Newsdesk – Military Aviation

The first area concerns the liberalization of the existing guidelines for gaining export approval of military equipment. The second is the establishment of AUSDEX (Australian Defence Exports), located within Austrade and not the DoD as originally expected. AUSDEX would have strong links back to DoD, the government and relevant key departments and would aim to eliminate the web of bureaucratic red tape that presently hinders much of our defence-related export sales. The Review itself identifies a considerable margin for growth in the areas of defence exports for aerospace components, electronics, communications systems and related computer software and design expertise.

Other recommendations include significant public commitment by the government to promoting defence exports, a Buy- Australian pact to ensure that DoD thoroughly and fairly examines locally made equipment (something for which it has been roundly criticised for not doing in the past) and that DoD establishments be made available for R&D and demonstration purposes as required. A greater use of the highly experienced Defence Attaches at overseas embassies would also be employed in an effort to sell Australian military hardware as a priority. These latter two points are tantamount to much of the long-term success that both the French and British have met with in recent decades pursuing similar goals.

The Report also recommends the establishment of a Defence Exports Finance Group and the existing 150% tax write-off on industrial R&D being extended to the defence environment in addition to making greater commercial use of the many unique and successful developments from the Defence Science & Technology Organization.

The Cooksey Report met with a good reception within industry and Defence and has generally been looked upon as a breath of fresh air in an age where the Federal Government has on many occasions worked actively against promoting Australian-made military exports.

 Government Aircraft Factories Reformed:

The Minister for Defence, Kim Beazley, has announced the appointment of the Board of Directors of Aerospace Technologies of Australia Pty Ltd, a company wholly owned by the Commonwealth which has been formed to take over the operations of the Government Aircraft Factories. The Board members are: Sir Brian Inglis, Chairman; Mr Jim Leslie, Mr Leigh Masel; ACTU representative to be nominated; Mr Lionel Woodward and Mr Ken Harris.

“The Government Aircraft Factories have reached a turning point in their history, as the volume of military work available will soon begin to decline. If the organization is to survive, it will have to find more commercial work. “The government believes that the Government Aircraft Factories cannot compete effectively with Australian and international aerospace companies while it is part of a government department. The establishment of a company will give it the best chance of matching the financial, management and marketing techniques of other companies in the industry. “The prime purpose of the change, however, is to produce a more cost-effective organization thus freeing funds for other defence priorities. The Government will leave Aerospace Technologies of Australia Pty Ltd as free as possible to manage its own affairs and to break with the restrictive work practices and attitudes that have caused difficulties in the past,” Mr Beazley said.

Raf Opt for Boeing Awacs Over Nimrod:

The Royal Air Force has opted for the Boeing E-3 Sentry over its own AEW version of the Nimrod.

The move scuttles hopes of Britain staying in the AEW airframe race though Boeing point out that their generous 135% offset agreement via Ferrant, Plessey and Racal will create up to 40,000 highly skilled jobs in the UK. The RAF contract is for 6 aircraft with 2 more on option at a reported flyaway cost of a mere £65m each, considerably less than that paid by either NATO or Saudi Arabia.

Loser in the deal, GEC Avionics, will now use its fully proven AEW kit in a specially modified version of the Lockheed Hercules. GEC isn’t worried by the loss and feel that they will in time be able to make good the situation via their teaming with Lockheed on offering AEW retrofits to the dozens of international Hercules operators who perceive an airborne early warning requirement.

 Rnzaf to Replace Strikemasters:

The RNZAF’s decision to phase out its BAe Strikemasters opens up the possibility of New Zealand becoming Australia’s first customer for our Pilatus PC-9 trainer.

The PC-9 would be able to fully achieve the operational envelope as detailed in the recently Issued RNZAF Request For Tender (RFT) and would cover an order for about two dozen aircraft. Also possible for future export across the Tasman is the Sikorsky Black Hawk helo and the recently announced naval surface combatant.

Raaf Moving to Outside Contractors as Manpower Short-Age Worsens:

The RAAF is putting the entire maintenance of their primary training fleet out to civilian tender in a move designed to save money and redistribute trained manpower resources to front-line units.

No 1 Flying Training School (FTS) is based at Point Cook, to the west of Melbourne and is equipped with 37 CT-4 Airtrainer aircraft which between them routinely fly around 12,000 hours per annum. The tender is to be formally issued in April with contract signature taking place this November with the successful applicant taking over the maintenance task one month later.

The initial registration of interest (ROI) was issued in December, 1986 and is split into two optional areas of activity to cater for the varying size of respondents that are expected. Option A requires the capability to undertake all Phase Servicings and major rectifications including operation of the engine change shop, electrical and instrument section, radio shop, battery shop and wheel bay and NDI facility. Option B is more complex and additionally covers a wider range of applications including responsibility for the Duty Crew at nearby Laverton RAAF base.

The contract will initially be let for one year and, if the trial is successful, will ultimately include maintenance of the Platus PC-9

Bae Eap Fighter Development Aircraft Grounded:

Britain’s Farnborough star, the advanced EAP fighter development aircraft, has been grounded due to lack on- going R&D funds from the UK Government.

The UK Ministry of Defence has already invested £80m in the programme and considerable funding has also been granted from many of England’s leading aerospace companies. However, with British funding dried up, BAe are looking to its EFA partners-Italy. Spain and West Germany – to support the programme. The Europeans though wish to have access to certain technical data that the British companies do not feel obliged, for commercial reasons, to reveal.

For the present, the EAP will be restricted to what are largely publicity flights (though BAe won’t be taking it to Paris and will instead push ahead with their second Hawk 200) though the aircraft will most probably become an official component of the EFA programme when it is officially launched later this year.

Westland Bounces Back:

The once trouble-plagued Westland helicopter group has bounced back to profitability with a pre-tax 1986 profit of £26m compared with a loss of some £95m the previous year. Westland is now working on additional Sea Kings and Westland 30s for the Indians and is hoping for big things for its battlefield Lynx 3 which is on offer to the ADF as an eventual Kiowa replacement (refer p45 Jan 87 AA).

 Iranian Air Force at the End of Its Line Despite Covert Supply of Spares:

The strength of the Iranian air force may be lower than widely anticipated in the West, according to a recent report in Jane’s Defence Weekly.

Since 1979 the IAF has suffered greatly at the hands of the Muslim religious zealots with a resultant defection in large numbers of many of the highly trained and experienced technical specialist in addition to the army of overseas nationals that were employed to keep the Shah’s complex war machine functional. Losses have also been heavy to Iran’s own air defence systems with Mujahideen resistance sources quoting more than 50 aircraft lost to friendly fire alone. Similar losses have been accorded to the Iraqis who nowadays have total air superiority and can range their Mirage F. 1 fighter bombers to Iran’s most distant oil terminals as instanced by a recent 2500km mission against Iran’s Larak Island facility.

Jane’s report quotes that there are now only 7 of the once 80-strong F-14A Tomcat force still flyable, and none have operable radar systems. The large F-4 Phantom force has also been reduced to less than 20 units, most flying with a long list of no-go items while the simpler F-5 force itself is down to less than a dozen examples. Helicopters are also few and far between while three recent C-130 Hercules accidents have been attributed to lack of maintenance. On top of this the tanker fleet of 17 specially converted 7078, 77478 and a large number of convertible Hercules are barely operable with a readiness rate of less than 10% Iran’s P-3FOrion LRMP force is also down to 2 aircraft while these aircraft themselves now rely purely upon visual surveillance with crews using binoculars due to the sophisticated electronics long being inoperable. It is believed to be the lack of air power and the Iraqi command of the air that has largely been responsible for the delay in Iran’s final offensive against Iraq.

DOD to Acquire Additional Smart Weapon Stocks:

The Department of Defence has moved to boost Australia’s depleted reserve stocks of precision-guided munitions and modern-generation missiles.

Predominant amongst the recently announced $98m purchase were additional rounds of Standard SAMs and Harpoon SSM and ASMs for both the RAAF and RÁN. The sorry situation as to our war reserves was publicly highlighted at last July’s ANU Air Power Conference where ex-CAS, David Evans, verified that at best the RAAF (and the Navy) had 3 days reserves of key smart weapons.

Harpoon is a highly effective 100km range and ship missile and is used by the RAN via the Oberon submarines, DDG destroyers and FFG Ingates. The RAAF meanwhile deployed Harpoon as a primary long-range weapon aboard the P-3C Orions, F-111Cs and the emerging F-18 squadrons. Standard is a medium-range SAM deployed aboard both the DDG and FFG surface vessels of the RAN.

 Indonesia Acquires Additional Rapier Sam Units:

The Indonesian armed forces have ordered additional BAe Rapier surface-to-air missile units to complement previous deliveries of this system made in 1984 and 1985.

Valued at nearly $A90m, the latest contract comes hot on the heels of a multi-billion-dollar order from the British Army which includes an advanced version of the Rapier. The advanced version features improved reliability, enhanced operational flexibility in all weathers and at redesigned eight-round launcher. Rapier, with Blindfire radar, is also used by the Australian Army and proved to be a highly effective short to medium-range air defence weapon during the 1982 Falklands conflict.

Singapore Looks at the F-18:

The Republic of Singapore is evaluating the McDonnell Douglas F-18 Hornet in light of their stalled negotiations for the General Dynamics F-16 Singapore had previously been reported to have virtually signed for 8 F-16 Fighting Falcons though it now looks as if the Republic may well opt for the more capable F-18. This would provide a degree of powerplant commonality between the proposed F-18s and the refurbished A-4 Skyhawks of the RSAF which are currently being re-engined with non-afterburning versions of General Electric’s F404 turbolan.

A move to the Hornet would also be good news for Australia as it would give us one more regional F-18 technology base in Asia (in addition to the USN facilities at Guam and the Philippines) in addition to hopefully some specialist maintenance work that would prove non-economic for the Singaporeans to conduct. Negotiations are continuing and a firm decision is hoped for by mid-year.

 China to Participate in This Year’s Paris Air Show:

The People’s Republic of China is to participate in an international air show for the first time this year when it displays a large assortment of aircraft and equipment at the 1987 Paris Salon.

Expected to be on static display is a Nanchang A-5 and an Xian FT-7. The A-5, NATO code-named Fantan, is a twin-engined attack aircraft derived from the earlier Chinese J-6, itself a copy of the old MIG-19 Farmer. In Chinese service this aircraft is designated the Q-5 whereas the A-5 is optimised specifically for export and as such provides a cheap and relatively capable ground attack aircraft with mild supersonic performance similar to that of an F-100 or early series Jaguar. Achilles Heel of the type though is its very intensive maintenance requirement which literally has engines junked every 100 hours or so, as they are not sufficiently viable to rebuild. The Xian F-7 meanwhile is a copy of the MiG-21 tandem two seat combat proficiency trainer.

Also set for display is the Harbin Y-12, a light twin turboprop in the Twin Otter mould and an RPV from China’s Northwestern Polytechnical University designated the D4 RD which has nothing we believe to do with the similarly numbered device so well known from the Star Wars movie!

Usaf Requirement Opens up Market for Medium Stol Aircraft:

USAF has issued an expression of interest for a specialised STOL aircraft capable of uplifting up to 35 fully equipped troops. The aircraft would be used largely in conjunction with the RDF for special missions and would need to be able to carry a five tonne payload 300nm. The type, to be designated C-27, would also need to be able to operate at max payload from strips as short as 1500ft and be available for entry to service from 1989. On offer is the Aeritalia G222, the Casa/Nurtanio CN235 military variant and the DHC-5D Buffalo which is now owned by Boeing.

New Ran Surface Combatant to Boost Seahawk Acquisition:

The new RAN surface combatant is to be equipped with a single Sikorsky Seahawk helicopter. The RAN initially will require 8 such ships though this hopefully will extend to a dozen as the type moves to progressively replace the present River Class and DDG fleet.

Of around 2800 tonnes, the new ships will be equipped with a wide range of advanced missiles, ASW, EW and close-in gun defence systems. Range will be at least 6000nm at 18kts with a dash speed better than 27kts. The ships will be built in Australia and will also be targeted at replacing New Zealand’s Leander class frigates which will also have to be paid off about the same time as our River Class vessels. Delivery of the first ships will be in the mid-1990s.

What They Cost:

Figures recently presented for the US 1987/88 defence budget provide an interesting comparison of the cost of modern weapon systems. All figures are in US dollars and based on a flyaway basis rather than a more inclusive programme cost.

Of particular interest to Australia are the following systems. MDC F-18A-$29m a unit, Grumman E-2C – $67m, Sikorsky SH-60 Lamps 3-$21m, AIM-7 Sparrow-$178,000, AIM-9 Sidewinder – $55,000, HARM – $242,000, Standard SAM- $506,000 and Harpoon -$1. 3m a round. Other US systems were the GD F-16C – $15m, MDC F-15C – $36m, AV-8B Harrier II-$19m and the powered AGM-130 GBU-15 at $360,000 a round.

When you consider that when Australia signed for the majority of its now incoming systems our dollar was worth around $1. 15 to the Greenback versus today’s dismal effort in the mid sixty cent range then it makes you realise how the international monetary situation is affecting our ability to afford modern imported hardware.

Readiness Standards of Us Combat Aircraft Dramatically Improved:

Remember the depressing situation in the early eighties where consistently more than half of the US front-line combat aircraft inventory was rendered not combat ready due to lack of spares and trained manpower? Well that situation has fortunately changed, writes John WR Taylor in the foreword of the latest edition of his excellent Jane’s All The World’s Aircraft.

During the early eighties, it was common to see such aircraft as the F-111 gaining better than 65% not combat ready while even the relatively simple A-10 suffered with generally a third of its force grounded. Naval aviation fared little better with an average of 47% of the vital F-14 Tomcat fleet unavailable throughout the year.

Things have changed though, reports Taylor in a recent visit to TAC headquarters at Langley AFB, Virginia. Host were the 27th Tactical Fighter Squadron with its 24 F-15 Eagles, 30 pilots and 230/260 support personnel. Each aircraft logged an average of 22 sorties a month compared with only 14 in 1980 with about two minutes per sortie at supersonic speed. Meanwhile, the proportion of aircraft rated non-mission capable through lack of spares had fallen from 30% to a mere 5. 6% while those non-mission capable through maintenance backlog had reduced from 40% to 8%. The primary reason for the dramatic increase in operational efficiency is a greater number of spares now in the system and a revised and improved maintenance philosophy aimed at increasing unit productivity and the skilled manpower base.

Also enhanced is the safety factor. TAC should log an estimated 738,000 flying hours during 1986. During 1985, 9 of the Command’s 18 wings operated without an accident while the total number of accidents at 15 represented a rate of 2. 1 per 100,000 hours. By comparison, the rate in the days of the F-104 Starfighter was 30 per 100,000 hours!

Swiss Opt for BA Hawk Trainer:

Switzerland has ordered the BAe Hawk jet trainer to replace its 40-year-old Vampire and Venom fleet. The order represents a considerable endorsement for the Hawk as many within British industry felt they had lost the possibility of winning the Swiss Air Force trainer order following the 1985 RAF decision to acquire the Brazilian Tucano trainer in place of the Swiss PC-9.

The initial order is for 20 aircraft though this is expected to grow to possibly 100 aircraft through the nineties as the single-seat Hawk may also present itself as an ideal Hunter replacement in due course. The first Hawk trainers will enter service in 1990.

 End of an Era as Us Air Force Marks Completion of F-5 Fighter Aircraft Programme:

The USAF has marked the completion of one of the world’s most successful fighter aircraft procurement programmes – the Northrop F-5 Air Force officials gave a final salute to the last two Northrop-built F-5s produced under the US Government’s Foreign Military Sales programme during a fly-by ceremony at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The F-5 programme is managed by the Air Force Aeronautical Systems Division.

A total of 2,610 F-5’s have been produced over the past 24 years for the United States and 30 other nations. More than 2,000 F-5’s are still flying. In addition to aircraft produced by Northrop and its team of more than 4,000 suppliers, F-5’s were also built under co-production and licensing arrangements in Canada, Taiwan, Republic of Korea, the Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland.

The F-5 programme originally developed through the US Government’s Military Assistance Programme, but the aircraft’s performance, reliability and ease of maintenance characteristics resulted in nations buying more than 1,600 F-5’s.

The F-5 was the first high-performance fighter that incorporated broad design features to increase reliability and reduce operating and support costs, now among the key considerations in the development of all future military aircraft.

In addition to its use internationally as a frontline fighter, the US Air Force and Navy operate F-5’s in their aggressor squadrons to simulate the MiG senes of aircraft in aerial combat training exercises.

 USN Initiates New Air-To-Air Missile Programme:

The US Navy has issued a Request For Proposals for its new long-range air-to-air missile for the coming decades.

The new AAM will ultimately replace the long-range (100km+) Hughes AIM-54C Phoenix, six of which can be simultaneously carried aboard the F-14 fighter. The new AAM will be considerably smaller and less complex than the Phoenix with the result that a greater number will be able to be carried aboard the F-14 and its eventual successor. Capable of reaching Mach 3, the new AAM will have a far greater range than that of the Phoenix in addition to being around 25% less expensive in real terms.

Civil Test Pilots School Sets up in Britain:

The only non-military test pilots academy outside the United States is to be established in Britain. The International Test Pilots School will open its doors to students from around the world this October.

It will be based at Cranfield Institute of Technology which is about 80 kilometres northwest of London ITPS will also offer a fight test engineer course and is believed to be the only establishment of its type to award a degree Master of Science degree completion of such training.

on successful The school is the brainchild of Squadron Leader James Giles, a principal tutor at the Empire Test Pilots School of Britain’s Royal Air Force and formerly a project pilot for Jaguar, Hawk, Hammer and Sea Hamer aircraft. Sqn Ldr Giles observed that almost the only way to train as a test pilot or engineer was at the small number of military schools in the US, France, India, Japan and UK. These schools are inevitably militarily orientated, have limited capacity and are expensive. There are few opportunities for civilian pilots and engineers to secure a place at them This situation, Sqn Ldr Giles felt, had restricted access by aerospace companies and airlines to the special skills of test pilots and flight test engineers. He therefore set up ITPS where the year long courses will cost between £135,000 and £170,000-around half the fees charged by comparable schools, claims Sqn. Ldr Giles. Numbers on the courses will be small – only six each of pilots and engineers to ensure that training is comprehensive.

Students will practice on Hunter jets, Jetstream 31 and Islander twin-engined propeller aircraft and various light planes. They will also train extensively with computers and aircraft simulators. Three weeks of the course will be spent on Learjet aircraft at the Calspan Flight Research Centre at Buffalo in the US.

The school will also provide short courses such as test pilot and flight test engineer refresher programmes, preparatory courses for military test pilot school entrants and courses leading to civil certification for private pilots.

Besides countries which engage in aircraft design, development and manufacture, ITPS believes its main courses will be valuable to any nation that modifies aircraft, thereby creating untried transport and leading to a need for test pilots and engineers.

 French Air Force Requirement Could Launch Military Version of the ATR42

The French Air Force is evaluating a proposed military transport variant of the ATR42 commuter airliner. The service requires about 20 such aircraft to replace its Noratlas aircraft which were officially withdrawn from service last year. The Noratlas was principally used as a medium-level liaison and transport aircraft.

To meet the requirement, ATR partners, Aeritalia of Italy and Aerospatiale of France are designing a forward door conversion that would allow jet engines and other similar-sized cargo to be rolled on and off with ease. Presently the services are emphasising the need for a rear loading ramp, something that is offered as standard on the competing CN235. The services hope to be able to announce a winner later this year, though ATR have suggested that irrespective of the outcome they will proceed with the development of a military transport variant of their ATR42 design.