The F-35 and the coming paradigm shift

A lot of people are having a hard time seeing or understanding the paradigm shift in the way the US is going to be fighting war in the future. The vital roll cyber, the F-35 and other next gen. air assets play in regards to that evolution and the way command and control is performed in a combat environment.
The linked article is great read for those that really want to delve into the new philosophy.

In football terms, the classic fighter pilot and squadron were like the college quarterback given plays sent in from the bench and tasked to execute along the lines set by the coach. Now the F-35 pilot and squadron will function more like Peyton Manning, coming to the line of scrimmage looking over the defense and determining where to attack and with which tools on his side of the ball.
Now, the F-35 is like having Peyton Manning in every position.

To continue the analogy, formations of F-35s can work and share together so that they can “audible” the play. They can work together, sensing all that they can sense, fusing information, and overwhelming whatever defense is presented to them in a way that the legacy command and control simply cannot keep up with, nor should keep up with.

That’s what F-35 brings.

People talk about the data avalanche and information overload. The tremendous advances in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities now enable warfighters to see and understand the battlespace, and dynamic events, in a way that we couldn’t even dream of before. Their ability to see and sense in the battlespace from national sensors to tactical sensors is enormous, and that changes the way that we think about C2.

And furthermore, their ability to react to that is incredible.

www.sldinfo.com...

a reply to: Sammamishman

Why do you think there is a paradigm shift on the way?

Sure, the F-35 might have the ability to rely a lot less on data from HQ, but surely that is not the same as that guys in HQ are willing to give up control to the pilot.

The F-35 pilot might find potential enemy targets himself, but he cannot asses the strategic consequences of engaging them.

Surely 'the bench will continue to call the plays', no?

a reply to: DupontDeux

The F-22 is already acting as an AWACS and JSTARS over Syria. They will be in positions to perform the mission where neither of those platforms can possibly risk going into because of threats from the ground or air. That's going to leave the F-22 and F-35 performing those roles for other aircraft in the strike group and calling the shots. Both platforms, and future Sixth Generation platforms are going to completely change the way we fight in the air.

Others will still decide the missions, and the targets, but when it comes to the actual fight, the F-22 and F-35 will be in the thick of things calling the shots. That's where the huge shift is going to come. They will be able to find targets of opportunity, and direct other aircraft to hit various priority targets as things are changing minute by minute. Instead of having to wait hours to get assessments in, they'll be able to make on the fly changes as they go.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: DupontDeux

Others will still decide the missions, and the targets, but when it comes to the actual fight, the F-22 and F-35 will be in the thick of things calling the shots. That's where the huge shift is going to come. They will be able to find targets of opportunity, and direct other aircraft to hit various priority targets as things are changing minute by minute. Instead of having to wait hours to get assessments in, they'll be able to make on the fly changes as they go.

That is interesting, but to me that really sounds like the plays are still being called by the bench, i.e. that it is less of a paradigm shift than a natural progress of an ongoing development in combat execution.

a reply to: DupontDeux

In broad terms they are. There will still be a frag order sent out, but instead of the detailed list of targets and weapons that it is now, it's going to just be a list. It will be up to the pilots of the F-35 to determine which targets are hit, by who, and when. This is completely different from anything ever done by the US at any point in time. The F-35 will be decided what strike packages are hitting where, based on real time information collected by their sensors, and other systems they have access to, that give them information on the defenses around the targets. This will let strike packages be optimized and no longer have to abort missions because they get there and the defenses are too hot.

a reply to: intrptr

GBUs do a bang up job of turning bricks to rubble.


As far as the "New Paradigm" of war fighting, great so the F-35 is a glorified armed AWACs.
Its flight envelope is sub par for a "fighter" & weapons load out is marginal in LO configuration.

Instead of financing Lockmart shareholder value perhaps we could have built a decent fighter with the right communication protocols that talked to a cheaper armed AWAC that didn't need all the wiz-bang of mission overlap.
K~

originally posted by: aethertek
a reply to: intrptr

GBUs do a bang up job of turning bricks to rubble.

K~

In the desert, maybe. Have yet to prove out in an out and out. If some had your way we'd all be "rubble".

originally posted by: DupontDeux

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: DupontDeux

Others will still decide the missions, and the targets, but when it comes to the actual fight, the F-22 and F-35 will be in the thick of things calling the shots. That's where the huge shift is going to come. They will be able to find targets of opportunity, and direct other aircraft to hit various priority targets as things are changing minute by minute. Instead of having to wait hours to get assessments in, they'll be able to make on the fly changes as they go.

That is interesting, but to me that really sounds like the plays are still being called by the bench, i.e. that it is less of a paradigm shift than a natural progress of an ongoing development in combat execution.

You might be confusing a number of scenarios, day 1,2 &3 flying into hostile territory where every piece of military equipment and communications rooms broadcasting radio waves are legit targets, you don't really need to ask the bench.

Chasing the deck of cards in a urban environment, you may not make BDAs and perhaps in that case the F35 and others can process the ISR but if the target turns up in a hospital the pilot may not make that or it may be gathering Intel for another day?

In the case of the paradigm shift, day 1 warfare with 4th gen bomb trucks will wreak havoc on an unprecedented and very efficient scale.

That's my understanding of those OP articles.

Another fine article in lines with this subject matter:

www.sldinfo.com...

Rather than bringing airwings of specialized assets to fly with your fighters, to provide Electronic Warfare and ground defense protection against ground based air defense systems, F-22s and then F-35s can operate as multi-tasking aircraft that are able to operate in the contested battlespace.

To be clear, multi-tasking aircraft can operate as needed to provide a range of capabilities as the tasks change and evolve, compared to multi-mission aircraft which can operate to a task and often need to land and be quickly refitted for a different tasking as demanded. Multi-tasking means one platform, one pilot, can have the flexibility to operate in a rapidly evolving environment with lethality and mission effectiveness.

The first interview was with the Commander, General “Hawk” Carlisle, whose last command was as head of the Pacific Air Force. “It is important to look at the impact of the F-22 operations on the total force. We do not wish, nor do the allies wish to send aircraft into a contested area without the presence of the F-22,” he said.

“It’s not just that the F-22s are so good, it’s that they make every other plane better. They change the dynamic with respect to what the other airplanes are able to do because of what they can do with regard to speed, range, and flexibility.

a reply to: Sammamishman

I thought this was interesting:

As the A-10 pilot underscored, “fifth generation” is not really about its tactical effect, it is about its operational impact on the entire fleet. “Prior to the F-22, the individual pilot could only have a tactical effect. Now the pilot can have an operational effect. I can take a much smaller package to have a larger operational effect, which can have strategic impact. Four F-15Cs or four A-10s showing up does not have a strategic effect; four F-22s can have such an effect.”

The F-22 pilot in the room discussed how the aircraft has been used in the Middle East, and highlighted its flexibility in shifting from dropping weapons to providing force protection (including dealing with ground based threats to the air combat force), to becoming the air battle manager in contestable airspace. In other words, the F-22 is providing the mission assurance role for the air combat force.

Here's another one about the effect of 5th Gen on the Navy and the use of LCVT training.

www.sldinfo.com...

We still need a lawn mower or give the CAS mission over to the army.

I always thought the F35 was more of an air to air capable A7 for the current generation.

Zaph,


When the F-35 takes over what will become of the TR-3B?

a reply to: Flipper35

It is. It's also to completely change the way air warfare is done.

a reply to: BASSPLYR

Hey, Bass, just an fyi.

Zaph drives a giant truck, has two highly trained dogs that can attack on command, knows some "other" people and knows where YOU are.

Just saying.

a reply to: Sammamishman

And pulls a refrigerated trailer don't forget.

Sounds like a taxi rank system but with one aircraft rather than a multitude.

a reply to: Sammamishman

command those attack dogs all you want theyd never get past my foot odor. it's like an impenetrable wall to canines.