On Monday, the Air Force will begin developmental testing of the final version of the Situational Awareness Data Link capability developed by a Lockheed Martin-led team for the A-10C precision engagement upgrade program. Roger Grande, A-10 program director for Lockheed in Owego, N.Y., said Wednesday that test pilots have responded very well to earlier software releases. Flight testers at Nellis AFB, Nev., and Eglin AFB, Fla., “will take that final release of software and complete the full regression testing” through the end of June, said Grande. (An earlier report said May.) That’s to be followed by a two-week software certification process in July. SADL enables “handshakes” among various functions, providing A-10 pilots information about friendly and enemy air and ground forces. USAF expects to field the SADL upgrade in September and deploy the first A-10Cs to combat operations shortly thereafter.
As the Air Force readied for its June 21-22 strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, the service was also putting its Agile Combat Employment strategy into action, dispersing combat aircraft and Airmen from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar in preparation for a possible Iranian retaliatory attack. Some defense experts say…
