EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFPN) -- An F-16 Fighting Falcon, piloted by Capt. Jim Less, 416th Flight Test Squadron, drops a Joint Direct Attack Munition equipped with the Direct Attack Munition Affordable Seeker during a recent test.
Released from several miles away, the weapon -- set in a Global Positioning System-denied mode -- punched a hole in a target nearly dead center, relying only on JDAM's inertial navigation system and DAMASK's template-matching capability. The test measured what effect DAMASK has in tightening weapon accuracy during a GPS-jamming scenario.

TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFPN) -- An Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon crashed about 2:50 p.m. Dec. 13, in the Gulf of Mexico.
At the time of the accident, the aircraft was on an air-to-air training mission. The plane was assigned to the 27th Fighter Wing Cannon Air Force Base, N.M. on temporary duty at the 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group, here.
The pilot, Lt. Col. John Harrison, safely ejected from the aircraft and is underwent medical evaluation at the medical clinic here.

KUNSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea (AFPN) -- The 8th Fighter Wing's mission here took a major step forward when the first three of more than 20 upgraded F-16 Fighting Falcons landed here Nov. 17.
The upgraded fighters, known as Block-40s -- to designate a level of improvement based on the original design -- are assigned to Kunsan's 35th Fighter Squadron. Currently, the 35th and 80th FSs here operate Block-30 F-16Cs and are primarily limited to daylight flying operations. The addition of this edition of the F-16 gives Kunsan's Wolf Pack the ability to fight day or night, in all weather.
Kunsan will receive 18 F-16C models and three 'D' models.
Leading the three-ship formation was Lt. Col. Michael Rizzo, 35th FS commander. Rizzo's squadron will fly the Block-40s.
Block-40s significantly enhance the 8th Fighter Wing's warfighting capability by adding a Low Altitude Navigation Targeting Infrared Night system, which are intake-mounted pods that allow pilots to locate and mark enemy targets at day or night. Block-40s also give pilots precision targeting capability.
LANTIRN systems consist of two pods, a Navigation Pod and a Targeting Pod. Navigation Pods use a forward-looking infrared system that allows the pilot to see targets in the pod's field of view, day or night.
Targeting Pods allow the pilot to precisely designate a target using the pod's internal laser beam. After bomb release, a special guidance unit on the front of the weapon guides on the laser energy reflecting off of the target.
"We can literally bomb through windows with this aircraft," Rizzo said. "I actually got a chance to do that in training these past few weeks out at Luke (Air Force Base, Ariz.)."
In addition to employing laser-guided munitions, Block-40s are equipped with an "Improved Data Modem." The IDM allows the pilot to "station keep, or monitor the position of other IDM-equipped aircraft by displacing their relative position on a multi-function display in the cockpit. It also permits Air Liaison Officers assigned to the ground maneuver units to "data burst" real-time target information directly into the cockpit of inbound aircraft, thus allowing the pilot to remain heads-up while simultaneously reducing exposure time in the target area.
The 35th FS will receive more than 20 total Block-40 F-16s from Moody Air Force Base, Ga., by February.
The Block-30 F-16s currently assigned to the 35th FS will transfer to a Reserve unit at Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla., and a Guard unit at Great Falls, Mont.
In addition, Kunsan's 35th and 80th FSs will begin using Night Vision Goggles. (Courtesy of Pacific Air Forces Command News Service)

An F-16 equipped with the J/IST (JSF Integrated Subsystems Technology) flight-control and power system has broken the sound barrier on its third flight, demonstrating that the all-new system, destined for the Lockheed Martin Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), performs at supersonic speeds.
The new system includes a power-on-demand electrical system and electric actuation of flight- control surfaces, replacing the large, heavy and maintenance-prone hydraulic systems on current aircraft. Government studies show the combination of technologies will reduce takeoff weight, increase survivability and trim costs. Lockheed Martin has committed to incorporate J/IST on the production version of its JSF.
The supersonic flight at Lockheed Martin's Fort Worth plant on 9 November lasted about 40 minutes. The Advanced Fighter Technology Integration (AFTI) F-16, used to demonstrate the J/IST package, achieved an altitude of 30,000 feet and a maximum speed of Mach 1.3. During the flight, Chief Test Pilot Steve Barter checked the aircraft's flying qualities at high aerodynamic pressure with the new electric-actuation system. The aircraft successfully performed various flying-quality manoeuvres at supersonic speeds, including 5-g turns; pitch, roll, and yaw doublets; and sideslips.
"Performance was transparent, identical to that of production F-16s,'' said Barter, a veteran F-16 pilot. ``The aircraft handled as predicted.''
Subsequent flights will quantify the aircraft's handling qualities and gather actuator duty cycle and thermal data to support Lockheed Martin's JSF design refinements for the program's Engineering and Manufacturing Development Phase (EMD).
"Maturing the system and reducing risk now means J/IST will require only incremental refinements in the EMD phase,'' said Harry Blot, vice president and deputy programme manager of the Lockheed Martin JSF.
The Lockheed Martin J/IST team includes Parker Aerospace, Hamilton Sundstrand, Honeywell, TRW Aeronautical Systems (Lucas Aerospace), Eagle-Picher and BAE SYSTEMS. J/IST has been in development at the Air Force Research Laboratories since the early 1980s.
The J/IST supersonic flight is an important element in the success of the overall Lockheed Martin JSF flight-test program. The team has now completed 100 percent of flight-test objectives for the conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) JSF X-35A demonstrator. Ongoing flight testing will focus on the team objectives of reducing technical risk and ensuring JSF affordability.

MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan (AFPN) -- The search and rescue efforts are continuing for a second day to find the missing pilot, Capt. Warren Sneed, whose F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft collided midair with another F-16 Nov. 13.
One person was aboard each aircraft. The pilot of the first aircraft, Col. Michael Lepper, 35th Operations Group commander, returned to Misawa Air Base, Japan, yesterday. He was treated and released from the 35th Fighter Wing hospital in good condition.
Both American and Japanese forces are involved in the search to include people assigned to the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy the Japanese Self Defense Force.
The two Air Force F-16s crashed over the Sea of Japan, while participating in a defensive counter air training mission during the Keen Sword exercise.
Both aircraft were assigned to the 14th Fighter Squadron, Misawa AB.
A board of officers will investigate the accident. Additional details will be provided as soon as they become available.

MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan (AFPN) -- Two Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft crashed Nov. 13 over the Sea of Japan. The aircraft, assigned to 35th Fighter Wing, here, were on a routine training mission.
One person was aboard each aircraft. One pilot, Col. Michael Lepper, 35th Operations Group commander, has returned to Misawa and is currently in stable condition at the 35th FW hospital.
A rescue team is continuing to search for the remaining pilot.
A board of officers will investigate the accident. Additional details will be provided as soon as they become available.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Armed Forces have chosen Thomson-CSF to supply secure airborne radios and datalinks to be installed on their new F-16 Block 60 aircraft in a contract worth US$ 45 millions (51 million euros).
This new contract follows the 1998 award of the Ground Air Transmit Receive system (GATR) and the radio communications and datalinks of the same Thomrad family for the Mirage 2000-9. These systems will be fully voice and data inter-operable and equipped for joint operations with allied forces.
Thomrad has already been selected by the French Ministry Of Defence for applications such as the new Rafale fighter and the Charles de Gaulle nuclear aircraft carrier and by NATO countries, such as the UK and Greece, on various aircraft and helicopters.
Thomson-CSF and the UAE have developed a close relationship as the Group becomes the first European company to provide secure radios for the F-16 aircraft.

EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska (AFPN) -- F-16 Fighting Falcons from the 18th Fighter Squadron deployed recently from Fort Wainwright, Alaska, to Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, as part of Aerospace Expeditionary Force 10 to support the Operation Northern Watch no-fly zone mission.
The F-16s will be flying combat search and rescue missions while in the Iraq no-fly zone - a first. Usually search and rescue is performed by A-10 Thunderbolt IIs, but due to increased operational demands on the 355th FS, the tasking went the 18th FS. Both units are assigned to the 354th Fighter Wing here.
Having never performed search and rescue meant the F-16 pilots had to be quickly trained. Who better to do that than the A-10 pilots who fly CSAR regularly?
"It was impressive how quickly they (F-16 pilots) picked up the CSAR mentality," said Capt Andrew Kapuscak, instructor pilot with the 355th FS. "Flying CSAR is non-structured. Every rescue is different, so there is never one script to follow. Making the mental change from check list-type flying is difficult, but the guys did a great job in learning this mission."
The A-10 pilots worked with the F-16 pilots for several weeks, providing both academic and hands-on instruction.
"We worked with the A-10 pilots for a couple of weeks," said Maj. Scott Gierat, 18th FS weapons officer. "Having the A-10 pilots fly in our backseat allowed for real-time inputs, which made learning this new mission easier."
It was definitely a team effort getting the pilots ready to go.
"The 355th FS did an excellent job helping the 18th FS get trained," said Col. Thomas Hyde, 354th FW operations group commander. "Search and rescue is like an art form. Ninety percent of the mission is command and control and learning how not to compromise the position of the downed service member. The pilots in the 18th (FS) picked up the techniques quickly and are ready to roll."
Nearly 100 operational support people also deployed from Eielson AFB to Operation Northern Watch. Most will be deployed for 90 days. (Courtesy of Pacific Air Forces News Service)

Centric Software, Inc. has announced that it has received a substantial order from Lockheed Martin. The company is deploying Centric Software's CVPD software suite to dramatically enhance the development of its next-generation avionics display for the F-16 aircraft.
Centric Software's CVPD suite offers fully customisable solutions that maximise manufacturers' existing software infrastructure and enable globally dispersed product development teams to work collaboratively to conceptualise, prototype, design and simulate complex systems, such as aircraft avionics.

The highly customisable solution selected by Lockheed Martin is the critical driver for the accelerated creation of innovative avionics displays, while also maximising their engineering resources and facilitating the best and most effective product design.
"We designed our CVPD solutions to meet the aggressive demands placed on manufacturers in rapidly evolving and incredibly competitive markets, such as the defence industry," said Ken Bado, executive vice president of global operations for Centric Software, Inc. "Lockheed Martin is taking full advantage of collaborative product development, and we are confident they will realise significant productivity gains using our CVPD suite."
Centric Software enables suppliers, partners and customers to collaboratively participate in the product definition, synthesis and development, thereby optimising the product design cycle and allowing companies to accelerate development of innovative, compelling and cost-effective products. Centric Software offers the only solutions available that completely address the issues specific to product development through innovation and collaboration for manufacturers.