Defence Update

However it will not go as far as the predictions of a few years ago by the then Defence Minister, Mr Kim Beazley, of the need to procure about 100 new helicopters for the ADF. Early planning, for example, sought to have about 70 Black Hawks to enhance the Australian Army’s frontline air mobility, but, unless there has been a late change of direction, that has gone by the board.

At least for the time being the Army will have to make do with the 39 Black Hawks which were ordered in two batches-14 and 25 – and which have now been delivered from Hawker de Havilland’s Bankstown, NSW plant. Given that a number of the Black Hawks are used for training, and the others are listed as attrition aircraft, the prospect of the Australian Army gaining a second rifle company lift capability does not appear bright, especially as the production line at Bankstown has now closed down.

Of course there are other pressing priorities as to helicopter requirements in the ADF. The Bell Kiowa 206 light observation helicopters, with some 40 remaining, are getting to the stage when they need to be replaced before too long. They replaced the Bell 47s used in the Vietnam days and by the US in the Korean War in the early 1950s.

The Kiowas are proving costly to maintain, and the ADF is now looking at what it would wish a replacement helicopter to do. A scout role, with some firepower, is being strongly advocated.

Some experts believe the answer could come from an upgraded Aerospatiale Squirrel or a stretched Kiowa. The Squirrels are used by the Australian Defence Force’s Helicopter Flying Training School at Fairbairn, ACT (which by the way could be moved under ADF Force Structure proposals which will be incorporated in the Ministerial statement in early June).

The Army is still operating Bell UH-1H Iroquois utility choppers for training at Townsville and Oakey in Queensland. It appears likely that they will carry on in that role as there is no sign of an order for a third batch of Black Hawks as was earlier envisaged.

The recent decision in the United States to award the LH (light helicopter) Army contract to the Boeing-Sikorsky team is of interest in Australia, but it’s not really considered as suitable to replace the Kiowas. There has been limited interest too in Australia in acquiring McDonnell Douglas Apache attack helicopters, but as the Australian strategic scenario does not really envisage a need for tank killing helicopters, nothing is likely to eventuate there, at least for the present.

While McDonnell Douglas missed out in the LH competition this does not necessarily mean there is no interest in that company’s Notar (no tail rotor) MDX helicopter at present being developed for commercial use. McDonnell Douglas expect a production line run of at least 1,000 Notar MDX light helicopters and it would be no surprise if a military version was also developed.

ADF planners for years have spoken of a need for a Search and Rescue (SAR) capability but with the RAAF now virtually out of operating helicopters such a project appears stalled. The Army has so far not come up with a similar requirement. Before too long, the ADF and Navy will need to come up with a decision on what helicopter should be fitted firstly to the new ANZAC frigates, and also to the helicopter support ship if it eventuates. There have been suggestions that Black Hawks could be used for the troop carrying insertion role from such a carrier and that there is no need for a specialised “chopper” for this task. The Kaman Sea Sprite is often used by the US Navy from the FFG frigates, but is considered too heavy for the ANZAC ships. The British Westland Lynx and a version of the French Dauphin are seen as major contenders at this stage.

Another aspect of the helicopter/mobility equations is the Boeing Chinook medium lift helicopter. The eleven in the RAAF inventory were mothballed at Amberley base in 1988 after an ADF decision that the cost of their maintainability was too high.

However studies within the ADF have come down in favour of retaining the capability which proved essential during the Kangaroo ’89 exercise in northern Australia. It was shown that too much of the time of the Black Hawk helicopters was used in providing fuel dumps for the Black Hawks’ prime role of troop carrying. Tactical mobility was thus affected.

A deal with the US Defence Department/Army whereby Australia would return its mothballed CH-47C Chinooks to the US as part of a D model modernisation program there, and eventually (say 1993/94) get back four or five refurbished Chinooks was still being negotiated at the time of writing. The arrangement is that the exchange would be cost neutral . A US Army requirement for more Chinooks, with greater capability and improved efficiency as to servicing and maintenance, has been confirmed following their of performance in the Gulf War.