Combat aircraft

I

TALY’S MOST IMPORTANT

air exercise is held every two

years, and has featured various

di erent names: ‘Star Vega’

in 2013, ‘Trident Juncture’

in 2015, and ‘Joint Stars’ in

2017. On each occasion it involves all
      front-line wings of the Italian Air Force
      (Aeronautica Militare, AM) working
      in conjunction with the Italian
      Navy and Army.
      Taking place from October 16 to 27,
      ‘Joint Stars 2017’ combined the AM’s
      ‘Vega 2017’, and ‘Mare Aperto 2017’,
      which was carried out by the Navy.
      Aside from training its personnel,
      the main aim for the AM was to give
      its command structure the chance
      to plan and manage a composite air
      operation (COMAO).
      The exercise scenario called upon
      the AM and Hellenic Air Force (HAF)
      to conduct an international operation
      ordered by the United Nations to
      resolve an international crisis situation.
      ‘Joint Stars 2017’ involved all
      squadrons of the AM as well as F-4E
      AUP Phantom IIs from 339 Mira, part
      of 117 Combat Wing at Andravida.
      The Greek Phantoms deployed to
      Decimomannu, Sardinia, for the
      entire exercise.

The AM component was

represented by Tornado IDS and

IT-ECR jets from 6° Stormo at Ghedi

air base; Euro ghter F-2000s from

4° Stormo at Grosseto, 36° Stormo

at Gioia del Colle and 37° Stormo

at Trapani; AMX  ghter-bombers

from 51° Stormo at Istrana; C-130Js

and C-27Js from 46a Brigata Aerea

at Pisa; KC-767s from 14° Stormo at

Pratica di Mare; and MQ-9 Predators

from 32° Stormo at Amendola.

All the  ghters were deployed to

Trapani, while the transport aircraft

remained at Pisa, the tankers at

Pratica di Mare and the Predators

at Amendola.

The air component of the

Italian Navy took part in the form

of AV-8B+, NH90, EH101 and

AB212 aircraft.

Aircrew performed intelligence,

surveillance and reconnaissance

missions, close air support,

o ensive/defensive counter-air

(OCA/DCA), electronic warfare,

suppression of enemy air defenses,

and anti-surface warfare.

Having all aircraft — with the

exception of the  ghters —

operating from their home bases

reduced the overall cost of the

exercise. Use was also made of

cost-saving simulation technologies,

including the autonomous

air combat maneuvering

instrumentation (AACMI) system

that made it possible to train aircrew

in several types of operations.

‘Joint Stars‘ drew upon experience

learnt in recent real-world

operations, including the mission

in Afghanistan, ‘Uni ed Protector’

in Libya in 2011, and the Italian

contribution to ‘Inherent Resolve’ in

Kuwait beginning in 2014.

HAF Phantoms took part for the

 rst time. 339 Mira ‘Aias’ specialized

in air defense, and the unit carried

out OCA/DCA and combat air patrol

missions. The four F-4s arrived in

Sardinia on October 12 to become

familiarized with the operational

area. During the exercise they  ew

four sorties each day, in pairs or as a

four-ship.

Despite the Phantoms’ excellent

performance during the visit to

Italy, ‘Joint Stars’ marked the  nal

international deployment for 339

Mira, which ceased operations on

October 31 (see End of the line for

339 Mira).

Andrea Avian

AVIONICS UPGRADE

FOR GREEK ORIONS

LOCKHEED MARTIN HAS selected

Rockwell Collins to provide its Flight2

integrated avionics system (IAS) for

integration with the Hellenic Navy’s

P-3B maritime patrol aircraft. The

systems will provide the Orions

with a digital ‘glass’  ight deck

and allow the aircraft to comply

with upcoming global airspace

restrictions. The IAS communications,

navigation, surveillance and air

tra c management systems (CNS/

ATM) upgrade integrates new

avionics with existing sensors,

radios, autopilot and aircraft

systems. The system will provide

the pilots with digital primary and

multi-function  ight displays, as

well as a new engine instrument

display system. The maritime patrol

aircraft will be equipped with

integrated communications and

identi cation friend or foe (IFF) Mode

5 capabilities. The Flight2 system

is currently installed on 15 Greek

C-130s. Tom Kaminski

CANADIAN FIGHTER PLANS

CANADA PLANS TO start its

competition for a future  ghter in

2019 and hopes to award a contract

by 2021 or sooner. According to Lt

Gen Michael Hood, the commander

of the Royal Canadian Air Force, the

service plans to release a request

for proposal to industry by 2019.

It has already held discussions

with several parties that could

respond. The RCAF will seek a total

of 88  ghters to replace its current

inventory of 76 CF-188s, which

are approaching the end of their

useful lives. Although Canada is

an international participant in the

Joint Strike Fighter program, it

has not yet made a commitment

to purchase the aircraft and

the government plans to open

its completion to industry. The

Lockheed Martin F-35A, Euro ghter

Typhoon, Dassault Rafale, Boeing

F/A-18E/F and Saab Gripen E are

all likely to respond. As a stopgap,

Canada is attempting to purchase

used F/A-18A/Bs from Australia or

Kuwait. Earlier plans to purchase 18

Super Hornets have been placed

on hold due to an ongoing dispute

between Boeing and Bombardier.

Tom Kaminski

CF-188s refuel

from a CC-130

Hercules during

Exercise ‘Tipic

Sauvage’.

Cpl Jean-Roch

Chabot/3 Wing

Bagotville

21

January 2018 http://www.combataircraft.net

WORLD [NEWS]

18-23 World News C.indd 21 23/11/2017 11:55