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Commander-in-Chief Air Command (CINC Air), Air Chief Marshal
Sir Chris Moran, has just returned from a visit to the USA during
which he highlighted the relevance of the RAF’s next generation
combat aircraft to future operations including conflict prevention
and counter insurgency. CINC Air visited Lockheed Martin’s F-35
production line in Fort Worth, Texas, where he met key business
development staff from Lockheed Martin and signed the bulkhead
of “BK-1”, which when it rolls off the mile long production line
late next year will be the UK’s first F-35. This also highlighted
another recent first, which was on the 17th March when ex-RAF
test pilot Graham Tomlinson performed the first vertical landing
with BF-1, an F-35 test aircraft, at Naval Air Station Patuxent in
Maryland. Having met senior US military officers during his visit CINC Air had his own views confirmed that the F-35 is a ground breaking aircraft, relevant to the full spectrum of military operations for decades to come. Summing up his visit he said:
“The F-35, known in the UK as the Joint Combat Aircraft, will
provide outstanding support across the spectrum of operations
and form an essential part of our Future Combat Air capability.
The Royal Air Force is a world-leading expeditionary Air Force
and an integral element of all operations, at all levels, and fully
committed to the security challenges of today and tomorrow.”
In a very busy itinerary that took him West and East across the
continent of the US, CINC Air also stopped off at Creech Air
Force Base, Nevada, to meet the men and women of the RAF’s
39 Squadron, who fly the REAPER, the RAF’s Remotely
Piloted Air System (RPAS). CINC Air received a candid
“download” on the Squadron’s operational role and their many
successes in support of NATO troops including their crucial ability to counter Improvised Explosive Devices. Later CINC Air took part in a medal ceremony to award several 39 Squadron personnel their Afghanistan Campaign Medal for their deployed service on operations.
Since first deploying in 2007 the RAF REAPERs have now logged more than 8,000 hours of flying sorties in Afghanistan. Although it is often armed with a combination of four Hellfire Missiles and two 500lb GBU-12 laser guided bombs, giving it a similar payload of an F-16 jet, the satellite
controlled REAPER is most often used by the RAF to perform
intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance tasks using its
sophisticated array of electro-optical sensors and Synthetic
Aperture Radar. With the MoD announcement late last year to
expand the REAPER Fleet the RAF is set to remain at the forefront
of using remotely piloted aircraft on operations.
“In order to support current operations, with main effort in
Afghanistan, to the best of our abilities by generating relevant airpower
, it is of crucial importance that we look to develop RPAS operations,
especially in the fight to counter Improvised Explosive Devices. It is
also important that we prepare for tomorrow, and develop platforms
that can operate across the whole spectrum of current and future
military operations. The Joint Combat Aircraft will fulfil this requirement
and provides an unmatched capability
Sir Chris Moran, has just returned from a visit to the USA during
which he highlighted the relevance of the RAF’s next generation
combat aircraft to future operations including conflict prevention
and counter insurgency. CINC Air visited Lockheed Martin’s F-35
production line in Fort Worth, Texas, where he met key business
development staff from Lockheed Martin and signed the bulkhead
of “BK-1”, which when it rolls off the mile long production line
late next year will be the UK’s first F-35. This also highlighted
another recent first, which was on the 17th March when ex-RAF
test pilot Graham Tomlinson performed the first vertical landing
with BF-1, an F-35 test aircraft, at Naval Air Station Patuxent in
Maryland. Having met senior US military officers during his visit CINC Air had his own views confirmed that the F-35 is a ground breaking aircraft, relevant to the full spectrum of military operations for decades to come. Summing up his visit he said:
“The F-35, known in the UK as the Joint Combat Aircraft, will
provide outstanding support across the spectrum of operations
and form an essential part of our Future Combat Air capability.
The Royal Air Force is a world-leading expeditionary Air Force
and an integral element of all operations, at all levels, and fully
committed to the security challenges of today and tomorrow.”
In a very busy itinerary that took him West and East across the
continent of the US, CINC Air also stopped off at Creech Air
Force Base, Nevada, to meet the men and women of the RAF’s
39 Squadron, who fly the REAPER, the RAF’s Remotely
Piloted Air System (RPAS). CINC Air received a candid
“download” on the Squadron’s operational role and their many
successes in support of NATO troops including their crucial ability to counter Improvised Explosive Devices. Later CINC Air took part in a medal ceremony to award several 39 Squadron personnel their Afghanistan Campaign Medal for their deployed service on operations.
Since first deploying in 2007 the RAF REAPERs have now logged more than 8,000 hours of flying sorties in Afghanistan. Although it is often armed with a combination of four Hellfire Missiles and two 500lb GBU-12 laser guided bombs, giving it a similar payload of an F-16 jet, the satellite
controlled REAPER is most often used by the RAF to perform
intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance tasks using its
sophisticated array of electro-optical sensors and Synthetic
Aperture Radar. With the MoD announcement late last year to
expand the REAPER Fleet the RAF is set to remain at the forefront
of using remotely piloted aircraft on operations.
“In order to support current operations, with main effort in
Afghanistan, to the best of our abilities by generating relevant airpower
, it is of crucial importance that we look to develop RPAS operations,
especially in the fight to counter Improvised Explosive Devices. It is
also important that we prepare for tomorrow, and develop platforms
that can operate across the whole spectrum of current and future
military operations. The Joint Combat Aircraft will fulfil this requirement
and provides an unmatched capability
CINC Air signs first F-35 for UK
Wednesday 31 March 2010
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