Defence

AUSTRALIA-JAPAN DEFENCE FORCES TO OPERATE TOGETHER ‘SEAMLESSLY’

The meeting between the two was scheduled to take place in person, however, was moved online due to growth in Australia’s COVID cases.

Prime Ministers Scott Morrison and Fumio Kishida recently signed a Reciprocal Access Agreement, ensuring "Australia's Defence Forces and Japanese forces can act and operate together seamlessly." The RAA was signed in a virtual meeting, with the RAA scheduled to deepen the military ties between the two nations via greater defence and security cooperation. The agreement is designed to support the ongoing challenges faced by both Australia and Japan in the Indo-Pacific and ensure the preservation of the international rules-based order. The Prime Minister's Office has confirmed that the Australia-Japan RAA will result in further joint military exercises, humanitarian assistance missions and maritime domain awareness. Throughout the meeting, the leaders also discussed a raft of other measures including kick-starting the hydrogen energy industry with $150 million government in government investments. BAE SYSTEMS WELCOMES NEW F-35 CONTRACT

BAE Systems Australia recently welcomed the announcement of a new F-35 Air Vehicle Support Services contract to establish sovereign maintenance and supply chain support for the Australian fleet at RAAF Bases Williamtown, NSW, and Tindal in the Northern Territory. Maintaining and sustaining the global F-35 capability will create around 360 new direct jobs at BAE Systems Australia over the next 10 years and develop a specialist supply chain across Australia of more than 70 SMEs by 2025. BAE Systems has provided fast jet maintenance and upgrades to RAAF aircraft from its Williamtown facility for almost three decades and employs nearly 460 people in the precinct. The new AVSS contract will employ 46 BAE Systems Australia staff, providing direct, on-the-ground support to RAAF personnel sustaining the F-35. The company will have around 130 people working to support F-35 aircraft maintenance by the end of the year, having also recruited 25 former Jetstar technicians during the downturn in commercial aviation caused by COVID-19. According to Defence, the hardware and software modifications improve the accuracy of the Hercules’ navigation systems, especially during landing in remote areas across the Asia-Pacific region. It also includes safety upgrades ensuring the ongoing protection of the RAAF’s No.37 Squadron personnel. The recent upgrades also provide enhanced friend-orfoe identification systems and guarantee that the aircraft remain in compliance with global air traffic management regulations.

NEXT GEN WARHEADS DELIVERED TO RAAF

HERCULES UPGRADE

The first RAAF C-130J Hercules to undergo the Block 8.1 hardware and software upgrade has touched down in RAAF Base Richmond, Defence announced. The initial upgrades were undertaken by Lockheed Martin and the US Air Force in the United States, with the remaining 11 aircraft expected to undergo upgrades locally at RAAF Base Richmond with the support of Airbus Australia Pacific. Locally manufactured nextgeneration warheads have been accepted into service by the RAAF. BLU-111(AUS)B/B warheads have been delivered to No. 3 Squadron at No. 81 Wing RAAF Base Williamtown. The 500-pound (227-kilogram) highexplosive warheads were configured by armament technicians as a Paveway II laser guided bomb before being loaded onto the F-35A Lightning II for a training drill. The BLU-111(AUS)B/B warheads, built with improved

safety characteristics, replace the Mk82 500lb explosives. The next-generation warheads are expected to be used as the primary 500lb high-explosive warhead for RAAF operations and training exercises. Local production of the BLU-111(AUS)B/B commenced following the successful delivery of the BLU-126(AUS)/B, 500lb low-collateral bomb, which demonstrated capacity to produce reduced sensitivity warheads using locally manufactured ingredients for the explosive fill. Use of the BLU-111(AUS)B/B is expected to extend beyond operation by the F-35A fleet, likely extending to the Hawk 127 lead-in fighter, F/A-18F Super Hornet and future platforms like the unmanned MQ-9B Sky Guardian.

THALESACCELERATING WEAPONS MANUFACTURING CAPABILITY

Thales Australia has announced a $6 million investment in stateof-the-art advanced manufacturing equipment at the Commonwealth owned Mulwala facility in regional New South Wales, to rapidly accelerate sovereign guided weapons manufacturing capability. Thales’s investment in new large-scale preparation and mixing equipment will enable a 500% increase in the size of rocket motors able to be manufactured at Mulwala, supporting production of advanced guided weapons and hypersonic weapons. Building on Thales’s 25year in-country legacy of manufacturing world-leading sovereign munitions for the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and strategic Defence Industry partners, the new equipment will deliver a step-change in Australia’s sovereign capacity to produce guided munitions, enabling the manufacture of more than 90% of the ADF’s current strategic rocket propulsion inventory and delivering the capability to manufacture future guided and hypersonic weapon systems. It represents a significant acceleration and scaling up of Australia’s guided weapons manufacturing capability to produce large rocket motors essential for advanced guided missiles. Courtesy Thales Australia. ONGOING SUPPORT TO TONGA

The Australian Defence Force is supporting the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)-led effort to support the Government of Tonga following the eruption of Tonga’s Hunga TongaHunga Ha’apaiunderwater volcano on 15 January 2022. The Australian Defence Force contribution, named Operation TONGA ASSIST 22, includes air reconnaissance using P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, airlift support using C-17A Globemaster III and C-130J Hercules transport aircraft, as well as the deployment of HMAS Adelaide with embarked supplies, helicopters and Army engineer contingent.

HELLFIRE MISSILE ORDER APPROVED

The US State Department has sanctioned the sale of Hellfire missiles to the Australian Defence Force. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has confirmed the prospective sale of 800 Hellfire AGM114R2 Missiles to Australia for US$108 million ($150 million). The deal includes the provision of technical assistance, spare parts, repair and return, storage, and program and logistical support. According to the DSCA, the deal would support the “foreign policy and national security objectives” of the United States. The Lockheed Martin-built missiles are expected to bolster the Australian Army’s armed reconnaissance and anti-tank warfare mission capabilities. This is the latest of a number of foreign military sales announced in recent months, including the Commonwealth government’s request to purchase up to 40 Sikorskybuilt UH-60 Black Hawks to replace the Australian Army’s fleet of 47 Airbus-built MRH90 Taipan helicopters. The request has been made as part of a provisional assessment process designed to inform a prospective purchase. Six Black Hawk helicopters could be available from Sikorsky’s 2022 global production line, with the remaining helicopters potentially delivered by 2026. This followed the approval of an additional 12 MH-60R Multi-Mission (Seahawk) helicopters for approximately US$985 million ($1.3 billion) and the sale of a the sale of a Boeing-built US Navy EA18G aircraft for an estimated US$125 million ($170.8 million).