Page 16 - Leverage and Learn

Leverage Allied Investments and Combat Learning Experience in Modernizing the U.S. Military

Much like the F-35 pilots and maintainers for allies are being trained initially in the United States and then
standing up national capabilities, the same is happening with the P-8/Triton allies whereby the Brits and
Australians are training at Jax Navy and this will most certainly happen with the Norwegians as well. In fact,
recently an RAF pilot has gone beyond 1,000 flight hours on the P-8 at Jax Navy. And the allies are doing
training for the entire P-8 force as well. The Australians are buying the P-8 and the Triton and the Brits and
Norwegians the P-8s but will work with the US Navy as it operates its Tritons in the North Atlantic area of
interests.

These allies are working key geographical territory essential to both themselves and the United States, so
shared domain knowledge and operational experience in the South Pacific and the North Atlantic is of
obvious significance for warfighting and deterrence. And given the relatively small size of the allied forces,
they will push the multi-mission capabilities of the aircraft even further than the United States will do and as
they do so the U.S. can take those lessons as well.

There is already a case in point. The Australians as a cooperative partner wanted the P-8 modified to do
search and rescue something that the US Navy did not build into its P-8s. But now that capability comes with
the aircraft, something that was very much a requirement for the Norwegians as well. And the US Navy is
finding this “add-on” as something of significance for the US as well.

I have visited the Australian and British bases where the P-8s and, in the case of the Aussies, the Triton is being
stood up. And I have talked with the Norwegians during my visit in February about their thinking with regard
to the coming MDA enterprise. It is clear from these discussions, that they see an F-35 like working relationship
being essential to shaping a common operational enterprise where shared data and decision making enhance
the viability of the various nation’s defense and security efforts.

During my visit to RAAF Edinburgh, which is near Adelaide in South Australia where the Aussies will build their
new submarines, I had a chance to discuss the standup of the base and to look at the facilities being built
there. As with the F-35, new facilities need to be built to support a 21st century combat aircraft where data,
and decision-making tools are rich and embedded into the aircraft operations.

At the heart of the enterprise is a large facility where Triton and P-8 operators have separate spaces but
they are joined by a unified operations center. It is a walk through area, which means that cross learning
between the two platforms will be highlighted. This is especially important as the two platforms are software
upgradeable and the Aussies might well wish to modify the mission systems of both platforms to meet evolving
Australian requirements.
Second Line of Defense

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