Page 15 - F-35B and USMC

The Integration of the F-35B into USMC Operations

Guts: Situational awareness and the freedom of maneuver that stealth brings. The workload required to have
that unprecedented SA is greatly reduced over previous platforms.

I’m getting all this information, I have freedom to maneuver, and I work significantly less than I did in a previous
platform to have that level of information.

That frees up my processor to be able to fight the battle vs. each individual part that I used to have to put
together.
The workload is reduced in all aspects of flight, and that enables me to focus on the fight at hand.

Mo: The aircraft allows me to be a tactician, rather than worry about physically manipulating sensors to get
information I need.

I have a good picture that I can execute tactically.

It is almost like a chess game.

I can make sure the moves I make in the cockpit are the best moves not just for me, but for everybody out there.
Can you talk a little about the AEGIS Integration?

BC: The synergistic effects of other platforms, especially powerful platforms like the AEGIS combat system not
only makes us that much more effective, they have phenomenal SA, phenomenal power and a phenomenal
weapons suite.

Sometimes we may not be in the right position, or be the best shooter – but now we can work synergistically with
AEGIS and figure out that big picture.

Then we can share all that onboard information to other platforms that may or may not have the same
capabilities. The integration makes us that much more effective.

We came in with Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), Industry, Big Navy to perform a demonstration in
September out of White Sands, NM. The F-35 performed an engagement with that combat system through a
gateway that allowed us to talk via Multifunction Advanced Data Link (MADL) to the AEGIS combat system and
engage the target.

We talked electronically to the AEGIS combat system, like a remote sensor, and AEGIS engaged the airborne
target successfully.

And when I say engaged successfully, it was a metal on metal engagement from a significant range. I’d say more
than a tactically significant range. It was a very, very impressive shot.

That was not something we did here at sea, [it was done in September] that was a developmental test, a proof of
concept, but it gives us an idea of what we can do to plug the F-35 into the bigger picture.
Can you talk about the interface for that kind of targeting?

BC: It is super simple.

It is targeting the way we target any of our own weapons and it is passed off.

There is really no difference, it is just a battle management issue as to who is going to engage.

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