Airforces Monthly - February 2017

ARTICLE SUMARY
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Final USAF MQ-1 Predator class graduates at Holloman
Above: US Air Force MQ-1B Predator 08-3227 ‘HO’/‘49 Wg’ sits on the flight line at Holloman AFB, awaiting its next sortie.
US Air Force/Airman 1st Class Aaron Montoya
THE LAST US Air Force MQ-1
Predator remotely piloted aircraft
training class graduated with the
6th Attack Squadron (ATKS) at
Holloman Air Force Base, New
Mexico, on December 2. Captain
Chris, an MQ-1 flight instructor,
said: “The RPA community is
entering a time of transition.”
The 6th ATKS has provided
initial qualification training for
pilots and sensor operators
on the MQ-1 since 2009. Chris
said: “This marks a new step
for training and the airframes
here at Holloman. The MQ-1
has been an amazing piece of
equipment. Ever since it was first
used back in the ’90s, it’s been an
invaluable asset to our conflicts.”
The 6th ATKS is scheduled
to begin transitioning from
MQ-1s to MQ-9 Reapers in
early 2017. “With the MQ-1
retiring and us transitioning
to MQ-9s, you should see
very little if any change at all
in operations,” said Chris.
Seymour Johnson F-15Es receiving APG-82
Above: F-15E Strike Eagle 87-0187 ‘SJ’ from the 4th Fighter Wing’s 336th Fighter Squadron ‘Rocketeers’ sits in a hangar
while members of the RMP Eagle team begin removing panels at Seymour Johnson on October 3. US Air Force/Airman
Shawna L Keyes
US AIR Force officials from
the 4th Fighter Wing at
Seymour Johnson Air Force
Base (AFB), South Carolina,
have revealed details of the
on-going radar upgrade to
the F-15E Strike Eagle.
F-15E Radar Modernization
Program (RMP) is its first
major radar system upgrade
in more than 20 years.
The USAF statement, given on
December 9 last year, outlined
details of the Boeing-installed
upgrade, which began at
Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, last
June. Seymour Johnson is the
second F-15E station to receive
the upgrades, which started
last September. More than 90
jets at Seymour Johnson will
receive the modifications, which
are projected to be completed
in seven to nine years.
The old legacy APG-70
mechanically scanned radar
is being replaced with a new
active electronically scanned
radar system, the APG-82. It is
designed to retain functionality
of the old legacy system while
providing expanded missionemployment
capabilities. These
will include: near simultaneous
interleaving of selected airto-air
and air-to-ground
functions; enhanced air-toair
and air-to-ground combat
identification capabilities;
longer range air-to-air target
detection and enhanced track
capabilities; longer range and
higher resolution air-to-ground
radar mapping; and improved
ground moving target track
capability. From start to finish,
the process takes 70 to 75
working days per aircraft.
The RMP Eagle team at
Seymour Johnson comprises
avionic technicians, electric
and environmental personnel
and general mechanics.
While the Boeing team
conducts the radar
modifications, airmen of
the 4th Maintenance Group
concurrently perform routine
engineering work on the aircraft
to ensure optimal performance
when the jets return to fully
mission capable status.
As an aircraft moves from
one phase to another in the
modification process, an
additional jet is added to the
upgrade line. The Boeing team
is capable of working on four
F-15s simultaneously, each in a
different phase of the upgrade.
Once the Boeing team
completes the radar mods, an
active duty aircraft maintainer
will perform a qualityassurance
check to conclude
the acceptance process. The
first few aircraft to be enhanced
are from the 336th Fighter
Squadron (FS) ‘Rocketeers’,
followed by the other base units.
www.airforcesmonthly.com #347 FEBRUARY 2017 15