Public Affairs, Volume 64, Number 11
March 17, 2017
461st Flight Test Squadron tests U.K. weapons for F-35B
Eurofighter Typhoons and Panavia Tornado GR4s. The Paveway IV is an advanced and highly accurate, state-of-the-art precision guided bomb. It’s an all-weather bomb with inertial navigation and GPSand laser-guided bombing capabilities that is used by RAF and Royal Navy fighters. Collin O’Fallon, F-35 weapon integration engineer, said two tests have been conducted with the Paveway IV. The first test was executed at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake and was a laser-mode employment of the guidU.S. Marine Corps Maj. Aaron Frey, 461st Flight Test Squadron, pilots an F-35B Lightning II and releases a United ed bomb against a tank on the ground. Kingdom Paveway IV precision-guided munition March 1 over Edwards AFB’s Precision Impact Range Area. The The second test was conducted over EdMarine Corps’ F-35B is the short takeoff/vertical landing variant of the Joint Strike Fighter, which will also be used wards AFB’s Precision Impact Range by the Royal Air Force. (Photo by Darin Russell/Lockheed Martin) Area to test the bomb’s GPS/inertial By Kenji Thuloweit The U.K. weapons used for the test navigation employment against a tank. 412th Test Wing Public Affairs “The two Paveway IV live-fires reprewere the AIM-132 ASRAAM (advanced The 461st Flight Test Squadron recent- short range air-to-air missile) and Pave- sent full end-to-end weapon-aircraft integration tests for these two significant ly conducted weapon delivery accuracy way IV precision-guided bomb. The 461st FLTS is responsible for the use cases of this weapon’s employment tests with two United Kingdom weapons. The weapons were released from a execution of all mission systems devel- modes,” said O’Fallon. On Feb. 24, one U.K. AIM-132 ASU.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning, opmental testing for U.K. F-35Bs. According to the Royal Air Force, the RAAM was fired at an unmanned drone short takeoff/vertical landing variant, which will also be used by U.K’s Royal ASRAAM is a short-range, infrared-guid- over the Point Mugu Sea Range. ed missile and is also carried by the RAF’s See JSF, Page 3 Air Force and Navy.
Indian Air Force Test Pilot School visits Edwards AFB
By Kenji Thuloweit 412th Test Wing Public Affairs
The Indian Air Force Test Pilot School staff and current students consisting of 14 pilots and engineers, visited Edwards AFB March 8. The group’s visit was part of a North American field study trip according to U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School staff. The IAF members were given briefings on TPS programs throughout the morning and were given a base tour by 412th Test Wing Public Affairs in the afternoon. The following day, the group visited NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center. The visit to Edwards was one of several stops around the United States and Canada that include a number of visits to aerospace companies. According to its official website, the IAF flies a variety of aircraft including Russian- and French-origin fighters, and several cargo planes including C-130Js and C-17s. The IAF Test Pilot School is part of the IAF’s Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment. Most new aircraft types and major airborne systems must have ASTE’s approval to be considered fit for service in India.
Indian Air Force Test Pilot School staff members and students consisting of 14 pilots and engineers, pose for a group photo in front of the NF-104 outside the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School March 8. The visit to TPS was part of a two-day tour of Edwards AFB. (U.S. Air Force photo by Kyle Larson)