PETER LA FRANCHI / CANBERRA
The Royal Australian Air Force is considering an evolutionary development programme for its BAE Systems Hawk 127 lead-in fighters to ensure the aircraft can meet training needs associated with its planned purchase of Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighters.
The proposed upgrade is to be considered by senior Australian defence capability planning committees within the next four months. Initial Australian government consideration is expected to take place during the second quarter of next year.
Wg Cdr Alan Clements of the Australian Defence Headquarters aerospace development group says: "We are trying to get away from the need for a mid-life upgrade and are looking at through-life upgrade of the Hawk to its end of service."
He adds: "What we are trying to do is look ahead [to] identify development paths that address the future capability. Primarily the platform is aimed at training, and not the delivery of combat capability. We are trying to look at a 10-year rolling timeframe within [which] we are able to identify key drivers [and] key dates that would actually influence the development."
Initial work is under way to identify future training requirements associated with Australia's planned F-35 purchase. F-35 deliveries to Australia will start early next decade.
Links between the Hawk and other proposed acquisitions are also being studied. According to Clements, the Royal Australian Navy's Project Sea 4000 air warfare destroyer requirement could place new demands on the Hawk in the form of more sophisticated training sorties against the new ships.
He says that discussions with existing Australian industry support partners for the aircraft, including BAE Systems Australia, are under way. The RAAF wants "industry to help us develop this concept", he adds.
Source: Flight International
