Combat Aircraft Monthly - January 2015 UK

100 Pages·2016·1.06 MB·English

by  Various

US MARINE CORPS IN ACTION SPECIAL REPORT
F-35B • KC-130J • WTI EXERCISE
US NAVY F-35C CARRIER TRIALS
NORTH AMERICA’S BEST-SELLING MILITARY AVIATION MAGAZINE Vol 16, No 1 | www.combataircraft.net
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MARINE CORPS AND BRITISH TRAINING AT MCAS BEAUFORT
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NATO AIR
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Produced by Key Publishing with exclusive
access to the Royal Air Force, and featuring
articles written with and by RAF personnel,
TThhee OOffiffi cciiaall RRAAFF AAnnnnuuaall RReevviieeww 22001155 is a
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behind the scenes insight into the aircraft,
equipment and people of one of the
world’s premier air forces.
HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:
TYPHOON FORCE: READY FOR
TODAY AND TOMORROW
Typhoon Force Commander Air
Commodore Philip Beach provides an
update on RAF Typhoon capability and
details his vision for the aircraft’s future
MARHAM MATTERS: TORNADO
AT THE HEART OF OPERATIONS
Group Captain Harvey Smyth, RAF
Marham Station Commander looks
back on a busy year of operations
over Afghanistan, Africa and Iraq, with
exclusive 40th anniversary Tornado
air-to-air photography
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Vol 16, No 1 January 2015
What’s inside
news
30 UNIT REVIEW: 60 EXERCISE REPORT:
JACK OF ALL TRADES RAMSTEIN GUARD
MASTERS OF EVERYTHING! Krasimir Grozev and Alexander Mladenov
One-size-fi ts-all solutions are rare, but the attend ‘Ramstein Guard’, an exercise to train
KC-130J Hercules II comes close, especially air defense operators
in the hands of the US Marine Corps’ HEADLINE NEWS
VMGR-252 ‘Otis’. Jamie Hunter and 64 INDUSTRY REPORT: 6 F-35C completes fi rst carrier trials
Jamie Deboer visited MCAS Cherry Point to LATIN AMERICAN
and latest news from Iraq and Syria
see the unit at work FIGHTERS
air operations
Santiago Rivas reviews the combat
40 PROJECT LIBERTY
aviation fl eets of Latin America and reveals
Although at fi rst glance the MC-12W how some have undergone a process of US NEWS
appears an unassuming aircraft, looks can modernization, while other air arms still 8 F-35 latest news includes latest
be deceptive. While the last deployed US struggle to replace obsolete aircraft
production batch order, Marine
Air Force unit de-activated in October,
this intelligence, surveillance and 70 EXERCISE REPORT: Corps aviation plan unveiled, and
reconnaissance platform looks set to EAATTC 2014 will the A-10 be saved?
remain one of the most highly regarded
Alexander Klingelhöller joins tactical
and sought-after assets to patrol the skies, WORLD NEWS
transport fl ying training at Zaragoza
as Dr Séan Wilson reports 18
First images from China’s Zhuhai air
44EX66C LBBUSRRIVOOETTHHEERRSS IINN AARRMMSS 72 FIGHTER FOCUS: show, KJ-500 prototype breaks cover
21ST-CENTURY
and Korea cancels F-16 upgrade
South Carolina is the epicenter of the US FROGFOOT
Marine Corps’ F-35 training community.
The Su-25 continues to be the mainstay EUROPE NEWS
Working hand in hand with the Marine
attack aircraft of the Russian Air Force, as
Corps, the UK is also bedding-in its F-35 Alexander Mladenov outlines 24 Eurofi ghter signs E-Scan radar deal, fi rst
force at MCAS Beaufort, the new home of
British A400M delivered and Discovery
the British F-35 connection. Jamie Hunter
82 SAAF AT A CROSSROADS Air takes over Luftwaff e training role
went to fi nd out more
Dr Andreas Zeitler reports from Africa
56 FAR EAST FOXHOUNDS Aerospace and Defence 2014 (AAD), where
the current strength of the South African PLUS: Robert F. Dorr’s Front Line column, a special
Since the era of the Cold War, Russian
Air Force was on show report on the F-35C carrier trials and all the latest
armed forces stationed in the Kamchatka
military Losses
Peninsula have had an important role
88 EXERCISE REPORT:
protecting the country’s eastern borders. DESERT DUELS — WTI SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE
Babak Taghvaee reviews the work of the
MiG-31 in this desolate location Ted Carlson joins the Weapons and Tactics Subscribe to Combat Aircraft Monthly and make great
Instructor (WTI) course at MCAS Yuma, savings on cover price. See pages 86 and 87 for details.
where the US Marine Corps is pushed to
8 SPECIAL REPORT: the limits in the sweltering Arizona desert.
F-35C GOES TO THE BOAT Additional material by Jamie Deboer
The US Navy 96 CUTTING EDGE
and Lockheed Combat Aircraft’s monthly column
Martin have for reporting from the front line of aerospace
the fi rst time technology, by David Axe
deployed
the F-35C
aboard
an aircraft
carrier.
Lockheed
Martin/
Andy Wolfe
Lightning strike — two F-35Bs from
VMFAT-501 ‘Warlords’ break for the camera of
Combat Aircraft editor Jamie Hunter during a
photo shoot for this issue.
3 Contents C.indd 3 21/11/2014 17:05
COMBAT EDGE
In this issue Combat Aircraft
evaluates the joint US Marine
Corps and UK F-35B operations
that are becoming established at
MCAS Beaufort. Jamie Hunter
BEAUFORT’S
BRITISH
CONNECTION
4 January 2015 www.combataircraft.net
4-5 Combat Edge.indd 4 21/11/2014 13:19
LIGHTNING UP CLOSE
F
or this month’s issue I traveled criticism or, at the other end of the spectrum,
to South Carolina to visit the the glossy brochure promises. It is, after all,
impressive new US Marine the men and women of the armed forces
Corps F-35B facilities now that will have to deal day-in, day-out with
established at MCAS Beaufort. these aircraft. They are the ones facing the
VMFAT-501’s new hangar at the real consequences of normal operations with
south-eastern end of the airfi eld even comes this hugely signifi cant defense procurement
complete with its own lake out front and a project.
resident alligator! It is interesting to see that amid the media
I had never seen an F-35B hovering before, gaze of the recent carrier trials with the
let alone photographed one in the air, so to F-35C, the aircraft performed impeccably.
view this at close quarters was impressive to The new hook design worked as planned and
say the least. the new carrier approach procedures of the
It wasn’t as noisy in the hover as I’d been Navy’s Lightning II functioned ‘as fragged’.
warned it was, and it didn’t appear to be In recent issues we have been covering
as fragile as many have speculated. In fact, concerns over the F-35 in the wake of the
maintainers were crawling over the jets engine problems of the summer. In this issue,
without having to treat them with kid gloves however, we are reporting an altogether
and the pilots slotted swiftly into close much more positive message. It’s good to be
formation with the KC-130J cameraship. objective and balanced.
Clearly there is still some considerable way
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tthhee ‘‘bblluueepprriinntt ffoorr aaffffoorrddaabbiilliittyy’’ aacchhiieevveess wwhhaatt
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viable; more operational and usable.
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Jamie Hunter,
aabboouutt tthhee aaiirrccrraafftt —— iitt aallll hheellppss ttoo ggeett aa
balanced message, as opposed to the Editor
polarized opinions, be those staunch E-mail: [email protected]
CONTRIBUTOR PROFILE TED CARLSON
Ted Carlson is one of the long-time contributor and valued
most renowned and supporter of Combat Aircraft. His
respected professional work can be found worldwide in
aviation photo-journalists magazines, books, calendars,
whose work graces the pages Department of Defense
of this magazine. With over publications and glossy posters.
1,700 hours of fl ight time Ted has fl own with all branches
performing air-to-air of the US military and in just
photography, Ted has been a about every type of aircraft.
www.combataircraft.net January 2015 5
4-5 Combat Edge.indd 5 21/11/2014 12:24
NEWS
Headlines
F-35C goes to sea
First carrier trials successful for US Navy variant
T
HE CARRIER VARIANT
(CV) of the Lockheed Martin CF-03 prepares to launch from
F-35 Lightning II conducted the USS Nimitz. Dane Wiedmann
its initial arrested landing
aboard an aircraft carrier
on November 3. Test F-35C
CF-03/SD73 of VX-23 ‘Salty Dogs’ at NAS
Patuxent River, Maryland, made the type’s
fi rst such landing aboard the USS Nimitz
(CVN 68), taking the ship’s number three
wire. The carrier was operating in the
Pacifi c Ocean off the coast of San Diego,
California.
Departing from MCAS Yuma, Arizona,
Navy test pilot CDR Tony ‘Brick’ Wilson
fi rst conducted a low fl y-over, followed
by a touch-and-go, before landing at
12.18 hours local time. LCDR Ted ‘Dutch’
Dyckman subsequently landed CF-05/
SD75 aboard the carrier at 13.11. The
aircraft made the fi rst catapult take-offs on
November 4.
The arrested landings marked the start
of the F-35C’s initial at-sea Developmental
Testing I (DT-I), the fi rst of three at-sea test
phases planned for the F-35C.
For more details, see our special report on
the following spread.
CF-03 turns fi nals to the USS Nimitz (CVN
68) for the type’s fi rst arrested carrier
landing. Lockheed Martin/Andy Wolfe
ALSO THIS MONTH...
A-10 reprieve?
US Air Force sets out possible plan to save the
‘Warthog’. See US News
Zhuhai extreme
All the best images from the latest Chinese
aerospace show. See World News
6 January 2015 www.combataircraft.net
6-7 Headlines.indd 6 21/11/2014 12:22
Air strikes against Islamic State (IS) militants British Reaper remotely-piloted air systems Meanwhile, Italy has announced plans to
have continued in Iraq and Syria, along have been notably active in the Kirkuk deploy four Tornados to Al Jaber in Kuwait.
with renewed attacks against the ‘Khorasan’ region. A British Army team remains in Canadian CF-188s fl ying from the same base
group. The tempo of operations has not Erbil, providing training assistance requested under Operation ‘Impact’ conducted their
abated, with regular reports of strikes in Syria by the Kurdish Peshmerga. fi rst combat strike on October 30, when two
around Kobani, Ar Raqqah and east of Dayr The fi rst RAF Reaper strike was notifi ed aircraft attacked IS targets with GBU-12
Az Zawr. In Iraq, attacks have been prevalent on November 10 when a series of coalition 500lb laser-guided bombs in the vicinity of
around Kirkuk, Taji, Ar Rutbah, Bayji, near missions were conducted near Bayji, north Fallujah.
Fallujah and Mosul. Indeed, reports of a of Baghdad. There, IS militants were laying
seven-nation coalition strike package on improvised explosive devices (IEDs). The
November 19 was notable as it targeted IS Reaper successfully attacked the terrorists
positions 30km north-west of Kirkuk. using an AGM-114 Hellfi re missile.
Canadian CF-188s are now in
the thick of the action. USAF
Iraq air
strike latest
RAF Tornados complete
Leading the last combat sortie was Flt Lt
Oli Payne. He said: ‘[It] was a real privilege.
Afghanistan mission It was a hugely poignant day as it brought
to a close about 10 years of constant fast jet
operations by the RAF in Afghanistan, so
Royal Air Force Tornado GR4s from No 31 precision weapons in support of our mission it was a big moment for both the crews and
Squadron ‘Goldstars’ have left Kandahar there’. Wg Cdr Richard Yates, Offi cer the RAF’. Tornados operating in Afghanistan
airfi eld, Afghanistan, having fl own their Commanding No 31 Squadron, said: ‘It fl ew over 33,500 hours and conducted 600
fi nal missions in support of the UK’s has been an honor to be the last squadron shows of force.
Operation ‘Herrick’. The RAF Tornado force of the Tornado force’s combat mission
has participated in Afghanistan operations in Afghanistan supporting the Afghan
since relieving the Harrier force in June Government and people. I am hugely proud
2009. of my personnel who have worked tirelessly
Personnel from the
British Defence Secretary Michael Fallon and continued the good work of all those
last Kandahar Tornado
commented: ‘The Tornado remains the fast who have been here before, both on the
detachment prepare
jet workhorse of the RAF and has performed Tornado force and the Harrier force.’
to bid farewell to the
superbly over many years in Afghanistan, The fi nal deployment marked No 31 Afghanistan mission.
supplying life-saving intelligence and Squadron’s fourth tour of Afghanistan. Crown Copyright
www.combataircraft.net January 2015 7
6-7 Headlines.indd 7 21/11/2014 12:23
SPECIAL REPORT
A
S REPORTED IN Headline Speaking in Navy Times, LT Chris
News, the F-35C made Karapostoles, a landing signal offi cer (LSO)
its fi rst arrested landing with VX-23, said that the F-35C can adjust
aboard an aircraft carrier on its approach faster and smoother, making it Photos: Lockheed Martin/
November 3. First to land more likely to hit the three wire — the ideal Andy Wolfe/Alexander H
aboard the USS Nimitz landing. Groves/Dane Wiedmann and
(CVN 68) was F-35C CF-03/SD73 of VX-23 Having been one of the main reasons for US Navy/MC1 Brett Cote/
‘Salty Dogs’, piloted by CDR Tony ‘Brick’ slight delays to the carrier trials, the F-35C’s MCSN Eli K. Buguey
Wilson, followed by CF-05 piloted by LCDR re-designed tail hook, which had repeatedly
Ted ‘Dutch’ Dyckman. failed engagements three years ago during
The aircraft conducted 124 catapult land testing, performed soundly.
launches, 222 touch-and-goes and 124 This latest phase fell within the so-called
arrested landings by November 13. The Developmental Testing I (DT-I) stage, the fi rst
F-35Cs completed 100 per cent of the of three at-sea test rounds for the F-35C. DT-I
threshold test points planned. Testing went so smoothly that it prompted offi cials to
included two intentional ‘bolters’ (missed add initial night operations.
attempts to catch an arresting wire) and no DT-II, which is scheduled for September
unintentional ones. So succesful were the 2015, will take in day/night operations and
trials that they concluded three days earlier initial weapons trials with internal stores
than planned, on November 14. as well as maximum-power launches from
CDR Wilson commented: ‘The F-35C’s both the bow and waist catapults. Operations
performance on the ball was revolutionary, in crosswind conditions will gradually be
providing carefree handling on approach. expanded to 15kt.
The Integrated Direct Lift Control (IDLC) DT-III, the third and fi nal phase, is expected
allows ball control like no other aircraft’. to take place around April 2016.
He continued: ‘[The] Delta Flight Path is an The Navy’s objective is to declare initial
innovative leap in aircraft fl ight controls — operational capability (IOC) with its fi rst
this command enables the F-35 to capture squadron of 10 F-35Cs in August 2018 or no
and maintain a glideslope.’ later than February 2019.
The US Navy and Lockheed
Martin have for the fi rst time
deployed the F-35C aboard an
aircraft carrier for trials.
report: Jamie Hunter
F-35C CF-05 bangs down
on the USS Nimitz (CVN 68).
Lockheed Martin/Andy Wolfe
8 January 2015 www.combataircraft.net
8-9 F-35 Special Report.indd 8 21/11/2014 12:20
www.combataircraft.net January 2015 9
8-9 F-35 Special Report.indd 9 21/11/2014 12:21
NEWS
United States
UNIT NEWS
F-35
Luke establishes new detachment to the unit and allow it to achieve full
The 56th Operations Group activated a new operational capability for its 120-day mission.
detachment alongside the Oregon Air National
Guard’s 173rd Fighter Wing at Kingsley Field Army unit update latest
in Klamath Falls on November 1. As part The US Army Reserve Command’s 8th
of the USAF’s Total Force Integration (TFI) Battalion, 229th Aviation Regiment, recently
eff orts, personnel assigned to Detachment 2, conducted its fi nal fl ights with the AH-64D
56th Operations Group will support training at Fort Knox, Kentucky. The battalion is
operations at Kingsley Field. The F-15C active undergoing a transition from the Apache to
associate unit will include 66 maintenance the UH-60L to become an assault helicopter
LRIP 8 agreed as
personnel, three support personnel and eight battalion.
instructor pilots. The 173rd, which is the USAF’s Elsewhere, Det 1, Company B, 3rd Battalion,
only Formal Training Unit (FTU) for the Eagle, 126th Aviation Regiment received its full program chief sets
recently added seven F-15Cs to its inventory. complement of CH-47Fs when three Chinooks
The 56th OG previously established Detachment landed at Rochester International Airport, out new goals
1 alongside the Arizona Air National Guard’s New York, on October 28. Nicknamed ‘Kong’,
162nd Fighter Wing at Tucson International the New York Army National Guard unit
Airport, which is an F-16C FTU. spent two months at Hunter Army Airfi eld
in Savannah, Georgia, where it conducted
Squadron activated in Senegal training with the Chinooks. The main body
The USAF established the 787th Air of Company B, which is assigned to the
Expeditionary Squadron at Léopold Sédar Maryland Army National Guard, is also
Senghor International Airport in Dakar, Senegal, undergoing conversion to the CH-47F. The
in early November. The squadron is operating Chinooks were formally unveiled in Rochester
a pair of C-130Js deployed by the 317th on November 16.
Airlift Group at Dyess AFB, Texas, but includes The South Dakota Army National Guard has
personnel from the 7th Bomb Wing at Dyess begun swapping its UH-60A/L helicopters
as well as the Kentucky Air National Guard’s for the latest HH-60M variant at the Army
123rd Contingency Response Group. It fl ew its Aviation Support Facility in Rapid City. By
fi rst sortie into Liberia on November 4, when April 2015, Company C(-), 1st Battalion, 189th
it airlifted more than eight tons of medical Aviation Regiment will receive a total of six of
supplies and equipment in support of Operation the medical evacuation Black Hawks, which
‘United Assistance’, as part of the mission to feature an externally-mounted rescue hoist
contain and eliminate the Ebola outbreak in and improved night vision technology that
West Africa. Two additional C-130Js from Dyess greatly improve the aircraft’s capabilities in the
and Little Rock AFB, Arkansas, will be assigned search and rescue role.
A new HH-60M lands at the Army Aviation
Support Facility in Rapid City, South Dakota, on
October 29. SDARNG/Sgt Theanne Tangen
First C-27J arrives at ‘E-City’
The fi rst C-27J to be re-generated from When operated by the USAF the C-27J
storage with the 309th Aerospace was assigned serial number 10-27023,
Maintenance and Regeneration Group at but in Coast Guard service it will carry
Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, arrived at serial 2714. It is the fi rst of 13 examples
Coast Guard Base Elizabeth City, North of the C-27J to be re-generated from
Carolina, on November 13. The HC-27J storage for the Coast Guard and will be
Asset Project Offi ce (APO) will initially use joined by a second aircraft by the end The US Air Force has
the aircraft to train and qualify Coast Guard of 2014. Two additional Spartans will been backed into a
aircrew and maintenance personnel and to likewise be regenerated by mid-2015. In corner over the A-10
retirement plan. It
develop fl ight and maintenance procedures preparation for the aircraft’s arrival, the
looks increasingly
for Coast Guard-specifi c mission profi les. APO’s executive and operations offi cers
likely that only a
The Spartan will eventually receive the completed a C-27J training program
portion of the fl eet will
equipment and systems needed to perform in Italy with the twin-turboprop’s be phased out. USAF
the full spectrum of Coast Guard duties. manufacturer Alenia Aermacchi.
10 January 2015 www.combataircraft.net
10-14 US News c.indd 10 21/11/2014 16:51