On exchange

SQNLDR Harper: It’s been very, very positive. We’re lucky enough that the US Government and the Australian Government have been very, very close, and it’s important to both our militaries that we are very interoperable. As such, we have a lot of exchange programs back and forth between the US and Australia, it’s bilateral. Knowing this and going across and flying the F-22, I was expecting that it was going to be a very positive experience. Depending on what exchange you go to, in some places there are lots of Australians that are also on different levels of exchange and working over in the US. I was lucky enough in a way that in Alaska, there were no other Australians, so I was forced to meld and join and become part of a squadron completely…so the squadron’s just been very, very good at integrating me into flying the F-22…Hopefully I’ve been contributing just as much as all the other US weapons officers who have been able to convert across to the F-22, so it’s been very, very good.

Australian Aviation: Now that you are on exchange, when you come back to Australia, what kinds of experiences or lessons can you bring back to prepare the RAAF for its next gen fighter capability?

SQNLDR Harper: Certainly through teaching and flying the F-22, those lessons are going to be very, very useful for Australia as we transition to flying the JSF in a few years time. More importantly right now, our Air Force, because it’s so small, we spend a lot of time concentrating that we are 100 per cent interoperable with the US Air Force. Our squadrons see themselves as like almost a plug-and-play asset to combine with any coalition force that potentially might need to operate anywhere in the world. So the most immediate impact that I’ll be able to have is making sure that all of our tactics and capabilities that we have are very easily integrated into the US, as they transition from 4th gen capability in their Air Force to a predominantly 5th generation Air Force with its JSF and F-22, and then also with the JSF coming into the Australian Air Force in about 2014.

Australian Aviation: Chris, can I just ask you, how has Matt integrated into the squadron and performed as an exchange pilot?

LTCOL Niemi: I have had the opportunity not just with Matt, but with two other Australian exchange officers and all of them have been top notch. It’s speaks volumes of the quality of the RAAF officers and fighter pilots. I’m sure they’re very carefully chosen, but to have another weapons officer trained individual, particularly one with a unique perspective flying our airplane where they can take a look at what we’re doing, and kind of offer that unique perspective, some inputs that would not have otherwise occurred to us, is a real benefit. To be honest with you, it’s not really a big deal from our perspective in terms of he’s like any other major second level supervision in a fighter squadron…It’s of benefit to us to have his expertise and we don’t treat him differently or expect anything differently from him, and he’s certainly delivered so he’s been an outstanding officer. He’s made the 90th Fighter Squadron, which I used to be in incidentally before, better through his presence over the last few years. So I think it’s a great deal for both our countries who have this [exchange program].

Australian Aviation: Matt, on the F-22, can you tell me what it’s like flying it compared to say a 3rd gen fighter or a 4th gen?

SQNLDR Harper: The F-22 is just a fantastic aircraft. It was really designed with a fighter pilot in mind, all the ergonomics in the cockpit are well thought out. I think a lot of the lessons that you would learn through the development of cockpits for the F-18, F-16, a lot of those lessons were acknowledged, and when the cockpit of the F-22 was developed, it’s a very, very easy aircraft to sit down in and find your way around and operate out there tactically. Flying wise, characteristics, it’s very similar in many respects to a Hornet, it’s [F-22] just got a lot more power. You still need to be a little bit careful with it, every now and then. For the most part, the aircraft is, the flying control systems are completely electronic, so very, very stable in all the flight regimes. It’s got a lot of excess thrust, so when you really need to go fast, it’ll get up and go. It’ll get away from you if you’re not careful, so that’s one of the great capabilities of the F-22.

SQNLDR Harper: Thanks guys.

Australian Aviation: Thankyou.