TNI: Russian air defense systems are a serious threat to the F-35The US Air Force is practicing combat missions on the F-35 in the face of countering the best Russian-made air defense systems, writes TNI.
American fighters must be prepared for any eventuality – the threat from ground-based aircraft suppression systems is very serious.
Chris Osborne
While the Air Force is preparing for an unlikely clash with rivals almost equal in strength, such as Russia and China, the planning authorities of this type of armed forces express concern that American aviation may encounter an enemy who has purchased air defense equipment from the Russians or the Chinese. The developers of the F-35 emphasize that, although they do not expect any specific conflicts with any countries, the Air Force should be prepared for any surprises.
The US Air Force is practicing combat missions on the F-35 at its training grounds and in training classes in the face of the best Chinese and Russian-made air defense systems, preparing for the threats they may face in the mid-2020s and beyond.
These checks are aimed at working out tasks to overcome modern air defense systems, such as Russian anti-aircraft missile systems, as well as possible threats of a new generation that do not yet exist, representatives of the US Air Force say.
They explain that when threats to a single strike fighter appeared in 2001, these threats were concentrated mainly in Europe. At that time it was about Russian S-300 complexes of various modifications. Today, threats come not only from Russian, but also Chinese and other air defense systems.
The Air Force Command explains that Russian and Chinese digital anti-aircraft missile systems can change operating frequencies and have high maneuverability.
The threat from ground forces and air defense systems is a serious problem, because today's air defense systems see aircraft at a distance of several hundred kilometers.
In addition, the modern and future unified air defense system uses faster computers connected to a single network and capable of detecting targets operating in a wider frequency range. Such characteristics, coupled with the ability to detect aircraft at a greater distance, make it possible for air defense systems to detect even invisible planes from time to time, using their all-round radar.
Russian media have recently stated that stealth technology is useless against their air defenses. The Russian S-300 and S-400 complexes are considered among the best in the world. In addition, The National Interest reported that Moscow is currently working on the creation of the S-500 system, capable of hitting even inconspicuous targets at an altitude of up to 200 kilometers.
While the Air Force is preparing for an unlikely clash with rivals almost equal in strength, such as Russia and China, the planning authorities of this type of armed forces express concern that American aviation may encounter an enemy who has purchased air defense equipment from the Russians or the Chinese. The developers of the F-35 emphasize that although they do not expect any specific conflicts with any countries, the Air Force should be prepared for any surprises.
Combat training in the air to counter new threats is conducted in order to test the F-35 and assess to what extent it can withstand today's and future air defense systems. There is still a lot of work to be done in this area due to the regular appearance of the most modern and high-tech air defense systems. According to the designers, modeling and simulators play an important role in preparing for their overcoming.
The Air Force plans to present a new generation of threats and weapons at its first weapons systems classes, which will begin in 2018.
Operating in a simulated environment, the F-22 aircraft from Langley Air Force Base in Virginia will be able to conduct combat training together with the F-35 from Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.
An F-35 pilot can use an active phased array radar (AFAR) to detect and evade enemy air defenses. The onboard AFAR uses a synthetic aperture that transmits a picture in the air and on the ground. AFAR also allows the F-35 to conduct electronic warfare.
The modernization of the F-35 is also being carried out in order to equip the onboard systems with new software in connection with changes in the nature of threats. Such equipment as radar with AFAR, means of electronic attack and protection, as well as on-board computers of the aircraft can be updated to match the threat level.
In the event that the F-35 fails to fully evade ground-based air defenses, the pilot, with the help of speed, maneuverability and his combat skills, can try to protect himself from those weapons of destruction that will be used against him.
A single strike fighter will be able to reach speeds of more than 1,700 kilometers per hour, reaching an indicator of M = 1.6. It is said that it will be as maneuverable and fast as the F-15 and F-16, while having an additional set of functions and capabilities.
In total, the Air Force plans to purchase 1,763 multi-purpose F-35A fighters. Over time, it will be the main machine of fighter aviation, the number of aircraft in which is approximately two thousand units. At least 83 F-35A aircraft are currently operating in the Air Force.
F-35 weapons and Software against Enemy air Defenses
Many combat capabilities of a single strike fighter are included in the experimental software in the form of gradual additions (they are also called stuffing). Each such addition is designed to improve the technical capabilities of the platforms. There are more than 10 million individual program lines in the system of a single strike fighter.
Soon, the F-35 from the Air Force will receive the most modern software "stuffing", called 3F. But the Air Force is already working on the fourth addition, which will be ready by 2020 or 2021. After the first "stuffing", the aircraft will receive new software additions in two years to keep up with emerging threats.
According to the Air Force Command, the first portion of funding for Block IV software in the amount of $ 12 million was included in the 2014 budget.
Block IV will include unique weapons systems of foreign partners, including British, Turkish, as well as some samples from European countries, Air Force officials said.
Block IV will also increase the range of weapons on the American version of the fighter. When designing the Block IV, the developers thought about the forces and means of enemy air defense that this aircraft could face, starting in the 2020s and ending in the 2040s and beyond.
As for weapons, the Block IV will give the F-35 the most advanced systems, such as the guided bomb Small Diameter Bomb II and GBU-54. These are aerial bombs capable of destroying moving targets.
The Small Diameter Bomb II uses a three-variant guidance system: infrared, in the millimeter range and laser. The combination of different sensors allows this aerial bomb to monitor and accurately hit a moving target in all weather conditions.
This fourth addition is based on previous versions of the aircraft software.
The Block 2B system uses software elements of an earlier version of Block 2 with data transmission channels and an integrated system of detection devices. Block 2B will allow the fighter to provide direct aviation support and launch AMRAAM medium-range air-to-air missiles, drop corrected JDAM bombs and GBU-12 laser-guided bombs.
Block 3i will give new combat capabilities to the aircraft, and Block 3F will allow it to suppress enemy air defenses much more effectively.
In addition, it will increase the capabilities of the fighter to deliver weapons to the target, since the F-35 will be able to drop Small Diameter Bombs, 200-kilogram JDAM, as well as launch short-range air-to-air missiles of the AIM 9X class.
AIM 9X is an Air Force and Navy missile with thermal homing.
According to Pentagon officials, the F-35 fighter jet recently launched the first AIM-9X Sidewinder missile at a test site in the Pacific Ocean. The plane took off from California from Edwards Air Base and launched a rocket at an altitude of 1,800 meters.
As part of the creation and further improvement of the F-35, he was able to fire at targets with large side angles. This is an opportunity to destroy aerial targets that are not in front of the aircraft, that is, not with zero side angles.
The AIM-9X has a body with a movable thrust vector, and aiming the missile at the target can be carried out using a helmet sight.
25 mm F-35 cannon
The F-35 fighter conducted the first aerial tests of a 25 mm Gatling gun built into the left wing of the aircraft. The tests took place on October 30, 2015 in California.
"This was the first of a series of flight tests conducted to evaluate the performance of the built-in 25-millimeter F—35 cannon in flight at different stages of the combat mission," the Pentagon said in a statement following the inspection.
The Gatling gun gives new opportunities to a multi-purpose fighter, as it allows the machine to conduct air combat more effectively and perform tasks for air support of ground forces.
The gun has the designation GAU-22/A. It is built into the aircraft in such a way that it does not violate its stealth characteristics.
This four-barrel gun has a high rate of fire, which allows you to suppress the enemy with fire and quickly destroy its targets. According to a statement from General Dynamics, the GAU-22/A is capable of making 3,300 rounds per minute.
"Three bursts were made from a four-barrel 25 mm Gatling gun: one for 30 rounds and two for 60. Built into the inconspicuous fuselage of the F-35A, this gun is hidden behind closed doors to reduce the effective area of reflection until the start of firing," the Pentagon said in a statement.
The first stage of the tests consisted of 13 ground firings, which were conducted over three months to test the degree of integration of the gun in the F-35A.
"After this check, the test team received permission to conduct the second stage of testing. Its purpose was to check the characteristics of the gun and the degree of its integration in the frame of the aircraft when firing in the air in different flight conditions and with different armament layout."
The new gun will also be paired with the F-35 software, which will give the pilot the opportunity to see and destroy the target using a helmet-mounted display.
