Martin Richards
, former Aerospace Systems Engineer and Ex UK Forces (1982-2010)
Answered April 29, 2019
sorry but unless an F35 is flying backwards and has multiple crew members to handle the tactical situation let alone flying the aircraft your argument does not stand up!
I spent 5 years working on the AWCSA Software as well as 3 years on an improved version of JSTARS and 18 months on the equipment of the Harrier with a data link system. And 18 months of the UK/US NAS ATC Systems
Also 3 years on the Maritime Nimrod 3 months on the MR4 Nimrod and 3 years n Watchkeeper. And I have connections with Nimrod R1 as well as the US / UK Project Helix Rivet Joint for the UK.
If any one can be said to be an expert in airborne surveillance system design it is my self.
The tactical doctrine simply does not work.
It is also why the UK rejected the use of a small business jet type aircraft with conformal or billboard radar – there are simply NOT enough people their to managing a battlespace
The reason why the F35 aircraft got this silly name is down to its data fusion capability.
The F335 has more than one sensor type from which it can initial track data. The traditional aircraft until this point could only use one sensor to generate tracks and then they let the AWACS aircraft to carry out Cross Told Track integration by which multiple source tracks are combined into a single track and then propagated on a JTIDS Net.
In most AWCAS this cross told tracking can be hit and miss and often requires manual input from the operators typically this is with the older AWCAS using the 4Pi Computer Systems.
I did a research study into this very thing on the UK AWACS in terms of equipping it with a Data Fusion Engine that would connect on a MIL-STD-155£B Bus and concluded that it simply would not work.
The newer fit US E3 AWACS should I am guessing be able to do this cross told track integration themselves as such the Israeli and Swedish Business jet based aircraft and the new 737 version of the AWACS.
Yes the F35 is a very nice sensor platform but a pilot cannot operate as a pilot, and Fighter controller at the same time. Rather as I said its is a case of passing good track data from F35 to an AWACS who will then propagate that track data to other aircraft. Operating in this way means that two aircraft are transmitting.
However, the norm and the current US / UK / AUS Israeli / NATO tactical doctrine is that you have an AWACS at 29,000ft for a 707 and or 41,000ft for the Business Jet Versions in protected airspace with its radar switched on.
It then detects what it can and then transmits the data to other aircraft that listen for data but do NOT have any thing transmitting. The person in the receiving aircraft has the AWACS data appear on their display screens with Track Number from an AWACS so they know where it came from BUT the information is displayed in such a way as if it came from the pilots own aircraft.
Working in this way the aircraft can intercept air treats without them being aware that they are being intercepted – I cannot see this changing ever !