Blue Angel to Perform Flight Demonstration in Biofuel Aircraft

Blue Angels, the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, is slated to perform their flight demonstration with every aircraft powered by a biofuel blend at the Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River Air Expo Sept. 2-4.

Secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus said the Navy and Marine Corps’ use of alternative energy sources addresses critical vulnerabilities and ultimately serves to improve our war fighting capability, while also increasing our energy efficiency and helping lead the nation toward a clean energy economy.

“Changing the kinds of fuels we use and the way we use them is critical to assuring the Navy and Marine Corps remain the most formidable expeditionary fighting force the world has ever known,” said Mabus. “

One objective in successfully testing alternative energy sources is to ensure there is no difference in performance between the biofuel blend and standard petroleum-based JP-5. McWherter, who flew a legacy F/A-18 test flight Aug. 17, said there were no noticeable differences from the cockpit.

The Blue Angels Labor Day weekend performance will be yet another visible demonstration of the Department of the Navy’s commitment to reducing fossil fuel use without compromising capability. All six F/A-18 legacy Hornets will be powered by a 50/50 blend of conventional JP-5 jet fuel and a camelina-based biofuel.

The Labor Day performance is the ultimate demonstration to date of the Department of the Navy’s commitment to reducing dependence on foreign oil, as well as safeguarding our environment through the incorporation cleaner, more sustainable and renewable energy sources.

Source: U.S. Navy

Air Force to throw welcome party for F-35s

Eglin Air Force Base will host a welcome part for the F-35 on Friday. The event celebrates the arrival of two F-35 aircraft at Eglin. The first touched down at the base on July 14 and the second arrived about a week later.

The welcoming ceremony will be hosted by Gen. Edward Rice, commander of the Air Education and Training Command. Other guest speakers include Lockheed Martin executive Larry Lawson, general manager of the F-35 Program, and 33rd Fighter Wing Commander Col. Andrew Toth.

The F-35 Lightning II is a multirole fighter and attack aircraft that will be used by the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps, as well as several foreign militaries. Eglin will be a primary training center for F-35 flight crew and maintenance personnel.

Eglin’s two F-35 aircraft have been grounded since Aug. 2 when engineers experienced a major engine problem with an F-35 test aircraft.

Source: pnj.com

Navy’s Osprey completes successful biofuel test flight

The Navy and Marine Corps team reached another milestone toward achieving the Secretary of the Navy’s energy goals by successfully flying a Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey on biofuel Aug. 10, at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md.

“This is the first Marine Corps and tilt rotor aircraft to fly on biofuels,” said Navy Secretary Ray Mabus. “This brings us one step closer to reducing our dependence on foreign oil and becoming more energy secure and independent.”

The “Blackjacks” of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (HX) 21 flew the Osprey tilt rotor aircraft at altitudes of up to 25,000 feet on a 50/50 blend of camelina based and standard petroleum based JP-5 (aviation) fuel. The camelina sativa plant is a U.S. grown, non-food feedstock plant.

The MV-22 is a multi-mission aircraft, flown by the Marine Corps, and combines the functionality of a helicopter with the long range and high speed of a turboprop aircraft.

“The MV-22 testing builds upon our successful test flights of the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet, F/A-18 C/D legacy Hornet, MH-60S Seahawk as well as extensive testing in the Navy’s Patuxent River fuels lab in demonstrating that Navy and Marine Corps aircraft can safely operate on fuel produced from renewable sources,” said Rick Kamin, the Navy Fuels lead.

Story and photo from navair.navy.mil

Steam catapult launches F-35C

The F-35C completed its first steam catapult launch July 27 marking another milestone toward initial ship trials in 2013. Chief Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Launch and Recovery Equipment) Brandon Barr used a TC-13 Mod 2 test steam catapult, representative of current fleet technology, launching F-35C test aircraft CF-3 into the sky.

“It was great to be able to be a part of this milestone in the F-35C test program,” said Navy test pilot Lt. Chris Tabert.

CF-3 is the designated carrier suitability testing aircraft, assigned to the F-35 integrated test facility at Naval Air Station Patuxent River.

“Our first trip here to Lakehurst went very smoothly because of the true collaboration and hard work from the integrated team,” said Tom Briggs, government air vehicle engineering manager. “We look forward to another productive visit and staying on track for initial ship trials.”

In addition to the catapult launches at varying power levels, the integrated test team will execute a test plan over three weeks to include dual-aircraft jet blast deflector testing and catapult launches using a degraded catapult configuration to measure the effects of steam ingestion on the aircraft.

The F-35C carrier variant of the Joint Strike Fighter is distinct from the F-35A and F-35B variants. It has larger wing surfaces and reinforced landing gear for slower catapult launch and landing approach speeds and deck impacts associated with the demanding carrier take-off and landing environment. The F-35C is undergoing test and evaluation at NAS Patuxent River prior to eventual delivery to the fleet.

Source: NAVAIR

First Production Boeing P-8A Completes First Flight

The first Boeing P-8A Poseidon production aircraft completed its first flight on July 7, taking off from Renton Field and landing three hours later at Boeing Field in Seattle. The P-8A is the first of six low-rate initial production (LRIP) aircraft Boeing is building for the U.S. Navy as part of a $1.6 billion contract awarded in January.

“This is the first P-8 that will go directly to the fleet in Jacksonville, Fla., so the aircraft’s first flight is an important milestone for the Boeing team and our Navy customer,” said Chuck Dabundo, Boeing vice president and P-8 program manager.

The Navy plans to purchase 117 of the Boeing Next-Generation 737-based P-8A anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft to replace its P-3 fleet.

“As the Navy’s replacement for the P-3 Orion, the P-8A Poseidon represents the next generation of maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft,” said Capt. Michael Moran, program manager for Naval Air Systems Command’s Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft program office.

This is the first P-8A to include a new CFM56-7BE engine configuration that is now standard on all delivered Next-Generation 737s. The configuration is an improved design that includes high- and low-pressure turbine modifications. Coupled with drag reduction improvements that Boeing started phasing into 737 production earlier this year, it will result in lower fuel consumption and maintenance cost savings.

Source: ASD News

Blackhawk Helicopter-Mounted LRAD 1000X used in Colombian Campaign

LRAD Corporation, a provider of acoustic hailing devices (AHDs), announced recently that a LRAD 1000X system mounted on a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter was deployed by the Colombian Air Force recently in their “Audacity and Will” campaign.

Rodrigo Rivera, Colombia’s Minister of Defense, launched the campaign in late June that seeks to return guerrillas back to civilian life after years of living in and conducting combat operations from jungle locations. Senior operational commanders from the Colombian Air Force, Army, Navy and National Police joined Mr. Rivera in launching the campaign.

The main component of the campaign was the use of the LRAD 1000X to communicate demobilization messages to guerrillas hidden in Colombia’s rain forests.Rivera issues demobilization messages to guerrillas through the LRAD 1000X mounted on UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter.

“Blackhawk Helicopter-mounted LRAD systems are highly effective in quickly covering large areas with voice communications and instructions,” commented Tom Brown, president and CEO of LRAD Corporation. “This is another innovative use of airborne LRADs.”

Source: ASDNews

Review of F-35 program delayed

A high-level Pentagon review of Lockheed Martin Corp’s F-35 fighter program has been delayed until later in the year to allow time to gain more test and production data, the Defense Department said on Wednesday.

Cheryl Irwin, Pentagon spokeswoman said the meeting of the Defense Acquisition Board, which includes senior defense officials including Defense Undersecretary Ashton Carter, had been deferred a few months to incorporate information from the fiscal year 2013 budget process and to include the latest updates to the program’s schedule.

The meeting of the panel would likely be rescheduled sometime in October, said a senior defense official who was not authorized to speak on the record.

At the meeting, the panel is due to establish a new procurement baseline for the radar-evading F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, currently estimated to cost $382 billion.The review was initially expected in late May, and had been set for mid-June before the current delay.

The F-35 JSF  is a joint, multinational acquisition program for the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and eight cooperative international partners. Expected to be the largest military aircraft procurement ever, the stealth, supersonic F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (F-35) will replace a wide range of aging fighter and strike aircraft for the U.S.

Source: Reuters, GlobalSecurity.org

USN needs amendment for Super Hornet Buy

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U.S. lawmakers are in rush to pass a stand-alone amendment to the 2010 Defense Authorization Act to keep the Navy’s planned 124-plane Super Hornet deal alive after a pair of technicalities threatened to ruin the buy.

The four-year purchase of F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and E/A-18G Growlers for an unspecified amount was approved by the Act, which was signed into law last October. But Navy officials missed the March 1 deadline for declaring its intention to buy the planes, telling lawmakers that they needed more time to negotiate prices with plane maker Boeing.

On May 15, the Navy announced that it would indeed exercise its option to buy the planes. The deal would save the service $590 million through 2013. But with the deadline past, new legislation is required, Navy Secretary Ray Mabus wrote to the leaders of congressional defense committees in an Aug. 4 letter.

In his letter, Mabus urges the lawmakers to pass an amendment to the 2010 Act by Sept. 30. The missed the deadline means the Navy needs congressional approval to move ahead with the deal in the form of a second act “other than an appropriations act” before the end of fiscal year 2010, Mabus’ letter said.

Representative Gene Taylor (chairman of the House Armed Services seapower subcommittee), D-Miss., and Todd Akin (ranking minority member),R-Mo., introduced an amendment to the Act that would reset the March deadline to September and grant the Navy authority to buy the jets.

Backers plan to have the amendment considered in the House of Representatives on Sept. 14 and have it taken up as a unanimous consent bill on the Senate floor later that week, according to one Hill staff member.

Despite the compressed timeline, Hill staffers are confident the amendment will be on President Barack Obama’s desk by the end of September.

- DefenseNews