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RAAF UAS PROJECTS
RA AF UAS PROJECTS
AI.R POWER The RAAF prepares to operate up to three unmanned systems BY ANDREW McLAUGHLIN
T
he first half of the 2020s will arguably see the greatest transformation of the Royal Australian Air Force in its 100 year history. While the past 20 years has seen an almost complete recapitalisation of the RAAF’s aircraft fleet, the next five years will see the introduction of at least two and possibly three major unmanned combat systems, the RAAF’s first permanent unmanned capabilities. But the RAAF has already metaphorically dipped it toes in the unmanned waters, having operated a number of leased IAI Heron I remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) in Afghanistan from 2009 to 2014, and in Australia from 2015 to 2017. Under the noncapitalised Project Nankeen, these systems were leased from and supported in service by Canadian firm MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd (MDA), with reachback to IAI.
The Herons were leased after another project the RAAF had collaborated on in a trial at Woomera – the UK’s BAE Systems HERTI (High Endurance Rapid Technology Insertion) Fury UAS – was considered unsuitable for the ADF’s operational requirements in Afghanistan. Despite this, the UK’s RAF deployed a number of HERTI air vehicles to Camp Bastion in Helmand Province for an operational trial. Operated by 5 Flight (5FLT), approximately 75 pilots and 75 sensor operators were trained on the Heron in its time in RAAF service. Between January 2010 and November 2014, RAAF Herons flew over 27,100 hours in support of operations in Afghanistan, while between April 2015 and June 2017 the two Herons based in Australia flew a further 710 hours. The two Australian-based Herons mostly flew from Woomera in South Australia, but also from RAAF Base Amberley and Rockhampton Airport to participate in Exercise Talisman Sabre 2015.
