Page 7 - AirForces Monthly - Issue 381 (December 2019)

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USAF issues US$6.4bn Red Air contract

SEVEN CIVILIAN contractors USAF issued a request for
have received a share of a proposals (RFP) for adversary
US Air Force Air Combat air (ADAIR) in August last year
Command adversary and received eight responses.
training contract worth up to The programme will cover
US$6.4bn, awarded by the around 30,000 hours of
US Department of Defense adversary air and 10,000
on October 18. Air USA, hours of close air support
Airborne Tactical Advantage and Joint Terminal Attack
Company (ATAC), Blue Air Controller training annually.
Training, Coastal Defense, The USAF wants contractors
Draken International, Tactical to provide a variety of
Air Support and Top Aces aircraft types for its fourth
Corp all successfully bid and fifth-generation fighter
for the Combat Air Forces pilots to train against. All
Contracted Air Support platforms are required to
programme to provide carry government-supplied
“complete contracted air electronic countermeasures
support services for realistic pods and captive infrared-
and challenging advanced guided air-to-air missiles. An ATAC Hawker Hunter Mk58 taxies at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina, in
adversary air threats and The contract will run April last year. The jet was providing dissimilar air combat training for F-35B pilots of Marine
close air support threats”. The until October 2024. Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501. Lance Cpl Terry Haynes/MCAS Beaufort
Sikorsky’s RAIDER X
joins FARA competition
THE RAIDER X has been rotorcraft is intended to
unveiled as Sikorsky’s entry make use of self-monitoring
in the US Army Future and condition-based
Attack Reconnaissance maintenance, and the firm
Aircraft (FARA) programme. says its offering “provides
The next-generation light- unmatched potential
attack/reconnaissance and growth margin for
helicopter is a further increased speed, combat
development of the S-97 radius and payload” .
Raider and will make use Powered by a single General
of technology tested in the Electric T901 turboshaft, the
company’s X2 demonstrator. RAIDER X will compete in
The RAIDER X is a coaxial the FARA competition with
compound design, employing the AVX Aircraft Compound
the X2 rigid rotor. Other Coaxial Helicopter (CCH),
key features highlighted by Bell 360 Invictus, Karem
Sikorsky include state-of- AR40 and an as-yet
the-art digital design and undisclosed Boeing design.
manufacturing, and modern Two competitive prototype
open systems architecture contracts are scheduled to be
(MOSA)-based avionics awarded in March followed
Lockheed Martin and mission systems. The by a flyoff planned for 2023.
Initial Indian Hill F-35As return
Air Force from Middle East
Rafales USAF F-35As from the personnel from the 4th and
delivered 4th Fighter Squadron (FS) 466th Aircraft Maintenance

F-35As arrived at Hill in
completed the variant’s initial
THE FIRST Indian Air Force ‘Fighting Fuujins’ have Units. The first operational
(IAF) Rafale DH, two- combat deployment and October 2015 and the 388th
seater serial RB001, was returned to Hill Air Force and 419th are the USAF’s
formally handed over to the Base, Utah, on October 28. first combat-capable F-35A
Indian government during The Lightning IIs spent six units, operating the Joint
a ceremony at Dassault months at Al Dhafra Air Base, Strike Fighter in a so-called
Aviation’s Bordeaux- United Arab Emirates, where Total Force partnership.
Mérignac facility on October An air-to-air photo sortie for they were operated by crews
the second IAF Rafale DH,
8. The event was hosted by RB002. Dassault from the active-duty 388th
company chairman and CEO and Reserve 419th Fighter
Eric Trappier and guests four jets will initially remain No 17 Squadron at Ambala Wings (FW). Beginning in
included India’s defence in France for flight testing Air Force Station is set April, the jets flew missions
minister Shri Rajnath Singh at Istres and for training to receive its first seven including close air support
and his French counterpart IAF instructor pilots. The Rafales around April or May and regional deterrence A USAF Lightning II pilot
Florence Parly. The next three contract comprises 28 next year. All 36 aircraft are and also participated in returns to Hill AFB following
jets were due to be handed single-seat Rafale EH and expected to be delivered multinational exercises. the F-35A’s first combat
over the same month. eight twin-seat Rafale DH by 2022, by which time Airmen included pilots from deployment in support of
Handover came three years aircraft. The first Rafale DH No 1 Squadron will have the active-duty 4th FS and the USAF Central Command
after contract signature took to the air on October been re-established as Reserve 466th FS, as well Mission in the Middle East.
for the acquisition of 36 30, 2018, followed by the the second IAF unit on the as active-duty and Reserve USAF/R Nial Bradshaw
Rafales for the IAF. The first second on July 17 this year. type, at Hashimara AFS.

www.Key.Aero #381 December 2019 // 7

06-07 HeadlineNews AFM Dec2019.indd 7 11/11/2019 12:25:24