April 2012 Archives

The Office of Naval Research's Flexrotor vertical takeoff and landing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is entering the next phase of its development, the US Navy announced 30 April.

The USN has awarded Aerovel Corp a contract to improve the Flexrotor's capabilities with a new propulsion system to help the aircraft better transition from vertical to cruising flight.

The small UAV features an oversized propeller which acts like a helicopter's rotors for vertical takeoff and landing, but it also has wings for conventional flight.
The Flexrotor first demonstrated such a transition in August 2011.

The UAV could eventually be used for special operations missions. "[The special ops personnel] like the idea of not exposing where they are when they need to launch and recover one," says John Kinzer, ONR program officer for Air Vehicle Technology. "They could put it on a mountaintop somewhere and just leave it to do surveillance."

The service says there are also potential applications to Arctic surveillance and weather reporting for the Navy and other organizations, such as National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Here is tail number 10-4194, the penultimate Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor built for the US Air Force arriving at Joint Base Langley-Eustis near Hampton Roads, Virginia. It was flown in from the Lockheed plant in Marietta, Georgia, earlier today by Lt Col Jason Hinds, the commander of the 94th Fighter Squadron. The jet will serve as the unit's flagship.

On Monday, Air Combat Command and the 1st Fighter Wing will host reporters at Langley to celebrate the arrival of this last jet. I won't be there due to a scheduling conflict, but I will be at Marietta on Wednesday.

Embraer hopes to have its first modernized AMX jet flying in the "first semester" of 2012, the company says in its first quarter earnings report.

Two flight test aircraft and eight production jets are at the Brazilian airframer's facilities awaiting their "revitalization."

Meanwhile the Brazilian navy's modernization program for its 12 Boeing (originally Douglas) A-4 Skyhawk attack aircraft is continuing on track. The jets are locally designated as AF-1s.

Meanwhile, the A-29 Tucano is doing well despite the recent setback with the US Air Force Light Air Support program, but the company expects a new contract award in 2013. Brazil has also secured contracts with Bukina Faso, Angola, and Mauritania for the light counter-insurgency turboprop. The total value of the African contracts is about $180 million.

Meanwhile, Embraer's ambitious KC-390 program continues having selected all of its major suppliers.

Next Wednesday on 2 May, the US Air Force will formally take delivery of the last F-22 Raptor from Lockheed Martin. Amongst the delegation attending the ceremonies will be 3d Wing commander Col Dirk Smith, 525^th Fighter Squadron commander Lt Col Paul "Max" Moga and Lt Col Dave "Piff" Piffarerio--commander of the Air Force Reserve's 302^nd Fighter Squadron.

The last Raptor, tail 10-4195, will be based at Elmendorf AFB as the flagship of the 525^th Fighter Squadron--part of the 3rd Wing. But it is not the only jet being flown home. Tail 10-4193 is also making the long journey to Alaska and will become the Wing's new flagship.

Moga and Smith will fly the jets home on Friday, 4 May. In the meantime, the pilots will train on advanced networked simulators at the Lockheed facility, Piffarerio says. The simulator can replicate extremely challenging scenarios that are difficult to undertake during real training exercises.  

Piffarerio is the most experienced F-22 Raptor pilot anywhere with a total of about 1060 hours in the jet. He first flew the F-22 back in 2004 as part of a second batch of operational testers at Nellis AFB's 422^nd TES.

Piffarerio came to Alaska after transferring over to the Air Force Reserves in 2007--but in a full-time capacity. That allows him and other full-time Reservists to remain at operational squadrons far longer than their active duty counterparts. While they don't fly any more often per week than an active duty pilot, because they stay at flying units longer, officers like Piffarerio gain more hours and become a repository of experience for the USAF.

At a day-to-day level, at an associate reserve unit there is little difference between active pilots and full-time reservists. "The thought that we do here is we put the right person in the right job no matter what patch that they're wearing," Piffarerio says.

The sortie where he hit 1000 hrs on 4 November 2011 highlights the close relationship between the 3^rd Wing and reserve's 477^th Fighter Group.

It was a somewhat unique circumstance because it happened shortly after last year's Raptor grounding was lifted and because Piffarerio was tasked to give 3^rd Wing commander Col Dirk Smith his check ride. Smith was undergoing his initial qualifications after returning to flying the Raptor following a tour at US Central Command.

"I knew it was getting really close, and since we were scheduled to hot-pit [refuel], I was right at 998 or so, I knew it would probably happen that day," Piffarerio says. "It wasn't like it was planned necessarily."

It was on the second sortie that Piffarerio hit the 1,000-hour mark. Smith passed the check ride; he was already a highly experienced Raptor pilot who had previously overseen the 94^th Fighter Squadron's transition to the F-22.

 

 

This video commemorates the 67th Fighter Squadron winning the Raytheon Trophy--which is awarded to the best air superiority fighter squadron in a given year. 2011 in this case. The 67th is part of the 18th Wing, commanded by Brigadier General Matt Molloy. Molloy used to command 1st Fighter Wing until the middle of lastyear.

Despite its age, the Boeing (originally McDonnell Douglas) F-15C Eagle is still regarded as one of the best-if not the best- air superiority fighters ever built. With upgrades, the jet should remain a formidable fighter for years to come with its new APG-63 (v) 3 AESA radar, JHMCS+ AIM-9X and a host of other modifications in either already on the jet or soon to be added.

Not bad for a jet that first flew in 1972 (in the A-model form).



Version two for the US audience since apparently the youtube version doesn't work here (we have a British IP). This video is courtesy of a person calling himself "Jersey", presumably the flight lead if the video's description is accurate. If you happen to be Jersey, feel free to clarify or add more details.

Chris Kubasik will be anointed as Lockheed Martin's new CEO come 1 January 2013, but current CEO Bob Stevens will stay on as chairman of the board for another year until 1 January 2014. Kubasik is currently the chief operating officer and president of the massive defense giant.

Here is a video of the F-35C flying in formation. Sorry, there is no version without the music:

This edition of the DEW Line is brought to you courtesy of the TSA and US Airways... I am stuck at Sky Harbor, but the show must go on.

 

At Edwards Air Force Base, the US Air Force's first Boeing C-17 Globemaster is being retired. But fortunately it is going to the USAF museum in Dayton, Ohio, rather than the Boneyard at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona. The aircraft had flown at the California base for some 21 years.

 

Known as T-1, tail 87-0025 first flew on 15 September 1991, when it was delivered from what was then McDonnell Douglas's Long Beach plant. 

 

Here is T-1 as she took-off for the last time on 23 April 2012, on her departure to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.

Greetings from Phoenix, Arizona, minions...

In my long absence from our nation's capital, much has happened (or not). Lockheed Martin has been awarded two additional F-35 contracts.

 

The contracts are respectively $68.3 million and $45.9 million modifications to the previously awarded Low Rate Initial Production II and III contracts for changes to the F-35's configuration. These changes could include modifications to the baseline hardware or software resulting from F-35 developmental test flight efforts.

 

According to a Pentagon release, these modifications define "the contractor's responsibility to incorporate government-authorized changes for the U.S. Air Force conventional take-off and landing and the U.S. Marine Corps short take-off vertical landing aircraft and provides funding for such efforts."

 

In the meantime, Lockheed has released another photo of an F-35 at Edwards refueling from a KC-10 while carrying external stores. They were testing the jet's handling in that configuration.

 

Enjoy.

Evening minions, I'm off to Phoenix, Arizona, in the morning to cover my first civilian story. There will be flying involved--I'll report back if anything interesting should happen...

 

In the meantime here is a link to my MQ-8C story- or just read the Cliff's Notes version below.

 

Northrop Grumman is porting over the guts of its MQ-8B Firescout unmanned helicopter to a Bell 407 airframe--creating the MQ-8C. The US Navy awarded the contract $262.3 million today to buy two developmental airframes and six production examples for its special operations forces. The Bell machine is about twice the size of the Schweizer 333 on which the MQ-8B is based...

This Fire-X prototype, which evolved into the MQ-8C, started off life as a prototype for the ill-fated US Army ARH-70 Arapaho armed aerial scout helicopter.

Second time lucky I guess.

DARPA's HTV-2 hypersonic test vehicle crashed due to materials being worn off the airframe as a faster rate than predicted. But on the good news side, the aircraft proved to be more controllable than the engineers had expected. The DARPA study is being used to inform the US Defense Department's on-going Conventional Prompt Global Strike efforts--which would hit a target anywhere on Earth in under an hour.

That being said, an operational weapon could potentially run into the billions of dollars per shot given the cost of developing and fielding even a small number of such systems. And, of course, there is the alternative of a conventionally-tipped ICBM, but that could be mistaken for an actual nuclear missile by other powers--which would be bad. And still pretty expensive probably...

So, is it worth the time, effort and money? Discuss.

Also here is a link to the article.

A second F-22 Raptor pilot has logged 1000 hours in the stealthy air dominance fighter. This time it is Lockheed Martin's James "JB" Brown, the company's chief test pilot at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB), California, who passed that milestone on 6 April. He has been flying the Raptor since 2002.

Brown has also logged 950-plus hours flying F-4s and F-117s, according to Lockheed.

But even with that many hours in the jet, Brown in not the high time guy in the Raptor. That honor is held by Lt Col Dave "Piff" Piffarerio, commander of the Air Force Reserve's 302nd Fighter Squadron. The 302^nd is part of the 477^th Fighter Group, which is an associate unit of the 3^rd Wing at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, flying F-22s.Piffarerio hit the 1000 hour mark on 4 November, 2011, and currently has about 1050 hours. But that goes up every week as he adds more sorties...

Prior to transferring over to the AFRC, Piffarerio was assigned to the elite 422^nd Test and Evaluation Squadron (422^nd TES) at Nellis AFB, Nevada, where new technology and tactics are evaluated before being incorporated into the combat air forces.

The fact that more pilots are starting to hit the thousand hour mark is an indication that the Raptor is maturing as a weapons system. In about a week, the last jet will fly home to Alaska with Lt Col Paul "Max" Moga, commander of the 3^rd Wing's 525th Fighter Squadron, at the controls.

But that doesn't mean that it's all over for the Raptor, there are upgrades that are going to be integrated into the jet and the tooling is being stored.

Additionally, both the US Air Force and the US Navy are starting to look at what might come next with their F-X and F/A-XX studies.

So in a decade or so, when we're not broke, we'll hopefully see next-generation successors to the Raptor and the Super Hornet.

 

Looks like the Schwartz is strong with the KC-46 program...

 The US Air Force has negotiated an exceptionally good deal for itself on the new Boeing KC-46 tanker from all appearances. If everything goes according to plan, this could work out very well for the USAF.

 Though the program is costing more than the negotiated contract price of $4.4 billion, the USAF and the Department of Defense leadership have taken steps to strictly limit the US tax-payer's liability for cost overruns and delays.

 The USAF is only liable for $500 million above the negotiated price tag--there is a firm contract ceiling of $4.9 billion.  So even though current cost estimates peg the development cost of the new tanker at $5.3 billion, anything over the ceiling price is Boeing's problem.

 The contract also mandates that Boeing is responsible for not only fixing future production aircraft if there are problems discovered in testing, but it also has to retrofit planes it has already built free of charge. And the USAF has the option of varying production rates at almost no cost penalty.

 Thus, unlike in other previous programs, the risk is borne largely by the contractor.

 Maj Gen Christopher Bogdan, the US Air Force KC-46 program manager, is saying that Boeing has to deliver--or the service will walk away. Only time will tell how this will all play out.

 Read my new KC-46 feature here.

The commander of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards' air arm claims that the Middle Eastern nation is reverse engineering the stealthy Lockheed Martin RQ-170 unmanned aircraft that crashed inside its borders last December.

 

According to the Iranian Mehr "news" agency, the Guards' air chief Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, says that the country's experts have managed to crack the RQ-170's encrypted systems.

 

"I am giving you four codes so the Americans understand just how far we have gone in penetrating the drone's secrets," he says, speaking on Iranian TV on 22 April.

 

"In October 2010, the aircraft was sent to California for some technical issues, where it was repaired and after flight tests, it was taken to Kandahar (in Afghanistan) in November 2010, when a series of technical problems still prevailed," Hajizadeh says. "In December 2010, it was sent to an airport near Los Angeles for repair of its equipment and sensors, and flight tests. The drone was then sent back to Kandahar."

 

If that's true, that could prove to be a damaging loss of technology. But it is probably beyond Iran's means to build a copy of the aircraft, though it has managed to successfully reverse engineer the aged 1960s vintage Northrop Grumman F-5 fighter as well as the Bell AH-1 Cobra, among other projects.

 

Of course, if Russian or Chinese experts got a hold of the RQ-170 wreckage, they could glean valuable insight into the construction of the aircraft. But the RQ-170 was designed in the late 1990s, so it is dated technology.

 

While it is unlikely Iran could have brought down the RQ-170, the US Defense Department is well aware that future adversaries could attack the vulnerable data-links that control unmanned aircraft.

 

In February, US Air Force intelligence chief, Lt Gen Larry James said the service wanted to make sure it has a solid grip on the technology challenges facing unmanned aircraft in a high threat environment -- to include secure communications--before embarking on next-generation unmanned aircraft project.

 

 "We want to get our arms around all these technology challenges in an A2/AD [anti-access area denial] environment -- the comm-paths, all those things," James said at an Aviation Week conference. "So before we just jump in into a MQ-X next-generation thing, we think we need some time to sort through all those things."

 

Meanwhile, the US Navy is still working on its Unmanned Carrier Launched Surveillance and Strike aircraft.

 

One solution to the problem could be increased autonomy for future unmanned aircraft. But if those aircraft were to drop weapons, there would still have to be a man-in-the-loop, otherwise it would raise serious legal and ethical questions.

 

Meanwhile, Washington has not said one way or the other what caused the RQ-170 to go down, US analysts and industry officials say the unmanned reconnaissance jet likely malfunctioned. It apparently was not equipped with a self-destruct system and was prominently displayed on Iranian TV after it crashed--mostly intact from all appearances.

 

The aircraft was reportedly performing surveillance missions of various nuclear sites inside Iran at the time of the incident.

 

Iran, of course, claims to have downed the RQ-170 with either a cyber or electronic attack, but US sources say that's extremely improbable.  But future adversaries will likely have genuine capabilities to disrupt communications or hack into a UAV's control systems.

Lockheed Martin has released these two images of the Navy's F-35C variant flying in formation at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland. I personally find the CV aircraft to be the best looking of the three versions--but that's partly because it looks more the like an F-22 than the others.

Enjoy.

The US Air Force is asking industry for information on how to increase the Bell UH-1N's endurance, range, speed, all-weather capability, survivability and equip it with modernized communication and navigation system capabilities. The USAF wants that requirement filled in fiscal years 2014 to 2018.

 

Given that laundry list, it sure sounds like the USAF basically wants to recreate the US Marine Corps' new Bell UH-1Y Venom--sans sensor ball. The Yankee has all of the characteristics that the USAF lists in its new Request for Information...

 

The Marines are buying new-build "Yankees," but had originally wanted to remanufacture their old Novembers.

 

Incidentally, the USAF is already taking on some of the Marines' cast off UH-1Ns... 

 

This new Air Force endeavor basically replaces the service's Common Vertical Lift Support Platform (CVLSP) effort that was killed in the fiscal year 2013 budget proposal.

 

But the Air Force still has its Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH) program, which it is working on... However, it does have a long and storied history of bungling helicopter acquisitions (And pretty much everything else too--LAS anyone? The KC-46 looks hopeful--for now).

 

So place your bets... will the Air Force drop the ball yet again on the CRH, or is it quadrillionth time lucky?

It's a slightly older video, but it's worth watching. The F-35 test force at Edwards Air Force Base, out in the California desert, has been working on performing in-flight engine restarts.Which is kinda important...  

Russia's Volga-Dnepr Airlines has asked the US Department of Transportation for an emergency exemption to enable it to fly two one-way charters for the United Launch Alliance on its massive Antonov An-124-100 Condor airlifters.

The flights, which are expected to be from Huntsville, Alabama, to Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, should happen anywhere from around April 26, 2012 to May 1, 2012. Volga-Dnepr would be hauling an Atlas Centaur III tank, measuring 52 feet by 12 feet by 14 feet and weighing around 40,150 lbs. The An-124 will also move an Atlas booster tank, measuring 119 feet by 13.5 feet by 14 feet and weighing about 81,400 lbs. No US domestic commercial air freighter has that kind of capacity and the cargo is too delicate to be ground transported.

Volga-Dnepr made the request on April 18.

Designed as heavy strategic airlifter for the Soviet Air Force, the An-124 was first flown in 1982. It is larger and can carry some 25% more cargo than the Lockheed Martin C-5 Galaxy--its nearest western equivalent. While it's a monster, the An-124 is dwarfed by its much larger sibling the An-225--only one of which was completed before the breakup of the Soviet Union.

Things were pretty tough for Russian aerospace companies through the first 20 years of the post-Communist era, with some getting by pretty much hand-to-mouth by securing export sales only.

That situation has started to change, and a rush of domestic orders has come over the recent few months for 55 Yak-130s, 92 Su-34s, 30 Su-30SMs and 24 MiG-29K/KUBs, to name but a few. And as fighter manufacturers everywhere know, the best way of winning international business is to keep a hot production line active back home.

I've seen a stark contrast between old and new during my short stay in Moscow. The optimism of some of industry's main players is clearly now more than just talk, with real money coming at their companies for the first time in years.

Elsewhere, Russia's former symbols of military might are been abruptly pushed aside. A short stroll from my hotel is Moscow's former Khodynka airport, which is now being encircled by modern tower blocks and a new ice rink. Outside the terminal building appears to be a storage site for new Mercedes and other luxury cars.

There's a rather sad collection of ex-Soviet combat aircraft and helicopters still on the runway, the majority of them in poor condition or having been vandalised.

 

With new building work going on just yards away from them, hopefully some of these relics could yet find their way to museums, rather than the scrap yard (which is where I suspect the MiG-21 above will be going soon). A couple I had seen in previous shots are no longer there, so hopefully have been found new homes.

Tomorrow I'll be visiting the Russian air force museum at Monino, which looks set to be one of the highlights of my stay here. I'll post more pictures from both locations to Flightglobal's AirSpace gallery once I'm back in the UK.

Neither Lockheed Martin nor the Joint Strike Fighter program office could be found anywhere at the Navy League's Sea, Air, and Space Exposition--which is strange since the Department of the Navy 'owns' two of the three F-35 variants. They're also supposed to buy 680 jets--420 USMC jets (340 F-35Bs + 80 F-35Cs) and 260 planes for the Navy. You'd think they'd be there.

(BTW--Yes, I'm well aware the 'wherefore' here means why rather than where in the context of Mr. Shakespeare's play. I just don't care.)

While Lockheed was a no show at Sea, Air, and Space, the company did release a video of the first British F-35B. They offered a version without music, but I'm too lazy to upload it--sorry. You minions will just have to suck it up.

Nor have the testers at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, been idle... On 29 March, F-35 developmental testers finished pit-drops of nine different types of weapons from the jet's internal bays, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) says. Trials were performed on inert GBU-12 Laser-Guided Bombs, the 1000-pound GBU-32 Joint Direct Attack Munitions, and the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile and other types.

The last test was performed on a 500 lbs bomb that was dropped from BF-3, the third short take-off vertical landing test jet.

 This is not a shot of the pit-drop testing incidentally... courtesy of Lockheed Martin.

According to NAVAIR, weapons pit-drop testing collects data to measure stresses on the airframe and adjacent stores, ensures proper weapon and suspension equipment function, and validates the separation models for the munitions' ejection characteristics, including trajectories and velocities. "Completion of these weapons ejections into the pit gets us closer to in-flight release of weapons from the F-35," says US Navy Captain Erik Etz, director of test and evaluation for F-35 naval variants.

But while NAVAIR gears up for in-flight armament tests, other weapons trials on the F-35B and F-35C carrier variant are currently underway at Pax River. Current tests include pit drops, captive carry and instrumented weapons environmental flights, which will lead up to flight separation testing scheduled for later this year.

If you're not subject to the pre-Olympics hype that is currently everywhere in the UK (and I'm pleased to say that I'm not, as I'm writing this blog post from Moscow), then the fact that it's only (!) 100 days to go until the games open in London might have passed you by.

The Royal Air Force held back until today announcing that its Red Arrows aerobatic display team will play a part in the opening festivities for the games on 27 July. The team's full fleet of nine Hawk jet trainers will make a tour of the UK that day, visiting Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh and London and making flypasts in the "Big Battle" formation (as demonstrated in the Crown Copyright image below).

It will be good to see the "Reds" making such high-profile public appearances after what was a terrible 2011. Flt Lt Jon Egging and Flt Lt Sean Cunningham both died in separate accidents during the display season, and some had speculated that perhaps the team would not return.

It has, but in changed form. With Flt Lt Kirsty Stewart - the first woman ever to fly for the team - recently having opted to leave after two seasons (versus a usual three), air show displays will be conducted this year using only seven Hawks. But when performing flypasts such as at the Olympics, these will be joined by two others, both flown straight and level only.

The Reds are currently in Cyprus preparing for a busy season, which is scheduled to kick off on 2 June and run through the end of September. Let's hope for an entertaining, but most of all a safe one in 2012.

Propulsion is the key the US Navy's next-generation F/A-XX fighter to replace the service's Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fleet in the 2030.

"That's the long-lead item, frankly," says Rear Admiral William Moran, director of the N98 air warfare office at USN headquarters. "In terms of technology it takes you to another place."

The USN will have to engage with industry to determine where the "art of the possible" might lead the service. "Propulsion has a lot of benefits, and we know its kind of the critical path to new developments," he says.  

What is clear is that for a next-generation fighter to fly faster, over greater distances and then persist over a target area, all the while carrying a greater payload, means that the aircraft will require a new type of propulsion system, Moran says. That means such a fighter must be able conserve fuel while it is not operating at peak combat performance levels.

Next-generation propulsion systems should also be scalable to different applications, Moran says. That would afford the USN some level of commonality on the carrier deck of the future if parts of the air wing could share the same logistical train and skill sets for maintenance crews.

Moran reiterates his Naval Air System Command counterpart's--Rear Admiral Donald Gaddis--comments that the next-generation fighter must have far better kinematic performance and range than existing fighters. That is particularly true in an anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) environment.

"If you look at the A2/AD environment, and that arc, overtime, is going to grow larger. We have to stay ahead of that," Moran says. "So the weapons have to be able fill that. And the only way you're going to do it is have greater kinematics."

 The US Air Force and USN are both working on new fighter technologies and may find some benefit from each other's developmental efforts. It is possible that the two services might develop common subsystems but build different airframes based on their divergent needs, he says. But that has yet to be determined.

The USN issued a Request for Information (RfI) for a new fighter to replace the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler in the 2030s on 13 April.

Boeing is showing off some of the advanced features it is proposing for the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. Some of these include conformal fuel tanks, an external weapons pod to reduce the jet's radar cross-section, better engines, and a new missile warning system among other improvements.

 

Inside the cockpit (both cockpits in the case of the F-model) is a new single-screen color LCD display. But what is truly impressive is a new 3D situational awareness display mode--it overlays various threats and displays them in an easy to understand graphic. Terrain can be overlaid on the display along with color-coded contours.

 

What's more, airborne enemy threats are displayed as color-coded aircraft-shaped icons appropriate to their type. The same goes for the engagement radius of surface-to-air missile systems and the like. Apparently, according to the Boeing engineer who was showing me the setup, the jet already collects that data, it's just that there is no way to display it in the current Block II cockpit.

 

Here are a few images I took of the cockpit the company was showing off at the Navy League's Sea Air Space Exposition. Forgive the poor quality; I was using a Blackberry camera...

 Sorry the flash caused some problems...

Anyways, the demonstrator actually runs the real flight-model for the F/A-18E/F according to the Boeing software engineer, who works on the system. But it doesn't model the new engines or other proposed mods and, of course, the avionics and weapons are dumbed down for public display.

 

Nonetheless, when I flew the demonstrator, the aircraft handled remarkably well (at least compared to anything I have flown). Incidentally, using that 3D situational awareness display, I shot down three Flankers with AMRAAMs effortlessly, but of course, they weren't shooting back. I then killed the last one with the gun, again, a piece of cake...  but alas, it was dumbed down since he wasn't shooting back.

 

But I did land on the carrier with no help whatsoever or even having the dude talk me down on my first (and only try). I wonder if it was dumbed down, even if my engineer acquaintance insists that it's not. The Boeing demo pilots practice on it, he says. Still seems too easy...

The US Navy has issued a Request for Information (RfI) for a new fighter to replace the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler in the 2030s.

"The intent of this research is to solicit Industry inputs on candidate solutions for CVN [nuclear-powered aircraft carrier] based aircraft to provide air supremacy with a multi-role strike capability in an anti-access/area denied (A2AD) operational environment," the RfI reads. "Primary missions include, but are not limited to, air warfare (AW), strike warfare (STW), surface warfare (SUW), and close air support (CAS)."

But in addition persistent capability inside an enemy air defence system, the USN also wants the prospective aircraft to provide other capabilities found in existing strike fighters. These include organic air-to-air refueling, tactical reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition (RSTA), and airborne electronic attack (AEA). 

However, the USN is not limiting itself to manned aircraft or to an entirely new jet.

"The trade space refinement activity will characterize a broad trade space, to include unmanned, optionally manned and manned aircraft," the document reads. "System attributes and system capabilities will be considered in the context of cost and affordability.  Concepts that are derived from legacy aircraft, 'clean sheet' new design aircraft, as well as innovative technology concepts specifically tailored for the operational context are all relevant."

At a minimum, the aircraft should be able to operate from Nimitz and Ford-class carriers and should be a "complementary CVW [carrier air wing] asset to the F-35C and an unmanned persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) vehicle with precision strike capability."

 The RfI sets a target initial operational capability (IOC) date of 2030 and will consider a prospective jet's capabilities, in addition to technical risks and total cost of ownership. "If a spiral approach to incorporation of systems and/or technology to achieve full operational capability is employed, provide the timeline to achieve full capability," the document reads.

But there is no programme just yet. "All we're looking for is information, says Rear Admiral Donald Gaddis, the Naval Air Systems Command's (NAVAIR) programme executive officer for tactical aviation. "This particular AoA [analysis of alternatives] is going to be a long one," he adds.

Nonetheless, the earliest Super Hornets will be reaching the end of their 9000-hour life spans by the 2030s. Those aircraft will have to be replaced, but their successor will be defined as much by what industry believes as possible as the USN's own projected needs, Gaddis says. But he is willing to say that those requirements will call for far greater kinematic performance and increased range.

The industrial base, however, is of serious concern, Gaddis says. Boeing, he says, may not be around as a fighter design entity as the F/A-XX programme is assembled and the technology--to include advanced airframes and engines--to build the jet is matured. "I think that's going to be something [Office of the Secretary of Defense] is going to have to think about," he says.

That is also something the US Air Force will have to contend with on its nascent F-X programme to replace the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor.

It is also conceivable that the Department of Defense might compel the USAF and USN to do a joint AoA, Gaddis says. "But I think the attributes of a carrier aircraft and an air force programme maybe different," he says. "But there is always that potential."

In addition to the F/A-XX, Gaddis says that the USN's C-2 Greyhound carrier cargo-delivery aircraft will have to be replaced. The service is conducting an analysis of alternatives to figure out what it needs to do. Gaddis says any such programme would have to wait until the "next decade," but there will be a "full and open competition."

Meanwhile, NAVAIR's programme manager for the V-22, Marine Col Greg Masiello is pitching the tilt-rotor as the best, most natural, replacement for the aged C-2s. The V-22 has recently been certified to operate from the decks of USN carriers and would give the navy enormous flexibility, he says.

Meanwhile, the USN should also be issuing a final request for proposal for the next generation jammer programme to equip the EA-18G fleet in June, Gaddis says. The emphasis will be on getting a "mid-band" capability out to fleet by 2020, but there will also be a strong focus on affordability.

Here are the evaluation criteria for F/A-XX:

Concept Metrics
Instructions:
(1) Please fill in as many blanks as possible.  Blank responses will not be penalized but will limit evaluation criteria.
(2) Save this file as "Companyname_Concept_Metrics.xls".  If multiple response are provided please indicate with a number following the company name.
(3) Keep data inputs to one column
Image
Company Name
Vehicle Designation
Category
General
1.0		Geometry (Unfolded/Folded)
		Spot Factor
		Empty Weight (lb)
		GTOW (lb)
		Useful Load (lb)
		Fuel Weight (Internal/External) (lb)
		Max Weight (lb)
		Crew Requirement
Aircraft Performance
2.0		Ferry Range (nmi)
		Combat Radius (nmi)
		CAP Endurance (hrs)
		Cruise Speed (mach)
		Max Mil Speed (20k/40k ft)
		Max AB Speed (20k/40k ft)
		Sustained Turn Rate (20k/40k ft) (deg/s)
		Instantaneous Turn Rate (20k/40k ft) (deg/s)
		Sustained Turn Radius (20k/40k ft)
		Instantaneous Turn Radius (20k/40k ft)
		Instantaneous G-Limit (20k/40k ft) (g)
		Sustained g's (20k/40k ft) (g)
		Cruise Altitude (ft)
		Max Altitude (ft)
Propulsion
3.0		Number Engines
		Engine Weight (lb)
		Thrust per Engine (lbf)
		Cruise SFC (lb/lbf*hr)
		Afterburner Thrust (lbf)
		Auxiliary Power Available (kW)
		Self Start Engine(s)
		Thermal Management Capability
		Max dBA on 50' arc
		Area of 65 dB SEL contour
Weaponization
4.0		Weapon Types
		Number of Hard points
		Internal/External
		Communication (L-16, etc.)
Sensors
5.0		Sensor Payload
		Cooling Required (lb/s)
		Power Required (kW)
		Language
		SLOC
		Modularity
EW
6.0		Offensive
		Defensive
		Counter
Fuel
7.0		Air-to-Air Refueling on
		Air-to-Air Refueling off
		Alternative Fuels
Maintainability
8.0		MTBF
		MTBR
		Manning requirement
Carrier Suitability
9.0		Faraday Cages, Grounding, etc
		Primary Materials
Survivability
10.0		Vulnerability
		Visible
		Acoustic (dB)
		IR
		CBRN Protection
		Counter-DEW
Interoperability
Cost
TRL/IOC
11.0		TRL by 2020
		IOC
Current Status (Paper/TRL/Demonstrator/POR)
Additional Information

 

 

 

Minions, I bear good news... new fighter programs are emerging. So it won't be the same old F-22 and F-35 day in and day out...

 

The F/A-XX sixth-generation fighter emerged as a hot topic at the Navy League's Sea-Air-Space Exposition near Washington DC today. The US Navy has released a Request for Information for a new fighter to replace the F/A-18E/F in the 2030s as of Friday 13 April according to Rear Admiral Donald Gaddis, the Naval Air Systems Command's program manager for tactical aviation. But while he is willing to say that the Navy wants far greater kinematic performance and greater range, Gaddis cautions that there will be a long analysis of alternatives (AoA) before any formal program starts. The Pentagon will also likely mandate a joint AoA with the US Air Force's prospective F-X sixth-generation effort, but the Navy and USAF requirements may not match up, he says.

 

In the meantime, Boeing is displaying its F/A-XX concept at the show.

And it has revealed its concept for the Navy's Unmanned Carrier Launched Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) drone.

More to come later...

Dear faithful blog readers,

Five years after launching The DEW Line on Flightglobal.com, I am turning over day-to-day management of the blog to my new colleague Dave Majumdar.

We spotted Dave a few years ago, and helped introduced him to aerospace journalism through postings on this blog. Dave went on to cover the US Air Force for Defense News, where he broke a series of stories on the F-22 oxygen system malfunctions. We were lucky to pick him up several weeks ago, as I shifted roles from defence coverage to writing about the commercial side of the industry.

Personally, it's been easy making the transition knowing the blog is in such capable hands. Besides Dave's regualr postings here, my London-based colleague Craig Hoyle, who leads our global defence coverage, also contributes. You may even see the occasional posting by me here, as opportunities arise. You can also check out FlightBlogger, where I and others will be posting blogs about commercial aviation on a more regular basis.

Starting this blog was the best decision I made in my journalism career. It nothing else, it brought me in closer contact with frankly you, our readers. Your perception, insights and opinions made me a better observer of this industry, and I will always be grateful.

Best regards,

Stephen Trimble  

The United Kingdom's first Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II production jet made its inaugural test flight on 13 April. The aircraft, an F-35B short takeoff/vertical-landing (STOVL) model, flew a series of functional flight checks during the sortie. Lockheed's Bill Gigliotti was at the controls during the 45-minute flight.

 

The new aircraft will have to complete a series of company and government tests flights before it is accepted by the UK. This particular aircraft will be used for training and operational tests at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, beginning later this year, Lockheed says. The Florida base is the home of the US Air Force's 33^rd Fighter Wing, the first US training wing.

 

 "Not only is this a watershed moment for the Joint Strike Fighter program, since BK-1 is the first international F-35 to fly, but it also brings us one step closer to delivery of this essential 5th Generation capability for the U.K., " said Group Captain Harv Smyth, the Joint Strike Fighter UK National Deputy.

 

The fact this first UK F-35 is a B-model is slightly awkward, however. The UK had earlier switched from the F-35B model jet to the US Navy's F-35C carrier variant, however the UK's Ministry of Defence is considering reversing that decision. The cost of refitting one of that nation's two carrier, which are currently under construction, with catapult launch and arresting gear have been proving to be greater than the British government anticipated.

Happy Saturday minions... Here are some videos from Red Flag over at Nellis courtesy of the USAF. One is just of them refueling over the barren Nevada desert. The other is of airfield operations at Nellis.

I'm not going to lie to you, the videos aren't terribly exciting... But here you can read my Raptor retrospective- which is a masterpiece if I do say so myself.  I know, humility is not my strong point. Also here is Flightglobal's commentary on the Raptor program.

Lockheed Martin's modified optionally-manned Kaman K-MAX is doing well in US Marine Corps user trials in Afghanistan. While the USMC is probably onboard, what about the US Army? They could certainly use something like this. But do they have the money and the interest? That is the question... Meanwhile, NATO countries are apparently lining up to buy it according to Lockheed's Jim Naylor. Read about it here.

Lockheed Martin is being awarded a $258.8 million not-to-exceed undefinitized modification to the previously awarded low rate production contract for the F-35.

The contract modification to the fifth production lot adds one additional F-35A conventional take-off and landing aircraft for the US Air Force, and one additional F-35C carrier variant aircraft for the US Navy.  According to a US Department of Defense release the modification includes undefinitized line items, which will be definitized as fixed-price-incentive-firm.

The low rate initial production (LRIP) V contract has fluctuated before. Back in October 2011, the Department of Defense reduced the LRIP V procurement amount by five aircraft. That cut some combination of F-35As and F-35Cs but preserved three orders for the F-35B.

That meant the LRIP V order droped from 35 to 30 aircraft.

Lockheed offers an explanation.

"The president's budget calls funding for up to 32 jets in LRIP 5. The UCA signed in December was for only 30 jets," says company  spokeswoman Laurie Quincy. "This action today funds two additional jets equaling the President's budget proposal. We look forward to continuing to work with our government customer to finalize details for a LRIP contract."

Could live virtual constructive (LVC) training help reduce some of the F-35's soaring costs? It might, if the US Air Force, US Navy and USMC didn't need to continually cycle through fourth-generation machines or have other F-35s act as "Red Air" during training sorties. But what is clear is that the new technology will help US tactical air forces practice for beyond visual range fights much more effectively than ever before--especially if you're a Raptor driver and nobody wants to play with you (because it's not much fun dying before you even know you're under attack). However, you still need other jets to train against for those within visual range fights...

 

Read all about it here.

 

In the meantime, F-35 drivers USAF Lt Col Eric Smith and US Marine Corps Maj Joseph "O.D." Bachmann have been busy at the 33^rd Fighter Wing. Here they are flying in formation... 

 

And doing aerial refuelings...  Though this is actually Eric Smith in this shot.

 

Also the support troops have begun their formal training...  (Hmmm... they appear to have better computers than we do)

The US Navy's Office of Naval Research is studying new ways to reduce the impact of jet noise on carrier deck crews. The Navy says that jet noise from tactical aircraft can reach 150 decibels on the flight line, which is well above the safe limits for hearing. Factories, for example, are required to institute a hearing protection program once noise levels reach 85 decibels, the Navy says.

 

The ONR hopes its project will help to create new approaches to mitigate jet exhaust noise which will result in safer noise environments. That should also help in reducing noise complaints reported in communities near military bases.

 

ONR is awarding about $4 million to researchers at Brigham Young University, California Institute of Technology, Cascade Technologies, Innovative Technology Applications Co., University of Illinois, University of Mississippi, Pennsylvania State University and Virginia Tech for the effort. NASA is also chipping in a few dollars...

 

Hearing loss is no joke, and it's imperative that folks wear proper hearing protection working around aircraft. Something I learned the hard way.

 

Anyway, here is picture of F-22 Raptor tail number 09-4191 flying home to Langley from the Lockheed Martin's factory in Marietta, Georgia. There are three more left to go, last one leaves the nest on May 2. You should wear hearing protection if you are standing near an operating Raptor--see it's not just an excuse to post an F-22 shot.

Also the F-35 is pretty goddamn loud... Yes, heard it in person at Pax and on the USS Wasp.

The US Air Force's Global Strike Command is planning on commemorating the 60th anniversary of the first flight of the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress on 15 April. The original event happened on 15 April, 1952, when the YB-52 prototype took to the air over Seattle, Washington.

 The YB-52 is actually the second Stratofortress built by Boeing. The XB-52, which was the first aircraft, was damaged during ground testing and first flew on 2 October, 1952.

 Unlike the current B-52 flying today, the original two test planes had the crew sitting in tandem similar to the earlier B-47 aircraft.

 Anyways, the B-52 has been in the USAF fleet for so long that there are quite literally generations who have flown the type. One such example is the 23^rd Bomb Squadron's 1st Lt Daniel Welch, who is stationed at Minot AFB, North Dakota. His dad and grandfather both flew the eight-engine bomber.

 There is a joke in the USAF that when any given newer type of bomber is retired to the "Boneyard", the last crew who drops off that aircraft to Davis-Monthan AFB in Arizona will be picked up in a B-52. And there is more than a grain of truth to that...

 The B-52 has outlived all of its would be replacements. Remember the B-58 Hustler Mach 2+ bomber? Gone. XB-70--it's in a museum in Ohio. FB-111? Those are rotting away in the desert somewhere. And probably so will the B-1 and B-2 when it comes to their turn... (Don't have a crystal ball, just willing to make that bet)

 The USAF is working on a new stealth bomber under a new program called the Long Range Strike-Bomber as part of its classified budget. The service wants 80 to 100 of the aircraft to enter service in the mid-2020s and cost $550 million each.  It will rely on "mature technologies" --even if it's supposed to be optionally manned--and the USAF will watch its appetite for added new capabilities, Air Force chief Gen. Norton Schwartz insists. But he's leaving in a couple of months- what then?

 The USAF has a long track record of bungling acquisitions programs and overreaching on technical requirements--so the jury is still out on if this new LRS-B will ever see the light of day.

 Given the ever aging and ever shrinking USAF bomber fleet, it had better work out better than the F-22 and F-35 programs, much less the ill-fated Navy A-12 program (which was also developed largely in the classified space).

 

The Global Strike Command has put together a timeline here:

 April 15, 1952 - The first flight of the YB-52 Stratofortress will be commemorated with a long-duration flight from AFGSC Headquarters at Barksdale.

 May 10 through Oct. 23, 1972 - Operation Linebacker - Linebacker was the first continuous bombing effort conducted against North Vietnam since the bombing halt instituted by President Lyndon B. Johnson in November 1968.

 June 18, 1965 - Operation Arc Light - The first use of the B-52D Stratofortress as a conventional bomber from bases in the U.S. to Guam to support ground combat operations in Vietnam.

 Aug. 2, 1994 - B-52's first round-the-world bombing mission.

 Oct. 26, 1962 - Strategic Air Command received the last B-52 from production line

 Dec. 18 through 29, 1972 - Operation Linebacker II - This operation saw the largest heavy bomber strikes launched by the U.S. Air Force since the end of World War II.

The recent crash of US Navy F/A-18D Hornet from VFA-106 into an apartment building in Virginia Beach raises the question: Is there already too much encroachment around Naval Air Station Oceana?

Read our coverage here and here

It's never a smart idea to build residential buildings near a busy airport or a busy military airfield, but this issue has come up before for Oceana. And it will continue to pop-up around the country. MCAS Miramar near San Diego immediately comes to mind as a prime example.

 Take a look at this timeline laid out by YesOceana.com. It's possible there is already too much encroachment.

 July 19, 2005  

 The BRAC commission votes to add NAS Oceana to the list of base closures.

 August 4, 2005           

 Federal, State, and City of Virginia Beach leaders appear before the BRAC commission to defend NAS Oceana.

 August 24, 2005         

 The BRAC commission votes to maintain NAS Oceana if Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, and the Commonwealth of Virginia commit to appropriate money to stop encroachment within APZ-1 by March 2006.

 December 20, 2005    

 Virginia Beach City Council adopts plan for compliance with BRAC Commission decision and begins meeting the terms of the BRAC order.

 February 14, 2006     

 Virginia Beach City Council adopted a zoning ordinance amendment to include clear zones as part of the APZ-1 Use and Acquisition Plan.

 March 28, 2006          

 Virginia Beach adopts ordinances to:

        * Allow certain uses as principle uses in APZ-1

        * Amend the Airport Noise Attenuation and Safety Ordinance regarding avigation easements on property within Air Installment Compatible Use Zones (AICUZ)

        * Establish the APZ-1 Property Exemption District

        * Establish the APZ-1 Technology/Business Opportunity Zone

        * Amend plan to include principles guiding the voluntary conversion of nonconforming      uses to conforming uses in APZ-1

 March 31, 2006          

 The City of Virginia Beach presents the plan to the BRAC Commission to stop and roll back development around NAS Oceana. A plan that meets and exceeds the BRAC intent quicker, more effectively and at a lower cost.

 One would hope that whatever the city managed to roll-back, that it is sufficient.

Two US Air Force F-15 Eagle fighters were scrambled to intercept a Korean Air Boeing 777 airliner shortly after it took off from Vancouver, British Columbia, due to a bomb threat.

The Boeing-built air superiority fighters were launched out of Portland, Oregon, under the auspices of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) to intercept the airliner around 4:00 Pacific time 10 April.

"The Korean airliner was intercepted, diverted and the aircraft was shadowed until it landed at Canadian Forces Base Comox [British Columbia] at approximately 5:30," a Pentagon spokesman says.

The F-15s were likely part of the Oregon Air National Guard's 142^nd Fighter Wing, which performs the air sovereignty mission for NORAD and its parent US Northern Command organization.

CFB Comox sometimes serves as a temporary forward base for Canadian Forces CF-18 Hornets, which are also built by Boeing, but is primarily used by search and rescue and maritime patrol aircraft. Given that US aircraft were used for the intercept, it is unlikely that a CF-18 detachment is currently present at the base.

NORAD itself is a joint Canadian and US command that was established in 1958 to defend North American airspace from intruders and provide warning of a nuclear attack. At the time, the threat was primarily from Soviet bombers and ICBMs, but after the events of September 11, 2001, NORAD took on an expanded role in policing the skies against similar terrorist threats.

Lockheed Martin has released another video of the F-35. This time it is of the F-35C making a high-speed pass. One must assume this is in anticipation of the 2012 Air, Sea and Space Exposition next week. Not the most spectacular footage, but that music is just awful. Might I humbly suggest using the mute button...

One of the stunning admissions that came out of the US Air Force Scientific Advisory Board F-22 briefing on 29 March was that the service had let its aerospace physiology competency atrophy.

Read the full story here: http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/usaf-to-rebuild-its-aerospace-physiology-expertise-370521/

They also haven't figured out what's causing the F-22's problems:

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/usaf-vows-to-discover-root-cause-of-raptors-maladies-370164/

 

The Raptor flies well above the 50,000ft ceiling (by USAF regs) of other fighters like the F-15 and F-16, but unlike pilots flying the high-flying U-2, F-22 pilots don't wear a pressure suit. The USAF issues a waiver to pilots, which allows them to fly up to 60,000ft while wearing the Combat Edge g-suit (60,000ft is the limit due to the Armstrong Line-which is found at an altitude of between 62000ft and 63000ft, where the outside air pressure is so low that water will start to boil at 37°C or 98.6°F) The Combat Edge is ostensibly supposed to act as a partial pressure suit.

 

However, after years (decades) of enduring spells of decompression sickness (from wearing an actual pressure suit, but astonishingly enough, not having it inflated) from exposure to cabin altitudes of around 29,000 ft, U-2 crews are getting some relief.

 

The USAF is modifying the U-2 to allow for a lower cabin altitude of between 15,000ft and 16,000ft. It's hoped that will banish decompression sickness from the U-2 community--which happens even though crews undergo elaborate pre-breathing (with pure oxygen and cardio) procedures hours ahead of a flight.

 

Raptor pilots, however, don't have any of those procedures or a pressure suit... but are exposed to nearly the same kinds of cabin altitudes.  Perhaps the U-2 community might have some insight into the Raptor community's woes?

 

Lockheed Martin has just released a new video of its F-35A conducting night aerial refueling. They have wisely incorporated a light so that the boom operator can see the receptacle clearly--which was something that had to be retrofitted onto the first few production F-22 Raptors. It's a sharp looking jet, but the Raptor is far prettier...

Lockheed Martin delivered the 4,500th example of the F-16 during a 3 April ceremony at its Fort Worth manufacturing site in Texas, describing the type as "the world standard for evolutionary fighters today".

The aircraft at the centre of the event was a single-seat Block 52 F-16C built under a 24-unit deal for the Royal Moroccan Air Force, and already carrying the service registration 8016 (Lockheed Martin image below). Lockheed had already handed over four such fighters and all four two-seat D-model trainers contained within the deal, as recorded by Flightglobal's premium MiliCAS database.

 

In all, 26 nations have selected the F-16 since the US Air Force placed its first production order for the then-General Dynamics design in 1975.

Lockheed's current order backlog includes the remaining aircraft for Morocco, top-ups for Egypt, Oman and Turkey, and the first to be manufactured for Iraq.

MiliCAS records just over 3,000 of the delivered F-16s as being in active service in the A/B/C/D/E/F and I variants. As Lockheed's banners at the latest handover event stated, "That's a lot of birds".

Anyone want to wager whether the F-35 now dominating the Fort Worth line will ever reach that number over its production life?