Combat Aircraft F-18 Article April 2011

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VIKINGKINGAttack!

A small number of F/A-18D Hornets represent an important component within the US Marine Corps fast jet world. the Marines specialize in littoral scenarios, and the F/A-18D is a valuable addition to operations in this environment. Based at MCAS Miramar, California, vMFA(AW)-225 ‘vikings’ allows a first-hand look at D-model operations today.

report and photos: Ted Carlson/Fotodynamics

USMC OPERATIONAL F/A-18D UNITSTail code

1st MAW, MAG-12VMFA(AW)-242 ‘Bats’ MCAS Iwakuni, Japan DT2nd MAW, MAG-31VMFA(AW)-533 ‘Hawks’ MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina EDVMFA(AW)-224 ‘Bengals’ MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina WK3rd MAW, MAG-11 VMFA(AW)-225 ‘Vikings’ MCAS Miramar, California CEVMFA(AW)-121 ‘Green Knights’ MCAS Miramar, California VKNotes: VMFA(AW)-332 ‘Moonlighters’ (2nd MAW, MAG-31) went to cadre status in March 2007 due to the need to alleviate F/A-18D airframe and manpower shortages as the USMC enters the F-35 program. The unit is scheduled to stand up as the first operational F-35 squadron in late 2012.

‘In March 2003 during Operation ‘Iraqi Freedom’, when everything kicked off, we pressed in over the enemy lines for the first time, went

past numerous SAMs and AAA. Our bird had 2,000lb JDAMs and our wingman had four Mk83 1,000lb bombs. Our target was a building in the Al Basrah area, well forward of where the Marines on the ground were. Although it was very poor weather, we were able to drop our weapons. Things were chaotic, and after we came back down, aircraft were re-launching for second and third follow-on strikes.’

Maj Chris ‘Log’ Floom recalls F/A-18D missions flown over the deserts of Iraq

back in 2003. Maj Floom is now on his third tour with VMFA(AW)-225 ‘Vikings’ and has a total of over 2,000 flight hours, with over 1,900 of those having been amassed in Hornets.

‘Usually we used precision-guided munitions, staying above the threats, so the SAMs and AAA were not too much of a factor’, Floom continues. ‘One mission we went out as a strike package of 24 aircraft and our targets were numerous tanks. All aircraft pushed forward to take out the targets using JSOW and JDAM, but unfortunately the Intel assessment was poor since the target co-ordinates were wrong by a few meters for the smart

weapons. It was pretty awesome to see that many Hornets all launch together and head out in a big group like that, though; it sends a chill down your spine. We were all shot at while there, but the SAMs were almost all unguided.’

The ‘Vikings’ have deployed several times to desert theaters of operations since ‘9/11’, in support of both ‘Iraqi Freedom’ and ‘Enduring Freedom’, and the squadron personnel are by now familiar with working in hot, dusty environments. At the time of writing, the Iraq mission was winding down, while operations in Afghanistan were expanding, reflecting a shift in emphasis felt across the Marine Corps.

VMFA(AW)-225 commander Lt Col ‘Pugs’ Goodwin’s specially-marked F/A-18D sits

high above the Chocolate Mountains during a mission from MCAS Miramar

as the WSO in the back seat gazes down upon the hapless target with his

Litening pod.

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‘Leathernecks’ on the groundF/A-18Ds of Marine (All-Weather) Strike Fighter Squadrons, or VMFA(AW), do not deploy on carriers, unlike the F/A-18Cs of their sister VMFA units. Instead, they specialize in operations from expeditionary airfields. The USMC F/A-18D squadrons often rotate through Asia in support of the Unit Deployment Program (UDP) in the Western Pacific (WESTPAC). Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in Japan is a common stop, and Pacific Command (PACOM),

Marine Forces Pacific (MARFORPAC), and the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF) ‘own’ the F/A-18D units during the deployments.

Iwakuni is located close to a number of ‘hot spots’, and contingency plans dictate that more than one unit should be present in that area at any time. The WESTPAC deployments may take the Marine Corps F/A-18D units to places such as Korea and Malaysia — where the squadron took the opportunity to go up against Royal Malaysian AF MiG-29 ‘Fulcrums’ in 2009.

The F/A-18D’s arsenal of weapons is expanding. The Joint Helmet-Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) and AIM-9X capability have augmented the proven AIM-120 AMRAAM, resulting in a lethal dogfighting combination. In addition to the obvious air-to-air advantages, F/A-18D crews have also used JHMCS to great effect for air-to-ground operations. Both front and back cockpits can use the helmet-mounted display to locate and designate ground targets, cue aircraft sensors such as the Litening targeting pod, and pass

‘Viking’ strike — four live Mk82 Snakeye bombs with retarding tail kits are dropped in a single devastating pass.

‘Vikings’ F/A-18Ds join up with a section of VMFA-314 ‘Black Knights’ Hornets

during operations from Miramar.

targets to one another without excess inter-cockpit communication. F/A-18D crews are also using Link 16 via the Multi-Function Information Distribution System (MIDS) to transmit a significant amount of data to greatly enhance situational awareness. MIDS can pass air and ground tracks, up to 16 ground waypoints, and even allow flight leads to momentarily control a wingman’s Litening pod. For offensive missions, the

Hornets carry laser-guided bombs, GPS-guided Joint Direct Attack

Munitions (JDAMs), and will

soon add dual-mode precision weapons. Two types of dual-mode weapon are currently being evaluated: one is a Paveway-series laser-guided bomb with a back-up GPS guidance kit, the other a Laser JDAM that uses GPS for primary guidance and can switch, if needed, to the laser seeker for late-stage precision terminal guidance.

The F/A-18D’s precision strike capability is brought to bear using the AN/AAQ-28(V) Litening AT forward-looking infra-red (FLIR) pod. The Litening AT provides an excellent infra-red picture as well as an electro-optical TV mode, allowing the F/A-18D Weapons

System Operator (WSO) to designate and guide laser-guided bombs (LGBs) with precision. Also included is an IR marker to designate targets at night, and an on-board datalink that allows the ground commander to see what the aircrew sees in real time. The future of the Northrop Grumman Litening family will be the next-generation Litening G4, with even better IR and electro-optical resolution and an advanced target detection and classification capability.

The AN/AAQ-28(V) Litening AT forward-looking infra-red (FLIR) pod.


GPS-guided Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs), and will

‘Viking’ actionMaj Ivan ‘Lizard’ Kanapathy was a TOPGUN instructor, and a two-time alumni of VMFA(AW)-225. He has over 1,900 Hornet flight hours, and is another pilot with F/A-18D experience over Iraq. ‘During Operation ‘Iraqi Freedom’ while with ’225, I flew mostly at night, so it was pretty easy to see the SAMs coming at us. Throughout that first week in Iraq, there was still a lot of enemy activity and defenses. We would almost never get any hostile radar warning indications because they knew if they turned on their radar, it meant they would be quickly dealt a HARM missile. There was a lot of flak and SAMs in Iraq; we’d break hard when we saw one coming up, and then realize the SAMs were not tracking. At first we were concerned, but that went away in time because we didn’t feel too threatened since they were basically just unguided ballistic SAMs.

‘Initially we were filling the FAC(A) [Forward Air Controller — Airborne] role single-ship, and on one particular mission, we had four GBU-12s with an old Nighthawk

targeting pod that was broken. Thus, we couldn’t lase for our own weapons. When we arrived on station, we checked in with the Marines on the ground. They did have lasers, but were taking indirect fire from enemy mortars beyond their line of sight. They triangulated the area of the threat and we were able to come in low for a visual recce pass. We had a rough idea of where the enemy was and were able to ID the target as best as we could; there was bad weather, but at least it was a daytime mission. We rolled in and dropped four unguided GBU-12 LGBs in a dive delivery, hoping for success. The only BDA [bomb damage assessment] we received was from the Marines on the ground we were supporting, with reports that the hostile fire had stopped. That gave us a pretty

good feeling, but no real confirmation of effects. For the first three weeks in OIF I our jets would come back clean, that is without weapons, and meaning we found targets. After that, things slowed down considerably in the air support world.’

Lt Col Dan ‘Pugs’ (otherwise ‘Pugsly’) Goodwin is the commanding officer of the ‘Vikings’, with over 2,000 hours in F/A-18s (other fleet units have included VMFA-314 and VMFA-323), plus another 430 hours in USAF F-15C Eagles as an exchange pilot with the 58th Fighter Squadron, making for a total of over 2,600 flight hours. This latest assignment is his first experience of the land-based F/A-18D, Goodwin’s previous USMC units being single-seat F/A-18C squadrons attached to US Navy carrier air wings. Talking to Combat

Aircraft, he recalled two especially memorable missions during his recent combat deployments. ‘One was on the very first day I flew a mission into Afghanistan. We flew to a small village to the west of Now Zad, we checked in, and there was a firefight already in progress. A British armored vehicle platoon was engaging the enemy and attempting to move out of the village to the higher ground to the north-east.

‘In Iraq, F/A-18Ds flying FAC(A) and CAS proved repeatedly that there simply is no quicker kill chain.

From the receipt of a target to bombs on that precise

target, you cannot beat us!’Lt Col Dan ‘Pugs’ Goodwin, vMFA(AW)-225

‘Viking boss’ — Lt Col Dan ‘Pugs’ Goodwin.


I n recent years, the VMFA(AW)-225 ‘Vikings’ insignia on the tailfins has been joined by a ‘Death Dealer’ emblem on the inside of the aircraft’s fins. The emblem can be traced

back to the unit’s WW2 roots. The original VMF-225 logo was designed by Disney artists, and comprised a boxing kangaroo. The 1943-era Marine fighter pilots decided the kangaroo didn’t quite fit their image and one of the pilots devised a skeleton with a top hat dealing the Ace of Spades. This later led to the adoption of the unofficial nickname ‘Death Dealers’, and squadron personnel wear their ‘Death Dealer’ throwback patches every Friday. The unit generally uses the ‘Viking’ call sign in the air, but may use ‘Dealer’ for package differentiation, for example when a Hornet is serving in an airborne forward air control or bandit role.

‘Death Dealers’

‘I could see tracers going back and forth, where the enemy was shooting from, and where our ‘friendlies’ were. I explained this to the commander on the ground, but since our air wing had just arrived in theater and he didn’t recognize our tactical callsigns, I got the impression that he wasn’t comfortable clearing us ‘Yanks’ to engage. He had us hold overhead until he could bring in some familiar Apache helicopters. It was an exciting way to start a combat

deployment, but a bit frustrating, since keeping them safe was what I have been trained to do.

‘One of my most rewarding missions was when I had a scheduled take-off with a very junior wingman, but his Hornet broke and a Weapons School graduate captain, a pretty savvy guy, ended up flying on my wing. Another British armored vehicle convoy had been ambushed in Helmand Province. They had a few wounded soldiers, plus one that had

sadly been killed, and asked us to escort them back out of harm’s way. They were trying to egress the area, had a broken vehicle that they also were trying to tow back, and basically were very vulnerable.

‘They were moving at 20kt, while we were at 400kt (speed is a great defense weapon down low and in that environment), so that made it challenging. What we attempted to do was to find the lead and trail vehicle in the convoy on our FLIRs. I took the front, my wingman the back of the

A VMFA(AW)-225 F/A-18D waits in the chocks with live Mk82 bombs loaded.


convoy, and we made racetrack patterns at separate altitudes in order to not hit each other for 45 minutes, to ensure they were able to safely make it back to where they needed to go. The sigh of relief from their commander made it all worthwhile, and made me feel very good about what we do. It sounds simple, but trying to keep track of slow-moving vehicles in rough, mountainous terrain isn’t easy; I was very lucky to have a more experienced pilot on the wing.’

One aspect of the single-seat Hornet world that Goodwin doesn’t miss is the night carrier landing. ‘If you had the misfortune of being one of the last F/A-18s to land, they would taxi you up to the bow, and then turn you so that your jet was perfectly positioned for the next launch. The Hornet nosewheel is about a foot and a half back behind the pilot, so during a deck turn you may be actually hanging over and extended beyond the deck with water rushing below — a very unnerving feeling.

‘Having flown other fighters, the thing I love about flying this airplane is the versatility that it brings to the table. While the F-16 is a fantastic strike-fighter platform, it is not quite as versatile as the Hornet by design. The Hornet was initially designed to provide the US Navy and Marine Corps with the most versatile strike-fighter possible. Aboard ship or at austere, expeditionary airfields, versatility provides that commander with the most ‘bang for his buck’. If it was meant to hang on an aircraft, then the Hornet can probably carry and employ it. Weapons such as the Mk80 series bombs, LGBs, GPS-guided JSOW, HARM, Harpoon, SLAM-ER, and JDAMs provide the Hornet pilot with a never-ending challenge to keep up-to-date. One day we may be doing a 1-v-1 BFM [basic fighter maneuvers] mission, the next day a 4-v-x defensive

convoy, and we made racetrack patterns at

The F/A-18D has become a valuable asset for the US Marine Corps. Single-seat F/A-18A/Cs, like this pair in the foreground

from VMFA-314, are now regularly called upon to help alleviate the burden on the ‘night attack’ D-models.


Acknowledgements: Thanks to Cols Kevin Killea and Jeffrey ‘Woody’ Woods, Lt Col Dan ‘Pugs’ Goodwin, Majs Tim ‘Mole’ Cooper, Manuel Delarosa, Chris ‘Log’ Floom, Ivan ‘Lizard’ Kanapathy, Chad ‘Wasabno’ Sund, Ben ‘Hog’ Wild, Capts Dustin ‘TASL’ Cook, David ‘K-Fed’ Dunsworth, Andrew ‘Skinsuit’ Greer, Jennifer ‘FLAM’ King, and Mike ‘Pipes’ Lepore, Gavin ‘Nambla’ Robillard, and the many others that helped.

Each Marine (All-Weather) Strike Fighter Squadron has

three Advanced Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance (ATARS) aircraft, with a camera and sensor suite in the nose and upgraded AN/APG-73 radar. Although technically modular, removal and installation of the equipment are so involved that realistically the ATARS aircraft are now dedicated airframes. ATARS is unique to the F/A-18D and provides the squadron and supported units with electro-optical, infra-red, and radar imagery. This imagery is used for target area reconnaissance, both before and after strikes are launched. Since the F/A-18D is the only aircraft equipped with this system, VMFA-232, which normally flies only F/A-18Cs, is currently deployed with two Marine Aircraft Group 11 (MAG-11) F/A-18Ds in order to provide this capability to Marine ground forces in Afghanistan.

ATARSsortie, and later that week a four-ship CAS [close air support] mission supporting Marines on the ground.

‘If you are a battlefield commander, the Hornet is the TACAIR asset of choice for the close battle. Having flown C-models and then moving over to two-seat Ds with the addition of the WSO, if the pilot and WSO train correctly and build that synergy working together as a team, their ability to generate and increase the operational tempo in an air-to-ground battlefield is astonishing. In Iraq, F/A-18Ds flying FAC(A) and CAS proved repeatedly that there simply is no quicker kill chain. From the receipt of a target to bombs on that precise target, you cannot beat us!’

Waiting for the futureThe ‘legacy’ Hornet has now been out of production for some time, and the F/A-18Ds have become a very valuable

commodity to the US Marine Corps. Over the years, mostly due to attrition, the airframes have dwindled in numbers and managing D-model flight time has become a very important aspect of operations. The F/A-18D has to last until the F-35B Lightning II is ready, and a timely F-35B delivery date is what the Marines are still counting on. The current F/A-18D fleet averages around 4,000 to 5,600 hours per airframe, and the aircraft are currently only rated up to a maximum of 8,000 hours. These valuable air assets are now seeing a reduction in operational rotations, with single-seat F/A-18A/Cs filling the gaps, in part freed up by additional Super Hornet deliveries to the US Navy. Until the F-35B is on line, Marine Hornets will have to be carefully managed to ensure availability and allow the F/A-18D to continue to be on call to do what it does best.


Combat Aircraft F-18 Article April 2011

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