Issue 284: Rhino Deploys

For the RAAF’s 1 Squadron, Bersama Shield was an important milestone on the path to achieving full operational capability (FOC) with the Super Hornet – or Rhino – by the end of this year, testing the new jet’s capabilities, the RAAF’s tactics in employing the jet, and its support.

“It’s something that’s been on the table for a couple of years in the broad schedule of getting the aircraft and the squadron from initial delivery to initial operating capability to final operating capability,” said WGCDR Glen Braz of deploying the Super Hornet to Bersama Shield. As CO 1SQN, WGCDR Braz led the Bersama Shield deployment before finishing his posting as Australia’s inaugural Super Hornet squadron CO at the end of May.

“We were very keen to exercise that deployment capability in the near region and to demonstrate that the squadron was meeting its initial operating capability requirements and levels, and to take the unit overseas. . . Bersama Shield represented the ideal opportunity to do that within the region and to get the jet away, to get the people away and demonstrate that we were at that level. ” 1SQN had set multiple goals in deploying to Bersama Shield, from integrating with other FPDA nations to learning lessons from the Super Hornet’s deployment from logistical and tactical standpoints.

“It is a complex exercise because it’s a large area and it’s a complex airspace and overwater exercise environment, and there’s a lot of other activity going on around the Malaysian Peninsula and Singapore. . . So that side of things makes the first couple of days a bedding in process while everyone’s getting used to procedures again and all the details, especially for the visiting nations who aren’t used to that framework,” WGCDR Braz noted.

“Once we get through those steps, which are just really minor learning points about which frequency to be on at what time… then the team integrates really well. We have a great system of using planners in Headquarters IADS [Integrated Area Defence System] to tie the whole exercise together, and that is clearly a multi-national effort. ” However, even before the first Super Hornet touched down at RMAF Butterworth on April 29, both aircrew and ground crew at 1SQN had to undergo extensive preparation work in advance of their first overseas deployment with the new jet. From a tactical point of view, a number of simulated air-to-air engagements were flown by 1SQN crews in anticipation of the aircraft they were expected to come up against in BS2011.

“We train in BFM [basic fighter manoeuvres] routinely, and we tend to be in a one v one engagement where one aircraft simulates another aircraft type,” WGCDR Braz explained.

“We’ll do that by placing various speed restrictions, whether it’s maximum or minimum speed restrictions on how we fly the Super Hornet, so we attempt to simulate other aircraft types. . . This helps us understand the differences that the F-16 brings, or understand the subtle differences that the MiG-29 brings. Of course, some of the guys in the squadron and the wing have flown against these aircraft before, so they know what to expect and they know generally what a MiG- 29 driver will and won’t do in certain scenarios, based on what his aircraft can or can’t do. ” At a logistical level, WGCDR Braz noted that the preparation process for 1SQN was similar to any fast jet squadron deployment to Butterworth, with much time and effort invested in spares and personnel modelling plus planning the airlift support required.

“The differences will be in the spares footprint and those sorts of things, [whether it’s the] F-111 or classic Hornet to Super Hornet. Otherwise they’re very similar processes to get jets over there. You can have subtle differences on the ferry routing and so on, but clearly Air Combat Group’s got a lot of corporate knowledge on getting to Malaysia and Singapore. . . but our requirements were unique from a spares, transport and a personnel perspective. ” Those unique requirements included the deployment of approximately 130 RAAF personnel, including 16 aircrew, 65 ground crew, and other administration, security and support staff from various units outside 1SQN.

“One of the unusual things about taking the Super Hornet away now is that we have to integrate larger elements from other groups in Air Force, other than Air Combat Group, and security’s probably the main contributor there. ” With BS2011 kicking off on May 2, 1SQN was thrown into a number of simulated combat missions designed not only to test the tactical skills of the squadron’s aircrew, but also to prove the multirole capabilities of the Super Hornet in a real time threat environment. The exercise was divided into two main phases, starting with a Force Integration Training (FIT) phase (May 2 to 9), followed by a Live Exercise Phase between May 10 and 13.

A typical mission, varying between two-and-a-half and three hours long, saw 1SQN crews (pilot and WSO) usually flying two waves per day. Aircrew would first arrive on base at 0600 to finalise planning and incorporate any last minute operational changes, followed by a check of the weather and a detailed mission brief.

“Normally we would get airborne about 0930. . . transit across the [Malaysian] Peninsula and meet the Omega tanker, normally in one of the tanker tracks somewhere around Kuantan Air Base. Sometimes that was over land, most of the time it was over water just to the northeast of Kuantan. From there, we’d get some fuel off the tanker and then we’d push into our mission,” WGCDR Braz explained.

“The missions were typically self-escort, strike, offensive counter-air, and then leading into some land strike phases in the second part of the mission. We would push south towards the surface maritime group, often having to fight our way in there through various CAPs [Combat Air Patrols] that were on location. They often consisted of Hornets and MiG-29s and occasional F-16s from Singapore,” he added.

“Merging with MiG-29s certainly is a great experience and it’s great training for everyone involved to do that. ” In addition, maritime strike was also performed by 1SQN using the Super Hornet’s Harpoon anti-ship missile capability.

WGCDR Braz said pilots had to simulate a Harpoon missile launch using the Super Hornet, overfly the target ship to signal a hit and then push west towards the coast, often encountering more trouble along the way.

“We’d often find some more CAPs, andhave to fight our way through those guys and then get into some land strike targets south of Kuantan on the coast,” WGCDR Braz said.

“It was a typical multirole mission, having to get to the tanker, manage fuel offloads, and all the variables – the timing, being on time where we needed to be and swing between roles, while balancing the needs of maritime strike with fighting your way in there and then switching again to land strike. It’s great training for us, and it’s also great to interact with ships and aircraft that we don’t see normally. ” Those aircraft that the RAAF does not normally see included flying against high-energy, manoeuvrable opponents like Malaysia’s MiG-29s and F/A-18Ds (its Sukhoi Su-30s did not take part), as well as Singaporean F-5s and F-16D Block 52+ jets. 1SQN also provided escort duties to the RMAF Hawk Mk 208 ground attack fighters on a variety of missions, including maritime and land strike operations.

In that environment, the Super Hornet performed “very well, and as expected I guess,” WGCDR Braz said.

“We used the full capabilities of the aeroplane when we were over there. The way we operated was just slightly modified to allow the simulation of the threat that we were supposed to be simulating.

“The great thing about the Super Hornet is it has that outstanding [AESA] radar in the nose, and that provides all of us in the formation with outstanding situational awareness with who’s out there and what’s going on. So in that respect, the jet performed as we expected it to, and when we got involved in those closer engagements, again the jet did very well. Albeit, you’d have to be very conscious of what other aircraft you’re fighting so you need to be aware of the strengths of the jet you’re fighting, and make sure you know your own strength while giving yourself the best advantage when you merge with [say] an F-16. Merging with an F-16 is very different to merging and manoeuvring with an F-18, so it’s quite a different game plan.

And it’s good exposure to learn from that and figure out the best way to fight those types of aircraft. ” WGCDR Braz said largely flexible rules of engagement (ROE) made for some close combat against a swathe of other adversaries in the air.

“Generally, the rules of engagement allow good interaction. . . Clearly we had to identify ship targets and so on through various means, and we used all our normal capabilities to do that. So in the air-to-surface environment, that was quite workable for us. In the air-to-air environment, it was relatively easy for us because we knew where we were in the flow and we knew that most of the other assets out there were effectively adversary forces for us. So we could identify the threat aircraft pretty easily and engage them in accordance with that identification as part of the training package.

“We had a day at the start of the exercise where we did some dedicated BFM sorties against as many jets as we could find, and that was sort of pre-arranged on the schedule. . . We got to those engagements with a pretty good understanding of the jets that we’d be up against, the MiG and the F-16 particularly. We’re used to fighting F-18s, and the classic and the Super Hornet are quite similar in how they fight.

What we did in those environments is we reconfirmed what we thought about the Super Hornet in that it does very well in a close-in manoeuvring environment. And that little bit of extra thrust and that little bit extra nose authority that you get with the Super Hornet over the classic Hornet is a significant advantage in those environments, where you’re trying to challenge and fight highly capable, high energy opponents like the MiG-29 and F-16. ” In all, 1SQN flew a total of 47 missions at BS2011, with three missions scrubbed due to poor weather.

Lessons Learned

With the exercise over by May 13, 1SQN transited home to Amberley, bringing back with it invaluable experiences with the Super Hornet as the RAAF’s newest fighter moves towards FOC in 2012.

“It means that we’ve demonstrated that we are well and truly advancing in our progress towards FOC,” WGCDR Braz assessed.

“From an aircraft availability point of view, that’s certainly been demonstrated. From a crew proficiency point of view, that’s been demonstrated and the aircrew that we’ve got flying the jet are doing a great job. The guys and girls involved are progressing very well, and the training that we’ve got in place is proving to be suitable, and giving the team the right skills to get on and do the job. ” WGCDR Braz also highlighted three key lessons the squadron can take out of BS2011.

“The primary lesson is, first of all, the jet is performing exactly how we expected it to, and every time we integrate the aeroplane into Air Combat Group or an environment like the FPDA, we are very impressed with the capabilities of the aeroplane and what it can do,” he explained.

“We see in a more real world scenario, how it compares to existing capabilities in Australia and around the region. That comparison is very favourable. The second lesson is that we confirm the standards of our training and the direction and concepts of our training and tactics.

We see that validated in this environment as well. Not only integration with FPDA partners, but just how we operate the aircraft in the generic sense, and I guess the basics of flying a fighter aircraft against a range of adversaries.

“Finally…we get to test our concepts for maintaining the aeroplane, the spares we take away with us, the personnel footprint and transport we need to go and do a deployment task like this. We also assess the logistics pipeline. All of these factors are validated and tested in the real world. And that’s another key lesson for making sure we have a deployable capability and we can sustain it in locations within the region and around the world. ” While praising the performance of 1SQN personnel as “outstanding”, WGCDR Braz also paid tribute to host nation Malaysia, which is still reportedly interested in purchasing up to 18 F/A-18 E or F model Super Hornets to add to its existing fleet of eight F/A-18Ds.

“The Malaysians are fantastic hosts, and of course wherever we went the jet drew a lot of attention just because it was the new jet,” he said.

“So there was a great deal of interest around the traps wherever we went. . . The Malaysians were just generally interested in how the jet was and how it was performing and what we thought of it, and of course… we’re happy to share that with them. ”

Mission Success

Overseeing the entire multi-national operation at BS2011 was Headquarters Integrated Area Defence System (HQIADS), commanded by RAAF Air Vice- Marshal Warren Ludwig.

“For the Australian forces, and those from other nations, the exercise presented unique training opportunities in some unique and testing environments. The exercise provided the participants with capacity building across various facets of warfighting, while enhancing interoperability between the nations,” AVM Ludwig said when alluding to the benefits of BS2011 for the ADF.

“Participation in FPDA exercises exposes ADF personnel to capabilities they may not regularly encounter in routine training, and the exercises certainly present a complex and demanding operating environment. My discussions with ADF commanders deployed for this exercise have highlighted the very positive and unique training outcomes they have experienced,” he continued.

“This training has directly contributed to structured preparedness requirements for each unit. At my level, the broad lesson I draw from this most recent exercise is that Australia’s continuing commitment to exercising with other FPDA nations provides a very valuable complement to other training opportunities. FPDA exercises are certainly world-class in their conduct and outcomes. ” WGCDR Braz also agreed that BS2011 was highly effective in achieving mission outcomes for the RAAF, noting HQIADS’s important role in being able to coordinate such a large and complex exercise.

“That’s [HQIADS] where a bunch of the great work happens and we figure out how to work with the various capabilities of each nation, and then we make them come together in a coherent team and overall, it’s outstanding how effective that is. To have those five nations from all over the world, and clearly the UK’s involved as well, come together as a coherent force in quick time is a credit to the nations involved and [HQIADS] who pull that all together,” he said.

“It was a really great experience to get the team over into a complex environment, and I think everyone came out of Bersama Shield with valuable experience and valuable lessons that we can take away. People came out of it with a lot of confidence that we are very much on track and heading in the right direction with where we’re going on the Super Hornet. It was great to be part of that first deployment and also great to be integrating with our good partners up there in the FPDA.

Having Super Hornets there for the first time on the 40th anniversary and to be part of that special event has been a privilege.

I think it’s significant that Australia is willing to participate in those activities in our region. It’s a valuable partnership up there and we get a lot from it, as do the other partners. ”