Page 30 - Leverage and Learn

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

Shaping a new weapons revolution where weapons are enabled throughout the attack and defense
enterprise and not simply resident for organic platform operations is a key element of the way ahead. For
example, the new software enabled Meteor missile can be fired by one aircraft and delivered to target by
that aircraft or the inflight data link can be used via another asset – air or ground based – to guide it to
target. METEOR firing from Gripen. Credit: SAAB

With regard to Red Flag 17-1, Wing Commander Billy Cooper, the 6th Squadron Typhoon commander had
this to say about the way ahead:
“If you optimize the relationship between fourth and fifth-gen would want your 4th gen as far from harm as
possible, especially given the low observable nature of the 5th gen platforms.

“In the air to air war you would therefore want to have the longest-range weapons you could on your 4th gen
platforms.

“That is where Typhoon and Meteor comes in; I really do think it will be a game-changer in the 4th/5th Gen
war.”

http://www.sldinfo.com/red-flag-2017-1-the-perspective-of-the-6-squadron-officer-commanding/

And the Squadron Leader for II(AC) squadron based on his recent experience at Green Flag argued that a
robust weaponization approach was necessary to leverage the capabilities being shaped by the 5th
generation enabled air combat force.

“Weaponization of the Typhoon has been fairly well defined over the last ten years.

“Everyone’s known what the integration periods are going to be for which weapons.

“One thing that we just have to keep re-assessing as that process goes on is that are these actually the right
weapons for the task that the jet is going to be asked to deliver?

Second Line of Defense

Page 29