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BATTLESPACE DEFENCE NEWS ROUNDUP

Schiebel completes S-100 Camcopter heavy fuel tests for RAN Schiebel has announced it has successfully completed acceptance testing of a heavy fuel engine on its Camcopter S-100 UAS currently being tested for the Royal Australian Navy.

Designed to be compatible with heavy fuels already carried at sea for marine and helicopter gas turbines, the adoption and successful testing of the heavy fuel-powered S2 engine on the S-100 will negate the requirement to carry dedicated aviation fuel in separate bunkerage.

Initially JP-5 (F-44) and Jet-A1 fuels have been cleared, while other fuel types are planned to be approved in future. Significantly, Schiebel says the new S2 engine increases the operational performance and maintainability of the S-100.

The S-100 was fitted with a representative payload of an L3Harris Wescam MX-10 electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) camera, an automatic identification system (AIS), an L3Harris Bandit transceiver, and a Mode-S automatic dependent surveillance broadcast (ADS-B) transponder.

The S-100 is being trialled by the RAN as it seeks to develop the requirements for its Project SEA 129 Phase 5 unmanned system that will be embarked aboard the new SEA 1180 Arafura class offshore patrol vessels from 2024.

Boeing retains RAAF Super Hornet and Growler sustainment Boeing Defence Australia has been granted a four-year extension to its contract to provide maintenance services for the RAAF’s fleet of 24 F/A-18F Super Hornets and 11 EA-18G Growlers.

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Located at RAAF Amberley near Brisbane, the Air Combat and Electronic Attack Sustainment (ACEAS) contract extension is valued at $280 million and supports 230 Boeing and subcontractor staff.

“The contract … provides a highlyexperienced maintenance, engineering, supply, project management, and weapon system integrator workforce to Defence,” Minister for Defence Industry, Melissa Price said in a statement.

“This partnership continues to recognise Boeing’s commitment and performance in supporting these Air Force capabilities.“

JSF program records 500th delivery The multi-national Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program has logged its 500th delivery, with the handing over of an F-35A to the USAF.

The 500th delivery is a key milestone for the once-ailing program, and is another sign of growing maturity. Of the 500 jets delivered, 354 are F-35A conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) models – including 20 for Australia – 108 are F-35B short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL), and 38 are F-35C carrier variants (CV).

Another milestone that coincided with the 500th delivery was the logging of 250,000 hours by the global F-35 fleet, including all test and developmental test flying.

“The F-35 is delivering an unprecedented 5th Generation combat capability to the warfighter at the cost of a 4th Generation legacy aircraft,” Lockheed Martin’s F-35 program vice president and general manager Greg Ulmer said in a statement.

Lockheed Martin says the F-35 is operated by nine nations on their home soil and from 23 bases, and that four nations have used the aircraft in combat operations. It adds that 985 pilots and nearly 9,000 maintainers have been have been trained on the jet.

Skeldar launches V-150 VTOL UAS UMS SKELDAR has announced the launch of a new V-150 vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) unmanned system aimed at supporting tactical operations, surveillance, police, and homeland security operations. Smaller than the company’s larger

V-200 system, the V-150 can carry multiple payloads totalling 42kg in two payload bays and has an endurance of 2.5 hours with a 12 kg payload. Skeldar says it will increase this to four hours in the near future with additional development. The air vehicle is powered by a turbine engine that uses heavy fuels, and its modular design allows for high levels of maintainability and minimum turnaround times.

“The new V-150 is the perfect partner for our flagship SKELDAR V-200,” David Willems, VP Business Development and Strategy for UMS SKELDAR said in a statement. “The V-150 has been developed as an easy to use, simple to maintain UAV that can assist organisations with a wide range of smaller critical activities that ordinarily would entail manned crews taking on at an increased cost.”

Possible payloads include electrooptical/infrared (EO/IR) sensors, small tactical synthetic aperture radars (SAR), and signals intelligence (SIGINT) payloads, and area-motion imagery sensors.

Third AWD delivered to Navy The third and last Hobert class air warfare destroyer (AWD) has been handed over to the Royal Australian Navy by its shipbuilder, the AWD Alliance. NUSHIP Sydney was provisionally accepted by the RAN at the Osborne shipyard in Adelaide on February 27 after the completion of builder’s sea trials, initial provisioning, and acceptance trials. Sydney will now undertake additional trials and a workup period out of its city namesake, prior to its planned commissioning in May.

“I congratulate the 5,000 workers who have worked directly on this program over

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the past decade, from the design phase through to the construction, integration and delivery of these magnificent ships,” Minister for Defence, Senator Linda Reynolds said in a statement,

Built under Project SEA 4000 along with sister guided missile destroyers (DDGs), HMA Ships Hobart and Brisbane, Sydney was launched in May 2018, and commenced an initial two-month period of builder’s sea trials in September 2019.

The three new DDGs replace the fleet air defence capability previously conducted by the Adams/Perth class DDGs which were retired in 2001, and more recently by the Perry/Adelaide class FFGs, the last of which was decommissioned in late 2019.

Raytheon Aust awarded ADF JATTS contract Raytheon Australia has been awarded a $330 million eight-year contract to provide Joint Adversarial Training and Testing Services (JATTS) for the ADF.

The new contract sees the consolidation of three existing contracts under which Raytheon provides representative adversary aircraft, aerial targets, and electronic warfare capabilities for all three services of the ADF. In particular, Raytheon’s capabilities are brought to bear during exercises and work up periods, and for the development of new airborne, maritime and ground-based capabilities. The JATTS contract also has various ‘portals’ that will allow additional resources and companies – such as the manned and unmanned systems operated by Air Affairs Australia – to be brought in for major events such as Exercises Pitch Black and Talisman Saber, the biennial Air Warfare Instructor Course (AWIC), or for longer-term development periods of Australian-specific capabilities such as the new LAND 19 Phase 7B Enhanced NASAMS short-range air-defence system.

The JATTS contract will support a core of 88 staff based at Nowra in NSW.

Joint F-35 data reprogramming centre opens The RAAF’s F-35A Lightning II capability has taken several advances, the most recent of which is the opening of the multinational mission data reprogramming lab in Florida.

The Australia Canada UK reprogramming lab (ACURL) is located alongside the US reprogramming lab at Eglin AFB. and is tasked with producing and upgrading mission data files (MDF) for F-35 sensor performance, fusion upgrades, operational techniques, and electronic threat library refinements.

The opening of the ACURL follows the

announcement that TAE Aerospace had completed the repair of its first F135 engine fan module at its new 15,000 sqm Turbine Engine Maintenance Facility (TEMF) near Ipswich in Queensland. TAE was named in 2015 as the company responsible for all F135 Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul and Upgrade (MRO&U) depot work in the AsiaPacific region.

RAAF commences flight tests of C-130J with Litening AT targeting pod The RAAF commenced flight trials in late January of one of its 12 Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 Hercules transports fitted with a Northrop Grumman AN/AAQ-28(V) Litening AT targeting pod.

Availability of the advanced Litening sensor pods comes from RAAF draw down of its fleet of F/A-18A/B classic Hornets.

The pod is mounted on a pylon outboard of the C130J engines on the port wing, and has a wide field of regard forward, behind and on both sides of the aircraft. The pod can record video in both day and night and includes a forward looking infrared (FLIR) camera.

“Historically, RAAF Hercules crews have relied on radio, instruments and their own senses to understand the environment,” Commander Air Mobility Group (AMG) AIRCDRE Carl Newman said in a statement. “This trial will examine how the Litening pod can improve crew situational awareness to mitigate mission risks.”

The integration of the Litening pod with the aircraft was designed and performed by C-130J sustainment contractor Airbus Australia Pacific at the C-130J’s home base of RAAF Richmond near Sydney with support from Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin. The test aircraft is also the first C-130J to receive communications and other enhancements under the RAAF’s Plan Jericho.

Primes held to account to achieve maximum Australian industry content The Government says it will hold defence primes 100 per cent responsible for achieving maximum Australian industry content (AIC) on major defence procurement projects underway.

Defence Industry Minister Melissa Price

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said she wanted to ensure the Defence Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group (CASG) possessed the people with commercial and private sector experience to guide defence procurement at this vital stage.

“As we enter the delivery phase of these major projects I am 100 per cent focused on holding the primes to account on their obligations. That’s why I have directed Defence to establish an independent AIC audit program,” she said.

“It will investigate and report on whether major contractors are meeting their AIC obligations.”

Navy Chief VADM Michael Noonan said he was committed to AIC but there were aspects of naval capability which simply could not be made in Australia, citing the combat system of Collins and Attack class submarines.

However, that would change as the shipbuilding program proceeded.

Loyal Wingman aperture opens for Australian defence industry The potential market for Boeing Australia’s ‘Loyal Wingman’ Airpower Teaming System (ATS) has received a significant boost following the US Government’s decision to fund two new Boeing F-15 Eagles, designated F-15EX, for the United States Air Force (USAF).

The US Navy and Boeing recently announced the successful demonstration of two autonomously controlled EA-18G Growlers under the control of a third Growler to prove the effectiveness of F/A-18 Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler aircrew to remotely control fighter and attack platforms from the cockpit.

It follows that a F-15EX Loyal Wingman would fit into a similar manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) mission system architecture.

As well as being able to carry 22 air-to-air missiles, more significantly the F-15EX has a new, powerful digital mission computer, large format next generation cockpit displays, and an electronic warfare and threat identification system: the Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System (EPAWSS).

This would make the F-15EX a potent mothership for a Loyal Wingman formation and provide commonality across US Navy and USAF platforms with similar upgrades planned for the Super Hornet Block III.

Furthermore, mission computer upgrades are potentially on the cards for existing F-15 users such as Japan, South Korea, Israel, Saudi Arabia and Singapore, opening additional export opportunities for the ATS, as well as operational air power teaming opportunities with regional partners.

As reported in an exclusive feature in ADBR at the 2019 Avalon Airshow, the ATS represents the first full-scale Australiandesigned high performance aircraft development program since the Jindivik drone in the 1950s and 60s.

Rafael demonstrates drone laser shoot-down capability Israeli defence and technology company Rafael has demonstrated its laser counterdrone system, achieving 100 per cent success in a series of test scenarios featuring multiple and manoeuvring small drones.

Rafael said their Drone Dome Counter

Unmanned Aerial System (C-UAS) successfully demonstrated its hard-kill laser system after detecting and identifying a series of small distant targets. Those targets appear to have been readily available Chinese-made DJI Phantom drones.

The entire system was mounted on the back of a Land Rover and controlled by a single operator.

Rafael says Drone Dome is an innovative end-to-end C-UAS solution for securing air space from hostile drones.

Cirrus secures three defence technology contracts Sydney-based engineering and technology company, Cirrus Real Time Processing Systems, has secured three new defence contracts for Air Force and Navy systems. One contract is with the RAAF for the development of lightweight, deployable and interoperable electronic warfare (EW) sensors for the localisation of radio frequency transmitters.

Another is with the Royal Australian Navy for the extension of the Cirrus Generic COMCEN (communications centre) Simulator (GCS) to additionally simulate the behaviour of the maritime tactical wide area network (MTWAN) functionality that operates in concert with a ship’s COMCEN. The third, also with the RAN, follows the Commonwealth’s exercise of an option for the expansion of engineering services provided for additional tactical electronic warfare (TACEW) recently delivered by Cirrus to the RAN (HMAS Watson) under an earlier contract.

US approves sale of RAN surface combatant capabilities and services The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has announced State Department approval of a foreign military sale (FMS) to Australia of long-lead items, engineering development activities and other defence services for the RAN’s Hobart and Hunter class surface combatant programs.

The sale will support the RAN’s three Project SEA 1000 Hobart class DDGs and nine planned SEA 5000 Hunter class frigates. Included in the sale are three Lockheed Martin Aegis weapon system shipsets in the latest MK 6 Mod 1

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configuration to upgrade the Hobart class vessels, and the first three Aegis shipsets for the first three Hunter class frigates.

Also for the first three Hunter vessels are three Mk41 vertical launch systems (VLS), three Mk35 gun weapon systems, three pairs of Phalanx close-in weapons systems (CIWS), six shipsets of the latest configuration of the cooperative engagement capability (CEC) system for both classes, and various other supporting communications, sensors, processing, command and control, and navigation systems.

Importantly, the deal also includes six shipsets of the AN/SRQ-4 Hawklink radio terminal sets which allows the surface combatant to have over-the-horizon radar, acoustic, EO/IR and network links to embarked MH-60R Romeo combat helicopters. This capability was a surprising omission when the RAN specified the MH60R and Hobart class requirements and, along with CEC, is a significant capability enhancement.

Defence services to be provided include the development and integration of an upgrade to the Aegis combat system to provide an integrated air and missile defence (IAMD) capability and growth capability for ballistic missile defence (BMD).

Other services will provide for the integration of the Aegis system with the global combat ship design upon which the Hunter class is based, the integration of the Hunter’s CEAFAR 2 Phased Array Radar with Aegis and CEC, and the integration of the MH-60R with the Aegis systems of both classes.

RAN Maritime Warfare Centre expanded The RAN has formally opened an expanded Maritime Warfare Centre (MWC), an entity that will integrate the former smaller Australian Maritime Warfare Centre (AMWC) and the service’s test and evaluation into a single organisation.

Previously responsible for maritime warfare policy, doctrine and tactics, the AMWC was also responsible for the Fleet Cross Force Capability Division, signature analysis and ranging, weapon system performance, operational analysis in conjunction with Defence Science and Technology (DST) Group, and the Fleet Operational Knowledge Exploitation Cell.

The integration of the Royal Australian Navy Test and Evaluation Authority (RANTEA) will enable the MWC to provide expanded test and evaluation, tactical development and operational analysis throughout the capability life cycle. It has been located at Fleet Base East at Garden Island in Sydney.

Raytheon awarded contract for more AMRAAMs Raytheon Missile Systems has been awarded a US$768.3m (A$1.12bn) contract by the Pentagon to produce an unspecified number of AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles under Lot 33 production.

The contract will see 47 percent of the value of the contract for the AMRAAMs produced for 21 nations including Australia,

expects to phase out from 2030.

The acquisition of the F-35 will be another step forward in Singapore’s efforts to transform its armed forces into an integrated, networked force.

The STOVL variant of the F-35 will enhance the RSAF’s ability to generate air power in times of conflict if access to conventional airbase facilities are denied. Singapore is a little over 700 square kilometres in size, with its main island less than 50 km at its widest point, and it is planned one of its three main airbases will be closed in the early 2020s to free up land for commercial purposes.

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Singapore, South Korea, Canada and the UK, with the balance being for the US services.

The AIM-120 AMRAAM is currently the US’s premier medium-range air-to-air missile. There are several current production versions of the AMRAAM including the AIM-120C-5, C-7, and AIM-120D, and these are available in several discreet sub-variants depending on the customer and their requirement.

The RAAF operates all three current versions of the AMRAAM and employs the weapon from the F/A-18A-B Hornet, F/A-18F Super Hornet, EA-18G Growler, and F-35A Lightning II. The Australian Army will operate the AMRAAM from its new Project LAND 19 Phase 7B Enhanced NASAMS system from 2022.

Singapore approved to acquire F-35B The US State Department has approved Singapore’s request to acquire 12 F-35B short takeoff vertical landing (STOVL) variants of the of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II aircraft.

The initial approval is for four aircraft with a further eight options, and the cost of the deal is estimated to total US$2.75bn (A$4bn) including 13 engines, electronic warfare systems and other support systems.

The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) has long expressed an interest in acquiring the F-35 to replace its fleet of 60 Lockheed Martin F-16C/D fighters which it

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C-27J fuselage trainer arrives at Amberley A Leonardo/L3Harris C-27J Spartan fuselage trainer has arrived at RAAF Base Amberley near Brisbane to provide enhanced training for RAAF C-27J loadmasters and ground crews.

Built from a retired G.222/C-27A – the C-27J’s predecessor – the fuselage trainer has been equipped with the more modern cargo handling systems and loadmaster station of the C-27J. It will provide highfidelity training for 35SQN crews, and to develop new load carrying methods and systems without the need to use a real aircraft.

EOS RWS ordered for LAND 400 Phase 2 The Commonwealth has signed a $45m contract with Electro Optic Systems (EOS) Defence Systems for the provision of 82 R400S-MK2-D-HD remote weapons stations (RWS) for the Boxer 8×8 combat reconnaissance vehicle being acquired through Project LAND 400 Phase 2.

Supplied to the project as government furnished equipment (GFE), the RWS will equip about 40 per cent of the planned fleet of 211 Boxers. EOS says the R400SMk2-D-HD RWS is capable of mounting a variety of weapons including small calibre machine guns, lightweight cannons, and anti-tank guided missiles.

“These cutting edge Remote Weapon Stations will provide a superior selfprotection capability for our Boxer 8×8 combat reconnaissance vehicle crews,” Defence Minister Senator Minister Reynolds said in a statement.