Page 108 - Australian Defence Magazine November 2021

108 AIRPOWER
NOVEMBER 2021 | WWW.AUSTRALIANDEFENCE.COM.AU
THE LABOURS OF HERCULES
The C-130J-30 Hercules has been a stalwart of ADF airlift capability since entering service in 1999 and the twelve- strong fleet is receiving enhanced capabilities that will keep it relevant in the RAAF’s future vision for a fully- networked force.
Like the Globemaster, the Hercules fleet continues to support ADF operations at home and abroad and has also enjoyed a high operational tempo throughout 2021.
As mentioned earlier, two aircraft supported the evacu- ation efforts in Afghanistan in August and also explored new tactics, techniques and procedures during the recent multi-lateral Talisman Sabre 21 exercise. As part of the lat- ter exercise, one 37 Sqn C-130J-30 was refuelled on the ground at RAAF Base Tindal from a US Air Force MC- 130J Commando II special operations aircraft.
The refuelling operation was conducted as part of a For- ward Arming and Refuelling Point (FARP) training sce- nario and marked the first time an RAAF Hercules has been refuelled from a US Air Force MC-130J under FARP conditions.
LEFT: Eight C-17A Globemaster III strategic airlifters are operated by 36 Sqn RAAF at Amberley
Leading up to Talisman Sabre 21, 37 Sqn worked with the MC-130Js of the US Air Force’s 353rd Special Operations Group at RAAF Rich- mond as part of Exercise Teak Action 2021. During this exercise, the two units conducted joint medical evacuation, air-drop and FARP training scenarios, as well as experimentation with augmenting RAAF Hercules flight crews with a Combat Systems Operator (CSO).
The CSO forms part of the MC-130’s stan- dard crew, but up until now the role has not been trialled by the RAAF. “At this stage there are no C- 130J roles that require a CSO and this concept (was) a trial
only,” a Defence spokesperson commented.
THE FUTURE OF RAAF MEDIUM AND HEAVY AIRLIFT
To return to the maxim of an air force never having enough airlift capability when needed, and whether the RAAF was indeed stretched by recent events: Defence unfortunately declined ADM’s request for an interview and had not re- sponded to written questions by the time closed for press. However, Chief of Air Force Air Marshal Mel Hupfeld notes in our From the Source interview this month that FSP2020 has identified a future need for more airlift and more air- to-air refuelling capability and has “subsequently allocated future projects to deliver these capacity increases.”
The FSP2020 document includes a $13.2 billion provi- sion for a Medium Air Mobility (C-130J-30) Replacement program, with funding to begin in 2029.
While it does not specify requirements for the new ca- pability beyond the fact that it will be a medium airlift ca- pability, given the assumption the new platform will have a cargo bay of a similar volume to the current C-130J-30, there are currently only two platforms on the market. These are the C-130J itself, which is still in production in the US, or Embraer’s KC-390 Millennium turbofan-pow- ered airlifter.
If a larger capacity is required, then the number of alterna- tives narrows to just one: the Airbus A400M, known in RAF service as the Atlas. The A400M is larger than the C-130J but smaller than the C-17 but, in the absence of any US pro- gram in the meantime, it is the only game in town if addi- tional heavy airlift capability is required. As noted, the C-17A has now been out of production for more than five years and so far it would appear that there’s nothing on the horizon.
Similarly, the recent announcement by Defence that the C-27J has been re-roled from battlefield airlift (for which it was originally required) to light fixed-wing transport and HADR duties will leave a gap in intra-theatre airlift that has been only partially addressed by the purchase of four more CH-47F Chinooks for Army.
Even before Kabul, future fleet planners had a lot to take into consideration and it would appear that their task has now become even more complicated. ■
“THE C-130J-30 HERCULES HAS BEEN A STALWART OF ADF AIRLIFT CAPABILITY SINCE ENTERING SERVICE IN 1999”
The RAAF has previously trialled FARP procedures with Australian Army battle- field helicopters (and even an Abram M1A1 Main Battle Tank) and has acquired a number of underwing fuel tanks similar to those used by the now-retired C-130H vari-
ant to enable higher fuel offload in remote locations.
“In recent years we’ve conducted FARP trials and train- ing with the ADF, as well as with US Marine Corps avia- tion units,” explained 37 Sqn Commanding Officer Wing Commander Anthony Kay in a story for Air Force News. “Exercise Talisman Sabre 21 allowed us to build valuable FARP experience with a fellow C-130 operator (and) will
be valuable in future exercises and operations.”
WGCDR Kay said that the ability to establish a FARP at a remote airfield in Australia, or throughout the In- do-Pacific region, would add “flexibility and range” to force projection and will become an important element
of Joint operations.
NIGEL PITTAWAY