The Marine Corps needs tactical aircraft to prevail in the harsh arena of modern combat. Tactical aircraft provide the punch and flexibility where artillery and naval surface gunfire support fall short, and they provide the reach to allow Marine air-ground task force commanders to engage targets at great distances and shape the battlespace effectively.
What type of aircraft is needed to fill this role? Currently, the Marine Corps has the F/A-18 Hornet and the AV-8B Harrier. The Hornet has the capability to operate from land bases and aircraft carriers, and the Harrier can operate from those platforms as well as from austere sites and amphibious ships. Having flown both, I can offer some unique observations. The problem with the Hornet is that it is not a Harrier. It does not provide the basing flexibility to operate from amphibious ships, which contain the majority of air-ground task force assets. And the problem with the Harrier is that it is not a Hornet. It cannot match the Hornet (or most other advanced tactical aircraft) in performance.
The solution would seem to be a highly capable aircraft that can challenge current fourth-generation and next-generation aircraft as well as provide the basing flexibility to support expeditionary operations. Enter the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). This program completed its concept demonstration phase in October 2001, with the contract awarded to Lockheed Martin and its X-35. (This was the designator for the concept demonstration aircraft; F-35 will be the designator of the production aircraft.)
The results of the JSF flight-test program were impressive. I was fortunate to fly all three variants of the X-35: the X-35A conventional takeoff and landing variant; the X-35C carrier variant; and the X-35B short takeoff and vertical landing variant (STOVL). One of the most notable aspects of the program was the commonality of the three variants, evident in their performance as well as appearance.
Table 1
Marine Corps Requirement | Navy Requirement | |
Combat Radius | 450 Nautical Miles (High-Medium-High Altitude Profile) | 600 Nautical Miles (High-High-High Altitude Profile) |
Internal Payload | Two 1,000-lb JDAMs + Two AMRAAMs | Two 2,000-lb JDAMs + Two AMRAAMs |
Takeoff Weight (Fuel + Ordnance) | 15,000 Pounds (Unassisted) | 20,000 Pounds (Catapult) |
Recovery Weight (Fuel + Ordnance) | 5,000 Pounds (Vertical Landing) | 9,000 Pounds (Arrested Landing) |
The event that highlighted the performance of the STOVL variant in particular was a sortie we termed "Mission X." The basic concept was to conduct an automatic short takeoff, climb to an altitude of 25,000 feet, make a level supersonic dash, and then return to the field for a vertical landing. Each task by itself was not a breakthrough achievement, and all were accomplished on previous X-35B sorties. The combination of all these things in one flight with one tank of gas, however, was a first in aviation history. A Harrier could achieve similar results but would need to be put into a steep dive to go supersonic. Mission X proved this latest generation of STOVL aircraft is every bit as capable as its conventional and carrier-capable counterparts.
STOVL aircraft have several advantages over conventional variants, the most important of which is basing flexibility. Carrier aircraft are limited to carriers, but STOVL aircraft can operate from these ships as well as from amphibious ships, effectively doubling the number of platforms from which they can operate. For the Marine Corps, the ability to collocate these aircraft on amphibious ships along with the rest of the air-ground task force they will support is extremely valuable for mission versatility, planning, and execution.
Obviously, STOVL capability comes at some price. For the JSF, this price comes mainly in payload and range. The carrier variant can carry internal weapons in the 2,000-pound class and more fuel. The increased fuel translates to about 100-150 miles more in combat radius over the STOVL aircraft. Table 1 shows the differences between the STOVL and carrier versions of the JSF.
The Marine Corps requires three basic things from tactical aircraft: responsiveness, reliability, and lethality. Responsiveness means aircraft arrive when and where you need them. To do that they have to be able to launch quickly and proceed swiftly to the target. Basing close to the target enhances responsiveness, and STOVL aircraft have the ability to operate from a wide variety of locations and thus can be deployed closer to expected target areas.
Reliability means aircraft are available when you need then. During the flight-test program for the JSF it was common to fly more than five sorties a day. This is a difficult feat for today's aircraft and virtually unheard of for an X-series aircraft. Great strides have been made in increasing the reliability and maintainability of the JSF.
Lethality means getting the job done in both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. Aircraft must be able to survive and, if required, fight their way to the objective area. Once there, they must be able to detect and destroy assigned targets as well as targets of opportunity. In some respects, aircraft are nothing more than vehicles for weapons. Instead of carrying two large bombs that could destroy only two targets, why not carry a dozen smaller bombs and destroy that many more targets? At one time we wanted a large bomb so that we could achieve a larger kill radius around the impact point. But if we have a precision weapon that hits the target, we do not need as much explosive. Less explosive means lighter weight and a smaller bomb. With the JSF, we can combine a powerful and survivable platform with more efficient munitions. The bottom line is that the faster an aircraft can get there and the more things it can destroy, the better.
We tend to focus exclusively on making aircraft better when in reality we should concentrate on maximizing the synergistic effect of aircraft-weapon systems. If the desired result is to kill the target, then as much effort should be put into the ordnance as into the machine that carries it. In the future, it also appears likely we will move away from catapults and arresting gear, which add significant costs in equipment and manpower and increase the weight and complexity of a ship. Ships designed from the keel up to accommodate more STOVL aircraft will be smaller and cheaper and will be able to maximize the potential of these versatile platforms.
The Marine Corps' strength is its combat-proven effectiveness coupled with its expeditionary character—the cornerstone of which is flexibility. STOVL aircraft essentially equal in capabilities to their conventional and carrier counterparts provide that flexibility. In addition, the unique warfighting ability of the Marine Corps is derived from the air-ground task force concept; tactical aircraft are a key part of this concept. Having these aircraft placed near at hand, alongside the other elements of the air-ground task force, not only enhances the unit's effectiveness but also is critical to its existence. The JSF is a STOVL aircraft that will meet all these requirements, and fulfill all the needs of the joint force of which it might be a part, in the combat arenas of the near and distant future.
Colonel Tomassetti was the lead government test pilot for the X-35B Joint Strike Fighter concept demonstrator aircraft.