Artist’s rendition Bahrain F-16 Block 70

BEIRUT: The fact that the United Arab Emirates looks likely to receive F-35 fighter jets does not mean its Arab allies will be able to share the advanced data the fifth generation fighter can gather. For example, It would take Bahrain up to 10 years before it can integrate its fourth generation aircraft with the F-35 fleet, Brig. Gen. Munther Majed Nasser Al-Khalifa, acting fighter wing Commander of the Royal Bahrain Air Force said.

“This is not going to happen overnight,” the general said during the virtual Manama airpower symposium (MAPS 2020). “Our combat-proven fourth generation aircraft will be around for at least the next two decades, so we need to find ways to better learn how to integrate them with fifth generation platforms of allies.”

The Bahraini air force is set to receive 16 new F-16 Block 70 aircraft, with the first being planned for summer 2022.

The jets will feature advanced avionics, a proven Active Electronically Scanned Array radar, a modernized cockpit, advanced weapons, conformal fuel tanks, an automatic ground collision avoidance system, an advanced engine and an industry-leading extended structural service life of 12,000 hours.

The integration process, however, must involve steps to ensure the effective utilization of both types, with the first being the continuous upgrade of the aircraft avionics.

“Air forces must continue to upgrade their fleets avionics to enhance the capabilities of legacy fleets over the next decade and provide the required link to ensure the ability to operate those alongside fifth generation platforms,” Al-Khalifa said.

Fortunately for the Royal Bahraini air force, their new upgraded F-16 Block 70 aircraft shares some fifth-generation DNA, which promises easier integration.

“By getting them, we will be prepared to accept and operate the F-35 or maybe even sixth generation fighters,” Al-Khalifa said. “Combine them together, they will be, by far, more effective than a force composed of either type.”

Another step is ensuring proper training. Currently, Bahrain is looking to increase joint exercises with the U.S Air Force so it can “truly understand how to work these aircraft,” said Al-Khalifa. “In a nutshell, fifth-gen aircraft bring incredible capabilities into the operations environment,” he said, but when “complemented with fourth-gen platforms, our air forces will have more improved capabilities.”

The U.S Air Force sees this as an opportunity not to be missed.

“I think the purchase of F-35 by partner nations is a better opportunity for us to share fifth-to-fifth and fifth-to-fourth data,” said Lt. Gen. Gregory Guillot, Commander of U.S Air Forces Central Command during the panel. “We are always working to come up with better tactics, techniques and procedures to share that information.”

Over the years, the Air Force has integrated F-22 and F-35 jets into their daily operations, something that has gone very well for them, said Guillot, with the “goal of bringing peace and stability to the region.”

“What we found so far is that not only they have situational awareness but they’re able to share with fourth generation aircraft and remotely piloted aircraft a lot of that information whether it is by voice or data links,” he added.

Nevertheless, Guillot stressed the increasing importance of sharing information between unmanned and manned platforms when the latter is a fifth-generation fighter.

“We found a lot of cases where the situational awareness we get from a stealth fighter make it an ideal platform to share information with their unmanned wingman,” he explained. “But we’ve also seen cases where the remotely piloted aircraft can give a great situational awareness drop-off to F-35s or other fifth-gen aircraft approaching the area.”

Although the UAE is the first and only Arab country to acquire MQ-9 Reaper drones, Bahrain, amongst other Arab countries, is also acknowledging the huge role of unmanned vehicles in the region.

“Everyone is talking about unmanned platforms, but we still have jets,” pointed Al-Khalifa. “For now, we look at how we can make the best out of accomplishing our missions and be safe at the same time, while being able to share all the information with other platforms operating in the same theater,” he added.

In the future, the Air Force is planning to integrate these platforms, where the loyal wingman concept will “become an important part of maximizing the air force’s fourth and fifth generation capabilities to bring more skills throughout the region,” Guillot said.

Bolstering C4ISR capabilities in the region

To achieve all that, the U.S Air Force is planning to take evolutionary steps in their ability to operationally improve command and control in the region, Guillot revealed.

The US Air Force is looking at putting all their data into an accessible cloud without being tied to a facility or location, giving them the ability to distribute their operations anywhere in the world.

“I think when we do that, not only we will change how we access our information but drive new processes where the end result might look revolutionary comparing to where we are today and where will be in five to ten years.”

The Royal Air Force, who also operates the F-35, is also planning to invest in novel communication systems. “An Internet battle battlespace will only work if it understands what information is out there,” said Air Commodore Jez Holmes, head of the RAF’s Rapid Capability Office. “So, we have to be able to share messages seemingly across the cloud space and be able to interpret it quickly.”

To attain this goal, allies need to discuss data standards.

“I don’t necessarily agree that we have to come up with a common data standard for everybody,” he said. “It would be impossible to adjust all the programs we already have into a commentated standard, so we will have to look at technologies able to interpret those different data and share what’s only important.”

With so much data out there, it remains crucial to find the right amount and put the airpower on to padding the right amount of information and trying it around to the best decision. “We’re doing everything we can to use machines to help us with that,” said Guillot. “Although we are still not using artificial intelligence in our facility here, we see that on the horizon.”