their wings

in Afghanistan for 30 years. At the same time they became the first pilots to complete a fixedwing training programme in Afghanistan since NATO began its air training mission in 2007. The trio began their IFS classes in December 2011, two months after six Cessna 182Ts were delivered. Training included more than 250 hours in the simulator as well as flying Cessna 182Ts and Cessna 208B Super Caravans. Various coalition instructors, both military and civilian, tutored the three new pilots through their training syllabus. The trio received their wings from the AAF’s Shindand Air Wing commander, Maj Gen Mohammad Baqi, a veteran Afghani pilot of some 40 years’ experience. With him were USAF Col David Gossett, 838th AEAG commander, and Col Hashem, the Shindand Air Wing Training

FEMALE PILOTS In a male-dominated, ethnicallydivided culture, Afghanistan has many hurdles to overcome. Recruiting women to become pilots is one of them, but NATC-A is addressing the issue. Until recently, there was just a single female aviator, Colonel Latif Nabizda, a young mother who flew Mi-35s. She has now been joined in the helicopter ranks by two more women who have gone through their English language training at Lackland AFB, Texas, and are now at Shindand. The first female Afghan pilot to go through training in Afghanistan went solo in a Cessna 182 in September.

Above: Afghan student Nilifor Rhamani exits a Cessna 182T after completing her first solo flight on September 30, 2012 at Shindand. She was the first female pilot to conduct all her pilot training in Afghanistan.

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FORCE REPORT AFGHAN NATIONAL ARMY AIR FORCE Group commander. The first three Cessna 208Bs for the AAF arrived at Shindand on October 22, 2011; an $88.5m contract was signed five months earlier, covering a total of 26 Cessna 208Bs and six Cessna T182T Turbo Skylanes. Following delivery of the first three Grand Caravans, pilots from the 838th AEAG flew the aircraft to Kabul and Kandahar on November 1, 2011 to show off the AAF’s newestfixed wing trainer. At the event were eight selected ‘Thunder Lab’ students who toured the aircraft. The Thunder Lab was created at Kabul in May 2010 with the aim of boosting the AAF pilots’ learning process, students shadowing coalition troops to sharpen their English skills, learn technical language and discuss differences between Western and Afghan cultures. One of the biggest challenges was overcoming the language barrier, not helped by Afghanistan’s low literacy rate: but according to NATO, Afghan pilots have graduated from overseas foreign language training courses at a rapid pace. Thunder Lab migrated to Shindand last April to consolidate the AAF pilot training process. By mid-November there were eleven AAF instructors flying several aircraft and teaching in all phases of pilot training. The students may complete some

Above: A Cessna 208 Super Caravan sits on a hot Kabul ramp. The fleet is being split between Shindand for multi-engine training and Kabul, where they are supporting the C-27A with light transport duties. Below: The first all-Afghan crew carried out an independent flight without foreign mentors on June 19, 2012, nearly three years after the first C-27A was delivered in November 2009.

phases abroad, but return to Afghanistan for the remainder. So far 20 Afghan pilots have completed all three phases while another 102 students are training in Afghanistan and abroad. Of those, 41 are at Shindand.

Transport

To meet the AAF’s battlefield mobility requirements, a fleet of Aeritalia C-27A Spartan transport aircraft were purchased at a cost of $275 million. The acquisition included 20 overhauled and reworked ex-Italian Air Force G222s, which for many years stood in open store at Pisa-

AFGHANISTAN’S SPECIAL MISSION WING The Hip fleet in Afghanistan is split between the Air Interdiction Unit/Special Forces (AIU/SF) and the AAF. The former operates 20 Mi-17V-1/-5s, predominantly for counter-narcotics operations. With the growing need for Afghan-led aviation support during special operations, the AIU evolved into the Special Mission Wing (SMW), which stood up at Kabul on July 18, 2012. It

is a counter-narcotics aviation unit, which also provides general helicopter support to the Afghan National Police. Mentored by the US Army and the RAF, the SMW carries out counter-narcotics operations with partnered special operations forces, in particular assaulting ground targets that are remote from friendly ground forces. Mi-17 crews conduct training and operational missions

in support of the Ministry of Interior in conjunction with the Afghan National Police and other counter-narcotics forces throughout Afghanistan. SMW now works for the ANA Special Operations Command (SOC) Division, which stood up on July 16, and the air wing conducts varied aviation operations in support of ANASOC priorities. In addition to its fleet of Mi-17

helicopters, the SMW ordered 18 Pilatus PC-12/47Es from the Sierra Nevada Corporation via the US Department of Defence in mid-October 2012. All will be configured for ISR missions. Below: A Special Mission Wing Mi-17-V5 operated by 3 Air Squadron taxies out at Kandahar Air Field with a mixed US/ Afghan crew. Note the extra armour plates to protect the pilot from ground fire. Cristian Schrik

Above: A Special Mission Air Wing Mi-17-V5 operated by 3 Air Squadron taxies out at Kandahar Air Field with a mixed US/Afghan crew. Note the extra armour plates to protect the pilot from ground fire. Christian Schrik

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San Giusto airport. Acquired for their ability to operate from short, unprepared airstrips, they are being used to increase the AAF’s airlift mobility and to train Afghan pilots. Two are used by the Presidential Airlift Squadron along with three Mi-17s. However, since the first was delivered to Kabul on November 12, 2009 by Alenia Aermacchi North America, the AAF has experienced problems, and for the past three years most of the fleet has been grounded with maintenance issues. Despite this, on July 19 last an all-Afghan C-27A crew flew a proficiency training mission from Kabul. The flight lasted around an hour before the three crew landed the aircraft back at base. Flying this historic training mission were Colonel Aimal Pachs, aircraft commander and the C-27 squadron CO; Captain Shahnawaz Nabi Zada, loadmaster; and Major Nik Mohamad, co-pilot. Spares and maintenance problems led to the revelation early in 2012 that only seven of the C-27As were still in airworthy condition. This resulted in a fleet stand-down lasting around six months while the issues were sorted out. During the standdown, two simulators were delivered, enabling training to continue while the aircraft were returned to flying status one-byone - by December ten aircraft had returned to service. However, in late December the Wall Street Journal reported that the US Air Force had withdrawn the fleet, which had cost $598 million to

Above: One of the former Czech Republic Hips donated to the AAF. Cristian Schrik

date, and will dispose of all 16 aircraft. The C-27As had replaced a lone Antonov An-26 and five An-32s. There had been a number of An-32 incidents involving poor airmanship, including the crash of An-32 serial number 354 in October 2009 three miles (5km) from the border with Iran, after the crew allegedly took the aircraft without authorisation. No-one was seriously hurt. The Antonov fleet was grounded but resumed operations a few weeks later, only to be grounded again in November 2010, reportedly for undisciplined operations and unsafe maintenance; the type was withdrawn

from use in June 2011. It is possible they will be overhauled and returned to the air now that the C-27As have been withdrawn from service. Some 20 Cessna 208Bs are used to bolster the transport fleet in the light transport role at Kabul.

Tactical helicopters

Mi-17 Hips have served as the backbone of the AAF for many years and their numbers continue to rise. They play an important role in transporting personnel and cargo, flying rescue and evacuation missions while also fighting Taliban militants. Travelling by road in this rugged and barren country is tough, rough and fraught with danger and these Russian-built helicopters are the ideal

alternative. The AAF currently has 32 Mi-17s on its flight-lines, and NATC-A is planning to increase the fleet to 56. ‘Building to 56’, as it is known in the corridors of NATC-A, involves a combination of new, overhauled and modified aircraft. There has, however, been some criticism in the way the NonStandard Rotary Wing Aircraft (NSRWA) fleet is run. In a recent US Department of Defense (DoD) audit report it was established that “officials were unable to identify a comprehensive list of all DoD-owned and supported Mi-17s, their total ownership costs and all planned requirements in support of these aircraft”. According to AFM’s AirForces Intelligence database there have been 25 Mi-17 Hip-Hs on the inventory; three

Below: The main rotor assembly of an AAF Mi-17 is taken apart so the helicopter, along with another example, can be loaded into an Il-76 to fly to Sevastapol in Ukraine for overhaul.

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FORCE REPORT AFGHAN NATIONAL ARMY AIR FORCE are VVIP-configured former Czech Air Force helicopters. Another six former Czech AF examples, three from Slovakia and a further ten funded by the UAE Government were delivered during 2010. In July 2009 a further four were ordered, to be supplied by the American/Ukrainian company Defense Technology Inc in a $43.46m contract awarded by US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), with delivery taking place in September 2009. An initial batch of ten new-build Mi-17-V5 Hips were then acquired, two being air-freighted to Afghanistan in early 2010. Another four were airlifted to Kabul in October 2010 followed by a further four that December. Prior to that, on March 26, 2010, a competitive tender requesting the supply of 21 Mi-17 helicopters with rear loading ramps was issued, leading to a $375m contract – signed in May 2011 – with Russian Helicopters for 21 (with 12 on option) Kazanbuilt Mi-17-V5s, rather than Ulan Ude-built Mi-17s. In June 2011 a decision was made to delay the delivery of the 21 helicopters until it was proved the AAF could manage its existing fleet more effectively – after crashes on May 11 and June 15 had injured eleven AAF personnel. In June 2012 Rosoboronexport confirmed the 12 helicopter options had been converted into firm orders. To keep the fleet airworthy, Afghan Mi-17s are regularly airfreighted to Sevastopol in Ukraine for overhaul, where two are usually being worked on. In the attack helicopter role, Mi-24 Hinds had played an active part during the Soviet invasion of the 1980s, but they were largely dormant for the next two decades. Most of their pilots were middleaged when the decision to

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Above: Having a gunship was not a priority until 2008, after Mi-17 operations had been established. Mi-24/35s were delivered to the AAF between 2005 and 2009 and are used mainly for convoy escort duties. Istvan Toperczer

relaunch Mi-24/35 operations came in 2008, so there was a need to train new, younger pilots. Czech Mi-35 aircrew, later replaced by experienced Hungarian pilots, launched the training programme and in May 2009 Afghan crews were not only flying the helicopters but training to use them as weapon systems, firing 200 rounds of ammunition and 16 rockets during gunnery practice at the East River Range Complex.

The second-hand Mi-24/35s delivered between 2005 and 2009 are now nearing the end of their service lives, but the seven survivors of 14 delivered continue to provide a gunship capability while supporting Afghan troops during ground operations. It is likely the Hinds will eventually be replaced by armed Mi-17s.

The End Game

Building the AAF while fighting

a war is a daunting challenge – one that the US and its NATO partners have risen to. Through good and bad times – and despite several nations losing faith in what is being done, leading to the withdrawal of their personnel – the AAF continues to modernise and evolve. But to become the crack fighting force it needs to be, the speed of modernisation has to be stepped up if Afghanistan is to survive after the afm foreigners have gone home. Left: An Afghan National Army soldier prepares an 8-digit grid coordinate while attending the Squad and Platoon Leader course at the Kabul Military Training Center (KMTC). The Kabul Military Training Center trains more than 30,000 soldiers per year and is the force provider for the Afghan National Army . ISAF photo by US Air Force

TSgt Laura K Smith

Below: This AAF Cessna 182T is greeted by firefighters at Shindand on September 18, 2011 when the first examples were delivered. It led the way for the AAF to start flying training in Afghanistan in December 2011.

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SPANISH TIGER

Above: Over 20 Bo.105s are still used, mainly to let Tigre pilots log enough flying hours until the full complement of helicopters has been delivered. Dirk Jan de Ridder Left: The TopOwl helmet is among the most advanced helmets available to helicopter pilots. Each helmet is custom made for a specific pilot. Each TopOwl Helmet Mounted Sight and Display can only be used in a specific helicopter as it is calibrated so precisely. Menso van Westrhenen

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Tigerland Dirk Jan de Ridder and Menso van Westrhenen report on current operations by Spain’s only attack helicopter unit and its future with the Eurocopter Tigre

The Tigre is equipped with a 30mm gun with 450 rounds of ammunition. Dirk Jan de Ridder

B

ATALLÓN DE Helicópteros de Ataque Número I (BHELA I – Attack Helicopter Battalion 1) is the only attack helicopter unit of the Fuerzas Aeromóviles del Ejército de Tierra (FAMET – Spanish Army Aviation). It was established in 1980 at Colmenar Viejo, but in 1983 moved to Almagro when construction of the new base was completed. Almagro is located around 100 miles (160km) south of Madrid in the Castilla-La Mancha region, well known for its wine production, olive groves, windmills and the early 17th century novel Don Quixote. The unit flies the MBB Bo.105 (known simply as the Bölkow) but in September 2003 the Eurocopter EC665 Tigre HAD (Helicóptero de Apoyo y Destrucción – Support and Attack

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Helicopter) was selected as a replacement. A total of 24 Tigres were ordered, of which six HAP variants (the P standing for Protección/Protection) would be delivered early for training purposes, then subsequently upgraded. The other 18 Tigre HADs would be delivered between 2007 and 2011. However, during AFM’s visit to the base in September, the battalion was still flying the initial six helicopters and the first Tigre HAD continued to make test flights from Albacete.

Pilot training

Before the arrival of the first Tigres in the spring of 2007, eight pilots were sent to France for training. They initially went to the Eurocopter factory at Marseille-Marignane, after which they joined

their French and German colleagues at the army training centre Base École Général Lejay at Le Luc-Le Cannet airport. At the end of 2007 they completed their training with night operations from their home base. Nowadays, the normal procedure for Tigre pilots is to be trained at Almagro, but two Spanish instructor pilots are also based with the Franco-German pilot school at Le Luc, where two or three Spanish students receive their training every year. They are first trained in the front position, which – in contrast with many other attack helicopters – is the pilot’s position. Depending on a number of criteria, including a pilot’s experience and whether he (or she) is an officer or non-commissioned, he may move on to the gunner’s seat later. It #299 FEBRUARY 2013

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Spanish Tiger is not compulsory to be an officer to become a gunner – as long as there is an officer in the lead helicopter, the gunner in the second can be an experienced Warrant Officer. Captain Julio Suárez explained what it takes to become a Tigre pilot: “All army pilots receive air force flying training [on the EC120] to become a basic helicopter pilot in visual and instrument flight conditions. They then receive tactical instruction flying the EC135 at the Spanish Army training unit CEFAMET [Centro de Enseñanza de las FAMET] before they are sent to army units. There they start by simply learning to fly the helicopter, but after that they have to learn about tactics, techniques and procedures, because our pilots don’t act individually. They act in a patrol and in a company. After converting Bölkow pilots to the Tigre, we recently started to train students directly to the Tigre and the results were very successful. For young people it is easier to understand the new technology.”

Since BHELA I is the only attack helicopter unit in Spain, it gets many requests from army units to train with it. Dirk Jan de Ridder

Weapon load

Old versus new

B H EL A I is d i v i d e d i nto t wo co m p a ñ í a s (companies), both of which operate the Bo.105 as well as the Tigre. Some pilots fly just one type, while several fly both in order to log sufficient flying hours. Captain Suárez: “Several Bölkow pilots are waiting to become Tigre pilots. We also have Tigre pilots with lots of experience, especially instructor pilots, who don’t fly the Bölkow any more. “The change of helicopter [from Bo.105 to the Tigre] means a complete change of mission for the battalion. The Bölkow was oriented towards recce [reconnaissance] and anti-tank operations, while the Tigre is a modular helicopter. Depending on the mission, we can adapt the weapon load to perform the same ones as the Bölkow, and add new ones as well. For example, we can now perform convoy escort, air convoy escort and close combat attack.” Simulators are another major money saver, a new building on base houses four gigantic simulators, two of which are full motion. Each one is made specifically for a pilot or a gunner, so two crews can practise at any one time. Not only can they practise missions with each other, the sim is also connected to Chinook and Cougar sims elsewhere in the country - they can fly virtual missions with up to two Chinook and two Cougar crews. Any type of terrain can be simulated with one press of a button, including representations of Afghanistan, Lebanon, Spain and the fictional ‘Tigerland’.

Above: Tigre pilots have an excellent field of view through the windows. The Strix sight (mounted above the gunner’s seat) and the pilot’s TopOwl helmets increases their situational awareness. Dirk Jan de Ridder

Above: Every simulator session by a pilot or gunner is controlled and evaluated by an instructor pilot or gunner. Menso van Westrhenen

The current Tigre HAP can be armed with Mistral air-to-air missiles, 68mm unguided rockets and 450 rounds of 30mm ammunition for the cannon. It is unable to fire guided air-to-ground missiles, mainly because of +the lack of a laser designator. When the Tigre HAD arrives, the Spike-ER air-toground missile will be added to its arsenal, and the 68mm rockets will be replaced by 70mm rockets. Both crew members can perform all tasks and launch weapons, except for the Spike-ER, which can only be fired by the gunner. Despite the fact that pilots basically start ‘from scratch’, the battalion does not simply train pilots in basic flying manoeuvres - from the start, the unit’s main goal has always been to train at the highest possible level. Tigre crews already have experience in performing air interdiction, close air support, convoy escort, recovery of aircrew shot down over enemy territory (in cooperation with special forces units), as well as with firing all the helicopter’s weapons by day or night. Earlier this year initial operational capability was reached, meaning that the unit is now ready to deploy for any mission worldwide to support ground troops with three helicopters for a maximum period of one year. Experience gained by the French army has highlighted that 25 personnel are needed for such a deployment. By the beginning of September, the six Tigres had logged 5,600 flying hours. The first two Tigre HADs are now expected to be delivered at the end of the year. Another four will arrive in 2013, followed by five in 2014 and seven in 2015. The conversion of the first six helicopters to Tigre HAD will be completed in 2017. The Tigre HAD will feature the MTR390E engine, which has 14% more power, an improved optical sighting system with laser designator, as well as a new electronic warfare system, laser and radar warning receivers, improved ballistic protection and missile launch detectors coupled to chaff and flare dispensers.

Tigres only?

Above: Two of Almagro’s four Tigre flight simulators. The other two are full motion simulators. Menso van Westrhenen

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At some point in the near future, when all of the Tigres have arrived, it may be decided to retire the Bo.105. Base personnel could not confirm when this might happen. For now, the helicopter is serving well as an affordable alternative for pilots to maintain their flying hours – they don’t need to fly the Tigre all the time in order to maintain their skills in communicating with air traffic control and ground troops, fly tactically at low level and to maintain afm their skills in operating as part of a patrol. www.airforcesmonthly.com

Tigres Together THE 5E Régiment d’Hélicoptères de Combat (RHC - Combat Helicopter Regiment) of the Aviation Légère de l’Armée de Terre (ALAT - French Army Air Corps) is an important cooperation partner for BHELA I as it is located very close to the Spanish border at Pau-Uzein and fl ies exactly the same version of the Tigre. Each year the two units organise a joint exercise, the most recent being Exercise Hot Impulse 12, held in April 2012. BHELA I organised and executed the exercise, working closely with 5 RHC, which deployed three of its Tigres, three SA342 Gazelles and an SA330 Puma to northern Spain for five days. The purpose of Exercise Hot Impulse 12 was to develop common operational procedures for both operating units of the EC665 Tigre, working as part of a multinational coalition from a forward operating base (FOB). The fi repower that the Tigre offers and its capabilities for reconnaissance and observation have facilitated the development of new missions such as close combat attack (CCA), counter insurgency (CI), counter terrorist (CT) and personnel recovery (in coordination with special operations units), tailored for the current confl ict in Afghanistan. In collaboration with the FAMET’s Special Operations Command, live-fire missions were conducted from Bo.105 (HA.15) helicopters to validate Special Operations Forces snipers shooting from these light aircraft. Also practised was a combat rescue mission using two Spanish Bo.105s, two French Gazelles and a French Puma, together with a mixed Tigre section, to recover a downed crew. BHELTRA V deployed one of its Chinooks so that the French crews were able to familiarise themselves with refuelling procedures from a Forward Arming and Refuelling Point (FARP) – the ALAT lacks heavy transport helicopters with which to create advanced ammunition and refuelling points for its attack helicopters.

1 1: Hot refuelling of one of the two ALAT Tigres from the FARP. Francisco Francés 2: Special Operation Command Snipers practised precision shooting from Bo.105 helicopters. Francisco Francés 3: 5 RHC took part in Operation Harmattan in Libya and in Afghanistan with its Tigres and Gazelles forming joint patrols. Francisco Francés

4: French Pumas carried external fuel bladders to the FARP. Francisco Francés 5: French and Spanish Tigres return from their mission late in the afternoon. Francisco Francés

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SALVADOR MAFÉ AND FRANCISCO FRANCÉS

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EXERCISE REPORT SOUTH KOREA LIVE FIRE

An AH-64D Apache Longbow Block II from 4-2 ATK makes a high-speed bank after completing a live-fire mission at Rodriguez Range near the DMZ.

Death Dealers in South Korea

(DMZ). A captain from 4-2 ATK said the exercises, from October 1 to 6, last year, were “a valuable experience” as many crewmen were new and flying in South Korea for the first time. Two helicopters provided fire support to Bradley M3A3 and HMMWV scout vehicles and on the main range they engaged ‘enemy’ vehicles and troops with their 70mm rockets before moving in to ‘clean up’ with their 30mm

Above: An Apache fires its 30mm M230 Chain Gun on the main firing range in support of American and South Korean armour. Images by the author

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OR SIX days helicopters from the US Army’s solitary Apache battalion in South Korea, C Company, 4-2nd Attack Battalion (4-2 ATK), part of the 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade, supported the 4th Squadron, 7th Regiment (4-7 CAV) in a combined arms live-fire exercise. Both units belong to the 2nd ‘Indianhead’ Infantry Division, the last remaining forward-deployed division of the US Army. The unit, known as the ‘Death Dealers’, deployed Boeing AH-64D Apache Longbow Block II helicopters, 72 personnel and 13 pilots to Rodriguez Range near the Demilitarised Zone

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Above: There are 24 Apaches based with 4-2 ATK at Camp Humphreys, near Anjeong-ri and Pyeongtaek in South Korea.

chain guns. The training was repetitive as the unit performed identical missions for each troop of 4-7 CAV undergoing qualification. However, the flight crews of 4-2 ATK did not mind: “It allows crews to get familiar with the terrain and environment in Korea, as well as working with ground troops,” explained the captain. Immediately after supporting 4-7 CAV, the battalion conducted its own gunnery qualification at Rodriguez Range. Based at Camp Humphreys, near Pyeongtaek, 4-2 ATK is the only remaining Apache battalion in South Korea since 3-6 CAV was inactivated in June 2006. At that time, Iraq and Afghanistan deployments were imposing heavy demands on army aviation units. The need for a replacement aviation reconnaissance squadron is recognised – the commander of the 2nd Infantry Division, Major General Edward Cardon, told AFM. “There’s a lot of discussion about what type of battalion should come back, but I’m confident this will be resolved at higher levels,” he said. Another Apache battalion looks the most likely decision. GORDON ARTHUR

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POSTCARD FROM... CHINA

A J-10 of the PLAAF’s ‘August 1st’ aerobatic team makes a low-level pass over Zhuhai Sanzao Airport. Unfortunately, as is typical for the region, air quality was poor, and haze made photography difficult.

All images by the author

Airshow China 2012

Gordon Arthur reports from the ninth China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, held at Zhuhai between November 13 and 18

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HIS BIENNIAL event is a rare chance to see the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) aircraft, as well as conceptual products from a generally opaque Chinese defence industry. In many respects the show was disappointing, with few new PLAAF platforms appearing. Exceptions were the Changhe Z-10, which is now the PLA’s primary attack helicopter, and the Harbin Z-19 light attack helicopter. The latter, a tandem-seat design derived from the Z-9, appeared only briefly a couple of times. The PLAAF displayed one KJ-200 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) platform at

Above: The guest ‘star’ was the Z-10 attack helicopter. However, it performed only brief flights and did not land at the show venue. Below: This Z-8KA helicopter, based on the Aérospatiale Super Frelon design, is finished in the colours of the PLAAF.

the show. Based on the Shaanxi Y-8F-600, the KJ-200 has a linearshaped, active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar mounted on a dorsal structure. The PLAAF’s ‘August 1st’ aerobatic team took eight Chengdu J-10 multi-role fighters to Zhuhai and performed daily flight demonstrations. Meanwhile, a static Xian JH-7A fighter-bomber, a regular at the show, sat near a Shenyang J-8DF fighter. Much larger in size was a Xian H-6H bomber. As in 2010, the Pakistan Air Force brought along three JF-17 Thunder fighters. The JF-17 is designed in China, but 58% of its components are manufactured in Pakistan - one pilot described the JF-17 as “the pride of Pakistan”. The only other air force performing at Airshow China 2012 was the Russian Air Force aerobatic team, the Russian Knights, which brought six Sukhoi Su-27 aircraft.

Above: The Russian Knights perform a slow-speed manoeuvre. One Su-27 was finished in regular air force markings. Right: The Pakistan Air Force took three JF-17 Thunder fighters to Airshow China 2012.

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POSTCARD FROM... JAPAN

No-go Nyutabaru

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RADITIONALLY THE Nyutabaru Air Festa on the Southern Japanese island of Kyushu is one of the last airshows of the year. The beginning of December usually

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guarantees sunny days and provides perfect weather for showing off the based aircraft, including numerous F-4EJ Kais, the uniquely painted aggressor F-15 Eagles and a nice

selection of visiting aircraft. It also attracts good crowds. Unfortunately the weather in late 2012 brought unseasonal rain and cloud on the show day, Sunday December 2, but the

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families’ day on the previous Friday was blessed with a clear blue sky while participants for the show perfected their routines. DR ANDREAS ZEITLER

1: Uniquely painted F-15DJ 72-8090 in a brown aggressor splinter camouflage was the main act during the two-ship demo by Japan’s aggressor squadron, the Hiko Kyodotai (Tactical Fighter Training Group). 2: The seven-ship formation fly-by of F-4EJ Kai Phantoms was preceded by the spectacular tactical departure of two pairs of Phantoms. 3: Apart from numerous Japanese Air Self-Defense Force aircraft, the static display was enriched by exhibits from the navy, such as this SH-60K Seahawk from 51 Kokutai based at Atsugi. 4: Army participation included an AH-1S Cobra from the Japanese Ground SelfDefense Force. All images by the author 5: Another participant was this Dai 6 Hikotai (Squadron) Mitsubishi F-2 that flew in from its Tsuiki base.

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FEEDBACK

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

From AFM’s Facebook page… Facebook users buy the magazine in hard copy or electronic format. Around 80% of readers responded saying they prefer the hard copy. They would rather read the printed magazine instead of studying an electronic copy. Gordon Bradbury from Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, said: “Monthly subscription; hard copy. I used to obtain it through a local newsagent, but for the last four years have had a subscription.”

We asked: ‘Is your interest in aviation solely the military side, or do you dabble in civil aircraft too?’

Edited by Alan Kenny

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VER THE past few weeks, we have increased activity on our Facebook page - social media is a fantastic tool for communicating with our readers, giving us instant feedback. We ask questions, give updates on upcoming features, post photographs and videos and create stimulating debate. If

Force Reports In a recent poll to discover the air forces you most want to read about in future issues, the Royal Australian Air Force was tops with the Taiwanese Air Force second. We plan to feature them later in the year, so keep watching. Thank you for all of your valuable feedback on the Force Reports. We have created the poll below to see which forces generate the most interest and we will look into writing a report on the most popular

you haven’t had a look yet, go to www.facebook.com/ AirForcesMonthly.

Statistically speaking… Analysis of Facebook data tells us most of our readers come from the UK, the USA, the Netherlands, Pakistan and Australia. The second most popular city from which to view our page is Singapore, closely followed by Taipei and Kuala Lumpur. London tops the table, unsurprisingly.

We asked how many

We asked what was your fondest memory of the mighty F-14 Tomcat? Erik Roelofs from Wellington, NZ: “Being on 'The Big Stick' in the Gulf during Op Iraqi Freedom and seeing Tomcats launch for their afm missions up north.”

What was your favourite feature? Every month we ask you to tell us your favourite feature from the previous issue, which helps shape the future content of the magazine. The Mexican F-5 feature, ‘Defenders of the Tenochtitlan’, was the clear winner in the December issue, followed by ‘Combat Proven but Controversial – V-22 Osprey’ and ‘Force Report: Chinese Navy’.

We asked: ‘Which is the best military display team in the world, and why?’ There’s always huge debate on this one, so we decided to find out what AFM followers thought. We had votes for the Patrouille Swiss, Blue Angels, Thunderbirds and Frecce Tricolori, but the winner was The Red Arrows – closely followed by impressive

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newcomers The Black Eagles, from South Korea, who wowed the crowds in the UK last year at RAF Waddington and the Royal International Air Tattoo. Jamie ‘Monster’ Ewan from Skipton, UK, said: “In the sense of precision, it’s the Reds – but for ‘shock and awe’ it’s easily the Black Eagles!”

We expected the majority to say they preferred military aviation, but surprisingly only half did. Stefan Goosens from the 4Aviation website amusingly commented: “Civil aviation? Civil aviation? Um... no, doesn’t ring a bell...”

Photography competition We ran a photography competition in December on the Facebook page for the chance to win Keith Wilson’s book Red Arrows in Camera. The standard was extremely high and it was difficult to pick a winner from the many entries, but the editorial team finally agreed on the winner and congratulations go to Joe Copalman on a fantastic image of an A-10 caught at low level. Runners-up were Anton Balakchiev, Arnold ten Pas, Bartek Bera, Chavdar Garchev and Nigel Blake. We'll be having more Facebook competitions throughout 2013.

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OPS BOARD

OPS BOARD

If it’s a major military airshow or exercise being held around the world, here’s the place to find it with our new operations board, updated every month. For more dates and live web links go to AirForces Daily at www.airforcesdaily.com

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

Date

Exercise/Event

Location

Jan 14 – Feb 8

TLP 2013/1

Spain – Albacete AB

Jan 21 – Feb 1

Red Flag 13/2

USA – Nellis AFB, Nevada

www.nellis.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123327738

Feb 6 – 10

Aero India

India – AFS Yelahanka

www.aeroindia.in/

Feb 11 – Mar 3

Exercise Pashtun Dawn

UK - Salisbury Plain

National exercise

Feb 17

Stars & Stripes Air Show Spectacular

USA - Laredo, Texas

wbcalaredo.org/home/events/

Feb 23

Buckeye Air Fair 2013

USA - Buckeye, Arizona

www.buckeyeairfair.com/

Remarks

Feb 25 – Mar 15 Red Flag 13/3

USA – Nellis AFB, Nevada

Feb 26 – Mar 3

Australian International Air Show

Australian – Avalon AB, Victoria

Public days 1 – 3 www.airshow.com.au/airshow2013/index.html

Mar 2

Vero Beach Aviation Day

USA - Vero Beach, Florida

www.eaa99.com/aviationdayverobeach.html

Mar 4 – 27

TLP 2013/2

Spain – Albacete AB

www.tlp-info.org/home/

Mar 9

Air Show

USA – MCAS Yuma, Arizona

www.yumaairshow.com/

Mar 11 - 20

Exercise Cold Response

Norway - Nordland

mil.no/excercises/coldresponse2012/pages/default.aspx

Mar 15 - 17

Lightning to the Desert

USA – Luke AFB, Arizona

www.luke.af.mil/units/2013airshowandopenhouse/index.asp

Mar 16

Air Show

USA – El Centro, California

mwrtoday.com/elcentroairshow/

Mar 16 - 17

Thunder in the Valley Air Show

USA – Colombus, Georgia

www.thunderinthevalleyairshow.com/plaintext/home/home.aspx

Mar 23 – 24

Open House

USA – NAS Key West, Florida

Mar 23-24

Florida International Air Show

USA - Punta Gorda, Florida

Mar 26 – 30

LIMA

Malaysia - Langkawi

Apr 6 – 7

Airfest

USA – MacDill AFB, Florida

www.macdill-airfest.com/

Apr 6

Riverside Airshow

USA - Riverside, California

www.riversideairshow.com/default.asp

Apr 9 – 12

LAAD

Brazil – Rio de Janeiro

Apr 9 – 14

Sun’n Fun Fly-In

USA - Lakeland, Florida

www.sun-n-fun.org/

Apr 13

Bluebonnet Air Show

USA - Burnet, Texas

www.bluebonnetairshow.com/Welcome.html

Apr 13 – 14

South Texas Shoot-out

USA – NAS Corpus Christi, Texas

Apr 13 – 14

Show Aéreo

Dominican Republic – Malecon, Santo Domingo

Apr 14 – 16

Independence Day open house

Israel – various air bases

65 years celebrations

Apr 20

Thunder Over Louisville

USA - Louisville, Kentucky

www.thunderoverlouisville.org/thunder-air-show.html

Apr 22 – 26

Exercise NATEVALPREP

Belgium – Koksijde

Apr 27 – 28

Keesler Thunder on the Bay Air Show

USA - Keesler AFB, Biloxi, Mississippi

www.keesler.af.mil/library/keeslerairshowandopenhouse/index.asp

Apr 27 – 28

Air Show

USA – MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina

www.beaufortairshow.com/index.asp

Apr 29 – May 10 Red Flag Alaska 13/2

USA – Eielson AFB, Alaska

www.eielson.af.mil/library/redflag-alaska.asp

May 3 – 5

Air Power of Hampton Road

USA – Langley AFB, Virginia

www.jble.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123307512

May 3 – 17

Yudh Abhyas

USA – Fort Bragg, North Carolina

Joint US – India exercise

May 3 – 5

Central Texas Air Show

USA - Temple, Texas

www.centraltexasairshow.com/

May 4

Dyess Big Country AirFest

USA - Abilene Regional Airport, Texas

www.bigcountryairfest.org/

May 4 – 5

Open House

USA – Barksdale AFB, Louisiana

www.barksdaleafbairshow.com/

May 4 – 5

Air Show

USA – Sheppard AFB, Texas

May 5

Abingdon Air & Country Show

UK – Abingdon, Oxfordshire

www.abingdonfayre.com/

May 6 – 29

TLP 2013/3

Spain – Albacete AB

www.tlp-info.org/home/

May 9 – 11

European Helicopter Show

Czech Republic - Hradec Králové

www.eurohelishow.com/

May 9

Victory Day Parade

Russia – Moscow

Flypast

May 11

Airshow

South Africa – AFB Swartkop

www.saafmuseum.org/

May 11 – 12

Thunder Over the Blue Ridge

USA - Martinsburg, West Virginia

www.martinsburgairshow.com/

May 11 – 12

Air Show

USA – MCAS New River, North Carolina

May 16 – 18

Heli Russia 2013

Russia – Moscow

www.helirussia.ru/en/index.html

May 18 – 19

Wings over Wayne Airshow

USA – Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina

www.wingsoverwayneairshow.com/

May 18 -19

Fairchild AFB SkyFest

USA - Fairchild AFB, Spokane, Washington

www.fairchild.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123330103

May 25

Letecký Den/Airshow

Czech Republic - Cáslav

May 25 – 26

Salute to Veterans Air Show

USA - Columbia, Montana

www.salute.org/

May 25 – 26

Bethpage Jones Beach Air Show

USA - Wantagh, New York

www.jonesbeachairshow.com/

May 25 – 26

Lynchburg Regional Airshow

USA - Lynchburg, Virginia

www.lynchburgairshow.com/

May 25 - 26

Meeting Aérien

France - BA701 Salon de Provence

60 years of the Patrouille de France

Jun 8 - 9

Aero Show

Sweden – Gothenberg Säve

Jun 9

Air Show

UK – DCAE Cosford

cosfordairshow.co.uk/

Jun 14 – 15

Luchtmachtdagen/ Air Show

Netherlands – Volkel AB

100 years of Dutch Aviation

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www.floridaairshow.com/index.html

www.airforcesmonthly.com

AND FINALLY...

RIAT 2013 Tom Gibbons, new head of the Royal International Air Tattoo’s air operations team, reflects on a successful 2012 and looks at what next July’s event will bring

AFM: How was RIAT 2012 for you? TG: I really enjoyed it. The air ops team provided the guidance that helped me through a successful event – without them it would have been a much harder task. My main challenge was the short period between taking up the post early in the year and RIAT 2012 taking place – there’s no denying that my volunteer background helped immensely. AFM: Was there anything specific that you did to attract such a strong line-up of international aircraft last year? TG: There was no one single factor

An Insider’s View

– rather it was a combination. The Air Tattoo’s international reputation played a large part, along with the relationships built over a number of years. We know from feedback each year that crews and senior military chiefs all enjoy attending the airshow and are keen to return. Obviously operational and commercial factors play a part – and these are very much out of our control. We were lucky that 2012 was the year the South Koreans were keen to showcase their T-50s, the Colombians their T-90 Calima and the Russians their Yak-130 Mitten. Finally, one should not underestimate the important role industry plays in helping secure aircraft, nor overestimate the ‘Farnborough factor’ – the latter plays a small role in attracting some aircraft every other year, but not as much as some think.

AFM: RIAT 2012 featured an incredible range of aircraft – how much of a challenge will it be to maintain that for 2013? TG: One of our ambitions is to hold a ‘Typhoon Meet’ featuring aircraft from the six nations operating the aircraft – it’s ambitious, but would be fantastic. We’re also about to hold preliminary talks with the Empire Test Pilots School with a view to marking the 70th anniversary of this historic – and hugely influential – establishment. While it’s great to feature new aircraft each year, I believe it is equally important to attract legendary aircraft, such as the B-1B, Vulcan or U-2. Additionally we’re always looking out for aircraft with eye-catching colour schemes; I keep an eye on the aviation press to see what’s happening. There’s no denying it’s a great source of intelligence! While it’s too early to talk

Above: Tom Gibbons. RAFCTE Left: The Republic of Korea Air Force demonstration team, the Black Eagles, was one of the highlights of RIAT 2012. Key – Gary Parsons

about specific aircraft confirmations, the initial feedback we have received from various embassies, civilian operators and air arms has been encouraging and gives me confidence 2013 will be every bit as enjoyable as last year. Our operational themes act as a focus for civilian and military aircraft operators. In 2013 SkyGuardian will seek to attract those who take to the air to respond to SOS calls, provide rapid assistance or protection. AFM: How much notice do you take of feedback and suggestions from enthusiasts? TG: We are always happy to listen – it can prove valuable in helping shape the way we do things. A lot of the suggestions we receive are already on my ‘wish list’. However, there are often very good reasons, which enthusiasts are understandably unaware of, why we do things the way we do, and why we perhaps can’t do some of the things they would like us to. We do our best to be as open as possible and we hope the enthusiasts appreciate this. Follow the latest news for RIAT 2013 at www.airtattoo.com and for a more in-depth interview visit AirForces Daily at www.airforcesdaily.com

Next Issue on Sale February 21st* *UK scheduled on sale date. Please note that the overseas deliveries are likely to be after this date. 98

#299 FEBRUARY 2013

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FEBRUARY 2013 UK £4.50

Lewis Gaylard visited the Royal Navy’s Commando Helicopter Force, based at RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset

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HE COMMANDO Helicopter Force (CHF) based at RN Air Station (RNAS) Yeovilton in Somerset currently comprises four Naval Air Squadrons (NAS), a Combat Service Support Squadron as well as the Command Headquarters. Nos 845, 846 and 848 NASs currently operate the venerable Westland Sea King MK4, while 847 NAS operates the Mk9A version of the Westland Lynx.

RFTG

Over the past year the CHF squadrons have been extremely busy around the world with various commitments, both in the front line and on training exercises. Towards the end of 2012 they took part in the large-scale Cougar 12 Response Force Task Group (RFTG) deployment, which involved joint operations alongside the French Navy. Work-up started with an initial phase off the coast of Cornwall and in Plymouth Sound, working closely with the Sea King ASaC7 ‘Baggers’ of 854 NAS and the Royal Marines. The RFTG was headed by the Royal Navy’s Flagship HMS Bulwark and included the Helicopter Carrier HMS Illustrious with more than 3,000 sailors, Royal Marines, soldiers and airmen. They worked four warships, one amphibious support ship, a transport ship, three commando units and helicopters. Personnel from eight Fleet Air Arm (FAA), RAF and Army Air Corps (AAC) squadrons were committed to the three-month deployment. With the initial phase in the UK complete the RFTG set sail for the Mediterranean where Sea Kings from 845 and 846 NASs would provide the troop lift #299 FEBRUARY 2013

‘Pirates off the Barbary Coast’

Exercise ‘Corsican Lion’, held between October 18 and 26 last year, was a joint amphibious operation between the UK RFTG and French Naval Forces and

Marines from the 2nd Marine Infantry Regiment. This joint exercise took place off the coast of Corsica, which for the duration had been re-named ‘Barbary Coast’, and would see Sea Kings of the CHF deploy Royal Marines alongside their French counterparts as part of the newly formed Combined Joint Expeditionary Force (CJEF). This exercise was the first time that the UK and French elements of CJEF had been tested in a major naval exercise. The French Carrier battle group was headed by

Above: A CHF Sea King about to land on the back of RFA Mounts Bay during Exercise Corsican Lion. Crown copyright/ LA(Phot) Joel Rouse

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Above: Sea King HC4+ ZE427 from 845 NAS lands during Exercise Albanian Lion. Crown copyright/LA(Phot)

Joel Rouse

the nuclear powered FS Charles De Gaulle, which embarked nearly 40 fixed-wing aircraft including Dassault Rafale Ms and Dassault-Breguet Super Étendards. With the future in mind, this was a first opportunity for the CHF pilots from HMS Illustrious to get a feel for operating from a large aircraft carrier in readiness for when the UK’s Queen Elizabeth class carriers enter service, as Sea King pilot Lt Will Orme commented: “It’s an awesome size ship; it’s like a small airfield at sea. Flying onto her between the waves of fixed wing taking off and landing is pretty tight – it’s an insight for our future carrier operations.” Corporal Mark Haffenden, a commando aircrewman, said: “Trooping drills with the French Marines is the same as with our Royal Marines. They have some different ways of operating and everyone is interested in [each other’s] kit. We’ve flown around the exercise area and they have the same tactics as 3 Commando Brigade.”

‘Albanian Lion’

Having previously spent more than a decade operating in the area, 845 NAS, along with the other elements of the RFTG, returned to the Adriatic Sea last November. They had previously been based at the Croatian seaport of Split while supporting the NATO-led operations in Bosnia and the former Yugoslavia. However, this time it was to take part in Exercise 'Albanian Lion', where the ‘Junglies’ would be supporting 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines. Colour Sergeant Pete Wooldridge, who had previously seen action in the area, said: “It’s a little strange coming back to the Adriatic after all these years. The squadron was based at Split for quite a while. This exercise is proving its worth for all involved – working with the Commando Brigade and the Royal Marines and getting back to doing what we are trained to do – amphibious ops – is fantastic.” With the focus firmly on its core role as an amphibious force, the Sea Kings of CHF transported the marines inland from its naval platforms onto steep, rocky hillsides and other treacherous landing sites. www.airforcesdaily.com

Above: A Lynx AH9A prepares to take off from NAF El Centro, California. Crown Copyright / PO (Phot) Max Merrill

Along with the core role of flying heavily equipped Royal Marines ashore, there were other areas where the Sea Kings were used. Heavy artillery was provided by 29 Commando Royal Artillery with its highly effective L118 105mm Howitzer. The Junglie Sea Kings made light work of transporting the heavy guns from ship to shore, despite the underslung loads taking the helicopters very close to their maximum flying weight and testing the skills of the aircrew to their fullest. A vital component of the exercise was operations carried out by CHF’s Commando Mobile Air Operating Teams (Cdo MAOT). Days before the main units arrive they are inserted into the chosen landing area and secure it, making sure it is safe for friendly forces before ‘boots hit the ground’. Cdo MAOT also provides expert help to the aircrew and gunners to ensure that the

105mm Howitzers are correctly rigged for flying. Petty Officer Aaron ‘Monty’ Byrne of the Cdo MAOT Team, said: “There’s a lot to think about when choosing a landing site and load lifting with helicopters. Not only thinking about the safety of the troops and the aircrew, there is also a very heavy artillery gun dangling below the aircraft. Getting the job done safely and efficiently is our main objective.” Although the two-week exercise was an extreme test of personnel and aircraft, it was a good opportunity to bring together the amphibious and air components to hone their skills for any future need for a sea-borne assault. “CHF has delivered results in an impressive style, which can only come from working closely with the Royal Marines and their supporting arms,” said Lt Nathan ‘Tac’ Dale of the Joint Helicopter Force Contingency Headquarters.

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Above: The first all-RN crew began training on the RAF Merlin HC3 in August and graduated on November 16. They will form the first cadre of instructors at RNAS Yeovilton. Crown copyright/MoD Left: Cpl Rob Hughes operates a 12.7mm Browning M3M machine gun fitted to a Lynx AH9A during a gunnery shoot on the ranges surrounding NAF El Centro. Crown copyright/PO(Phot) Mez Merrill

#299 FEBRUARY 2013

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and under-slung load capability throughout the deployment. CHF operated as part of a Tailored Air Group (TAG) alongside AAC Apache AH1s of 656 Squadron, a Sea King ASaC7 of 854 NAS and Merlin HM1s from 814 NAS, RNAS Culdrose.

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