Page 75 - Australian Defence Magazine November 2021

NOVEMBER 2021 | WWW.AUSTRALIANDEFENCE.COM.AU
AIRPOWER 75
node in the network, while other platforms with integrat- ed sensors such as the F-35, EA-18G Growler or the MH- 60R helicopter can feed their sensor data into the nodes and thus the wider CEC network, but cannot carry the cabinet-style ‘boxes’ required to act as a node themselves.
Australia is the first nation outside the US to receive the CEC with the capability fitted onto the Royal Australian Navy’s Hobart-class destroyers. The RAAF’s E-7A Wedget- ail is also set to receive the CEC capability, which turns it into a node that will form a part of the Australian Joint In- tegrated Fires Capability being implemented in the ADF.
There are also plans for CEC to be fitted and integrated with the CEA radars that will go on the RAN’s Hunter- class frigate, and Australia’s land-based sensors being ac- quired under AIR 6500.
The installation of CEC will also be a significant step to improve the interoperability of RAAF and RAN with Aus- tralia’s allies and partners. CEC is already in the process of being deployed on US Navy ships, Northrop-Grumman E-2D Hawkeye early warning aircraft and the US Marine Corps’ network systems. This will provide the ships and aircraft of both countries the ability to potentially share targeting data and solutions in the event of a conflict.
In addition, Japan is also equipping its own Aegis destroyers and E-2Ds with CEC, potentially further
ADF Property
Investment
Find out how ADF Members can
access the exclusive $10,000
Kickstart Program towards their
“THE RAAF’S E-7A WEDGETAIL
IS ALSO SET TO RECEIVE THE CEC
CAPABILITY, WHICH TURNS IT investment purchaIsNTeO.A NODE THAT WILL FORM A PART OF THE AUSTRALIAN JOINT
02 8387 7948 www.assetbase.com.au
INTEGRATED FIRES CAPABILITY
BEING IMPLEMENTED IN THE ADF”