Page 64 - AA 2018_11

ENGAGEMENT

ZONE Up-arming the ADF’s

ground-based air

defence capabilities

WRITER: ANDREW McLAUGHLIN

ot since the Bristol upgraded in service and remains a the innermost layer of an enhanced
Bloodhound system of the capable short-range system. But with Integrated Air and Missile Defence
1960s has the Australian the proliferation of long-range air, (IAMD) capability, and will be
Defence Force (ADF) surface and sub-surface-launched operated by Army’s 16th Air Land
possessed a land-based anti- threats in the Indo-Pacific region, Regiment.
N aircraft surface-to-air missile the ADF’s platforms, people and “A modern and integrated ground-
(SAM) system with a beyond-visual- infrastructure requires much higher based air-defence system is needed
range (BVR) defence capability. levels of protection. to protect our deployed forces from
The RAAF’s ramjet and rocket- That need is now being addressed, increasingly sophisticated air threats,
powered Bloodhound entered service with the April 2017 government both globally and within our region,”
in 1961 and, at 8m long and weighing approval of the development of what then Minister for Defence Senator
in at 2.5 tonnes, was a large missile. it describes as a short-range ground- Marise Payne said in announcing the
It boasted a range of up to 180km, based air-defence (SRGBAD) system program.
but by 1968 was considered obsolete to improve protection for deployed “Australia’s current short-range
and ineffective against manoeuvring personnel under Defence’s Project capability is 30 years old and due
targets or against even rudimentary LAND 19 Phase 7B requirement. to be retired early next decade. The
onboard electronic warfare systems. A limited request for tender was replacement system will provide
Today the SAM mission rests with released to Raytheon Australia as improved protection for our deployed
the Australian Army’s 16th Air Land prime system integrator (PSI) for servicemen and women.”
Regiment operating the SAAB Bofors the Raytheon/Kongsberg National NASAMS is a state-of-the-art
RBS-70 MANPAD (man-portable air Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile integrated air defence system that will
defence) system. System (NASAMS). Valued at up to maximise the ADF’s ability to quickly
The RBS-70 has been continually $2 billion, the project will provide detect, engage, and destroy existing

64 AUSTRALIAN AVIATION