Peter La Franchi/CANBERRA
The Australian Department of Defence may be preparing to scrap a $395 million project to acquire AGM-142 'Popeye' missiles from the USA in favour of a revised stand-off weapon requirement that could include ship-launched cruise missiles.
The DoD has in recent weeks requested data from the USA on the cost of terminating two separate Foreign Military Sales programme deals, signed in 1998 and 1999, for the supply of AGM-142 and AGM-142E warstocks.
Exploration of the possibility of cancelling the deals follow the shortlisting in July of the Lockheed Martin JASSM cruise missile as the preferred solution for a long-range stand-off weapon project known as Air 5418, with the European developed Taurus Systems KEPD 350 missile finishing second.
The cancellation studies also follow ongoing problems with integrating the Israeli-developed AGM-142 onto RAAF F-111 strike aircraft, and a sweeping review of the future of the F-111 fleet carried out as part of the new Australian Defence White Paper development process.
The Royal Australian Navy has been exploring options on new ship-launched stand-off missiles with this seen by local defence industry analysts as possibly indicating a hastening of plans for the replacement of Australia's Boeing AGM-84 Harpoon anti-shipping missiles.
A decision to proceed with a replacement programme would require Australian Government funding approval around 2005. Harpoon is carried by RAN FFG 7 class frigates and is intended to be fitted to ANZAC class frigates as part of an upgrade awaiting approval as part of the new Defence White Paper, due for release early next month. Submarine Harpoon has been in RAN service since the early 1980s.
RAN interest in acquiring a more capable missile for its surface fleet follows long-term interest in the high-cost Tomahawk submarine launched cruise missiles. Taurus Systems is already developing a ship-launched version of the KEPD 350, and the RAN recently requested detailed presentations on that weapon. A direct purchase of new Harpoon 2000 standard weapons also remains an option.
The RAAF's missile architecture has been predicated on a layered approach to strike operations. The Air 5418 programme is intended to provide an ability to hit at land or maritime targets at ranges greater than 150km (81nm).
The AGM-142 missile, acquired through a project known as Air 5398, is meant to provide the RAAF with a weapon capable of attacking a spectrum of targets, from shipping to hardened bunkers at military bases, from relatively short ranges.
A third programme, known as Air 5409, proposes upgrading the RAAF's 500lb and 2000lb 'dumb' bombs to provide a precision stand-off capability.
The Air 5418 programme faces a two-year hiatus before funds are likely to be approved to enable the downselect of JASSM to proceed to acquisition. Last month, Australia's Chief of Air Force, Errol McCormack, gave approval for the use of a RAAF F-111 to support trials of the KEPD 350 missile during 2001-2002.
The DoD's initial 1998 deal for AGM-142 missiles was forecast to cost $90 million. The follow on deal was approved in the 1999 Australian Defence budget for variants capable of penetrating deep underground bunkers and as well as an undisclosed number of warshot weapons. That purchase had been expected to be negotiated direct with missile manufacturer PGSUS, a joint venture between Lockheed Martin and Rafael, but was instead re-directed into the Foreign Military Sales programme.
Data on Air 5398 in the 2000-2001 Defence Budget papers revealed that approved funding for the project had reached $395 million, making it RAAF's fifth most expensive acquisition.
Source: Flight International
