Wednesday, February 24, 2021
  • About us
    • Write for us
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms of use
    • Privacy Policy
  • RSS Feeds
  • Advertise with us
  • Contact us
DefenceTalk
  • Home
  • Defense News
    • Defense & Geopolitics News
    • War Conflicts News
    • Army News
    • Air Force News
    • Navy News
    • Missiles Systems News
    • Nuclear Weapons
    • Defense Technology
    • Cybersecurity News
  • Military Photos
  • Defense Forum
  • Military Videos
  • Military Weapon Systems
    • Weapon Systems
    • Reports
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Defense News
    • Defense & Geopolitics News
    • War Conflicts News
    • Army News
    • Air Force News
    • Navy News
    • Missiles Systems News
    • Nuclear Weapons
    • Defense Technology
    • Cybersecurity News
  • Military Photos
  • Defense Forum
  • Military Videos
  • Military Weapon Systems
    • Weapon Systems
    • Reports
No Result
View All Result
DefenceTalk
No Result
View All Result

First F-35 training commander: ‘this jet is our future’

by Editor
September 13, 2012
in Air Force News
2 min read
0
First F-35 training commander: ‘this jet is our future’
50
VIEWS

Five months of flying the Air Force’s newest fighter jet has left one Airman convinced of the aircraft’s substantial combat capability.

Lt. Col. Lee Kloos is the commander of the 58th Fighter Squadron, the Defense Department’s first F-35 Lightning II training squadron, located at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.

Kloos, who spent more than 2,100 hours flying F-16 Fighting Falcons, said many of America’s fighter jets are aging and the costs associated with maintaining and upgrading them increases with each passing year.

The F-35 is the world’s first multi-role stealth fighter that is designed to replace aging stalwarts such as the Air Force’s F-16 Fighting Falcon, the Navy’s F/A-18 Hornet and the Marine Corps’ AV-8B Harrier II.

As an aircraft that meets the mission needs of multiple services in addition to those of international partner nations, the F-35 provides a support network that enables many opportunities for cost sharing and savings, Kloos said.

But long-term savings are just one of the benefits to training with pilots from other services and other countries.

Kloos said fighter pilots from different services use different terms even for things as basic as flying in formation.
[ppgallery id=”19″]
When he participates in large training exercises that involve a variety of aircraft from multiple services and countries, a lot of time is spent discussing one another’s capabilities and how to best work together.

Future large-scale exercises may still see many participant nations, but the variety of aircraft will decrease as F-35s cover the flight line, though many will not have an American Flag painted on the fuselage.

Kloos said the common frame of reference within the F-35 flying community will have a real impact on air combat.

“We’ll speak the same language when it comes to executing tactics,” he said.

He also said the impact extends all the way to the top Airman in the fight, the combined forces air component commander.

Much like in large-scale exercises, the extensive variety of aircraft under the air commander’s purview requires an encyclopedia’s worth of knowledge in order to assign the aircraft to the various day-to-day combat taskings in the most efficient manner.

As more and more of the multi-role F-35s are added to the inventories of the U.S. and its allies, a commander will be able to shift his focus to other warfighting priorities.

While Kloos said the F-35 provides substantial value, it also a joy to fly.

“It’s really an easy airplane to fly,” said Kloos. “It’s very stable and well balanced and it feels very light on its feet compared to how it appears.”

Kloos said the aircraft was designed for the new generation of cadets who grew up playing video games.

Compared to the fighters it will replace, the F-35 has a very clean cockpit. The walls of switches common to many aircraft have been moved to two touch screens, which have interfaces that operate like many smart phones.

And its combination of superior range, cutting-edge avionics and next-generation sensor package gives the F-35 much more combat effectiveness than its predecessors. He said the technology allows pilots to be more survivable and more lethal than they were in previous aircraft while performing the same missions.

“The F-35 is here, it’s real and for the Air Force, this jet is our future,” said Kloos. “It will continue to provide air dominance for America and our allies, and most importantly, over our troops no matter where they are in the world.”

(Tech. Sgt. Shawn J. Jones contributed to this article)

Tags: F-35Fighter Aircraftpilotstealthstealth aircrafttraining
Previous Post

Israel Touts Unmanned Ground Vehicle Operations

Next Post

BAE Systems, EADS in merger talks

Related Posts

United States B-1B bomber training in the Australian Top End

USAF begins retirement of B-1 aircraft, paving way for B-21

February 22, 2021

BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE: In support of its efforts to modernize America’s bomber fleet, the Air Force will begin divesting...

Third NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance Aircraft Arrives at Sigonella

NATO’s first operational UAS flying unit

February 22, 2021

Northrop Grumman's RQ-4D Phoenix Global Hawk has recently enabled NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) Force to achieve a declaration of...

Next Post
EADS chief calls on France, Germany to give up control

BAE Systems, EADS in merger talks

Latest Defense News

United States B-1B bomber training in the Australian Top End

USAF begins retirement of B-1 aircraft, paving way for B-21

February 22, 2021
Four Taiwan ex-intelligence officers charged with spying for China

Four Taiwan ex-intelligence officers charged with spying for China

February 22, 2021
Saudi arms producer in defence venture with Lockheed Martin

Saudi arms producer in defence venture with Lockheed Martin

February 22, 2021
Third NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance Aircraft Arrives at Sigonella

NATO’s first operational UAS flying unit

February 22, 2021
Israel and US begin Arrow 4 development

Israel and US begin Arrow 4 development

February 22, 2021
Norwegian Army Adding 20 CV90s to its Fleet

Norwegian Army Adding 20 CV90s to its Fleet

February 19, 2021

Defense Forum Discussions

  • Afghanistan War
  • Royal Australian Navy Discussions and Updates
  • General Maritime News
  • Australian Army Discussions and Updates
  • The Royal Navy Discussions and Updates
  • The unstable situation in Myanmar.
  • cyber warfare and attacks
  • Indonesian Aero News
  • Facebook War Against Australia
  • Incredible AS532 Cougar Formation of Six Helicopters Hovering in front of the Lens; Ede GLV-IV
DefenceTalk

© 2003-2020 DefenceTalk.com

Navigate Site

  • Defence Forum
  • Military Photos
  • RSS Feeds
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Contact us

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Defense News
    • Defense & Geopolitics News
    • War Conflicts News
    • Army News
    • Air Force News
    • Navy News
    • Missiles Systems News
    • Nuclear Weapons
    • Defense Technology
    • Cybersecurity News
  • Military Photos
  • Defense Forum
  • Military Videos
  • Military Weapon Systems
    • Weapon Systems
    • Reports

© 2003-2020 DefenceTalk.com