Page 6 - AirForces Monthly - Issue 381 (December 2019)

NEWS Headlines

WESTLANT 19 under way

FOR THE first time in a phase of Operational Testing the UK Lightnings. approximately five weeks. RW) during WESTLANT 19.
decade, British jets are (OT-1) off the US east coast. The WESTLANT 19 Carrier The carrier is being A team from QinetiQ and the
operating from a Royal Navy There they were joined by Strike Group deployment is accompanied by the Aircraft Test and Evaluation
carrier. The F-35Bs from another three F-35Bs from aimed at ‘end-to-end’ testing Type 45 destroyer HMS Centre (ATEC) at MOD
the RAF’s Nos 207 and 617 No 17 Test and Evaluation of the aircraft and personnel Dragon, Type 23 frigate Boscombe Down, Wiltshire,
Squadrons at RAF Marham, Squadron, stationed at to ensure the UK Lightning’s HMS Northumberland, used Merlin HC4 ZJ121 from
Norfolk, landed on board Edwards Air Force Base, compatibility with the carrier. tanker RFA Tideforce and 845 NAS and HM2 ZH826
the aircraft carrier HMS California. On October 31, The tests involve mission Merlins from 814, 820 and from 820 NAS to complete
Queen Elizabeth (R08) for F-35Bs from the US Marine planning, arming the aircraft 845 Naval Air Squadrons, 550 deck landings and
the first time on October 13. Corps’ Marine Operational with inert Paveway laser- Wildcats from 815 NAS and 471 test points between
After flying across the Test and Evaluation guided bombs and ASRAAM Royal Marines from Lima September 21 and October 2.
Atlantic the previous week Squadron 1 (VMX-1) based missiles using the ship’s Company, 42 Commando. The UK plans to declare
to Marine Corps Air Station at MCAS Yuma, Arizona, Highly Automated Weapon HMS Queen Elizabeth initial operating capability
Beaufort, South Carolina, the arrived on board for two Handling System, flying also completed a second for the carrier strike role
three Marham jets embarked weeks of carrier qualification, missions and debriefing. phase of Rotary Wing by the end of the year (see
in the warship for the next before flying sorties with OT-1 was planned to last Development Testing (DT pages 66-69 for more).

F-35B ZM148 ‘014’ launches from the deck of HMS ‘Queen
Elizabeth’. UK MOD/Crown Copyright

Korea’s future fighter takes shape

KOREA AEROSPACE completed this September single-seat and two twin- air-to-air capability only, demonstration fighter
Industries (KAI) has begun and a mock-up of the seat prototypes, powered while Block 2 will be cleared radar have already begun
building the first prototype fighter debuted at the Seoul by twin F414-GE-400K for air-to-ground missions. using a Boeing 737 testbed
for the KF-X fighter International Aerospace & engines. Seoul expects to The Republic of Korea Air in a project that involves
programme, with the aim Defense Exhibition 2019 issue a production contract Force has a requirement for South Korea’s Agency for
of rollout in June 2021 and (ADEX 2019) that took in 2024 leading to deliveries 20 KF-Xs, while Indonesia Defense Development
a first flight in May 2022. A place from October 15-20. of the Block 1 variant in could buy another 50. (ADD), Hanwha and
critical design review was There are plans for four 2026. The Block 1 will offer Flight tests of a technology- Israel’s Elta Systems.
KAI’s full-scale mock-up of
the KF-X at ADEX 2019. It was
displayed alongside planned
armament, including MBDA
Meteor and Diehl IRIS-T air-
to-air missiles. Gordon Arthur

6 // December 2019 #381 www.Key.Aero

06-07 HeadlineNews AFM Dec2019.indd 6 11/11/2019 12:25:20