Northrop Out of
MQ-25 Race
Northrop Grumman withdrew from the US
Navy’s MQ-25 competition on October 25.
The move surprised observers because
the contractor had extensive experience
on the project and the earlier Unmanned
Carrier-Launched Airborne Surveillance
and Strike (UCLASS) initiative that saw
an unmanned aircraft operate from a
US Navy aircraft carrier for the rst time.
The company’s decision followed its
assessment of the navy’s nal request
for proposal (RFP) and its decision that
responding to the request was not in the
company’s interest.
The service expects to select a
competition winner and release a contract
for full-scale development in 2018.A 4th Fighter Wing F-15E Strike Eagle in a heritage paint scheme sits on the ightline at
Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina, on November 8. Members of the 4th Equipment
Maintenance Squadron fabrication ight worked for more than a month to complete the work in
honour of the wing’s 75th anniversary. USAF/Airman 1st Class Miranda A LoeraThe rst aerial refuelling between an
E-2D and a KC-130T took place over the
Chesapeake Bay near NAS Patuxent River,
Maryland, on July 14. Over the course of the
four-hour ight, the E-2D connected with the
KC-130T 12 times, including ten ‘dry plugs’.
A total of 1,700lb (771kg) of fuel was
transferred to the Advanced Hawkeye
during two wet contacts. The aerialrefuelling capability will allow the E-2D
to y missions lasting more than seven
hours. Development of the capability
began in 2013 and Northrop Grumman is
under contract to modify three E-2Ds – two
aircraft are already ying.
The rst modi ed E-2D made its rst ighton December 15, 2016, at the contractor’s St
Augustine, Florida, facility. Beginning next
year (2018), all new E-2Ds will be con gured
for aerial refuelling. The rst operational
squadron capable of extended mission
durations is expected to be ready to deploy
in 2020.Strike Eagle Honours 4th FW
Lightning II Landmarks
More milestones have been passed by the
Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II. The
rst of the type to be assembled in Japan,
by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries at the
Komaki South Final Assembly and Check
Out (FACO) facility, arrived at Misawa AB,
Japan, on November 2.
The Japan Air Self-Defense Force-
owned Lightning II, which was own by a
US Air Force pilot assigned to the Defense
Contract Management Agency (DCMA),was en route to US where it will undergo
nal functional tests.
Also, in Japan, the USMC's VMFA-121’s
complement of F-35Bs was completed on
November 15 when the nal group of four
Lightning IIs arrived at MCAS Iwakuni. The
arrival increased the ‘Green Knights’ primary
aircraft inventory (PAI) to 16 F-35Bs.
The initial three operational F-35As for the
Royal Norwegian Air Force arrived at Ørland
Main Air Station on November 3 at the end ofa ferry ight that began at Lockheed Martin’s
production facility, adjacent to NAS Fort
Worth Joint Reserve Base, Texas. Norway
has taken delivery of 10 F-35s and seven of
the Lightning IIs are supporting Norwegian
training at Luke AFB, Arizona.
The rst Italian-built F-35B conducted its
maiden ight in Cameri on October 25. The
aircraft, serial number MM7451 (c/n BL-1),
was rolled out of the Cameri FACO facility
in May. Tom KaminskiA ight crew from Northrop Grumman and Air Test and Evaluation Squadron VX-20 conducting
the rst aerial refuelling between a Hawkeye and a KC-130T. US Navy/Liz WolterMILITARY NEWS
6Hawkeye in
Successful
Refuelling Test
Aviation News Incorporating Jets January 201806-08_military_newsDC.mfDC.mfDC.mf.indd 6 04/12/2017 12: