Super arrival

Before the four ship landed at Amberley, 16 other Super Hornets launched to fly out and meet the final aircraft and escort them in, with the 20 jets performing a flypast over Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast, and Ipswich. This was a massive effort by the RAAF, especially as two other Super Hornets were also available as formation and display spares that day, with just one aircraft not being able to be generated due to scheduled deep maintenance.

The new aircraft were welcomed to Amberley by Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare, president and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space & Security Dennis Muilenberg, Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale, and other VIPs and guests.

“Boeing made a commitment to the Royal Australian Air Force, and to the citizens and government of Australia, promising that these advanced Super Hornets would be ready to join the RAAF fleet on time and on budget,” said Muilenberg. “The men and women of Boeing are incredibly proud to have delivered on that promise. ” The RAAF’s order for the Super Hornets was placed in 2007 as a ‘Bridging Air Combat Capability’ to cover a capability gap between the December 2010 retirement of the F-111C and the arrival of the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter, the first squadron of which is currently expected to achieve an initial operational capability (IOC) with the RAAF in 2018. The first squadron of Super Hornets achieved IOC less than four years after being ordered to coincide with the F-111’s retirement, and full operational capability of all 24 jets and the RAAF’s training and sustainment systems is expected by the end of 2012.

Minister Clare said the Super Hornet would maintain Australia’s air combat capability until the arrival of the F-35 later this decade. “The Super Hornet gives us the fire power we need to protect Australian skies until the arrival of the Joint Strike Fighter later this decade. Today we know that until that day comes we are in good hands. ”Clare also gave credit for the acquisition to former coalition Defence Minister Brendan Nelson. “I also pay credit to the former Minister for Defence Brendan Nelson who made the decision to buy these planes, when the success of today was not so easy to see,” he said. “The Super Hornets would not be in Australia if not for the decision that he made four-and-a-half years ago. ” Initial training of RAAF pilots, weapons systems officers, and maintenance personnel was conducted at the US Navy’s VFA-122 Fleet Replenishment Squadron at NAS Lemoore, before training began transitioning to Amberley in early 2010 to prepare for the arrival of the first Super Hornets that March. All RAAF training is expected to be conducted at Amberley from early 2012.

It was initially intended the Super Hornets would remain in service until the early 2020s, by which time the three tranche buys of up to 100 JSFs were expected to be in service or on order. But Defence Minister Stephen Smith is currently reviewing the JSF timings, and with the fallback option should the JSF be further delayed being a buy of more Super Hornets, this could see the RAAF operate a two-tiered air combat force of F/A-18Fs and F-35As well into the 2030s.

Smith’s review is expected to be informed by the results of a risk assessment review of the JSF program currently being conducted by personnel from the DMO’s New Air Combat Capability (NACC) office. The results of the SCRAM review will likely correlate with those of the Pentagon’s Defense Acquisition Board (DAB), which has twice delayed recertifying the JSF program this year following its ‘Nunn-McCurdy’ funding breach in 2010, as well as a review being conducted by the USAF, which will determine its revised IOC schedule for the F-35A.

Minister Smith has repeatedly stated that he would consider buying more Super Hornets should there be any risk of a capability gap between the F-35’s introduction into service and the retirement of the classic Hornets from 2017, saying the Super Hornet is “the obvious option. ” Another influence on Smith’s thinking is likely to come from the results of force posture (ie basing) reviews currently underway within the ADF as well as the US. But AIRMSHL Brown has told AA in a recent interview that he is comfortable with the revised JSF program timings and doesn’t think it will be necessary to order extra Super Hornets (see interview page elsewhere this issue).

In the meantime, Smith is thought to be close to announcing the acquisition of an electronic attack capability for the ADF in the form of the EA-18G Growler. The final 12 of the 24 RAAF Super Hornets – nominally designated ‘F/A-18F+’ by Boeing – have already been ‘pre-wired’ for possible later conversion to EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft if the Australian government deems such a requirement necessary. The initial work for these 12 aircraft was done on Boeing’s St Louis production line and comprised the addition of more robust wiring looms, extra conduits in the wings, and provision for additional avionics racks in the nose, and cost about US$3. 5 million per aircraft to perform. AA understands that Australia has requested pricing and availability of up to six EA-18G kits, possibly including ALQ-99 jammer pods, and discussions have been ongoing.

But the ageing ALQ-99 pods – especially in the latest ICAP III specification – are in high demand and availability is extremely limited, so Australia may instead concentrate on a Growler ‘Lite’ capability without the high end jammers. This would still bring enhanced electronic situational awareness to ADF assets such as other Super Hornets, classic Hornets, Wedgetail AEW&C, Navy surface vessels, and Special Forces soldiers via datalinks. Meanwhile, a US program to develop a Next Generation Jammer is progressing towards service introduction by the end of the decade, with input from ADF and DSTO personnel.

It is also understood a contingent from the Edinburgh based Joint Electronic Warfare Operational Support Unit – whose mission is “to enhance ADF combat power through integrated electronic warfare operational support” – observed US Navy Growler operations in Libya earlier this year and has been stationed at the aircraft’s home base of NAS Whidbey island, and has commenced the development of a concept of operations for the jet within the ADF’s order of battle.