Page 32 - Williams Foundation Air-Sea Integration Seminar

Shaping an Integrated Force in the Extended Battlespace

"Operational requirements come out of that process and shape the next increment of software development.

"The ARCS is focused on problems and their resolutions.

"These are software updates.

"We get a software refresh out about once a year.

"Six months are spent doing the study to shape the plausible change; and the next six months are spent doing
the integration and then getting it out the door.

"We shed the specs in favor of resolving problems, which the operational community identified.

"They can even write recommended change requests as well which provides part of the demand side process.”

Question: During the last visit, Wedgetail you had not operate it in combat. Now you have.

How has it performed?

Group Captain Bellingham: "We flew to the Middle East and almost instantly began operations. Since
September last year we haven't dropped one mission due to systems on the aircraft, and we're at 99 point
something percent success.

"It's able to deliver everything plus more to the coalition forces. There's a lot of potential in in the Wedgetail
system.

"You've got a twin engine jet, it takes a lot less fuel to keep it over the battle space. We've got 13
crewmembers on board rather than 20 plus crewmembers on board (on an AWACS) who need food and
shelter and clothing and sustainment. The footprint comes down.

"And it is very reliable. It's a relatively new jet, so our reliability is high in terms of the green aircraft systems.
That may change as it gets older, but right now you turn it on and it works.

"From my perspective, I think not just the US but other nations are looking at E7 going, "You know what? That's
working." Whereas where we were four or five years ago it was, "Seems like we've got a bit of work to do."

Question: It is clearly a system in progress with the capability to evolve into what the US CNO calls a
key capability to operate in the electromagnetic battlespace, and to do so for the joint force.

Could you talk about the joint evolution?

Group Captain Bellingham: "Army and navy officers are part of the Wedgetail crew. We are not just an
extension of the air defense ground environment or of what the control reporting units do from the ground.
We take our platform airborne and we do air battle space management.

"Recently, in the Army led Hamel exercise, we pushed the link picture down to the ground force headquarters.
Their situational awareness became significant, compared to what they have had before.

"And since the Williams seminar on Air-Land integration, several senior Army officers have been to
Williamtown to take onboard what we can do and potential evolution of the systems onboard the aircraft.

"We are seeing similar developments on the Navy side. A key example is working with the LHD. My opinion is
that the Wedgetail will be critical to making all the bits of an amphibious task group come together. And not
just that, but as the P-8 joins the force, we can broaden the support to Navy as well. And the new air warfare
Second Line of Defense

Page 31