Page 28 - F-35 and Transformation

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

The units/aircraft will operate in combat together to maximize effectiveness in the battlespace.

How the units/aircraft will be best manned and systems maintained for maximum efficiencies is a work in
progress.

The Raptors have a decade of 5th Generation “real world” experience to share with the F-35A.

Lessons learned from airframe and systems maintenance, low observability maintenance and more may be
adopted by the F-35A community to make their experience more efficient.

At the same time, information will flow back from the F-35 global fleet to the F-22 and generate
opportunities for specific retrofits to the F-22 fleet, as well as integration lessons.

Fesler explained that greater gains will be realized for both aircraft as all associated personnel “cross-flow”
between platforms.

Fesler acknowledged that the while the interchange of information between 5th and 4th Gen platforms was
challenging, the sharing between 5th and 5th Gen platforms was relatively seamless.

Legacy systems of the 4th Gen aircraft require substantial upgrades to effectively communicate the high
volume of battlespace information (e.g. Talon Hate pods).

Even though the F-22 has been in service over 10 years, its systems have maintained adequate pace with the
F-35As systems, ensuring seamless data communication and a shared picture of the battlespace.

Fesler notes that while the F-22 is optimized for A2A and can work through the SAM problems as well as hit
high value targets, the F-35 is designed “100% to find any ground threat and make it go away” even while
providing a very solid A2A capability.

Lyons indicated that the F-22/F-35 tandem is the team required in peer or near peer environments with
advanced A2A and A2G threats.

The F-35 will provide the team leadership with SEAD, DEAD, Dynamic targeting, EW as well as passing
tremendous amounts of information to the entire Blue team, all while the F-22 provides the primary A2A
protection.

I am left with the distinct feeling that the team driven Fesler and Lyons are more than confident in their
aircraft to take on any challenge with either aircraft, and yet gratified to go to the fight delivering an
unrivaled 21st century team to deliver a one-two punch

Special Thanks to the USAF ACC 633 ABW Public Affairs Team, Col. Pete Fesler, Commander 1st Fighter
Wing, and Col. David Lyons, Commander 388th Fighter Wing,

BECOMING AN F-22 MULTI-TASKING COMBAT AVIATOR

The key to understanding fifth generation combat aviation is sensor fusion and the man-mashine working
relationship built into the cockpit. The F-22 started the process; the F-35 continues it.

At the heart of the new capability is moving from being a sequential multi-mission pilot directing the combat
capabilities of the aircraft, to becoming a multi-tasking decision maker where the machines are processing
data and providing information as the task changes.

In the following piece by Todd Miller, he addresses the question of the making of a 21st century pilot.
Second Line of Defense

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