Page 98 - Australian Defence Magazine Dec-Jan 2023

98 MAJOR PROJECTS REVIEW
DECEMBER 2022-JANUARY 2023 | WWW.AUSTRALIANDEFENCE.COM.AU
2022 MAJOR
PROJECTS
REVIEW
Of the $16.21 billion most recently budgeted in 2022-23 for acquisition of military equipment, the $8.01 billion allocated to the top 30 approved projects is virtually bereft of surprises given uncertainty over what will emerge from the forthcoming Defence Strategic Review (DSR) and the report of the nuclear- powered submarine taskforce, both due by March.
JULIAN KERR | SYDNEY
OCTOBER’S federal budget was the second in less than a year, with the first delivered in March by the Coalition ahead of its electoral defeat by Labor in May. As such the project details in the October Defence Portfolio Budget Statement largely present a holding pattern on what was already an- ticipated in the 2022-23 and/or 2023-24 financial years, or awaiting approval in that timeframe.
Accordingly, project changes flowing from the DSR, par- ticularly in the land domain, can be expected to reflect Australia’s current rather than earlier strategic circum- stances.
AIR PROJECTS
Meanwhile Defence’s largest procurement program con- tinues to be the acquisition of 72 F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters under Air 6000. Total budget is $16,244 billion, with $10,743 billion spent to date and $976 million to be spent in 2022-23.
As of November 2022, 56 F-35As had been accepted. Through to June 2023 the project’s focus will be on de- livery of the final 16 aircraft, infrastructure and logistics support capability for standing up 75 Squadron at RAAF Tindal, and finalisation of training capabilities in prepa- ration for Final Operational Capability (FOC), which is scheduled for December 2023.
The $100 million Facility Services Deed signed by BAE Sys- tems Australia in November will underpin expansion of the company’s operations alongside RAAF Williamtown to sus- tain and upgrade all 72 F-35As over the next three decades.
The first of three Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton high altitude long endurance (HALE) unmanned aerial systems being acquired under Air 7000 Phase 1B will ar- rive at RAAF Tindal in mid-2024. From an altitude of more
than 50,000 feet, a Triton will be able to observe more than 2.5 million square kms in a single 24-hour mission, relaying near-real time data to the Distributed Ground Station - Australia (DGS-AUS) at RAAF Edinburgh.
During 2022-23 the project will deliver additional ca- pabilities to support network test and integration, while conversion of existing facilities at Tindal will commence as an interim solution for receipt of the first aircraft and its forward operating base.
A decision on whether to order up to four more Tritons will be taken after reviewing DSR outcomes. Australia is currently the only non-US customer for the system.
Meanwhile the first of four Gulfstream MC-55A Per- egrine airborne intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and electronic warfare (ISREW) aircraft will be delivered