Australian Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

Australia has welcomed the newest addition to its Air Force, the P-8A Poseidon, a cutting-edge surveillance and anti-submarine aircraft that will dominate the skies around the nation’s coastline, the Ministry of Defence announced in a Nov. 16 release. It will greatly enhance Australia’s ability to keep our borders secure and guard our maritime approaches.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Minister for Defence Industry Christopher Pyne and Minister for Immigration and Border Protection Peter Dutton, together with the Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Leo Davies, welcomed the new Poseidons in Canberra Nov. 16.

These new aircraft will strengthen our existing comprehensive maritime surveillance capability, helping secure Australia’s borders, play a vital role in the fight against people smugglers and providing state of the art anti-submarine defenses.

The P-8A Poseidon is a modern, highly reliable aircraft based on the commercially-proven Boeing B737, modified to incorporate the latest maritime surveillance and attack capabilities.

This aircraft has been designed by the U.S. Navy to dominate in anti-submarine warfare and will work closely with existing Australian Border Force assets to protect our border.

This is the first of 15 aircraft the government committed to in the 2016 Defence White Paper, with 12 already contracted to be delivered by March 2020.

These aircraft will be based and sustained at Edinburgh, creating over 30 direct jobs.

The acquisition includes development and sustainment cooperation with the U.S. Navy and will keep the Royal Australian Air Force P-8A at the forefront of maritime patrol aircraft innovation for years to come.

The 15 P-8A Poseidons and up to seven MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft will together provide an advanced maritime surveillance capability to replace the aging AP-3C Orion platform.

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Australia's Super Hornets have undergone their first major upgrade.

The job was finished on budget and two weeks ahead of schedule by the Electronic Attack Enterprise team, consisting of Air Force, Defence’s Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group, Boeing Defence Australia and Raytheon Australia.

The work was the first stage of the Super Hornet Spiral Upgrade Program under which the fleet will receive incremental capability upgrades.

The program is being conducted in parallel with the US Navy F/A-18F upgrade program to ensure the technology remains in line with the world’s largest and only other Super Hornet operator.

The 12-month Increment 1 program delivered updates to the aircraft training system, as well as to software and hardware.

These included the installation of Navigation Warfare to provide GPS navigation protection, a Distributed Targeting System to enable precision targeting, and an upgraded Solid State Recorder for the cockpit.

Five separate structural modifications to improve fatigue life and eliminate hazards were incorporated with the hardware upgrades.

OC Air Combat and Electronic Attack System Program Office GPCAPT Jason Agius said the program’s success demonstrated a mature and integrated support capability.

“The completion of Increment 1 was essentially a coming-of-age for the Super Hornet support system,” he said.

“It was the first time we brought together every element of the support system, from program management, logistics and engineering through to training and deeper maintenance.

“The project’s completion on budget and ahead of schedule is a testament to how well it worked.

“As prime contractor, Boeing Defence Australia exhibited ingenuity and innovation in foreseeing and addressing challenges.

“They used their knowledge to add value and insight at every stage and worked in close partnership with both Air Force and training system services provider Raytheon to guarantee the program’s success.

“The project’s completion ahead of schedule is a strategically important achievement for Air Force and one of which all involved should be proud.”

Boeing Defence Australia’s Super Hornet Program Manager, Chris Gray said the program demonstrated the value of Air Force and industry working as one team.”

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Jura said:

according to SeaPowerMagazine (dated November 16, 2016 12:42 PM)
Australia’s First P-8A Poseidon Touches Down

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Australian companies, R&D and educational institutions gathered in Adelaide, November 24, to hear from representatives of the future submarine enterprise in regards to opportunities available in the Australian Navy submarine program.

The event was a joint briefing between the Commonwealth of Australia, DCNS and Lockheed Martin (as the combat systems integrator).

“DCNS’s vision is to deliver a regionally superior submarine for Australia’s sovereign operation and sustainment and maximise local industry participation,” said Sean Costello, Chief Executive Officer, DCNS Australia.

“In order to achieve this, we will build a supply chain in Australia that has the in-country capability to deliver the products, services and know-how to keep the submarines capable and available on an enduring basis,” said Mr Costello.

DCNS has already issued 600 requests for information from 145 companies in Australia and 25 Australian companies have passed the first audit to be considered appropriate to participate in the supply chain activities.

The Future Submarine briefings will continue across the nation in 2017, with the next briefing to be held in Sydney in February, according to DCNS.

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Jura said:

according to SeaPowerMagazine (dated November 16, 2016 12:42 PM)
Australia’s First P-8A Poseidon Touches Down

source:

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6 Squadron completes final Super Hornet flight

The RAAF’s 6 Squadron has completed its last flight with the F/A-18F Super Hornet as the unit prepares to introduce the EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft into service.

Six jets from Amberley-based 6SQN took part in a farewell flight over southern Queensland on November 23, the unit’s last flight with the Super Hornet before handing over the aircraft to sister unit 1 Squadron.

6 Squadron will now focus entirely on introducing the Growler into service in 2017 ahead of initial operating capability with the aircraft in 2018.

“We’ve started building up our Growler capability. There’s no better time to be here,” commanding officer 6SQN WGCDR Hinton Tayloe told Air Force News.

“I’m incredibly proud that 6SQN will operate the Growler for Air Force.”

1SQN, meanwhile, will now operate all 24 of the RAAF’s Super Hornets, with 6SQN’s Super Hornet aircrew training role now shared between 1SQN and the US Navy.

Operational conversion of Super Hornet pilots and air combat officers will now be undertaken by the US Navy, while the newly-enlarged 1SQN’s C Flight will conduct operational transition (Optrans) training where aircrew who have completed the USN Super Hornet conversion are trained in RAAF processes and procedures.

“The USN offers an outstanding product, but there are some differences between their systems and ours and we need to make sure it’s all standardised,” the commanding officer of 1SQN told Australian Aviation’s

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“We have the option and capability to do the full operational conversion as well, which 6SQN does, but we don’t expect to do so on a regular basis, because the USN will do the majority of that work. For us, the workload and risk are getting reduced because the USN is doing the majority of our ab initio conversion to aircraft type.”

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The Australian department of defense announced that it has released a request for tender to three shortlisted designers for the $3 billion dollar offshore patrol vessel project.

Christopher Pyne, minister for defense industry, said the request for tender will see Damen, Fassmer and Luerssen team up with Australian shipbuilders.

The 12 new offshore patrol vessels whose construction is on track to start construction in Adelaide in 2018 before moving to Western Australia in 2020, will replace Australia’s existing Armidale-class patrol boat fleet.

“We want to ensure the tenderers’ responses maximise Australian industry opportunities through a local build using Australian made steel,” said Minister Pyne.

“This includes how they will transition their existing supply chains to Australian supply chains and how they will integrate local suppliers in their global supply chains.”

“These Australian-built vessels will form an important part of the Government’s investment to strengthen our maritime surveillance systems,” Minister for Defence, Marise Payne said.

“Safeguarding Australia’s maritime approaches, offshore territories and borders is essential for Australia’s national security.”

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