AIR TEST AND EVALUATION SQUAD1RON 23

Mark Ayton provides an overview of Naval Air Systems C10 1mmand's fixed wing tactical a~rcraft. test squadron VX-23. He, als10 exam~nes its current programmes associated with the EA-18G Growler, F/A-18 Super Hornet, and the F-35 Lightning II.

~::.....;;....:_-=-~--~~-------

.IKE THE US Nava1I Test Pil,ot

School., AirTest and Evaluation

Squadron 2.3 (VX-23) ha.s a

waterside l,ocation on board

INavall Air Station Patuxent

IRiver in M!a1ryland ..

According to its mission statement,

VX~23 is Naval Air Systemis Command's

(NAVAi R's) largest flight test organisation.

Its missi·on i1s to s1upport the research,

development, test, and evaluation of

fixed wing tactical aircraft by providing

aircraft and pilots, ·maintenance services,

safety oversight and facility support to

those ,efforts. Primary areas of support

inclu,de flying qualities and p,erforrnance

evaluations, shipboard suitab;ility,

propulsion system testing, tactical

aircraft mission system testing, ordna·nce

compatibility and ballistic efforts, rel iability

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

• and maintainability assessments, flight • • •

• • •

fidelity simulation1 and flight control • • • • • •

software developme1nt. •

·vX-23 also provide.s US government

flight representatives, test monitoring1, • • •

chase aircraft support, and faci lities for • • • • • • c,ontractor demon1stration, validation • •

• • • •

and development work involving tactical • • • • • •

aircraft and associated systems. • • • • • •

lits workforce - officers (US Navy, US, • • • • • •

Marine :Corps, a1nd fioreign nationals), • • •

enlisted (US Navy and US Marine Corps),

civilians and con1tractors - .supports aircraft •

maintenance, test planning and con.duct,

safety overs·iglht .a'nd support of th•e

squadron's F/A-18 Horn1et, IF/A-18 Super •

Hornet, EA-18G Gr,o,wler, T-45C Gos·ha.wk,

and F-35• Lightning II aircraft. • • • • •

During each fiscal year, VX-23 conducts • • • • • •

more than1 3,000 flight operations, totalling • • •

Below: F-35C test • • apIproximately 4,400 flight hours, much • • •

aircraft CF-03 • • • of which involves high-risk fl ight test. •

on theTC-7 • • • • • VX-23 condu1cts operations, both shore catapult with an • • • •

asymmetric loadl • • based and shipboard, locally at Naval Air • • •

of GBU-38 and • • • Station PatIuxent River and operates and •

GBU-54 JDAMs • • • • • maintains theTC-7 catapullt an1d MK-7 prior to cats and • • • •

trap.s testing on • • arresting gear test sites . • • •

Marc:h 31, 2021. • • • VX-23 comprises multiple de:partments, • • US Navy/Dane •

• • • e·a,ch responsible for a specific aircraft Wiedmann • • • • • • type, sub-sys·tem, we.apon, or tlig:ht • • • • • • activity. IEach department undertakes • • • • • • testing for NAVAIR's weapon system • • • • • • programme officers .. • • • • • • In addition to active-duty military • • • • • • pilots, and Naval Fight Offi1cers, a team of • • • • • • government engineers, analysts and fl ight • • • • • • test engineers work hundlreds of man • • • • • • hours to prepare, plan and ,execute each • • • • • • test event, some ,of wh~ch can last for as • • • • • • l:ittle as 20 minutes. After completio:n o·f • •

any test, fol llow-on work includes data

analysis, as,sessment, categ1orisatio,n of

any d,eficie,ncies, and report writing. Eac:h

report· must document the squadron's

test results andl conclusions in1 a manner

that's appropriate for all individruals

involved w;ith gover:nment 'procurement

and fielding decisions.

F/A-18 Sup1er Hornet Despite the hrigh degree of co1mmonality

between the F/A-18 Super Hornet

and the EA-18G Growler, VX-23 has an

independent department for each which

work together for weapons and systems

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Below: F-35B BF-OS ,on the forwar-d elevator of thie ltalia.n aircraft carrier ITS Cavour heading ·to the forward h1angarfor fuellingi and de-fuellingi tests. US Navy/Dane Wiedmann

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

integrated on the Growler, ,especially thre

Next Generation Jammer .

The F/A-18 department conrtinues

its !long-standing developme,ntall test

role of system configuration set (S,CS)

software. At any po,int in1 time t·h1e

department has oversight of an SCS

that's under developmental test (DT),

one that's at a mature phase of its OT,

and one at the initial requirements stage.

Currently t 'he three H-series SCS with

VX-23 are additiional builds of H14 each1

with specific capabUities; Hl 6 in fl ight

te,sting; and wo,rkin1g and developing

requirements for H 18 .

VX-2.3 wo1rks regularly with iits sist,er

sq,uadron, VX-31 based at Naval Air

Weapons Station 1Chi'na Lake, California,

~ which conducts exte.n.sive SCS testing . • • • • • • • •

In paral[el, VX-23 also ev,aluates the

~ i1nteroperability aspects of the SCS with • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

al l aircraft types, in carrier air wi'ngs and

those flown by the US Ma1rin1e Corp,s and

: US Ai r Force . • • •

; Weapons testing is sh1ared between • • : VX-23 and VX-31. Alli live missile shots • • • • • • • •

and we,apon release,s are undertaken on •

~ ranges in Callifornia and over t he Pacific • • : Ocean. iBack. at Pax River, VX-23 tends t•o • • • ~ focus on the flight science port·ion ,of a • •

; weapon's test programme . • •

~ Northrorp Grumman's AGM-8,8G • • • • • •

Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided • •

~ Missile - Extended Range, (AARGM-• •

~ ER) is a current weapo,ns iintegration • • ~ pro,gramme 1underway w:it h VX-23 • •

: and VX-31. Tests are s,et-up to enable • • •

: v.al idati,on of the weapon's functio·nality -• • • ~ launch ,and targeting • • • ~ Explaining, VX-·23's commander, • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Captain Elizabeth Somerville s,aid: "We

ne,ed to ensure the weapon comes ,off

the aircraft clleanly; it wjll neither impact •

: the aircraft or any adljacent stores . • •

~ "An,other part of we,a1po1ns integration • •

~ work at VX-23 is carrier suitabili'ty • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

testinrg. Does the weapon1 have any issue

w'ith the loads from flying ·throughout

the tact ical profile, noise, vibrat~ons, and

flutter, and is the we·apon able, to survive

in a deploye,d environment on board a1n

aircraft carrier. We load the weapon on

the aircraft and 1use a test profile with

multiple catapul t shots and multiple

arrested lan,dings using the TC-7

catapult and MK-7 arr,esting •Q'ear facility.

"We use an instrumented air,craft and

an instrumented weapon to ensure

al l the imp,o,sed loads are within the

tolera,ble levels and that the weapon or

t he system continu1es to function. Cain

we sti ll turn it on, to make sure it passes

al ll its built-in te.sts?' Whatever vallidated

fu1nctiio,nality works on the ground

or whe,n airborne with the weapon

attached to th•e aircraft, does t hat stil l

fu1nction after multiple cats and traps?"

At the time of writing, VX-23 was

expectin,g to conduct a similar cats a'ndl

traps test programme with th,e Next

Generation Jammer.

Block Ill Super Hornet The fir.st Block Ill F/A-18 s.uper Ho1rnet

jets arrived at VX.-23, in June 20,2,0 - a

single-sea1t F/ A- l 8E (IE323) and a

two-se,at F/A-1 a.F (F287)1. As of August

2021, both aircraft are flying with VX-31

at China L.ake conducting software

fu1nctionality and networlking test

programmes.

Aircraft E323 a1nd F287 a re the fi rst

•

Above: VX-2.3 test pilot Dan Levin releases ,a GBU-53 test article

: from F-35B ~ BF-0.3 dur·ing • • : .aweapon • • = .sepa1rat1on test •

~ on May2'7, ; 2021. US Navy/ ~ Dane Wiedmann • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

two. Subsequent product ion! aircraft are ~ • •

expected off the Boeing production line

in September and willl continue at a rate

• • • • • • • • • •

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

• •

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

of approximat,ely two pe,r month until

contract completion in early FY2025.

As more Block 1111 jets co,m1e off the

prod1uction line, th,e,y wi ll deliver

to ·vx squadrons to com'p,lete the

developmental and ope,rationa.l

test phases.

In M.arch 2019, NAVAIR awarded

Boein1g a U1S$4bn m1ulltiye,ar procurement

contract enabl ing the US Na,vy t,o, order

a min1im1um of 24 Block Ill jets each year

through FY2021 . Accordi1ng to PMA-

265, the first deployment of a Block

111-equi·pped squadron is anticipat·ed in

mid-2023, with a plan to have two Block

111-equi·pped squadrons (comprising

new productio,n Blo,ck Ills and upgraded

Block 1:Is to SLMP configuration) in each

carrier air w'in1g by 2027.

8,efore any deployment takes place,

PMA-26S's initial goa1I is to complete

a tran1sition ·from flight testing to fleet

operations sometime in 02 or Q3

FY2022, al lowin1g the first squ,adron a

minim:um nine,-mon1th work-1up period ..

B,ecause the Super H:ornet is a

m,ature airframe the Block Ill does, 1not

necessitate an extensive flight test

programme. Most of the changes are

internal so the set of test points is l,ess

extensive ..

Lieutenant Commanide,r Jlonathon

Malyc~e is a tes·t pilot assigned to VX-23

with experi'ence of test flying the Block

Ill ,aircraft.

,, •· ,, ., ., • . . •· •· •· • • ., •· •· •· ,, .. ,, •· •• •· " ,, •· • •• •· •· •· •· •· • • • •· •. •· •· • •· ,, •· •· ., •· .. . . •· ., •· •· •· • • •· . . ,, ., •· •· •· ,, ,, •· • • •· ,, ., • • •· •· •· ., " •· . . •• •· " •· •· •· ,, • •· ,, ., •· ., •· •· ,, •· ., ,, •· •· •• •· •· • • •· •· •· • •• . . •· •• •· •· ., •· •· •· •· ., .. •· ., ,, •· ., •· •· " •· ., •· .. • ., •· •· • • " •· ., •· •· " •· • ,, •· " •• •· ,, •· •. •· •• ., •· .. " •· ., •· •· •· •· •. ,, •· •· •• •· •· •· •· •· " •· •• •· •· • • •. ,, " •· •· " •· . . •· •· •· ,, •· •· •· ,, •· •• ., •· . . •· " • •· •· .. •· •. •· •· "

Describin,g the Bl,ock Ill, Lt Cdr

Malycke said the c,ockpit is completely

touchscreen and completely colour,

like, using a big tablet. He said: "The

pilot vehicle interface makes life ,as easy

as possible fo,r the aircrew to use the

aircraft's. sensors and weapons. Data

throughput on the aircraft is much

higher to deal with the networking

requiremen,ts. Com pa.red to an original

Block 11, it's like dial up, to broadband. A

data. fusion computer fuses and presents,

the most relevant information pertin1ent

to your mission and what you need to

know about threats and tar,gets in one

place. Aircrew can pick out exactly what

they need and use th1e information as

quickly a1nd a:s effectively a1s ;possible:'

According to Lt Cdr Malycke, the

Block Ill's sensor fusion computer is

a much more robust co1mputer than1

the ,equivalent on ,a Block 11. 'The Block

1111 fusion computer can handle the

massive amounts of data received from

the advanced data links and; its suite ,of

sensors and is alble to fuse and p1lace the

informatio1n o,n the LAD .

During 01ne of the first phases of

development,all testing at Pax River, l t Cdr

Malycke put the Block HI through its paces,

going as fast as possib~e, p1ulling as many

Gs as possible to make sure the vibrations

were n1ot ,going to break the large area:

display {LAD) ,and tlhe new head-up

displlay {HUD1) andi were c,ompatiblle

AIR TIEST AND EVALUATION SQUADRON 23

with all manoeuvres within the aircraft's

envelope. ,Other missions involved

shooting the gun to check the vibration

generated did not affect or break either

the LAD or HUD.

Discussing the LAD, Lt Cdr Malycke

said: l[With a LAD in the front cockpit, I

can set up a specific scenario with the

LAD using the sensors, while the weapon

system operator in the aft cockpit can

concurrently conduct different roles set up

on the aft cockpit's LAD.

"We can display a large map on the 8x10

screen, upon which all air contacts, and all

sensor inputs can be displayed. On Block II

aircraft the pilot has a SxSin screen though

the weapon systems operator has an 8x10

screen. But generally, the pilot had to

guess w·hat the weapon system operator

is looking at. On the Block 111, both the

front and aft cockpits have the exact

same display:'

A shake, rattle, and roll (carrier suitability)

programme followed. Using the TC-7

catapult and MK-7 arresting gear facility

at Pax, Lt Cdr Malycke flew multiple worst

case catapult launches (cats) and arrested

landings (traps) to make sure the LAD

and the HUD remained intact, in place

and worked properly before and after

cats and traps. All operating requirements

were proven.

• • • • • •

In August, Lt Cdr Malycke deployed • • • •

•

j to Point Mugu, California to participate • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

• • j in a large NAVAIR test exercise in which • •

j the two Block Ills used the networking • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

systems and sensor fusion with Block. II

Super Hornets to make sure the Block Ill

systems are compatible with the Block lls

and all the types of aircraft in the air wing. j • •

Block II Super Hornets, EA-18G Growlers i • •

and E-2D Hawkeyes and other types j

conducted relevant air-to-air missions with

the Block Ills at the heart of each mission.

These were fleet-representative missions

designed to verify that the Block 111, flown

by test pilots, is compatible with the other

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

types. Any anomalies found will have time j • • •

j to be fixed ahead of Block Ill aircraft being j • • • •

; assigned to the first fleet squadron. ; • • • • j Lt Cdr Malycke explained that all the : : : Below: VX-: Block lls involved were instrumented = : : 23 F/A-1 BF • •

j to collect data between other Super j • • • •

: Hornets and Growlers and the sensors : • • • • • •

j involved. Engineers used the data to j • • • •

j validate the Block II l's connectivity. j • •

Super Hornet BuNo 165932/ 5D1 22 releases an AGM-158 LRASM test

1 Operating wjth H 16 software, fixes to any j article from : : Station 4 as ! issues will be included in the follow- ! part of the

j on Hl 8 SCS. j missile's weapon • •

j One interesting fact about Hl 6 is j separation

l its different versions. A Block II has a ! programme : : backin • •

j different version of Hl 6 to a Block Ill, to j November 2018. • •

l use a slang term, "each does different l US Navy/Erik I stuff under the hood'~ ; Hildebrandt • • • • • •

• • • • • • • •

In the cockpit, the two versions look

~ much the same, but the pilot's interaction • • ~ is different .. However, according to Lt Cdr • • • • • •

Malycke aircrew can go from a Block II to • •

~ a Block Ill easily . • •

: H 18 will facilitate the AGM-88G • • •

: Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile • • •

~ - Extended Range (AARGM-ER) and more • • • • • • • •

incremental upgrades and improvements

j to the aircraft's networking and • •

~ infrastructure capabilities . • •

: PMA-242, NAVAIR's direct and time • • •

j sensitive strike programme office, received • •

~ Milestone C approval for the AARGM-ER • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

missile on August 23, the green light for

the missile to enter production .

PMA-242 conducted the first AARGM-ER

~ live-fire in July to verify aircraft to missile • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

integration, rocket motor performance,

and to start modelling and simulation

validation. The programme will continue

captive and live fire testing through • • • • • • •

2022 with initial operational capability

; declaration planned for 2023. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

F-35 Lightning II AnotherVX-23 department is the

F-35 Integrated Test Force which has

completed all developmental testing

for the F-35B and F-35C since the first

( aircraft arrived at the Maryland base on • • j November 13, 2009. • •

• --

One of the largest test program'mies

recently undertalken were sea trials

of t lhe F-35B on1board the Italian Navy

aircraft carrier ITS Cavour (C 550).

Captain Somervil lle said the sea

tria lls were required to test t ihe F-35B's

compatibility with the carrier and

to certify the jet to operate on the

Cavour. She said:"We embarked a large

detachment of engineers, m,aintainers,

aircrew, support personnel], analysts

onto the Cavour for a ;lengthy 1period to

execute all of the flight tes.ts. F-358s BF-

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

05 and BF-19 were flown, out to the ship : • •

and operated fro1m1 the ship throughout

th,e period without returning to Pax:'

VX-23 has years of test work a1head,

not just for the US Marine Corps and

US Navy, but also for other nations

flying or that will be flying the F-35B,

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

testing new weapons, a specific load-01ut ~

requested by the fleet, or advancement

of the airframe and its mission

systems S•oftware.

Since the F-35 prog:ramme completed

th,e System Development and

De'm1onstration in the spring of 2018,

the F-35 lnteg1rated Test Force (ITF) has

focussed on1 develop·m1ent and testing

of t1he aircraft's Bllock 4 capabillity to

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

increase its combat effectiveness. Much ~ • •

of t lhe com1bat has focussed primarilly on ~

the inte,gration of more air-to-surface

weapons. VX.-23's F-35 ITF is currently

conducting weapon environmental,

expansion, and in1tegratio1n testing for

th,e GBU-53/B StormBreaker (previously

referred to as the Sm1all Diameter Bomb

• + • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • + • • • • • • • • • • • •

11) for the F-35B, the so,olb GBU-38 JDAM ~

and the 50011b GBU-54 laser-guided

JDAM for the F-35C.

According to thie ITF's flig lht test

director, US Marine Corps Lieutenant

Colonel Jay Zarra, th,e ITF completed a

series of GBU-53/B tests that evaluated

the characteristics of the wearpon's safe

S•eparation fro'm1 the aircraft. Explaining1,

Zarra said:"We're currentlly evaluatin1g

how the weapon interacts with the

aircraft and its effectiven,ess. ln1 parallel

with flights, modelling and simulation

forms a llarge part ,of the evaluation

effort to determi1ne if the weapon does

what it is designed to do, and thereby

generate increased confidence in the

weapon. Testing the GBU-53 is complex

and takes much [longer to execute:'

The GBU-53/B glide-bomb is a curre1nt

priority for the US Marine Corps given

its stand-off, day-night, all-weather and

moving targ1et capabilities, which make

it a suitable weapon for striking targets

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • + • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • + • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • + • • • • • • • • • • • • • • + • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

located in contested environments

where stand-off capability is key.

Discussing the two JDAM programmes,

Lieutenant Colonel Zarra said the ITF

had recently completed cats and traps

with the GBU-38 and GBU-54 munitions

on the F-35C as part of a wearpons

integration effort.

Because the GBU-38 and the GBU-54 are

smalller weapons, they enable an F-35C

to carry more of them in a s1ingle weapon

paylload. That's an important capabillity

for the now-d•eployed F-35C. Though1

the two weapons were n.ot C•ertified in

time for the inaugural deployment of the

F-35C in early Aug1ust, the two 500-pound

munitions are likely to be ready for

s1ubsequent F-35C deployments.

According to Andrew Maack, chief test

engineer and site director, the F-35 ITF wUI

use Pax River's chamber facilities 1m1ore and

more for the Block 4 development.

Retired F-358 test aircraft BF-04 is now

bein1g used by the ITF as a dedicated

gro1und asset. More specifically the jet is

used for multiple aspects of testing and

• Above: VX-23 • • • • • F-35Bs BF-OS • • • • and BF-19 • • • • • during night • • • •

operations • • • • • aboard the • • • • Italian aircraft • • • • • carriier ITS • • • • Cavour o:n March • • • • • 7, 20211. US Navy/ • • • • • Dane Wiedmann • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • + • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • + • • • • • • • • • • • • • • + • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • + • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • + • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

assists the test team witih scopitng and

determining areas of focus for open air

flight testing .

Future Programmes Testing the latest types of fighters is 1not

the sole role tasked to VX-23, the squadron

is also involved i1n the US Navy's MQ-25A

Stingray 1unmann1ed tanker. lln what is set

to be a major test programme, VX-23 will

undertake the task in conjunction with Air

Test and Evaluation1 Squadron1 24 (UX-24),

Naval Test Wing Atlantic's unmanned test

squadron based at 1nearby Webster Field .

,captain Somervilllle said in the medium

term VX-23 willl be standing up with

MQ-25 air vehicles that will be flown and

operated from Pax River throughout

its flig1ht test prog:ramme and carrier

suitability tests. Some flight tests have

alr,eady been completed. A VX-23 crew

flew an F/A-18F S1uper Hornet in the

first ever air refuellling mission with th,e

MQ-25 Stingray Tl on June 4, 2021 (see

the MQ-25 Stingray feature elsewhere in

this edition). $