Old Harriers and new choppers unleashed. Welcome aboard the Cavour aircraft carrier during “blue water ops”. January 27, 2012
Posted by David Cenciotti in Aircraft Carriers.Tags: AW-101, Caio Duilio, Cavour, F-35, Italian aircraft carrier Cavour (550), Italian Navy, Joint Strike Fighter, Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, Marina Militare, McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II, NH-90, STOVL
2 comments
On Jan. 25, along with the ambassadors of NATO members, EU, Middle East and Mediterranean partners, The Aviationist has had the opportunity to visit the Cavour aircraft carrier during “blue water ops” off Civitavecchia port.
The event was jointly organized by the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to showcase one of the most important assets of the Italian Defense, one of the few European aircraft carriers that is not only important for military operations, but it is also a versatile platform that made its operative debut during the Haiti relief mission.
The Cavour symbolizes “a variety of possible uses that make it cost-effective” said Adm. Luigi Binelli Mantelli, future Chief of Staff of the Italian Navy.
Along with the F-35 program, the Italian Navy flagship was recently targeted by potential budget cuts as a consequence of the country’s financial crisis. However, “the AV-8B will fly until 2020, when they will be replaced by the F-35B. The MoD Di Paola has confirmed the project will continue. We don’t know how many aircraft we will get. The Air Force will get the majority, but even the Italian Navy will receive its planes” Binelli Mantelli said.
According to the Admiral, the F-35, is mainly an Air Force project, since the service needs the plane for its future. However, the Navy has joined the program and the future STOVL (Short Take Off Vertical Landing) variant of the Joint Strike Fighter, that was removed from probation one year earlier than expected, will serve as a force multiplier and complement the capabilities of the ship, capabilities that were showed to the ambassadors, diplomats and media during a tactical event involving the AV-8B+ Harrier (both single and double seat), AW-101 and NH-90 helicopters, the San Marco Regiment special forces and the Caio Duilio, a radar-evading Anti-Air Warfare destroyer.
Giovanni Maduli took the following images for The Aviationist.
U.S. aircraft carriers face Iranian stealth subs in the Persian Gulf. And remote controlled ones too… January 19, 2012
Posted by David Cenciotti in Aircraft Carriers, Iran.Tags: 5th Fleet, aircraft carrier, Carrier Strike Group, drone, Iran, Persian Gulf, stealth, Strait of Hormuz, submarine, Tehran, UAS, United States Navy
13 comments
Although the U.S. Navy has just rescued sailors of an Iranian boat in distress for the third time in 10 days, Tehran doesn’t seem to appreciate the aid that the American warships are giving to Iranian civilian mariners in the Persian Gulf.
In an interview with the Fars News Agency, Rear Adm. Farhad Amiri said that Iran’s ordinary submarines, covered with coatings that make them stealth, since “do not allow sound to travel through them and do not reflect waves sent by sonar systems”, could by the worst threat U.S. aircraft carriers will have to face next time they cross the Strait of Hormuz.
Since they American flattops can’t track them, Iranian submarines have acquired the ability to hide at the proper depth and “when the submarine lies on the sea bed, it can easily target an aircraft carrier that is passing nearby,” Amiri said.
Being one of the most powerful tools in the hands of the U.S., aircraft carriers are one of the most ambitious targets of any anti-American country. That’s why they are also some of the most heavily defended assets which does not travel alone (as done by the Chinese trainer Varyag) but alongside a Strike Group (once known as Battle Group) including ships, supporting vessels and a nuclear submarine, whose task is, among the others, to defend the flattops from underwater attacks.
So, although I’m unable to determine whether the threat posed by the Iranian subs is real or not (actually unable to say whether the subs are really stealth because they don’t even exist…), I would still bet on the Carrier Strike Group. Especially considering the usual claims made by the regime in the last years.
According to Mehr News agency, in a couple of month Iran plans to launch new 500-ton submarine Fateh (Conqueror) submarine, whereas Iranian researchers have built a new 3-kg smart remote-control sub, with a submerged speed of 19 kts, capable to carry out surveillance missions for…one meter (I hope there was a problem with the translation otherwise this would remind me of the surveillance drone that resembled a radio-controlled scale model more than a modern drone).
Photo: Costa Concordia and Cavour aircraft carrier at Civitavecchia harbor January 18, 2012
Posted by David Cenciotti in Aircraft Carriers.Tags: Cavour aircraft carrier, Civitavecchia, Costa Concordia, Costa Cruises, Cruise ship, Isola del Giglio, USS Nimitz
add a comment
In the last few days, after the Costa Concordia ran aground at Isola del Giglio on Jan. 13, media all around the world have published statistics to give readers an idea of the size of ill-fated ship.
For instance, some reported that the empty ship weighted as 110 Boeing B747s (which version?) while others said that the luxury cruise ship was slightly shorter than USS Nimitz (958ft/292 mt of the Concordia vs 1,092 ft/333 mt of the CVN-68).
In 2008, while visiting the Italian aircraft carrier Cavour, I had the opportunity to take some photographs of the Costa Concordia docked at Civitavecchia harbor next to the warship. Although they were taken from a certain distance the pictures below give an idea of the size of the cruise ship in relation to the size of the Italian Navy flagship (800ft/244 m) destined to be equipped with the F-35Bs (provided they will be able to survive the cuts of the Defense budget review).
From Greece with love: Russia’s aircraft carrier flight ops in the Mediterranean sea January 12, 2012
Posted by David Cenciotti in Aircraft Carriers.Tags: China, Mediterranean Sea, Russia, Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, Russian Navy, Soviet aircraft carrier Varyag, Sukhoi Su-33, Syria
11 comments
If the Chinese aircraft carrier Varyag, serving as a testbed for the development China’s future naval aviation, is far from being a factor, Russia’s flagship Admiral Kuznetsov, a “heavy aircraft-carrying missile cruiser”, equipped with an air wing of Sukhoi Su-33s and a dozen long-range anti-ship missiles already plays a role in regional crisis.
Indeed, although the Russian Navy officially denied that the deployment to the Mediterranean Sea off Syria should not be seen as a show of support for the Assad regime facing an uprising, the Russian ships presence in the area comes in a period of growing tensions in the region.
The following video, dated Dec. 30, 2011, was broadcast by the Zvezda TV Channel, the Russian nationwide network run by the Russian Ministry of Defense. It shows the Su-33 of the Kuznetsov conducting flight ops in the Mediterranean sea.
Launches, recoveries (with some aircraft missing the wires too…) and aerobatics in the vicinity of the ship.
According to the latest reports, the Russian warship and its battlegroup are currently operating within the Athinai FIR (Flight Information Region).
“F-35C unable to land aboard aircraft carriers” report says. U.S. Navy and Royal Navy have something to be worried about. January 9, 2012
Posted by David Cenciotti in Aircraft Carriers, F-35.Tags: aircraft carrier, Arresting gear, Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, F-35C, Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, Tailhook, United States Navy, US Navy
3 comments
As highlighted by an interesting article published on F-16.net, among all the other flaws listed in the JSF Concurrency Quick Look Review dated 29 November 2011 (an official document recently leaked), there is one issue that might have a significant impact on American and British naval aviation’s future plane.
According to the leaked report, the F-35C, the variant developed for the U.S. Navy (and chosen by the UK for its future aircraft carrier), is unable to get aboard a flattop because of its tailhook design issues.
During specific tests conducted at NAWC-AD (Naval Air Warfare Center – Aircraft Division) Lakehurst, the F-35C failed to engage the MK-7 arresting gear with a disappointing score of 0 successes in 8 attempts. Considered that arrestment testing takes place on a normal airport, without the thrill of bad weather, pitching deck, nearby obstacles, low fuel, lack of alternate airfields and all those factors that make a trap on an aircraft carrier the scariest kind of flying.
Root cause analysis points to some AHS (Arresting Hook System) design issues:
- aircraft geometry (short distance between the Main Landing Gear tires and the tailook point)
- tailkook point design, with scarce ability to scoop low positioned cables
- tailkook hold-down ineffective performance in damping bounces relative to the deck surface profiles.
In other words, the distance of 7.1 feet between the tires and the tailhook is too short and the responsive dynamics are such that the cable lies nearly flat on the deck by the time the tailkook point should intercept it for arrestment.
Although the current F-35C tailhook point design was based on that of the Hornet, the F-18 geometry places the distance of its main landing gear to tailhook point at 18.2 feet, a longer distance where the trampled cable has enough time to respond and flex back to its original position.
To address the tailhook issues, the tailhook point and hold down damper components will be redesigned and tested at NAWC-AD, Lakehurst in April 2012.
Most probably, LM engineers will find a way to fix the AHS problem.
However, “if the proposed redesigned components do not prove to be compatible with MK-7 arresting gear, then significant redesign impacts will ensue. Accordingly, the program is conducting a formal trade study to assess options beyond AHS redesign. One option includes adjustments of AHS airframe location. However, since arrestment loads are significant and the aircraft has certain constraints with respect to engine location and survivability considerations, any readjustment of AHS location will have major, direct primary and secondary structure impacts” report says.
While the X-47B UCAV has a longer MLG to tailhook distance (longer than the TA-4J) than the F-35, meaning that it should not be affected by the same problem, maybe the UK Royal Navy is still in time to design its future carrier’s arresting gear to comply with the F-35C’s AHS. Or revert back to the F-35B….:-)
Image source: Lockheed Martin
Related articles
- Electromagnetic catapult launches fighter jet (futureoftech.msnbc.msn.com)
- How to Stop a Jet in Two Seconds of the Day (geeks.thedailywh.at)
- The first “cruise” flight of the U.S. Navy’s X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System demonstration aircraft (greginsd.wordpress.com)
Landing a Rafale an aircraft carrier. At night. A video shows why a night trap is the scariest and most demanding kind of flying. January 2, 2012
Posted by David Cenciotti in Aircraft Carriers, Military Aviation.Tags: aircraft, aircraft carrier, Indian AIr Force, Libya, MMRCA, Naval Aviation, Rafale
1 comment so far
Ever wondered how’s landing a jet on an aircraft carrier at night?
This French Navy Rafale’s HUD (Head Up Display) video gives a hint. Barely visible at the beginning of the footage (a very little light) is the (pitching) deck, filled with planes, people and an “island”.
Alongside the Eurofighter Typhoon, the French “omnirole” combat plane was extensively involved in Libya as well as shortlisted in the estimated $11 billion India’s Medium Multirole Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) tender whose winner should be made public in the next three weeks (for these reasons, I used a video of a French plane and not one of an American jet, to show you the thrill of a “night trap”).
Thanks to Riccardo Braccini for the heads up on FB.
Wanna know where the new Chinese aircraft carrier will be in the next few days? Here it is. A website gives you the coordinates. December 21, 2011
Posted by David Cenciotti in Aircraft Carriers, China, Military Aviation.Tags: aircraft carrier, China, satellite imagery, Varyag, Yellow Sea
1 comment so far
This time you don’t need a satellite to get a glimpse of the Varyag in the Yellow Sea. If you wish to know where the refurbished Chinese aircraft carrier will be until Dec. 29, you can simply visit this Chinese website that has just published the coordinates of the points that limit the area of operations of the carrier (most probably taken from a NOTAM or a bulletin issued by maritime authorities to inform other ships of the temporary prohibited area).
I mapped them with Google Earth and took a couple of screenshots in order to give you an idea where the aircraft carrier will operate for its third sea trial cruise.
So what those interested can do is to point their satellites towards the area and send some spyplanes and subs in the vicinity to study the ship’s onboard equipment, its radar and signals signature, and so on.
Image source: fyjs.cn
Satellite captures first Chinese aircraft carrier in the Yellow Sea December 14, 2011
Posted by David Cenciotti in Aircraft Carriers, China, Military Aviation.Tags: aircraft carrier, China, Flanker, Kutznesov Class, Naval Aviation, Shenyang J-15, Su-33
add a comment
Taken in the Yellow Sea on Dec. 8, 2011, this images from the DigitalGlobe Analysis Center depicts the Chinese aircraft carrier Varyag during it’s second sea trial in the Yellow Sea, approximately 100 kilometers south-southeast of the port of Dalian. Although testing activities with embarked planes began on Aug. 11, 2011, no plane appears on the flight deck of the Varyag.
Purchased in 1998, the Kutznesov Class 60,000 ton aircraft carrier should be used to test qualify Chinese pilots flying with the made-in-China Shenyang J-15 a multi-role Gen.4.5 plane (based on the Su-33 airframe with Chinese-developed technology) as well as to test equipments that could be used in China’s future operative aircraft carrier (expected no sooner than 2020).
For this reason satellites (and most probably spyplanes) will closely follow Varyag sea trials: to understand the type of threat the U.S. will face in the Pacific in next decades.
Image Credit : DigitalGlobe
Is the F-35 stealth jet so advanced that it can be flown using one hand only? Picture raise question November 10, 2011
Posted by David Cenciotti in Aircraft Carriers, Aviation, F-35, Military Aviation.Tags: aircraft carrier, catapult launch, F-18, F-35, HOTAS, JHMCS, JSF, Military Aviation, Naval Aviation, STOVL, USS Wasp
2 comments
Do you remember HOTAS (Hands On Throttle And Stick)?
Ok, forget it.
As the following Lockheed Martin picture shows, the F-35B, the (most costly) Short Take Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) version of the Joint Strike Fighter, is not only pretty easy to fly as I witnessed in a ride on board the JSF Cockpit Demo, but it embodies so much advanced technology to be flown by the pilot with only one hand (resting his left one).
Obviously I’m kidding.
Indeed the above picture depicts Marine Corps Maj. Richard Rusnok on board the second F-35B test aircraft “BF-4″ as he returns to land aboard USS Wasp on Oct.6, 2011, during STOVL ship suitability testing aboard the land amphibious assault ship off the coast of Virginia. He’s simply resting his left arm on the canopy edge. As someone commented, at least this shows that the F-35 cockpit is quite comfortable!
However a funny image about the F-35 (especially after publishing the famous “F-35 Garbage” picture that someone saw as disrespectful….?!) gives me the opportunity to talk about a standard feature of all the most recent generations of fighters.
Hands On Throttle And Stick is the concept according to which all the vital switches and buttons a combat pilot needs to access the radar functions, the weapon control and flight managent systems, the attack and identification systems, the radio and navigation equipment, etc, are placed on the flight control stick and engine throttle, allowing him/her to give inputs to the onboard computers without having to remove a hand from the flight controls.
Coupled with a JHMCS (joint helmet-mounted cueing system), HOTAS enables the pilot to perform a high-G turn while using the throttle to obtain the desired thrust and switch from the air-to-ground to the air-to-air mode (and vice versa) and cue onboard weapons against enemy aircraft or ground vehicles merely by pointing his head at the target to guide the weapons.
Some aircraft as the Typhoon, use the DVI (Direct Voice Input) creating an integrated system dubbed VTAS (Voice Throttle And Stick). In VTAS cockpits, voice can be used to control some non-critical systems reducing pilot workload and removing the need for him to look down at any of the MFD (Multi-Function Displays).
DVI is affected by in-flight environment noise and has to cope with quick voice level variability under high-G stress, different types of microphones with different frequency responses, and also different type of English (English spoken by an American or British pilot is sensibly different from the one of a Spanish or Italian one). So far, I’ve never heard of VTAS being effectively used in combat, but most probably, DVI will be extensively used in the next years and even the F-35 should have a speech recognition system in the future.
Naturally, there are some phases of the flight that don’t require the pilot to keep the hands on the flight controls. Sometimes pilots leave the control stick free although its position is not kept by the autopilot.
For instance, during catapult launches from aircraft carriers, after rudders have been deflected for take off, F-18 pilots are required to hang on a handle on the cockpit mount in order to prevent the quick acceleration inducing some involuntary movement on the flight control stick.
Republic of Korea Navy’s warships meet the Italian aircraft carrier Cavour in the Mediterranean Sea October 31, 2011
Posted by David Cenciotti in Aircraft Carriers, Italian Navy, Military Aviation.Tags: Cavour aircraft carrier, Italian Navy, Marina Militare, Naval Aviation, PASSEX, Republic of Korea Navy, ROK Navy, ROKN
add a comment
On Oct. 29, two warships of the Republic of Korea Navy or ROK Navy (ROKN) involved in a training campaign in the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean met with the Italian aircraft carrier Cavour in the Ionian Sea, 60NM from the Italian coasts, in what has been the first Passex (Passage Exercise) between the two navies.
Image source: Marina Militare
The South Korean naval group was made by the Kang Gam Cham, a class Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin destroyer, and by the Cheonji, a Fast Combat Support Ship of the same class.
After a first radio contact on the radio, the ships have performed a series of tactical maneuvers which included take off and landing operations on both vessels by an Italian helicopter.
