First simulated F-35A deployment conducted at Mountain Home AFB

Two F-35A Lightning IIs taxi after landing at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, Feb. 8, 2016. The F-35s, from Edwards AFB, Calif., will be part of an initial operating capability test at the nearby range complex. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Samuel Morse)

By Kenji Thuloweit, 412th Test Wing Public Affairs

 

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFNS) -- A much anticipated and important test mission for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program is underway with the "deployment" of six operational test and evaluation F-35s and more than 85 Airmen from the 31st Test and Evaluation Squadron, who arrived Feb. 8-9.

This is the first simulated deployment test of the F-35A Lightning II, specifically to execute three key initial operational capability mission sets: suppression of enemy air defenses, close air support and air interdiction.

The 31st TES will execute each of these in a limited scope from a "deployed" location for this test. The deployed location is Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. The 31st TES at Edwards AFB falls under the 53rd Wing at Eglin AFB, Florida, which is leading the test design, management and execution of the F-35A deployment test.

The achievements of an F-35A squadron testing ability to deploy, employ and sustain operations will set the benchmark capability for the Air Force to declare F-35A initial operational capability scheduled for this fall, according to the 53rd Wing.

During the test at Mountain Home AFB, the aircraft will be engaged in simulated combat scenarios to exercise representative mission processes such as tasking, execution, debrief and intelligence reporting. The test team will be working to capture a broad spectrum of capabilities and limitations of the F-35 system to include both operations and maintenance. The team will focus on areas such as mission planning, scheduling, weapons building/loading, sortie generation, life support, mission employment, debrief and aircraft turn.

Nellis AFB in Nevada will serve as a simulated remote air operations center for the deployed environment. Mountain Home AFB is providing a secure location with ranges to employ fourth-generation aircraft as well. The F-35As will integrate with F-15E Strike Eagles from the 366th Fighter Wing at Mountain Home AFB and A-10 Thunderbolt IIs from the 124th Fighter Wing at Gowen Field, Idaho.

The entire test event is expected to last about a month.

(Editor’s note: Information for this article was provided by the 53rd Wing at Eglin AFB) 

Space shuttle arrives home for one last 'endeavor'

An F-35 Lightning II flies over Space Shuttle Endeavour Sept. 20, 2012. The space shuttle landed at Edwards after completing the fourth leg of its ferry flight to the California Science Center in Los Angeles. (Courtesy photo by Matthew Short/Lockheed Martin)

by Laura Mowry, Edwards Air Force Base Public Affairs

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFNS) -- For the Edwards community who has been actively involved in NASA's Space Shuttle program since flight testing began in the 1970's, it was a bittersweet day when Space Shuttle Endeavour arrived one last time Sept. 20, piggy-backed on NASA's Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft.

When the SCA departed the following morning to deliver Space Shuttle Endeavour to the California Science Center in Los Angeles, Calif., it was an appropriate ending to an epic chapter in American and aviation history that happens to be very personal for so many at Edwards.

While Team Edwards gathered around the base to watch the historic arrival and takeoff, unaccompanied Airmen living in the dorms and family members of deployed spouses had the rare opportunity to get up close to the SCA and Space Shuttle Endeavour.

"I enjoyed being a part of something bigger than me, to look up at something that was actually in space and realize the countless hours and effort that went into putting that in motion. That's what really moved me," said Airman Michael Day, 412th Communications Squadron. "It was cool to see such an iconic piece of history."

For the young Airman, the opportunity to see Space Shuttle Endeavour up close reminded Day of how he was inspired as a child watching the space shuttle with his family.

"I remember growing up and watching various shuttle take offs and landings with my grandma and wanting to do that. She always told me to do my best and I can be whatever it is I wanted to be; even an astronaut," said Day.

Just as Airman Day continues to be captivated by the shuttle program, people from all over the world have marveled at the country's space program from 1981 to 2011.

While the world looked on in amazement, the Edwards community continued working with NASA to flight test the space shuttle and subsequently functioned as a critical support system when Edwards was picked as the primary alternate landing site.

Programs throughout the 1960's and 1970's such as the North American X-15, Northrop HL-10, X-24A and X-24B, tested hypersonic flight; lifting body designs and aerodynamic characteristics; manned atmospheric re-entry and the ability to land a piloted aircraft with no power on a conventional runway.

The first major milestone for the shuttle program at Edwards occurred Aug. 12, 1977 when the Space Shuttle Enterprise successfully launched from the back of the Boeing 747 SCA and landed on Rogers Dry Lake. After four more tests, Edwards personnel had successfully demonstrated the reliability of the shuttle for routine approach and landings.

"Testing was done at Edwards that proved the concept that a space shuttle orbiter could return to Earth, manned and land on a conventional runway," said Dr. Joseph Mason, Air Force Test Center chief historian. "That testing was done at Edwards and it was largely done in cooperation between NASA and the Air Force".

According to Dr. Mason, the first four missions flown by the orbiter were flight test missions with landings at Edwards. Although the Enterprise was the first full-scale shuttle, it never went into orbit.

It landed on the dry lakebed and then the runway. After that, the first four or so shuttle missions with Columbia were essentially flight test missions for the program and it demonstrated the systems would work.

April 14, 1981, the Space Shuttle Columbia successfully completed its first orbital mission and touched down on Rogers Dry Lake. It was the first time in history that an orbital vehicle returned to Earth on wings.

One of the early test missions was flown by Joe Engle, who had flown earlier missions in the X-15, earning his astronaut wings for reaching altitudes in excess of 50 miles.

When flight test concluded, Edwards then stepped up to function as an alternate landing site. When the program finally wrapped up in 2011, 54 shuttle landings occurred at Edwards.

"Joe Engle flew one of those early test missions of the shuttle to Edwards, flying it manually. After the concept had been demonstrated, most landings occurred at Kennedy Space Center and Edwards then served as an alternate location when the weather was bad," said Mason.

"Not only were the shuttles assembled in the Antelope Valley at Air Force Plant 42 by Rockwell Collins, Edwards was significant in terms of test and development, proving the shuttle's capability. We were key to both development and operations," he continued.

As Space Shuttle Endeavour passed over the latest Air Force programs, such as the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II, it offered the community time to reflect on their achievements and instrumental role in the program, but more than that, it provided an opportunity to look towards the future.

"I think it's significant that personnel at NASA and Edwards who were a key part of this program can see this shuttle on the way to its final resting place," said Mason.

It may have been bittersweet for the Edwards community to watch the shuttle depart the base for one last time Sept. 21, but it's only a matter of time before the testing begins on the next generation of the nation's space program. It's a time for ingenuity and creativity to create a new program that meets today's challenges.

"This was such a great experience to see the Space Shuttle Endeavour, but I am really excited to see the innovation of the next generation as we continue moving forward and into the future," said Day.

Air Force modernization takes B-2 to North Pole

by Kate Blais, 95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFNS) -- Taking off from the flightline here Oct. 27, a B-2 Spirit travelled to the top of the world and back again on a mission to test the aircraft's hardware and software upgrades, endurance and performance at extremely high latitudes.

The more than 18-hour mission to the North Pole and back to Edwards AFB consisted of developmental and operational test points to prove that the B-2's software upgrade works well and is able to operate anywhere in the world.

Although the B-2 has been to the North Pole in simulated tests, this is the first time the aircraft has physically travelled there, making this a milestone in B-2 testing.

"A goal of the test force is to prevent a situation where an aircraft experiences an anomaly with a new system for the first time in an operational mission," said Lt. Col. Hans Miller, the 419th Flight Test Squadron commander. "This flight to the North Pole could reveal data and lessons that were not seen in a lab or simulated environment."

"This is the first time the B-2 has operated at this extreme of a latitude before and (I believe) the longest flight so far for this hardware and this software," said Maj. Michael Deaver, the 31st Test and Evaluation Squadron's B-2 Extremely High Frequency Test director. "Being a global bomber, it may be required to operate at extreme latitudes, if not where the target is, but possibly for the flight path it'll take to get there."

The mission worked to verify that the software upgrades -- which include new communication and new navigation equipment -- still allows the B-2 to operate effectively anywhere in the world.

"The main objective of this mission is to look at how the software and hardware works over a long duration (of time)," said 1st Lt. Derek Moore, a 419th Flight Test Squadron test conductor. "We try to push the limits of the aircraft and come back and make sure that operationally it can still meet objectives."

The operational portion of this mission consisted of releasing four unguided BDU-38 bombs over the Precision Impact Range Area at Edwards AFB after more than 18 hours of flight. According to Deaver, one of the biggest objectives was to make sure that the aircraft knew where it was and that it could get to a weapons release point.

To get to that point, extensive coordination throughout the 419th FLTS, Bomber Combined Task Force and other Edwards AFB assets, as well as outside support including the Department of State, was necessary for a successful mission.

"Support from the Air Force Flight Test Center allowed us to use the Speckled Trout (412th Flight Test Squadron) as a resource, which served as an airborne control room and communication hub," said Jeremiah Farinella, a 419th FLTS test conductor and operations engineer. "That allowed us to troubleshoot some issues that we saw when we were airborne and provided us communication back to Edwards, which was essential to our success and allowed the pilots to stay focused on the mission."

Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., provided a KC-135 tanker aircraft for aerial refueling support. The tanker refueled the B-2 over Alberta, Canada, to ensure that the B-2 could complete the endurance portion of the mission to the North Pole and then back to Edwards, said Farinella.

The B-2 was further supported with fuel from a second KC-135 from Edwards AFB in the R-2508 Isabella Aerial Refueling Track, which helped ensure that the B-2 could complete the operational portion of the Polar mission.

"We had an incredible team that went with us, lessened our workload greatly, and contributed to the fact that we were able to get up there and back safely," said Maj. Andrew Murphy, a 419th FLTS B-2 experimental test pilot. "(The team) really lowered the risk of the mission for us."

Flight testing helps find problems early on so that they can be fixed before aircraft end up in the field, continued Murphy.

"The warfighter needs to know where they can and can't go," said Murphy. "Essentially, we've proven the fact that they can get up into those (high) latitudes safely and effectively. That previously was a question mark."

"The trained team of aircrew, engineers, technicians, (and) program managers from government and the contractor will take data from the flight to sustain the capability of the B-2 in all regions of the globe," said Miller.

"Given that we are developmental test, we have an early stake at finding deficiencies," said Cheryl Caluya, a 775th Test Squadron EHF project engineer. "We're making sure that the B-2 is still capable of what it could do yesterday."

At Edwards AFB, ensuring that the B-2 maintains its legacy capabilities contributes to the greater Air Force mission.

"It's a very good cross-check to ensure that we maintain global vigilance and can strike any target in the world at any time, providing overall global combat power," Farinella said.

UCAS-D Completes Successful First Flight

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (NNS) -- An X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System Demonstrator (UCAS-D) completed its first flight Feb. 4, an essential step in the Navy's ground-breaking effort to design, develop and integrate an autonomous unmanned air system on an aircraft carrier.

A Navy and Northrop Grumman team operated the aircraft from a ground control station at Edwards Air Force Base. The 29-minute flight was conducted at 5,000 ft. with landing gear down; the vehicle flew a racetrack pattern over the dry lakebed with standard-rate turns.

"The success of today's flight can be attributed to the hard work and dedication of our integrated government and industry team," Engdahl said.

The X-47B's maiden flight marks the start of a year-long, approximately 50-flight, envelope expansion test program at Edwards. The first of two aircraft will complete its initial testing in late 2011 and the second aircraft will begin testing shortly thereafter.

After completion of initial airworthiness testing in California, each aircraft will be transported to Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md. for the remainder of the carrier demonstration program.

"We are breaking new ground by developing the first unmanned jet aircraft to take off and land aboard a flight deck," said Rear Adm. Bill Shannon, Program Executive Officer for Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons. "This demonstration program is intended to reduce risk for potential future unmanned systems operating in and around aircraft carriers."

An X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System Demonstrator completes its first flight at Edwards Air Force Base. The Unmanned Combat Air System Carrier Demonstration program will demonstrate the capability of an autonomous, low-observable unmanned aircraft to perform carrier launches and recoveries. (Photo Courtesy Northrop Grumman/Released)

Airborne laser testbed successful in lethal intercept experiment

The YAL-1A, a modified Boeing 747-400F known as the Airborne Laser, lands at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. The Airborne Laser Testbed successfully destroyed a boosting ballistic missile Feb. 11 over the Pacific Ocean. (U.S. Air Force photo)

WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- Missile Defense Agency officials demonstrated the potential use of directed energy to defend against ballistic missiles when the Airborne Laser Testbed successfully destroyed a boosting ballistic missile Feb. 11 over the Pacific Ocean.

The experiment, conducted at Point Mugu Naval Air Warfare Center-Weapons Division Sea Range off the central California coast, serves as a proof-of-concept demonstration for directed energy technology.

The Airborne Laser Testbed is a pathfinder for the nation's directed energy program and its potential application for missile defense technology.

At 8:44 p.m. PST Feb. 11, a short-range threat-representative ballistic missile was launched from an at-sea mobile launch platform. Within seconds, the Airborne Laser Testbed used onboard sensors to detect the boosting missile and used a low-energy laser to track the target. The Airborne Laser Testbed then fired a second low-energy laser to measure and compensate for atmospheric disturbance. Finally, the Airborne Laser Testbed fired its megawatt-class High Energy Laser, heating the boosting ballistic missile to critical structural failure. The entire engagement occurred within two minutes of the target missile launch, while its rocket motors were still thrusting.

This was the first directed energy lethal intercept demonstration against a liquid-fuel boosting ballistic missile target from an airborne platform. The revolutionary use of directed energy is very attractive for missile defense, with the potential to attack multiple targets at the speed of light, at a range of hundreds of kilometers, and at a low cost per intercept attempt compared to current technologies.

Less than one hour later, a second solid fuel short-range missile was launched from a ground location on San Nicolas Island, Calif., and the Airborne Laser Testbed successfully engaged the boosting target with its High Energy Laser, met all its test criteria, and terminated lasing prior to destroying the second target. The Airborne Laser Testbed destroyed a solid fuel missile, identical to the second target, in flight on February 3, 2010.

The Boeing YAL-1 Airborne Laser (ABL) weapons system is a megawatt-class chemical oxygen iodine laser (COIL) mounted inside a modified Boeing 747-400F (Boeing YAL-1 serial: 00-0001). It is primarily designed as a missile defense system to destroy tactical ballistic missiles (TBMs), while in boost phase. The aircraft was designated YAL-1A in 2004 by the U.S. Department of Defense. The YAL-1 is assigned to the 412th TW, 417th Flight Test Squadron Airborne Laser Combined Test Force at Edwards AFB.

You can get more detailed information on the USAF YAL-1A aircraft at
http://www.kirtland.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-070404-031.pdf

X-51A WaveRider gets first ride aboard B-52

An Air Force Flight Test Center B-52H Stratofortress performs a captive carry flight of the X-51A WaveRider Dec. 9, 2009, over Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. The captive carry mission is a key test milestone to ready the X-51's scramjet engine during the vehicle's first powered hypersonic flight in early 2010. (U.S. Air Force photo/Mike Cassidy)

by Derek Kaufman, 88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFNS) -- The X-51A Waverider was carried aloft for the first time Dec. 9 by an Air Force Flight Test Center B-52 Stratofortress
over Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.

The test was a key milestone in preparation for the X-51 to light its supersonic combustion ramjet engine and propel the WaverRider at hypersonic speed for about five minutes, before plunging into the Pacific Ocean.

"This was a great day for the program," said Charlie Brink, X-51A program manager with the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. "The early look is we successfully captured all of our test points without any anomalies. I'm really proud of the AFRL, Air Force Flight Test Center, and Boeing/Pratt Whitney Rocketdyne teams' efforts to move us toward the big event. That flight test is currently planned in about two months, he said.

The Dec. 9 test, reminiscent of the early days of the historic X-15 program 50 years earlier, was conducted entirely in the airspace over Edwards AFB while various systems and telemetry were checked out. The Flight duration was 1.4 hours.

"After takeoff we climbed to 50,000 feet and verified B-52 aircraft performance, handling qualities with the X-51A attached to the B-52, control room displays and software integration with the X-51A," said Lt. Col. Daniel Millman, a B-52 project pilot. "The B-52 handled great and the flight preceded as planned."

The next B-52/X-51 flight test mission is expected in mid-January, and will be a full dress rehearsal, for its first hypersonic test flight, now planned for mid-February, Mr. Brink said. The dress rehearsal flight will depart Edwards AFB and head out over the Pacific to Point Mugu Naval Air Warfare Center Sea Range. Both airborne and multiple ground test assets will monitor all X-51A systems, but it will not be released from the B-52 and its engine will not ignite.

In February, the Air Force Flight Test Center's B-52 will carry the unmanned X-51A to approximately 50,000 feet over the Pacific Ocean then release it. A solid rocket booster from an Army Tactical Missile System will then ignite and accelerate the X-51 to about Mach 4.5. Then the booster will be jettisoned and the X-51A's supersonic combustion ramjet propulsion system will ignite and operate for about 300 seconds, propelling the cruiser to more than six times the speed of sound.

Onboard sensors will transmit data to ground systems before the cruiser plunges into the Pacific. There are no plans to recover it.

Four X-51A cruisers have been built and were developed by officials from the Air Force, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne and Boeing.

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne built the X-51's scramjet engine, which is the heart of the system. Engineers expect a great deal will be learned about hypersonic flight during the nearly 300 seconds under scramjet power. The longest-ever previous scramjet test, lasted only about 10 seconds, Mr. Brink said.

As the engine ignites it will initially burn a mix of ethylene and JP-7 fuel before switching exclusively to JP-7. The X-51's fuel-cooled engine design will both heat the JP-7 to an optimum combustion temperature and help the engine itself endure extremely high operating temperatures during the long burn.

"We believe the X-51 will lead the path to practical air breathing hypersonic flight," said George Thum, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne X-51A program manager.

Boeing's Phantom Works performed overall air vehicle design, assembly and testing for the X-51's various components.

"We're elated with the success of the captive carry and looking forward to our powered flight tests. The captive carry test was the culmination of many months of hard work by the X-51A team to verify that hardware, electrical and software integration was complete," said Joseph Vogel, a Boeing Phantom Works X-51A program manager.

Mr. Vogel called the mission an essential step to ready for the dress rehearsal, where the team will run through the processes of a complete mission profile in final preparation for the X-51's first powered flight early next year.

Previous important ground tests verified the X-51 and B-52 could communicate electronically and that X-51A can be safely and successfully uploaded and downloaded on the modified B-52H pylon. Wind tunnel tests and modeling to ensure safe separation from the aircraft were other prerequisites.

Program officials said the scramjet motor's great advantage is the ability to capture and burn oxygen in the thin atmosphere, rather than having to carry it in a large tank like the space shuttle or other rockets. Not having to carry the oxidizer needed for combustion means more payload capability.

Beyond scalable scramjet propulsion, other key technologies that will be demonstrated by the X-51A include thermal protection systems materials, airframe and engine integration, and high-speed stability and control.

Boeing officials said they also had to demonstrate the X-51A 's compatibility with the electromagnetic environment of the B-52H aircraft. The test verified that the X-51A can be powered by and communicate with the B-52H using a modified Joint Direct Attack Munition interface.

"Adapting existing, proven hardware, helps us keep program costs down," Mr. Brink said.

Mr. Brink said he believes the X-51A program will provide knowledge required to develop the game changing technologies needed for future access to space and hypersonic weapon applications.

A-10 makes wheels-up landing

An A-10 Thunderbolt II sits on the runway after making an emergency landing March 25 at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. The A-10 touched down with its landing gear in the up position after declaring an in-flight emergency. The pilot was not harmed. The aircraft, assigned to the 75th Fighter Squadron at Moody AFB, Ga., was participating in a Green Flag sortie out of Nellis AFB, Nev. (U.S. Air Force photo/Brad White)

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFPN) -- An Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II made an emergency landing here without its landing gear March 25.

The aircraft was participating in a Green Flag sortie out of Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.

The plane, which had one person aboard, is assigned to the 75th Fighter Squadron at Moody AFB, Ga.

The pilot safely exited the aircraft unharmed and was evaluated by flight surgeons here before being released.

"Edwards (AFB) is uniquely suited to handle these kinds of in-flight emergencies," said base officials. "Not only do we have first responders who are well-prepared and equipped to work these incidents, (the base) has the benefit of an enormous lakebed, which can provide a soft landing for any aircraft in distress."

Although a lakebed landing was an option, the A-10 performed a landing on the base's primary landing strip, Runway 22, officials said.

A board of officers will investigate the incident.

F-22 performs first drop of small diameter bomb

by Senior Airman Jason Hernandez, 95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
An F-22 Raptor drops a small diameter bomb from its weapons bay during a test mission Sept. 5 over Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. The test marks the first airborne separation of a small diameter bomb from the internal weapons bay of an F-22. (U.S. Air Force photo/Darin Russell)

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFPN) -- The F-22 Raptor Combined Test Force staff conducted the first airborne separation of a small diameter bomb from the internal weapons bay of an F-22 during a September test mission here.

"This is a major milestone for the F-22 modernization roadmap," said Lt. Col. Daniel Daetz, the 411th Flight Test Squadron commander.

The drop was made to ensure the small diameter bomb, or SDB, would have a clean separation when released from the F-22.

"The test proved that our predictions were modeled properly," said Maj. Jack Fischer, a 411th Flight Test Squadron test pilot. "The bomb came out exactly as it should have for the first test, so we're on the right track."

Testing of the SDB with the F-22 is part of the Increment 3.1 upgrade to the aircraft, Major Fischer said.

Once the SDB is cleared for operational missions aboard the F-22, it will enable the aircraft to carry four times the weapons load, Major Fischer said. The F-22 can carry eight SDBs with two advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles and two AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles.

"Instead of taking two Joint Direct Attack Munitions, we can carry eight SDBs," the major said. "It also increases our range considerably. The SDB envelope will be the highest and fastest of currently fielded Air Force weapons."

Carrying the SDB internally is important to maintaining the F-22's stealth because external weapons could be picked up by radar, said Bill Kuhlemeier, the Lockheed Martin chief flight test engineer. However, the requirement presents unique challenges.

"I think the real question for us is what challenges are there associated with carrying weapons internally," Major Fischer said. "No other aircraft can release a supersonic weapon out of an internal weapons bay. The flow field and shock wave interactions present a very complex challenge. Whether it's air-to-air or air-to-ground, we're still dealing with those same factors."

The F-22 was not originally designed for air-to-ground operations, Mr. Kuhlemeier said.

"We have to learn how much we can get away with while inducing loads on an aircraft that wasn't designed to carry bombs at first," he said. "We're finding ways to overcome that by making the Raptor stronger for the different missions."

The Combined Test Force's future flight test plans include expanding the F-22's delivery envelope to the full capability of the aircraft, Mr. Kuhlemeier said.

"Once we can say the bomb can safely be released from the aircraft, we will move to guided tests," he said. "We will then release the weapons to see if they hit their targets. We're starting easy and working our way up to more difficult tests."

Major Fischer said integration of the SDB with the F-22 is important to the warfighter because it puts almost everything in their target set.

"Targets we can't get with most weapons, we can get with the F-22 because we have stealth," he said. "With this weapon and aircraft, there is no place we can't reach and no place for an enemy to hide."

Edwards readies for Joint Strike Fighter testing

And for my SoCalMilcom friends on the left coast:

by Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

4/27/2007 - EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFNEWS) -- All systems are moving toward "go" here as officials prepare for upcoming tests on the next-generation strike fighter, the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter.

A new mission control room opened its doors earlier this month, equipped so the Integrated Test Force will be able to monitor real-time performance of the aircraft during its test missions here beginning this fall.

The long-awaited aircraft, the first to be developed within the Defense Department to meet the needs of three services, promises state-of-the-art technology at a cost officials say simply couldn't be matched by three separate aircraft programs.

"What's unique about this aircraft is that we're building three variants, all at once," said Marc Trinklein, deputy director for the Integrated Test Force.

These variants are designed for the specific needs of the Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy, as well as international partners that are helping fund and develop the aircraft, he said. This represents the first time in military procurement history that the United States has partnered with another nation to build an aircraft from the ground up.

Current partners are the United Kingdom, Italy, the Netherlands, Turkey, Canada, Australia, Denmark and Norway, but Trinklein said more are expected to sign on.

This arrangement brings unprecedented economies of scale. The aircraft's three models share many common designs, technologies and maintenance requirements, Mr. Trinklein said. For example, all three aircraft can use a common engine, one produced by two different contractors.

At the same time, he said, they'll deliver revolutionary new capabilities adapted for close-air support, tactical bombing and air-to-air combat missions.

The bulk of the F-35s will be the "A" model, configured for the Air Force to replace F-16 Fighting Falcons and A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and complement the F-22 Raptor. They will feature conventional takeoff and landing capabilities.

This aircraft, which made its maiden flight at the Lockheed-Martin plant in Fort Worth, Texas, in mid-December, is expected to undergo developmental testing here and at Fort Worth beginning in mid-2009 or early 2010.

Meanwhile, developmental testing for the other two F-35 variants, the "B" and "C" models, will take place at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md.

The "B" model, being developed for the Marine Corps, will have short takeoff and vertical landing capabilities. It is designed to replace the Marines' F/A-18C and D Hornet fighters and AV-8B Harrier IIs.

Initial plans called for the models to be developed sequentially, "A" followed by "B," then by "C," but Mr. Trinklein said the "B" model has moved to the front of the line. "The Marines have the greatest need due to the age of the Harrier fleet," he said. "They are flying Harriers, and they are very old and not so capable, so they are recognized as the biggest need."

The F-35B is expected to make its first flight in May 2008.

The "C" model F-35 will be adapted for the Navy for carrier landings. It will feature larger, folding wings and stronger landing gear than the other variants and complement the F/A18 "E" and "F" models.

After developmental testing here and at Patuxent River, all three models - six of each, plus two British versions -- will undergo operational testing here beginning in 2011, Mr. Trinklein said.

The goal, he said, is to get the first F-35B's fielded to the Marine Corps in 2012. The other two models are expected to follow to their respective services in 2013.

When they're delivered, these aircraft will bring cutting-edge technologies. They'll provide a level of stealth not found in previous Navy and Marine Corps aircraft and a highly advanced radar capability, Mr. Trinklein said, "is incredible compared to what's out in the field now."

An infrared electro-optical targeting system will provide "awesome" detail, and an integrated distributed aperture sensor system will enable a pilot to see infrared imagery from any direction via a helmet-mounted display, he said.

"This is a huge step in situational awareness," Mr. Trinklein said. "It's revolutionary to have the pilot to have no blind spots, day or night."

An autonomic logistics system is designed to run without paper, technical orders or even checklists.

The aircraft also will monitor its own systems and issue reports as needed. "It's designed to be predictive," Mr. Trinklein said. "It will be able to tell if a system is starting to degrade before it becomes a problem. It will say what part is needed, so that part can be ready when the plane lands."

New mission control room ready for F-35 flight tests

by Senior Airman Jason Hernandez, 95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

The newest range mission control room built to test the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter was officially commissioned here April 11.

Combined with equipment installation and recent room certification, the range control room now provides the F-35 test team with the resources necessary to monitor the real-time performance of the aircraft during its test missions here.

The tests are conducted by the F-35 Integrated Test Force, which is composed of military, government civilian, contractor and foreign partner personnel, according to Steve Cronk, director of operations for the 412th Range Squadron.

"The control room allows us to deliver a better product to the warfighter sooner," he said. "The capability here provides us the ability to thoroughly test and evaluate the performance of the F-35 and find any problems with the aircraft long before we deliver it."

Officials say the new control room is unique in that it is entirely personal computer based. It is larger and capable of processing more information per second.

The 412th Range Squadron, part of the 412th Test Engineering Group, is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the JSF control room. The agency that completed the range acceptance certification procedure for the new range mission control room was the 412th Test Management Group.

According to Nancy Bergren, test support operations lead with the F-35 ITF, the new control room is actually one of the many control rooms that the range squadron uses here in the Ridley Control Center.

"Initially, we looked at the range's existing control rooms and determined there wasn't enough capacity to support the JSF," Ms. Bergren said.

Up to 40 flight test engineers from the F-35 ITF will work in the control room, Ms. Bergren said. Eight people on the range support the operations and maintenance of the control room.

During missions, the control room will receive telemetry data from the F-35 and video data from the range, Ms. Bergren said.

"The technology in this control room is state of the art in real-time data-processing capabilities," Mr. Cronk said. "When the JSF is full up and running, this control room will process about 250,000 parameters from the aircraft at 3 million samples per second. The F-22 had 120,000 parameters processed at about 1 million samples per second. So you can see how technology has improved in just a few years.

"We know everything that is happening on the aircraft," he said. "In the 250,000 measurements received from the aircraft, we can see stick positions, rudder positions, internal engine temperature, brake pressures and more. You name it, we see it all in the mission control room in real time. It is far more information than the pilot could ever possibly know while flying the aircraft."

Once a mission is over, the flight test engineers can access the data from their personal computers for a more detailed analysis, Mr. Cronk said. The data is electronically transferred down to the ITF's facility here, where it is put on a storage system.

"Because there is so much data coming from the aircraft in flight, we could not possibly look at all of it in real time," he said. "The engineers can go back and look at specific aspects of the test and get a better feel for the aircraft. In the future, the flight test team can compare data received 10 missions ago and compare it to present performance to see the changes and improvements they have made."

Edwards will have five F-35's permanently assigned here in the future for developmental testing and up to three Naval variants visiting, Ms. Bergren said.