Peter La Franchi/CANBERRA

The Australian Department of Defence has confirmed that it intends to use a multi-stage purchase programme to replace Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) F/A-18 and F-111 fighters, with an initial acquisition of new aircraft planned to go to tender as early as 2005.

The multi-stage strategy, which awaits government approval, is intended to spread the costs of the replacement programme over 25 years, as well as establish a rolling replacement approach to circumvent any block obsolescence problems.

The initial aircraft purchase would be aimed at providing the RAAF with a renewed capability edge over regional air forces from 2012, when the first of the current fleet of F/A-18s is to start being phased out. The second stage acquisition would start in 2010, with new aircraft entering service around 2015-18, while a third phase purchase is planned for 2020-25 with entry into service around 2028-30.

The three-stage purchase will be paralleled by an ongoing process to determine requirements which could result in at least two different aircraft types being acquired. This includes the option of unmanned air combat vehicles (UCAVs). Australian Department of Defence estimates for the F/A-18 replacement are set at more than A$10 billion ($6.4 billion), making it the most expensive military acquisition in Australian history. While the stage one purchase is focused on the F/A-18, officials of Project Air 6000 acknowledge that a basic F-111 replacement capability could also be acquired.

According to Rear Adm Chris Ritchie, head of capability systems development at the Australian Defence Headquarters, options being explored for the F-111 replacement include cruise missiles and UCAVs. He says that without a large increase in defence spending, the option of a one-for-one fast jet replacement is impractical.

A multi-stage acquisition strategy, he says, would let the Australian Defence Force maintain an appropriate capability edge and rolling enhancements. It will allow integration of enhanced capabilities into force structures and allow evolution of those structures and the associated doctrine.

Source: Flight International