Page 105 - Australian Defence Magazine Dec-Jan 2021

DECEMBER 2020 – JANUARY 2021 | WWW.AUSTRALIANDEFENCE.COM.AU
PROJECTS AIR 105
FUTURE LEAD IN FIGHTER TRAINER
On June 2, 2020, Defence issued Request For Information ASD/RFI/14004/1 to canvass industry engagement for Proj- ect Air 6002 Phase 1, which seeks to replace the RAAF’s current Hawk Mk.127 with a new Lead In Fighter Training (LIFT) system.
The Future LIFT capability must bridge the gap between the output of the Pilot Training System based on the Pila- tus PC-21 trainer and input to operational fast jet platforms such as the F-35A.
A Defence spokesperson said the responses to the RFI, which closed on July 31, are helping to inform Defence on technologies that may be applicable to Air 6002/1, while Air Force continues to develop its understanding of Future LIFT requirements.
“Defence is yet to fully define its requirements for Air 6002 Phase 1, however, aircraft performance and mission systems that bridge between the Pilot training System and fast jet conversion courses will be critical requirements,” the Defence spokesperson said.
“The Future LIFT System will be expected to remain rel- evant to its role in training fast jet aircrew and supporting Joint Force training, to be adaptable to those needs as they evolve, to be affordable and to be safe out to an indicative timeframe of 2050.”
Defence said that the RFI does not form part of the Commonwealth’s procurement process and therefore will not be used to formally shortlist suppliers. Compa- nies which have announced their response to the RFI include Boeing, with a variant of the T-7A Red Hawk trainer under development for the US Air Force; Leon- ardo, with a solution based on the M-346 Master ad- vanced trainer/LIFT platform already in service with several nations, and BAE Systems which proposes an upgrade to the Hawk Mk.127.
“A Hawk option may be considered, dependant upon final definitions for Air 6002 Phase 1,” the Defence spokesper- son added.
POSEIDON AND TRITON
The RAAF is acquiring a mixed fleet of piloted (Boeing P-8A Poseidon) and remotely piloted aircraft (Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton) to replace the AP-3C Orion in the maritime surveillance and response roles.
“To complement the investment being made in the mari- time intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) program, Defence will continue with the procurement and introduction into service of the MQ-4C and upgrades to the P-8A maritime patrol aircraft,” the Defence spokesper- son explained.
ABOVE LEFT: A USAF B1B Lancer flies in formation with a RAAF F/A-18A Hornet and an EA-18G Growler while a KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport refuels two F/A-18A Hornets during a sortie for Regional Presence Deployment.
RIGHT: The Wedgetail has been kicking goals at home and abroad and scoping for its upgrade path is well underway.
The 12th and final P-8A under Air 7000 Phase 2B was delivered to RAAF Base Edinburgh in December 2019 and FOC is currently forecast to occur in mid-2022.
Recent highlights have included support for Operation Bushfire Assist last summer and a deployment to Lear- month in northwest Western Australia in July for the inau- gural Exercise Trident Trap. The latter was a joint training activity with Navy which exercised the P-8A’s anti-subma- rine warfare (ASW) and anti-surface warfare (ASuW) capa- bilities, and saw the initial deployment of the P-8A Mission System Fly Away Kit (PFAK).
A further significant milestone in the journey to FOC followed in late September with the completion of the first air to air refuelling activity, conducted with a 33 Sqn KC-30A. Seven flights were
performed during the trial, which took place between September 22 and October 1.
Three MQ-4C Triton air vehicles and associated ground systems are on contract for the RAAF under Air 7000 Phase 1B and production of the first example was formally initiated in the US in November.
“SINGLE TRITON AIRCRAFT WERE ORDERED IN JUNE 2018, MARCH 2019 AND JUNE 2020 AND DELIVERIES ARE CURRENTLY PLANNED TO FOLLOW IN 2023, 2024 AND 2025 RESPECTIVELY.”
Single aircraft were ordered
in June 2018, March 2019 and
June 2020 and deliveries are cur-
rently planned to follow in 2023,
2024 and 2025 respectively. In addition, Australia has entered co-operative development programs with the US Navy to influence ongoing development of both the MQ-4C and P-8A.
A significant milestone in the development of the former occurred in January 2020, with the deployment of two US Navy aircraft to Guam for the first time, marking a step towards the subsequent declaration of early operational ca- pability (EOC) by the US Navy in May 2020.
“Australia is adopting an incremental approach to our acquisition of the MQ-4C, which balances our desire to
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