Newsdesk – Military Aviation

On an aeronautical note this spells good news for Australia’s aerospace industry as it opens up the door for potential Pilatus PC-9 and Sikorsky S-70 series helicopter orders from New Zealand. A purchase from our Kiwi cousins would lower the overall programme cost for our own aircraft in addition to passing this cost saving on to their own small force structure, which in the past has had to pay a premium due to the small numbers of systems purchased at any one time.

New Zealand is also planning to replace its Sioux helicopter fleet which could tie in nicely with plans to produce a small Jetranger class helicopter in Australia in partnership with a major international manufacturer (refer p92 Jan 87 AA & Rotor Torque this issue).

Vale, T-46:

The Fairchild T-46 primary trainer has officially been cancelled following agreement between Fairchild and the USAF as to a contract termination settlement.

The beleaguered trainer was originally designed to replace the USAF’s ageing Cessna T-37s, most of which are now older than the pilots they teach. However, lack of funds and the ever present possibility of either refurbishing the present T-37s at a fraction of the cost of buying over 700 new T-46s or simply acquiring a licence built foreign turboprop trainer eventually eroded what support the Fairchild aircraft did have. It has still to be fully-decided on what option USAF will now choose to fulfill its future training obligations.

The industrial implications though are immense. General Dynamics for instance will be only too pleased to bolster their ailing Cessna division with a project in the class of a T-37 upgrade. Overseas manufacturers will also be ecstatic at the prospect of offering their higher performance turboprops and jet trainers for USAF service. Another alternative is for the USAF to tie in with the USN and acquire BAe/ MDC T-45 Hawk trainers. BAe officials also point out that the Hawk could replace the T-38 Talon as well as the T-37, thus ensuring a considerable overall saving in the cost of getting pilots to full wings status.

Hornets to Deploy to Asia:

Australia will end a thirty year fixed base association with Malaysia next year when the last Mirage fighters of No79 Squadron depart Butterworth air base for disbandment in Australia.

Replacing the full-time RAAF presence will be three annual F-18 detachments of 16 weeks each to Butterworth and Singapore, quotes Max Wilson in his Defence Industry newsletter. Supporting the Hornets will be RAAF F-111s and P-3C Orions which will operate with regional forces under the control of the Integrated Air Defence System.

Additionally, No75 Squadron, now operating Mirages out of Darwin, will become operational at Tindal (NT) with F-18s by October 1988. Tindal will ultimately become one of Australia’s largest RAAF bases and may well be the eventual home of the proposed tanker and AEW&C fleets in addition to hosting detachments of various strike aircraft additional to No. 75 Squadron’s F-18s.

 Defence Industry Reforms Already Saving Money:

Noted during the post White Paper press conference with Defence Minister, Kim Beazley, was the interesting statement that Defence would be gearing up for a saving in the region of $60m next financial year through major reforms in the defence industrial sector.

These reforms have been detailed in previous editions of this magazine though the major aerospace examples are the radical, and long overdue, scuttling of the Government Air- craft Factories for a new private enterprise-orientated Aerospace Technologies of Australia. Also radically reformed have been Navy shipyards and docks, munitions factories and the ODP central office itself “The saving of $60m equates to a 1% increase in the defence vote and could be more productively employed in other defence areas, stated Mr Beazley.

Aerospace Exports to Be Promo- Ted in New Government Report:

The Federal Government has released the findings of an in-depth report that suggests Australia’s aerospace industrial exports could increase from a mere $114m in 1983/84 to as much as $1. 2 billion a year by 1996.

The report was compiled by a working group with membership from industry, trade unions and Government under the chairmanship of Austrade. The working group was established in 1984 as part of a package of measures announced by Cabinet to assist the aerospace industry. The report revealed that though the industry’s ratio of exports to output was already above the manufacturing industry average there was considerable scope for greatly expanded sales abroad. Key growth areas identified were airframes, military systems, avionics, software, ground electronic systems and a number of space-related activities.

A number of specific recommendations have been made in the report to boost the export opportunities available to the Australian aerospace environment. These include:

• The possibility of the appointment of a specialised aerospace trade commissioner to assist the industry with its international market development efforts.

• A programme of marketing seminars aimed particularly at the smaller aerospace companies seeking to enter the international marketplace. These would be organised through Austrade with assistance from the AAAI (Association of Australian Aerospace Industries) and various government agencies.

• Austrade would, with the industry, jointly fund and organise a three year export development programme agreed with the AAAI. The government would continue to work closely with the AAAI in developing export markets and promoting local industry capabilities.

A more aggressive approach to Offsets would be employed. Austrade and the Department of Industry, Technology and Commerce and Defence are to work closely together in order to maximise the opportunities to industry flowing from the Offsets Programme.

• Commercialisation of government-funded research. The government was already committed to this objective and some measures were already being put in place within the Dept of Defence. Others are being pursued as a matter of urgency to ensure that results of research undertaken in DSTO laboratories were made available to industry and that the laboratories could be involved in working on projects of industrial importance.

The report has met with a very favourable industry response and, if implemented with some measure of low-interest funding for key projects, should go a long way to developing urgently required and potentially highly viable aerospace export capability for Australia.

First Raaf Pilatus Pc-9s Nearing Completion:

The RAAF reports that its PC-9 programme is on schedule with the first two aircraft due in Australia this August. These will be delivered direct from the Swiss Pilatus factory while the first Australian-assembled aircraft from Hawker de Havilland will be delivered at the end of this year. It is envisaged that through 1988 a further 7 PC-9s will be delivered from Hawker’s with all these aircraft going to the Sale based Central Flying School. The first official RAAF pilot course is not scheduled to graduate using its new PC-9 aircraft till 1990.

It is estimated that the PC-9 will roughly cut by half, the number of Macchi jet hours required to reach full pilot graduation status which in turn will save upwards of $20m annually. Hawker de Havilland also have exclusive regional marketing rights for the PC-9 and are targeting the RNZAF Strikemaster replacement requirement as a priority as their first export order.

1988 Asian Aerospace to Be Biggest Yet:

Singapore’s Asian Aerospace show, to be held next January, looks set to be by far the biggest and best yet Already, show organisers have received firm commitments for a large presence from Japan, West Germany and most recently the Soviet Union which will bring their huge An-124 Ruslan and the An-74 STOL freighter. Other nations who will be represented at the show will be Australia, the UK, France, Belgium, Israel, Canada, New Zealand, Holland and Italy.

Additional hospitality chalets have been planned in addition to a wider array of flying displays. The growing air freight industry will also be accommodated via a special pavilion set aside for this important segment of commercial aviation in addition to the hosting of a special air cargo conference that is expected to attract more than 400 delegates. If you are an Australian company interested in attending then we suggest you contact the Association of Australian Aerospace Industries, c/o MTIA House, 214 Northbourne Ave, Canberra, ACT, 2600 or this magazine.

 Fleet Support Tender Grounded!

The Navy fleet support contract (p20 Mar 87 AA) has been temporarily grounded.

Reason for the sudden stop in tender evaluations was essentially that the Defence bureaucracy had not been fully consulted on the far-reaching scheme that was designed to save the Navy and RAAF millions of dollars annually. Normally projects of this scope have to proceed, often at a snails pace, through a labyrinth of committees within Defence Central. This system was set up during the early seventies by Sir Arthur Tange and though it has its good points most serving officers feel that the Defence bureaucrat now has too much say in what transpires from the various committees which in the long run only serves to slow the decision making process to the point of frustration of all those involved. Any interested defence observer of the past decade will have seen this occur in almost every project that has had to steer a course through the rocky shoals of the committee structure at Canberra’s Russell Hill.

The fleet support contract proponents had hoped to keep their requirement well clear of much of this procedure with the result that finally the Defence civilians said enough, and called a halt to the entire project till it was further evaluated by the committees. While the power play continues we can at least report that Defence Minister, Kim Beazley is very much for the project as originally conceived and intends to back it personally to get tenders reissued for a late April closing. Optimistically. this would then have a decision by year end though RAAF Mirage, Macchi and Hornet assets will have to be used in the interim for the Navy’s fleet concentration period this coming September off the southern NSW coast.

The competing firms meanwhile have mixed feelings about the delay. Obviously the best prepared teams are livid as their lesser prepared opponents now have time to not only refine their tenders but also in the full knowledge of what their competitors are offering.

Very real cost burdens are being felt by most tenderers as many are holding optioned aircraft overseas on monthly rentals. There is also the very real threat that the beancounters will say no to the entire project and simply use ill-equipped Macchis and civilian Learjets to undertake the missions demanded by higher performance military-type fast jet aircraft. With the impending May economic cuts on the horizon many within the project feel that anything is indeed possible.

 Westland Looking for Short-Term Work:

A revitalised Westland is looking to its long-term future with assurance thanks to a number of large-scale joint venture programmes that are presently in the developmental stages.

What is concerning the firm though is that it has a fairly slim order book of current aircraft programmes till the Westland/Agusta EH-101 and joint European NH-90 projects begin to cut metal during the early nineties.

A primary problem for Westland was the UK MoD’s axing of AST404 back in 1985. Since then, the RAF has been grappling with numerous reports debating whether or not it should provide its army uplift via large helicopters like the Chinook or through a large number of smaller assets such as the Lynx or Black Hawk. The outcome of the final report is due at presstime and is expected to nominate a mix of both assets including possibly the first West-land built Sikorsky Black Hawks.

Westland are planning to develop this helicopter further, using their excellent BERP-tip blade technology and the newer and more powerful Rolls Royce/Turbomeca RTM322 powerplants. Westland claim an order from the UK Government for a mix of Black Hawks and the battlefield Lynx 3, which the British Army says it desperately requires to support its NATO obligations, would go a long way to ensuring the long-term prosperity of one of the world’s few private sector helicopter manufacturers.

Australian Science and Technology Centre Will Qualify for Offset Credits:

The Minister for Defence, Mr Kim Beazley, has announced that, subject to certain conditions, overseas companies will be able to discharge a part of their Defence Offsets obligations by contribution to the new Australian Science and Technology Centre being built in Canberra.

The $17. 5 million centre will provide valuable “hands-on” exposure to science and technology. Of the total cost some $3 million is being sought from the private sector. Mr Beazley said he believed that the new venture would foster future use and acceptance of new products and processes and may help to inspire Australian research and innovation, with ultimate benefits to industry.

To be eligible as an offset credit, donations to the centre will have to meet the following conditions: cash donations only will be acceptable; a dollar-for-dollar credit only will be given; administration expenses incurred in seeking acceptance of the donation will not be allowed; consideration of submissions by an overseas suppliers will be limited to those programmes having non project-related Offsets opportunities only; and a credit limit amounting to a maximum of 5% of the outstanding offset obligation will be applied in respect of overseas supplier.

Association of Australian Aerospace Industries

Australian Aviation has been appointed the official organ of the Association of Australian Aerospace Industries.

The AAAI was formed in the early eighties to promote and coordinate the activities of the various Australian aerospace related industries. In that time the AAAI has been responsible for a close working relationship with both Australia and the Dept of Industry, Technology & Commerce in gaining Australian aerospace companies a united presence at major international air shows and trade events in addition to promoting tighter offset policies.

Australian Aviation is honoured to be able to support the AAAI and will feature a special news column – Aerospace Industry News – from the July issue to further promote the aims and objectives of the Association.

Pratt & Whitney to Build General Electric Engines:

In a move that would have been unheard of a decade ago, the US Navy has awarded Pratt & Whitney a contract to build up to 70% of all future General Electric F404 engines.

The object of the exercise is to ensure that the Navy acquires its engines at the most competitive price. By allowing both companies to compete head on, the Navy feel they then have the best of both worlds-lowest per unit price plus a spread of both companies’ R&D efforts to ensure that both manufacturers are able to be competitive against each other in developing the future generation of combatjet engines. GE has in the past built some P&W components while the previously exclusively Pratt-powered F-16 is now available with GE’s F110 engine as is the latest version of the F-14 Tomcat.

Under the terms of the agreement, the Navy will promise each manufacturer a minimum of 30% of each fiscal year’s commitment with the remaining 40% going to the most competitive bidder. The F404 is used in the F-18 and the re-engined A-6F.

Black Hawk Programme Advancing:

The acquisition of Australia’s 14 Sikorsky Black Hawk utility helicopters is progressing well.

The joint RAAF/Army team expects to receive its first helo direct from Sikorsky’s Connecticut facility this October with the first Australian-assembled example being delivered from Hawker de Havilland’s Bankstown facility a month later HdH will then deliver the remaining aircraft at the rate of two and three per month.

Meanwhile, the first Black Hawk squadron will form at Amberley though a firm decision has yet to be made about basing the aircraft at nearby Oakey where Army Aviation currently operates Kiowa, Pilatus Porter and Nomad aircraft. Following squadron establishment, it is envisaged that the unit will move to Townsville in 1989.

Defence must also soon decide whether or not it is accepting the options on 38 additional Black Hawks to give the ADF a true two Company Group vertical airlift capability.

France Selects Boeing Awacs:

In a second major sales coup in less than a month, Boeing have clinched the long fought French Air Force AEW order.

France will now accept three Boeing E-3 Sentry powered by CFM56 turbofans and has taken options on a further two. As in the UK, Boeing offered excellent offset arrangements for the $US550m deal, something that won’t go unnoticed at Russell Hill as our own AEW requirement begins to hot up.

Development Contract for New F-18 Bomb Rack:

The Department of Defence has awarded a South Australian company a $1. 1 million contract to initiate development of a prototype multiple store bomb rack called the Australian Staggered Triple Ejector Rack (ASTER). It will be the first item of equipment wholly designed and developed in Australia for the F-18 tactical fighter.

Hawker de Havilland Ltd’s System, located at Salisbury, SA, will develop the ASTER in direct competition with the McDonnell Douglas Canted VER bomb rack. The rack can also be fitted to the F-18 aircraft operated by the USN, RAAF, Canadian Defence Forces and the Spanish Air Force.

Hawker de Havilland ASTER’s designer, believes that its system offers superior store carrying/release capabilities and reduced drag profile and that it will be cheaper than its major competitors.

Its unique design includes staggered in-board and outboard ejector unit stations. Three Western Gear M151A ejector units can be fixed to a choice of five locations on each ASTER unit allowing greater flexibility on bombing missions.

These and other factors give the system significant advantages as a multiple bomb rack alternative to the VER-2 bomb rack currently in service with RAAF Hornet fighter aircraft.

An ASTER mock-up has been successfully fitted to a RAAF F-18 at Edinburgh RAAF Base in Adelaide. HdH expects to have the prototype bomb racks available for flight trials by early in 1988.

Gulf States to Buy Orions:

The Gulf states are to form their own maritime patrol wing using 12 Lockheed P-3C Orions. This is the first time that any nation of the region (except Iran) has moved to acquire dedicated maritime patrol aircraft of the calibre of the Orion. The aircraft will be used to provide surveillance protection for transiting shipping the Gulfregion against Iranian air and maritime attacks. The aircraft will be dispersed through the Gulf and will begin to enter service in 1988