LUFTFORSVARET OG FELLESOPERASJONER
32 - 57
04.09.03
16:23
Side 34
F-16 DATALINK UPDATE FACILITATES
JOINT OPERATIONS The key to combined and joint integrated operations is connectivity to a force-wide datalink network. That allows fighter aircraft, naval vessels, ground-based air-defence units and command posts to exchange and to
TEKST:
Joris Janssen Lok International Editor, Jane´s International Defense Review
T
The addition of the Link 16 command & control and tactical data sharing capability is part of the F-16’s so-called M3 update. That introduces a package of software- and hardware-improvements for the F-16A/B Mid-Life Update (MLU). The improvements have been
share tactical data. F-16s of the Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) are the first Norwegian weapons platforms to be equipped with the Link 16 tactical datalink system.
defined and developed since 1998. More recently, they have been the subject of a Development Test & Evaluation (DT&E) programme at Edwards Air Force Base, California. Lockheed Martin has fitted out two instrumented F-16 MLU aircraft with M3 systems for this purpose. One is from the US Air Force, the other (tail number 666) from the RNoAF. Test pilots from the European Participating Air Forces (EPAF) have been flying the jets at Edwards. Their aim: to make sure that
the new configuration causes no degradation of earlier-installed F-16 MLU functionalities and that it complies to the specifications. Deficiency fixes, human factors aspects of the changes, and impacts on the mission planning system have been evaluated. Finally, they performed an early assessment of the military utility of the M3 package.
PRELUDE This early operational assessment (EOA) of the M3 configuration was held
Early operational assessment of the M3 configuration: Lt Col Stig Nilsson and Major Tord Aslaksen from the Air Warfare Centre at Rygge took part in the EOA of the M3 configuration that was held in June at Leeuwarden Air Base, the Netherlands. The EOA was designed as a prelude to the M3 Operational Test & Evaluation (OT&E) that will take place between 3 November-12 December at Ørland Main Air Station. PHOTO: Gøran Bohlin / Scanpix.
34 LUFTLED
nr. 3 september 2003
