Another Six Super Hornets Arrive at Amberley

Another six F/A-18F Super Hornets – Australia's first new air combat aircraft in 25 years – have arrived at RAAF Base Amberley in Queensland.

Today's touch down followed a four-day journey from Naval Air Station Lemoore in California.

The Super Hornets, affectionately known as 'Rhinos', will replace the F-111s which have been stalwarts of Australia's air combat fleet and will be retired at the end of this year.

While the new fighters share a strong resemblance with Air Force's existing F/A-18A/B 'classic' Hornets, they feature stealth characteristics, an enlarged airframe, more powerful engines, greater weapons and fuel payload, advanced avionics and state-of-the-art radar.

Twelve of the RAAF Super Hornets have now been delivered by Boeing. The first Super Hornet delivered, A44-201, remains in the United States conducting ongoing advanced software development trials with the United States Navy. It is anticipated that this will be completed later this year and the aircraft will be ferried to Australia before December to bring our in-service complement to twelve aircraft.

"The Super Hornet acquisition project continues to be a major success. It is delivering a quantum leap in air combat capability to Air Force, on-time and on-budget," Minister for Defence John Faulkner said."This project is a great example of what can be achieved through a strong Defence and Industry partnership."

"This is the culmination of the hard work and dedication of the Royal Australian Air Force, Defence Materiel Organisation, United States Navy, the Boeing Company and their industry partners, Raytheon, General Electric and Northrop Grumman," Senator Faulkner said.

"No. 1 Squadron's transition from operating the venerable F-111 to the highly sophisticated Super Hornet has delivered a new and potent air combat capability that will serve Australia for many years to come.

"When delivery is completed in 2011, Australia will have a total of 24 F/A-18F Super Hornets ahead of the transition to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

Pentagon Recertifies JSF, Cost Increases

Pentagon acquisition czar Ashton Carter recertified the embattled Lockheed Martin Joint Strike Fighter program to move forward after a major cost increase, but defense officials are now saying the total acquisition price of the multinational, triservice aircraft has increased by yet another $54.2 billion.

Carter sent his Nunn-McCurdy recertification letter to Congress on June 1. This recertification was widely expected, as Pentagon officials since last fall have been working to restructure the single-engine, stealthy fighter program through a series of rigorous reviews in anticipation of the cost breach. But the recertification documentation includes more detail about the extent of problems leading up to the most recent cost spike.

Since December, Pentagon officials anticipated the per-unit cost including the price of development to be $112 million; it is now expected to be $155.6 million. The number most closely associated with flyaway pricing was estimated at $92.4 million only a few months ago; it is now at $133 million. Earlier this year, development was extended from Fiscal 2012 to Fiscal 2016 in an effort to reduce schedule risk and concurrency between testing and production.

The increased price is a result of new estimates for developing a verification simulation capability, tooling needed for production and military construction requirements for introducing the aircraft into service, according to Carter’s documentation.

The Air Force and Navy will be required to “take necessary actions to fund the program” and the additional overrun and the money will likely start to shift in the Fiscal 2012 budget request, due to Congress in February 2011, according to Carter’s documents.

Cultural issues during the program’s history also contributed to a climate that allowed cost to grow unchecked. A section of the document labeled “root cause analysis and assessment” acknowledges “flawed programmatic and technological assumptions at program inception and a series of execution actions which hindered the overall government/contractor management’s ability to address these problems as they were encountered.” Carter also points out that there was a “general intolerance for failing to meet externally driven schedule goals” and a “general reluctance to accept unfavorable information” in the program.

Delays in reaching developmental milestones account for 26% of the cost increase. Another 23% is from correcting airframe weight estimates that were low, incorrect escalation rates and an incorrect use of a cost model in the earlier acquisition strategy. Five percentage points account for the extension of production.

Carter certifies that the management structure is adequate to manage cost, but he includes a list of actions required to improve oversight of the program. The government is providing expertise to JSF prime contractor Lockheed to improve the company’s compliance with the Defense Department’s Earned Value Management System (EVMS), which is a method used to allow the department to audit and track progress on major elements of the program. The corporation has been deemed “non compliant” with EVMS standards. The situation is “disappointing and unacceptable,” Carter says.

A corrective action plan is being implemented, and Carter directs completion by June 30. Furthermore, he directs that a compliance review be successfully completed by the second quarter of Fiscal 2011, which ends next March.

Carter has established a review process to rectify differing risk-management approaches by Lockheed and government managers. Also, an Independent Manufacturing Review Team will reassess the program’s risk-management planning and global supply chain in the fall (the IMRT’s first set of recommendations were already included in the restructuring).

The JSF program executive officer is crafting a plan to address 42 “areas of concern” in the flight test plan. Those areas are not identified in the documentation.

Australian Super Hornets with a F-111

Australia is acquiring 24 Block II F/A-18F Super Hornets as a bridging air combat capability during the transition to the F35 Joint Strike Fighter.The F/A-18F Super Hornet (Rhino) is a true multi-role aircraft that spans the air combat spectrum, including maritime strike which is vital for Australia.The Super Hornets will be progressively introduced to their new home at Royal Australian Air Force Base Amberley throughout 2010 and 2011.

F-35B Completes First Hover Test

Lockheed Martin has registered two more key test points for the F-35B short take-off and vertical landing version of the Joint Strike Fighter.

Test pilot Graham Tomlinson first decelerated the BF-1 test aircraft to a hover about 150ft (50m) above the runway at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland on 17 March. Then, on a separate flight later the same day, the aircraft was rotated on take-off in less than 300m and a speed of 100kt (185km/h).

Both flights mark critical test points as the F-35 programme continues a long-delayed process to achieve a vertical landing. The first such test point was previously scheduled in mid-2009, but has been delayed because of engine malfunctions and slower than expected progress on flight tests.

Despite the delays, the F-35B is expected to enter service with the US Marine Corps in fiscal year 2012.

Australia Awards Raytheon Australia Super Hornet Training Support Services Contract

Australian Greg Combet, Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science, announced today that Raytheon Australia has been awarded the Training Support Services Contract to support Super Hornet training systems at Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base Amberley.

"The signing of the Super Hornet Training Support Services Contract is worth approximately $21.5 million over three years, and secures about 25 jobs at RAAF Base Amberley for that period," Mr Combet said.

"The contract is vital for effective support of the Air Force's fleet of Super Hornets when they begin arriving at RAAF Base Amberley this year."

"Raytheon Australia will provide maintenance, logistics, and training services to support the Super Hornet flight simulators, visual environment maintenance trainers and electronic classrooms."

"Australia is acquiring 24 F/A-18F Super Hornets to aid the transition to a mature Joint Strike Fighter capability, and allow Air Force to retire the F-111 fleet in December 2010."

"The Super Hornet project is on budget and running ahead of schedule. The first Australian Super Hornets will arrive in late March 2010. The remaining aircraft will be progressively introduced throughout the remainder of 2010 and 2011," Mr Combet said.

Shayne Neumann, the Federal Member for Blair, said that the contract signing further strengthens the partnership between the RAAF, industry and the Ipswich area community.

"I am very pleased that this contract will support local jobs and help maintain our air combat capability." Mr Neumann said.

U.S. Marines May Get Some Non-STOVL F-35s

The U.S. Marines may get some carrier-borne F-35Cs with their short-takeoff-and-vertical-landing F-35Bs, a senior U.S. Navy aviation official said March 3.

The Marine Corps will start flying F-35Bs from amphibious assault ships in 2012, according to a Navy official. The Navy Department is considering giving the Corps some of the catapult-ready F-35Cs so they can fly from aircraft carriers. (Andy Wolfe / Lockheed Martin)

The Navy Department, which is planning to buy a total of 680 Lockheed Martin Lightning II strike fighters for the two services, has not yet decided how many of each variant will go to each branch, said Rear Adm. David "Deke" Philman, the Navy staff's air warfare director.

Right now, the Marines are to start flying F-35Bs from amphibious assault ships in 2012, Philbin said.

Department officials are considering giving the Corps some of the catapult-ready F-35Cs so they can fly from aircraft carriers, he said.

"The question of the mix is, 'Will the Marines fly tailhook versions'" or even B-models from conventional aircraft carriers, Philman said during a speech in Arlington, Va.

After the speech, he told reporters that the Navy is looking at "what is the requirement for the Navy, what is the requirement for the Marine Corps and how does that fit into the greater DON [Department of the Navy] construct."

Recent trouble with the entire F-35 program has led the sea service to re-evaluate the planned initial operational capability date of 2014, Philman said.

Maiden Flight for Russia’s New Stealth Fighter

Sukhoi T-50 PAK-FA made a successful 47-minute maiden flight on Friday 29 January 2010, taking off from Komsomolsk-on-Amur Airfield in Russia’s Far East, adjacent to the manufacturer’s site.

The aircraft was flown by Sukhoi test-pilot Sergey Bogdan. Sukhoi, the aircraft designer is expecting to complete flight testing and enter serial manufacturing by 2015, anticipating orders for at least 400 aircraft for the Russian and Indian Air Forces.
The flight went successfully meeting all its assigned tasks. “In the course of the flight we’ve conducted initial evaluation of the aircraft controllability, engine performance and primary systems operation. The aircraft had retracted and extracted the landing gear. The aircraft performed excellent at all flight-test points scheduled for today. It is easy and comfortable to pilot”, - said Sergey Bogdan.

After the initial test flights in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, the next test flight program is planned to take place in the Moscow and Astrakhan regions.
The new fifth generation stealth fighter, known by Project Code Name T-50 PAK-FA (Advanced Tactical Frontline Fighter) is designed to compete with the US stealth fighters such as the Lockheed Martin built F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II.

Russia has been developing its newest fighter since the 1990s. India had joined the program in October 2007 and is expected to share 25% of the development cost. India will also be responsible for modifying the aircraft into a two-seater trainer and special-mission fighter, addressing specific Indian Air Force requirements.

The T-50 is expected to have an endurance of 3.3 hours, and a ferry range of 5,500 km. Its armament consists of new air-to-air and anti-ship missiles in addition to two 30mm cannons. The T-50 is powered by a pair of Saturn 117S engines - these modified AL-31F engines produced by NPO are rated at up to 14.5 ton thrust and are now also powering the new Su-35 multirole fighters.
According to the manufacturer, PAK-FA possesses a number of unique features, compared to previous generation fighters, as it is combining the functionality of both attack aircraft and fighter plane. The 5th generation fighter is equipped with brand-new avionics suite, integrating “electronic pilot” functionality, as well as an advanced phased-array antenna radar. This significantly decreases pilot load, allowing him to focus upon the completion of tactical missions. New aircraft on-board equipment allows real-time data exchange, not only with ground-based control systems, but also within his flight team. According to AviationWeek, the T-50’s avionics suite to be supplied by the Ramenskoye Design Bureau will include six processors and display suite; the full-scale phased-array radar is under development at the Tikhomirov NIIP design bureau.

Composites application and innovative technologies and aerodynamics of the aircraft, are measures applied to decrease the engine signature, providing for an unprecedented small radar cross-section, in optical and infrared range. This significantly improves combat effectiveness against air and ground targets at any time of the day, in both visible and instrument meteorological conditions.

PAK-FA program advances Russian aeronautics, together with allied industries, reaching an entirely new technological level. These aircraft, together with upgraded 4th generation fighters will define Russian Air Force potential for the next decades. "Sukhoi plans to further elaborate on the PAK-FA program, which will involve our Indian partners. I am strongly convinced that our joint project will excel its Western rivals in cost-effectiveness and will not only allow strengthening the defensive power of Russian and Indian Air Forces, but also gain access to a significant share of the world market”, - said Mikhail Pogosyan, Sukhoi Company Director General commenting on the launch of the flight test program.

Selex to develop AESA technology demonstrator for UK Typhoons

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has entered into a GBP19 million (USD30 million) agreement with Selex Galileo to develop an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar to be flown aboard a Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft.

Announced by the company on 17 February, the technology demonstrator programme (TDP) includes the "development and build of a first of type, multi-function, wide-field-of-regard AESA radar providing increased capability and performance when compared to conventional AESA fire control radar systems".

Although Selex Galileo said that the AESA TDP is earmarked for "future UK platforms", the Royal Air Force (RAF) has shown considerable interest in recent years in acquiring the technology for its Typhoon force.

Edinburgh-based Selex Sensors and Airborne Systems UK is already developing an AESA radar for the Saab JAS 39 Gripen NG and this is the main reason why the UK government has thrown its backing behind that aircraft's bid to secure the Brazilian F-X2 fighter replacement competition.

With regard to the Vixen 1000E/ES05 Raven AESA radar being developed for the Gripen, Air Marshal Nigel Maddox of the RAF said in November 2009 that "any programme that de-risks the UK [Typhoon AESA] radar has to be fantastic.

"It's win-win," he added.

A key-element of the Vixen 1000E/ES05 Raven AESA, which distinguishes it from most other European- and US-developed AESA systems, is its electrically driven swashplate. This allows it to cover a total scan angle of ±100 degrees compared to 60-70 degrees for most current systems, allowing the aircraft to perform a large turn away from the target after launching a missile while maintaining missile support.

RAAF Will Soon Have its First Super Hornets

The first three of an eventual 24 F/A-18F Super Hornets destined for service with the Royal Australian Air Force were handed over to the Australian Defence Materiel Organisation by the US Defence Materiel Organisation at Naval Air Station Lemoore in California, USA.

The three Super Hornets, A44-202, 203 and 204, were checked over by personnel from 1 Squadron based at RAAF Amberley in Queensland.

Raytheon Australia has been awarded a Training Support Services Contract to support Super Hornet training at Amberley. “The signing of the contract is worth approximately $21.5 million over three years, and secures about 25 jobs at RAAF Amberley for that period,” said Greg Combet, Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science. Raytheon Australia will provide maintenance, logistics, and training services to support the Super Hornet flight simulators, visual environment maintenance trainers and electronic classrooms.

The first Australian Super Hornets will arrive at Amberley in late March with the rest following through to 2011 and will replace the ageing F-111, which will be retired in December.

The Second and Third Gripen of the Thai Air Force First Flight

Two-seat version of the Gripen aircraft and two single-seat version of the first aircraft to fly. The image is noticed integrated electronic warfare system, EWS-39 is looking at installing a two-seat model number 70102 with the following manufacturers have not installed EWS-39 at a time when the numbers 1 to flight first time.

The Cabinet also approved 800 million baht budget to provide two Gripen lot to provide integrated electronic warfare system looking EWS-39 installed on the 12 Gripen aircraft.

India speeds up $11 bln fighter jets purchase

India will narrow down the number of bidders by mid-2010 for its $11 billion fighter jet tender, a minister said, in a closely watched deal where diplomacy and strategic interests will play a big role.

Lockheed Martin's F-16 is competing with Boeing's F/A-18 Super Hornet, France's Dassault Rafale, Russia's MiG-35, Sweden's Saab (SAABb.ST) JAS-39 Gripen and the Eurofighter Typhoon, produced by a consortium of European companies.

The acquisition of 126 air and ground attack fighters will elevate India's air force to a super-power status, with deployments planned near the western and northeast borders to tackle any threats from Pakistan or China, officials say.

India fears China could be trying to strategically encircle it as they jostle for resources and global influence, while Pakistan has the U.S. F-16 fighters in its fleet, forcing New Delhi to buy planes that can shoot at targets 30 miles away.

"The trials should conclude by the middle of this year," Pallam Raju, India's junior defence minister, told Reuters on the sidelines of an arms fair in New Delhi this week.

"Once the trials are concluded, then we will be looking into the financial bids. We are speeding up things."

While Lockheed's F-16 has completed trials which began last August, the other five, including the MiG-35 from Russia, India's traditional supplier of weapons, and Sweden's Gripen, are in the midst of field trials. The phased trials will end by April.

Interest into the lucrative deal picked up worldwide after India's ambassador to Italy told reporters in Rome last month that the Eurofighter Typhoon, conceived and built by Germany, Spain, Italy and Britain, was leading in the race.

This week, Indian Defence Minister A.K. Antony took some flying lessons at the New Delhi fair in a cockpit simulator of the Eurofighter, which defence officials privately acknowledge is a frontrunner to win the contract.

New Delhi is also keen to diversify its weapons acquisition from European countries, said Brahma Chellaney, a professor on strategic studies at the Centre for Policy Research.

"By engaging in this campaign, India would ensure virtually a partnership, a strategic partnership on the political level with the rest of Europe," Matthias Schmidlin, campaign director of the Typhoon, told Reuters.

DEEPENING U.S. TIES

Security experts say New Delhi's growing ties with Washington, seen as a counterweight against China, might tilt the scale towards the two U.S. companies in the fray.

India and the United States signed a landmark civilian nuclear deal in 2008 and another pact in July last year, facilitating the entry of U.S. companies like Lockheed and Boeing into India's lucrative defence market.

"Over the last few years, the U.S.- India relationship in the defence sector has strengthened significantly and we are very optimistic regarding the future of this relation," said Vivek Lall, head (India) of Boeing defence.

Indian Air Force officials were also seen getting into cockpit simulators of the F/A-18 Super Hornet and Lockheed's F-16 -- two stalls located near each other at the arms fair.

"But we are not together on this one (trials). It is a keenly fought contest," a Lockheed official said, underlining the fierce contest by defence companies lined up at India's door for a share of the $100 billion defence market pie.

Some experts say the U.S. government's refusal to transfer full technology to India could turn out to be a roadblock when it comes to choosing the fighter India wants.

Russia's MiG-35, and France's Rafale are also keenly watched by experts, and are equally strong contenders, officials say.

"The decison will be based on multiple matrices. First it must match user requirements and then it will go to the political arena," said Uday Bhaskar, director of the National Maritime Foundation, a New Delhi-based defence think tank.

Raytheon Wins RAAF Super Hornet Training Contract

Raytheon Australia has won a contract to provide training support services to the RAAF’s fleet of 24 F/A-18F Super Hornets at RAAF Base Amberley when they arrive next month.

Under the contract, Raytheon will provide “maintenance, logistics, and training services to support the Super Hornet flight simulators, visual environment maintenance trainers and electronic classrooms,” according to a release from Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science, Greg Combet. “The signing of the Super Hornet Training Support Services Contract is worth approximately $21.5 million over three years, and secures about 25 jobs at RAAF Base Amberley for that period,” it adds.

Raytheon will draw upon staff and experience with systems from the RAAF’s current classic Hornet Aircrew Training System (HACTS) simulators located at RAAF Williamtown and Tindal, and the F-111 simulator at Amberley. “This is a welcome addition to the Raytheon Australia force preparedness portfolio,” Raytheon Australia’s managing director, Michael Ward said, in a statement. “The contract extends our existing pedigree to ready and sustain the force that has been built upon designing innovative solutions such as the Hornet Aircrew Training System and the RAN Retention and Motivation Initiative (RMI).”