Peter La Franchi/MELBOURNE
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is unlikely to be able to afford one-for-one replacement of its Boeing F/A-18 Hornet and General Dynamics F-111 fleets, despite the provision for up to 100 new fighters contained in the Australian Government's new defence white paper.
According to the head of the ADF's Project Air 6000 new fighter programme, Wg Cdr Mark Green, a one-for-one replacement for the F/A-18s and F-111s, if based on the Lockheed Martin F-22, would cost Australia $17 billion. A direct F/A-18 replacement based on 75 aircraft is estimated at $12.5 billion.
Green told last week's Flight International-Australian Defence Studies Centre UAV Australia conference in Melbourne that the ADF accepted the white paper figures were intended purely as a "financial yardstick". He said the ADF was progressing with the Air 6000 project on the assumption that no final decisions on target numbers would be made until the end of an extended study process that is also assessing improved ground- or sea-based air defence and strike capabilities.
Green said Air 6000 could result in a decision not only to acquire replacement fighters but also additional naval or land force capabilities if that type of force mix proved more cost effective.
Green also reiterated strong Australian interest in unmanned combat air vehicles (UCAVs), describing the current pace of development as "positive news". But he added that the Royal Australian Air Force intended to continue with plans for a phased "block" purchase strategy with the initial buy "highly likely" to be a manned platform.
A consideration of UCAVs in later block buys would require a family linkage to the block one aircraft, particularly if Australia were to seek a UCAV controlled by manned aircraft. Such control function capabilities would have to reside in the block one fighter type.
A revised Air 6000 project schedule released at the conference proposes securing Australian Government funding approval in May 2006. The programme reiterates Australia's intention to have initial aircraft in service by 2012.
However, the second block purchase is now targeted for 2012-2013 with aircraft planned to be delivered by 2020, two years later than previously released estimates. Block three timeframes propose acquisition from 2022-2023, with a final delivery target of 2030.
Source: Flight International
