http://www.airforcesmonthly.com #365 AUGUST 2018 // 47
rescue mission, with our Hawkeye flying as the
airborne mission commander, co-ordinating
the package in charge of rescuing the
ejectee from within enemy-held territory.
“It was a truly demanding mission, with a
large number of escort, destruction of enemy
air defences, close air support and rescue
assets. About 20 aircraft were involved:
Rafales, F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, EA-18G
Growlers and MH-60S Seahawks.”
Equally impressive was a naval strike mission
against a ‘hostile’ task force – carried out
in a complex environment, with numerous
civil and military ships in the area. “We were
the only ones to be radiating,” the 4F chief
of operations added. “All the other aircraft
were flying with their radar off in order not to
betray their presence and their positions.
“We were flying ahead of the force, alongside
EA-18G Growlers using their sensors to
identify ‘enemy’ emissions. Once the location
of potentially hostile vessels had been
determined, MH-60S helicopters closed in
to positively identify the contacts with their
FLIR, in full compliance with the rules of
engagement demanded by the scenario.
“As soon as the identity of the ships had been
confirmed, a multinational Rafale/Super Hornet
strike force was catapulted from USS Bush to
conduct the attack, in complete radio and radar
silence – all targeting data being transmitted
from the Hawkeye via the Link 16 data link.”Total interoperability
French and US assets successfully
demonstrated their interoperability during
Chesapeake. “We practise here the whole
spectrum of warfare, preparing for the next
war we don’t know about yet,” observed
Captain Jim McCall, the CVW-8 commander
“The exercise gives us the opportunity to
develop our strategic relationship to increase
interoperability and mutual trust. France is
our oldest ally and we’ve flown alongside
them on many occasions, including in
Syria. It’s one thing to train alongside,
but when you enter a fight you need to
trust the guys on your left and right.
“Beyond the air wing, the partnership we
have with France is extremely important in
all fields, including maritime security. We’re
closely aligned: we wanted to integrate
from basic to advanced training, against
surface and maritime targets. Being able
to integrate a French squadron into a US
CVW proves we are fully interoperable.
“For us, the French event is a scenario in itself.
We fly different ’planes and we bring differentcapabilities against the adversary we do not
yet see. However, we don’t design specific
scenarios for the Rafale or for the Super Hornet.
“We’ll be moving up the complexity of
missions to leverage our respective strengths.
We will conduct cyclic, round-the-clock
ops, creating a powerful force operating day
and night, with tanker support, from low-
end fighting to high-end conflicts, in ‘bandit
country’, against near-peer adversaries.
“At the end of the day, it’s preparing
French and US aircrews for combat.”
By late May, all the French aircraft were
safely back at Landivisiau and Lann-
Bihoué, concluding a highly successful
deployment that will pave the way to
new carrier qualification training aboard
Charles de Gaulle this autumn.
“Building up a strategic relationship with
our allies is our goal,” concluded Admiral
Stephen C Evans, commander of Carrier
Strike Group 2. “The Rafale is a very capable
aircraft. The capabilities it brings are very
complementary to those of CVW-8.
“From my perspective, as commander of
Carrier Strike Group 2, it’s seamless and
the French squadron integrated into our
air wing just as one of our Super Hornet
squadrons would.”Rafale M30 awaits its turn while a VFA-31
‘Tomcatters’ F/A-18E prepares to launch from
catapult No 1. The French jet is fitted with two
2,000-lit drop tanks under the wings.AFM