MC-12 flies first combat mission

[djnocturnal]

by Staff Sgt. Dilia Ayala
332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

6/11/2009 - JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq -- The Air Force's newest intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance aircraft flew its first combat sortie June 10 over Iraq.

The MC-12 Liberty, assigned to the 362nd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron, arrived in Iraq June 8 and took off from Joint Base Balad at approximately 2:30 p.m. local time for a four-hour mission.

"This is truly a success story," said Brig. Gen. Brian T. Bishop, the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing commander. "Our mission here is to deliver combat airpower and overwatch to the joint fight in-theater, and the MC-12 brings a huge ISR capability to employ in support of the ground commander."

"This is the first combat mission for the 362nd ERS, and it was a huge success," said Col. Mike Fantini, the 332nd Expeditionary Operations Group commander. "The milestone continues the extraordinary program to push more ISR capability to the joint-force commander."

Landing at approximately 6:20 p.m. local time, the four-person crew was all smiles after completing the historic sortie.

"It feels good being out here and doing something good for the warfighter," said Capt. Jason Goodale, the pilot.

"The crew was great," the Sioux Falls, S.D., said the native deployed from Travis Air Force Base, Calif. "We performed like we trained. It is great to be part of something that is bringing a unique feature to ground forces."

Flying alongside Captain Goodale were Lt. Col. Phillip Stewart, the mission commander deployed from Langley AFB, Va., and a native of Silver Spring, Md.; and the two sensor operators: Senior Master Sgt. Bruce Hunter, deployed from Offutt AFB, Neb., and a native of Rock Springs, Wy.; and Staff Sgt. Shaun Nelson.

"It was a great mission," Colonel Stewart said. "It couldn't have gone any better."

"It feels really good to validate the training we went through," he added. "I'm extraordinarily proud of (the Airmen of the 362nd ERS). They are a tremendous group of Airmen. All of them volunteered to come to a brand-new program not knowing what to expect because they believe in the mission and they believe in the men and women that we are protecting on the ground."

Designed to augment information gathered by other intelligence-collection capabilities operating in-theater, the MC-12 provides real-time full-motion video and signals intelligence and allow military leaders to make battlefield decisions.

"It's an awesome mission," said Sergeant Nelson, deployed from Tinker AFB, Okla., and a native of Lenox, S.D. "I think we are all excited to be a part of it. It's a big capability, and it's nice to be able to bring this capability to more and more of the troops on the ground. The job satisfaction is amazing out here. You know you're making a difference. You know you're helping the guys on the ground. That's what we are here to do."



http://www.acc.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123153744

[GZR_Sactargets]

16 Jun 18:33 EDT (22:33 GMT)

Beechcraft May Add Weapon-Carrying Capability to King Air

http://www.defensenews.com/osd_story.ph ... &i=4142686

By andrew chuter
PARIS - King Air 350 builder Hawker Beechcraft is studying the possibility of fitting out the aircraft with precision-guided weapons as one option to extend the platform's capabilities.





The King Air ISR plane on static display at the Paris Air Show. ( Andrew Chuter / Staff)

Terry Harnell, the Hawker vice president for special mission aircraft, said the company was looking at designing wing hardpoints capable of carrying small precision weapons, electronic sensor pods or external fuel tanks to make the King Air more versatile.

The Hawker executive said the idea had created a great deal of interest, although the company was not under contract to provide an aircraft with underwing hardpoints.

Harnell broke the news that the King Air could be turned into a bomber as Hawker and integration partners L-3 Communications debuted what is effectively an export version of the U.S. Air Force's new MC-12 ISR aircraft.

The U.S. Air Force has 31 of the extended-range version of the King Air on order under a $1 billion program known as Project Liberty to urgently supply a medium-altitude ISR capability. An option for six more aircraft is expected to be firmed up next month, although that remains subject to congressional approval.

The aircraft made its first combat sortie out of Balad Air Base, Iraq, last week.

The international version is similar to the MC-12 but tweaked in some technology areas to make the aircraft exportable. Alison Hartley, the vice president of business development at L-3, said that in the coming decade the two companies saw a potential domestic market for up to 75 of the aircraft at a value of $1.3 billion.

The international market could be worth double that in platform sales with a value of about $2.5 billion. Hartley said Africa, the Middle East and other regions were all potential markets.

She specifically named the United Kingdom as a potential sales opportunity. The British have already ordered a handful of King Airs for the ISR mission. One has been delivered.

The L-3 executive said counterinsurgency, border patrol, anti-piracy and other roles were all within the capabilities of the aircraft.

The aircraft features L-3's Wescam MX-15 electro-optical infrared sensor, full motion video sensor turret, signals intelligence sensors, a datalink and room for two onboard analysts. The export aircraft also has beyond-line-of-sight KU satellite communications capability.

At present, the aircraft ordered by the U.S. Air Force use Inmarsat for satellite communications requirements.