Page 10 - Combat Aircraft (January 2020)

[NEWS]

Led by an F-35C, this is a formation of Edwards-based
operational test Lightning IIs. Six F-35As of the 31st TES
recently left Edwards to be reassigned to the 422nd TES
at Nellis. USAF/Giancarlo Casem
USAF RELOCATES IX F 35AS THAT had the F-35 Joint Operational Test Team
been operated by the
(JOTT). The instrumented aircraft will
53rd Wing’s 31st Test and
continue to support IOT&E with the
OPERATIONAL SCalifornia, were relocated 422nd TES, which is also a component
Evaluation Squadron
of the 53rd Wing. The F-35As were
(TES), at Edwards AFB,
consolidated at Nellis to permit the
to Nellis AFB, Nevada, where they service to ‘launch operationally-
TEST F-35S were reassigned to the 422nd TES relevant numbers of instrumented
‘Green Bats’. The move follows the
airplanes’. The successful completion
completion of the 31st TES’s portion of IOT&E will result in a Full-Rate
of the Lightning II’s initial operational Production decision for the Joint
31ST TES MOVES JETS FROM EDWARDS TO NELLIS test and evaluation (IOT&E) as part of Strike Fighter program.

FIRST DUTCH KDC-10 RETIRED With the arrival of the rst former USAF DEVELOPING
Dutch KDC-10, OARS will be able to
OMEGA AIR INC has acquired and will remain in service until the o er this refueling method. ‘ARSENAL PLANE’
two KDC-10 tankers from the end of 2021, after which it will be In 1992, two DC-10-30s CONCEPT
Dutch government including transferred to Omega Air. were acquired from Martinair THE USAF IS once again evaluating
ground support equipment and The KDC-10s will augment and converted into KDC-10 an ‘arsenal plane’, but is adapting
spare parts. The Defence Materiel Omega Aerial Refueling Services’ con guration by KLM Engineering the concept to include the service’s
Organisation (DMO), responsible for (OARS) current eet of two Boeing and Maintenance at Schiphol latest technological pursuits. In
the acquisition, maintenance and 707-300s and a single DC-10. These Airport. The rst KDC-10 (T- its latest incarnation, the ying
disposal of defense materiel of the are equipped with the hose-and- 264) entered Dutch service in munitions truck would be capable of
armed forces of the Netherlands, drogue system able to perform September 1995, followed by the delivering hypersonic weapons and
has been involved in the sale, but probe-and-drogue refueling only. second example in April 1996. integrating a networked advanced
the total value has not been made Omega has provided refueling Both will be replaced by the battle management system. It
public. KDC-10 serial T-264 Prins services to the US Navy and Airbus KC-30 MRTT (Multi-Role remains unclear if an existing
Bernhard was retired on November US Marine Corps since 2001 Tanker Transport), under the NATO bomber or airlift aircraft would be
1 from Royal Netherlands Air Force to support training ights and Multinational Multi-Role Tanker adapted for the role, but during a
service. The tanker took o from exercises. The company has been Transport Fleet (MMF). A total of recent event the air force’s assistant
Eindhoven for the last time on considering expansion of its eet eight aircraft are on order, ve secretary for acquisition, technology,
November 4 for the ferry ight to its to start providing its services to aircraft will be based at Eindhoven and logistics, suggested that the
new owner in the US. The second the US Transportation Command while three examples will be USAF’s bombers are already evolving
KDC-10, T-235 Jan Sche er, is still (USTRANSCOM), but it was lacking located in Cologne in Germany. to t the ‘arsenal plane’ concept.
being operated by 334 Squadron boom-equipped tanker aircraft. Marco Muntz The service is looking at integrating
hypersonic weapons with the B-52H
and expanding the B-1B Lancer’s
weapons capacity from 24 to 40
munitions and integrating the AGM-
158 Joint Air-to-Surface Stando
Missile (JASSM), the extended-range
AGM-158B JASSM-ER, and the AGM-
158C Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile
(LRASM). The service is planning
KDC-10 T-264 Prins Bernhard to conduct several ‘arsenal plane’
climbs away from Eindhoven for a experiments over the next few years
mission in April 2019. Marco Muntz as the concept is developed further.

10 January 2020 // www.Key.Aero

22/11/2019 13:17
8-15 News C.indd 10
8-15 News C.indd 10 22/11/2019 13:17