Public Affairs, Volume 63, Number 55
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KC-46A Pegasus tanker approved for production Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs and 412th Test Wing Public Affairs
The KC-46A Pegasus program received Milestone C approval from Frank Kendall, the under secretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, signaling the aircraft is ready to enter into production. Work is now underway to award the first two low-rate initial production lots within the next 30 days. “I commend the team for diligently working through some difficult technical challenges,” said Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James. “The KC-46 program has made significant strides in moving the Air Force toward the modernization needed in our strategic tanker fleet.” Securing approval to begin low rate initial production required completion of
A KC-46 Pegasus prepares to refuel an Edwards AFB F-16 Fighting Falcon July 13, 2016 over the northwest United States. (U.S. Air Force photo by Chris Okula)
Aug. 19, 2016
several aerial refueling demonstrations, to include refueling an F-16 Fighting Falcon, C-17 Globemaster III and A-10 Thunderbolt II off the boom, and an AV-8 Harriar II and F/A-18 Hornet off both hose and drogue systems. The KC46 also proved its receiver capability by taking fuel from a KC-10 Extender. The 412th Test Wing at Edwards AFB is the lead developmental test organization for the KC-46 program. “This was a huge effort by the 418th Flight Test Squadron, and they did an incredible job fulfilling the test wing mission to get the program to Milestone-C,” said Col. Scott Cain, 412th Operations Group commander. Some demonstrations were delayed due to higher than expected axial loads in the boom. Boeing installed hydraulic pressure relief valves to alleviate loads and last month all remaining demonstrations were quickly completed. “The KC-46 is ready to take the next step,” said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein. “Our Air Force and Boeing team stepped up to meet the recent challenges. I’m especially proud of the employees on the floor of the Boeing plant and employees of all our industry partners, who work every day to deliver game-changing capability to the warfighter. My hat’s off to them and our program leads.” The Air Force will soon award contracts to Boeing for two lots, totaling 19 aircraft, and associated spare parts for a pre-negotiated $2.8 billion combined value. The first aircraft deliveries will be to McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, and Altus AFB, Oklahoma. A total of 18 tankers are scheduled to be delivered by early 2018. “I am exceedingly proud of the KC-46 program office for clearing the production hurdle,” said Darlene Costello, an Air Force Service Acquisition executive. “We have crossed an important milestone, and I appreciate Boeing’s continued focus as they work to finish development prior to first aircraft delivery.” Going forward in the test program, the KC-46 will complete a robust schedule of Federal Aviation Administration and military certification flight testing, including refueling test flights, in order to achieve certification for aircraft in the Air Force and Department of Defense inventory.
F-35 to undergo chemical, biological decontamination tests
By Kenji Thuloweit 412th Test Wing Public Affairs
After years of preparation, the 461st Flight Test Squadron and Joint Strike Fighter Integrated Test Force are ready to test the F-35 Lightning II’s ability to be decontaminated from chemical and biological weapons exposure. Contractors, Airmen and Air Force civilians have been tirelessly working in the High Desert heat the past few weeks to finalize the construction of a decontamination system and facility on the flightline to house and decontaminate an F-35A. It will be the first time an F-35 has been decontaminated. It will show the Department of Defense and joint-partner nations that the F-35 has met the F-35 Joint Program Office’s requirements for decontamination and certify the weapon system to go into full-rate production. The effort is to demonstrate the fifth-generation fighter’s survivabil-
ity can be maintained if exposed to such threats around the world. “Our focus is on the aircraft decontaminability and that’s what we’re here to prove,” said Joe Nemes, Air Force Research Laboratory, Chemical/Biological project lead engineer. AFRL is the lead organization responsible for developing the test plan and techniques for gathering decontatmination data for analysis for the JSF JPO. The 461st Flight Test Squadron’s F-35A, tail number AF-04, will be contaminated several times starting the end of August and towed into the decontamination facility to see if it can be cleaned of chemical or biological weapons exposure. AF04 is a highly-instrumented F-35 test jet with modifications to specifically collect data while being tested in the air or on the ground. “Because these are tests we’re doing here, there’s an extensive amount of sensors and test equipment that
After four weeks, the decontamination shelter is nearing completion and decontamination tests will begin on an F-35A toward the end of August. (U.S. Air Force photo by Brad White)
were going to use to analyze and make sure the plane is clean. But, in the real world, theoretically, you put it in (the decontamination facility) and run the system, pull the jet out
and go fly,” Nemes said. For the tests, the F-35A will be “contaminated” with simulants, See Decontamination, Page 2