Combat Coded

At the time, the General stated that his criteria for combat ready was: ‘airmen trained, manned and equipped to conduct basic close air support, interdiction and limited suppression/destruction of enemy air defences in a contested environment with an operational squadron of 12-24 aircraft; the ability to deploy and conduct operational missions using a program of record weapons and missions systems; and having all necessary logistics and operational elements in place. ’ The previous month of operations at Hill AFB prior to IOC had seen a successful deployment by the 34th FS from Hill AFB to Mountain Home AFB in June, plus an increased sortie rate in July, which paved the way for IOC, duly declared on August 2.

When The Generals Talk

The USAF is fielding its F-35A without either Block 3F software or version 2. 0. 2 of its Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS), delivery of which was initially deemed fundamental to IOC but will now be likely delivered in November, when engine information is integrated.

In terms of overall capability, however, IOC remains a small, but psychologically significant step. Problems with the aircraft remain, specifically with the current levels of sensor fusion and performance envelope of its Martin Baker ejection seat. There are also emerging signs of resistance to Lockheed Martin’s proposed ‘block buy’ of 460 aircraft, to be procured over three years from 2017. At issue are the merits of concurrency, the overlap of testing and production, which is seen as a driver of cost in an already prodigal program.

General Carlisle’s ACC is the end user of the USAF’s proposed total of 1,763 F-35As. In a media briefing at the Pentagon on August 2 he outlined what IOC means in practical terms.

“It means if a Combatant Commander asks for a capability that the F-35 has, I would deploy it in support of operations that the Combatant Commander needed it for.

“Whether it’s pre-planned strike missions and on-call interdiction missions, there’s many of those missions that we can support. In defensive counter-air, or offensive counter-air, we could use it in many different missions. It would depend on the threat environment. But there are missions that are being conducted today that the F-35 could perform. ” One role not being performed, however, is the type of close air support (CAS) currently provided by the purpose-built A-10. In explaining why, General Carlisle hinted at the design compromises necessary to produce an aircraft able to replace a variety of 1970s-era teen series platforms.

We will evolve this airplane and continue to improve it. GEN CARLISLE

“I don’t want to get into specifics because obviously this is still a program that we’re working out there, but basically the F-35A doesn’t necessarily have all the attributes with respect to things like an IR pointer. That is one I’ll just give as an example that we use in A-10s that is not currently in this airplane. But we knew that when we designed it to begin with. So it’s CAS, but it’s CAS at a kind of a basic level. There’s some other things with respect to the link architecture that we’re continuing to improve on so that we can hand off information to other airplanes and gain information from other airplanes.

“We will evolve this airplane and continue to improve it just like we have every airplane in our history. And as we hit the block 3F and Block 4, we can get more in the airplane. We had some things programmed into the airplane that we’re not going to have coming until Block 3F. And then we have follow-on modernisation in Block 4. So we know that we’re going to continue to add capabilities to this airplane. ” In the meantime, flight testing being conducted in the lead-up to IOC has uncovered further challenges for designers and engineers to ponder.

“We had an interim readiness assessment by our operational test folks that put the airplane through its paces. We put it in different environments. There’s still some challenges with the displays on the scope and how you depict information. When you fuse that many sensors together – and the fusion logic inside this airplane is fantastic – you need to display and make it intuitive and logical to the person that is flying the airplane. Upgrades will address that.

“Also, when the testers looked at the scope, sometimes there were things that didn’t make sense initially and they had to go to one level deeper of information by putting the cursor over it. That really shouldn’t have to be done.

“The other challenge is what we call PVI, or pilot-vehicle interface, where you make things happen with respect to your sensor suite, your comms suite and your navigation suite. You do it by what’s called ‘HOTAS’ or Hands on Throttle and Stick, so you don’t have to move your hands to change knobs. And we’re working on some of those where again, you maybe have to do too many actions to get to a particular mode. We’ll change those as we continue to improve in Block 3F. ” But, he notes: “In fact the airplane is doing very well. The pilots are flying it and that is really the test. You know, everything that we do, if you look at our operational test folks and our line pilots who are flying it at Hill, and you say ‘hey, if we ask you to go through a mission, will you be comfortable taking this airplane into a potentially contested environment?’ And to a person they’ll tell you ‘yes’. ”

Basing

With the F-35A’s IOC behind it, the USAF is turning its attention to basing locations for its newest fifth generation fighter. Given the deterrent effect of deploying such a sophisticated platform, and the growing number of global flashpoints, there is no shortage of potential locations.

“We will be putting the aircraft in Eielson Air Force Base [Alaska], which is a Pacific theatre base, but when it will get to Kadena [Japan] or somewhere in WestPac, or somewhere west of the dateline, I don’t know when, because we’re still working the bed down plan.

“We have a global force management process where we put airplanes into the rotational process. Right now, the F-35 on a rotational move to the Middle East is not happening in the near term, but it is scheduled for down the road.

“When the F-35 deploys to places like the European theatre or the Pacific theatre it will give our allies and partners confidence in the F-35. It will also give them a chance to see it in operation and see it in interoperability, working with their fourth generation airplanes. As I’ve said all along, the F-35, like the F-22, when it operates with fourth generation airplanes, makes fourth generation airplanes that much better. It brings up the game of their entire fight because it has so much capability and situational awareness. ” In April, the Pentagon announced that Davis-Monthan AFB, Homestead ARB, NAS/JRB Fort Worth, Texas and Whiteman AFB are candidate bases for the first Reserve-led F-35A location.

Current Status

Along with its first transatlantic deployment, the last month has seen F-35 testing continue apace. In early August it successfully live fired both an AIM- 9X and AIM-120C, successfully engaging targets. Future testing will see the aircraft cleared to carry the Small Diameter Bomb and Joint Direct Attack Munition. Essential to this process is the continued development of the 3F software load, and ultimately, 4F, which is promised to enable the aircraft to realise its full spectrum of war fighting capabilities.

Currently, ACC has 21 combat-ready active and reserve F-35 pilots on strength, and 15 aircraft available, split between the 419th and 388th Fighter Wings. Twelve F-35As have undergone modifications including improvements to the aircraft’s fuel system, flight envelope expansion, more stable software and lightning protection.

The IOC for the F-35A – which accounts for over 70 per cent of the JSF’s projected production run – is being seen by many as a key event in positively shifting perceptions of the enormous F-35 program. General Carlisle, briefing reporters, struck a note of determined optimism as he beheld the future of the Lightning II.

“We’re going to get more planes and better capability with respect to its ability to take information, gather information and fuse data from multiple sources and present it to the pilot in a way that is situational awareness-enhancing. It will allow this airplane, with this massive amount of information and fusion and its ability to operate in a contested environment with stealth qualities, to dominate the airspace.

“We look at the potential adversaries out there, the potential climates that we’ll have to operate this airplane in, the attributes that the F-35 brings, the ability to operate in contested airspace, the ability to manoeuvre, to deliver precision munitions, the sensor suite that fuses data from multiple information. Our A model has had some challenges but we’re happy with the trend lines. ”

Providing Confidence

The RAAF, meanwhile seems happy with the trend lines too.

“USAF IOC provides confidence for the Australian F-35 Program which will invest in 72 F-35A aircraft,” Minister for Defence Senator Maris Payne said in a statement.

“More than 150 F-35 aircraft have now flown more than 65,000 hours and three Australian pilots are among more than 300 international pilots who have now qualified. ” The first two RAAF F-35As and the first three qualified RAAF F-35A pilots are currently based at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, with a further pilot currently undergoing training. In all the first two Australian F-35s had flown around 700 hours as at early August.

Then there are some 32 Australian personnel who support the F-35 program in the US across a range of specialisations ensuring Australia has a key role in shaping Australian outcomes for this fifth generation capability.

Australia’s next eight aircraft will be delivered in 2018 and will initially operate as part of a pool of training aircraft at the F-35 Pilot Training Centre at Luke Air Force Base.

The first two RAAF F-35As to arrive in Australia are due to touch down at RAAF Base Williamtown in December 2018. Australian F-35 IOC, with 3 Squadron, is planned for 2020.

Our A model has had some challenges but we’re happy with the trend lines. GEN CARLISLE