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 WELCOME // APRIL 2022
NATO
REACTS
TO RUSSIAN
INTIMIDATION
A
S WE GO to press, Russia still
remains poised to invade
Ukraine after a month or
so of posturing with more
than 100,000 troops on its
borders. Russia’s President
Vladimir Putin might be saying that
there will not be war in Europe, and
claims to be pulling troops back,
but there is no intelligence-based
confirmation of that. He believes if
Ukraine joins NATO it would cause a
security threat. The build-up of forces
has led to NATO beefing up its presence
on its eastern flanks, in case there is an
attack not just on Ukraine but any of the
other former Warsaw Pact countries
on its borders.
Over the past few weeks, the
Alliance has been starting to deploy
more fighters. The Baltic Air Policing
detachment at Siauliai, Lithuania,
saw four Danish Air Force F-16AMs
arrive to join four Polish F-16Cs placed
there since mid-December. The
BAP detachment at Amari, Estonia,
which has been manned by Belgian
F-16AMs, was briefly beefed up by six
336th Fighter Squadron (FS) F-15Es
from the 4th Fighter Wing currently
based at RAF Lakenheath in the UK.
Above: US Air Force The ‘Rocketeers’ squadron has spent
B-52H Stratofortress most of the past six months in Europe,
60-0044
working on interoperability exercises with
‘MT’/‘Excalibur’
from the 69th allied nations. RAF Lakenheath’s 493rd
Bomb Squadron FS – known as ‘The Grim Reapers’ – also
‘Knighthawks’ at
deployed eight F-15C/Ds Eagles to Lask
Minot Air Force Base,
North Dakota, being on February 10, followed by eight F-15E
escorted by Royal Strike Eagles from the 336th on February
Air Force Typhoon
13, armed with live Small Diameter Bombs
FGR4 ZK308 as it
arrives in UK airspace (SDBs) and Joint Direct Air Munitions
for a Bomber Task (JDAMs) for any required ground attack.
Force deployment
Their deployment came just two days
to RAF Fairford,
Gloucestershire, after four 52nd Fighter Wing F-16CJs flew
on February 10 to Fetesti in Romania with live weapons.
MOD Crown Copyright
Four F/A-18E Super Hornets of VFA-211
‘Checkmates’ from the USS Harry S Truman
was also based there from
February 8-15 on what was
described as “enhanced
vigilance activities”. Four
Italian Air Force Eurofighters
have remained on quick
reaction alert (QRA) at Mihail
Kogalniceanu in Romania on
enhanced air policing duties
since December 15.
The US has been beefing
up its presence in other
areas with the USS Harry S
Truman aircraft carrier on
maneuvers in the Adriatic,
while also deploying F/A-18E Super
Hornets to Aviano Air Base in Italy. Four
B-52Hs arrived at RAF Fairford (callsign
‘Hate 11-14’) on February 10, for a planned
air combat employment. They had
departed Minot AFB, North Dakota, in the
early hours and headed non-stop to the
UK, where they spent up to three hours
on ranges in Scotland and England, with
one of them, ‘Hate 12’, simulating GBU-54
JDAM attack runs over Holbeach, near The
Wash, at 21,000ft.
You can see a plan of attack being
formed by NATO, with a heavy US
presence, if Russia does do the
unthinkable. At some point we will
undoubtedly find out which of the allied
countries was prepared to be part of that
plan and which wasn’t…
Want more?
To read more of our Russia-Ukraine crisis
coverage, please go to www.key.aero
and also the latest edition of our sister
magazine, AirForces Monthly (pictured).
Alan Warnes
Group Editor at Large
Visit our website at
www.key.aero/combataircraftjournal
Contact the team at
editor@combataircraftjournal.com
www.Key.Aero // April 2022 3
 April 2022 • Vol 22 • No 04

IN THE NEWS
Tension on the border between Russia and
Ukraine continues to grow
Indonesia orders the Dassault Rafale and
steps closer to Boeing F-15EX purchase
USAF retires first E-8C Joint STARS
First MQ-9A Reaper UAV handed over to
the Netherlands
US issues RFI for E-3G Sentry replacement
Spain receives the first of its upgraded
CH-47F Chinooks
Nine more CH-53K King Stallions are
ordered for the USMC

NATO ON GUARD
20 Adriatic Action
Daniele Faccioli and Remo Guidi report on
Neptune Strike 2022, which recently took
place in and over the Adriatic Sea

24 Patrolling Baltic Skies

Poland’s Military Contingency Orlik 10 is
midway through the 58th rotation of the
NATO Baltic air-policing mission in Lithuania.
Bartosz Głowacki reports
08 MOD Crown Copyright/Cpl Alex Scott
28 Poles Climb to the High North
72 Anthony Pecchi
In autumn 2021, Polish Air Force F-16s were
deployed to Iceland for NATO Air Policing, as
Bartosz Głowacki explains

32 Coming of Age
As the MV-22 is further embedded into USMC’s
aviation tactics, Joe Copalman looks at how the
Osprey community has diversified

40 Fishbeds at Pleso
Chris Lofting witnessed some MiG-21 action in
the winter sun at Croatia’s Zagreb-Pleso

42 Red Star Testers

Russia’s only military flight test establishment
was 100 years old in October 2020. Alexander
Mladenov takes a look at its activities

SEE PAGE 99 FOR

FULL DETAILS
 50 Islamabad Hoppers
Many aircraft involved the massive Kabul airlift
six months ago had to hop over to Islamabad
Airport, Pakistan to refuel. Snappers Crew’s
Hassan Ali Khan caught up with them there

52 Private Vipers
The pilots of Arizona-based Top Aces are
aggressively pitching the legendary F-16 Viper
against some of the most advanced fighters in
the world. James Deboer reports

58 State Report: Georgia

Tom Kaminski continues his state-by-state
review of US military aviation, this time exploring
assets stationed in Georgia

70 Whatever Happened To... YAL-1A

David Willis reviews the troubled path of the
Boeing YAL-1A from ‘first light’ to last flight

72 Blue Leaves Orange

In June, the withdrawal of the Mirage 2000C from
France’s Armée de l’Air et de l’Espace will take
place, 38 years after its entry into service. Frederic
Lert examines the impact of the aircraft

80 Texans Take Over

As Colombia welcomes the T-6C Texan II to
replace the long-serving T-37 Tweet, Cees-
Jan van der Ende looks at how the air force is
modernizing its fighter pilot training

88 Gateway to the Pacific

Following Air Mobility Command’s work during
the Kabul airlift, Scott Cuong Tran and Nick Tran
visited Travis AFB in California to find out how the
32 Joe Copalman
US provides effective global transport

94 Welcoming the Rafale

After delivery of the first six Rafale DG/EGs to 332
Mira of the Hellenic Air Force, Babak Taghvaee
reports on the future of the squadron and the
fate of its Mirage 2000-SG3s

97 Cutting Edge
David Axe explores the USAF’s creation of ‘air
base squadrons’, which will be used to prepare
austere bases for fighters, bombers and drones
to arrive at short notice

58 USAF/Patrick P Evenson ON THE COVER

Cover image:
Two armed Belgian Air
Force F-16AMs break
over Lithuania after
a ‘Tango Scramble’ in
early February. They
are deployed to Amari,
Estonia for a Baltic
Air Policing mission to
protect the region’s air
space Bartosz Bera
 RUSSIA ON THE BRINK
OF UKRAINE INVASION?
AS THIS issue of Combat Aircraft
Journal went to press, the
situation on the Russia-Ukraine
border remained tense due to
the continuing Russian build-up
of military forces. In support of
Ukraine and to counter any Russian
aggression, NATO has boosted
the air policing mission in Eastern
Europe with additional fighter
deployments in recent weeks (see
p8-9 for full details).
Despite formal requests from
Ukraine through the Organisation
for Security and Co-operation in
Europe (OSCE) for Russia to explain
the build-up of its troops, no
answers have been forthcoming
from Moscow. As a precaution, the
US and a number of other countries
have evacuated staff from their
embassies in Kyiv amid fears of a
possible invasion.
On February 11, in addition to
boosting aircraft deployments
on NATO’s Eastern Flank, the
US Secretary of Defense, Lloyd
J Austin III, announced that a
further 3,000 troops from the 82nd
Airborne Division at Fort Bragg,
North Carolina, were to move into
Europe within a matter of days.
They will join 1,700 soldiers already
6 April 2022 // www.Key.Aero
deployed in Poland since February
2. Together with the presence in
Germany of 300 personnel from the
18th Airborne Corps, this makes a
total of 5,000 additional US troops
in Europe to reassure NATO allies.
Earlier, on January 24, Pentagon
press secretary John F Kirby
announced that the US had placed
8,500 troops on alert for possible
deployment to Eastern Europe at
the direction of US President Joe
Biden. On the same day, NATO
secretary general Jens Stoltenberg
said additional ships and fighter
aircraft would be deployed to
Eastern Europe. In a written
statement on February 12, Kirby
said that 160 Florida National Guard
troops training military personnel
in Ukraine would be temporarily
repositioned elsewhere in Europe.
Uneasy neighbours
Although there has been ongoing
tension between Russia and Ukraine
since the former annexed Crimea
in 2014, the situation had been
relatively quiet until October 2021,
when Russia began moving troops
and military equipment close to
the Ukraine border. This build-
up continued in November and
December, and by the end of the
year it was estimated that more than
100,000 Russian troops had been
amassed close to the border. By that
time, US intelligence sources were
warning that Russia might carry
out an invasion of Ukraine in early
2022. On January 19, US President
Joe Biden said that a full-scale
invasion of Ukraine would be “the
most consequential thing that’s
happened in the world in terms of
war and peace” since World War Two.
Regarding air assets, there has
been little evidence of major
Russian aircraft movements
towards the border, although it has
been confirmed that Su-35s from
the 23rd IAP at Dzemgi have been
deployed to Baranovichi. These are
purportedly for participation in the
large-scale joint Belarus-Russian
military exercise Union Resolve
2022 which began on February
10, but also positions them in
a suitable location for missions
into Ukraine. By February 14,
satellite imagery was showing that
32 Su-25 Frogfoot aircraft had been
deployed to Luninets in Belarus.
However, with there already being
aircraft suitable for air strikes
permanently located at other bases
within range of Ukraine, it would
probably be unnecessary for Russia
to make any other major aircraft
forward deployments.
Foxhound presence
One significant deployment is
the arrival of MiG-31K Foxhound
interceptors armed with hypersonic
Kinzhal air-launched ballistic
missiles at Chkalovsk Air Base in
Kaliningrad, a site that is close to
the borders with Lithuania and
Poland. These were first seen there
on February 7. Unconfirmed reports
suggest that four of the type have
arrived at the base, although these
are seen as more likely being
deployed as a threat aimed at
NATO, rather than for use in any
potential Ukraine invasion.
On February 1, reports began
appearing on social media that
indicated additional
Russian helicopters
had begun arriving

Russian Air and Space Force Beriev A-50U Mainstay ‘42 Red’/RF-50610 being intercepted on February 2 by a Royal Norwegian Air Force F-35A.
While tension escalates on the Russian-Ukraine border, Russia has continued its regular long-range flights around western Europe and the UK.
This marked the first QRA intercept by a RNoAF F-35A operating from Evenes and also involved Russian Tu-95 Bear aircraft Forsvaret
in Crimea’s Kerch region. Videos
showed Ka-52s and Mi-28Ns,
along with at least seven Mi-
24/35s, plus Mi-8AMTShs and
some Mi-26s. The New York Times,
quoting US intelligence sources,
reported that additional attack
aircraft and army helicopters
had been moved to unspecified
locations closer to the border
regions. By February 14, 66
helicopters had arrived at the
abandoned Donuzlav Lake
Naval Heliport near Novoozerne,
western Crimea. These appeared
to comprise 44 Mi-8s, 12 Mi-28Ns,
eight Ka-52s and two Mi-26s.
Russian demands
In mid-December 2021, Russia’s
Foreign Ministry had released a
list of security guarantees that it
required to ease the tension. This
included a ban on Ukraine joining
NATO and limiting deployment
of troops and weapons on
NATO’s eastern flank, in countries
that joined the alliance after
1997. This includes the former
Soviet countries of Estonia, Latvia,
Lithuania and the Baltic countries,
as well as Poland. Needless to say,
NATO is unlikely to agree to any of
these demands.
Various countries have agreed
to supply defensive equipment
to support Ukraine. On January
17, UK Defence Secretary Ben
Wallace announced in the
House of Commons that the
UK would supply Ukraine with
next-generation light anti-tank
weapons, stressing that these
would be purely for defensive
purposes. Subsequently, numerous
RAF C-17A Globemaster IIIs were
tracked flying from the UK to
Ukraine to deliver this equipment.
Wallace also said that “a small
number” of UK troops would
provide weapons training.
A joint statement by the defence
ministers of Estonia, Latvia and
Lithuania on January 21 said that
Washington had approved plans
for these Baltic states to supply
Above: NATO Strategic Airlift Capability/Heavylift Air Wing C-17A Globemaster III serial number 01 at Kyiv on February 13 unloading its cargo of
Stingers, Humvees and other military equipment donated to Ukraine by Lithuania US Embassy in Kyiv Left: Russia has deployed Su-35s from the
23rd IAP at Dzemgi have been deployed to Baranovichi in Belarus, purportedly to participate in the joint Belarus-Russian exercise Union Resolve
2022, but also conveniently close to the Ukraine border to undertake operations there if required Russian MOD
US-made weapons to Ukraine.
The announcement said that
Estonia would donate Javelin
anti-tank missiles, while Latvia
and Lithuania will supply Stinger
anti-aircraft missiles and associated
equipment. Subsequently, on
February 12-13, two NATO Strategic
Airlift Capability/Heavylift Air Wing
C-17A Globemaster III flights from
Lithuania to Kyiv delivered Stingers,
Humvees and other equipment.
Poland has also said it will
provide Ukraine with “defensive
ammunition”, while also providing
any help required for humanitarian
needs. The US State Department
has also approved shipment of
anti-armour missiles and other
equipment to Ukraine. On February
13, commercial freighters from
the 16th and 17th flight arrived
in Kyiv with more equipment to
strengthen Ukraine’s defences.
During a briefing on January
21, White House press secretary
Jennifer Psaki revealed that the
US Congress had recently been
notified of the Pentagon’s intention
to supply Mi-17 helicopters to
Ukraine. These would be part of
a planned increase in security
assistance, which includes
identifying additional equipment
held in US Department of Defense
inventories that can be delivered
under the Excess Defense Articles
programme, among other
mechanisms. CNN reported that
the helicopters involved are five
former Afghan Air Force Mi-17s
which are already in Ukraine
undergoing maintenance, along
with one Mi-8MTV.
Avoiding panic
Despite the perceived threat,
Ukraine officials have continually
been downplaying concerns.
On January 24, the secretary of
Ukraine’s National Security and
Defence Council, said: “We don’t see
any grounds for statements about a
full-scale offensive on our country.”
This was reiterated the following
day by Ukrainian Defence Minister
Oleksiy Reznikov. On January 28,
Ukrainian President Volodymyr
Zelensky also called on the West
not to create panic in his country.
On February 13, during a phone
conversation with Charles Michel,
President of the European Council,
Zelensky stressed the importance
of uniting and co-ordinating
political and diplomatic efforts
to restore stability, saying: “We
understand all the risks and are
ready for any scenario. But we have
been in this situation since 2014.
And today our biggest enemy is
panic.”
www.Key.Aero // April 2022 7
 NATO’S EUROPEAN DEPLOYMENTS
MINOT B-52Hs ARRIVE AT FAIRFORD
FOUR US Air Force B-52H
Stratofortress bombers arrived
in the UK on February 10, at RAF
Fairford, Gloucestershire, as part of
a long-planned (though previously
unannounced) three-week Bomber
Task Force deployment. They
comprised serial numbers 61-0003
‘MT’/‘Old Ironside III’ (callsign ‘Hate
11’); 61-0018 ‘MT’/‘Night Train’
(‘Hate 12’); 60-0044 ‘MT’/‘Excalibur’
(‘Hate 13’), and 61-0039 ‘MT’/‘The
US Air Force B-52H Stratofortress 61-0003
‘MT’ arriving in UK airspace on February 10 for
a Bomber Task Force deployment escorted by
Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s ZK308 and ZK324
MOD Crown Copyright/Cpl Alex Scott
FIGHTING FALCONS PATROL SKY
ABOVE LAND OF FIRE AND ICE
PORTUGUESE AIR Force F-16M
(MLU) Fighting Falcons from Esq
201 ‘Falcoes’ and Esq 301 ‘Jaguares’
departed Base Aérea 5, Monte Real,
in the early hours of January 27
for a NATO Icelandic air-policing
detachment. This will be operational
from February 1 to March 30.
Portugal detached four F-16AMs
Portuguese Air Force
F-16AM 15107 performs
an Icelandic
air-patrol
mission FAP
8 April 2022 // www.Key.Aero
Warrior’ (‘Hate 14’) – all from the 5th
Bomb Wing’s 69th Bomb Squadron
‘Knighthawks’ at Minot Air Force
Base, North Dakota.
Flying direct from Minot, they
were supported by at least four KC-
46A Pegasus and KC-135R tankers
(callsigns ‘Abbott 71’ to ‘Abbott 74’).
They were escorted over Iceland by
the Portuguese Air Force F-16AMs
currently deployed there (see
separate story, below) and then
(serials 15101, 15106, 15107 and
15112) to Keflavik Air Base, Iceland,
with a refuelling stop at RAF
Lossiemouth, Scotland, en route.
The detached force will be
divided into two rotations of
personnel, the deployment of
the advanced team commenced
on January 24, followed by the
by RAF Typhoon FGR4s when they
reached the UK.
After arriving in UK airspace
and before landing at Fairford,
they split up and undertook
various local training exercises.
‘Hate 11’ and ‘Hate 13’ spent some
time working with joint terminal
attack controllers (JTACs) on the
Cape Wrath and Tain ranges in
Scotland, while ‘Hate 12’ worked
with JTACs on the Holbeach
aircraft and remaining personnel
on January 27. The detachment is
scheduled to return to Portugal no
later than April 6.
This will be Portugal’s second
time air policing in Iceland –
the Portuguese Air Force first
participated in Icelandic air policing
in 2012 (deploying six F-16AMs).
range in Lincolnshire, simulating
dropping GBU-54 joint direct
attack munitions. These were close
air support training exercises,
focused on enhancing readiness
and interoperability, with the JTACs
calling in the B-52s for airstrikes in
support of ground forces.
The three-week detachment
period could be extended,
depending on how the Ukraine
situation develops.
SPANISH AF
EUROFIGHTERS
IN BULGARIA
A CONTINGENT of four
Eurofighters from the Spanish
Air Force’s Ala 14 departed from
Albacete Air Base on February
11 to undertake the enhanced
air policing (eAP) mission from
Graf Ignatievo Air Base, Bulgaria.
Known as the Strela Air Tactical
Detachment, this will be the 58th
rotation of NATO’s eAP mission.
The Spanish Air Force (AF) first
made a NATO air-policing mission
deployment in 2006, and has
been participating annually since
2015. Its most recent contribution
was in February and March last
year, with deployment at Mihail
Kogalniceanu Air Base, Romania,
of a contingent of Eurofighters
from Ala 11 at Moron, Spain.

GRIM
REAPERS
F-15Cs
DEPLOY TO
POLAND
STRIKE EAGLES TAKE TO THE WING IN ESTONIA
SIX US Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles
from the 4th Fighter Wing’s 336th
Fighter Squadron ‘Rocketeers’
deployed to Ämari Air Base, Estonia,
on January 24, to support NATO’s
enhanced air-policing (eAP)
mission. Although normally based
SHIP-TO-SHORE SUPER HORNET
US Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet 169641 ‘AB-300’ (callsign ‘Tarbox 13’) from Strike Fighter Squadron 34 (VFA-34) ‘Blue Blasters’ arriving on
deployment at Aviano Air Base, Italy, on February 7. The aircraft was accompanied by 168485 ‘AB-102’ (‘Tarbox 11’) from VFA-11 ‘Red Rippers’;
168907 ‘AB-205’ (‘Tarbox 12’) from VFA-211 ‘Fighting Checkmates’, and 166837 ‘AB-407’ (‘Tarbox 14’) from VFA-81 ‘Sunliners’. All came from
the USS Harry S Truman (CVN 75) and are assigned to Carrier Air Wing 1 (CVW-1) on the aircraft carrier Alex Marchesin
RNLAF LIGHTNING QUICK REACTION ALERT FIRST
THREE ROYAL Netherlands Air Force
(RNLAF) F-35A Lightning IIs are to
be deployed to Bulgaria in April and
May to boost the NATO air-policing
mission. The decision to strengthen
the NATO deterrence and defence
posture with these aircraft was
announced in the Dutch parliament
US AIR Force F-15C/D Eagles
from the UK-based 48th Fighter
Wing’s 493rd Fighter Squadron
‘Grim Reapers’ at RAF Lakenheath,
Suffolk, deployed to Lask Air Base,
Poland, on February 10, to enhance
NATO’s collective defence posture
and support the NATO air-policing
mission. The F-15C/D Eagles
will work alongside the Polish
and Danish F-16 aircraft already
executing NATO’s air-policing
US Air Force F15C Eagle 86-0172 arrived at Lask Air Base on February 10. The aircraft’s
special colours mark the impending end of 45 years of legacy F-15 operations in Europe
Polish MOD
at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base,
North Carolina, they arrived from
RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk, in the
UK, from where they have been
operating for several months
(see Combat Aircraft Journal,
March 2022, p12).
on January 20, when Minister of
Defense Kajsa Ollongren said it
was in response to the worrying
situation on the Ukraine border.
This will be the first time the
RNLAF has deployed the F-35A for
quick reaction alert on the NATO
air-policing mission in the Black Sea
NATO’S EUROPEAN DEPLOYMENTS
mission from Šiauliai Air Base in
Lithuania (see pages 24-27).
The extra fighters will bolster
readiness and Allied deterrence
and defence, as Russia continues
its military build-up in and around
Ukraine. The aircraft plan to work
with other Allies throughout the
region, practicing air-to-air and
air-to-ground training maneuvers
as well as supporting the enhanced
air-policing mission.
As tensions increased on the
Russian-Ukraine border, a further
eight Rocketeers F-15Es, which
were due to head home, instead
deployed from their temporary
home at Lakenheath to Lask Air
Base in Poland on February 14.
region. It will also be the first Ally
to employ fifth-generation fighter
aircraft on this mission in southeast
Europe. Ollongren said: “All efforts
are aimed at de-escalating the
situation through dialogue and
diplomacy. Ultimately, this is in the
interest of all parties involved.”
REINFORCING
SECURITY IN
ROMANIA
US AIR Force F-16CJ/DJs from
the 52nd Fighter Wing/480th
Fighter Squadron ‘Warhawks’ at
Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany,
arrived at Fetesti Air Base,
Romania, on February 11, for the
enhanced air-policing mission.
They have joined Italian Typhoons
already deployed in Romania
since December.
The F-16s will work closely with
Allies in the Black Sea region, to
reinforce regional security during
the current tensions caused by
Russia. The aircraft will complete
a range of air-to-air training
maneuvers with NATO Allies
to strengthen interoperability
and enhance communications
required for multinational air
operations.
Warhawks F-16s are already
deployed to Lask Air Base, Poland,
where they arrived on January 4
for a Baltic air-policing mission.
Additionally, Germany was
due to deploy Eurofighters in
February/March to operate with
the existing Italian detachment,
plugging in to its support
structures. The Allied units will
work with the Combined Air
Operations Centre Torejón, Spain.
DANISH F-16s
AUGMENT AIR
POLICING
DURING A ceremony on January
28 at Šiauliai Air Base, Lithuania,
an augmentation detachment of
four Royal Danish Air Force (RDAF)
F-16AM (MLUs) was welcomed to
assist with the NATO air-policing
role. The Danish government
provided the additional aircraft
due to the Ukraine situation.
This detachment came only two
months after the RDAF returned
home from its previous air-
policing operations in the Baltic
states. They will work alongside
the Polish air detachment in
Lithuania and the Belgian air
detachment of F-16s in Estonia.
www.Key.Aero // April 2022 9
 INDONESIAN RAFALE ORDER, F-15EX APPROVAL
WITHIN THE space of a matter of
hours on the same day, Indonesia
signed a contract to purchase
Dassault Rafales and gained US
State Department approval to
acquire the Boeing F-15EX. On
February 10 at a ceremony in
Jakarta, a contract was signed for
42 Rafales for the Tentara Nasional
Indonesia Angkatan Udara
USAF RETIRES FIRST OF 16 JSTARS AIRCRAFT
RETIREMENT OF the US Air Force’s
fleet of 16 E-8C Joint Surveillance
Target Attack Radar System
(JSTARS) aircraft officially got under
way on February 10, when the first
aircraft departed Robins Air Force
Base, Georgia, for the final time.
The aircraft, serial number 92-3289
GA with The Rattler/Don’t tread on
me nose art, which had been the
first to arrive at Robins in March
FINLAND AGREES INITIAL F-35A PROCUREMENT DEALS
FINLAND SIGNED the first
procurement agreements on
February 11 for acquisition of 64
F-35A Lightning IIs as the Finnish
Air Force’s new multi-role fighters
to replace the current Hornet fleet,
which will be phased out by 2030.
This follows selection of the type
on December 10 as winner of its HX
fighter competition – see ‘Lightning
II hits the spot in Finland’, February
issue, page 6.
The Finnish Defence Forces’
Logistics Command was authorized
to conclude procurement contracts
for the F-35 system and air-to-air
weapons while the country’s
defense ministry was authorized
to sign an agreement on industrial
10 April 2022 // www.Key.Aero
(TNI-AU – Indonesian Air Force).
The deal comprises a firm order for
six, with options on the remaining
36, for which a contract will be
signed later. The agreement also
includes aircrew training, logistical
support for several Indonesian air
bases and a training center with
two full-mission simulators. The
first six will be delivered within
1996, left on its final flight for
storage with the 309th Aerospace
Maintenance and Regeneration
Group (AMARG) at Davis-Monthan
AFB, Arizona. It arrived at AMARG
the following day.
These aircraft are operated by
the Georgia Air National Guard’s
116th Air Control Wing (ACW) and
its active-duty associate 461st
ACW. In 2018, then-Secretary
participation for the HX fighter
program with Lockheed Martin and
Pratt & Whitney.
In Tampere on February 11, Major
General (Eng) Kari Renko, Chief
of the Defence Forces Logistics
Command, signed the letter
of offer and acceptance (LOA)
documents on the F-35A aircraft
and their maintenance services.
Procurement will be through the
US Foreign Military Sales program;
LOA documents will be drafted on
the procurement packages and,
when signed, will become the
procurement agreement.
The contracts include delivery of
64 F-35As in Block 4 configuration
in 2025-30, aircraft engines
three years to replace the TNI-AU’s
two Hawk Mk 209 squadrons.
Later the same day as the Rafale
order was signed, the US Defense
Security Cooperation Agency
(DSCA) announced that US State
Department approval had been
granted for the possible Foreign
Military Sale to the government
of Indonesia of up to 36 F-15ID
of the Air Force Heather Wilson
announced the airframe was not to
be recapitalized. In late 2021, Gen
Charles Q Brown Jr, Chief of Staff
of the Air Force, signed an official
memorandum to begin divestment
of Joint STARS in Fiscal Year (FY)
2022. On December 21 last year it
was officially announced that this
would begin with retirement of the
first four in FY 2022 – see ‘Robins to
US Air Force E-8C Joint STARS 92-3289 ‘GA’ arrives at Davis-Monthan Air
Force Base, Arizona, on February 11 for storage with the 309th Aerospace
Maintenance and Regeneration Group US Air National Guard/Capt Ronald Cole
and maintenance equipment,
systems, spare parts, replacement
equipment, training equipment,
and servicing needed for use and
maintenance. The agreements
include F-35 type training for flying
and technical personnel.
After the procurement of aircraft
and maintenance services, LOA
documents will be signed during
2022 on acquisition of air-to-air
weapons, the Sidewinder and
AMRAAM missiles. The agreements
on procuring air-to-ground and
air-to-surface weapons will be
concluded later.
Additionally, Finland Minister of
Defence Antti Kaikkonen signed
an agreement on industrial
aircraft and related equipment at
an estimated cost of $13.9bn. The
DSCA said the deal would include
AN/APG-82(v)1 AESA radars,
AN/ALQ-250 Eagle Passive Active
Warning Survivability Systems
(EPAWSS), AN/AAQ-13 Lantirn
navigation pods, AN/AAQ-33
Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods,
and a range of other equipment.
begin retiring Joint STARS’, March
issue, page 15.
Although 92-3289 is the first of
the current fleet to retire, it was not
the first E-8C to go into storage at
AMARG. The desert storage facility
also holds E-8C 90-0175, which
had been a Northrop Grumman
development and trials aircraft, but
was retired to AMARG on January
21, 2015.
participation on February 11 in
Helsinki. This was concluded with
Lockheed Martin and Pratt &
Whitney. The industrial participation
obligation is based on a decision
that the value of industrial
co-operation should be at least 30%
of contract price.
The most important industrial
participation projects include
large-scale production of at least
400 F-35 front fuselages locally in
Finland for its air force and other
users, production of structural
components as well as equipment
testing and maintenance capability.
Finland was also offered a project of
the final assembly of engines for the
air force aircraft.
 HEATHROW AIRCRAFT
ENTHUSIASTS’ FAIR
This popular event, now in its 30th year, will feature stalls, buying, selling and exchanging
any aircraft related item. Models, books, magazines, printed matter including postcards,
slides and photographs, DVD’s and memorabilia should all be available in abundance.

SUNDAY 10th APRIL 2022

10.30 - 15.00
KEMPTON PARK RACECOURSE

RE-PRINTS
STAINES ROAD EAST, SUNBURY-ON-THAMES, MIDDX, TW16 5AQ
For local buses see www.tfl.gov.uk or www.traveline.info
Nearest Station: Kempton Park (on site) • Massive Free Car Park
Bring along your surplus items to sell or exchange!
This event is a MUST for all aircraft enthusiasts

Custom re-prints of features Enquiries and Stall Bookings:

Carl McQuaide - 07903 848726
available for use as: Email: speedbird707@aol.com • www.aircraftenthusiastfair.co.uk

• Press Pack Inserts

• Sales Promotions
• Company Reports and more...
Tailored to your specific needs, re-prints can showcase
your company, products, or services in association
with Combat Aircraft Monthly
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Having established itself as a leading publisher of avia�on books,
Key Books is now looking for authors to join its interna�onal team
of contributors. We are looking for exis�ng authors and new ones,
who really know their subject, especially if they have a great picture
collec�on that could become an illustrated book.

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012/22
 MIGHTY SHRIKES’ NEW CAG-BIRD
US Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet 168929 ‘NA-200’ from Strike Fighter Squadron 94 (VFA-94) ‘Mighty Shrikes’ at Naval Air Station (NAS) Lemoore, California, taxiing at NAS Fallon, Nevada, on
February 7. The aircraft, newly painted in these impressive full-color markings, is attached to Carrier Air Wing 17 (CVW-17) and was participating in CVW-17’s three-week Strike Fighter Advanced
Readiness Program work-up at Fallon, prior to joining the USS Nimitz (CVN-68) for its next deployment Kevin Whitehead

NINE MORE CH-53K KING STALLIONS ORDERED ISRAELI SH-60F

LOCKHEED MARTIN announced
on February 3 that it has
received a US Naval Air Systems
Command contract to build
nine more production Sikorsky
CH-53K King Stallions for the US
Marine Corps.
The $684,950,963 deal was
awarded on January 31 as a
modification to a previously
awarded contract, exercising
options for the nine low-rate
initial production Lot 6
helicopters, as well as associated
aircraft programmatic and
logistical support. Work is
expected to be completed in
July 2025. An additional NAVAIR
contract awarded to Sikorsky
on January 31 and valued at
$101,883,324 added scope to
procure long lead items for full
rate production, Lot 7, CH-53Ks.
This work is expected to be
completed in December 2022.
The manufacturer stated that
these will be built at the Sikorsky
headquarters in Stratford,
Connecticut, a lower unit price
than previous lot buys, with
deliveries starting in 2025.
Seven CH-53Ks are currently
in build at the factory, with
another 47 in various stages of
production.
In total, Sikorsky has delivered
five operational CH-53K King
Stallion heavy-lift helicopters
to date to the USMC in
Jacksonville, North Carolina,
with four more planned for
delivery this year.
The CH-53K program entered
Initial Operational Test and
Evaluation in 2021 and is set to
conclude in 2022. The USMC’s
Program of Record envisages
acquisition of 200 CH-53Ks.
SEAHAWKS CONTRACT
ADJUSTED
US NAVAL Air Systems Command
awarded Science and Engineering
Services LLC of Huntsville,
Alabama, a $13,515,107 firm-
fixed-price, cost reimbursable,
cost-plus-fixed-fee modification
to a previously awarded contract
on January 19 for work related to
three SH-60F Seahawk helicopters
destined for the government of
Israel.
This modification, financed
by Foreign Military Sales funds,
adds scope to provide return to
flight repairs and storage for the
three helicopters. Work will be
performed in Huntsville, Alabama,
and is expected to be completed in
January 2024.
Israel has had a long-held
ambition to replace its AS565MA
Atalef helicopters, for operation on
behalf of the Israeli Navy from four
new Sa’ar 6 corvettes.
In an effort to save money, in 2015
Israel finally decided to acquire
secondhand US Navy SH-60F
Seahawks.
On July 6, 2016, the US Defense
Security Co-operation Agency
(DSCA) had announced US State

CESSNA SKYHAWK TRAINERS ARRIVE IN PHILIPPINES Department approval for the

proposed foreign military sale to
One of four Cessna 172S Skyhawks that were delivered to the Philippine Naval Air Wing on February 10 at Naval Base Heracleo Alano, Sangley Israel of eight SH-60Fs as Excess
Point, Cavite. They were handed over as part of a $5.8m grant under the foreign military financing program and will be used for pilot and Defense Articles (EDA) at an
aviation technician training US Embassy in the Philippines
estimated cost of $300m.

12 April 2022 // www.Key.Aero

US ISSUES RFI FOR E-3G SENTRY AWACS REPLACEMENT
A SOURCES sought document
was published by the US
Department of Defense (DoD)
on February 8 seeking to
identify industry partners to
replace the US Air Force fleet
of Boeing E-3G Sentry airborne
warning and control system
(AWACS) aircraft.
The initial program requires
delivery of at least two
production representative
prototype aircraft, including
ground support and training
systems, within five years of
the expected contract award in
Fiscal Year 2023.
Responses to this request for
information (RFI) were required
by 12pm EST on March 10.
As the DoD notes in the
solicitation, the RFI is purely for
planning purposes and does
not constitute a request for
proposals (RFP). The latter will
be issued at a later date. The
government says it is not at this
time seeking proposals and will
not accept unsolicited offers.
Not responding to this RFI does
not preclude participation in
any future RFP, if any is issued.
Of the existing fleet, all 31
remaining E-3B/Cs have been
progressively upgraded to
E-3G (Block 40/45) standard.
However, after 45 years of
service, due to the aircraft’s age
and increasing maintenance
issues, the USAF is looking at
options for its replacement. In
recent months, there has been
speculation that there could
be a sole source procurement
of the Boeing E-7 Wedgetail.
This was reinforced on October
20 last year when the USAF
made a business opportunities
announcement asking Boeing
to conduct studies, analyses and
activities required to ascertain
the current E-7A baseline
configuration and determine
what additional work would be
necessary to make it compatible
with USAF configuration
standards and mandates.
Additionally, during the Air
Force Association’s Air, Space
and Cyber (ASC21) conference
held at National Harbor,
Maryland, on September 2-22
last year, Air Combat Command
chief Gen Mark D Kelly spoke in
favor of the type.
Speaking to the media, he
said he did not anticipate any
significant issues in adapting
the E-7 to USAF requirements,
particularly as it was designed
and developed in the US.
Gen Charles Q Brown Jr,
Chief of Staff of the Air Force,
also expressed support for the
E-7, as the capability could
be acquired much faster than
developing a new aircraft for
the role. However, he had earlier
cautioned that it may not be the
only option.

NEW C-37B ARRIVES AT 99TH AS OUT OF AFGHANISTAN, INTO UKRAINE

US Air Force/99th Airlift Squadron (AS) crew members pose with 18th Air Force DURING A briefing on January
commander Major General Kenneth T Bibb in front of new C-37B Gulfstream 550, tail
number 1949, after he delivered the aircraft to the 99th AS at Joint Base Andrews, 21, White House Press Secretary
Maryland, on February 8. The aircraft is the second of two new C-37Bs for the unit, the Jennifer Psaki revealed that
first of which, 20-1941, arrived November 3 last year USAF/Staff Sgt Jason Huddleston Congress had recently been
notified of the Pentagon’s
intention to supply Mi-17
helicopters to Ukraine.
These would be part of a
planned increase in security
assistance to the country,
which includes identifying
additional equipment held in
US Department of Defense
inventories that can be
delivered under the Excess
Defense Articles (EDA) program,
among other mechanisms.
News program CNN reports
that the helicopters involved are
five former Afghan Air Force
Mi-17s that were pulled out
of the country during the
recent withdrawal and are
already in Ukraine undergoing
maintenance, in addition to one
Mi-8MTV.

KENYA WELCOMES THIRD EX-AFSOC C-145A

Former US Air Force/6th Special Operations Squadron C-145A Combat Coyote 11-0326/N362DD arriving at Southend Airport, Essex, on February 10 from Wick while passing through for a night
stop on delivery to the Kenyan Air Force (KAF). This was the third and final one for the KAF and still retained its previous color scheme and military markings, although with clear evidence of
extensive repair work having been done prior to its ferry flight. It had previously been stored at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona Keith Burton

www.Key.Aero // April 2022 13

 BLACK HAWKS LAND IN CROATIA
CROATIA HAS taken delivery of
its first two Sikorsky UH-60M
Black Hawks, which have both
been donated to the Croatian
Air Force and Air Defence by the
US government.
The helicopters, serial numbers
230 (US FMS serial 19-27458) and
231 (FMS serial unconfirmed),
arrived at Zagreb-Pleso Air Base
(co-located with Zagreb's Franjo
Tuđman Airport) on February 3
on board US Air Force Reserve
Command C-17A Globemaster
III 05-5142 from the 452nd Air
Mobility Wing/729th Airlift
Squadron at March Air Reserve
Base, California.
A further two Black Hawks have
been ordered, funded by the
Croatian Department of Defence.
These acquisitions form part of
the country’s plans to transition
to Western technology, having
previously relied largely on
Soviet-era hardware.
After being checked over
by US technicians, the first
two UH-60Ms will be formally
handed over to Croatia and are
expected to be ready to fly within
a few weeks. Croatian pilots and
technicians have already been
trained on the type, but will
continue with a final training
phase, which will lead to an
initial operating capability within
two to three months. They are
planned to be fully operational
by the end of 2022.
Two of the four Black Hawks
will be dedicated to supporting
Special Forces operations and
crews will undertake training
for this role at the NATO
Multinational Special Aviation
Programme training center at
Zadar Air Base. When not used on
SF missions, the helicopters will
be made available for other tasks,
including transporting soldiers,
combat missions and supporting
civilian institutions.
The other two will be used
for a wide range of military
missions, as well as assisting
civilian institutions in roles such
as extinguishing large forest
fires, search and rescue, and
emergency medical transport.

Croatian Air Force and Air Defence UH-60M Black Hawk serial number 230 on
the ramp at Zagrteb-Pleso Air base on February 3 Croatian Ministry of Defence

SPAIN’S UPGRADED CHINOOK

BOEING HAS delivered the first will be progressively upgraded to be completed and delivered by retired its last CH-47D Chinook in
of 17 CH-47F Chinooks to the CH-47F standard under a contract 2025. The Spanish modernization favor of the F-model configuration,
Fuerzas Aeromóviles del Ejército that was announced by Boeing program coincides with its while the UK has purchased a
de Tierra (FAMET; Spanish Army back in January 3, 2019, with European counterparts across the number of additional aircraft to
Air Mobile Forces) after being the final example is expected to region. The Netherlands recently upgrade its fleet.
remanufactured from an existing CH-47F at Colmenar Viejo during its handover
older model FAMET CH-47D. The ceremony on February 1 FAMET
helicopter, coded ‘ET-420’ but
serial unconfirmed, was formally
handed back as a CH-47F during
a ceremony on February 1 at the
FAMET headquarters in Colmenar
Viejo, Madrid.
The remanufactured CH-47F
now features a digital automatic
flight control system, common
avionics architecture system and
advanced cargo handling to meet
the FAMET’s modernization needs
for increased operational capacity,
while ensuring interoperability
with allied nations. The remaining
16 of FAMET’s current CH-47Ds

14 April 2022 // www.Key.Aero


NETHERLANDS ACCEPTS INITIAL REAPER
THE FIRST General Atomics
Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI)
MQ-9A Reaper for the Royal
Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF)
has been officially acquired from
the manufacturer. In association
with the US Air Force, the Dutch
Ministry of Defence formally
confirmed on February 2 that the
UAV met requirements after it
had completed a series of
acceptance flights.
Further flights for the remaining
three Reapers on order were
planned for the following week.
The second Royal Netherlands Air Force MQ-9A Reaper Block 5,
serial number M-002, preparing for a test flight Dutch MOD
RAAF RECEIVES FIRST UPGRADED BLOCK 8.1 C-130J-30
LOCKHEED MARTIN has completed
the first upgrade from Block 6.1
to Block 8.1 of a Royal Australian
Air Force (RAAF) C-130J-30 Super
Hercules. The first example to
undergo the modifications,
A97-464, returned to RAAF Base
Richmond, New South Wales, on
January 20 to re-join 37 Squadron.
Although this first modernisation
was completed by the
These acceptance flights are being
carried out from GA-ASI’s Gray
Butte Flight Operations facility
near Palmdale, California.
Subject to official approval,
all four Reapers will shortly be
transferred to Hato Airport on the
island of Curaçao in the Lesser
Antilles, where they will initially
undergo an operational test and
evaluation programme.
Thereafter, the Reapers will be
deployed to undertake support
tasks for the Commander of the
Caribbean Sea Forces and the
manufacturer in the US, with
support from the US Air Force,
similar hardware and software
modification work on the
remaining 11n RAAF C-130J-30s
will be carried out by Airbus
Australia Pacific at Richmond.
The Block 8.1 system upgrade
includes changes to the aircraft’s
navigation systems, which will
ensure greater accuracy during
Caribbean Coast Guard. For the
time being, they will be operated
in an unarmed configuration.
The four MQ-9A Block 5s were
ordered for the RNLAF under a
Foreign Military Sales contract
that was awarded to GA-ASI on
March 21, 2019. The first Reaper
was formally unveiled during a
roll-out ceremony on July 7, 2021,
at GA-ASI’s headquarters in Poway,
California. The first two UAVs
comprise serial numbers M-001
and M-002 and they will both be
operated by 306 Squadron.
landing approaches, particularly
in the Asia–Pacific region and
remote parts of Australia and when
delivering cargo to a drop zone. It
also includes safety improvements
to the aircraft. Block 8.1 will also
ensure the RAAF’s C-130J Hercules
fleet is compliant with the latest
worldwide air traffic management
regulations and introduce updated
friend-or-foe identification systems
The first RAAF No 37 Squadron C-130J-30 Super Hercules with Block 8.1 upgrades, A97-464,
gets a ‘bird bath’ after returning to Australia on January 20 RAAF/Corporal David Said
US APPROVES THE
SALE TO EGYPT OF
12 C-130J-30s
US STATE Department approval
has been granted for a possible
Foreign Military Sale to the
Government of Egypt of 12
Lockheed Martin C-130J-30
Super Hercules. The US Defense
Security Cooperation Agency
(DSCA) made the announcement
on January 25 and notified US
Congress of the sale later on the
same day.
The DSCA stated that the Super
Hercules will improve Egypt’s
ability to meet current and
future threats by providing airlift
support for its forces by moving
supplies, equipment and people,
thus strengthening its capacity
in the security and humanitarian
arena. This airlift capability would
also assist with border security,
the interdiction of known
terrorist elements, rapid reaction
to internal security threats and
humanitarian aid.
Egypt also intends to utilize
these aircraft for maritime patrol
missions and search and rescue
missions in the region.
for flying on coalition operations.
Group Captain James Badgery,
Officer Commanding the Air
Lift Systems Program Office,
commented: “Airbus Australia
Pacific has already commenced the
first local upgrade of an aircraft to
Block 8.1 standard at Richmond
and the remaining fleet will be
modified as they become due for
major scheduled servicing.”
www.Key.Aero // April 2022 15
 US ARMY AH-64E V6s ARRIVE IN KOREA
A US Army unit in South Korea
has become the first outside the
continental US to receive the newest
AH-64E Version 6 Apache. A press
release by the Program Executive
Office, Aviation, on January 10
revealed that the 4th Battalion
(Attack), 2nd Aviation Regiment
(4-2 AB), at Desiderio Army Air
Field, Camp Humphreys, had taken
delivery of 12 of its planned 24
examples of this latest V6 variant.
Deliveries began in November
2021 and fielding was projected
to be completed in February 2022.
Members of the Program Executive
Office for Aviation’s Apache project
office were on hand when the
new helicopters arrived in the
country on board US Air Force
C-17A Globemaster III aircraft from
Boeing’s manufacturing facilities
in Mesa, Arizona. They assisted the
unit with inspecting their aircraft,
assembling and then flying them
from Osan Air Base to their new
home at Camp Humphreys.
The 4-2 AB pilot training program
began in September 2021 and
runs through to September 2022.
Maintenance training started in
August and will end in July 2022.
Capt Timothy Iuchs, D Company
commander, said: “The fielding of
the new AH-64E V6 Apache aircraft
is a turning point for 4-2 Attack
An AH-64E Version 6 Apache helicopter is rolled off a US Air Force C-17A Globemaster III at Osan
Battalion and we are thrilled to
Air Base, South Korea, in December 2021 bound for the 4th Battalion (Attack), 2nd Aviation
deploy this airframe. The upgraded Regiment (4-2 AB) at Camp Humphreys. The helicopter was among the initial batch delivered to
aircraft integrates modern the 4-2 Attack Battalion US Army/SSgt Jared Scott
technology for both the aviator and an overall increased situational in communications, navigation,
maintainers in our battalion. For awareness with an upgraded sensor sensors and, for the first time, a
our maintainers, the new systems suite, level 4 manned-unmanned cognitive decision aiding system
onboard allows them better teaming and an upgraded drive (CDAS). The Version 6 AH-64E model
diagnostic capability and decreases system which is a vast improvement of the Apache is the final planned
the downtime of the aircraft. While over the Delta variant of the model.” modernization of the aircraft,
for the aviator, AH-64E provides The V6 is equipped with the latest replacing the AH-64D.

INDIAN NAVY BEGINS P-8I OPS FROM INS HANSA

INDIAN NAVY operations with
the Boeing P-8I from Indian Naval
Station (INS) Hansa at Goa-
Dabolim began on December 30,
when the first two aircraft arrived
at the base. They were inducted
into operational service after
both were fitted with indigenous
equipment and then completed
Flight Acceptance Trials.
On arrival at INS Hansa, the two
P-8Is were welcomed to the base
by a pair of Indian Navy MiG-29K
Fulcrum-Ds from the resident
Indian Naval Air Squadron (INAS)
300. Currently, the Indian Navy has
plans to deploy four P-8Is in total
at Hansa, where the aircraft will
be operated by the soon-to-be
commissioned INAS 316.
India formally inducted the
P-8I into operational service
on May 15, 2013, with ten of
them delivered to date. The
first eight are operated by INAS
312 ‘Albatross’ at INS Rajali,
Arakkonam. The ninth and tenth,
serial numbers IN328 and IN329,
are the two now based at INS
Hansa. They were delivered to
India on November 18, 2020, and
July 13, 2021, initially arriving at
INS Rajali. A further two aircraft
are on order, while on April 30,
2021, the US Defense Security
Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said
that the US State Department had
approved the sale of six more to
India. A contract for these has yet
to be signed.

SECOND JAPANESE KC-46A

The soon-to-be-delivered second Boeing KC-46A Pegasus for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, serial 14-3612 (line number 1238, ex N5512S), at a rather wet Boeing Field, Seattle, Washington, on
December 22. The aircraft first flew from Paine Field, Washington, on November 5. The first was delivered on October 29 (see Japan gets first overseas KC-46A, January, p18) Joe G Walker

16 April 2022 // www.Key.Aero

RECENT LOSSES
US Navy MH-60S Seahawk BuNo 167856 from HSC-26 following its crash on January 12, while
attempting an emergency landing in Isle of Wight County, Virginia Virginia State Police
• A Houthi Militia helicopter
was shot down on December 9
by Yemen National Army forces
in Ma’rib Governorate, Yemen.
The pilot was killed.
• A Kyrgyz Air Force An-26
was badly damaged prior to
December 14. It was under
maintenance at Bishkek-Kant
Air Base when the aircraft’s
undercarriage unexpectedly
folded up. One soldier was
injured during the incident.
• Royal Thai Army Enstrom
480B serial 5146 crashed on
December 14 while on a training
sortie from Lop Buri Army
Airfield-Saphan Nak. Both crew
members were killed.
• Republic of Chad government
MD-87 registration number
TT-ABC tipped to one side and
one wing struck the runway and
broke off while landing at Diffa,
Niger, on December 18. The
damaged aircraft has remained
abandoned at Diffa. No injuries
were reported.
• Madagascar Air Force
AS350B2 Ecureuil serial number
5R-MOO crashed into the sea
and sank on December 20, off
Fénérive Est, while undertaking
a search-and-rescue mission.
The pilot and one passenger
drowned, but a policeman and
Madagascar’s Secretary of State
for Police, Serge Gelle, both
survived and were rescued.
• Ecuador Army Cessna T206H
Turbo Stationair TC serial
number AEE-179 crashed on
December 24 in the Amazon
rainforest, in Arajuno Canton,
en route from Shell Airport to
Lorocachi Airfield on a supply
mission. At least one of the two
crew members was injured.
• An Indian Air Force MiG-
21 caught fire in mid-air on
December 24 and crashed near
the Indo-Pakistan border in the
Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan.
The pilot was killed.
• A Royal Moroccan
Gendarmerie BN-2T Defender
crashed into the sea off Dakhla
on December 31. All three crew
members were rescued.
• An Afghan Taliban Air Force
MD530F Cayuse Warrior crashed
on January 3 after making a
low pass over a flooded area of
the Maiwand district of in the
Kandahar region. Both crew
members survived, but one was
critically injured.
• Bolivian Army Robinson R44
Raven I serial number EB-121
operated by Army Aviation
Company No 1 crashed on
January 3, along the Pesado
River, Coronado Norte, while
attempting an emergency
landing in bad weather. All three
on board survived the incident,
but one sustained a leg injury.
• Israeli Air Force AS565MA
Atalef serial number 895 from 193
Squadron crashed into the sea off
Bat Galim beach, south of Haifa,
on January 3, following a technical
failure during a training exercise.
The pilot was safely rescued soon
after but the other two crew were
not recovered until some time later
and did not survive.
• A Tunisian Air Force AB205A
crashed on January 3 at Hicher in
the Zefra region, Bizerte, during a
routine reconnaissance mission.
Both crew were killed.
• A Republic of Korea Air Force
F-35A Lightning II from the 17th
Fighter Wing was damaged in a
belly landing at Seosan-Haemi
Air Base on January 4, after a
major avionics failure prevented
lowering of the undercarriage.
The pilot was unhurt.
• A Lebanese Air Force MD530F
operated by 31 Squadron was
written off on January 5 in a crash
in the Bsharri district, following
a technical problem. Both crew
survived without serious injury.
• A US Marine Corps AH-1Z Viper
from HMLA-773 was extensively
damaged when it crashed on
January 6, on final approach to
Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst,
New Jersey, following an
unspecified technical problem.
Both crew members survived.
• Republic of China Air Force
F-16V serial number 6650 from
the 4th Tactical Fighter Wing/21st
Tactical Fighter Group crashed
into the sea near Chiayi on
January 11. The pilot is missing.
• A Republic of Korea Air Force
F-5E Tiger II from the 10th Tactical
Fighter Wing crashed on January
11 shortly after take-off from
Suwon Air Base after an engine
fire. The pilot died in the crash.
• Mozambique Air Force
Aerostar R40S Festival serial
number FAM256 from the Escola
Prática de Aviação was destroyed
in a crash just after take-off from
Maputo-Mavalane International
Airport on January 11. Both crew
members were killed.
• US Navy MH-60S Seahawk
BuNo 167856 from HSC-26
crashed on January 12 while
attempting an emergency
landing in wooded terrain in
Isle of Wight County, Virginia.
The two pilots were unhurt,
however, a third crew member in
the cabin was taken to hospital
with minor injuries.
• A Mexican Air Force T-6C Texan
II was written off in a crash on
January 13 at Tuxtla Gutiérrez,
Chiapas. The pilot was unhurt.
• A US Navy F-35C Lightning II
from VFA-147 crashed into the sea
after a crash landing on the USS
Carl Vinson (CVN-70) on January
24 in the South China Sea. The
pilot ejected safely.
• Russian Air Force Mi-8MTV-5-1
RF-24773 crashed on January 28
on the frozen Volga River near
Dubki. One crew member was
killed and the othet two injured.
• Russian Air Force MiG-31K ‘92
Red’/RF-95217 crashed on take-off
from Soltsy Air Base on January 29.
The two crew were unhurt.
• Japan Air Self-Defense Force
F-15DJ serial 32-8083 crashed on
January 31 in the Sea of Japan
near Komatsu Air Base. The two
crew were killed.
• US Army MH-60M serial
number 11-20372 force landed in
Aleppo province, Syria, on
February 3. It was then destroyed
by US forces.
www.Key.Aero // April 2022 17
 R Y
I VE INT S
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 NATO ON GUARD// SOUTHERN FLANK
ADRIATIC
Neptune Strike 2022 recently
took place in and over the
Adriatic Sea, Daniele Faccioli
and Remo Guidi report on the
multi-nation exercise
F
ROM JANUARY 24 to February
7 this year, the waters of
the Adriatic hosted the final
act of a series of activities
known as Project Neptune.
These activities focused on
the integration capability of a force
composed of multiple Carrier Strike
Groups (CSG) and land-based forces
under a single NATO command. In total,
20 April 2022 // www.Key.Aero
the armed forces of 28 NATO
allies were involved in the massive
Neptune Strike exercise, which was
conceptualized as early as 2020.
Tension arising from events concerning
the eastern border of the Alliance had the
potential to see the exercise canceled,
however, NATO decided to proceed.
One of the salient aspects was the
presence of the aircraft carrier USS
Harry S. Truman (CVN-75), as noted by
the Commander of Carrier Strike Group
Eight, Rear Adm Curt Renshaw: “The
Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike
Group has had the extraordinary
chance to work with some of the finest
maritime operators in the region, and
have been looking forward to training
with our Italian and French allies. The
capabilities of a US aircraft carrier strike
group are made stronger by operating
alongside our allies and partners; and
adding the French and Italian carrier
teams provides an exciting chance to
strengthen our interoperability together.”
The command of the operations was
entrusted to Naval Strike and Support
ACTION

Two Boeing F/A-18

Super Hornets from
the USS Harry S
Truman and two
HAF F-16 Fighting
Falcons fly in
formation during
Neptune Strike
Daniele Faccioli

www.Key.Aero // April 2022 21

 NATO ON GUARD // ADRIATIC ACTION
Forces NATO (STRIKFORNATO), aboard the Left: USS Harry S
Truman F/A-18s side
amphibious command ship USS Mount by side with the
Whitney (LCC20), reporting to Supreme HAF F-16Cs off the
Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, coast of Kefalonia
Daniele Faccioli
responsible for co-ordinating the exercise.
It’s the first time since the end of the Cold
War that the command of an American
aircraft carrier, along with its CSG, has
been entrusted to NATO. Below: A Boeing
F/A-18F Super
Meanwhile, the French Navy (Marine Hornet from the
Nationale) CSG, led by the aircraft VFA-11 ‘Red Rippers’
carrier Charles de Gaulle, which has been deployed aboard the
USS Harry S Truman
engaged in the Clemenceau 22 exercise Daniele Faccioli
since February 1, was joined by the Italian
and US units. The main purpose of this
was to maintain interoperability between
allies, and to train with new assets, such
as Italian F-35Bs and American E-2D
Advanced Hawkeye aircraft.

THE CAPABILITIES OF A
US AIRCRAFT CARRIER STRIKE
GROUP ARE MADE STRONGER
BY OPERATING ALONGSIDE OUR
ALLIES AND PARTNERS

22 April 2022 // www.Key.Aero

 Above: The Italian Air Force also participated in the exercise, sending a Boeing KC-767A from the 14° Stormo at
Pratica di Mare, shown here during an in-flight refueling mission alongside the F/A-18 Super Hornets from the
USS Harry S Truman aircraft carrier Petty Officer 1st Class Justin Wolpert
Below: USS Harry S Truman Carrier Strike Group has been placed under NATO operational control and served as
the centerpiece for the long-planned activity Rhemo Guidi

STRIKFORNATO led a maritime force composed of two carriers, 15 ships and about 90
aircraft, including forces from the Harry S. Truman CSG, the Italian Navy Cavour CSG,
Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 and Mine Counter Measure Group 2 MC3 Bela chambers
Left: Two Italian Navy AV-8B Harrier IIs operate on the ITS Cavour “It has been a real pleasure
to operate alongside some of our most valued partners in order to collectively enhance our
capabilities,” said Rear Admiral Vincenzo Montanaro, Commander of the Italian Second Naval
Division and Commander of the Italian Carrier Strike Group Italian Navy

www.Key.Aero // April 2022 23

 NATO ON GUARD // F-16S IN LITHUANIA

Poland’s Military Contingency Orlik 10,

deployed to Šiauliai Air Base, Lithuania,
is midway through the 58th rotation of
the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission.
Bartosz Głowacki reports
PATROLLING

BALTIC
24
SKIES
April 2022 // www.Key.Aero
 C
OMPRISED OF 150 personnel
and four F-16C Block 52+
multi-role fighters from the
Polish Air Force’s 31st Tactical
Air Base, the rotation is one
element of a wider NATO
mission to secure the skies of its Baltic
member states. Augmenting Poland’s
deployment are four F-16AM (MLU)
Fighting Falcons from the Belgian Air
Force’s 10th Tactical Wing (from Kleine
Brogel Air Base), which are based at
Ämari, Estonia.
The Polish F-16s launched their first
Alpha Scramble on December 7, last year.
As part of routine readiness training, an
on-duty pair of F-16s conducted a Tango
Scramble and then continued with an
exercise sortie over the Baltic Sea. During
the mission, the status was changed
to Alpha Scramble and the F-16s were
ordered to intercept an unknown aircraft,
which was later identified as a Russian
Il-20M Coot-A communications/electronic
intelligence reconnaissance platform.
The Russian aircraft had reportedly
failed to file a flight plan and was not
communicating with air traffic control
while flying through the busy airspace
over the Baltic Sea towards Denmark,
before returning to Russia.
“This was the first Alpha Scramble for
[the] Polish detachment called ‘Orlik 10’,
and it was an excellent opportunity to
confirm the uniformity of procedures,
[the] detachment’s operational readiness
and its interoperability with other NATO
components,” said Polish Detachment
Commander Lt Col Paweł Stajniak. “The
mission was successfully conducted in
Above: Comrades
in Arms. A Belgian accordance with Baltic Air Policing rules
F-16AM (left) flies of engagement and other pertaining
alongside a Polish regulations,” he added.
F-16C during a Baltic
Air Policing Mission
over a very cold Fresh faces and old hands
looking Lithuania “Having done pilot training on the
in early-February
F-16 fighter aircraft in 2002 [and] 2020
respectively, one can immediately feel
the difference in experience between
senior and junior pilots,” said pilot B,
commanding officer of a Belgian Air
Force F-16 squadron, which has flown
operational missions over countries
Right: The Polish such as Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan, and
Air Force is an
active contributor contributed to NATO Baltic Air Policing
to efforts to ensure deployments in Lithuania and Estonia.
regional security and Pilot K is the youngest F-16 pilot of the
deterrence. This is its
10th NATO Baltic Air detachment in Estonia and this is his first
Policing mission operational mission, having joined the
All photos: st. sierz. squadron only five months ago. The more
Piotr Gubernat/
Combat Camera experienced pilot B said the previous
Poland

www.Key.Aero // April 2022 25

 NATO ON GUARD // F-16S IN LITHUANIA
couple of weeks “have been rather quiet”,
likely due to the time of year and poor
weather conditions.
Mission ready
The intention was for the whole
detachment to make best use of its time
on the NATO mission, ensuring 24/7
readiness of the fighters, so the pilots
achieve their training goals.
“NATO’s Combined Air Operation
Centre [CAOC] at Uedem schedules
regular training scrambles – the whole
team works together, enabling us
[to] get airborne within the shortest
time. Once in the skies, the pilots work
with each other and controllers in the
regional control and reporting centers,
to go through our tactics, techniques
and procedures. Getting ‘scrambled’
twice a day for training really makes the
time fly by,” added Pilot B.
26 April 2022 // www.Key.Aero
GETTING
Both pilots agreed that, while at
home, they only see the results of other
people’s efforts – for example, the
crew chief delivers a good aircraft, and
meteorological services provide the
weather update – but, on a deployment,
‘SCRAMBLED’
things are much more transparent and
they are closer to each other. They said TWICE A DAY
FOR TRAINING
it’s interesting to learn from those other
specialists and what it takes for them to
get their results.
MAKES THE
For the pilots, it is useful to see how
‘airspace’ works in the Baltics and to see
first-hand the co-ordination with the
TIME FLY BY
CAOC. They said everyone is disciplined, so
life is made as normal as it possibly can be,
despite the COVID reality that’s been faced
for the past two years.
The pilots concluded by saying the team
PILOT B.
effort and support from the Estonian
forces enable them to do their job in
support of NATO’s collective air policing.
Belgian F-16s started their current Baltic Air
Policing rotation from Ämari Air Base on December
2, 2021, when they took over responsibility from the
outgoing rotation of Italian Air Force
Left: The Polish Military Contingency Orlik 10 is
composed of up to 150 Polish Air Force personnel
and four F-16C Block 52+ aircraft from 31st
Tactical Air Base Poznan-Krzesiny
Left: The Belgian Air
Force detachment
currently augmenting
NATO’s Baltic Air
Policing mission
ensures senior and
junior pilots can
benefit from the
deployment

Right: NATO fighters

were scrambled on
December 14, 2021,
to intercept an An-12
and Tu-134 flying
from mainland Russia
to Kaliningrad. On
February 3, NATO
fighters intercepted
one Tu-154 flying from
mainland Russia to
Kaliningrad, escorted
by Su-35, MiG-31 and
Su-27 flying in pairs

www.Key.Aero // April 2022 27

 NATO ON GUARD // POLAND IN ICELAND
POLESCLIMB TO THE HIGH NORTH
A
In autumn 2021, Polish Air S ICELAND DOES not
maintain an air force, the
Force F-16s were deployed to country was left without
Iceland for NATO Air Policing. means to patrol its airspace
after USAF F-15s left Keflavík
Bartosz Głowacki reports Air Base in 2005. Following
the American withdrawal, Russian Air
Force aircraft entered Icelandic airspace
Armament pre-flight check for Icelandic Air
Policing. The Polish F-16s were armed
with AIM-9X Sidewinder and AIM-120C
air-to-air missiles Polish Combat Camera –
Piotr Gubernat
28 April 2022 // www.Key.Aero
on several occasions. Due to these
concerns, Iceland’s government asked
NATO to assume responsibility for
protecting the country’s airspace. The
North Atlantic Council agreed to this
request at its July 2007 meeting.
NATO rotations
Rotating shifts of NATO member states
have been performed over Iceland since
May 2008, beginning with a French Air
Force deployment. Each component is
located at the Landhelgisgæsla Íslands
(Icelandic Coast Guard) air base at
Keflavík Airport and consists of four to
eight aircraft on rotations of three to four
weeks. NATO fighters carry out these tasks
in rotation roughly three times a year – it
is not a continuous stay.
As of January 2013, NATO had re-
designated the deployments to Iceland
as the Airborne Surveillance and
Interception Capabilities to Meet
Iceland's Peacetime Preparedness
Needs (ASIC IPPN) mission, based
on the NATO Military Committee concept
for the NATO Integrated Air and Missile
Defense System (NATINAMDS). The
Alliance emphasized that the mission
was focused on training rather than air
policing.
Since 2014, the aircraft deployed to
Iceland have been placed on Quick
Reaction Alert (QRA) operations and
perform armed patrols. These tasks had
not been previously undertaken – NATO
chiefs decided to start them in response
to the deterioration in relations between
Russia and NATO following the annexation
of Crimea by the Russian Federation and
the conflict in Donbass, Ukraine. In 2018,
the deployments to Iceland came under
Allied Air Command and were controlled
by NATO's Combined Air Operations
Centre (CAOC) at Uedem, Germany.
Given Iceland’s unique geographical
location, the Alliance in conjunction with
the Icelandic authorities have agreed that
the appropriate response is to maintain a
periodic presence of NATO fighter aircraft
based at Keflavík to help keep Icelandic
airspace safe and secure. The focus of
the Peacetime Preparedness Mission is
to carry out routine flying training and
exercises for the Alliance to meet Iceland's
requirements to stay prepared, and to
monitor and manage its airspace against
possible incursions by hostile aircraft.
Second time lucky
The Icelandic mission has been previously
flown by Canada, the Czech Republic,
Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Norway,
Above: Crew chiefs Portugal, the United Kingdom and the
check over the
United States. Both Finland and Sweden
aircraft prior to
a familiarization have also deployed fighter aircraft to
flight in Iceland. Iceland for training purposes (not being
The Polish F-16
NATO members, these two nations do not
readiness rate was
100%, despite the conduct air policing for the Alliance).
challenging weather Warsaw planned to deploy F-16s for
Kpt Michał Kolad
Icelandic Air Policing in 2010, but this
was abandoned due to the 2009 global
finance crisis. Poland has now joined the
group of ten countries responsible for the
protection of NATO airspace in the Iceland
region. On July 30, 2021, the President of
the Republic of Poland announced that
Polski Kontyngent Wojskowy Islandia
(Polish Military Contingent in the Republic
of Iceland) will involve four F-16C Block
52+ aircraft with weapons and equipment,
along with up to 140 technical staff and
pilots (some of them with experience in
Baltic Air Policing missions) from the 32nd
Tactical Air Base in Łask, under command
of Lt Col Michał Kras, a pilot with more
than 2,300 flying hours in an F-16.
In-country preparation
In 2021, the Polish F-16s were preceded
by Norwegian F-35A fighters from 322nd
Squadron at Ørland Air Base in early
spring and USAF F-15C Eagles assigned
to the 493rd Fighter Squadron, 48th
Left: Polish Air
Force F-16 pilot Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath Air Base
wearing the JHMCS in the United Kingdom. The Americans
helmet cruises headed back in early August 2021 after
over the High North
en route to the their successful deployment to Iceland
Iceland Air Policing throughout July.
detachment Before departure to Iceland, Polish
Polish Air Force
detachment personnel had to go through
www.Key.Aero // April 2022 29
 NATO ON GUARD // POLAND IN ICELAND
a five-day certification process at the
31st TAB in Poznań-Krzesiny, including
implementation and checking procedures
in specific situations (in case of threat to
security of staff, aircraft or base). These
included remaining in constant readiness
and evaluation of proceedings after
the ‘scramble’ announcement, as well
as intruder interception and providing
support to civilian aircraft in distress.
On August 5, after positive evaluation,
the historic Icelandic Air Policing mission
of the Polish Air Force began, when an
advance party flew to Keflavík onboard
a C-130E Hercules transport aircraft.
Four F-16s and the remaining personnel
followed them on August 24.
The Polish fighters spent the first
week conducting familiarization flights
over Iceland under the control of the
Landhelgisgæsla Íslands Control and
Reporting Centre (Loki) at Keflavík.
“Iceland has a very dynamic climate: it is
very windy and the weather changes in a
few minutes. The problem could be both
strong wind and poor visibility, especially
during atmospheric precipitation,” said
the commander of the Polish detachment.
“We have to thoroughly analyze the flight
plan and have to be prepared for landing
at a diversion airport. But Iceland is such a
small island that in the event of changed
weather we would encounter the same in
every other airport.”
Protect and deter
On September 3, NATO's CAOC at Uedem
certified the Polish Air Force mission ready
to conduct NATO Air Policing in the skies
of the High North. The CAOC Uedem
certification team took the Polish F-16
fighters through strict drills confirming
they had all the necessary procedures in
place to respond to real-world situations
and to fly safely in Icelandic airspace.
“As a member of the Polish Air Force
I am proud to see my compatriots
here in Iceland, demonstrating their
skills and their level of integration into
30 April 2022 // www.Key.Aero
NATO's enduring Air Policing mission,”
said Brigadier General Sławomir
Żakowski, Deputy Commander of CAOC
Uedem. “The Polish Air Force shows its
commitment to the Alliance here as well
as at home, where we conduct 24/7 air
policing and where we host a Turkish
F-16 detachment.”
Lt Col Kras added: “As an ally on NATO's
eastern flank, we are very aware of the
importance of readiness, deterrence
and defense. Here in Iceland and at
home, we focus on co-operation and
interoperability, and we work together
along common tactics, techniques and
procedures and demonstrate cohesion.
“Our duty here is to protect the
airspace of our ally, Iceland. This is the
same job we do at home and collectively
with our NATO allies. We will help other
aircraft needing our support and, when
needed, deter those who fly close to or
threaten Icelandic airspace. With our
unit certified under NATO Air Policing
procedures in Iceland, we are now ready
to perform 24/7.”
No room for mistakes
In many respects, the structure of PMC
Iceland is the same as that used during
Baltic Air Policing, but because of Iceland’s
location in the Atlantic – Greenland, the
nearest landmass, is 290km away – it can
be reached only by sea or air. That means
personnel and equipment from Poland
could only be transported by aircraft to
the theater and, for safety reason,s pilots
have to wear lifejackets flying over the
cold Atlantic waters.
One of the diversion airports for PMC
Iceland was Akureyri, positioned on the
west side of the inland at the end of the
Eyjafjörður fjord. “You have to be prepared
carefully before the flight and familiarize
yourself with the approach procedures,”
commented one Polish F-16 pilot.
Preparation of aircraft for missions
was executed according to the same
procedures as in Poland. “First, it was
necessary to adjust the amount of fuel in
the aircraft’s internal and external tanks
for the planned mission. The next step was
arming the aircraft. Technical staff then
did a pre-flight check, to make sure that
the F-16s were airworthy and to detect
any malfunctions or leaks,” explained Cpt
Mariusz Choszczewski from 32 TAB.
After each flight, the technicians
immediately refueled the aircraft and
started the post-flight check to renew
combat-readiness of the F-16 in the
shortest possible time. “Atmospheric
conditions were really demanding. But
in late autumn in Poland we have similar
conditions, so that was nothing new for
us,” added the captain.
Several patrol flights
PMC Iceland conducted NATO's Air
Policing mission over Iceland for three
weeks. The detachment’s flying duties
ended on September 27 and the jets
redeployed to their home base in Łask
the following day. The last elements
of the contingent returned to Poland on
October 10.
“The purpose of our NATO deployment
was to keep Iceland and its airspace safe
and secure. We were ready to be launched
to ensure the sovereignty of Icelandic
airspace and, if necessary, to assist with
civilian airliners needing help in an
emergency. In addition to several patrol
flights, my pilots also carried out training
flights to maintain continuity of training,”
said the commander of the Polish F-16
detachment in Iceland.
The Polish pilots spent a total of around
150 hours over the High North. For
security reasons, the Polish Air Force did
not provide Combat Aircraft Journal with
the number of missions performed during Below: For the
this period. first Air Policing
detachment in the
High North, Warsaw
deployed four F-16C
Block 52+ jets from
the 32nd Tactical
Air Base in Łask
PCC-Piotr Gubernat
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057/22
 AIRCRAFT REPORT// MV-22 OSPREY

As the MV-22 Osprey becomes more and more embedded into

US Marine Corps’ aviation tactics, Joe Copalman explains how
through time the Osprey community has matured, how it stays
modern and diversifies to ever-changing threats

R
ECENT ADVANCES IN
near-peer anti-ship missile
technology pose a potent
threat to the ability of the
US Marine Corps (USMC)
to attack and seize enemy
beaches, as the range of these missiles
forces amphibious shipping beyond the
horizon, injecting a ‘tyranny of distance’
that the USMC must overcome to move
Marines and equipment from ship to
shore. Although helicopters have played a
significant role in amphibious operations
since the 1950s, the primary ship-to-shore
connecters over the past century have
been landing craft and amphibious assault
vehicles (AAVs). With the missile threat
forcing amphibious shipping further out
to sea, aviation has taken a leading role
in moving Marines ashore. This change
is apparent in the first two vessels in the
America-class of amphibious assault
carriers – the America (LHA 6) and the
Tripoli (LHA 7) were both constructed
without floodable well decks for
hovercraft and AAVs, leaving more space
below deck for storage and maintenance
of aircraft.
At the centre of the USMC’s reorientation
on aircraft for ship-to-shore transport is
the Bell-Boeing MV-22 Osprey. After two
decades of troubled development, the
Osprey entered operational service with
the USMC in 2007, beginning the slow
transition from the Boeing/Vertol CH-46
Sea Knight as its primary medium-lift
assault support aircraft. With the last
‘Phrog’, as the Sea Knights were called,
retiring in April 2015 and with 16 active-
duty and two reserve squadrons flying
the type as of this writing, the Osprey has
completely replaced the CH-46.
Though similar in size and filling the
The crew of an
same niche as the ’Phrog’, the Osprey MV-22B attached to
possesses numerous advantages in MAWTS-1 maneuvers
capability over its predecessor. Foremost is into position for
refueling during a
the speed enabled by the tilt-rotor design. WTI sortie high over
Whereas the Sea Knight topped out the desert of southern
with a maximum speed of 166mph, the New Mexico
All images Joe
Osprey cruises comfortably at 277mph. Copalman unless
Additionally, while the CH-46 and MV-22 stated otherwise

32 April 2022 // www.Key.Aero

 THE

MV-22 OSPREY
COMING OF AGE

www.Key.Aero // April 2022 33

 AIRCRAFT REPORT// MV-22 OSPREY
A USMC Osprey cruising at 10,000 feet during a FINEX
event at the conclusion of a WTI course. During FINEX,
aircrews from every operational aircraft type in Marine
Corps aviation work together on large-force missions
with multiple objectives throughout a geographically-
expansive operating area.
were both designed with cabins capable
of accommodating 24 combat-loaded
Marines, the ‘Phrog’ lost some of that
capacity to weight restrictions imposed
by the addition of things like armour,
defensive systems and avionics. In later
years, CH-46s routinely flew with only 12
Marines aboard. Even compared to a slick
CH-46E, the Osprey’s Rolls-Royce Allison
T406 Turboshaft engines are vastly more
powerful than the Sea Knight’s GE T58s,
allowing for a maximum rolling take-off
weight of 57,000lbs versus the CH-46’s
24,300lb limit. Simply put, the Osprey can
carry more over greater distances and
much faster than the aircraft it replaced.
Capt K C O’Malley is an MV-22B
instructor pilot at Marine Corps Aviation
Weapons and Tactics Squadron One
(MAWTS-1). O’Malley is one of a growing
number of Osprey pilots in the Marine
34 April 2022 // www.Key.Aero
WHAT I DON’T WANT FOR US TO BECOME IS A
JACK-OF-ALL-TRADES, MASTER-OF-NONE. I DON’T
WANT US TO BE FORGOTTEN FOR OUR MAIN PURPOSE,
WHICH IS ASSAULT SUPPORT – GETTING THE MARINES
WHERE THEY NEED TO BE WHEN THEY NEED TO BE
THERE. THAT IS A PERSONAL FEAR OF MINE
Below: To facilitate Corps who effectively grew up in the
communication via MV-22, reporting to Marine Medium
digital interoperability
networks, many
Tiltrotor Training Squadron 204 (VMMT-
MV-22s, such as this 204) in 2012 after receiving his wings for
specially marked conversion training. This is in contrast to
example from
VMM-266 carry the
many of the more senior Osprey pilots,
Network on the Move who transitioned from other types.
– Airborne, or NOTM-A Explaining what the Osprey brings to the
system, shown by a
satellite antenna atop
Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF),
the rear fuselage O’Malley told Combat Aircraft Journal:
“What I think is really special about the
Osprey is that it’s taking on that ‘tyranny of
distance’ problem head-on. Now we have
an asset that can carry more people over
much further distances; it’s able to aerial
refuel so it’s able to stay on station for
longer times.”
New missions, new tactics
With Osprey crews having validated
the MV-22 as a capable replacement for
the CH-46 over 14 years of operational
service, the Marines continue finding new
missions for it. O’Malley explained: “We
keep finding new mission sets that we’re
also able to supplement. We may not be
the number one AC2 [aerial command
and control] platform, but we’re capable
of doing that. We may not be the best
battlefield illumination asset – the C-130
may be for a certain situation – but we can
do that. That’s stuff we’re able to provide
aside from the basics of moving people
from Point A to B to go ahead and close
with the enemy.”
While embracing new mission sets,
this enhances the Osprey community’s
relevance and provides MAGTF
commanders with more options on how
to meet certain operational demands.
O’Malley and others in the community
worry about losing focus on the core
MV-22 assault support mission. O’Malley
stated: “What I don’t want for us to
become is a jack-of-all-trades, master-
of-none. I don’t want us to be forgotten
for our main purpose, which is assault
support – getting the Marines where they
need to be when they need to be there.
That is a personal fear of mine.”
Right: Although the
GAU-17 7.62mm
Defensive Weapons
UPGRADES AND NEW CAPABILITIES
In addition to the fleet-wide CC-RAM through the development of a retractable,
System proved prone reconfiguration modifications, several belly-mounted 7.62mm Gatling-type
to failure, the Marine
upgrades have increased the Osprey’s mini-gun mounted in a traversable turret
Corps is looking into
similar systems for ability to perform its assigned tasks safely for near-360º engagement. Developed by
defensive armament and effectively. Recent upgrades include BAE Systems and introduced in 2015, the
that could cover the transitioning from the older GAU-16 Defensive Weapons System, or DWS, proved
forward area .50-caliber machine gun on the rear ramp problematic to the point where the Marine
USMC/Cpl to the GAU-21 with a higher cyclic rate, Corps stopped using it and is currently
Andy Orozco software upgrades that have improved working on a new system.
engine performance, additional radio Additionally, Bell-Boeing has tested
Below: Bell tested hookups in the rear compartment for a forward-firing 2¾in rocket launcher
a cheek-mounted
ground force commanders to communicate mounted on one of the ‘cheeks’ of the
rocket pod firing
laser-guided APKWS directly with other units during missions forward fuselage. Equipped with laser- lessen dependence on land-based KC-130Js,
rockets in 2014, and an updated hover page on the multi- guided Advanced Precision-Kill Weapons the system has seen little development
but this capability function displays to assist with reduced- System (APKWS) rockets, this system would since initial testing and was not mentioned
has yet to gain visibility landings. permit Osprey crews to engage point in the Marine Corps’ most recent Aviation
much traction in the While tiltrotor advocates point to the targets with high-explosive ordnance on Plan as under development. The Osprey is
Marine Corps, which Osprey’s ability to get into and out of approach to landing zones from outside able to refuel other aircraft on the ground
has instead focused landing zones faster than conventional small-arms threat range. At the time of via Aviation-Delivered Ground Refueling,
on a retractable rotorcraft as the key to the MV-22’s this writing, this capability has only been a capability finding more use as the USMC
belly-mounted
survivability, the lack of weaponry tested by Bell-Boeing. Another system implements the Expeditionary Advanced
mini-gun as a
potential solution to covering the forward hemisphere of tested by Bell-Boeing is Cobham’s V-22 Basing Operations construct at the centre of
the Osprey’s lack of the aircraft has drawn criticism that the Aerial Refueling or ‘VAR’ system, which was America’s Indo-Pacific strategy.
forward-hemisphere type is especially vulnerable to enemy flown aboard the company’s MV-22 testbed One new system being actively tested on
defensive armament ground fire on approach to ‘hot’ zones. in 2015. Intended to provide seaborne Marine MV-22s for planned implementation
Bell Helicopter The USMC attempted to address this MAGTFs with an aerial refueling capability to is the Intrepid Tiger II (IT-II) electronic warfare
(EW) system. Designed in-house specifically
for the Marine Corps, IT-II entered service
in 2012 as a podded system equipping
AV-8B Harriers. Initially utilized for jamming
insurgent communications in Afghanistan,
IT-II capabilities are being expanded to
include jamming hostile radars with a future
variant called IT-II Block X. The IT-II is the
aerial component of a new Marine Corps
EW construct known as MAGTF-EW, and
has been modified to be carried by UH-1Y
Venom helicopters and KC-130Js in addition
to the Harrier. The variant being developed
for the Osprey is the IT-II (V)4, and is unique
in that the processors and antennas are
mounted internally, rather than podded. On
June 15, 2021, a test crew assigned to the
US Navy Naval Air Weapons Center at NAS
Patuxent River flew an MV-22B with the IT-II
(V)4 system installed, the first of a planned
42 systems designated for the Osprey fleet.
Initial operating capability is currently
planned for late FY24.

An MV-22 lifting from a landing zone aboard

Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center
Twentynine Palms during a WTI course

With its green proprotor tips illuminated for night

operations, this MV-22 formates on a KC-130J
awaiting aerial refueling during a WTI assault
support mission over Las Cruces, New Mexico

www.Key.Aero // April 2022 35

 AIRCRAFT REPORT// MV-22 OSPREY
Digital interoperability
One of the highest-priority initiatives in
Marine Corps aviation has been digital
interoperability (DI) and MAWTS-1 has
led the effort to integrate DI technology
and tactics into the fleet. DI introduces
numerous alternatives to radio voice
communications utilizing systems that
are built in to aircraft, bolted on, or
accessed via handheld devices such as
the Marines Corps’ proprietary Marine
Air-Ground Tablet, or MAGTAB, a
ruggedized tablet used for accessing DI
networks.
Explaining the role of MAWTS-1 in
introducing MV-22 crews to DI, Capt
O’Malley told Combat Aircraft Journal:
“The future is digital interoperability.
We are fully on board, and we try to do
36 April 2022 // www.Key.Aero
a lot of it here [at WTI] to expose them
to it. The ability to build situational
awareness, pass information and
communicate without making a call
over the radio is going to change the
future of warfare. Everybody thinks of
it as the mission commander hundreds
of miles away getting these updates,
but also, just think about the ability for
me, as just another guy in the flight, to
know ‘Hey, this aircraft had to go get fuel
someplace else, they're not going to be
able to come do the extract for another
30 minutes.’ That is a huge builder of
decisions I'm going to be able to make.
That's going to be a huge piece of
decisions for that guy who's on deck
who is getting ready to do x, y or z,
knowing that Dash-2 is going to be a
little bit delayed. He's going to change
the things he does. The ability to pass
that information and get that outside of
line-of-sight radio communications
is amazing.”
Outlining some of the operational
scenarios in which DI communications
are useful, O’Malley said: “[DI] provides
amazing capabilities for that mission
commander in the back of the aircraft,
who – again, taking that tyranny of
Main image:
distance – as you're flying six hours, An MV-22B from
he's able to get up-to-the-minute VMM-161 ‘Greyhawks’
information on how the situation on the assigned to Special
Purpose MAGTF-CR-
deck is. He's able to tell us, ‘The winds Central Command
have changed.’ Simple things like that. approaches an
Or, ‘Now we need to do this routing, austere landing at an
undisclosed location
and there's going to be a tanker located in October 2019
here because it's taking us further.’ USMC/Sgt Kyle Talbot
 GLOBAL
SPMAGTF – Crisis Response – Central
Command (SPMAGTF-CR-CC) in the Middle
East; and Marine Rotational Force – Darwin

REACH (MRF-D) in northern Australia, all

The Osprey’s ability to refuel from airborne
tankers such as the USMC’s KC-130J
Hercules means MV-22 squadrons or
detachments can self-deploy across vast
distances, routinely transiting the Atlantic
and Pacific Oceans for operational rotations
in Europe, Australia, the Middle East and
Africa. While seaborne Marine Expedition-
ary Units – the most common MAGTF
construct – that rely on amphibious
shipping still factor heavily into USMC
operations, the Osprey allows the Corps to
utilize MAGTF constructs not dependent
on Navy ships. Osprey detachments
currently equip the Aviation Combat
Element (ACE) of numerous land-based
MAGTFs throughout the world, including:
Special Purpose MAGTF – Crisis Response
– Africa (SPMAGTF-CR-AF) in Morón, Spain;
commitments involving self-deploying
MV-22 detachments.
The Osprey has helped the Marines
capability to rapidly respond to calls for
embassy reinforcement or evacuations
throughout Africa and the Middle East,
decreasing the likelihood of another
Benghazi-type situation in which
Americans perish at the hands of local
insurgents or rebels. In late January
2014, six Ospreys on a SPMAGTF-CC-AF
rotation in Spain, supported by two
KC-130Js facilitated the evacuation of the
US Embassy in South Sudan during an
outbreak of political violence in the capital,
Juba. More recently, MV-22s assigned to
SPMAGTF-CR-CC inserted 100 Marines
to reinforce the US embassy in Baghdad,
Iraq following an attack by an Iran-backed
militia on December 31, 2019, arriving
within hours of the attack commencing.

It's just a real-time decision-making

tool. We're very excited about it. It's
the future. It changes the way we do
things.” To facilitate DI communications
between all aircraft with a flight, several
MV-22s in each VMM squadron have
been modified to carry a system known
as Network-on-the-Move – Airborne
(NOTM-A), effectively a wi-fi modem.
Since the introduction of DI, MAWTS-1
has trained fleet Weapons and Tactics
Instructors not just on utilizing DI tools
like the MAGTABs, but also on mission
planning involving DI. “You have to plan
how you're going to use that tablet,” said
O’Malley. “You have to plan to how you
are going to be using the system to pass
information. You have to plan for DI, or
you just have a bunch of tablets that are
really good paperweights.”
Major planning factors for DI include
which position to place the NOTM-A
equipped aircraft in for maximum
signal reach throughout the flight as
well as what will be communicated
by voice over radio and what will be
communicated through digital means.
For all the advantages that digital
interoperability brings in terms of
situational awareness and en route
adaptability, the Marines are keen to not
become dependent on it to the point of
paralysis in the increasing likelihood of a
communications-degraded battlespace.
To this end, the instructors at MAWTS-1,
While its advantages in speed and lift
capacity over the CH-46 are obvious,
the Osprey's ability to aerial refuel and
Far left: Though
both the CH-46 and cover long distances set it apart. Here
the MV-22 were an Osprey with the unmistakeable
built with seating markings of VMM-163 ‘Evil Eyes’ takes
on fuel over southern Arizona
for up to 24 combat-
loaded infantrymen,
the -46 could only
carry 12 by the
end of its service
life, as airframe
fatigue and the
additional weight of
defensive systems
and armor limited while among the strongest advocates of new student. So we’re still looking at that
its lift capacity. By DI in the Marine Corps, are simultaneously point of it and not treating it solely as a
contrast, MV-22s emphatic that aircrews be capable of crutch.”
routinely fly with full
loads of 24 Marines operating without it. Explaining how
prospective MV-22 Weapons and Tactics Reaching commonality
Above left: Instructors are forced to plan without One of the biggest challenges facing
A Marine
infantryman digital tools during the WTI course, Capt the USMC Osprey community is the
provides landing O’Malley said: “It’s not lost on us what the diversity of aircraft configurations,
zone security during capabilities of other countries are and which complicates maintenance.
a noncombatant
evacuation what the threat out there is. One of our Having received its first low-rate initial
operation at Marine night tactics, we go out into the field, we production MV-22 in May 1999 and still
Corps Air-Ground take off from Yuma and we land out at taking delivery of new-build aircraft from
Combat Center
Twentynine Palms Stovall, which is 50 miles east, we shut the Boeing, the USMC has been building
during a WTI planes down and then tell the students, its planned 360-Osprey fleet for more
course. Ospreys ‘Okay, start planning.’ These are going to than 20 years. Technological advances
are the Marine
Corps’ preferred be paper products, and you don’t have over the past two decades have found
platform for NEOs, a computer. How are we going to do their way into new-build Ospreys as
as they reach crisis this? As simple as that sounds to say that, they rolled off the production line, while
areas much faster
than conventional when you are spoiled with having all hardware issues identified after years of
rotorcraft can these tools, that induces a little stress in a operating the type prompted airframe

www.Key.Aero // April 2022 37

 AIRCRAFT REPORT// MV-22 PREY
changes intended to increase reliability
and ease of maintenance. The result is a
hodgepodge of different hardware and
software combinations, with more than
70 distinct configurations, taxing both the
maintainers who keep Marine Ospreys
airworthy and pilots and crew chiefs who
fly them operationally.
Capt O’Malley explained: “There are
not-so subtle differences, like a Block A is
going to have that permanently-mounted
fuel probe out the front and different
restrictions. Then you get into a Block
B, and you have your checklist that will
literally tell you ‘If you’re in this block of
aircraft, do this, but if you’re in this block
of aircraft, it doesn’t exist, don’t touch
it.’” Block C Ospreys have newer mission
computers, meaning how a pilot loads his
mission information into the computer
depends on which block of aircraft he or
she is assigned for that flight, which could
be via various digital media formats.
The Marine Corps, through Naval Air
Systems Command, began tackling
the challenges presented by the
different configurations in autumn 2017
with a program known as Common
Configuration – Readiness and
Modernisation (CC-RAM). The end goal of
CC-RAM is the reduction from over 70 to
five distinct MV-22B configurations, easing
38 April 2022 // www.Key.Aero
BUILDING
RAPPORTS
The adoption of the V-22 by other
services – specifically the US Air Force’s
Special Operations Command and the US
Navy, which is replacing its Grumman C-2
Greyhounds in the Carrier Onboard
Delivery role with a cargo-modified
version of the Osprey – is also helping the
USMC expand its understanding of
different missions or different approaches
to existing ones. Regarding the sharing of
operational experience and insights, Capt
O’Malley said: “We also have the benefit
of the Air Force CV-22s constantly
deploying, and now the Navy getting into
the game and the Japanese have also
now bought the Osprey. I think the
different ideas for our current mission
sets and the different answers as well as
mission sets that we may not have even
thought of yet are going to be continued
being looked into.”
MAWTS-1 plans to bring pilots from
other services on board as instructors in
the MV-22 Weapons and Tactics Instructor
(WTI) course. As O’Malley explained:
“We should be getting an Air Force
instructor who will be that conduit to the
CV community and how they do all their
planning and training, and he’s going
to be on staff here and a member of the
team. So, we really try to build
that relationship.”
maintenance, training, and operational
employment through standardising
the fleet. This will be done primarily
through bringing 129 Block B aircraft up
to a standardised Block C configuration,
followed by upgrading 126 early Block C
aircraft to late Block C. The first CC-RAM
upgrade was completed at a Boeing plant
near Philadelphia in December 2019.
Never a boring day
Even without a forward-firing
precision weapons or fleet-wide EW
capabilities, the Osprey community
remains extremely busy, with frequent
deployments and a wide range of mission
sets and secondary capabilities being
everyday facts of life for Marine tiltrotor
crews. Summing up the Osprey’s current
commitments, Capt O’Malley said: “What
I like about being an Osprey pilot is all of
the skillsets. There's never a boring day. If
you're deployed to a combat zone, we're Lacking a pressurized
still doing our job. If it's humanitarian aid/ cabin, the MV-22 is
typically limited to a
disaster relief, I'm still doing my job. If maximum altitude of
there's a NEO, I'm still doing my job. Not 10,000ft above sea
level, though it can fly
to knock the shooters, but I don't know
above that with the
what they're going to do when we're just crew on oxygen. Here
trying to deliver packages of water and an MV-22B cruises
move people to a medical facility. You at 10,000 ft Above
Ground Level after
never have a boring day as an Osprey taking on fuel from
pilot.” a KC-130J
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055/22
 CROATIAN AIR FORCE MIG-21S

The MiG-21BisDs often carry out practice quick reaction alert (QRA) scrambles at least once a week.
Here, 133 taxies for such a mission carrying live R-60MK air-to-air missiles. Usually Croatian Air Force
PC-9s or MiG-21s are used as targets for intercepts. QRA jets use callsigns ‘KNIGHT 01’ and ‘02’

FISHBEDS
Right: The MiG-21
unit’s 191ELA
Eskadrila Lovackih
Aviona emblem

Below: With the

apartment blocks of
New Zagreb in the
AT PLESO
Chris Lofting caught up
background, MiG-
21BisD 117 recovers
with some MiG-21 action in
to runway 04. It was the winter sun at Croatia’s
using one of the QRA
callsigns ‘Knight
02’ after a practice
Zagreb-Pleso in January
scramble involving
the intercept of a pair
of MiG-21UMDs

40 April 2022 // www.Key.Aero

Above: 118 wearing its recently applied tail markings, to celebrate the Croatian Air Force’s 30th anniversary on December 12, 2021. The markings are only on the port side
Below, left: MiG-21UMD 167, acting as the wing man, departs runway 04 and into the wake of the lead aircraft Below, right: MiG-21BisD 116, wearing its 25th anniversary
markings of five years ago, recovers on runway 22 using callsign ‘VITEZ97’, after a supersonic test flight that saw a sonic boom reverberate all over the city. The Croatian
MoD is careful to give advance notice of these tests, so the local population aren’t unduly worried Bottom: One of three active MiG-21UMD trainers, with 166 and 167 being
the other two. Unfortunately, 165 has a maintenance issue that is proving difficult to resolve, and the aircraft has not flown for a few years All photos: author

www.Key.Aero // April 2022 41

 TEST UNIT REPORT // RED STAR TESTERS

RED
R
ST Russia’s only military
flight-test establishment
celebrated 100 years of
existence in October 2020.
Alexander Mladenov delves
ussia’s sole military state
flight-test center is the
MoD’s 929th GLITs based
at Akhtubinsk, southeast of
Moscow in the Astrakhan
region. Named after Soviet
Union hero, Valery P Chkalov, the unit
of mission kits and airborne equipment
for manned and unmanned platforms,
together with the entire range of
ground-based support and mission
equipment/systems.
Testing of new-generation air-launched
weapons for combat jets, attack
Above: A pair of
Su-35S in testing at
the 929th GLITs,
toting full weapons
loads Russian MoD

Right: A KAB-500Kr
TV-guided bomb seen
here being prepared
is tasked with conducting the complete helicopters and strategic bombers, the
into its organization for a test drop from
cycle of research, development, test vast majority designed by the subsidiaries
a MiG-29KUBR
and activities and evaluation (RDT&E) for all types of of the Tactical Missile Corporation, is shipborne two-seat
military aircraft. That includes unmanned currently among the less-heralded multi-role fighter,
air systems and weapons to certify them projects run daily – including both taken on loan from
the Russian Naval
ready for service. The scope of work separation testing and weapons Aviation arm
includes airborne systems, all categories assessment testing. 929th GLITs

42 April 2022 // www.Key.Aero

 TESTERS
A TESTING
CAREER
Major General Radik Bariev is the
long-time 929th GLITs commanding
officer, occupying this position since
2009. A seasoned military test pilot
with more than 3,000 flight hours, he
has participated in the testing of more
than 50 aircraft types for the Russian
military, including the state testing of
13 new or deeply upgraded combat
jets. At Akhtubinsk, Bariev was the lead
experimental test pilot for some vital
programs at the 929th GLITs in the 1990s
and 2000s, such as the Yak-130, Su-30MKI,
Su-30MKK, Su-34, MiG-AT and Tu-160.
Currently, he flies mainly the Su-57 to
support the type’s extensive weapons
testing and
evaluation.

Above: Major General Radik Bariev is the

long-time commanding officer of the 929th GLITs

T R
and a seasoned test pilot 929th GLITs

Established in October 1920, after

almost 102 years in business, the 929th
GLITs continues to be supporting the
active re-equipment of the Russian
Aerospace Forces (RuASF – Vozdushno-
Kosmicheskiye Sily/VKS) and the
Russian Naval Aviation (RNA – Aviatsia
Voennmoskogo Flota/AVMF), with the
lion’s share of its arduous and protracted
work dedicated to 4th and 5th-gen
combat aircraft, alongside a sharp increase
in the strategic bomber testing and
evaluation works.
As well as 929th GLITs main base at
Akhtubinsk, the center has a major branch
at Chkalovsky airfield near Moscow in
addition to five more secondary branches
and test facilities at multiple locations
across Russia. These extra locations are
used for test and evaluation works in
specific environments.
The test departments, stationed at its
main base in Akhtubinsk, are used for the
complete cycle of combat jet testing, while
Chkalovsky, known as the home base of the
3rd Test Squadron, is a self-sufficient branch

www.Key.Aero // April 2022 43

 TEST UNIT REPORT // RED STAR TESTERS
tasked with helicopter and transport/
special mission and initial training aircraft
testing, with some stages, including
weapons and sensors employment, also
taking place at Akhtubinsk. The center
operates its own test school for training
of aircrew and test engineers stationed
at Akhtubinsk. The RDT&E activities at
the main base and the branches across
Russia comprise roughly 220 programs
annually, resulting in around 1,600 test and
evaluation sorties.
In addition to the flight-testing,
Akhtubinsk houses a complex of
ground testing facilities, including
laboratories for environmental testing of
aircraft, equipment, and weapons. The
Chkalovsky site also sports numerous
sophisticated ground-testing facilities,
equipped with rigs and benches for
testing aero engines, rocket motors, life
support and aircrew escape systems
44 April 2022 // www.Key.Aero
Above: Su-35S Red for use in aircraft and spacecraft. There
52 (believed to be is also a sea testing range used by the
in upgraded form to
the SM-standard) 929th GLITs for testing and evaluation
seen launching an of anti-submarine and anti-ship systems
R-37M long-range
and weapons, located off Crimea in the
air-to-air missile,
which is also planned Black Sea (with the naval aviation branch
to be included in the stationed at Kirovskoe airfield near the
Su-57’s arsenal city of Feodosiya).
929th GLITs
The high-altitude flight-test range for
manned and unmanned aircraft and
systems is situated near the city of Nalchik
in the Caucasus Mountains.
The main business of the center
includes conducting exhaustive flight-
testing campaigns (the so-called state
testing efforts) of newly-developed or
deeply-upgraded aircraft types – this
is, in fact, end-to-end verification of the
functionality and operability of
the entire weapons system.
In addition, the 929th GLITs
is involved in secondary
MAXDOME
OPERATION
Operating the RuASF’s four-strong Il-80
Maxdome fleet serials RA-861146-149 is also
among the 929th GLITs’ secondary missions.
The strategic airborne command post,
based on the Il-86 jet airliner, used by the
General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces,
has the capability of issuing orders to launch
nuclear missiles. The aircraft are based at
Chkalovsky near Moscow and were included
in the structure of the 929th GLITs in 1997.
The Maxdome was originally intended to
be the Soviet Union’s response to the US
Air Forces’ Boeing E-4 Nightwatch, an aerial
command post for the nation’s strategic
nuclear forces in wartime. A total of four
Il-86 wide-body airliners were reworked into
aerial command posts, with the first of these
taking to the air in May 1985. The Il-80 can
be easily distinguished from the baseline
version thanks to the large fairing added on
the top forward fuselage, housing satellite
communication antennas.
The aircraft lacks windows, retains only the
forward doors and its fuselage is endowed
with various antennas in addition to an
in-flight refueling boom. There are also two
extra electrical generators suspended on
pylons between the engines (one under
each wing), added to satisfy the sharply
increased power supply requirements of
the aircraft’s mission suite, which is well-
protected to survive an all-out nuclear war.
The Maxdome remains among the
most secretive VKS aircraft, with little or
no credible information about its true
capabilities and mission equipment. It is
believed that two out of the four aircraft,
based at Chkalovsky, are maintained in
flightworthy condition and were upgraded
in 2016 (to the so-called Il-80M standard).
In May 2019, the Russian deputy minister
of defense, Alexey Krivoruchko, announced
that the aging Maxdome feet is earmarked
for yet another significant upgrade of its
mission suite that will enable the type
to remain in operations for many
years to come.
Above: A pair of
flight-testing projects, examples of this left bank of the Volga River and not far range complex situated 12nm to the
MiG-31Ks from
the Kinzhal-totting type are control and special testing of from the border with Kazakhstan. The north of Akhtubinsk, which is used for
squadron of the 929th production-standard combat aircraft airfield site is immense, provided with weapons and system testing. It is the
GLITs seen here in
and their lightly upgraded subversions. three runways and huge ramp space. largest of its kind in Russia, equipped with
a still from video
footage practicing The list of complex test sorties Currently, two of its concrete runways are sophisticated telemetry and measurement
in-flight refueling undertaken at the 929th GLITs, titled in active use – 12R/30L (length 8,200ft) complex for recording and analyzing
from an Il-78M tanker
Category I, includes initial weapons and 12L/30R (13,120ft), while the third the aircraft and weapons trajectory and
devoid of missiles.
In late 2021, the testing, which takes place after the one, 10/28 (13,170ft) is no longer cleared hit accuracy. There is another range
MiG-31K-equipped ground testing and modeling. At for flight operations. complex for more comprehensive testing,
squadron expanded to
this stage, it is still unknown how Phase 1 of the main infrastructure stretching deep into the territory of
a fully-fledged strike
regiment with two the munition will behave in the air. modernization works at Akhtubinsk neighboring Kazakhstan (covering the
component squadrons Category I also includes test flights were completed in 2013. This phase Turgay, Syundyuk, Terekta and Guryev
929th GLITs
at extreme regimes (edge-of-the- included resurfacing and extending the areas) at 270 to 420nm distance from
envelope flying), such as maximum-G, length of the main runway 12L/30R to the airfield.
Below: This first
production-standard maximum speed, maximum ceiling, or 13,120ft, while its width was extended Most of the extensive development
Su-35S for the ultra-low-level flying. to 197ft. This allowed the 929th GLITs to testing work of aircraft and weapons is
RuASF, joined the expand the scope of the testing work for being conducted in close co-operation
929th in May 2012
and remains at A big airfield in the steppe tactical combat aircraft, and on strategic/ with the industry. Operational testing of
Akhtubinsk for low- The Akhtubinsk site is tucked away in heavy bombers and airlifters, enabling new and upgraded weapons is conducted
profile tests after the a remote and sparsely populated area the demonstration of rejected take-offs by 929th GLITs test teams, with technical
state-test program
was completed in in the southwestern corner of Russia, at the maximum launch weight. The support from the industry. In recent years,
2018 Alex Mladenov on the edge of the steppe next to the center manages the huge Groshevo an increasing proportion of the flight test

UPGRADING THE BOMBERS

It is noteworthy that the bomber work at
the center is set to sharply increase in the
early/mid-2020s thanks to the upgraded
trio of the VKS bomber types, which
was initially involved in developmental
testing carried out by manufacturer
Tupolev at Kazan and Zhukovsky, with
support from the 929th GLITs.
Undoubtedly, the most important of
these heavyweight combat programs,
currently going ahead at the 929th GLITs,
is the upgraded Tu-160M, boasting
improved engines and an all-new
mission avionics suite, which will be
taken by the RuASF in newly-built form
(dubbed Tu-160M2) from 2023 onwards.
The upgraded Blackjack flew for the first
time in its new guise on February 2, 2020
in Kazan and in 2021 was handed over to
undergo its state flight-testing effort.
The deeply upgraded Tu-95MSM
Bear-H bomber flew for the first time
on August 20, 2020, and is currently
undergoing its state flight tests, with the
production stage of the program set to
roll out the first aircraft in late 2022 or
early 2023.
The Tu-22M3M Backfire-C is the third
deep-upgrade bomber program for the
RuASF, with its state flight-testing effort
expected to be given the go-ahead
by 2022.

www.Key.Aero // April 2022 45

 TEST UNIT REPORT // RED STAR TESTERS

Above: The Mi-26T2V

KINZHAL HYPERSONIC STRIKE SYSTEM

Akhtubinsk is also known as the home
base of the first RuASF squadron fielding
the MiG-31K strike aircraft, carrying the
secretive Kinzhal (Dagger) hypersonic
guided missile for striking targets on land
and at sea. (See Putin’s Prize, September
2021, p46-48).
Its initial fleet had ten highly modified
MiG-31Ks and it is believed the first cadre
of crews for the squadron consisted of test
pilots and navigator-operators.
According to a press release of the Russian
MoD, the MiG-31K/Kinzhal squadron had
attained combat-ready status on December
1, 2017, when it was placed on the so-called
experimental quick reaction alert duty. maneuvering on the flightpath to overcome
is the new-generation
heavylift helicopter
for the RuAF’s Army
Aviation branch,
The MiG-31K-equipped squadron, missile defenses, especially in the terminal which began its state
apparently included into the 929th GLITs phase. The combined range of the launch flight-testing effort in
2019, with completion
structure, saw expansion in late 2021 or platform and the missile is believed to be
originally slated for
early 2022 to a fully-fledged strike unit about 1,080nm, without in-flight refueling, 2021. As of early
controlling two component squadrons, with the Kinzhal said to be designed for 2022 there were no
believed to be still stationed at Akhtubinsk. delivery of either conventional or nuclear announcements, but
Weighing some 4,000kg (8,818lb), warheads. The MiG-31K designation for that this milestone
the air-launched Kh-47M2 Kinzhal this new Foxhound derivative, upgraded for had been passed
missile – apparently developed on the striking surface targets and lacking air-to-air Alexander Mladenov
basis of the Iskander-M tactical ballistic capabilities, apply to aircraft converted from
missile (SS-26 Stone) – is carried on a existing MiG-31DZ fighter-interceptors
new-design centerline pylon. It features equipped with in-flight refueling probe
a solid-fuel motor accelerating it to top and stripped of their air-to-air mission
speed of between Mach 6 and 10, while equipment and weapons.
Right: The test activity
of Stage 2 of the
Su-57 program
includes arduous
testing and evaluation
of new-generation
airborne ordinance
Russian MoD

Left: The Ka-52M

is among the most
important rotary-wing
programs run at
the 929th GLITs,
with completion
expected in late
2022 or 2023
via Alexander
Mladenov

46 April 2022 // www.Key.Aero

THE R-37M
The only known novelty, implemented
in the Su-35SM, is the integration of
the R-37M (RVV-BD), a long-range AAM
originally developed by the Tactical
Missile Corporation for the upgraded
MiG-31BM fighter-interceptor and then
modified for use on the Su-35S (most
likely ordered by prospective export
customers) using AKU-620 catapult
units under the wings and the fuselage.
First test launches from the Su-35SM at
Akhtubinsk were intended to evaluate the
separation sequence. These were carried
out in the second half of 2020; video
footage was released by the Russian MoD
dedicated to the 929th GLITs’ centenary
celebration in October that year.
A mammoth missile weighing 1,124lb
with a 132lb blast-fragmentation
warhead, the R-37M sports a two-stage
solid-fuel rocket motor, enabling it to
engage targets at a maximum distance
of 110nm in head-on attacks, following
a lofted trajectory. Flying at Mach 6, the
R-37M is advertised as capable of hitting
targets maneuvering at up to 8g, and
at altitudes between 49 and 82,000ft.
Using inertial guidance after launch with
mid-course radio correction, the missile’s
active radar seeker is switched on during
the terminal flight phase for precise
guidance on target.
and evaluation works has been replaced
by high-fidelity mathematical modeling
and simulation undertaken at the
929th GLITs.
Diverse fleet
The test unit has its own fleet of combat
jets and transports kept in active service at
Akhtubinsk and Chkalovsky, in addition to
both fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft
borrowed on a when-needed basis from
the industry. Aircraft can also be received
from frontline units and RuASF and RNA
combat training centers.
The 929th GLITs’ own aircraft retain
the RuASF service color schemes applied
at the time of manufacture and are
recognizable by their unit badge and/
or test markings. Most of the fleet used
for test work is comprised of pre-series
and early-production fighters, frontal
bombers, attack aircraft, and various
helicopters. In addition to the flight testing
and evaluation works conducted on new
and deeply upgraded aircraft before
entering regular service with the VKS,
this diverse fleet is also heavily utilized
for developmental testing of upcoming
sensors, airborne equipment, and
avionics/software upgrades.
A large number of tactical jets are
kept in long-term storage at Akhtubinsk
– mostly MiG-29s, Su-27s, Su-24s,
and Su-25s. Some of these are non-
airworthy waiting to be cycled through
overhaul and upgrade, while others
are serving as spare parts donors,
used for ground testing purposes, or
earmarked to be transferred to technical
schools across Russia for use as ground
instructional airframes. The center
operates helicopters at Akhtubinsk and
Chkalovsky for transport, SAR, and test
pilot training.
For testing and evaluation, helicopters
come from industry or from the RuASF/
RNA training centers and frontline units.
For example, the state testing of the
Mi-26T2V facelift, conducted at the
929th GLITs between 2019 and 2020,
involved the sole prototype, owned by
Russian Helicopters.
This was also the case with the
Il-76MD-90A airlifter, where the joint state
testing effort saw the use of the industry-
owned first prototype and the first
production example, which was rolled out
in 2015 and then delivered to the RuASF’s
Ivanovo-based combat training center of
the Military Transport Aviation branch.
The fixed and rotary-wing fleet is also
flown by the center’s own test pilot school,
www.Key.Aero // April 2022 47
 TEST UNIT REPORT // RED STAR TESTERS
which is formally known as the Flight-
Training Department within the 929th
GLITs structure.
The fast stuff
The Su-35S, the ultimate single-seat,
multi-role Flanker derivative, was the
most important program for the 929th
GLITs in the previous decade – given
the go-ahead in May 2011 while its
completion was reported in 2018, the
type had already declared ready for
combat in 2015. In the beginning, the
effort saw the use of four aircraft, built
in 2011 and 2012, but at its height the
testing involved up to 12 Su-35Ss, eight
of which borrowed from the Lipetsk-
based combat training center and from
the first frontline unit equipped with
the latest Flanker. To provide space for
test and recording equipment, the first
Su-35S, Blue 01, lacked the built-in
GS-30-1 gun and OPS-35 electro-
optical targeting system.
48 April 2022 // www.Key.Aero
The Su-35SM is the current testing Above: The 929th This stage was declared complete in July
program conducted in Akhtubinsk. This is GLITs has its own 2017, in a bid to allow launch of the type’s
fleet of fast jets,
an enhanced derivative, and the testing low-rate serial production.
transports and
effort has utilized two aircraft, retrofitted helicopters, stationed Stage 2 of the Su-57’s testing,
from production-standard Su-35S (serials at Akhtubinsk and undertaken with support from the
Chkalovsky but also
Red 51 and Red 52), but the extent of the manufacturer Sukhoi, started at the 929th
undertakes testing of
improvements from standard has not long-range and heavy GLITs in early 2018 and is now completed.
been disclosed yet. bombers, fixed-wing At least six T-50 prototypes are used in
transports, helicopters
the type’s testing. The first production-
and special mission
Felon in testing aircraft, borrowed standard Su-57 example to join the
The Su-57 Felon is the next very important from the industry, prototype was lost in a crash in 2019. The
RuASF and RNA
tactical combat aircraft program for second SU-57 (T-50S-2, Blue 01) joined
frontline units or
the RuASF, progressing at full steam at training centers. This the GLITs in December 2020, and the third
Akhtubinsk. At present, the 929th GLITs is the prototype of (Red 02) in February 2022 after being seen
the deeply-upgraded
is busy conducting Stage 2 of the Su-57’s on a ferry flight in the first week of that
Tu-95MSM strategic
testing effort, dedicated to weapons bomber undergoing month wearing the GLITs badge.
integration and expansion of the 5th-gen state testing United More production-standard aircraft are
Aircraft Corporation
fighter’s sensor capabilities. The initial expected to be used for testing work in
prototype of Russia’s first stealth jet, 2022 and 2023.
known as the T-50-1, made its maiden Below: Two of four As of May 2020, according to Russia’s
flight on January 29, 2010, and the type RuASF Il-80 Maxdome vice-prime minister and former deputy
was submitted for Stage 1 of its joint state aircraft are at defense minister responsible for the
Chkalovsky in an
flight testing effort at the 929th GLITs in airworthy condition procurement, Yury Borisov, the program
February 2014. Alexander Mladenov amassed more than 3,500 sorties. A small
Above: An Su-57 proportion of these were carried out by radar-guided air-to-air missiles, sporting entire fleet of six newly produced aircraft
prototype landing on manufacturer Sukhoi, while the rest were a significantly increased range thanks to for the VKS was rushed for participation in
Akhtubinsk’s main flown by the 929th GLITs. the use of a new dual-mode rocket motor the type’s protracted and arduous state
runway 12L/30R,
which is 13,120ft long The Su-57’s flight-testing effort included and new fin configuration optimized for testing effort. It was originally scheduled
Russian MoD exotic testing sorties – perhaps the most internal carriage. In 2018, Sukhoi also for completion in late 2021 but there are
unusual of these is the flight without a revealed that the Felon arsenal will also no announcements that this has taken
canopy. This is a standard requirement include the newly developed R-37M place yet. A previous MoD order for the
included in the flight-testing program long-range AAM. The Kh-58UShK is also type, placed in 2017, resulted in delivery
for each new combat jet type in Russia. among the Su-57’s weapons selection in 2019 of another two MiG-35S pre-series
Below: The Its purpose is to assess the impact on the – this is a new-generation high-speed examples for the launch of the state testing
Kh-59UShK is a new- pilot and his workability when facing a long-range anti-radar missile with folding effort in 2019 at Akhtubinsk.
generation anti-radar
missile with folding powerful airstream in high-speed flight, wings, optimized for internal carriage and The list of new-generation helicopters
wings, optimized for demonstrating that a jet can be flown in boasting a maximum range of 132nm. for the Russian military undergoing state
internal carriage in a safe manner with its canopy lost due testing or other programs includes the
the Su-57’s weapons
bays and was to combat damage, inflight mishap or Increasing test work Ka-52M, Ka-52K, Mi-38T, Mi-28NM, and Mi-
apparently tested accidental jettisoning that may happen in The list of other important fast-jet testing 26T2V. While the Mi-26T2V’s state testing
at the 929th GLITs. real-world situations. projects currently performed at Akhtubinsk effort is believed to be near completion,
Developmental testing
and integration of The list of new-generation air-launched includes the Su-30SM/SM2, Su-34/34M, the Ka-52M and Mi-28NM are set to
new air-launched weapons known to have been tested MiG-35S and MiG-31BM/K variants, mostly remain the principal rotary-wing programs
weapons is among on the Su-57 at Akhtubinsk includes the involving testing of new mission avionics run at the 929th GLITs in future, with flying
the principal mission
set of the 929th GLITs R-77M (Product 180), the latest derivative and integration of new weapons. The operations conducted at both Chkalovsky
Alexander Mladenov of Russia’s medium-range active MiG-35S is a very specific case, as the and Akhtubinsk sites. This effort is
also set to include testing of manned-
unmanned teaming operations with UAS,
to demonstrate sensor augmentation for
the new-generation attack helicopters for
the RuASF’s Army Aviation branch, a key
capability when facing a well-developed
air defense environment.
The special-mission aircraft tested by the
929th GLITs are currently represented by
the A-100 Premier airborne early warning
and control platform and the Il-20M
Retsenzent, equipped for ELINT/COMINT/
SIGINT operations. The Il-78MD-90A new-
generation tanker for the RuASF is also
among programs that have begun or are
due soon, as well as the deeply upgraded
An-124-100M(VTA) airlifer, expected to
begin its state testing effort in 2023.

www.Key.Aero // April 2022 49

 PHOTO REPORT // ISLAMABAD HOPPERS

It has been nearly six

Islamabad months since the massive

airlift out of Kabul. Many of
the aircraft involved had
to hop over to Islamabad

Hoppers
Airport in Pakistan to
refuel, which is where
Snappers Crew’s Hassan
Ali Khan caught them

A Romanian Air Force C-130B Hercules, 6166, swirls into Islamabad Airport from Kabul on August 17.
Most aircraft were so full that they left Kabul with as little fuel as possible to get to Pakistan

50 April 2022 // www.Key.Aero

 Above:This Indonesian Air Force Boeing 737-4U3, serial A-7305, was evacuating diplomats out of Kabul
Left: A C-130H-30 Hercules from the land of the pharaohs departs for Kabul to pick up diplomats
Below left:This Swedish Air Force C-130H, 848, was one of many C-130H Hercules that visited
Islamabad during the airlift out of Afghanistan
Below right: Australian diplomats and troops were evacuated onboard this Royal Australian Air Force
C-130J, A97-442, which wears special markings to celebrate its 100th anniversary. It was photographed
approaching Islamabad after departing Afghanistan All images from author

The USAF sent this C-17A, 98-8190, from the 437 Airlift Wing/
315th Airlift Wing at Charleston AFB, South Carolina, to pick up A RAF A400M Atlas, ZM406, rotates in golden light, bound for the UK with
US evacuees who had crossed the land border into Pakistan diplomats and staff from the Kabul embassy onboard, as part of Operation Pitting

www.Key.Aero // April 2022 51

 REPORT // PRIVATE VIPERS

PRIVATE

The pilots of Arizona-based Top Aces are aggressively pitching the legendary F-16
Viper against some of the most advanced fighters in the world. James Deboer reports

I
n 2018, the US Air Force issued
a request for proposals (RFP) for
adversary air support and received
eight responses. A year later,
the US Department of Defense
announced the award of contracts
worth an astonishing $6.4bn to seven
civilian companies to provide air
support services to the US military.
In January 2021, less than three years
after the RFP, an Antonov An-124 was
loaded up with four F-16s. The mission
was to transport the F-16s to another
desert location thousands of miles away,
where they would be reassembled
so that they could go up against US
military pilots. While this might sound
like the beginning of a great Tom Clancy
novel, it’s just the culmination of a vision
that started in 2014.
That was when aerial adversary
specialist Top Aces signed a sales
agreement with the Israel Ministry of
Defense for the purchase of some of
its older F-16As and Bs, known as the
Netz in Israel.
Less than a year after the F-16s
returned to American soil, Top Aces
flew its first fiscal year 1979 Block 10
F-16 and turned the type into what the Three of Top Aces’
company calls the Advanced Adversary F-16As in formation
Fighter (AAF), flying with the Advanced over Arizona
All images
Aggressor Mission System (AAMS). James Deboer

52 April 2022 // www.Key.Aero

www.Key.Aero // April 2022 53
 REPORT // PRIVATE VIPERS
IT TAKES A VERY SPECIAL KIND OF
FIGHTER PILOT TO BE AN AGGRESSOR
Aces high
Top Aces was founded more than two
decades ago, by three former Royal
Canadian Air Force CF-18 fighter pilots
who saw an opportunity to provide
adversary support to the Canadian armed
forces. Since then, the group has operated
the A-4 Skyhawk and the Alpha Jet to
provide a host of services throughout
Canada and Europe. Now, it has a track
record of taking older aircraft and
upgrading them with new technology to
compete as an effective aggressor.
The A-4N Skyhawks of Top Aces have
already been upgraded with an unnamed
AESA radar and the AAMS, and are now
supporting the German Air Force training
needs by ‘fighting’ Eurofighter EF-2000s
that will be equipped with powerful AESA
radars by the end of the 2020s.
While the A-4s have performed very
well, Top Aces realized that another
54 April 2022 // www.Key.Aero
airframe was needed to support
the USAF fifth-generation aircraft that
were beginning to be purchased in large
numbers. For the last few years, the group
has been pursuing a fleet of F-16s to meet
those training requirements. The effort to
find and import good aircraft that could
fly several more years was no easy task.
Aggressor pilot
Former USAF pilot Russ Quinn was given
the not-so-easy mission of sourcing
suitable F-16s. During his 26-year career in
the Air Force, Quinn amassed more than
3,600 flight hours in the F-16 and held
several positions in F-16 units around the
world. The last of these was a final flying
assignment as Deputy Commander of the
new Adversary Tactics Group at Nellis AFB,
Nevada, flying the F-16 as an aggressor
pilot. It was there that Quinn became
familiar with the aggressor business.
A two-ship, N860TA
(ex-IDF/AF 250) and
N857TA (ex IDF/AF
220), over the eastern
part of Arizona during
a training flight
Quinn explained: “We had F-16s in
the 64th and F-15s in the 65th, so
Right top: The F-16’s
maneuverability
when clean [without
it was a great flying set-up. It was
the rebirth of the aggressor culture
external fuel tanks]
makes it a great
at Nellis, where we internalized aggressor aircraft
the aggressor concept of knowing,
teaching and replicating the threat. That
organization still exists today and they are
doing some really great work.
“It takes a very special kind of fighter Right middle: A Block
10 F-16 is unloaded
pilot to be an aggressor. You must be a from the Antonov
'giving' kind of person to really go out as An-124 transport
a professional aggressor and realize that aircraft that ferried it
to the US from Israel
your role is very much a training role. You in January 2021
are giving your expertise and talent to
make the Air Force a better place. I was
so impressed by the men and women
that embraced the aggressor culture. And
I’m not just talking about the pilots – the
commander of the Air Defense Squadron
was probably the smartest electronic
warfare guy I ever met.
“They all wanted to be the best at what Right bottom:
they did so the Air Force could be the best Adversary pilots walk
out for the start of
in the world. I had not really experienced another training sortie
that before. I had seen aggressors at Red at Mesa, Arizona
 Flag and saw what they brought to the
table in terms of the brief and debrief,
but to see everything they did was quite
inspiring for me.”
Finding capable pilots to fly the F-16s
is not that hard compared to other
companies looking for pilots to fly aircraft
like the Mirage F1 or Alpha Jet. In any
given year, several pilots will be retiring
from the USAF with 2,000+ hours in
the Viper. But Top Aces is not looking
for high-time F-16 pilots, but rather for
experienced aggressor pilots who have
served in squadrons like the 64th and 18th
Aggressor Squadrons in the USAF.
Quinn said: “We’re looking for people
with that 'giving’ mindset that we believe
is absent in the commercial side of
Above: A two ship,
aviation right now. We want to show the
N860TA (ex-IDF/AF Air Force that we can bring that same level
250) and N857TA of professionalism that they experience
(ex IDF/AF 20) over
the eastern part of
with the active-duty units.
Arizona during a “I was very fortunate to be part of the
training flight aggressor business at Nellis and got to
know a lot of great people. I reached out
to several of them, like Kevin ‘Shaggy’
Wilson. ‘Shaggy’ is one of the most
respected aggressor leaders that the Air
Force has ever produced, so I asked him to
come and join the team.”
The lower end platforms that are
currently flying aggressor missions are just
not hacking it in terms of truly replicating
the high-end threat that some of the
major players on the world stage can offer.
The USAF is currently standing up its own
F-35 aggressor squadron at Nellis AFB as
they find ways to train its pilots.

Choosing the Viper

Currently, Top Aces has imported less than
half of the 29 F-16s that it has bought,
with the remaining coming over in the
next few months. It is not known how

www.Key.Aero // April 2022 55

 REPORT // PRIVATE VIPERS
many of those will be upgraded to the
AAF standard, but that number will be
high and will ultimately be determined by
the customer needs. The 29 aircraft that
Top Aces has purchased are in very good
condition, as they have spent most of their
life in a desert environment. The aircraft
still have several hundred hours left on
them, and more F-16s should become
available for purchase as countries
upgrade to newer aircraft like the F-35.
The AAF and its AAMS represent four
years of research and development
work by Top Aces and its technology
partner, Coherent Technical Services,
which does a lot of work with the US
Navy in developmental tests. Upgrading
the aircraft falls to M7 Aerospace of San
Antonio, Texas, which does the work at
the Top Aces facility in Mesa. That facility
is known as the F-16 Center of Excellence
and it is at this location that the aircraft will
be home-based and where most of the
maintenance will be done. From Phoenix
Mesa Airport, aircraft will be sent out
much like detachments, depending on the
needs of the contract.
Quinn noted: “I’ll use Luke AFB as an
example, where we see turn patterns
of usually a ’4 turn 4’, which means 8
sorties a day. So, with this example, we
would park six aircraft at Luke and work
those airplanes as required with a small
maintenance footprint to do the small
56 April 2022 // www.Key.Aero
things needed to keep them flying, but
with most of the heavy maintenance and
phased inspection being done at the
main operating base. There are over 400
vendors in the US that support the F-16
and so all of that needs to be co-ordinated.
“To have an F-16 Center of Excellence
where all of that comes together in an
efficient way is very important to us. It’s
a place where we can get answers and
get parts to keep these airplanes running,
because in the end it’s all about getting
the customer what they need.”
A clean machine
Unlike most F-16s that fly with external
tanks and other pods which add drag, Top
Aces’ F-16s AAFs are currently flown clean,
which provides for about 90 minutes of
flight time and makes the aircraft one hell
of a dogfighting machine. It also makes
for a lower radar cross-section. The Block
10 model is superior in pitch onset rate to
any other F-16. It is also lighter and, when
paired with the PW-220E engine, it makes
for a better thrust-to-weight ratio than all
other F-16 models.
A big part of the AAF is the combination
of an AESA radar and the Thales Visionix
Gen III Scorpion helmet-mounted display.
The Scorpion is a gamechanger in terms
of situational awareness and is one of the
most capable advanced helmets in the
world, being used by a wide variety of
aircraft such as A-10s, F-16s and the F-5s
from competitor Tactical Air Support Inc.
It can record HD video right onto the jet's
computer, which can then be reviewed
at the debrief. The helmet provides a
huge advantage when trying to provide
quality advanced aggressor training to
fifth-generation assets.
The aircraft’s Avalex multi-function
display, which is used for radar targeting
and situational awareness, is a great
user-friendly system, but when
incorporated with the helmet it allows
the pilot to keep his head up and out
of the cockpit, giving them even better
situational awareness. The monocle not
only provides current safety of flight
information in terms of altitude, airspeed
and G-force, but also tactical information
as far as the weapons employment zone
and the proximity and location of other
aircraft. Kevin ‘Shaggy’ Wilson, who serves
as vice president of business development
at Top Aces and is a former F-16 pilot
with more than 2,000 hours in the Viper,
Below: The former stated: “Having the ability to keep our
IDF/AF F-16As have head out of the cockpit is critical to being
retained the original
Israeli markings and a proper and effective threat replication to
applied a red star train the Blue forces the way they need to
as well as a fin flash be trained.”
that says ‘Experience
Matters’ in cyrillic Todd ‘Heat’ Seger is a retired USAF
lettering. All of Top colonel and is now a test pilot who flies
Aces’ F-16 pilots are the AAMS because of his experience in
highly experienced
Viper pilots incorporating the Scorpion helmet in the
Air National Guard F-16s. He commented:
“Essentially, what we've done is taken a
legacy aircraft and we've pimped it. So, it's
‘pimp my airplane’! The F-16 with an AESA
in the nose gives us a very high-quality
ability to actively detect the Blue air side
of the equation and give them a run for
their money, because we have very good
detection capability against low RCS
targets like the F-22 and F-35.
“I can use the AESA radar in three
different modes. I can target anybody
from right off my nose down to 40-50
miles away just with a visual indication
on my eyeball, which is called a dynamic
aiming cue. It's very lethal and it provides
a very formidable challenge because I
can now take and point any active or
passive sensor through something I see
with the best sensor on the airplane,
which is my eyeballs, to be honest with
you. I've got a full spectrum of long-wave
IRST – a different spectrum than radar
Above: The clean
energy, which is X Band – which is my
AESA radar and then I have the visual
spectrum of my eyeballs, all working
lines of the F-16, with
no external stores,
makes the jet ideal for
FIRST FLIGHT
The first flight of the F-16 AAF took place provide the most realistic and cost
adversary work
together to provide a formidable
on January 19, 2022, at Mesa International effective training platform to go up against
adversary to the Air Force and the Navy.” Airport in Arizona. The AAMS incorporates advanced fourth-generation and, more
As Top Aces expands its fleet of AAF a host of improvements, including an importantly, fifth generation fighters like
F-16s, it is likely they will become the airborne electronically scanned array the F-22 and F-35.
leader in contract adversary support, (AESA) radar (which the company declined The aircraft can also plug-in-and-play, to
to name when Combat Aircraft Journal allow the addition of new and emerging
taking very capable aircraft and putting
asked), Link-16, a Scorpion helmet and a sensors such as infrared search and track
them in the hands of top-notch multi-function display. All these features (IRST) and jamming pods.
adversary pilots.

www.Key.Aero // April 2022 57

 #12
STATE
REPORT GEORGIA

WINGS OVER
THE PEACH STATE
Tom Kaminski continues his Below: US Air Force

B
ORDERED TO THE north Georgia seceded from the Union on
Capt Kyle Babbitt,
by Tennessee and North January 19, 1861, becoming one of the
state-by-state review of US Carolina, South Carolina to the
assigned to the
75th Expeditionary original seven Confederate States. After
military aviation, this time northeast, the Atlantic Ocean Fighter Squadron the Civil War, it was the last state to be
from Moody Air Force
to the southeast, Florida to restored to the Union – on July 15, 1870.
looking at assets in Georgia Base, Georgia, flies
the south and Alabama west, A-10C Thunderbolt II Military installations in Georgia include a
Georgia is known as the Peach State. 79-0193 ‘FT’ during large US Army and Air Force presence and
a combat sortie on
It is the 24th largest and eighth most April 2, 2014, over
around half the US Navy Fleet’s Ballistic
populous of the 50 states. Named after northeast Afghanistan and Guided Missile submarines.
King George II of Great Britain, it became USAF/Tech Sgt
Jason Robertson
a royal colony in 1752 but following the Dobbins Air Reserve Base
American Revolution, Georgia was the Located 16 miles northwest of Atlanta in
fourth state to ratify the United States Marietta, Dobbins Air Reserve Base (ARB)
Constitution on January 2, 1788. is a multi-service facility supporting units

58 April 2022 // www.Key.Aero

of the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC),
US Army Reserve Command (USARC), and
the Georgia Army National Guard. The
AFRC’s 94th Airlift Wing (AW) is the host
wing and the major tenants include the
headquarters of the command’s 22nd Air
Force and the Georgia National Guard.
The 94th AW operates and maintains the
airfield, which is also used by Lockheed
Martin and several federal organizations.
The wing’s 94th Operations Group
(OG) is responsible for eight C-130H3
series aircraft flown by the 700th Airlift
Squadron. The squadron was activated in
the Air Force Reserve as the 700th Fighter
Bomber Squadron in July 1952.
Initially based at Buffalo Municipal
Airport, New York, before moving to Above: MH-65D The unit began upgrading to the of personnel and equipment as well as
serial number
nearby Niagara Falls Municipal Airport, C-130H3 version in 2013 and the last H2 aeromedical evacuation capabilities.
6567 from Coast
the squadron progressed through the Guard Air Station departed Dobbins in May 2014. Capable of operating from rough, dirt
North American F-51H, Lockheed F-80, Savannah operates Previously known as the 700th Tactical strips, the C-130 is the USAF’s primary
over Tybee Island,
and Republic F-84 fighters. Redesignated Airlift Squadron, the unit assumed its airlifter for delivering troops and
Georgia. Assigned
as the 700th Troop Carrier Squadron to the Seventh current title on June 1, 1992. The 700th equipment into hostile areas.
on September 6, 1957, the squadron Coast Guard District had served as a C-130H Formal Training When it was dedicated in October
and located at
relocated to Dobbins AFB in November Unit (FTU) from 1999 to 2011 when it 1941, Dobbins was named Rickenbacker
Hunter Army Airfield
that year. After becoming an airlift in Savannah, the air transitioned to become a combat-coded Field, honoring the US Army Air Corps’
unit, the squadron underwent several station operates unit. In that role it provides tactical air leading flying ace of World War One,
five MH-65Ds in
redesignations and operated the Fairchild support by providing combat air drops Captain Eddie Rickenbacker. The
the short range
C-119 Packet, C-123 Provider, Douglas recovery role facility was originally intended to be an
C-124 Globemaster, and de Havilland US Coast Guard alternative airfield for Atlanta’s Candler
Canada C-7 Caribou before receiving
brand new C-130H2s in 1982.

www.Key.Aero // April 2022 59

 #12
STATE
REPORT GEORGIA

Right: Georgia Army

Field, which is now Hartsfield–Jackson
Atlanta International Airport. On June 6,
GEORGIA National Guard UH-
60L serial 95-26610
1943, Rickenbacker Field was renamed Tennessee North Carolina operated by Company
the Marietta Army Airfield and it became A, 1st Battalion, 171st
Aviation Regiment,
Marietta AFB in 1948. Subsequently, it lifts off after inserting
was renamed Dobbins AFB to honor Georgian special
Capt Charles Dobbins, on April 29, 1959. Marietta forces as part of an
Dobbins ARB urban operations
Dobbins, a US Army Air Force pilot from Gen. Lucius Clay exercise at the Vaziani
Marietta, was killed when his Douglas National Guard Center Training Area near
• AASF #2 (ARNG) Tbilisi, Georgia, on
C-47 transport was shot down over the Winder August 5, 2018,
Mediterranean Sea in July 1943. The Barrow County Airport during US European
• AASF #1 (ARNG) South
facility took its current title in June 1992. Atlanta Command Exercise
Carolina Noble Partner 18
US Army Reserve Command units
US Army/SSgt R J
based at the Dobbins Aviation Support Lannom Jr
Facility (ASF) comprise Company B(-), 2nd Georgia
Battalion, 228th Aviation Regiment, which Savannah
Hunter AAF
operates the Cessna UC-35B Citation • AASF #3 (ARNG)
Warner Robins Below: C-130H
Encore. A detachment of the company Savannah Hilton
Robins AFB Hercules 93-1037
Head International
that is located at Fort Rucker, Alabama, Alabama Columbus Airport from the 94th Airlift
operates the Beechcraft C-12V variant Fort Benning • Savannah ANGB Wing’s 700th Airlift
• Lawson AAF Squadron conducts an
of the King Air. Bravo Company has austere field landing
Hinesville
been tasked with supporting rotational Fort Stewart at Fort Huachuca,
deployments to the US Central Command • Wright AAF Arizona’s Hubbard
• Evans AAF landing zone, on June
area of responsibility. The 2nd Battalion 18, 2014. Aircrew
headquarters is located at Joint Base were participating in
McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey. a two-week course
hosted by the Missouri
Operating Citations assigned to Company Atlantic Air National Guard’s
B, the US Army Jet Training Detachment is Valdosta Ocean Advanced Airlift
Moody AFB Tactical Training
the FTU for the UC-35 series and reports
Center
directly to US Army Forces Command at Florida USAF/Patrick
Fort Bragg, North Carolina. P Evenson

60 April 2022 // www.Key.Aero

 Typically, it conducts eight aircraft
qualification courses (AQC) and instructor
pilot courses (IPC) annually. The USARC
UC-35Bs will relocate to ASF Clearwater,
Florida, this year.
Sharing the runways with Dobbins,
the area of the base now known as the
General Lucius D Clay National Guard
Center (NGC) was previously home to
Naval Air Station Atlanta. Commissioned
in 1959, the air station was selected for
closure by the 2005 Base Realignments
and Closures Commission (BRAC).
Once home to numerous Navy and
Marine Corps Reserve aviation units,
NAS Atlanta was formally disestablished
on September 30, 2009. The final unit
departed on July 1, 2010, when Marine
Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 773
(HMLA-773) relocated to Robins AFB,
near Macon. However, the facility was
acquired by the State of Georgia, which
assumed control the same day. The
newly established National Guard Center
became home to the Army National Guard
Aviation Facility (AASF) #2.
A Marietta native, General Clay was
Commander-in-Chief of the US Forces in
Europe in 1947 and co-ordinator of the
Berlin Airlift in 1948.
The first Georgia Army National Guard
(ARNG) aircraft assigned to the AASF
arrived earlier on August 25, 2009,
when a new production HH-60M was
delivered to Detachment 1, Company C,
1st Battalion, 111th Aviation Regiment.
The facility is also home to Detachment
1, Company C, 2nd Battalion, 151st
Aviation Regiment, which operates four
Airbus Helicopters UH-72A Lakotas in the
security and surveillance (S&S) role. The
main body of the company is located in
Nashville, Tennessee. The headquarters
Above: Detachment 1, Company C, 2nd Battalion, 151st Aviation Regiment of the Georgia National Guard for 1st Battalion, 171st Aviation Regiment
operates four UH-72A light utility helicopters, including serial 10-72135, from the Clay National Guard Center Dragonmasters is located at the Clay
ramp adjacent to Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta, Georgia Georgia National Guard/Maj Will Cox NGC along with its command aviation
Below: The first of 17 production E-8Cs, serial 92-3289, awaits its next mission at Robins AFB, Georgia, on August
25, 2021. Prior to its conversion to E-8C configuration this Boeing 707-338C (c/n 19622/660) was operated by company. Company A, 1st Battalion,
Qantas Airways and carried the Australian civil registration VH-EAB. It was originally delivered to Qantas in 1968. 171st Aviation Regiment operates eight
The USAF’s fleet of 17 E-8C airborne battle management and command and control platforms is assigned to the UH-60Ls in the command aviation role.
Georgia Air National Guard’s 116th Air Control Wing at Robins AFB US Air National Guard/SMSgt Roger Parsons
The battalion completed a deployment to
Kosovo in March 2020.
The Georgia ARNG operates a single
Fairchild C-26E from the AASF. The
operational support aircraft is assigned
to the Guard’s Company B(-), 2nd
Battalion, 245th Aviation. The state flight
detachment (SFD) is also known as
Operational Support Airlift Command
(OSACOM) Detachment 9. Headquartered
in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the 2-245th
is one of two theater fixed-wing battalions
organized around the individual SFDs.

www.Key.Aero // April 2022 61

 #12
STATE
REPORT GEORGIA

The runways at Dobbins are also shared on December 20, 2005, but took on its Right: C-130H3
serial 94-7321
by defense contractor Lockheed Martin, current name in May 2009. The Georgia from the 165th
which operates Air Force Plant 6. Located Guard facility is home to Company C, 1st Airlift Wing’s 158th
on the northwest corner of the facility, it Battalion, 106th Aviation Regiment, which Airlift Squadron,
returns to its base
was originally operated by the Bell Aircraft currently operates ten UH-60A+/L Black at Savannah/Hilton
Corporation. Known during World War Hawks in the air assault role. The unit’s Head International
Two as the Bell Bomber Plant, operations battalion headquarters is located in Peoria, Airport on June 17,
2021, after receiving
at the government-owned, contractor- Illinois. Company C will transition to the the C-130H3.5
operated facility began on April 15, 1943. updated UH-60V variant later this year. conversion package,
Between November 1943 and September The Corpus Christi Army Depot in Texas which includes new
eight-blade NP2000
1945, Bell produced 668 B-29s under is modifying up to 760 UH-60L models to propellers, an
license from Boeing. The plant was closed the latest configuration by providing the electronic propeller
in 1946, but in January 1951 it was turned helicopters with a digital glass cockpit control system and an
engine upgrade
over to the Lockheed Aircraft Company, developed by Northrop Grumman. US Air National Guard
which initially refurbished B-29s but later /Amber Williams
produced 347 B-47 bombers under license Robins AFB
from Boeing. Since then, the company Robins AFB is located just east of the city
has built C-130, C-141 and C-5 airlifters, of Warner Robins and around 18 miles
plus F-22A fighters at the Marietta facility. south-southeast of Macon. It is operated
Today, production of the C-130J airlifter is by Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC)
carried out at Air Force Plant 6. and the 78th Air Base Wing (ABW) is the
Below: Georgia
host wing. The 6,935-acre base is home to Army National Guard
Barrow County Airport the Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex HH-60M serial
Located 50 miles east of Atlanta, near and is Georgia’s largest single-site 08-20136 operated
by Detachment 1,
Winder, the Barrow County Airport is industrial complex. Company C, 111th
home to the Georgia ARNG’s AASF #1. The base’s tenants also include Aviation Regiment,
Owned by the Barrow County Airport Headquarters Air Force Reserve lifts off on June 4,
2016. The flight
Authority, the facility opened when Command, the Georgia Air National marked the start of
construction was completed on June 24, Guard’s 116th Air Control Wing (ACW) and a unit deployment
1948. Originally known as the Winder- the active associate 461st ACW. to Southwest Asia
Georgia National
Barrow Airport, it was renamed the The base is named to honor Brigadier Guard/Capt William
Northeast Georgia Regional Airport General Augustine Warner Robins, who is Carraway

62 April 2022 // www.Key.Aero

 Above: The crew of UH-60A+ Black Hawk serial 87-24656 from the Fort Benning Air Ambulance Detachment
conducts hoist operations with personnel from local fire department swift water rescue teams over the City Mills
Dam on the Chattahoochee River near Fort Benning, Georgia, on July 19, 2016. The Guardian Dustoff unit was
activated at Fort Benning in January 2016 US Army
Below: UH-60L serial 87-24593 lifts participants in the Georgia Army National Guard Parachute Operations
Mishap Preventative Orientation Course 2019 on May 2, 2019, at MidCoast Regional Airport/Wright Army Airfield,
Fort Stewart in Hinesville, Georgia. The Black Hawk was operated by Company C, 1st Battalion, 106th Aviation
Regiment of the Georgia Army National Guard. Based at Barrow County Airport in Winder, the unit will transition to
the UH-60V during 2022 Georgia National Guard

considered the ‘father of logistics’ in the

USAF. He served as the chief of the Air
Corps Materiel Division and later as the
Commandant of the Air Corps Training
Center at Randolph Field in San Antonio,
Texas. Robins Field was formally dedicated
on April 26, 1943 and assumed its current
name in 1947.
Between February 1959 and October
1983, the base was home to B-52Gs flown
by the 4137th Strategic Wing, the 465th
Bombardment Wing (Heavy) and later the
19th Bomb Wing. The redesignated 19th
Air Refueling Group continued to fly KC-
135s from Robins until May 2008.
In January 1996, Robins became the Above: Unpainted Georgia Air National Guard’s (ANG) 116th and the 116th assumed control of
F-15C Eagle serial
main operating base for the USAF’s E-8C 78-0573 returns to Air Control Wing (ACW) and its 128th the aircraft with the 461st ACW being
Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar the ramp at Robins Airborne Air Control Squadron (AACS). The activated as an active-duty associate wing.
System (Joint STARS or J-STARS) aircraft. AFB, Georgia, responsibility for operating the aircraft is Today the 461st Operations Group and its
after completing
The 93rd Air Control Wing (ACW) received a functional shared with Air Combat Command’s 461st 12th and 16th AACS share responsibility
its first aircraft on March 22, 1996. JSTARS check flight with ACW, which serves as an active associate for operating and maintaining the E-8Cs
is a manned airborne battle management, the 339th Flight unit alongside the Georgia Guard wing. that remain assigned to the Georgia Air
Test Squadron.
command and control, intelligence, Reporting to the The 116th ACW, which had previously Guard’s 128th AACS.
surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) 413th Flight Test operated B-1B bombers, was initially Team JSTARS routinely supports
platform. Equipped with the long range Group, the Air Force assigned in 2002 to operate the E-8Cs as combatant commanders in multiple
Reserve Command
AN/APY-7 radar, the E-8C is primarily squadron supports a ‘blended wing’ comprising active-duty geographic areas of the world. The
tasked to provide theater ground and air maintenance by the airmen and guardsmen, and the 93rd recently approved Fiscal Year 2022
commanders with ground surveillance Warner Robins Air ACW was inactivated. National Defense Authorization Act
Logistics Complex
to support attack operations. Today the USAF/Tommie In October 2011, another reorganization authorized the USAF to retire up to four
active fleet of 17 E-8Cs is assigned to the Horton split the active and reserve components E-8Cs this year. In June 2021, as part of its

www.Key.Aero // April 2022 63

 #12
STATE
REPORT GEORGIA
plan to begin phasing out the Joint STARS
aircraft, the USAF announced it would
locate a squadron of up to eight E-11A
Battlefield Airborne Communication
Node (BACN) aircraft at Robins. Based on
the Bombardier Global Express business
jet, the E-11As were flown by the 430th
Expeditionary Combat Squadron from
Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, and
more recently from Al Dhafra Air Base,
United Arab Emirates. Although the fleet
currently includes just three aircraft,
the USAF ordered the first of up to six
additional Global 6000 business jets
from Bombardier in June 2021. The initial
aircraft will be a replacement airframe for
another E-11A that crashed in Afghanistan
in January 2020. The service’s plans
include the purchase of additional E-11As
over a five-year period.
Originally known as the Georgia Air
Depot, the Warner Robins Air Logistics
Complex
(WR-ALC) has
been renamed
numerous
times since
1941 and
took its
64 April 2022 // www.Key.Aero
current title on July 17, 2012. Today, the
WR-ALC is one of three USAF logistic
complexes. It serves as an important
maintenance, modification and repair
center for a wide variety of air force
equipment and weapons systems,
including the C-5M, C-130 and F-15 Series,
several Special Operations Forces aircraft,
plus the MQ-1B and MQ-9A remotely
piloted aircraft. It reports to the Air Force
Sustainment Center (AFSC).
Air Force Reserve Command’s 413th
Flight Test Group is also based at Robins.
The group is responsible for four flight test
squadrons that report as Geographically
Separate Units (GSU) as well the 339th
Flight Test Squadron at Robins. Each of the
units conducts functional check flights on
aircraft that have undergone programmed
depot maintenance. Additionally, it is
responsible for the 1st Aviation Standards
Flight in Oklahoma City.
Tenants at Robins also include
Headquarters, Air Force Reserve
Command, which manages the service’s
nearly 75,000 reservists, three numbered
air forces, more than 30 flying wings, 12
flying groups and other subordinate units.
AFRC became the USAF’s ninth major
command on February 17, 1997. Also
located at Robins AFB, the Museum of
Aviation is the second largest museum
in the United States Air Force and its
collection includes more than 70 aircraft.
Lawson Army Airfield
Located on Fort Benning, south of
Columbus, the Lawson Army Airfield is
currently home to just two small flight
activities that support training on the
base, which is home to the US Army
Maneuver Center of Excellence. Situated
alongside the Chattahoochee River that
forms the border between Alabama and
Georgia, the airfield supports the Ranger
Flight Company and an air ambulance
Above: Soldiers detachment that were activated in 2014
from the 3rd and 2016, respectively.
Combat Aviation
Both units report to the 4th Ranger
Brigade’s Company
E, 3rd Aviation Training Battalion, which is a component
Regiment, perform of the Airborne and Ranger Training
pre-flight checks
Brigade (ARTB). Known respectively
on an MQ-1C Gray
Eagle unmanned as the Ravens and Guardian Dustoff,
air system in the units both operate the UH-60A+/L
preparation for a
variants of the Black Hawk. The Ranger
mission at Fort
Stewart’s Wright Flight Company conducts air assault, air
Army Airfield on movement and special mission aviation
March 1, 2016
training in support of training operations
3rd CAB/Sgt
William Begley at Fort Benning.
The US Army first established a
rudimentary landing field at Benning
in 1919 and in August 1931 the airfield
was named in honor of Captain Walter
R Lawson. The Georgia native was killed
Below: C-130H in the crash of a Martin MB-2 bomber at
serial 94-7321 was McCook Field, Ohio, on April 21, 1923.
one of eight ‘new’ The airfield was expanded greatly during
H3 variants of the
Hercules assigned World War Two to support parachute
to the 165th Airlift training conducted at Fort Benning.
Wing’s 158th Although assigned to the newly
Airlift Squadron at
Savannah Hilton created USAF in 1947, Lawson AFB was
Head International turned over to the army in 1954 when
Airport, Georgia it took on its current identity. The US
US Air National
Guard/Amber Army’s 11th Air Assault Division (Test)
Williams proved out the airmobile concepts for
using helicopters to rapidly deploy
combat infantry personnel. On July 3,
1965, the 11th was redesignated as the
1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) and
deployed to South Vietnam a short
time later. Lawson underwent a major
expansion program in 1965, including
an 8,200ft runway capable of handling
large jet transports.
Savannah Hilton Head
International Airport
The first Savannah Municipal Airport
was opened on September 20, 1929,
when Eastern Air Express began air
service between New York City and
Miami. In 1932, the airfield was named
Hunter Field. The US Army Air Corps
first proposed a takeover of Hunter
Field in 1940. While commercial airlines
continued to use Hunter Field, the city
of Savannah decided to build a second
municipal airport in response to the
increased military presence there.
Construction of a new commercial
airport began in 1941, but in 1942 the US
Army took over the incomplete facility.
Chatham Army Airfield was activated
on September 19, 1943 and served as
a training base for B-24 and later B-29
bomber crews.
Although placed on inactive status on
January 10, 1946, the USAF reactivated
the base on July 17, 1947. It was assigned
to the Strategic Air Command (SAC) and
supported B-29 and B-50 operations.
Reconstituted on October 13, 1946, the
Georgia Air National Guard’s 158th FS
flew P-47Ns from Chatham Field until
March 1949 when it moved to Hunter
AFB. In 1948, Chatham Army Airfield
was renamed Travis Field, to honor
Savannah native Brigadier General
Robert F Travis, who was killed in the
crash of a B-29 near Fairfield-Suisun
AFB, California. Control of the facility
was returned to the City of Savannah on Above: A US Army propellers, and digital Electronic Propeller
September 29, 1950. Following service UH-60M from the Control System (EPCS) and T56 Series 3.5
3rd Combat Aviation
in Korea, the 158th FS returned to the Brigade’s Company engine upgrades at the Tyonek Services
facility with North American F-51Hs in July C, 4th Battalion, 3rd Overhaul Facility at Stennis International
1952. Redesignated as the 158th Fighter Aviation Regiment, Airport in Kiln, Mississippi.
conducts ‘helocast’
Bomber Squadron, it transitioned to the (maritime insertion) Travis Field was renamed Savannah
Republic F-84Ds in 1953 and later flew training near Tybee International Airport in 1983 and took its
the F-84F and North American F-86L Island, Georgia, in current title in 2003. The airport is owned
July 2016. Known
before changing to the airlift mission as the Brawlers, the by the City of Savannah and managed by
with Boeing C-97Fs in 1962. The squadron battalion’s three the Savannah Airport Commission.
later operated the Douglas C-124, but companies operate Operated by the Georgia Air National
30 Black Hawks
converted to a tactical airlift mission when in the assault Guard, the Savannah Air Dominance Center
it received the first C-130Es in August 1975. helicopter role is focused on providing combat training for
Now designated as the 158th AS and US Army fighter pilots.
reporting to the 165th OG, the Georgia Located at the Savannah/Hilton Head,
Guard Dawgs have operated the C-130H Below: US Army the center was previously known as the
since the first new aircraft was delivered aviators from the Savannah Combat Readiness Training
from the Lockheed factory to the 3rd Combat Aviation Center (CRTC).
Brigade’s 2nd
Savannah Air National Guard Base in Battalion, 3rd Aviation Established as one of nine Permanent
September 1981. Regiment, land Field Training Sites in 1952, the facility was
While it currently flies the C-130H3 UH-60L serial redesignated as a CRTC in 1990.
99-26830 at the
variant, the 158th AS was earmarked for Pinecastle Range The center regularly hosts combat
conversion to the C-130J but a specific Complex near Deland, training events including the annual Sentry
date for this has not yet been announced. Florida, on January Savannah exercise.
18, 2017.
Despite the plans to update the unit’s The 5,700-acre In addition to dedicated military
aircraft, its current fleet of Herks is still bombing range is operations, the airport is home to
being upgraded. In June 2021, the first of operated by the Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation’s
US Navy
the eight aircraft returned to Savannah US Army/Spc manufacturing facility, originally opened
after receiving new eight-blade NP2000 Scott Lindblom by Grumman Aerospace in 1967.
www.Key.Aero // April 2022 65
 #12
STATE
REPORT GEORGIA
Fort Stewart and
Hunter Army Airfield
Located in Hinesville, around 41 miles
southwest of Savannah, Fort Stewart is
the largest US Army Installation east of the
Mississippi River and covers approximately
279,270 acres. The installation is nearly
40 miles wide from east to west and
around 19 miles long from north to south.
Fort Stewart’s history is traced back to
November 1940, when the post was
formally designated Camp Stewart. The
name honored Georgia native Brigadier
General Daniel Stewart, who served in
the Georgia Militia during the American
Revolution and the War of 1812. Although
deactivated after World War Two, Camp
Stewart was reactivated in 1953 and was
renamed the Camp Stewart Anti-Aircraft
Artillery Training Center. It became a
permanent army installation and was
renamed Fort Stewart in 1954. The base
has been home to the 3rd Infantry Division
since April 25, 1996.
Situated within the confines of the
base, Wright Army Airfield (AAF) has
supported the operation of unmanned
aircraft since 2004. Reporting to the 3rd
Infantry Division's (ID) Combat Aviation
Brigade (CAB) Company E, the 3rd Aviation
Regiment has operated the General
Atomics MQ-1C Gray Eagle unmanned air
system (UAS) from the facility since 2010.
Gray Eagles assigned to the 224th Military
Intelligence Battalion (MIB) are also
launched and recovered from Wright AAF.
The airfield has been a joint military and
civilian-use facility since November 2007
and is also home to Midcoast Regional
Airport. Opened in 1943, it was known as
Liberty AAF and Fort Stewart AAF until
1959, when it took its current title.
66 April 2022 // www.Key.Aero
Above: HC-130J RQ-7B Shadow Tactical UAS (TUAS) Hunter Army Airfield is 29 miles northeast
serial 13-5785 operations were initially conducted of the base in Savannah and is home to a
from the 23rd
from Wright AAF, but relocated to Evans number of Army Aviation units including
Wing’s 71st Rescue
Squadron departs AAF in 2010. The TUAS Operations the 3rd CAB’s rotary wing aircraft.
Nellis AFB, Nevada, Facility supports a company of Shadows Originally known as Savannah Municipal
while participating
that report to the 3rd ID’s 2nd Infantry Airport, the facility was named Hunter
in Red Flag 19-3
on August 2, Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) and another Municipal Airfield in May 1940, to honor
2019. Reporting from the 35th ID’s 48th IBCT, which is a Savannah native and World War One flying
to the 347th
component of the Georgia Army National ace Lieutenant Colonel Frank O'Driscoll
Rescue Group, the
squadron operates Guard. Additionally, Shadows from the Hunter. On February 19, 1941, the
nine Combat King 3rd Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, Savannah Army Air Base was established.
IIs from Moody
are located at Evans. The unit recently Although it was returned to the City of
AFB, Georgia USAF/
Dwane R Young received the latest RQ-7Bv2 variant of the Savannah in June 1946, the airfield was
TUAS, which offers increased range and turned over to the USAF and became
Below: A-10C serial
time on station. The Shadow is tasked Hunter AFB on September 29, 1950. It
78-0630 operated
by the 23rd Wing’s to provide ground and aviation units was operated by SAC until 1963 when the
74th Fighter with surveillance and reconnaissance, Military Air Transport Service assumed
Squadron departs
spotting threats and monitoring vehicle control. The facility was later turned over
Nellis AFB, Nevada,
during Green Flag- movements, and can provide grid to the US Army and became Hunter Army
West, September locations using its video technology. Airfield on April 1, 1967. From July 1967
11, 2019. The
When it opened in 1967, the airfield to June 1970, Hunter was home to the
A-10Cs’ shark
mouths replicate supported Bell UH-1 training conducted US Army Flight Training Center. Between
Curtiss P-40s of the by the US Army Flight Training Center and 1967 and 1972, Hunter and Fort Stewart
American Volunteer
around 120 Hueys were located there. trained 11,000 rotary wing pilots and
Group USAF/
Dwane R Young Considered to be part of Fort Stewart, 4,328 fixed wing pilots, including 1,400

South Vietnamese aviators. Although
deactivated in 1973, the airfield reopened
in 1975. Today, the airfield houses the
longest US Army runway east of the
Mississippi River.
Hunter AAF supports operations of the
3rd CAB’s two Aviation Battalions and
its cavalry regiment. Tasked as a General
Support Aviation Battalion (GSAB) the 2nd
Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment (2-3rd
AVN), is known as the Knighthawks. The
battalion’s three flight companies operate
the UH-60L, CH-47F and HH-60M in the
command aviation, heavy helicopter and
air ambulance roles. The 4th Battalion, 3rd
Aviation Regiment, is tasked in the assault
helicopter role and operates 30 UH-60M
Black Hawks. The 3rd Squadron, 17th
Cavalry Regiment, operates 24 AH-64Es
as a heavy cavalry attack reconnaissance
squadron. The battalion’s conversion
to the latest AH-64EV6 version was
completed on August 23, 2021, when the
final group of six of the Apache Guardians
arrived from Boeing’s facility at Mesa,
Arizona. As mentioned earlier, the unit’s
unmanned RQ-7B Shadows are launched
and recovered from their base at Fort
Stewart’s Evans AAF.
Additional tenants at Hunter include the
3rd Battalion, 160th Aviation Regiment.
Assigned to the 160th Special Operations
Aviation Regiment at Fort Campbell,
Kentucky, the battalion is responsible
for two heavy helicopter companies and
an assault helicopter company. Whereas
Companies A and B operate the MH-47G
variant of the Chinook, Company C flies
the MH-60M version of the Black Hawk.
Both aircraft are configured specifically
to support US Army Special Operations
Forces (SOF) missions.
Fixed wing operations are conducted by
the 224th Military Intelligence Battalion,
which operates the Beechcraft MC-
12S King Air in the aerial-intelligence,
surveillance, and reconnaissance (A-ISR)
role. The battalion reports to the 116th
Military Intelligence Brigade (Aerial
Intelligence), which is headquartered
at Fort Gordon, Georgia, and part of US
Army Intelligence and Security Command
(INSCOM). The battalion is also responsible
for a full company of unmanned MQ-1C
Gray Eagles at Wright AAF on Fort Stewart.
The Georgia ARNG’s AASF #3 is also
located at Hunter AAF. The facility
supports Detachment 1, Company B, 1st
Battalion, 169th Aviation Regiment, which
operates six CH-47F Chinooks in the heavy
helicopter role. The main body of the
company is located in Alabama and the
battalion headquarters is in Connecticut.
Reporting to the 7th US Coast Guard
District in Miami, Florida, Coast Guard Air
Station Savannah operates five MH-65Ds
from Hunter. Its area of responsibility
includes 450 miles of coastline along
the Atlantic Ocean from Wilmington,
North Carolina, south to Melbourne,
Florida. Commissioned on June 16,
1963, at the former Hunter AFB, the air
station detaches a single MH-65D to Air
Facility Charleston. The air facility, which
opened on October 1, 1990, is located at
Charleston Executive Airport on Johns
Island, South Carolina.
Moody AFB
Valdosta is home to Moody AFB, which
initially served as an Army Air Corps pilot
training base during World War Two.
Construction of the base, which is around
ten miles northeast of Valdosta, began
in July 1941 and was completed in June
1942. The base is named for US Army
Major George Putnam Moody, who was
Above: US Army killed in the crash of a prototype Beech
Aviators prepare to Model 25 (AT-10 Wichita) trainer in Wichita,
engage targets with
Kansas, on May 25, 1941. Over a three-year
AH-64D Apache
serial 07-7043’s period that ended in April 1945, 7,212
30mm chain gun pilots completed preliminary, basic and
during training
advanced flight training at Moody Field.
at Fort Stewart,
October 21, 2016. After graduating, they went on to fly
The Apache was multi-engine aircraft including the B-17,
assigned to the 3rd
B-24 and B-25 bombers.
Combat Aviation
Brigade’s 3rd In February 1946, training ceased at
Squadron, 17th Moody Field and the base was placed
Cavalry Regiment
on the inactive list. It was reopened as
US Army/Spc Scott
Lindblom Moody AFB in May 1951. Initially assigned
to Air Training Command, the 3550th
Below: US Army
Flying Training Wing (Interceptor Aircrew)
MC-12S-2 serial
11-00266 of the began training that December. Although
224th Military redesignated several times, the wing
Intelligence
remained at Moody until December
Battalion from
Hunter Army Airfield, 1973 when the 3550th Training Wing
arrives at Prestwick, was inactivated and replaced by the 38th
October 22, 2018.
Flying Training Wing (FTW). On September
The King Air variant
was produced for 30, 1975, the 347th Tactical Fighter Wing
the Medium Altitude was relocated from Korat Royal Thai Air
Reconnaissance
Force Base in Thailand to Moody. The
Surveillance System
Gordon MacAdie base was subsequently transferred from
www.Key.Aero // April 2022 67
 #12
STATE
REPORT GEORGIA
Air Training Command to Tactical Air
Command on December 1, 1975 and the
38th FTW was inactivated.
The 347th initially operated the F-4
Phantom from the base but transitioned
to the F-16 and for a time had five
squadrons assigned. Today the base
is home to the 23rd Wing and its
subordinate 23rd Fighter Group (FG)
and the 347th Rescue Group (RQG). The
former is responsible for the 74th and 75th
Fighter Squadrons, which fly the A-10C
close support aircraft. Known as the Flying
Tigers and Tiger Sharks, the squadrons
trace their history to the 1st American
Volunteer Group (AVG), which flew Curtiss
P-40 fighters as part of the Chinese Air
Force prior to the US entry into World
War Two. Activated as the 74th and 75th
Pursuit Squadrons on December 17, 1941,
the units were assigned to the 23rd FG.
Three Rescue Squadrons (RQS) report
to the 347th RQG and comprise the
38th, 41st and 71st RQS. The former is
responsible for the group’s highly skilled
pararescue PJs (‘para jumpers’) and
combat rescue officers (CRO) who are
known as Guardian Angels. The latter two
units are flying squadrons and currently
operate the HC-130J Combat King II and
HH-60W Jolly Green II.
The two rescue squadrons originally
moved to Moody from Patrick AFB, Florida,
on April 1, 1997 and were joined by the
38th RQS when it was activated on May
1, 2001. The same day saw the A-10-
equipped 23rd FW at Pope AFB, North
Carolina, redesignated as the 23rd Fighter
Group and aligned under the 347th RQW
at Moody as a GSU. On October 1, 2003,
the wing assumed control of the 563rd
68 April 2022 // www.Key.Aero
Rescue Group (RQG) as a GSU. The group Above: A Lebanese The 41st RQS received its initial pair of
was responsible for squadrons at student and US HH-60W Jolly Green II combat rescue
instructor pilot
Davis-Monthan AFB in Arizona and Nellis prepare to depart
helicopters on November 5, 2020, when
AFB, Nevada. Moody AFB, Georgia, Sikorsky Aircraft’s facility in West Palm
Three years later, on October. 1, 2006, the for an A-29B Super Beach, Florida, delivered serials 17-14488
Tucano training
23rd Wing was reactivated at Moody AFB flight on March 22,
and 17-14489. Operation of the HH-60G
and assumed responsibility for the 23rd 2017. The Super ended when the squadron retired serial
Fighter Group. The 347th Rescue Wing Tucano training was 91-26356 on September 29, 2021. The
conducted by the
was inactivated and the 347th Operations 14th Flying Training
Pave Hawk had originally been delivered
Group was redesignated as the 347th Wing’s 81st Fighter to the squadron on September 16, 1994.
Rescue Group and aligned under the 23rd Squadron, which is Between July 31, 2000 and July 21, 2007,
a tenant at Moody
Wing. With the inactivation of the 347th AFB, near Valdosta,
Moody was also home to the 479th Flying
Rescue Wing, the 23rd Wing became the Georgia USAF/ Training Group. The Air Education and
host wing at Moody. The 23rd FG and the Zachary Wolf Training Command unit conducted the
74th and 75 FS completed a relocation to Below: A pair of HH- Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals
Moody on July 30, 2007. On October 1, 60W combat rescue (IFF) and Joint Specialized Undergraduate
2018, the responsibility for the 563rd RQG helicopters from the Pilot Training (JSUPT) courses flying the
23rd Wing’s 41st
was reassigned to the 355th FW at Rescue Squadron Northrop AT-38B and Beechcraft T-6A.
Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona. depart from MacDill In September 2015, the 598th Range
In July 2013, the 71st Rescue Squadron at AFB, Florida, on Squadron was reactivated at Avon Park
November 16, 2021.
Moody AFB received its first HC-130Js and The squadron, which Air Force Range in central Florida. The
the squadron’s final deployment with the is the first to receive squadron is assigned to the 23rd Wing as
older HC-130P Combat King concluded the Jolly Green II, a GSU and is responsible for overseeing
was participating in
on August 5, 2014. Later, on September exercise Mosaic Tiger and managing the 106,074-acre weapons
15, 2015, the final pair of Combat Kings 22-1, testing the 23rd range. Reporting to AFRC’s 442nd FW at
departed the base. The squadron accepted Wing’s Command and Whiteman AFB, Missouri, via the 476th
Control of dispersed
the last of nine HC-130Js on June 9, 2016, forces USAF/A1C FG, the 76th FS is a traditional associate
when serial 13-5790 arrived. Briana Beavers squadron and operates and maintains
GEORGIA STATE REPORT A-10Cs assigned to the 23rd FG’s 74th and
Tail
75th FS. The 76th FS was reactivated on
Location Command Unit Aircraft Notes
Code February 1, 2009, at Moody as a component
Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Marietta of the 476th FG, which was activated the
94th Airlift Wing/Operations Group 700th Airlift Sqn C-130H3 same day. Although the 476th works under
2-228th (FWB) (USARC) B(-)/2-228th AVN (TA) UC-35B {1} its own command structure, its operations
US Forces Command US Army Jet Training Detachment UC-35B {1} are integrated with the 23d FG and 23rd
General Lucius D Clay National Guard Center, Marietta Maintenance Group.
AASF #2 Georgia Army National Guard Det. 1 C/1-111th AVN (AA) HH-60M Then part of the active component of
Det. 1 C/2-151st AVN (S&S) UH-72A the USAF, the 76th FS was aligned under
A/1-171st AVN (CMD) UH-60L the 23rd Fighter Wing at England AFB,
B(-)/2-245th AVN/OSACOM Det. 9 C-26E
Louisiana, until it was inactivated on May
Barrow County Airport, Winder 29, 1992. Like the active-duty squadrons,
AASF #1 Georgia Army National Guard
C/1-106th AVN (ASLT) UH-60A+/L {2} the 76th FS was one of the original three
(ARNG)
squadrons assigned to the 23rd FG
Robins AFB, Warner Robins
461st Air Control Wing/Operations Group
Flying Tigers and was originally activated
12th Airborne Command & Control Sqn Dragons E-8C GA
Liberaiders on December 17, 1941 as the 76th
16th Airborne Command & Control Sqn Pursuit Squadron.
E-8C GA
Phoenix Warriors Aligned under Air Education and
330th Combat Training Sqn (FTU) TE-8A
Training Command’s (AETC) 14th
116th Air Control Wing/Operations Group 128th Airborne Command & Control Sqn Alley Cats E-8C GA
Flying Training Wing at Columbus AFB,
C-5M, C-17A,
413th Flight Test Group 339th Flight Test Sqn C-130 Series, {3}
Mississippi, the 81st FS is a GSU that is
E-8C, F-15 Series stationed at Moody. Activated on October
Fort Benning, Lawson Army Airfield, Columbus 1, 2014, it initially trained Afghan Air
4th Ranger Training Battalion (RTBN) Ranger Flight Company Ravens UH-60A+/L Force personnel to fly and maintain the
USAAAD Guardian Dustoff UH-60A+/L A-29B Super Tucano light attack aircraft.
Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport Since then the unit has provided similar
165th Airlift Wing/Operations Group 158th Airlift Sqn Savannah Guard Dawgs C-130H3 training to pilots, maintenance and
Wright Army Airfield, Fort Stewart support personnel from the Lebanese
116th MIBde/224th MIB (AE) A/224th MIB (AE) MQ-1C and Nigerian Air Forces. The last Nigerian
3rd CAB E/3d AVN MQ-1C students completed their training on
Evans Army Airfield/TUAS Operations Facility, Fort Stewart September 2, 2021. The final wave of
35th ID/48th IBCT D/177th Brigade Engineer Battalion (ARNG) RQ-7B Nigerian Super Tucano aircraft departed
3rd ID/2nd IBCT D/9th Brigade Engineer Battalion Dagger RQ-7B
Moody for Kainji Air Base, Nigeria, on
Hunter Army Airfield, Savannah
September 15, 2021.
3rd CAB/2-3d AVN (GSAB) Knighthawks A/2-3d AVN (CMD) Storm UH-60L
The 23rd Wing received a new platform
B/2-3d AVN (HH) Hercules CH-47F
on January 12, 2022, when a pair of
C/2-3d AVN (AA) Marne Dustoff HH-60M
Beechcraft AT-6E Wolverines arrived
3rd CAB/4-3d AVN (AHB) Brawlers A/4-3d AVN (ASLT) Storm UH-60M
B/4-3d AVN (ASLT) Phantoms UH-60M
at Moody. The aircraft will initially be
C/4-3d AVN (ASLT) Black Hearts UH-60M flown by pilots from the 81st Fighter
3rd CAB/3-17th CAV (ARS) Lighthorse A/3-17th CAV (AR) Silver Spurs AH-64E, RQ-7B {4} Squadron, on loan to the 23rd Wing,
B/3-17th CAV (AR) Blackjack AH-64E, RQ-7B {4} alongside partner nation personnel. The
C/3-17th CAV (AR) Crazy Horse AH-64E, RQ-7B {4} Wolverines will primarily support testing
160th SOAR/3-160th AVN (SOAR)(A) A/3-160th AVN (HH) MH-47G {5} associated with the Continued Light
B/3-160th AVN (HH) MH-47G Attack Experiment (CLAE) and will initially
C/3-160th AVN (ASLT) MH-60M evaluate an exportable and affordable
116th MIBde/224th MIB (AE) B/224th MIB (AE) MC-12S {6} data link known as the Airborne Extensible
AASF #3 Georgia Army National Guard Det. 1 B/1-169th AVN (HH) CH-47F Relay Over-Horizon Network (AERONet).
7th Coast Guard District AIRSTA Savannah MH-65D Scheduled to conclude in May 2022, the
Moody Air Force Base, Valdosta collaboration will demonstrate the data
23rd Wing/23rd Fighter Group 74th Fighter Sqn Flying Tigers A-10C MY
link’s ability to enhance communication
75th Fighter Sqn Tiger Sharks A-10C MY
between partner nations and US forces.
23rd Wing/347th Rescue Group 38th Rescue Sqn PJ/CRO
Developed as an armed version of the
41st Rescue Sqn HH-60G/W MY
T-6 Texan II trainer, the USAF purchased
71st Rescue Sqn Kings HC-130J MY
two AT-6Es for $70.2m. The light attack
442nd Fighter Wing/476th Fighter Group 76th Fighter Sqn Vanguards A-10C MY
14th Flying Training Wing/
aircraft features and advanced cockpit, L3
81st Fighter Sqn Panthers A-29B, AT-6E {7}
Operations Group WESCAM MX-15D Electro-optical/infrared
Notes: {1} Unit will relocate to ASF Clearwater at St Pete–Clearwater International Airport, Florida, in 2022. {2} Unit will transition (EO/IR) sensor and six external wing
to the UH-60V in 2022. {3} No aircraft are assigned to the unit, which conducts flight tests of aircraft that have undergone major stations for carrying fuel and weapons.
servicing and/or received modifications {4} RQ-7Bs operate from Evans Army Airfield at Fort Stewart, Georgia. {5} 160th Special
Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) reports to the US Army Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The Royal Thai Air Force became the first
{6} 116th Military Intelligence Brigade reports to the US Army Intelligence and Security Command at Fort Belvoir, Virginia international customer for the AT-6E when
{7} 81st FS trained personnel from the Afghan, Lebanese and Nigerian Air Forces. AT-6Es arrived on January 12, 2022. it ordered eight Wolverines last winter.

www.Key.Aero // April 2022 69

 WHATEVER HAPPENED TO... // YAL-1A
PEACE THROUGH
THE AIRBORNE LASER
David Willis reviews the troubled path of the Boeing YAL-1A from ‘first light’ to last flight
“
A
magnificent technical
achievement [that] does
not reflect something that
is operationally viable,” was
how US Air Force Chief of
Staff, Gen Norton Schwartz,
described the shooting down of a Terrier
Black Brant target missile by a laser carried
by the YAL-1A on February 3, 2010 – its
first ‘kill’. It might also neatly sum up the
whole Airborne Laser (ABL) program.
Between its conception in 1996 and its
final flight to the ‘boneyard’ at Davis-
Monthan AFB in Arizona on February 14,
2012, the ABL managed to consume twice
the expected developmental budget for
half the number of airframes originally
planned. The program was subject to
funding difficulties, delays and technical
problems, and failed to get anywhere near
to becoming an operational system.
ABL was conceived to counter the
theatre ballistic missile threat from
‘rogue nations’ in the early 1990s, by
engaging them in the boost phase before
warhead separation. It was designed to
autonomously detect and track missiles as
they were launched, acquire them using
a beam control/fire control system, then
aim and fire a megawatt-class laser with
sufficient energy to destroy the target.
Critics quickly pointed out that flying
a jumbo jet in orbits near the borders of
a hostile state, waiting for it to launch
70 April 2022 // www.Key.Aero
ballistic missiles, had practical limitations,
not to mention that the cost per aircraft
($1bn to $1.5bn) was second only to the
Northrop B-2A ‘stealth bomber’.
ABL built upon work undertaken with
the Boeing NKC-135A Airborne Laser
Laboratory (ALL, 55-3123) between
January 1975 and 1984 by the Air Force
Weapons Laboratory (AFWL) at Kirtland
AFB, New Mexico. Between May and the
end of September 1983, the aircraft shot
down five AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles and
a Northrop BQM-34 drone with a 100
kilowatt-class gas dynamic laser. During
1977, AFWL developed a megawatt-class
device, known as a chemical oxygen
iodine laser (COIL), that overcame the
range and power limitations of the gas
dynamic unit.
In mid-1996, ABL concept design
contracts worth $22m were given to
two teams, comprising Boeing, TRW
and Lockheed Martin, and Rockwell,
Hughes Aircraft and Raytheon E-Systems.
Boeing’s team was selected at the end
of the year for a 77-month, $1.3bn
definition and risk reduction program to
produce one aircraft, with a second to
follow for engineering, manufacturing
and development. Both would later be
brought up to production standard and
another five acquired by 2008. It was
planned that ABL would demonstrate a
missile shoot-down in 2002.
Within the team, Boeing was responsible Above: The YAL-1A
for ABL surveillance, developing the carried the world’s
first airborne
battle management, command, control, megawatt-class laser,
communications, computers and but the COIL unit had
intelligence (BMC4I) suite, integrating the several limitations,
including the use of
weapon system and supplying a ‘green’ perishable chemicals
Boeing 747-400F freighter. TRW Space and that needed to be
Electronics Group developed the COIL, as replenished during
any deployment.
well as providing ground support (TRW ABL also helped
was acquired by Northrop Grumman in pioneer the use of
July 2002). Lockheed Martin Missiles and adaptive optics to
correct atmospheric
Space developed the beam control/fire distortion over ranges
control system. of hundreds of miles
US Air Force
Boeing 00-0001
Boeing 747-4G4F 00-0001, c/n 30201,
first flew on January 6, 2000, and was
delivered to the US Air Force 15 days
later as the YAL-1A. It was flown to the
Boeing Modification Center at Wichita,
Kansas, where more than 18,000lb of new
structures and equipment were installed.
A two-axis turret, containing a 59in
telescope to focus the laser beam, covered
by an aerodynamic fairing, was added
to the nose bulkhead, while an aerial
refueling receptacle was nstalled above
the nose. Behind the cockpit, the floor of
the forward main deck was strengthened
Right: The ABL
and attachments added for the forward aircraft originally
beam control optical bench and fire lacked the definitive
control system. A pressure bulkhead with nose turret, which
was later installed
an integral airlock separated the BMC4I at Edwards AFB,
suite from the laser equipment in the aft California Boeing
LIGHT
Above: Cutaway model of the YAL-1A’s fuselage, with laser modules
at rear (with exhaust vents under the fuselage) and chemical storage
tanks over the wings, separated by an airlock from the BMC4I suite.
Behind the cockpit, under the upper deck, was the forward beam
optical control bench and fire control system David Willis
section of the aircraft. The aluminum skin
under the rear fuselage was replaced with
titanium to cope with the heat vented
through 36 laser exhaust ejector tubes.
A pod above the forward fuselage
housed the Active Ranging System (ARS),
developed from the LANTIRN navigation
and targeting system and used to acquire
initial tracking data on a target. The low-
power, multi-beam Track Illuminating
Laser (TILL) provided range data, while the
kilowatt-class Beacon Illuminating Laser
(BILL) measured atmospheric disturbances
along its path. This data was used by the
COIL, which could generate enough heat
on a pressurized part of the missile to
cause its skin to rupture.
ABL also had six infrared search and
track sensors to provide 360° surveillance,
initial detection and tracking of boosting
theatre ballistic missiles. One each of these
was located under the nose and tail cone,
plus four around the forward fuselage.
Limited success
The first post-modification flight took
place on July 18, 2002, by which time
the program had been transferred from
the USAF to the Missile Defense Agency
(MDA). The aircraft arrived at Edwards
AFB in California for the Airborne Laser
Combined Test Force on December 19,
2002, and was assigned to the 452nd
Flight Test Squadron (FLTS), later passing
to the 417th FLTS when it had activated
on March 16, 2006.
Flight testing proceeded slowly due
to delays in the delivery of mission
equipment and the time required to test
individual systems. It was only in February
2008 that all six modules of the COIL were
installed in the aircraft, with ‘first light’ in
the ABL on the ground taking place on
September 7 and 8, 2008, during which
the laser was fired seven times into a
calorimeter. Work progressed on focusing
and directing the laser through the beam
control/fire control system turret in
November 2008.
By then, the program was way behind
schedule, over budget and gaining critics.
On April 6 the following year, Secretary
of Defense Robert Gates announced that
he had recommended cancellation of the
second aircraft and return of the program
to research and development status (with
ABL becoming ATLB, the Airborne Laser
Testbed). He noted that the program
had “significant affordability and
technology problems” and the “proposed
operational role is highly questionable.”
The initial inflight laser test took place
on August 13, 2009, when the Surrogate
High-Energy Laser (in place of the COIL)
was fired at an instrumented missile.
Five days later, COIL was fired in flight
for the first time, into a calorimeter
onboard the aircraft. In January 2010,
it hit a Missile Alternative Range Target
Instrument in the boost phase, but failed
to destroy it.
The breakthrough was to come on
February 3, when a solid-fuel Terrier
Black Brant was destroyed, although
this was not announced until after the
shooting down of a liquid-fueled missile
– representing a Scud – eight days later
(another solid-fueled target engaged
the same day survived). These successes
were not enough to save the ALTB and
the 417th FLTS inactivated on June 30,
2010, although flight testing continued
for another year. Boeing was given
notice in November 2011 and the ALTB
program was officially cancelled the
following month.
www.Key.Aero // April 2022 71
 UNIT REPORT // EC 2/5 ILE DE FRANCE

Right: The prominent

Lorraine Cross on the
fin is a tribute to the
Free French heritage
of the Ile de France
squadron, which was
created as the 340
(Free French)
Squadron on
November 7, 1941
Anthony Pecchi

72 April 2022 // www.Key.Aero

BLUE LEAVES
ORANGE
In June, the withdrawal of the Mirage 2000C from the Armée de l’Air
et de l’Espace will take place, 38 years after its entry into service.
Frédéric Lert explores the impact of this machine

T
he Escadron de Chasse (EC)
2/5 ‘Ile de France’ fighter
squadron is today the last
user of the Mirage 2000C
with the Armée de l'Air et
de l'Espace (AAE). But it
was not the first to fly the aircraft when
it entered service: that honor went to EC
1/2 ‘Cigognes’, based in Dijon, which was
supplied its first machines in July 1984.
The pilots were enthusiastic, to say the
least, about their new aircraft. Almost four
decades later, the same compliments are
still heard when visiting the Ile de France.
“Maneuverability, precision and efficiency
of the fly-by-wire flight control system,
great handling – the Mirage 2000C set
a new standard when it entered service
and it’s still in the game as far as flying
characteristics are concerned,” say the
pilots in 2022.

www.Key.Aero // April 2022 73

 UNIT REPORT // EC 2/5 ILE DE FRANCE
More thrust needed
François Patier, a previous general of the
AAE , had been a captain in 1983 and
was among the first pilots qualified to fly
the Mirage within the Centre d’Expertise
Aérienne Militaire (CEAM). He remembers
it as an exceptional aircraft to handle. He
said: “We gave a command, and the plane
did exactly what we wanted without
losing control. We just needed a bit more
thrust – we would have been overjoyed
with an F-16 engine!”
74 April 2022 // www.Key.Aero
The 2/5 patch proudly
mentions the Free
French 340 Squadron
which took part in
WW2 operating
Spitfires
In short, the engine has always been
the Achilles heel of the French fighter.
Powered with the first version of the
M53 engiine, the M53-2, the Mirage
2000 prototypes showed fewer climbing
capabilities than the Mirage F1C. The
M53-2 only gave 7.5 tons of thrust with
afterburner, but very quickly came the
M53-5, with nine tons, that was chosen to
equip the production aircraft. The M53-5
itself was quickly replaced by the M53-P2
(6.5 tons in full dry power and 9.7 tons
with the afterburner) which was used from
Mirage 2000C No 38 onwards.
To cope with the increased power and
airflow requirement, the air inlets were
slightly enlarged. At the same time,
Dassault had also adjusted the design of
the first prototype, which produced more
drag than expected. With the second
prototype, the Mirage 2000 became
thinner, with a redesigned fin. This work
resulted in a few months of delay, but put
the aircraft on the right track for success.
Matching the competition
In 1984, the arrival of the Mirage 2000C
constituted a small revolution in the
European combat aircraft spectrum,
where the F-16 easily faced off against its
competitors. But with the French aircraft,
Left: The Mirage’s the American light fighter found an
punch is visible, with
the muzzle of one opponent to match. The first dogfights
DEFA cannon on top the new Mirage undertook were against
left and the two the USAFE F-15Cs, which traveled to Dijon
GBU-12s under the
fuselage to see the new kid on the block. Results of
the combined flights were constructive,
Lower left: The 2/5 comparing the new Mirage to leading
patch proudly
platforms in the dogfighting aspect.
mentions the Free
French 340 Squadron, Gen Stéphane Abrial, who became the
which took part in Armée de l’Air Chief of Staff between 2006
World War Two
to 2009, recounted his first encounter with
operating Spitfires
an Eagle from the famous 22nd Fighter
Below: A Mirage Squadron at Bitburg when he was a young
pilot climbs into the
cockpit prior to a
captain. He said: “During my first Dissimilar
combat mission in Air Combat Training (DACT) against a ‘big
the Sahel. The Mirage 22’ aircraft, the F-15C in front of me made
2000Cs have been in a very close maneuver that prevented me
the region since 2015
All photos Frédéric from firing a Magic. But in doing so, having
Lert unless stated lost its kinetic energy, it came to a halt in
the sky. The maneuverability of the Mirage
2000C allowed me to command a strong
deflection and get it with cannon fire.
“The American pilot didn't believe me
when I announced the ‘kill’ on the radio.
Back on the ground I showed him the
video. He thought for a moment, then he
told me that the F-15C pilots were going
to have to review their ‘classics’. Another
clue of the ignorance concerning the
plane was given to me during our first
visit to Ramstein during an airshow. I was
in a two-seater with a mechanic in the
back seat and another pilot was flying a
single-seater. We settled down and after
thanking us for coming, our hosts asked
us when our technical team was supposed
to arrive. ‘But it came with us, he’s now
leaving in the back seat,’ I said. And
then later, we were asked why we had
repainted our Mirage IIIs in blue.”
Improving radar capability
With the entry into service of the Mirage
2000, the ambition of the AAE was to
equip four ‘Escadres de Chasse’ (Fighter
Wings) – each wing being composed of
three squadrons with two flights each.
After the 2nd Escadre in Dijon, deliveries
continued to the 5th Escadre in Orange
and the 12th in Cambrai. Later, the
Djibouti-based fighter squadron would be
re-equipped with the delta-wing fighter.
The 2nd Escadre in Dijon received S3
standard models equipped with the
Thomson-CSF (now Thales) RDM radar
and the SNECMA M53-5 engine.
The RDM was known for a lack of
performance, but the AAE had no choice,
as Thomson-CSF was behind schedule
with the development of the promised

THE MIRAGE 2000C

SET A NEW STANDARD
WHEN IT ENTERED SERVICE
AND IT’S STILL IN THE
GAME AS FAR AS FLYING
CHARACTERISTICS ARE
CONCERNED

www.Key.Aero // April 2022 75

 UNIT REPORT // EC 2/5 ILE DE FRANCE
RDI radar (Radar Doppler à Impulsions
– Pulse Doppler radar, the first of its kind
in France).
From July 1988, the 5th Wing from
Orange was blessed with the new S4
standard aircraft featuring the
much-awaited RDI radar and the M53-P2
engine. It was a big improvement, as
recalled by Gen Jean-Pierre R (full name
withheld), a former squadron commander
in Orange who flew with the CEAM when
the first RDI radars were delivered. He said:
“I remember that in 1986-1987, when we
had the first two RDIs mounted on CEAM
planes, we intercepted some massive
low-level air raids launched during Exercise
‘Punch’. I’m talking about 60 or 70 aircraft
organized in light patrols which charged
through the countryside day or night, in
all weathers.
“From 25,000ft above the ground, we
could see them from 50 miles away. They
were lightly equipped with ECM but they
believed they were safe from us at low
altitude. The fact was, we could see them
very well without any problem. The RDI
radar brought exceptional progress.”
J3-13 version. Having said that, efforts to Sahel region of Africa. Beyond these, Below: The M53-P2 is
a very reliable jet
modernize the Mirage 2000C have been the 'Ile de France’ squadron faces other engine, like all the
quiet since the arrival of this standard. The commitments, such as the ‘Red Air’ military SNECMA
S5-2C standard came to fruition in 1995 mission for the benefit of other squadrons, products. On the other
hand, a little more
and is still in service at Orange and will Army JTACs and, very occasionally, for the power wouldn’t be
remain until the aircraft’s withdrawal. French Navy. unwelcome
One of the more notable developments At the end of last year, the ‘Ile de
concerns the use of NVGs since 2016 and France’ squadron had a force of around
the recent entry into service of the AN/ 40 personnel, including 20 pilots, 15 of
AVS-9 model, which can be used in both whom had instructor qualifications. The
air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. unit's fleet consisted of 12 Mirage 2000C
Pilots from Orange acknowledge single-seaters and seven Mirage 2000B
that the aircraft's weapon system has two-seaters. Right up to the last moment, Bottom: With around
now aged considerably and would the squadron will continue to qualify new 350 specialists, the
ESTA (Escadron de
undoubtedly be obsolete in the context pilots for the benefit of the French Mirage Soutien Technique
of a high intensity conflict. But the aircraft 2000 community. Aéronautique)
remains relevant for the force’s three In 2022, the AAE still flies a squadron of ‘Baronnies’ is in
charge of
main missions: air policing, Mirage 2000 Mirage 2000-5s in Luxeuil and a full wing maintenance work in
training, and Operation Barkhane in the of Mirage 2000Ds in Nancy. Some deltas Orange

The ultimate delta

The S5 standard marked the culmination
of the aircraft's evolution and fully met
the expectations the AAE had when the
program was launched.
The Mirage 2000C single-seaters, serials
75 to 135, and two-seaters, serials 523 to
533, were handed over to the Air Force
with a fully mature RDI radar in the RDI/

76 April 2022 // www.Key.Aero

are also used by the flight test centers in The Escadron de
Chasse 2/5 ‘Ile de
Istres and Cazaux. France’ fighter
The Mirage 2000Ds, which are currently squadron painted a
undergoing a mid-life upgrade, will special anniversary
Mirage 2000C to
remain in service until the 2030s. highlight the heritage
of the unit
Heading south Anthony Pecchi
“In recent years, we have trained up to 15
to 20 pilots per year for the M2000D and
M2000-5 communities,” explained Lt Col
Arnaud S, current commanding officer of
the ‘Ile de France’.
“Meanwhile, we completed the
qualification for the last Mirage 2000C
pilot in the final hours of 2021. This young
chap came to the 2/5 to learn the Mirage
2000, then he stayed with us a little over
six more months to qualify on the ‘C’
model and is now operational on the
aircraft. The flow of training to serve our
own needs has been very low in recent
years, barely one pilot per year.”
Very soon, the last to qualify Mirage
2000C pilot will be heading south to
Niamey, in Niger, to take part in Operation
Barkhane. The Sahel operation has
been an almost uninterrupted major
commitment for the ‘Ile de France’
since 2015, featuring two aircraft and
three pilots. The Mirage 2000Cs had
been removed from Niamey between
November 2019 and December 2020 to
slow their wear and tear, but operational
pace quickly demanded their return.
The intensity of flights in Sahel is about
three times greater than in France,
and aircraft accumulate up to 200
flight hours per four-month
detachment. In Niamey, the
Mirage 2000Cs serve two
purposes: supporting
the two Mirage
2000Ds also
present in
Niamey while
providing
additional
offensive
capability with the
two on-board DEFA 554 cannons,
each capable of firing 125 shells.
The RDI radar optimized for air-to-air
can be very useful in the African skies to
increase situational awareness. Like the
Mirage 2000D, the ‘blue’ single-seater can
carry and drop the unguided Mk 82 bomb
and the laser-guided GBU-12. However, it
cannot guide the latter and must therefore
work in co-ordination with another aircraft,
such as the M2000D, MQ-9 Reaper, or the
Navy’s Atlantique.
Another option is using an illuminator

www.Key.Aero // April 2022 77

 REPORT
UNIT REPORT
STYLE////EC
FEATURE
2/5 ILE NAME
DE FRANCE
on the ground. It is also interesting the Ile de France region; the aircraft’s access be robust with few breakdowns – holds
to remember that the Mirage 2000C ladder and pilot's helmet were provided up well.
gained the capacity to carry four GBU-12 with the same scheme. The last seven two-seaters on active
simultaneously: two at a central point The squadron is currently arranging its duty are still precious and they will be
under the fuselage and one under each last hours on the Mirage 2000C. A final given to the EC 2/3 Champagne in Nancy,
air inlet. firing campaign in Solenzara (air-to-air where they will be used for training and
with the cannons and air-to-ground with qualification to benefit the Mirage 2000D
Magic impact LGTRs) is planned and the unit is working and Mirage 2000-5 communities.
Cannons and bombs aside, the only on a Magic missile live-fire campaign too, However, there is also talk of the sale of
missile remaining for the Mirage 2000C either from Biscarosse or the Ile du Levant a single two-seater to India, which would
is the short-range IR Magic 2. Although ranges. Participation in the Albacete leave only six two-seat aircraft for France.
the missile is aging and will ultimately be Tactical Leadership Program (TLP) in Spain, The flight simulator in service in Orange
totally replaced by the MICA in the French to qualify mission commanders, is also is likely to be transferred to Nancy and
inventory, it made a formidable pairing scheduled for 2022. even be upgraded to meet the needs of Above: The slats are
out to hold the
with the Mirage 2000C. It will all come to an end in June, future Mirage 2000-5 and Mirage 2000D formation on the
With its high-quality fly-by-wire controls, when the Mirage 2000C will be officially MLU pilots. photo aircraft. An
the Mirage 2000 was very well suited withdrawn from service in France and As far as infrastructure on the easy feat for the
Mirage 2000C which
to this technique of playing with the the squadron placed in dormancy. base is concerned, the different lands at 125kts and
maneuverability of the aircraft to point The 12 remaining single-seaters have buildings currently used by the EC easily handles low
the nose and the Magic 2 missile in the no future in the AAE. However, there 2/5 ‘Ile de France’ will be destroyed in speeds
Anthony Pecchi
direction of the target. is talk of a possible sale to India or to a September 2022 to make room for new
Integration with the aircraft was private ‘Red Air’ operator. The aircraft constructions intended for the ‘RAF 5’,
very simple since its aerodynamics, are not far from the end of their service the fifth Rafale squadron of the AAE,
weight and balance were almost identical life (6,700 flying hours) and some parts which will be operational by 2024. This
to those of the Magic 1, inspired by the are experiencing obsolescence issues. squadron should logically inherit the
first-generation Sidewinder missile. Yet the RDI radar – which is said to traditions of the ‘Ile de France’.
The Magic 1, which had to be fired
from behind, was forced to catch up
with its target after launch. Its range was
therefore directly related to its velocity, and
experience has shown that it was in fact
limited to little more than two or
three kilometers.
Conversely, the Magic 2 showed an ‘all
aspect’ capability and the possibility of
firing in the front sector, with a range said
to be about 15km. Using the first digital
electronic circuits improved response
time, resulting in better reactivity and
maneuverability of the missile. The first
development firing took place in 1981 and
the missile was still under development
when the initial Mirage 2000C joined the
CEAM in 1983.

Final days
The ‘Ile de France’ celebrated its 80th
anniversary on October 14, 2021, with a
special meeting in the presence of several
French and European combat aircraft. For
this anniversary, Mirage 2000C (serial 120)
received a special paint scheme.
The aircraft was given a striking
fleur-de-lis (lily flower) symbol
on a blue background,
in reference to the
heraldry of

78 April 2022 // www.Key.Aero


Right: The Mirage
2000C is sometimes
called ‘the electric
tart server’ due to the
size of its delta wing
and its fly-by-wire
flight control system
Anthony Pecchi
Left: This image
THE SUPER 530D: A MISSILE
DESIGNED FOR THE RDI RADAR
shows how close the
slats come to the fuel
tanks when they are
The Super 530D missile was derived from
extended. These tanks
the Super 530F which was the Mirage
use the internal hard
F1C’s radar-guided interceptor missile.
points which were
previously dedicated Cleverly used in Iraq on the Mirage
to the Super 530D F1-EQ2, it even nailed some Iranian F-14
missiles Tomcats, putting an end to Grumman
Anthony Pecchi fighter’s invulnerability.
When the Mirage 2000C's requirements
were written, the aircraft was tasked to
look for even higher and faster targets. But
France, which was considering its future
Mirage 2000N to replace the Mirage IVs,
was also worried at the time about how to
intercept enemy aircraft penetrating low
and fast. It quickly became essential to
develop a high-performance missile that
would take full advantage of the future
RDI radar for intercepting both low and
high aircraft.
The development of the RDI radar being
delayed, the first Mirage 2000C with the
FRUSTRATING
GULF MISSION
The Mirage 2000C has never won an aerial
victory under French colors, despite some
potential possibilities in the Gulf.
On January 24, 1990, following a
four-ship mission to escort eight Jaguars,
two Mirage 2000Cs were heading back
to Al Ahsa Air Base where the French
aircraft were stationed. The two pilots
kept listening to the AWACS frequency to
be ready to intervene if asked. Suddenly,
they heard the AWACS contact two
Saudi F-15Cs in CAP, not far away. Several
suspicious contacts were detected near
Basra, flying at a very low altitude towards
Kuwait. Were they Iraqi aircraft on a bold
bombing mission against a refinery?
The French pilots stayed tuned,
especially as the Saudi pilots seemed to
be experiencing some difficulties: the
AWACS had to guide them step-by-step to
a good firing position. But even with this
help, the French pilots assessed that the
Saudis had serious difficulty doing the job,
because they could not spot the targets.
The temperature rose in the Mirages, the
pilots dreaming of being retasked.
Finally, the Saudis spotted two MiG-23s
escorting two Mirage F1-EQ4s loaded
with 400kg bombs. Knowing they’d been
spotted, the MiG-23s quickly turned
around, lit the afterburners, and left the
Mirages to their fate. Both Mirages were
later shot down by AIM-9Ps fired from one
of the Saudi F-15Cs.
The French side remained frustrated by
the lack of air victories in the war. While
traveling in the Gulf, senior French Air
Force officials openly admitted to Mirage
pilots that “very high-ranking officials
would love to hear about an air victory”.
But encounters with Iraqi aircraft
remained highly unlikely in the Mirage
area of operations. The Mirages might
then have been tasked further north. A
Mirage 2000C pilot takes up the story:
"We were then presented with a
somewhat convoluted plan. As our
RDM radar finally flew with the Super 530F
tankers were staying far from the combat
missiles inherited from the Mirage F1C.
zone, the idea was to take two planes in
The Super 530D therefore entered service
a heavy configuration with three external
at the time of the first war in the Gulf with
tanks, but no long-range Super 530D
the standard S4 Mirage 2000C RDI.
missiles, then send them to Baghdad to
Coupled with the RDI radar, the Super
try to corner an Iraqi with their guns and
530D provides a doubling of the range of
short-range Magic missiles only. There
the Super 530F associated with the Mirage
was a general outcry in our ranks, and we
F1C. This is an essential gain for picking up
never heard of that suicidal idea again.”
fast targets at high altitude.
The missile is carried under the wing and
it is thin enough to allow the aircraft to
reach speeds up to Mach 1.8 and 50,000ft
and have a chance to intercept a target
moving at Mach 3 and 30,000ft higher
than itself. From the mid-1980s to the
mid-1990s, around 1,000 Super 530Ds
were produced, half for French needs and
the other half for export. The Super 530D
only equipped the Mirage 2000C and was
never fitted on another fighter.
www.Key.Aero // April 2022 79
 AIRCRAFT REPORT // COLOMBIAN AIR FORCE T-6 TEXANS

Colombian Air Force Commander, Gen Ramsés Rueda

Rueda, made it clear that 24 T-6Cs will be acquired by
his force in the future – and Textron Aviation Defense
is ready to serve. It could be that later deliveries will
be fitted with under-wing hardpoints; the T-6C is well
fitted to assume a light offensive role All photos via
the author, unless stated

80 April 2022 // www.Key.Aero

TEXANS
TAKE OVER As Colombia welcomes the T-6C Texan II to replace the
long-serving T-37 Tweet, Cees-Jan van der Ende looks at how
the Air Force is modernizing its fighter pilot training

www.Key.Aero // April 2022 81

 AIRCRAFT REPORT // COLOMBIAN AIR FORCE T-6 TEXANS
T
he Fuerza Aérea Colombiana
(FAC, Colombian Air Force) has
been a longstanding operator
of the venerable Cessna T-37
Tweet. Both the T-37B and
T-37C variants have been in
operation at Comando Aéreo de Combate
1 (CACOM 1) at Palanquero Air Base (AB),
Bogotá. After 53 years of service, the type’s
J69 engines fell silent for the final time as
its successor, the Beechcraft T-6C Texan II
arrived on Colombian soil.
The FAC’s path to renewal in its
fixed-wing training and light combat
assets is currently taking shape as the
Vietnam-era A-37 Dragonflies and T-37
Tweets have recently been retired from
service, respectively, at CACOM 3 located
at Barranquilla on March 31 of 2020 and
CACOM 1 at Palanquero in June 2021.
The first 15 lightly armed T-37C Tweets
with serials ranging from FAC-2100 to
FAC-2114 were acquired for Colombian
Air Force service at Palanquero AB in
1968, where it replaced the Lockheed
82 April 2022 // www.Key.Aero
T-33 Shooting Star. The last USAF-surplus
delivery of T-37Bs began in 2010. Around
38 Tweets served in the FAC and were
the last operational aircraft of its kind in
the Americas.
During an official retirement ceremony
at Palanquero AB (PQE) on June 10,
2021, two Tweets performed a formation
flight with two of the new single-engine
Beechcraft T-6C Texan IIs, marking their
withdrawal from operational FAC service
after more than 50 years of service and
having trained roughly 1,500 pilots,
according to the group commander, Lt
Col Alexander “Lex” Arbolera Medina.
The commander, who himself flew the
Tweet, noted that the twin-engined jet
had become difficult to maintain as it
could take two to three months for spares
to arrive, which had a knock-on effect for
the T-37 Pilot School. This led to the start
of negotiations with US-based company
Textron Aviation Defense in 2018.
The remaining decommissioned
Tweets of Escuadrón de Combate 116
‘Tango’ are currently sidelined between
the operational sun shelters and the
maintenance hangars of the air base
awaiting their fate, whether that is as a
museum piece, mounted on a pole, or
broken up. The Pakistan Air Force is now
the sole remaining military operator of the
aging Tweet.
Props instead of jets
Before selecting the Beechcraft T-6C Texan
II, various options to replace the T-37s
were on the table, the Colombians created
‘Selección Aeronaves de Instrucción Básica
y Primera Meditante el Modelo AHP Difuso
(Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process) Para
la Fuerza Aérea Colombiana’ as a project
name. This project also included the
factory-fresh Ce-172s that are destined for
basic training.
Below: The Americas’
last operational According to sources within the FAC, the
Tweets – pictured Brazilian Embraer A-29 Super Tucano, the
here in 2017 – were Swiss Pilatus PC-9 and PC-21, the Korean
sidelined in June 2021
and are now silently KAI KT-1 Woongbi, and the Czech L-39NG
awaiting their future (the only jet-powered consideration)
Above: FAC-2351 and were evaluated by the FAC. The final two
52 climbing out to
altitude after taking making the shortlist were the Pilatus
off from their new PC-21 and the Beechcraft T-6C Texan II.
home at Palanquero Looking to the future, the requirements
Air Base, which
is roughly located for the Colombian Air Force were not
between the capital only to replace the aging T-37s in their
Bogotá and the training role, but also the Embraer A/T-27
country’s second-
largest city, Medellín Tucanos in their light offensive role. This
is due to issues that have arisen with its
modernization project.
Unfortunately for the Swiss-based Pilatus
aerospace company, the PC-21 lacked any
form of offensive capabilities that would
become crucial for Colombia's ‘internal’
conflict with the various rebel factions.
Purchase cost, life-cycle cost, delivery
Top: New students,
wearing face masks, times, and strategic relationships were
are given instruction considered in the selection process
from their tutors in leading to the T-6C being declared
the sun shelters of the
Colombian Air Force’s the winner of the project in June 2020.
newest asset. Despite this win, Combat Aircraft Journal
understands that the acquisition process
within the FAC General Command was
slightly complicated as funds to obtain the
Texans were a challenge.
Funds within the FAC had to be shifted
and all units had to cut back slightly on
spending to enable the acquisitions
from Textron.
Meeting the new assets
Before the first Texans were delivered
to the FAC, as the newest end-user of
this aircraft type, five young lieutenants
and captains from various operational
backgrounds, along with five ground
technicians, received training at
Beechcraft's facilities in Wichita, Kansas.
The pilots completed two months of
training, including two weeks of ground
school. The remainder of the time was
spent conducting 16 training flights per
www.Key.Aero // April 2022 83
 REPORT STYLE
AIRCRAFT REPORT
// FEATURE
// COLOMBIAN
NAME AIR FORCE T-6 TEXANS

WE DECIDED TO ACCELERATE THE PROGRAM AND INSTEAD OF WAITING

FOR ABOUT TEN FLIGHTS TO GO IN CLOSE FORMATION, WITH THE
COLOMBIAN STUDENTS WE DID IT ON THE THIRD AND FOURTH FLIGHT
Jonathan Wrinn, instructor pilot with Textron Aviation Defense
student in which general handling, low
level, instrumentation, and aerobatic
flights were conducted with new Texans.
Jonathan Wrinn, Textron Aviation’s
chief pilot – production, demo, delivery
and instruction, had been pleasantly
surprised by his Colombian students. He
told Combat Aircraft Journal: “We decided
to accelerate the program and instead of
waiting for about ten flights to go in close
formation, with the Colombian students
we did it on the third and fourth flight,
they were also already adept at close
formation landings.”
Wrinn, a USAF veteran, continued: ”A
lot of that helped as the airplane is very
easy to keep together in formation and
the aircraft has a great thrust to weight
ratio and the power response on the T-6
is the same as on a jet. When slapping up
the throttle to the max, the Texan doesn't

84 April 2022 // www.Key.Aero

over-torque or over temp as it contains
itself and is more carefree. That allowed
them to push the envelope much more
in aggressive aerobatics and aggressive
tactical maneuvering that they had
learned for the first time.”
The T-6C delivery ceremony on April
20 was attended by Tom Hammoor,
president and CEO of Textron Aviation
Defense; Maj Gen Pablo Enrique Garcia
Valencia, Second Commander and Chief of
Staff of the Air Force; and Maj Gen Henry
Quintero Barrios, among others.
On May 4, 2021, T-6Cs FAC-2350
(N2878B) and FAC-2351 (N2804B) left the
Beechcraft Wichita facilities starting a
five-day journey south via several
stopovers in Central America. FAC-2350
arrived in Bogotá, under some quite
secrecy on May 8, while FAC-2351
experienced a delay but finally arrived in-
country on May 13. FAC Commander Gen are reporting that the contract for the Above: The Pratt &
Ramsés Rueda Rueda marked the arrival purchase of the first three aircraft is Whitney PT6A-68-
powered trainers
of the T-6, declaring it to be: “An aircraft valued at more than $28.7m. This includes cruise over the
with [the] highest standards, which will spares, ground equipment, training for rugged landscape
train new pilots now and later, be part of pilots, maintenance staff, etc. There is of Cundinamarca
province, where
combat squadrons to counter the threats speculation on the exact number of Palanquero is located
and defend our national sovereignty.” aircraft on order, but Gen Martínez is
He continued: “The Colombians know expecting to receive between two and
that the FAC pursues NATO standards, to four more aircraft in 2022, with a total
which we now are their global partners, of 12 Texans to be assigned to 116
aiming for interoperability.” Squadron. Gen Rueda noted in his speech
PQE Commander Brig Gen Juan Jaime during the Texans’ inauguration that the
Martínez Ossa noted: “The arrival of the FAC’s requirement for the T-6C is currently
Texans will be an important start for new set at 24 aircraft. Left: Group
pilots in the FAC.” New T-6 Squadron Commander Capt Commander Lt Col
With the introduction of the T-6Cs, the Cristian Andrés “Warrior” Guerrero feels Alexander “Lex”
Arbolera Medina
squadron name changed to Escuadrón de it is a real honor to lead the new step proudly leads his new
Entrenamiento Vuelo Básico T-6C ‘Texan’. for the FAC. He said: “It requires a lot of team of instructors.
Currently, FAC-2352 and FAC-2353 have responsibility and is not always easy, but I Lex is also managing
the establishment of
joined the J79-powered IAI Kfir on the view it as one of the best things that have the new fixed-wing
PQE concrete. Colombian media outlets happened to me.” aviation school
www.Key.Aero // April 2022 85
 AIRCRAFT REPORT // COLOMBIAN AIR FORCE T-6 TEXANS
He continued: “The aircraft has great
capabilities that will allow the pilots to
multiply their skills.
“Young lieutenants arriving only have
40 hours of basic flight training and, in my
squadron, they will fly around 150 hours in
aerobatic, close formation flight, air-to-air,
and air-to-ground missions providing
them the ability to become a fighter pilot.”
Besides supervising the new display
team, Lt Col Arbolera Medina is also
directing the yet-to-be established school
at Palanquero, which will move from Cali.
Under the project name ‘Skyhawk’, four
brand new Ce-172s will operate under the
same umbrella as the Texans. However, it
is planned that the Cessnas will be based
A NEW DISPLAY TEAM IN THE MAKING
The T-6 Sqn Cdr Capt “Warrior” Guerrero
will supervise the aerobatic team that is
being created.
First steps are being taken with four
smoke generator-equipped Texans. The
aim is to bring the team to six aircraft for
displays with two aircraft as spares.
Group Commander Lt Col “Lex” Arbolera
Medina announced that Capt “Linx”
86 April 2022 // www.Key.Aero
at the one-mile-long concrete airstrip
Valásquez, some 15 minutes flying time
southeast of Palanquero. The latter is
deemed too busy for the 20-24 Ce-172s
that are planned to operate for primary
pilot training. The school will be named
Escuela Internacional Ala Fija (ESIAF,
International Fixed Wing School), for
primary, basic, and advanced training, in
the Latin American military market.
Until last year, training Air Force pilots in
Colombia was concentrated around the
T-90 Calima, T-41 Mescalero, T-27 Tucano,
and T-37 Tweet. Standardization with
the Ce-172s and the T-6C Texans is a leap
forward for the Colombian Air Force in
terms of capabilities and simplicity.
Fiandiño is the first leader of the new
team. The first female pilot on the
Colombian Air Force's A-29 Super Tucano
in 2013, Linx became a combat mission
leader in 2015. In 2021, the captain was
selected to be an instructor pilot on the
brand new Texans.
She will have a challenging task ahead,
leading her team as proud ambassadors
Left: Captain Izeth
THE TEXAN
“Linx” Fiandiño,
became the very first
leader of the new
team, to be named
The Colombian Texan II features an ‘Texan’. Her group
open-architecture cockpit, with three commander, Lt Col
multi-function liquid crystal displays, a Arbolera Medina,
flight control system featuring a announced that the
hands-on throttle and stick (HOTAS), team will comprise six
two Martin-Baker MkUS16LA 0/0 display aircraft
ejection seats, and an Integrated Up-
Front Control Panel (UFCP). It also has
advanced Esterline CMC Cockpit 4000
avionics with double flight management
systems (FMS) certified by the FAA,
GPS/INS navigation systems, Head-
Up Display (HUD), and digital video
recorder, among other state-of-the-art
systems. In terms of performance, the
Texan II has a Pratt & Whitney PT6A-68
engine, which has a power of 1,100hp
that allows it to fly at a cruising altitude
of 31,000ft and reach a cruising speed of
320mph with a range of more than 1,000
miles, which can be extended with two
external fuel tanks.
Installation of electromechanical mast
pylons at six hardpoints (three per side)
on the underside of the wing allows the
aircraft to carry external stores. The
NATO-standard 14in lug configuration
is not incorporated even though all
provisions are installed and ready for
use. It is deemed a matter of time and
funds until the Colombian Texans are
converted to the T-6C+ standard.
Below: Pilot “Linx”
Fiandiño lands her
of the Colombian Air Force all around
Texan after returning
from a late afternoon
local training sortie
the Americas.
The Group Commander noted that the
FAC is eyeing several aerobatic teams
or schools, commercial and military, in
the Americas and the United Kingdom
to assist the team. As with the naming
process, no concrete decisions have yet
been made.

BRIGADIER GENERAL PLANS PATH AHEAD
Brig Gen Juan Jaime Martínez Ossa
ascended to the command of
Palanquero AB’s (PQE) Comando Aéro
de Combate 1 (CACOM 1) in November
2020. He is a former transport and
combat pilot with nearly 6,300 hours
in his logbook on the Tweet, Bronco,
Do-328, Super Tucano, and Fokker F-28.
His responsibilities are spread over the
airspace of seven states, with some
6.7million inhabitants.
The CACOM 1 commander aims
to have an aerobatic team: “We are
working hard to achieve this goal.”
He said the Kfir only has two years left
as the prime fighter bomber in the
Colombian Air Force, as spares are not
easy to come by and are expensive. The
general estimates that the Kfir costs
approximately $7,000 per flight hour.
He explained: “Colombians must
understand that this project is to defend
the nation and that investment in a new
fighter aircraft is for the future security of
our country.
Above: All four T-6s
are fitted with smoke
generators and the
instructor pilots
“After 2023, it will be a challenge to train for their future
guarantee our air defense.” assignment. The new
Recent reports, as well as a source team will remain part
within the FAC, suggest that the United of the Escuadrón de
States government is offering surplus Entrenamiento Vuelo
Básico T-6C ‘Texan’
Royal Danish Air Force (RDAF) Lockheed
Martin F-16AM/BM Fighting Falcons via
the Military Assistance Program. The
former RDAF Vipers would then serve
as an intermediate solution before new
F-16Vs that would become available
after 2025. However, nothing is still
known about any firm contact between Left: Colombian Air
Lockheed Martin and Colombia. Force pilots in the new
The general noted diplomatically that T-6 Texan II ‘office’
the project is still under review and three
candidates (Viper, Gripen, and Typhoon)
are being studied. “It is a political
decision,” he concluded.
Whatever the outcome on the FAC’s
new fighter aircraft selection, the new
leap forward with the Beechcraft T-6C
Texan II will ensure Colombian Air Force
pilots will be well prepared for any new
Kfir replacement to be acquired.
www.Key.Aero // April 2022 87
 BASE REPORT// GATEWAY TO THE PACIFIC

GATEWAY
PACIFIC
TO
THE
In light of Air Mobility Command’s outstanding work during
the evacuation of Kabul, Scott Cuong Tran and Nick Tran
visited its busiest hub, Travis AFB in California, to find out
how the US provides effective global transport

Right: Airman 1st

Class Dominic Moberly
of the 60th Aerial
Port Squadron at
Travis AFB prepares
to ‘chalk’ a C-17
Globemaster prior to
loading the aircraft
with equipment for a
simulated deployment
USAF/Ken Wright

88 April 2022 // www.Key.Aero

 N
Above: From the top
hatch on a C-5M
Super Galaxy, a
visiting KC-135 is
visible, along with a
KC-10 and C-17. A
KC-10 is in flight in
Army airfield in response to the attack
the distance Authors on Pearl Harbor in December 1941 and
ortheast of San Francisco,
the town of Fairfield hosts
Travis Air Force Base (AFB),
home base of the 60th and
349th Air Mobility Wings.
Travis was initially built as an
was originally named the Fairfield-Suisun
Army Air Base (AAB). Activated in May
1943, to protect the west coast from a
Japanese invasion, it hosted medium
bombers of the 4th Air Force such as the
A-20 Havoc, A-26 Invader, B-25 Mitchell
and B-26 Marauder. Its strategic location
as a transfer point to the Pacific was
quickly noticed and it was assigned to the
Army Air Corps Air Transport Command.
By the end of the war, Fairfield-Suisun
AAB had established itself as the gateway
to the Pacific for air transportation. In
1949, Strategic Air Command (SAC) took
control of the base and began flying the
B-29 Superfortress, B-36 Peacemaker
and B-52 Stratofortress of the 14th
Air Division as part of its long-range
bombing and reconnaissance tasks.
In August 1950, a B-29 carrying
20 passengers and an explosive
payload crashed shortly after
take-off, killing 19 people, including
Brigadier General Robert F Travis.
Base officials successfully petitioned to
rename the base in honor of this popular
commander. Travis AFB experienced
its greatest land expansion under SAC,
gaining 6,000 acres.
Air Mobility Command
Now a part of Air Mobility Command,
Travis AFB has hosted the 60th Air
Mobility Wing (AMW) and the Reserve
Wing 349th AMW since 1966. The 60th
and 349th AMW currently operate the KC-
10A Extender, C-17A Globemaster III and
C-5M Super Galaxy for air-to-air refueling
and transport of cargo and personnel.
Previous platforms flown by the 60th and
349th include the KC-135A Stratotanker,
C-141 Starlifter and C-133 Cargomaster.
Travis is now the 'Gateway to the Pacific’,
moving more cargo and personnel than
any other US military base.
60th Operations Group
The 60th Operations Group is the Wing’s
www.Key.Aero // April 2022 89
 BASE REPORT// GATEWAY TO THE PACIFIC

KC-10 EXTENDER
Augmenting the KC-135 Stratotanker fleet
are 59 KC-10 Extenders, 27 of which are
based at Travis AFB.
The mission of the KC-10 is to provide aerial
refueling capability. The USAF contracted
McDonnell Douglas to provide a total of 60
KC-10s, which is based on the civilian DC-10.
The first models were delivered in 1981.
Among the reasons the USAF selected the
Extender were its ability to take off from
shorter runways, nearly 90% commonality
with the civilian DC-10 allowing for easier
acquisition of parts, an increase of fuel
capacity of nearly 50% over the KC-135 and
the additional capability to use the probe-
and-drogue system to refuel Navy, Marine
Corps and other allied aircraft.
The refueling boom is controlled by the
plane’s boom operator, who operates in
the aft of the aircraft and uses a joystick to
manouvre the device. The boom operator
is also in direct communication with the
recipient pilot to ensure the refuelling is
executed safely and efficiently. A general
rule of aviation is to not allow anything to
touch an aircraft while airborne, yet these
professionals intentionally link up their
planes while transferring highly flammable
fuel during aerial refueling. There is intense
pressure to get it right because any delay in
refueling may endanger the next aircraft in
line if they are critically low on fuel.
Above: A USAF KC-10
Extender, C-5M Super
Galaxy and a C-17
Globemaster III are
parked on the ramp
during the 60th
Air Mobility Wing
Change of Command
ceremony at Travis
USAF/Heide Couch

A KC-10 Extender at Travis while another makes a final approach. Although the KC-l0’s primary mission is aerial refueling, it can combine the tasks
of a tanker and cargo aircraft by refueling fighters while simultaneously carrying support personnel and equipment USAF/Heide Couch

flying group, consisting of the 21st and
22nd Airlift Squadrons (AS), 6th and
9th Air Refueling Squadrons (ARS) and
the 60th Operations Support Squadron
(OSS). The 21st AS operates the C-17
Globemaster III and the 22nd AS deploys
the C-5M Super Galaxy. Both Air Refueling
Squadrons keep the fuel flowing with
the KC-10 Extender. Meanwhile, weather
forecasts, training and airfield operations
are handled by the 60th Operations participated in a record-setting around- Below: Part of the
Support Squadron. the-world flight in 1995 by refueling two fleet assigned to
Travis AFB parked on
The 60th AMW has participated in a B-1B Lancers on their non-stop 36-hour the base’s flightline.
number of significant operations since 13-minute mission across the globe. Travis is home to
the end of World War Two, including three aircraft that
provide tactical and
the Berlin Airlift (Operation Vittles), the Reserve component strategic airlift: the
Gulf War (Operations Desert Shield and The 349th AMW is the Reserve KC-10 Extender, the
Desert Storm) and the Global War on component to the 60th AMW and C-17 Globemaster
III and the C-5M
Terror (Operations Enduring Freedom is grouped similarly to include the Super Galaxy USAF/
and Iraqi Freedom). The 60th AMW also Operations, Maintenance, Mission Christian Conrad

90 April 2022 // www.Key.Aero

Left: The KC-10 boom Support, and Medical groups. The Air of active military personnel to fulfill
is extended and Force Reserve augments the active-duty those missions.
ready to offload fuel
to a C-5. The boom component by flying and maintaining The 349th Operations Group has seven
operator controls its the same front-line aircraft. Nearly squadrons, with the 70th and 79th ARS
movement as well 90% of the Reservists serve at least 40 operating the KC-10, the 301st AS with
as the flight control
surfaces on either days per year and can maintain civilian the C-17, and the 312th AS with the C-5.
side of the boom jobs. These so-called 'citizen airmen’ Rounding out the Operations Group is the
USAF/Louis Briscese have become a key component in US 349th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron,
national defense by filling operational Operations Support Squadron and
requirements when there is a shortfall Mission Support Squadron.

C-17 GLOBEMASTER III

One of the most versatile aircraft in
the USAF inventory is the Boeing
C-17A Globemaster III. It can
perform a large variety of missions,
including cargo airlift, paratroop
airdrops and medical evacuations.
The C-17 can perform all these
functiions while only needing
3,500ft of runway (the C-5, in
comparison, requires a minimum of
6,000ft) and it can even land at
austere locations. This opens more
locations for use by the C-17,
making it much more versatile in
projecting American airpower
across the globe. According to
some USAF studies, the C-17 is
capable of landing at more than
9,900 airfields around the world,
including Antarctica, making the
entire planet accessible to the USAF
with a large payload.
The C-17 is currently used by
eight other air forces, including
India and the UK. Although the
USAF initially ordered 120 C-17s, its
success prompted the order to be
increased to 223, 13 of which reside
at Travis AFB.
Built with maintenance in
mind, the C-17 only requires 20
man-hours of maintenance for
every hour of flight, meaning the
Globemaster III spends less time in
the shop and more time in the air
completing its missions.

A C-17 Globemaster III from the 301st Airlift

Squadron, 349th Air Mobility Wing at Travis
AFB is refueled by a KC-10 Extender. The C-17
was conducting a local training mission in
Northern California USAF/Louis Briscese

www.Key.Aero // April 2022 91

 BASE REPORT// GATEWAY TO THE PACIFIC

C-5M SUPER GALAXY

The Lockheed Martin C-5M Super Galaxy is the
largest aircraft in the USAF inventory in both physical
Lieutenant Chromy is dwarfed by the
huge C-5 as its crew performs pre flight
size and capacity of payload. As tall as a six-storey checks for a training mission Authors
building, this massive aircraft can seemingly
transport the entire US military arsenal. The C-5 can
carry two CH-47 Chinooks from the United States to
Australia, a mission completed in 2021.
The ability to transport bulky items is the bread
and butter of the C-5 and its crew. Heavy equipment
that would normally need to be transported over
water can instead be moved rapidly by air and
be offloaded faster than at a traditional seaport.
Clearly, this has major force projection implications,
as combat vehicles and aircraft can be deployed
at a moment’s notice around the world. The Super
Galaxy plays an important role in maintaining global
security by constantly providing resources.

The future Captain McNatt of the 349th AMXS explained days during his deployment. Not only was he
Looking to the future, Travis AFB will receive 24
that their C-17s were able to extract 500 to 600 responsible for perimeter security of the C-17
Boeing KC-46A Pegasus aircraft to replace the
refugees each with the help of extended range on the ground, he also “provided flight deck
KC-10s on base. The first delivery is scheduled for
fuel tanks above the cargo area. Although not denial, and would post security so the refugees
July 2023 and the final KC-46 will arrive in 2025.
its primary mission, Travis KC-10 crews showed couldn’t get to the cockpit.” As part of their
To integrate the KC-46 into Travis, a Program
flexibility and a willingness to contribute to security responsibilities, the RAVENs checked
Integration Office Team, spearheaded by
the operation by whisking more than 3,300 each refugee for white wristbands indicating
Lieutenant Colonel Theo Fisher, is actively
Americans and Afghans to safety. Staff Sgt the person had been properly vetted. When
working to transition to the Pegasus. Chief
Murray, a KC-10 maintainer, recalled that every unauthorized people made it to the aircraft,
among their properties is to construct a giant
space in the cargo area of the KC-10 was filled Travis RAVENs removed them with the help of
maintenance hangar, which will be able to
with empty pallets with two cargo straps over additional security forces.
accommodate KC-46s and any other aircraft
them, and the refugees “sat down and held on On August 16, 2021, a now-viral video surfaced
in the AMC inventory except the C-5. Lt Col
for dear life.” In total, Travis aircraft flew more than of desperate Afghan refugees crowding a runway
Fisher explained that this hangar “is designed to
200 sorties, helped over 10,000 people escape at Hamid Karzai International Airport as a C-17
enclose three KC-46 Pegasus aircraft, providing
the Taliban, moved 170,000 tons of cargo and was attempting to take off. Immediately after
our maintainers with major repair capabilities
deployed more than 350 crewmembers. this incident, Travis RAVENs and their US Army
not otherwise possible in outdoor flightline
Other personnel from Travis contributed to counterparts were deployed to the airport and
operations. Additionally, the facility will be
the humanitarian mission. Special members of were able to restore order and security by August
equipped with modern amenities such as an
the Security Forces, known as RAVENs, provided 18, 2021 – a testament to their professionalism
overhead fall restraint system, KC-46 boom repair
security for the AMC C-17s that landed at Kabul. and training.
station and wing aerial refueling pod overhaul
Under normal circumstances, a RAVEN team Meanwhile, medical personnel from the 60th
and storage areas.” The 660th and 749th AMXS
has three to four members, with at least two and 349th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadrons
will maintain the Travis KC-46s. Travis will be
providing exterior security and one 'shooter’ provided care to refugees and Americans,
leading AMCs west coast operations into the
on the aircraft who is able to provide back- putting in long and stressful hours over the
future with the Pegasus.
up in the form of an M-4 rifle and M-9 pistol. course of a month. These professionals endured
During Operation Allies Refuge, teams were a high-tempo and ever-changing environment,
Operation Allies Refuge pared down to two RAVENs, all while increasing including airborne childbirths.
Although the AMC generally does not receive operational tempo at a feverish pace. Staff Sgt Another group of elite airmen in Operation
front-page recognition for its role in the Global McFerran recalled that he flew 10 missions in 14 Allies Refuge were the AMLOs, some of whom are
War on Terror, the airmen at Travis AFB had part of the 621st CRW at Travis. Several AMLOs
a direct and actionable effect during the provided air traffic control co-ordination and a
evacuation of Kabul in 2021, known as Operation safe transition after US forces left the area. They
Allies Refuge. Seven out of Travis’ 13 C-17s were collaborated with the 82nd Airborne Division,
deployed to the relief effort and evacuated more contingency response forces and airfield officials
than 7,000 refugees in two-and-a-half weeks. to ensure efficient air transport.

A C-5M Super Galaxy loaded with cargo, passenger seats and aircrew from the 349th Air Mobility Wing at Travis Air Force Base, California, is
prepared for departure prior to a mission supporting the Afghanistan evacuation in 2021. The 349th AMW is providing rapid global mobility to
assist the US State Department in the safe evacuation of Americans and allied civilian personnel from Afghanistan USAF/Brady Penn

92 April 2022 // www.Key.Aero

Above: A 22-aircraft 621st Contingency Wing (CRW) maintains an alert footing
‘freedom launch’
took place at Travis
AFB on September
Response Wing
One of the unique missions of the air
to rapidly create and open airfields
domestically and around the globe
EXPERIENCING
11, 2013. Seven
C-17 Globemaster
IIIs, 11 KC-10
force is expeditionary airlift, which
entails providing airfield capabilities in
wherever and whenever required.
The 621st CRW utilizes Air Mobility
THE ACTION
On a rainy November morning, a C-5M
Extenders and four austere, remote or otherwise suboptimal Liaison Officers (AMLO) who work closely Super Galaxy, serial 87-0029, thundered its
C-5B Galaxies from conditions. Speed, agility and mobility are with Air Combat Command (ACC), the way into the heavens with the authors of
the 60th Air Mobility this feature on board. The crew was on its
Wing launched key to modern warfare, but supply chains US Army and the US Marine Corps to
way to a refueling track to practice
consecutively over need to keep up to ensure the warfighters deliver critical and relevant supplies to the
36 minutes to take connecting with the boom of a KC-10
get the required supplies. fighting forces. The 621st CRW has self- Extender. No fewer than four pilots of
part in Air Mobility
Command missions To match the pace of forward-deployed sufficient squadrons that can deploy and varying ranks and experiences had the
USAF/Heide Couch soldiers, the 621st Contingency Response bring all requirements for airlifts. controls of the C-5 at some point during the
three-hour flight. A young captain who had
never performed an aerial refuel was being
instructed how to approach the tanker,
while a veteran lieutenant colonel who was
a command pilot masterfully guided his
aircraft to link up with the boom.
Throughout the process, the boom
operator and pilot were in constant
communication with each other, while
the C-5 copilot offered constant guidance
to the aircraft commander. To provide a
more intense and real-world scenario,
both aircraft practiced a radio silent
contact and emergency breakaway using
the pilot director indicator (PDI) lights
on the KC-10 for communication. The
PDI lights indicated the approach for the
C-5, telling the receiving aircraft to pull
forward or aft as necessary until contact
with the boom was made. To perform a
radio silent emergency breakaway, the PDI
lights flashed for 10 seconds and the C-5
descended rapidly to create space between
the two aircraft. In a great display of proper
crew resource management, all members
were able to talk to each other freely and
point out potential safety issues.

Key’s Travis AFB book: If you have enjoyed this

Above: Maj GenTimothy M Zadalis, commander of the 618th Tanker Airlift Control Center, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, delivers a C-5M feature, then you will be interested in the authors’
Super Galaxy to Travis AFB on April 28, 2015. The newly-modernized aircraft is the sixth C-5M to return to Travis following retrograde book on Travis AFB: The USAF’s Transport
and refurbishment. Travis aircrews fly the new M-model around the world, supporting Department of Defense missions with improved Superbase in Action, which is now on sale and
capabilities such as fuel efficiency, reduced noise and greater payloads. On April 3, 2015, a Travis aircrew claimed 45 aeronautical records advertised on page 31 - Key Publishing VIP Club.
in a C-5M, positioning the US military’s largest airframe as the top aviation record holder with a total of 86 world records USAF/Ken Wright

www.Key.Aero // April 2022 93

 AIRCRAFT DELIVERY // HELLENIC AIR FORCE RAFALES

332 MIRA
After delivery of the first six
Rafale DG/EGs to 332 Mira of
the Hellenic Air Force, Babak
Taghvaee reports on the future
of the squadron and the fate

Welcoming the Rafale of its Mirage 2000-SG3s

A
NEW CHAPTER began for
the Hellenic Air Force (HAF)
when its first Rafale DG/EG
multirole fighters arrived at
Tanagra Air Base. They were
delivered to squadron 332
Mira during a welcoming ceremony on
January 19, attended by Greek Prime
Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and other
high-ranking officials such as the Chief
of the Air Force, Lieutenant General
Georgios Blioumis.
The Greek government announced
on September 12, 2020 that it had
selected the Rafale multirole fighter jet
to replace its ageing Mirage 2000BGM/
EGMs. The country’s parliament thus
gave the green light for procurement On January 25, 2021, French Minister Above: Greek Prime HAF. After two months of maintenance
of 18 Rafales. The decision was part of of Defense, Florence Parly traveled Minister, Kyriakos work, the Fighter Wings delivered the
Mitsotakis meeting
the France-Greece strategic partnership to Greece to meet the Greek Prime the first Greek Rafale aircraft to Dassault Aviation, which
following the rising threat seen to be Minister, Defense Minister and Chief of pilots during the upgraded them to F3-R standard prior to
posed by Turkey. the Air Force. The order of 18 Dassault welcome ceremony on handover to Greece. The Rafale Bs were
January 19, 2022
In September 2020, the Hellenic Air Rafales, worth €1.8bn, was officially renamed as Rafale DGs while the Rafale
Force had 32 Mirage 2000s left in service placed on that day. Twelve second-hand Cs were renamed as Rafale EGs with the
with the 114 Combat Wing at Tanagra. rafales were to be supplied from the ‘E’ suffix standing for multirole.
Below: Serials 411,
Twenty-four were Mirage 2000-5BG/EGs inventory of the French Air and Space 412, 402 and 413, The first Rafale DG of the Hellenic
with RDY-2 radars operated by 331 Mira. Force, while the other six were to be four of the first six Air Force was given the serial number
The other eight were Mirage 2000BGM/ new-builds directly from the factory. Rafale F3-Rs of 401 (it had been a Rafale B, serial 305
Hellenic Air Force
EGMs equipped with RDM radars and in Commencing March 2021, the 4th lined up on the ramp in the French Air and Space Force) and
service with 332 Mira. The latter unit had Fighter Wing at Saint-Dizier and the 30th of 332 Mira during officially handed over at the Dassault
ten more Mirage 2000EGMs in storage. Fighter Wing at Mont-de-Marsan each the ceremony Aviation facility in BA125, Istres on July
All images
The 18 Rafales were scheduled to be prepared one Rafale B and two Rafale Cs Babak Taghvaee 21, 2021. The last aircraft of the first
delivered on stream from 2022. from their inventory for delivery to the unless stated batch of six was a Rafale EG serial 413

94 April 2022 // www.Key.Aero

with delivery taking place in December
2021. It was previously a Rafale C of
the French 30th Fighter Wing based at
Mont-de-Marsan.
Delivery to 332 Mira
On January 19, 2022, almost a year
after finalization of the deal, 332 ‘Hawk’
Squadron of the HAF received its first
batch of six aircraft, comprising two
Rafale DGs with serials 401 and 402 and
four Rafale EGs (serials 410 to 413) during
an official ceremony.
The first batch of six Rafale F3-Rs
were at Dassault Aviation’s Bordeaux
facility for use by the Dassault’s CTC
(Conversion Training Center) until Friday,
January 14, 2022, when they were
flown to Air Base No.125 (in the same
city) where Dassault Aviation has a test
facility and then later flown to Greece.
After a flight of almost 2hrs 15mins
the two three-ship formations of Rafale
F3-Rs arrived north of Athens. The
Rafales were escorted by three Mirage
2000s from 331 Mira. They were a pair of
Mirage 2000-5BGs serials 506 and 509,
plus a Mirage 2000-5EG, serial 547.
Above: A Rafale DG of Hellenic Air Force with 401 serial number returning to Bordeaux airport in France following an air combat training
mission on December 14, 2021 Below: The historic moment when the first of 18 Hellenic Air Force Rafales arrived on Greek soil.
The initial example to touch down was a Rafale EG serial 412 Stam Pittas
CEREMONIAL FLYPAST
Above: Three Rafale F3-Rs of Hellenic Air Force escorted by two Mirage 2000-5BGs of Mira 331
fly over Tanagra Air Base in the southeast of the country during the welcome ceremony
After performing a flypast over the ancient site of the
Acropolis, the formation of six Rafales accompanied by
the two Mirage 2000-5BGs divided in two formations.
The first consisted of three Rafales and two Mirage
2000-5BGs. The second formation of three Rafale F3-Rs
followed. Afterwards, the Mirage 2000-5BGs and the
Mirage 2000-5EG returned and landed at Tanagra.
After the Mirages landed, the six Rafales joined up
and flew in a Delta formation over Tanagra Air Base.
At the request of the base commander, each Rafale
performed a low pass and bank over the ramp of 332
Mira before landing.
Each of the single-seater Rafale EGs had a 2,000 lit
external fuel tank, while each of the Rafale DGs had a
pair of 1,250 lit external tanks carried under the wings.
These tanks helped them to fly directly from Istres to
Tanagra without needing to refuel. To save fuel, the
formation climbed to 45,000ft altitude and flew at
Mach 0.9 speed.
ORDER OF DELIVERY
Model Serial
Rafale F3-R 412
Rafale EG 410
Rafale EG 411
Rafale DG 401
Rafale EG 413
Rafale DG 402
During the handover ceremony
French Ambassador Patrick Maisonnave
said: “The Greek authorities have once
again put their trust into the French
aeronautical industry by selecting
the incredible combat aircraft which
will protect Greece’s airspace in the
following decades. After Mirage F1,
Mirage 2000, Mirage 2000-5, at the turn
of the century, a new chapter has begun
for the Greek Air Force and the co-
operation between France and Greece.
Obviously, I am very happy to be here
today to attend this very important
moment for the Greek armed forces.
The Greek and French authorities acted
strongly and quite swiftly to facilitate
the arrival of these aircraft today – and I
should say in a very short time.”
CEO of Dassault Aviation, Éric Trappier
also gave a speech during the events.
He said: “On September 12, 2020 in
Thessaloniki you officially announced,
Mr Prime Minister [Mitsotakis], your
decision to acquire 18 Rafales as soon
as possible.”
He continued: ”For Greece, this was
and still is a matter of addressing the
strategic context in the Mediterranean
and, in [the] context of... tension, French
President Macron decided to show full
support for Greece and allowed the
deployment of French Air Force Rafales
in the area. It took less than a year to

www.Key.Aero // April 2022 95

 AIRCRAFT DELIVERY // HELLENIC AIR FORCE RAFALES
THE MIRAGE AT 332
In 1985, Greece bought four Mirage 2000BGs and
36 Mirage 2000EGs under the ‘Talos’ contract. A year
later, 360 Matra R.550 Magic II IR-Guided air-to-air
missiles were purchased for them. The Mirage 2000s
were delivered in a period of four years between
1988 and 1992. Two squadrons were formed under
the supervision of 114 Combat Wing at Tanagra to
operate them: 331 Mira ‘Theseas’ on April 27, 1988 and
332 Mira ‘Hawk’ on August 11, 1989. They were both
all-weather squadrons, responsible for air defense with
the primary task of protecting Greek airspace.
In 1994, Greece procured 150 Matra Super-530D semi-
active radar homing medium-range air-to-air missiles
for the Mirages with deliveries taking place two years
later. In 1997, 50 AM.39 Exocet anti-ship missiles were
ordered for use by the Mirages which were delivered
between 1998 and 2003. To be capable of using the
missiles, some of the aircraft were upgraded to what
came to be called the Mirage 2000EG-SG3.
With the procurement and delivery of the Mirage
Serial 217, seen here landing at Tanagra AB is said to be one of the last five still airworthy Mirage 2000EGM-SG3s of 332 Mira
“THE GREEK AND FRENCH AUTHORITIES ACTED STRONGLY AND QUITE SWIFTLY TO FACILITATE
THE ARRIVAL OF THESE AIRCRAFT TODAY – AND I SHOULD SAY IN A VERY SHORT TIME”
Water salute for the Rafale DG/EGs of
Hellenic Air Force before they enter the
ramp of 332 Mira on January 19, 2022
96 April 2022 // www.Key.Aero
2000-5BG/EGs, 331 Mira became operator of the new
aircraft leaving all non-upgraded Mirage 2000BGM/
EGMs for 332 Mira. When the Greek government chose
Dassault Rafale for acquisition as the next fighter jet
of the Hellenic Air Force just eight of these Mirage
2000BGM/EGMs had been left operational. This is
currently reduced to six, including five single-seater
Mirage 2000EGM-SG3s.
On January 19, 2022, HAF’s 332 Mira brought a Mirage
2000EGM with 210 serial number to the official
handover ceremony of its first batch of Rafale DG/EGs.
The aircraft was not operational and had been kept in
storage alongside at least 11 other Mirage 2000EGMs.
Despite delivery of the first six Rafale F3-Rs to 332
Mira, the squadron will continue operating one Mirage
2000BGM and five Mirage 2000EGMs until mid-June
when the first newly built Rafale EG will be delivered.
The HAF hopes to sell the last of its operational Mirage
2000BGM/EGMs as well as up to ten examples kept in
good condition.
hand over the first Rafale to the Hellenic
Air Force and it took less than a year and
half in total to complete the training of
pilots and mechanics [to enable us] to
see the six aircraft today landing at the
base of Tanagra.”
Possible after-life
Dassault Aviation may refurbish,
overhaul and upgrade these surplus
Mirage 2000BGM/EGMs and sell them
to privately owned businesses to be
contracted as airborne training aircraft,
often termed as aggressors.
One of these companies is Procor, based
at Luxeuil Air Base (BA116), which has
already shown interest in obtaining six
to 12 of the Mirages after retirement
from HAF service.
The firm owns 12 ex-Brazilian Air Force
Mirage 2000s and will have the first
aircraft operational within the next three
months. With the withdrawal of Mirage
2000BGM/EGM from 332 Mira service in
summer 2022, the anti-shipping tasks of
the squadron will be carried out by the
Rafale DG/EGs, as the squadron’s Rafale
pilots will finish their training for using
the AM39 Exocet Block II missile.
At the same time, the unit will receive
a first batch of Meteor beyond visual
range air-to-air missiles as well as MICA
NG (New Generation) IR-Guided short-
range air-to-air missiles. This will then
lead to the Rafale EGs undertaking Quick
Reaction Alert missions at 114 Combat
Wing from July 2022.

DISPATCHES FROM THE
FRONT LINE OF AEROSPACE
TECHNOLOGY BY DAVID AXE
A
rguably, the biggest innovation in
the world’s leading air force isn’t
technological, it’s organizational.
The US Air Force (USAF) is setting up
new logistics units that are optimized
specifically for
high-intensity warfare. These ‘air base squadrons’
would pack up engineering and refueling gear,
and other support equipment, then deploy to
austere airfields to prepare for fighters, bombers
and drones to arrive – and they’d do it fast.
The idea is to help spread the USAF’s warplanes
across as many small airstrips, as close to the front
lines as possible. This ‘distributed’ deployment
could help squadrons avoid enemy bombardment
and mitigate the ‘tyranny of distance’ – the
extreme mileage between bases and targets – that
poses a particular problem in the Western Pacific.
As the USAF scrambles to reorganize for
distributed operations against a high-tech,
well-armed foe, the irony is that one of its sister
services has already done so. The US Marine Corps
(USMC) is way ahead of the USAF when it comes to
quickly setting up austere bases.
Officials with Air Combat Command (ACC)
announced the new ‘air base squadron’ initiative
in comments to Air Force Magazine back in January
ENHANCING AUSTERE OPS
this year. ACC support personnel will reorganize
to “get out the door in a timely manner,” Col Frank
Marconi, chief of the ACC’s Logistics Readiness
Division, told the publication.
Just a few years ago, USAF squadrons only ever
deployed to large, established air bases with their
own resident engineers, refuelers, munitions
troops and other support personnel. To be able
to fly and fight far from home, these units only
had to bring their aircraft, pilots, maintainers and
command staff.
However, in recent years, USAF planners came
around to the idea that, in the event of a major
war with a ‘peer’ enemy, these big bases would
be too few, too far from the likeliest battlefield,
and too vulnerable.
Take the Western Pacific, for example. where
the main USAF hubs at Andersen Air Force Base
in Guam, and Kadena Air Base in Japan are,
respectively, 1,300 and 2,000 miles from the
disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea
– too far for fighters to reach without extensive
support from big, slow and vulnerable tankers.
It wouldn’t take many ballistic missiles for, say,
the People’s Liberation Army to knock out both
Andersen and Kadena.
To keep combat squadrons in the fight amid
bombardment – and to get them closer to the
front lines – the USAF has drawn up a master
list of what Gen Wilsbach, the head of Pacific Air
Forces (PACAF), described as “every single piece of
concrete” in the Pacific region.
There are dozens of small airports, divert airfields
and derelict airstrips leftover from World War Two.
Some are inside the so-called ‘first island chain’
that stretches from Japan to the Philippines, and
roughly defines the eastern boundary of China’s
territorial ambitions.
With some quick repairs and a bare minimum
of certain equipment, many of these airfields
could support combat aircraft in the future. The
USAF has long possessed expeditionary support
capabilities, but the key personnel for any given
austere base rehabilitation are scattered across
wings and commands.
The new ‘air base squadron’ initiative ensures
that each combat wing has all the people it needs,
within its own ranks, to support an austere base.
“We want a cohesive team that’s trained together
before [a] crisis, so they’re ready to operate
under pressure with the extra challenges that are
presented when you’re deployed,” Marconi told
Air Force Magazine.
It’s unclear just how fast the ‘air base squadrons’
could deploy to a rough base, prep it and start
generating combat sorties. The USMC set the
gold standard. “It’s hasty,” said Lt Col D’Ambrogi,
commander of VMFA-211 ‘Wake Island Avengers’.
“A warning order drops [and] execution happens
within 72 hours of that.”
It normally takes one of the USMC’s 13 Marine
Aircraft Groups to send support troops to an
austere location and begin preparing for combat
operations. If the annual Exercise Winter Fury
– which was played out across the US West Coast
from late January – is any indication, the rough
bases could start generating sorties within a day or
two after the first troops arrive.
During that exercise, Marine infantry and base
troops from California conducted a mock
air-assault at a regional airport in Washington
state, then transformed the airport into a base for
USMC F-35s and US Navy F/A-18s flying in from
Arizona and California, respectively.
The USMC’s nimbleness was on display. Not only
could the base troops get in fast, but they could
also leave with equal speed. And for good reason,
as D’Ambrogi explained: “Once your enemy
geolocates you… the clock starts.” The same long-
range missiles that render big bases unsafe during
a major war could threaten small bases, too.
The USMC model for distributed aviation
operations has new austere bases opening and
closing within days or even hours. The USAF can’t
yet match the USMC’s speed, but with its new ‘air
base squadrons’, it’s at least trying to catch up.
Personnel from Marine Wing Support Squadron 373 – a
part of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing – refuel a USMC-
operated F-35B Lightning II from VMFA-211 ‘Wake Island
Avengers’ at a forward arming and refueling point during
Exercise Winter Fury at Grant County Municipal Airport in
Moses Lake, Washington, on February 2, 2022
USMC/Cpl Rachaelanne Woodward
www.Key.Aero // April 2022 97
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