Internationale fighter ontwikkelingen

[Harald]

USAF firming A-X requirements for A-10 'Warthog' alternative

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/usaf-firming-a-x-requirements-for-a-10-warthog-alt-423999/

Ze zijn dus wel duidelijk aan het kijken bij de USAF wat ze moeten doen met de A-10 en na de A-10. Er lopen nu verschillende studie's ... of zijn dit zoethouders ... om de A-10 toch sneller te kunnen weg serveren naar de woestijn.

Studie's van een totaal nieuw toestel als A-10 vervanger A-X programma, bestaande toestellen als A-29 Super Tucano, Beechcraft AT-6, M-346, T-50, Rextrons Scorpion worden genoemd. Dus ook toestellen die meedoen in het T-X prgramma. Of een aangepast programma AT-X, een trainer met extra lichte aanvals capaciteiten.

De vergelijkingsprogramma tussen de F-35 en A-10 in capaciteiten is pas gepland in 2018-2019, dan pas wordt duidelijk wat de tekortkomingen en voordelen zijn van de verschillende 2 toestellen.
Lijkt me nu alwel duidelijk waar zo'n onderzoek op zal eindigen;
F-35 => beter Situation Awareness, beter in slimme bommen gooien van hogere hoogten,
A-10 => beter in opereren in CAS op lage hoogte met gebruik van boordkanon.
en waarbij straks gezegd wordt zo'n "zwaar" boordkanon en vliegen op lage is niet meer van deze tijd en geeft veel meer kans om neer geschoten te worden.
   
Toekomst voor A-10 en/of gelijkwaardige opvolger ? ... blijft onzeker

[Harald]

How Israel Wants To Soup Up Its Fleet Of F-35s

Israel has done amazing things with their imported U.S. fighter aircraft, innovating and tailoring their capabilities to meet their unique needs. They want to continue this legacy with the F-35. Part of this initiative now includes the ability to externally modify their new stealth jets with the addition of conformal fuel tanks.

Conformal fuel tanks give a fighter jet more fuel load with minimal performance penalties and do not occupy precious weapon stations and induce large amounts of drag like traditional drop tanks do. When combined with drops tanks, a conformal fuel tank-equipped fighter's range can be massively increased. Currently, the Israeli Air Force flies the majority of their F-15 fleet as well as their F-16I fleet with conformal fuel tanks as well as drop tanks.

A combat aircraft's range is a huge deal for any nation, but for Israel, whose primary enemy remains Iran, it is a grave concern. Targets in that country can reach 1,700 miles from Israeli borders.

The IAF has also struck sites near the Horn of Africa and as far away as Tunisia in the past. They see their global reach as a pillar of deterrence against would-be aggressors, so their ability to reach out and strike over great distances reliably needs to be credible.

Israel's relatively small but slowly growing fleet of tankers helps extend the range of their fighter aircraft, but still a jet is limited by its own combat radius once it leaves the tanker's boom or basket. Additionally, each tanker is limited to how much fuel it can pass over a certain distance.

With all this in mind, Israel has stated that in addition to having access to certain areas of the F-35's software and mission computer hardware, communications systems, weapons carriage capability, electronic countermeasures and surveillance suite, they also want to mount conformal fuel tanks to its skin.

It is not clear exactly what such an apparatus would look like, or how it would impact the F-35's low radar signature and already somewhat paltry kinematics. There is also the question of airframe fatigue induced by mounting thousands of pounds of gas where it was never intended to be placed. Still, the IAF's lust for extended range will likely trump these concerns.

Traditionally conformal tanks can be added and removed with relative ease, so having the option to mount them at the cost of increased radar cross-section is an enticing arrow for Israel to have on its quiver. For standoff attacks, where an F-35 would launch a guided weapon many dozens of miles from its intended target, increased detectability may be of little concern.

Israel already has confirmed it will integrate the SPICE 1000 glide bomb with its F-35s, which will allow for such stand-off attack profiles. Larger and longer-ranged wing-mounted missiles are also another option at the sacrifice of much greater radar signature degradation.

Israel's push for operational and developmental independence with its F-35I fleet also includes the wish to indigenously service and sustain the aircraft throughout its lifetime. The country wants to execute much of the aircraft's heavy maintenance themselves, a controversial proposition that is still in negotiation due to the highly classified nature of the aircraft's internal systems. Basically, being able to crack the jet open gives away much of its magic and also introduces high technological transfer risk.

The IAF also wants the ability to operate their aircraft independent of the highly troubled Automated Logistics Information System, ALIS for short, during wartime conditions, when communications can be disrupted, ports closed and normal logistical arteries rendered inaccessible. One IAF program manager told the following to Defensenews.com:

"The ingenious, automated ALIS system that Lockheed Martin has built will be very efficient and cost-effective, but the only downfall is that it was built for countries that don't have missiles falling on them."

The ability to operate the F-35 confidently without ALIS, which executes everything from parts ordering to mission planning, also would give Israel a hedge against cyber attacks which could cripple the system, potentially even on a global level. Israel knows full well the threat of such attacks, and grounding their premier weapon system worth many billions of dollars because of such an event should be highly concerning. Hopefully a similar protocol, if they are allowed to develop one, can be copied by other nations operating the F-35, including the US.

It will be interesting to see Israel's F-35 evolve uniquely in the coming years. As of now 33 F-35's are on order for the IAF, and Israel is approved to receive up to 75 of the stealth fighters, although that number could grow depending on who is sitting in the Oval Office come next January. The F-35I's initial operating capability is slated for 2017, although this now seems like an optimistic date.

http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/how-israel-wants-to-soup-up-its-fleet-of-f-35s-1769644978

[Sparkplug]

Growlers' Success Prompts Rethinking Of Operations

Michael Fabey, Aviation Week & Space Technology - Defense Technology Edition | April 7, 2016

Growlers are the 'big dogs' in electronic attack pack

As the U.S. Navy expands its EA-18G Growler operations, pilots remain keen on the aircraft's electronic warfare performance.

The service says it has enough Boeing Growlers to meet requirements, but some analysts disagree, and the Pentagon is conducting an electronic warfare study that could require the acquisition of more EA-18Gs, the only aerial electronic attack weapon in the U.S. quiver.

There is no doubt Navy pilots appreciate what the Growler brings to a carrier strike group. "I finally felt like I had overwhelming advantage in the tactical arena," says Capt. Jeffrey "Caesar" Czerewko, former air group commander aboard the CVN 76 USS Ronald Reagan, and now the Pentagon's director of battlespace awareness.

A veteran F/A-18 pilot, he notes that Growlers have the capability he and other pilots wanted when they were flying as far back as the F/A-18C. "It has all the things I wish we had had in the 'Charlie' back in the day," Czerewko says. He touts "the way it 'talks' with other airplanes. It's incredible how much better we are with airborne electronic attack."

And pilots are only now starting to tap that capability. "I don't think we've even cracked the nut yet on how much a Growler can do," Czerewko adds. "In a classified discussion, it's eye-watering. I wish we had more. I wish everybody agreed we should have more."

The Navy needs additional EA-18Gs, affirms the Hudson Institute, noting in a recent report that the force requires 11 EA-18Gs for each of the Navy's 10 carrier and five expeditionary squadrons, a total of 165.

"The Navy's current program of record calls for a total of 135 EA-18Gs," or nine per squadron, the institute reports. "The Navy would need to procure an additional 30 EA-18Gs." The Navy will have to rely more on EA-18G Growlers for future jamming missions, institute analysts say.

"Equipped with the Next Generation Jammer [under development by Raytheon], the EA-18G will be capable of providing coherent jamming at increased power, interrupting enemy effects chains," the institute says. "This capability assists the penetration of not only F/A-18E/F aircraft or other joint force aircraft, but also F-35Cs. The proliferation of [enemy] L-band radars and other lower-frequency fire-control radars would counter the X-band optimization of the F-35C. The ability of the EA-18G to jam these other radars allows carrier strike and air warfare packages the ability to counter enemy sensors and provide jamming coverage for weapons, significantly increasing weapon probability of arrival."

The Growler's success is prompting a rethinking of its operations. "The Navy, for instance, is developing tactics for E/A-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft to use passive capabilities to geolocate threat emitters alone or in concert with other aircraft through the Navy Integrated Fire Control (NIFC) network," the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments (CSBA) says in its recent report, "Winning the Airwaves: Regaining America's Dominance in the Electromagnetic Spectrum."

CSBA says, "Using NIFC, passive targeting information can be passed from an E/A-18G via a Link-16 secure tactical data link to an E-2D AWACS aircraft and then to surface combatants via the Cooperative Engagement Capability data link to enable them to attack targets with long-range cruise missiles."

The Navy is strengthening the Growler's bite. A Growler pilot fired an AIM-120 advanced medium-range air-to-air missile last fall off the coast of Virginia during a Tactical Support Wing training event, marking the first time electronic attack squadron VAQ-209 employed the Raytheon-built missile.

Cobham Advanced Electronic Solutions is working toward improving the technology that operates the Growler's low-bandwidth transmitter, a vital sensor system. Designed to increase the ALQ-99 jamming sensor system's reliability and availability, the low-band transmitter replaced two transmitters to jam low-frequency radar and communication targets and is integrated on Growlers and U.S. Marine Corps EA-6B Prowlers (due to be retired in 2019).

The AN/ALQ-99 intercepts and automatically processes radar signals and manages the system's transmitters to jam radar threats.

With the technological and operational growth and development of active, electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, Cobham sees the potential for improvements to the transmitter system, says Jill Kale, sector president. The company is taking this position in light of advancements in digital-receiver technology, especially at the front end, Kale says.

Cobham will wait and see how requirements develop, she notes. "I don't like the 'build it they will come' approach."

Analysts say that as AESA technology becomes the norm for antenna arrays, and transmit-receive modules are increasingly positioned at the array face, this is a good time for Cobham to upgrade its systems. The antennae and transmitter/receivers Cobham is building today, analysts note, are for legacy systems such as the ALQ-99 that do not include these technologies.

http://aviationweek.com/defense/growlers-success-prompts-rethinking-operations

[Sparkplug]

Jordan sells F-16s... and gains F-16s

Elmer van Hest | 07 April 2016

Jordan is offering fifteen used but serviceable F-16A/B Midlife Update (MLU) models in a move that seems strange in the light of the pending arrival of... fifteen very similar F-16 MLU models previously operated by the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF). The Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF) aircraft are offered on the air force's website.

.../...

Zie onderstaande link voor het complete artikel.
http://airheadsfly.com/2016/04/07/jordan-sells-f-16s-and-gains-f-16s/

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

USAF backs off sixth-gen 'fighter' in quest for air supremacy

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/usaf-backs-off-sixth-gen-fighter-in-quest-for-air-423994/

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

Air Force Moving Forward With A-10 Replacement Option

Lara Seligman, Defense News 12:47 p.m. EDT April 7, 2016

WASHINGTON — The Air Force is moving forward with a key step in developing a dedicated close-air support plane to replace the A-10 Warthog, a top general said Thursday.

http://www.defensenews.com/story/defense/air-space/2016/04/07/air-force-moving-forward--10-replacement/82746220/

[Sparkplug]

Typhoon Captor-E awaits flight testing as Kuwait confirmed as launch customer

By Beth Stevenson, London | 07 April 2016

With a deal for 28 Eurofighter Typhoons announced this week, Kuwait has also become the launch customer for the combat aircraft's new active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar.

Industrial lead Finmeccanica, working as part of the Euroradar consortium, says development is well under way, although the flight-test campaign is yet to begin.

While the Eurofighter partner nations – Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK – in 2014 signed a contract supporting the development and integration of the Captor-E AESA radar, Finmeccanica says there is no order in place, making Kuwait the sole confirmed customer.

"The Captor-E development programme is on track, progressing in line with the milestones of the four-nation development contract signed in November 2014," says Finmeccanica.

Testing is being carried out on two instrumented production aircraft (IPA) – IPA8 from Germany and IPA5 from the UK – which are undergoing ground-based integration trials.

"Ground-based testing of the wider aircraft systems impacted by the implementation of the E-Scan radar system continues, and flight development testing, using the two IPAs, will commence after this is completed," it says.


Finmeccanica

Finmeccanica says the Typhoons that will be delivered to Kuwait will be the most advanced configuration of the type, and will include the company's Praetorian defensive aids suite and Pirate infrared search and track system.

Separately, it is also pursuing the possibility of integrating its Vixen 1000E electronically-scanned fire control radar on South Korea's developmental KFX fighter.

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/typhoon-captor-e-awaits-flight-testing-as-kuwait-con-423938/

[Ace1]

Na verhouding komen de Noren er vwb numerieke vervanging er redelijk goed van af: oorspronkelijke aantal F16: 72.

De Noren hebben een aardig olie potje, die ze slimmer beheren dan wij onze gas baten.

Vergeet hun gas potje en hydro stroom potje niet.

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

Hz 'maar'?
De Noren hebben niet zo'n enorm grote economie en het is bijna een 1 op 1 vervanging van hun F-16's.

Na verhouding komen de Noren er vwb numerieke vervanging er redelijk goed van af: oorspronkelijke aantal F16: 72.

De Noren hebben een aardig olie potje, die ze slimmer beheren dan wij onze gas baten.

[JdL]

En zelfs dat zijn er maar 52  (als ze het aantal daadwerkelijk halen)

Hz 'maar'?
De Noren hebben niet zo'n enorm grote economie en het is bijna een 1 op 1 vervanging van hun F-16's.

[Sparkplug]

En zelfs dat zijn er maar 54  (als ze het aantal daadwerkelijk halen)

Maak van 54 maar 52 stuks. Dat is het Noorse orderaantal.

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

Als het moet, moet het. Maar zoals je zelf ook al aangeeft, tijden zijn veranderd. Van de Spitfire zijn er ruim 20.000 gebouwd, en dat was slechts 1 van de vele types. Denk je dat de F35A dat gaat halen?

Retorische vraag..

Wat ik wel als mogelijkheid zie is een low end  - high end mix en zelfs dan zal het cumulatieve aantal voor de KLu niet boven de 65 a 70 uitkomen.

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

In België en NL zijn het ook al zulke lage aantallen, de kleine landen stellen straks niets meer voor.
Alleen Noorwegen krijgt fatsoenlijke aantallen.

En zelfs dat zijn er maar 52  (als ze het aantal daadwerkelijk halen)

[dudge]

Ik zou niet voor inhuur zijn maar voor aanschaf, nu is het mij duidelijk dat tijden zijn veranderd maar ik hoor niemand piepen over 4 type helikopters en enkele decennia geleden (oké we hadden nog aantallen) was het stil rondom 2 type gevechtsvliegtuigen. (zelfs 3 gedurende een overlap periode)

Als het moet, moet het. Maar zoals je zelf ook al aangeeft, tijden zijn veranderd. Van de Spitfire zijn er ruim 20.000 gebouwd, en dat was slechts 1 van de vele types. Denk je dat de F35A dat gaat halen?

[JdL]

In België en NL zijn het ook al zulke lage aantallen, de kleine landen stellen straks niets meer voor.
Alleen Noorwegen krijgt fatsoenlijke aantallen.