Page 8 - Aerotech 6-5-15

Marines partner with U.K. allies in F-35 operational test

CZ.BK1BVM(SFFOCFSH current arsenal is similar to the Marine This equips the F-35 pilot with a level
USS Wasp Corps’ plan to integrate the F-35 with of situational awareness previously un-
legacy aircraft, such as the AV-8B Har- DYDLODEOHZLWKLQD¿JKWHUFRFNSLWDQGDQ
$VWKH¿UVWRSHUDWLRQDOWHVWRIWKH) rier and the F/A-18 Hornet, and gradu- ability to share this instantaneous, high-
35B Lightning II took place aboard the ally phase out legacy aircraft over the ¿GHOLW\YLHZRIRQJRLQJRSHUDWLRQVZLWK
USS Wasp last week, service members coming decades. other platforms at sea, in the air, or on
from the United Kingdom are working the ground through advanced datalinks.
alongside their U.S. Navy and Marine “By 2020, U.K. combat airpower
Corps counterparts to assess the integra- will consist of Typhoon and F-35B “The unique, low observable nature
tion of the F-35B into amphibious mili- Lightning II, a highly potent and capa- of the F-35 will also allow unprecedent-
tary operations. EOHPL[RIIRXUWKDQG¿IWKJHQHUDWLRQ ed access to very high-threat environ-
¿JKWHUDLUFUDIW:LWK7\SKRRQDOUHDG\ ments, allowing the U.K. to conduct
“United Kingdom participation in the established as one of the premier multi- operations across the full range of op-
F-35 program has been absolutely criti- role fighters in the world, the F-35 erational scenarios, day or night, in fair
cal to our success,” said Lt. Gen. Chris brings a complementary next-genera- or inclement weather,” said Mathieson.
%RJGDQ3URJUDP([HFXWLYH2I¿FHUIRU tion level of survivability and lethality.
the F-35 Lightning II Joint Program This will ultimately provide the United During the two week operational test,
2I¿FH³6LQFHWKHEHJLQQLQJ8.WHVW Kingdom with an unprecedented level the Marine Corps and U.K. counterparts
pilots and engineers have been fully in- of capability in a single platform,” said are assessing the integration of the F-
tegrated and work shoulder-to shoulder Royal Navy Lt. Cmdr. Neil Mathieson, 35B while operating across a wide array
with us as we deliver the F-35 to the war the U.K.’s F-35B Ship Integration Lead. RIÀLJKWDQGGHFNRSHUDWLRQV6SHFL¿F
¿JKWHU´ OT-1 objectives include demonstrating
A mechanical engineer by trade, DQGDVVHVVLQJGD\DQGQLJKWÀLJKWRS-
Sixteen Royal Navy and Royal Air Mathieson is working with the Marine HUDWLRQVLQYDU\LQJDLUFUDIWFRQ¿JXUD-
Force members embedded aboard the Corps aboard USS Wasp for the dura- tions; digital interoperability of aircraft
ship during the operational tests. They tion of OT-1. and ship systems; F-35B landing signal
serve as F-35 operational assessors, RI¿FHU¶VODXQFKDQGUHFRYHU\VRIWZDUH
ship integration team members, aircraft Mathieson explained that a range of day and night weapons loading; and
technicians and maintenance crews. advanced sensors, combined with in- all aspects of maintenance, logistics,
creased processing power, enables the and sustainment support of the F-35B
The Royal Navy’s vision for tacti- F-35B to fuse the vast array of infor- while deployed at sea. Additionally, the
cal integration of the F-35B into their mation collected into a single picture. joint and international team is working

closely with Naval Sea Systems Com-
PDQGWRDVVHVVVSHFL¿FPRGL¿FDWLRQV

made to USS Wasp. This will be par- Marine Corps photograph by Maj. Paul Greenberg
WLFXODUO\EHQH¿FLDOIRUWKH8.¶VIXWXUH
program, which will include integration Royal Navy Lt. Cmdr. Neil Mathieson, the U.K.’s F-35 Ship Integration Lead,
of the F-35B with their new class of works with U.S. Marine Corps SSgt. Douglas W. McCarty, during an F-35B
amphibious ships. HMHFWLRQVHDWWHVWDQGLQVSHFWLRQ0D\7KLVLVSDUWRIWKH¿UVWSKDVHRI
F-35B operational testing, in which 16 UK service personnel are participating.
“Our Queen Elizabeth Class carri-

ers are the largest and most powerful Personnel from 17 (R) Squadron, com- to glean valuable lessons that will be
warships ever built in the U.K.,” said prised of engineers and pilots from critically useful as they move from the
Mathieson. “They are capable of the the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy, developmental to the operational phase
widest range of roles, from defense di- À\DQGPDLQWDLQWKHWZR8.)% of F-35B integration.”
plomacy and humanitarian assistance jets independently from their U.S. col-
to full combat operations, providing leagues. U.K. F-35B pilots will begin operat-
ÀH[LELOLW\DQGFKRLFHWKURXJKRXWWKHLU LQJWKHQH[WJHQHUDWLRQVWHDOWK¿JKWHU
50-year life.” “The U.K. team is involved in ev- from home bases in England starting
ery facet of F-35B maintenance dur- in 2018, and are on track to fly from

Navy photograph by POC William Tonacchio In February, the United Kingdom ing OT-1,” said U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers
stood up their first F-35 squadron at Col. Michael Dehner, the Department in 2020. The U.K. has played a major
Sailors and distinguished visitors watch an F-35B Lightning II aircraft Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. The of the Navy F-35 Operational Test role in the program throughout the Sys-
FRQGXFWYHUWLFDOWDNHRIIDQGODQGLQJÀLJKWRSHUDWLRQVDERDUGWKHDPSKLELRXV historic 17 (Reserve) Squadron is now Director. “That includes avionics, air tem Design and Demonstration phase,
assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1). responsible for the entire operational frames, power lines, quality assurance and has a program of record to procure
test and evaluation of the UK’s F-35s. and flight equipment. They’re going the F-35B in the coming years

Kendall cites progress on F-35 performance, schedule, cost

CZ$IFSZM1FMMFSJO has been before, and we’re looking forward to continuing to make weapons into the aircraft that were not part of the baseline, he said.
DOD News
progress in that regard.” “The detailed planning for that was discussed,” Kendall said, “and

Kendall said next year he hopes to hold the CEO meeting at the will take place over the next few months.” He said the program, for
¿UVWRSHUDWLRQDOEDVHIRUWKH)DIWHUWKH0DULQH&RUSV¶)% VRPHRIWKHZHDSRQVDOUHDG\KDVEHJXQFRPSDWLELOLW\¿WFKHFNVDQG

7KH)/LJKWQLQJ,,MRLQWVWULNH¿JKWHUSURJUDPLVPDNLQJSURJ- reaches initial operational capability, or IOC, later this year. other initial actions.

ress on performance, schedule and cost, Frank Kendall, undersecre- ,2&UHIHUVWR¿HOGLQJ)VTXDGURQVFDSDEOHRIKDQGOLQJDUDQJH On the production side, Kendall said the attendees discussed the

tary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, told U.S. of combat missions. For the Marine Corps, Marine Fighter Attack possibility of implementing what they called a block buy.

reporters last week during a teleconference from Norway. Squadron 121, or VMFA-121, known as the Green Knights and based “We’re not quite ready for a standard multiyear procurement yet,

Kendall was in Oslo to attend the two-day F-35 CEO Conference, DW0DULQH&RUSV$LU6WDWLRQ<XPD$UL]RQDZLOOEHWKH¿UVW)% EXWZHGRWKLQNWKDWVWDUWLQJLQDERXW¿VFDO\HDUZH¶OOEHUHDG\

an annual meeting in which senior U.S. government leaders, inter- operational squadron. for a 3-year block buy that will require congressional approval,” he

national partners and industry members discuss the F-35 program’s “We’re on track to do that, Kendall added, “and we’re on track to said.
VWDWXVDQGVWUDWHJLFRXWORRN7KLVZDVWKH¿UVW\HDUDSDUWQHUQDWLRQ have Air Force IOC the following year and the Navy a couple of years “We still have some work to do there but we’re feeling optimistic

hosted the high-level meeting. after that, and our partners will start IOC-ing as well.” enough about the program that we’re going to proceed with the plan-

“We’re continuing to execute to the [2011 F-35 Technical Baseline F-35 follow-on development was one of the meeting topics, he ning, and we’ll be talking to Congress about it,” he noted.

Review],” Kendall said, “and we’re exceeding our expectations on said. For partners and U.S. foreign military sales customers, commit-

cost and performance and we’re close to our projections on schedule.” “The threat constantly changes out there. People develop weapons ment to such a block buy could save them money that Kendall said
The undersecretary noted that there was a fundamental change in that they want to have integrated into the platform and technology has KH¶GOLNHWRVHHUHDFK³GRXEOHGLJLWV´%ORFNEX\VZLOORFFXULQ¿VFDO

the direction of discussions at the Oslo meeting. matured that we want to insert into the platform,” Kendall said, “so years 2018, 2019 and 2020, he added.

“We are not sitting here worried about the risk of completing base- we designed [the] F-35 so we can upgrade it throughout its lifecycle.” On the support side, Kendall said, “the complexity and scope of
7KHEDVHOLQH)FRQ¿JXUDWLRQGHVLJQDWHG)ZDVGH¿QHGVRPH
line development,” he said. “We’re turning our focus much more the program is enormous, with all the international partners, with the
WRZDUG¿HOGLQJWKHSURJUDPXSJUDGHVLQWKHIXWXUHDQGJHWWLQJZKDW- time ago, he added. GLIIHUHQWEXLOGVWKDWZH¶UH¿HOGLQJWKHGLIIHUHQW,2&VWKDWDUHFRPLQJ
HYHUHI¿FLHQFLHVZHFDQJRLQJIRUZDUG´
Over the intervening time much has changed, the undersecretary on board, and we’re starting to come to grips with how we’re going

As she began the meeting, Norway’s Defense Minister Ine Marie said, “so we want to take advantage of more mature technologies … to organize for that a few years ahead of us.”

Eriksen Søreide used a phrase that Kendall quoted to members of the and we want to respond to threat changes, particularly in areas like In all of these things, Kendall said, “whether it’s development,

media as representing the status of the F-35 program. electronic warfare, and we want to integrate newer weapons that are production or support, the focus is on cost and driving cost down in

“We’re ‘turning the future into the present,’ she said, “and I think coming online.” the program and making the F-35 as affordable and cost effective as

the present is going to be much more about F-35 operations than it Norway, Turkey and the United Kingdom also want to integrate it possibly can be.”

8 Aerotech News and Review June 5, 2015

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