During the Cold War, the US Air Force and Navy had special aviation units, the main purpose of which was to train and train pilots of combat squadrons in close air combat techniques with fighters in service with the countries of the eastern bloc. During the war in Southeast Asia, instructors from the US Navy's School of Combat Use of Fighters (TOPGUN) flew the A-4 Skyhawk, which, in terms of maneuvering characteristics, was closest to the North Vietnamese MiG-17F. In the 1980s, under the secret Constant Peg program, Soviet and Chinese-made combat aircraft were used for training: MiG-17, MiG-21, MiG-23, J-7 (Chinese copy of the MiG-21), as well as Israeli Kfir C fighters..1 and American F-5E / F Tiger II. In the 1990s, the Americans had the opportunity to familiarize themselves in detail with the MiG-29 fighters. Several fourth-generation fighters of Soviet production, received from the countries that were part of the ATS and the former republics of the USSR, were tested in test centers and participated in training air battles. But the leadership of the American military department in the 21st century considered it inexpedient to constantly use MiGs in combat squadrons designed to designate a conditional air enemy.
F-5 fighters in the training squadrons of the US Navy
After the liquidation of the Warsaw Pact Organization and the collapse of the USSR due to the decrease in international tension, the Red Eagles and Aggressors aviation units that existed in the American air force and naval aviation were eliminated. However, given that the risk of collision with enemy fighters is much higher for carrier-based aircraft than for aircraft based on land airfields, the admirals decided to revive squadrons equipped with fighters that differ from those in service with the Air Force and Navy. This was done so that combat pilots could train in training air battles with fighters they were not familiar with, which should have developed the ability to withstand a non-standard air enemy. Already in 1996, the VFC-13 naval squadron, based at Fallon Air Base in Nevada, where the US Navy's TOPGUN pilot training center is also located, was re-equipped with converted and lightweight F-5E / F fighters. Currently, the extremely worn out F-5E / F buildings of the second half of the 1970s are almost completely replaced by the modernized F-5N aircraft. As of 2018, the VFC-13 had 23 aircraft.
In the second half of 2006, VFC-111 Squadron was formed at Key West Air Force Base in Florida, currently equipped with seventeen single-seat F-5Ns and one two-seat F-5Fs. Fighters of this type are also part of the USMC VMFT-401 fighter training squadron at the Yuma Air Force Base in Arizona.
Talking about the active squadrons, designed to designate enemy fighters in close air combat, it is worth taking a closer look at the aircraft on which they fly. Traditionally, since the mid-1970s, the US Air Force, Navy and ILC have used the F-5E / F Tiger II light fighters. In terms of their maneuverable characteristics, the Tigers turned out to be the closest to the MiG-21. The best pilots were selected in the "Aggressor" squadron and it is not surprising that they quite often won in training battles with the much more modern F-14, F-15 and F-16. Northrop delivered the freshest F-5E / F in 1987. To date, the age of aircraft has exceeded three decades and large investments are required to maintain them in flight condition. In addition, most of the existing "Tigers", due to the development of an operational resource, are in the final stage of their life cycle.
Due to budgetary constraints, the US Air Force parted ways with the last Tigers in the early 1990s. After that, the F-5E / F were operated only in naval training squadrons. To maintain the required minimum number of the fighter fleet in the units of the "Aggressors" in 2000, it was decided to buy from Switzerland the "Tigers" being removed from service there. The F-5E / F aircraft, built in Switzerland under license, were in very good technical condition and had relatively little flying time. Initially, a batch of 32 aircraft was purchased, but after Key West decided to create another training squadron, in 2004 the Navy command signed an agreement for an additional supply of 12 aircraft.
The modernization of the former Swiss F-5E was carried out by the Northrop Grumman corporation. During the restoration work, part of the fuselage is being replaced. A new navigation system and an integrated multifunctional display have been introduced into the avionics. This significantly improves the pilot's ability to navigate and understand situational awareness. The armament and equipment necessary for its use were dismantled from the aircraft, which saved weight. The modernized aircraft are additionally equipped with systems for fixing various flight information, simulating weapons with the ability to distribute missile launch points, fixing targets and assessing the effectiveness of the use of simulated weapons.
The first modernized aircraft took off on November 25, 2008 and entered the 401st Marine Fighter Training Squadron (VMFT-401) on December 9, 2008, the second F-5N was delivered to the 111th Mixed Squadron in Key West. At the end of 2010, the management of Northrop Grumman Corporation announced the fulfillment of a contract for the overhaul and modernization of F-5N aircraft.
F-16 fighters in the training squadrons of the US Navy
However, "Tigers" are far from the only type of aircraft used by the US military to simulate enemy aircraft. Back in 1985, to simulate Soviet MiG-29s in training air battles, the US Navy ordered a batch of extremely lightweight and specially modified F-16N training fighters. All weapon assemblies and a gun were dismantled from the plane, and a simplified avionics were installed. On the F-16N, sensors and control and recording equipment were mounted, which made it possible to record in detail the training battles. F-16C / D Block 30 were used for the manufacture of aircraft of this modification. In total, 26 aircraft were built, of which 22 were single-seat F-16Ns and four were double-seat TF-16Ns.
Operation of the F-16N in naval training squadrons lasted from 1988 to 1998. Such a short service life is explained by the fact that during training missions the aircraft intensively maneuvered with maximum permissible overloads, and 10 years after the start of operation, most of the aircraft had cracks in the wing and fuselage elements. In 2002, the F-16Ns were replaced by the F-16A / B, originally intended for Pakistan. The deal with Islamabad was blocked after it became known about the development of Pakistan's nuclear weapons program. The aircraft taken from the Davis Montan storage base were rebuilt at the Lockheed Martin facility in Fort Worth, Texas. From the former Pakistani F-16s, the weapon attachments and the cannon were removed, as well as the weapon control equipment. The communications and navigation equipment was changed, and the fuselage and wings were strengthened based on the operating experience of the F-16N.
The F-16 fighters flying at the TOPGUN Aviation School have an unusual color, not typical for the fighters of the US Air Force and Navy. The TOPGUN School of Combat Use and Advanced Flight Skills is the only aviation division of the Navy, which uses light single-engine F-16 fighters, depicting Russian MiG-29s in training battles.
F / A-18 fighters and aircraft of the air forces of other countries used to simulate enemy air
Until recently, 14 F-16 fighters were based at Fallon AFB. In addition to the Tigers and Fighting Falcons, the TOPGUN training center operates carrier-based fighters F / A-18A / B Hornet and F / A-18E / F Super Hornet, as well as AWACS E-2C Hawkeye aircraft.
Although the aviation of the US Navy and the USMC uses specially modified fighters for organizing training air battles much more widely than the Air Force, this is clearly not enough for all fighter pilots of naval aviation to have the opportunity to acquire a stable skill in close air combat.
In order to visualize the air enemy, in a number of combatant and reserve deck squadrons on the F / A-18A / B and F / A-18E / F aircraft, they applied a camouflage color close to that used on the Russian Su-35S fighters. For example, at Oceania Air Force Base in Virginia, F / A-18A fighter-bombers of the reserve training squadron VFC-12 are camouflaged in a similar way. The aircraft of this unit, acting in the role of a mock enemy during the exercises, received "destructive camouflage" and red stars on the keels in 2012. Their opponents in training air battles in most cases are deck Hornets and Superhornets. Almost every year, the United States organizes joint flight exercises with allied countries. In 2018, 12 French carrier-based Rafale M fighters arrived at Ocean Airbase, which took part in joint maneuvers with American aircraft.
In an official press release on the results of the joint exercises, it is said that the parties achieved close cooperation during the flights and gained valuable experience during joint maneuvering. However, unofficial sources, based on the impressions of direct participants in air battles, say that in a horizontal maneuver, French fighters at certain moments had an advantage over the Americans, and some flight modes are not available even for very modern F / A-18E / F Super Hornets, which in are currently the backbone of American carrier-based aircraft.
Imitation of potential enemy fighters in the US Air Force
However, not only the aviation of the fleet and marines use fighters in atypical camouflage to visualize a conditional enemy. At Nellis Air Base, located in the State of Nevada, 13 km northeast of Las Vegas, is the headquarters of the 57th Tactical Group (57 ATG), which, in addition to reconnaissance, communications and information support units, until recently had two squadrons " Aggressors ": 64th and 65th.
The 64th Aggressor Squadron (64th AGRS) is armed with 24 F-16Сs. The squadron known as the 65th Aggressor Squadron is currently undergoing reorganization. The pilots of this squadron flew the F-15C. Due to budgetary constraints, the future of the 65th squadron was in question, in March 2019 it was reported that the Air Force command decided to keep the Aggressor unit equipped with heavy fighters.
In the 64th and 65th squadrons, the selection of pilots with the highest qualifications is carried out. They fly on specially modified and lightweight fighters, whose coloring reproduces the camouflage of combat aircraft of countries considered potential enemies of the United States.
The aircraft of the 64th and 65th squadrons are very actively used in training air battles. In accordance with accepted practice, combat squadrons of the US Air Force and Navy arrive at Nellis AFB in their aircraft. Also, at the training ground adjacent to the airbase, large exercises are annually organized with the participation of combat aircraft of the allied states. Over the past five years, it has been visited by the French Rafale M and Mirage 2000, the German Typhoon and Tornado IDS, the Singaporean F-15SG and F-16C / D, and the Czech L-159.
A number of sources contain not officially confirmed information that at Nellis airbase there was at least one Su-27 fighter and several MiG-29s. In September 2017, the publication Aviation Week & Space Technology reported that a Su-27 fighter that took off from Nellis airbase crashed in Nevada. An Air Force spokesman declined to comment on which unit the crashed plane and its type were assigned to.
Private aviation companies involved in the process of combat training of fighter pilots of the Air Force, Navy and USMC
Given the fact that several squadrons of "Aggressors" available in the air force, naval aviation and marine aviation are not able to organize the necessary intensity of training for pilots of the entire available fleet of fighters, in the last decade in the US armed forces in the training private aviation companies are actively involved in the process. This was facilitated by the fact that after the end of the Cold War, a large number of combat aircraft from the air forces of the countries of Eastern Europe and the former republics of the USSR, in addition to the test and training centers of the US Department of Defense, ended up in the hands of private owners. American law allows, subject to certain procedures, to register them as civil aircraft. So, in December 2009, the Pride Aircraft company, which is engaged in the restoration of used aircraft, certified two Su-27 fighters with the US Federal Aviation Administration.
There are also MiG-29 fighters in the fleet of several private companies. Air USA company. Inc is the owner of two overhauled and demilitarized twin MiG-29UBs exported from Kyrgyzstan. Initially, it was announced that the MiGs were acquired for the purpose of performing at air shows and organizing export flights for everyone.
However, the main source of income for Air USA. Inc is by no means an entertainment flight. Air USA is a permanent contractor for the US and Canadian Defense Departments in the organization of combat training. Currently, about 30 aircraft are assigned to the private Quincy airbase in the state of Illinois: Soviet MiG-21 and MiG-29, Czech L-39 and L-59, Romanian IAR 823, German Alpha Jet and British Hawk.
The company operates more than 90% of its flights in the interests of the military. In this case, flight missions can be very different. Basically, this is an imitation of enemy aircraft in close air combat, training air defense calculations, testing radar and practicing electronic warfare tasks. In the provision of services to the military department Air USA. Inc works closely with companies: Northrop Grumman, Boeing and BAE. Since 2003, more than 6,000 flights have been performed in the interests of military customers. According to the information posted on the company's website, “successful missions” were 98.7%. It must be assumed that the "successful mission" means the fulfillment of the flight mission.
Another major player in the aviation services market for the Air Force and the Navy is Draken International, which has the world's largest commercial fleet of retired combat aircraft - more than 80 demilitarized fighters, light attack aircraft and combat training aircraft. In terms of the number and composition of the aircraft fleet, Draken International is superior to the air forces of many countries.
Draken International acquired the former Israeli A-4N attack aircraft and the New Zealand A-4K attack aircraft, as well as the Czech-made L-159E and L-39ZA. These aircraft are equipped with radar warning receivers, electronic countermeasures and simulators of air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles with active homing heads.
The aircraft register of Draken International also includes: Aermacchi MB-339CB, MiG-21bis, MiG-21MF and MiG-21UM. In the interests of the customer, the company's specialists can use a variety of equipment, including simulators, various simulators, radar and electronic warfare equipment. This allows, if necessary, to bring training air battles as close to reality as possible.
All aircraft operating under contracts with the military are in very good technical condition and regularly undergo scheduled and refurbishment repairs at the company's facility located at the Lakeland, Florida airfield.
Since 2014, most of Draken International's aircraft fleet has been permanently located at Nellis AFB. The L-159E and A-4N / K aircraft act as opponents in training air battles and are used as conditional targets in the development of long-range interception tasks. The ability of these aircraft to fly at extremely low altitudes and their high maneuverability are of great value. According to the leadership of the US Air Force, these subsonic aircraft sufficiently reproduce the characteristics of attack aircraft and combat training aircraft in service with states that received Soviet and Russian aviation equipment.
Draken International mainly provides combat training services for the Air Force, the Navy chose to conclude a contract with the private aviation company Airborne Tactical Advantage Company (ATAC). The company is headquartered in Newport News, Virginia. There, at the Williamsburg airfield, aircraft are being repaired and serviced. In 2017, ATAC was acquired by Textron Airborne Solutions, a large aviation outsourcing company.
Over the past 20 years, Airborne Tactical Advantage Company has been engaged in combat training of pilots of the US Navy, Air Force, and ILC in various areas: air combat, strikes against surface and ground targets. During this time, ATAS aircraft spent more than 42,000 hours in the air. ATAS is the only civilian organization licensed to work at the elite US Navy Fighter Pilot Training Center (TOPGUN) and to train US Air Force F-22A Raptor 5th generation fighter pilots.
Most of the company's fleet includes aircraft manufactured in the 1970-1980s. Aircraft purchased in different countries for a reasonable price, despite their decent age, are in good technical condition and, as a rule, have a large residual resource. The company's operating fleet includes more than 20 aircraft: Israeli-made Kfir C.2 fighters, Hunter Mk.58 subsonic multipurpose aircraft from the Swiss Air Force, Czech combat training L-39ZA and Swedish-made Saab 35 Draken purchased in Austria.
Airborne Tactical Advantage Company aircraft perform missions in various regions where there are US military airfields. Being at the same airbases with fighters in service, they work out a variety of flight training missions. On a permanent basis, aircraft belonging to ATAS are located at air bases: Point Mugu (California), Fallon (Nevada), Kaneohe Bay (Hawaii), Zweibruecken (Germany) and Atsugi (Japan).
Aircraft of different types are involved in a wide range of tasks. Fighter-bombers Hunter Mk.58 usually depict enemy attack aircraft trying to break through to a guarded object at low altitude or conducting electronic suppression of air defense systems. Hunters are also used as aerial target towing vehicles. When interacting with US Navy warships, ATAS aircraft simulated attacks using anti-ship missiles. To create an appropriate jamming environment, Hunter MK.58 and L-39ZA carried containers with electronic warfare equipment and an outboard simulator of the French Exocet AM39 anti-ship missile system, and the Soviet P-15 anti-ship missile system, which reproduces the operation of a radio altimeter and an active radar homing head. The choice of simulators of the on-board systems of these anti-ship missiles is due to the fact that they are among the most widespread in the world, and are in service in countries with which the American fleet may encounter.
The presence of electronic warfare equipment and simulators of radar homing heads in removable suspended containers allows during exercises to bring the jamming situation as close as possible to a real combat one. This allows radar operators and air defense system operators to gain the necessary experience. Major exercises using aircraft and equipment belonging to this company are regularly conducted with ships and aircraft of the US Navy, both on the west and east coasts.
In the second half of the 1990s, when the ATAS company had just started cooperation with the Pentagon, its aircraft fleet had: MiG-17, A-4 Skyhawk and L-39 Albatros. However, these subsonic aircraft with a low thrust-to-weight ratio could not imitate modern combat aircraft of a potential enemy in training battles. For this reason, ATAS acquired several used Israeli Kfir C.1 fighters.
In the United States, the Kfir C.2 fighters currently flown by ATAS pilots are known as the F-21 KFIR. These aircraft, built in the 1980s, underwent modernization and overhaul, during which weapons were dismantled from them, airframe elements were reinforced, new navigation and communication equipment and video cameras and removable solid-state drives were installed, allowing to record the results of air battles and subsequently carry out detailed analysis of the flights. To fully simulate a combat situation, the company's aircraft carry electronic warfare equipment and suspended simulators of melee missiles with TGS. This allows for a real grip with the homing head, which increases the realism and reliability of the results of the fight.
According to American aviation experts, the modernized "Kfirs" in their combat capabilities are located between the Soviet MiG-21bis and the Chinese J-10. Despite a decent age and a formal technical lag behind modern fighters, the F-21 KFIR pilots very often managed to put American pilots on the F / A-18F and F-15C in a difficult position in close maneuvering combat. Even the superiority of the newest F-22A in training air battles was not always unconditional. Some flight modes of Kfir fighters, built according to the tailless scheme with PGO, turned out to be unavailable for American aircraft. In 2012, according to the results of tests with the F-35B fighter from an experimental batch supplied by the US ILC, it was recognized: "a promising fighter being built by Lockheed Martin Corporation, needs further improvement and refinement of air combat techniques."
To date, the pilots flying on "Kfirs" spent about 2500 hours in the air during training missions, which indicates a high intensity of flights and a large number of training battles. Victories in training battles over more modern types of fighters are largely due to the high qualifications and vast experience of the ATAS pilots. The main flight crew of ATAS is manned by retired Air Force and Navy pilots with vast flight experience and very high qualifications. They themselves used to fly many fighters, which now confront them in training battles. Naturally, the Kfir pilots are well acquainted with the capabilities of most types of fighter aircraft in service in the United States. At the same time, the bulk of American combat pilots are not aware of the capabilities and characteristics of the Kfirs. In addition, unlike Air Force and Navy combat pilots, ATAS pilots are not bound by so many rules and restrictions.
In addition to playing on the exercises for the "bad guys", ATAS technicians and specialists also participate in various test and test flights conducted as part of the creation and modernization of missile and aircraft systems and weapons. This approach, allowing to save on the process of testing new equipment and combat training without losing quality, turned out to be very beneficial for the US Department of Defense. The use of non-operational aircraft in the process of combat training allows diversifying the scenarios of training air battles, relieving combat squadron pilots from the stereotyped decisions that arise during maneuvering with aircraft of the same type and better prepare them for various situations that may arise in a real combat situation. In addition, the cost of a flight hour of aircraft of private companies is much cheaper and allows you to save the resource of combat fighters. The personnel of private companies working under an agreement with the military department do not need to pay pensions, health insurance and severance pay from the state budget. All expenses for the maintenance and repair of the aircraft participating in the training flights are borne by private contractors. A number of experts predict that in the future, private aviation companies working in contact with the military department will not only organize training missions, but will also be able to provide aviation support for land operations by private military companies. They can also be used to control the airspace in cases where the American government is not interested, for one reason or another, to use the air force or carrier-based aircraft.
Based on the open information available regarding the approaches of the Air Force and Naval Aviation Command, we can conclude that American fighter pilots are taught to resist Soviet, Russian and Chinese-made combat aircraft. And they are also preparing for a possible clash with the air forces of countries equipped with generation 2-3 fighters, which are no longer in service in the United States. At the same time, in addition to superiority in the flight data of American fighters and the characteristics of aviation weapons, the stake is placed on tactical training, initiative and an aggressive manner of air combat.
