This image: F-35C BuNo 169162, operated
by VFA-101 ‘Grim Reapers’, approaches
the fl ight deck of the aircraft carrier USS
Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) on August 20.
US Navy/MC1 Brian M. Wilbur
Inset left: An F/A-18E Super Hornet of
VFA-86 shares space on the deck of the
Abraham Lincoln with an F-35C from
VFA-147 on August 21.
US Navy/MC1 Brian M. BrooksEARLY RAPTOR REFURBISHED
F 22A SERIAL 91 4006 returned to
the air at Edwards AFB, California,
after being grounded for nearly six
years. The Raptor has returned to
test duties with the F-22 Combined
Test Force and the 411th Flight
Test Squadron. It was one of the
rst Raptors to be equipped with a
full avionics system and has been
assigned to the 411th since May- 91-4006 was placed in storage
at Edwards in November 2012 as
a result of budget sequestration
that prevented the incorporation of
costly required upgrades. The aircraft
carried out an acceptance check
ight when it returned to the air on
July 17 and a ceremony was held
at Edwards to welcome it back on
August 27.
After securing funding to upgrade
the airframe from the USAF,
Lockheed Martin and Boeing spent
27 months performing this work
and incorporating nearly 11,
individual xes/parts. The work
extended the Raptor’s service life
from 2,000 to 4,000 ight hours
and updated its avionics systems.
The Raptor will now be used as a
ight sciences aircraft, alongside
three other Raptors with the 411th
FLTS, and will support F-22A eet
modernization e orts.F-22A serial 91-4006 returns to the for the fi rst time for an acceptance
check fl ight (ACF) at Edwards AFB, California, on July 17, after being
grounded for nearly six years. Lockheed Martin/Chad BellayF-35 weapons work
The 388th Fighter Wing and Air
Force Reserve Command (AFRC)’s
419th FW completed ‘Combat
Hammer’ and ‘Combat Archer’
exercises at Hill AFB, Utah, from
August 6-24. They were conducted
under the USAF’s Weapons System
Evaluation Program (WSEP).
Weapons evaluated included a
variety of air-to-ground stores and
air-to-air missiles. The Hill F-35As
were joined by F-15Es from the
366th FW at Mountain Home AFB,
Idaho, and F-16Cs from the 57th
Wing at Nellis AFB, Nevada, and
AFRC’s 482nd FW at Homestead
Air Reserve Base, Florida. The
Lightning IIs red AIM-9X and
employed weapons using the Block
3F software. Participating units
assembled, loaded, and delivered
147 bombs and 18 missiles over
the Utah Test and Training Range
west of Hill. The weapons included
30 bombs and 13 missiles that
were delivered by the F-35As.
‘BLUE BLASTERS’ AT FALLON
The ‘Blue Blasters’ of VFA-34 fl ew their fi nal missions with the F/A-18C at
Fallon during a refresher deployment from August 27-September 14. CAG-
bird BuNo 165403 wears tail markings to mark the unit’s fi nal ‘Charlie’
Hornet participation at this year’s RIMPAC exercise
(see pages 68-75). Jim DunnMORE ‘BUFF’ UPGRADES CONSIDERED
THE USAF BRIEFED industry
representatives on planned upgrades
for the B-52H eet during a platform
update at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma. It
plans to incorporate several upgrades
including a defensive systems and
avionics modernization, a crash-
survivable ight data recorder,
advanced targeting pod relocation,
new ejection seats and an upgraded
weapons system trainer. The service
has begun work on the long-awaited
B-52 re-engining program, and the
potential future upgrades could be
formalized, resulting in assignment of
the B-52J designation.The USAF is now
proposing a host of
upgrades for the B-52.
USAF/A1C Benjamin CooperUNITED STATES [NEWS]
http://www.combataircraft.net // November 2018 09