JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2018 35
feedback through the US, the joint
exercises that we’re seeing. There
are also a couple of hundred aircraft
now flying, and nearly 100,000 flying
hours on the jet now, so we’ve got
some really good data on how it’s
performing.
“The support system and
infrastructure is still maturing,
and our readiness for that is still
maturing,” he added.
“But we don’t have to get there
yet. We’re not expecting government
declaring an IOC before the end of
2020, so we’ve got three years. We can
leverage off the significant experience
of the US and other nations.”
Tothefuture
A former classic Hornet pilot,
WGCDR Clare provides an interesting
comparison between the old and new
aircraft.
“The F-35 actually flies very, very
similarly to the Hornet, both classic
and Super,” he related. “In fact, it’s
probably more like the Super in the
way it feels. The alpha (angle of attack
performance) and the power is similar
to a Super Hornet, although it’s got a
little bit more power down low.
“But the situational awareness
is quite amazing, the way the
information is presented and what the
jet is seeing around you,” he added.
“It’s to the point where, you can almost
get information overload, so you’ve
got to know what you’re looking for
and know how to find it. You’ve got
to know what the little tricks are that
could throw you off.
“And the networking between the
aircraft is really important to the way
we operate tactically. The helmet is
quite interesting and with respect
to all the information ... there’s no
HUD (head-up display), so all the
information is presented in the
helmet.”
The pilots’ helmets are individually
fitted. The pilot gets a laser map of
their head made, and then the helmet
is built around that map. “It takes
a little while to get used to because
it’s projected in front of both of your
eyes, so it takes a couple of flights toactually make sure those are lined up
properly and you’re not seeing double
and giving yourself a headache.”
All of this information ‘harvested’
by the F-35 will feed into a new system
and culture being established under
the RAAF’s ambitious Plan Jericho
which will be a key enabler for the 5th
generation capabilities the F-35 will
bring to the ADF.
“I think the fifth-generation part
through Jericho is more than just the
mindset, it’s actually the agility and
the speed of response,” AVM Roberton
explained. “We need to be far more
agile in our thinking and empowering
smart young operators – the women
and men that don’t just fly them, but
maintain them and seek alternative
solutions.
“The way we used to do business
might not be the best way to do it in
the future, and we just might not be
able to afford to,” he said in closing.
“Our Air Force has no more
squadrons and no more people
than it has for the last 20 years.
But I would subjectively submit we
have nearly two and a half times the
air combat power of that same size
air force from 20 years ago. That’s
a considerable undertaking for a
medium sized air force, and I think
we’re looked upon with some envy by
our peer air forces.”‘We need to
be far more
agile in our
thinking.’^
AVM STEVE ROBERTONNew CO 3SQN WGCDR
Darren Clare and CO of the
61st Fighter Squadron, Lt
Col Rhett Hierlmeier after
WGCDR Clare’s first F-35A
flight in July.USAF VIA DEFENCEEight F-35As are scheduled
to be delivered to the RAAF at
Luke AFB in 2018, the last two
of which will be the first to
operate under an Australian
airworthiness system.DEFENCE