Saudi Typhoon begun air to ground Operation

[Mosamania]

 

[Mosamania]

Bahrain 2012: RSAF driving Typhoon forward


Bahrain 2012: RSAF driving Typhoon forward


When the Saudi Ministry of Defence was asked to send an aircraft to BIAS, it naturally chose an example of its latest fighter – the Eurofighter Typhoon.
It was flown into the show by one of the Third Squadron’s senior pilots, Lieutenant Colonel Khalid Almaki.

He and the unit’s deputy commander, Colonel Hammad Alhammad, have been keen to talk about the Royal Saudi Air Force’s new fighter and paint an extremely rosy picture of the progress that is being made. Both are ex F-15 Eagle pilots, and though both point out that the F-15 remains an impressive and capable fighter, the Typhoon enjoys a significant and decisive edge.

Almaki highlighted the fly-by-wire control system and the carefree handling that it confers, while Alhammad spoke with enthusiasm about the aircraft’s thrust-to-weight ratio, performance and man-machine interface.

The two officers were both among the initial Typhoon cadre, with Alhammad one of eight pilots to be trained by the RAF at Coningsby and Almaki one of two trained in Spain. The squadron has now graduated eight pilots from Typhoon conversion training ‘in-kingdom’, and seven more are due to graduate soon.

Though it functions as a conversion training unit, the Third Squadron maintains an operational role and began standing quick reaction alert (QRA) six months ago. The RSAF then started air-to-air gunnery (something the RAF still has not done) and, showing an admirable confidence, has retained a night AAR clearance for its Typhoons even after the four Eurofighter partner nations withdrew their own night refuelling clearances.

The squadron began air-to-ground training last month as part of a phased work-up, which will culminate in the full exploitation of the Phase 1 Enhancement, part A (P1EA), when that becomes available.

Tranche 2 aircraft can, of course, carry and drop a range of air-to-ground weapons, including the UK Paveway II laser-guided bomb and GBU-16, but they do not have the austere air-to-ground capability provided under change proposal 193 (CP 193) and recently combat-proven in Libya. Nor do they have a laser designation pod (LDP).

The RSAF has, thereby, become the first Typhoon operator to start air-to-ground operations using Tranche 2 aircraft, which will not gain a full air-to-ground capability until P1EA is released in mid 2012.

With the introduction of P1EA Tranche 2, Typhoons will have ‘full’ SRP10 Tranche 2 software, which will allow the aircraft to drop Paveway IV, GBU-10, GBU-16 and EGBU-16, and will clear the aircraft to strafe ground targets. The new software will also provide significant workload and capability enhancements.

Though the RSAF regard the number of bombs (and the type) dropped as ‘secret’, both pilots confirmed that they had dropped many laser-guided weapons, with Damocles-equipped Tornados ‘spiking’.

The RSAF pilots expect to receive a laser designation pod ‘soon’, and claim that this has already been integrated, though they would not comment as to which pod had been chosen.
The Lockheed Martin Sniper pod is believed to be one possible option, as well as a UK-built and de-branded version of the Litening pod, whose Israeli origins otherwise make it problematic for Saudi Arabia.

Some believe that the Thales Damocles pod, already built under licence by Saudi Arabia’s AEC for use by RSAF Tornados, may be the most likely choice, although the French pod is not highly regarded and has no real high-resolution capability for the non-traditional ISTAR role that other pods allow.

It was reported that the UAE wanted Sniper rather than Damocles when it was considering the procurement of the Dassault Rafale, and even that the French Armée de l’Air has been in negotiations for Sniper pods as an alternative to the Damocles for its Rafales.

BAE Systems has experience of integrating all three types of pod – the Litening pod on Typhoon and Tornado, Sniper on the Harrier GR.Mk 9 and Damocles on the Saudi Tornado. Integrating any of the pods on the Saudi Typhoons would be straightforward.

Though the first eight Typhoons delivered to Saudi Arabia were painted in Tenth Squadron markings, plans changed and the Tenth Squadron has not yet stood up. Its aircraft are among the 24 that now equip the Third Squadron at Taif.

The Third Squadron hopes to be authorised to begin airshow display flying ‘soon’, and its pilots are all vying to be selected as the nominated display pilot, according to Alhammad!

Arabian Aerospace - Bahrain 2012: RSAF driving Typhoon forward

 

[Mosamania]

What really got my attention is that our armed forces has reached the point of becoming independent meaning they no longer look at other air forces capabilities and seek to copy it but they are clearing their own capabilities. Also the fact that we are training Typhoon pilots in house instead of in the UK or spain which means we have reached the capability to train them ourselves which is also a significant improvement for the Typhoon readiness.

 

[Thorough Pro]

What really got my attention is that our armed forces has reached the point of becoming independent meaning they no longer look at other air forces capabilities and seek to copy it but they are clearing their own capabilities. Also the fact that we are training Typhoon pilots in house instead of in the UK or spain which means we have reached the capability to train them ourselves which is also a significant improvement for the Typhoon readiness.

I would love to see KSA make their own weapons. The kind of money they have spent on buying it from west in the last 20/25 years would have given a very strong base had they spent it on joint ventures, TOT and R&D.

 

[FriendOfPakistan]

Mosa,

What happened to your avatar ? From stern King Faisal to alluring young girl ? You are not female, are you?

 

[Mosamania]

Mosa,

What happened to your avatar ? From stern King Faisal to alluring young girl ? You are not female, are you?

Saudi women are beautiful too

---------- Post added at 01:27 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:26 PM ----------

I would love to see KSA make their own weapons. The kind of money they have spent on buying it from west in the last 20/25 years would have given a very strong base had they spent it on joint ventures, TOT and R&D.

its complicated. a combination of bad leaders and collective ignorance kept us fro doing that. but not anymore.

 

[Sinnerman108]

Dude,
I had full plans of going to Bahrain over this weekend, just got lazy and tied up in other things,

How long is it going to go on for, maybe I will go this weekend and get some pics !

 

[PERSIAN GOD KING]

Any chance saudi arabia secretly gives EF technology to Iran?

 

[Secur]

Any chance saudi arabia secretly gives EF technology to Iran?

Yes , when hell freezes over

 

[PERSIAN GOD KING]

Yes , when hell freezes over

HAHAHAHA LOL

 

[Mosamania]

Saudi Typhoon storms ahead

Saudi Arabia has faced challenges introducing the Eurofighter Typhoon into service, not least in establishing local production – which has yet to start. But, as Jon Lake reports, despite this the Royal Saudi Air Force is pushing hard to adopt new capabilities and is believed to have been driving the pace of the development of new air-to-ground capabilities for the tranche 2 aeroplane.

Many analysts believe that the pace of development for the phase 1 enhanced (P1E) programme of the Saudi Arabian Typhoons has been more rapid than might have been expected in the light of budgetary pressures among the four partner nations.
One possible explanation could be Saudi funding. But even if Saudi Arabia is not actually bankrolling P1E, there is no doubt that the kingdom is at least closely following, and perhaps enthusiastically supporting, the latest developments.
In last year’s BAE Systems annual report, it was revealed that Saudi Arabia intended that at least the final 24 of the 72 Eurofighter Typhoons it has on order would be delivered with provision to be upgraded to full tranche 3 standards.
The tranche 3 Typhoon will have full air-to-ground capability, including the integration of weapons like the MBDA Storm Shadow cruise missile and the smaller Brimstone PGM, as well as an advanced AESA radar, providing expanded electronic attack capabilities.
The kingdom seems to be placing greater emphasis on Typhoon’s air-to-ground capabilities, both for the long-term and in the more immediate future.
Writing in the Washington Post, defence commentator David Ignatius suggested that, as part of a wider more assertive policy, Saudi Arabia was planning to double its armed forces over the next 10 years, while simultaneously modernising many capabilities. Ignatius said the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) would introduce between 450 and 500 new aircraft as part of this process, including 84 F-15SA Silent Eagles and a further 72 Typhoons. Likely timescales mean that any second batch of Typhoons would be delivered to tranche 3 standards.
Previously it had been thought that the Saudis would buy one type or the other and not both, but it now seems that tranche 3 Typhoons will provide the offensive backbone of the air force augmented by new and refurbished F-15s and, indeed, by the surviving Tornados upgraded under the TSP programme.
The advantage of the Typhoon to the Saudis is that it is more likely that specific weapons and defensive capabilities would be cleared and integrated, since Israeli pressure on the USA has historically limited weapons integration on American-built aircraft supplied to Arab air forces.
Prince Sultan’s stated intent for Saudi Arabia to have “200-plus” Typhoons in RSAF service by 2015 no longer looks fanciful.
But tranche 3 is still some way off and all 24 of the Typhoons now delivered to Saudi Arabia are from tranche 2. To meet Saudi timescales, these first 24 RSAF Typhoons (18 single-seat and six trainers) were aircraft that were taking shape on the production line for the British Royal Air Force, and that were diverted to meet Saudi requirements.
Production was then to have switched to a new facility built by BAE Systems at King Abdulaziz airbase at Dhahran. Work on this facility (which was to incorporate a Typhoon technical zone for local production) began with the ceremonial laying of a foundation stone by defence and aviation minister Prince Sultan in March 2008. The facility was supposed to have been completed in August 2009, with work beginning in the second quarter of 2010 and the first locally-assembled Typhoon due to be completed in 2011. But the in-kingdom industrial programme (IKIP) failed to materialise.
It now seems likely the remaining 48 Typhoon aircraft ordered by Saudi Arabia will be built in Britain, though an in-kingdom maintenance and upgrade facility may still be established. Production of these 48 aircraft seems to have stalled while contract details are renegotiated. Local production was to have been a vital feature of ‘Project Salam’ aiming to kick-start an indigenous Saudi aerospace and defence industry with thousands of high-value jobs. Losing this element of the programme is a bitter blow and the kingdom is believed to be working hard to extract concessions from the UK to “make up” for the loss.
It is believed that the Saudis are keen for the remaining aircraft in its order to have the best possible air-to-ground capabilities.
Historically the RSAF has always tended to shadow the RAF and USAF when bringing new types and new capabilities into service. With its UK-supplied combat aircraft, any new functionality has first been cleared and underwritten by the UK MoD and QinetiQ before being released to the RSAF. But Saudi Arabia is becoming more confident and proactive and has aspirations to become its own engineering and release authority.
The RSAF, therefore, started air-to-air gunnery (something the RAF still has not done) and began mounting quantitative risk assessment (QRA) operations with its tranche 2 aircraft before the RAF.
Nor did the Saudis slavishly follow the RAF’s choice of air-to-air weapons. Though RSAF Typhoons do use the Raytheon AIM-120C5 AMRAAM for BVR air combat engagements, for short-range use it selected the Diehl BGT Defence IRIS-T short-range air-to-air missile, rather than the MBDA ASRAAM favoured by the UK.
But the Saudis were keen to follow (or match) the partner nations in their drive for expanded air-to-ground capabilities on phase 1 enhancement, part A (P1EA). It was reported that when the RSAF was briefed P1EA its representatives simply said: “That’s great! When can we have it?”
Arabian Aerospace has learned that the RSAF has now become the first Typhoon operator to start better ground operations using tranche 2 aircraft – which will not gain a full air-to-ground capability until the P1EA is released in mid 2012.
The RSAF’s No3 Squadron began air-to-ground operations in December 2011 as part of a phased work-up, which will culminate in the full exploitation of P1EA when it becomes available.
Since the 24 Typhoons delivered to Saudi Arabia all serve with No10 Squadron, the RSAF’s Typhoon OEU, and No3 Squadron, the Saudi Typhoon operational conversion/training unit, the early part of the phased work-up is believed to be primarily aimed at building up a cadre of air-to-ground weapons instructors (QWIs) and evaluator pilots, whose skills will be ‘grown’ as the aircraft’s capabilities are expanded.
Because the tranche 2 Typhoon introduced new computer hardware, the decision was taken to adopt a simple software load (known as SRP 5.0/5.1) based on the tranche 1 SRP 4.0 software. The tranche 1 software has since moved on, with SRP 4.2 providing the austere air-to-ground capability, and with SRP 4.3 and a series of post-main development contract software ‘drops’ providing further refinements and enhancements.
This means that tranche 1 aircraft have features, functionalities and capabilities that tranche 2 aircraft do not. Most obviously the tranche 2 jets do not have the austere air-to-ground capability provided under CP 193 (change proposal 193) and recently combat-proven in Libya.
Tranche 2 aircraft can, of course, carry and drop a range of air-to-ground weapons, including the UK Paveway II laser-guided bomb and GBU-16, but they are not cleared for strafe (using the internal 27mm Mauser cannon in the air-to-surface role), nor do they have a laser designator pod.
However, with support from off-board designators (either ground-based or airborne) the tranche 2 Typhoon can already employ laser-guided bombs and No3 Squadron is expected to work with Tornados carrying the French Damocles laser designation pod. The tranche 2 aircraft, thus, already has an air-to-surface capability that is better than merely ‘rudimentary’.
With the anticipated release of P1EA this summer there is little need for any interim air-to-ground capability on the tranche 2 aircraft and, indeed, any such programme could only have delayed P1EA and other important on-going programmes, including P1EB, Meteor integration, and SRP 14.
P1EA is very close to service. Typhoons have now carried out a significant number of full avionic functional releases (‘avionics integrated releases&#8217 of the Paveway IV, and have used the Litening 3 LDP to guide them. The full end-to-end autonomous designation capability will be tested during the first quarter of 2012.
Service aircrew from the RAF’s No17 Squadron have been involved in these trials, and have flown the new software standard extensively in the rig, and in instrumented series production aircraft.

Arabian Aerospace - Saudi Typhoon storms ahead

 

[NeutralCitizen]

Wonder how well they would perform if sent into syria, hehe Syrian Migs shooting Saudi Typhoons down

 

[silko]

Wonder how well they would perform if sent into syria, hehe Syrian Migs shooting Saudi Typhoons down

i would become a retard if a saudi airplane was lost in a dogfight with the Syrian air force.

i am 100 % sure and know that the Saudi air force have more capable jets, better technology, BVR missiles, training, experience and so on. so it would either be an extremely stupid pilot or something wrong with the airplane that would bring Saudi planes down!

 

[PERSIAN GOD KING]

^^
Yea true, but thing about war is its never predictable.

 

[Mosamania]

i would become a retard if a saudi airplane was lost in a dogfight with the Syrian air force.

i am 100 % sure and know that the Saudi air force have more capable jets, better technology, BVR missiles, training, experience and so on. so it would either be an extremely stupid pilot or something wrong with the airplane that would bring Saudi planes down!

Most people here believe hardly that Saudi people are inherently dumb and their is something wrong in their genes that they can not comprehend basic calculus. I wouldn't mind these people. Actually I have to commend our Armed Forces for applying:

"Hence , when we are able to attack, we must seem unable, when using our forces we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.". Sun Tzu.