PETER LA FRANCHI / CANBERRA
Requirement comes as army launches plans for airborne command and surveillance fleet
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has announced a preliminary requirement for a new heavylift aircraft in a project worth up to A$2.5 billion ($1.4 billion).
Planning is also under way for an army fixed-wing fleet to provide airborne command and surveillance capabilities.
The Australian defence capability and investment committee is likely to consider the Future Heavy Airlifter (FHA) within the next year.
The ADF plans to group its transport projects together, as with the Air 9000 project that covers all Australian military helicopter requirements. It will encompass a proposed Lockheed Martin C-130H upgrade, the air force's light tactical airlifter requirement, the FHA and the army's fixed-wing requirement.
Wg Cdr Ian Honey, director aerospace mobility at ADF headquarters aerospace development group, says the project will "amalgamate these airlift projects into one. The aim is to take an Australian Defence Force-wide output-based perspective on airlift capability and its introduction over the next decade."
No FHA schedule will be defined until the aerospace development group completes a requirements study. This will form the basis of a submission to the capability and investment committee. Potential FHA candidates include the Airbus Military A400M, Antonov An-124 and Boeing C-17.
Director general of aerospace development Air Cdre John Harvey says: "Strategic lift is a critical requirement of the future capability of the ADF overall, so we want to really take a long look at that. The option to have something for outsize cargo of the future will be increasingly important."
Merging projects may result in revised schedules for the C-130H upgrade and light tactical airlift projects. Honey says the two army fixed-wing requirements have been divided into surveillance and command and liaison packages.
He says: "If we can find one aircraft to do that, well and good - but it may be two." Honey says options include the Piaggio P180 Avanti and the BN Defender.
Source: Flight International
