Page 1 - Edwards AFB Desert Wings 7-24-15

Volume 63, Number 4 Serving the community of Edwards Air Force Base, California July 24, 2015

www.edwards.af.mil – www.facebook.com/edwardsairforcebase

Joint Strike Fighter ITF ground testing F-35 gun

by Rebecca Amber strafe air-to-ground targets or shoot as an Lockheed Martin photograph by Darin Russell
Staff writer air-to-air weapon,” said Maj. Andrew Rol-
lins, 461st Flight Test Squadron, assistant An F-35A, tail number AF-2, fires a burst of rounds down range at the Gun Harmonizing
The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Integrated director of operations. Range July 17. The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Integrated Test Force at Edwards AFB is in the
Test Force is in the process of testing the F- process of testing the F-35As newest munitions asset — the GAU-22/A. The gun is a four-
35A’s newest munitions asset — the GAU- Rollins is the test pilot on the project. barrel Gatling gun that fires 25 millimeter rounds.
22/A. The gun is a four-barrel Gatling gun While deployed, Rollins “used a gun of-
that fires 25 millimeter rounds. ten.” He said it’s particularly useful in an that the flight envelope would not overstress flight test engineer, said that the AF-2 is
air-to-ground role when enemy targets are the gun mounts. Preparing for the ground normally a “scientist aircraft” executing
Unlike the Marine Corps and Navy vari- in a close proximity to friendlies and drop- loads and buffet testing.
ants, the GAU-22/A is integrated internally ping a bomb is not prudent. gun fire tests in the jet took roughly six
to the F-35A. In the other variants, the gun “[AF-2] is the only aircraft in the world
is mounted to the outside as a pod. A simi- “The GAU-22/A uses a 25mm shell, months. that can get us this data,” said Rollins. “It’s
lar weapon, GAU-12, has been used on the which is significantly more powerful than AF-2, a highly modified flight sciences been highly instrumented in order to get us
AV-8B Harrier Jump Jet. what I’ve been used to in legacy aircraft, the the information we need to proceed to the
F-16 the F-15E, F-15C — all those aircraft aircraft, underwent four months of instru- next test point and ultimately to get the gun
The first phase of testing started June use a 20mm shell,” said Rollins. mentation modifications and had a line pro-
9, when the first shots were fired from tail duction gun installed for this project. See JSF, Page 3
number AF-2 on the ground at the Edwards Integrating a weapon into the aircraft is
Gun Harmonizing Range. The test team not in itself unique. But what does make Tiffany Krogstad, Lockheed Martin AF-2
hopes to finish ground testing sometime this project special is that it’s being inte-
during August and start the airborne phase grated into a stealth platform. In legacy
late September. An operational gun capa- aircraft, the gun fires through a hole in the
bility will be added with a future block of outer molding. In this case, to keep the jet
software, which is in the beginning stages hidden from radar signatures, the gun will
of testing at Edwards. be kept behind closed doors until the trigger
is engaged.
The tests are done using a target practice
round, PGU-23/U, which fires from the gun, The ground tests with AF-2 are designed
but does not explode on impact. to answer questions like; does the gun door
open correctly? Does the gun spin up and
The tricky part about this test phase is down correctly? Does the air flow through
that the gun will never operationally fire on the vent and is it adequate to clear the flam-
the ground. To conduct the test, they have to mable gasses?
use software to bypass interlocks and “fool
the aircraft to make it think it’s in the air.” Prior to testing the integration of the
GAU-22/A into the F-35A, the gun itself
“As an Air Force pilot, it’s going to be was tested as a standalone. It was also flown
one more thing that I can select to either during test points without firing to ensure

New AFMC mission, vision statements emphasize agility

New mission and vision state- quickly and put greater emphasis viding mission support to Air Force ered to be agile and innovative viewed by those we support, how
ments are the foundation of a new on agility,” Pawlikowski said. “The installations worldwide through its • Diversity and inclusion we respect our people and their
command strategy designed to Air Force’s ability to be agile comes Air Force Installation and Mission • Resource stewardship ... making well-being, and how we embrace
push Air Force Materiel Command from AFMC.” Support Center. our stewardship for the resources
to be more agile as it delivers war- every dollar and minute count used to deliver war-winning capa-
winning support to the warfighter. AFMC’s six centers will deliver In preparation for revising the stra- • Continuous process improve- bilities.”
that agility through a revised list of tegic plan, leaders developed a list
The command’s new mission core mission areas: the Air Force Re- of the things the command values in ment Command leaders will deliver
statement is succinct but declara- search Laboratory discovers and de- providing agile combat support to the • Safe and secure environment an updated AFMC strategic plan
tive: “deliver and support agile war- velops new war-winning capabilities; Air Force. These are: • Enterprise focus ... our Air Force in January 2016. The plan will in-
winning capabilities.” The mission the Air Force Test Center ensures our clude revised objectives and mea-
statement encompasses the entire weapon systems perform as prom- • The trust and confidence of those “What we value defines what is surements linked to the vision and
spectrum of AFMC’s role as a pro- ised; the Air Force Life Cycle Man- we serve important to us,” said Pawlikowski. mission statement.
vider of agile combat support. Agili- agement Center fields and supports “They illustrate how we want to be
ty is reinforced by a new vision state- all our weapon systems from cradle • Leading edge Airmen empow-
ment designed to push the command to grave; the Air Force Sustainment
to optimum performance. The vision Center sustains and supplies our war-
statement is “Delivering the world’s winning capabilities; the Air Force
greatest Air Force ... the most trusted Installation and Mission Support
and agile provider of innovative and Center provides war-winning mis-
cost-effective war-winning capabili- sion support to Air Force command-
ties.” ers worldwide; and the Air Force
Nuclear Weapons Center delivers
Gen. Ellen Pawlikowski, AFMC and supports our nuclear deterrence
commander, led the command’s se- capabilities.
nior leaders through a day-and-a-half
session in early July to develop the The command’s nuclear mission
statements and begin work on an up- was added to emphasize the unique
dated AFMC strategic plan. nature of AFMC’s role in the nuclear
enterprise. Installation and mission
“In the current world environment, support was also added in recogni-
the Air Force and the other servic- tion of AFMC’s newest role of pro-
es are being forced to react more