Australian defence planners are proposing a new project to co-ordinate future airborne maritime surveillance assets operated by the Royal Australian Air Force.
The new project, tentatively designated Air 7000, is being considered as a vehicle for co-ordinating the replacement or upgrade of the RAAF's existing 17 Lockheed P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft and a proposed purchase of Northrop Grumman RQ-4A Global Hawk long-endurance unmanned air vehicles.
The project would seek to develop RAAF-operated airborne maritime surveillance assets as an integrated system.
Australian capability development plans are calling for an initial Global Hawk purchase to be funded in the 2004 defence budget, while the upgrade or replacement of the P-3 fleet is to be funded in 2007.
The Australian Defence Force Headquarters Force Development Aerospace branch, which is defining the Air 7000 concept, is proposing that an initial Global Hawk acquisition occur via existing project arrangements. All P-3C related projects and any follow-on Global Hawk purchase, however, would be subsumed into the overall Air 7000 framework.
The new project is likely to be put forward for formal inclusion in the Australian Defence Capability plan in February, with acquisition funds again targeted at the 2007 national defence budget.
Meanwhile, Australia may be preparing to fast-track the purchase of up to three additional Boeing 737 Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft as part of its evolving response to the international war on terrorism.
The Australian government is to consider a new strategic review early next year, with this examining the implications of the war against terrorism on the Asia-Pacific region, and considering options for overhauling military capability plans finalised in June this year to better deal with changing threats.
Well-placed Australian government sources say the capability plans re-think is emphasising "force multipliers" with AEW&C and in-flight refuelling seen as "obvious" targets for fast tracking.
Australia signed a A$2.33 billion ($1.2billion) contract with Boeing in December last year to acquire an initial four Wedgetails. The contract included options for two plus one aircraft, with the first option to be exercised by the end of next year.
Meanwhile, Boeing has completed the second major milestone on the Wedgetail with the completion of the preliminary design review for the mission computing subsystem hardware.
Source: Flight International
