Common Configuration Implementation Program

Since the fall of 2007, our base jets have been undergoing the common configuration implementation program (CCIP) to modernize them and extend their ability to complete with new fighters for many years to come. The paragraph below was taken from airforce-technology.com and explains the upgrade in a little more detail...

"650 USAF block 40/50 F-16s are being upgraded under the common configuration implementation programme (CCIP). The first phase of the program (first aircraft completed in January 2002) provides core computer and color cockpit modifications. The second, which began in September 2002, involves fitting the advanced AN/APX-113 interrogator / transponder and Lockheed Martin Sniper XR advanced FLIR targeting pod. The third, which started in July 2003, adds Link 16 datalink, the Boeing joint helmet-mounted cueing system, an electronic horizontal situation indicator and AIM-9X IR missile. Operational testing of the upgraded fighters was completed in September 2004. Deliveries are planned to complete in 2010."

So far, about half of our jets have been modified and it is a great jump in technology compared to our old block 40 F-16s. The color displays, new helmet and Link 16 greatly aid in our ability to get the job done...at the same time it's a lot of new information to bring into your cockpit cross-check. Our jets are being upgraded in Greece in order to save money by not flying them across the Atlantic back to the US. I'll hopefully have the opportunity to make a trip down there and bring some of the newly modified jets back here to Aviano!

The new helmet displays flight information on the back of the visor, similar to the info seen in heads up display (HUD). It provides altitude, airspeed, heading and much more no matter where you look. The only time it turns off is when you're looking at the HUD or at something in the cockpit. It can also be used to cue different aircraft sensors such as the air-to-air radar and air-to-ground targeting pod...wherever you turn your cranium, they follow and point in the same direction.

For the Link 16...it's a big airborne computer network connecting all the airborne fighter jets. It allows the exchange of information such as aircraft position among many other things without using the radios to communicate. It greatly increases the amount of situational awareness a pilot has regarding the location of his other flight members or other "blue" aircraft when all this information is displayed on the new color displays in the cockpit...from a "god's eye" perspective. This system is not only used by the USA but by our other allies as well, meaning when we go to war together in the future we'll all have the capability to operate within the same airborne network.

I'm going to wrap it up for now...Lana and I are planning to take a trip to Rome for my birthday, so I'll have much to share I'm sure. Until the next time...

Leading My First Cross-Country

Sometimes it really pays to be in the right place at the right time...like doing your job in the scheduling office when the DO walks in and says, "Who wants to take a 4-ship cross-country 14-17 March?" After a little thought (.51 seconds to be exact...Buzzards Rule!) I threw up my hand with a "I'm all over it Sir!" That's all it took and I was in charge of coming up with a plan to lead 4 jets around Europe for a weekend on my second cross-country. Mind you, I had just finished the FLUG a few weeks earlier so it was pretty cool to get the chance to lead something like this as a young flight lead. After a few iterations on the planning, my final draft for the trip looked like this:

Friday: Fly to Rota Naval Air Station, Spain and get gas at Garons Air Base, France on the way. Saturday: Relax in Cadiz, Spain on the beach and drive later to Gibraltar to check out the Rock. Sunday: Fly to Grosseto Air Base, Italy and get gas at Zaragoza Air Base, Spain on the way. Monday: "fight" the Italian Eurofighters stationed at Grosseto twice and then fly back to Aviano.

Rota NAS was the perfect spot to fly into...it's on the Southwest coast of Spain and close to a lot of cool places. One of those places is Cadiz where we stayed for a couple nights. The weather was nice and warm; the beach great. Thankfully for us it wasn't peak tourist season, so we found a really nice hotel for cheap as you can see above. The first night we grabbed some good Spanish food and sangria before hanging out in town until it was pretty late. After sleeping in the next day, I went for a run on the beach before we headed to the old city...the town goes way back to even before the Roman Empire. After the sightseeing, we decided to take a nap the then press on to Gibraltar, a little peninsula the British have owned for many hundreds of years in a very strategic military location...right on the straights which enter the Med called The Straights of Gibraltar. I didn't know it was a British colony until the planning phase of the trip, and while there we learned some pretty interesting stuff about it. Back during WWI and WWII it was used to port Allied battle ships and house bomber planes using a runway about 2 miles long which spans the width of the peninsula on the Northern end. Seriously, once you drive across the border the road crosses the runway. From this position they could control any traffic entering or leaving the Med during the wars. Inside the rock today are hollowed out sections used for military storage of munitions, fuel, water etc. Most of this we learned the Royal Army guys we met who were celebrating at a local pub over a rugby match England had just won.

After our time in Spain, we took off from Rota on our way back to Grosseto, Italy. The weather was perfect, so I coordinated with air traffic control to fly at 500' along the coast and around the Rock of Gibraltar...what a memory. As we passed, the northern part of Africa was easily seen only a few miles to the south. We eventually made it to Italy after getting gas in Zaragoza and spent the evening enjoying the town. The next day we had arranged to take off our travel pods in preparation to "fight" with the Eurofighters. The jet is very capable, and I learned a lot...I have to say we were pretty much even since it can turn better at low speeds than the F-16. We landed from our first sortie, had pasta in their squadron bar and then flew a 4 vs 4 as their red air support before flying back to Aviano.

Leading the cross-country was a great learning experience for me as a young flight lead. Thankfully all the planning and preparation went as advertised and we were able to get some good training with different fighter jets. What a cool job getting handed the keys to 4 multi-million dollar fighters and being told, "Be safe, have fun, get some training out of it and we'll see you on Monday!"

More Pictures:

Cross-Country Mar '08