Page 23 - F-35 and Transformation

The F-35 and The Transformation of the Power Projection Forces

The current French Rafale fleet has been built with the delivery of four different “tranches” of aircraft which
have been upgraded over the years into various standards, the latest one being the Standard F3R to be
delivered in 2018.

Today’s Rafale F3 has little to do with the very first F1: “Retrofitting the very first planes from a F1 standard
to a F3 standard takes far more time than upgrading later-built planes”, explains Capitaine de Vaisseau
Sébastien Fabre, formerly in charge of the support of the Rafale fleet within the French MoD.

As the thousandth modification was achieved in 2014, the latter stressed in an interview that “60% of these
changes relate to standard and technical tracking, while the rest has to do with improving equipment and
support tools”.

Today’s 2015 Rafale is a rather different bird from the 2000’s Rafale, as new technologies allowed for new
operational missions, which in turn drove new technical requirements.

The convergence of the RAF and the FAF onto Langley to work with the USAF bringing their top tip of the
spear forces – Typhoons and Rafales – to fly with the F-22 was itself a work in progress on expeditionary
airpower.

But the tip of the spear is only that without the expeditionary support provided by the entire combat force.

The mere ability to cross the Atlantic and train together is already an achievement on its own.

Preparing the support of such a large-scale exercise is also something both the RAF and the French Air Force
are accustomed to thanks to exercises regularly hosted by the USAF, such as Red Flag.

What was different however was the way it was done in a joint manner between the two European Air Forces
and was considered as such by many participants as an “expeditionary opportunity” on its own.

All French personnel (about 110) –- besides the fighters and KC-135s pilots –- were flown first from France to
the UK with French transport means, but then were taken onboard British C17 and KC-30A Voyager (British
A330 MRTT).

In short, the exercise is a beginning effort during which the air chiefs emphasized they would continue and
perhaps accelerate the efforts in air force combat transition.

“Whoever can gather, process and exploit the most information in the quickest time will win the information
war and ultimately the fight.

With fifth generation aircraft being able to instantly share data with their fourth generation cousins, the
Typhoon can become and an even more effective and capable jet fighter.”

http://www.raf.mod.uk/news/archive/trilateral-agreement-gets-airborne-17122015

Perhaps the best capstone comment on the exercise was provided by the head of the RAF, Sir Andrew
Pulford:

“The important thing is our three air forces can operate together as one.

The three air forces are demonstrating that we can and always have worked well together, that we still can
and still do, and it doesn’t matter whether we are operating over Iraq or Syria, or exercising here on the east
coast of the U.S., these are three air forces operating as one team and for the common good.”

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