Page 16 - Australian Defence Magazine Sep-Oct 2022

16 NEWS REVIEW INDUSTRY UPDATE
SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.AUSTRALIANDEFENCE.COM.AU
DEFENCE TO REPLACE PC-21 IN JTAC ROLE
NIGEL PITTAWAY | MELBOURNE
AS the Royal Australian Air Force pre- pares to deploy a number of its Pilatus PC-21s to New Zealand to train Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTAC), De- fence is planning to replace the aircraft in that role with an off the shelf solution.
The PC-21 was acquired under Air 5428 Phase 1 (Pilot Training System) from 2017 and four were subsequently allocated to 4 Sqn at Williamtown for the JTAC training role. However, Defence now says the aircraft is at best only “80 per cent effective” in the role, as it is unable to carry live ordnance.
“The unmodified PC-21, as delivered to the Pilot Training System under Air 5428, can satisfy up to 80 per cent of JTAC train- ing system live-fly requirements, however
ABOVE: PC-21 aircraft from No. 4 Squadron conduct formation flying in the airspace near RAAF Base Williamtown
does not have the ability to provide the live weapons passes needed to complete ini- tial, currency, and proficiency training,” a Defence spokesperson told ADM.
Accordingly, Defence has raised Project Air 6016 (Joint Terminal Attack Control
System), which it says will deliver a sov- ereign training system to ensure the sus- tainable generation of sufficient and ap- propriately skilled JTACs.
A Request for Information (RFI) for the desired capability was released to industry in July, with a closing date for responses of 11 August. Defence, however has yet to decide between a Contractor Owned/Con- tractor Operated (COCO) or Contractor Owned/Government Operated (COGO) model of acquisition under a Supplied Ser- vices Contract (SSC) for Air 6016.
Air 6016 is seeking an existing/off the shelf turboprop or turbofan aircraft with “specific technologies and functionality, capable of addressing JTAC training outcomes.”
Desired performance is a cruise speed of 180 knots at 5,000 ft and an on-station endurance of at least 1.5 hours.
Industry in collaboration, technology in their hands
Our customers need trusted multi-domain and autonomy solutions to protect people and nations in the evolving threat landscape. At BAE Systems Australia, we are collaborating to deliver that capability advantage.
Through a trusted partnership approach, we are collaborating with the brightest minds – including customers and partners inside and outside defence – to develop compatible systems our customers can trust.
This will ensure commanders have decision confidence and enable capabilities that will seamlessly integrate with new and existing technologies as needs evolve.
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