AirForces Monthly 2017-07

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July 2017 #352

RAFALE Oﬃcially the World’s Number One Authority on Military Aviation

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ITALIAN TESTERS

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FRONTLINE TYPHOON EXERCISE NORTHERN EDGE

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COMMENT

A U-2S from Beale Air Force Base, California, departs the runway at JB Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, during Exercise Northern Edge. MSgt John Gordinier/USAF

Improving with age T

HE US Air Force has decided to keep its venerable U-2 spyplane in service as part of its budget plan for 2018. The move marks a turnaround for the high-flying intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) asset. Like the A-10, the ‘Dragon Lady’ has now survived repeated attempts by the service to dispose of it. Major General Jim Martin, USAF Deputy Assistant Secretary for Budget, confirmed that: “There is not a retirement date for the U-2.” The reason behind previous bids to retire the U-2 was cost. As the USAF grapples with financial difficulties, removing an entire smaller fleet of aircraft is an attractive option. Now, however, the service has the funds to keep both the U-2 and the RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that it has been lining up as its successor. Efforts have been made to transfer valuable U-2 sensors onto the Global Hawk. But at Editor: Thomas Newdick World Air Forces Correspondent: Alan Warnes Editorial Contact: [email protected] Attrition: Dave Allport Group Editor: Nigel Price Chief Designer: Steve Donovan Assistant Chief Designer: Lee Howson Production Editor: Sue Blunt Deputy Production Editor: Carol Randall Advertising Manager: Ian Maxwell Production Manager: Janet Watkins Production/Advert Design: Rebecca Duffy Group Marketing Manager: Martin Steele Mail Order & Subscriptions: Liz Ward Commercial Director: Ann Saundry Executive Chairman: Richard Cox Managing Director & Publisher: Adrian Cox Copies of AirForces Monthly can be obtained each month by placing a standing order with your newsagent. In case of difficulty, contact our Circulation Manager. Readers in USA may place subscriptions by telephone toll-free 800428-3003 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

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the same time the U-2 is also demonstrating its continued capacity to accommodate new equipment – and take on new roles. A case in point was Northern Edge in May. The U-2S flew for the first time in the exercise, not as a reconnaissance asset but to test experimental technology that “fully integrates” the U-2S with fourth- and fifth-generation aircraft. With a focus on interoperability, it was an ideal opportunity for the 9th Reconnaissance Wing (9th RW) to demonstrate the continued relevance of its U-2 fleet. “It’s a big stepping stone for us,” said Maj Dustin, the 99th Reconnaissance Squadron’s wing tactics office weapons school development branch chief. “The fact that we have forward deployed to Alaska, we’ve taken over 130 personnel from the [9th RW] and deployed them out to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson is an achievement.” As well as demonstrating advanced fourth-to-fifth-generation integration of value, including, but not limited to, money, manuscripts, photographs or personal information in response to any advertisements within this publication. Postmaster: Send address corrections to AirForces Monthly, Key Publishing Ltd, C/O 3390 Rand Road, South Plainfield NJ 07080. Printed in England by Warners (Midlands) plc, Bourne, Lincolnshire. AirForces Monthly (ISSN 0955 7091) is published monthly by Key Publishing Ltd and distributed in the USA by UKP Worldwide, 3390 Rand Road, South Plainfield, NJ 07080. Periodicals postage paid at South Plainfield, NJ. 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

technology, the exercise proved the 9th RW’s ability to react swiftly to monitor trouble spots around the globe. Reflecting on the decision to retain the U-2, Maj Gen Martin spoke of how “the world changed in August 2014.” That was the date of Russia’s annexation of Crimea, but the 'Dragon Lady' is just as likely to be found monitoring activities in the Korean peninsula or Middle East. For more on Exercise Northern Edge, see p78-83. And now that the U-2 is here to stay, you can expect to see more of this fascinating aircraft in AFM in future.

Thomas Newdick Email at: [email protected] from Key Publishing Ltd or downloadable from www. keypublishing.com. All digital imagery should be at least 300dpi and 10 x 8 inches (25.4cm x 20.3cm) in size and submitted on a CD/DVD with thumbnail prints to the Editor at Key Publishing Ltd, PO Box 100, Stamford, Lincs., PE9 1XQ, UK. Tel: +44 (0)1780 755131 Fax: +44 (0)1780 757261 Subscription: [email protected] Website: www.keypublishing.com Distributed by Seymour Distribution Ltd, 2 Poultry Avenue, London, EC1A 9PP. Tel: +44 (0)20 7429 4000 Fax: +44 (0)20 7429 4001

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CONTENTS July Issue 352

Cover: A Dassault Rafale C in action during the recent Exercise Atlantic Trident. This issue features a free 24page Rafale supplement. Jamie Hunter Above: Specially prepared for the 2017 airshow circuit, L-159A 6053 wears colours that commemorate the Spitfire Vb of General František Peřina. The wartime ace is patron of the 212th Tactical Squadron at Čáslav. Alexander Golz

Claim your FREE Military Flying Displays DVD when you take out a twoyear or Direct Debit subscription to AirForces Monthly. See pages 22 and 23 for details. 4

JULY 2017 #352

Regular features 32 INTEL REPORT: Countdown to TF-X Turkey’s centenary in 2023 is the date set for the country’s first indigenous fighter, T-FX, to fly. AFM’s Alan Warnes reports from Istanbul, where the deal to build the fifth-generation twinengined jet was signed by Turkey and the UK.

46 EXERCISE REPORT: Alpine gunfighters at Wittmund For the very first time the Austrian Air Force has deployed its Eurofighters to another central European country to practise live air-to-air gunnery, as Oliver Jonischkeit reports.

47 EXERCISE REPORT: Snipers over Comox

The live weapons phase of the Canadian 2017 Fighter Weapons Instructor Course was hosted by 19 Wing CFB Comox, located on the east coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Stuart Sanders was there for the action.

54 EXERCISE REPORT: North to the future Northern Edge is one of a series of US Pacific Command exercises this year, all with the same goal: to prepare joint forces to respond to crises in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region, as Søren Nielsen discovers.

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Features 3 Comment

AFM’s opinion on the hot topics in military aviation.

36 Greek recce Rhinos retire

The Hellenic Air Force’s 348 MTA was disbanded in May after the retirement of the last three airworthy RF-4Es in Europe.

40 Fire Bosses and Super Scoopers Dirk Jan de Ridder and Menso van Westrhenen spend a week with the pilots of the Croatian Air Force’s Firefighting Squadron.

48 Keeping the fragile peace

At its peak in 1999 the Kosovo Force comprised 50,000 troops from 39 countries. Today, it is far smaller, yet its role in the Balkan province is just as vital. Martin Scharenborg and Ramon Wenink report from KFOR HQ, Camp Bondsteel.

68 Czech revolution

With L-159 ALCA production resumed and the new L-39NG on the scene, AFM's Alan Warnes reveals a bright future for Aero Vodochody.

76 Leading from the front

Jamie Hunter examines how No 1 (Fighter) Squadron at RAF Lossiemouth meets the Royal Air Force Typhoon Force’s diverse and demanding year-round schedule.

84 First among equals

The work of 311º Gruppo Volo, the flight-test unit of the Italian Air Force, can bring tears to a pilot’s eye. Giovanni Colla and Remo Guidi reveal why.

News by Region All the world’s military aviation news, by region 6-7 Headlines 8-9 United Kingdom 10-12 Continental Europe 14-16 North America 18-19 Latin America 20 Africa 24-25 Middle East 26 Russia & CIS 28-29 Asia Pacific 30 Australasia

60 FORCE REPORT: Russian air power in Kaliningrad

The exclave of Kaliningrad is of immense strategic importance to the Russian armed forces and host to a number of its air assets, as Vladimir Trendafilovski explains.

80 ATTRITION

Dave Allport details the world’s most recent military accidents.

90 Coming up

See what’s featuring in your AFM next month.

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PLUS FREE SUPPLEMENT: Dassault Rafale Designed to carry out the entire spectrum of combat missions, the Dassault Aviation Rafale omni-role fighter has matured into a successful combat tool that has pushed the French Air Force and Navy into the digital age.

SUPPLEMENT FEATURES: • FUTURE RAFALE

Dassault and the French Defence Procurement Agency have launched development of Standard F4, the next variant of the Rafale omni-role fighter that will enter service in 2025.

• ARROMANCHES III

In late 2016 the French nuclear carrier Charles de Gaulle deployed off the Syrian coast for combat operations against so-called Islamic State. For the first time, her carrier air group was mainly composed of Rafale Ms.

• AIR FORCE RAFALES IN ACTION The transfer of the French Air Force’s ‘Lorraine’ squadron from Al Dhafra to Mont-de-Marsan in September 2016 made the 30e Escadre (30th Wing) fully operational at Base Aérienne 118.

#352 JULY 2017

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NEWS

Headlines

UAE special mission Global 6000 breaks cover

Above: Highly modiﬁed Global 6000 serial 1326 prior to carrying out engine runs at Cambridge Airport on May 29. The aircraft now carries a UAE ﬂag on the tailﬁn. Gary Chadwick

ONE OF two Bombardier BD700-1A10 Global 6000 business jets being extensively modified in the UK into special mission aircraft for the United Arab Emirates Air Force and Air Defence by the Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group has re-emerged from the company’s facility in Cambridge. The aircraft,

1326 (c/n 9517, ex M-ABFR, C-GPZH), still painted in primer and marked only with its new UAE serial, was towed out onto the airfield for the first time on April 27 for engine runs. It has been seen several times since, most recently on May 29, but has not yet been re-flown. The aircraft arrived at Cambridge as a ‘green’

airframe from the factory in Canada on December 14, 2012, wearing its Manx registration, M-ABFR. This registration was cancelled on January 31, 2017, on official transfer to the UAE. The second aircraft, M-ABFQ (c/n 9494, ex C-GNKW), arrived at Cambridge on November 16, 2012. It was also cancelled from

the Manx register on January 31 this year on transfer to the UAE, but has yet to appear outside. Work on modifying the two jets – for what is believed to be electronic intelligence and signals intelligence roles – has been ongoing at Cambridge since their arrival. Both aircraft were initially registered

in the Isle of Man to AGT International, a technology company headquartered in Switzerland, then later re-registered to Advanced Integrated Systems (IOM) Ltd. Details of these companies’ involvement in the project have not been publicly revealed. Dave Allport

Arctic Challenge Exercise 2017

Above: Ilmavoimat F/A-18C serials HN-447 and HN-450 approach a tanker during ACE 17. Further coverage of the exercise will appear in the August issue. Erik Bruijns and Mark de Greeuw

ELEVEN NATIONS gathered in Finland, Norway and Sweden for the third biennial joint Arctic Challenge Exercise (ACE 17) between May 22 and June 2. Over 100 aircraft took to the skies of Northern Europe during the two-week exercise, led for the first time by the Ilmavoimat (Finnish Air Force). ACE 17 training scenarios were based on a UN mandate to deploy and operate as a multinational stabilisation force enabling the participants to train with NATO partners. The exercise, which included two missions a day, followed a

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typical Blue-versusRed approach, with Blue Air (in the south) counterattacking the hostile actions of Red Air (in the north). Over 1,000 ground troops participated, with the focus on improving the capabilities of a multinational force to conduct combined air operations in a crisismanagement context. The exercise also has a strong political significance as it allows NATO and other nations to demonstrate to Russia their ability to organise and co-operate in the establishment of a major air coalition. Erik Bruijns and Mark de Greeuw

Latest T-50 prototype takes to the air The latest ﬂying prototype for Sukhoi’s PAK FA ﬁfth-generation ﬁghter project, T-50-9, reportedly made its ﬁrst ﬂight at Komsomolsk-on-Amur on April 24. It was revealed to the public after undertaking ﬂight tests at Zhukovsky between May 10 and 12. Aircraft ‘509’ diﬀers from its predecessors in having a ‘pixelated’ camouﬂage scheme. The aircraft has also been pictured undergoing trials with new underwing drop tanks. Vasily Kuznetsov

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Maiden flight for second LRIP KC-46

Above: The second low-rate initial production KC-46A completed its maiden ﬂight on April 29. It is the third test aircraft in full KC-46 conﬁguration. Boeing/Tim Stake

BOEING COMPLETED a first flight of the second low-rate initial production (LRIP) KC-46A for the US Air Force on April 29. The aircraft, the sixth in the test fleet, will be used to examine its ability to operate in an electromagnetic environment – including emissions from radars, radio towers and other systems – at Edwards Air Force Base, California. A second flight was completed on May 2. “This first flight is another important step for the KC-46 programme toward verifying its operational capabilities,”

said Col John Newberry, Air Force KC-46 system programme manager. “Adding this aircraft brings key capabilities to the test fleet and helps move us closer to delivering operational aircraft to the warfighter.” At the time of the first flight, the KC-46 test fleet had completed 1,600 flying hours and refuelled the F-16, F/A-18, AV-8B, C-17, A-10 and KC-10. The first LRIP machine has been conducting tests as a 767-2C and has performed more than 40 flights. It will complete conversion to KC-46 standard later this year.

Export Z-19E makes maiden flight

The Z-19E prototype during its maiden ﬂight at Harbin on May 18. AVIC

AN EXPORT version of China’s Z-19 attack/ reconnaissance helicopter, designated the Z-19E, has made its maiden flight. The new variant flew on May 18 from the Harbin Aircraft Manufacturing

Corporation factory. It was airborne for 15 minutes, performing hovering and limited manoeuvres close to the ground, and was flown by Captain Yin Liwen and co-pilot Xu Yunshan.

Gripen presented in Croatia

JAS 39C serial 38 (c/n 39309) from the ‘Puma’ Tactical Squadron, 59th Tactical Fighter Wing of the Hungarian Air Force based at Kecskemét, arrived at Zagreb-Pleso on May 3, escorted by the local QRA pair, including MiG-21bisD serial 116 (c/n 75057500). Tomislav Haraminčić

THE SAAB Group has organised an official presentation of the Gripen to the Hrvatsko Ratno Zrakoplovstvo i Protuzračna Obrana (HRZ i PZO, Croatian Air Force) and to various high-

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ranking Croatian officials, including the defence minister and president. As part of the May 3-4 event, a JAS 39C from the Hungarian Air Force’s 59th Tactical Fighter Wing arrived at Zagreb

International Airport (also known as Pleso). This is the home base of the single fighter unit of the HRZ i PZO, the Eskadrila Borbenih Aviona (EBA, Combat Aircraft Squadron) of the local 91.

zrakoplovna baza (91. zb, 91st Air Base), operating 12 modernised MiG-21s. The Croatian Ministry of Defence began a selection process to replace its ageing MiG-21s in mid2015, when requests for

Externally, the Z-19E is little different from the standard Z-19, but its systems and avionics can be customised to meet specific customer requirements. Dave Allport information were sent to various manufacturers, but the process has been held up by various elections in Croatia. With a new government being formed in late 2016, the current defence minister restarted the process by forming an advisory team that will review the available options. Currently the most serious contenders are Gripen, offered by its manufacturer, the Saab Group, and the F-16. The latter is being offered by Israel in the form of its recently retired F-16A/B Netz aircraft which will be upgraded before delivery. A month before the Gripen presentation, an HRZ i PZO team went to Israel to inspect the aircraft being offered and visited Romania, a NATO nation that is currently switching from MiG-21s to F-16s. After the presentation, the HRZ i PZO planned to make official visits to the Czech Republic and Hungary – both former MiG-21 users that switched to the Gripen. Vladimir Trendafilovski

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NEWS

United Kingdom

First T-6 for RAF takes flight

THE FIRST T-6C for the Royal Air Force has begun its flight test programme. Carrying the test registration N2824B, the aircraft, unit number PM-110, completed its maiden flight at Beech Factory Airport, Wichita, Kansas, on May 23. It will eventually enter RAF service as ZM323. On October 24, 2014,

Ascent Flight Training confirmed the selection of KBR/Elbit Systems joint venture Affinity as the preferred bidder in the Aircraft Service Provider (ASP) competition to replace aircraft used by the UK Military Flying Training System (MFTS) fixed-wing programme. Under the terms of a 25-year, ₤6bn contract, Ascent, which is

a joint venture between Lockheed Martin and Babcock International, in partnership with the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD), manages the UK MFTS. Affinity will deliver new aircraft to provide elementary, basic and multi-engine flight training for the UK armed forces. As part of that effort, the joint venture will provide

ten T-6Cs that will support Basic Flying Training (BFT). Initial deliveries to RAF Valley, Wales, will begin in April 2018 and training will start in January 2019. The Basic Fast Jet Training programme is currently carried out by 1 Flying Training School using Tucano T1 trainers at RAF Linton-on-Ouse, North Yorkshire. John Gabor

Apache in Exercise Lightning Force RAF SPADEADAM in Cumbria hosted six helicopters from the Apache Conversion Unit (653 Squadron/3 Regiment Army Air Corps), based at RAF Wattisham, Suffolk, during Exercise Lightning Force held from May 8-26. The exercise is designed to give personnel converting to the Apache experience in operational flying over challenging terrain and in a

contested air environment. RAF Spadeadam offers students the opportunity to practise these skills in daylight and nighttime scenarios. The base also has threat systems that recreate a realistic combat environment on the range. The aircrew will deploy to the US for live firing following the completion of the exercise. Nicholas Hoenich

Release to Service for MFTS helicopters

One of the ﬁrst MFTS helicopters to receive a military serial, Juno ZM507 ‘07’ arrives at RAF Shawbury on May 18. Brian Lyon

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THE AWARD of a Military Release to Service (RTS) for the Airbus Helicopters H135 Juno HT1 and H145 Jupiter HT1 is a further step forward for the UK Military Flying Training System (MFTS) programme. Officials at RAF Shawbury, Shropshire, announced the receipt of RTS on May 19. The previous day, the first military serialled MFTS helicopters, Juno ZM507 ‘07’ and Jupiter ZM501 ‘01’, officially arrived at the base, although both types had already been operating from there for a few weeks prior to this, but with civilian registrations. The initial arrivals had been Juno G-CJIW ‘05’ (to be ZM505) and Jupiter G-CJIV ‘00’ (to be ZM500), which flew in to Shawbury on April 3 from Kidlington,

Apache contract awarded

THE PENTAGON has announced a contract for Boeing to rebuild and upgrade the British Army’s Apache attack helicopters to AH-64E standard. A US Department of Defense statement on May 11 provided details of the $488m modification to a Foreign Military Sales contract. This covers remanufacture of 38 Apaches, as well as procurement of three Longbow crew trainers and associated spares. Work will be performed in Mesa, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2024. A total of 50 helicopters will eventually be remanufactured. In related news, the British Army is considering relocating the Attack Helicopter Force from Wattisham Flying Station, Suffolk, to a new base closer to the Salisbury Plain training area. The move is one of the options under study in the Joint Helicopter Command’s basing review. Among possible bases in the southwest of the country are Middle Wallop, Hampshire, Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, Somerset, or Boscombe Down, Wiltshire. A decision is likely to be made before the autumn.

Oxfordshire, where Airbus Helicopters UK is modifying the helicopters for their MFTS role. Both types started arriving at Kidlington from the factory in Donauwörth, Germany, late last year. Achievement of RTS followed months of joint co-operation between Ascent Flight Training, Airbus Helicopters and the MOD Project Team, during which both types were operated on the civil register. The achievement comes just a year after the announcement on May 16, 2016, of the award of a contract for the rotarywing element of MFTS. Trained aircrew are already operating from Shawbury in preparation for the start of training students on April 1, 2018. Dave Allport

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New ‘jump platform’ for RAF Falcons

DORNIER Do228 C-FPSH arrived at RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, direct from Canada on May 20. The RAF Falcons parachute display team will use the aircraft for the 2017 season. The Falcons use a variety of aircraft

as jump platforms, depending on aircraft availability and the nature of the display. These include the Chinook, Hercules, Puma HC2 and RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Dakota. David Mackey

Voyager at Mildenhall

Photographed on ﬁnals to Runway 11 at RAF Mildenhall, Royal Air Force Voyager KC3 ZZ332 made a ﬁrst visit to the Suﬀolk base on May 10. Operated by No 10 Squadron at RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, the Voyager (A330-243MRTT) was using the callsign ‘Madras 31’. The Voyager was at Mildenhall for the 2017 European Tanker Symposium. Ryan Dorling

Fitment trials for Atlas and Puma THE ROYAL Air Force loaded a Puma HC2 onto its Atlas transport aircraft for the first time during fitment trials announced on April 20. The partially deconstructed Puma was loaded onto the Atlas at RAF Brize Norton,

Oxfordshire. The task required removal of the main and tail rotors, rotor head, main gearbox, and undercarriage sponsons. To date the RAF has received 14 Atlases from a total of 22 on order.

DHFS AW139 at Newquay

DEFENCE HELICOPTER Flying School (DHFS) AW139 ZR283 (c/n 31283) arrived at Newquay Airport, Cornwall, on April 24. Cobham Aviation Services has taken over the old No 203 Squadron hangar at Newquay and it is believed they will conduct helicopter training from the airport. The three AW139s of the

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RAF’s Search and Rescue Training Unit (SARTU) are usually stationed at RAF Valley, Wales, where they are operated by FB Heliservices, a joint venture company between Cobham and Bristow Helicopters. Another recent arrival at Newquay is AW109E ZR324 from RAF Shawbury, Shropshire. Peter Mitrovitch

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NEWS

Continental Europe

Evacuation exercise in Salzburg

Above: The Luftstreitkräfte’s venerable Alouette IIIs, including 3E-KK (c/n 1547) of the Hubschraubergeschwader (Helicopter Wing), played a role in the exercise. Robert Erenstein

THE FEDERAL Armed Forces of Austria, together with public and private emergency services, staged the country’s largest evacuation exercise of the year in the Federal State of Salzburg on May 19. The community of Adnet,

Swiss fighter options revealed

THE SWISS Ministry of Defence has outlined four options as it revisits plans to field a new fighter. According to reports in the Swiss media, four options have been identified. Most ambitious is a purchase of 55-70 fighters as part of an integrated air defence system. Two ‘midrange’ options envisage buying 30 fighters and a complete ground-based air defence system, or 40 fighters and a more modest air defence system. The lowestcost option would acquire 20 fighters and the more modest air defence system.

near Hallein, was centre of the Hilfe aus der Luft (Assistance from the Air) exercise. Around 200 people were evacuated during an imaginary flooding, with ‘victims’ rescued from roofs and vehicles by helicopters from the police,

Heli Austria and the Luftstreitkräfte (Austrian Air Force) in support of the armed forces. Under the supervision of Austria’s Minister of Defence, Hans Peter Doskozil, the main aim of the exercise was to ensure the best possible

co-operation between the deployed organisations in the event of a disaster. Some 250 military staff took part with 20 vehicles and 15 aircraft, including the Luftstreitkräfte’s S-70, AB212, OH-58, PC-6 and Alouette III. Robert Erenstein

Heavy load for Typhoon IPA7

Above: First ﬂown on January 16, 2008 as the initial series aircraft completed to the Tranche 2 standard, IPA7 was the ﬁrst German EF2000 to incorporate Block 8 software. It’s used as a test aircraft for future conﬁgurations and equipment. Dietmar Fenners

EUROFIGHTER TYPHOON Instrumented Production Aircraft (IPA) 7 has flown for the first time at its ‘maximum-load’ take-off weight, its payload including two Storm Shadow cruise

missiles. The jet, which wears German military registration 98+07 (GS029), was seen at Manching on May 18, where it’s operated by Airbus Defence and Space. It also carried AIM-120

AMRAAM and IRIS-T airto-air missiles and a centreline fuel tank. In March, the same aircraft undertook heavy load trials with a complement of six AMRAAMs and a pair of IRIS-Ts.

CH-47Ds cleared for Greece

THE US State Department has approved the possible sale of CH-47D helicopters to Greece – the Defense Security Co-operation Agency notifying Congress of the proposed package on April 27. The sale would include five CH-47Ds, seven Common Missile Warning Systems (CMWS) and 12 T55GA-714A engines. Also included are mission equipment, communications and navigation equipment, ground support equipment, special tools and test equipment, spares and publications. Total cost of the package is estimated at $80m.

Luftwaffe briefed on F-35

PLANNERS FROM the German Luftwaffe reportedly asked for a confidential briefing from the US Air Force on the capabilities of the F-35 fighter in May. The service is currently engaged in a fact-finding mission as it sets about its Future Combat Air System (FCAS) programme to replace the Tornado from 2035. Although Germany is not involved in the F-35 programme, the aircraft is apparently one of the solutions that will be evaluated for FCAS. A German Ministry of Defence task force aims to recommend a political decision on FCAS in mid-2018.

Anniversary Transall for LTG 61 THE Luftwaffe’s Lufttransportgeschwader 61 (LTG 61, Air Transport Wing 61), based at Landsberg, has unveiled a special scheme to mark the wing’s 60th anniversary. Silver-painted C-160D 51+01 made its official debut on May 22, and the following day visited the Flugbereitschaft

BMVg (Flight Service of the Ministry of Defence), based at CologneBonn Airport, for a first mission in its new livery. Dubbed ‘Silver Chamois’, the finish recalls the bare metal and largedigit serials of the first Transall prototypes. LTG 61 is due to disband at the end of the third quarter of the year.

Left: Using the callsign ‘GAF 910’, C-160D 51+01 from LTG 61 arrives at Cologne-Bonn on May 23. Oliver Jonischkeit

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Poland seeks tankertransport

THE POLISH Armament Inspectorate is seeking information from manufacturers about multi-role tankertransport (MRTT) aircraft, prior to issuing full requests for information (RFIs). Poland is looking to buy an aircraft capable of delivering strategic air transport, medical evacuation (including intensive care facilities) and aerial refuelling. Its preferred approach assumes direct acquisition of MRTT aircraft that will meet Polish Operational Requirements (OR). An alternative option is a direct purchase of services, which might allow Poland to join the nascent multinational European unit equipped with A330 MRTT aircraft. Six companies have responded to the Armament Inspectorate – Airbus Defence and Space; Boeing Defence, Space & Security; Elbit Systems Electro-Optics Elop; Embraer Defence & Security; Wingstore Zofia Kiebała; and a consortium of Wojskowe Zakłady Lotnicze Nr 2 and the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Bedek Aviation Group. The Inspectorate is now expected to send RFIs and cost estimate requests to selected firms. Krzysztof Kuska

Additional Chinooks for RNLAF

THE PENTAGON has announced a contract to supply the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) with another 15 CH-47F helicopters. The Chinooks will be supplied as both ‘cargo renew’ and new-build helicopters as part of a $541m modification to an existing Foreign Military Sales contract announced by the Department of Defense on April 28. Work will be undertaken at Ridley Township, Pennsylvania, with an estimated completion date of December 31, 2020.

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‘Stingers’ Squadron centenary

Above: F-16AM FA-132 ﬂew for the ﬁrst time in its new scheme on May 12. The unit’s current callsign is ‘Stinger’. Jos Schoofs

BELGIAN AIR Component F-16AM FA-132 has adopted a commemorative colour scheme to celebrate the centenary of the 1st Squadron’s Scottish thistle insignia. The 1st Squadron of the Belgian Vliegerscompagnie/ Compagnie d’Aviateurs was created by royal decree signed by King Albert I on April 16, 1913 – and its Scottish thistle insignia appeared for the first time in August 1917

when the unit received its new Hanriot HD-1 fighters at Les Moëres airfield. The insignia’s originator, Belgian fighter pilot André De Meulemeester, scored 11 confirmed victories during 185 aerial combats in 561 First World War missions, and sources suggest the badge of a nearby Scots Guards unit inspired the design. Supporting the hypothesis is the text with the insignia – Nemo me impune lacessit

(No one provokes me with impunity) – which matches that of the Scots Guards and the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle, founded in 1687 by King James VII of Scotland. The badge was adopted later in the First World War by Willy Coppens, Belgium’s leading fighter ace and ‘balloonbuster’ – credited with 37 confirmed aerial victories during 288 missions. Jos Schoofs

31 Squadron’s ‘Tiger’ for 2017

Above: A special colour scheme has been unveiled for F-16AM FA-94, with which the Belgian Air Component’s 31 ‘Tiger’ Squadron will participate in this year’s NATO ‘Tiger Meet’. Designed by ‘Vrieske’, a 31 Squadron pilot, the scheme has been named ‘Les Pirates Embarqués’, a reference to this year’s organiser of the Tiger Meet: Landivisiau-based Flottille 11F of the French Navy. The jet made its ﬁrst ﬂight in its new markings at Kleine-Brogel on May 18. Jos Schoofs

30th anniversary of Belgian F-16 OCU

Operational Conversion Unit (OCU) in 1986. A year later the OCU was elevated to full squadron status at Beauvechain and took on responsibility for the basic conversion of all

THE FIRST F-35B short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) variant to be assembled outside the US rolled out of the Final Assembly and Check-Out (FACO) facility in Cameri, Italy, on May 5. BL-1 is expected to make its first flight in late August, with delivery to the Italian Ministry of Defence following in November. After confidence flights have been carried out from Cameri, the F-35B will fly to Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, where required electromagnetic environmental effects certification testing will be carried out early next year. Owned by the nation’s MoD, the Italian FACO – operated by Leonardo in conjunction with Lockheed Martin – will deliver a second F-35B in November 2018 and eventually produce 30 STOVL variants and 60 F-35As for the Italian Air Force and Navy. The Cameri plant had earlier completed seven F-35As – including four of the jets based at Luke AFB, Arizona, and three delivered to Amendola air base. The FACO is also scheduled to deliver the first of two more F-35As by July, the second following later in the year. Tom Kaminski

Slovakian Bell 429 purchase go-ahead

Above: F-16BM FB-24 in special colours to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the creation of the F-16 OCU as a full-size squadron. Benoît Denet

WHEN BELGIUM decided to replace the Mirage 5s of the 2nd Tactical Wing at Florennes with 44 F-16s, its air force replaced the previous F-16 Conversion Flight with the

First F-35B completed at Cameri

Belgian F-16 pilots. Since 1996 it has been based at Kleine Brogel. To celebrate the 30th anniversary, F-16BM FB-24 was painted in a commemorative scheme. Benoît Denet

THE GOVERNMENT of Slovakia has moved closer to buying nine Bell 429 light utility helicopters after a possible Foreign Military Sale was approved by the US State Department, according to a US Defense Security Co-operation Agency announcement on April 28. The deal would cost an estimated $150m and include training, spare parts, logistical support and mission equipment including WESCAM MX-10 cameras.

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Continental Europe Latest Spanish Tigre HAD under test

New pod for Dutch NH90 ROYAL NETHERLANDS Air Force (RNLAF) NH90 NFH N-325 was spotted at De Kooij on May 9 carrying a previously unseen sensor pod on a large fuselage-mounted rack. The equipment appears to be non-operational, with parts painted orange and primer

yellow for test duties. The unknown store appears similar to the TERMA-built Apache Modular Aircraft Survivability Equipment (AMASE) carried in wingmounted pods by RNLAF AH-64Ds for deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq. René L Uijthoven

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THE THIRTEENTH Ejército de Tierra (ET, Spanish Army) Tigre HAD began flight-testing at the Airbus Helicopters factory in Albacete, Spain, at the end of April. Registered HA.28-19 (10065)/ET-719, it will be

delivered to Batallón de Helicópteros de Ataque I (BHELA I) at Almagro Fuerzas Aeromóviles (FAMET, Army Air Mobile Forces) base at Ciudad Real later this year. The unit took on Tigres ET-714, ET-715 and ET-716 in the

first quarter of the year, increasing its number of attack helicopters in service to six Tigre HAPs and ten Tigre HADs. The FAMET is expected to receive its 18th and final Albacete-built Tigre HAD in 2018. Roberto Yáñez

Swiss ‘fighting duck’ F-5E

Turkey orders Super Mushshaks TURKEY HAS awarded a contract to the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) for 52 Super Mushshak trainers. The deal was announced on the second day of the 2017 International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF) in Istanbul, following contract negotiations last year. The order, placed by the Turkish Undersecretariat for Defence Industries (SSM), is PAC’s biggest single order for Super Mushshaks to date. Last year it took orders of eight and ten aircraft for the Qatar Emiri Air Force and Nigerian Air Force respectively. The Türk Hava Kuvvetleri (THK, Turkish Air Force) will use the Super Mushshak to replace basic training aircraft including the Cessna T-41 and SF260. Based on the MFI-17 Mushshak, the Super Mushshak is powered by an uprated engine developing 260hp (194kW). It features a glass cockpit, air conditioning and GPS.

Above: ET-719 taxies to the active runway at Albacete for a 90-minute test ﬂight on May 4. Note the 68mm rocket pod and external fuel tank under the port wing. Roberto Yáñez

Above: The Schweizer Luftwaﬀe’s (Swiss Air Force’s) Fliegerstaﬀel 6 (Flying Squadron 6) based at Payerne painted F-5E J-3033 in a scheme marking the ﬁnal Wiederholungskurs (repetition course), which took place at the base in May. The squadron crest shows a marching duck in armour and the unit uses the callsign ‘Duck’. Timm Ziegenthaler

France’s first PC-21 breaks cover

Above: The ﬁrst PC-21 for the French Air Force is towed across the airﬁeld at Stans on May 18. Stephan Widmer

PILATUS AIRCRAFT is nearing completion of the first PC-21 for the French Air Force. The incomplete aircraft, ‘01’ (c/n 293), was noted outside the factory at

Stans-Buochs, Switzerland, on May 18 when it was towed from the fabrication hall for final assembly. The code ‘709FC’ is for Base Aérienne 709 CognacChâteaubernard, although

all markings are taped over. The second French aircraft, ‘709FD’ (c/n 294), has also been noted, while the third and fourth (c/ns 295 and 296) were seen fully painted on May 26.

Two others (c/ns 298 and 299) were seen the same day, still only in primer. The French Air Force signed a contract for 17 PC-21s on December 30, 2016. Dave Allport

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North America

Fiscal Year 2018 budget proposal

Above: The FY 2018 budget proposal includes a slight increase in the planned buy of F-35As for the US Air Force, to 46. Among the latest to take to the air is 15-5126/‘HL’ (AF-117), which made its ﬁrst ﬂight at Fort Worth on May 4. Carl Richards

PRESIDENT Trump unveiled his first budget proposal for the US armed forces on May 23, delivering to Congress a request for Fiscal Year 2018 of $639.1bn – comprising $574.5bn in the base budget and $64.6bn for Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO). Among major investments, the proposal includes 70 F-35s at $10.3bn; full funding for 15 KC-46A tankers at $3.1bn; research, development, test and evaluation funding for the B-21 bomber at $2bn; and a single Ford-class aircraft carrier at $4.6bn.

The Next Gen Air Dominance/Penetrating Counterair programme receives $295m of funding, while lower priority modernisation projects – including T-X, Joint STARS recapitalisation ($417m) and Air Force One recapitalisation ($434m) – remain on track. New aircraft acquisition for the US Air Force also includes five MC-130Js, two HC-130Js and 16 MQ-9As (under OCO). As part of $183bn-worth of funding for the air force, the service will continue to develop the Long Range Standoff Weapon ($451m) and

pursue replacement of the UH-1N. Development of the HH-60 Combat Rescue Helicopter will receive $354m. The entire fleet of 283 USAF A-10s remains fully funded, in keeping with the service’s objective to begin retiring the aircraft in 2021 at the earliest. Other legacy USAF programmes receiving funds include new software for the F-22 ($611m) and continued retrofit of active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars for the F-16 fleet. Two additional F-16 training squadrons are also funded. Meanwhile, a service-

More Reapers for USAF

USAF/TSgt Kat Justen

Pegasus refuels from Stratotanker OPERATED BY the US Navy’s Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 1, P-8A BuNo 168956 approaches the refuelling boom of a KC-135R operated by the Air Force Reserve Command’s 459th Air Refueling Wing over the Atlantic Ocean on

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April 13 – the first time the Pegasus had been refuelled by a Stratotanker from an operational unit. The P-8A is the second US Navy aircraft to be equipped to take on fuel in flight from a US Air Force tanker, the first being the E-6B Mercury.

GENERAL ATOMICS has won a contract to build 36 more MQ-9 Reapers for the US Air Force. Valued at almost $400m, the firm-fixed-price contract, announced on May 17, covers the aircraft in the Fiscal 2016 configuration, with work expected to last until August 2020. The air force announced in 2015 it was looking to buy 75 more Reapers to build up its remotely piloted aircraft force and address shortfalls in manning and mission capacity. The service is standing up a new group and mission control element at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, and possibly opening another operating base for an MQ-9 wing with 24 aircraft.

life extension for the F-15C fleet will go ahead, with $963.1m allocated for this and the Eagle Passive/Active Warning Survivability System (EPAWSS) upgrade. The bomber fleet will benefit from around $1bn for the B-52 Radar Modernization Program, B-2 EHF strategic communications retrofit and the B-2 Defensive Management System-Modernization programme. The C-130H Avionics Modernization Program (AMP) Increments One and Two remain funded, as does the C-130 Center Wing Box replacement.

Travis receives final modified Extender

AIR MOBILITY Command has completed modifications on a 59th and final KC-10A, which arrived at Travis Air Force Base, California, on March 28, the USAF announcing details on April 19. Since 2011, KC-10 fleets at Travis and Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, have been undergoing flight management system modifications, receiving the Communication, Navigation, Surveillance/ Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) system at Will Rogers World Airport, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Capt Melissa Hughes, 9th Air Refueling Squadron instructor pilot, noted: “It was an honour to pick up the last modified jet from an important modernisation programme that will keep the KC-10 in the fight for years to come. “There’s been a ton of spotlight on the KC-46 as the tanker of the future, but the KC-10 has been an important asset for the last 35 years and will remain relevant for years to come with this upgrade.”

Global Hawk arrives at Yokota THE USAF has begun flying the RQ-4 Global Hawk from Yokota Air Base, Japan. Operated by the 69th Reconnaissance Group Detachment 1, the first UAV arrived on May 1 after a flight from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, its main operating base in the Pacific. Five RQ-4s and 105

operations and support personnel will remain at Yokota until October. The UAVs were officially flown to Japan to avoid typhoons in Guam, and have previously operated during the summer months from the country’s Misawa AB, where the runway is currently under repair.

A Global Hawk from Andersen AFB, Guam, lands at Yokota AB, Japan, on May 1. USAF/Yasuo Osakabe

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F-35C hits moving target Scorpion, AT-6 and A-29

10th CAB deploys to Poland

US ARMY Europe officials announced on May 4 that the 10th Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB), from Fort Drum, New York, had begun moving aircraft and personnel to Powidz air base, Poland, for continued training exercises as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve. Arrivals the previous week included around 50 soldiers, three UH-60Ls and equipment to establish a US Army Aviation presence at the base. The brigade’s Task Force Falcon, which also includes 1-501st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion ‘Iron Dragons’ from Fort Bliss, Texas, continued to move other aircraft, including AH-64D and CH-47F helicopters, over the following weeks. By the summer the detachment will be participating in multinational training exercises alongside NATO allies and partners, including support for the Saber Strike field training exercise. A final training event for the 10th CAB at the end of this European deployment will be Falcon’s Talon, which will test its ability to handle potential contingencies in the region. Dave Allport

for OA-X

An F-35C from the 461st Flight Test Squadron ‘Deadly Jesters’ drops a GBU-12 over Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake in California. Lockheed Martin

AN F-35C of the Integrated Test Force has used its targeting system to guide a weapon onto a moving target, launching an inert GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bomb to hit a slow-moving pick-up truck during a test on the controlled range at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, California.

The accuracy test, announced on April 20, was the first involving an F-35 in the Block 3F software configuration. “[The pilot] doesn’t have to think about how fast the target’s going, or what direction,” said Collin O’Fallon, an engineer attached to the 461st FTS for the test.

“By using this [Block] 3F capability, it’s doing all the weaponeering for him. That’s really the big thing; it’s a single-seat fighter. He’s got to do it all, so we want to do as much for him as we can.” Examples of the 500lb (227kg) GBU-12 have now been dropped from every F-35 variant.

End of the line for ‘Valions’

THE ‘VALIONS’ of the US Navy’s Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 15 had their deactivation ceremony on May 31. The unit’s commanding officer, CDR Matt ‘Disney’ Stevenson, completed

his last flight with the squadron the previous day. The commander’s specially marked aircraft was photographed at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas on May 5.

THE THREE entrants in this summer’s US Air Force ‘OA-X’ light attack experiment trials will be the Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC)/ Embraer A-29 Super Tucano, Textron Aviation AT-6 Wolverine and Textron Airland Scorpion. The USAF has allocated around $8m to evaluate low-cost light attack aircraft that could enter production with minimal modifications, and may order as many as 300 aircraft, but there is currently no programme of record. Formally known as the Capability Assessment of Non-Developmental Light Attack Platforms, the trials take place at Holloman Air Force, New Mexico, in June.

Reaper drops GBU-38

Sources indicate that the F/A-18C, 164671 ‘AJ300’, will be turned over to the co-located Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 112 ‘Cowboys’ as a replacement aircraft. Nate Leong

A US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper has, for the first time, dropped a live GBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munition GPSguided weapon. The 500lb (227kg) JDAM was delivered over the Nevada Test and Training Range on May 1. The testing involved the 432nd Wing/432nd Air Expeditionary Wing at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada, and the 26th Weapons Squadron at Nellis AFB, Nevada.

F-22 and F-15C demonstrate Talon HATE

TESTS have validated information-sharing between US Air Force F-22A and F-15C aircraft, Boeing announced on May 8. The trials at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, involved two Talon HATE pods on two F-15Cs. The Talon HATE airborne networking system demonstrated that multiple aircraft and ground stations can efficiently and securely communicate, the pods enabling test pilots to share information via Link 16, Common Data Link and Wideband Global SATCOM satellites. The trials also validated intra-flight data

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422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron F-15C 83-026/‘OT’ is one of the ﬁrst to receive the Talon HATE pod, carried below the fuselage. USAF

link network capabilities used by the F-22. “We’ve completed developmental flight test,” said Lt Col Christopher

Bradley, USAF Talon HATE manager. “We look forward to fielding this system, not only to immediately provide aircrews with actionable

information faster and at a higher quality, but also to help the air force learn important lessons for the employment

of tactical gateway systems in the future.” Boeing will conduct additional tests later this year.

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North America

F-35As complete European deployment

Additional HC-130J for Minotaur upgrade

EIGHT USAF F-35As from the 34th Fighter Squadron, along with supporting units and equipment from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, completed the first F-35A training deployment to Europe on May 7. The squadron flew 76 sorties and tallied more than 154 flying hours while based at RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk, sustaining a mission capable rate of 88%. Around 200 personnel were deployed to Europe by the activeduty 388th and Reserve 419th Fighter Wings. The first six F-35As arrived in the UK on April 15, followed by another two three days later. During the training deployment, pairs of jets briefly forwarddeployed to Ämari, Estonia, on April 25 and to Graf Ignatievo, Bulgaria, on April 28. “This exercise proves we can deploy to and operate anywhere on the globe if called,” said Chief Master Sergeant Benjamin Carpenter, Superintendent of the 34th Aircraft Maintenance Unit.

Above: US Coast Guard HC-130J 2004 at Waco, Texas, following its arrival on May 11 for installation of the Minotaur Mission System Suite by L3. USCG

ANOTHER US Coast Guard HC-130J Hercules has begun retrofit with the Minotaur Mission System Suite. The aircraft, serial number 2004, had previously operated at Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, North Carolina. It arrived at L3 Technologies’ Integrated Systems Platform Integration Division facility in Waco, Texas, on May 11 for induction into the upgrade programme, which will involve replacing its legacy mission system suite. A prototype Minotaurconfigured HC-130J,

US Army 1-185th AVN Black Hawks in Kosovo

Above: One of the Black Hawks deployed to Kosovo with the KFOR Multi National Battle Group-East’s Southern Command Post Task Force Aviation (KFOR SCP TF AVN) prepares to hoist a water bucket in Dakovica, Kosovo, on May 22. The current KFOR SCP TF AVN detachment is manned by personnel from aviation units in Georgia, Indiana and Texas. US Army/Capt Rachael Jeffcoat

US ARMY UH-60s and personnel from Companies A and D, 1st Battalion, 185th Aviation Regiment (1-185th AVN), left Jackson, Mississippi, on May 14 to prepare for deployment to Kosovo in support of Operation Joint Guardian. They will join the Kosovo Force (KFOR), supporting

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NATO operations to help build peace and stability in the region (see also Keeping the fragile peace, p72-77). The deployment will last for ten months, the unit providing rotary-wing aviation lift support with its Black Hawks. Dave Allport

aircraft 2003, flew to Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, in June last year to begin performance testing and is scheduled to enter service this summer, once trials are complete. Another aircraft, 2008, the first to be retrofitted at Waco, began replacement of its legacy mission system suite in January and is due for completion later this year. Meanwhile, two newproduction aircraft, still in baseline configuration (without any mission systems), are currently having Minotaur installed at Waco. The first, 2009,

began missionisation in April last year and will be used to validate changes made to the Minotaur prototype. The Coast Guard awarded L3 a contract on September 21, 2015 for Minotaur conversion of two baseline HC-130Js, with options for similar work on three other such aircraft and seven configured with legacy systems. As the HC-130J is still being produced for the USCG, eight aircraft had already been delivered with the legacy mission system suite before the Minotaur programme begun. Of these, six are in

service at CGAS Elizabeth City. Another became the Minotaur prototype, while the remaining HC-130J was delivered to Waco to enter the integration process on December 13, 2016. On December 16 last year, the Coast Guard awarded L3 a contract to upgrade its eleventh HC-130J with Minotaur. It is currently still on the production line and will be delivered in early 2018 in baseline configuration, prior to work starting. The 12th and 13th aircraft are also under contract for delivery in baseline configuration in 2019. Dave Allport

Aries passes through Mildenhall

ON FINALS to Runway 11 at RAF Mildenhall, Suﬀolk, on the evening of May 15 is US Navy EP-3E Aries 161410 of Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron (VQ) 1 ‘World Watchers’ based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington. The aircraft, using the callsign ‘Navy Papa Romeo 410’, was thought to be returning to the US after a deployment in the Middle East. Ryan Dorling

‘Fighting Bengals’ head downrange FIVE US Marine Corps F/A-18Ds from Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA[AW]) 224 ‘Fighting Bengals’ at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina, transited through Morón

Air Base near Seville, Spain, on May 9 en route to a deployment in the Middle East. Using the callsigns Mazda 51 to 55, the Hornets comprised 164957/‘WK01’, 164951/‘WK-

05’, 164961/‘WK-08’, 164705/‘WK-02’ and 164723/‘WK-13’. Five more aircraft from the squadron were expected to arrive at Morón in the days following. Antonio Muñiz Zaragüeta

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Latin America

Mexican F-5s soldier on THE SECOND edition of the Mexican FAMEX (Feria Aeroespacial México) show, held at Santa Lucía air base near Mexico City from April 26-29,

provided some details of the Fuerza Aérea Mexicana (FAM, Mexican Air Force) F-5E/F fleet. It was reported that the type was withdrawn from

service last September, but the F-5s remain operational. Out of the ten F-5s in service last year, two were donated to the Air

Force Museum at Santa Lucía. Of the remaining eight aircraft, four are still operational while the other four await refurbished

engines from RUAG. The Swiss company has confirmed the order but has not given details of timings and cost. Arnold ten Pas F-5E serial 4510 at Santa Lucía air base. It is one of four Tiger IIs currently still operational with Escuadrón Aéreo 401. Arnold ten Pas

AW169 for Argentine Gendarmerie ARGENTINA’S SECURITY Ministry has funded the purchase of a Leonardo AW169 helicopter for the Gendarmería Nacional Argentina (GNA, Argentine National Gendarmerie). The cost of the acquisition is around $10m. The GNA’s current fleet is mainly configured for observation and therefore unable to perform fast air assaults. Juan Carlos Cicalesi

Fifteenth Huey II for Argentine Army THE BATALLÓN de Abastecimiento y Mantenimiento de Aeronaves 601 (601st Aircraft Supply and Maintenance Battalion) of Argentina’s Army Aviation Management recently delivered the 15th Bell UH-1H upgraded to Huey II standard under the Hornero project. The helicopter, serial AE-473 (ex AE-449, c/n 12353, US serial 70-15743), is one of 20 being converted under

Alejandro Margossian

an agreement with Bell Textron. Together with facilities in Colombia, the 601st Battalion’s workshop at Campo de Mayo Military Airfield in the province of Buenos

Aires is the only one certified to carry out the Huey II upgrade outside the United States. The five remaining aircraft are currently being rebuilt. Juan Carlos Cicalesi

Argentine Army Merlin retirement

Juan Carlos Cicalesi Above: The Ejército Argentino (EA, Argentine Army) retired its four Fairchild Swearingen Merlin IIIA/IVA aircraft on May 9. These comprised SA-226T Merlin IIIA serials AE-176 (c/n T-275-148), AE-178 (c/n T-280-171) and AE-179 (c/n T-281-174) and SA-226-AT Merlin IVA serial AE-180 (c/n AT-071E-253). The aircraft were assigned to the Army Aviation Command, which introduced the Merlin IIIA in 1977 and the Merlin IVA in 1979. Juan Carlos Cicalesi

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Texan IIs for Argentina THE PENTAGON has disclosed the award of an $88.2m Foreign Military Sales contract to Beechcraft for the delivery of four T-6C+ aircraft to the Fuerza Aérea Argentina (FAA, Argentine Air Force). According to a US Department of Defense announcement on April 25, the contract will also include maintenance and pilot training, and interim contractor support for maintenance. The aircraft will help replace the FAA’s current training aircraft and enhance the FAA’s surveillance and border security mission. Work will be performed at Wichita, Kansas, and is expected to be completed by April 30, 2018.

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FAA marks Falklands War anniversary

Brazilian Persuader deliveries imminent

THE FORÇA Aérea Brasileira (FAB, Brazilian Air Force) will soon receive the first of three brand-new C295MP Persuader search and rescue aircraft ordered from Airbus Defence and Space in Spain. The C295MP is a variant of the C295 turboprop transport, of which the FAB already operates 12 examples that were purchased to replace the CC-115 Buffalo for humanitarian and troop transport missions, among other missions. The new C295MP aircraft will be operated by the 2º/10º Grupo de Aviação Esquadrão ‘Pelicano’, based in Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul. Juan Carlos Cicalesi

The Fuerza Aérea Argentina (FAA, Argentine Air Force) commemorated the 35th anniversary of the Falklands War (known locally as La Guerra de las Malvinas) on May 1. The 1982 conﬂict was the ﬁrst occasion the FAA went into combat with a foreign power. A ceremony was held at the I Brigada Aérea (1st Air Brigade) in El Palomar, Buenos Aires. After reciting the names of the 55 FAA airmen who were lost in combat, three A-4AR Fightinghawks performed a ‘missing man’ formation. The ceremony ended with a ﬂypast by a C-130H accompanied by three A-4ARs. Esteban G Brea

Argentine presidential F28 retirement

THE FUERZA Aérea Argentina (FAA, Argentine Air Force) retired Fokker F28 Mk4000M Fellowship (c/n 11203) serial T-02 (ex T-10, ex PH-EXP) on May 19. The aircraft, part of the Agrupación Aérea de la Casa Militar de la Presidencia de la Nación Argentina (Argentine Presidency Military House Air Group),

performed its final flight from Fábrica Argentina de Aviones (FAdeA) facilities in the province of Córdoba before landing at the I Brigada Aérea (1st Air Brigade) in El Palomar, Buenos Aires. The F28 will be replaced by Boeing 737500 T-04, which will soon be returned to service. Juan Carlos Cicalesi

Slow progress on IA-63 Pampa III WITH MANUFACTURE of the IA-63 Pampa III advanced training and attack aircraft showing few signs of progress, Ercole Felippa, President of the Fábrica Argentina de Aviones (FAdeA), and his management, are considering cannibalising Pampa II aircraft to help the project. These have been withdrawn from Fuerza Aérea Argentina (FAA, Argentine Air Force) service awaiting inspections by the FAdeA. Pampa II components would enable completion of the three new Pampa IIIs announced by the

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Above: EX-03 is the ﬁrst prototype modiﬁed to Pampa III standard. Facundo Rovira

government for 2017. The three Pampa III fuselage cells have already been manufactured. Still required are the Honeywell TFE731-40-2N engines, Martin-Baker Mk10AR

ejection seats (British designed, but made in Italy by Sicamb, which has a subsidiary in Argentina) and the six digital cockpit screens from Israel’s Elbit Systems. Among the

providers collaborating in the manufacture of the new aircraft are Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Rockwell Collins, Liebherr and Sagem. Argentina hopes to export

the Pampa III to countries in Latin America, Africa and Southeast Asia. Among possible buyers are Bolivia, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria, Paraguay and South Africa. Juan Carlos Cicalesi

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Africa

Egyptian Air Force strikes Libya SIX TERRORIST facilities belonging to the Shura Council of Mujahideen in Derna, eastern Libya, have been hit by air strikes carried out by the Egyptian Air Force (EAF). The attack was authorised by President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi just hours after gunmen opened fire on a bus carrying Coptic Christians on their way to the Monastery of Saint Samuel in Minya, Egypt, killing 28 and

wounding 25 on May 26. The targets included a training camp, local headquarters, offices, concentration points and ammunition workshops in the Beshr, al-Hijaj and al-Fatayih areas of Libya. Simultaneously, Libyan National Air Force MiG-23BN serial 9119 from Labraq air base bombed other targets south of Derna. Five F-16Cs (serials 9752, 9753, 9754, 9757 and

9764) and an F-16D (serial 9821) from the 282nd Tactical Fighter Wing (TFW) at Fayid Air Base carried out the strikes using laser-guided GBU-12 and Mk82 ‘dumb’ bombs. All six F-16s departed Fayid AB at 1900hrs local time and reached their targets around an hour later. After their return to Fayid at 2130hrs, another six F-16C/Ds from the

272nd TFW left Jiyanklis AB and flew towards Jufra where they bombed insurgent concentration points, buildings and ammunition storages. Two 34th Squadron Rafale DMs (serials 9252 and 9253) armed with Mica air-to-air missiles flew combat air patrol over Libya to protect the F-16s. Command and control was provided by an E-2CII from the 87th Squadron. Babak Taghvaee

Egyptian Air Force F-16C Block 52 serial 9757 takes oﬀ from Fayid AB, armed with a pair of GBU-12s to bomb two of the most important targets inside the city of Derna. EAF

MD530F sale to Kenya approved KENYA HAS gained US State Department approval for the purchase of 12 armed MD530F Cayuse Warriors for operations by the Kenyan Army against al-Shabaab and to support the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). The US Defense Security Co-operation Agency (DSCA) announced the approval on May 2. The proposed contract is valued at around $253m including armament, logistics support and training. The DSCA said the new helicopters will support Kenya’s rotarywing scout and attack operations in support of its AMISOM mission. The type will also replace Kenya’s ageing MD500D/MD fleet, operated by the 50th Air Cavalry Battalion at Embakasi AB, Nairobi/Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and used to support Kenyan ground forces. Dave Allport

Kenyan Presidential F70 at Northolt

Kenya Air Force Fokker 70 KAF308 ﬂew into RAF Northolt, West London, on a visit to the UK for the ﬁrst time since 2000. The aircraft arrived from Nairobi via Cairo on May 10 using the callsign ‘Kenya 01’. It supported the visit of Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, who was attending the 2017 Somalia Conference. KAF308 departed Northolt on May 12, again ﬂying via Cairo. Westleigh Bushell

LNAF in action over Jufra THE LIBYAN National Air Force (LNAF) carried out an air strike against the headquarters and ammunition storage of the Saraya Defend Benghazi (SDB) insurgents and its allies around Jufra on the night of May 20. Two day earlier the 13th Battalion, SDB insurgents and other militias under the command of the Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) were accused of the arrest and execution of 141 civilians and soldiers at Brak al-Shati air base in Wadi al-Shatii district. Victims included recently graduated cadets and troops of the Libyan

20 JULY 2017 #352

National Army (LNA). In response, the LNA prepared an offensive to liberate Jufra and its strategic air base, which has been used by

the GNA as a logistical support bridge for transferring troops and arms from Tripoli and Misrata for use by the SDB and 13th Battalion.

MiG-23BN serials 8772 and 4136 from 1070 Squadron, Labraq air base. Serial 8772 was deployed to Ras Lanuf four days after this picture was taken to bomb SDB and its allies at Jufra on May 20. LNAF/Hamza al-Hasi

The air strike involved the LNAF’s sole airworthy MiG-23UB (serial 8008) from Brak al-Shati and MiG-23BN serial 8772 from Labraq. These were

forward deployed to the Marble Arch Highway Strip at Ras Lanuf. Serial 8008 carried two 100kg (221lb) OFAB-100 bombs and two Spanish-made 250kg (551lb) bombs while 8772 carried four retarded 551lb bombs. It is possible that a third aircraft dropped flare bombs on the targets before the MiG-23s dropped their weapons. Bombing missions against Jufra continued until May 26. For the first time, the LNAF’s only airworthy Su-22M3 was used to fly over Jufra from Benina, providing a show of force on May 21. Babak Taghvaee

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ADVERTORIAL

Su-32/34

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he Su-34 frontline bomber (which will be exported as the Su-32) will be the primary strike asset of the Russian Aerospace Forces. It is a worthy successor to the Su-24M all-weather frontline bomber, and its development and production are among Sukhoi’s top priorities. Sukhoi is a subsidiary of United Aircraft Corporation (UAC). The Su-34 frontline bomber entered service with the Russian Aerospace Forces by a Decree of the President of the Russian Federation dated March 18, 2014. Series production of the Su-34 takes place at the Sukhoi Company’s Novosibirsk aircraft plant. The Sukhoi Company has already delivered a substantial number of these aircraft to the Russian military. Currently, a state contract to supply a

large batch of Su-34s to the Russian Ministry of Defence is being implemented. The Su-34 eﬀectively engages ground, sea and aerial targets using a complete range of airborne munitions, including high-precision types. Targets can be prosecuted under adversary ﬁre and in the face of hostile information warfare in all weather conditions, day and night. In terms of operational capabilities, the Su-34 is a 4+ generation aircraft. Its active protection system together with the latest computers provide expanded opportunities for the pilot and navigator to carry out precision bombing and manoeuvring under adversary ﬁre. The superior aerodynamics, large internal fuel tanks, highly eﬃcient digitally controlled bypass turbojets, in-ﬂight

Photo: Vadim Savitsky

refuelling system, external fuel tanks and a comfortable cockpit enable longdistance ﬂights of up to 10 hours. The on-board digital ‘open architecture’ equipment also allows easy replacement of hardware and systems for new models. The aircraft features excellent ﬂight performance and agility, a long-range aiming system, and a modern on-board system for communication and information exchange with ground-based control centres, ground troops, surface ships and other aircraft. The Su-34 employs highly eﬃcient long-range guided air-to-surface and air-to-air weapons using a multiple channel capability. It is equipped with a smart radar countermeasures and defence system. The Su-34 has a sophisticated survivability suite, including an armoured cockpit. Currently, the operational capability of the aircraft is being increased with new airborne weapons. According to pilots and navigators, the aircraft oﬀers excellent ergonomics and extensive automation from take-oﬀ to target approach, operational use and landing. The aircraft is easy to handle. The Su-34 bomber has also set eight world records, including that of a maximum horizontal ﬂight altitude with a 5,000kg load.

Photo: Marina Lystseva

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NEWS

Middle East

Iran’s Kowsar-88 trainer unveiled

Above: The Kowsar-88 prototype was rolled out at the Iranian Helicopter Support and Renewal Company’s No 1 Plant north of Mehrabad International Airport, Tehran, on April 15. via Babak Taghvaee

IRAN’S INCOMPLETE Kowsar-88 advanced jet trainer was unveiled to the public in a ceremony on April 15. In December 2007 Iranian Aircraft Manufacturing Industries (IAMI) was contracted by Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) Headquarters to begin research and development for a new jet trainer. The Kowsar-88 prototype

Israel eyes training helicopters

is equipped with Zvezda K-36DM ejection seats, two General Electric J85-GE-13 turbojets, and many other F-5B components including (locally produced) landing gear and avionics with minor upgrades. Beginning in summer 2016 an RF-5A was used as a source of parts to manufacture the Kowsar-88 prototype. However, after six

months of effort, the first example remains unfinished. It had been planned to complete it in January and log a first flight on February 7. Delays have been caused by a lack of finance and unavailability of parts. A first flight is now expected in July. The first prototype will be temporarily equipped with analogue F-5B instruments

before receiving three multifunction displays in each cockpit and a headup display in the front cockpit. It is also planned to add four underwing hardpoints for carrying air-to-ground weapons. IAMI/HESA has the capacity to manufacture at least 14 Kowsar88s using components from six F-5As, six F-5Bs and three RF-5As. Babak Taghvaee

Heron 1 to replace Sea Scans

ISRAELI AIR Force Sea Scan maritime patrol aircraft are to be replaced with Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI’s) maritime version of the Heron 1 (Shoval) unmanned air vehicle system. IAI confirmed selection of the UAV in an announcement on May 15. The type is replacing the three IAI 1124N Sea Scans (versions of the IAI 1124 Westwind business jet), originally delivered in 1977. Israel has ordered an unspecified number of additional Heron 1 systems to replace these aircraft and meet the increasing requirement for maritime patrol and intelligence gathering missions. The equipment fit includes the electrooptical Multi-mission Optronic Stabilized Payload (MOSP) and an Elta lightweight airborne maritime surveillance radar. Dave Allport

Jordanian Black Hawks in Eager Lion

ISRAEL IS considering the Leonardo AW119Kx, Bell 407GXP and Airbus H125 to replace the Bell 206 Sayfan training helicopter. A deal with Leonardo could form part of a reciprocal defence deal in which Italy will procure Israeli missiles. The eventual contract is valued at around $350m and will provide the Israeli Air Force with two batches of eight helicopters and simulators.

Sniper pods for Kuwaiti Hornets

LOCKHEED MARTIN is to supply Sniper advanced targeting pods to the Kuwait Air Force for its F/A-18C/D Hornets. The Foreign Military Sales contract includes 14 Sniper ATPs and integration. Pod deliveries will begin in 2018.

24 JULY 2017 #352

Above: Italian airmen from the 17th Special Operations Wing secure a landing pad during a fast-roping exercise involving Jordanian Special Operations Aviation Brigade UH-60L Black Hawk SO-3008 in Amman, Jordan, on May 7 during Eager Lion 2017. US Navy/MCS2 Christopher Lange

ROYAL JORDANIAN Air Force UH-60L Black Hawks operated by 30 Squadron of the Special Operations Aviation Brigade at Camp Zarqa-King Abdullah II Air Base participated in Eager

Lion 2017. The annual US Central Command exercise takes place in Jordan and is designed to strengthen military-to-military relationships between the US, Jordan and other

international partners. This year, about 7,200 military personnel from more than 20 nations participated, responding to scenarios involving border

security, command and control, cyber defence and battlespace management. The exercise ran over a twoweek period, beginning on May 7. Dave Allport

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Saudi AWACS upgrade completed

Omani Typhoon and Hawk rolled out

Omani Typhoon serial 210, wearing the UK serial ZR401 during a test ﬂight from Warton.

AN OFFICIAL rollout of the first Typhoon and Hawk aircraft for the Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO) took place on May 15. The aircraft were formally presented to Omani officials during a ceremony at BAE Systems’ Military Air & Information division at Warton, United Kingdom. More than 100 delegates witnessed the event, including His Excellency Sayyid Badr bin Saud al Busaidi, the Sultanate of Oman’s Minister Responsible for Defence Affairs (MRDA) and the Commander of the RAFO, Air Vice-Marshal Mattar bin Ali bin Mattar Al Obaidani. Afterwards there was a brief flypast of an RAFO Typhoon. The Sultanate of Oman announced its decision to purchase 12 Typhoons and eight Hawks in December 2012. Deliveries are due to begin later this year.

Saudi Saqr-1 UAV unveiled

SAUDI ARABIA’S King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) has unveiled a new “strategic” unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the Saqr-1. According to a May 10 statement from the Saudi Press Agency, the Saqr-1 is an armed UAV in the medium-altitude longendurance (MALE) class. It is equipped with a Ka-band satellite communication system and reportedly has a range of over 2,500km (1,553 miles). The UAV can reportedly deliver laser-guided bombs and missiles.

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Above: The ﬁrst Omani Hawk Mk166 to ﬂy in customer colours, serial 161 undertook its maiden ﬂight on May 5 wearing the UK serial ZB123. Below: Royal Omani Air Force Airbus A320 serial 555 was used to bring the Omani delegation to Warton for the ceremony on May 15. The aircraft arrived at the BAE Systems facility from Farnborough. Mark Saunders

BOEING HAS completed a radar upgrade for the Royal Saudi Air Force’s (RSAF’s) E-3A Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) fleet. The manufacturer announced completion of the work on May 23. The Northrop Grumman Radar System Improvement Program (RSIP) comprises a new radar computer, a radar control maintenance panel and electrical and mechanical software and hardware. This improves radar sensitivity and expands tracking range. Boeing engineers and technicians performed the installation and checkout of the first upgraded aircraft at Boeing Field in Seattle. The remaining aircraft were modified at Alsalam Aerospace Industries in Riyadh, with the support of Boeing engineers, technicians and a test and evaluation team.

Saudi Arabia lines up CH-47F and P-8 buys

Three Adirs now in Israel

Three F-35Is appeared during Israel’s 69th Independence Day air display at Ramat David air base on May 2. Anthony Hershko

THE ISRAELI Air Force received another three F-35I Adirs when the fighters arrived at Nevatim air base on April 23. They join two others that

arrived at the base last December. The initial operating unit for the Adir is 140 ‘Golden Eagle’ Squadron, which had completed “dozens

of flight hours” on the type by the time of the latest delivery. Initial operational capability is planned to be achieved by the end of the year.

SAUDI ARABIA and the United States have signed a record $110bn arms contract that will include CH-47F and additional S-70 helicopters. The agreement was signed between President Donald Trump and King Salman bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud on May 20. As well as a deal to purchase Chinook helicopters and associated support services, Saudi Arabia revealed its intent to order P-8 maritime patrol aircraft. First announced on December 8, the CH-47F Foreign Military Sale is valued at $3.51bn and would include 48 helicopters. A Letter of Intent between Lockheed Martin and Taqnia will lead to a joint venture to support final assembly and completion of an estimated 150 S-70 Black Hawk utility helicopters for the Saudi government.

#352 JULY 2017 25

NEWS

Russia & CIS An-148 AEW&C variant under development

New colours for Russian display teams Above: Su-30SM ‘31 Blue’ of the Russian Knights takes oﬀ from Kubinka during a ﬁnal rehearsal for the Victory Day Parade, on May 7. Hirobumi Matsuzaki

EIGHT Su-30SMs of the Russian Knights aerobatic demonstration team, or 1st Aviation Squadron of the 237th Guards Demonstration Centre (237th TsPAT), have received a new colour

Upgraded A-50U deployed to Syria

NEW SATELLITE imagery has revealed that the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) have deployed an A-50 airborne early warning and control aircraft to Syria. The picture from the ImageSat International (ISI) Eros B satellite, dated May 3, shows a single A-50 on the ramp at Hmeymim air base. Earlier, a photograph appeared on social media of an A-50 in flight over Syria on April 29, which is believed to be the day it arrived. The aircraft is one of the four upgraded A-50U variants delivered to date to the VKS. Sergei Rudskov, head of the Russian General Staff Operations Directorate, confirmed at the end of April that a “multi-level control system” capable of detecting threats in Syrian airspace had been deployed. Russia had previously deployed an A-50 to Syria in late 2015, but it returned home in March 2016 as part of the partial drawdown of Russian forces in the country. Dave Allport

26 JULY 2017 #352

scheme. The revised livery has been applied to the recently delivered Su-30SMs that were first exhibited at the LIMA 2017 airshow in Malaysia. The MiG-29s of the Swifts (Strizhi) aerobatic

demonstration team, or 2nd Aviation Squadron of the 237th TsPAT, have also been painted in new colours. Both teams were to be among the 55 military aircraft and 17

helicopters taking part in the annual flypast during the May 9 parade over Moscow. However, this year’s flypast was cancelled due to poor visibility and bad weather. Babak Taghvaee

M-346 demonstrated in Azerbaijan

Above: The M-346 on the apron at an Azeri air base during its demonstration to Azerbaijan defence ministry oﬃcials on May 10. Azeri MOD

UKRAINIAN DEFENCE Minister Stepan Poltorak, and Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Oleksandr Turchynov unveiled a concept for a new airborne early warning and control aircraft based on the An-148 on May 8. Antonov will develop the aircraft, designated the An-148DRLV, for the Ukrainian Air Force and export customers. It will feature a large, fixed electronically scanned array antenna mounted dorsally above the fuselage similar to that used for the Saab Erieye system. It will also have a sea surveillance capability. Dave Allport

LEONARDO AIRCRAFT has demonstrated its M-346 advanced jet trainer and light attack aircraft in Azerbaijan. On May 10, the Italian manufacturer presented the aircraft to the leadership of the defence ministry at an unspecified Azeri Air Force base. Currently the Azeri Air Force relies on the L-39C for jet training. A dozen secondhand examples were acquired from Ukraine in 2006, supplementing a handful of active survivors from around 20 originally delivered to Azerbaijan. Dave Allport

Turkmenistan Government Challenger in Slovenia A TURKMENISTAN Government Challenger 870CS was noted at Ljubljana Jože Pučnik International Airport in Slovenia on May 26. The VIP-configured aircraft had undergone maintenance at nearby Adria Tehnika, the Bombardier-authorised CRJ maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility. The CRJ700/CL-600-2C10 was delivered to Turkmenistan Airlines on March 25, 2012 and wears civil registration EZ-B024 (c/n 10332). It is operated by the Special Fleet of Turkmenistan Airlines based at Ashgabat IAP.

Above: Turkmenistan Government Challenger 870CS EZ-B024 (c/n 10332) at Ljubljana Jože Pučnik IAP in Slovenia. Igor Bozinovski

Apart from the Challenger 870CS, the Special Fleet operates a single BAe 125-1000B (EZ-B021, c/n 259029) and a pair of Challenger 605s (CL-600-2B16s) (EZ-B022, c/n 5735 and EZ-B023, c/n 5750) plus

four VVIP-configured helicopters: two AW101 Mk643s (EZ-S714, c/n 50241 and EZ-S715, c/n 50245) and two S-92As (EZ-S720, c/n 92-0017 and EZ-S721, c/n 92-0026). Depending on the distance to be flown, Turkmenistan

President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov is transported using two additional Turkmenistan Airlines aircraft: Boeing 777-22K/LR (EZ-A777, c/n 39548) or Boeing 737-7GL (EZ-A007, c/n 37234). Igor Bozinovski

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16/05/2017 09:24

NEWS

Asia Paciﬁc

Pakistan Day Parade 2017

Above: Mirage VEF serial 748 en route to the Shakarparian Parade Ground in Pakistan’s capital city Islamabad. Waseem Abbas

THE ARMED forces of Pakistan held a Joint Services Parade on March 23 to commemorate the 77th anniversary of the passing of the Pakistan Resolution on the same date in 1940. The event, held at Shakarparian Parade Ground in Islamabad, featured 66 aircraft of 17 different types from all three branches of the armed forces. There were 17 formation flights and four solo displays. The majority of the jets took off from their home bases. Meanwhile, Qasim Army Aviation Base (AAB) at Dhamial Rawalpindi, home to the 101 Army Aviation Group, hosted the bulk of the helicopters including assets from the Pakistan Navy (PN). Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman led the flypast in an F-16 Block 52. Fighters from different Pakistan Air Force (PAF) squadrons then appeared in fourship diamonds. Pairs of F-16As and F-16Bs were followed by JF-17s, F-7PG Skybolts and another four-ship of F-7Ps. Mirages upgraded to Retrofit of Strike Element (ROSE) standard

represented the strike element of the PAF and also marked 50 years of service. Seven Mirages took part in two groups. Mirage VEF serial 748 with special Pakistan Day markings led the first diamond. The second formation of three jets was led by Mirage VEF serial 706. Also participating was a ZDK-03 Karakoram Eagle airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft flanked by two Saab 2000 Erieyes. Making its debut was an Il-78 tanker flanked by two C-130s. A pair of P-3Cs from Karachi-based 28

28 JULY 2017 #352

by a three-ship of AH-1s. The Cobras were followed by three-ships of AS550C3 Fennecs, Bell 412EPs, IAR330SM Pumas, Mi-17s and PN Aviation Z-9ECs from 222 Squadron ‘Stingrays’. This was followed by two formations of jet trainers from the PAF Academy Asghar Khan. The first was from the Academy’s Aerobatics Team ‘The Sherdils’ in four T-37s. They were followed by nine K-8s. A JF-17 from 14 Squadron ‘Tail Choppers’ based at PAF Base Minhas, Kamra, performed an aerobatics display. The Thunder was followed by an F-16 from PAF Base Mushaf at Sargodha. Waseem Abbas

Mirage VEF serial 706 in 50th anniversary markings. It is operated by 27 Squadron ‘Zarrars’ stationed at PAF Base Raﬁqui. Alan Warnes

More Erieyes for Pakistan

THE PAKISTAN Air Force chief, Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman, told AFM in late April that the air arm is set to receive three new Saab 2000 Erieye airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft. The first will be delivered in December and the remaining pair will arrive next year. They will boost the PAF’s AEW&C fleet, which currently comprises

Squadron represented PN Aviation. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were shown on flatbed military trucks. Examples included the Burraq armed with two Burq missiles, as well as the Scout, Huma and Uqab. The indigenous Ra’ad air-launched cruise missile was also included on a flatbed carrier. The second half of the display involved 19 helicopters from the Pakistan Army (PA) and PN Aviation. The majority of these were from 101 Army Aviation Group, while a group of AH-1s joined in from the 404 Army Aviation Group based at Multan. The helicopters were led

three Erieyes serving 3 Squadron and four ZDK-03s with 4 Squadron. On May 15 Saab announced it had signed an AEW&C contract worth SEK 1.35bn (£120m). It will not disclose the customer but it is likely this is the same deal. The PAF ordered four Erieyes in 2005 that were delivered during 2009-11. Alan Warnes

Ex-RN ‘Junglies’ for Pakistan Navy THE PAKISTAN Navy has accepted seven former Fleet Air Arm Sea King HC4s purchased under a contract signed with the UK Ministry of Defence last year. The helicopters were formally handed over during a ceremony in the UK on May 24. Under a separate contract, Vector Aerospace has been maintaining the ‘Junglie’ Sea Kings pending shipment to Pakistan,

planned for later this year. The identities of the HC4s involved are unconfirmed. Pakistan had originally taken delivery of six Sea King Mk45s, which first entered service in July 1975. Following the loss of one of these on February 8, 1986, a single ex-Royal Navy Sea King HAS5 was acquired as an attrition replacement and delivered as a Mk45A in January 1989. Dave Allport

US to provide Afghanistan with Black Hawks

THE UNITED States plans to deliver up to 159 refurbished UH-60A Black Hawks to Afghanistan. The helicopters are intended to replace Mi-17 transports as the country aims to double the size of its 17,000-strong special forces wing. Afghan and US defence officials have confirmed the plan. This year the US is providing $814m to bolster the Afghan Air Force, including funding for 53 Black Hawks. A first delivery is expected within two years, and the helicopters could be delivered at a rate of up to 30 annually.

First flight for second HTT-40 HINDUSTAN AERONAUTICS Limited (HAL) has completed the first flight of the second prototype HTT-40 primary trainer. It took place at HAL’s Bengaluru facility on May 20. HAL’s Chairman and Managing Director T Suvarna Raju said: “The second prototype was made ready within one year, and flew for one hour carrying out important manoeuvres.” The first prototype HTT-40 took to the air on May 31 last year. HAL is manufacturing three prototypes and two static test examples. The company aims for the aircraft to achieve operational clearance by 2018, replacing the HPT-32 Deepak.

Second LUH maiden flight THE SECOND prototype Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) flew for the first time at Bengaluru on May 22. The revised helicopter features a modified tail boom and improvements based on the testing of PT1. HAL hopes to freeze the final configuration by the end of the year.

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Tejas test fires Derby AAM

A TEJAS Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) has launched its first Israelisupplied Derby beyondvisual-range air-to-air missile (AAM). The weapon was fired in lock-on after launch mode. According to the Indian Ministry of Defence “the test was to assess Derby integration with aircraft systems including the aircraft avionics, fire-control radar, launchers and missile weapon delivery system and to verify its performance”. The firing is an important step towards achieving final operational capability (FOC).

First AH-64E for Indonesia

BOEING HAS begun flighttesting of at least one of the eight AH-64Es ordered by the Tentara Nasional IndonesiaAngkatan Darat (TNI-AD – Indonesian Army). Testing was first noted in May. The helicopters will be flown by Skadron Udara Angkatan Darat 13 Serbu at Achmad Yani Airport, Semarang, Java. The first three helicopters will join the unit in November. Dave Allport

Indonesian Su-35 procurement uncertain

THE INDONESIAN Ministry of Defence (MoD) has revealed a potential hurdle to procurement of the Su-35 fighter. In a statement the MoD confirmed that the delay in buying the Flanker-E was the result of concerns related to technology transfer. Officials from the MoD discussed the planned purchase with Rosoboronexport, the Russian military export agency, on May 3. A procurement team from the ministry is currently assessing the deal to determine whether it meets criteria for technology transfer and terms of financing.

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F-15SG at Exercise Combat Hammer

An F-15SG takes oﬀ from Mountain Home on May 2 carrying a 500lb-class JDAM. USAF/SrA Jeremy L Mosier

THE 428TH Fighter Squadron, the Republic of Singapore Air Force’s (RSAF’s) flying training unit, took part in the week-long Combat Hammer exercise at Hill Air Force Base, Utah,

in early May. Combat Hammer is a weapons system evaluation that tests all procedure from loading to the delivery of the munitions. It was the first time the 428th FS had deployed its F-15SGs

Colibri for RMAF training fleet

THE ROYAL Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) is continuing to upgrade its training ﬂeet. The RMAF has now retired its Alouette III helicopters and is replacing them with four Airbus Helicopters H120 Colibris, comprising serials M103-01 to M103-04. Raymond van Dijkhuizen

with the 2,000lb (907kg) GBU-31 Joint Direct Attack Munition ( JDAM). Combat Hammer continued recent partnership building between the RSAF and US Air Force. Between

Japanese Orions not offered to RMAF THE CHIEF of the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) has denied reports that the service is planning to acquire surplus Kawasaki P-3C maritime patrol aircraft from the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ( JMSDF). At the LIMA 2017 exhibition in Malaysia, the Malaysian minister of defence, Hishammuddin Hussein, said he was “working with the

Final flight of last ROCAF S-2T REPUBLIC OF China Air Force (ROCAF) S-2T Turbo Tracker 2214, the last remaining airworthy ROCAF example, has made its final flight. The aircraft departed from Pingtung Air Base on May 18 for Hsinchu AB, where it landed for the final time

at 1015hrs local time. It had previously been operated by the 34th Anti-Submarine Squadron at Pingtung, but will now be preserved at Hsinchu. The S-2T had first entered ROCAF service in 1991, but as part of a reorganisation of the

The last operational ROCAF S-2T, 2214, which made its ﬁnal ﬂight on May 18 from Pingtung to Hsinchu. ROCAF

April 10 and May 11 the RSAF dispatched six F-15SGs and around 100 personnel from 142 Squadron to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, to train with the US Pacific Air Forces.

Taiwanese military the type was transferred to the Republic of China Navy on July 1, 1999. However, following a reversal of this decision, on July 2, 2013, the 11 surviving S-2Ts were transferred back to ROCAF. Dave Allport

Japanese with regards to the P-3 Orions”. (See Intel Report – Patrolling hostile waters, June 2017). Since then, RMAF chief General Datuk Seri Affendi Buang has told media that reports claiming that the Japanese government will offer its P-3Cs free of charge are untrue. “It’s probably just a rumour,” he told reporters at RMAF Subang in May. “We have not received any offer or decision officially.”

First Korean A330 MRTT begins conversion

THE FIRST Airbus Defence and Space A330-200 for the Republic of Korea Air Force (RoKAF) to be converted to MultiRole Tanker Transport (MRTT) standard arrived at Getafe, Madrid, from Toulouse facility on May 19. The aircraft, MSN1787 (ex F-WWYO), was registered as EC-331 for the ferry flight. It is the first of four MRTTs ordered by South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) on June 30, 2015. Deliveries of the four aircraft to RoKAF are expected to be completed by 2019. Roberto Yáñez

#352 JULY 2017 29

NEWS

AUSTRALASIA

RAAF ‘classic’ Hornets return from Middle East

Above: On May 19, two of the last four No 77 Squadron F/A-18As returned home to RAAF Base Williamtown from Operation Okra in the Middle East. This concluded 26 months of operations for No 81 Wing squadrons. CPL Nicci Freeman/Commonwealth of Australia

ROYAL AUSTRALIAN Air Force (RAAF) F/A-18F Super Hornets from No 1 Squadron recently took over the strike role in the Middle East from No 77 Squadron, which flies the F/A-18A. The Super Hornets are

RNZAF NH90 restrictions lifted

THE ROYAL New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) has lifted flying limitations on its NH90 fleet, the service announced on May 8. Since April 20, the helicopters had been unable to operate over water, at night, or over mountainous terrain. The limitations were imposed after an NH90 suffered a single engine failure on April 16 while returning to RNZAF Base Ohakea. The Chief of Air Force, Air Vice-Marshal Tony Davies, said: “We know now how the aircraft performed with one engine and we are working with the aircraft engine manufacturer to clarify the initial causes of the engine failure. “Those investigations have given us confidence the aircraft can be operated safely following a similar engine failure. Therefore we have returned to normal flying operations, except where the aircraft is operating at its upper weight limits, and plan to return to full operations as soon as the engine manufacturer has determined the reasons for the initial failure.”

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returning to the Middle East for the second time since 2015, and the changeover marks the completion of more than two years of continuous operations by the ‘classic’ Hornets from Nos 3, 75 and 77 Squadrons,

collectively No 81 Wing. The RAAF’s Air Task Group (ATG) has recently been supporting Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) in the effort to liberate West Mosul in Iraq. To date the ATG has dropped in excess of 1,860 munitions

during approximately 2,300 Hornet sorties, supported by 990 KC-30A tanker sorties transferring over 75 million pounds of fuel. In addition, RAAF E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft flew 340 sorties.

New Zealand Poseidon offer detailed FURTHER INFORMATION has been released about the forthcoming request for proposals (RFP) for a new maritime patrol aircraft for New Zealand. The RFP is expected in mid-2018. On April 28 the US Defense Security and Co-operation Agency (DSCA) announced approval of the potential sale of four P-8A Poseidons to New Zealand. The possible deal is valued at US$1.46bn. New Zealand’s Defence Capability Plan (DCP), announced last year, recommended retirement of the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s (RNZAF’s) P-3K2 Orions in the mid-2020s. As well as the P-8A, the Kawasaki P-1 and Saab Swordfish are also under consideration.

Exercise Bersama Shield 17

Above: An AP-3C takes oﬀ from RMAF Butterworth, Malaysia during Bersama Shield 17. CPL Steve Duncan/Commonwealth of Australia

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) took part in Exercise Bersama Shield 17 from April 26 to May 9. The exercise was undertaken as

part of the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) and also involved Malaysia, Singapore, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Around 300 ADF

personnel were drawn from the navy, army and air force to participate in Bersama Shield, which was conducted primarily in international waters off the

coast of Malaysia. Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) assets comprised an AP-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft and a King Air 350 tactical mobility aircraft.

Australia moves towards ARM purchase

Above: EA-18G A46-310 was caught passing through eastern California’s ‘Star Wars canyon’ lowlevel training area on May 12. It is part of the last batch of RAAF Growlers, currently at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, California. Chris Wood

THE US Department of State has approved the possible sale of antiradiation missiles (ARMs) to Australia. The Foreign Military Sales (FMS) deal is valued at US$137.6m. The US Defense Security Co-operation Agency (DSCA) announced the approval on April 28. The missiles, which would arm the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF’s) EA-18G Growler fleet, would comprise up to 70 AGM-88B High-speed Anti-Radiation Missiles (HARMs), up to 40 AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missiles (AARGMs), 16 HARM captive air training missiles, and 16 AARGM captive air training missiles.

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01/06/2017 11:40

INTEL REPORT

COUNTDOWN TO Turkey’s centenary in 2023 is the date set for the country’s first indigenous jet fighter, TF-X, to fly. Alan Warnes reports from Istanbul, where the deal to build the fifth-generation twin-engined jet was signed between Ankara and the UK.

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TF-X

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‘In association with…’

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Above: Technologies from programmes such as the Taranis unmanned combat aerial vehicle and Typhoon are likely to play a part in BAE’s future co-operation with TAI. BAE Systems Above right: Although Aselsan had a mock-up of an AESA radar on display at IDEF, it didn’t stop Raytheon from showing oﬀ fullscale mock-ups of its AN/APG-84 Raytheon Advanced Combat Radar (RACR). Alan Warnes Left: Turkey and the UK signed a TF-X agreement on May 10 and the newgeneration ﬁghter aircraft is scheduled to make its ﬁrst ﬂight in demonstrator form in 2023. TAI

A

N AGREEMENT TO kickstart the highly ambitious multibillion-dollar TF-X project was signed by representatives of the Turkish and British governments at this year’s International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF) in Istanbul. The event took place at a ceremony held at the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) stand on May 10. The deal was sealed by Stephen Phipson, head of the UK’s Defence and Security Organisation (DSO) and Professor Dr Ismail Demir, Turkey’s Undersecretary for Defence Industries (Savunma Sanayii Müsteşarı, SSM), paving the way for the two countries’ future co-operation. This was followed by another agreement between TAI and BAE Systems, which was selected as the Foreign Collaboration Company in mid-2015, outlining how the two firms will work together. BAE Systems will be drawing on its work on future combat aircraft including the Typhoon, F-35, Scavenger, Mantis and Taranis as well as advanced electronic warfare suites as its contribution to the initiative. The UK’s commitment to sharing technologies and expertise in support of TF-X builds upon the Phase 1 Stage 1 preliminary design agreement

Saab’s contributions Although Saab prefers to say little about its role in TF-X, three distinct conceptual designs had emerged by the end of its two-year consultancy role. The ﬁrst was a single-engine airframe with blended wing to fuselage lines. The second concept featured a larger fuselage to house two turbofan engines within the blended wing/fuselage design. The third, and most ambitious, was a canard-delta design with a single-engined fuselage, for agile handling. Committing to a twin-engined ﬁghter will be more expensive, increasing procurement and maintenance costs over the life of the aircraft. On the other hand, it means the jet will be of higher performance and equipped with an additional internal weapons carriage.

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signed between the Turkish government and prime contractor TAI on August 5 last year.

Why a homegrown fighter?

Turkey is keen to establish its own aerospace industry, avoiding the hazards of International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and the fallout from possible sanctions. Most nations outside North America and Europe now prefer ITAR-free equipment for the same reason. Too many have seen their aircraft fleets grounded due to a lack of sanctioned spare parts. Dropping its reliance on foreign products by 2023 is part of Turkey’s strategic vision, which is why it is keen to forge ahead with TF-X, known locally as the Milli Muharip Uçak (MMU – National Fighter Aircraft). This wider project will help to strengthen Turkish aerospace companies’ expertise, as many enter into joint ventures with Western companies that promise transfer of technology. An initial two-year concept phase for TF-X started in 2011 and was bolstered in March 2013 when Saab joined as technological consultant for another two years. Ankara-based TAI is responsible for the aerodynamics and design of the airframe, while Tusaş Engine Industries at Eskişehir is tasked with serialising production of the powerplant. This is overseen by a Project Management Office (PMO) led by a two-star general in the Türk Hava Kuvvetleri (THK – Turkish Air Force) working alongside local defence electronics contractor Aselsan and TAI within the confines of the Turkish government and SSM. The organisations will work together to draw up

a schedule for the sequence and scope of the contracts.

UK involvement

The Turkish government wanted the UK to share responsibility for the fighter: to back it with industrial participation and also help with exports. Gaining the support of the British government was paramount to Turkey. And, with a future likely to be outside the EU, Britain was keen to be involved. On January 28, the British Prime Minister Theresa May along with her Turkish counterpart, Binali Yıldırım, plus the heads of BAE Systems and TAI signed a Heads of Agreement to collaborate on the first development phase of TF-X. It builds upon a precontract study phase between BAE Systems and TAI. BAE Systems had remained tight-lipped on TF-X until this point, but at the time of the agreement it announced that a planned contract with a value in excess of £100m would follow. In a statement announcing the January 28 agreement BAE Systems Chief Executive, Ian King, said: ‘‘BAE Systems is a leader in designing, manufacturing and supporting fighter aircraft and is in an excellent position to contribute technical and engineering expertise and experience of managing complex projects to this key Turkish programme. The announcement signals an exciting next step in relations between both Turkey and the UK, with the co-operation between BAE Systems and TAI paving the way for a deeper defence partnership. The agreement confirms ongoing collaborative work on the design and development of the aircraft.” At its peak, hundreds of Turkish and UK engineers will work on

#352 JULY 2017 33

INTEL REPORT

TF-X, helping to develop the skills, technology and technical expertise required to realise the fifth-generation jet. The Turkish government is seeking the new fighter to replace its fleet of F-16s, with the Block 30s being the first (see Three decades of Turkish Vipers, June 2017, p70-77). The F-16s will be replaced, like for like, so there will be a need for around 250 new fighters to work alongside the F-35As on order for the THK. TAI already has experience of working with future fighters. It signed a $100m, long-term agreement with Northrop Grumman in June 2005 to produce composite parts and subassemblies for the F-35 centre fuselage developed by the American defence technology company. Delivery of the first example, from Ankara, took place in March 2011. The TF-X project will benefit from TAI’s manufacturing experience, but this is insufficient to carry the whole initiative. The collaboration needs the depth of knowledge and expertise that will be provided by BAE.

for the Typhoon, as well as unmanned combat air vehicles such as the Mantis, means it is well placed to contribute to the fifth-generation TF-X. It is likely to be a technology demonstrator that flies in 2023, in the same way that BAE and partners flew the Experimental Aircraft Programme (EAP) in 1986, seven years after the Eurofighter agreement. TF-X serial production aircraft are expected to be delivered from 2029, six years after the first jet’s flight. That contrasts significantly with the Typhoon evolution, which saw the Royal Air Force accept the Typhoon in 2003, 17 years after the EAP’s first flight and nine after the Typhoon flew. Chris Boardman, BAE Systems Managing Director Military Air and Information (MAI) at Warton,

is confident the deadlines can be met, based on previous experience on programmes such as Mantis. Shortly after the memorandum of understanding signing at IDEF, he told AFM: “In simple terms, BAE will provide expertise across all the parts of TF-X that are required to bring it together. We are not workshare driven. Our specialist skills in this project are designing and delivering combat aircraft – in a precise and effective way. “We are not defining any specialisms in technical subsystems – we will operate in partnership with TAI wherever they wish us to. But the first thing to understand going forward is their [TAI’s] work programme, then formalise it and adapt to the work required

New air-to-air missiles at IDEF

Ambitious time-line

The 2023 first-flight deadline, set to coincide with the centenary of the declaration of the Republic of Turkey, is extremely ambitious. After all, the F-35 has been beset by trials and tribulations over the past three decades. It was at least 15 years from the signing of the initial agreement between the UK and West Germany to the Eurofighter’s first flight. There were also added complications thanks to disagreements among the partnering nations. However, BAE Systems’ work in designing and manufacturing cutting-edge technologies

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Above: The main players line up alongside the two new AAMs. Left: General Abidin Ünal, THK commander; second from left: Arif Ergin, head of Tübitak SAGE; third from right: Erdal Çakmak, Director, Tübitak and second from right: Celal Sayi Tüfeçki (SSM). Alan Warnes

Two new air-to-air missiles were unveiled by Tübitak SAGE (Defense Industries Research and Development Institute) at IDEF. The Peregrine within-visual-range (WVR) and Merlin beyond-visual-range (BVR) AAMs are the ﬁrst to be developed by Turkey. Both missiles have been under development as part of Project Goktug since 2012, according to the Tübitak director, Erdal Çakmak. He indicated they should be integrated and test-ﬁred within the next two years. According to one source, the Peregrine (Gökdoğan) has a range of 20 miles (30km) while the larger Merlin (Bozdoğan) has a range of around 40 miles (65km). Although Tübitak is responsible for design of the two AAMs, a decision on which company will be responsible for producing them has not been taken.

to make it successful.” Asked if the deadline was realistic, Boardman was unequivocal: “Of course. We did Mantis from start to finish in 19 months and we did EAP along the same time scale.” On the subject of non-ITAR, he said: “That’s a decision the Turkish government needs to make. It becomes a trade-off between how much do you need to have new at the beginning of a programme as opposed to how much you can develop over time and replace. If you look at every combat aircraft ever designed there will be a trade-off between what you can bring and what you need to develop production-wise, to actually meet the operational needs of the air forces. “This agreement enables us to bring the engineers to Turkey, so that we can do things in isolation and put the teams together and these formalities have enabled that process to start. Decisions on the aircraft – selection of an engine and flight control system – will have to be done within months. The goal of having it flying by 2023 is a good one: it took us 19 months [to develop and fly] Mantis, so I don’t see it as a problem. “Let us use it in a positive way, because programmes like this that don’t have a ‘need to achieve’ tend to take too long. So if you have something to focus on, like 100 years [of the Turkish Republic] that is a great thing to drive you.” From 1994 to 1999 BAE Systems worked on its own top-secret fifth-generation fighter, known as Replica, which was believed to have been associated with the RAF’s now-shelved Future Offensive Air System. Maybe elements of that research, and of other similar secret projects,

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Above: The mock-up of the BAE Systems Replica was seen at Warton as recently as September 2016. Concepts from this stealth fighter design study may be incorporated in TF-X. Derek Bower Far left: Stephen Phipson, head of the UK’s Defence and Security and Professor Dr Ismail Demir, Turkey’s Undersecretary for Defence Industries (SSM) sign a government-to-government agreement. Alan Warnes Left: The document that heralds the start of the multibillion-dollar project. Alan Warnes

will be re-examined for possible integration into the TF-X.

Four years into three

The preliminary design review (PDR), or ‘T One’ as TAI refers to it, should be completed by the end of the year, possibly even earlier. This will enable SSM to pore over the BAE Systems export licences and, when approved, will lead to ‘T Zero’, the four-year design review, starting on January 1. However, TAI’s CEO, Temel Kotil, who has led the company for six months, wants to speed up the project. The day after the agreement had been signed he told AFM that he had shortened the timeline by one year to three: “We can do it. I am going to run this project under time constraints. While it costs me money, they will follow my direction. I will also use the world’s resources to speed the process up as well as trying to keep costs down.” As a result, he visited the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC), which builds the JF-17 Thunder, as well as parts for Boeing and Airbus, in late May. It is possible that PAC will share some of its supersonic fighter analysis with TAI. One of Kotil’s first tasks is to employ more engineers. “Lockheed Martin [which developed the F-35] have had 15,000 engineers over a 25-year period. I have only 2,000 now, but we need more, 5,000 more, so we are recruiting.” Kotil has already turned around the fortunes of Turkish Airlines and now wants to speed up the development process not just with TF-X, but also with the Hürkuş trainer and new T-625 helicopter. “Time is money,” he told AFM.

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Cutting back the design review to three years had not yet filtered through to many at the coalface by mid-May. Aselsan for example, which will play a major role in providing the avionics, was expecting a fouryear contract by the end of the year, to develop the jet’s radar. Aselsan is now working on a technology improvement programme (TEP) for an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar for jet fighters. While the company has plenty of experience working on similar ground-based systems, it has never worked on an airborne example. A mock-up of an AESA demonstrator and technology system, known as the multifunction radar (MFR) was publicly displayed for the first time at IDEF. There will be two MFR prototypes, one used by the scientists and engineers in the laboratory, and another for the test-bed aircraft. In a joint venture with Bilkent University, Aselsan is building a Gallium Nitride (GaN) facility for the transmit/receive (TR) modules that are so important for the AESA radar. The company is keen to launch its own GaN production line, which, according to an Aselsan source, will begin operations in two years.

decision being especially critical. TAI’s Professor Dr Mustafa Cavcar, Executive Vice President TF-X Group told AFM: “This aircraft will bring lots of technology development to Turkey, but the next big decision is the engine selection, which is down to SSM. We have a consultative role and have submitted a report [with its recommendation] to SSM.” Three foreign companies are bidding for a chance to work with Tusaş Engine Industries, which will be responsible for producing the engine. On May 8 Rolls-Royce and Kale Group of Turkey announced the creation of a joint venture company for a new engine. It offers Turkey full control over intellectual property rights and third-party sales and is likely to be the favoured option. General Electric is offering technology transfer for the F414GE-400 that powers the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, while Eurojet is

offering an improved version of the Typhoon’s EJ200 engine, as well as technology transfer. Cavcar continued: “We can start testing the flight control system and the aircraft’s flight characteristics when it flies in 2023. It is possible we might still be using a concept engine then, but can install the new engine in the second prototype. For flighttesting we are currently planning two prototypes, but that could change if we need to shorten the testing. The prototype will be testing its aerodynamic design and we can add in the new innovative technologies later.” The “new innovative technologies” could come from ideas that BAE has touted in the past, such as selfhealing technologies, laser energy weapons and multiple sub-jets flying as one then breaking out at a given time. The TF-X will see many British or UK-based companies vying for work as the British aerospace industry gets back to the business of producing fighters again. Turkey is set to join China, Russia, India, Japan, South Korea and the United States in the handful of nations committed to a fifth-generation fighter. With TF-X, BAE Systems can build upon the technological strides it has achieved in the past. This should include more investment in newer technologies that it might have otherwise struggled to fund. Perhaps more importantly for the UK, TF-X provides an opportunity to build a solid trading relationship with a country outside the EU.

What next?

A programme, such as TF-X, is complex due to its very nature. In addition to the collaboration between two governments and two major companies, other stakeholders, representing the engines and avionics, also have to be considered. Export rights, industrialisation as well as strategic aspects are all under discussion, with the engine

Above: One of the more exotic future technologies proposed by BAE Systems is this concept of ‘transforming’ drones flying as a single unit before conducting individual sorties as commanded. BAE Systems

#352 JULY 2017 35

348 MTA DISBANDS

GREEK

RECCE RHINOS The Hellenic Air Force’s 348 MTA was disbanded in May after the retirement of the last three airworthy RF-4Es in Europe. Babak Taghvaee traces the role of the unit and its ‘Rhinos’.

I

N ITS 64-YEAR existence, 348 Mira Taktikis Anagnoriseos (MTA, Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron) ‘Eyes’ logged 181,000 flying hours, of which 98,000 were with the RF-4E Phantom II. The type served 348 MTA for 39 years, but its tactical reconnaissance role has now been assumed by F-16s equipped with DB-110 pods. The RF-84F had been the primary Hellenic Air Force (HAF) reconnaissance jet since 1957. Sixteen RF-5A Freedom Fighters arrived with 349 Mira at Larissa in 1970, but by 1975 these had switched primarily to the day interception role. Athens first expressed interest in the RF-4E in June 1974, with a view to replacing 348 MTA’s ageing fleet of 28 RF-84F Thunderflashes, only half of which were then airworthy. On June 16, 1977, a $91m contract was placed for six RF-4Es, plus another two provided under the Military Aid Program (MAP). The deal was finalised under the

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Above: Operations by 348 MTA come to an end as squadron boss Maj Lambros Tolias (navigator) and 110th Combat Wing operations officer Lt Col Stavros Antonopoulos (pilot) leave RF-4E 7499. Awaiting them on the ground are Lt Col Dimitrios Papadimitriou, the final 348 MTA commander (right), and Chief of the Hellenic Air Force General Staff Lt Gen Christos Christodoulou (left). Axilleas Sakellariou

Peace Icarus II Foreign Military Sale (FMS). In an interview with AFM, Lt Col Dimitrios Papadimitriou, the final 348 MTA commander, recalled the arrival of the first RF-4E: “The very first Hellenic recce Phantom landed at Larissa on November 3, 1978 and was serial number 761 [71761]. The crew was a McDonnell Douglas pilot [J Newmaster] and the deputy officer of 348 MTA, Major V Katsiantonis. The trip was long, passing through St Louis, Griffiss, Goose Bay,

Sondrestrom, Keflavík, Bentwaters and Aviano before reaching Larissa. It was a four-day trip from October 31 to November 3, with no aerial refuelling. The same crew delivered the second aircraft, 762, on December 2, 1978.” The first four Greek RF-4 pilots were schooled in the US. They were former 337 Mira F-4E and 349 MTA RF-84F pilots. After being trained as instructor pilots they taught successive HAF RF-4E pilots in Greece. Under the standard syllabus introduced in 1978,

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348 MTA DISBANDS

Operational role

OS RETIRE

A formation training ﬂight by 348 MTA’s ﬁnal RF-4E pilots three days before the disbandment ceremony. The aircraft are over Lake Ladon, some 80km northwest of Larissa. Lambros Tolias

HAF RF-4Es were once planned to be used primarily for recce missions over Warsaw Pact countries, especially Bulgaria, as well as for maritime reconnaissance and detection of Soviet naval activities in the Mediterranean. The two RF-4Es delivered under MAP (70357 and 70358) are rumoured to have been used in a handful of similar missions with US-Greek crew in 1979. The RF-4Es added a defensive capability to the reconnaissance mission and were able to use AIM-9J/P Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. The jets became the ‘eyes’ of the Hellenic Armed Forces over the Aegean Sea, where they were to protect territorial waters, islands and islets against possible Turkish invasion. Whenever the Hellenic Navy spotted Turkish Navy ships in Greek territorial waters, 348 MTA’s quick reaction alert (QRA) RF-4Es were to become airborne within 15 minutes. The QRA jets were tasked to overﬂy the Turkish Navy ships within a maximum of 30 minutes across the Aegean, or within 50 minutes in the Mediterranean. Within a maximum of six hours, photos of the enemy ships were to be in the hands of Hellenic Armed Forces commanders at the General Staﬀ HQ. RF-4Es carried out weekly and monthly recce missions over islets and demilitarised islands such as Lesbos, Chios, Samos, and Ikaria, to detect the possible presence of Turkish troops. In order to protect Hellenic Army troops in Cyprus, they also carried out missions over the island with or without a refuelling stop at Souda, Crete. The RF-4Es also ﬂew dozens of civil missions, including cartography and monitoring disaster relief after earthquakes or during wildﬁres.

students went solo on the RF-4E on their eighth flight. Around 50 flights were required to become an RF-4E pilot, or around 30 to become a co-pilot. After delivery, the RF-4Es served within 348 MTA but their operations remained separate from the RF-84Fs. This changed in July 1987, when the RF-84Fs began to be retired. The HAF received 19 ex-Luftwaffe RF-104Gs under West German military aid as a stopgap solution. In the same month, the RF-4E and RF-84F components were merged.

Ex-Luftwaffe recce Phantoms With RF-84Fs still in need of replacement, German reunification and arms control and reduction treaties provided a chance to obtain ex-Luftwaffe RF-4Es in 1991. While neighbouring Turkey received 32 RF-4Es plus 16 as spare-parts sources, the HAF took 27, including seven for spares. Acquisition of ex-Luftwaffe RF-4Es brought an end to the RF-84F era, after 80,000 hours and 35 years’ service. On March 29, 1991 the last three RF-84Fs were retired by 348 MTA. The last RF-104Gs were retired on March 31, 1993. This left the air force with only five surviving RF-4Es from the original total of eight, until ex-German RF-4E deliveries began nine weeks later.

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A top view of RF-4E 71765 at Larissa on March 9. The American-supplied jets were equipped with slatted wings and had antennas for the Raytheon DIAS selfprotection system on the engine intakes. Jeroen van Veenendaal

#352 JULY 2017 37

348 MTA DISBANDS

Mission systems

Above: A film magazine for the KS-87B camera in the number 1 camera bay is installed in RF-4E 7450. The aircraft was being prepared for one of 348 MTA’s last recce sorties, on March 9. Roelof-Jan Gort

The first eight HAF RF-4Es had a KA-56 camera for low-altitude photography (200 to 4,999ft), a KS-87B for medium-altitude vertical photography (5,000ft), a KA-91 for panoramic photography, AN/AAS-18 for night photography at low and medium altitude, and a KS-127A LOROP camera for automatic photography at 35,00040,000ft. The RF-4Es were never assigned night-photography missions, but their crew practiced using infrared (IR) cameras and photoflashes. The ex-Luftwaffe RF-4Es carried a KS-87B or KS-72 camera in bay 1; three KS-87s or, alternatively, pairs of KS-72 or KS-87 cameras in bay 2; and a KA-91 or a KS-55A or two KS-87 cameras in bay 3. Alternatively, KC-1 or T-11 mapping cameras could be installed for cartography missions. The initial eight jets were equipped with MA-29/APD-102 Side-Looking Airborne Radar (SLAR) while the German jets had AN/UPD-6 (AN/APD-11) SLAR. As delivered, the German aircraft were also equipped with Honeywell AN/AAD-5 IR cameras for night photography. The ex-Luftwaffe RF-4Es could not carry the KS-127A LOROP, two of which were delivered in 1979. Instead, HAI modified ten of them for electronic intelligence (ELINT), carrying the ASTAC pod. Meanwhile, four of the surviving RF-4Es from the original batch were dedicated to low-altitude photography using the KS-127A. A total of ten French-made ASTAC pods were delivered in 2002 and 2003, and they were widely used for ELINT missions over the Aegean and Mediterranean. The pod was installed on the centre station of the ten modified aircraft. The modified RF-4s also had ASTAC control panels in their rear cockpit, and their back-seaters underwent an electronic warfare course at Andravida.

38 JULY 2017 #352

The first two ex-Luftwaffe RF-4Es were delivered to Tanagra on June 4, 1993. The German RF-4Es were delivered to Greece without radar warning receivers (RWR), wiring for air-to-air missiles, weapon systems or optical sights. Hellenic Aerospace Industries (HAI) at Tanagra upgraded them before induction to service. This included wiring for AIM-9L/M Sidewinders and optical sights. HAI also installed more modern AN/ALR-91(V)3 RWR on 20 of the RF-4Es that entered 348 MTA service. The ex-German RF-4Es were immediately distinguished by their Luftwaffe Norm 83 colours in contrast to the Vietnam-era Southeast Asia camouflage of the examples delivered from the manufacturer. The Norm 83 colours remained unchanged on most of the German jets, even after programmed depot maintenance in Greece. The former Luftwaffe aircraft also lacked outer-wing slats. Another more obvious visual difference was the flat camera-bay window under the nose of the German jets. The RF-4Es delivered in the 1970s had a rounded camera fairing under the nose providing more space for installation of the KS-127 LongRange Oblique Photography (LOROP) camera. Survivors from the original eight were re-equipped with a more modern Raytheon AN/ALR-66(V)4 RWR with large antennas under the radome, on the trailing edge of the vertical stabiliser and on the engine intakes.

Retirement

The HAF lost seven RF-4Es and four pilots in accidents between 1979 and 2008. The maximum number of airworthy RF-4Es was 23, achieved in 1996. In 1999 the HAF launched a programme to procure two advanced digital KS-127EO LOROP cameras from Recon Optical (ROI) under a $23.5m FMS programme. Delivery was delayed and cost increased to $27.5m. The first camera, a KS-127EO, was delivered in May 2003, followed by the KS-127DB for night photography two years later. The cameras were not compatible with the RF-4Es’ mission equipment and camera bays so the programme was terminated in 2007. Without the capability to transfer real-time data and images using the KS-127EO, the

HAF abandoned plans to keep its RF-4Es in service until 2020. Furthermore, the cost of operating the Phantom was 2.6 times more than the F-16. In 2008, a year after the HAF ordered two DB-110 pods for use on its Block 52 F-16s, the decision was made to retire the RF-4Es within five years starting from 2012. The DB-110 pods were delivered in 2009 and the HAF began operating them in 2011. In 2012 the air force stopped sending RF-4Es to HAI for programmed depot maintenance, which was required every 56 months. At this time, just 13 RF-4Es remained in service. The same year, HAF RF-4E aircrews began flying other types, including the F-16C/Ds of neighbouring 337 Mira at Larissa. Others began flying as F-4E instructor pilots at the Weapon School in Andravida and some became instructors on the T-2C/E at Kalamáta. As of last year, 348 MTA retained 16 pilots and weapons systems officers. Only five RF-4Es (7450, 7496, 7499, 7500 and 71765) remained in service, their last programmed depot maintenance having been carried out in 2011 and 2012. At this time, 348 MTA pilots logged a minimum of one hour’s flying on the RF-4E each month, with additional hours completed in the F-16. RF-4E 7496 was retired after the end of its meantime between overhaul and on December 28 last year flew to Andravida to be stripped for spare parts. It was followed by 7500 on January 25, 2017. The last three operational aircraft were officially retired during a 348 MTA disbandment ceremony at Larissa on May 5. They flew in a three-ship formation during the ceremony, escorted by an F-16D Block 52+ of 337 Mira and a Mirage 2000EG of 332 Mira. It was the last flight for 7499, which is planned to be preserved as a gate guard at Larissa. Serials 7450 and 71765, which was the last LOROP-equipped RF-4E, flew to Tanagra and Andravida on May 10. They will be stripped of all valuable parts to support the HAF’s F-4E fleet. Retirement of the Greek RF-4Es brings to an end the era of dedicated tactical reconnaissance jets in NATO. It leaves Iran and Japan as the last operators of the RF-4E.

The vertical stabiliser of RF-4E 7499 displays the number of flying hours logged in 348 MTA’s 64‑year history: 1,400 on (R)F-84Gs, 1,600 hours on RT33As, 80,000 hours on RF-84Fs and 98,000 hours on RF‑4Es. Babak Taghvaee

Acknowledgements: Thanks to Lt Col Dimitrios Papadimitriou, Lt Col Stavros Antonopoulos, Maj Lambros Tolias, Capt Alexandros Gioulekas and Lt Col Ioannis Tsitoumis for their help and support in preparing this article.

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JULY ISSUE OUT NOW: THIS ISSUE FEATURES: ‘FULCRUM’ THROUGH THE DECADES While production of the all-new MiG-29M/MiG-35 gathers pace, Piotr Butowski looks at the history of the ‘Fulcrum’, older versions and upgrades of which remain in widespread service around the world. RAMS ON THE ROAD In April, eight F-35As from the 388th Fighter Wing at Hill Air Force Base, Utah arrived at RAF Lakenheath, UK, for a maiden overseas deployment. Jamie Hunter went to witness the action. CAPITAL GUARDIANS The District of Columbia Air National Guard has a very important mission to play, one that has remained under the spotlight ever since the attacks of ‘9/11’, as Martin Scharenborg and Ramon Wenink reveal. ‘VIPERS’ IN VEGAS After years of F-16 combat operations, the Royal Netherlands Air Force has devoted 2017 to regenerating its capabilities. Frank Visser joined the Dutch detachment to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, and Nellis AFB, Nevada, this February.

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30/05/2017 16:15

E S S O B E R I F UPER CROATIAN FIREFIGHTERS

nt a en spe ting n e h r h t Wes Firef ig so van Air Force’s their f ield. n e M d in and tian idder of the Croa ost respec te R e d m ts an Dirk J ith the pilo among the w e r k we e on , w h o a r Squad

S D AN OPERS SCO ater itre w 6,000-l ining ﬂight a s p a o 888 dr during a tr Ridder and a e CL-415 hoto: e Adriatic Se tos Dirk Jan d p in a M th ho ’ over base. A ll p b m o r ‘b s Zada n from it n Wes trhene va o s n e M

40 JULY 2017 #352

S E S

CROATIAN FIREFIGHTERS

S

OME CHILDREN dream of becoming firefighters, others want to become pilots. Combining both may seem like a dream job, but firefighting pilots themselves liken their profession to a combination of being a surgeon and a miner. The pilots’ working days are long and they have to be very precise, while after a long day they often return home dirty, smelly and sweaty. Each has a bag packed with toothbrush, underwear and clothes to hand because they may be summoned at any time, sometimes not returning home for days or even weeks. Zemunik air base in Zadar has been home to aerial firefighters since Croatia was still part of Yugoslavia. After the country’s break-up in 1991, Yugoslavian CL-215s were withdrawn and sold to Greece (see Greek multi-mission legends, April 2017, p76-82). The new Hrvatsko ratno zrakoplovstvo i protuzračna obrana (HRZ i PZO, Croatian Air Force) initially hired CL-215 firefighting amphibians directly from Bombardier Aerospace, and then bought the first of three of the type in 1995. They retired in 2004, replaced by turboprop CL-415s, and over the next ten years the fleet grew to its current six Bombardier CL-415 Super Scoopers and six Air Tractor AT-802s – four of which are equipped with floats and called Fire Bosses.

Firefighting Squadron

The firefighting aircraft are operated by the protupožarna eskadrila (PPE, Firefighting Squadron). Its commander, Lt Col Davor Turković, one of the world’s leading authorities on aerial firefighting, joined the team after serving as an instructor pilot on the PC-9.

He became the youngest ever CL-415 captain in the world at 33 and has logged 20,000-plus water drops in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Israel, Macedonia and Portugal. He says one of his most important roles is to standardise the way his pilots accumulate experience in the firefighting role: “In previous years, we had pilots with all sorts of different backgrounds, from helicopter pilots and civilian pilots to fighter pilots. Now we’re on a standardisation course, so we make all pilots go through the same framework during their career. “The final training product of this squadron is a CL-415 captain. In the past we sometimes had difficulty turning an experienced fighter pilot into a multicrew member because they were used to doing everything themselves. “There are now basically two routes [towards becoming a CL-415 captain]. One type of training is for less experienced pilots to get the idea of what this job is all about on the Air Tractors – to get some experience and reach some maturity as a pilot. After a while they transfer to the CL-415 and undertake CL-415 training. “The other path is for more experienced pilots. They go directly to the CL-415 and are usually older, so were you to drag them through the original process they would reach the full scope of their potential the day they retire! “We also train all pilots to fly all types. Whenever we have a chance to train a CL-415 pilot who hasn’t undertaken Air Tractor training, we try to [fulfil it]. Sometime in the future I hope all pilots in the squadron will be able to fly all aircraft types.”

Diverse fleet

The PPE operates a mix of six CL-415s, two single-seat amphibious AT-802A Fire Bosses, a twin-seat amphibious AT-802A Fire Boss, a land-based AT-802F singleseater, a land-based AT-802F twin-seater and one aircraft – locally designated

#352 JULY 2017 41

CROATIAN FIREFIGHTERS as AT-802A/F – converted from a landbased AT-802F into a Fire Boss in 2010. Outsiders might imagine the CL-415s are more capable in almost every way, but Turković doesn’t agree: “One mustn’t look at the aircraft from one perspective. If you compare performance, the CL-415 will always win. If you compare price, the Air Tractor will always win. “You have to compare it on a strategic, not a tactical, level. Certain things that can be done with the CL-415 in some conditions certainly can’t be done with an Air Tractor, but why should they? “Sometimes you have a small fire and no wind. You can send two Air Tractors – they’ll put it out, and the total cost of the mission is going to be ten times less than if you deployed a CL-415. “On the other hand there are some meteorological conditions or sea states during which only a CL-415 can be used. “The real value is not within the aircraft itself: it’s the capability of the people who dictate the strategy of how to use an asset in the best possible way. It’s the art of balancing how to use it – and to balance it you really have to know the aircraft and the pilot. “Sometimes the combination of the pilot, the environment and the aircraft can work miracles and sometimes you’ll underachieve. “Aerial firefighting is a very special business. Compare it to a bombing run: if the bombers miss, the target will still be there. Maybe tomorrow it will be heavily guarded, but it won’t move. The fire always moves. Your responses have to be dynamic. “On the other hand, fire is very stupid. It’s an enemy that doesn’t have a general staff or plans. It has certain behaviour patterns. “On one side of the equation you have to recognise the behaviour, connecting the meteorological situation, terrain and vegetation; and on the other side you work out how many aircraft, and what type, you need to deploy.”

Local conditions, local tactics Turković says the type of vegetation and the layout of the area the squadron covers requires very specific tactics compared to procedures in other nations. “We try to catch the head of the fire. In some other countries they try to reach the fire from behind or they try to flank it and then keep narrowing the flanks. We don’t have the space for that. “It’s like being in a war, when big countries can trade space for time and then exhaust the enemy – [with firefighting] in some other countries, they just protect houses and infrastructure as they wait for the rain. “The narrowness of the Croatian coastline means we can’t wait. So we try and stop the progress of the fire. Once that’s done, what’s left is just the cleaning up. “On some fires we use all aircraft types in an effort to stop the head. Sometimes the situation at the head is too dangerous or the terrain is such that the smaller [AT-802] aircraft can’t withstand those conditions and we assign tasks for them on a different part of the fire. “For example, if there’s a big fire progressing

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Land-based assets Although the PPE’s two land-based Air Tractors need to land after every water drop, they do have a value in their own right, says Turković. “Sometimes they’re the best choice. If you have a fire starting near an airstrip, if you dispatch them early enough and if the turnaround time from the airstrip is fast enough, you can put out the fire at very low cost. “We also use the wheeled version for patrols, because they have greater endurance than the Fire Boss and are operationally the cheapest assets in the fleet. “When we have a fire on the other side of the mountains [where there are few water sources], we send them because it’s better for them to work from an airstrip over there than having scoopers going up and down the mountain. “All Croatian islands are sparsely inhabited. Their domestic populations are small and tend to be older. Even if they try they can’t generate sufficient ground forces for firefighting. Many tourists visit the islands where, if there’s a fire, we have to dispatch Canadairs very quickly. If the Canadairs are committed elsewhere, we have a problem.” Several factors make fighting wildfires in Croatia a unique task. “If you look at the area that we’re protecting, we have the largest number of [firefighting] aircraft per square kilometre in the world,” explains Turković. “The rest of our firefighting elements are underdeveloped by comparison. Our environmental conditions, geographical features and demographic features have forced us to do things in a way nobody else in the world does. “Take Spain: we have very little in common in terms of CL-415 [operations]. We have nothing in common with the United States, where they use a lot of helicopters, don’t use scoopers but do use a lot of chemicals, foam retardants and gels. “We use foam, but not as much as some other countries. From a tactical side we don’t need it and from an environmental side it’s better not to use chemicals unless really unavoidable. “When you drop foam the aircraft becomes polluted with it, and when you scoop you wash it out. If you scoop with three or four aircraft at a small lake, at the end of the day the entire lake looks like somebody’s been washing the laundry.”

fast and leaving behind just small flanks, the Air Tractors will attack those flanks to prevent them becoming a new head if the wind shifts. “Sometimes they chase the small ‘spot’ fires [new ones starting outside the area of the main flare-up]. It would be stupid to waste 6,000 litres of water on something that can be put out with 3,000.” The CL-415 captains take a leading role when both aircraft types fight the same wildfire, as Turković explains: “When we go to a fire we co-ordinate with ground troops regarding safety and to determine the tactics. “The pilot then decides on the tactical

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CROATIAN FIREFIGHTERS

use of the aircraft. Since most of the CL-415 pilots have flown the Air Tractors, or have at least spent a lot of time flying with them in terrain, they decide what’s going to be done with both types. “During training we try to do all different scenarios with a single aircraft, a group of aircraft and so on – so when the real situation comes we just combine these elements. This is why we do a big part of our training on real fires. “Whoever becomes a firefighting pilot, regardless of aircraft type, has to fly a certain amount of hours on a real fire to get their certification. That’s why we have [AT-802] twin-seaters in both configurations [with and without floats]. “When a pilot is released for solo flights, they’ve already been in real situations with other aircraft inside a confined area, with smoke obstacles and so on. Then at least we know they’ll be performing safely. They may not be very efficient to start with, but they won’t crash into another aircraft or a hill behind the smoke.” While most countries prone to wildfires experience a discrete ‘firefighting season’, Croatia is more complex with what Turković calls “two different ‘universes’”. “First there’s the administration universe. The high-up guys say the calendar year is divided into three phases for the planning of resources – preparation, the firefighting

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season and recuperation. In the real world, fires don’t recognise these phases. They only recognise the meteorological situation and the number of people being incautious during the drought. “Sometimes we have more fires during February and March than in July. After the winter drought there’s dry grass, and people go into their vineyards and clean and burn it. Sometimes it goes away downwind, and then we have work to do. “In April the rain falls, maybe the wind drops, the grass grows and there’s no potential for fire. As the summer

approaches, the [high] grass gets dry, and then the real peak of the year is from July 15 to September 1. But in the past ten years it’s shifted more towards autumn. “This year [2017] there’s a drought, so precipitation is below average and wind is above average. At the beginning of the summer season, nature is very well adapted to fires. In these conditions, we use ‘tactical package A’, which means we deploy Air Tractors filled with water on recce flights – if they see any spot fires, they attack them. “Under our regulations, the pilots are allowed to attack the fire regardless of

Above: AT-802F 890 is the Firefighting Squadron’s only dual-seat land-based Air Tractor. Top: For its size, the CL-415 is extremely manoeuvrable and therefore ideally suited to the firefighting role. Left: Single-seat AT-802A Fire Boss 895 represents the most numerous Air Tractor variant operated by the PPE.

#352 JULY 2017 43

CROATIAN FIREFIGHTERS

whether there’s a request filed by anyone in the system. In ‘tactical package A’ we’re aware that whenever there’s a fire we’ll have to be very swift in scrambling – and that we’ll have to scramble a lot of aircraft. That’s how we set up the system. “In June and July 2014, there was 2ft-tall green grass – [which tells us that] if there’s a fire, which is unlikely, it’s going to be slowmoving with no present danger. That’s when we move to ‘tactical package B’ – there’s no need for patrols. Someone’s going to see the fire, we have plenty

of time and we don’t have to scramble very fast, nor with a lot of aircraft. “But when there’s a drought and there’s wind, we dispatch aircraft without calculating whether we need two, three or four. “It’s a little bit more expensive but we have to do it. We send as many aircraft as we can. It’s better to have them in the air because the pilots are allowed to assess the fires and fight them. “I think our record is catching 17 outbreaks on one day, and each of those fires could have presented a potential disaster.”

Above: The AT-802 is capable of dropping 3,000 litres of water, half the amount of the CL-415. Top: CL-415 888 and AT-802A 897 demonstrate the Croatian Air Force’s amphibious capabilities. Pilots don’t usually fly mixed formations, but it’s a skill they learn on the PC-9 trainer that doesn’t degrade easily. Right: Maj Markač – world record holder with 180 water drops on a single day – his co-pilot and a flight engineer walk away from their CL-415 after a successful training flight.

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Water scooping

In favourable conditions it takes 12 seconds, the equivalent of 1,350ft (410m), for a CL-415 travelling at 70kts to scoop up 6,000 litres of water. Pilots describe it as the simplest manoeuvre during firefighting. In choppy seas, it may take longer than a minute as water can only be scooped up from the top of each wave. The 3,000-litre water tank of the AT-802A Fire Boss is filled in around 15 seconds. “When we scoop, the first thing we assess is the dimensions of the body of water,” says Turković. “The second is the prevailing conditions and the third, obstacles. “Around 95% of Croatian waters are unrestricted for water scooping. It’s a pilot’s decision where and how they do it. We don’t forbid any locations, except rivers and harbours. “We tell pilots not to choose the closest area nor the one with the best conditions. Find an area that’s near enough, where the conditions are suitable for repeated operations, where there are no obstacles or birds and where you can safely climb out of and so on. “During training and the experience gathering process, pilots get a mental picture of what’s a good or bad body of water. This enables them to go to another country and pick a body of water based on the same criteria.” Crews on alert are divided into blue and yellow groups. Turković explains: “The yellow group stays at the airport and they have to release brakes within 30 minutes of the signal. In real life, it will occur between 17 and 22 minutes. “The 30-minute guideline is because

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CROATIAN FIREFIGHTERS

Israel deployment

we don’t want to put pressure on them and we don’t want them to hurry. If they forget something here at the apron it can cost them their lives two hours later. “Blue crews are located wherever they choose, but are obligated to release brakes two hours after the signal. We need them because if the yellow crew reaches the daily limit, they have to be switched. “If we make a mistake over how many aircraft we put on alert, we fetch blue crews. The third reason for having them is that if somebody in the yellow

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At the end of last year, two CL-415s with 14 crewmembers and technical staff deployed to Israel when enormous forest fires blazed through the country, threatening the city of Haifa (see Fire-Fighting Aircraft Converge on Israel, January 2017, p27). The Croatians were among the first to arrive, according to Lt Col Turković: “We were scrambled on November 23 at 15.00hrs in the afternoon. We took off at 07.00hrs on November 24 and reached Israel at 17.00hrs in the afternoon, so we lost one hour for refuelling and one hour because of the time difference. “Our first mission was the next day. We fought some fires that were a residue of the big Haifa fire and some new ones in the north and central part of Israel. “After their intensity reduced we stayed there for a couple more days as a watch guard. Due to bad weather in the Mediterranean basin the entire mission lasted for 13 days. “I think it was the biggest international [firefighting aircraft] gathering in history: there were 23 foreign aircraft plus 14 of theirs. Thirteen countries came to help, [including] the American 747, Antonovs from Ukraine, Berievs from Russia and Azerbaijan, Canadairs from Croatia, France, Italy, Spain and Turkey and an Air Tractor from Cyprus. It was very interesting. “Never have there been so many [firefighting] aircraft in such congested airspace. It was very challenging to do the air traffic deconfliction because you didn’t know how these people were trained at home, what they were doing and what their safety margins were, but they did a perfect job.” Images of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanking Lt Col Turković went worldwide and Croatia and Israel deepened their ties in the months that followed. The squadron even planned to return to Israel with two aircraft a month after AFM’s visit to Croatia in April, but details of the co-operation were still to be finalised.

group is unwell, we have a reserve. “Usually, they inform themselves of the situation in the morning, and if there are no take-offs until noon [they know that] this is not the day they’re going to be scrambled. “Our daily limit is seven hours or 100 drops [60 for the Fire Boss], whichever is achieved first. We’ve tried over the years to find where to put the limit. Based on mistakes in flight, and some things that have happened to pilots, we decided that after more than seven hours you get a little incapacitated. “You’re working in heat and, whatever you’re doing, repeating the same cycles. For the drops, we first had [a limit of] 80 – and then we saw that sometimes when there’s a fire on an island the pilots reach the drop limit way before they exhaust the flight hours. “We needed to change the crew very early during the day and this opened up the need for the third crew per aircraft per day. We considered raising the limit, but where should we put a stop? Then for two years we had no [drop] limit at all, to see what happened. “We saw that it can lead to madness: it went to 160 drops. That’s 160 opportunities to lose your head. That number on a single day was actually a world record, set by Maj Ivica Markač and his crew in September 2013 – an average of one every three minutes over eight hours! “No country can reach that number [with their current limitations]. It was a fire on an island, at the edge of the sea. The biggest problem for the captain was waiting for the aircraft to be prepared to scoop, because it had a timed cycle.” While working days can be long for aircrew, they are even longer for maintenance crews which, on a full day of firefighting operations, may work as long as 16 hours, although they have breaks. They release the aircraft early in the morning, which then goes to fight a fire, sometimes returning every 3.5 hours for fuel and possibly a crew change before finally coming back ten or 12 hours after the first take-off.”

#352 JULY 2017 45

EXERCISE REPORT Air-2-Air Gunnery 2017

Alpine Gunfighters at Wittmund

For the very first time the Austrian Air Force has deployed its Eurofighters to another central European country – to practise live air-to-air gunnery. Oliver Jonischkeit reports.

A

FTER A year’s preparation, the Luftstreitkräfte’s (Austrian Air Force’s) Überwachungsgeschwader (Surveillance Wing) based at Zeltweg deployed seven of its 15 Eurofighters and 130 personnel to northern Germany for the Air2-Air Gunnery 2017 exercise. Austrian Colonel Doro Kowatsch and his German counterpart Lt Col Reinhard Schröder led the event at Wittmund air base from April 27 until May 19. The Luftstreitkräfte Eurofighter pilots need to practise airto-air gunnery to retain their qualifications, but can’t hone their skills in Austria owing to limited training areas and the absence of a contractor offering target-towing with fast aircraft. Wittmund is home to Taktisches

Above: A former German Luftwaﬀe Euroﬁghter, 7L-WG prepares to depart Wittmund’s Runway 08 for a gunnery-training mission over the North Sea. Oliver Jonischkeit

Luftwaffengeschwader 71 ‘Richthofen’ which, as well as flying Eurofighters for quick reaction alert (QRA), can offer the necessary infrastructure and support for the Austrian visitors, who made use of the large gunnery areas over the North Sea. Discovery Air Defence Services (DA Defence) provided target-towing facilities during the exercise for the Austrian Eurofighters – a mixture of former Luftwaffe jets and new-build airframes. DA Defence took on the contract

at Wittmund from BAE Systems in 2014 and currently has seven A-4Ns at the base and a staff of 28 including seven pilots. Flying costs for the Skyhawk are around a third of those for a Eurofighter, and the contracted 1,200 flight hours are in much demand. Other missions flown include threat simulation, forward air controller training and simulated bomb and rocket attack. The company is expected to expand and continue its work here until at least the end of 2019.

For the exercise, the Skyhawks used the RM-30A1 reeling machine/launcher in combination with a Cassidian DO-SK6 BSH pod that tows the 50ft-long (15m) banner target at least 1,640ft (500m) behind the Skyhawk.

DA Defence A-4Ns at Wittmund Registration

Code

BuNo

C-FGZD

367

159051

C-FGZE

495

159623

C-FGZH

534

159536

C-FGZI

531

159533

C-FGZO

532

159534

C-FGZS

337

158730

C-FGZT

542

159544

Final Skyhawk arrives at Wittmund DA Defence recently delivered its seventh and ﬁnal A-4N to Wittmund, six of the company’s former Israeli Air Force jets having arrived at the base between November 2014 and May 2015.

One, C-FGZT/‘542’ (BuNo 159544, ex N265WL), had been scheduled to ﬂ y to Germany in autumn 2015 but was involved in a landing accident during a pre-delivery test ﬂight from Phoenix Mesa Gateway, Arizona,

on September 17 that year. Repairs took more than a year and the Skyhawk resumed test ﬂights in January. It ﬂew to Montreal in mid-February and arrived in Germany on February 28. Kees van der Mark

Austrian Euroﬁghters at Wittmund Code

c/n

Former identity

7L-WB

AS002

-

7L-WD

AS004

-

7L-WG

GS024

30+37

7L-WH

GS027

30+41

7L-WI

GS028

30+43

7L-WJ

GS003

30+08

7L-WO

GS012

30+21

46 JULY 2017 #352

A-4N C-FGZT/‘542’ returns to Wittmund after a mission on April 10. Kees van der Mark

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Rafale DASSAULT

THE AIRCRAFT • THE OPERATIONS • THE WEAPONS

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F4 Standard Rafale and the future

French Air Force at Mont-de-Marsan

French Navy Rafale combat operations

Rafale Introduction

02 DASSAULT RAFALE

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Low and fast – a single-seat Rafale C races into action armed with a mixed air-to-air and air-toground load-out of infrared-guided Mica AAMs and Scalp stealth cruise missiles. Dassault Aviation/Alexandre Paringaux Front and back cover: A Dassault Rafale C breaks for the camera during Exercise Atlantic Trident in April. Jamie Hunter

Omni-role advances Designed as a state-of-the-art warplane capable of carrying out the entire spectrum of combat missions, the Dassault Aviation Rafale omni-role fighter has matured into a successful combat tool that has pushed the French Air Force (Armée de l’Air) and French Navy (Marine Nationale) into the digital age. While the aircraft has notched up important export orders from Egypt, Qatar and India, development of the aircraft has continued, as underlined by the latest Standard F4 variant scheduled to enter service in 2025. Standard F4 will bring a host of new capabilities. A new tactical datalink, and new GaN technology for the active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar and jammers are just some of the promised advances. The Rafale has also proven itself in combat with both the French Air Force

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and Navy. Most recently, Rafale Ms flying from the deck of the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle have contributed to the global fight against terrorism in the Arromanches III mission. The final part of AFM’s exclusive Dassault Rafale supplement brings a report on the work of the 30e Escadre at Mont-de-Marsan. This unit provides a range of capabilities for the French Air Force, including operational evaluation, air defence/air superiority, conventional strike and pre-strategic and tactical reconnaissance.

Thomas Newdick Email at: [email protected]

DASSAULT RAFALE 03

Rafale Latest Standards

A pair of Rafales at high altitude. The wingman is ﬁtted with a TALIOS targeting pod under the right forward fuselage hardpoint while the lead carries the Damocles pod in the same position. All photos DGA

FUTURE RAFALE Dassault Aviation and the French Defence Procurement Agency have launched development of Standard F4, the next variant of the Rafale omni-role fighter that will enter service in 2025. Henri-Pierre Grolleau has the story.

04 DASSAULT RAFALE

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LL ARMÉE de l’Air (French Air Force) and Marine Nationale (French Navy) Rafale B, C and M variants in the inventory have now been brought up to increment F3.4+ standard. Dassault Aviation, its industrial partners and the French Armed Forces are now busy preparing for entry into service of the Standard F3R. This encompasses a range of new systems, including the Thales TALIOS (Targeting Long-range Identification Optronic System) targeting pod, the MBDA Meteor beyondvisual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM), a Mode 5 IFF interrogator, a Mode S transponder, and numerous improvements to existing systems such as the RBE2 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, the Spectra electronic warfare/self-defence suite and the Link 16 tactical data link. Qualification of F3R is expected in late

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2018, with service entry in early 2019. “F3R trials have proved completely successful,” explained the general (name withheld by request) in charge of the Rafale programme within the Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA, Defence Procurement Agency). “Testing is progressing at an extremely fast pace and the new standard will be delivered on time and on budget.”

Meteor missile

The introduction of the Meteor ramjetpropelled BVRAAM will be one of the key features of the Standard F3R, a major step forward that will enable Rafale aircrews to prevail over the battlefield, especially when used in conjunction with the fighter’s AESA radar. This new ramjet-propelled missile has been ordered to supplement the current Mica EM/IR missile. It is designed to engage targets at extended ranges and to defeat a

range of threats, including fast jets, airborne early warning and control aircraft, tankers, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles, and even cruise missiles. As specified by the French Ministry of Defence (MoD), Rafales will carry two Meteors under their rear fuselage hardpoints, although export customers will have the option of doubling that number to four, using existing wing pylons. Meteors will be used alongside Micas, and upgraded Mica NG missiles, for the foreseeable future. In all, five Meteor integration test firings were performed to evaluate the Rafale’s fire-control system and the missile itself in realistic conditions. “The last test firing was completed on April 6, 2017 out of Cazaux air base, in the southwest of France,” continued the programme director. “The scenario of the test was particularly demanding and technically challenging: the Meteor was fired at an extremely distant target but, during its time of flight, it was re-targeted at a pop-up threat, scoring a direct hit. This unique capability has been made possible by the superb detection range of the AESA radar and by the Meteor itself, with its huge interception volumes. “The ability to re-target the Meteor using

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Rafale Latest Standards the Rafale’s fighter-to-missile data link was successfully demonstrated and the target was destroyed by a direct hit even though the missile’s warhead had been replaced by telemetry equipment: undisputable proof of the quality of the guidance provided by the fighter and of the precision of the missile.” The next Meteor test firing will be part of the F3R operational evaluation to be conducted in early 2019 by a joint air force/navy team.

New targeting pod

The operational limitations of the Damocles targeting pod currently in service on Rafale and Mirage 2000D strike fighters have long been identified. This is the reason why, in 2012, the DGA and Thales signed a contract for the development of the TALIOS new-generation targeting pod. Compared with the current Damocles, the TALIOS is fitted with a TV channel and with a new infrared sensor, addressing a number of shortfalls highlighted during combat operations in Afghanistan, Mali and the Middle East. Initial development trials were conducted using a DGA Essais en Vol (DGA EV, Flight Test Centre) Mirage 2000D at Cazaux. According to the programme director: “Flight testing of the TALIOS has so far proven highly successful. Development of the TALIOS and of its subsystems by the industry ran on time, strictly adhering to the terms of the contract, and initial testing carried out by the DGA proved entirely satisfactory. The TV and IR sensors both work superbly well, offering unmatched image quality. I believe that we have exceeded the performance of foreign pods in terms of resolution and image sharpness. We have also demonstrated that extraction of co-ordinates was particularly accurate. Since early 2017, flight-testing has begun on the Rafale and development is expected to be completed in mid-2017. “In all, 20 TALIOS pods have been ordered, and approval for an additional batch of 25 has been granted, including a number for the French Navy to

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A Meteor missile is launched from the rear right fuselage hardpoint of Rafale B301 during the qualification trial held in April 2017.

replace Atlis pods that were withdrawn from use in July 2016 when the last Super Étendard Modernisé was sent to the boneyard. Upgrades to the image processing unit have been implemented to increase the range and the resolution of the older Damocles, but I have to admit that the introduction of the TALIOS comes at a very relevant time.” Like the Damocles, the TALIOS will be mounted under the Rafale’s right forward-fuselage hardpoint, offering an excellent field of regard, even when weapons and external fuel tanks are carried beneath the wing pylons.

Deliveries

The French MoD has ordered 180 Rafales, divided into four tranches of 13, 48, 59 and 60 airframes. Exports amount to a further 84 aircraft for Egypt (24), Qatar (24) and India (36), bringing total firm orders to 264 fighters. At the time of writing the French Armed Forces had accepted into service a total of 148 Rafales, including 48 Rafale C singleseaters and 54 Rafale B two-seaters for the Armée de l’Air and 46 Rafale M naval singleseaters for the Marine Nationale. Another four aircraft will be delivered to the French Air Force in 2017 (one) and 2018 (three), leaving all other production slots for export customers. There will then be a three-year gap in deliveries to France and, between 2021 and 2023, the last 28 Rafales from the fourth production tranche will be produced for the French Air Force and Navy. “All in-service aircraft will be upgraded to F3R Standard within a short

timeframe,” explained the programme director. “The retrofit is simple and quick because it mainly involves uploading new software. The French MoD is currently looking at various options for a fifth production tranche, which could be ordered in 2020 for an as-yet decided number of aircraft.”

F4 Standard

As part of a spiral development, the MoD and Dassault Aviation recently announced the launch of Standard F4, the next major step for the Rafale programme. The Rafale was conceived from the outset with ‘evolutivity’ in mind, and its weapon system is designed in such a way as to facilitate upgrades. The Standard F4 development strategy is based on four pillars that cover interconnectivity, combat engagement/sensors, armament upgrades, and support/availability. Formal development of the new Standard F4 will begin in 2018, but risk-reduction studies will be launched this year. “Standard F4 will be even more ambitious than F3R,” explained the programme director. “While F3R is mainly restricted to software upgrades, new hardware will be required for the far-reaching F4, even though the airframe will remain unchanged. In practice, F4 will be split into F4.1, for older, in-service aircraft, and F4.2, for new-build airframes. F4.1 will be limited to a number of improvements only in order to avoid complex hardware changes, but F4.1 will accept the new Rafale weapons now being developed. F4.2 will include the whole package of upgrades for the radar, the electronic warfare suite, the Front Sector

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Optronics and the cockpit to accommodate a helmet-mounted display (HMD). “All Tranche 4 aircraft – the 28 airframes to be delivered in 2021-23, and all Tranche 5 Rafales will be delivered as F4.2 aircraft. Standard F4 development will take about six years, with service entry due in 2025, but some systems will find their way into the inventory earlier, as soon as they are ready, using a building-block approach thanks to software upgrades.”

Communications advances

With the advent of the F4 Standard, the Rafale will be equipped with the new Thales Contact software radios that will be widely fielded across the French Armed Forces in the next couple of years. These new-generation radios will remain fully compatible with legacy radio waves and should be tested on the Rafale as early as 2020. The Rafale will also be fitted with a new point-to-point, directional, discreet, high-speed fighter data link to be used exclusively for communications and data exchange within a Rafale patrol. This will use a new three-dimensional waveform (FO3D, or Forme d’Onde 3 Dimensions) generated by digital signal processing using dedicated antennas for the required bandwidths and the expected data flow. This new fighter data link will supplement – and not replace – the current Link 16. Accordingly, the Rafale’s core avionics system will have to be modified to accommodate the two data link systems that will operate alongside each other (although they will not be linked). The architecture of the internal network will have to be modified for it to become even more resistant to cyber attack. The CAPOEIRA (Connectivité Améliorée Pour les Evolutions du Rafale, or improved connectivity for the Rafale’s future variants) research programme has recently been launched to help determine what sort of architecture will be required for a future, totally secure navigation and attack system. In 2015, as part of an urgent operational requirement, the French Air Warfare Centre integrated a satellite communication Two-seat Rafale B301 taxies out with a TALIOS targeting pod under the right air intake. B301 is an instrumented test aircraft only used for trials.

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Above: The quality of the image provided by the TALIOS pod is said to be exceptional, much better than that of the Damocles, especially in daylight thanks to the adoption of a powerful TV sensor. Mounting the pod on the right forward-fuselage hardpoint ensures an excellent field of regard.

(satcom) system into the Rafale. “This system will not be kept on the Rafale,” the programme director added. “The future military satcom will be encrypted, fully secure and impossible to intercept thanks to a military-grade antenna and a hardened modem. It will enable the Rafale to activate a communication relay mode between fighters and troops on the ground on one side, and higher echelons on the other.”

Radar and Spectra upgrades The current Thales RBE2 AESA radar will be further improved. It will benefit from the introduction of two new air-tosurface modes: a ground moving target indicator (GMTI), to detect and track moving targets over land, and a UHR (ultra high resolution) mode, to replace the current HR functionality for synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery, offering superior radar image quality at very long distances. The ability to interleave radar modes will be enhanced, thus helping provide aircrews with even better situational awareness. The Spectra electronic warfare/selfprotection suite produced by Thales and MBDA is fully integrated. It is composed of a wide range of systems: a Détecteur d’Alerte Radar (DAR, or radar warning receiver), a Détecteur d’Alerte Laser (DAL, or laser warner), a Détecteur de Départ Missile (DDM or DDM NG, or missile launch detector), a high-power radar

jammer, and decoy dispensers that can launch a range of flares and chaff. Over the coming months, Spectra will be improved, with bandwidth extensions for the detectors and jammers to cover lower and higher frequency bands, thus providing an instantaneous reaction against any type of pop-up threat. “Our objective here is to obtain extremely accurate RF emitter geolocation and 3D tracking, including of airborne radars,” said the programme director. “The capabilities of a single Rafale to locate and track a threat without resorting to traditional, but timeconsuming, methods of triangulation or of bearing measurements along the aircraft’s flight path will be significantly improved. It is a very important step forward, and the recent progresses made by Spectra will boost the capabilities of the Rafale in that field.”

Advanced weaponry

New variants of current weapons will be modernised for the updated Rafale, including the Scalp cruise missile, the Mica air-toair missile and the Hammer (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range) precision weapon. The new weapons will be introduced incrementally, through software upgrades. In February 2017 it was announced that the British and the French defence ministries had signed contracts with MBDA to upgrade the remaining Scalp/Storm Shadow stealth cruise missiles in service

Research programmes The DGA oversees a number of research programmes aimed at promoting advanced technologies for the Rafale in the field of sensors, especially for the RBE2 radar, as the Rafale Programme Director explained. “We will soon launch the AESA NG programme, which will supplement the MFA [Multi-Function Array], CARAA [Capacités Accrues pour le Radar RBE2 à Antenne Active, enhanced capabilities for the active RBE2 radar] and MELBAA [Modes et Exploitation Large Bande pour l’Antenne Active, wide-band operating modes for the active array] projects in order to help mature technologies to be produced from 2025 for Standard F4.2.

“The CARAA demonstrator first flew in late 2015. It is composed of numerous receptors, enabling the creation of radar lobes optimised by advanced calculation techniques to cancel jamming in many directions simultaneously. “The first flight of the MELBAA demonstrator is expected in late 2017. The trials will focus on dedicated types of targets: slowmovers, helicopters, fighters hiding in the Doppler beam, stealth targets etc. Further developments will include interleaved modes that will be further refined thanks to the appearance of a new generation of calculators powerful enough to provide the processing power required to exploit these modes fully.”

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Rafale Latest Standards

Rafale B301 takes oﬀ from Cazaux. It is ﬁtted with a single Meteor test round under the fuselage and a Mica EM missile under the wing. The diﬀerence in size between the Mica and the Meteor is noteworthy.

on both sides of the Channel. Under the deal, MBDA will refurbish the missiles and carry out a limited upgrade to sustain the weapon until its planned out-of-service date in the early 2030s. The first refurbished Scalp missile is due to be delivered back to the French Armed Forces in 2020. Scalp cruise missiles were first fired in combat from Rafales during the conflict in Libya, in 2011. The missile has also been successfully used operationally in Iraq and Syria. The Mica family of AAMs, which includes the infrared-guided Mica IR and the radarguided Mica EM, will be updated to Mica NG (New Generation) standard with, among other undisclosed systems, new seekers. The MBDA Mica, which equips the Mirage 2000-5, the Mirage 2000-9, the Rafale and upgraded Mirage F1s, has met with considerable success. Moreover, a surface-to-air version, the Vertical Launch Mica (VL Mica), has been ordered by several foreign nations.

Expanded Hammer family

The Hammer family will be expanded, minimising the need to procure Paveway II/ III and Enhanced Paveway precision-guided bombs from the United States. Three variants of the Safran Electronics & Defense Hammer precision weapon are in service: the SBU-38, with inertial/GPS guidance; the SBU-64, with a dual-mode inertial/GPS and infrared seeker; and the SBU-54, with laser guidance as well as the inertial/GPS kit. “We need to increase our stocks of precision weapons and we are committed to helping promote and support a national weapons industry,” the programme director stated. “A new, simplified Hammer variant is already being developed. This Block 4 variant will be fitted with a revised rear kit, without the rocket motor. The wings will be retained, and its aerodynamic shape and its weight and balance will remain unchanged to ease aeromechanical integration onto the Rafale. Recent operational experience has proved that the rocket motor is not always required, and not always switched on in combat by French aircrews, especially for short-range

08 DASSAULT RAFALE

engagements during close air support missions. In any case, we will retain the capability to produce both variants of the Hammer, the powered variant remaining available for stand-off attacks in high-threat environments. “Other improvements are high on the agenda, including a data link between the weapon and the Rafale, and new seekers to engage other types of targets, including fastmoving, highly mobile vehicles. We have launched preliminary studies to develop heavier variants of the Hammer to eventually replace the current inventory of 500kg-class GBU-16 Paveway II and 1,000kg-class GBU24 Paveway III laser-guided bombs. “Priority is likely to be given to the 1,000kg variant. A new rear kit will probably have to be designed, but every effort will be made to keep changes to an absolute minimum, most current components being reused, including the seekers and guidance systems.” A new, dual-mode seeker was exhibited by Safran at the Paris Air Show in June 2015.

GaN technology

Thales and the DGA are actively preparing the future radar developments that will be introduced on Standard F4.2, incorporating cutting-edge Gallium Nitride (GaN) technology for the radar and jammer antennas. Thanks to additional radar apertures, detection capabilities will be unmatched and electronic

attack capabilities will become a reality. The programme director explained: “Even though we are entirely satisfied with the current RBE2 AESA radar, we are already working on the next generation scheduled to appear on new-build aircraft in 2025. “For the same volume, GaN technology will offer an expanded bandwidth, more radiated power and an even easier ability to switch from one mode to another, or from one functionality to another. With the same antenna, we will be capable of generating combined, interleaved radar, jamming and electronic warfare modes as part of an electronic attack mission. “GaN emitters will not be restricted to the radar and they will also equip the Spectra suite. For example, for the antennas in the wing apexes, ahead of the canard foreplanes, we could obtain a very quick emission/reception cycle, either saving some volume or augmenting radiated power. On Tranche 5 Rafales, we will have at our disposal twice the amount of transmitted power for the radar and jamming antennas. Thales has already produced and tested in laboratories a series of GaN module prototypes for the new radar and initial testing results look extremely promising. “Following the entry into service of the AESA in 2013, the deliveries of the Meteor in 2018 will push the Rafale into a class of

DGA support for export customers The DGA is actively supporting Egypt, Qatar and India, the Rafale’s ﬁrst three export customers. “We provide support on a case-by-case basis, depending on the terms of each speciﬁc contract,” explained the Rafale Programme Director. “Our customers seem to appreciate a genuine, independent governmental guarantee. They request complete visibility in all areas, for example in the ﬁeld of airworthiness, and we assist them and support them for their programmes.

“The development of speciﬁc variants for our partners goes according to the plan. The air force is in charge of the training of a number of foreign students and the DGA supports the Armée de l’Air. I’ll give you an example: to handle a growing number of students and of Rafale training sorties and to satisfy increased training requirements, the number of mission planning aids and of simulation tools had to be increased and the DGA purchased the additional systems to address the needs.”

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Above: With its AESA radar, Meteor and Mica missiles, powerful engines, remarkable agility and an advanced data-fusion system, the Standard F3R Rafale will prove to be a lethal foe in the air-to-air arena for years to come.

its own – we will be the only ones in the world operating a fighter equipped with an AESA and a ramjet-propelled missile – but we have to keep investing to maintain our leadership. This is the reason why this GaN technological path is so important, especially for the development of additional emitting panels and apertures that will offer extended radar angular coverage. “It is not just an improvement; it is a real technological breakthrough in the field of detection. Jamming modes will not be left untouched and will push the Rafale’s electronic warfare capabilities to unprecedented levels thanks to the introduction of what we call ‘smart jamming’, with a wider band coverage and GaN emitters from 2025. These capabilities will be further expanded thanks to the adoption of MFAs [Multi-Function Arrays].” The Rafale’s Front Sector Optronics (FSO) will be fitted with a new-generation infrared search and track (IRST) sensor optimised for the tracking of air targets, either alone, or in conjunction with the RBE2 radar.

France by SEMMB [Société d’Exploitation des Matériels Martin-Baker, a 50/50 joint venture between Safran and Martin-Baker] since 2015 are capable of accommodating an HMD.”

Long-term future

Safran Military Engines constantly innovates and further develops the M88 turbofan. The programme director admitted: “Contrary to popular views, we are not going to create a new M88 variant rated at 9 tonnes/20,000lb of thrust, nor a new high-pressure core. Nevertheless, modifications to the engine calculator will help further improve component durability and engine availability. M88 technology will gradually evolve in order to propel UCAVs [unmanned combat aerial vehicles], and the Rafale will eventually benefit from these technological advances, but not until the advent of the MLU [midlife upgrade] variant.” Future Rafale variants will benefit from the multiple research programmes

launched by the DGA. These include the extremely secretive DEDIRA (Démonstrateur de Discrétion du Rafale, Rafale discretion demonstrator), which focuses on new and innovative processes to improve the airframe’s lowobservable qualities against air-defence radars and fighter air-intercept radars. “We are currently having discussions with the Armée de l’Air and the Marine Nationale regarding their future operational needs and requirements,” the programme director confirmed. “Many options are being scrutinised, from the development of a UCAV to an increase in the number of Rafales. Nothing has been decided yet. What I can tell you is that we will not alter the Rafale’s airframe if we do not need to and that we will keep its proven aerodynamic shape. “The Rafale retains a huge growth potential, especially regarding the size of the radar antennas and the dimensions and weighs of its weapons. We might adopt radar cross-section reduction kits, but without radically modifying the airframe. We will keep all options open. For example, we are considering the possibility of increasing the number of decoys carried by the fighter. In this respect, a DIRCM [directional infrared countermeasures] turret used to generate a laser jamming signal to defeat an incoming missile could well find its way onto the Rafale.” With such a clear roadmap ahead and with the recent successes on the export market, the Rafale’s long-term future is assured. Dassault Aviation and its partners are constantly investing to make sure their fighter remains at the forefront of technology. The future upgrades to be implemented on the Rafale are ambitious and far-reaching. They represent a clear technological breakthrough in several fields, utilising a fully mature, combatproven airframe that offers a considerable growth potential.

Changes in the cockpit

Although the Rafale’s man-machine interface is lauded by pilots, its cockpit will not be left untouched, with new, larger, lateral touchscreens to be adopted. Because the existing working environment is well balanced, with ergonomics that have proved to be highly successful, the DGA and the industry will introduce only minor adjustments in the cockpit’s design, as part of an evolutionary process. More importantly, a Helmet-Mounted Display (HMD) will find its way onto the Rafale, filling an operational gap: “The DGA has formally expressed a need in order for the industry to study our requirements. Our specifications are fully compatible with various systems from different providers. We have taken steps to ensure that all Mk16F ejection seats produced under licence in

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Above: A close-up of the new TALIOS targeting pod. The external shape of the TALIOS is similar to that of the older Damocles, helping cut integration costs thanks to a significant reduction in the number of sorties needed for flight envelope expansion.

DASSAULT RAFALE 09

Rafale French Navy combat

A pair of Rafale M ﬁghters overﬂies the French ﬂagship. The ‘Charles de Gaulle’ has proved particularly reliable after teething problems were solved, spending more time at sea than any other ‘ﬂat top’ in the world. Dassault Aviation/Katsuhiko Tokunaga

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Arromanches III

In late 2016 the French nuclear carrier Charles de Gaulle deployed off the Syrian coast for combat operations against so-called Islamic State as part of the global fight against terrorism. For the first time, her carrier air group was mainly composed of Rafale Ms. Henri-Pierre Grolleau tells the story.

T

HE ARROMANCHES III mission was the last for the Charles de Gaulle before her entry into dry dock for a major refit and a nuclear refuelling, which will keep her out of action until mid-2018. The deployment kept the French carrier air group extremely busy. According to open source data from the French parliament, the air group completed 484 offensive sorties, including 108 attacks, and delivered 177 bombs and cruise missiles. “Without taking into account the buddybuddy refuelling missions, we logged nearly 500 sorties with remarkable regularity and with excellent reliability,” explained Capt ‘Jean’ (all surnames withheld on request), the commander of the Groupe Aérien Embarqué (GAé, embarked air group). “Our tasks included reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering flights, air interdiction missions and planned raids against previously and positively identified targets – with French assets only or as part of a multinational effort – and close air support missions, protecting friendlies on the ground, in Iraq and in Syria. “Standardisation, forged by regular participation in various NATO exercises all year long, especially in the Tactical Leadership Programme in Albacete, undoubtedly facilitates combat operations in these types of conflicts as part of a coalition. “We know each other very well, and we all work in a similar way, using common procedures.”

Above: The ‘shooter’ touches the deck with his green flag, giving the signal for a cat shot for the awaiting Rafale M31. Marine Nationale

carry out every single tasked mission. “Each Flottille maintained its own aircraft, but with some flexibility, allowing one unit to reinforce its sister squadron with a dedicated team of engineers, should the need arise.” Alban added: “For combat missions, pilots flew aircraft from one or the other unit, and every day we provided numerous waves of bomberconfigured Rafales. Our goal was to have all the aircraft in the required configuration, with the correct fit for a given mission. “Equipment would include the active electronically scanned array [AESA radar]; the Rover [Remotely Operated Video Enhanced Receiver] system to share a video stream with troops on the ground; the Fightacs digital kneepad to have quick and direct access to digital imagery and

Robust tanking plan

Flottilles 11F and 12F

During Arromanches III, Flottilles 11F and 12F each deployed 12 Rafale Ms aboard the French flagship. The GAé also included two Flottille 4F E-2C Hawkeyes from Lann-Bihoué, two SA365F Dauphins and an SA319 Alouette III from Flottille 35F at Hyères and an NH90 Caïman of Flottille 31F, also from Hyères, bringing the complement to 30 aircraft. Commander ‘Alban’, the CO of Flottille 11F, explained: “The carrier’s senior aeronautical engineering officer was in charge of overseeing all Rafale maintenance. His mission was to ensure that enough assets were available at all times to

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digitally annotated maps that showed points of interest; and the Damocles targeting pod for target surveillance, extraction of co-ordinates and laser spiking. “A further three, and sometimes four, Rafales were fitted with an in-flight refuelling pod under the centreline station for buddybuddy refuelling. We also provided Rafales for intelligence-gathering missions with the Pod Reco NG reconnaissance pod. “Typically, our working day spanned 14-plus hours between the first and the last mission launches. All the missions were flown as part of a wide, multinational coalition, tasking being provided by an allied CAOC [Combined Air Operations Centre], which was under the operational control of the Combined Joint Task Force in charge of co-ordinating all air and land combat operations against Daesh [so-called Islamic State] in the whole theatre. “Missions and taskings were shared and deconfliction between combat patrols was carried out at CAOC level to maximise combat efficiency and reduce risks.”

Above: Rafale M pilots strapping in prior to another mission. The Rafale’s Mk16F ejection seat is reclined at 29°. Dassault Aviation/Katsuhiko Tokunaga

Because of the long transit distances, Charles de Gaulle’s Rafales depended on tanker support. Late last year the tanker fleet in the Middle East was extremely varied and French Navy Rafales were refuelled by an array of assets drawn from multiple air arms. They included French Air Force (Armée de l’Air) C-135FR Stratotankers, US Air Force KC-10 Extenders and KC-135R Stratotankers, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) KC-30s, Italian Aeronautica Militare KC-767s and Luftwaffe A310s. “I never took fuel from a Royal Air Force A330 Voyager, although they were there too,” noted Flottille 11F’s CO. “About 80% of the tankers

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Rafale French Navy combat

Hooks down, a pair of Rafales carrying unexpended ordnance enters the circuit at precisely 657ft (600ft above the deck, and another 57ft above the water). The leader is armed with four Hammers and the wingman, four GBU-12s. Marine Nationale

we refuelled from belonged to the ever present C-135FR/KC-135R family, either US or French. “Each time, we requested a ‘fill to full’, expressing our fuel requirement over the radio in pounds. Various diversion options had been prepared, but all had their own logistical drawbacks. “Thankfully diversions for tanking/ tanker issues were extremely rare. The in-flight refuelling plan produced by the CAOC was always remarkably robust. “Nevertheless, the tasking was often modified in response to changes in the mission or to use available extra fuel from the given tankers. The end result was that we often had to refuel from the tanker of the previous slot, which had additional kerosene to transfer, before heading back to base.”

Into combat

As soon as the Rafales reached their allocated operating area, their pilots would first call the fighter controller on the ground or on board an AWACS. Then the Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) would allocate them a combat air patrol orbit and an altitude block to ensure deconfliction would be guaranteed horizontally and vertically with the multiple assets – bombers, fast jets and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) – waiting to be relieved. “We were there when the battle for Mosul began,” said Commander Alban, “and each time we approached the city we could see on our screen all the aircraft holding, waiting their turn to be allowed to proceed towards the area where the fighting was taking place. “Seen from our position [it was a] rather small area, the size of a large town. As soon as a patrol was returning to base the JTAC would call in the next one to ensure there was always enough firepower available. “There were always a lot of friendlies in the vicinity, all around, above or below us: US Air Force B-52 Stratofortresses, F-15E Strike Eagles, A-10C Thunderbolt IIs and Reaper drones, RAAF F/A-18F Super Hornets, British Tornados and Typhoons, and F-16 Fighting Falcons drawn from various countries… “Thanks to the Link 16 data link, we knew at the flick of a switch what weapons and what remaining fuel the other aircraft in the network had. Pretty neat and very useful.

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Sharing airspace with the Russians

Russian fast jets and combat helicopters were operating in force in Syrian airspace during Arromanches III, but every eﬀort was taken to avoid close encounters. “The GAé’s mission was deﬁnitely not to establish a contact with our Russian opposite numbers,” pointed out Captain Jean. “In Syria, a kind of cohabitation was established between allied and Russian aircraft, with deconﬂiction ensured at command level between our respective headquarters. “Our pilots followed very strict guidelines to avoid potentially hazardous situations. The idea was quite simple: avoid contact at all costs so as not to ﬁnd ourselves in a situation that could easily deteriorate and rapidly escalate. “This is where the RBE2 electronic scanning radar and its AESA antenna prove their immense value. Thanks to their extraordinary detection ranges, the pilot can see what’s going on far ahead, giving them time to anticipate and stay clear of Russian ﬁghters. “The Rafales ﬂ ying in Syria were predominantly ﬁtted with the ASEA antenna. I noticed myself that use of the AESA is addictive and, once you’ve tried it, it’s diﬃcult to come back to the older PESA [passive electronically scanned array] system.”

Above: Concentration etched on the face of a Rafale M pilot. French Navy aircrews are trained to a very high standard, a typical ﬁghter pilot logging 220 ﬂying hours each year. Jean-Philippe Pons/Marine Nationale

“After we checked in and completed the authentication procedure, the JTAC provided us with a sitrep [situation report], an accurate description of the tactical situation in the area. “When we weren’t too busy, in the rare periods of relative calm when fighting abated, we performed armed overwatch, trying to determine where fires were coming from in an effort to locate Daesh firing positions. Easier said than done.” Each offensive patrol comprised two bomber-configured Rafales, the first fitted with four or six 500lb (227kg) GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bombs (LGBs) and the second with four to six Hammer (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range) precision weapons. One of the pair also carried a Damocles targeting pod under the right forward fuselage hardpoint. Pilots could therefore handle all sorts of situations, achieving a variety of military effects thanks to different types of bomb bodies and multiple fusing options. Three types of bomb body were used by the French Navy during Arromanches III: the 500lb BLU-111, the 250kg (551lb) Corps de Bombe à Effets Multiples Sécurisé (CBEMS, multiple effects insensitive bomb body) and the 500lb BLU-126, which contains less explosive mass than a regular BLU-111 or CBEMS to reduce the risk of collateral damage. “The mission leader routinely flew the aircraft equipped with the Damocles,” said Alban. “Before each engagement during a fire support mission, we received via the radio a ‘nine-line’ – a standardised briefing with attack data, including target co-ordinates, the attack heading and the type of weapon approved by the Red Card Holder, a French officer in the CAOC who can veto the engagement if he thinks conditions for a safe fire are not met, especially if friendlies are too close to the target area. “Having an officer able to step back and think about safety issues is clearly an advantage in some conditions. It’s very efficient and the Red Card Holder remains a major asset to minimise the risk of friendly fire.”

Multiple targets

Many targets were destroyed by French Navy Rafales before the start of the battle for Mosul, including improvised explosive device (IED) and vehicle-borne IED (VBIED) factories. During the battle itself, targets were mainly mortar emplacements, sniper positions and VBIEDs on the move. “I clearly recall a very intense mission during the battle for Mosul,” said Commander ‘Marc’, commanding officer of Flottille 12F. “I was flying as the wingman of a two-ship. The weather was marginal at best, with numerous thunder cells. “Communications with troops on the ground were difficult. The JTAC wanted a PID [positive identification] of the target. It took a while to do so, because my leader had to wait for a hole to appear in the cloud base to lock on the target and identify it with his Damocles pod and extract accurate co-ordinates.

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Main photo: Armourers, invariably called ‘boums’ in the French Navy, prepare to load a Scalp cruise missile under the belly of a Rafale. Marine Nationale Below: The French Rafale M uses a launch bar similar to that in service with the US Navy, ensuring interoperability. Marine Nationale

“The hole quickly disappeared, however, and I had to fire a Hammer precision weapon at those co-ordinates through the clouds. “Shortly afterwards, the weather started to improve again and my leader dropped a GBU12 at a second target. It was a very dynamic mission, with two successive engagements.” Flottille 12F’s CO recalled another mission: “At dusk we were asked to destroy a heavy mortar emplacement carefully hidden in the middle of a palm grove. Accurate mortar firing had stopped the progression of friendlies and quick action was required. “This time I was the leader and my aircraft was fitted with a Damocles. The weather was good and infrared imagery proved decisive in accurately locating the target: the pod’s infrared sensor clearly showed a hotspot that marked the location of the mortar’s hot barrel below the palm trees. “I immediately started spiking the target for a GBU-12 bomb. On the multifunction screen displaying Damocles imagery I clearly saw the impact of the bomb and a huge secondary explosion betraying the destruction of the ammo stored nearby. “The friendlies were soon able to move forward again.”

Scalp firing

Both the Armée de l’Air and the Marine Nationale (French Navy) fired large numbers of MBDA Scalp EG (Emploi Général, general purpose) stealth cruise missiles in the Middle East. Used against hardened targets of strategic value, Scalps deprive IS terrorists of any prior warning of an incoming strike: fighters operating at medium level to remain outside the range of light weapons and shoulder-launched missiles could be detected audibly before an attack with laserguided bombs – but the Scalp, which can be fired from hundreds of kilometres away, follows a very low-level attack profile. Commander Marc fired a Scalp at an

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undisclosed target in the Middle East: “I barely noticed the firing itself. It’s quite surprising for a weapon weighing about a tonne, but you can hardly feel the actual release; all unwanted attitude changes in pitch, roll and yaw are eliminated. “I shot the Scalp at night. I couldn’t see the horizon and I had no external references at all. It may be the reason why I did not notice any movement of the platform. For operations from the Charles de Gaulle, the Scalp is mounted under the centreline pylon, along the airframe’s longitudinal axis, which is probably the reason why there are no movements in roll. “In any case, the Rafale’s sophisticated flyby-wire controls are very efficient at erasing the airframe’s secondary effects, all induced aerodynamic effects being cancelled.”

Surveillance duties

During the two-and-a-half months of the deployment, weather had an impact on the Rafales for fewer than ten days. “The RBE2 radar’s high-resolution mapping mode [also known as synthetic aperture radar, SAR] is highly useful when the weather starts deteriorating,” explained Commander Marc. “It allows us to identify points of interest using radar imagery and to confirm that what we’re looking at is really what the JTAC wants us to look at, to avoid errors linked to the use of wrong co-ordinates. “For example, in Mosul, major roads and the bridges over the Euphrates River can clearly be seen on the radar screen.” The French carrier air group launched numerous reconnaissance missions as part of the coalition effort to gather intelligence: “The Rafale’s Pod Reco NG works remarkably well,” explained the GAé commander. “Thanks to its ability to photograph and map a huge area while providing extremely high-resolution imagery, it’s truly in a class of its own. This capability was praised by

French Navy Rafale in detail

Although commonality remains high between Armée de l’Air and Marine Nationale variants of the jet, the Rafale M diﬀers in several ways from its French Air Force B and C counterparts. The most obvious modiﬁcation is the massive, extremely robust landing gear designed to absorb the loads associated with catapult shots and carrier landings. The nosewheel is ﬁtted with a launch bar compatible with the launch shuttles used by US-built Mk13 catapults. Under the rear of its fuselage the Rafale M is equipped with a power-operated, automatically retractable arresting hook; in the cockpit, the hook handle is slightly diﬀerent from that on the Rafale B/C. The Rafale M also features a fuel dump valve on the right side of the rear fuselage for the pilot to jettison fuel and reduce weight should they need to trap back aboard the carrier earlier than expected. In all other respects, the Rafale M retains the same airframe and same systems (including the avionics, sensors, engines, auxiliary power unit and Mk16F ejection seat) as the French Air Force’s single-seat and two-seat versions, helping reduce procurement and support costs and easing logistics and maintenance. All variants have also beneﬁted from the Rafale M’s corrosion protection.

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Rafale French Navy combat BAN Landivisiau On May 2, 1967, a naval ﬁghter landed for the ﬁrst time at the new Base Aéronavale (BAN, naval air base) at Landivisiau, in Brittany, signalling the start of a very successful operational story. Today, three naval squadrons – Flottilles 11F, 12F and 17F, all stationed at Landivisiau – are equipped with the Rafale M ﬁghter. Flottille 17F, the last Super Étendard Modernisé operator, is in the midst of conversion and should be fully operational on the Rafale M in mid-2018, in time for carrier qualiﬁcation aboard Charles de Gaulle when the vessel comes out of reﬁt. When 17F is operational, all the units will be capable of conducting the whole spectrum of combat operations: air defence of the task force, air superiority in a contested environment, pre-strategic and tactical reconnaissance, nontraditional intelligence and surveillance, nuclear deterrence, anti-ship strikes, interdiction, precision attacks deep inside enemy territory, close air support and buddy-buddy refuelling. Escadrille 57S meanwhile operates the Falcon 10MER (Marine Entraînement Radar) from Landivisiau in the training and light transport roles.

the upper echelons and our annotated imagery was always in high demand.” It was during Arromanches III that the first laser-guided variant of the Hammer family (known as the SBU-54) was fired in combat by the French Navy – although an opportunity to fire the powerful internal 30M791 30mm cannon did not arise during the deployment. Capt Jean explained: “Firing on co-ordinates is extremely efficient, but against targets on the move the Laser Hammer gives us formidable offensive capabilities to overcome the tactics developed by Daesh. “After each attack, [their] warfighters move very rapidly to try to avoid destruction and we have to be very fast to engage them: in this type of situation the Laser Hammer proves invaluable. “Daesh personnel have been constantly bombed for over two years now, forcing them to modify their tactics. As a result we also had to adapt our own tactics, exploiting to the full the capabilities of our fast jets to prevail on the battlefield. “The Laser Hammer variant also has the advantage of retaining the capability to hit recorded initial co-ordinates accurately should the laser guidance be interrupted by clouds, smoke or obstructions – something that’s clearly impossible with the GBU-12.”

After-action review

Flottille 11F

Flottille 12F

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Flottille 17F

Mission Arromanches III, the first of its kind without any Super Étendard Modernisé (SEM) aircraft aboard the French flagship, revealed how useful the interaction between Flottilles 11 and 12F can be, resulting in excellent reactivity and operational flexibility. “With a single type on board it’s easier to obtain a good availability rate and generate

a large amount of sorties,” said Capt Jean. “For the past 12 years we’d been preparing ourselves for the withdrawal of the Super Étendard Modernisé and the conversion of Flottille 17F, the last of the three naval fighter squadrons, to the Rafale. “Mission Arromanches III has given us unparalleled insight into our future operational capabilities. We now have at our disposal a superb combat tool perfectly adapted to our needs and missions. “After the terror attacks that have struck our country, our fellow citizens clearly feel the pressure of terrorism but the Armée de l’Air and the Marine Nationale are taking an active part in the fight against terror groups.” For the crew of the French carrier and the air group personnel, Arromanches III proved especially intense: “The fact that the GAé was able to be back up to speed so rapidly for an additional deployment was a source of satisfaction for all of us,” reflected Capt Jean. “Weapon consumption was high, but I want to stress that the Charles de Gaulle’s load carrying capabilities are excellent in terms of ammunition, kerosene, spare parts and food. This helps reduce the pressure on fleet replenishers and the whole logistic chain.”

Resilience at sea

“Since the Bois Belleau mission in 2013, we’ve taken part in four successive deployments, including two back-to-back deployments in 2016,” added Capt Jean. “We were in theatre on January 1 last year and were again at sea, off Syria, on December 15. “This is quite an achievement. True, we spent nearly six months in France, but with time at sea in the Mediterranean in the summer

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Left: Rafale M36 just after trapping back on board ‘Charles de Gaulle’. It is carrying a Damocles targeting pod. L Bernardin/Marine Nationale

E-2C Hawkeyes in action

to prepare for the next deployment, conducting carrier qualifications for recently arrived young aircrews. “As I speak, we don’t have a single pilot within the carrier air group who’s not been engaged in combat in one theatre or another. It used to be unheard of to have 100% combat-proven, battlehardened pilots, but this is the case today – which gives you a good idea of the experience level among GAé aircrews in strike and close air support missions.” Although the Charles de Gaulle will be unavailable until mid-2018, French Navy Rafales are not staying idle. Between March 16 and March 30 this year, a pair of Rafale Ms deployed to Lann-Bihoué, south Brittany, for the homeland air defence mission. The two quick reaction alert (QRA) Rafales were held at short-notice readiness, ready to take off and intercept any aircraft that might enter French airspace without prior consent or radio contact, or needing assistance. Navy Rafales will handle the northwest QRA at Lann-Bihoué again later this year.

Flying out of Jordan

In late March, four French Navy Rafales deployed to the Middle East for combat operations from Jordan against so-called Islamic State at a time when the threat to French interests remained extremely high. They replaced a quartet of Armée de l’Air Rafales at the base, enabling the air force units to temporarily reduce their sustained operational tempo. The concept of a so-called ‘land-based carrier air group’ had already been successfully tested in 2008 when SEMs deployed to Kandahar in the fight against the Taliban. The withdrawal of the SEM and the switch to the ‘all-Rafale GAé’ has led both to a considerable increase in firepower and the survivability of offensive and defensive combat air patrols, helping missions to be planned and executed in non-permissive or denied environments. Moreover, the carrier can launch a much higher number of sorties with 24 Rafales than with a mix of Rafales and SEMs, as was the case until July 2016, the transition representing a major step forward for the Marine Nationale.

Flottille 4F’s two E-2C Hawkeyes played a decisive role during the Arromanches III deployment, using their powerful AN/ APS-145 radar to detect all air and surface activity for hundreds of miles around. “Once more, the Hawkeye provided us with the ability to fully understand what was going on around the Charles de Gaulle and around our ﬁghters,” said Capt Jean. “The Hawkeye’s radar range is outstanding, and it can see everything through 360° while a ﬁghter pilot’s focused on his mission. “All French and allied assets used their Link 16 data link to co-operate and share tactical data, signiﬁcantly increasing our combat capabilities. The Hawkeyes ﬂew every day, either ‘feet wet’ over the eastern Mediterranean or ‘feet dry’ over the theatre. On some given days, two sorties were ﬂown, one ‘feet dry’ and one ‘feet wet’. “In Iraq there’s a traﬃc control authority, because airliners are routinely ﬂown within the country and to and from foreign destinations. But in Syria the coalition did not have access to any air traﬃc control service, and in those conditions our Hawkeyes proved invaluable. “Until the Rafale is equipped with a satcom system, the E-2C will remain a useful communication relay. Thanks to its advanced communication suite, it can maintain contact between the ﬁghters and the carrier. Finally, its comprehensive electronic intelligence systems are priceless in helping update our radar database.”

Above: A Rafale M comes in to land under the watchful eye of two ﬂight deck personnel. All external weapons have been expended. A Pugnet/Marine Nationale Left: A heavily armed Rafale taxies from the forward edge of the deck to the lateral catapult. It is loaded with a 2,000lb GBU-24 Paveway III laser-guided bomb under the centreline pylon, two 2,000-litre drop tanks and four Mica EM/IR air-to-air missiles. A Pugnet/Marine Nationale

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Rafale 30e Escadre

AIR FORCE

RAFALES IN The ‘Lorraine’ squadron’s transfer from Al Dhafra to Montde-Marsan in September 2016 made the 30e Escadre (30th Wing) fully operational. Henri-Pierre Grolleau visited Base Aérienne 118 for AFM.

Main photo: A pair of 30e Escadre Rafales cruises high above southwest France. All photos Henri-Pierre Grolleau unless otherwise stated

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A

FLEET OF 47 Rafale B/C and four Mirage 2000D fighters, three Alpha Jet trainers and two TBM700 light transports equips the 30e Escadre for its role as the Armée de l’Air’s (French Air Force’s) spearhead in the fields of operational evaluation, air defence/ air superiority, conventional strike and prestrategic and tactical reconnaissance. Over the last couple of years, the Armée de l’Air has recreated wings (escadres) at all its major air bases. “All the activity of the squadrons is managed at escadre level,” said Lt Col Nicolas (all surnames withheld on request), the 30e Escadre Operations Officer. “On Tuesdays, three successive meetings are organised at three different levels – air base, operations officers of the squadrons, and duty flight commanders – to oversee the activity of the following week. Everything is planned in close co-operation with the other escadres, especially the 31e Escadre

at Istres for the allocation of tanker slots.” The 30e Escadre is divided into six units, served by 900 personnel: • Escadron de Chasse et d’Expérimentation (ECE, Fighter and Evaluation Squadron) 1/30 ‘Côte d’Argent’; • Régiment de Chasse (RC, Fighter Regiment) 2/30 ‘Normandie-Niemen’; • Escadron de Chasse (EC, Fighter Squadron) 3/30 ‘Lorraine’; • Escadron de Soutien Technique Aéronautique (ESTA, Aeronautical Technical Support Squadron) 15/30 ‘Chalosse’; • Centre de Formation Rafale (CFR, Rafale Training Centre) 23/30; • Equipe Technique Interarmées Rafale (ETIAR, Joint Rafale Technical Team) 61/30. The three 30e Escadre combat squadrons belong to two separate commands. The Centre d’Expertise Aérienne Militaire (CEAM, Air Warfare Centre) is responsible for ECE

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IN ACTION 1/30, and the Commandement des Forces Aériennes (CFA, Air Forces Command) for EC 2/30 and EC 3/30. A similar organisation exists at Saint-Dizier, where squadrons are split between the CFA and the FAS (Forces Aériennes Stratégiques, Strategic Air Forces).

‘Côte d’Argent’ – Opeval

ECE 1/30 is heavily involved in operational testing of new Rafale and Mirage 2000 systems. Commandant (Major) Vincent, the squadron’s operations officer, explained: “‘Côte d’Argent’ is the unit that prepares for the future. We are in charge of conducting the operational evaluation [Opeval] of new systems, of innovating and of refining the new tactics and operational doctrine to be used by Armée de l’Air combat units. Our mission is to deliver to the front line a fully operational system with a clear and concise operating manual.

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“Fully developed weapon systems that have passed their development tests and met their design specifications are put through their paces here, performing missions in realistic combat conditions. We are extremely busy supporting the Rafale programme. We regularly update its flight manual and its tactical manual. The first of these focuses on the aircraft’s systems and the second on the tactics and use of sensors and weapons. These manuals are updated every time a new item of equipment or new standard is introduced.” ECE 1/30 actively supports the development of new Rafale variants. For example, its personnel are heavily involved in the introduction into service of Standard F3R. “We are currently focusing on the Rafale’s Front Sector Optronics [FSO] that will be substantially improved, with a better video image and enhanced target tracking

precision,” continued Commandant Vincent. “Refinements will be brought to the Spectra electronic suite to increase its detection capabilities and improve the precision of the jamming. Our specialists have flighttested the TALIOS targeting pod and we are already working on the Meteor [beyondvisual range air-to-air missile, BVRAAM] operational trial scenarios. To fulfil our missions, we are often required to modify our Rafales, these modifications being usually applied to two-seaters. These aircraft remain fully capable of undertaking combat missions, but aircrews have to be aware of the changes introduced to the aircraft.”

Snipe targets

ECE 1/30 aircrews and specialists carry out multiple operational evaluation campaigns each year. Commandant Vincent provided some examples: “Over the last few months,

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Rafale 30e Escadre

Homeland defence

At the time of writing, ‘Normandie-Niemen’ and ‘Lorraine’ were both providing assets for the southwest and northeast quick reaction alerts (QRAs), at Mont-de-Marsan and Saint-Dizier respectively. Each QRA site is provided with two armed Rafales that can be scrambled within minutes to intercept, identify and, if required, use force against an aircraft, civil or military, that refuses to obey an order. “A young pilot like me spends about a week every month in the QRA facility,” explained 2nd Lt Sébastien. “Every operational pilot in the squadron is cleared to undertake the QRA mission, including those of the Forces Aériennes Stratégiques. We follow a very strict training programme, with stressful and combat-realistic scenarios: interception at very high altitude of a business jet that has lost radio contact with air traffic controllers, in-flight assistance of a lost light piston aircraft close to a no-fly zone, interception of a foreign fighter that has entered French airspace without diplomatic clearance. “We also simulate situations that rapidly degenerate, allowing us to perform both QRA and dogfight training during the same sortie. The Rafale proves ideal for the QRA mission: it is very powerful, with excellent acceleration and climb rate, a high ceiling and a remarkable endurance. All QRA Rafales are armed with four Mica EM/IR missiles and they carry a full allocation of decoys and of 30mm ammunition. Usually, aircraft selected for the QRA mission are all equipped with the FSO to identify targets at stand-off distances.”

A CEAM Rafale photographed between sorties during Exercise Serpentex 2016 at Solenzara, Corsica. It is ﬁtted with a Damocles targeting pod.

Above: A ‘Lorraine’ pilot photographed in front of one of the unit’s aircraft. Noteworthy is the Tiger scarf, reﬂecting aﬃliation with NATO’s Tiger Association. A two-seat ‘Normandie-Niemen’ Rafale B prepares to depart for a night air defence/in-ﬂight refuelling training mission.

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I was involved in air-to-air gunnery trials against the new Snipe targets currently being evaluated. These very small targets – with a wingspan of less than two metres – will be used operationally to allow frontline pilots to train in realistic conditions against very small slow-movers. The goal of the evaluation was to develop valid tactics. The challenge for the pilot is to stabilise the firing run long enough in order to press the trigger at the correct time. Easier said than done when engaging such a small object that proves incredibly difficult to acquire visually. During the trials I was involved in, the Snipe was flying at 70 knots [130km/h] at 3,000 feet. I fired a 0.5-second burst and the Rafale’s 30M791 revolver cannon fired 21 30mm rounds. It’s a very difficult exercise because the delay between the visual acquisition and beginning of the firing pass is extremely short, with a very, very small firing window.

“Another example of the type of work we perform here: prior to each deployment or multinational exercise, we test on the ground and in flight the Link 16 networks that will be used in the field. We recently tested a Norwegian network prior to the deployment of Rafales to Finland for the Arctic Challenge 2017 multinational exercise. Finally, as part of our support to export programmes, we recently dropped unguided, slick Mk82 bombs.”

‘Normandie-Niemen’ – air-to-surface leader

RC 2/30 ‘Normandie-Niemen’ is unquestionably one of the best-known French Air Force units. This fully omni-role squadron can undertake the complete range of air-to-air and air-to-surface missions assigned to the Rafale, except the nuclear deterrence role allocated to the Saint-

Dizier wing. RC 2/30 is the unit dedicated to lead the supervision of all tactics related to reconnaissance and conventional attack missions and co-operation with special forces. In close concert with the experts of the CEAM, its subject matter experts (SMEs) constantly refine operational concepts and procedures when new weapons or new variants of in-service weapons are introduced. The SMEs focus on all the tactics used to deliver guided weapons, including the GBU-12/22/24 Paveway II/III laser-guided bombs, the Hammer (Highly Agile, Modular Munition Extended Range) family of precision weapons and the Scalp cruise missile, or to execute a recce pass with the Pod Reco NG (New-Generation Reconnaissance Pod, known on the export market as AREOS, for Airborne Recce Observation System). The squadron flies the single-seat Rafale C. EC 2/30 is also the dedicated Rafale squadron in charge of supporting French special forces: “We are the special forces’ primary point of contact within the Armée de l’Air fighter community,” explained 2nd Lt Sébastien, one of the ‘NormandieNiemen’ pilots/forward air controllers. “We co-operate closely with the commandos of the 1e Régiment Parachutiste d’Infanterie de Marine, the 13e Régiment de Dragons Parachutistes and the Commando Parachutiste de l’Air N° 10 for all aspects of fire support missions. We rely on procedures that are common to everybody and we routinely support their exercises.”

Pod Reco NG

The training syllabus to master the use of the Pod Reco NG is remarkably short. Only two training sessions in simulators and three medium-altitude and four low-level/very-lowlevel training sorties are required. The Pod Reco NG is equipped with a powerful longrange optical photography (LOROP) sensor in a rotating turret at the tip of the pod, and an infrared line-scanner (IRLS) at its rear. During each training sortie, the trainee pilot will have to photograph targets during

Former Free French squadrons in action: Rafale Cs from ‘Lorraine’ (nearest) and ‘Normandie-Niemen’ taxi to the runway at Mont-de-Marsan.

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Rafale 30e Escadre Hammer ARC

Alongside their colleagues of ECE 1/30, the specialists of EC 2/30 are busy preparing the entry into service of a new variant of the Hammer precision weapon. Known as Hammer ARC (Agile Release Capabilities), this new variant will soon be introduced for close air support missions. It will offer an expanded firing envelope thanks to new control laws optimised for off-boresight firings. With the previous control laws, the weapon could not be dropped from an orbit when the Rafale was wheeling around a target, observing the combat area from a short distance away with its targeting pod. This meant that the fighter had to leave its orbit pattern and fly away for a few nautical miles before coming back for the attack run and weapon release, a time-consuming process when the lives of troops in contact are at stake. With the ARC firing mode, a pilot will be able to drop the weapon while still wheeling around the target, thus considerably reducing the time needed to engage a time-sensitive objective. “In addition, the new ARC version is cleared for firing from very low level, in automatic terrain following, and in a turn,” said General Richard Reboul, the Deputy Commander of the Commandement des Forces Aériennes. “This is a major advantage for entry operations, in contested or heavily defended airspace, during the first few days of a conflict.”

planned recce runs and targets of opportunity assigned by the instructor during the sortie. As was the case with the Reims-based Mirage F1CR strike fighters that previously handled the Plan d’Imagerie France (PIF, Imagery Plan for France), civilian authorities can ask for specific photos to be taken for later use. For example, when a new railway line is constructed, all major structures such as bridges and tunnel entrances are systematically photographed to create files that could be used at a later stage by rescue services – firefighters, ambulances, police or Gendarmerie – should an accident happen. “The Pod Reco NG is extremely simple to use, with very intuitive symbology and ‘switchology’,” continued 2nd Lt Sébastien. “Consequently, we do not need to train that frequently in the recce role. During a planned reconnaissance mission against known targets, the Rafale handles everything by itself, the pilot limiting himself to a system surveillance role. Various types of target designation can be utilised for targets of opportunity: via the highresolution radar mode, the FSO’s TV sensor, or a selection on the digital map display, or just

by overflying the target, performing a ‘mark’ to register its co-ordinates before initiating a quick manoeuvre to return and take vertical or oblique images.” Despite this apparent simplicity, a thorough mission planning process is always required to ensure success.

‘Lorraine’ returns

In summer 2016, the Armée de l’Air undertook a major reshuffle of its Rafale units and of its inventory of the fighters. In summary, the higher echelons had decided to regroup most B-model twoseaters at Saint-Dizier for conversion training and nuclear deterrence missions, and most C-model single-seaters at Montde-Marsan and Al Dhafra in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). However, a small number of single-seaters are still based at Base Aérienne 113 Saint-Dizier supporting the operational conversion activities of Escadron de Transformation Rafale (ETR, Rafale Conversion Squadron) 3/4 ‘Aquitaine’. Similarly, a handful of two-seaters are allocated to Base Aérienne 118 in Montde-Marsan for various missions. To realise ‘Lorraine’ Rafale C120 comes into land at the end of another training sortie. It carries the markings of Escadrille (ﬂight) SPA 38 on the ﬁn.

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Main photo: Two Rafale C single-seaters break away from the camera ship. The nearest aircraft is equipped with two Mica IR missiles on the wingtips, two 2,000-litre external fuel tanks and a Scalp stealth cruise missile under the centerline pylon. Left: A ‘Normandie-Niemen’ pilot busy preparing his next sortie. Even in the digital age, maps are still useful.

this plan, EC 1/7 ‘Provence’ left Saint-Dizier for Al Dhafra while ‘Lorraine’ was relocated from Al Dhafra to Mont-de-Marsan. The changeover saw aircraft numbers revised among the units. While at Al Dhafra, ‘Lorraine’ had six Rafales and now ‘Provence’ also has six. While at Saint-Dizier, EC 1/7 had 20 aircraft, and now ‘Lorraine’ has the same number at Mont-de-Marsan. This meant that a number of single-seaters transferred directly from Saint-Dizier to Mont-de-Marsan, without ever visiting the UAE. “The transfer of the single-seaters of EC 1/7 from SaintDizier to Mont-de-Marsan provided us with the opportunity to organise a superb training mission,” recalled Capitaine Olivier, the ‘Lorraine’ tradition/public affairs officer. “An appeal had been launched to all Armée de l’Air and Marine Nationale [French Navy] squadrons so that they could provide ‘Red Air’ assets and, when the 12 Rafales took off on their way to Mont-de-Marsan, they had to forcibly make their way through. This was incredibly realistic training… and a good way to optimise the use of precious resources.” EC 3/30 ‘Lorraine’, formerly No 342 Free French Squadron in the UK Royal Air Force, is one of the most prestigious Armée de l’Air units. This former Mirage F1 operator was re-established at Al Dhafra in 2010 after it had been selected to become the forward-deployed unit in the UAE, flying Mirage 2000-5F interceptors. It began re-equipping with Rafales in 2011. Confronted with a sharp reduction in the number of frontline units, the French Air Force decided to preserve its most historically important escadrons (squadrons) and escadrilles (flights). This is the reason why flights SAL 56 ‘Scarabée’, SPA 38 ‘Chardon de Lorraine’ and SPA 162 ‘Tigre’ have been allocated to EC 3/30 ‘Lorraine’ while escadrilles ‘Metz’, ‘Nancy’ and ‘Thionville’ have disbanded. Thanks to the allocation of SPA 62, EC 3/30 ‘Lorraine’ is now part of the famous NATO Tiger Association.

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Air-to-air expertise

EC 3/30 operates single-seat Rafales in airto-air and air-to-surface roles, with a strong emphasis on air-defence/air superiority missions. “We have here a high ratio of aircrews with an air-defence background,” explained Commandant Damien, an experienced EC 3/30 pilot. “About 60% of all our flying hours are devoted to airto-air combat training, except when we are involved in laser designation training which brings the ratio between air-toair and air-to-surface to around 50/50. “What you have to understand, and I must insist on this point, is that it takes longer to train a pilot in the air-to-air role than in the air-to-surface role. For a Scalp strike or an air interdiction mission, most of the job is done on the ground, on the mission planning workstation and in the briefing room, leaving no room for improvisation. In the air-toair arena, the challenge is to identify and understand the enemy’s behaviour. You need to be mentally quick to ensure that the developing situation fully complies with the rules of engagement edited by the higher echelons. In order to do so – and to be good at it – you need to train and train again.” Complex air-combat training missions are organised daily. Capt Olivier described a typical mission: “A Sweep 2/Strike 2, that is four Rafale C single-seaters – in fact two ‘Normandie-Niemen’ strikers escorted by two ‘Lorraine’ Rafales – would take off from Montde-Marsan to fictitiously attack a target in the TSA 43 training area. A CAP 2 [two-ship combat air patrol] composed of either two EC 1/4 Rafale B two-seaters from Saint-Dizier or two EC 1/2 Mirage 2000-5F interceptors from Luxeuil would try to defend that target and intercept the incoming four-ship raid.”

‘Lorraine’ in combat

‘Lorraine’ was the first French squadron to be involved in the fight against so-called Islamic State (Daesh). EC 3/30 aircrews

ESTA: a hub of activity ESTA 15/30 ‘Chalosse’ is the focus of all activity at Mont-de-Marsan. Within the Armée de l’Air, most engineers are now part of ESTAs, leaving only aircrews, administrative and intelligence specialists within frontline units. With its 630 personnel, ESTA 15/30 is by far the largest unit within the 30 e Escadre. It oversees servicing, maintenance and repair for all 56 aircraft stationed at Mont-deMarsan, including the Rafales and their M88-2 turbofans. ESTA engineers are also frequently required to adjust the jet’s configurations to match the training requirements of the three squadrons. For instance, during AFM’s visit to Montde-Marsan, a team of engineers was busy installing a Pod Reco NG under the centreline pylon of a Rafale so that pilots could train with that advanced system.

Armourers equip a Rafale with a Laser-Guided Training Round (LGTR) during Exercise Serpentex 2016 at Solenzara.

DASSAULT RAFALE 21

Rafale 30e Escadre “The other advantage is the reduction of pressure on the tanker fleet. When I was in Jordan, Mosul East had been liberated from Daesh terrorists and most of the fighting focused on Mosul West. Weapon configurations are adjusted depending on the operational constraints, the requirements of the troops on the ground, and the anticipated weather conditions. “For instance, if the weatherman tells us that it is more than likely that a cloud layer will prevent us from seeing targets on the ground, we will ask armourers to equip our Rafales with Hammer precision weapons that can be fired on GPS co-ordinates instead of GBU-12s that require laser guidance down to impact. “We had enough Damocles targeting pods to equip all our Rafales and we usually took off with four bombs, Hammers or GBU12s, three 2,000-litre fuel tanks, a varying number of Mica missiles and a full allocation of decoys and of 30mm ammo. We were sometimes asked to destroy hardened targets with a GBU-24 bomb fitted with a 2,000lb penetrator. Most of the time we flew as twoships, even though planned air interdiction missions were occasionally flown as fourships to attack specific targets spread over a wide area. Usually, we stayed three hours on station before heading back to base.”

Hammer V1 and V4

Two Rafale C single-seaters up from their Mont-deMarsan home. Even with two Micas, two 2,000-litre drop tanks and a Scalp missile, the Rafale remains extremely agile.

still regularly deploy to the Middle East for combat operations, either to Al Dhafra to reinforce EC 1/7 ‘Provence’, or to the French Air Force forward operating base in Jordan. Capt Olivier took part in a two-month operational deployment in Jordan in early 2017. He spoke of his combat experience in Iraq and Syria. “Missions typically lasted about five hours, with pilots logging about 100 hours over the course of two

months,” he said. This represented a sortie every three days, on average. The main advantage of Jordan compared to Al Dhafra lies in the drastic reduction in transit times to and from our operating areas. “A return trip takes about three hours less than from Al Dhafra, with a corresponding reduction in airframe usage which leads to savings in operating costs and considerably less aircrew fatigue.

The Hammer has become the preferred air-to-ground weapon within the Rafale community. It is now available in three variants each weighing a total of 340kg (750lb): SBU-38, with inertial/GPS guidance; SBU-64, with dual-mode inertial/GPS and infrared seeker; and SBU-54, with laser guidance added to the inertial/GPS kit. All these variants are collectively known as V1s when fitted with a standard-yield 500lb (227kg) class Mk82 bomb body, or V4s when equipped with a BLU-126 bomb body/low collateral damage weapon that can be used safely near friendly forces in urban areas. Capt Olivier said: “The Hammer has proven incredibly flexible in operational use. We can fire the Hammer from very low to very high level, from very short to very long standoff distances, while remaining well clear of enemy air defences. In Iraq, we mostly fired

Unit badges

ECE 1/30 ‘Côte d’Argent’

22 DASSAULT RAFALE

EC 3/30 ‘Lorraine’

RC 2/30 ‘NormandieNiemen’

Escadrille BR 128 (ECE 1/30 ‘Côte d’Argent’)

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Apart from the Rafale B/C and the Mirage 2000D (seen here), ‘Côte d’Argent’ has relinquished all other types and variants of combat aircraft. Last to go was the Mirage 2000-5F.

CFR, ETIAR & QRS

CFR 23/30 plays a central role within the Rafale community. The CFR, a pool of expertise in the field of technical training, has been created to provide theoretical education to French and foreign students. The ground-school syllabi focus on all the Rafale’s systems, using state-of-the-art training aids. Tuition is provided in French or in English language in purpose-built facilities. ETIAR 61/30 brings together all the Rafale technical experts within a single entity to create a link between the French Air Force and the French Navy on one side, and the DGA and the industry on the other. As part of a wider effort to support export contracts, Base Aérienne 118 at Mont-de-Marsan will soon accommodate the Qatari Rafale Squadron (QRS) that will train future Qatar Emiri Air Force (QEAF) pilots and maintainers. Training of the first Qatari engineers has already begun with the CFR and ESTA 15/30 ‘Chalosse’. By the end of the year, the first QEAF pilots for the type will start flying from Mont-de-Marsan. It should be noted that, at the time of writing, the QRS had not yet received any official name or any traditional Armée de l’Air ‘mecanographic’ number. The Rafale can carry Hammer precision munitions on a triple launcher under each wing. Rafales are expending huge quantities of weapons in combat. Dassault Aviation

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them with the rocket motor off to reduce their time of flight and hit their targets within the shortest amount of time. Various types of delay or impact fuses are in service, allowing us to obtain different military effects. “I clearly remember a combat situation in Syria. Daesh combatants were hiding in an abandoned house, in a small hamlet. They were surrounded, but their intensive and accurate fires had blocked the progress of friendlies. Under guidance of a US UAV [unmanned aerial vehicle] and after clearance by the French Red Card Holder who had quickly performed a CDE [collateral damage estimation], I released a SBU-54 Hammer V4 which hit its intended target with devastating precision, without any damage to the other houses in the village or to friendly forces only 60 metres away.” Armée de l’Air Rafale pilots deployed in Jordan fly about 15% of all sorties in darkness using night-vision goggles (NVGs). “At night, combat on the ground looks more impressive: you can clearly see the explosions if you are looking in the right direction because the NVGs’ field of view is rather narrow. By contrast, gunfire and firing positions are still difficult to accurately localise.”

Meteor on the horizon

The Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA, Defence Procurement Agency), the

CEAM and the 30e Escadre are actively preparing the entry into service of the F3R Standard and of the associated Meteor ramjet-propelled BVRAAM that will revolutionise the Rafale’s air-to-air capabilities. Tactics used by fighter pilots will have to be adapted to take into account the Meteor’s extreme engagement range. Commandant Damien said: “Our tactics had already been modified after the introduction of the AESA [active electronically scanned array] radar but we are still tied by the range of the Mica missile. Thanks to the Meteor, we will be able to fire from very far away while keeping a high PK [probability of kill] to degrade the enemy’s offensive and defensive capabilities without endangering ourselves. It’s a totally new approach to air combat tactics. One problem will remain, however: targets will still have to be positively identified, but the Rafale’s FSO will often allow us to address this problem. The firing mode symbology of BVR missiles will also change slightly and a modest training programme will have to be put in place for all aircrews.” The Meteor’s engagement range is so great that it will pose new challenges to Rafale pilots. “We have launched a new study into the use of training ranges,” stressed Lt Col Nicolas. “TSA43, the main training airspace in central France, is already too small for effective air-to-air training with the Mica missile, so you can easily imagine the problem with the Meteor. We are pushing hard to unite distinct and fragmented areas off Cazaux to create a single area that would prove ideal for long-range air-to-air training with the Meteor missile. It will not be that easy because a lot of operators, including the test pilots of the DGA EV [DGA Essais en Vol, Flight Test Centre] and the Alpha Jets of the 8e Escadre are flying intensively in these areas.” After the transfer of EC 3/30 ‘Lorraine’ from Al Dhafra to Mont-de-Marsan, the 30e Escadre is now fully operational. The wing actively participates in homeland defence duties and in the global fight against terrorism while maintaining a remarkably high level of readiness, thanks to regular participation in exercises in France and abroad.

DASSAULT RAFALE 23

Rafale

EXERCISE REPORT Fighter Weapons Instructor Course

Clutching a brace of AIM-7 Sparrow missiles and a Sniper targeting pod, CF‑188 serial 188758 heads out for live-fire training over Vancouver Island. All photos Stuart Sanders

Snipers over Comox The live weapons phase of the Canadian 2017 Fighter Weapons Instructor Course was hosted by 19 Wing CFB Comox, located on the east coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Stuart Sanders reports.

T

HE GROUP of eight Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) CF-188 Hornets on deployment comprised jets from 410 Tactical Fighter (Operational Training) Squadron (TF(OT)S) ‘Cougars’, based at 4 Wing CFB Cold Lake, Alberta, 409 Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS) ‘Nighthawks’ also from 4 Wing CFB Cold Lake, and 433 TFS ‘Porcupines’ based at 3 Wing Bagotville, Quebec. The Fighter Weapons Instructor Course (FWIC), which is usually held annually at Cold Lake, is a gruelling six-month event, designed to push a select few CF-188 pilot candidates to the next level regarding employment of the CF-188 in a tactical environment. The latest course provided candidates with some of the most intense flying they will ever experience, as they embarked on one of the

most academically, mentally and physically challenging experiences of their service careers. Situated on the coast of British Columbia, 19 Wing CFB Comox plays a crucial role in the livefire air-to-air phase of the FWIC. Students had the opportunity to work with the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), which provides the drones used during this portion of the training syllabus. During the air-to-air portion of the course from May 1-5, the candidates were exposed to a complex and dynamic environment. It gave them the opportunity to employ the airto-air weapons systems of the CF-188, including the mediumrange AIM-7 Sparrow, and the short-range AIM-9 Sidewinder, in a designated controlled livefire range located on the west

coast of Vancouver Island. This year’s deployment was marred by poor weather, resulting in only one day of favourable flying conditions. To make the most of this, the candidates flew three waves of four-ship launches, all using ‘Sniper’ callsigns in sorties lasting around two hours. The FWIC, which starts in January, typically wraps up at the end of the candidate training in a large-force employment scenario, such as Exercise Maple Flag. Following the candidates’ completion of FWIC, they will be regarded as not only tactical leaders on their respective operational squadrons, but also as experts and mentors. They then will have the distinct honour of being Canadian Fighter Weapons Instructors.

CF-188 serial 188761 still wears last year’s CF-188 Demo Team markings that highlight the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP). Note the single laser-guided bomb carried under the port wing.

Above: Just four of approximately 80 to 90 combat-ready fighter pilots from the Royal Canadian Air Force are typically selected to attend the FWIC each year.

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#352 JULY 2017 47

KFOR HELICOPTERS

KEEPING THE

FRAGILE PEACE

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At its peak in 1999 the Kosovo Force comprised 50,000 troops from 39 countries. Today, it is far smaller, yet its role in the Balkan province is just as vital. Martin Scharenborg and Ramon Wenink report from KFOR HQ, Camp Bondsteel.

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KFOR HELICOPTERS

O

N A QUIET, sunny day in Ferizaj, 72 miles (45km) south of Kosovo’s capital Pristina, a formation of four US Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters suddenly disturbs the calm as it returns to Camp Bondsteel from a border security mission carrying Turkish troops. It is 2017, 18 years since the Kosovo Force (KFOR) was established as a multinational peace support operation under NATO command; it is among the longest operations in the organisation’s history. Its success is partly down to the intensive and productive commitment of helicopters in a country characterised by poor infrastructure and challenging terrain.

Above: On August 1, 2016 the Swiss Compound at the new Rotary Wing Deployed Operational Base (RWDOB) at Pristina-Slatina Military APOD (Aerial Port of Debarkation) was oﬃcially opened. Left: A Swiss AS332L and a Croatian Mi-171Sh on a mission between Ferizaj and Pristina. All photos Martin Scharenborg and Ramon Wenink

Disputed territory

The province of Kosovo, in the former Republic of Yugoslavia, has a population of around 90% ethnic Albanians and only a small percentage of Serbs. Both claim the country to be of immense historical importance to them. The Serbs refer to it as the ‘cradle of the Serbian nation’, since the Serbian Orthodox Church was established in Kosovo less than a year after the Serbian State was founded in 1217. The Battle of Kosovo in 1389 played a more than significant role in today’s demographics, however, when the Ottoman Empire defeated the Serbs the Christian country began increasingly to fall under the influence of Islam. After the Ottoman Empire lost the First Balkan War of 1912, Kosovo returned into the Serbian sphere of influence and joined the Kingdom of Yugoslavia after World War One. With its majority ethnic Albanian population, the province gained a high degree of autonomy and in 1974 it became an autonomous province under the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. After several years of tension, the Kosovo Serbs, who felt they had been subordinated, clashed with the ethnic Albanians. When Slobodan Milošević became Serbian president in 1987, he promised the Serb minority in Kosovo that it would gain more influence. In 1989 he took control of Kosovo by taking away its autonomous rights.

Kosovo War

The ethnic Albanians organised themselves as the Lidhja Demokratike e Kosovës (LDK, Democratic League of Kosovo) under renowned journalist Ibrahim Rugova and protested peacefully against the abolishment of the province’s autonomy. More radical ethnic Albanians were convinced that there was no peaceful solution, however, and founded the Ushtria Çlirimtare e Kosovës (UCK, Kosovo Liberation Army) in 1996. At first the UCK attacked targets of authority, including Serbian police and army units. The Serbs initiated counteroffensives and began ethnic cleansing operations that killed around 1,500 people. Approximately 400,000 refugees fled the province to neighbouring countries including Albania and Macedonia, while NATO began negotiations with Milošević, aimed at restoring Kosovo’s autonomy and halting the repression of the Kosovar Albanians. The United Nations condemned the Serbs’ excessive use of force and imposed an arms embargo on Serbia. NATO had established a number of objectives for the region and on October 13, 1998, it authorised activation orders

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#352 JULY 2017 49

KFOR HELICOPTERS arrived in country on June 12 and by the 20th, all Serb troops had left the province. KFOR is a multinational force under NATO control. At full strength it comprised 50,000 troops from 39 countries. Its UN-defined objectives included deterring renewed hostility and threats against Kosovo by Yugoslav and Serb forces, establishing a secure environment and ensuring public safety and order, demilitarising the Kosovo Liberation Army, supporting the international humanitarian effort, and co-ordinating with and supporting the international civilian presence.

KFOR role

Among its many tasks from the outset, KFOR assisted in building refugee camps, establishing emergency feeding stations, the relocation of refugees, providing medical assistance, public and border security, the protection of patrimonial sites, reconstruction and demining, weapons destruction, and the interdiction of cross-border Above: The crew of a Swiss Super Puma, Capt Vielle Damien (left) and Capt Pascal Urech, during a fuel stop weapons smuggling. It also helped and coat Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo. Camp Bondsteel was home to the Swiss helicopter detachment until June 2016 ordinated UNHCR relief operations, supplying when it moved to a new compound at Pristina. fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters for operations for possible air strikes. But Milošević made to stop attacks on civilians and on in Kosovo and neighbouring countries, including complied with several of the alliance’s March 20, the KVM withdrew. Air strikes were Albania. demands and no air attacks were made. ordered on the 23rd and began the next day The KFOR contingents were originally NATO required that the Organization for under Operation Allied Force, attempting grouped into four Multinational Brigades in a Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) to force Serbian troops out of Kosovo. The specific area of operations (West, South, East initiate the Kosovo Verification Mission operation lasted 77 days, ending on June and North). In a 2005 KFOR restructuring, the (KVM) to observe Serbian compliance with its 10, when agreement was reached for the Multinational Brigades were dissolved and demands on the ground, while NATO aircraft establishment of a UN peacekeeping force five Multinational Task Forces established would fly surveillance missions under UN and a UN Interim Administration Mission in instead. In 2010, these were renamed Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1203. Kosovo (UNMIK), under mandate UNSCR 1244. Multinational Battle Groups and in March 2011 In February 1999, diplomacy failed again NATO immediately began preparations for they were merged into Multinational Battle after a number of incidents and an escalation the rapid deployment of security forces into Group-West (MNBG-W) and Multinational in the violence against the Kosovar Albanians. Kosovo, under Operation Joint Guardian. The Battle Group-East (MNBG-E). In March, a final diplomatic attempt was first elements of this Kosovo Force (KFOR) Alongside the MNBGs there are

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Above: US Army UH-60Ls and a Croatian Mi-171Sh on helipads at Camp Bondsteel, which was established in June 1999 directly after the NATO bombing campaign.

three Joint Regional Detachments (JRDs), a Multinational Specialized Unit (MSU), a KFOR Tactical Reserve Manoeuvre Battalion (KTM), a Joint Logistics Support Group (JLSG) and the Headquarters Support Group (HSG).

Indispensable assets

Kosovo, which declared its independence on February 17, 2008, measures only 4,247sq miles (11,000km2), yet KFOR troop movement remains challenging thanks to the region’s rugged terrain and poor infrastructure. Helicopters are therefore indispensable and since 1999 many countries have committed rotary assets to the KFOR mission.

Left: Task Force Aviation operates nine to 12 UH60Ls from Camp Bondsteel, east of Ferizaj in Kosovo. Until the end of November 2016 this was the 2-285th Assault Helicopter Battalion (AHB) of the Arizona Army National Guard, succeeded by the 2-238th GSAB (General Support Aviation Battalion) from the Indiana Army National Guard.

Among others, the UK has contributed Pumas, losing one on June 9, 2001 when it crashed close to the border with Macedonia, killing its two pilots. Austria has sent the Alouette III; Canada the CH-146 Griffon; Germany the CH-53G and UH-1D; Italy the Bell 412 and NH-500E; UAE the SA330 Puma; and Russia the Mi-24P Hind-F; in addition the Netherlands committed three CH-47D Chinooks and four BO 105CB helicopters, operating them out of neighbouring Albania.

Camp Bondsteel

The US Army was present from the KFOR mission’s outset, flying a large helicopter force from different locations in Kosovo, including as many as 50 AH-64 Apaches, UH-60 Black Hawks and CH-47 Chinooks. Today, all US Army helicopters are based at Camp Bondsteel in southern Kosovo, just east of Ferizaj. Bondsteel houses around 6,000 personnel, including MNBG-E headquarters, and Croatian and Slovenian helicopter detachments; until last June, Swiss helicopters also flew from the base. Lt Col Cristopher J Kuzinski, Task Force Aviation Commander with KFOR 21 at Camp Bondsteel, says: “Getting around on the ground in Kosovo, or anywhere else in the Balkans, is very difficult. But the helicopter makes it very easy, providing freedom of manoeuvre for MNBG-East and West. It provides a lot of flexibility.” The US Army National Guard currently supplies the US Army helicopters at Camp Bondsteel, on a nine-month rotation using 12th Combat Aviation Brigade (12th CAB), US Army Europe (USAREUR) aircraft. Reporting to MNBG-E, KFOR 21 employs between nine and 12 UH-60Ls, of which at least three are in medevac configuration. Additional USAREUR assets, including the CH-47F Chinook, augment them as required, as they did when US Vice President Joe Biden visited Pristina and Camp Bondsteel last August. Lt Col Kuzinski is content with the UH-60’s contribution: “The Black Hawk is not perfect, but it’s very good doing the medium-lift utility mission. It’s grown very well over the years –

it’s very powerful, fast and manoeuvrable. It is a very good helicopter for the mission here in Kosovo, its only weakness being its age.”

Croatian Hips

Croatia also contributes to KFOR, with six personnel at Camp Film City in Pristina and 18 personnel with a helicopter detachment at Camp Bondsteel, including six pilots and four crew chiefs. The four-monthly Croatian helicopter detachment rotation began in July 2009, with the deployment of two Eskadrila Višenamjenskih Helikoptera (EVH, Utility Helicopter Squadron) Mi-171Sh Hips from their 91 Zrakoplovna Baza (Air Base) home at Zagreb/Lučko. The detachment falls under direct control of Commander KFOR (COM KFOR), with a primary crowd and riot control (CRC) team transportation task. Its secondary tasks are the regular movement of personnel and cargo. KFOR very much appreciates the Mi-17 and newer Mi-171Sh. With the largest cabin of any current KFOR helicopter, it carries bigger and heavier loads and more personnel than any other rotorcraft at its immediate disposal. The two Mi-171s are therefore intensively used and rarely ‘on deck’ at Camp Bondsteel. Commanding the detachment, Maj Bernard Bartoluci adds: “As helicopter pilots we consider mountain flying as particularly challenging and I’d say any mission that involves transporting troops or cargo to a FOB [forward operating base] at 2,500 metres or higher is demanding, requires perfect piloting and good crew co-ordination. The Hip family has great hot and high performance and since some of Kosovo’s mountaintops are at almost 3,000 metres, it’s a big advantage! “Multinational and multi-ship exercises are things we don’t have a lot of opportunity to do back home and I think flying them here is very beneficial, both for KFOR and for our younger pilots. This is the third deployment in Kosovo for all our in-theatre pilots and all of them have flown in Afghanistan as mentors for Afghanistan Air Force Mi-17V-5 pilots. We’ve been mentoring Afghan pilots since 2010, first in Kabul, then Mazar-e-Sharif and now in Kabul again.”

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KFOR HELICOPTERS

Slovenian detachment

The Slovenian Air Force, working closely together with the Croatians, also maintains a helicopter detachment at Camp Bondsteel on a four-month rotation. Usually, the Helikopterski Bataljon at Ljubljana/Brnik Airport deploys only one helicopter. Depending on requirements, normally a single Bell 412 or AS532AL Cougar is employed, supporting the 309 members of the 32nd Slovenian Armed Forces contingent and other KFOR troops.

The Swiss Air Force has detached helicopters to Kosovo since October 2002, rotating crew, depending on the situation in-country, every three to four weeks, but with extensions when necessary. Between 70 and 80% of the Swiss Air Force’s helicopter staff, pilots and technicians are required to cover a year of operations in Kosovo. Either the AS532 Cougar or AS332 Super Puma are deployed for the mission, the Swiss switching back to the Super Puma after an upgrade programme for the type was completed late in 2014. KFOR Joint Operations Air Command tasks the Swiss helicopters with troop, VIP and regular passenger transport, CRC missions, cargo movement, explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) support, reconnaissance, and medevac flights, which are limited by the on-board equipment. In summer the Swiss detachment often uses Bambi Buckets on firefighting missions within and outside the KFOR area of responsibility.

Moving to Pristina

According to Swiss Air Force Lt Col Marcus Levy, Chief of International Air Transport Operations at Dübendorf: “CRC operations might be a little more challenging. Medium threat-level missions close to the northern border are always particularly interesting because the situation can escalate very quickly. From a pilot’s perspective, however, winter operations in Kosovo are always challenging, even for well-trained Swiss crews, owing to fog and heavy snowfall reducing visibility.” The possible closure of Camp Bondsteel due to its unfavourable location in southern Kosovo led the Swiss Armed Forces to seek an alternative base. Pristina-Slatina Airport was chosen and by June 2016 the majority of helicopter operations had moved in. On August 1, 2016, KFOR Commander Maj Gen Guglielmo Luigi Miglietta and Maj Gen Philippe Rebord, Commander of the Swiss Armed Forces College, Chief of Staff Operational Training and Deputy Chief of the Swiss Armed Forces, officially opened the Swiss Compound at the new

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Rotary Wing Deployed Operational Base (RWDOB) at Slatina Military Aerial Port of Debarkation (APOD). Full operating capability had been achieved by year-end.

arrives in-theatre, we organise an exercise like Icarus, just to iron out differences. “Co-operation is excellent, especially between the Slovenians and Croatians since there’s no language barrier. There are even a few senior pilots that were classmates at the Air Force Academy of the former Yugoslav Air Force, and we’re stationed in the same building. But co-operation with the Swiss and US teams is also very professional.” Lt Col Levy adds: “Successful co-operation relates to culture, education and personal behaviour. But it’s aviation that brings us together and it usually takes just a couple of days to make new friends, because we’re talking about the same subjects.” KFOR’s presence has scaled down from around 50,000 troops from 39 countries in 1999, to approximately 4,600 troops from 30 countries in March 2017. Multinational Battle Group-East currently has 1,000 troops from around ten countries; the nations assigned to MNBG-E rotate every few months. Col Ross L Gammon, MNBG-E commander at Camp Bondsteel, says: “Training progression

Practice makes perfect

Ongoing tension between the Serb minority and ethnic Albanians means KFOR’s troops and aviation detachments must remain vigilant and well trained. Regular exercises practise co-operation between the aviation detachments and the KFOR units relying on their support. On June 8, 2016, for example, the large-scale Exercise Icarus tested interoperability and the implementation of multinational, multi-aircraft formations. Capt William Hathaway, Chief of Flight Operations at Task Force Redhawk (the nickname for the US Army’s 21st KFOR deployment) with Task Force Aviation at Camp Bondsteel says: “The exercise was set up to respond to complex situations and contingencies.” Aircrew from the US, Croatia and Switzerland participated with five UH-60Ls, two Mi-171Sh helicopters and an AS332 Super Puma, respectively. The Turkish Armed Forces provided CRC troops, assisted by US Army soldiers. “Our intention was to test tactics and techniques, and evaluate the leadership decision-making process in a complicated, challenging scenario that included casevac, CRC and downed helicopters,” Capt Hathaway explains. “Of course, it did not go perfectly, but after a thorough evaluation and work to perfect the skills learned in current and future operations and exercises, we hope to eliminate mistakes and enhance interoperability between KFOR partners.” The Croatian Air Force’s Maj Bernard Bertoluci reports: “There are always missions that need formations of different helicopters and these have never caused problems. Mission briefings are NATO-standardised and we all use the same phraseology and procedures. Usually, after a new contingent

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KFOR HELICOPTERS

Above: US Army National Guard aircrew of the 2-285th Assault Helicopter Battalion (AHB) ready for another mission over Kosovo. Left: A Slovenian Bell 412 undergoes maintenance at Camp Bondsteel. Below: A formation of two Mi-171Sh helicopters just north of the city of Ferizaj during a mission from Camp Bondsteel. Many of the senior Mi-171Sh pilots are mentors for student Afghan Air Force pilots.

for this mission is excellent. We begin with staff training at Fort Bliss [in New Mexico and Texas], followed by a full test with role players at JMRC [Joint Multinational Readiness Center] in Germany. Finally, we spend about ten days with the current unit to refine our skills before they depart. Here in Kosovo, we conduct monthly CRC training to maintain skills. The permissive environment also enables us to train in our core tasks, and we work on them from individual all the way up to brigade level, so we [US forces] gain readiness while forward deployed. “The situation in Kosovo is calm but fragile. KFOR’s presence and CRC capability bring stability. The Kosovan authorities have done well in maintaining stability and having KFOR as a third-tier response providing backup reinforces that stability. KFOR’s presence also helps enable political dialogue to continue peacefully. Our mission in Kosovo is based on UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and will not change. We’ll continue to support a peaceful, stable and multiethnic Kosovo, in accordance with UN decisions.”

Acknowledgements: The authors would like to thank the US Army National Guard, KFOR, MNBG-E, the Croatian Air Force, Swiss Air Force and Slovenian Air Force for their co-operation and hospitality during the compilation of this article.

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#352 JULY 2017 53

EXERCISE REPORT Northern Edge 2017

H T R O N U F

T T

ge is ern Ed f US h t r o N so a serie mand f o e n o Com Pacif ic is year, all : to ses t h exerci same goal to s he with t joint force in e s r e a s prep ond to cri if ic c p a s re ia-P n do - A s the In writes Søre . , n region Nielse

M

OST OF the lakes were still frozen and the mountains still covered in snow when dozens of fourthand fifth-generation fighters took to the skies over Alaska. As Exercise Northern Edge 2017 (NE17) kicked off on May 1, the jets were joined by surveillance and electronic warfare aircraft, tankers and transports from across the US military. With spring coming to Alaska in early May, the lakes wouldn’t remain frozen for long. And with the long hours of daylight and excellent weather, NE17 offered just the right training conditions.

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The Northern Edge exercises are designed to sharpen participants’ tactical combat skills, improve command, control and communication relationships and develop interoperable plans and programmes across the joint force. NE17 involved 6,000 personnel from US military units stationed in the continental United States and the Pacific, together with some 200 aircraft from all the services – the participants serving as part of a joint task force, practising tasks associated with joint operations. Major units taking part included US Pacific Command, Alaskan Command, US Pacific Fleet, Pacific Air Forces, Marine

Corps Forces Pacific, US Army Pacific, Air Combat Command, Air Mobility Command, Air Force Material Command, Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve and the US Naval Reserve. Colonel David Mineau, commander of the Alaskabased 354th Fighter Wing, explained: “The different US forces gathered to sharpen tactics, techniques, procedures, command and control, and interoperability with each other, against the most advanced, and the most complicated, scenarios they can face.” Most of the aircraft were divided between Alaska’s two

US Air Force bases, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER) in the south and Eielson Air Force Base in the north. Besides the local aggressors and tankers, Eielson hosted additional refuelling support plus two other USAF units on the base, although most of the aircraft were located at JBER. Fast jet, surveillance, electronic warfare, tanker and transport units from the US Marine Corps, USAF and US Navy all made ElmendorfRichardson their temporary home during the exercise. Col Christopher Niemi, commander of the USAF’s 3rd

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E R U T U F

H

TO THE

es oﬀ tor tak in 2A Rap mplex to jo en -2 F g o in 3rd W ska Range C s Søren Niels d e s a b ge Ala All ima locally aciﬁc Left: A the Joint P Edge 2017. s n d r r e a h t or tow ht at N the ﬁg

Wing, said: “Right now we have one runway on each base, so there’s a limit on the number of aircraft we can actually launch and recover at any one time. “But the other thing – a very positive aspect of the training – is that in a large-scale conflict we’d expect to have to operate from a number of different air bases. You can imagine how the aircraft would sit there and depart, and how we would have to synchronise in terms of times, so they would arrive at the same place at the same time.” While most of the local Alaskan units joined in the exercise, they were still ready to handle any

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situations that might come up. Col George Dietrich, commander of JBER and the 673rd Air Base Wing, explained: “The exercise aside, here at JBER we’re always going to be ready to respond to any real-world event. “If we had a call today we’d still be able to do that. The exercise gives us the opportunity to hone those skills just a little bit better.”

Expansive training area

To cover all scenarios and give participants the opportunity to achieve their goals, NE17 made use of Alaska’s generous training areas, with large-

scale radar/anti-radar and electronic countermeasures training conducted using the vast Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex (JPARC). “[Alaska is] a great venue for training,” said Lt Gen Ken Wilsbach, commander of Alaskan Command and the Eleventh Air Force. “We have the largest range space available to almost anybody in the world to practise techniques, tactics and procedures, not only for our airmen but also our soldiers, marines and sailors.” The JPARC airspace covers around 157,000km2 (60,618 sq

miles) over the southern and central parts of Alaska, plus a separate area of around 130,000km2 (50,193sq miles) over the Gulf of Alaska, both being used during NE17. Meanwhile the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) set up a special corridor between the two airspaces, so military aircraft could move from one to the other without risking confliction with civilian traffic. Col Niemi added: “We don’t have the opportunity to operate in airspaces that potentially we would be in during a conflict – [where] we wouldn’t expect a lot of airline traffic. Our work could

#352 JULY 2017 55

EXERCISE REPORT Northern Edge 2017 be in an area that’s very wide open and not heavily populated like the lower 48 [US] states. “So Northern Edge, with its expansive airspace here in Alaska allows us to bring all these assets in – other air force units, navy units, marine units – and integrate them all together in one place and time in the exercise.” Lt Gen Wilsbach noted: “We have a great opportunity because of the size of the range to train and maximise our assets,” adding: “It’s the size of Florida!”

Training rookies

Around 50% of the crews at NE17 were inexperienced and used the exercise to learn important Above: A 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron F-15C with the Talon HATE pod. Below: Several civilian contractors participated in Northern Edge, including Phoenix Air, which brought veteran G-159 Gulfstream I N192PA. Below right: CRJ-700 N804X is operated by Northrop Grumman as a radar tesbed and has also been seen carrying the F-15E’s ASQ-236 radar pod on test. Bottom: The busy ﬂight line at Elmendorf during Exercise Northern Edge.

“We have a great opportunity because of the size of the range to train and maximise our assets… It’s the size of Florida!”

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lessons for the first time. More experienced crews took a mainly leading role, instructing the others while improving their own leadership capabilities. “We have specific mission objectives on every sortie,” said Lt Gen Wilsbach. “We’re doing some experiments during this Northern Edge with additional hardware and software that’s brand new to the forces, [and] trialling it during the scenario so we can learn those tactics, techniques and procedures. “Much of that is classified, so we won’t publish what we’re learning, other than to say that we’re improving capabilities overall.” The ‘battlefield’ at NE17 was the classic ‘good guy against bad’: “It’s Red versus Blue,” said Lt Gen Wilsbach. “The Red Force side is primarily made up of aggressors – airmen that have the expertise to simulate threat tactics, techniques and procedures. We have aircraft, we have surfaceto-air missiles, cyber – and they can simulate many other things.” As well as having F-16Cs of the 18th Aggressor Squadron (AGRS) at Eielson AFB make up the Red Force, other participants also took on the role – and not just

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Above: The 9th Reconnaissance Wing deployed a U-2S to the exercise for the ﬁrst time. It was testing out new datalink technology. Below: One of two newly painted F-16C Block 30s of the 18th Aggressor Squadron, 86-0263 ‘AK/63’ wears the Arctic splinter scheme.

dedicated air superiority units: a typical mission might involve ten aggressor F-16s from the 18th AGRS supplemented by six F-15Es from Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina, and six F-16CMs from Misawa Air Base, Japan. In fact, almost all the flying units divided their time between ‘Red Air’ and ‘Blue Air’ missions. Besides military assets, civilian aircraft also took part in the exercise, equipped with sensors and jammers to add complexity to the training and simulating

#352 JULY 2017 57

EXERCISE REPORT Northern Edge 2017

Above: This Lockheed Martin-owned Gulfstream III is known as Dragon Star. It’s an Airborne Multi-Intelligence Laboratory (AML) and is specially configured as a flying test-bed with a wide array of sensors.

different threats and scenarios to challenge ‘Blue Air’.

Fifth-generation fighters

NE17 included two different fifth-generation fighters: the USAF’s F-22As operated side by side with Marine Corps F-35Bs, both types also integrating with fourth-generation fighters – comprising variants of the F-15, F-16 and F/A-18. The exercise was not all about training, but also offered an opportunity for continued

58 JULY 2017 #352

integration development of the fifth-generation jets, especially the F-35. Lt Gen Wilsbach explained: “We’re all learning what the F-35 can do, including the marines. So it’s of great benefit to see how all of it comes together – army, navy, air force and the marines – over both land and water. It will be a tremendous benefit at the end of this exercise.” There was also a chance to further test the new aircraft themselves. Loading them with new hardware and software

meant they could test new capabilities and operate the latest weapon systems in a large-scale operation. “When you acquire a new weapon system like the F-35, it’s not like going in and buying a car, where there are not really a lot of surprises,” said Col Niemi. “We have a very rigorous test and development programme, but the reality is when you’re dealing with something completely new and as complex as the F-35, despite our best efforts, there are going to

be some surprises and we’re going to learn some things.” The colonel already has extensive experience of the F-22 Raptor, which flew during NE17 with the F-35s: “I was fortunate enough to be involved in the early F-22 test programme, and some of the ideas of how we were going to employ the aircraft turned out to be exactly spot on,” he said. “But some of the ideas were way off the mark, and we didn’t know that until we had the opportunity to integrate. And there were

some things we discovered that we didn’t anticipate. “There were also some limitations we became aware of that we had to mitigate. By working with the F-35 we’re able to understand those, so that we can work better in an operational environment in the future.” Training with the F-35 and F-22 carried on after the exercise, and Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121 (VMFA-121) remained in Alaska for a few more weeks before returning to Japan – enabling the unit to conduct dedicated tests sideby-side with the F-22s of the 3rd Wing at JBER and the 18th Aggressors at Eielson, building on the experience gained during the two-week exercise.

Better than Red Flag?

The Northern Edge exercises are massive in scale, both in terms of the training areas used and the number of players involved. So to get all the involved flying units aligned and up and running for the short time the exercise ran wasn’t an easy task.

“The reality is when you’re dealing with something completely new and as complex as the F-35, despite our best efforts, there are going to be some surprises and we’re going to learn some things.”

Above: F-35B 169293 ‘VK-07’ was among the VMFA-121 ‘Green Knights’ Lightning IIs that joined the NE17 action, deploying back to the United States from their new home at MCAS Iwakuni, Japan.

But it closely reflected how real combat operations work, making the exercise as realistic as possible. Col Niemi commented: “I was fortunate enough to be here from 2007 to 2011, and during that time we had three Northern Edge exercises. I flew in two of those. Each year we continued to build on that, making it better and generally bigger. “When that younger pilot, or that younger operator, gets into a combat environment for the first time, they have that same

feeling as I did in 1999 [during Operation Allied Force, when Col Niemi served as a combat mission commander] – where it’s comfortable because they’ve seen it before and they know what to expect and how to deal with it. “My response, the first time I flew in Northern Edge, was that this is the closest exercise we have to combat operations, even surpassing Red Flag, for numerous reasons. “Red Flag is a very good exercise, but Northern Edge builds on it and takes it to the next level.

We’ve been able to improve it each year, and that’s what we’re doing again this year.” This year’s Northern Edge was the last with Alaskan Command in charge. Future exercises have been handed over to the US Pacific Command which will lead the next one in 2019. Acknowledgements: Thanks to Alaskan Command, and especially Capt Anastasia Schmidt, USAF; LT Mikel Weigel, USNR; and Lt Kellie Rizer, USAF, for facilitating this article.

Above: Testing out new hardware and software was an important element of this exercise. F-15E 90-0252 ‘ET/40 FTS’ is from the 40th Flight Test Squadron at Eglin AFB, Florida. Left: Misawa-based F-16CM 94-0038 ‘WW’ of the 13th Fighter Squadron waiting for its turn on the tanker, while two F-15Es from Eglin join. The F-16 carries a centreline AN/ALQ-184 electronic countermeasures self-protection pod. Below: A VFA-14 ‘Tophatters’ F/A-18E Super Hornet taxies out for NE17 carrying a single AGM-154 Joint Stand-Off Weapon (JSOW) under the port wing.

#352 JULY 2017 59

FORCE REPORT Russian Air Power in Kaliningrad

KNIGHTS OF C Above: Mi-24VP ‘36 Red’ on combat air patrol over the landing area at the Khmelyovka training range on May 21, 2016 during a demonstration of BF capabilities. Note the weapons load-out – a pair of 20-shot B-8V-20 pods for 80mm S-8 rockets and four twin pylons for 9M114 Kokon anti-tank guided missiles. All photos Alexander Rybalchenko unless otherwise stated. Below: The two latest Su-30SM ﬁghters delivered to the 72 AvB are ‘71 Blue’ and ‘72 Blue’, seen here while landing at Tolmachyovo International Airport (Novosibirsk) on May 27, after covering the ﬁrst leg (932 miles/1,500km) of the ferry ﬂight from the factory at Irkutsk to its new base at Chernyakhovsk (over 3,728 miles/6,000km in total). Additional Su-30SM aircraft are expected to arrive later in 2017. Alexey Poshin

O

RIGINALLY A German territory, Kaliningrad was part of East Prussia, but annexed by the Soviets immediately after World War Two. With the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the region (which had the formal status

60 JULY 2017 #352

of an Oblast – a region of the Russian Soviet Federal Republic) became a federal subject of the newly constituted Russian Federation – a coastal exclave on the Baltic Sea, surrounded by Poland and Lithuania. Kaliningrad gained strategic

importance during the Cold War, when the headquarters of the Baltiyskiy Flot (BF, Baltic Fleet) moved here and its largest port was built in the adjacent city of Baltiysk. In contrast to the Black Sea Fleet, most of the BF’s assets

remained under Russian control in 1991 and were assigned to the Voyenno-Morskoy Flot Rossiyskoy Federatsii (VMF, Russian Navy). After 1991 a large number of units of the various branches of the Vooruzhyonniye Sily Rossiyskoy Federatsii (VS RF, Armed Forces of the Russian Federation) in the region were disbanded or downsized and ultimately placed under the control of the VMF or, more precisely, the BF. This applied to the various aviation assets in the Kaliningrad region. After years of reform, the single aviation unit remaining in the area is the 72 Aviatsionnaya Baza (AvB, Aviation Base) of the Morskaya Aviatsiya Baltiyskogo Flota (MA BF, Naval Aviation of the BF), headquartered at Chkalovsk air base, which currently operates Mi-24 attack helicopters, Su-24

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F CHKALOVSK

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The exclave of Kaliningrad is of immense strategic importance to the Russian armed forces and host to a number of its air assets, as Vladimir Trendafilovski explains.

bombers and Su-27 interceptors plus various shipborne and land-based naval aircraft.

A new Cold War?

The Kaliningrad region, including the BF and its 72 AvB, is part of the Western Military District of the VS RF. As the westernmost territory of the Russian Federation, wedged between two NATO countries and separated from the rest of Russia, it plays a key role in all military operations in the Baltic Sea area. Despite this, the 72 AvB was never prioritised to receive new or modernised aircraft. It had to continue using Soviet-era aircraft, some of them still in original Soviet paint, their scheduled overhauls long overdue. All this would change. In spring 2013 the then Voyenno-

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Vozdushniye Sily Rossiyskoy Federatsii (VVS, Russian Air Force) began conducting missions in the Baltic Sea area. They soon became a serious concern for the West and appeared to be aimed not only against local NATO members but also against the neutral states in the region – Finland and Sweden. The missions ranged from single-aircraft electronic intelligence (ELINT) missions – performed by the Il-20 – to complex multi-aircraft mock night-attack missions by Tu-22M3 bombers escorted by Su-27s. Russian aircraft would often fly too close to the airspace of other countries during these missions, briefly violating it on several occasions and forcing NATO’s Baltic Air Policing (BAP) mission to scramble its quick

reaction alert (QRA) aircraft to intercept the intruders. Tensions between the Russian Federation and the West in the Baltic region began to rise sharply. The US and NATO soon began applying constant pressure on local VS RF assets, sparking a chain of events that closely resembles the old Cold War. Understandably, the isolated Kaliningrad region would become their main focus. The pressure mounted in autumn 2013 and culminated after the annexation of Crimea the following spring. As well as regular patrols by German Navy P-3C CUP+ aircraft based at Nordholz, P-3Cs from other European NATO nations and the US Navy began making regular patrols in the area. Royal Danish Air Force CL-604

patrol aircraft also make an occasional appearance and, most recently, the US Navy began deploying the P-8A. Furthermore, various Western ELINT aircraft began flying close to Russian airspace on a regular basis, testing the reactions of the local air defence network and trying to spot any new deployments in the area. They include US and British RC-135s (see Watching Russia watching us, June 2017, p37-42) and Swedish S 102B Korpen aircraft. Meanwhile NATO E-3A AWACS surveillance aircraft also make regular appearances in the area and, as a result, the Kaliningrad area air defence network was now under great strain – especially aircraft on QRA duty, which had to scramble regularly. To keep Russian aircraft

#352 JULY 2017 61

FORCE REPORT Russian Air Power in Kaliningrad in check, the BAP aviation component was ultimately bolstered in May 2014 by establishing a second base at Estonia’s Ämari air base, 17 miles (27km) southwest of Tallinn. And more recently there’s been a significant influx of US ground troops in the region (including Poland and the Baltic states) as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve.

Rebuilding In autumn 2013, the 72 AvB represented just a shadow of the units it had taken over in 2010. Seriously downsized, it lacked operational aircraft, many of its

veteran pilots had retired and its squadrons were left with rookie crews requiring extensive training to perform their regular duties. At this point Western ELINT aircraft began to pay regular visits to the area. Suddenly 72 AvB found itself – largely unprepared – at the forefront of what appeared to be a new Cold War, a rude awakening that finally forced the VMF to put more effort into restoring the combat capabilities of the 72 AvB. The most problematic of the units was the fighter squadron, equipped with Su-27Ps, which lacked air-to-

Left: Ka-27PS ‘29 Yellow’ and Ka-27PL ‘37 Yellow’ during regular training at Donskoye. ‘29 Yellow’ is presumed to be under overhaul at the 150th ARZ and will soon return to its parent unit, probably with a new code in the 4x range. This photo: Ka-27PS ‘28 Yellow’ was last overhauled at the 150th ARZ in June 2010 and is seen here while displaying its SAR capabilities. Note the SLG-300 rescue winch with 300kg capacity (one of the distinctive features of the Ka-27PS). Below: The emblem of the MA BF (Naval Aviation of the Baltic Fleet). Author

72nd Aviation Base The 72 AvB of the MA BF is the only aviation unit based in the Kaliningrad region. Originally formed as the 7054 AvB of the MA BF at Chkalovsk on March 1, 2010, the unit took over all aviation assets in the region. They included the 689th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment (with Su-27s) and 125th Independent Helicopter Squadron (with Mi-8s and Mi-24s) at Chkalovsk; the 4th Guards Independent Naval Ground-Attack Regiment (with Su-24Ms, being reformed into the 7052 AvB in late 2009) at Chernyakhovsk; the 398th Independent Transport Aviation Squadron (with An-26s and a Tu134, being reformed into the 7053 AvB in late 2009) at Khrabrovo; and the 396th Independent Shipborne ASW Helicopter Squadron (with Ka-27s) at Donskoye. The 7054 AvB retained the awards and honorary titles of the former 7052 AvB only, while all the other units were stripped of their awards and honorary titles and became subordinated

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squadrons, remaining at their original bases. The only exception was the transport squadron, which became an independent transport detachment and relocated to Chkalovsk, but was later incorporated into the shipborne ASW helicopter squadron (since renamed as a mixed aviation squadron) from Donskoye as a SAR and command aviation detachment, remaining at Chkalovsk. The 7054 AvB released non-naval assets to the 7000 AvB (HQ at Baltimor-Voronezh air base) of the VVS on June 1, 2011, its ﬁghter and helicopter squadrons at Chkalovsk becoming part of the 7 Aviatsionnaya Grupa (AvGr, Aviation Group), while the ground-attack squadron at Chernyakhovsk became the 8 AvGr of the 7000 AvB. Owing to planned reconstruction of Chkalovsk air base, in mid-October 2012 all the aircraft and helicopters based

there (both from the 7054 AvB and the 7 AvGr of the 7000 AvB) were ﬂown to Chernyakhovsk air base, remaining here until reconstruction was complete. The 7054 AvB was renamed the 72 AvB on December 15, 2012, and within a year – on December 1, 2013 – the 7 and 8 AvGr of the 7000 AvB were returned to the MA BF, again becoming three separate squadrons of the 72 AvB. Originally a third-grade aviation base, the 72 AvB then became a second-grade base, its full title being the 72 gvardeyskaya aviatsionnaya Novgorodsko-Klaypedskaya Krasnoznamyonnaya imeni marshala aviatsii I I Borzova baza (2-go razryada) or ‘72nd Guards Novgorod-Klaipėda [awarded with an Order of the] Red Banner aviation base named after Marshal of Aviation I I Borzov (2nd grade)’. In addition to the existing squadrons, in 2014 it received an UAV squadron at Chernyakhovsk.

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ground capability. In March 2014, the unit had five rookie pilots just back from theoretical training and yet to begin basic training on the Flanker. Only four of its Su-27Ps (one of which, ‘32 Red’, was long overdue an overhaul) and a single two-seat Su-27UP (‘100 Red’) were airworthy. With their home base of Chkalovsk, 4 miles (7km) northwest of the centre of Kaliningrad, under reconstruction since 2013, the fighters have been temporarily detached to Chernyakhovsk air base, 50 miles (80km) east of Kaliningrad, which is not only unsuitable for QRA duty but also severely congested as it’s temporarily housing all the units from Chkalovsk. Despite this, the squadron’s veteran pilots managed to cope with their QRA assignments and even successfully trained their young colleagues. Although the unit had a shortage of airworthy aircraft, its pilots were not lacking initiative, as the opposing ELINT crews would soon learn. The Russians’ trademark aggressive close-quarters manoeuvres can be perceived as very dangerous – especially for those on the receiving end – but usually force an intruder to break off and abort the mission. Owing to the relatively high

number of ELINT sorties, these close encounters occurred quite often and the US regularly issued protests against the actions of the Su-27 pilots, usually terming them ‘reckless’, ‘unsafe’ and ‘unprofessional’. The airworthiness situation finally normalised in 2015, six aircraft arriving fresh from overhaul, bringing the total to ten. Five were the unit’s own Su-27Ps, plus one two-seat Su-27UB transferred from the 790 Istrebitelnyy Aviatsionnyy Polk (IAP, fighter aviation regiment) at Khotilovo air base. Finally, in May 2017 a pair of its own Su-27Ps returned from overhaul, bringing the unit’s strength to 12 aircraft.

Fencer force

Attention was also given to the ground-attack squadron at Chernyakhovsk. Most of its aircraft have returned from overhaul and there are now at least ten airworthy Su-24Ms, which have also played a role in the ‘new Cold War’ in the Baltic. Their most notable involvement was on April 11/12 last year when the guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) was buzzed by pair of Chernyakhovskbased Su-24Ms on multiple occasions in international waters off the coast of Kaliningrad.

Mi-24VP ‘35 Red’ moments after taking oﬀ from its temporary home base at Donskoye. Together with ‘34 Red’, it was one of only two Mi-24VPs that were overhauled at the 150th ARZ in 2011-13, receiving this overall grey paint scheme with RF registration number and ‘VVS ROSSII’ titles – the latter changed to ‘VMF ROSSII’ (as seen here) when the parent unit transferred back to the 72 AvB in late 2013.

72nd AvB structure Sub-unit

Aircraft types

Location

Headquarters

–

Chkalovsk

Fighter Aviation Squadron

Su-27P, Su-27UB, Su-27UP

Chkalovsk (Note 1)

Helicopter Squadron

Mi-8MT, Mi-8PS-9, Mi-8TP, Mi-24VP

Chkalovsk (Note 2)

Ground-Attack Aviation Squadron

Su-24M, Su-30SM

Chernyakhovsk

Mixed Aviation Squadron: SAR and command aviation detachment

An-26, An-26KPA, Tu-134A-3

Chkalovsk (Note 3)

Mixed Aviation Squadron: Shipborne Ka-27PL, Ka-27Ye ASW helicopter detachment

Donskoye

Mixed Aviation Squadron: Shipborne Ka-27PS SAR helicopter detachment

Donskoye

UAV Squadron

Chernyakhovsk

Forpost

Note 1: Temporarily detached to Chernyakhovsk as Chkalovsk is being reconstructed. Note 2: Temporarily detached to Chernyakhovsk and Donskoye as Chkalovsk is being reconstructed. Note 3: Temporarily detached to Chernyakhovsk and Khrabrovo as Chkalovsk is being reconstructed. Below: The 72 AvB helicopter squadron operates two ﬂights of Mi-24VPs (total of eight helicopters) and a ﬂight of four various Mi-8s. All its Mi-24VPs were recently overhauled at the 150th ARZ. Those arriving after 2014 received a ‘typical’ camouﬂage scheme, seen here on ‘31 Red’ at Chernyakhovsk on July 16, 2016.

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FORCE REPORT Russian Air Power in Kaliningrad Baltic Air Policing (BAP) mission Established on March 29, 2004, the BAP had the sole task of round-the-clock policing of the airspace of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania when these oﬃcially joined NATO. Originally it was conducted by ﬁghter detachments from other NATO countries on a three-month rotation at Šiauliai in Lithuania, a former Soviet air base 110 miles (178km) northwest of the country’s capital Vilnius. Nowadays, rotation is conducted every four months and, with rising tensions with the Russian Federation in this area, in May 2014 a second (so-called ‘augmenting’) detachment was established at Ämari air base – another ex-Soviet facility – in Estonia. Since May this year the lead detachment at Šiauliai has consisted of four F-16Cs of the Polish Air Force from the 31. Baza Lotnictwa Taktycznego (23rd

Tactical Aviation Base) at PoznańKrzesiny air base. The augmenting detachment at Ämari comprises ﬁve EF-18M ﬁghters of the Spanish Air Force from Ala 15 at Zaragoza. To stress the importance of BAP, two US Air Force F-35As of the 34th Fighter Squadron at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, arrived at Ämari on April 25 this year for a brief visit, supported by a KC-135 from RAF Mildenhall, Suﬀolk. The new stealth ﬁghters were temporarily based at RAF Lakenheath, Suﬀolk, for several weeks to participate in joint training ﬂights with aircraft of the USAF and other allied air forces in Europe. It was not the ﬁrst visit to the region by USAF stealth ﬁghters. On April 27, 2016 a pair of F-22As arrived at Šiauliai for a brief visit. In both cases, UK-based RC-135 ELINT aircraft were operating on routine missions in the area.

A still from footage taken by a Portuguese Air Force P-3C CUP+, showing Su-27P ‘90 Red’ of the 72 AvB intercepting it over the Baltic in November 2014. The Su-27P carries pairs of infrared-guided R-73s (outer wing pylons), IR-guided R-27Ts (inner wing pylons) and radar-guided R-27Rs (between the engine nacelles). FAP via author

Above: Su-24M ‘04 White’ on ﬁnal approach at Chernyakhovsk on June 22, 2016. Note the Guards badge on the nose and an unusual weapons load-out, consisting of a single B-8M rocket pod under its port wing. On May 16 this aircraft, together with ‘02 White’, buzzed the Dutch frigate HNLMS ‘Evertsen’ in the Baltic.

This led to more protests from the US, along the same lines as those issued for the actions of their Su-27 colleagues. On December 13 last year the unit received the first brand-new aircraft delivered to MA BF – an Su-30SM multirole fighter (‘70 Blue’). Two additional Su-30SMs followed on May 28. The rotary-wing squadron originally based at Chkalovsk with Mi-8 transports and Mi-24VP attack helicopters is now dispersed at Chernyakhovsk and Donskoye air bases. Most of its aircraft are usually found at the latter, 25 miles (40km) northwest of Kaliningrad.

This squadron too was in fairly poor shape, with only a single Mi-8PS-9 and a pair of Mi-24VPs in use. However, almost its entire Mi-24VP fleet and at least three Mi-8s have been overhauled and returned to service, largely thanks to the 150 Aviatsionnyy Remontnyy Zavod (ARZ, Aircraft Repair Plant), whose main facility is just 7 miles (11km) west of Kaliningrad at Lyublino (an additional facility is located at Chkalovsk air base). The squadron now has eight Mi-24VPs and four Mi-8s airworthy. Of these, one Mi-24VP is kept on constant QRA duty at Chernyakhovsk, ready to counter

72nd AvB aircraft, April 2017 Serial

RF code

c/n

Type

Remarks

Serial

RF code

c/n

Type

Remarks

21 Blue 22 Blue 23 Blue 25 Blue 27 Blue 15 Yellow 19 Yellow 28 Yellow 29 Yellow 42 Yellow 43 Yellow 44 Yellow 46 Yellow 47 Yellow 50 Yellow 61 Red

RF-46897 RF-46899 RF-34186 RF-34184 RF-34185 RF-34187 RF-34177 RF-34171 RF-34175 RF-34174 RF-34183 RF-34212

2807 4601 4602 5902 6202 5235004889608 5235001788604 5235001786608 5235004889610 5235002822214 5235002822202 5235002822211 5235002822210 5235002822208 -

An-26 An-26KPA An-26 An-26 An-26 Ka-27PS Ka-27PS Ka-27PS Ka-27PS Ka-27PL Ka-27PL Ka-27PL Ka-27PL Ka-27PL Ka-27Ye Mi-8MT

37 Red 38 Red 01 White 02 White 03 White 04 White 05 White 06 White 07 White 08 White 09 White 61 White 90 Red

RF-34197 RF-34204 RF-33844 RF-_____ RF-33846 RF-34003 RF-33833 RF-33848 RF-33842 RF-_____ RF-12033 RF-33843 RF-33740

353258__10342 1241603 1241605 1241610 1241607 1241608 1241611 1041621 36911029413

Mi-24VP Mi-24VP Su-24M Su-24M Su-24M Su-24M Su-24M Su-24M Su-24M Su-24M Su-24M Su-24M Su-27P

62 Red

RF-34218 -

Mi-8TP

63 Red 64 Red

RF-90840 95083 RF-19002 8612

Mi-8MTV Mi-8PS-9

91 Red 92 Red 93 Red 94 Red 95 Red 96 Red 99 Red 100 Red

RF-33747 RF-33748 RF-33749 RF-33745 RF-33754 RF-33756 RF-33758

36911031002 36911031104 36911031105 36911030715 36911032818 36911032920 36911027920 96310418202

Su-27P Su-27P Su-27P Su-27P Su-27P Su-27P Su-27P Su-27UP

30 Red 31 Red 32 Red 34 Red 35 Red 36 Red

RF-_____ RF-34205 RF-34199 RF-34207 RF-34208 RF-34201

Mi-24VP Mi-24VP Mi-24VP Mi-24VP Mi-24VP Mi-24VP

Airﬁeld calibration aircraft In overhaul since 2016 Ex 33 Yellow Ex 36 Yellow Ex 35 Yellow Nuclear detection variant Camouﬂage scheme. Ex 325 White Airborne command variant. Camouﬂage scheme Camouﬂage scheme VIP transport, in ‘Rossiya’ scheme. Camouﬂage scheme Camouﬂage scheme Camouﬂage scheme Overall grey scheme Overall grey scheme Camouﬂage scheme. Ex 39 Red

101 Red

RF-92436 96310432304

Su-27UB

Camouﬂage scheme Camouﬂage scheme Named ‘Ivan Borzov’ Ex 10 Red. Named ‘Grigoriy Rechkalov’ Ex 26 Red Ex 28 Red Ex 29 Red Ex 24 Red Ex 34 Red Ex 36 Red Ex 01 Red Ex 64 Red. Named ‘Aleksandr Pokryshkin’ Delivered overhauled in 2015 (ex 60 Red of 790 IAP)

70 Blue

-

Su-30SM

101 Blue

RF-66003 63900

64 JULY 2017 #352

353258__10141 353258__10470 -

10MK51406

Delivered from the factory on December 13, 2016 Tu-134A-3 Personal aircraft of the BF commander

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Finland

Aland Islands

Helsinki

Sweden

St.Petersbu

Gulf of Finland Stockholm Tallinn Ämari Hiiumaa

low-flying, low-speed targets, for which the Su-27s are unsuitable. The mixed aviation squadron within the 72 AvB has not been neglected. The anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and search-andrescue (SAR) detachments with Ka-27 shipborne helicopters, operating from Donskoye, have begun to receive equipment fresh from overhaul. Most, if not all, of the helicopters have come from the 150th ARZ, bringing the squadron’s total to ten. Among them is the unit’s single Ka-27Ye – a rare Ka-27PL variant designed to detect nuclear weapons aboard ships. The mixed squadron’s transport detachment (officially known as a ‘SAR and command aviation detachment’) is temporarily based at Chernyakhovsk and also operates from Khrabrovo International Airport, 10 miles (16km) north of Kaliningrad. It has four An-26 transports (one of which is a calibrator for the approach systems on military air bases) and a single Tu-134, the personal aircraft of the BF commander, which, along with two of the An-26s, has recently been overhauled. Another An-26 should return from overhaul in the near future. The detachment’s pilots are continuously engaged on transport tasks for the BF due to the current situation. As the short route over Lithuania has not been available since 2003, the transports are forced to fly over the Baltic Sea via the Leningrad region. This adds flight hours to their trips to and from Russia proper. The BF was, meanwhile, the last of the four VMF fleets to receive a squadron of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), in 2014, which is now under the 72 AvB and located at Chernyakhovsk. It operates

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Estonia

Russia

Saaremaa

Gulf of Riga

Latvia

Riga Baltic Sea

Šiauliai AB

Lithuania

Donskoye

Belarus

Khrabrovo

Kaliningrad Oblast (Russia)

Kaliningrad Chkalovsk

Chernyakhovsk

Poland

Vilnius

Minsk

Above: In March 2014 the 72 AvB had four Su-27Ps (‘01’, ‘10’, ‘24’ and ‘32 Red’) and a single Su-27UP (‘100 Red’) airworthy. Of these, ‘32 Red’ was the last of the unit’s non-overhauled aircraft in active service, still showing remnants of its original Soviet paint scheme. By late 2014 it had been sent to Pushkin for overhaul, returning as ‘97 Red’ in May 2017.

#352 JULY 2017 65

FORCE REPORT Russian Air Power in Kaliningrad two Forpost UAV complexes – licence-built Searcher IIs. Their main role is tactical reconnaissance, and they are used to relay real-time target data to the fleet’s artillery and aviation units, correcting artillery fire or assessing the results of artillery/aerial strikes. In peacetime their other missions include surveillance of border areas and the movements or actions of friendly troops – which helps the BF Command assess the preparedness and effectiveness of subordinated units during manoeuvres. As well as increasing levels of airworthiness, training has also been stepped up in all the 72 AvB aviation units. Depending on the type of aircraft, each one now regularly trains for its main and secondary roles in close co-operation with all other BF assets such as ships and naval infantry units. Training takes place both on training ranges on the coast and inland as well as at sea, and has led to a notable increase in combat readiness, a good example being the Ka-27 pilots: after a long period of insufficient training, they are now all proficient in close formation flying (in pairs) and operations aboard ships. Many are also cleared for ASW or SAR sorties at night or in bad weather. Exercises using live weapons have increased both in quantity and quality. They include the use of guided air-to-ground missiles. Aircraft from the 72 AvB frequently take part in exercises beyond the Kaliningrad area,

Above: Tu-134A-3 ‘101 Blue’ lands at Khrabrovo International Airport on October 29, 2016. This is the personal aircraft of the BF Commander and is fitted with a Balkany special communications suite. This aircraft was recently overhauled at the 407th ARZ in Minsk (Belarus), returning with a few new details, including a VMF flag on both sides of the fuselage and the registration RF-66003. Below: Il-20M ELINT aircraft frequently visit the Baltic area, often operating from Khrabrovo International Airport. Deployed from Kubinka, Il-20M (c/n 173011502, ex ‘20 Red’) lands at Khrabrovo on June 13, 2015. Having been based in the former East Germany until 1994, this Il-20M is still in its original Soviet-era configuration.

while some local events are attended by aircraft of the Vozdushno-Kosmicheskiye Sily Rossiyskoy Federatsii (VKS, Russian Aerospace Forces – the new service formed on August 1, 2015 as successor to the VVS) from other parts of the Western Military District. These include Su-34s of the 47 Otdelnyy Smeshannyy Aviatsionnyy Polk (OSAP, independent mixed aviation regiment) from Baltimor-Voronezh air base, which prepares aviation

units to deploy to begin operating from other bases at short notice.

Future plans

The arrival of the first Su-30SM with the 72 AvB at the end of last year launched what is set to be a wave of transfers of new or modernised aircraft and helicopters to counter the ongoing deployment of additional US and NATO assets in the Kaliningrad area. Well informed sources suggest that, in addition to the new

Above: An-26KPA ‘22 Blue’ lands at Chkalovsk. This aircraft was fitted with Standart calibration equipment, used for optimising approach and navigation aids on military air bases. However, this equipment was recently removed and it is now used as a normal An-26 transport.

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Su-30SMs, the 72 AvB will soon have modernised Ka-27M ASW helicopters plus additional transport and combat helicopters, including Ka-52s and Mi-28s. It’s highly likely that, in the near future, the 72 AvB will be reorganised in a similar manner to the 7057 AvB – which, formerly the single naval aviation unit of the Black Sea Fleet, based in Crimea, became two independent naval aviation regiments in 2014. But it’s not clear what will become of its UAV squadron if this happens. The MA BF has no other reconnaissance assets in the Kaliningrad area, the Su-24MRs having previously transferred to the 7057 AvB. With the exception of this squadron, the units of the other three VMF fleets are now scheduled to become independent UAV regiments by the end of the year. All this suggests that when the 72 AvB is ultimately transformed into separate regiments, its UAV squadron will remain under one of them. In the meantime, Chkalovsk air base, undergoing reconstruction since 2013, is expected to return to service by 2018. It will undoubtedly become the main MA BF air base as it can accommodate all the aircraft currently based at Chernyakhovsk.

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L-39/L-159

CZECH REV Aero Vodochody has experienced some fairly tough times over the past decade or so. But as AFM’s Alan Warnes discovered, with L-159 ALCA production resumed and the new L-39NG on the scene, the future looks much brighter.

Main photo: US company Draken International has purchased 21 L-159Es, which are used as ‘Red Air’ tactical aircraft in US military exercises. See also ’Enter the dragon’, May 2017, p60-67. José M Ramos

T

HINGS ARE looking up for Praguebased Aero Vodochody. New life has been breathed into a company that celebrates its centenary in 2019. Having built its reputation with the manufacture of more than 6,000 L-29 and L-39 jet trainers at the height of the Soviet era, the company faced uncertainty with the collapse of communism in the early 1990s. However, acquisition by Czech/Slovak-owned Penta Investments in January 2007 has seen millions of dollars of investment. One of the private equity group’s shrewdest moves came in May of

68 JULY 2017 #352

last year, when it appointed the charismatic Giuseppe Giordio as president and CEO. Between 2011 and 2015, Giordio served as the CEO of Alenia Aermacchi, one of Aero Vodochody’s main rivals. After developing jet trainers such as the M-345 and M-346, he and his Italian management team have set about trying to turn Aero Vodochody’s fortunes around. He is pleased with progress on the military side: “The first phase of the new-generation L-39NG is complete and we are about to start the second. We are building the L-159 again

and L-159s are selling – to Iraq and US-based Draken International, and we have hopes of upgrading the Czech Air Force L-159 fleet.”

Maintaining relationships

When a first L-39 user group meeting for many years was held last September, it helped the company understand the main issues of the different customers and how to resolve them. Giordio told AFM then: “Our new strategy is to provide an attractive logistics support, maintenance and repair approach. The event also provided us

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L-39/L-159

VOLUTION with a chance to show our new L-39NG.” Most in the industry were aware of Aero’s previous shortcomings in aircraft support, which led to many air forces sending aircraft to other companies in Israel, Romania and Ukraine. Some, like IAI Lahav and Ukraine’s Odessa Aircraft Plant even offered upgrades. Aero’s Chief Business Officer and another former Alenia Aermacchi executive, Massimo Ghione, summed it up: “It is not just about selling – we have to maintain relationships with customers too. Aero Vodochody is a private company and while it’s profitable now,

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we have to make the company sustainable over the next ten years or so. It is all part of our strategic plan. Fortunately, we also have the support of the Czech government and Omnipol [the Czech government’s defence and aerospace intermediary].”

L-39NG

More than 60 countries acquired 2,957 L-39s and 60 L-59s between 1971 and 1992, but following the demise of the Warsaw Pact and break-up of the Soviet Union, support for these aircraft dried up. It led to several fleets

of L-39s being grounded. Aero Vodochody saw its workforce depleted as work dried up. Giordio is keen to rebuild relationships with L-39 operators. “Our priority is to fix the current fleets, then talk about new aircraft.” The message seems to be getting through. Algeria and Tunisia sent their L-39/L-59s to Aero Vodochody last year for repair and overhaul. The new-generation L-39NG, launched at Farnborough International Airshow in July 2014, brings renewed hope to the company. Building upon the success of

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FEATURE

The original L-39 The first L-39 to fly – there were 11 in the prototype programme – was X-02, which took to the air on November 4, 1968. However, it wasn’t until 1971 that the cutting-edge Ivchenko AI-25TL turbofan engine, specifically tailored for the jet, was installed and flight-testing could begin. The first production-standard aircraft, 0101 to 0115, were delivered to Czechoslovakia in 1974. Deliveries to the Soviet Union began early the same year and a second batch (0448 to

the earlier L-39, it has been upgraded with new Genesys Aerosystems avionics – which include a new multi-function display (MFD), a head-up display (HUD) and US-built Williams International FJ44-4M engine. The powerplant was developed for the civilian light bizjet market but also powers the military M-345 and upgraded Saab 105 trainers. Being non-ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) listed, it will not affect sales to Aero’s customers, many of whom are subject to these restrictions. In the cockpit, an advanced modular glass avionics and communications system will work alongside an embedded virtual training system to bring new capabilities and cost-effective training. The airframe will also eventually feature a new ‘wet’ wing and weigh less. However, a fullscale development aircraft will not be built until there is a launch customer The innovative wet wing, which houses a fuel cell, has already been certified and will be one of the major modifications in the L-39NG as well as the new L-159s. Giordio adds: “We have reduced the weight of the L-39NG by taking off the wingtips. For the L-159 we will maintain the wingtips because they help optimise the aircraft’s aerodynamics. “The wet wing adds about an hour’s endurance on the L-39NG, pushing it up to 4hrs with weapons. The L-159’s endurance will be increased by an hour to 3hrs 40mins. That extra hour is basically a training mission.” A re-engined L-39, 2626, made its first flight as the L-39NG on September 14, 2015, but the first phase of development was not completed for a year. Most of the work revolved around modifications to the engine and proving the functionalities of the cockpit’s new avionics has also taken time. Together they are viewed as phase one of the upgrade.

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0449) was delivered to Czechoslovakia in 1975. Around 60 were delivered to Czechoslovakia, and were split between the Czech Republic and Slovakia when the two became separate countries on January 1, 1993. Aero’s L-39/59s have been sold all over the world, and have served in Abkhazia, Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Chad, Chechnya, Cuba, Egypt (L-39s and L-59Es),

Estonia, Ethiopia, Georgia, East Germany, Ghana, Equatorial Guinea, Hungary, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Libya, Lithuania, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Romania, Russia, the Soviet Union, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Tunisia (L-59T), Uganda, Ukraine, the United States, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Yemen.

Above: The L-39C remains the backbone of the Russian Aerospace Forces’ jet trainer fleet. After graduating from one of three air academies, flight training begins during the third year in the L-39. The fourth year sees candidates divided into fighter, attack/tactical bomber, or transport/longrange aviation branches, and training continues in the L-39. Yuriy Pieshyk Right: The Belarusian Air Force L-39 fleet includes the survivors of 36 aircraft inherited from the Soviet Union. A number were overhauled in Bulgaria from 2003 and another batch of ten second-hand aircraft was acquired from surplus Ukrainian stocks, following overhaul, in 2005-06. Stanislav Bazhenov

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L-39/L-159

Czech Air Force L-159T+

Above: Work on an L-159T+ upgrade for the Czech Air Force was carried out using company demonstrator 6073, referred to as the L-159T2X. This mainly involved fitting new avionics in the front and rear cockpit and updating the Grifo radar. Alan Warnes

The Czech Air Force is set to receive the upgraded L-159T+. With the original L-159T1s lacking Grifo radar, radar warning receivers or chaff/flare countermeasures, much of this work was taught in the training room. However, the L-159T+ will boast an upgraded mission system, avionics and Grifo radar – a dual-seater with the same capability as the

single-seat L-159A. Prototype L-159T+ 6067 was seen on display with the company in late March. Manufactured on September 29, 2003, it was one of the last to roll off the Aero Vodochody production line. Before being converted to a dual-seater L-159T1 on October 12, 2007, it had flown 251 hours, and clocked up another 505 hours in that configuration

before it was upgraded to L-159T+. It is now undergoing a test phase before delivery to the Czech Air Force. Czech and foreign pilots will be trained from the screening stage all the way to tactical combat, at the international training centre currently set up by LOM Praha (see accompanying boxed item ‘Czech Republic service’).

Giordio said of the L-39NG: “Potential sales will evolve in two stages. We see current fleets being upgraded to the phase one standard. Phase two would occur when the airframe’s residual flying hours are completed. Then the avionics and engines could be integrated into a new airframe. Alternatively, we could of course, sell new production aircraft with the new systems installed.” Massimo Ghione provided some insight into future markets: “We are currently talking to about ten countries about the L-39NG. For most of them the best solution is upgrading their jets; you can fly five or six years and then make a decision on the new airframe. It means personnel will already be trained before the new airframe arrives. For new customers, we are offering the L-39NG direct.” Aero Vodochody is targeting a first sale of a phase one L-39NG by the end of 2017, certification by the end of next year and delivery of the first new aircraft by the end of 2019. It believes there is a market for 120 L-39NGs over the next five years. According to Ghione, the L-39NG is so modern it will change current training concepts. “You can train in most things in the simulator and this aircraft. It means the L-39NG can perform basic trainer, advanced trainer and lead-in fighter trainer (LIFT) roles. Any country [like the Czech Republic] that flies the Gripen could use the L-39NG for the entire training syllabus, apart from screening. With the HUD we can simulate almost anything.” Differentiating between the L-39NG and L-159 is simple, according to Ghione: “With its five hardpoints the L-39NG could be viewed as a basic trainer with a light strike capability, whereas the L-159 is an advanced trainer with a full strike capability with seven hardpoints and a Grifo radar.”

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#352 JULY 2017 71

L-39/L-159

New production L-159

Above: The ﬁrst new L-159 to be built at Aero Vodochody since 2004 was unveiled on March 31. The dual-seat L-159T1 is destined for the Iraqi Air Force and has been used to train Iraqi pilots since being rolled oﬀ the production line in late December 2016. Alan Warnes

Undoubtedly one of the biggest achievements of the Italian management team was the manufacture of a new L-159 ALCA after a production gap of 13 years. Its public debut on March 31 came in a ceremony attended by Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka. The

Aero Vodochody president and CEO, Giuseppe Giordio, told the invited audience the company was now ready to start production. “We know there is a relevant market and we know the L-159 is the only aircraft currently on the market proven in various types of

[combat] missions.” The new dual-seat L-159T1 was handed over to the Iraq Air Force on December 31, but its national colours and serial were covered at the ceremony, as the company was keen not to identify the operator.

The ﬁrst Bulgarian L-39ZA was overhauled by Aero Vodochody and re-delivered in July 2013, while the last completed its general overhaul at the end of last year. The six-strong ﬂeet is set to serve until the mid-2020s. Alexander Mladenov

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L-39/L-159

The prototype L-39NG, 2626, with modiﬁed FJ44 engine, made its ﬁrst ﬂight in September 2015 and is now entering its second phase of development. Alan Warnes

L-159 ALCA

Between 1991 and 1993, investment in a new derivative of the L-39, the L-139, saw the jet entered for the United States’ Joint Primary Aircraft Training System (JPATS) competition. However, it lost out to the Raytheon T-6A in mid-1995. At the same time, Aero Vodochody had opted to develop a new L-159 Advanced Light Combat Aircraft (ALCA), aimed

specifically at Czech Air Force requirements and to replace its ageing MiG-21 fleet. The ALCA included a US-built Honeywell F124 powerplant and avionics that complied with NATO standards, the Czech Republic having joined the alliance in 1999. The advanced Grifo multi-mode radar was also integrated. Within a month of the first dual-seat L-159B (5831) being rolled out on June 12, 1997, the Czech Air Force had placed an order for 72

aircraft. The L-159B made its first flight on August 2, 1997, the single-seat L-159A version followed on August 18 of the following year, and the first production L-159A’s maiden flight occurred on October 20, 2000. However, decreasing budgets and Prague’s decision to lease 14 ex-Swedish Air Force JAS 39C/D Gripens in 2004, reduced the need for the L-159. Many went straight from the production line into storage. The Czech Air

Czech Republic service After Czechoslovakia divided in 1993, the Czech Republic received 17 L-39Cs, 17 L-39ZAs and four L-39V target tugs. In 2004 the Czech Republic government set up the Aviation Training Centre (CLV) as part of LOM Praha, which took on eight L-39Cs that had gone through a mini upgrade. All eight were grounded due to a problem with the AI-25TL powerplant, which led to four being reengined. The other four were put in long-term storage. The Czech Republic ordered 72 L-159s in July 1997, but with cuts to the defence budget, the number was decreased to 24. It led to the

remaining 48 going straight into store at Aero Vodochody. Following a restructure of the Czech Air Force in 2013 all remaining L-39ZAs (3903, 5015, 5017 and 5019) and L-159T1s became part of the 213. výcviková letka (213th Training Squadron) at Čáslav. Today the Czech Air Force operates 15 L-159As and three L-159T1s with the 212. taktická letka (212th Tactical Squadron) and 213. výcviková letka at Čáslav. Two L-159T1s and three L-159As were involved in a deal with Airbus that saw the Czech Air Force acquire four C295Ms. The whereabouts of these T1s is unknown.

The L-159A ALCA has been operated by the Czech Air Force since September 2000. The variant is operated by the 212th Tactical Squadron and 213th Training Squadron at Čáslav. Aero Vodochody

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#352 JULY 2017 73

L-39/L-159 Force only required 24 for close air support and training, so the remaining 48 were kept, perfectly preserved, until a buyer could be found. For more than a decade the bulk of them remained in storage. In 2006, the Czech Ministry of Defence contracted Aero to convert four (later increased to six) of the single-seat L-159As into two-seat L-159T1 aircraft for conversion training.

Breakthrough

At Farnborough Airshow in July 2014, Aero Vodochody announced that Florida-based Draken International, renowned for its contract work with the US military, was set to acquire 14 L-159Es with options for a further 14. Nearly three years on, Draken International has altered its needs to 21 jets, to be delivered in three batches of seven. Two batches are already in the US and marked their adversary support debut with the US Marine Corps during Exercises Agile Lightning and Wing Fury, from January 26 to 31 this year. The jets used their Grifo radar to simulate advanced threat aircraft and missiles. Acting as aggressors, they played a full part in an anti-area/access denial scenario for the USMC, which operated F-35Bs alongside F/A-18 and AV-8B aircraft. On March 9, 2015, after several years of negotiations, the Czech government announced an initial deal to supply 15 L-159s worth $29.68m (750m koruna) to

Ukrainian Albatros When it was established in 1992, the Ukrainian Air Force operated 708 L-39s – and was the second largest operator. Ukraine entered into an L-39 upgrade agreement with IAI Lahav in the mid-2000s. The aircraft included an enhanced AI-25TLS engine along with a new avionics suite but the package

Above: Some operators, including Thailand, employ the weapons-capable L-39ZA in a frontline combat role. This L-39ZA/ART carries AIM-9P Sidewinder air-to-air missiles and serves with 411 Squadron ‘Thunder’ at Chiang Mai. Giovanni Colla

the Iraqi Air Force, of which three were to come from Czech Air Force stocks. The order was later amended to ten single-seat L-159As and two twin-seat L-159T1s. The first pair of L-159As from Aero was delivered to their new base at Balad in November that year. They have since been joined by the remaining eight single-seaters. The Iraqi ALCAs are operated by the 115th Squadron, and have been in action against so-called Islamic State, employing guns

proved too expensive and failed to attract any customers. The local defence ministry opted to improve the L-39 with indigenous systems and resources, which led to a first flight on November 14, 2009. There were three derivatives – M1, M2, and M3 – which signalled varying degrees of enhancement. Eight were eventually delivered but half

and rockets in the fighting for Mosul. Two dual-seat L-159T1s (6069 and 6084), have yet to be delivered and are used for training Iraqi Air Force pilots. Serial 6084 was built at the Aero Vodochody plant (see New L-159 rolled out, May 2017, p10), the first time an aircraft has left the production line there since 2004. All the tooling and jigs have been reassembled in one of the hangars. Should new customers come forward, the production line will once again see action.

of them were taken over by Russia when it occupied Crimea. The current status of the programme is unclear. With two major aircraft repair facilities, at Odessa and Chuguev, Ukraine became masters of L-39 overhauls and modifications, which led to many being exported to other countries, including 250 to the US alone.

Below: A Ukrainian Air Force L-39C takes part in the Sea Breeze exercise in 2015. As well as a discreet albatross marking on the engine intake, the aircraft wears the insignia of the 299 brihada taktichnoyi aviatsiyi (brTA, tactical aviation brigade). Alexander Golz

74 JULY 2017 #352

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RAF NO 1 (FIGHTER) SQUADRON

G N I D A LE ONT FR M O R F THE

76 JULY 2017 #352

d in an ngage mines e e r a exa rons squad mie Hunter . n o o h Typ ands le. Ja fighter und schedu s these dem o r u E t mee ntline ear-ro ce’s fro emanding y ossiemouth r o F ir yal A nd d R AF L The Ro ely diverse a quadron at S extrem 1 (Fighter) o N how

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RAF NO 1 (FIGHTER) SQUADRON

G Above: No 1(F) Squadron at RAF Lossiemouth is typical of the ﬁve frontline Typhoon squadrons, with a vast range of missions and commitments. All photos Jamie Hunter Left: The squadron insignia is a winged numeral ‘1’ that originated during World War One as a wreathed roundel with Royal Flying Corps wings.

L

OOKING AT the overall Royal Air Force combat air fleet, it’s easy to see why a modern frontline fighter squadron would be an extremely challenging, yet hugely rewarding environment to work in. British foreign policy ambition has remained largely unaltered in the past 25 years, yet the available fast jet squadrons have dwindled significantly. As if to compound this in terms of expectations for these remaining squadrons, today’s combat air fleet no longer features a range of single-role aircraft, rather those with multi-role versatility to meet an array of missions. This is vital because air power is always the tool leaders reach for when the call to action comes. For the RAF, the Tornado GR4 is in its twilight years, due to be retired from

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service in 2019 after one of the most illustrious and combat-proven careers in military aviation history. Filling the Tornado’s shoes is no easy task, yet the Eurofighter Typhoon has evolved to become a willing and capable successor, able to offer highend air-to-air and air-to-ground capabilities.

RAF Typhoon Force

The RAF front line currently includes five squadrons of Typhoon FGR4s. Three of these are at RAF Lossiemouth, Moray, with

Nos 1(F), II(AC) and 6 Squadrons resident there. When the call came to boost the UK’s commitment under Operation Shader in the Middle East campaign against so-called Islamic State in December 2015, the ‘Lossie Wing’ was called into action at short notice. It’s an enduring mission for which the five Typhoon squadrons must remain prepared, as well as their broader remit of potential missions centred around their core role of defending the UK via the quick reaction alert (QRA) mission. For a squadron like No 1(F), it’s a constant cycle of QRA, combat operations, defending the British territories overseas, defence engagement, exercise programmes, and a range of commitments in between. Wg Cdr Chris Hoyle, Officer Commanding No 1(F) Squadron says: “The beauty of

#352 JULY 2017 77

of air power. They are clearly proud to be part of an incredible organisation.

Challenges ahead

Frontline Typhoon pilots now wear the Helmet Mounted Sighting System as a matter of course.

being part of a multi-role squadron is that every day is different. Each week has a slightly different training focus, from the core tasks of quick reaction alert, defensive counter-air to close air support and strike missions. To prepare the whole squadron, we try to achieve full mission rehearsal with coalition partners and conduct training from different bases around the world. We have to carefully manage the skill sets across the squadron to ensure we have the right balance of qualifications and tactical leaders. In the past six months we have trained with US F-22s, F-35s and F-15Es, with French Rafales, Malaysian Hornets and Flankers. Much of that training was in a simulated, operationally degraded environment — we are keenly aware that we can’t just practise these demanding missions once every 12 months and hope to be world class at it. It’s something that takes continuous practice and the careful development of our tactics and procedures.” Those tactics and the way in which the squadron ‘fights’ are the responsibility of the resident squadron Qualified Weapons Instructor (QWI). The never-ending training remit is not just about new pilots arriving from the Operational Conversion Unit (OCU) and teaching them how to drop weapons

in a close air support or dynamic targeting scenario. It’s about the whole range of mission sets that the Typhoon fulfils. It is the QWI who develops a squadron training programme that encapsulates all elements of the Typhoon’s diverse mission and ensures that when the call comes, the squadron is always ready to go. Wg Cdr Hoyle explains: “We have to be ready for anything and we train for any permutation of mission set. We need to be prepared for anything that our commanders and country might ask of us. If that’s an operation in a contested environment, then our force is well placed as our Typhoons have developed and matured to enable us to operate and survive in that environment.” A typical RAF frontline fast jet squadron comprises 16-20 pilots, but 85% of the squadron manpower is engineers. These dedicated specialists work long days and are away from home for long periods. Therefore, units take squadron ethos extremely seriously. Those on No 1 (F) Squadron, for example, are acutely aware that this illustrious flying unit traces its roots back to 1878 as the world’s oldest military flying unit that has been involved in every major combat operation since the birth

Indicative of the pace at which a modern fast jet squadron operates, in addition to the daily demands, the Typhoon Force is on the cusp of a massive new round of capabilities. These are new elements being added to the Typhoon’s already diverse remit that will further transform its multi-role attributes through what has been called ‘the most ambitious period of weapons and software integration that the RAF Typhoon community has seen’. Project Centurion is the bedrock of the future UK Typhoon Force and will make the aircraft a perfect complementary platform to the incoming F-35B Lightning II for decades to come. By 2019, the RAF expects to have embodied both Phase 2 and Phase 3 Enhancements (P2E/P3E) on to its Tranche 2/3 Typhoon aircraft, which will include the ability to employ the MBDA Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM), the Storm Shadow stand-off cruise missile, and the dual-mode seeker (DMS) Brimstone II air-to-ground weapon that has proven so effective for the Tornado. It means that in a single platform, the Typhoon will embody everything from being a deadly close-in fighter, a quick reaction alert thoroughbred, a BVR airto-air slayer, a precision air-to-ground striker, and a long-range stand-off cruise missile penetrator. It’s a hefty workload for one platform, let alone a single pilot to keep abreast of and stay current at. Right: A BAE Systems test Typhoon FGR4 with Meteor, Paveway IV and Brimstone ﬁtted during trials work.

The P1(E) upgrade added the potent Raytheon Paveway IV precision-guided bomb.

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RAF NO 1 (FIGHTER) SQUADRON A No 1(F) Squadron Typhoon FGR4 returns to Lossiemouth after a weapons mission on the nearby ranges.

No 1(F) Squadron is the designated lead squadron for the integration of Meteor, which this is seen as a ‘world-beating’ weapon for the Typhoon, with a lethal ‘kill zone’ and impressive long-range capability. The P2E test work has been building steadily and both the Meteor and Storm Shadow elements of P2E are expected to be fielded before the end of this year. BAE Systems is also well advanced with P3EA for the UK and the integration of Brimstone 2 towards service entry with the RAF ‘by 2018’. With these new capabilities come an uptick in training and readiness commitments for the front line. Wg Cdr Hoyle says: “The true test of bringing new hardware and software into service is ensuring that the front line has

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the ability to employ the new development in a simple yet effective manner, giving a world-class capability with an unmatched combat edge. Each and every pilot needs to be able to effectively employ these weapon systems and that is only possible through ingenious integration and the development of effective tactics at an early stage. This enables the force to excel across all spheres of employment.” Looking out past Project Centurion, the UK Strategic Defence and Security Review of 2015 specifically mentioned support for the capability upgrade afforded by the E-Scan radar for the Typhoon, although this sits outside the current initiative.

The much-hyped E-Scan for Typhoon is now well into flight-testing, however, it is unclear how it fits into current RAF planning. It would appear that in the near-term, the RAF is keenly aware of the need for persistence and precision. This could indicate a desire to bring conformal fuel tanks into the equation, and to possibly upgrade the current Litening laser designator pod.

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Preliminary report on RCAF CT-156 Harvard II crash

Above: Royal Canadian Air Force CT-156 Harvard II 156115 following its crash on January 27. RCAF Directorate of Flight Safety

AN INITIAL accident investigation report into the loss of a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) CT-156 Harvard II on January 27 (see Attrition, March, p90) has been released by the RCAF’s Directorate of Flight Safety. The report, published on March 27, identifies the aircraft as 156115 and it came down 13nm southwest of its base at 15 Wing, CFB Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. The Harvard II was operating with a two-pilot crew from 2 Canadian Forces Flying Training School (CFFTS). The mission was an instructional flight to practise visual sequences, including basic aerobatics. The

two crewmembers consisted of a qualified flying instructor (QFI) in the rear seat and a student pilot (SP) in the front, who was at the controls. During a pull up into an aerobatic sequence, the QFI was not satisfied with the manoeuvre’s progress and instructed the student to recover. The QFI expected the student to execute a nosehigh unusual attitude recovery, however, the front-seater selected the power control lever (PCL) to idle as per the ‘inadvertent departure from controlled flight’ checklist. The QFI then took control

of the aircraft and selected the PCL to full power, to continue with a nose-high unusual attitude recovery. Due to the initial nose-high attitude and the reduction of the PCL to an idle power setting, the airspeed dropped to 75kts. The QFI then brought the PCL back to idle to reinitiate the ‘inadvertent departure from controlled flight’ checklist. As the nose dropped to below the horizon, the QFI continued with a nose-low recovery. A low oil pressure caution, followed by an engine chip warning light, illuminated on recovery and coincided with

degraded engine performance. With the aircraft below a forced landing glide profile for a return to base, an attempt was made to climb to an altitude where such a glide would be possible. The attempt was unsuccessful and the engine performance continued to degrade, leading the crew to carry out a controlled ejection. Both ejected safely, although one sustained minor injuries during the ejection. The aircraft was destroyed in the subsequent ground impact. The investigation is focusing on human factors and mechanical factors, as well as training measures.

that they had touched in midair. Both were temporarily withdrawn from service while an investigation got under way. The two captains were subsequently detained for several days in a military prison.

south of Highway 70, during a sortie from Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. The Reaper was returning to base at the time. The cause was not immediately apparent.

D: May 4 N:Philippine Air Force T: UH-1D S: 8469 The pilot and two crew members were killed and the co-pilot injured when this helicopter crashed at 1456hrs just after concluding an air-to-ground and disaster rescue operation training exercise at Camp Capinpin, Tanay, Rizal. A fifth passenger managed to jump clear and was uninjured. The UH-1D came down in trees on

Accident Reports D: May 2 N:Israeli Air Force/ 103 Squadron T: 2 x C-130J-30 Shamson S: 662 and 665 While carrying out a formation flypast to mark Israel’s Independence Day, the two aircraft made contact, although the aircrew on both C-130s were unaware of the incident. It was only during a post-flight inspection on the ground that the discovery of scuff marks on the wings made it apparent

D: May 2 N:US Air Force/49th Wing/ 9th Attack Squadron T: MQ-9A This UAV crashed at approximately 1130hrs, near Walker Ranch, 7 miles (11km)

D: May 3 N:Indian Army Air Corps T: Cheetah This helicopter crashed at the army’s Siachen Brigade headquarters at Partapur, North Ladakh, following engine failure. The crew was unhurt.

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

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Sitio Hilltop, Barangay Sampaloc village, just 0.1 miles (0.2km) from Camp Capinpin, after a technical failure and was destroyed. The injured co-pilot was taken to the Armed Forces of the Philippines Medical Centre in Quezon City. All PAF ‘Hueys’ were temporarily grounded pending investigation into the cause. The PAF later identified the fatalities as pilot-in-command Capt Christian Paul Litan, crew chief SSgt Byron Tolosa and gunner A1C Joseph De Leon. The injured co-pilot was 1st Lt Ceazar Linas. The helicopter was one of seven refurbished ex-German UH-1Ds acquired from a joint venture between Rice Aircraft Services and Eagle Copters several years ago as part of the AFP Modernisation Programme. Another of these refurbished UH-1Ds had crashed on November 7, 2015, injuring nine on board – see Attrition, December 2015. D: N:Russian Navy/100th Independent Fighter Aviation Regiment T: MiG-29KR S: ‘41 Blue’ An image that began circulating on the internet on May 6 shows a previously unknown accident involving this aircraft, which overturned and came to rest completely inverted, possibly at Severomorsk-3 air base. It is unclear when the incident took place, however it is worth noting that there has been significant snowfall. D: May 8 N:Korea Forest Service T: Ka-32T S: HL9414 While performing firefighting operations at Samcheok at 1146hrs, the helicopter struck an electricity wire and the crew was forced to perform an emergency landing in a stream. Although the helicopter remained intact and did not appear seriously damaged, one of the three on board, a maintenance worker, lost consciousness and died later after being taken to a nearby hospital. D: May 10 N:Unknown T: Unidentiﬁed UAV

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Above: Russian Navy MiG-29K ‘41 Blue’ on its back at an unconﬁrmed airﬁeld, believed to be Severomorsk-3, following an accident of which no details are known. The image was ﬁrst circulated on May 6, but it is unclear when the incident took place. via Twitter

Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF) F-16s shot down this unidentified UAV near the northern border with Syria using an air-toair missile. An RJAF official confirmed that the wreckage was being recovered in the northern province of Mafraq for analysis. D: May 10 N:Slovak Ministry of Interior/ Police T: Bell 429 S: OM-BYM Almost immediately after takeoff from the military helicopter base at Nižná Šebastová, near Prešov, control of the helicopter was lost and it spiralled into the ground from a height of 328ft (100m), coming down just 656ft (200m) from its takeoff site. The helicopter was written off and two firemen on board were killed, one on impact and the other later in hospital in Košice after emergency surgery. The two pilots survived, but one was in critical condition and the other stable but seriously injured.

D: May 13 N:Iraqi Air Force T: Bell IA-407 This helicopter was shot down by a rocket launched by so-called Islamic State terrorists from an area to the west of Mosul. It then crashed on the eastern side of the city and both crewmembers were killed. The Iraqi military’s Joint Operations Command confirmed that it had been hit by hostile fire and two air force personnel had been killed while it was assisting the federal police in efforts to retake villages from the militants in the desert area west of Mosul. D: May 15 N:Japan Ground Self-Defense Force/Northern Army Air Group/HQ Squadron T: Beech LR-2 (Super King Air 350) S: 23057 ‘JG-3057’ Radar contact with the aircraft was lost at 1147hrs, 18nm west of Hakodate Airport, while it was en route from Sapporo/ Okadama Airport to Hakodate Airport to pick up a patient. It

had been called out to assist with an air ambulance flight because bad weather at Hakodate had prevented the local government air ambulance helicopters from flying. The wreckage was found the following morning on a forested mountain near Assabu, Hokkaido Island, at a height of 1,000-1,300ft (304-396m). It was confirmed that all four on board (two pilots and two technicians) had been killed. D: May 19 N:Libyan Air Force T: L-39ZO Albatros During an operation by government and allied militia to retake Brak al-Shati air base, this aircraft was set on fire and destroyed on the ground. It is believed it was already out of service at the time. D: May 19 N:Royal Saudi Air Force T: F-15 This aircraft was allegedly shot down by Yemen Armed Forces with a surface-to-air missile

Above: The remains of a Libyan Air Force L-39ZO at Brak al-Shati air base after it was destroyed on the ground during an operation to retake the base on May 19. via Twitter

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ATTRITION T: SF260WL Warrior S: 461 This aircraft was reported missing at around 1500hrs during a reconnaissance mission from Al-Kufra air base to obtain information about Sudanese rebel vehicles near the southeastern Libyan border. The burnt-out wreckage was found the following day in the Hanager district. Both pilots, Sadam Ghaith and Mohammed Hasnawi, died in the crash.

Panamanian Servicio Nacional Aeronaval EC145 AN-136 on its side on a beach in Punta Chame after an emergency landing on May 22. CECR

while taking part in the Saudiled coalition bombing effort in Yemen. It was said to have crashed in the Najran area of Saudi Arabia after being targeted by forces in the northern Yemen town of Saada. The fate of the pilot is unconfirmed, but some reports say he ejected after reaching Saudi airspace. D: May 21 N:Algerian Navy T: AW101 Mk610 During a routine night rescue training flight, this helicopter collided with an electricity pylon at 2140hrs local time and crashed on a farm near the town of Ahmer-El-Ain, in the Wilaya of Tipasa, about 31 miles (50km) west of Algiers. Three crewmembers on board were killed and the helicopter was destroyed in a post-crash fire. D: May 22 N:Panamanian Servicio Nacional Aeronaval (SENAN) T: EC145 S: AN-136 While en route from Santiago, Veraguas province, to Panama Pacifico Airport, after a search and rescue mission, at 1445hrs the helicopter was struck by a flock of birds, resulting in a loss of tail rotor thrust. The pilot made a controlled emergency landing but flipped over on a beach in the Punta Chame sector. The crew were unhurt but the EC145 was substantially damaged. D: May 22 N:USAF/436th Airlift Wing

T: C-5M S: 86-0020 After being unable to lower the nose undercarriage on approach to Rota Air Base, Spain, the crew circled for over an hour attempting to solve the problem. Eventually, as the aircraft’s fuel state became critical, they were forced to land, by which time they had been able to extend the nose gear, but only by around six inches. The aircraft came to rest with little damage to the airframe – the crew and 21 passengers were unhurt and able to evacuate safely. D: May 23 N:Indian Air Force T: Su-30MKI Radar and radio contact with this aircraft was lost at around 1110hrs during a routine training mission as part of a two-ship formation on a sortie from Tezpur Air Force Station. Its last reported position was 37 miles (60km) northwest of Tezpur. After being declared overdue, search and rescue operations commenced to locate the aircraft and its two pilots. Help was sought from civil administration and military authorities for the SAR effort. After an extensive search – that was considerably hampered by bad weather – the wreckage was found on May 26 in an almost inaccessible thick forest 37 miles from Tezpur. Sqn Ldr Pankaj and Flt Lt Achudev were both killed in the crash. D: May 23 N:Libyan National Army Air Force

D: May 24 N:Spanish Air Force T: INTA SIVA UAV While undertaking a training flight, this unmanned aerial vehicle crashed near Babilafuente in the Morinigo municipality, for reasons unknown. It came down in an open field, but sustained considerable damage. D: May 24 N:Tunisian Air Force/ 16 Squadron T: L-59T Super Albatros Following a technical malfunction, the aircraft crashed at its base at Sfax Thyna International Airport. There were no fatalities, but it was not reported whether either crewmember was injured. D: May 25 N:Indian Government of Maharashtra T: Sikorsky S-76C++ S: VT-CMM Within two minutes of taking off from the Nilanga helipad in the Latur district of central Maharashtra at 1200hrs for a flight to Mumbai-Juhu Airport, the helicopter encountered strong, gusting winds and the pilot decided to land back again. However, the helicopter

sustained substantial damage after it became entangled in wires and landed hard. Both crewmembers and all four passengers, including chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, survived without serious injury. D: May 25 N: Pakistan Air Force T: F-7PG This aircraft crashed near Mianwali During a routine operational training flight from PAF Base M M Alam. The pilot ejected safely. D: May 29 N:Hellenic Air Force/ 114 Combat Wing/332 Mira T: Mirage 2000EG S: 239 During a sortie from Tanagra Air Base, this aircraft suffered a technical failure and crashed at 1225hrs local time 15nm south of Sporades while participating in a training exercise with another Mirage 2000 from the same unit. The pilot ejected safely and was picked up by a HAF Super Puma at 1330hrs before being flown to the 251 General Aviation Hospital. D: May 29 N:Sri Lankan Air Force/ 6 Helicopter Squadron T: Mi-17 While descending to land on a mission to distribute food to a flooded village in Baddegama, the helicopter struck a house and crashed. There were no casualties on the ground and the crew also escaped unharmed but the Mi-17 was substantially damaged. Additional material from: Asagiri Yohko, Donny Chan and Scramble/Dutch Aviation Society

Above: Government of Maharashtra Sikorsky S-76C++ VT-CMM following its crash landing on May 25 near the Nilanga helipad.

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

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ITALIAN AIR FORCE FLIGHT TEST

U Q E G N O AM

T S FIR

of st unit e t t h g eye. the f li o Volo, ars to a pilot ’s p p u r G e t 1º n bring al why. rk of 31 The wo n Air Force, ca o Guidi reve m a the Itali i Colla and Re n Giovan

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he motto of the 311º Gruppo Volo (311th Flight Squadron) of the Reparto Sperimentale Volo (RSV, Flight Test Department) is ‘Primus Inter Pares’ – ‘First Among Equals’. It is apt because the unit is recognised as a worldwide centre of flight-testing excellence. The aim of the RSV is to support the operational squadrons of the Aeronautica Militare (AM, Italian Air Force) through experimentation, integration and validation of weapon systems, either during their entry to service or subsequent modification. In recent years the RSV has substantially increased this support, via the Operational Technical Certification, a procedure that enables rapid and autonomous implementation of technological solutions in order to satisfy new requirements

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emerging from hostile environments. The RSV’s workload is divided into several areas and is usually assigned by the Stato Maggiore Aeronautica (SMA, the Chief of the Air Force): with more than 100 on-going tasks, this represents the core activity of the RSV. Lt Col Aniello V (full name withheld for security reasons), commander of the 311º Gruppo Volo, who has 3,400 flight hours on 55 different aircraft, told AFM: “The tasks arrive at the Co-ordination Centre of the RSV. It can happen that we do a task where there is no need to use aircraft, such as feasibility or engineering studies. Depending on the type of request, the chief of the Co-ordination Centre decides on the distribution of tasks.” The tasks involve the RSV’s various groups, of which there are four: 311º Gruppo Volo; the Gruppo Tecnico (GT, Technical Group), consisting primarily of engineers; the Gruppo Gestione Software (GGS, Software

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S L A U Q

Management Group); and the Gruppo Ingegneria per l’Aero-Spazio (GIAS, Aerospace Engineering Group), which deals with space programmes. “Around 80% of the tasks pass through the 311th,” Lt Col Aniello V continued. “The final stage of many activities involves flight test, and either aeromechanical developments or software upgrades can be tested on our aircraft.” Once the tasks have been determined, a work team is created, and a responsible project manager (PM) is identified. Generally, an engineer is preferred as PM because pilots are often busy outside the base. Along with the PM, the project pilot (PP) is also determined. They will be chief of flying activity and will develop the test programme alongside the engineer. As well as the PP, there will be other pilots

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ITALIAN AIR FORCE FLIGHT TEST

RSV history

Today’s RSV continues the legacy of the Dir ezione Superiore Studi ed Esperienze (Di rectorate of Higher Stu dies and Experiments) of the Regia Aeronautica (Ita lian Royal Air Force, as it was called until 1946), Italy’s original ﬂight test centre, established in 1935 at Guidonia-Montecelio near Rome. In 1948, the Nucleo Speriment ale Volo (Flight Test Un it) was created from what survived the destruction of Wo rld War Two and, on October 15, 1949, it became the RSV. On July 1, 1956, the department was struct ured as two main un its: a ﬂying unit, the 311º Gruppo Volo, and a Technical Group, today known as the Gruppo Tecnico (GT). The following yea r, the department moved from Guidonia to its current home at Pratica di Mare, southwest of Rome. In July 1994, the Gru ppo Gestione Softwa (GGS, Software Manag re ement Group) joined the RSV and became a reference point for aircraft sof tware issues. In July 2014 the Gruppo Ing egneria per l’Aero-Spa zio (GIAS, Aerospace Engineering Group) als o become part of the department, with the aim of testing spa ce systems, expanding the domain of the Aeronautica Militare up to sub-orbital ﬂigh ts.

designated to support this work. Unlike the flight-test community in the United States, for example, all RSV pilots can fly all the department’s aircraft and helicopters. “Although we have a project pilot, as soon as there is a need to have another pilot, after they’ve been briefed by both the PM and PP, we can use them even if they’re not actually dedicated to the project,” said Lt Col Aniello V. “This allows us great flexibility. Because there are not so many personnel in the squadron, and its activities are so many, we can guarantee all programmes run on time.” The RSV has over 300 personnel including engineers and pilots, many with experience in France, the UK or US.

Above: Stunning Tornado IDS CSX7041 ‘RS-01’ celebrates the 60th anniversary of the 311º Gruppo Volo (311st Flight Squadron) of the Reparto Sperimentale Volo (RSV, Flight Test Department. All photos Giovanni Colla

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The RSV test wing is responsible for the development, testing and validation of all Italian Air Force ﬂying ‘hardware’: aircraft, sensors and weapons.

Airshow duties Alongside its main activities, the 311º Gruppo Volo performs at airshows in Italy and around the world. The Chief of the Air Force selects the airshows to attend and the aircraft to be presented. Once an aircraft type is chosen, the RSV and the 311º Gruppo Volo commanders decide how to prepare a training programme that won’t interfere with daily test activities. Once deﬁned, the training begins and the selected pilot presents his routine to the squadron commander. If a pilot is making a debut appearance on the display scene, they are usually given last year’s programme to perform. Some modiﬁcations are made based on personal characteristics and preferences. The pilot prepares the programme over the Romeo R62 sea area, located between Terracina, Ponza and Gaeta. This is carried out at a safe altitude until the pilot feels secure. Tests can then begin over the airﬁeld. “[Over the airﬁeld] is the ﬁrst time they perform their show to the squadron commander,” explained Lt Col Aniello V. “We start at 1,500ft and then we go down. I have to check if the programme ﬂows and if the manoeuvres link up, because it is very diﬃcult to know from in the aircraft”.

Once the programme has been deﬁned, the pilot must perform ﬁve times at the nominal altitude of 500ft to become oﬃcial display pilot for the year. The pilot is required to ﬂy three missions in the ten days preceding each airshow in order to maintain the qualiﬁcation. During the display the pilot is always communicating with the ground commander, who guides the display. Lt Col Aniello V said: “With aircraft such as the C-27 and Tornado, due to their characteristics, they have some diﬃculties consistently locating the centre of the display. We call the manoeuvres from the ground. This means that any loss of communications will result, in most cases, in an interruption of the display, although it remains at the discretion of the crew, based on experience, context and weather conditions. “I was a display pilot for four years ﬂying the MB339CD, AMX and Tornado and I will remember those emotions all my life. It is a rewarding activity and completely diﬀerent from our other tasks. I remember the ﬁrst real display I made. I had tears in my eyes once I landed; it was the realisation of a dream. Experimental pilots like strong emotions, and this was one of those!”

Above: A 311º Gruppo Volo Tornado pilot. Flying on the Typhoon enables 311º Gruppo Volo test pilots to also maintain currency on the Tornado and AMX, as they are considered part of the same class. Below: The specially painted Tornado was oﬃcially rolled out at Pratica di Mare last October 27. The aircraft, c/n 357 (IS040), is an IDS attack aircraft that has undergone the Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU) – an A-200C in the Italian military the designation system.

The design of the Tornado’s special scheme was inspired by the oﬃcial 311º Gruppo Volo heraldry, and was applied by the Drudi Performance company in Rimini, Italy.

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ITALIAN AIR FORCE FLIGHT TEST Working with industry

Some of the tasks assigned to the RSV require working directly with industry. These are generally the more complex activities, for example, integration of new armament on the Tornado. For this the RSV defined a test-flying programme with Alenia, in which the company supported certification. Lt Col R M, Chief of the Co-ordination Centre of the RSV said: “Other times we work independently, and directly with the air force, especially if we have an urgent requirement and we must complete the work as soon as possible. For example, to meet operational needs we had to integrate the RecceLite pod, already in service on the AMX and Tornado, on the Typhoon fleet. On that occasion, as usual, the various department groups worked synergistically. The Software Management Group developed avionics integration, and then it moved to the Technical Group who ran tests during flights by the 311º Gruppo Volo. “Consider that while the Tornado has a handful of onboard computers, the Eurofighter has about 60,” continued Lt Col R M. “There was a need to update the software so that the aircraft can first recognise the RecceLite among the various external loads, by adding it to the inventory. “Then it was necessary to study how it needed to interact with the pilot, what are the commands and so on. The pod was then mounted on the aircraft, in order to study if emitted radiation was compatible with the tolerances of the flight control system computer, with armament, etc. Finally, from an aerodynamic point of view, the pod had to be tested on the aircraft to identify possible vibrations that might enter the structure of the various components.” It took around three months to run all these tests, and after five months the RecceLite pod was certified on the Typhoon. “In this way, working independently of industry, we accelerated routine procedure that would have otherwise taken much more time,” Lt Col R M observed. The four-nation Eurofighter programme

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F-2000A Typhoon MM7278 ‘RS-23’ and TA-11B MM55034 ‘RS-18’. MM55034 was the ﬁrst AMX-T to be brought up to Aggionamento Capacità Operative e Logistiche (ACOL, Operational and Logistical Capability Upgrade) standard.

is an example of collaboration among departments analogous to the RSV. Individual requirements are shared and discussed with the other partners, they are grouped together, financed and then the test work is divided among the various test centres. Finally, the results are shared, and a new avionics release is issued. With the ‘Drop’ programme, Eurofighter released an avionics upgrade to address various bugs on Tranche 1 jets. “We have experienced the Phase 1 Enhancement Bravo [P1EB], the latest issued by the manufacturer, which gives the Typhoon a genuine multi-role capability thanks to the integration of different air-toground armament,” added Lt Col R M. Currently the RSV is running several Operational Test and Evaluation (OT&E) programmes, including Lockheed Martin’s Block 7 upgrade for the C-130J, the Gulfstream Conformal Airborne Early Warning (CAEW) aircraft, T-346, HH-101, Predator

and the Typhoon. Certain certifications are sometimes not released all at the same time, but gradually as new capabilities are explored. The squadron recently worked with the Italian Navy and the Italian Army to release a certification permitting the AH-129 Mangusta to land on the Italian aircraft carrier Cavour. The unit is also bringing the AM into the future of so-called fifth-generation fighters. The RSV co-operates in the development and integration of the new F-35 and has the important task of flying the latest Italian production aircraft to the US, where they join the 56th Fighter Wing at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, for training future Lightning II pilots.

Pilot requirements

The selection process for the 311º Gruppo Volo candidates is rigorous, as Lt Col Aniello V explained: “Every year we make the selection, looking for fighter pilots with combat-ready status and a minimum of 500 flight hours on a particular type.

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ITALIAN AIR FORCE FLIGHT TEST Left: Commander of the 311º Gruppo Volo is Lt Col Aniello V. As a display pilot he has flown the MB339CD, AMX and Tornado. Below: C-27J CSX62219 ‘RS-50’ warms up on the Pratica di Mare flight line.

Eurofighter MM7278 ‘RS-23’ cavorts with AMX-T MM55034 ‘RS-18’. The RSV makes good use of training areas over the sea close to its Pratica di Mare home.

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“They need to have been ranked in the top third at their previous academy course. Usually we select eight to ten pilots. They come to Pratica di Mare for two weeks and we let them try aircraft on which they don’t have too much experience. The flight profiles are quite complex and we test them on both fixed and rotary wing. We need to understand their ability to adapt, all in a short period of time.” The candidates undergo an initial test, then a series of lectures along with flights and briefings. These are followed by a flight and a theoretical exam. Lt Col Aniello V continued: “In this way, we see how the pilots have assimilated the information. This is crucial because the test pilot’s course lasts a year. It seems a long time, but the amount of information being given is huge. On average, there is a weekly theoretical exam, plus a practical exam every month.” A crucial part of the two-week selection is a ‘psycho-attitude interview’, conducted by the older pilots. It lasts more than an hour with questions geared to putting the candidates in a stressful situation to test their response. Lt Col Aniello V explained the importance of this test: “We are also consultants to the leaders of the armed forces, so we are required to make technical decisions on subjects that will then be determined by the highest ranks. During the psycho-attitude talks we create similar situations and put the pilot in front of difficult decisions. It seems trivial, but I have seen pilots failing in front of these stress conditions, despite being exceptional in other fields.” Depending on the success rates and programmes assigned to the RSV, up to three of the ten ‘cadets’ will be chosen to join the 311º Gruppo Volo. The selected pilots begin their course at Pratica di Mare and fly on all types, switching from propeller to jet on alternate days or even the same day, gaining experience and increasing their mental agility. They push the limits of the flying envelope, in order to get the most out of the courses they will subsequently undertake abroad.

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ITALIAN AIR FORCE FLIGHT TEST

Right: The Tornado display aircraft is likely to make a big impression on this year’s airshow circuit, continuing the RSV’s impressive display-ﬂying legacy.

Courses in the US are held at Edwards AFB, California, Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, and also at the civilian National Test Pilot School (NTPS), in Mojave, California. The NTPS programme provides an experience of exotic aircraft such as the MB326. “The training in the US lasts for almost a year. We have the opportunity to fly almost all of the aircraft available, depending on our preparation, with an average of 120 to 130 flight hours,” explained Lt Col Aniello V. “I personally flew 26 different types of aircraft, historic models included, even the legendary Phantom. Unfortunately, I missed the F-14 – I arrived too late!” In Europe, prospective pilots attend courses at the French EPNER test pilot school at Istres, and the Empire Test Pilots’ School at Boscombe Down, Wiltshire. After the training period, RSV pilots are occasionally assigned to other test centres, and the department also hosts foreign pilots. Some selected jet pilots become rotarywing test pilots able to conduct experimental and certification flights of a helicopter. An extremely intense period of training is conducted under the guidance of the RSV’s rotary-wing test pilots. During a period of between eight and nine months, pilots are subjected to continuous challenges. First, they receive basic training on the NH-500. After reaching an acceptable level, they begin to fly on different types of helicopters. An average of 12 to 15 helicopter types will be flown, including examples from the Italian Navy and Italian Army. “Unlike the other RSV pilots, they are experimental test pilots,” Lt Col Aniello V explained. “They are the only ones able to fly prototypes and they are also authorised to conduct the first flight of a helicopter.”

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Sometimes the RSV also runs courses for company production test pilots. “For example, we are able to train an experienced Eurofighter pilot, putting them through a test pilot course and enabling them to become a certified production test pilot for the company.” Maintaining qualifications on all the aircraft in the inventory is not easy: “Our currency is a bit different from the operational pilots. I do not mean we have fewer restrictions, but we generally keep the currency on the aircraft class,” explained Lt Col Aniello V. “For example, flying the Typhoon for us means that I am receiving training for all jets of the same class. Even though I didn’t fly the Tornado for a while, I have currency on all the jets in the category.” Fixed-wing classes comprise high performance, trainers, and conventional. This flexibility enables RSV pilots to be instructors as well as test pilots. Lt Col Aniello V added: “For example, if we try new software on the Typhoon, once the software is approved, we have to explain to each operating department how it works. In that way we are also instructors on the weapon system.” Acknowledgements: Thanks to the Italian Air Force Public Affairs Office, Lt Col Aniello V, commander of the 311º Gruppo Volo, and all the men and women of the RSV for their co-operation.

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NEXT ISSUE

Coming up in AFM The August issue is on sale globally from July 20.*

The August issue of AirForces Monthly features an exclusive report on Belgium’s F-16 force, including its recent combat operations.

Photo: Benoît Denet * UK scheduled on-sale date. Please note that overseas deliveries are likely to be after this date.

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