Australian Air Power Today November 21

Summer 2021 Vol 3 No 4

Air Force | Air Power | National Defence | Space | Cyber

c i n o s r e p hy S E L I M ISS

FASTER THAN A SPEEDING BULLET Advancing Air Combat Capability

Volume 3 No 4 Summer 2021

index

4 COVER STORY HYPERSONIC MISSILES

Advancing Air Combat Capability COVER THEME-HYPERSONIC TECHNOLOGY

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FEATURES 30 Asymmetric Grey War Zone is on our Footsteps 34 Traffic Framework for eVTOLS 51 Uninhabited Aerial Systems for the RAN 40 Swarms of Trouble; the Hidden Threat of Consumer UAVs 56 Look How Far We've Come 70 Paper Pilots

SPACE 22 Boosting Space Capabilities Through AUKUS 46 Developing Next Gen Lunar Vehicles 64 The Right Stuff-Becoming Australia's First Female Astronaut

78 Cyber Security & Manufacturing in the Defence Sector FIXED WING 85 History 89 Relocation 96 Transition 104 Defence 108 On The Radar 110 Air Force Cadets 111 Books 112 Back Page

Defence on Shopping Spree for Tough Times Ahead

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What are the New Frontiers of War?

CYBER 77 Simulating Advanced Cyber Threats CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Sherryn Groch, Felicity Lewis, Malcolm Davis Ryan Both, Charles Page, Chris Arnold, Mike Yeo, Oleg Vornik, Joseph Brookes, Philip Swadling, FLTLT Georgina MacDonald, FLGOFF Lily Lancaster,Gregor Ferguson, Kim Ellis Hayes, Defence News, Kate Louis.

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Hard copy: To receive a complimentary copy airpower@flightpublishing.com.au Cover: Artist impressions. Raytheon Above: A DART rocket carrying a RAAF payload was launched from Koonibba Rocket Range in South Australia on Saturday, 190920; marking the first commercial rocket launch to the edge of space from Australia. Photo taken by : Sean Jorgensen-Day, DEWC Systems Engineer. Defence image.

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NA A H T r e t s a f g n i d e spe t e l l u b ADVANCING Air Combat Capability The future of Australia’s air combat capability is being realised in a joint venture between the US Defense Department and the Australian Defence Force. The Southern Cross Integrated Flight Research Experiment (SCIFiRE) program is aimed at maturing “a solid-rocket boosted, airbreathing, hypersonic conventional cruise missile, air-launched from existing fighter/bomber aircraft, through to completion of a preliminary design review,” according to a recent US Defense contract announcement.

Based on more than 15 years of collaboration between the US and Australia on science and technology research into hypersonic scramjets, rocket motors, sensors, and advanced manufacturing materials, the SCIFiRE program is the product of a joint collaboration which commenced in 2007. This was known as the Hypersonic International Flight Research Experimentation (HIFiRE) program, which aimed to develop baseline hypersonic technologies. The most recent HIFiRE test, successfully conducted in July 2017, explored the flight dynamics of a Mach 8 hypersonic glide vehicle, while previous tests explored scramjet engine technologies.

This program aims to realise a number of future focussed capabilities for the Royal Australian Air Force.

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One of these capabilities could be a Mach 5-class precision strike missile, propulsion-launched and powered by an air-breathing scramjet engine. This could complement and synchronise with various aircraft platforms including the F/A-18F Super Hornet, EA-18G Growler and F-35A Lightning II, as well as the P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft.

Chief of Air Force, Air Chief Marshal Mel Hupfeld said “The SCIFiRE initiative is another opportunity to advance the capabilities in our Air Combat Capability Program to support joint force effects to advance Australia’s security and prosperity. Working with our Defence scientists here in Australia and our partners in the US Air Force and across the US Department of Defense on leading edge capabilities brings out the best in our Air Force team.”

SCIFiRE is aimed at furthering airbreathing hypersonic technologies, with demonstration tests expected by the mid -2020s. A key advantage for the US Defense Department working with its Australian counterparts is the Woomera Test Range located in South Australia - one of the largest weapons test facilities in the world. The US Congressional Research Service said “Australia reportedly operates seven hypersonic wind tunnels and is capable of testing speeds of up to Mach 30.”

The US Defense Department recently took a step forward with the Australian and US SCIFiRE Hypersonic cruise missile program awarding contracts to Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon. Lockheed Martin and Raytheon Technologies are working on advanced air vehicle configurations that will have a hydrocarbon scramjetpowered propulsion and thermal management system for sustained hypersonic flight during the first freeflight tests. Work under these contracts is expected to be completed by August 2022.

The joint program between Australia and the US aims to leverage new and existing frameworks for international cooperation in research and development, so the US and its close allies can co-develop prototypes to advance military superiority. The goal is to rapidly develop highimpact, game-changing, large-scale operational prototypes and explore opportunities to energize industrial bases within the US and among its allies.

According to a US report, SCIFiRE intends to “demonstrate an operational hypersonic cruise missile through two to four flight tests,” with the effort being viewed by the US Air Force as a bridge between the Hypersonic Airbreathing Weapon Concept (HAWC)

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On The Drawing Board project. The project’s goal is to build a hypersonic cruise missile that breathes air to feed its engine. This would allow the weapon to be launched at a low altitude and closer to the target, and would produce a more manoeuvrable missile that would be harder to detect.

US Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, Michael Kratsios said, “SCIFiRE is a true testament to the enduring friendship and strong partnership between the United States and Australia. This initiative will be essential to the future of hypersonic research and development, ensuring the US and our allies lead the world in the advancement of this transformational warfighting capability.”

Last year, China showcased what it claimed was a hypersonic missile at a military parade, while Russia boasted it had deployed nuclear-tipped hypersonic missiles capable of flying at 27 times the speed of sound. India’s Defense Research and Development Organisation successfully test-fired a Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle, joining the elite hypersonic club. These tests also laid the foundation for development of a hypersonic cruise missile system in the future, which would be a significant addition to India’s military might.

Hypersonic cruise missiles would be smaller than standard boost-glide

systems that use conventional rocket boosters to accelerate the weapon to Mach 5-plus, after which the glide body containing the warhead detaches from the booster and coasts, skipping along the upper limits of the atmosphere like a stone across a pond.

Being able to fly at over five times the speed of sound, hypersonic missiles and aircraft would literally be able to outrun conventional weapons.

They would also allow only a very small window of time for targeting systems to lock onto them and would have so much momentum some wouldn't even need explosives to destroy their targets.

Hypersonic weapons are widely regarded as the future of warfare because they offer little warning time and are almost impossible to intercept by missile shields – like trying to hit a bullet with a bullet.

The management of these initiatives and other strategic capability acquisition options form part of a new and enhanced trilateral security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom and United States (AUKUS). Under this collaboration, there are also options to identify other key priority areas such as cyber, AI and quantum. This will enhance Australia’s ability to deter and respond to potential security challenges to the nation and region.

Additional to the SCIFIRE Program, Australia plans to acquire longrange strike capabilities to enhance the ADF’s ability to accurately deliver strike effects across air, land and maritime domains.

These include: • Tomahawk Cruise Missiles, to be acquired on Hobart class destroyers, enabling maritime assets to strike land targets at greater distances, with better precision.

• Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (Extended Range) will enable F/A-18 A/B Hornets and in future, F-35A Lightning II, to hit targets at a range of 900km.

• L o n g - R a n g e A n t i - S h i p Missiles (Extended Range) (LRASM) for the F/A-18F Super Hornet.

• P r e c i s i o n s t r i k e g u i d e d missiles for land forces, which are capable of destroying, neutralising and supressing diverse targets from over 400km.

• Accelerating $1 billion for a sovereign guided weapons manufacturing enterprise – which will enable weapons production on Australian soil.

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DART AE: A Disruptive Demonstration of Australia’s Hypersonic Sovereign Capability Hypersonix Launch Systems (Hypersonix) — the leading Australian scramjet engine and hypersonic aerospace design and engineering company — is proud to launch the revolutionary DART AE. Entirely made through additive engineering, DART AE is a three-metre-long, single-use, hightemperature alloy, hydrogen-fuelled, scramjet technology demonstrator. It features a mass of 300kg, range of 500km and speed of Mach 7.

D A RT A E i s p o w e r e d b y a single SPARTAN, Hypersonix’s fifth generation scramjet engine. The hydrogen-powered SPARTAN is the world’s first 3D-printed fixed geometry scramjet, delivering performance, reliability, lead time and cost advantages over more bespoke manufacturing methods.

The additive manufacturing production is aligned with key objectives of the Australian Modern Manufacturing Strategy, including the priorities of space, defence and clean energy.

By designing and manufacturing the product entirely in Australia, Hypersonix is proudly contributing to Australia’s Sovereign capabilities, demonstrating industry impact and scale locally and globally.

DART AE can be launched using an unguided sounding rocket — reducing cost and adding flexibility to the launch and payload scenarios. The prototype test launch, powered by an unguided sounding rocket, is scheduled for early 2023.

Earlier this year, Hypersonix completed its shock tunnel testing and vendor selection process. It is now building a hydrogen-powered hypersonic vehicle to demonstrate SPARTAN’s performance and elevate the technology from Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5 to TRL 7.

Hypersonix is also developing the Delta-Velos Orbiter small satellite launch system — another step in enabling affordable, green, sustainable

access to space. This fully reusable system “flies to space” under scramjet power, allowing access to any orbit, from any launch site. Time-to-launch can be just days, compared to months.

The Delta-Velos Demonstrator is a 5.5-metre scaled MVP version of the Orbiter, scheduled to launch Q3 2023.

Fully composite and powered by four SPARTAN engines, it will demonstrate reusability, acceleration, and a 2,500 km range.

H y p e r s o n i x ’s e n v i r o n m e n t a l approach to space technology is not new. The company has taken advantage of significant growth in the hydrogen economy to reduce development and infrastructure costs in the operation of its platforms.

Hypersonix’s technology has global applications across the aerospace sector. Fifty thousand small satellites are projected to launch by 2030, with an estimated market worth $19 billion. Rapid growth in the hypersonic technology market predicts a surge from $5.41billion to $12.91billion* by 2031. *BIS Research Global

Hypersonic Technology Market Report 2021.

While there are currently over 100 small launch vehicle companies in development internationally, few use green hydrogen as fuel, and none use scramjet technology for small satellite launches. Hypersonix’s “plug-n-play” approach leverages the best available launch provider for the particular Hypersonix mission profile.

This reduces technology risk and time to market, locking in a lower cost structure.

Hypersonix has its sights on more than just space. With the aviation industry being mandated to cut 75% of CO2 emissions and 90% of NOx emissions by 2050, there is significant opportunity for Hypersonix’s zero emissions scramjet technology.

With major aviation partners engaged in development with Hypersonix, green flight might take to the skies sooner than anticipated. In the immediate future however, Hypersonix is ready to launch DART AE and start changing space technology for good.

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It’s a new dawn for TAOT We’re now completing mid-life upgrades to the Transportable Air Operations Towers, having delivered the capability more than 10 years ago as prime systems integrator.

These upgrades ensure the RAAF has the latest technology to support deployed operations in defence of Australia for years to come.

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Defence on Shopping Spree for Tough Times Ahead

By Gregor Ferguson The Australian Defence Force is not panic-buying. But its unusual speed of action reflects the seismic changes in Australia’s strategic outlook over the past two years.

When Prime Minister Scott Morrison made the historic announcement last month that Australia would acquire nuclear-powered submarines, commentators largely overlooked an important part of his statement: “Throughout the decade, Australia will rapidly acquire long-range strike capabilities to enhance the ADF’s ability to deliver strike effects across our air, land and maritime domains.”

He listed a range of missiles and other key capabilities worth up to $105 billion. Many embody advanced technologies such as robotics and autonomous systems and artificial intelligence (AI).

These are already named in Defence’s 2020 Force Structure Plan (FSP) and their acquisition will be accelerated. The ADF is also speeding up some of its plans to acquire additional space, sonar and autonomous air and undersea surveillance systems.

“These are long-term projects, and they won’t be completed overnight,” warns Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price.

“But we are on the right path, and my five-pillars approach to growing Australia’s defence industry has given us the strongest opportunity possible to achieve this mission.”

So what’s changed since 2020? First, Australia’s strategic circumstances are changing rapidly and the ADF needs to counter what it sees as very real, emergent threats.

Second, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the risks of relying on fragile overseas supply chains. So, while the FSP already included $1.1 billion to establish a sovereign guided weapons design and production capability, this has become more urgent.

“It is imperative that we continue to fill supply chain gaps, build our sovereign capability and deliver for our ADF as quickly as possible because the changing strategic circumstances we face compel us to do so,” says Price.

Systems such as US company Raytheon’s Tomahawk cruise missiles and SM-2 and SM-6 anti-aircraft and anti-missile missiles will be acquired off the shelf initially.

Defence sees three time horizons: zero to five years, zero to 10 years and 10-15 years. In very rough terms, that equates first to buying weapons off the shelf and sustaining them in-country, then manufacturing components of imported weapons in-country.

HMAS Brisbane launches an Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile during Exercise PACIFIC VANGUARD. Defence image.

Finally, industry will develop the capability to design, test and manufacture new weapons entirely incountry, including their vital guidance systems and seeker heads – these are the “secret sauce” that will deliver sovereignty.

“Guided weapons are critical to Australia’s current and future military capability,” Raytheon Australia chief executive Michael Ward says. “The manufacture, support and upgrade of such weapons in Australia will underpin our sovereign defence capability.

Trusted by the Pentagon Raytheon Australia has a successful history of transferring IP and knowhow from its US parent, and recently established the Centre for Joint Integration in Adelaide, a significant production and integration facility for Australia. “These are critical elements required to establish a sovereign guided weapons production capability,” Ward says.

According to Grant Sanderson, CEO of EOS Defence, “‘sovereign’ means that we can design, develop and deploy our systems – and also export them – without needing the approval or permission of a foreign company or government.”

Canberra-based EOS Defence has teamed with Australian firm Nova Systems to establish the Sovereign Missile Alliance as a joint venture.

It is one of three Australian companies to have declared themselves as potential strategic partners of Defence in establishing a sovereign Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) Enterprise. The others are Brisbane-based NIOA and Sydney-based Thales Australia.

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arms, rocket motors and warheads to US standards of quality and safety.

In March, NIOA established the Australian Missile Corporation as a subsidiary with a supply chain that includes Israeli firm Elbit and European missile manufacturer MBDA. The AMC will facilitate collaboration between industry, academia, state governments and Defence, says CEO Robert Nioa and, if selected, could deliver more than 13,000 jobs and $170 billion in gross output over 20 years.

“The AMC has a deliberate and well-thought-out approach which, as well as being agile, would retain 100 per cent control of the enterprise within Australia for the benefit of the nation,” says Robert Nioa.

All three responded in August to a Defence request for information on how to establish the GWEO enterprise, but have not publicly disclosed detailed plans. According to Peter Chesworth, first assistant secretary of the GWEO Taskforce, Defence plans to make significant decisions on what happens next by the end of this calendar year.

Defence is also embracing robotic and autonomous systems and artificial intelligence, or RAS-AI. Plans include adoption by the Army and Navy of unmanned air vehicles, or UAVs, in projects LAND129 Ph.4 and SEA129 Ph.5, respectively, worth an estimated $2 billion over the next decade.

The Royal Australian Navy has experimented for three years and once it fields its first production UAV, plans to completely refresh the technology every five years. Army seeks a replacement for the US-made Shadow 200 it has operated successfully in Afghanistan for 15 years and also plans periodic technology updates.

risk areas, keeping manned ships out of harm’s way.

Thales Australia is pursuing this project, as are French firms Naval Group and ECA, teamed with Australian company Total Marine Technology, which recently won a contract from the Dutch and Belgian navies to supply 12 mine-hunting ships and 100 unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV).

US firm Huntington Ingalls Industries, through its Newcastlebased agent BlueZone Group, will be offering the REMUS UUV, which is already in service with the Navy.

BlueZone CEO Darren Burrowes believes the Navy should buy worldbest platforms from overseas and then let Australian companies develop smart payloads for these.

BlueZone, with Boeing’s Liquid Robotics subsidiary, will also be competing against Sydney company OCIUS Technology, which has developed an innovative wavepowered sensor vessel, to participate in the Navy’s $7.4 billion integrated undersea surveillance system project, SEA5012.

Defence’s spending plans illustrate that there is no simple “silver bullet” that will increase the ADF’s preparedness and lethality. In the military’s own phrase, Defence is advancing on a broad front, embracing multiple projects and new technologies; and it’s moving faster than it has for decades.

This article first appeared in the Australian Financial Review https://www.afr.com/

The ADF’s investments and Australian industry involvement, by total value ($b) Robotic and autonomous systems • Artificial intelligence across entire ADF • Potential for Australian manufacture depending on the application Missile upgrades for RAN Hobart-class air warfare destroyers • Anti-ballistic missile/anti-missile defence, enhanced precision capabilities • Booster for ship-and surface-launched variant manufactured in Australia Deployed ballistic & high-speed missile defence • Defence working closely with US on anti-missile technologies • Potentially significant Australian industry involvement, in partnership with US Space capabilities • Satellite communications, terrestrial infrastructure, space domain awareness • Off the shelf equipment initially, gradual increase in Australian industry content Hypersonic missile • US collaboration, Project HIFiRE to develop hypersonic strike missiles • Potentially significant Australian industry involvement, in partnership with US Integrated undersea surveillance system • Portfolio of surface and undersea systems, inc sensors and infrastructure • May come from overseas with Australian-developed payloads added to them Joint air-surface stand-off missile - extended range • Enables aircraft to hit land targets at a range of 900km • Manufactured by Lockheed Martin. Off-the-shelf purchase, at least initially

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24.2

23.7

13.4

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7.4

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Deployable mine countermeasures • Robotic and autonomous surface and undersea vessels to detect smart-mines

‘No simple silver bullet’

• May come from overseas with Australian-developed payloads added to them

The Navy is planning to embrace RASAI more closely in Project SEA1905, worth up to $5 billion. This will deliver an autonomous mine countermeasures (MCM) and hydrographic capability mounted aboard a further eight Arafura-class patrol vessels.

These autonomous MCM systems will find and neutralise mines in high-

• Rocket artillery system capable of reaching targets from more than 400km away • Manufactured by Lockheed Martin, likely to be an off-the-shelf purchase initially

High mobility artillery rocket system

Sovereign guided weapons and explosive ordnance enterprise

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4.8

• Enables Australia to create its own weapons on Australian soil • 100% Australian manufactured

1.1

Spike IR2 anti-tank missile

Value not disclosed

• Ordered for the Australian Army’s Boxer CRV armoured vehicle fleet • Could be manufactured in Australia by Rafael JV with firm Varley VRA SOURCE: FINANCIAL REVIEW

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Quantum Sensors, Sea Drones and Hypersonic Missiles: What are the New Frontiers of War? There’s more than subs in the AUKUS technology-sharing pact with the US and the UK - AI, cyber, quantum, hypersonic missiles and other “undersea capabilities” are on the menu too. How will they change the game?

Imagine a flying machine-gun that can recognise faces – and pick its own targets. Or a new kind of computer chilled to the temperature of space and able to calculate in seconds what a supercomputer would take millennia to solve. Then suppose you could beam co-ordinates from a satellite to an army base using an unhackable encryption key, or send a swarm of undersea drones to lie in wait for a stealth submarine.

These technologies are no longer in the realm of science fiction; some are already cresting the horizon.

Talk of artificial intelligence, quantum technology, hypersonic missiles, cyber weapons and other “undersea capabilities” may have been missed in the fanfare (and shock) of Australia’s plan to build its first fleet of nuclear submarines, but such things are also listed as part of the new technologysharing AUKUS pact between Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom. The fields are not new, and not just the domain of the AUKUS trio; many also appear in China’s latest five-year plan, for example. But experts say some of these technologies could disrupt the traditional battlefield before Australia’s nuclear submarine fleet is even online.

So how developed are they? Who else is working on them? And how might they change the face of war?

What does ‘cyber’ have to do with warfare?

War has already changed in one big way. The first act of a major conflict will now play out in cyberspace, says Professor Michael Webb, director of the Defence Institute at the University of Adelaide. “If you think back to the Gulf War, we were fighting first for 12

supremacy in the air.” Today, because of how connected the world is, “we’ll be fighting for supremacy in cyber”.

If you can jam an enemy nation’s satellites to mess with their GPS navigation, or blind their air radar systems, or even shut down their electricity grid, you can sow chaos before you’ve fired a single shot.

The world’s first digital weapon was unleashed in 2009, a highly advanced computer worm known as Stuxnet, built by the US and Israel, which destroyed an Iranian nuclear enrichment facility.

An arms race has been under way ever since among security agencies looking to patch vulnerabilities faster than hackers and rival nation states can exploit them.

In many ways, it’s not a new story, says Webb. “There’s always a new edge [in warfare] so instead of using bronze, we’ve updated to iron. What’s interesting now ... is just how fast it’s all moving.”

While the US, China and Russia are thought to have the most advanced cyber capabilities in the world, Israel, Britain, Iran and North Korea also have formidable armies of hackers.

In Australia, most attacks considered sophisticated enough to be attributed to another state (from data grabs at our top universities to the infiltration of the Australian Parliament itself) are thought to have come from China.

But some of the biggest and most brazen cyber attacks in history have come from Russia, such as the devastating NotPetya hack that unplugged Ukraine and crashed much of the world’s shipping; and the recent SolarWinds breach that made it into the upper echelons of most Western governments, including the US and Australia.

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China is building a hypersonic wind-tunnel in Beijing to help it test faster aircraft at up to 30 times the speed of sound. Handout.

Australia is still building its own cyber workforce. Its army didn’t have a separate cyber command until 2017; nor does it have the huge arsenal of digital weapons hoarded by America’s spy agencies and Cyber Command.

The frontier of the action is where many of these new technologies overlap.

Through the intelligence-sharing Five Eyes alliance (which also includes Canada and New Zealand), Australia has collaborated to some extent with America in cyberspace, at times even running joint cyber-offensive operations, such as against Islamic State in Syria. “But this [AUKUS] just takes [our access] to another level and a level we haven’t seen before,”

Webb says. He hopes the new pact will turbocharge Australia’s cyber capabilities and defences.

At the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, defence analyst Andrew Davies agrees the technology-sharing deal has let Australia “inside the tent”.

Up until now, trade restrictions in the US have meant high-tech collaborations could only go so far “because every time you talk to an American about something high tech, they talk to a certain point and then they say, ‘Oh but because of [regulations] I can’t say anything more about that.’ ” “It happened quicker than I thought it might,” Webb says of the agreement.

“But the geopolitics is just making everything a whole lot more urgent.

ANU is developing a diamond-based quantum computer, as well as harnessing optics (lasers) to build quantum technologies. ANU.

Whether we like it or not, an arms race has been provoked.”

Just as cyber weapons are increasingly having real-world impact, so too is traditional equipment, from tanks to submarines, being brought into the digital fold, talking to one another as well as the soldiers running them. The emerging fields of artificial intelligence and, beyond that, quantum computing now hold the power to dramatically change the battlefield again, experts say.

And the frontier of the action, Webb says, is where many of these new technologies overlap. “So, using AI to fight back and detect cyber threats” faster than a human could, for example. “We can’t get there fast enough. Many of the cyber attacks that are the hardest to combat use AI already.”

While the US brings much of the technological heft to this enhanced defence partnership (such as designs for nuclear subs and long-range missiles), Webb says that in AI and quantum technology Australia is already a research leader in its own right. “We’re not coming with our hands empty; we’re coming with something to put on the table.”

Does ‘AI’ mean killer robots?

In 2020, an Iranian nuclear scientist was gunned down. In September, The New York Times revealed that what had seemed like wild tales at the time of a killer robot pulling the trigger actually stacked up: an automatic machine-gun, programmed to recognise the scientist’s face as he drove his car, had been lying in wait for him. His wife, sitting beside him, wasn’t hit once.

That same year, Turkish drones, packing explosives and facial recognition cameras, were sent out

by Libya’s army to eliminate rebels via “swarm attack” in Tripoli. According to a recent UN report, they didn’t even require a remote connection between drone and base. The swarm was, effectively, hunting its own targets.

Defence analyst Marcus Hellyer at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute 13

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The scene where nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was killed in Iran in an operation involving an unmanned machine-gun. AAP.

says a new generation of “smart” sea mines might work similarly, in this case reading the acoustic signature of passing ships to tell an enemy submarine from a commercial oil tanker. Unmanned craft are not a “like for like” replacement for manned vessels such as submarines though, he stresses. And that means not every capability (including what’s needed to protect human crews) has to be packed on board. Instead, you can have a fleet of cheaper, smaller units all working together. You might have sea drones designed for reconnaissance working with sea mines designed to take out enemy ships, both speaking to a “mother ship”, say, a submarine with human crew.

These kinds of “disaggregated” autonomous systems now have huge disruptive potential in warfare, Hellyer says. An enemy wanting a relatively cheap and low-risk way to disable a nuclear-powered submarine, for example, could use robot drones, not unlike the new Boeing-designed US Orcas. “I send 10 of them south across the Indian Ocean and let’s say each one of them is carrying 10 smart sea mines. Well, I just dumped 100 smart sea mines off the entrance to our submarine base near Perth. And, automatically, [Australia’s] 100-plus-billion-dollar investment [in submarines] is at risk.”

There are also “little boat drones, about the size of a sailing dinghy” in development that are solar-powered and ideal for surveillance, Hellyer says.

“They can just noodle around at three or four kilometres an hour forever” – and tow sonar behind them. “Instead of having your $3 billion frigate out there looking for submarines, you can have a very cheap fleet.”

Of course, for all this to work, you need confidence these autonomous systems can think for themselves, to some degree, whether that’s basic obstacle avoidance, Hellyer says, or finishing the mission if communication channels go down.

“I’m keen to never see a killer drone or killer robot acting on its own.”

And, while machines are already recognising faces, performing surgery and winning games of chess, they’re still a long way from rivalling a human brain. Even the most powerful can break when you throw something new at them, bound by the binary rules of their coding (which is why those driverless cars we keep being promised are yet to arrive).

The autonomous systems used in warfare almost always still have humans in the kill chain, deciding whether to take out a target, Hellyer

says. Next, we will probably move to “humans on the loop” rather than closing it, meaning someone will monitor a machine (with the power to intervene) but it will be able to carry out an entire attack solo.

Or, Hellyer says, it may be that the AI becomes like the angel on your shoulder, helping refine targets or run reconnaissance, say, for special forces teams. “That AI may say, ‘We are 80 per cent confident that that is a legitimate target.’ ” It all depends how much you’re willing to bet against that remaining 20 per cent of doubt – and how you program it.

The inherent limits of AI make many experts, including Webb, wonder if we can ever have real confidence in its use at the sharp end of war. As attacks, from missiles to hacks, are made using AI more and more, they will provoke a focus on the most efficient way to respond, which itself will probably involve AI, Webb says. “I think that’ll drive us down that path. But I’m keen to never see a killer drone or killer robot acting on its own. Just building into those systems the kind of ethics or the morality that you need, I’m sure there are people who think that we can do it but, as humans, we don’t [even] do a great job.”

Still, the way we build machines is on the verge of a major quantum revolution, says University of NSW physics professor Michelle Simmons.

When it arrives, what a machine can do and how it thinks might be radically different.

Why is quantum computing such a big deal?

The future of war (and many industries) is closely entangled with advancing computer power. But there are limits to even the sprawling supercomputers housed in universities today. For example, a computer trying to find the shortest possible route someone could take if they were travelling through, say, 200 cities and back home, has to try each possibility one after another.

But “there’s 10 to the power of 375 different possibilities, that’s a one 15

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C o ve r Th e m e

Google claimed its quantum computer (pictured) cracked quantum supremacy in 2019, solving a problem other computers would need centuries to solve. That’s disputed by IBM and others, but scientists say there’s proof of concept now. Google.

followed by 375 zeroes,” says ANU quantum physicist Ben Buchler. “No computer could ever solve that. At least, no kind we have now.

“A quantum computer will, essentially, try all these different paths simultaneously. You can write a program that senses which path is the shortest,” he says.

So how do they work? “It’s not black magic,” laughs Simmons. “There is actually mathematics behind it.”

Instead of running a computer on traditional transistors or “bits” that can switch between on or off, a quantum computer uses “qubits”. They can be both on and off at the same time.

Imagine a coin spinning on its side.

Until it stops and lands on one side or another, it could be heads or tails.

It’s both.

This strange concept of “superposition” underpins quantum physics, says Simmons, who is at the frontier of the global quantum race, building qubits out of atoms in silicon. If you break down the world to its smallest level, the things we take as a given, such as an object’s fixed location in the world, become less certain. We cannot know for sure where they are until they are measured. But just the act of measuring particles that small changes their quantum state. So, things are said

to occupy “superposition”, or many potential states at once.

Even more spookily, particles (including our qubits) can be “entangled” – what happens to one will affect another that it is entangled with and vice versa, even if they are far apart.

Using this phenomenon, scientists have already sent entangled lasers across rooms and even into space (as Chinese scientists demonstrated in 2017), and this could be used to encode secure messages, say, between satellite and army base, Buchler says.

“It’s one of the reasons it’s so scary. It will render a lot of our encryption obsolete.”

Quantum computing will allow us to simulate nature for the first time as it actually is, Simmons says, from a chemical reaction to a weather forecast, solving problems scientists have never been able to crack with regular computers.

The problem is that, for all their sensitivity, quantum computers are also incredibly fragile. They use things such as microwave pulses and electric fields to push qubits into a superposition spin, and entangle them long enough to harness. But even the tiniest external change can throw off

these quantum states. “There’s so much noise in the universe,” says Buchler. “Most of them you have to cool right down just to stop the vibrations.”

Still, while we won’t have a quantum chip in our phones any time soon (and regular computers will still be needed), Simmons expects to see quantum computers solving real-world problems (with commercial applications) in the next five to 10 years. “And with the amount of investment that’s been pouring into the field lately it could even be earlier.”

At the moment, the largest quantum computers are less than 100 qubits.

When they get to a few thousand or a million qubits, Buchler says, they will be able to crack encryption, which safeguards everything from our banking transactions to spy and military networks. That’s a gamechanger for defence, says Webb. “It’s one of the reasons it’s so scary. It will render a lot of our encryption obsolete.”

The way to fight back is with quantum encryption, Buchler says, using entanglement to “teleport information” in a new form of encryption “guaranteed by the laws of physics”.

Others are excited by the possibility that quantum computing will speed up AI learning. But, with AI already helping quantum scientists such as Buchler in the lab, he expects “AI will be helping us build better quantum computers long before quantum computers help us build better AI”.

The unparalleled sensitivity of quantum technology means it also opens up enormous potential in refining sensors – such as for finding a stealth submarine or even seeing around corners. Some of those technologies are already proven, Buchler and Webb say. The challenge now is scaling them up into a product that can be used in the field, mounted to a plane or a ship, for example.

“If you’ve got a plane and you’re flying along looking for a sub, you can try and detect the magnetic signature from its metal,” Buchler says. “If you’re looking for tunnels underground, there will be less ground beneath you so you can use a quantum sensor to detect how gravity is different locally.”

Meanwhile, Webb’s team is developing 17

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Russian President Vladimir Putin (centre) watches a test flight of the Avangard hypersonic system in 2018. AAP.

a suite of quantum sensors honed to pick up even the faintest radio signals (from enemy communications, for example).

What are hypersonic weapons?

In all of Australia’s defence white papers that Webb can remember reading down the years, there’s been an assumption that if things heat up, “we’ll have plenty of warning” before conflict breaks out, 10 years or more.

But in the latest update, he says, that was no longer the case. “We’re inside the window. And [some feel] if things are going to heat up, it’s happening in the next five years.”

That 2020 update also flagged Australia needs more long-range firepower, and the federal government now has big plans to build missiles on shore. “There’s a lot of frantic activity going on in Australian industry ... to get a piece of this missile action,” says Hellyer. “The Defence Department’s missile shopping list over the next couple of decades [is] potentially close to $100 billion [worth of missiles and surrounding systems].”

One particularly impressivesounding type of weapon, which Australia plans to continue working on with the US, is hypersonics. “The speed of sound is usually measured in Mach numbers, in honour of Austrian scientist

Ernst Mach,” Russian President Vladimir Putin explained in an address to Russia’s Federal Assembly in 2018.

“One Mach is equal to 1062 kilometres per hour at an altitude of 11 kilometres.

The speed of sound is Mach 1, speeds between Mach 1 and Mach 5 are called supersonic, and hypersonic is above Mach 5.”

“That’s the big threat, that you have no time to react. It would come down to seconds.”

Russia, he went on, already had high-precision hypersonics, able to hit speeds as high as Mach 20 in some cases, as well as dodge defence systems.

Hypersonic weapons are designed to travel at faster speeds than “standard” ballistic missiles while also being manoeuvrable. “That’s the big threat, that you have no time to react,” says Webb. “It would come down to seconds.”

The US is spending billions of dollars on hypersonics, and wants a weapon operational in the next few years. Meanwhile, its air force has given grants to groundbreaking fundamental science being done at the University of Queensland’s Centre for Hypersonics, which has been involved in scramjet flight tests since 2002 (a ramjet is a supersonic engine; a scramjet is hypersonic and has applications for space flight).

When an object is hurtling through the atmosphere about Mach 5 or higher, the air flowing around it changes its chemistry, and different laws of physics and fluid mechanics apply.

“The science of hypersonics is really understanding how these extreme thermal chemical effects and strong shockwaves affect the flow [over vehicles],” says the centre’s Professor Vincent Wheatley.

China’s military hypersonic projects include Starry Sky-2, a prototype aircraft that reached Mach 6 during tests in 2018, and countries such as France, India, Japan and Germany are also investing in hypersonics.

Meanwhile, work is under way to stop them coming, says Webb, including harnessing AI to spot hypersonics faster on radars, targeting launch sites before the missile hits the air and even pulling out direct-energy weapons (from lasers to microwave beams) to shoot them down or blind them before they reach their target.

But Davies notes there’s a lot of “hype around hypersonics, if you’ll excuse the pun”. He points to a recent report by investigative physicists David Wright and Cameron Tracy, published in Scientific American, which concludes that “hypersonic weapons may have advantages in certain scenarios but by no means ... constitute a revolution”.

They may not even be as stealthy as believed.

Still, the nervousness that hypersonics have induced already is concerning, they say, because it could prompt rash responses to a missile warning, “increasing the chances of blundering into conflict”.

For some commentators considering the new AUKUS alliance, the show of force against Chinese aggression that it represents is itself ratcheting up tensions unwisely.

But even though news of the pact has provoked anger from Beijing already, Webb hopes Western nations working more closely together will “actually settle things down. It just raises the bar and, hopefully, it raises it too high for China to step over.”

Sherryn Groch and Felicity Lewis

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S pa ce

Boosting Space Capabilities Through AUKUS The AUKUS partnership opens up new opportunities for promoting deeper information and technology sharing, integrating security- and defencerelated science and technology, and building industrial bases and supply chains. In addition to the momentous decision for Australia to acquire nuclear submarines, the agreement nominates cyber, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies and ‘additional undersea capabilities’ for trilateral cooperation.

Interestingly, though, the vital area of space wasn’t mentioned in the initial communiqués, but it needs to be a key area of cooperation under the pact.

Unchallenged access to and use of the space domain will be essential for the AUKUS partners in any use of military force and is critical for fighting a Western way of war that is precise, decisive and rapid, reduces the cost in lives lost, and minimises the prospect of failure. More broadly, the space domain is an essential foundation for ensuring the stability and security of prosperous and modern economies and societies. In virtually every aspect of national security and our day-to-day lives, space plays a vital role.

The importance of space was reinforced by the most recent AUSMIN communiqué, which emphasised establishing ‘shared capabilities in Space Domain Awareness, Space Command and Control, Satellite Communications, and Positioning, Navigation and Timing’ and reaffirms the need for a ‘common understanding of space-related threats … to meet the challenges posed by the current strategic environment’.

The joint statement in September from last month’s Quad leaders’ summit in Washington included commitments to ‘identify new collaboration opportunities [in space] and share satellite data for peaceful purposes such as monitoring climate 22

change’ and to ‘consult on rules, norms, guidelines and principles for ensuring the sustainable use of outer space’.

All three AUKUS partners are space powers and have bilateral arrangements with each other. An AUKUS space partnership would formalise a trilateral approach to space cooperation in several areas of space security. This could be done through a ‘shape, deter and respond’ approach, akin to the broad defence policy concept outlined in Australia’s 2020 defence strategic update.

The shaping component will entail building international consensus on strengthened legal, regulatory and diplomatic approaches, led by the AUKUS states, to constrain opportunities for adversaries to undertake aggressive behaviour in space. At the same time, cooperation on space domain awareness that enhances the AUKUS partners’ ability to monitor activities in orbit, deny anonymity in the event of hostile and aggressive actions and ensure attribution could strengthen diplomatic efforts to create legal and regulatory approaches that limit the freedom of adversaries to act hostilely.

Australia is already taking a leading role in space domain awareness by expanding space surveillance under Defence’s joint project 9360 and hosting a C-Band radar and optical telescope for space surveillance at Exmouth in Western Australia.

It makes sense to develop space domain awareness through AUKUS, particularly given that Australia is geographically best located to monitor China’s space-launch trajectories and watch activities in geosynchronous orbit.

The threat of hostile and aggressive behaviour in orbit is real. China already deploys direct-ascent, ‘hard kill’ anti-

satellite, or ASAT, weapons that can threaten US, UK and Australian satellites in low-earth orbit (LEO) and has demonstrated technologies for threatening satellites out to geosynchronous orbit, holding at risk the entire range of critical US, UK and Australian space support in a crisis.

Both China and Russia are already demonstrating the means to launch co-orbital ASAT weapons that could unleash ‘soft kill’ attacks, which don’t physically destroy a target satellite but disable or deny access to it. Such weapons are ideal for grey-zone operations in orbit prior to a military conflict. Ground-based counterspace capabilities, including cyberattacks on satellites, are also emerging as threat, as is laser-dazzling of satellites in LEO. Certainly, international consensus is needed on new legal norms and regulatory approaches to constrain such threats. All three AUKUS states fully support UN General Assembly resolution 75/36 on responsible behaviour in space, introduced by the UK in December 2020. This resolution, while non-binding, needs to be further developed, with an initial goal for a binding resolution banning development and testing of kinetic ASATs. AUKUS could complement activities being pursued through the Quad and other multilateral forums in achieving such an outcome this decade.

Beyond legal and diplomatic efforts to shape the space environment, the AUKUS partners should work towards common approaches to boosting space resilience and strengthening deterrence in space. The initial focus should be on augmenting existing and planned capability architectures with low-cost small satellites and constellations of cubesats. A cooperative approach to developing common architectures within an AUKUS space framework

Sp a ce

could complement larger satellites for key space defence projects. It would benefit all three states by building common satellite technologies that could take advantage of faster innovation cycles, co-development processes and rapid deployment to expand satellite systems in a crisis.

A disaggregated, ‘small and many’ approach to space support would be more difficult for an adversary to attack than the traditional ‘large and few’ architecture. Reducing the prospect for a successful counterspace campaign and denying China and Russia the ability to deliver a decisive ‘Pearl Harbor in space’ is probably the most important goal for AUKUS. Such an attack would quickly take away any knowledge edge and dramatically boost the risk of rapid defeat, leaving

the three states effectively ‘deaf, dumb and blind’ in a crisis.

Responding to challenges when they emerge will require back-up augmentation and disaggregation to enable rapid reconstitution of lost space capability in the event deterrence fails.

The best way to do this would be to engage with commercial providers to ensure that small satellites can be launched on demand, as dictated by a rapidly changing tactical situation in orbit.

Australia is already well placed to contribute to this vital task. There are three potential launch sites: Whaler’s Way in South Australia, operated by Southern Launch; Nhulunbuy in the Northern Territory, to be operated by Equatorial Launch Australia; and Abbott Point near

Bowen in Queensland, where space launches by Australia’s leading launch vehicle company, Gilmour Space Technology, could occur as early as 2022. Australia’s geographic location makes it ideal for supporting both US and UK launch requirements, particularly those involving reusable launch technologies.

Other active approaches to space control through denial are being considered, including, for Australia, a ground-based space electronic warfare capability. A common AUKUS approach to rapid and responsive space launch to reconstitute lost capabilities, as well as defensive space control to defend critical systems, is an obvious step forward.

Malcolm Davis is a senior analyst at ASPI.

Image: UNSW Canberra.

23

Sp a ce

The ATCSR - Foundational Services for Deep Space Habitation The main goal of the researchers and staff at the Andy Thomas Centre for Space Resources (ATCSR) is to better understand what is required to achieve a sustainable, long term human presence in deep space.

This starts with understanding what resources we can use along the way and what technologies we need to best use them. Using resources such as the water and regolith (the surface layers of dirt) that we find on the surface of the Moon and Mars can provide astronauts with oxygen, drinking water and fuel.

These resources are also critical in providing the raw building materials for the construction of lunar infrastructure such as landing and launch pads, roads and buildings that can be used for habitation.

The ATCSR is partnering with other global leaders in the emerging field of off-world civil engineering and construction and developing new offworld engineering capabilities that directly support Australian Space Agency contributions to the NASA Artemis program. This capability and expertise is also making its way into new start-up companies looking to deliver innovative and cost effective lunar infrastructure solutions. With research programs focused on regolith engineering, water extraction, robotics and automation, habitat architecture, and space agriculture the centre is continually growing its pool of talented researchers and students who are actively engaged with the space sector and building collaborative networks here and around the world.

R e c e n t l y, l e a d i n g AT C S R researchers launched the Australian Society for Off-Earth Construction (ASOC), dedicated to facilitating the development and translation of Australia's expertise in construction in off-earth environments. The ASOC brings together individuals and organisations addressing the challenges of off-world construction and infrastructure aggregation as well

as connecting with related areas such as robotics, mining, in situ-resource utilisation (ISRU), energy, defence, agriculture, and medicine. The inaugural International Symposium on Off-Earth Construction (ISOC 2022) will be held in Adelaide, Australia in 2022, showcasing off-world construction research, innovations in construction practices and supporting technologies

(https://ecms.adelaide.edu.au/atcsr/asoc).

Strongly aligned with these offworld construction efforts, the Waite Research Institute (WRI), a global leader in agricultural innovation, is addressing the challenge of ensuring astronauts have access to healthy and nutritious food. It is widely accepted that the growth of plants and the production of fresh food during long term space missions will be a critical element to a crew’s physical and mental health, as well as supporting environmental regeneration. An international team of cutting-edge researchers led by the WRI are combining current agricultural technology solutions with other advanced capabilities such as robotics and automation to ensure plant growth can be optimised for the specially controlled conditions required for long term stays on the Moon and Mars.

Ultimately, these research efforts will provide the foundations upon which human communities can flourish elsewhere in the solar system. The University of Adelaide is the home of the Deep Space Habitation Group, which incorporates thought leaders from numerous non-traditional space disciplines that have come together to better understand long term space habitation from the perspectives of governance, health care delivery, psychological support, employment, recreation, law, and architecture.

The group is a unique combination of expertise and experience committed to examining the complex social science issues that are emerging as humanity moves into space for the long term.

Closer to Earth but with a true focus on the Moon and Mars, the University of Adelaide is the home of the Australian Rover Challenge with the 2022 challenge to be held 25-27 March on the University’s North Terrace Campus.

Partnering with the South Australian Space Industry Centre (SASIC) and supported by the Australian Space Agency and the SmartSat Cooperative Research Centre, student teams from a number of Australian universities will land in Adelaide to test their semiautonomous rovers in a simulated lunar environment. Their rovers will conduct a number of tasks including navigation, resource utilisation, and construction, all while being assisted and mentored by international industry and government partners. In addition to the challenge tasks, the students will also present their rover designs to industry professionals, academia and Australian Rover Challenge judges.

All of the above research and education efforts promise to deliver benefits terrestrially with regard to increasing energy efficiency, transportation, farming, waste reduction, and improvements to human and environmental health.

Whether you are a prospective student wishing to join our space research efforts, industry looking for a cutting-edge research partner situated next to Lot 14 and the Australian Space Agency, or in need of a lunar/Martian surface hardware testing environment, please contact the ATCSR for more information.

25

F eat ure

Wedgetail Operational Flight Simulator. Boeing image.

Modelling and Simulation – A Sovereign Industry Capability Priority!

Philip Swadling

Chair, Simulation Australasia Most people, if you ask them to describe simulation in an aviation context, will respond with a description of a flight simulator. And that is a perfectly understandable and reasonable response. After all, flight simulators have been around since the very beginning of heavier than air flight. As early as 1910, an article in Flight magazine extolled the virtues of a device called the Sanders Teacher, which consisted of a modified aircraft mounted to a universal joint that was fixed to the ground. Also in 1910, the Wright Brothers designed a flight simulator based on repurposing a Wright Flyer. At the same time in France, the Antoinette company developed a flight simulator to accompany a new aircraft that was 26

designed to meet a commission from the French military – a principle that is followed for all modern military and commercial aircraft.

The technology in flight simulators has evolved alongside that of the aircraft themselves, with modern flight simulators for both military and commercial aircraft providing immersive, high fidelity representations of the aircraft flight and handling characteristics, avionics and other systems. In the case of military, simulations include weapons and sensors, as well as representations of hostile, friendly and neutral forces.

Not only do these military simulators enable individual pilots to be trained, but they can be networked with other simulators, or real-world platforms,

to enable joint collective training to be carried out. In both military and commercial aviation, simulators are an essential component in ensuring safety and mission readiness for pilots and mission aircrew.

But simulation, and modelling, is a more fundamental capability enabler and force multiplier for defence than just individual and collective training.

In today’s increasing complex world, simulation is an essential element of the entire capability life cycle. Simulation is regularly applied in force design, exploration of capability options, experimentation in developing new techniques, tactics and procedures.

(Note a model can be defined as a mathematical abstraction of a physical phenomenon, a system or a process,

Fe a tu r e

Antoinette Trainer 1910. Commons Wikimedia.

and a simulation as an iteration of a model over time).

Modelling and Simulation (M&S) is explicitly stated as being a key enabler of US Department of Defense activities. To quote from the US DoD Modeling and Simulation Enterprise (MSE) website (US Department of Defense, 2020): “Modeling and simulation is a key enabler of Department of Defense (DoD) capabilities, supports the full range and scope of DoD missions and operations, underpins innovative solutions meeting national security challenges, and saves resources.

Over the past 20-plus years, M&S has become pervasive, almost ubiquitous, throughout the Department.”

Modelling and Simulation is equally seen as important in Europe. For example, the NATO M&S Centre of Excellence was established to promote the use of M&S in support of operational requirements, training and interoperability. The Centre acts as a catalyst for transformation through the involvement of NATO, governments, academia, industry, operational and training entities.

To further illustrate the thinking in the US, a recent address at the US Air Force Association’s 2020 Virtual Air, Space and Cyber conference by Dr. Will Roper, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics highlighted the challenges faced by the USAF in

the face of the ever-accelerating pace of technology. Dr Roper said “If you look at the world in which we live today, we must be agile. There are too many possible futures for us to pick one and build a force that's geared to defeat it.”

In the same address he went on to say “With the use of digital engineering, the Air and Space Forces can build unique systems in an environment where unique technology is always being redesigned, optimized and tested digitally, as opposed to using blueprints or computer models “that were good approximations for the physical system, but not the same as the real thing.”

The USAF even has a new weapons system series designator for this – the ‘e’ series. The first system to receive this designator is the Boeing eT7-A Red Hawk advanced trainer.

Modelling and simulation are fundamental to this Digital Engineering paradigm, which in other circles is referred to as the use of Digital Twins. The approach can also be seen as extending the Model Based Systems Engineering paradigm, an approach which has been referred to as Modelling and Simulation Based Systems Engineering. To be effective across the full capability lifecycle, the scope of a digital engineering solution must include a model of the environment in which a system operates, including interfacing systems. These interfacing systems could also be enabling systems, that

is, those systems needed to support the development, management or sustainment of the system.

In order to make optimal use of these Digital Engineering models, interoperability between models will become more and more important.

This will be essential in order to build operational models and simulations of joint and coalition capabilities, and to enable data sharing and re-use of models and simulations.

Additionally, use of modelling and simulation based Digital Engineering is essential in the successful deployment of Artificial Intelligence based systems, including Robotic Autonomous Systems. Such systems, which themselves contains models, can only be properly developed, trained and evaluated within simulationbased environments. And this needs to happen continually, as AI systems are able to learn and adapt their behaviours.

The importance of modelling and simulation is also recognised by the Australian Defence Force (ADF).

For example, the foreword of the recently released Sovereign Industrial Capability Priority Implementation Plan for Test, Evaluation, Certification, and Systems Assurance notes that “the rapid change in technology associated with these capabilities results in a need for more agile testing methodologies, including using models and simulations within live, virtual and constructive environments”. Increased use of modelling and simulation is seen as an important approach in enabling the ADF and industry to address future trends and technological evolutions, and the document also recommends: • “Using broader industry and commercial sector developments in using Live, Virtual, and Constructive modelling and simulation to support and improve testing and certification outcomes.

• Expanding the use of synthetic representations that allow for virtual product and production design through to real-world automated production, operating models and reduced risks of achieving performance.

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• Leveraging the Defence virtual training environment to include modern Defence and industry test and evaluation facilities, training areas and ranges that are integrated, networked, and incorporate routine use of Live, Virtual, and Constructive modelling and simulation. “ Given the central role that modelling and simulation already plays, and the fact that this role will only grow in significance, it is essential that modelling and simulation skills are acknowledged as critical to Australia’s security. Not only that, in my view it is time that Modelling and Simulation is recognised as a Strategic Industry Capability Priority (SICP) in its own right. To quote from the 2016 Defence Industry Policy Statement: “There are some capabilities that are so important to Australian Defence missions that they must be developed or supported by Australian industry because overseas sources do not provide the required security or assurances we need. As such, it is critical that the industry base associated with these capabilities is maintained and supported by Defence as sovereign industrial capabilities."

Modelling and Simulation well and truly meets this criterion. Restating some earlier points with a sovereign capability perspective as examples: • M&S enables objective assessment of future capability options. A country has to have sovereign control over this activity.

• M&S is a key element of the Digital Engineering approach to systems development and sustainment.

The ability to evolve and adapt local solutions to local needs will depend more and more on access of a sovereign M&S capability.

• The functionality in simulation trainers determines what knowledge transfer may be achieved in training, as well as enabling the development of new techniques, tactics and procedures. Australia must have control over how the skillsets and knowledge needing to be developed in ADF personnel are

Cirrus ACOTS in use on board an RAAF aircraft. Defence image.

implemented in simulations. Only sovereign control over development of simulation training systems enables this.

• M&S enables mission planning and rehearsal. A country has to be able to do that secure in knowledge that no other country knows what it may be planning. The enabling technology (M&S) must therefore be sovereign controlled • Australian industry already has a significant modelling and simulation capability - including appropriately targeted modelling and simulation related SICP requirements in defence procurement programs would not onerous. For example, Cirrus Real Time Processing Systems ("Cirrus") is an Australian SME successfully developing M&S technology for the ADF, with multiple simulation systems supporting training in sophisticated military mission systems. All Cirrus simulation systems are based on Australian technology and IP developed in-country by Cirrus' engineering team, and represent sovereign industrial capability in support of the ADF. At the other end of the spectrum, large international organisations such as Thales, Raytheon, Boeing, CAE and others have significant local M&S

capabilities, and have made large investments in M&S research and development in Australia.

To complement the industry capability, there is a very strong modelling and simulation research capability in Australia’s universities, and there are many collaborations underway between industry and academia in the M&S space. The modelling and simulation sector is also supported by a professional association, Simulation Australasia.

One of the key missions for Simulation Australasia is to encourage these links, and to enable the sharing information across different industry sectors.

Crucial to the effective application of M&S in Australia will be increased strategic knowledge of M&S by government policy makers and industry leaders. The US could provide another example here, where the Congressional Modeling & Simulation Caucus has been active since 2005. The M&S Caucus includes four members of Congress and meets regularly with industry leaders to advocate for the use of M&S in analysis, design, testing, and training.

Australian modelling and simulation companies and universities are ready to stand up and meet the challenge – it’s time for modelling and simulation to come out of the shadows and receive the recognition it deserves.

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Asymmetric Grey Zone War Is On Our Footsteps Australia’s connection points to the global internet are vulnerable in this era of concern about increased hi-tech warfare. Undersea cables essentially carry all of the data to and from the country – without them, we go dark losing internet, phone, or other means to connect.

W h i l e s a t e l l i t e s o ff e r s o m e redundancy, it is only a tiny amount of data capability and will not be useful to us beyond a few strategic military and Government users. This makes submarine cables the kind of target hostile nations like China are looking at as they up the ante on grey zone warfare.

Cables are tough, but their locations are well known and unchangeable.

Cutting cables by an undersea robotic vehicle is doable and it would be an act of war if committed by a Government agency or its proxies. But it can hardly be responded to conventionally, in the way a missile attack would be addressed.

Earlier this year, China deployed its latest grey zone warfare weapon

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against Taiwan – the sand dredger.

These mammoth ships scoop vast amounts of sand from the Matsu Islands ocean bed for Chinese construction projects, sparking concern for Australia. For Taiwan, this has forced around-the-clock patrols, intimidated Matsu residents, destroyed marine life, and, critically, damaged undersea cables.

This is not science fiction; it is modern reality – and it is not the only example of grey zone weapons and warfare.

In November 2018, Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipila said the GPS signal in his country‘s northern airspace was disrupted during NATO ‘war games’ in Scandinavia. He believed the signal had been deliberately jammed by Russia.

China reportedly deploys anywhere between 50,000 to 100,000 ‘hacker army’ cyber warfare personnel within its People Liberation Army, including within the ranks of the infamous PLA Unit 61398, Ministry of State Security,

Ministry of Public Security and other agencies.

Such cyber capability is used to bring down networks, hack into systems, deploy ransomware, sabotage elections via ‘fake news’, and other espionage. NATO has recognised cyber and information warfare as the ‘fifth domain’ of warfare alongside land, sea, air, and space.

In Australia, ASIO recently warned the threat of nation-state espionage will overtake terrorism as the greatest threat to our security by 2025.

Drone attacks are another increasingly popular tool in this new world of grey zone warfare, including in the Ukraine conflict by Russian separatists scouting positions, and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict where Azerbaijan has made incredibly successful use of drones in their attacks.

Drones (aerial, land, water, and underwater) make great asymmetric warfare tools due to their low cost and exponentially increasing capabilities,

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including swarming and autonomous Artificial Intelligence (AI) driven decision making.

Of course, grey zone conflict is nothing new. Moscow Signal was a reported microwave transmission varying between 2.5 and 4 Gigahertz, directed at the US Embassy in Moscow from 1953 to 1976 with the aim of damaging embassy staffs’ health. It resulted in an international incident and widespread fear about ‘invisible threats’.

But a key tenet of military principles is not to look at past conflicts to prepare for future ones. Germany grasped this in WWII, introducing the mechanised blitzkrieg tank in a radical deviation from the WWI horseback battles.

It’s clear the next war will be nothing like previous ones, and it will certainly be high tech.

It may not even look like war to most people – some would argue the level of nation-state based cyber and grey zone tactics in play mean a cold war of sorts is happening now. Hostile

governments around the world have grasped the idea of asymmetric war as a means of inflicting material losses on their perceived enemies, with minimal risk of escalation.

We can combat this, but it requires sweeping changes.

First of all, cyber defence investment must continue across the entire economy and increase in areas of critical infrastructure.

We need to harden the ‘soft targets’ such as undersea cables. Infrastructure like this has now been recognised as critical in a similar way to energy or water plants, so that justifies greater investment.

We also need to invest in more capability to process wide swathes of spectrum across a range of frequencies to understand what’s around us – most asymmetric warfare machines have a ‘spectrum signature’ to them.

Australia also needs a wakeup call to obvious blunders – for example, we should not be allowing the involvement of Chinese nationals

in sensitive research work such as university domains. It baffles me how Australian universities often put Chinese nationals forward to their proposed collaboration team, focusing solely on their qualifications and ignoring clear suspicions and links back to the CCP. I believe construction outfits such as John Holland – owned by US-blacklisted China Construction Company – must be immediately banned from access to Defence or other sensitive work.

Finally, we must not sell (and reverse previous sales) of strategic assets such as Port of Darwin to Chinese interests. China’s pursuit of power through foreign asset ownership is well documented and we cannot afford this level of infiltration.

Oleg Vornik

Oleg Vornik is Chief Executive Officer of ASXlisted DroneShield, an Australian developer of technologies including C-UxS/counterdrone, spectrum dominance, AI and machine learning, sensor fusion, electronic warfare and signals intelligence, rapid prototyping and MIL-SPEC manufacturing. www.droneshield.com

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THE DEFENCE STATE FOR 100 YEARS SOUTH AUSTRALIA HAS SUPPORTED THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE THROUGH TRAINING, TESTING, RESEARCH AND OPERATIONS IN AVIATION AND SPACE ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND THE WORLD. Today RAAF Base Edinburgh hosts the nation’s most advanced air warfare, surveillance, and intelligence capabilities, and South Australia is prouder than ever to partner with the RAAF in this centenary year.

So when you think defence, think South Australia – The Defence State.

Looking to the future, South Australia will continue to lead the way.

With world-class infrastructure, state-of-the-art defence precincts, innovative research and a highly-skilled workforce engaged in aviation, space, systems and cyber domains, South Australia is creating a sustainable defence industry to meet the future needs of our Defence Force.

Visit the website

For more information visit defencesa.com Images courtesy of Department of Defence and DSTG.

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South Australia Ready to Support the Next 100 Years of the Royal Australian Air Force For more than a century, South Australia has made a significant contribution to the nation’s Air Force.

As the nation’s centre for the defence industry, the state will continue to play a key role in building, enhancing and sustaining the Air Force of the future.

South Australia’s ties to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) go back to Sir Richard Williams – the ‘Father of the RAAF’ – born and raised in Moonta, South Australia, in the late 1800s. As the first military pilot trained in Australia, Sir Richard Williams was a staunch advocate for an independent air force and instrumental in establishing the RAAF becoming its first Chief of the Air Staff from 1922.

Three decades later, RAAF Base Edinburgh was officially established in South Australia to support weapons research and testing. Today, it is one of only two super Defence bases in the country and is part of the state’s Edinburgh Defence Precinct. The precinct is also home to the Defence Science and Technology Group, Edinburgh Parks and more than 6,500 personnel and their families.

Reflecting on this rich history, Defence SA Chief Executive Richard Price said South Australia has always played a critical role in surveillance and Information Warfare for the Australian Defence Force (ADF).

“With an ever-increasing focus on intelligence, surveillance and cyber

A RAAF P-8A Poseidon supports sea trials for the NUSHIP Hobart in the Gulf of St. Vincent off the coast of Adelaide.

Defence image.

A RAAF P-8A Poseidon aircraft undergoing maintenance at RAAF Base Edinburgh, South Australia. Defence image.

as well as aircraft and weapons testing, RAAF Edinburgh is leading the development and sustainment of capabilities to support the next generation Air Force,” Mr Price said.

Home to RAAF’s 92 Wing, Remote Sensing Unit, Air Warfare Centre, Aircraft Research and Development Unit, and supporting the Woomera Test Range, Edinburgh Defence Precinct is a hub for the capabilities and personnel required to support the ADF into the future.

“South Australia is the Defence and Space State, with a strong reputation for its innovation, world-class research and development and home to some of the country’s most innovative companies and advanced defence and space precincts,” he said.

“This, along with our highly skilled workforce, means South Australia is ideally positioned to continue its support of the RAAF and broader Defence operations in our state.”

In the coming years, RAAF Base Edinburgh will undergo continued development to make way for the delivery of new aircraft, including Australia’s new MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft, MQ-9B Sky Guardian unmanned aerial

vehicles and MC-55A Peregrine – complementing the recently acquired P-8A Poseidon aircraft for maritime surveillance.

Increasingly, space capabilities will play a pivotal role in enhancing ADF operations. South Australia is already leading the nation’s space endeavours, with local companies currently working closely with Defence on projects such as satellite communications, surveillance and Space Domain Awareness. The state will continue to support the manufacture, launch and exploitation of sovereign space capabilities to sustain the Air Force of the future.

Over the next 100 years, innovation and agility will be key to supporting the next generation Air Force. South Australia is already strengthening collaboration between industry and the research community, along with building its skilled workforce and a highly capable SME sector to ensure the ADF maintains its capability edge.

South Australia has a long and proud connection to the Air Force and is committed to building on the RAAF’s strong and proud history in the state and living the motto Per Ardua Ad Astra – through adversity to the stars.

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DEVELOPING A SOUND ECOSYSTEM & AIR TRAFFIC FRAMEWORK FOR EVTOLS TO FLY With Embraer’s eVTOLs poised to be certified for operations by as early as 2025, we look at what Eve, Embraer’s urban air mobility spin-off company, has been doing to prepare for the advent of a low-noise, zero-emissions way of transport that can alleviate the pain points faced by commuters.

Geelong to the city in 15 to 20 minutes?

Here we go!

The last 12 months has been a particularly exciting time for Eve Urban Air Mobility. We have collaborated with Airservices Australia and the UK Civil Aviation Authority as part of its Future Air Mobility Regulatory Sandbox to develop a concept of operations for electric vertical take- off and landing 1 eVTOLS, or otherwise known as Electrical Vertical Aircraft (EVA)

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aircraft (eVTOLs)1 to operate. We have reached sales of around 735 eVTOLs to Halo, Bristow and Helisul, covering the US, UK and Brazil. Adding to these eVTOL sales are up to 235,000 hours of flight capacity we have as a result of preliminary LOIs with Ascent in Asia Pacific, Blade (US), Flapper (LATAM) and Helipass (France/EU).

Beyond that, we have established partnerships with established air operators across the globe, including Australia, to lay the groundwork for the introduction of eVTOLs. We foresee our eVTOLs entering the market, operating within a well-managed air traffic system by 2026.

There may be several players in this market but we have a unique offer because our insights, products

and systems are based on Embraer’s experience in designing, building, certifying and supporting aircraft over 52 years. In the last 20 years, Embraer has a track record of successfully certifying an average of more than one aircraft every year. The people that have designed, built and certified aircraft are the ones behind the design of Eve’s eVTOLs. This is a competitive advantage that very few eVTOL manufacturers have.

By tapping into Embraer’s portfolio of urban air traffic management (UATM) technologies developed by its subsidiary, Atech, the Eve team is taking a holistic approach in progressing the urban air mobility ecosystem. This includes collaborating with market leaders to create an advanced eVTOL,

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comprehensive global services and support network, and unique UATM solutions for every city.

How did we get here?

Traffic congestion is a challenge in many cities across the world. Sao Paulo, Brazil, the home country of Embraer, has the most helicopters in the world. Those who can afford the cost of helicopter rides have been using that as a mode of transport to overcome the massively congested roads. Our air traffic management system is used by Brazilian authorities and it has efficiently enabled the smooth operations of 1300 air taxi flights a day in Sao Paulo. We are channeling all this knowledge into developing a safe, piloted, low-noise, zero-emissions air travel journey that is affordable for time-pressed commuters to overcome ubiquitous traffic congestions and geographical constraints on land. We want to make eVTOLs accessible for the middleclass.

With the aim of optimising operations for urban environments, the eVTOLs are designed to be operable in different urban landscapes ensuring reliability as well as cost- and noiseminimization.

Urban air mobility solutions are more than just about eVTOLs, we are also concerned about the ecosystem around it – developing accessibility to ‘vertiports’ where the eVTOLs are based, making the eVTOL experience user-friendly for the mobility-impaired, the management of the air traffic systems, the service and support network of the eVTOLs and battery charging stations, just to name a few aspects.

One of the most important elements required for the Urban Air Mobility industry to scale up is regulatory support and community acceptance.

Through several of our recent projects, Eve has been working diligently to create this exciting future with multiple members of the UAM ecosystem.

This is one important step towards

building trust and knowledge for the value urban air mobility can bring to communities, but there is still a tremendous amount of education, collaboration, and partnership that will be required. As an ecosystem integrator, Eve is committed to being a trusted community partner in the development or Urban Air Mobility.

Each country has its unique regulatory environment and factors which we must consider, but beyond that, we have been growing our partnerships with regional players.

Eve has a partnership with Singaporebased Ascent Flights Global. Beginning in 2026, Eve will provide Ascent with up to 100,000 hours of flight time per year on its eVTOL aircraft for use in key cities such as Melbourne, Bangkok, Manila, Singapore, and Tokyo.

Collaborations and partnerships will foster the development of UAM in Australia Australia has a fond place in the heart of Embraer, our founding company.

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C-390 MILLENNIUM

UNBEATABLE COMBINATION

RAPID RECONFIGURATION AND THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY. Delivering paratroops, transporting cargo, conducting air-to-air refuelling, or delivering critical medical care, the C-390 Millennium has class-leading multi-role capabilities and features. This new generation aircraft exploits latest technologies and innovations. These include advanced fly-by-wire and digital integrated avionics.

This not only makes the C-390 Millennium easier to fly, it also reduces the workload on the crew. Already proven in service with the Brazilian Air Force, the C-390 has also been selected by the Portuguese and Hungarian Air Forces to meet their current and future mission demands. The C-390 is setting a new benchmark in reliability, efficiency and mission capability.

#C390UnbeatableCombination embraerds.com

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Embraer ’s first aircraft type, the Bandeirante, first started operations in 1978 in Australia. Since then, Embraer’s aircraft, the ‘Bandits’, Brasilias and the E-Jets have played a key role in the development of regional aviation in the country.

We see Australia as one of the most advanced countries in terms of air traffic management, a mature market that would be receptive to the introduction of low noise, zero emissions eVTOLs. At the end of 2020, we did a joint study with Airservices Australia to develop a new concept of operations (CONOPS) for the air taxi market that will allow eVTOLs to function efficiently among other aircraft in the airspace.

The CONOPS explored new and practical concepts to safely facilitate the introduction of the air taxi industry.

Using Melbourne as a model, the CONOPS examines how existing air traffic management solutions can initially enable UAM operations while simultaneously preparing for scale of operations through new traffic management technologies.

Melbourne was chosen because the city’s natural geographical constraints and distance is well-suited to low-noise zero-emission eVTOLs. It could also

serve as a UAM ecosystem framework that can be adapted for countries across Asia Pacific.

In September, we announced a partnership with Microflite, one of Australia’s premier helicopter operators, that will lay the foundation for urban air mobility operations in Australia that is expected to start in 2026. Our partnership will start with the use of helicopters, where appropriate, as a proof of concept to validate parameters that will apply to future eVTOL operations. This partnership also aims to develop new services and procedures that will create a safe and scalable operating environment for eVTOL operations together with communities and other industry stakeholders.

Microflite has worked with Eve since 2019 by contributing to the CONOPs that was jointly developed by Eve and Airservices Australia.

With an eVTOL range of up to 100km, you could travel from Geelong to the city, Sorrento or Daylesford to Melbourne Airport in around 15 to 20 minutes.

is growing exponentially across the world. Governments and entities are looking at how this could be an alternative mode of transport for people, while establishing an air traffic system and orderly framework for this to grow.

We see the ramp up of eVTOL operations as an opportunity to drive domestic tourism, job creation and it will help communities and cities that want to grow and expand. The urban air mobility industry will be a reality in as early as five years’ time, and we are excited to be part of this new wave, building trust, cooperation, community and regulatory acceptance as we develop a sustainable framework for urban air mobility.

This piece was written by Ryan Both, APAC Lead for Eve Urban Air Mobility.

Ryan Both has been in the Australian aviation industry for many years, working for Virgin Australia, Melbourne Airport and leading passenger, freight and missionized operations for customers including Qantas, Australian Border Force and Chevron.

UAM: Making it a reality The interest in urban air mobility and low-noise, low-emissions eVTOLs

Pic 1: Boarding Eve’s eVTOL Pic 2: Eve Microflite Pic 3: Simulator Flight eVTOL

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Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation GOVERNMENT OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Western Australia

Rising to the defence challenge

Defence West

Learn more about how Western Australia’s defence sector can support your air program to reach new heights. www.wa.gov.au/defencewest

facebook.com/defencewest

twitter.com/defence_west

linkedin.com/showcase/defence-west

Western Australia's role as a global leader in air defence technology Western Australia (WA) continues to strengthen the state’s position as a leader in air defence technology.

Chosen by some of the world’s largest defence companies in the research, development and testing of the latest systems and equipment, WA is at the forefront of the sector.

The state’s prime position on the Indian Ocean provides the perfect regional platform to maintain long term ties across key Asian export markets.

These mature relationships have yielded myriad benefits for WA and Australia in defence and across many other sectors including business, education and resources.

The mining, oil and gas industries have created a fertile environment for the development of new technologies.

Unmanned aerial vehicles and related technologies, systems integration and a rapid, solutionsfocussed culture – honed in remote and challenging environments – can be readily adapted and applied in defence.

The range of technologies developed in WA is vast and the state has emerged as a global leader in the development of air systems.

WA’s 2020 Defence Strategy Series identified priorities where the state’s industry already has natural strengths and competitive advantages.

These included precision-guided munitions, hypersonic weapons, integrated air and missile defence systems and space capabilities as among the specialist businesses based and operating in the state.

Based in Western Australia, Orbital UAV is a world-leader in the design and manufacture of engine systems for military drones.

With a second base in Oregon, US, the company has developed industryleading, advanced, heavy-fuel injection technology.

Built on more than 30 years’ experience in engine design, Orbital

UAV provides propulsion systems to some of the world’s largest suppliers of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) including Boeing-Insitu and Textron Systems.

Innovaero is another WA company that has established a global reputation for the development and manufacture of unmanned aerial systems, specialising in imaging and surveys.

These capabilities could be applied to the Australian Defence Force, police and emergency services.

The challenging environment in which this new technology is developed, tested and proven presents a significant competitive advantage for WA. As well as the technological challenges, autonomous and communications capabilities are critical elements of any technology developed in these sectors – all essential requirements of any equipment operating in defence operations.

Paul Papalia is Defence Industry and Veterans Issues Minister for the Government of Western Australia.

“Western Australia is a global hub for the development of technologies that lead the world in mining, oil, gas and defence systems.”

“The state comprises a third of the continent’s land mass and companies have become experts at developing

technologies and logistics to mobilise people and equipment across vast distances with no external support,” said Minister Papalia.

Australia’s defence spending over the next decade will be an estimated $270 billion.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought into sharp focus the importance of international relations.

WA h a s e s t a b l i s h e d s t r o n g relationships with key Asian export markets, with a quarter of Australian trade with ASEAN’s ten nations originating in the state.

WA’s universities collaborate on defence matters under the banner of Team WA. They are supported by the Defence Science Centre, whose responsibility is to tap into defencerelated research at the highest levels.

The Binar-1 CubeSat program at Curtin University demonstrates the state’s ability to leverage commodity manufacturing to create innovative, cost-effective sovereign capabilities for Australian universities, industry and defence.

Minister Papalia added: “Our unique position, in both our capabilities and location, is recognised by the companies, governments and international trade partners who choose WA as a business destination and partner.”

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Swarms of Trouble There once was a time that the most dangerous thing in the air was a Sopwith Camel; slow, low flying, relatively large and easily identifiable, with ample warning of its approach.

Since then things have become more complex – from the machine gun toting Camel punching at a top speed of roughly 97 knots (180km/h) we have progressed to missile-laden jets easily cruising at Mach 1.8.

Technology usually follows a certain progression – first the device gets more features before it reduces in size.

And just like mobile phones started as large clunkers before becoming more powerful before finally reducing in size, so too has the ability to deliver damage to assets and infrastructure via the air and space become smaller and more bang-for-buck.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) fill this description perfectly, and we have yet to come up with an adequate defence for them.

UAV, UAS, RPAS, Drones The use of different nomenclature can cause confusion – “drones” is a general term used by professional civilian drone operators and the wider public. Search for “drone” online and small affordable eBay-type equipment is what you will find. There is a lot of overlap between the use of “UAV” and “drone”, especially outside of the military.

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Within international and military organisations, however, the term Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) is preferred to better define aircraft that, though not having an onboard pilot, still require constant input from an operator to work. Some use Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) in the same context.

A reason for moving away from the general “UAV” term is to delineate civilian-type drones that have increasing amounts of automation included to help with flight such as auto-levelling and hover functions, as well as complete autonomous flight via way-points and GPS. These features remove a large part for operator input for sustained flight, making the device more autonomous and less skilfully piloted.

Wait, drones aren’t new!

Remotely piloted aircraft are not unknown to the RAAF. After operating the Heron for 7 years, the RAAF has committed to acquiring MQ-4C Tritons and MQ-9B Sky Guardians through projects AIR 7000 and 7003 respectively.

The Army have also been operating UASs since 2011. Funding to projects like LAND 129 Phase 3 have resulted in a range of unmanned solutions from the PD-100 Hornet micro UAV to the 4.3 metre wide Shadow 200. DJI Phantoms have also been acquired as

a trainer system to familiarise soldiers on UAS control.

Drones have even been used in warfare as far back as Vietnam. The Firebee and its descendant Lightning Bug was a Hercules-launched, jetpowered drone used for unpiloted reconnaissance missions.

What’s the problem then?

RPASs are not the issue – at least not domestically. Try transporting a MQ-9 Reaper around Sydney without getting any attention.

What does matter is small-scale UAVs – the ones readily available to

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le:

The Hidden Threat of Consumer UAVs consumers at a super-affordable price point. Unlike the Reaper, no-one will bat an eye at a DJI Phantom in the backseat of a car, even near airports.

But consumer UAVs are small, fast, and unpredictable. They require no airfield to deploy from and can be in and out of restricted airspace before they were ever discovered. Their radar signature is comparable to, and often mistaken for, a bird. Most radar systems disregard them because of this fact.

Detection systems do exist that can better differentiate consumer-grade UAVs, but they are not cheap and

have issues of their own. Acoustic sensors have a short range and are obviously affected by loud noises as you would find on an active air base.

Radio frequency sensors can detect UAVs based on their communication method back to their pilot, which means the location of the pilot can also be determined. The downside is they have no way of detecting fullyautonomous (i.e. self-flying) drones.

Prior history Recent UAV incursions include drones appearing near nuclear power plants, international airports, and over aircraft carriers.

Palo Verde is the largest nuclear plant in the US which, over two consecutive nights in September of 2019, had a “swarm” of drones fly within close proximity of one of the cooling towers.

Recent Freedom Of Information requests in the States have shown that this is not an isolated incident.

From the end of 2014 to October 2019 57 occurrences of drone swarms being used over nuclear plants across the US were recorded.

A similar incursion by two drones occurred over the Gatwick International Airport over several days in December of 2018. Gatwick is the UK’s second busiest airport by passengers and, 41

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Added to the overall issue is the anonymity of UAVs – remember the Gatwick airport incident above?

Cameras everywhere and yet a dedicated task force of police are yet to find the culprits. It’s the same with the nuclear power plant in the US, and the only reason security knew a drone had landed on a carrier deck in the UK was because the operator asked them nicely for it back.

A printer in every home

DroneDefender an example of a anti-drone weapon. Originally developed by Battelle, the system has since been acquired by Dedrone as of 2019. Dedrone.

due to a combined 30 hour airspace lock down, the incident cost the airport operators over £1.4 million in lost revenue. £4 million has since been sunk into anti-UAV technology.

A separate incident in the UK saw an operator of a UAV having to report himself to military personnel guarding a docked aircraft carrier – his drone had automatically landed on the deck of the warship due to high winds.

In Australia drones are commonly used in criminal acts like dropping drugs, tech gear and other contraband over prison fences; monitoring for police presence during drug deals and meetings; and smugglers monitoring security movements and creating distractions to move illegal goods.

In the case of prison contraband the Victorian Corrections department have experienced an increase in incursion reports from UAVs of over 200% in the last year alone.

So what?

Why this all matters – especially domestically and to the ADF particularly – is that the majority of our air fleet is located in Australia, on bases that are designed to keep people with malicious intent from gaining entry via the ground and, more specifically, the front gate.

Consumer-grade UAVs now provide smaller independent groups such 42

as political/ideological groups and “lone-wolf” individuals access to costeffective methods of causing damage to military- and nation-critical assets and infrastructure that avoids these standard defences.

By combining specific skill sets such as basic electrical engineering and computer coding abilities with the increased capabilities of low-cost off-the-shelf UAVs these groups are now better able to achieve their goals. And unlike a head-on attack via a ground access point, this kind of surprise attack can be devastating in its swiftness and overall damage.

It gets worse Ever heard of Skyjack? It’s a low-cost UAV hacking project that used off-theshelf hobby parts, a stock DJI Phantom drone, and some open-source code to create a UAV that can take over other drones in-flight.

For those in the IT/cyberspace realms, the idea is on par with botnets – basically a control node that takes control of other nodes (in this case other drones) to create a swarm it can direct to do malicious things. Botnets are often used to attack and take down high-profile networks like the US Department of Defence. Imagine a swarm of hijacked drones that are then sent to fly into the side of a bombed-up F-35 or fully-fuelled KC-30A.

No doubt the security of the drone operating systems will be tightened on popular consumer-sold UAVs (such as the DJI and Parrot brands) soon, but that will hardly remove the threat. Consumer 3D printing is gaining traction with the low cost, increased reliability, and more user-friendly interfaces allowing for 3D printers to become more common in modern households.

Add this to the plethora of free 3D drone models requiring everyday tools to assemble and the ease of electronic control through open-source prototyping boards such as Raspberry Pi’s and a DIY drone can be built in an afternoon for less than $500, all with no complex tools or knowledge.

Worryingly, unlike off-the-shelf UAVs these aren’t hampered by built-in hardcoded GPS geolocation restrictions that prevent consumer drones from flying over airports.

Counting beans That brings us round to the crutch of the problem – Return On Investment.

One of the cheapest aircraft we have in our fleet currently is the PC-21 at an estimated $9m each. The most expensive will likely be the Lightning II at a very rough estimate of $220m a piece. A single decent UAV costs $1500.

Admittedly, one drone has a low probability of damaging an aircraft on its own. But what about 10? 20? That's still only $30k to put a $220m aircraft out of action for a while, possibly permanently. Accountants consider an ROI above 12% to be investment

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worth taking up even on the dodgiest of stocks, so even the most pennypinching terrorist or political extremist would be hard pressed to pass up a 300% to 7,400% ROI.

You wouldn’t read about it Do you think kamikaze drones are over the top and completely unviable? You might want to mention that to the Turks.

Delivery to the Turkish military of fixed and rotary wing drones (the “Alpagu” and “Kargu” respectively) is underway.

These aren’t just off-the-shelf UAVs with cam paint and a 400% markup; small but lethal munitions are strapped to the front to ensure that the target is receiving more than just a suicidal drone to the head.

Not surprisingly, and somewhat chillingly, they are being developed to work in a “herd” (aka swarm) to increase their effectiveness in damaging or destroying a target. Oh, and “Autonomous Intelligence” added in for that true Terminator vibe.

What can Defence do?

First, we need to look at UAV policy in Australia. The ADF has some of the most critical assets affected by this threat, and also the responsibility to protect the nation from it. The USAF Unmanned Aircraft Systems Flight Plan 2009-2047 noted that near term policy decisions must be put in place to guide development of future UAS capabilities. Though this referred to current and future system acquisitions (such as the ubiquitous MQ-1 Predator drone and its descendants), the point extends to the ADF shaping policy around systems that pose a threat to our assets.

This means that in the short and medium term there is a need for Defence to plug in to regulators to better shape their policies regarding UAVs, especially around our bases.

The Civilian Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) is the main body for this.

Policy updates for UAVs, however, are very general in nature and are quickly outstripped by advances in the abilities of new generation drones. CASA UAV

Turkish made drone Kargu UAV detects and destroys the enemy with smart algorithm.

Wikimedia Commons.

rules also lump RAAF bases in the same category as any civilian airfield, affording no extra protection to airspace used by military-critical assets.

Concurrently, research must be conducted into the use of tools that can be used to protect assets on our airfields. Protection systems already exist that use different methods to bring down UAVs but they are wideranging in their effectiveness. From radio frequency jammers to birds of prey, they all present their own pros and cons.

A more out-there idea hand-made for Defence might include fighting fire with fire; have swarms of defence drones protecting our airfields that can detect threats further out and mitigate before they enter sensitive areas. These drones could double as normal base security and monitoring, having a set of automated eyes able to check fence lines at any time of the day or night.

Whether it be net guns, drone swarms, high-powered microwave devices, or specially trained attack birds – we must determine what will work best in protecting our assets on a base-bybase evaluation basis.

Conclusion

possibilities of using them effectively against our nation- and military-critical assets are increasing. Every month more innovative open-source tools are being developed by a growing group of well-meaning hobbyists and tinkerers that opens up new ways of using UAVs maliciously.

Regardless of offensive or defensive stances, when it comes to remotely piloted aircraft militarises are typically only focused on large, long-endurance systems. These are important, but the number of international incidents of small-scale UAVs (in swarms or individually) causing significant financial losses or security breaches demands an obligation to defend against similar incursions here.

We must ensure we are ready to answer the question of how we will defend against drones used in novel and malicious ways. Guiding policy is a good first step to keep normal drone operators at bay, but we need more direct systems in place to ensure we are protected against those who see an affordable solution to their malicious goals.

Chris Arnold Commonwealth copyright Air and Space Power Centre.

UAVs are fun and, for some, functional.

But with every new generation the 43

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This myth couldn’t be further from the truth.

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S pa ce

Lockheed Martin, General Motors Team to Further Lunar Exploration with Autonomous Moon Rover Only 5% of the Moon’s surface has been explored by the human race, and to reach the other 95%, NASA astronauts on the Artemis program are going to need some serious wheels.

That’s why Lockheed Martin and General Motors have teamed up to design the next generation of lunar rovers, capable of transporting astronauts across farther distances on the lunar surface. Unlike the Apollo days when the rovers only traveled four miles from the landing site, Artemis astronauts will go farther and explore more of the Moon’s surface than ever before to conduct critical scientific research.

This type of mobility is a huge step – or a giant leap – toward enabling and sustaining long-term exploration of the lunar surface. The science that Artemis astronauts will conduct will help NASA better understand the fundamental planetary processes underlying our solar system, and will help us better understand and protect Earth.

Not only will these vehicles be wellequipped to go the distance, they will also be driver optional. Autonomous, self-driving systems would enable the vehicle to operate with or without humans onboard, and pave the way for future human missions, commercial payload services and enhanced scientific utility.

“These next-generation rover concepts will dramatically extend the exploration range of astronauts as they perform high-priority science investigation on the Moon that will ultimately impact humanity’s understanding of our place in the solar system,” said Rick Ambrose, executive vice president, Lockheed Martin Space.

A Lockheed Martin-GM rover would be able to preposition itself autonomously near a landing site prior to the astronauts’ arrival, and 46

astronauts would have the ability to task the rover from the Human Landing System or the orbiting lunar Gateway to conduct science operations without a driver. This enables NASA to fit more science into a smaller amount of time, and allows us to uncover the critical information that the other 95% of the lunar surface may hold.

Zooming on the Moon Driving on the Moon is not your average off-roading experience. The new lunar rover concept would be expertly outfitted to drive over rugged terrain in the dark and cold.

Unlike Earth and even Mars, days and nights on the Moon are just under 14 days long. The Lockheed Martin-GM rovers would be designed to survive and even operate in the two-week long night that sees temperatures of down to -280 degrees Fahrenheit, and daytime temperatures of 260 Fahrenheit.

“The biggest difference is, when you design for the Moon and for space applications, the force of gravity is different and has to be taken into account,” said Madhu Raghavan, Global Research & Development

Group Manager at GM. “There are extreme temperature swings, and the radiation in space becomes a challenge in terms of systems design.

You’re also operating in a vacuum and designing your systems to withstand the shock of the actual launch.”

The vehicles’ design would expertly mitigate these challenges. Lockheed Martin has built multiple deep space robotic spacecraft that have gone to the Moon, Mars, Jupiter, Venus, asteroids, comets and other destinations throughout the solar system.

“We’ve led missions to other planetary bodies for decades, building spacecraft that can survive the high radiation environment, cold temperatures, and yet be very light and very reliable,” said Kirk Shireman, vice president, Lunar Exploration Campaigns at Lockheed Martin. “This is what we specialize in, and we are more than capable of meeting and exceeding this challenge for NASA.”

A Dynamic Duo With both brains and brawn, the Lockheed Martin-GM alliance brings together innovations from both

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Illustration of NASA astronauts on the lunar South Pole. NASA.

companies to make transformative vehicles, drawing on strong legacies of engineering and performance from both companies.

“GM is a world leader in automobile manufacturing and technology, and Lockheed Martin is a world leader in spacecraft. The two companies joining forces to build a mobility system on the Moon just makes perfect sense.”

Kirk Shireman, vice president, Lunar Exploration Campaigns at Lockheed Martin Lockheed Martin will lead the team by leveraging its legacy and history working with NASA. “Our goal is to build a vehicle that is affordable, that exceeds our customer requirements, and to do it rapidly.

Digital tools are how we achieve that,” Shireman said. “We’ve demonstrated already across programs and proposals the speed, affordability and reliability that digital tools enable, and we fully expect to leverage and expand on that experience with this program.”

GM brings to the table decades of experience designing for on and

off-road environments, a strong focus on quality and human safety, and a shared mission.

“There’s a lot of synergy between our two companies – we complement each other well,” said Jeff Ryder, vice president, Growth & Strategy at GM Defense. “The lunar rover designs for extreme off-road environments have a lot of similarities with our tactical military vehicles on the GM Defense side. It’s great to work with a company like Lockheed Martin who has a shared mission of supporting the warfighter.”

GM brings to the table state-of-theart battery-electric technologies and propulsion systems that are central to the company’s extensive electric vehicle strategy. Research from the development of battery and power systems for the lunar rover may ultimately spur advances on electric vehicles back on Earth, too.

“Because the operating conditions are so extreme in space, our work on this project will help us make safer and better batteries back on Earth,” Raghavan said. “The Moon and Mars are, of course, totally unstructured, unlined roads. Designing for that environment will ultimately just make

our EV capabilities on Earth that much stronger.”

Enabling a Celestial Human Future As it was during the Apollo era, every minute of the Artemis astronauts’ time on the lunar surface will be carefully planned in order to maximize the science value of having humans back on the lunar surface for the first time since 1972.

So, what is NASA hoping to uncover on the uncharted territory that remains of the Moon? The Moon is often referred to as the cornerstone of the solar system. Scientific investigations on the Artemis program will help NASA understand the risks and potential resources of the Moon’s South Pole, where they hope to establish the Artemis Base Camp concept by the end of the decade.

“The technology has evolved so much in the last 50 years, to the point where we can now use autonomy for these vehicles to aid in the astronauts’ missions,” Shireman said. “Autonomy will enable these rovers to carry tools and samples, and allows the crews to 47

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do more in the time they have there on the surface.”

To achieve our ultimate goal of utilizing the resources on the Moon to sustain a human presence, Shireman says we’ll need to have a reliable way of transporting those resources. This is the first major step in that direction.

“I’ve worked on many space programs in the past, but this isn’t just another space mission,” said Ryder.

“It’s the return to, and permanent habitation of the Moon. It’s not just cool or interesting –it’s historical. It’s a major milestone in human activity in space.”

According to Raghavan, he’s seen a major influx of job applicants for open

positions on his project team. “This is the stuff you dream about as a kid in science class,” he said. “People want to be part of this.”

Other scientific activities that surface mobility could enable include field geology, sample collection and return, and deployed experiments.

These investigations are conducted in the hopes that they may increase our understanding of how the Moon formed and evolved, how it interacts with the Sun, and how water and other resources arrived at the Moon, and how they are transported and preserved.

These are all questions that, once answered, will help us sustain life on the Moon. The Lockheed Martin-GM team stands ready to autonomously chauffeur the astronauts to the dark regions of the Moon to advance our human future in space.

“I always think about alliances, and how you have to start with something real,” Ryder said. “As we go do this, it’ll likely lead to additional opportunities.

It’s a great pathway going forward, and I’m sure there will be more opportunities for our two companies to come together to further human spaceflight.”

Reprinted with permission from Lockheed Martin.

Australia to Build Rover for NASA Moon Mission in Trailblazer Program An Australian-made rover will head to the moon as part of a future NASA mission, after receiving a $50 million backing by the federal government.

Industry leaders are expected to come together for the race to space in what Prime Minister Scott Morrison hopes will be a boost to the country's COVID-19 recovery.

The Trailblazer program, a part of the Moon to Mars initiative which launched in 2019, will provide $50 million in funding to local businesses and researchers to develop a semiautonomous rover.

The mission, which is expected to happen as early as 2026, will seek to collect lunar soils and attempt to extract oxygen from them.

It forms part of a plan to establish a sustainable human presence on the moon and offer support for future journeys to Mars.

Mr Morrison said he wanted to triple the size of the space sector by 2030, believing it would create up to 20,000 new jobs in the industry. He expected $12 billion would be added to the economy over the next decade as a result.

"This is an incredible opportunity for Australia to succeed in the global space sector, and is central to our government's vision to secure more

"This agreement will leverage our expertise in remote operations to grow our space sector here at home, while developments that come from preparing for space will make sure our resources sector keeps powering ahead too."

An artist's impression showcasing how the Australian-made rover could contribute to a bigger international exploration program on the moon.

Australian Space Agency.

jobs and a larger share of the growing space economy," he said.

"This mission to the moon is just one exciting way that we can create opportunity and jobs for the future, and our government will ensure Australians reap the benefits."

Australian Space Agency head Enrico Palermo said Australia had been selected for its expertise in robotics but the partnership would help to further build on existing capabilities.

"Australia is at the cutting edge of robotics technology and systems for remote operations, which are going to be central to setting up a sustainable presence on the moon and eventually supporting human exploration of Mars," he said.

An 'off-Earth' presence to boost the on-Earth economy The Australian Space Agency has said the space sector is a growing area of the economy, with industry reports indicating it could grow a further 10 per cent over the next five years.

In February this year, the space agency revealed sector revenue had grown by $300 million between the 2016-17 and 2018-19 financial years.

Jobs in the industry had also grown by a little more than 1000 to 11,560, and there were 481 space-related organisations in the country.

The Trailblazer program is expected to bring together a consortium of Australian businesses and research organisations to deliver on the NASA lunar rover.

The agency's fact sheet hopes the program will also increase Australian involvement in local and international supply chains as well as "inspire" the public.

It will open for bids in early 2022.

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Fe a tu r e

Uninhabited Aerial Systems for the RAN – a Path of Continual Upgrades The Navy’s plans to equip its ships with an unmanned aircraft capability took a step forward in March when five contenders were shortlisted for its Project SEA 129 Phase 5 Block 1 Maritime Unmanned Aircraft System (MUAS) requirement.

The companies shortlisted by Defence are BAE Systems Australia, Insitu Pacific, Northrop-Grumman Australia, Australia, Raytheon and Textron Systems Australia.

“This Program will acquire maritime unmanned intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and targeting aircraft systems which will complement current sensors and systems on Navy’s ships, while boosting a ship’s area of surveillance,” acting Defence Minister Senator Marise Payne said in the news release.

The release added that the project is expected to be worth $270 million, with Block 1 being just the first phase of a 30-year continuous development program, with five-year rolling block

upgrades, which will incorporate new technology upgrades.

Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price said that by incorporating new technology through block upgrades every five years, the program would support the development of Australia’s UAS industry, while providing the Navy with “leading edge” maritime surveillance capability.

“This process will allow Australian businesses to be directly involved in providing greater situational awareness for the Fleet, in particular the new Arafura Offshore Patrol Vessels, while strengthening longterm job growth and security,” she added.

Defence had issued an Invitation to Respond (ITR) back in August 2020, inviting industry to put forward proposals for the initial phase. The ITR said that seven maritime UAS ‘capability bricks’ will be acquired under this Block, to be operated primarily from the Arafura class offshore patrol vessels (OPV) as well as Navy’s

ANZAC class frigates (FFH). Entry into service is scheduled for 2024.

The ITR added that Block 1 is intended to be a “whole-of-systems solution provided by a single supplier”, although it concedes that given “the differences between the OPV and MFU (major force unit) facilities, available aviation spaces, effects and operating conditions may result in the capability being delivered by two different solutions” As such, while the “strong preference” is to choose a single provider with a “one size fits all solution”, it will nevertheless consider having different suppliers operating different platforms to separate OPV operations from the ANZAC class.

According to the ITR, Block 1 will additionally growth, focus on “workforce training system development, Combat Management System (CMS) integration, and payload development”.

Defence Minister Senator Linda Reynolds’ office had issued a statement a day before the release of the ITR noting that the program will provide opportunities for Australian industry to innovate, develop and grow.

BAE

822X Squadron members Able Seaman Aviation Support Luke Williams (Left) and Aviation Technician Aircraft, Byron Eyres (Right) releasing the recovery line from a ScanEagle Unmanned Aircraft on completion of a sortie at Jervis Bay airfield. Defence image.

BAE is the sole shortlisted company that is keeping its cards close to its chest regarding its bid for SEA 129, telling APDR that it is yet to announce which UAS platform it will offer.

It is possible that it will be partnering with Saab and offering the UMS Skeldar V-200 VTOL UAS, though both companies have pleaded ignorance.

The V-200 has a Maximum Take Off Weight (MTOW) of 235 kg (517-lb) inclusive of carrying multiple payloads which include Electro Optical/Infra-red (EO/IR) systems, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), and Electronic Warfare (EW) sensors.

UMS Skeldar says that the V-200 has a range of 200 km (108 nautical 51

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miles) and an endurance of more than five hours with exact figures dependent on payload size and weight, while its operational ceiling is 3,000 metres (9,842 feet).

The V-200 is in use with the navies of Germany and Indonesia, while it has been undergoing trials with the Spanish Navy. Canada has contracted QinetiQ to provide unmanned ISTAR solutions to the Canadian Navy and special forces, with the L3 Wescam EO/IR system and Leonardo PicoSAR radar mounted on V-200s contracted to the former.

INSITU PACIFIC Insitu Pacific will offer the Integrator or the smaller ScanEagle 2 for the program. The Integrator air vehicle itself weighs 36.28 kg (80-lb) and has a MTOW of 61.2 kg (135-lb). The twin boom design has a length of 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) and wingspan of 4.9 metres (16 ft), and is powered by an electronic fuel injection engine that runs on the commonly used JP-5/JP-8 fuel, allowing it to stay in the air for up to 24 hours.

Insitu calls the Integrator “a modular, flexible and multi-mission capable solution for both land and maritime operations”. The air vehicle has six spaces that can hold up to 18 kg (40-lb) and has 350W of onboard power for payloads.

The company says the payload spaces “can be customized with cameras, communication capabilities and other advanced mission-specific technologies” that can be tailored for mission and other operational needs.

The type is also used by the U.S. Navy and Marines as the RQ-21 Blackjack, along with allied nations such as Canada and Poland.

The RAN has previously trialled the use of the ScanEagle from its ships operated by the Navy UAS Development Unit (NUASDU), and in 2013 operated an unmanned aircraft from a RAN ship for the first time when one flew from the HMAS Parramatta during an embarked demonstration.

NUASU itself was expanded to 32 personnel having originally started with five, driven by the introduction of Navy 52

A remotely operated Schiebel Camcopter S-100 from 822X Squadron lands on the flight deck of MV Sycamore off the coast of NSW. Defence image.

Minor Project 1942 which brought in the Schiebel S-100 Camcopter for shipboard trials (more on that later).

This expansion enabled the deployment of one ScanEagle flight and one S-100 Flight to sea for embarked evaluation activities while maintaining one ScanEagle Flight at Nowra for training and land-based experimentation activities.

The Navy’s Scan Eagles have also gone on an operational deployment, when HMAS Newcastle took four unmanned aircraft along with their operators to the Middle East during the frigate’s participation in Operation Manitou in 2017. The UAS flew more than 200 hours during that deployment, flying solo or working together with the ship’s embarked MH-60R Romeo helicopter.

The deployment also provided the opportunity for NUASU, which has since become 822x Squadron, to carry out an operational evaluation plan it had developed to capture data and learn lessons in the lead up to SEA 129.

Insitu has also been shortlisted for Project LAND 129 Phase 3 competing against Textron Systems for the Army’s Tactical UAS (TUAS) program.

The company has selected over 20 Australian SMEs focused on critical capabilities for UAS growth and sustainability through the life of the system, including advanced materials and propulsion, sensing and software,

and seamless integration with existing and planned Australian Defence Force systems for that program.

Among these SMEs is Melbournebased Ascent Vision Technologies, which will provide its CM234 Spitfire gimball camera for the Army’s future TUAS, regardless of which bidder is successful for the program. The Australian company had developed the gimball camera with support and investment from the Defence Innovation Hub, and the product has been described by Director General Army Aviation Systems, Brigadier James Allen, as a generational leap in optical camera sensor and image stabilisation technology.

NORTHROP GRUMMAN Northrop Grumman is teaming with Leonardo to offer the Italian company’s AWHero VTOL UAS. Leonardo says that the AWHero is the only rotary wing in its class that has been “designed to the same safety design concepts applied to helicopters such as systems redundancy and guarantees high reliability and maintainability, ensuring low operating costs”.

The AWHero is being touted by its manufacturer as being capable of performing “a wide spectrum of battlefield and maritime missions including: Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance

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Aerosonde HQ is a vertical take-off and landing UAS manufactured by Textron Systems. Textron Systems.

(ISTAR), force protection, combat support, route clearance, cargo resupply, antipiracy, maritime security operations and Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) communications relay for other unmanned systems”.

Two modular payload bays carry sensors including radar, EO/IR systems and Light Imaging Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) and advanced communication systems. The payloads can be nose, underbelly or sidemounted, with the nose bay mounting a 10” EO/ IR turret or an 8” EO/IR turret with radar, while the underbelly and side bays can be used for heavier payloads.

The AWHero is a 200-kg (440-lb) class UAS, including an 85-kg (187-lb) useful load. It has an endurance of 6 hours with a 35-kg (72-lb) payload, and ceiling is 14,000 feet (4,267 metres).

Northrop Grumman had been widely expected to offer its MQ-8 Fire Scout family for SEA 129, but the program’s more modest requirements for the Arafura-class OPVs had put paid to those hopes, and teaming with Leonardo appears to be a logical course of action given the latter’s AN/ZPY-8 radar is fitted on the U.S. Navy’s M-8Cs. Should the Hunter-class frigates being acquired via SEA 5000 need a more capable UAS, the large Fire Scout could conceivably be an option although much would also depend on the path forward for the U.S. Navy, whose own aims and budgets are

unclear. There are suggestions that the service is seeking to retool its MQ8C program for roles like sonobuoy dropping and mine warfare.

RAYTHEON AUSTRALIA Raytheon Australia has carried its partnership with Schiebel Pacific for LAND 129 Phase 3 over to SEA 129, offering the familiar Camcopter S-100 for the Navy project despite its lack of success for LAND 129.

The Camcopter platform is already a familiar one for the Navy, which has already extensively trialled it after having selected the VTOL UAS in 2016 under Navy Minor Project 1942. The type was accepted into navy service in 2018 and like the ScanEagle, is now serving with 822X Squadron.

Operating the type has provided valuable lessons for the Navy about UAS and provided guidance for SEA 129, with one of the first ones being that they needed to operate on heavy fuels. This saw Schiebel quickly introduce the S-2 heavy fuel engine on the Navy’s S-100s, with acceptance tests clearing JP-5 and Jet A-1 for use in March 2020.

The use of heavy fuels makes it compatible with the fuel for powering marine gas turbines and manned helicopters, simplifying the logistics train by removing the needs for storing an additional fuel type on board ships.

The Camcopter has also undertaken shipboard trials on the Anzac class

frigate HMAS Ballarat later in 2020 to evaluate how the system, weighing up to 200 kg (440-lb), can be operated out at sea.

The type has also been used by the Army’s 20th Surveillance and Target Acquisition (STA) Regiment, most notably during Exercise Hamel in 2018 using leased systems. Later that year, Schiebel, in cooperation with ELTA Systems and Overwatch Imaging, demonstrated the former’s ELK-7065 Compact Airborne HF COMINT/DF 3D System during the first week, followed by Overwatch Imaging’s TK-5 Firewatch AI-enabled imagery system on an S-100 during a two-week exercise.

Raytheon Australia had said that for LAND 129 Phase 3 they will offer an “operationally superior rotary wing UAS that is highly flexible and provides both a small footprint, no dedicated launch and recovery equipment and a high payload capacity”, noting that the Camcopter “provides real capability that has operated with the Australian military that’s ready now”, adding that it was “low risk”.

TEXTRON The other competitor up against Insitu in the Army’s Project LAND 129 Phase 3 for a land-based TUAS is Textron with its Aerosonde V4.7/HQ. The small UAS was originally a product of AAI, which was acquired by Textron in 2007, and its Australian operations are now run out of Melbourne.

Textron also has a footprint in Australia’s UAS capability, with the RQ-7B Shadow 200 TUAS having previously been acquired by the Army under Project LAND 129 Phase 2, a capability that is being replaced by Phase 3.

The company says the Aerosonde family is designed for “expeditionary land- and sea-based operations and equipped for simultaneous day/ night full-motion video, communications relay signals, intellegence and a customer-selected payload in a single flight” adding that the type “is fieldproven with more than 450,000 flight hours, including desert heat and Arctic cold”.

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Fe a tu r e

(L-R) Australian Army Craftsman Keith Jefferies and Royal Australian Navy Leading Seaman Chris Botfield recover an RQ-7B Shadow 200 of the 132nd Battery 20th Surveillance Targeting and Acquisition Regiment at the Townsville Field Training Area during Exercise Hamel 2014. Defence image.

The 36.4 kg (80-lb) air vehicle has a range of 140 km (88 miles) and can stay in the air in excess of 14 hours while operating at altitude up to 15,000 feet (4,572 metres). It can carry payloads of up to 9.1 kg (20-lb) and has 200W of onboard power, which can include day/night full-motion video imaging, SAR, COMINT/SIGINT, and Electronic Warfare (EW) packages and stay aloft for more than 14 hours.

Both Aerosonde variants are powered by the Lycoming EL-005 single-cylinder, air-cooled, direct-drive, spark-ignited two-stroke engine. The powerplant has a dry weight of 6.25 kg (13.8 lbs) and is optimized for jet fuels, and produces 4 HP @ 5,500 RPM. The Aerosonde HQ, which is short for Hybrid Quadcopter and is the technology used to give it its Vertical Take-Off and Landing capability, would obviously have an advantage in maritime/shipborne operations, given that its runway-independent capability would make it easier to operate off the flight deck of ships without the need for specialised launch and recovery systems.

However, this capability comes with its own trade-offs, with the Aerosonde HQ being limited to payloads of 6.8 kg (15-lb), a ceiling of 10,000 feet (3,048

m) and an endurance of 8 hours with a 4.55 kg (10-lb) payload.

Textron Australia has also reached out to Australian industry to expand its local supply chain and manufacture additional system elements for LAND 129 Phase 3, which could conceivably be carried over to SEA 129 given they will be utilising the same platform.

These include the supply and life support of composite structures, C2 datalinks, ground stations, launch and recovery systems and other systems and support services.

WHAT NEXT? It has been reported that Defence is looking to integrate the MUAS capability on to the Canberraclass

LHDs, instead of fielding the Army UAS being acquired under LAND 129 Phase 3 onto the amphibious vessels.

The Navy had previously said that any solution for SEA 129 Phase 5 needed to be compatible with all of the RAN’s major fleet units, with the Supplyclass Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment (AOR) specifically named alongside the LHDs. The ITR also gave an insight into what to expect from follow on phases of the program. Block 2 will refresh the OPV’s MUAS capability and acquire five more capability bricks for other major Navy surface assets such as the Hunter-class frigates being acquired under SEA 5000, with the scheduled entry into service being 2029.

The plan to refresh the MUAS capability is in line with what APDR has been told previously, with program officials having previously said that that improvements in technology meant vehicle itself over the life of that the platform, the onboard systems will almost certainly outlast the air meaning that there will be a need to constantly refresh and innovate the system.

The 2029 timeframe is also expected to be when a “commercial capability partner” will be engaged to “build a mature mission and support system” and will lead to Block 3 of SEA 129 Phase 5, which is scheduled to enter service from 2034 and will comprise a comprehensive update and refresh of the 12 existing UAS capability bricks, training, and support systems.

Mike Yeo This article first appeared in the July/August edition of Asia Pacific Defence Reporter.

Textron Systems Aerosonde. Textron.

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‘LOOK HOW FAR WE’VE COME’ The Royal Australian Air Force marked a special anniversary on 31 March, celebrating 100 years since its formation in 1921. Despite COVID interrupting some scheduled events, this year provided the chance to reflect and recognise the service and sacrifice the RAAF provides Australia in protecting and defending the national interest.

Today’s highly capable force has come a long way and the value of air power provided by the RAAF is undisputed. Future strike and air combat capability will be characterised by acquisition of new platforms, technology and seamless integration of space, cyber and electronic systems in collaboration with Army, Navy and private industry.

Whilst it’s been another busy year of commitments across a broad spectrum of regional and global operations in support of Australian Government objectives, the RAAF looks toward the future with optimism and infinite potential.

60 past and present aircraft shook the nation's capital on 31st March recognising the 350,000 people who have served in the Air Force.

The Air Force was presented with a new New Queen's Colour, it replaced the previous Colour presented by the Queen in 1986.

Jericho Disruptive Innovation program piloted virtual operation rooms on air bases across the country using Microsoft Hololens 2 headsets to project a hologram of the battlespace in front of the user.

Royal Australian Air Force Victoria Cross recipients are honoured with their names being placed onto the PC-21 aircraft of No. 4 Squadron at RAAF Base Williamtown.

Air Force Chief says RAAF will be faster, smarter and have longer reach in its next 100 years Gathered personnel forming the number 100 and one of each RAAF aircraft in service at RAAF Base Amberley.

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Operation Southern Discovery is the ADF contribution to the Whole-of-Government, Department of Environment and Energy-led activity in the Antarctic Region – the Australian Antarctic Program.

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ADF personnel provided additional support to the COVID-19 crisis.

Exercise Red Flag Alaska was the first time that RAAF F-35A Lightning II aircraft deployed overseas from Australia.

Air Vice-Marshall Catherine Roberts will lead the newly launched Military Space Command.

See you at Avalon 2023

Op Accordion-Afghanistan, over nine sweltering days in August, ADF personnel took part in the largest humanitarian airlift operation in recent history.

Talisman Sabre 2021 the largest bilateral combined training activity between the ADF US military

Held at RAAF Bases Darwin and Tindal, Exercise Rogue Ambush signalled the completion of the first F-35A operation conversion course to be run in Australia since the introduction of the aircraft

Air Traffic Control training celebrated its 75th year and the School of Air Traffic Control (SATC) its 40th year as an independent unit. SATC is a world class training facility delivering Air Traffic Controllers for Defence.

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RAAF TIME LINE 1920-1929

Formation of the Australian Air Force First Air Force Non Technical Training course First around Australia aerial survey flight Aircraft production begins in Australia First RAAF Air Show Richard Williams appointed as first Chief of Air Staff

1930-1939

Formation of the Wireless section Proclamation of Cape Bruce, Antarctica Introduction of the Wirraway aircraft PM announces expeditionary forces to assist RAF

1940-1949

Air Force Nursing Service established Establishment of RAAF Bases Darwin, Amberley, Wagga Wagga, Williamtown, East Sale and Townsville Formation of the Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force Bombing of Darwin Australia’s first Indigenous fighter pilot - Len Waters Introduction of helicopters to Air Force

1950-1959

War in Korea Women’s Royal Australian Air Force replaced Women’s Auxiliary Australian Air Force Sabre enters service RAAF Roundel adopted First use of Martin Baker ejector seat in combat End of the biplane era C-130 Hercules enters service

1960-1969

Caribou enters service Farewell Air Force’s aerobatic team - the Telstars First flight of the Mirage P-3B Orion enters service RAAF arrives in Vietnam Sir Frederick Scherger appointed first Air Chief Marshal

1970-1979

F-4E Phantom enters service F-111C arrives at Amberley Cyclone Tracy-Darwin 35 Squadron Caribou hijacked-East Timor WRAAF disbanded - personnel join RAAF United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF) in Sinai

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1980-1989

1990-1999

New Air Force Ensign adopted First F/A-18’s arrive Helicopter operations handed to the Army Death of the Father of the Air Force – Sir Richard Williams First female pilots Queen’s Colour awarded RAAF Base Tindal established Withdrawal of CH-47C Chinook

Launch of first Air Force hot air balloon Introduction of the Warrant Officer of the Air Force Bougainville conflict East Timor independence Gulf War Hostage relief Peacekeeping - Mogadishu, Somalia Female combat roles established

2000-2009

Commitment to Middle East Area of Operations

Medical evacuation support to Bali bombings and

tsunamis

Operation Slipper and Highroad - Afghanistan

Operation Resolute - Border protection

Operation Astute - Timor Leste

Air Vice-Marshal Julie Hammer-1st ADF female 2 Star rank

Air Chief Marshal Sir Angus Houston-Chief of Defence Force

2010-2019

F-111 retires from service First RAAF Indigenous Elder - Uncle Harry Allie General Purpose Uniforms introduced Humanitarian assistance - Pakistan floods, MRH370 search, national bushfires, COVID-19 response.

First Spartan enters into service First two F-35A Lightnings arrive in Australia

2020-Present Operation Bushfire Assist Day COVID-19 Task Force established

First uncrewed aircraft-Loyal Wingman-maiden flight ADF Space Command announced UNSW/ RAAF collaborate on CubeSat launch 10th Anniversary 33SQN KC-30A operations

Courtesy of airforce2021.airforce.gov.au 59

The Australian Chapter of the Association of Old Crows congratulates the Royal Australian Air Force on its Centenary: 1921-2021

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Many Happy Returns On September 16, 33 Squadron marked the 10th anniversary of its first KC-30A Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) mission at RAAF Base Amberley.

There to cut the celebratory cake was CO 33SQN Wing Commander Neil Bowen.

“The 10th anniversary of 33SQN KC-30A operations is a significant milestone,” WGCDR Bowen said.

“The platform has matured over the past 10 years, and this year 33SQN operations are really showcasing the versatility of the MRTT, shifting seamlessly between air-to-air refuelling and air logistics support missions, both at home and deployed.

“Our successes in 2021 are the result of the dedicated, professional aviators of the squadron over the past decade, supported by the entire KC-30A enterprise.”

If you were to board the KC-30A, you might find yourself speaking to an air refuelling operator or an Air Force crew attendant. Over the past decade, many Air Force members have found a home at 33SQN and with the KC-30A. “We thank each member who has been involved in 33SQN and the KC-30A capability. Together we have an impressive list of achievements, only due to the exceptional professionalism and service provided by many,” WGCDR Bowen said.

33SQN has transported thousands of passengers across the nation and the globe. Due to its impressive load capacity, as many as 270 passengers and up to 34 tonnes of cargo, the squadron has been involved in significant airlift tasks including supporting volunteer firefighters and transporting international UN forces into the Middle East.

With a fuel capacity of more than 100 tonnes, the KC-30A has also supported missions across the Air Force with its refuelling capability. The squadron has participated in Air Force exercises and operations across the globe including Operations Okra, Accordion and APEC Assist. The KC-30A has even refuelled aircraft from foreign militaries.

The KC-30A is a heavily modified variant of the Airbus A330-200 commercial airliner. In fact, it is the largest aircraft in the Air Force at 59m long with a 60.3m wingspan. Advanced mission systems are also fitted to the aircraft, enhancing its multidimension capability.

33SQN now operates seven KC-30As and will continue to provide air-toair refuelling and strategic airlift to Australia well into the next decade.

Flying Officer Lily Lancaster

CO 33SQN WGCDR Neil Bowen. on the Amberley flightline with a MRTT on the 10th anniversary of the first aircraft mission with 33SQN. Defence image.

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Ruling the Battlespace

Number 2 Squadron’s E-7A Wedgetail proved commanding in the air as its advanced communication and surveillance systems came to the fore high above the rugged Alaskan terrain, Flying Officer Bronwyn Marchant writes.

Operating out of Joint Base ElmendorfRichardson, Alaska, United States, RAAF’s 2SQN E-7A Wedgetail provided advanced battlespace management within a multinational environment during Exercise Red Flag Alaska.

The E-7A used advanced communication and surveillance systems to coordinate both fourth and fifth-generation combat aircraft from the USAF and the RAAF. 2SQN Detachment Commander Squadron Leader John Thornton said the E-7A Wedgetail provided longrange early detection of simulated adversary aircraft within the airspace, increasing the situational awareness of air combat operations.

The E-7A Wedgetail significantly increases the effectiveness of all assets operating within the combat environment, an advantage that Red Flag Alaska seeks to further develop in an effort to enhance Air Force’s air combat capability.

SQNLDR Thornton said the exercise not only strengthened the relationships and interoperability with the USAF, but also provided critical training for 2SQN crews.

“The airspace in Alaska is unlike any other in the world. It allows us to test our capabilities and conduct upgrades and category assessments on our crews,” he said.

“The training that we achieved during the exercise is essential in ensuring that we can execute the command and control function that an airborne early warning and control platform would be expected to deliver in a real-life scenario.”

Upgrading from domestic to international captaincy, Red Flag Alaska provided 2SQN E-7A Wedgetail pilot Flight Lieutenant Jayden Lee with essential training as part of the captaincy upgrade program.

“Exercise Red Flag Alaska was a bilateral exercise where we integrated different platforms from both the United States Air Force and the Royal Australian Air Force,” SQNLDR Thornton said.

“Red Flag Alaska gave me the opportunity to conduct an international trainer and transit, as well as experience participating in an international largeforce employment exercise,” FLTLT Lee said.

“The mission profiles included both defensive and offensive counter air mission sets against a simulated adversary, to ensure we were fully integrated and can operate effectively as international partners.”

“Training in Australia is fantastic, but the opportunity to travel overseas and train in a multinational exercise really develops the skillset of our personnel and ultimately what the squadron is capable of achieving.”

A RAAF E-7A Wedgetail aircraft from No.2 Squadron takes off from Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska, USA. Defence image.

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The Right Stuff-Becoming Australia’s First Women Astronaut I’m training to become Australia’s first woman astronaut. Here’s what it takes I’m currently training to become Australia’s first woman astronaut.

I expect to fly my first suborbital mission sometime in 2023 as a payload specialist on a commercial mission.

In other words, I’ll be one of few certified crew members who can handle specialised scientific equipment aboard a suborbital spacecraft.

Once we’re up there, my team and I expect to conduct research on Earth’s atmosphere. It’s an opportunity I consider out of this world. But it has taken a lot of effort for this dream to be realised.

My path to PoSSUM As a female STEM and legal professional, my past jobs included working as a research scientist in mining and metals for BHP-Billiton, Rio Tinto and the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) — but I always loved space.

After combining my science degree with two law degrees, I won a scholarship for the International Space University. I eventually received an Australian Government Endeavour Executive Award for a project at the NASA Kennedy Space Centre. With this I pivoted towards a career in the space industry, and have never looked back.

I was selected as a PoSSUM (Polar Suborbital Science in the Upper Mesosphere) Scientist-Astronaut candidate and global ambassador for 2021. PoSSUM is a non-profit US astronautics research and education program run by the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences (IIAS).

The program uses next-generation suborbital spacecraft to study the upper atmosphere and its potential role in global climate change. Generally speaking, a suborbital spaceflight is any flight that reaches an altitude higher than 80km, but doesn’t escape Earth’s gravity to make it into orbit.

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Anything above 80km is deemed “space” under US legislation, although some nations (including Australia) don’t agree with this and the debate about where “space” begins — also called the Kármán line — remains ongoing.

Last month, commercial space tourism companies Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic completed the very first suborbital spaceflights carrying passengers (without research). This was an incredible achievement, which many have said could mark the beginning commercial space tourism.

Preparing for every possibility To graduate as a PoSSUM ScientistAstronaut candidate, there are several academic and flight training components I must complete before I can head into space.

During academic training in 2020, I covered topics such as spaceflight physiology (what happens to the body in space), spaceflight life support, atmospheric science and spaceflight research equipment.

My flight training later this year will involve spending days with former NASA astronaut instructors and PoSSUM team scientists. On day one, we’ll begin to use the spaceflight simulator which is currently set up as the Virgin Galactic Unity 22 vehicle.

In the days that follow, we will receive high-G training, crew resource management training, high-altitude training and equipment training which will be crucial to conduct our research.

We’ll learn how to operate a series of instruments to measure physical atmospheric properties.

We will also need to know our way around the spacesuits, which will be similar to those used by NASA. The famous orange suits are a life-support system for astronauts. Astronauts in orbital and suborbital spaceflights must wear them during launch, flight

and return in case they have to exit the spacecraft in an emergency, or in case the spacecraft depressurises.

We ’ l l n e e d t o l e a r n h o w t o manage unexpected events such as decompression, too. This is when the pressure inside a spacecraft or spacesuit is reduced by a leak. If pressure becomes too low, breathing oxygen can be forced out of the suit.

The astronaut will then experience hypoxia (a lack of oxygen in body tissues), which can be deadly.

Or let’s say we’re not able to land where we planned to; the training will cover how to manage a water landing and a fast exit from the vehicle. We must be prepared in case one of the electrical or physical systems fails, causing a hazardous environment.

Nobody likes to imagine things going wrong, but planning for emergencies is necessary.

A ‘steep’ learning curve aboard parabolic flights It’s likely I will complete my first research flight to space on the Virgin Galactic vehicle — but given the rate of spacecraft development, it could be another similar craft.

Launching aboard a spacecraft subjects the human body to a variety of forces. Learning to identify and manage changes caused by these forces is critical. On day four of training I will climb into an aerobatic aircraft with a cruise speed of 317km per hour, in which I will practice using equipment and techniques to avoid blackouts during aerobatic flight.

The final test will be a series of parabolic flights simulating microgravity aboard a different aircraft. In parabolic flights, an aircraft repeatedly climbs steeply, then enters a deep dive, to create weightlessness for up to 40 seconds. This is repeated 20-25 times during the flight to demonstrate weightlessness in space. Experiments are conducted during weightlessness.

Sp a ce

The last day of training will involve using virtual and augmented reality to practise planning space missions.

We’ll be able to work on any aspect of the training we feel is needed before our final evaluation.

If all goes to plan, I will graduate with FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) qualifications as a spaceflight crew member for any space vehicle in the US (orbital and suborbital). Both my training and the work I will do aboard my first suborbital flight as a payload specialist fall within the guidelines outlined in the FAA’s advisory circular released on July 20.

If there are no further changes to the eligibility requirements or criteria, I could be nominated to receive Astronaut Wings once the mission is complete.

Why do research in space anyway?

But what’s the big deal when it comes to research in space?

Well, for one, spaceflight allows researchers to observe how materials behave in the absence of gravity.

Studying how materials behave in weightless environments has proven immensely useful for scientists.

For instance, studying how a virus replicates in space could help scientists develop better vaccines and treatments for diseases such as COVID-19.

Most people have heard of the International Space Station (ISS): the football-field sized laboratory in space which constantly orbits Earth. Generally, only space agency astronauts from the US, Russia, Japan and Europe will travel to and from the ISS in various orbital spacecraft (rockets). Doing research on the ISS is expensive, slow and subject to long wait times.

Australian companies can benefit from research opportunities offered by suborbital flights in the USA. Being able to complete human tended research on a suborbital research flight is a much more affordable option,

and is therefore a game changer. It means small companies that couldn’t previously afford spaceflight can now get in the game.

It’s an honour for me to be able to train for this mission and hopefully bring the space dream closer to Australia. And by teaching space technology and law, I look forward to playing my part in advancing the next generation’s access to space.

Kim Ellis Hayes Senior Lecturer in Space Research & Law / In training as Suborbital Spaceflight PoSSUM Astronaut Candidate Graduate, Swinburne University of Technology The Conversation.

Pic 1 (top) In 2019 I led a Victorian Trade mission for aerospace in the US. This picture was taken in Connecticut at the International Space Trade Summit, where I spoke. I’m pictured here (third from the right) with the Victorian Delegation and Karl Rodrigues from the Australian Space Agency.

Pic 2 If all goes to plan, my team and I might go to space in a Virgin Galactic Unity 22 vehicle — or potentially in another similar spacecraft.

Pic 3 The International Space University students and teaching teams in 2012, in front of the Shuttle Atlantis at Kennedy Space Center Pic 4 (middle) Me sitting in the captain’s seat of the NASA’s Space Shuttle Endeavour

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10 TOP

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Role of Women in Air Force Celebrated As part of the centenary of Air Force commemorations, a Women in Air Force luncheon was held in Western Australia on October 21 to recognise the contribution and sacrifice of all women who have served and continue to serve.

The event was held at the Royal Australian Air Force Association museum at Bull Creek.

Guests included current serving members, reservists, veterans, volunteers, wives and partners of women who have served over the past century as members of the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF), Women’s Royal Australian Air Force (WRAAF) and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).

Senior ADF Officer for Western Australia, Air Commodore Fiona Dowse, was the keynote speaker for the event and spoke of her experiences as a member of both the WRAAF and RAAF over her 45-year career.

“This commemoration is not about singling out women as something special; rather, it is about appreciating the history of service by women and sharing our stories as we socialise and inspire each other,” Air Commodore Dowse said.

The WAAF was formed in March 1941 after considerable lobbying by women who were keen to serve.

It was the first military organisation in Australia for women that focused on skills other than tending to the sick or injured.

The formation of the WAAF set a precedent, paving the way for the establishment of similar organisations in Navy and Army.

It was the largest of the World War II women's services, with about 27,000 women enlisting between 1941 and 1945.

Some women joined the WAAF because they saw it as their patriotic duty, others to see the world, and some to escape the social confines of life at home, reasons that haven’t changed much with time.

Women performed a variety of roles

Defence image.

and were posted to bases throughout Australia.

The WAAF was disbanded in December 1947, but it had made its mark on society. It was truly an Australian wartime success story.

In 1950, the contribution made by the women of the WAAF was recognised in the formation of a permanent WRAAF. It had been originally intended to let the service grow slowly and limit initial recruiting mainly to ex-servicewomen.

However, interest in joining was high and, by October 1950, more than 2000 women had applied to join the WRAAF. Some changes were made to service conditions for WRAAF members, but employment categories they could work in were still restricted.

It would continue to be a sought-after service to join, but it was disbanded in 1977 and female personnel were absorbed into the mainstream RAAF. On transfer into the RAAF, women were allowed to do more jobs, but restrictions based on gender continued until 2013.

Change has been slow, but it has been achieved and now women can apply for any employment category.

“When I joined the Air Force, there was no equal pay for women, and childcare outside of relatives and

maternity leave was non-existent,” Air Commodore Dowse said.

“My recruit course was all-female, and the curriculum was more like finishing school rather than preparing us for war as male recruits handled weapons and we were taught how to handle a floor polisher.

“Within society, technological advances, medical advances and the realisation that women are capable of so much more has led us to today’s women in the RAAF. “If it wasn’t for the Second World War, women may not have seen service in the Australian Defence Force until much later, and if it wasn’t for the tenacity, determination and sheer will of the women who went before us, women may not be where they are today standing beside the men in the Royal Australian Air Force as one team.”

Air Commodore Dowse encouraged the guests to share their stories as a way of paying tribute to the service and sacrifices of all women who have contributed to Air Force in its first century.

“There is so much to celebrate today with all of these amazing women all in one room. I encourage you to speak with as many as you can to share your stories and inspire each other,” Air Commodore Dowse said.

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CANBERRA’S ALREADY HOT PROPERTY MARKET IS SET TO RISE FURTHER THIS SPRING Investors of residential apartments should not overlook the heated Canberra market according to the Australian Capital Territory’s most prolific developer, Geocon Group.

Canberra’s largest property developer, Geocon Group, has recorded an incredible result for 2021, with residential property sales, exchanges and settlements exceeding all expectations and pre-Covid figures.

The Group reported over 1000 sales for the 20/21 financial year over 850 settled apartments to happy home buyers at the same time. Additionally, the company delivered over 415 settled apartments at Metropol, the newest inner-city community in Canberra. Returns being enjoyed by investors across all corners have been particularly pleasing, where unit price growth has jumped almost 9% in the last 12 months.

More opportunities for apartment investors in Australia’s capital city As a locally born and bred business, Geocon has grown over the last 15 years, to build and develop residential communities in each major town centre of Canberra.

Changing the skyline of Canberra.

In Canberra’s city centre, Geocon has completed its Metropol project, settling through October this year. Designed by acclaimed architects – Fender Katsalidis – the three-building precinct offers premium residential amenity in a convenient, central location. Apartments start at $389,900 for a 1-bedroom unit with 2- and 3-bedroom units also now ready to move in.

In Belconnen, Nightfall represents the final chapter of Geocon, and Australia’s, largest mixed-used precinct – Republic. Close to public transport, universities, natural landmarks and public hospitals, this final stage is due for completion and settlement in early 2022.

In Tuggeranong and Gungahlin, Geocon has partnered with Empire Global to deliver two joint venture projects. Based in Tuggeranong, Aspen Village offers lake views, unrivalled amenity, and access to government employment hubs in Greenway, while The Establishment in Gungahlin promises a connected lifestyle with access to the Hibberson Street light rail only a five-minute stroll from resident’s

doorstep. 1, 2 and 3-bedroom residences now selling off the plan from $301,900 and $325,395 respectively.

The booming suburb of Woden is currently undergoing an extensive decade-long reinvigoration and has Geocon taking advantage with a master planned community with Woden’s most amenityrich WOVA precinct in the making. WOVA will bring connectivity and community across the 800 residences in a landmark revival. Construction has commenced with the completion of WOVA penned for 2024.

Apartments at Geocon’s landmark WOVA community, are selling successfully to both investors and owner-occupiers alike. 1, 2 and 3-bedroom apartments start from $382,900.

The numbers are now so compelling that Canberra is top of the stack in each of Australia’s the key performance indicators including yield, vacancy, employment, wages and capital growth.

Leading property economist and commentator, Dr Andrew Wilson, described the numbers as both ‘remarkable’ and ‘outstanding’.

investment becomes almost impossible to ignore.”

Dr Wilson said there were several factors driving investor appeal in Canberra, the most obvious being the lack of quality stock, which drove down vacancy and up rental yields.

Dr Wilson said the investor market in Canberra had become busier than any other Australian capital city during 2021, citing auction clearance rates north of 90% as evidence the market had woken up to the ACT. “With interest rates so low, negative gearing is less attractive and yield really has come into play. The full rental market and fastest returns of any city over the last five years really do make Canberra an obvious choice for property investors,” Dr Wilson said.

Geocon Group CEO Nick Georgalis said this is truly a boomtime market fuelled by continued low interest rates, a strong local economy, still-positive chronic housing shortages, high rental returns together with capital growth and irrepressible buyer confidence.

“It is remarkable to see how many marketfactors Canberra is now leading, and how much growth there has been across the board for the market to arrive where it is today,” Dr Wilson said.

“Using Geocon’s Nightfall and High Society projects in the Republic Precinct as an example, investors can expect average rents of $650, easily accommodating a positively geared loan and a set-and-forget path to becoming financially secure.

“Coupling this with capital growth of around 9% in Belconnen, unit vacancy of just over 1% and the argument for Canberra

Explore Geocon projects here and book an inspection today at one of our display suites.

F eat ure

Paper Pilots: Making science fun, one paper plane at a time Dylan Parker & James Norton A passion for paper planes, darts and all things aeronautic was the chance beginning of a friendship that would lead two men to inspire generations of kids to dream big.

Having met at a paper plane competition in Canberra in 2008, Dylan Parker and James Norton immediately hit it off. They stayed in touch with each other and would end up competing at the National Paper Plane Championships, both winning in their categories and earning them a ticket to the World Championships in Austria in 2009.

“Representing Australia alongside 85 other countries and with thousands and media and supporters watching was an amazing experience. It was also the start of our incredible journey with paper planes which, after 12 years, continues to surprise us.”

Dylan managed a 3rd place winning a bronze medal, and a massive wave of accomplishment considering what he had been through, having only just

Defence image.

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Credit images - Paper Pilots

recovered from surgery for a brain tumour.

Upon their return to Australia, things literally started to take off for the two, receiving a lot of media attention, a growing fanbase and increased requests for classroom visits to talk on and demonstrate the amazing world of paper planes. The wave of excitement was bigger than James and Dylan could ever have imagined and the educational value of paper planes dawned on them quickly.

“It started with a teacher friend inviting us into her classroom. We expected the kids to have fun, but we were surprised that they were also interested in learning about the science of flight. There are so many elements to paper planes that are critical to science education and problem solving. We thought, this could be more than just a hobby for us”.

Paper Pilots was soon born and since then, it’s been an incredible and fulfilling journey for James and Dylan. Paper Pilots has featured in two

episodes of Australian Story, toured internationally, filled stadiums and libraries with thousands of screaming children in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne and been involved in international projects with DFAT in India, Pakistan, Argentina and Bhutan.

They were also the inspiration behind an Aussie feature film – PAPER PLANES – which tells the story about a young boy who dreams of competing in the World Paper Plane Championships in Japan.

Dylan and James have been building educational programs and experiences aimed at helping teachers bring STEM fundamentals to life and for students to ask “how do things fly?”

Paper plane throwing can be used as a powerful educational tool to achieve outcomes in the Australian school curriculums throughout primary and secondary schools, exploring handson examples of geometry, symmetry and how shapes fit together.

The program is also a great resource for adults to brush up on fundamentals

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to create fun experiences for children around: • Forces — Lift, drag, thrust, gravity, contact and non-contact forces.

• Flight in Nature — Adaptations, evolutionary flight traits and biomimicry.

• Experiments and observations — Collect data and detect patterns in results.

As Australia celebrates its second century of flight, inspiring young people about aviation and STEM has never been more important.

“It is predicted that future careers will rely heavily on science, maths and critical thinking skills. For many kids, something simple like paper planes is a powerful and fun introduction to these complex subjects. Our Flight School program provides curriculumaligned STEM activities that encourage learning and promote innovation and creative problem solving.”

James and Dylan are excited to be partnering with The Royal Australian Air Force in their centenary year to conduct community engagement events.

In addition to physical events, Dylan and James have put together some exciting online resources, designed for teachers and students. This means everyone can join in the spirit of the Air Force Centenary, even if they can’t go to an event – airforce2021.airforce. gov.au/paper-pilots While Covid-19 has impacted their ability to go to some events this year, they have enjoyed running Covid-safe

‘Science of Flight’ workshops with young people in Perth, Broome and Temora NSW. They also accompanied Air Force to Horn Island in the Torres Strait to conduct community engagement activities.

Their engagement with Air Force’s Centenary program is designed to: • Honour the men and women who have served in Air Force in its first 100 years and the sacrifices they have made, • Demonstrate the amazing Air Force capabilities of today, and • Prompt people to consider how Air Force will continue to evolve in future.

Web resources include Teachers Resource kits for Year 4 and Year 7 students. These programs are aligned with the national STEM curriculum.

There’s also a ‘Flight School Hangar’ where children and parents can access some great paper plane designs and have fun building and flying them.

The Paper Pilots have been attending schools and events since 2008, helping kids discover their niche while sharing the story of their journey to become World Paper Plane Champions.

Many of their life lessons and insights gathered are highly useful and helpful to students and adults and they are both available to speak at events, talks, dinners and conferences as keynote speakers.

Not only this, but their ability to run amazing team building exercises through paper plane throwing adds an extremely memorable element.

Happy flying...!

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Spartan to Enhance Response and Engagements Defence is enhancing support for humanitarian disaster relief, crisis response and regional engagements by redefining the role of the C-27J Spartan aircraft.

The Spartan’s new role will enhance Australia’s humanitarian and emergency response to natural disasters in Australia and our near region, regional engagement across the Indo-Pacific including through Pacific Step-Up, and the Australian Defence Force’s military logistics and air mobility capability.

Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Mel Hupfeld, AO, DSC, said the Spartan’s capabilities were aligned with Defence’s strategic objectives to shape Australia’s strategic environment, deter actions against our interests and when required, respond with credible military force.

“The Spartan demonstrated its specific capabilities during the 2019/20 Australian bushfire crisis by safely evacuating 2,400 fireaffected community members and resupplying remote communities that were inaccessible by larger aircraft, which included moving 300,000 kilograms of cargo,” Air Marshal Hupfeld said.

“The Spartan conducted these missions at a range that exceeded the ability of Defence helicopters because of its flexibility and the inherent operational characteristics of a light tactical fixed wing aircraft.”

Head of Air Force Capability, Air Vice-Marshal Cath Roberts, AM, CSC, highlighted the Spartan’s contribution to ADF contingency response, and its value in providing assistance to regional neighbours.

“The use of the Spartan on exercises such as Arnhem Thunder and Talisman Sabre to deliver vital stores to expeditionary airbases, showcases its ability to reach remote and austere airbases.

“And it has also recently transported medical supplies and equipment to Port Moresby to assist PNG in the fight against COVID-19; as well as contributed to Australia’s support to regional maritime security and fisheries protection on the high seas through deployments on Operations Resolute and Solania,” Air Vice-Marshal Roberts said.

And more recently at the request of the Fijian Government, the ADF is deploying specialists from the Australian Army and Royal Australian Air Force, to partner with the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) to assist in the rebuilding of classrooms and other education infrastructure damaged by Tropical Cyclone Yasa in 2020. On 8 August 21, part of the Construction Engineering Team and equipment were flown from Amberley to Fiji on a Royal Australian Air Force C-27J Spartan aircraft of 35 Squadron.

Redefining the role of the Spartan will ensure Defence delivers an airlift capability that meets Australia’s requirements, providing vital support to the nation and our near region.

The Australian Defence Force has a long and proud history of supporting our whole of-government regional assistance efforts, including logistics and specialist support for the conduct of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

Operation Bushfire Assist 19-20

RAAF Support to Fiji Engineering construction Aug 21

PNG Covid-19 support

Exercise Christmas Hop 20

Defence images.

Operation Solania July 21

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FINAL HOMESITES NOW SELLING AT POTTER'S LANE The Hunter Region of NSW is fast becoming a popular lifestyle destination for families. Known for its easy access to local beaches and wineries, it’s an idyllic place to live, work and play.

Port Stephens being one LGA which has seen a boom in demand for new housing opportunities and ones which cater to families.

A local favourite, Potter’s Lane at Raymond Terrace has welcomed over 200 new families to the area since launching in 2016 and has set a standard set for residential development within the area, pushing the boundaries in terms of creating more than just blocks of land.

Hunter based property company the McCloy Group are behind the project and have a reputation for creating national award winning masterplanned communities. They have a true passion for developing quality and sustainable environments in which people love to live. Potter’s Lane is a testament to this approach with inclusions such as roads lined with mature street trees, state-of-the-art park and playground onsite for families to enjoy as well 74

as statement art installations. Now in its final stages Potter’s Lane has become known for its affordability, above average block sizes and its convenient location just 15 minutes to local employment opportunities, 20 minutes from the Williamstown RAAF base and 35 minutes to Newcastle.

“The McCloy Group created a warm and inviting community environment. The inclusion of the

wonderful playground, beautiful trees and grassed areas at the beginning of the development was one of the main reasons we decided to make this area our home. We would have absolutely no hesitation in recommending the McCloy Group to anyone wishing to build a new home in one of their estates.” Karen Humphris, resident of Potter’s Lane commented.

The Sunset Release, is the final

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land release within Potter’s Lane, offering land up to 1200m2. These homesites are arguably some of the best in the community with reserve outlooks, benched options available and a location nearby the park and playground facilities. The land is being sold via negotiation, interested parties are encouraged to get in touch with the Potter’s Lane team for more information and a price guide.

Homesites can be secured with just 5% deposit, making accessing the property market more and more affordable especially for young Australians.

“It has been great to see so many young families enter the property market and build their family homes at Potter’s Lane. The housing options here are affordable and residents have enjoyed location here, giving the community the ability to live close to their work without the added complexity that comes with living in the larger CBD areas” commented James Goode, Development Director.

With a changing shift towards open space living, there really has never been a better time to make your move

to a brand new community like Potter’s Lane. Builders are offering impressive incentives and there is an array of Government Grants on offer.

When considering Port Stephens for your new home, a tour of the McCloy Communities is a must. Like those living at Potter’s Lane, future residents can expect the highest quality of living environments and

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dedicated open space for families to enjoy.

If Potter’s Lane is the one for your family, don’t delay. It is anticipated come release of the final homesites they’ll be quickly under deposit. Now is the time to get in touch for further information.

View the land now selling at potters-lane.com.au

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C y b e r Se cu r i ty

Simulating Advanced Cyber Threats Number 462 Squadron and Joint Project Team 9131 are enabling the warfighter in the cyber domain through the support of a simulated cyber environment known as the CyberSim. The CyberSim was originally designed in house by 462SQN to fulfill the need to train and upskill cyber specialists in a coordinated and controlled environment.

Commanding Officer 462SQN, Wing Commander Duncan Scott said the work his squadron was doing alongside JP9131 was using innovation to move the capability into the future.

462 Squadron and JP9131 are enabling the war fighter in the cyber domain through the creation and support of a simulated cyber environment known as the Defence Cyber Range, which is an evolution of the Air Force CyberSim,” WGCDR Scott said.

The capability provided by the CyberSim allows for the potential simulation of thousands of computers and their associated network traffic.

Using such simulations, critical mission networks and their traffic can be replicated.

“This Simulated Key Terrain helps deliver two capabilities; a raise, train and sustain function needed to develop

Aircraftwoman Lauren Campbell (l) and Corporal Natalie Ekonomopoulos work on cyber research systems at 462SQN. Defence image.

a cyber-workforce and the second being a cyber-range for cyber warfare operators to develop/perfect their tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) to address the evolving threats,” WGCDR Scott said.

“The simulated environment is used by many of the sections within the squadron such as the Cyber

Vulnerability Investigation Team who use the CyberSim to simulate full networks and conduct training for Vulnerability Assessments to prepare the team for what they may expect to see when assessing live Air Force systems. Practice within the CyberSim also allows the development of new processes and tools in a safe environment to ensure that Air Force systems are comprehensively assessed and secured.”

462SQN’s Cyber Protection Flight use the CyberSim to train in dynamic environments of both simulated mission systems and networks.

“These Cyber Warfare Analysts and Cyber Warfare Officers defend against emulated real-world threats generated by our Threat Emulation Operators who imitate the TTPs of known threat actors,” Wing Commander Scott said.

“The continued support and infrastructure upgrades from JP9131 will provide even greater depth of training and lead to increased realism of training environments to simulate the highly contested cyber terrain that the ADF is entrusted to defend from cyberspace threats.

“I’m incredibly proud of our team and the innovation they’re employing to move our capability forward and keep up with ever emerging threats.”

SRC Awarded Defence’s Intelligence Mission Data Contract SRC’s Australian subsidiary has been awarded a contract with the Defence’s Intelligence Group for the delivery of Intelligence Mission Data services.

Electronic warfare specialists SRC Aus confirmed that the company had been successfully awarded a fouryear contact with the Department of Defence Intelligence Group for the delivery of Intelligence Mission Data services, valued at $47.9 million.

It is expected that the contract would help to ensure that Defence’s intelligence platforms maintain their situational awareness and survivability.

The contract includes IMD collation and production services delivered by the company to support the Australian Defence Force, as well as training services and the development of facilities to meet Defence’s data needs.

"This marks a continuation of the partnership between SRC and the Australian government and an important step in the expansion of Australia's sovereign mission data capability," Darren Robertson, vicepresident of SRC Australia, said.

"It demonstrates a significant investment in Australian industry, and

we look forward to working with our Defence partner to help ensure that our warfighters can complete their missions and return home safely."

The contract follows a previous IMD contract between SRC Aus and Defence in 2017, which leveraged SRC Aus’ US-based parent company's expertise to help build sovereign capabilities for the defence intelligence industry. The parent company has been operating for 40 years, across data mining, intelligence analysis, operational support and training as part of the Electronic Warfare Integrated Reprogramming Database.

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Cyber Security and Manufacturing in the Defence Sector The recent announcement by the Federal Government of the acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines is amongst the most significant defence capability decision in Australia’s history. This decision complements the Governments ongoing transformation of the Australian defence industry into a fundamental part of our national security and economic foundations.

Supporting Australia’s sovereign defence industry is central to the Government’s Defence plan, and the stakes are now even higher to ensure we protection these investments and provide sufficient priority to security matters, including cyber security.

The financial rewards for investing in defence capability are high with the Government investing $270 billion over the next 10 years to upgrade the capability and potency of the Australian Defence Force (ADF), but the risks are equally significant.

Defence industry plans include investing in more lethal and longrange capabilities and area denial capabilities.

There will be investment in capabilities to give Australia better awareness of our region and to support regional engagement and increase our air and sea lift capability.

The Government has stated the aim is to develop more durable supply chains, while further strengthening Australia’s sovereign defence industry to create more high tech Australian jobs and enhance the self reliance of the ADF. Australia faces a range of sophisticated and persistent espionage and foreign interference threats from hostile foreign intelligence services.

Many of the adversaries targeting Australia are highly capable and have the intent and persistence to cause significant harm to our nation’s security, information, assets and people.

Businesses must ensure they are cyber secure and resilient as we become more connected and engaged in Defence work and in light of the rise 78

in use of digital technology result of this pandemic.

Companies must develop robust and effective security practices and procedures and remain every vigilant if they are to be considered as part of Defence’s supply chain. Last year’s Government announcement relating to malicious actors targeting Australian business was a timely reminder. The latest annual cyber threat report by the ACSC also highlights that cyber threats are increasing with cybercrime reported every eight minutes in Australia in the 2020-21 financial year. And we need to bear in mind that those are only the reported incidents, noting that they may not reflect all cyber threats and trends in Australia’s cyber security environment.

Indeed, Australian businesses are becoming more aware of security risks, particularly in the defence industry which has experienced several highprofile attacks. These kinds of attacks can have serious impacts of Defence capability, the financial viability of businesses, as well as Australia’s competitive position in global markets.

Even though Defence and industry have learned from these experiences, threats and associated risks are constantly evolving so Defence and industry must too.

Protecting against cybercrime, espionage, unauthorised access is becoming increasingly challenging for governments and businesses of all sizes. However, there are many things you can do to raise your levels of security protection and minimise your risks.

To support industry in dealing with those risks, Ai Group developed a guide in cooperation with Defence and other Government agencies, Working Securely with Defence, which was released in February 2021 and is available at aigroup.com.au in the defence sector section.

The purpose of this guide is to help provide guidance for businesses

to become eligible for classified and sensitive Defence work through participation in the Defence Industry Security program (DISP).

There are a range of industry tips, case studies, links to relevant resources, assistance, contacts and templates. The information will help business put together their applications for membership of the DISP. The DISP helps businesses get the right security requirements when delivering Defence contracts and tenders and gives access to Defence security advice and support services.

Importantly it helps companies to better understand and manage security risks across their business and gives confidence to Defence when procuring goods and services from industry members.

As Australian businesses emerge fully from COVID restrictions they will be looking for new opportunities.

Defence is one sector where such opportunities will be in abundance over the coming decades. But businesses will need to prepare including developing their security capabilities to the appropriate level required by the Government and potential partners in the industry. The development of a nuclear-powered submarine program only makes this important work more significant for Australia’s national security and stability.

Kate Louis is Executive Director of Ai Group’s Defence Council.

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F eat ure

HARS Aviation Museum Shellharbour – A Jumbo Experience Just over an hour drive south from Sydney Airport, an amazing display of almost 50 aircraft await visitors to a guided tour of the uniquely interactive HARS Aviation Museum.

From the only Boeing 747-400 remaining in Australia to military evolution from the present and back to an almost ready to fly again recreation of the Charles Kingsford Smith 1920’s Southern Cross (a faithful replica Fokker F.VIIb/3m trimotor) -- the collection is a proud testimony to 40 years of perseverance, dedication and expertise of members of the allvolunteer Historical Aircraft Restoration Society.

As HARS President Bob De La Hunty puts it: “Our aim is straightforward - to recover, and where possible restore to flying condition, aircraft or types of aircraft that have played a significant part in Australian aviation civil and military history.”

But it’s way more than that for the society’s almost 800 members. As Bob says: “In addition to our pride in maintaining our aeroplanes, HARS has a valuable social function in allowing our pilots and engineers to continue their love affair with aeroplanes and to interact with their compatriots long after they have moved on from active involvement with heavy aircraft.”

It was tenacity over a gruelling five years which enabled Bob and his then fledgling team to bring back to life a Lockheed Super

Constellation – now the only one of its type anywhere in the world still flying. Originally a 1955 era USAF military transport, “Connie” was flown into desert graveyard storage in 1977 and deteriorated until saved by HARS members then flown for 39.5 hours in an epic flight from Tucson across the Pacific to Australia back in 1996.

It’s a rare chance to walk back in time on board “Connie” to reflect on how far international travel has come – for both passengers and crew -- in over 60 years since the type inaugurated Qantas around-the-world services.

Towering over Shellharbour Airport, the sheer size of the Boeing 747-400 makes it a highlight of any visit to HARS Aviation Museum.

It wasn’t just the first of its type to enter service with Qantas back in 1989.

After a record-setting non-stop direct delivery flight of 20 hr 9 min and 5 sec from London to Sydney, the “City of Canberra” served for 25 years carrying some four million passengers before setting another Qantas mark with a final delivery flight of just 11 min from Sydney to the regional airport back in 2015.

While a walk through this Queen of the Skies with expert guide commentary is included in all museum visits, visitors can book ahead for options including a Wing Walk, Cockpit Tour with an experienced pilot or the four-hour premium Total Boeing 747 Experience Tour which takes in an inspection

of the entire aircraft conducted by experienced 747 crew.

Apart from Connie, other aircraft maintained to flying status are three DC-3/C-47 aircraft including “Hawdon” which flew the first passenger service for Trans-Australian Airlines in a three-hour journey from Melbourne to Sydney in 1946, the last of the threeengine de Havilland Drovers built at Bankstown in 1950 and a Tiger Moth.

Restoration of civil aircraft include a DC-4 now resplendent in 1950s Qantas livery, a Convair 440 in TAA colours, two Fokker F27-500 Frienships and a Morava which was used by AnsettANA in the Whitsunday Islands and Queensland.

Not yet back in Australia is the former Qantas Boeing 707, currently registered N707JT, which John Travolta has donated to HARS. Challenging work in the Covid environment is well underway at Georgia in USA and progressing well to fulfill the task of bringing this classic aircraft back to airworthiness condition for its ferry flight to Australia.

Flying military history continues to draw admiration with a PBY Catalina (the only one of its type in Australia still flying), three P-2 Neptunes (two flyable), two former RAAF Vietnam veteran de Havilland Caribou, a Winjeel and the only former defence AP-3C Orion now flying in civil registration.

There’s an impressive range of static military history including a

An RAAF Roulette display sets off the HARS “Black Cat” which is the only still-flying Catalina in Australia. Ian Badham photo.

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CA-27 Australian Sabre jet, a Canberra bomber, two Vampires, a Mirage III and an F-111C. Now classed as the Navy Heritage Flight, the museum hosts a flying Grumman Tracker S-2G with folding wings showing its aircraft carrier heritage and former RAN Fleet Air Arm Iroquois helicopter 898. Static former RAN aircraft on show are a Wessex helicopter, a Sea Venom, a Hawker Sea Fury, an Auster Autocar with a former Navy Dakota currently under restoration.

Tarmac Days, held on the second Friday of each month and onto the weekend, provide an opportunity to showcase selected aircraft, and where possible engine runs or flying, for visitors to HARS Aviation Museum.

On Tarmac (and all other) Days you can drop into Café Connie which offers great coffee and a wide selection of hot and cold foods at very reasonable prices so you can make a meal of your visit.

In addition to welcoming visitors, HARS Aviation Museum now has an eShop. A special range of HARSbranded clothing such as T-shirts and hoodies are available together with some HARS household items such as carry bags and cushion covers. These items are not carried in the HARS shop located at Shellharbour Airport. The merchandise is of exceedingly high quality and will be delivered by post to your nominated address.

HARS Aviation Museum, located

at Shellharbour Airport just off the old Princes Highway at Albion Park Rail, is open seven days a week (except Christmas Day). It’s a short walk from Albion Park railway station on the South Coast line. Please allow around two hours for a comprehensive tour.

With New South Wales emerging from a long winter’s lockdown, for current opening hours and for an upto-date of any restrictions necessary to ensure a Covid-Safe environment it’s best to check the HARS website (www.hars.org.au) with additional information posted on the HARS Facebook page.

Top: Visitors rate the experience of walking through the only Boeing 747-400 remaining in Australia as a highlight of their visit to HARS Aviation Museum. Mark Mennie Bottom: Heralded as the most beautifully shaped airline ever, Lockheed Super Constellation “Connie” typifies the determination of HARS volunteers to maintain Australia’s heritage – airworthy wherever possible – for the enjoyment and education of future generations.

Howard Mitchell photo.

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UPDATE

ELEXON ELECTRONICS NEWS Building an Industry 4.0 factory in Brendale Elexon is supporting Government’s efforts to transform Australia into a high-quality and sustainable manufacturing nation.

Acceleration and optimization seem to be the answer to supply chain disruptions caused by COVID 19 pandemic. Now more then ever we need smart Industry 4.0 tools such as connectivity, advanced analytics, automation, and advancedmanufacturing technologies.

In response to this trend, Elexon with government support through the SICP grant, is investing $2 million into high-accuracy testing equipment transforming into a resilient, digitized industry 4.0 facility.

From January 2022, Elexon can offer automated optical 3D inspection, flying probe, electrical testing,

Sharing the gift of literacy conformal coating, PCB cleaning and selective soldering along with other specialized pieces of equipment.

Together with our new solder paste jet printer, vapour phase vacuum reflow oven and an intelligent inventory management system, we are moving our manufacturing to a new level of speed, automation and quality required by the Defence Industry.

Implementing Aerospace Industry Quality standards and Environmental Management Systems

In September the world celebrates literacy. Elexon staff partnered up with The Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation (ALNF) and organized a book drive.

There are still many people in Australia, who don’t have easy access to books, newspapers and fast Internet. As parents, we create special bonding moment with the ritual of bedtime reading. This unique privilage inspired us to share our no longer used books and pass this gift on. Elexon staff collected over 200 books that were donated to Indigenous families in need of fresh reading material though the ALNF ’s Share-A-Book program (ALNF).

Elexon Electronics are set to build on their success by completing the ISO 14001 and AS 9100D certifications by years’ end.

“We’re extremely proud that for the past 15 years, Elexon has been successful in every Quality Assessment undertaken.

Quality management and continuous improvement is in our DNA. It is not just a tick box, quality is what we live and breathe,” said Elexon CEO Frank Faller.

“By achieving ISO 14001 and AS 9100D

Process Engineering Manager to oversee the quality development.

Elexon have set themselves a goal to complete the next level of certification AS 9100D and ISO14001 by the end of 2021. and represents industry standards with added requirements specific to the aerospace and defence industries.

certifications later this year, we’ll continue to build on our reputation and deliver even greater quality to our customers from the defence, mining and other niche industries” said Mr Faller.

To help achieve this significant milestone, Elexon have recently recruited Kylie Warren to the role of Quality Manager and Jordan Metlikovec as an NPI and Elexon Electronics • 6/253 Leitchs Road• Brendale QLD 4500 • elexonelectronics.com

Carbon-neutral manufacturing Elexon Electronics is fulfilling its commitment to reduce CO2 emissions and achieve carbon neutrality. The latest statistics reveal the company generated almost 93% of the power needed to operate its Brisbane manufacturing facility, all using solar energy. “We recently invested in a solar system and we can already see great results. Over winter, it generated 92.4% of the power we used,” says Pieter Kuiper, Managing Director of the Elexon Group.

“In short, Elexon’ s manufacuring is pretty much carbon-neutral.”

Connect with us:

Elexon Electronics is taking quality and environmental systems to the next level Elexon Electronics is taking quality and environmental systems to the next level The manufacturing industry can be unpredictable. One minute you are entering into a lucrative contract with a great potential customer. The next, Covid hits and that customer goes out of business — putting you at risk in the process.

Consequently, Elexon Electronics ways to expand into new industries such as defence, IoT and sensor technologies. These sectors are rapidly developing, creating engineering and manufacturing opportunities. They are also highly regulated and not easily accessible. Being compliant with AS 9100 (aerospace quality management system) is usually mandatory. Also, an environmental management system ISO 14001 is a must.

Kylie Warren joined the Elexon Electronics’ team to support the installation of the quality management systems. The first part of external audits is just around the corner. We asked Kylie what these changes mean for Elexon.

Elexon has been ISO 9001 certified for 15 years. Why more?

Elexon is expanding in the defence sector which has very stringent requirements to become part of the supply chain, whether direct to a prime or a tier two or three organisation. To become AS 9100 certified can be a lengthy and demanding process, but the benefits far outweigh the costs.

AS 9100 certification says that your company offers consistent and highquality products and service. Our investment into quality management systems also invests in the men and women who keep our country safe.

already environmentally aware, formal certification is a must to engage with government contracts. By formalizing something we are already committed to, we prove our dedication to our existing and future customers.

What’s the difference between ISO 9001 and AS 9100D and what does it mean for your customers?

What are the benefits of implementing ISO 14001?

The main focus of the AS 9100D is the customer. With our current ISO 9001 certification, we focus on quality processes and product quality development. AS 9100D is the next step, we must now report our quality metrics from a customer point of view.

For example, reporting on on-time deliveries, product conformity and customer satisfaction, and taking appropriate actions when planned results are not achieved. This is how we meet customer and regulatory requirements, provide vital traceability and promote and evidence a culture of continual improvement.

What are your views on Environmental Management System ISO 14001?

As an ethical company, Elexon Electronics cares about the environment. Even though we are

What I like about ISO 14001 is that it is not just about the paperwork. It has a huge operational impact by keeping in mind the environment and our potential effect on it. We have to control how we dispose of waste; when designing a new product, we need to consider the whole product lifecycle so we don’t burden the environment in the future with unnecessary components. Smart and future-proof product development is crucial.

Another element is emergency response and contingency plans.

We are developing strategies for any emergency situation such as spills or fires because risk identification, awareness and planning is essential.

To put it simply, by integrating these management systems into our internal processes, we are improving business performance and quality level of our products and services.

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RAAF MUSEUM POINT COOK

The RAAF Museum, located at Point Cook, is home to an amazing range of historic military aircraft. The Museum has a vast collection of historical material on show, including several hangars with static aircraft, and offers visitors an exciting experience and insight into the history of the Air Force. Models, books, patches, clothing and mementos can be purchased at the Museum shop.

Entry to the RAAF Museum is FREE!!

Opening Hours Bookings are required due to COVID-19.

Please see our webpage for booking requirements.

TEL: (03) 7301 5202 WEB: www.airforce.gov.au/raafmuseum EMAIL: RAAF.MuseumInfo@defence.gov.au FACEBOOK: facebook.com/RAAF.Museum

Full Circle to War

by Charles Page

Flying Officer George Collins was killed in action at the age of 19. Yet in his adventurous short life, he had circled the globe, joined the RAAF, trained as a navigator, and flown his first operation over Germany.

George Barrowby Collins was born on 28 February 1925 in Stocktonon-Tees, County Durham, England.

He did well at school and at the age of 15, along with hundreds of children between ages 5 and 15, he was nominated by his relatives in Australia to evacuate war-torn England. The Children’s Overseas Reception Board (CORB) requisitioned the 14,000 ton Polish liner HMT Batory and after several delays due to air raids, the ship sailed from heavily bombed Liverpool on 4 August 1940, with 477 children and 38 escorts.

George was given numbered disc 436, which he had to wear at all times.

There were also 800 troops on board.

Despite wartime secrecy, the Batory was given a rousing dockside farewell.

The Batory was one of 27 ships in the largest convoy to leave Liverpool, and after rounding the north coast of Ireland, she left the main convoy and headed south with Convoy WS2 (Winston’s Specials) and a naval escort. The ships evaded the U boats in the Atlantic, unlike the City of Benares which was torpedoed just a few weeks later, with many children

lost. Oblivious to any danger, the Batory children attended lessons, ran a newsletter, joined the Scout or Guide troop, and enjoyed the Crossing the Equator ceremony.

One of the escorts, Meta Maclean, was a pianist and wrote songs for the children, and almost every day the children gathered for a singsong, which could be heard across the waves by other convoy ships. After arriving in Capetown, the Governor General of South Africa, Field Marshal Jan Smuts, hosted a party for the children at Government House. The ship continued its marathon voyage, calling in to Bombay, Colombo, and Singapore, where Army troops disembarked.

Unfortunately, during the voyage, George had a fall and was left with a loose right kneecap.

The Batory was already known as the ‘Lucky Ship’ but was soon immortalised as ‘The Singing Ship’ which became the title of the book by

H i sto r y

Meta Maclean. The Batory arrived in Fremantle on 9 October 1940, where George was met by his Aunt Beatrice, and Uncle George, who was to be his guardian. The young George soon found work at Boans department store, and then in Midland Junction as junior clerk at West Australian Government Railways. He was an outgoing type with a good sense of humour.

With an eye to the sky, George joined 75 Squadron Air Training Corps, Perth in September 1942, and on reaching 18, enlisted in the RAAF on 22 May 1943. He was posted to No.5 Initial Training School, Clontarf, and progressed to No.2 Air Observers School, Mt Gambier, and then No.2 Bombing and Gunnery School at Port Pirie. George was awarded his navigator’s brevet on 2 February 1944.

On 5 March 1944, he embarked at Sydney, bound for the UK. The ship docked in San Francisco, where George was billeted at Fort McDowell.

There was time for sightseeing before travelling by train to New York, where he stayed at Fort Slocum and enjoyed his leave amongst the skyscrapers.

George then crossed the Atlantic on the HMT Queen Mary, which steamed unescorted at 27 knots and took only 6 days to reach Gourock, Scotland.

George disembarked on 17 April 1944, having circled the world.

Like most new RAAF arrivals, George was sent to 11 Personnel Despatch & Reception Centre at Brighton, with seafront accommodation at the Metropole Hotel. George was given leave, and as well as sightseeing in London, was able to see his family

Mosquito B Mk XVI. World War Photos.

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again. His first posting was to No.3 Advanced Flying Unit at Bobbington, Staffordshire, where he trained on Avro Ansons. George reached a high standard and was selected for No 1655 Mosquito Training Unit, at RAF Warboys, the training base for No 8 Group Pathfinders, headed by Air Vice Marshal Don Bennett. The aptly named airfield took its name from the nearby village of Warboys, twenty miles north of Cambridge.

On 8 December 1944, George was posted to 128 Squadron, based at RAF Wyton, just a few miles from Warboys.

The squadron was commanded by Squadron Leader Ivor Broom, known to all as the ‘Flying Broom’. Although part of No 8 Group, 128 Squadron was not used for target marking, and crews were not entitled to the Pathfinder badge. The squadron formed part of Bennett’s Light Night Striking Force (LNSF), which was used for ‘spoof’ raids to divert Luftwaffe night fighters from the main bombing force. It also operated nuisance raids in all kinds of weather, and drove Goebbels to distraction in his Berlin bunker. The usual load for the LNSF Mosquito was a 4,000 lb ‘Cookie’, often adorned with a chalked message to ‘Adolf’.

Just three days later, on 11 December, George flew his first operation. He was crewed with 32-year-old, experienced pilot, Flight Lieutenant Ronald Charles Onley,

Air Vice Marshall Don Bennett CB, CBE, DSO. Wikipedia

HMT Batory. weebly.com.

who had been first violinist with the London Symphony Orchestra, and had featured in BBC broadcasts and the Radio Times. Flying in Mosquito B Mk XVI, s/n MM190 (squadron code M5-C) they took off from RAF Wyton at 1812 hrs to bomb Hamburg, along with 27 other Mosquitos. The B Mk XVI was a pressurised bomber version, with Merlin 72 or 76 engines, a ceiling of 35,000 feet, and a bulged bomb bay to allow for the ‘Cookie’. With its Gee-H radio navigation and H2S ground mapping radar it could navigate and bomb with great accuracy.

Sadly, this was George’s first and last operation, as their Mosquito was reported shot down at 20.04 hrs by 88mm or 128 mm schwere (heavy) flak, which was effective to over 30,000 feet. However, there has been speculation that the Mosquito was the 37th aircraft shot down by night fighter ace Oberleutnant Kurt Welter, flying a ME 262 jet fighter.

The Mosquito crashed close to Bokel village, near Bremerhaven. The crash was witnessed by Burgomeister Herr Schoeder, and Frau Stehr, who stated the aircraft approached from the direction of Bremen, circled, and crashed in a field just outside the village. German Army and Luftwaffe personnel reached the crash site soon afterwards and the two airmen were found dead inside the aircraft. The wreckage was removed the next day.

Their Mosquito was the only one shot down on the raid.

George Collins and his pilot Ronald Onley were buried in the

‘enemy dead’ section of Bokel parish cemetery. George was only 19, and it had been only four years since he arrived in Fremantle on the ‘Singing Ship’. His father had died just a few weeks before, and his mother later returned to her native Australia. In December 1946, the two airmen were reinterred, side by side, in Becklingen War Cemetery, 13 km south-east of Soltau. George’s headstone reads: ‘In death as in life – steadfast’. Both airmen are commemorated at the International Bomber Command Centre, Lincoln.

George is also commemorated on the State War Memorial, Kings Park, Perth; and on the Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial, Canberra. His name will be projected on the exterior of the AWM Hall of Memory on 6 February 2022.

As for the Batory, the ‘Singing Ship’ gave distinguished service throughout the war, and was finally decommissioned in 1969. RAF Wyton is still active, but RAF Warboys reverted to farmland after 1964. In the Warboys village church of St Mary Magdalene there is a ‘golden eagle’ memorial window to all units of the Pathfinders.

Sources: NAA – A705, A9301, Collins, George Barrowby NAUK – AIR 27/932/34:128 Squadron AWM Commonwealth War Graves International Bomber Command Centre The Singing Ship, Meta Maclean Reluctant Refuge, thesis, Glen Palmer Photos previous page George Collins. NAA. The Singing Ship.

Angus & Robertson, 1941

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Enrol now

R e l o ca ti o n

Catholic schools passionate about supporting ADF families Brisbane Catholic Education schools proudly participate in the Defence School Mentor (DSM) Program and are committed to providing a range of services and support assisting children of Australian Defence Force (ADF) families make the smooth transition to a new Catholic school.

The program provides mentors who are dedicated to helping families navigate the enrolment process, guiding them through and obtaining resources to ensure students arrive at school with the correct uniform, books, and stationery.

They also assist ADF parents and students to become familiar with their new school and its community providing support in making connections and forming friendships.

Brisbane Catholic Education schools from Ipswich to Mitchelton work closely with both the RAAF Base at Amberley and the Australian Army Barracks at Enoggera to provide care for Defence families moving to Queensland.

Defence School Mentor, Kerri Wilson, from Our Lady of Dolours

School in Mitchelton works with teachers and staff to support the transition of Defence families into the school community by hosting various activities, such as Kids Club, morning teas and picnics.

Mrs Wilson said the whole school community benefits greatly from the program.

“Having this program in place helps to strengthen our small and caring community of Defence families.”

“As a whole, our school community comes together to provide support for the children and families of our defence population,” she said.

Close to RAAF Base Amberley in Ipswich, St Mary’s College and St Mary’s Primary School provides defence students a safe environment to learn and grow.

Defence School Mentor, Kristal Lane, works with close to 100 students from Defence families across both schools.

She provides continuity in her care, supporting students through times of parental absence due to deployment, as well as with the transition from primary to secondary school.

Students from St Mary’s School and St Mary’s College, Ipswich, enjoying time out at Poppy Place

Our Lady of Dolours School defence students enjoying their Teddy Bear picnic

Ms Lane meets regularly with Defence students, in groups and oneon-one, to provide assistance and support as needed.

This year, the primary school and college Defence students collaborated in an art project to transform a garden connecting the two schools into a memorial space they called Poppy Place.

With funding provided by the schools’ Parents and Friends Associations, the local council and local businesses, the garden was designed for reflection and remembrance.

The space includes a giant Flanders Fields mural, a memorial stone, poppy craft, mosaics, and bench seating.

“Working on the project provided our Defence students a safe and relaxing area to work with students in similar situations to themselves – times of absence and mobility due to posting,” Mrs Lane said.

For more information about Brisbane Catholic Education schools, including enrolment processes, visit www.bne.catholic.edu.au and find a Catholic school near you.

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R e l o ca ti o n

Coping With Student Transfers Interstate Defence recognises that some children may experience disruption to their education each time they move for a posting. We have a range of services and resources that can assist with the transition between schools and education systems, and to provide support for the unique needs of Defence students.

and to raise awareness of issues facing Defence children, and • Informing families about Defence support services available, including financial assistance entitlements under the Education Assistance Scheme.

This support includes:

DMFS recognises that Defence families often turn to schools for help when mobility affects education through frequent moves, long periods of separation, isolation from extended family support networks, and operational deployments.

• Specialised staff, Education Liaison Officers, in each state and territory to advise families and schools on education issues and Defence student wellbeing, • Funding to schools to allow the employment of a Mentor, to assist Defence students integrate into a new school and provide them with support, • Financial assistance for some education costs incurred as a result of relocations, and • Regional education information to inform families about the major differences between the state and territory education systems.

EDLOs Education Liaison Officers, or EDLOs, give education support to Defence families as they move around the country, providing information, advice, referral and specialised assistance.

This includes: • In f o r m i n g , p r e p a r i n g a n d empowering families about local schools and education systems, and working with parents, students and teachers to manage the transition when relocating to a new school, • Linking families with education providers, resources or support a g en ci e s a cco rd i n g to th e i r children's individual needs (including students with special needs), • Working with schools to ensure a supportive educational environment

Defence Mentors

The program provides funding to eligible schools in order to engage a Defence School Mentor. Mentors work to minimise the impact of mobility on education and build the capability of the school in supporting Defence students and their families.

Mentors are based within primary and secondary schools across Australia for the purpose of providing support to the children of Defence families through on-site, direct and flexible assistance to students, parents, teachers and other support services.

This may include: • Assisting new children and their families to integrate into the school and local community, • Monitoring the social and emotional wellbeing of Defence students, • Assisting students develop selfconfidence, self-reliance and resilience, • Referring students to services, or school and community programs that meet their needs, • E n h a n c i n g a w a r e n e s s a n d appreciation of the unique Defence lifestyle in schools and communities, and • Providing support to children during times of parental absence.

Funding and eligibility The Defence School Mentor program is funded annually and is only able to provide support to schools as funding allows. Eligibility criteria determines the level of funding that can be offered.

Potential applicants should refer to the Program Guidelines for details.

The following will be considered when determining the eligibility for the support of a Defence School Mentor position within a school: • The available annual program budget, • The number of students enrolled who are dependants of full-time serving Defence members, • The number of Defence students who are impacted by parental absence due to their ADF service, including deployment, training exercise and any other extended service related absence, • The number of Defence students who are impacted by mobility due to an ADF posting, and • Whether or not a school is located in a remote location as per Defence’s definition outlined in its Pay and Conditions Manual.

• Schools that are approved for funding must: • Be a primary, secondary, middle years or foundation to year 12 school, • Demonstrate an ability to deliver innovative programs/services to support Defence families, • D e m o n s t r a t e a n o n g o i n g commitment to strategic partnerships between education authorities and Defence, and • Demonstrate commitment to the program and compliance with the governance requirements as detailed in the Program Guidelines.

If you would like any information about the Defence School Mentor program email dsm.program@defence.gov.au.

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Reloc atio n

Bishop Tyrrell Anglican College Welcomes ADF Families Bishop Tyrrell Anglican College (BTAC) is a co-educational, independent school, catering for Preschool to Year 12.

The school welcomes all Australian Defence Force (ADF) families and offers a dedicated team of educators and support personnel to sensitively nurture children through the transition of relocation.

The College is located in Fletcher, an outer suburb of Newcastle, centrally located in the Hunter Region, and set within stunning grounds of natural bushland and wide-open spaces. Ideally positioned to welcome ADF families who have been posted to Williamtown or Singleton bases, BTAC provides an extensive bus service to transport children to and from the College.

The College is founded on a belief in educating the whole child, developing curious and self-confident life-long learners within an Anglican Ethos, and is highly regarded.

BTAC is well known for its globally innovative and future focused education, developed within the world acclaimed Deep Learning Curriculum Framework. This framework is based on developing skills for future life including communication, collaboration, critical and creative thinking, and being of good character as an engaged citizen in a rapidly changing world.

Students at BTAC strive for academic excellence and enjoy exceptional facilities that encourage performance and participation. There are state-of-the-art iSTEM laboratories, industrial kitchens, and a fully operational café for those studying the Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses that are offered. BTAC consistently produces graduates of outstanding character who aspire to make a positive difference in the world as creative thinkers and lifelong learners.

A well-rounded, resilient individual is formed through a variety of experiences, and at BTAC there is an extensive co-curricular program designed to provide

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options encouraging participation for every child. Students traditionally excel in Chess, Debating, Music, Sport, Drama, and Public Speaking. For all grades, there is an outdoor experiential program where students are challenged in a natural environment through safe adventure, fostering both a healthy self-reliance and self-denial to serve others.

The College community firmly believes that all students are entitled to a safe and supportive school environment, with the provision of autonomy to develop socially, emotionally, academically, spiritually, and physically as positive contributors to the community. The College’s Pastoral Care Program encompasses Chaplaincy Services, Student Wellbeing initiatives, a full time Psychologist, and a dedicated Defence Transition Aid. The Care and Wellbeing Program holistically establishes a safe and nurturing environment that builds resilience, self-confidence, and a sense of community for every child.

Lauren Carlson, experienced teacher, and Defence Transition Aid, is married to a Sergeant in the Air Force, and has been posted between Williamtown and Tindal twice. With two children of her own who also attend BTAC, Lauren understands the difficulties facing Defence children when transitioning between schools, states and educational systems, and is able to understand and address these from both a parent and a teacher perspective. ‘’Having lived the unique Defence life for over 15 years, I look forward to supporting ADF children through postings, deployments, and ensuring smooth transitions and pastoral care. My role includes communicating to teachers when a Defence student might need some extra assistance, and I will regularly check in with your child to ensure they are feeling comfortable and well-supported at school. I am available at any time to support Defence students and families according to their individual needs.’’

The school offers personalised college tours. Simply book online at https://www.btac.nsw.edu.au/enrol/book-apersonal-tour.

Reloc atio n

Supporting Kids to Support Kids Did you know that Defence Member and Family Support (DMFS) provides funding to over 250 schools around the country for the Defence School Mentor (DSM) program?

The program helps schools where Defence children are enrolled to engage a DSM. Mentors are employed directly by the schools in which they work. They use a variety of methods to build relationships with Defence kids.

Mentors work to minimise the impact of mobility on children’s education and build the capability of the school in supporting Defence students and their families. They provide support through on-site, direct and flexible assistance to students, parents, teachers and other support services.

Lisa Hill is employed by Kirwan State High School in Townsville as their DSM. She has done a lot of work to engage with Defence kids, including getting them involved in charitable activities.

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For the last five years, Lisa and Debbie Downie, the schools Youth Health Nurse, have involved interested students in a campaign that is designed to bring dignity to girls and women around the world. Initially, the students were making dresses, but they’ve expanded to include shorts.

“We started by teaching students to sew in our own time and after school,” said Lisa.

“Together with members of the community, they have made over 800 dresses and shorts for kids.

“Initially, the outfits were sent to orphanages in Africa, but they now also go to schools in Papua New Guinea, Cape York communities and local women’s shelters.

“Over the years, the students have been so keen, and really excited to be involved. They feel like they are helping other little children in the world. Each

session we hear comments such as ‘I love that I am giving hope to another little girl and that I am learning valuable skills to sew and create my own little masterpieces’.”

“This is a weekly workshop which helps Defence students build resilience, confidence and coping skills. All of these things are valuable tools for Defence families, and in fact all families.”

Jason Good | Defence Families Matters

R e l o ca ti o n

Childcare for Defence Kids Defence Member And Family Support has a range of programs to support the availability of childcare services to Defence Families, who might face difficulties in sourcing childcare.

One of these programs is an individual case management service for childcare placement.

Defence maintains a network of childcare and early childhood education centres at 16 locations around Australia, comprising 16 long day care and three out of school hours centres. The centres are managed by a licensed childcare provider, One Tree Community Services.

One Tree Community Services originated in Western Australia, when a small group of community-minded parents came together to create a safe place where children could play after school.

“The small group grew and we are now

a national not-for-profit organisation with more than 45 years’ experience in delivering childcare services in metropolitan, rural and remote areas across Australia,” said Coral Callan, Executive Director at One Tree.

“One Tree employs over 600 staff from diverse cultural and professional backgrounds, and we believe in working with communities and creating a sense of belonging for staff, children, families and community.”

Specialist early learning staff from One Tree provide individual case management for Defence families. The aim of individual case management is to support ADF families when they move to a new area or change their work or care arrangements, such as when a serving member returns from maternity leave.

“Our specialist staff assist families who need help to find appropriate childcare by negotiating with all local registered

childcare providers, including family day care and before and after school care, to ensure childcare is tailored to individual family circumstances,” Coral explained.

Individual case management is a free service that provides parents with options to allow them to decide which childcare service best suits their family. It is available to all ADF families across Australia. Normal childcare fees will apply for any childcare options selected by families.

Defence provides priority of access to Defence childcare centres for ADF families, particularly where the local community is unable to accommodate them or they have been posted to a new location.

For more information or to discuss your family’s childcare needs, call the all-hours Defence Member and Family Helpline on 1800 624 608. defence.gov.au/members-families Tamara Robinson | Defence Families Matters

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Transition

Transition Simplified A Defence career offers many strengths, skills and achievements that are relevant and transferable to a civilian workplace. After your initial training, you will have accrued skills such as adaptability, attention to detail, cooperation, cultural sensitivity, professional ethics, reliability, situational awareness, stress management and teamwork (to name a few).

After managing a team, you will have also accumulated skills such as coaching, facilitating group discussions, managing a team to meet deadlines, mentoring, personnel management, team building and supervisory/management skills, etc.

However, while you’re still serving it is typical to think that your military role equates only to further military work.

I know I certainly did after a 20 year Army career. So don’t beat yourself

up if you’re thinking like that. With a broader understanding and a little help, you will be able to see beyond ‘pigeon-holing’ yourself into only similar roles you had in your military career. So we encourage you to take the time to explore career options and seek guidance on aligning your transferable skills to other industries and jobs. When you do this, it opens up many more opportunities and greatly increases your ability to see beyond the uniform more clearly.

Consider a new career direction well before you leave Defence. Remember that what you decide to do is not final or absolute. In today’s job market, the average time spent with any one employer is now approximately five years and the younger generations are changing jobs every two years.

This means long-term careers are becoming less likely. Statistics show

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that young job seekers who leave school today will change careers (not just jobs) nine times before they retire.

Therefore, whatever decision you make today, won’t necessarily lock you in until retirement.

Your written application is typically the “first impression” employers see of you. First impressions have a massive impact on your success or failure during this process. A written application includes: CV/Resume | Cover Letter | Selection Criteria/Suitability Statement | LinkedIn profile | Social Media presence Your written application should include more than what’s on your Duty Statement and the list of things you have been responsible for. If this describes your written application – stop and get help now! It should include your demilitarised transferable

Tr a n si ti o n

The most effective written application is one that quickly highlights to the employer how your skills match the skills required for their job. This is the area where most job search frustration occurs. So, spend time getting this area right and you’ll have much greater success. The same principle also applies to the best way of promoting yourself at the job interview. Talk specifically to the points the employer is looking to use to grade applicants and you’ll be doing the best you can to secure that job.

challenging if you’ve never thought of doing this before. But you can if you avoid language like “I have commanded teams of various sizes on many deployments in different situations”, or “I managed a team to achieve the Commander’s intent at sea and at shore”. While these examples aren’t using military-specific terms, they make statements that only you know the context of. If you wish to use statements like these, then add examples of what you refer to.

For example; “on my last overseas deployment to Iraq, I managed a team of 10 staff for nine months to provide close protection and surveillance at airports, compounds and small villages.” Or “I managed a team of four highly skilled technicians over six months to operate the ship’s combat radar systems whilst under pressure on high-intensity operations”.

We recommend that at everything step of finding new employment, remove or replace military terms with every-day language. This will be

Bottom line - The effectiveness of any written application is only determined by the ratio of applications sent to interviews gained. If you’re sending

skills (targeted toward the industry/job you wish to attract) and your workplace achievements. Achievements tell an employer about you from a cultural perspective - for example, your work ethic, initiative, team work, management performance, customer service and desire to improve your professional skillsets.

out many applications, but not getting at least 50% success rate of being invited to an interview, then your written application needs adjusting. Similarly; the effectiveness of promoting yourself at a job interview is assessed by the number of job offers you get in relation to the number of interviews you attend. If either of these ratios aren’t what you’d like, ask for help. Right at this moment, in Australia there are a number of funding sources available if the lack of finances is preventing you from seeking assistance.

Defence invest significant time and money in training you to think and perform your military role to achieve the military mandate. We all know that this ‘regimented way’ of operating is different to most non-Defence workplaces. However, little is offered to help you know how it is different, how to adjust when engaging with civilian employers and also with new team mates when entering a non-Defence workplace.

When engaging with employers, you

Welcoming all ADF members and their families

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Set amongst landscaped gardens, the resort consists of a mixture of hotel style rooms and standalone cabins. The spacious property creates a tranquil space to unwind and relax, while still being close to the hustle and bustle of the City Centre and ample nightlife that Darwin has to offer.

Outdoor Pool After an adventure-filled day in the Darwin heat, be sure to take a refreshing dip in our outdoor and spa. Shower facilities and towels are also available on the pool level.

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Transition

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Tr a n si ti o n

should know that typically the following traits are much stronger in Defence - focus on safety, teamwork, work rate and work ethic, professionalism and attitude to task completion.

The greatest transition challenge is in relating the commercial value you bring to civilian employers. You know you can work hard, but just saying that isn’t enough. Most ex-Defence members are already very well equipped to get a civilian job in either Operations, Security, Work Health & Safety or Teaching. If you think you have little to offer a commercial organisation, think again.

There are any number of people and organisations wanting to offer help. But who is best placed to help you with your transition and find a job on a good salary? Our experience is that only someone who personally understands how challenging it is to relate military experiences to civilians and who has also worked in commercial workplaces can understand you, your current situation and help you through the next few months of your transition.

Its your choice to either find your feet through trial and error (which will take time), or seek assistance from those who have gone before you. How much time do you have to learn through trial and error on how to compete with other job seekers for commercial opportunities?

Seeking transition assistance can be challenging, given there are so many organisations out there offering help.

But think of it as learning a new language, because talking in military terms to a civilian employer won’t work in such a competitive environment. Would you prefer to learn Chinese from the Aussie bloke down the road who has only ever taught from a book, or would you prefer to learn from someone who grew up in China and now lives in Australia?

In both circumstances, you will be taught Chinese, but you will be able to speak the new language much better from someone who knows both languages and can help with the Aussie dialogue. Choose wisely who you seek help from.

For help in your smooth “Transition to Civilian”, contact Trans-Civ www.transciv.com.au.

10 TRANSITION TRAPS The following transition traps are what the team at Trans-Civ have observed over their 14 years in helping ADF members in their transition to civilian life: 1. Not thinking about your transition until you’re almost out of Defence. Your loyalty won’t be reciprocated.

2. Thinking that your next career move must be the job you have until retirement. The average time in any job now is only five years.

3. Thinking that because you can talk well with people in general, you’ll be fine at job interviews. Talking about yourself in a promoting manner is more difficult than you think.

4. Compiling a Résumé from your own perspective and thinking it will be competitive in this job market. There

are over 100 applications on average per job vacancy – above average applications are no longer competitive.

Only the best applications get through.

5. Thinking that testing the waters with an average Résumé will be OK. You’re asking an employer to judge you on an average Résumé. You can’t decide to send them a better version of you later, as they will already have formed an opinion about your suitability.

6. Using a Resume that has grammatical and spelling errors (this is a major problem). Far too many job seekers send applications out before having them proof read.

7. Thinking a civilian employer will understand the context of your military terms in a written application and at a job interview. In all forms of communication with civilian employers, speak plain language only.

8. Not knowing how to use your existing network to open job opportunities. Your existing network is the best source of securing your first job outside Defence.

9. Thinking that everyone in your new organisation will love you because you served in the Australian military.

Know that not everyone will love you and respect what you have done in Defence.

10. Working really hard to prove yourself in your new civilian workplace (it may show up your work colleagues). Be careful of the unintended collateral damage of working too hard in your new job.

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Transition

Tips for Tough Times This time last year we all hoped 2021 was going to be a better year, instead, many people are still doing it tough.

So, what can you do to ease financial pressures, or, if you are one of the fortunate people who finds them self in a good financial position, how do you make the most of these challenging times?

When money is tight Check your budget A budget helps you identify where your money is currently going and whether there are expenses that could be cut, to boost savings or reduce your mortgage and other debts. A budget also helps you work out how much money to put aside regularly for bigger expenses like car registrations, school fees and insurance. It doesn’t matter whether you use pen and paper, a spreadsheet or an online tool like our budget calculator, it just matters that you do it.

Ask for discounts If your kids are usually in private school but you’ve been home schooling for

a long period of time, ask the school for a discount on fees. If your car is spending a lot more time in the garage, ask your insurer for a discount on your insurance. Look over your budget to see what other expenses you are currently paying but receiving limited benefit from. It costs nothing to ask for relief, and the worst they can say is ‘no’.

Shop around for better prices If you’re stuck at home and have time to spare, use the internet to shop around for better deals on everything from groceries to utilities, phone and internet plans, free recreation facilities (for when you can get out), even Facebook groups offering free stuff in your area. Use your imagination, the possibilities are endless.

Access Government Support if you need it Throughout the pandemic the Government has made considerable financial support available to individuals and households, whose income has been affected. Visit Services Australia

navy.gov.au/royal-australian-navy-relief-trust-fund

armyrtf.com.au 02 5109 7455

raafwelfaretrustfund.gov.au 02 6128 76369

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to see if you or your family members qualify for assistance.

Tackle debt issues head on

If you are struggling to meet repayments on debts such as mortgages, personal loans, car loans and credit cards, talk to your lender, they have special arrangements for people facing financial hardship. Arrangements could include reducing interest and fees, or a deferral of payments until the crisis has passed and you’re back on your feet. You will achieve the best result if you approach the lender proactively.

The worst thing you can do is fail to pay without talking to the lender, thereby defaulting on your debts, which may have a negative impact on your credit rating, potentially affecting your ability to borrow money in the future.

The Australian Banking Association website has more information.

If you need help, please contact us or read our Problems with debt money guide. If your financial stress is temporary and you need short-term help, each Service has a Relief Trust Fund (RTF) that you may be able to access. Please contact the fund directly to see if you qualify for a RTF loan.

To take advantage of the current economic climate ndh.org.au 1800 007 007

braverytrust.org.au 1800 272 837

If you are in the fortunate position to be saving money during the pandemic, because there are fewer opportunities to spend, here are a few tips on making your money work harder: 1. Set goals – set at least one short, medium and long-term goal, cost them out and work out how long it will take to reach each goal and how much you will need to save to get there. Write it down.

The Moneysmart savings goals calculator can help you work the figures out.

2. Invest your savings –if your cash is in a bank account earning very little interest, you have no immediate

Tr a n si ti o n

plans for it and are prepared to invest for the longer term, consider starting an investment portfolio with some shares or exchange traded funds (ETFs). You’ll be taking on more risk, but are likely to get much better long-term rewards. The Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) has a range of free online courses to get you started, go to www2.asx.com.au.

3. Pay down debt – there’s no point leaving money in a bank account earning very little interest, if you are paying a high interest rate on a car loan, personal loan, or any other debt. Consider using spare cash to pay down debt, and then start saving for the future.

4. Get a better rate on borrowings – if you have a home loan with a reasonable amount of equity and your interest rate doesn’t start with a ‘1’, now might be a good time to negotiate a better deal with your lender. Use a comparison website to see what the lowest rates in the market are and then ask your

lender for a better deal. This tactic could also work on other types of loans.

5. Review your super – while you are thinking about saving and investing, go to your super fund’s website and see what your investment options are. If you’ve never made an investment choice, there may be other investment options that could be earning you a better long-term average return. This applies to accumulation fund members and to the ‘member’ component of a defined benefit fund.

If you are in need of financial education or guidance, access to free financial counselling due to financial hardship or independent personal financial advice, don’t hesitate to contact us. We have a small team with extensive knowledge and access to a large network of professional people outside of Defence who can offer assistance by way of free financial counselling (in the case of hardship), or financial advice on a fee paying basis, depending on your personal circumstances. adfconsumer.gov.au/tips-for-tough-times/

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Tr a n si ti o n

Changing Careers Successfully Changing careers from the defence force to dog grooming may seem like a wild move, but, according to Nathan from Dash DogWash in Ulladulla, it has been a very rewarding change.

There are multiple ex-defence force franchisees who have created thriving businesses across the two Dog Washing brands under The Franchise Group - Blue Wheelers and Dash DogWash. Nathan started his dog grooming journey in March 2021 with Australia amid the pandemic. He has a chat to AAPT magazine below.

Hi Nathan, please introduce yourself and your background.

I’m Nathan from Dash DogWash Ulladulla, New South Wales. I was in the military from November 2000 until April 2020. I was sent all around Australia, to every capital city. I spent 11 out of my 20 years of service at sea. I was a Bosun’s Mate for my first 7 years and then Military Police for the remainder of my service. Now, I live with my blended family in Ulladulla, my wife Kellie and our 5 children. The girls live with us full time and the boys, 50/50. We also have them on school holidays and they all go to different schools, so things can get pretty chaotic!

Why did you choose dog grooming post Military?

I never had an interest in dog grooming until 12 months before leaving the Navy.

I thought, ‘I have 5 dogs (which are just like children) and geez it’s always a pain when they need a clip! ‘Maybe I could learn the skill.’ As I have 3 Toy

Poodles and 2 Maltese Shih Tzus, they all need to be groomed regularly and it can take a long time per furcut. I love being around dogs and being able to be able to clip all 5 of my dogs is an added convenience. I took a long time researching different franchises before joining Dash DogWash. I found that Dash DogWash had the best offering for what my business goals were.

What’s the biggest difference between working for the defence and working for yourself?

Working for myself lets me be in control of my home and work life. I can work my own hours and take holidays when needed. A downside is that your income can vary until you build up to capacity. There is no set income, unlike the military. But, I enjoy every day knowing what I’m going to be up for, in the way of what people and dogs I get to see.

Do you have any lessons you have learnt from your defence background that has helped you to manage your dog grooming business?

People skills definitely. Working with different types of people, big personalities and complex situations.

No situation is ever the same and it’s similar in dog grooming. My defence career also helped me learn to deal with stressful situations.

What do you enjoy most about being a dog groomer?

Every day I get to have interactions with many different breeds, ages and types of dogs. No dog is ever the same. I also enjoy that their makeovers make the dog feel happier and owners enjoy the look, smell and feel of their dog again. Being mobile also makes the day easier for my customers. I conveniently come to them and they don’t have to leave their dog in a salon or cage for hours.

Is your business where you thought it would be at this stage?

I’m not a goal oriented person. I am

not solely reliant on my dog grooming income, so I have been building steadily over time without that added pressure. After only 6 months, I am successful and have built a regular steady client base.

Has COVID-19 affected your business at all?

My business has not really been affected by COVID. I had one week off in July but that’s been it. Business as usual here, just a bit of extra PPE and COVID Safe guidelines to follow.

What challenges have you faced as a dog groomer?

From time to time, dogs can be difficult.

No one thing works with every dog to calm them down. There’s many different techniques I’ve learned to relax a stressed dog.

What advice would you give to people thinking about a career change?

Changing careers can seem daunting.

Investing in your own business is a big decision too. Specifically in the defence force, you can feel institutionalised and that there's no other World than defence. I recommend taking a leap of faith. There’s some really interesting careers and businesses out there. You only live once and the hardest step is the first one!

Dash DogWash takes all the hard work out of setting up your own business so you can get on the road to success as quickly as possible. As a Dash DogWasher you get your own marketing territory close to home, your own Big Yellow Kennel Trailer, a direct pathway to join the booming pet industry and all the training & support you need to build a successful business. If you’re interested in learning more about Dash DogWash business opportunities go to www.dashdogwash.com.au to get an information pack and book your noobligation experience day to see what a day out as a dog groomer is really like. You might even get to spend a day with Nathan!

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D efence

4.4 hectares of land on Astra Aerolab – Australia’s Premier Defence and Aerospace Precinct, which offers airside access to RAAF Williamtown and Newcastle Airport.

The agreement sees Astra Aerolab providing a full range of property services, including future development of facilities on the precommitment land.

BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS IN THE PACIFIC

Once delivered, the USN EA-18G is set to be modified by the Royal Australian Air Force, joining the bespoke Indo-Pacific Endeavour 21 EA-18G Growler fleet.

(IPE21) is Australia’s flagship regional engagement activity, reinforcing Australia’s strong BAE SYSTEMS and enduring partnerships AUSTRALIA in Southeast Asia. Centred TO EXPAND on a maritime task group, FOOTPRINT AT IPE21 involved HMA Ships NEWCASTLE’S Canberra and Anzac and ASTRA AEAROLAB approximately 700 people, i n c l u d i n g A u s t r a l i a n In a significant show Defence Force and civilian o f c o n f i d e n c e i n A s t r a defence personnel, and Aerolab and the Defence sea riders from partner and Aerospace industry at nations. Engagements were Williamtown, BAE Systems modified in response to the A u s t r a l i a h a s r e c e n t l y COVID-19 pandemic and strengthened its position as were carried out primarily one of the leading defence through contactless port and security companies by visits, and included a range securing a pre-commitment of virtual workshops and at- to expand its presence at Newcastle Airport’s Defence sea activities. estate.

RAN TO BOLSTER SEAHAWK HELICOPTER FLEET

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The Royal Australian Navy’s fleet of Seahawk helicopters are tipped to bolster antisurface and anti-submarine warfare capability, while also supporting the execution of vertical replenishment, search and rescue, and communications relay missions.

The Seahawk is equipped with a sophisticated combat systems designed to employ Hellfire air-to-surface Australia’s $1.3 billion request missiles and the Mark 54 to enhance its Sikorsky MH- anti-submarine torpedo.

60R combat helicopter fleet Some reports have has been approved. suggested the fleet has The US State Department has expanded in response to greenlit the Commonwealth technical issues associated government’s request to with the Airbus-built MH-90 purchase an additional Taipan helicopters, deployed 12 MH-60R Multi-Mission by both Navy and Army.

(Seahawk) helicopters from Lockheed Martin subsidiary LOCAL FIRM Sikorsky for approximately WINS $100M DEAL US$985 million ($1.3 billion).

The deal, which will take the total size of the fleet to 36, includes the provision of spare engines, radars, targeting systems, rocket and missile launchers, sensors, missile warning systems, G P S t e c h n o l o g y, a n d US APPROVES BAE Systems, which employs electronic countermeasures.

GROWLER SALE TO around 5,000 people across Australia, has signed a 34ADF year extension on its current Australia’s request to replace lease at Newcastle Airport a damaged EA-18G Growler and has also entered into a has been formally approved new pre-commitment for up to by the US State Department.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has confirmed the sale of a Boeing-built US Navy EA18G aircraft to Australia for an estimated US$125 million ($170.8 million).

US contractors are also expected to provide engineering, training and logistics support services.

TO DEVELOP WEAPONS RANGE

An Indigenous-owned construction company has been tapped to develop new facilities at a RAAF bombing range.

C o n s t r u c t i o n f i r m Ti w i Partners has been awarded

D e fe n ce

a $107.8 million contract to complete works at Delamere Air Weapon Range in the Northern Territory.

The works are set to involve the demolition of the old facility and construction of three new Mobile Emitter Site Mounds.

The Sikorsky-built MH-60R Seahawk, operated by 816 Squadron, has deployed from HMAS Anzac since August 2020, and recently supported the frigate’s threemonth regional engagement and the emergency rescue of 20 Indonesian fishermen stranded 670 nautical miles off the coast of Western Australia.

This is expected to ensure the RAAF base is equipped to support the Growler Airborne Electronic Attack capability. LEONARDO, The project is scheduled to commence in late September and conclude by June next year.

NORTHROP GRUMMAN ANNOUNCE UAS COLLABORATION

US RAMPS UP MILITARY PRESENCE IN According to Minister for Leonardo and Northrop AUSTRALIA Defence Industry Melissa Price, the contract with Tiwi Partners would support 150 jobs, with 80 per cent of the sub-contracted work awarded to local businesses.

SEAHAWK ACHIEVES MILESTONE

Grumman Corporation have agreed to jointly pursue opportunities in the vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) space, collaborating on design, system architectures, payload optimisation and integration within future battlespace architectures.

The primes will specifically The Royal Australian Navy f o c u s o n c u s t o m e r helicopter has surpassed requirements and mission2,000 flight hours while on based concepts of operations. deployment in south-east Asia.

Leonardo is expected to Embarked on HMAS Anzac, l e v e r a g e i t s r o t o r c r a f t t h e h e l i c o p t e r, d u b b e d e x p e r i e n c e , s u p p o r t e d ‘‘Berserker’, is engaging by Northrop Grumman’s a l o n g s i d e H M A S h i p s advanced aeronautics and Canberra and Sirius as part autonomous uncrewed aerial of Indo-Pacific Endeavour systems capability.

2021 (IPE21).

Bases across Australia are set to host a larger contingent of US troops and military equipment as part of a new deal struck between the nations.

and subsurface vessels in Australia; • e n h a n c e d l a n d c o operation by conducting more complex and more integrated exercises and greater combined engagement with allies and partners in the region; and

Minister for Defence Peter Dutton and Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne have confirmed plans to bolster the United States’ military presence in Australia after meeting with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin as part of AUSMIN discussions.

• the establishment of a combined logistics, sustainment, and maintenance enterprise to support high end warfighting and combined military operations in the region.

This includes:

southern states.

Minister Dutton shed more light on the deal revealing US personnel and military As an extension to the assets would be based in key bilateral Force Posture strategic locations across the Working Group convened in country.

May 2021, the counterparts In addition to hosting troops endorsed areas of expanded in the Top End, Australia is co-operation across the air set to welcome US maritime and maritime domains. and air platforms in the This is expected to include submarines, bombers, and surveillance aircraft, the latter of which could be sustained at RAAF Base Richmond and RAAF Base Amberley.

Charbel Kadib/Defence • enhanced maritime co- Connect operation by increasing logistics and sustainment capabilities of US surface • enhanced air co-operation through the rotational deployment of US aircraft of all types in Australia and appropriate aircraft training and exercises;

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D e fe n ce

QUICKER REFUEL TO BOOST POSEIDON ON SEARCH AND RESCUE MISSIONS

Poseidon fleet; especially when undertaking short notice missions. With inground refuelling systems operational across other Australian Defence Force Bases, the P-8A Poseidon fleet and support personnel can now utilise its benefits at their home-base - as a significant increase to operational capability.

A Royal Australian Air Force P-8A Poseidon aircraft from No. 92 Wing based at RAAF Base Edinburgh, near Adelaide in South Australia, performed the first in-ground refuelling task from its homeUnder the command of No. base on in August.

92 Wing, the P-8A Poseidon The new in-ground refuelling is operated by RAAF No. capability utilises a hydrant- 11 and No. 292 Squadrons line configuration that is - and is a modern, potent plumbed from the Edinburgh and highly reliable aircraft Base Fuel Farm to the No. based on the commercially92 Wing apron as a hydrant proven Boeing B737-800; point. The system involves modified to incorporate the a No. 24 Squadron tanker latest maritime surveillance hydrant cart (or ‘pie cart’) and attack capabilities. connecting to both the hydrant point and the P-8A DEFENCE TESTING Poseidon aircraft in order for WORLD FIRST the fuel to be delivered to the TECH IN SPACE aircraft fuel tank.

The Head of Air Force Rigorous testing was Capability, Air Vice-Marshal undertaken with multiple Cath Roberts, and Director agencies in order to get the General Air Defence and in-ground refuelling system Space, Air Commodore ready for P-8A Poseidon Philip Gordon, recently aircraft use. The refuelling announced the next phase capability benefits to 92 Wing of the Australian M2 satellite are significant with the inmission, a collaboration ground refuelling system between the University of providing unlimited fuel New South Wales (UNSW) loading options; and the ability for a P-8A Poseidon aircraft to be refuelled around 30% faster compared to a traditional tanker truck.

This represents a direct enhancement to operational capability for the P-8A

Canberra Space and the industry options are available, Royal Australian Air Force. as well as introducing them to its workplace culture.

“This collaboration allows small satellites to be used To date, 50 employers have for evaluation of technologies applied to train and mentor that may eventually be the applicants, including L3 placed onto more complex Harris Technologies, Austal, space systems, such as large BAE, BRE Engineering, and communications or earth Nihar Consultants. observation satellites,” Air Vice-Marshal Roberts said. It is hoped the wide range of businesses taking part The M2 mission has been in the program will give orbiting the globe since being the successful applicants launched in New Zealand exposure to a variety of

by Rocket Lab in March. sectors within Defence Now UNSW Canberra has industry, providing them as conducted a controlled many options as possible as separation of M2 into two they decide on the best path s m a l l e r c u b e s a t e l l i t e s to take in the sector.

(CubeSat), M2A and M2B, enabling planned research H o w e v e r, i t i s n o t j u s t into formation flying, satellite e m p l o y e r s i n W e s t e r n c o n t r o l m e c h a n i s m s , Australia who are enthusiastic maritime surveillance, space about the program. Within 90 domain awareness, and inter- minutes of its launch in June, the program had more than satellite communications.

100 applications.

While more than half of those PATHWAY TO DEFENCE NDUSTRY accepted into the program were aged 18-21, almost a POPULAR The Defence Industry Pathways Program has been a hit in Western Australia, as people of all ages take up the chance to get a taste of life in the state’s Defence industry.

third were aged over 30, and about a third of the group were female.

Head Maritime Systems Rear Admiral Wendy Malcolm said the popularity of the program across all age groups showed The program aims to give the strong interest in working school-leavers and others an in Defence industry. initial experience in Defence industry through placements “ T h e r e a r e s o m a n y opportunities over future with relevant employers. years in this industry, and the It also provides participants Defence Industry Pathways with a Certificate III in Program is a great way to Defence Industry Pathways attract people to the sector, from Western Australia’s whether it is school-leavers, South Metropolitan TAFE. people looking for a career Running over 12 months, change, or those who are with up to 120 trainees taking just exploring opportunities,” Rear Admiral Malcolm said. part through to 2023, the goal is to build the nation’s future Applications for the January Defence industry workforce 2022 intake of the Defence by showing school-leavers Industry Pathways Program and those looking for a are currently open through career change what Defence the website Programmed.

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On T h e Rad ar

Smith’s 1920 Southern Cross, Lockheed Super Constellation, DC-3/C-47 aircraft, DC-4 in 1950s Qantas livery, Convair 440 in TAA colours, two Fokker F27500 Friendships, a Morava used by Ansett-ANA and PBY Catalina. Well worth a visit.

Allow around two hours for a comprehensive tour.

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE-WINGS OVER ILLAWARRA

54 Airport Road, Shellharbour Airport Albion Park Rail, NSW Open 7 days, 9:30-3:30 event is expanding to include except Christmas day www.hars.org.au

the NSW Drone Expo, the Oz Flight Sim Expo and a general aviation precinct ensuring Wings Over Illawarra is something for everyone at this Australia’s largest annual year’s airshow. airshow and is held in the Shellharbour Airport, NSW Illawarra on the NSW South 27-28 November Coast just over an hour south wingsoverillawarra.com.au of Sydney. Situated in a picturesque location with an amazing backdrop of A JUMBO the Illawarra Escarpment, EXPERIENCE it is the only major airshow HARS AVIATION experience within easy reach of metropolitan Sydney and MUSEUM Canberra.

Just over an hour drive T h e d i v e r s e p r o g r a m south from Sydney Airport, includes ground displays an amazing display of almost and flying demonstrations of 50 aircraft await visitors historic, military, modern and to a guided tour of the aerobatic aircraft as well as uniquely interactive HARS vintage car and motorbike Aviation Museum. Some displays, children’s rides and of the museum highlights other aviation and technology include a Boeing 747-400, a related exhibitions. In 2021 the replica of Charles Kingsford

Airshow 2022 will take place from 15 to 20 February 2022.

Changi Exhibition Centre 9 Aviation Park Road, Singapore 15-20 February 22 www.singaporeairshow.com/

THE FUTURE OF MILITARY COMMUNICATIONS MilCIS 2021

The annual Military Communications and Information Systems (MilCIS) Conference welcomes military and government organisations, academia, and defence industries to contribute to the future direction of military communications and information systems. In addition to keynote presentations, technical presentations, panASIA’S LARGEST el discussions and tutorials, MilCIS features an exposition EXHIBITION that provides an opportunity SINGAPORE for exhibitors to demonstrate AIRSHOW new technologies and proThe biennial Singapore mote their products and serAirshow is Asia’s largest and vices to attendees. most influential international National Convention Centre, aerospace and defence Canberra exhibition for stakeholders 22-24 February 22 to forge strategic alliances, www.milcis.com.au/ collaborate for change to shape the future of the global aviation industry. Organised and managed by Experia Events Pte Ltd, Singapore

WARBIRDS OVER WANAKA

celebrate the RNZAF’s 85th. The scenery this show is set in is spectacular!

Renowned for its stunning mountains, lakes and wilderness, this natural amphitheatre provides a stunning backdrop for the airshow.

Three days of high-octane aviation excitement over Easter. Along with privately owned Warbird aircraft Warbirds Over Wanaka has an enviable record of attracting other air forces 15, 16, 17th April 2022 such as the RAAF, USAF and Southern Lakes Wanaka NZ French Air Force and they’re warbirdsoverwanaka.com expected to be back to help 108

O n Th e R a d a r

Australia to shape, deter and respond requires resilient support systems together with an organisational culture that embraces innovation.

The Air and Space Power Conference 2022 will explore resilient and innovative approaches to achieve national and regional advantage in air and space power. www.airpower.airforce.gov. au/events/aspcon22_event Mixed Mode - Virtual & evolving technologies will Physical 22-23 March BUSINESS, TECH impact your business for National Convention Centre AND INNOVATION greater growth.

Canberra 31 Constitution Avenue COLLIDE-TECHSPO Stadium Australia, Sydney W h e r e B u s i n e s s , Te c h 22-23 March 22 www.techsposydney.com INTEGRATING

and Innovation Collide in Sydney!TECHSPO Sydney is a two-day technology expo held annually in Sydney, NSW, Australia which brings together some of the best developers, brands, marketers, technology providers, designers, innovators and evangelists looking to set the pace in our advanced world of technology. Watch exhibitors showcase the next generation of advances in technology & innovation, including; Internet, Mobile, AdTech, MarTech and SaaS technologies. Be prepared to be inspired, amazed and educated on how these

EXPLORING INNOVATIVE APPROACHES-AIR & SPACE POWER CONFERENCE In a dynamic and uncertain geostrategic environment, it is imperative small and middle powers build resilience in their ability to generate timely, effective and relevant air and space power. Credible air and space power that enables

RPAS IN AUSTRALIAN SKIES

SUPPORTING RFDS The Outback Air Race is an aviation time trial through the remote Australian Outback.

The Outback Air Race has raised funds for the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia. Since 1996.

Competitors and spectators have raised over $3.1 million.

Funds from each race go towards outfitting RFDS aircraft with essential medical equipment, vital for treating sick and injured patients across Australia.

www.outbackairrace.com.au 30 August-12 September Route: Darwin, NT- Coffs The Australian Association for Harbour, NSW.

Unmanned Systems’ “RPAS in Australian Skies 2022” conference is an important strategic event aimed at the continuing discussion on the safe integration of RPAS into Australian Airspace. It is supported by key government and industry participants and has established itself as a landmark event in the Australian RPAS calendar.

Hotel Realm, Canberra 29-30 March 22 (+online) www.aaus.org.au/rpas-inaustralian-skies-2022

THE BRISBANE AIRSHOW Postponed this year due to COVID, the Brisbane Airshow has one of the w o r l d ’s m o s t s t u n n i n g backdrops. Set in the Brisbane Valley, 60 minutes’ drive from Brisbane near the town of Esk. Dedicated to the men and women who have served in our armed

CASA-FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WORKSHOP

CASA will be delivering a series of workshops aimed specifically at pilots who hold an instructor rating.

The workshops will include lectures, case studies, professional development and group exercises.

Darwin 17 Nov, TBC 2022-Archerfield, Sunshine Coast, Townsville, Adelaide & Brisbane. www.casa.gov.au

forces. The show includes the RAAF, Warbirds, World War II Fighters, Jets and Helicopters, aerobatics, skydiving, military vehicles, hot rods, classic cars, Somerset Business Expo, live music, gourmet food, amusement park and lots more. See you there.

Watts Bridge Memorial Airfield Cressbrook, QLD 2-3 July 22 brisbaneairshow.com.au

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A ir F orce Cad ets

RAAF Base Pearce Veterans and Youth Day The Royal Australian Air Force Base at Pearce hosted a special ‘behind the scenes' tour of the base for Invited guests from the Australian Air Force Cadets, Royal Australian Air Force Veteran community and the winners of the Albany Scholarship competition.

Cadets and Air Force Veterans experienced the immersive experience of flying a flight simulator using some of the latest virtual reality equipment and they also had the opportunity to get up and close with the RAAF Balloon and experience a short-tethered flight.

Freedom Of Entry in Darwin On 9 October 2021, RAAF Base Darwin exercised its right to Freedom of Entry by marching through the City of Darwin with swords drawn, weapons slung, drums beating, band playing and colours flying. 2021 marks the Royal Australian Air Force’s 100th anniversary. To celebrate this momentous occasion, RAAF Base Darwin exercised its right to Freedom of Entry to the City of Darwin, which was first granted 55 years ago on 7 June 1966, by marching through the city centre with swords drawn, weapons slung, drums beating and colours flying.

Defence images.

Sir Richard Williams sculpture unveiled A sculpture commemorating RAAF founding father, Air Marshal Sir Richard Williams, was unveiled on 7 November in Moonta, South Australia.

The Air Force Association is proud to have supported the establishment of this life size sculpture of the RAAF founding father and most significant figure in its history. at Moonta, South Australia.

Picture Sir Richard Williams Foundation.

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The initiative is a collaboration between like-minded organisations to recognise the remarkable achievements of Air

Marshal Sir Richard Williams who was born and raised in Moonta.

As the first ever Australian trained military pilot, Sir Richard Williams saw distinguished service in the Middle East with No 1 Squadron (AFC), serving as its Flight Commander and Commanding Officer and then as the Officer Commanding, No 40 Wing (RAF) before completing the war as the AFC’s foremost operational commander. Note, event happened Sunday 7 Nov.

Bo o ks

Germany and the English Channel.

The powerful, combat experienced Luftwaffe conducted unremitting air raids over Britain, hoping to conquer their enemy easily, but the RAF proved a formidable opponent.

FIGHTER

The True Story of The Battle of Britain Author: Len Deighton Penguin Books Pages: 336 in paperback RRP: $24.95 ISBN: 9780241505373

The Battle of Britain in World War II between Britain’s Royal Air Force and the Luftwaffe, Nazi Germany’s air force, was the first battle in history fought solely in the air.

From July to October 1940, pilots and support crews on both sides took to the skies and battled for control of the airspace over Great Britain,

THE COLLABORATOR

Author: Diane Armstrong Harlequin Enterprises (Australia) Pty Ltd Pages: 496 in paperback RRP: $16.99 ISBN: 9781867207948

Hero or traitor? Based on astonishing true events set in the darkest days of World War II in Budapest, an enthralling story of heroism, vengeance, passion and betrayal. It’s also the story of three women linked by a secret that threatens to destroy their lives.

Immortalized by British Prime Minister Winston Churchill “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.”

A myth-busting, page-turning history of the Battle of Britain History is swamped by patriotic myths about the aerial combat fought between the RAF and the Luftwaffe over the summer of 1940.

Fighter is a gripping history of the Battle of Britain, drawing on a decade of research and the author’s wartime experiences to puncture these myths and point towards a more objective, and even more inspiring truth.

It is 1944 in Budapest and the Germans have invaded.

Jewish journalist Miklos Nagy risks his life and confronts the dreaded Adolf Eichmann in an attempt to save thousands of Hungarian Jews from death camps. But no one could have foreseen the consequences...

It is 2005 in Sydney, and Annika Barnett sets out on a journey that takes her to Budapest and Tel Aviv to discover the truth about the mysterious man who rescued her grandmother in 1944.

By the time her odyssey is over, history has been turned on its head, past and present collide, and the secret that has poisoned the lives of three generations is finally revealed in a shocking climax that holds the key to their redemption.

The Collaborator is a powerful and compelling story from a turbulent time.

THE PATHFINDERS

The Elite RAF Force that Turned the Tide of WWII Author: Will Iredale Penguin Books Pages: 400 in paperback RRP: $35.00 ISBN: 9780753557815

The untold story of the elite force that spearheaded almost every British bombing raid over Nazi Germany.

The Pathfinders were the crack team that transformed the hit rate in the RAF's Bomber Command from 24% in August 1942 to an incredible 96% hit rate by 1945.

AFTER THE TAMPA From Afghanistan to New Zealand Author: Abbas Nazari Allen & Unwin Books Pages: 368 in paperback RRP: $32.99 ISBN: 9781988547640

It’s been 20 years since Norwegian Cargo Ship the ‘Tampa’ mercifully saved more than 400 people from an overloaded, sinking fishing boat adrift in the Indian Ocean. Seven-year-old Abbas Nazari and his family were among refugees fleeing war torn Afghanistan and the persecution of the Taliban.

They transformed Bomber Command - the only part of the Allied war effort capable of attacking the heart of Nazi Germany - from an impotent division on the cusp of disintegration in 1942 to a force capable of razing whole German cities to the ground, inspiring fear in Hitler's senior command and helping the Allies deliver decisive victory in World War II. Featuring exclusive interviews with remaining survivors, personal diaries, previously classified records and never-before seen photographs, The Pathfinders brings to life the characters of the airmen and women -- many barely out of their teens - who took to the skies in iconic British aircraft such as the Lancaster and the Mosquito, facing almost unimaginable levels of violence from enemy fighter planes to strike the heart of the Nazi war machine.

Their search for a better life became a traumatic journey and one of the largest maritime rescues in modern history. They would wade into Australian waters during the lead up to a national election and an international stand-off would soon follow - the country closing its doors to asylum seekers and implementing a hard-line policy of offshore detention.

The refugees would spend a month at sea before the Australian Government made the decision to relocate them to Nauru for processing. The lucky few, including Abbas and his family, were resettled in New Zealand with the promise of rebuilding their lives.

A f t e r T h e Ta m p a i s a powerful, inspiring and heartwarming story filled with hope, relevant to our time, clearly addressing the issue of racism and ongoing plight faced by refugees displaced across the world.

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B ack Pa ge

Centenarian recalls his best flight He’s 100 years of age and has flown all around the world, but Air Force veteran Alan Hastie said the best flight of his life was on a British Bristol Beaufort at the end of World War II. After a year-long deployment to Papua New Guinea where he serviced Beauforts as an aircraft technician, Mr Hastie’s commanding officer gave him a choice between flying home to Brisbane in the co-pilot’s seat of a Beaufort or sailing home with other ADF members on an aircraft carrier.

“I’m not sure why he gave me the option,” Mr Hastie said.

“He just asked me how I’d like to get home and if I’d rather go home on an aircraft carrier or on a plane.

“I didn’t want to be on an aircraft carrier for a week with thousands of other people, so I chose the plane.”

Originally enlisting in the Army in Brisbane in 1941, Mr Hastie obtained the rank of acting Sergeant before transferring to the RAAF three years later.

“I changed over to the Air Force to try and get into aircrew,” Mr Hastie said.

While training to become an aircrew member in Kingaroy, Queensland, Mr Hastie was told that the RAAF had an adequate supply of aircrew and he would be moved to ground staff.

After six months of training as an aircraft technician at Sydney Technical College, Mr Hastie was briefly posted to Tocumwal, NSW, before being deployed to Aitape in PNG. “I did enjoy it,” he said.

“You might say it was an easy job in one way, because we weren’t involved in actual fighting, just servicing the planes.”

Jumping at the opportunity to fly home to Brisbane as the only passenger on a Beaufort at the end of the war, Mr Hastie remembered the scenic journey along the Queensland coastline.

“We picked up fuel at Cape York and the pilot said that we would dodge Townsville and Cairns so we wouldn’t have to go through the red tape there,” he said.

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Alan Hastie with an Air Force 2021 Commemorative memento in celebration of his 100th birthday. Defence images.

Following the coastline south, Mr Hastie and the Beaufort pilot stayed overnight in Rockhampton before continuing the following morning.

“We were going to land at Amberley because, back then, Archerfield was a civil aerodrome,” he said.

“It was the main airstrip for Brisbane at the time.

“As we got close to Brisbane, the pilot said ‘show me where it is’, referring to Archerfield, so I pointed it out to him and we landed there.”

After saying goodbye to the pilot, who had to return the aircraft to western NSW, Mr Hastie caught a bus into Brisbane and a tram to his family home in The Grange where he surprised his unsuspecting parents.

“I turned up home and my parents said ‘Where’d you come from?’,” Mr Hastie said.

Discharging from the RAAF as a leading aircraftman in 1946, Mr Hastie married Mary Ursula Sims, a kindergarten teacher and raised four children.

Since turning 100 on April 14, Mr Hastie has received numerous messages, including a letter from The Queen.

Senior ADF Officer at RAAF Base Amberley, Group Captain Ian Carty, presented Mr Hastie with a framed Air Force centenary commemorative memento in recognition of his milestone birthday and to honour his service to the nation.

“I’m very grateful, I really am,” Mr Hastie said.

“I’ve done very well but I don’t think I’ve deserved it all as there were thousands of us and I didn’t do anything special, I have to confess, I just did the work.”

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