The QF-16 full scale aerial target’s inaugural unmanned flight occurred Sept. 19.
The 82nd Aerial Targets Squadron and Boeing Co. conducted the flight, that’s step one in a two year process to phase out the QF-4 full scale aerial target.
“The QF-4 did an awesome job for decades, but it’s time to show the page within the aerial target program. This program will bring us into the 4th generation aircraft,” said Lt. Col. Ryan Inman, the 82nd ATRS commander. “And will provide us with a mission capable, very sustainable aerial target to take us into the subsequent 10 to twenty years.”
A pilot performed all normal preflight checks before climbing out of the cockpit and locking the cover from the skin. Control was then turned over to Thomas Mudge, a 82nd ATRS pilot controller, sitting in a control room at the opposite side of base. The QF-16 took off at 3 p.m. for an hour long mission profile including take off, conducting a sequence of simulated maneuvers and reaching supersonic speeds before returning to base and landing.
“The flight itself went o.k.,” Mudge said. “Its performance and talents are great and we’re awaiting this airplane.”
The first QF-16 was dropped at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., in November 2012 for operational and developmental testing to make sure their viability for aerial targets. The QF-16 is a supersonic reusable full-scale aerial target modified from an F16 Fighting Falcon. The emergence of U.S. 5th generation fighters which includes the F-22 Raptor and the F-35 Lightning means American forces need a sophisticated target, corresponding to what they’d actually find at the battle field.
“It takes it to the subsequent generation, which now provides the shooters an aircraft that’s completely a replication of current real world situations,” Inman said. “The new targets will allow the Air Force and allied nations to have a practical understanding of what they may face.”
With successful testing at Tyndall AFB complete, the targets may be now move to Holloman AFB, N.M., to start testing on an air-to-ground system. They are going to be a part of live-fire testing before being sent back to Tyndall AFB for operation.
The 82nd ATRS is a part of the 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group, which falls under the 53rd Wing at Eglin AFB, Fla. The unit operates the dept of Defense’s only full-scale aerial target program, which gives Air Force, Navy, Marine and armed forces customers targets for developmental and operational tests.
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