Dino Cattaneo F-14/T-45/F-35 News Update

[SpazSinbad]

The problem with the old USN electronic landing equipment is that it is not designed to work with the F-35. For example the F-35 Low Observable design does not allow good radar contacts, especially for precision approaches. Until JPALS comes along the F-35s will require radar reflectors to operate in civilian airspace. JPALS will work everywhere eventually, with land, sea and civilian including portable installations for USMC / USAF forward base uses. JPALS will provide a secure system especially with stand alone features for CVN / LHA use at sea when in a hostile electronic environment; and when any satellite support may not be available (the ship will provide the reference data). JPALS suitable equipment will be fitted to any aircraft likely to be operating in a few years time, including the F-35 of course. I'll post a small PDF about JPALS on SkyDrive soon.

[JamesChams]

The problem with the old USN electronic landing equipment is that it is not designed to work with the F-35. For example the F-35 Low Observable design does not allow good radar contacts, especially for precision approaches.
Until JPALS comes along the F-35s will require radar reflectors to operate in civilian airspace.

No, I don't know if you fully understand how this works in the real world (due in-part to professional online PDF's by agencies requiring technical knowledge by the reader, which isn't clear to the general public, who are NOT in the business of aviation).  So, please allow me to briefly explain in general terms if you want to know...  (As I'm fairly certain that LM is certainly NOT going to put radar reflectors on the JSF for ACLS or JPALS to work).

1. For shipboard operations the radar returns from the ships ACLS would be absorbed by the F-35's RAM (radar absorbent materials - it's stealth stuff) which would render the systems effectiveness near useless.  The onboard ships radar system requires an accurate return to judge slant distance for accurate guidance calculations from the guidance computer to land the vehicle accurately and safely on board.  That is the ONLY way that it operates today, and since the F-35's physical structure cannot grant it that, the two are NOT compatible.
2. In controlled civilian air spaces (Class A, B, C, D, (F (Europe & else where but NOT in the U.S.))  - but NOT E or G which are uncontrolled), RADAR is NOT strictly needed for safe ATC aircraft separation guidance & clearance requirements (specifically for military aircraft), but a MODE-C Transponder IS (Class A, B, & C is required) & 2-way radio com's when operating in Class A, B, C, & D airspaces.  ATC TRACON or other ground radar systems use this unit which transmit a unique identifier code along with Alt./ Spd. / other info., while in the air, which are both sent & received by ground ARTCC's radar and provided for TCAS I / II, TIS, and others such systems that pick up these needed info. for traffic separation.   But are NOT needed for GPS guided approaches or TACAN/VOR/DME & ILS/MLS systems to work which are radio transmitters and NOT RADAR based systems.  These systems already work in the F-35 in-order for it to obtain the FAA's Air Worthiness Certification, etc. so JPALS wouldn't need to work with these systems in any way, except if coupled with them for shipboard operations & at military bases/training areas.
3. Also, specifically here in the U.S. there are strict altitude restrictions for Military aircraft in the cruise at altitudes that differ than civilian traffic and even within "Hot" MOA's & prohibited areas.  So the need for JPALS in the civilian world is necessitated by the debate of cost & function but I personally don't see a need for it with current GPS guided AUTOPILOT Landing system that are extremely accurate in many of today's aircraft and DON'T require a new & costly JPALS to operate.

JPALS will work everywhere eventually, with land, sea and civilian including portable installations for USMC / USAF forward base uses. JPALS will provide a secure system especially with stand alone features for CVN / LHA use at sea when in a hostile electronic environment; and when any satellite support may not be available (the ship will provide the reference data). JPALS suitable equipment will be fitted to any aircraft likely to be operating in a few years time, including the F-35 of course. I'll post a small PDF about JPALS on SkyDrive soon.

That might be true in certain location but unverified whether it is necessitated for global use as a whole specifically within joint civilian/military facilities.


But while this may be interesting, this is still an FS forum and I'm pretty sure that Dino's JSF won't necessarily need JPALS written gauges integrated into his models as it is not implemented at all in FS; at least not yet.  LM's P3D may or may-not include it in their professional releases to Military clients but I CANNOT say for sure, I make NO claims to know what they do with P3D and will NOT speculate.

Happy Sim'ing, Later!

[SpazSinbad]

'JamesChams' thanks for the explanation but if you reread the sentence of mine - that you highlighted - you will note there is no requirement for your subsequent statement: "As I'm fairly certain that LM is certainly NOT going to put radar reflectors on the JSF for ACLS or JPALS to work." Why? Because I did not say that at all and was generalising in a very broad way, thinking that at some point a PDF with further explanation would become available for any interested readers here.

Subsequently your detailed explanations about controlled airspace and the like seem reasonable. So thanks - I'll take some time to get the PDF together which will be about the USN and Allies use of JPALS in a military environment. And my initial response was to the earlier statement by 'SUBS17': "... I can't believe it did not already have ACLS like the Hornet."

You will note my first post was about the 'new ways' that the F-35 B/Cs will bring to NavAv (without mentioning JPALS) for the potential interest of the readers here. How it becomes relevant to FSX users of the F-35 family I don't really know. Some smart people may figure out something - but not me.

[SpazSinbad]

SpazSinbad SkyDrive Page: https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=cbcd63d6340707e6&sa=822839791

FOLDER: "JPALS & F-35B+C Deck Land Info"

OOPs I notice that this looonnggg URL is broken at the ! so the entire string must be copy/pasted into your browser:
https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=CBCD63D6340707E6&id=CBCD63D6340707E6!1380#cid=CBCD63D6340707E6&id=CBCD63D6340707E6!1416

PDF: "JPALSinfo21mar2013.pdf" 43Mb
________________

A lot of this information is on the F-35 forum at F-16.net specifically a lot of JPALS stuff on this thread:

EMALS & JPALS for the JSF

http://www.f-16.net/f-16_forum_viewtopic-t-14115.html

There are other threads specifically about CVF and SRVL and what not but a lot of info is consolidated in the PDF mentioned above. The info is provided as is and you will have to make an effort to make sense of it as required. Come on over to F-16.net to the F-35 forum. However I consider this info relevant to the FSX Accelerator F-35B/C experience as is.
________________

Addition: On previous page post about SRVV Ship Referenced Velocity Vector approach possibilities there is now a graphic from a USN LSO Newsletter.

[SUBS17]

There should be no need for radar reflectors anyway as the aircraft is visible on radar the moment the gear is down.

[SpazSinbad]

So what happens when the gear is up? The 'Luneberg Lens' are removable and only temporary. I'll look for a photo. Certainly there is a discussion on F-16.net about this some years back now. AFAIK the F-22 has these devices to use when needed. These devices are easily removable and when removed LO restored.

In the mean time here is a precise overview of the need for JPALS and the F-35C:

EMALS TESTING
Carrier Launch System Passes Initial Tests Jun 7, 2010 By Bill Sweetman

http://www.anahq.org/articles/Bullhorns/Bullhorn76July152010.htm#F35

"...The carrier will be part of the process of introducing a landing guidance system to the Navy: the Joint Precision
   Approach and Landing System (Jpals). It will be one of the first ships with Jpals, which is slated to be on all
   carriers and large amphibious transports by 2018. The second Ford-class ship, CVN-79, is due to be the first
   carrier without SPN-41 and SPN-46 radars, which provide carriers with an automatic landing capability.

  Adoption of Jpals is urgent for the Navy because current radars will not be supportable after the early 2020s.
  Jpals is also associated with the F-35C, because the fighter's reduced radar cross-section means that current
  radar-based autolanding systems cannot acquire it. The installation of Jpals on carriers will match service entry
  of the F-35C.

  The first increment of Jpals will be qualified for flight guidance down to 200 ft. and 0.5-mi. visibility. Accuracy is
  intended to be sufficient for an automatic landing, and that capability is being demonstrated as part of the
  Northrop Grumman X-47B Navy Unmanned Combat Air System program.

  The key to its accuracy is shipboard-relative GPS, which uses two GPS receivers-one forward of the island on
  the starboard side and the other on the portside stern. The space between the sensors and their relative
  location allows the system to measure the position of the ship accurately and track its movement-speed, pitch,
  roll and heave-with the aid of three Northrop Grumman LN -270 inertial reference units. Using the same
  differential GPS technique, Jpals also provides an accurate aircraft position. A data link allows the system to
  transmit automatic landing guidance."

[JamesChams]

I'm sure that you all are probably already aware of it, then this should come as no surprise but, if not, ... Enjoy! 

http://indiafoxtecho.blogspot.com/2013/03/vrs-tacpack-integration-ie-working.html

[SpazSinbad]

US Navy Program Guide 2013 13 Mar 2013

http://www.navy.mil/navydata/policy/seapower/npg13/top-npg13.pdf (9.7Mb)

Joint Precision Approach and Landing System (JPALS)
Description
The JPALS is a joint DoD effort with the Air Force and Army. The Navy assumed the lead service role in March 2007. JPALS fulfills the need for a rapidly deployable, adverse weather, adverse terrain, day-night, survivable, DoD/civil/internationally interoperable, and mobile Precision Approach and Landing capability that can support forward presence, crisis response, and mobility needs. Sea-based JPALS consists of a GPS/INS-based precision landing system component (Shipboard Relative GPS or SRGPS) with a two-way data-link and an independent backup system. JPALS provides critical enabling technology for several naval programs such as CVN/LH type ships, JSF, and unmanned systems (UCLASS). Sea-based JPALS will also be installed on all air-capable surface ships, carrier air wing aircraft, and DoD aircraft capable of operating from Navy ships. JPALS will replace the Automatic Carrier Landing System (ACLS) on nuclear aircraft carriers, SPN-35 on LH type amphibious ships, and various approach systems ashore, including Instrument Landing Systems (ILS), TACAN, and fixed and mobile Precision Approach Radar (PAR). JPALS land-based systems and aircraft systems will also be civil interoperable and FAA certifiable.
Status
JPALS completed MS B in June 2008, with contract award on September 15, 2008. Sea-based JPALS IOC is 2016. The system is on schedule for installation in CVN 78, the lead ship of the Gerald R. Ford new-design aircraft carrier program...."

[SpazSinbad]

FSX F-35 by Dino Review at FlightSim.com (see first comment by Dino)

Review: F-35 Lightning II 02 May 2013 By Dylan Brown

http://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/content.php?13722-Review-F-35-Lightning-II/view/1

[SpazSinbad]

F-35 Version 2.20 limited introduction 10 Jun 2013 Dino Cattaneo

"Finally I am uploading the much awaited (and time consuming!) F-35 upgrade to version 2.20. For the moment it will uploaded only to Google Drive - just to check if there are no catastrophic issues before uploading to the usual repositories.
 
IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT YOU UNISTALL AND/OR DELETE FILES FROM PREVIOUS VERSION BEFORE INSTALLING VERSION 2.20.
 
Version 2.20- June 9th 2013..."

http://indiafoxtecho.blogspot.com.au/2013/06/f-35-version-220-limited-introduction.html

DOWNLOAD URL (FREE): https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B1VJtKJlye7FUDdja2x5dkR4VmM/edit?usp=sharing

F35v220.zip 139 Mb

[SpazSinbad]

OLD but nevertheless informative explanation of the advantages of future JPALS use.

STRIKE TEST NEWS Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 23 Newsletter Spring/Summer 2010

"JOINT PRECISION APPROACH AND LANDING SYSTEM (JPALS) pp 28-29
Joint Precision Approach and Landing System (JPALS) is a GPS based system that will be the replacement for the current ACLS/SPN-46 system. Unlike the SPN-46 that uses radar on the boat to track an aircraft, JPALS works by comparing the GPS position of the carrier and the GPS position of the aircraft. A relative navigation (Rel Nav) solution is calculated and displayed as guidance in the cockpit. Initial tests were conducted in 2000 with an F-18 to prove that the concept worked. JPALS should IOC in 2014 and will start to be retrofitted on Hornets. H-60’s and E-2D’s should start to see it in 2017. It will be the only approach guidance on NUCAS (Navy Unmanned Combat Air System) and the F-35. Every carrier will be equipped by 2024.

How is it better? It will be GPS based and is jam resistant. Instead of an operator in CATCC having to lock up an aircraft with the SPN-46 radar, only a data link between the ship and aircraft needs to be established making the system more reliable. This link will be established when the aircraft gets within 200 miles of the carrier, not at 5 miles behind the ship prior to tip over. The linked Rel Nav solution will also act like a TACAN and give ships position out to 200 miles. The link transmission, like MIDS, uses spread spectrum transmissions so it does not give away position and can be used during EMCON conditions. Mode I approaches will also be more accurate. The SPN-46 radar loses the aircraft at the round down. Past the round down glide slope guidance is basically an average of the last few seconds of the flight path. That is why during a Mode I the hornet freezes control input commands in the last 2 seconds before touchdown. The JPALS GPS guidance will be accurate all the way to touchdown. The Air Force and Army are funding a ground based JPALS system that can be easily setup at any airfield giving the Hornet an actual precision approach besides a PAR.

How will it affect me? With no need for interaction with an operator in CATCC, JPALS may be available during Case I approaches providing better gouge through the approach turn then the ICLS. Drop locks at 3 miles should not be a problem anymore; if you have JPALS in Marshall you’ll have it on final. The pickle switch on the platform will be connected to the data link and transmitted to the aircraft providing a true “W/O” discrete in the HUD and the ability to wave off a UAV. The ships final bearing will also be automatically linked to the aircraft and instantaneously updated in the cockpit, greatly enhancing SA to which direction the ship is turning while we are trying to land.

The mechanization and cockpit displays are still in the design phase. Do we want it to look just like ACLS or ICLS? Is it going to be called needles, bullseye, or _______? Should final bearing automatically be set as a course line? Is there a better way than the old way to do business? As fleet operators and LSO’s if you have any suggestions or ideas please let us know. In a few years JPALS will be a great tool to help us get the Air Wing aboard safely."

http://www.navair.navy.mil/nawcad/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.download&id=673 (PDF 2.8Mb)

[SpazSinbad]

Interview With Dino Cattaneo by Nels_Anderson Published on 10-28-2013

http://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/content.php?14301-Interview-With-Dino-Cattaneo

[SUBS17]

Its awesome his addons are getting Tacpac support.

[SpazSinbad]

Navy Completes Initial Development of New Carrier Landing System 22 Nov 2013 Dave Majumdar

"The U.S. Navy has completed the initial development of the Joint Precision Approach and Landing System (JPALS), Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) officials told USNI News.

The system is designed to aid pilots landing in inclement weather conditions and will eventually replace the current Instrument Carrier Landing System (ICLS) and the Automatic Carrier Landing System (ACLS) onboard the service’s aircraft carrier fleet.

“The current Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) effort was completed this month with the highly successful shipboard autoland testing on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71),” NAVAIR spokeswoman Marcia Hart said in a statement provided to USNI News. The core of the JPALS technology is an extremely precise ship-relative GPS-based system which is much more accurate than the existing pilot aids onboard the carrier.

The Navy had tested the JPALS onboard the USS George Bush (CVN-77) earlier in July to verify the system’s capability to support manual landings. The latest testing onboard the Roosevelt was to demonstrate the system’s ability to support automatic “hands-off” landings on board a carrier.

For the Navy, the development of the JPALS is the huge step forward for integrating new aircraft into the carrier air wing. “Legacy systems cannot support UAS [Unmanned Air Systems], and [the Lockheed Martin Joint Strike Fighter] F-35 was designed with JPALS capabilities. JPALS Increment 1 is based on ship relative GPS technology,” Hart said.

While the initial development is now complete, the Navy still has work to do to finish all seven increments of the JPALS capability. The system will also eventually support flight operations onboard amphibious assault ships and U.S. Air Force airfields.

NAVAIR’s immediate focus however will be to continue developmental work for supporting the F-35C and unmanned aircraft onboard a carrier. JPALS is particularly important for the Unmanned Carrier Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) program.

While the Northrop Grumman X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System Demonstrator (UCAS-D) uses a similar prototype ship-relative GPS-based landing system technology, it is not the same system as an operationally deployable JPALS. “The program office continues development in support of the UCLASS and F-35 programs as well as multi-platform avionics integration,” Hart wrote.

The Navy will be the first service to field the new landing system on the F-35C. “Initial JPALS fielding is scheduled in support of F-35C first deployment,” Hart wrote. “However, sequestration and continuing resolution associated budget uncertainty will likely impact projected plans.”

Eventually, the USAF and the USMC will also use the JPALS for their operations."

http://news.usni.org/2013/11/22/navy-completes-initial-development-new-carrier-landing-system

CAPTION: "An F/A-18C Hornet, assigned to the Salty Dogs of Strike Aircraft Test Squadron (VX)23, tests the Joint Precision Approach Landing System (JPALS) aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71). US Navy Photo"

Big Pic: http://i2.wp.com/news.usni.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/JPALS.jpg

[micro]

Seems Strike Test is feeling the effects of budget cuts. The paint job leaves a lot to be desired, the drop tank belongs to VFA-154, and the driver is wearing his old helmet from VFA-2. Geez.