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Putting the KC-46 Pegasus through its paces
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Edwards AFB, Calif.
As the Air Force gets ready for the arrival of its newest aerial refueling and strategic military transport aircraft, a diverse group of airmen is working hard to make sure the KC-46A Pegasus is ready to meet the service’s needs. Lt. Col. John Mikal is one of them.
Mikal, a reservist KC-135 Stratotanker in- structor pilot assigned to the 370th Flight Test Squadron, is also a KC-46 test pilot and member of the team that’s putting the Pegasus through a series of critical pre-production tests.
Boeing developed the KC-46 from its 767 jet airliner and is scheduled to deliver 179 of the combat-ready tankers are scheduled to be deliv- ered by August 2017.
To meet that timeline, Boeing is working closely with the Air Force to put the KC-46 - craft, a Boeing 767-2C, touched down at Ed- Oct. 15 for several days of fuel onload fatigue close formations with a KC-135 and KC-10 Ex- tender to see how the aircraft performed in dif- ferent aerial refueling positions. While no fuel was passed, Boeing engineers were able to test the stress and strain on the Pegasus. - vers of a KC-46 behind a KC-135 and in close formation with both the KC-10 and KC-46 on the KC-46 during an aerial refueling receiver onload fatigue test behind a KC-10. He was the commercial test variant of the KC-46.
“It was a tremendous honor to participate in and conduct KC-46 testing with the test team,” Mikal said. “The KC-46 will be an amazing operational aircraft, and I’m humbled to have the opportunity to be a part of this amazingly talented test team.”
Mikal isn’t the only Air Force reservist from 46 testing. The 370th has two KC-46 initial cad- re boom operators — Master Sgts. Aaron Ray and Scott Scurlock — who will be taking part in Pegasus refueling testing in the coming months. The 370th FLTS is an embedded Air Force Reserve unit with a mission of providing KC- 135 aerial refueling test support to both opera- Edwards AFB’s 412th Test Wing. The Reserve unit also leads management and execution of the business effort mission at Edwards AFB, which utilizes operational Air Mobility Com- mand KC-135 and KC-10 tankers to support TW receiver aircraft.
Since some 370th FLTS pilots are test pilots boom operators, they augment the KC-135, KC-
Courtesy photograph Lt. Col. John Mikal, a KC-46A Pegasus test pilot, is part of the team that’s putting the tanker through a series of critical pre-production tests at
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Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.
10 and KC-46 flight test and aerial refueling
On Jan. 24, the KC-46 successfully completed
program,” Col. Chris Coombs, the KC-46 sys- tem program manager at the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Wright-Patterson
bility of the next-generation of tankers to the
years to come.”
After the refueling test with the F-16, the KC-
- tion schedule for the next few weeks. The test connect to a light/fast receiver aircraft. The re- maining tests with the boom were scheduled to use an A-10 Thunderbolt II as the light/slow re- ceiver and a C-17 Globemaster III as the heavy receiver.
Mikal said the KC-46 test aircraft will be spending a lot of time at Edwards AFB in the coming months as it goes through aerial refuel- and coalition aircraft.
“There are about 18 different aircraft that need to be tested as they take on fuel from the KC-46,” he said. “A lot of that testing will take place here at Edwards, and I am ready to help out with that testing however I can.”
Edwards AFB continues to be the premier
capabilities, and the Air Force Reserve’s 370th FTS continues to support when needed.
The KC-46A Pegasus is intended to replace
been refueling aircraft for more than 50 years. With more refueling capacity and enhanced ca-
See TANKER, Page 2
passed 1,600 pounds of fuel to an F-16C Fight- ing Falcon.
“These are exciting times for the KC-46A
A KC-46 refuels AV-8B Harrier II March 1, 2016.
plans on paper and data from simulation labs,
truly making progress on bringing this capa-
Boeing photograph by John D. Parker
www.irwin.army.mil
‘Welcome home!’
April 1, 2016
Cpl. Eli Marvin – a Soldier with Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment – shakes hands with James Pinnix, a Vietnam War Veteran, here, March 19. Pinnix, of Orange, Calif., was a Navy Hospital Corpsman who served with the United States Marines in Vietnam, 1966-67.
Story and photos by Gustavo Bahena
Public Affairs Office
The National Training Center and Fort Irwin honored Vet- erans of the Vietnam War era during an event here, March 19. On a clear, warm day, just before the start of spring, the com- manding general of this Army combat training center – Maj. Gen. Joseph Martin – proclaimed, “Welcome Home!” to the Veterans during a ceremony celebrating their military service. Approximately 500 Veterans and their guests sat inside a cavernous tent with Soldiers and leadership during the late morning ceremony. They had received a hero’s welcome from the start of the day, which began with a motorcycle escort to “Painted Rocks,” just outside the installation gate. They took a group photo there and then participated in a parade in front
of the NTC headquarters, where Martin, NTC Command Sgt. MVeatej.raEndsisroindiRngebautcokp, manidlitahreyirtrfaumckisli,ems woatovercdyacnleds garnedetcedlastshice cars. The route was also lined with hundreds of Soldiers and family members, who cheered the procession.
The Veterans continued to receive applause and recognition as they entered the tent for a ceremony and lunch.
Martin expressed that Soldiers and the community was hon- ored and humbled to host the Veterans “from three generations ago for their service to our nation.”
“Some of you made a long journey to come here ... but all of you have come here from a long life’s journey in a time and circumstance of faith that brought you in the prime of your life to spend a tour of duty, or more, in Vietnam, to serve the United States in Germany, Korea or elsewhere around the world – to
meet our national security needs,” Martin said. ScoThtteTgayuleosrt,scpoemakmera,nJodserphofGFaollrotwIarwy,iwnaUsinitreodduSctaetdesbyACrmoly. Garrison. Galloway is a retired journalist and co-author of “We Were Soldiers Once ... and Young.”
Taylor explained Galloway served four tours as a war corre- spondent in Vietnam. He was recognized in 1998 with a Bronze Medal with “V” device for rescuing wounded Soldiers under fire in Ia Drang Valley with the 7th Cavalry in November 1965. “He is the only civilian to be awarded a medal for valor by the U.S. Army for actions in combat,” Taylor said.
Galloway thanked the former servicemembers in the audi- ence and stated, “Welcome home brothers and sister Veterans.” See WELCOME HOME, page 12
Vol. 66 No. 13 April 1, 2016
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By Airman 1st Class Nathan Byrnes
99th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. — Special Operations Command, De- partment of Defense components and members from the U.S. Navy, Army, Marines and Air Force took part in the operational assessment of the Hand Held Link 16 radio produced by ViaSat, March 21-25, 2016, on the Nevada Test and Training Range.
The HHL16 provides a tactical data link to joint terminal attack controllers and pilots, and enables digitally aided close air support integration.
“The HHL16 radio will give JTACs the ability to transmit friendly positions and send messages directly to fighter aircraft via an extremely secure and encrypted pathway,” said Capt. Richard Waters, 605th Test and Evaluation Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Florida, tactical air con- trol party air liaison officer, JTAC. “This capability significantly reduces fratricide and provides all players in the close air support arena the ability to positively identify friendly from foe.”
This operational assessment is the first of many that the new HHL16 radio will undergo during its improvement periods. “The HHL16 radio is in the early stages
of development,” said Waters. “We are testing an extremely capable device that has been manufactured in a very short time frame. What we have seen so far with the testing has been extremely valuable and useful for both JTACs and fighter aircraft.’
“The ability to have a portable radio that can transmit messages onto the Link 16 network is crucial for the future of conducting close air support in the 21st century. We have always wanted a standardized, secure method to imple- ment digitally aided CAS and this tool will give us that capability.”
The operational assessment of the HHL16 and the data collected during the assessment will help with the development and timely integration of the device.
“It is crucial that we integrate as early as possible with the organizations and companies that manufacture the battle- field systems we utilize in the military,” said Waters. “Early involvement provides the developers the insight they need to make the systems more practical for the warfighter.”
Staff Sgt. Edward Wambolt, 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron lead joint terminal attack controller instructor stat- __________
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A civilian contractor and a joint terminal attack controller use the Hand Held Link 16, which enables digitally aided close air support integration during the operational assessment of the HHL16 radio March 24, on the Nevada Test and Training Range. Link 16 was originally designed for air-to-air missions, but the technology has made the transition to ground forces providing JTACs advantages on the battlefield that they didn’t previously have.
See HHL16, on page 3
AF Hangar acceptance testing checklist paves way for new standards
By Susan Lawson
AFCEC Public Affairs
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. — Fire protection engineers convened recently for the final acceptance test of an aircraft hangar foam fire suppres- sion system at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.
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The addition to the 99th Air Base Wing fuel cell maintenance hangar was the first Air Force hangar fire suppres- sion system to be tested with new Uni- fied Facilities Criteria, which requires fire suppression system activation by triple infrared detection technology. Judy Biddle, hangar fire suppression subject matter specialist at the Air
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Force Civil Engineer Center at Tyndall AFB, Florida, has been developing standardized checklist to be followed for all future acceptance tests around the world.
The standardized project acceptance checklist effort began after it was dis- covered that the hangar fire suppres- sion acceptance testing process differed
See CHECKLIST, on page 3
Serving Southern Arizona’s military community, including Davis-Monthan Air Force Base April 1, 2016
Thunder and Lightning Over Arizona draws thousands
(U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Chris Massey)
Two A-10C Thunderbolt IIs fly in tandem during a demonstration at the Thunder and Lightning over Arizona Open House at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., March 12, 2016. The Desert Lightning Team demonstration included A-10 Thunderbolt IIs, HH-60G Pave Hawks and an HC-130J Combat King.
depending on the fire protection engi- neer overseeing the test. There was no uniformity even within agencies.
“In order to provide a more reliable fire suppression system and reduce or eliminate false activations, we need both oversight and consistency,” Biddle said. ______
WANTED: Motivated volunteer to lead the Nellis Retiree Affairs Office. Would you be interested in a dynamic position that helps Las Vegas area Retirees? Do you enjoy teamwork and making a differ- ence? Please contact the 99th ABW Commander Action Group at 702-652-9900 or email 99ABW.CAG@us.af.mil by April 15.
V A o p l . r 1 i l 6 8 , N, 2 o 0 . 1 1 6 4
Airman 1st Class Shan Ridge
The Red Bull Demonstration Team performs during the Luke Air Force Base 75 Years of Airpower air show.
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T r a i n t h e w o r l d ’ s g r e a t e s t F - 3 5 a n d F - 1 6 fi g h t e r p i l o t s
INSIDE
STORIES
Cadets soar in AZ, 3 From dice to advice, 4 Tuskegee Airmen, 6 Warn kids about drugs, 7 5k color run, 13
INDEX
Action line ............................. 2 Briefs..................................... 3 Spotlight ................................ 4 Diversions ........................... 16 Sports.................................. 19
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“Be dependable, competent, ef- ficient and aggressive. Understand how and where you fit into the wing’s mission and why your job is important. Finally, be the Airman who finds a way to ‘yes.’”
Col. Robert Novotny 48th Fighter Wing commander
Story by
56th Fighter Wing PUBLIC AFFAIRS
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Arizona -- Luke opened its doors to a record 425,000 people during its “75 Years of Air- power” air show April 2 and 3. The show provided a glimpse into the history of the Air Force with jets such as the World War II A-26 Invader and a glimpse into the Air Force’s future with Luke’s own F-35 Lightning II. “Simply stated, the air show was a tremendous success,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Bacon, air show director.
The show was headlined by the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds
aerial demonstration team and the first-ever performance and appearance by the F-35 Heri- tage Team, which featured the F-35 Lightning II flying along- side the original Lightning, the P-38.
When they weren’t flying, the F-35 Heritage Team members were busy handing out and signing photos for thousands of visitors to the base.
Another highlight of the show was the close air sup- port demonstration, during which the F-16 Fighting Falcons showed off their combat capabil- ities. This “live” demonstration featured pyrotechnic explosions to simulate bombs was a crowd favorite and highlighted the fact Luke AFB trains 97 percent of
F-16 pilots in the Air Force. “This was my first air show,” said Jowellyn Thomas, Good- year resident who attended the air show. “It was breathtaking and I’m really looking forward
to the next one!”
Putting together an air show
with more than 40 static dis- plays and 11 aerial acts takes a team effort.
“From successfully screening our guests to supporting the best air acts from around the world, my hat goes off to each and every member of my air show team and the countless volunteers who made it hap- pen,” Bacon said.
The turnout highlighted the tremendous support for Luke AFB from the surrounding com-
munities and allowed Airmen the opportunity to interact with and thank those community members for their unwavering support.
“The partnerships we have and the friendships we share are absolutely vital to what we do at Luke AFB” said Brig. Gen. Scott Pleus 56th Fighter Wing commander. “All year long we get unending support from our elected leaders, businesses and those who live throughout the Valley — and once every two years we get the opportunity to give something back in the form of an air show. It is our way of saying ‘thanks’ for allowing us to be a part of this great com- munity.”
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