Page 8 - Australian Defence Magazine May 2019

NEWS REVIEW
INDUSTRY UPDATE
G550 EW aircraft buy clarified for RAAF
DEFENCE has re-announced the acquisi- tion of four modified Gulfstream G550 air- craft – to be designated the MC-55A “Per- egrine” – for the RAAF, clarifying further details of the program.
Minister for Defence Christopher Pyne said the $2.46 billion acquisition would enable Defence to actively strengthen EW support to the wider ADF.
“The Peregrine is a new airborne elec- tronic warfare capability that will be in- tegrated into Defence’s joint warfighting networks, providing a critical link between platforms, including the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter, E-7A Wedgetail, EA-18G Growler, Navy’s surface combatants and amphibious assault ships and ground assets to support the warfighter,” Minister Pyne said.
“The aircraft will be based at RAAF Base Edinburgh SA – yet another piece in a broader ISR precinct being developed at the Super Base, which is already home to our Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft. RAAF Base Edinburgh will also serve as the head- quarters for our unmanned Tritons and armed unmanned Reaper variant.
In August 2016, Chief of Air Force AIRMSHL Leo Davies confirmed that un-
A Republic of Singapore Air Force G550 Conformal Airborne Early Warning (CAEW) aircraft lands at RAAF Base Darwin.
like the other airborne assets, the G550s will be dedicated solely to the ISREW role and provide what he described as a “multiplying effect” under the auspices of DEF 555.
“The G550s would be the conductor of the orchestra, if you like, in an ISR sense,” AIRMSHL Davies said.
Features of the G550 include an endur- ance of more than 15 hours, a cruise speed of 0.8 mach and a service ceiling of 51,000 feet, which ADM understands would pro- vide a line of sight communications and
signals intelligence (SIGINT) interception range of about 400 kilometres.
“About $425 million will be spent with Australian companies during the acquisi- tion phase of the project, including $257 million to be invested in new facilities at RAAF Base Edinburgh,” Minister for De- fence Industry Senator Linda Reynolds said. “There will be further significant opportu- nities for Australian industry, estimated to be over $2 billion, in the sustainment of the aircraft over the 25-year life-of-type.”
Defence and Lockheed Martin sign JP9711 simulation capability
KATHERINE ZIESING | CANBERRA
AFTER years in the making, the Common- wealth and Lockheed Martin Australia have signed a $282 million contract for JP9711, Defence’s core simulation capability.
Partnering with Australian SME Caly- trix Technologies and NEC Australia, the program aims to be the connector of the ADF’s wider simulation environment.
“Defence’s current simulation capabil- ity allows for roughly 10 simulation events per year,” Minister for Defence Industry Senator Linda Reynolds told the audience at the signing ceremony today in Canberra. “Under 9711, this will see 50 events hosted by the end of 2020 and over 200 by FOC in 2025. This program will be at the centre of everything we seek to do in the simulation space going forward.”
Defence has long recognised that their simulation capability is falling short of de- mand, particularly in the collective training space with events limited in scope and scale.
“I learnt as a pilot I never wanted to go into a space my head hadn’t been first,” Air Vice Marshal Warren McDonald, Head of Joint Capabilities, said. “A Talisman Sabre exercise takes two years to plan. With this program, we
Vikas Nayak, Systems Integrator for Lockheed Martin Australia, in the flight simulator.
will be able to conduct and repeat one at will.” Working with two local partners for software and hardware/interface solutions, Lockheed Martin Australia CEO Vince Di Pietro said the ‘majority’ of funds will be
spent in Australia.
“It’s a solid foundation to build on with
both Defence and our partners,” he said to ADM, noting the program will support 100 jobs around the country across Lockheed Martin Australia and its partners.
David Fallon, Business Development Training and Logistics Solutions lead for Australia and NZ at Lockheed Martin, ex- plained that the environment will be able to join together multiple platforms across multiple domains, connecting to regional and coalition partners.
Calytrix will play an important role in providing non-ITARS restricted software solutions when working with non-Five Eyes nations.
8 | May 2019 | www.australiandefence.com.au
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