Peter La Franchi/CANBERRA
The Australian Department of Defence is to launch a formal industry survey process this week to determine whether the Royal Australian Air Force's Project Air 5402 air-to-air refuelling requirement can be met by private financing.
The survey, set for release on 18 February, will call for a minimum capability to refuel RAAF Boeing F/A-18 Hornets and Royal New Zealand Air Force McDonnell Douglas A-4 Skyhawks using the probe and drogue system. The documentation will confirm that Wedgetail airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft are to use the US-style centreline boom refuelling system. A requirement to refuel helicopters, however, has been dropped.
The survey will call for a capability to support combat operations in a single theatre of operation, but with this extendable to support sustained operations in a second theatre at a considerable distance from the first, preventing concurrent service delivery.
Responses will be based on a peacetime combat air patrol refuelling requirement of 750h a year, including AEW&C requirements. The proposed peacetime rate of effort will be based on a six-month rolling programme with one, or possibly two, tankers available daily.
For surge operations, continuous in-flight refuelling for a 24h combat air patrol in a single theatre of operations must be provided with a maximum of 28 days notice.
The survey will state that the minimum fuel offload requirement is 50,000kg (111,000lb) to support 10 fighters on a 3,700km (2,000nm) deployment.
The DoD is considering 10, 20 and 30 year commercial arrangements for the project if a privately financed solution is adopted.
Release of the survey confirms the programme has survived the review of 45 Australian Defence Force projects.
Responses are required by 14 April and an initial operational capability is due to be available from 2005.
Source: Flight International
