Public Affairs, Volume 63, Number 53
Serving the community of Edwards Air Force Base California www.edwards.af.mil - www.facebook.com/EdwardsAirForceBase
Aug. 5, 2016
AF declares the F-35A ‘combat ready’ By Christopher Ball 412th Test Wing Public Affairs
The F-35A Lightning II fifth-generation fighter aircraft was declared ‘combat ready’ by Gen. Hawk Carlisle, the commander of Air Combat Command, Aug 2. Carlisle lauded the aircraft’s performance, noting that the aircraft had met all key criteria for reaching initial operational capability: Airmen trained, manned and equipped to conduct basic close air support, interdiction and limited suppression/destruction of enemy air defenses in a contested environment with an operational squadron of 12-24 aircraft; the ability to deploy and conduct operational missions using program of record weapons and missions systems; and having all necessary logistics and operational elements in place. The F-35A is the latest addition to ACC’s fleet of deployable and fifth-generation aircraft. It provides air superiority, interdiction, and suppression of enemy air defenses and close air support as well as great command and control functions through fused sensors, and it will provide pilots with unprecedented situational awareness of the battlespace that will be more extensive than any single-seat platform in existence.
“Bringing the F-35A to initial combat readiness is a testament to our phenomenal Airmen and the outstanding support of the Joint Program Office and our enterprise partners. This important milestone for our fighter force ensures the United States, along with our allies and international partners, remains prepared to deter, deny, and defeat the full spectrum of growing threats around the globe,” added Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James. Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David L. Goldfein, said that dynamic new capability will benefit the joint warfighter. “The combat ready F-35A is the latest
(Courtesy photo by Tom Reynolds/Lockheed Martin)
fifth-generation fighter aircraft in the Air Force’s inventory and provides our nation air dominance in any environment. The F-35A brings an unprecedented combination of lethality, survivability, and adaptability to joint and combined operations, and is ready to deploy and strike well-defended targets anywhere on Earth,” Goldfein said. “Today’s declaration of IOC is an important milestone on the road to achieving full warfighting capability for the F-35A.” As commander of the 412th Test Wing, Brig. Gen. Carl Schaefer said he was proud of his See Operational, Page 3
418th FLTS working to keep KC-135s in the sky By Kenji Thuloweit 412th Test Wing Public Affairs
By January 1, 2017, the European Union is requiring all existing aircraft to have Traffic Collision Avoidance System version 7.1 installed on aircraft entering its airspace. TCAS monitors the airspace around an aircraft for other aircraft independent of air traffic control and warns pilots of the presence of other transponder-equipped aircraft, which may pose a midair collision situation. TCAS is generally required on all aircraft larger than 12,500 pounds and/or on planes that carry more than 19 passengers. The system is installed to prevent close calls and midair collisions by notifying pilots of approaching aircraft with attention signals and commands, both audio and visual. Pilots are notified with TAs and RAs – traffic advisories and resolution advisories. TAs are for situational awareness and RAs are instructions to the pilot on what maneuver to make. About 30 testers led by the 418th Flight Test Squadron are working to test the upgraded TCAS 7.1 for the Air Force’s KC-135 Stratotanker fleet, which current uses TCAS 7.0 software. “Having TCAS 7.1 will allow [the U.S. Air Force] to fly the KC-135 in European airspace,” said 2nd Lt. Renner Mead, 412th Operations Group executive officer and lead test conductor. “Starting January, 1 2017, we cannot fly KC135s in Europe without this. The last flight safety brief by the wing was pretty much all about TCAS. There have been a lot of close calls in the local area and around the country.” The TCAS and IFF systems work together to detect other airplanes and determine potential threats. Depending on flight levels and closures rates of aircraft, the TCAS sensitivity changes to reduce nuisance traffic advisories and
Testers pack into a KC-135 Stratotanker’s cockpit to conduct ground testing of Traffic Collision Avoidance System version 7.1. last month. The Air Force’s KC-135 fleet will need the upgraded TCAS in order to fly over Europe beginning Jan. 1, 2017. (U.S. Air Force photo by Chris Higgins)
resolution advisories. Traffic advisories warn pilots of threat and resolution advisories command the pilot to descend, climb, or level off to avoid threat. Other non-threat traffic is also displayed to the pilot. “Just like how a policeman can detect how fast you’re going with a radar gun, TCAS uses a similar concept to determine closure rates. The closure rates along with other aircraft data are used in the logic to calculate the closest point of See KC-135 TCAS, Page 3
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F-35A completes first live air-to-air AIM-9X, AIM-120C ‘kill’ test F-35 Joint Program Office Public Affairs
The F-35 Lightning II advanced its combat capability by launching an air-to-air missile and directly hitting a drone over a military test range off the California coast on July 28. U.S. Air Force test pilot, Maj. Raven LeClair, employed an AIM9X missile from an F-35A’s external wing against an aerial drone target in restricted military sea test range airspace. Test data and observers confirmed the F-35 identified and targeted the drone with its mission systems sensors, passed the target ‘track’ information to the missile, enabled the pilot to verify targeting information using the high off-boresight capability of the helmet mounted display (HMD) and launched the AIM-9X from the aircraft to engage the target drone. After launch, the missile successfully acquired the target and followed an intercept flight profile before destroying the drone, achieving the first F-35 Air-to-Air kill or “Boola Boola,” which is the traditional radio call made when a pilot shoots down a drone. Immediately prior to launching the AIM-9X, LeClair employed an internally carried AIM-120C missile against another target drone. This target was beyond visual range and the AIM-120C was given a successful self-destruct signal right before target impact. The AIM-9X is a short-range heat-seeking missile with an off-boresight capability for accuracy and features thrust-vectoring controls for increased turn capability. The F-35 can carry two AIM9X missiles on its wings. During previous test shots a self-destruct signal had been sent to the missile prior to it hitting the target. “It’s been said you don’t really have a fighter until you can actually hit a target and we crossed that threshold with the first air-to-air weapon delivery of an AIM-9X. This successful test demonstrates the combat capability the F-35 will bring to the U.S. Military and our allies,” said LeClair. “This test represents the culmination of many
An F-35A conducts testing with an AIM-9X over the skies of California. (Courtesy photo by Darin Russel/Lockheed Martin)
years of careful planning by combined government and contractor teams. We want to ensure operators will receive the combat capability they need to execute their mission and return home safely - we cannot compromise or falter in delivering this capability.” The missile test is part of a weapons delivery accuracy surge being conducted by the F-35 Joint Program Office Test Teams at Edwards Air Force Base, Point Mugu Sea Test Range, White Sands Missile Range and Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake. The focus of the increased weapons testing is to advance 3F software testing, which will provide full warfighting capabilities to the F-35. Other ordnance being released during surge testing include: Small Diameter Bombs, Joint Direct Attack Munitions and AIM120s.
Exercise Desert Wind 16-05 tests active shooter response By Kenji Thuloweit 412th Test Wing Public Affairs
(U.S. Air Force Photos by Kenji Thuloweit)
On Aug. 1, defenders from the 412th Security Forces Squadron responded to Bldg. 2850 after a report of shots fired, what they arrived to were people screaming and a mass shooting situation leaving carnage everywhere. Edwards AFB kicked off the month of August with Exercise Desert Wind 16-05. The training exercise was conducted to test the entire base’s response capability to include security forces, medical response, command communications and lockdown procedures across Edwards. In the all-too-real scenario, a “self-radicalized” disgruntled employee decided to attack personnel at Bldg. 2850 where the 412th Test Wing Inspector General’s office is located along with base legal counsel and union offices. In all, 22 people were shot and 13 killed. The shooter committed suicide at the scene. As with every exercise here, the situation and response is made to be as real as possible, with the “wounded” and “dead” players displaying gruesome injuries thanks to the moulage team from the 412th Medical Group. Following the initial response, Edwards AFB’s Emergency Operations Center personnel were called into action along with the Crisis Action Team. The wounded personnel were evacuated from Bldg. 2850 to be treated by the Edwards AFB Fire Department and 412th MDG personnel in a makeshift triage area in the parking lot. However, another scenario was thrown into the mix with the discovery of a bomb in a nearby truck. Both patients and firefighters had to evacuate the area while Edwards AFB’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal team were called in to disarm the fake bomb using one of their robots. Edwards partnered with Palmdale Regional Medical Center off base where they conducted their own training by accepting two van loads of wounded personnel from the base. They were treated in the hospital’s emergency room. Edwards AFB tries to conduct emergency exercises four times a year involving different scenarios including plane crashes, natural disasters and terrorist attacks.
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Edwards K-9 teams support political conventions By Christopher Ball 412th Test Wing Public Affairs
ple – the protesters, the media – how they look at you. But you’re just there to Two teams from the 412th Secusupport the Secret Service by doing your rity Forces Squadron were recently job.” detailed to the U.S. Secret Service to Daniels mentioned that she also got to aid security at both the Democratic meet several celebrities during her work and Republican National Conventions at the conventions. held in Cleveland and Philadelphia, “You’re searching vehicles and you respectively. just run into them.” Some of the names Staff Sgt. James Ramsey and his she mentioned included Alicia Keys, partner, Sasa, and Senior Airman Marcus Luttrell, and Katy Perry. Grace Daniels and Rolf, joined hunA nine-year veteran, and a dog handreds of K9 teams to support the politdler since 2013, Ramsey is no stranger to ical conventions this year. working with the Secret Service. According to Ramsey, the direction “This will be my fourth mission supto support the conventions came from porting the Secret Service. I supported headquarters, but it was up to the inthem for the president, the vice president, dividual units to pick the handlers. the pope, and now the convention.” He was chosen to support the Secret He explained that the military working Service at the Republican National dogs handled their tasks well despite beConvention in Cleveland, dedicating ing in an unusual situation. approximately six weeks to the task. “Each dog is going to be different,” Senior Airman Grace Daniels and her partner Rolf watch as “I was assigned to the RNC for the Staff Sgt. James Ramsey and Sasa run through the obstacle Ramsey said. “My dog, she works really build-up,” Ramsay said. “We were course at the 412th Security Forces Squadron’s Military Workwell. But when you put dogs in different searching all the areas they were ing Dog facility here. Both 412th SFS K9 teams were detailed environments that they’re not used to, at building up – like they took a 5-sto- to support the U.S. Secret Service for the Democratic and Refirst they’re going to be a little skittish. ry parking garage and made that into publican National Conventions in Cleveland and Philadelphia. They’re going to be very aware of their media row.” surroundings. But once you get them into The RNC Media Row housed more than 160 a cycle they start adapting pretty well.” media outlets in individual booths. the U.S. Secret Service. She worked the actual Both Airmen appreciated their opportunity to “I was there when they were putting up the walls events both in Cleveland and Philadelphia. support the country’s political process. and installing the equipment, and I was in the staShe said she was grateful to have a coworker “It was fun, it was a good experience,” Ramsey dium across the street,” he said. “I was tasked to there earlier to warn her about what to expect. She said. “It was the biggest one of the year for us.” sweep all those areas.” hinted that not everyone seemed receptive to miliDaniels said she got lucky with this assignment. Daniels just graduated from dog handler school tary members at the conventions. “I will never experience that again in my career – in February and this was her first time supporting “It was eye opening,” she said. “You see peo- back-to-back conventions for both parties.”
KC-135 TCAS, from Page 1
approach and trigger TA/RAs when needed.” said Alex Regalado, 418th FLTS flight test engineer. Testing TCAS 7.1 on the ground can be complicated with a traditional ramp tester. Ground tests require the KC-135 to be connected to test equipment to simulate that it’s flying. In addition, other test equipment is used to simulate approaching aircraft (also known as intruders) to try and trigger the TCAS alerts. Some simulated flight scenarios require both aircraft, KC-135 and intruder, to climb or descend at a certain time with correct geometries to trigger alerts. “An air data test set has to be connected to the aircraft pitot system via tubes to simulate the airplane flying at a certain pressure altitude and air speed. Additionally, a radar altimeter test set has to be connect to the aircraft radar altimeter via radio frequency coaxial cables to simulate the aircraft above ground level altitude. A flight line ramp tester has to be used to simulate the intruder flight path,” Regalado said. “The flight line ramp tester has to be pointed at the aircraft to the let the KC-135 know that there’s an intruder coming at it from a certain azimuth.” The test team’s main goal during the ground test is to test TCAS 7.1 software before the test flights by triggering different RAs during various flight scenarios. The updated version has a few new features including specific commands for clarity and improved reversal software in vertical chase situations. “In the reversal feature, if two airplanes are close and the TCAS 7.1 issues a RA, and one plane doesn’t listen, then the other plane will be given a command to go the other way; it’s more intelligent,” Mead said. The KC-135 pilot has the option of putting TCAS on TA mode only or standby during aerial refueling, which eliminates the nuisance resolution advisories when the plane is conducting is primary mission. Along with the heavy importance of testing and certifying TCAS 7.1, an additional challenge is facing the testers and the KC-135 fleet entirely. The current box and processor that holds the TCAS 7.0 is being discontinued by the current contracted manufacturer. “The box that holds the TCAS is going obsolete and we need to certify the new box and processor as well,” said Mead. “We lose 10 TCASs everyone month within the entire fleet of 400 KC-135s. Right now, we have a stockpile of current boxes to do maintenance like we normally would, but without certifying the new box, we would be losing 10 jets every month once we deplete the supply of current boxes.” Ground testing of TCAS 7.1 has made way for flight tests last week using a T-38 to try and trigger advisories in the air like it’s supposed to.
Operational, from Page 1 contributions toward achieving this milestone, calling it an amazing testament to the 412th Test Wing executing its mission of ensuring war winning capabilities for decades to come. “We finished up the IOC testing about three months ago for the F-35 and were able to deliver to ACC a product that is ready to go to war today,” Schaefer said. “That was all because of the efforts of the men and women of the 412th Test Wing, the Air Force Test Center, and the [F-35] Joint Program Office and Lockheed.” The Joint Strike Fighter Integrated Test Force and the 461st Flight Test Squadron are responsible for developmental testing of the F-35 here. Lt. Col. Raja Chari, 461st Flight Test Squadron commander and ITF director, said IOC for the Air Force is significant because it’s a major milestone the ITF has worked towards. “It’s the second of three IOCs,” he said. “The Marines declared IOC last year and the Navy will declare IOC in the future. The ITF’s efforts towards IOC involved testing the 3i software which is what is now loaded on the combat coded jets at Hill AFB.” The wing commander stressed that while the declaration of IOC is a major accomplishment, F-35 developmental test isn’t over yet. “It’s a huge day of celebration, but just know that our work isn’t done,” Schaefer said. “Now we’re testing Block 3F software to enable even more combat capability for the Air Force, the Marine Corps, the Navy, and our partner nations.” (Some information courtesy of Air Combat Command)
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This week in Edwards Flight Test History August 6, 1980 - A B-1 Lancer Combined Test Force crew completed an 11-hour sortie in B-1 No. 4. This was the longest nonstop flight ever logged by a B-1. (Edwards History Office file photo)
New top cop
INNOVATION JT3’s inside-the-box thinking – Foam Funnel
Col. George Tromba (left), 412th Mission Support Group commander, hands the guidon and reins of the 412th Security Forces Squadron to Lt. Col. David Watts July 29. Watts will lead the force that protects the base populace, aircraft and other assets, along with providing police services. He comes to Edwards from Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, where he was security forces commander there. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Christopher Okula) SIGN UP NOW FOR GLOBAL LEADERSHIP SUMMIT The Global Leadership Summit is a twoday event telecast live in HD from Willow Creek Community Church near Chicago every August to hundreds of locations in North America. The 412th Test Wing Chaplain’s Office is inviting you to join 305,000 people committed to getting better as leaders. The summit will be Aug. 11-12. Those interested in attending should call Michael Berard at 661-275-9111; or email michael.berard.1@us.af.mil. Summit speakers include Melinda Gates of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Alan Mulally, CEO of Ford Motor Corp., and Bill Hybels, founder and senior pastor at Willow Creek
The fire department and Civil Engineering needed to test the foam fire suppression systems in four of the hangars on base and if you’ve ever witnessed these systems in action, then you know that everything in the hangar gets covered with a thick layer of white fluffy foam. The initial request from the program was for JT3 to cover all items in the hangar, including the dock box offices - a huge, manpower intensive task. JT3 engineering decided to innovate and approach the problem from the opposite direction, “Why not contain the fire suppression output and redirect it instead?” So they got to work and contacted a vender to build a proto-type based on a drawing and dimensions that JT3 engineers provided. The vendor fabricated a large light weight funnel that captures 150 gallons per minute of water flow per foam generator. So if you’ve seen what looks like a giant black sock attached to the foam generators, now you know.
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Commander, 412th TW ................... Brig. Gen Carl Shaefer Installation Support Director ..................... Dr. David Smith Command Chief .............. Chief Master Sgt. Todd Simmons Director, 412th TW, Public Affairs ................... Ed Buclatin Editors ........................... Kenji Thuloweit, Christopher Ball Contributor ................................................. Dawn Waldman To submit articles or upcoming events send an email to newsroom@edwards.af.mil
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