Page 16 - Flight International (January 2020)

DEFENCE
Delayed Defiant
pushes the envelope
Defence P18

TECHNOLOGY GARRETT REIM LOS ANGELES
F-35 passes muster as airborne sensor

Trial with US Army missile defence system demonstrates fighter’s ability to detect and share data on multiple threats

he US Air Force’s (USAF’s) a live fire test involving multiple
TLockheed Martin F-35A has targets.
demonstrated a capability to “This test validated the F-35’s
downlink targeting data about capability to serve as an airborne
multiple “air-breathing threats” sensor and extend the range of
to ground forces. critical Integrated Air and Missile
Conducted over the White Defense interceptors,” says Greg
Sands Missile Range in New Ulmer, Lockheed’s general man-
Mexico in December 2019, the ager of the F-35 programme. The
trial saw a pair of F-35As connectivity update enabled the
interact with the US Army’s USAF assets to “gather, analyse
Integrated Air and Missile De- and seamlessly share critical in-
fense Battle Command System formation,” he adds.
(IBCS). The combat aircraft pro- Lockheed Martin Lockheed has not disclosed
vided “an airborne sensor capa- the size of the targets engaged
bility to successfully detect, A-model platform proved effective in extending interceptor range during the trial, but says the work
track and intercept near simulta- also demonstrated a way to
neous air-breathing threats,” the connected through the Multi- activity, which marked the first engage low-flying threats that are
USAF says. function Advanced Data Link time that F-35s have been over the horizon or terrain
The aircraft and IBCS were during the proof-of-concept employed as sensors during such masked. ■

PROGRAMME GARRETT REIM LOS ANGELES
Flight-test Gremlins end

X-61A debut with crash

ynetics’ X-61A Gremlins un- air-launched in swarms and then
Dmanned air vehicle (UAV) recovered mid-air. Applications
made its first flight in November could include providing surveil-
2019, the company disclosed on lance duties, or serving as loiter-
17 January. ing munitions. Crown Copyright
Lasting 1h 41min and per- “When the Gremlins complete
formed over the Dugway Proving their mission, a [Lockheed Mar- Current trio of H145-model trainers deliver rear crew instruction
Ground, near Salt Lake City, tin] C-130 transport aircraft
Utah, the sortie culminated with would retrieve them in the air ROTORCRAFT DOMINIC PERRY LONDON
the test asset being destroyed in a and carry them home, where UK to increase Jupiter fleet
crash after its main recovery ground crews would prepare
parachute failed to deploy. them for their next use within
“The loss of our vehicle 24h,” says DARPA. irbus Helicopters is to sup- H135 Juno HT1s, at the tri-service
validates our decision to build An expected life of about 20 Aply the UK Ministry of Defence Helicopter Flying School
five [X-61As],” says Tim Keeter, uses “could provide significant Defence with an additional batch at the Royal Air Force’s Shawbury
Dynetics’ Gremlins programme cost advantages over expendable of four H145 Jupiter trainers, for base, under its Military Flying
manager. systems by reducing payload and operation by the Ascent Flight Training System contract.
“Overall, I am proud to see all airframe costs, and by having Training joint venture. The new procurement meets a
the hard work pay off and we are lower mission and maintenance Part of a £183 million ($238 need to provide extra capacity for
excited to continue this momen- costs than conventional million) contract revision that rear crew training, which cannot
tum towards the first airborne re- platforms, which are designed to also includes an additional simu- be performed on the H135. The
covery in early 2020.” operate for decades,” it adds. lator and infrastructure improve- move will also free up extra capac-
Run by the US Defense Flight testing should ments, delivery of the new heli- ity elsewhere in Ascent’s opera-
Advanced Research Projects culminate with Dynetics demon- copters is due to begin in 2020. tion, sources indicate, since some
Agency (DARPA), the Gremlins strating the ability to launch, fly Ascent already operates a fleet UK rear crews destined for rotary-
programme’s aim is to create and recover four X-61As in less of three Jupiter HT1s, alongside 29 wing service still undertake some
low-cost UAVs that could be than 30min. ■ of the manufacturer's smaller training on fixed-wing aircraft. ■

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