Newsdesk- Military Aviation

The hope is that Australia will be able to supply up to 25 A & B series F-18s from the as yet undelivered portion of the RAAF order while that number of aircraft would be supplied to the RAAF as the improved C & D version. It is early days yet though and much has to be worked out between both the Canadian and Australian governments, for instance, how much offsets are involved and what the end value of the contract would be.

If the project is viable, the increase from 75 to 100 locally assembled Hornets would be a considerable boost for ASTA as the present Hornet programme is due to begin winding down in a little over a year. At end of 1988 ASTA had delivered 49 of the 75 F-18s to the RAAF with production continuing at 1. 5 aircraft a month.

 Raaf Study Team Formed to Consider Manning Problems:

Under the direction of the Chief of the Air Staff, a specialist team has been formed to investigate the continuing drain in experienced officers from the RAAF.

Some aspects to be embraced in the study include the possibility of further utilisation of reserve officers, the recruiting of appropriately experienced officers from other sources and the need for a broader base of pilots to balance the higher resignation rates.

Evidence given at the Senate Estimates Committee during late October indicated that the RAAF was 84 pilots short of its optimum

Centrespread

Visitors to the recent Bicentennial Air Show will be familiar with our centerspread aircraft this issue.

The BAe Hawk trainer has been one of the most successful British military exports ever with sales to date of 352 and a requirement from the US Navy for an additional 302 T-45 Goshawks, the McDonnell Douglas/BAe navalised training version of the popular British jet.

Pictured is a T. 1A, one of 88 such aircraft which has been wired for carriage of the AIM-9L Sidewinder and which would be employed in the vital airfield defence role in the event of hostilities. With up to four Sidewinders, its centreline podded 30mm cannon and two underwing fuel tanks, the T. 1A has a CAP endurance of a healthy four hours and would be quite a potent defender with AWACS and ground based radar sup- port The top aircraft in the photo is of course the capable air defence version of the Panavia Tornado. The F. 3 version is employed in the air defence of the UK and NATO while Saudi Arabia and Oman have also ordered the type. A total of 941 Tomados had been ordered by end of 1988 with the type serving, or planned to serve, with the air arms of Britain, West Germany. Italy, Oman, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and Jordan.

operating level as at June 30th 1988. Pilot wastage in 1987/88 was 15. 7% or 123 pilots, while in the first three months of this financial year another 26 pilots had given intention to resign. Actual pilot strength at June 30, 1988 was 736 against a requirement of 820 though much of this shortfall was in the non operational areas and few squadrons were actually undermanned.

Where the problem lies though was not in quantity but in quality as over the past three years an enormous and, in the short to medium term, irreplaceable core of highly experienced pilots had departed the RAAF, their places being taken in turn by pilots of significantly less practical real time operational experience.

Consequently the RAAF is seriously examining the prospects of employing a flying reserve for the non-fast jet types and in streaming its training scheme to better use pilots who might ordinarily not graduate through the demanding Macchi course at 2 FTS, Pearce. Many within the RAAF now recognise that not every budding trainee can become an F-18 or F-111 pilot and is not psychologically suited to that style of operation. Consequently, to also train aircrew specifically for the less demanding types would not only reduce long-term training (via lesser attrition) costs but also would provide no real degradation in the quality of pilots being taken into the transport, helicopter and LRMP units, etc. It is worth noting that many of those who fail the latter stages of the demanding RAAF curriculum go on to become airline pilots of excellent record.

Many within the RAAF are now asking why the military has an overall washout rate of 50% as against barely 10% for the sophisticated and strictly managed civilian airline pilot schools. While the obvious qualifications and natural talents to be a military pilot are unquestionable, there is perhaps a middle road that could be more appropriately trod with a modicum of lateral thinking.

The team will also consider the many measures already proposed to provide a wide range of possible retention options, including the establishment of a five year flying-only specialisation stream, the filling of more aircrew staff appointments by other officers, continuation flying for pilots in staff jobs and increased return of service obligations for pilots undertaking some operational conversion courses. The report was expected to be handed to CAS prior to Christmas for deliberation in the new year.

Jindalee Site Investigation in Western Australia:

Site investigations for a second operational Jindalee over the horizon radar (OTHR) have commenced in Western Australia. This follows the recent announcement that a site for the first operational radar was being sought in Queens- land.

Initial investigations for the second of up to three operational long-range radar installations, had begun in a broad area around Merredin, midway between Kalgoorlie and Perth. The operational network will work in conjunction with other sensors already in service in the ADF, including ground based radars, the radars on all the major RAN fighting ships, the RAAF’s fleet of 20 P-3C long-range maritime patrol aircraft, as well as proposed new equipment such as airborne early warning and control aircraft.

 Prestigious Export Award to Hdh:

Hawker de Havilland have won a prestigious Bicentennial Export Award in recognition of the company’s contribution to Australia’s balance of payments. Over the 1983/88 period the company’s export sales have increased by 480% with exports now representing some 54% of total sales.

Hornet Given More Sting:

The RAAF’s Aircraft Research and Development Unit has successfully completed demonstration fight trials of the Advanced Staggered Triple Ejector Rack (ASTER) on the F-18 air- craft ASTER is a new concept of carrying weapons on fast military aircraft and was designed and developed by Hawker de Havil- land’s Systems Division, located within the Defence Science and Technology Organisation, Salisbury, South Australia.

The staggering of weapons for carriage on craft is an old concept first thought of in the 1950s but HdH staff modernised the idea see- ing the numerous advantages for current technology strike aircraft.

The ASTER bomb rack has been designed by HdH to give cleaner release of weapons, without the potential for aerodynamic interference or collision after release. The result is greater accuracy and consistency of weapons delivery. Other advantages are reduced drag. enabling a greater combat radius of the aircraft and the safe carriage and release of more weapons per aircraft.

Designed to a US Navy specification for aircraft carrier operation, ASTER is also compatole with a wide variety of modern day weapons, such as laser guided bombs and sophisticated air launched mines.

ASTER is also suitable for use on a number of other aircraft types. HdH has entered into discussions with various foreign military organisations including F-16 operators such as the US Air Force, Air National Guard and NATO countries, the USAF F-111 units and the US Navy A-6 and A-7 squadrons. Preliminary discussions are also under way with European operators of the Tomado F. 1 and F. 3 aircraft. This makes ASTER a potentially significant export earner for Australia.

 Mirage Sale Decision in New Year:

The eventual owner of 50 surplus ex-RAAF Mirage III fighters should be known during the first quarter of 1989.

The tender for their purchase was initially to have closed on November 15, 1988 though this was extended by one month owing to internal processing delays caused in Pakistan by their recent elections. Pakistan, France and a number of South American nations are interested in acquiring the 50 aircraft which include both single and dual seat versions of the classic Gallic fighter.

Along with the aircraft themselves will go some $200m worth of spares and support infrastructure including the necessary maintenance handbooks and direct ground support equipment. In export terms the total Package should be worth several hundred milions dollars to Australia.

Australia Acquires Jet Repair Technology:

With the acquisition of the American company United Overlay Systems, Adelaide’s TO’Connor Holdings Ltd has secured the world nights to a technology which it claims will revolutionise welding repairs in jet aircraft engines.

The technology, which rebuilds parts and materials including some jet engine parts that previously could not be welded, offers great potential. Previously, when the blades in a jet engine became worn or damaged through constant friction with the seals, they usually had to be discarded because no welding technique existed to repair them. The new technique is called plasma transfer arc (PTA) technology and is used when the base component of a material requires a facing of harder or more corrosion resistant materials to improve its life of operation. The system utilises the basic principles of PTA but changes its purpose and capabilities dramatically.

The move into aviation technology is a major departure from O’Connor’s usual activities which include heavy engineering, construction, asbestos abatement and removal and commercial air conditioning.

The system has already been accepted by one US engine manufacturer and “highly complimentary and enthusiastic reactions from engine manufacturing companies. The FAA has granted approval for the system to be used in turbine engine repairs and negotiations are progressing with two as yet unnamed corporations who want access to the techno- logy.

Grumman Backs Trainer:

Grumman has joined with Italy’s Agusta to promote the S. 211 light jet trainer in the USA, mainly for the USAF’s primary aircrew training system contract which will require 538 aircraft.

The S. 211 has tandem seating and is powered by a 2,500lb thrust P&WC JT15 turbofan. Examples have been ordered by Singapore, the Philippines and Hart. Its competition for the contract includes the Belgian Promavia Jet Squalus and Argentina’s FAMA IA 63 Pampa.

Dassault Joins the Bandwagon:

After years of declining to enter the Mirage III refurbishment market because doing so would ‘downgrade its prestige’, Dassault has in fact become the latest-along with the Pakistanis, Israelis and South Africans – to do just that.

Dassault’s first customer is Brazil which needs 20 Mirages refurbished and upgraded while the next is expected to be Spain which has the need to update its Mirages in a $US200m contract. Dassault’s main opposttion for that contract is Israeli Aircraft Industries who have 20 years’ experience in upgrading. remanufacturing and producing from scratch new versions of the Mirage III.

Dassault’s reasons for entering the market are simply financial with the Mirage F. 1 line virtually closed, the Mirage 2000 not selling as many as had been hoped and senes production of the Rafale still some years away.

Orion to Soldier On:

Lockheed has won a US Navy competition to build new anti-submarine patrol aircraft which will take the service well into the next century. The winning design is a development of the existing P-3 Orion and, although it looks very much like the current Orion, in fact, the new aircraft shares only 20% of its parts.

The Navy’s request for proposals specified the winning aircraft would incorporate the P-3C Update 4 avionics suite but tenders for the airframe were offered by Lockheed (updated Orion). Boeing (modified 757), McDonnell Douglas (MD-91 with ultra high bypass engines) and Gulfstream Aerospace (a widebody G. IV). The Lockheed design won on both acquisition and life cycle costs.

Current schedules are to have the aircraft in service by 1995 with 125 being required. Major differences between the new aircraft and the current Onon include replacement of the All- son T56 engines with 5,150shp General Elect nc GE388 (driving five bladed propellers), a longer fuselage, increased fuel capacity, larger horizontal tail, substantially increased MTOW and additional underwing pylons.

Awa Sikorsky Contract:

AWA is to build a sophisticated avionics system on behalf of Sikorsky for installation in some of the Black Hawk helicopters on order for the Australian Armed Forces. The $A7m contract covers 20 avionic winng harness sets for the Black Hawk. The harnesses are extremely complex looms of cabling which connect avionics, electronics and radio equipment in the helicopters. It is expected that the order for 20 harnesses is an initial one only and that further orders will follow, not only for the Army’s Black Hawks but also the Navy’s Seahawk helicopters and hopefully for overseas customers.

Top End’s New Era:

After many years of operation from Darwin, the ŔÁAF’s defenders of Australia’s top end’ have moved to their new base at Tindal near the town of Katherine. The $230m base now houses the F-18 Hornets of 75 Squadron, the last squadron to replace its Mirages with the new fighter. 75 was also the first RAAF squadron to put the Mirage onto strength back in 1965.

By the beginning of this year some 700 RAAF personnel will be at Tindal which is shortly due to enter into phase 2 of its development programme. This will entail the expansion of base support buildings, additional married quarters and other buildings. A feature of the base is its unique to the RAAF – aircraft dispersal. Gone are the long rows of neatly lined up aircraft. In their place are individual NATO style revetments designed to minimise the effects of enemy attack or accidental explosion. Each revetment also has an overhead shelter to keep the sun and rain off.

Prints of Quality:

A unique business has recently emerged marketing quality lithographic prints of RAAF Squadron aircraft.

The proprietor, a former RAF officer, was overrun with buyers of these desirable prints at the recent Bicentennial Air Show, but still had time to supply a selection to an impressed Edi- tor for his office wall.

The prints depict an individual aircraft in profile, in the greatest technical detail, together with a condensed squadron history and unit badge. Ten RAAF Squadrons are currently featured with several more subjects in the pipeline while a large selection of overseas military aircraft are also available. For further details refer to the Cornucopia Prints advert elsewhere in this edition.

Herc Maintenance on Offer:

The RAAF has called for tenders for the Depot Level Maintenance of its 24 C-130 Hercules transport aircraft as a result of the Govern to the wider involvement of industry in defence support matters Aerospace Technologies of Australia (ASTA) is the hot tip to win the contract ASTA will possibly also be getting involved with Qantas’ maintenance programmes due to the airline’s worsening long-term logistic problems in Sydney Qantas has long been involved with Hercules maintenance for the RAAF and other air forces as well as its and the Orion’s Allison T56 engines.

Skyhawks Grounded:

Malaysia grounded its entire A-4 Skyhawk fleet late last year after two crashes in the space of five days in addition to two others lost earlier in the year. Malaysia acquired 40 Skyhawks from the US Navy in 1984 after they had been refurbished by Grumman. Thirty-five survive

More Sherpas for Uncle Sam:

Following the purchase of 18 Shorts C-23 Sherpa light freighters – the military version of the 330 by the USAF in 1984 for use in Europe, the US Department of Defence has ordered 10 more for the National Guard. Not to be confused with the Air National Guard, the NG is a part-time organisation used in natural disaster and civil disturbance work.

Worth $US60m, the Sherpas will replace DHC Caribou aircraft at various US locations, primarily transporting aviation spares and components between National Guard bases and repair depots. Interestingly, Shorts had to overcome opposition from the IRA before the order was placed. The terrorist organisation claimed that Shorts discriminated against Catholics at its Belfast factory. This was proven to be untrue.

More Money for Raaf Pilots:

In a further attempt to stem the tide of RAAF pilots deserting the service for the airlines, it has been announced that aircrew have been awarded a special $2,500 per year allowance on top of a general increase in flying allowance levels. Some ranks will receive a flying allowance increase of 135%, with all aircrew in flying positions receiving an additional disability component of $2,500. Some 123 pilots resigned in 1987/88 (long-term planning allowed for 47 per year) while in the first six weeks of 88/89 42 pilots notified their intention to resign along with significant numbers of navigators, flight and ground engineers and technical staff (refer Defence Update this issue).

Of course it’s not just the extra money which attracts service pilots to the airlines, it’s also the fact that in the RAAF they are ‘grounded well before they should be. Those in authority should awaken to the fact that pilots don’t join the RAAF to find themselves flying a desk when they are at the peak of their skills.

 Hi-Tech Ansett:

Ansett Technologies is developing software for a $15m computerised flight data processing system which will centralise Australia’s flight data and provide real time information to both aircrew and air traffic controllers. The new system will be part of the CAA’s modernisation of Australian air traffic services and will consist of six processing systems linked to some 200 intelligent displays and a number of advanced raster scan workstations.

Major benefits of the new system will be the centralisation of flight data into a reduced number of areas which in turn will reduce operational and administrative costs and provide real time information to aircrew and air traffic controllers automatically when flight data changes.

The Italian company Selenia is the prime contractor for the system which will be installed at Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth with a sixth system for software support Installation will begin in 1991. For the record Selenia has previously been awarded contracts for the installation of air traffic control radar systems at RAAF Tindal and East Sale

Alpine Hornets:

Following an extensive evaluation which included the Mirage 2000, the Saab JAS 39 Gripen and the General Dynamics F-16, Switzerland has chosen the McDonnell Douglas F-18 Hornet to replace its Mirage III interceptors.

Superior overall performance and better cost effectiveness were cited as the primary reason the F-18 was chosen over its rivals. A total of 34 aircraft is involved in the initial order which will not be formally ratified until late 1990 when the necessary appropriations will be passed by the two Swiss Houses of Parliament

Pilot Blamed for Ramstein Tragedy:

The singleton pilot of Italy’s Frecce Tricolori aerobatic team has been blamed for the accident which killed three of the team’s pilots and 66 spectators at an air show at Ramstein, West Germany, last August. The tri-national investigation commission has found that during the three way crossover with five ship and four ship formations flying in opposite directions, the singleton hit the five ship leader just after the main groups crossed. “Misjudgment’ by the singleton pilot, 38 year old Lt Col Ivo Nutarelli, was the cause of the accident.

Air Traffic Control Trainer – A World First:

Scientists and engineers from the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) have researched a new visual air traffic control simulator that could have a significant impact on world markets. Announcing this at the October Bicentennial Air Show, the Minister for Defence Science and Personnel, Mrs Ros Kelly, said that a $2m contract had recently been signed with Schlumberger Instrumentation Australia (SIA) Pty Ltd, to develop the Austower air traffic control trainer for the RAAF School of Air Traffic Control at East Sale, Vic.

Customer is a high performance, low cost simulator which will provide realistic and comprehensive visual training for RAAF air traffic controllers. Development of the simula- tor by DSTO scientists and engineers from the Aeronautical Research Laboratory took twenty man years.

Trainees will undertake visual training at a standard air traffic control console simulating a full-scale replica control tower overlooking a panoramic aerodrome scene depicting the activities of up to 10 aircraft and ground vehicles. As well as simulating varying conditions of visibility with aircraft taxiing, taking ott, arriving and departing, making low level fights and landing. Customer also allows circuit extensions. orbiting and overshoot using interactive displays is also capable of simulating emergency situations and can be adapted to different aerodromes and environments including mary field operations.

 Usaf Training Master Plan:

The United States Defence Department has approved a new USAF trainer acquisition plan which calls for it and the US Navy to examine the feasibility of procuring common aircraft to full each service’s requirements.

The new scheme would move the USAF’s training programme to a dual track system which separates trainees into bomber-fighter and tanker-transport streams for advanced training The US Navy already employs a similar training concept. The plan also calls for a new primary trainer to replace the ageing Cessna T-37 from 1999 (the defunct Fairchild T-46 was supposed to do that) which would meanwhile continue in service following a structural life extension programme. The T-37 fleet currently has an average age of 28 years. Another elderly trainer (average 22 years) which would continue in service until replaced early in the next century is the supersonic Northrop T-38, currently subject to a programme called ‘Pacer Classic’ in which the aircraft is subject to an extensive refit.

In the long term, the USAF also requires 211 tanker-transport training system aircraft (a corporate jet type) from 1992, 538 primary trainers to replace the T-37 from 1999 and an anticipated 417 reconnaissance-attack trainers to replace the T-38 from the year 2005.