Page 35 - Combat Aircraft (January 2020)

AGRS. Draken initially provided its radar-
equipped A-4K Skyhawks, which were
later joined by Aero L-159 ‘Honey Badger’
Top to bottom: Advanced Light Combat Aircraft (ALCA).
Draken
International’s Draken boss Isaacman said, ‘The L-159E
ex-Royal New is equipped with the Leonardo Grifo-L
Zealand Air Force radar and attack software suite. They are
A-4 Skyhawks
have supported a modern, virtually brand new fourth-
adversary and generation ghter aircraft with extremely
close air support low operational costs. In both cases, the
training. Draken
International A-4 and L-159 enable Draken to provide
tactically relevant adversary support,
All the contractor but at dramatically lower costs than a
adversary
companies are comparable military F-16 or F-15 ghter.’
stacked with Draken gained something of a lead
experienced thanks to the Nellis experiment. It also
pilots, which
is ideal when aided Royal Netherlands Air Force F-35
it comes to operational testing out of Edwards AFB
imparting that and JTAC training at NAS Fallon, Nevada,
knowledge to
young trainees. and has taken part in large-force training
José M. exercises in support of the Japan Self-
Ramos/Draken Defense Force at White Sands Missile
International
Range, New Mexico.
Draken has The Nellis proof of concept contract
enjoyed went through three extensions and three
signifi cant
success with modi cations to account for continued
its contracts at growth and requirements as the USAF
Nellis AFB. It is sought a more permanent solution.
expected to move
its Mirage F1s In June 2017, the USAF awarded Draken
there in 2020 to a ve-year, $280-million ADAIR II contract,
operate alongside cementing the original path nder study.
its L-159 ‘Honey
Badgers’, as seen Only two bidders came forward for ADAIR
here. José M. II, which Draken secured as a three-year
Ramos/Draken contract with two option years, until
International
December 2023. It speci ed that Draken’s
ADAIR II aircraft must be capable of ying
at Mach 1.5 and of completing sorties
of up to 60 minutes. As soon as Draken
signed the contract it was obliged to
execute at least 22 missions per day within
the rst month of operations.

The big contract
In July 2016, the USAF had issued a
request for information for the larger
ADAIR contract, reaching out to the
contractor air service companies to
support this massive, emerging, training
need. The solicitation to industry was
for nearly 42,000 hours of contracted
aggressor support training across the 12
air bases.
The USAF started to work even more
closely with the contractors, re ning
the requirements and ensuring it was
seeking a realistic solution that could be
met by the commercial providers. They
were permitted to provide support with
several aircraft types including third
and fourth-generation ghters, with
requirements including operations at
speeds of between Mach 0.8-1.5 and

www.Key.Aero // January 2020 35

21/11/2019 20:58
32-37 Contact aggressors C.indd 35
32-37 Contact aggressors C.indd 35 21/11/2019 20:58