Page 34 - Australian Defence Magazine Feb 2020
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34  AIRPOWER  5TH GEN
FEBRUARY 2020 | WWW.AUSTRALIANDEFENCE.COM.AU
Russia’s Sukhoi Su-57 is under development; while Turkey, India and Indonesia are also vying to join the fifth-gen club.
On balance, the advantages of stealth aircraft – particularly when combined with other platforms and capabilities – far out- weigh the disadvantages. There is no question that for the fore- seeable future, aircraft that lack stealth capability will be at a serious disadvantage in an increasingly contested battlespace.
Clearly, the concept of a fifth-generation air force is not a passing fad. But what does it mean to operate such a force – and importantly, what does it mean for Australia?
dreds of miles is the new reality. The ability to maximise the effectiveness of this strategy is greatly enhanced by networking the battlespace, with an integrated air defence system filling the gaps where aircraft can’t compete.
There are key roles for Australia’s Super Hornet, E7A Wedget- ail, P-8 Poseidon (for overland and maritime intelligence, sur- veillance and reconnaissance operations – OISR and MISR) and the KC-30A Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT). The MQ4C Triton unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), now on order, will enable Air Force to perform ISR missions over coastal regions and vast areas of ocean, as well as continuous maritime surveillance and search and rescue missions, complementing the P-8 Poseidon in a manned/unmanned teaming arrangement.
AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY PARTICIPATION
It is inevitable that the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program will have a massive economic footprint, not only in the US, but also in all nine of its partner countries, where many components will be produced. In addition to Fort Worth, TX, there are final assembly and check out plants in Italy and Japan; and while Australia is heavily dependent on other countries (particularly the US) to acquire the latest defence equipment, there are opportunities for Australian Industry to participate at every level of the program.
More than 50 Australian companies are contributing to the F-35 program with work packages valued at more than $1.4 billion, at the time of publication. These activities provide opportunities for technology transfer, to increase skilled employment and to secure Australia’s place as a val- ued contributor to the JSF program.
Another example of Industry involvement is the E7A Wed- getail, developed by the RAAF and Boeing, which has proved to be a force multiplier in the Middle East. The partnership has been so successful they are now collaborating on another ambitious development: the Airpower Teaming System (ATS), being designed and developed by Boeing Phantom Works’ Australian team for inclusion in Boeing’s Autonomous Sys- tems portfolio. The ATS is a fighter-sized unmanned system designed to operate in conjunction with manned systems as a Loyal Wingman. While ATS wasn’t an original Australian idea, it was a project Boeing identified as being the right scale and requiring the development expertise already resident in Boeing Defence Australia and the local Phantom Works team.
The program is the largest Boeing R&D effort outside the US. The Australian Government sees the value of investing in initiatives like this, particularly in the early conceptual stages where Defence can explore concepts and define the roles of these capabilities.
ORGANISATION
It’s not enough to maintain a large standing military force without a strong underlying organisation to manage and sup- port it. The level of capability maintained by FEGs should be consistent with its assigned readiness notice, and depends on the availability of trained personnel, major platforms, combat systems and supplies, and the quality of its collective training.
But there now appears to be an appetite for change in the structure of the RAAF. At the 2018 Air Power Conference, former Deputy Chief of Air Force, Air Vice-Marshal Gavin
“AUSTRALIA’S WARFIGHTERS ARE EMPOWERED TO MAKE DECISIONS IN A MATTER OF SECONDS VERSUS MINUTES – WHERE SECONDS REALLY MATTER. THAT’S THE MISSION OF A FIFTH-GENERATION AIR FORCE.”
PLAN JERICHO
In 2015, AIRMSHL Brown announced Plan Jericho – a strategy that would transform Air Force well into the future: “In the next 10 years, the RAAF will have one of the most advanced aircraft fleets in the world. This will make our Air Force operations fundamentally different. We cannot be complacent by thinking that simply having the next gen- eration of aircraft technology will create an advanced Air Force. It’s true that these aircraft will bring more data and situational awareness than ever before. So we must build a network that can share that information across our aircraft platforms. That will enable us to make better decisions, and
to avoid being overwhelmed by the high volumes of data.” Plan Jericho has been, and continues to be, a prime mov-
er for innovation and change within Air Force.
Stealthy operation is an essential element of the fifth-gen concept, but it’s not the whole story. When adversaries be- come completely invisible to one another, new tactics and technologies are needed to achieve an advantage. Stand-off combat is another feature of modern air warfare. Targeting and engaging adversaries separated by tens and even hun-
ABOVE: Plan Jericho is building a network to share information across 5th Gen platforms.
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