Defense Industry Daily

RAAF F/A-18F rollout
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Australia’s A$ 10+ billion Super Hornet program began life in a storm. Australia’s involvement in the F-35 Lightning II program have been mired in controversy, amid criticisms that the F-35A will (1) be unable to compete with proliferating SU-30 family fighters in the region, (2) lack the range or response time that Australia requires, and (3) be both late and very expensive during early production years.

The accelerated retirement of Australia’s 22 long-range F-111s in 2010 sharpened the timing debate, by creating a serious gap between the F-111’s retirement and the F-35’s likely arrival. Further delays to the F-35 program have created new worries that even the upgraded F/A-18AM/BM Hornet fleet won’t last long enough to allow smooth replacement.

The Super Hornets survived potential cancellation, and the “surprise” stopgap buy has steadily morphed into a mainstay of the future RAAF, with a new and unique set of electronic warfare capabilities thrown into the mix. This DID Spotlight article describes the models chosen, links to coverage of the key controversies, and offers a history of contracts and key events from the program’s first official requests to the present day.

RAAF Super Hornets: Variants and Variances

In December 2006, Liberal Party Defence Minister Brendan Nelson was discussing an A$ 3 billion (about $2.36 billion) purchase of 24 F/A-18F Block II Super Hornet aircraft to fill the fighter gap. The move was described as “a surprise to senior defence officials on Russell Hill,” but hurried requests and contracts quickly made it an official purchase. Australia’s subsequent Labor government decided to keep them rather than pay cancellation fees, but added an interesting option to convert 12 into EA-18G electronic warfare planes. Now more of the fighters and electronic warfare aircraft may be on the way.

The F/A-18F Block II

AN/APG-79 AESA Radar

The 2-seat F/A-18F sacrifices some range, carrying only 13,350 pounds of fuel – 900 fewer pounds than the F/A-18E. In exchange, it adds a second crewman with an advanced attack station cockpit to assist in strike roles. The F/A-18F Block II adds a number of enhancements, but all are electronic rather than aerodynamic. The most significant improvement is its AN/APG-79 AESA radar; Australia will be the first country outside the United States to receive it, and only the 3rd country (UAE APG-80 in F-16 Block 60, Singapore APG-63v3 in F-15SGs) to receive AESA fighter radars in a US sale.

After the failure of Australia’s own “ALR 2002” electronic countermeasures program, some of its early-model Hornets and all of its F/A-18F Super Hornets will mount Raytheon’s AN/ALR-67v3 instead. This is a radar warning receiver that provides visual and audio alerts to F/A-18 aircrew when it detects ground-based, ship-based, or airborne radar emissions hitting the aircraft. It is the modern self-protection standard for F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet aircraft, and has also been incorporated into a number of earlier model Hornets flown around the world.

Other items bought specifically for the F/A-18F fleet include Raytheon’s AN/ASQ-228 ATFLIR surveillance and targeting pods, and AIM-9X short range air-to-air missiles. Australia’s Hornet fleet uses LITENING III pods and AIM-132 ASRAAMs instead, but ATFLIR and AIM-9X are the only fully qualified counterparts for the Super Hornet.

This kind of unique equipment drives up the long-term cost of the Super Hornet fleet by creating additional training, inventory, and maintenance requirements. On the other hand, there’s a flexibility bonus as well as a cost penalty. The Super Hornets are qualified with a number of other weapons that wouldn’t be available to Australia’s Hornets or its initial F-35As, such as AGM-84K sea and land attack missiles, AGM-88E AARGM advanced radar-killing missiles, etc.

Electronic Attack: EA-18G

EA-18G: key systems
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For operators who need much greater electronic defense and even offensive capabilities, the EA-18G Growler electronic warfare version is a derivative of the F/A-18F Block II that removes the internal gun, adds electronics within the aircraft to help it detect and jam enemy radars, and mounts 4 specialized ECM (Electronic CounterMeasures) pods under the wings.

In the US Navy, EA-18Gs will replace the EA-6B Prowler, which is based on a Vietnam-era airframe and has become the only Western electronic warfare aircraft capable of accompanying fighters into combat.

Australia’s EA-18G buy has made them the first export customer for an American electronic warfare fighter, and will give the RAAF an historically novel range of capabilities. As of February 2009, 12 of Australia’s 24 F/A-18Fs were slated to receive the additional wiring required to allow future EA-18 conversions. They were delivered that way, and as of December 2012, orders for the associated equipment, jamming pods, and remaining conversion work have begun, and a 2014 contract will add 12 new-build EA-18Gs to carry them.

If Australia eventually wants to expand to 24 EA-18Gs, they could do so in future by paying conversion costs for 12 of their F/A-18Fs, and buying the required jammers.

Training & Infrastructure

Super Hornet TOFT
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The Australian order will include training simulators, which come in 3 key variants of their own.

Tactical Operation Flight Trainers (TOFTs) are for advanced pilot tactical training. Each one is a Boeing/ L-3 Link collaboration including L-3 Link’s 360-degree SimuSphere visual display, SimuView image generator, and Boeing Training Systems & Services’ mission computer emulation; simulated radar, electronic countermeasures, and Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System; and high-fidelity crew station controls.

The Boeing-built Low Cost Trainers (LCT) run a mission computer emulation, and provide pilot and air combat officer training for navigation, weapons, radar, and electronic countermeasures.

The Integrated Visual Environment Maintenance Trainer (IVEMT) is a maintenance trainer that includes an interactive 3-D model environment, test/support equipment and realistic aircraft responses for more than 500 routine troubleshooting procedures.

The Future of the Fleet

The Gap
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The RAAF can be expected to hang on to its Super Hornets for many years. Its F/A-18A/B Hornets entered service in 1987, and the last aircraft in that 71-plane fleet will retire in 2022 thanks to upgrades and life extension overhauls. A similar career for the Super Hornets would see them serve beyond 2040, and the EA-18G’s usefulness could give them an even longer career.

There had been talk of retiring the F/A-18F fleet well before 2040, and having an all-F-35 fleet. Instead, growing orders made it likely the Super Hornets and Growlers would end up subtracting F-35s from Australia’s planned 100-fighter fleet. The May 2013 White Paper dropped planned F-35A orders to 72 planes, with the ability to raise that to 90 planes if Australia wants to replace its Super Hornet family around 2030. Give the F-35’s higher operating costs, and Australian demographics, it remains to be seen whether Australia will be able to afford that 4th squadron.

Meanwhile, the late arrival of Australia’s F-35As pushed Australia toward a second bridge buy, in order to keep up fighter numbers as older F/A-18AM/BM Hornets are retired. Once the 12 planned EA-18G Growler electronic warfare planes are under contract, the odds of early retirement for the Super Hornet fleet will drop to almost zero, and the government is beginning to acknowledge this publicly.

Contracts & Key Events

Even though these are Australian planes, readers will notice that American military departments manage the contracts. This is the normal procedure for purchases designated as US Foreign Military Sales, vs. a Direct Commercial Sale that would let Australia manage its buys directly.

2014 – 2016

12 EA-18Gs bought; F-35 approval rises to 72.

F-35 mockup
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December 8/2016: Australia has been cleared to purchase AEA-18G Growler Aircraft Electronic Warfare Range Systems in a $115 million foreign military sale. The deal includes two systems, personnel training, integration testing, and other supporting equipment. Alongside the US, Australia is the main customer of EA-18G Growler aircraft.

Oct 9/14: Training. L-3 Communications Corp. in Arlington, TX receives a $12.1 million firm-fixed-price delivery order for 2 EA-18G Tactical Operational Flight Trainers (TOFT), 1 brief/debrief Station, 2 F/A-18 retrofit kits, spares, and associated technical documentation for the government of Australia under the foreign military sales program.

Work will be performed in Arlington, Texas, and is expected to be completed in November 2015. Foreign military sales funds in the amount of $12,086,117 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Orlando, FL, is the contracting activity (N61340-12-G-0001, PO 0004).

Oct 8/14: Support & deployment. A $7.5 million delivery order for peculiar support equipment and spares, to outfit emerging squadron stand-ups for extended Australian deployment of F/A-18F and EA-18G aircraft. In addition, this order includes a support equipment integrated logistics support package. All funds are committed immediately.

Australian F/A-18Fs are currently based at Al Minhad AB in the UAE, where they are conducting strikes in Iraq against The Islamic State.

Work will be performed in St. Louis, MO, and is expected to be complete in October 2016. US Navy Naval Air Systems Command in Lakehurst, NJ acts as Australia’s FMS agent (N68335-10-G-0012, DO 0057).

Aug 28/14: HARM computers. Raytheon in Tucson, AZ receives $24.6 million for a firm-fixed-price delivery order to provide 158 High Speed Anti-Radiation Command Launch Computers for the U.S. Navy (121) and the government of Australia (37) for F/A-18 E/F and EA-18G aircraft. These CLCs work with AGM-88 HARM and AARGM missiles, which are designed to destroy enemy air defense radars. All funds are committed immediately, using FY 2012 – 2013 US Navy ($20.5M / 83.5%) and Australian ($4.1M / 16.5%) budgets.

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ, and is expected to be complete in February 2018. US NAVAIR in Patuxent River, MD manages the contract (N00019-10-G-0006, DO 0060).

Aug 18/14: EA-18s. General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems in Minneapolis, MN receives a $16.3 million firm-fixed-price contract for the full-rate Lot 38 production of 60 Advanced Mission Computer Type 3s for EA-18Gs ordered by the US Navy (48 AMCs / $9.8 million / 60%) and the government of Australia (12 AMCs / $6.5 million / 40%). All funds are committed immediately, using FY 2014 US Navy aircraft budgets and Australian FMS funds.

Work will be performed in Bloomington, MN and is expected to be complete in August 2016. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 USC 2304 (c)(1) by US Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD (N00019-14-C-0068).

Aug 11/14: EA-18s. General Electric Co. in Lynn, MA receives a $311.5 million firm-fixed-price contract modification for 75 F414-GE-400 engines and associated devices: 48 production installs for the US Navy ($194.9 million / 63% / all production installs), and 27 for Australia ($116.6 million / 37% / 24 EA-18G production installs and 3 spares), under Production Lot 14. In addition, this modification provides for spare after burner modules, fan modules, high pressure combustor modules, combustor modules, and high and low pressure turbine modules for the US Navy and the government of Australia. All funds are committed immediately, using FY 2013-14 US Navy aircraft budgets, and Australian funds.

Work will be performed in Lynn, MA (59%); Hooksett, NH (18%); Rutland, VT (12%); and Madisonville, KY (11%), and is expected to be complete in September 2016. US Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD manages the contracts (N00019-11-C-0045).

July 30/14: Weapons. The RAAF has tested their AGM-154C Joint Standoff Weapon glide bomb against a hardened wall target at the RAAF Woomera Test Range. That’s a difficult target for an active seeker, though it’s easy enough to get in range using the GPS. Sources: Raythgeon, “Royal Australian Air Force scores direct hit with JSOW C”.

July 14/14: Boeing in St. Louis, MO receives a $6.9 million firm-fixed-price contract modification to a previously awarded for aircraft armament equipment items: SUU-789A/A centerline pylons for the US Navy (35) and Royal Australian Government (15); and ALE-50 towed decoy well covers for the U.S. Navy (11). All funds are committed immediately.

Work will be performed in El Segundo, CA (95%); Irvine, CA (4%); and St. Louis, MO (1%), and is expected to be complete in May 2017. This contract combines purchase for the U.S. Navy ($4.9 million / 70%) and the government of Australia ($2 million / 30%) under the Foreign Military Sales Program (N00019-14-C-0032).

July 3/14: Support. Boeing in St. Louis, MO receives $20.8 million for non-recurring engineering and associated program management, logistics and spares for Australia’s “AEA-18G aircraft” under the Foreign Military Sales Program.

All funds are committed immediately. Work will be performed in St. Louis, MO (79%); El Segundo, CA (11%); Palm Bay, FL (3%); and other locations within the continental United States (7%), and is expected to be completed in September 2017. US Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00019-11-G-0001, DO 0201).

June 30/14: EA-18Gs. Boeing in St. Louis, MO receives a $1.939 billion fixed-price-incentive-fee contract for full rate production of 11 Lot 38 F/A-18E aircraft for the US Navy, and 33 EA-18G aircraft for the US Navy (21) and the government of Australia (12 for $533.4 million, which is 27.3% of the total). These are standard Block II aircraft rather than Advanced Super Hornet configuration, and Australia will have to pair its airframes with their expensive jamming equipment in order to field operational EA-18G jammers.

$1.406 billion in USN FY 2013 and 2014 aircraft budgets is committed immediately. Work will be performed in El Segundo, CA (46%); St. Louis, MO (30%); Fort Worth, TX (2%); East Aurora, NY (1.5%); Irvine, CA (1percent); Ajax, Ontario, Canada (1%), and various locations within the United States (18.5%), and is expected to be complete in December 2016. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 USC. 2304(c)(1). US NAVAIR in Patuxent River, MD manages the contracts for the US Navy, and acts as Australia’s agent (N00019-14-C-0032).

12 EA-18Gs

April 23/14: F-35s. Australia’s new Liberal Party government announces that they’ll buy up to 58 F-35s, which would raise the fleet size to the 72 aircraft mentioned in the Labor Party’s May 2013 White Paper (q.v. May 3/13). This isn’t a contract yet, and the budget is supposedly fixed. If F-35 costs remain high until 2020, and rework is expensive, it will lead to cuts in Australian orders. Even so, it’s a clear sign that the Super Hornet fleet won’t be growing past 36 planes. Read “Australia Raises their F-35 Commitment” for full coverage.

2013

Request for more; ANAO Report.

RAAF F/A-18F, armed
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Dec 17/13: ANAO Report. Australia’s National Audit Office releases their 2012-13 Major Projects Report, which includes some interesting notes concerning the JSOW-C1/ Block III. Australia to place an interim buy of AGM-154Cs in time for the F/A-18F’s planned December 2010 Initial Operating Capability, and they did. But the AGM-154C-1s which can also be used against ships and moving targets won’t be done until at least February 2016, because software integration issues forced the US Navy to delay JSOW-C1 integration until the next core software release. They also canceled the planned September 2014 tests. Other issues and notes:

“The Super Hornet is meeting its capability objectives. Identified anomalies, limitations and improvements of the USN common aircraft software, radar, electronic warfare, mission planning, and training devices are being fed back into the USN spiral development program as part of Super Hornet sustainment, and RAAF/DMO are accessing opportunities to influence USN decision makers on the priority for addressing these areas under a RAAF/USN common paradigm.

….Spares availability has been affected by late delivery of spares because of Original Equipment Manufacturer delays and USN delays in award of Supplier contracts leading to an impact on performance, supportability and schedule.

….There is a possibility that the Forward Looking Infra Red performance will be degraded. This was identified as an emergent risk in the 2011-12 MPR and has now been realised. Engineering Change Proposal No 35 will introduce an Electronic Image Stabilisation Card. This issue has been transferred to Air Combat and Electronic Attack Systems Program Office Risk and Issues Log for management.”

Sept 25/13: Weapons. ATK Defense Electronic Systems in Woodland Hills, CA receives a $102.4 million firm-fixed-price contract for AARGM Full Rate Production Lot II, which includes the conversion of 8 AGM-88B HARM missiles to AGM-88E AARGM CATM no-rocket training missiles ($9.3M/ 9% of order) for the Government of Australia (N00019-13-C-0162).

May 31/13: Weapons. The US Navy signs an agreement with the Australian Government to provide training related to Raytheon’s AGM-88 HARM (High Speed Anti-Radiation Missile) and ATK’s AGM-88E AARGM (Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile), as part of the RAAF’s EA-18G Growler buy. Both weapons will be integrated with the Growler, so they’ll be able to support whichever missile the RAAF chooses.

While it’s just a training capability, its the 1st Foreign Military Sales agreement with any country regarding AARGM. Italy is already a customer, but as a co-development partner not an FMS customer. Subsequent contracts begin to buy AGM-88E CAT training missiles. Sources: US NAVAIR, June 18/13 release.

May 3/13: White Paper. Australia’s Labor government releases its 2013 Defence White Paper. Australia’s plans for their Super Hornet fleet have changed:

“…the Government has decided to retain the current 24 F/A-18F Super Hornets (one operational squadron) in their current air combat and strike capability configuration. The Government has also decided to acquire 12 new-build EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft instead of converting 12 of Australia’s existing F/A-18F Super Hornet aircraft into the Growler configuration.”

Australia’s Feb 28/13 export request already covers the EA-18Gs, while their May 22/12 export request covers the added electronics for 12 planes. The plan also commits Australia to 3 F-35 squadrons (72 planes), which is pretty meaningless from a government that will be long gone before those larger buys become reality. It is a good way of spending less now by promising more later, knowing all the while that the promise isn’t likely to be kept. The Labor government adds that any decision on a 4th F-35 squadron to replace the Super Hornet fleets won’t be made until “around 2030.” Given budgetary entitlements and demographic realities, we wouldn’t bet on that, either. Australia DoD.

Feb 28/13: More. The US DSCA announces [PDF] Australia’s official request for another 24 Super Hornet family planes and associated equipment, which could be worth up to USD $3.7 billion. The split includes 12 more EA-18Gs, but its special equipment is missing from the request: AN/ALQ-99F-V and ALQ-218 jamming pods, CN-1717/A INCANS to prevent the plane from jamming itself, and equipment associated with radar-killing HARMN/AARGM missiles.

Without those things, Australia has essentially asked to buy another 12 pre-wired F/A-18Fs, though they can always share the items bought under the May 22/12 special equipment DSCA request throughout the fleet. This request could be negotiated into contracts for up to:

Aircraft & Stores

• 12 F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet aircraft
  
• 12 “EA-18G Growler” aircraft
  
• 54 F414-GE-402 engines (48 + 6 spares)
  
• 35 AN/APG-79 AESA radar systems (24 + 9 spares – a lot for an AESA)
  
• 15 M61A2 Vulcan Cannons (Super Hornets only, 12 + 3 spares)
  
• 72 LAU-127 Guided Missile Launchers
  
• 2 engine inlet devices
  
• 30 AN/AYK-29(V) Distributed Targeting Systems (DTS)
  
• 24 AN/ASQ-228 Advance Targeting Forward Looking Infrared (ATFLIR) Pods

Defensive

• 40 AN/ALQ-214 Integrated Countermeasures Systems
  
• 24 AN/ALR-67(V)3 Electronic Warfare Countermeasures Receiving Sets
  
• 24 AN/ALE-47 Electronic Warfare Countermeasures Systems
  
• 400 AN/ALE-55 Fiber Optic Towed Decoys

Avionics

• 80 Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems (JHMCS)
  
• 32AN/AVS-9 Night Vision Goggles or Night Vision Cueing Device System
  
• 70 AN/USQ-140 MIDS-LVT Link-16 or RT-1957(C)/USQ-190(V) Joint Tactical Radio Systems
  
• 4 AN/PYQ-21 DTS Mission Planning Transit Cases
  
• 100 Digital Management Devices with KG-60s
  
• 36 Accurate Navigation Systems
  
• 40 AN/APX-111 Combined IFF Interrogator Transponders
  
• 80 AN/ARC-210/RT-1990A(C) Communication Systems
  
• 40 AN/PYQ-10 Simple Key Loaders (SKL)
  
• 80 KIV-78 Mode 4/5 Module
  
• 48 COMSEC Management Workstations (CMWS)

The contractors will also provide system integration and testing, tools and test equipment, support equipment, spare and repair parts, publications and technical documents, personnel training and training equipment, aircraft ferry and refueling support, and other forms of U.S. Government and contractor technical assistance. Implementation of this proposed sale may require the assignment of additional U.S. Government or contractor representatives to Australia, but that remains to be negotiated.

The prime contractors will be Boeing in St. Louis, MO; General Electric Aircraft Engines in Lynn, MA; Data Link Solutions in Chesterfield, MO; BAE Systems in Rockville, MD; Northrop Grumman Corporation in Falls Church, VA; Raytheon Corporation in Waltham, MA; and Visions Systems International in San Jose, CA.

Request: 12 more F/A-18Fs, 12 more EA-18Gs

Feb 21/13: Here to stay. Australia’s government is beginning to confirm what many have surmised: the Super Hornets are here to stay, and the fleet could rise to 48 planes. Minister for Defence Stephen Smith, to Australian Broadcasting Corp. News:

“We have committed ourselves contractually to two Joint Strike Fighters. We’ll receive those in 2014 in the United States for training purposes. We’ve announced that we will take another 12, effectively our first squadron, but we have not made a judgment as to when we will place the orders for those…. at the end of last year, we placed a letter of request with the United States authorities to enable us to investigate the potential purchase of up to 24 more Super Hornets.

We’ve now got a fleet of 24 Super Hornets, 12 of those can be wired up for the electronic warfare capability Growler, and we’ve got about 70 Classic Hornets…. [The F-35] has been subject to very serious scheduling delays and that’s what’s causing us to risk a gap in capability…. we’re now looking not just to the Super Hornets [covering a] gap in capability, but whether into the longer term it makes sense for Australia to have a mixed fleet, a mixed fleet of Super Hornets, Growler and Joint Strike Fighters, which is what you essentially see the United States Navy and Air Force now embarking upon.”

Jan 28/13: F-35 delays. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that:

“According to a leaked draft of the 2013 defence white paper, Australia will take delivery of just two Lockheed Martin JSFs by 2020, indicating the government will need to buy a batch of rival Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornets…. The white paper states the government “remains committed” to acquiring the JSF but makes no mention of the next batch of 12 planes, which were expected around 2020.”

Given that time frame, a buy of 12-24 more Super Hornets seems very likely.

2012

$1.5B order for 12 Growler conversions.

EA-18G in front,
F/A-18F behind
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Dec 20/12: EA-18G Boeing in St. Louis, MO receives a $164 million firm-fixed-price contract, exercising an option to begin procurement of 12 Airborne Electronic Attack Group B-Kits and 4 Equivalent Ship-sets of spares for the Royal Australian Air Force.

Work will be performed in Baltimore, MD (41.1%); St. Louis, MO (36.3%); Bethpage, NY (19%); and Fort Wayne, Ind. (3.6%), and is expected to be complete in March 2015. All contract funds are committed immediately. US Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD manage the contract on behalf of its Foreign Military Sale client (N00019-09-C-0086). Note that the entire conversion of 12 aircraft is expected to cost about $1.5 billion (vid. Aug 23/12).

EA-18G orders begin

Dec 18/12: Raytheon Technical Services Co. LLC in Indianapolis, IN receives a $17.3 million firm-fixed-price delivery order for 102 LAU-115B/A missile launchers to equip US Navy F/A-18E/F and EA-18G aircraft (86, $15.1M), and Australian F/A-18Fs (16, $2.2M). These launchers are used with various adapters for air-to-air missiles: short range AIM-9 Sidewinder/ AIM-132 ASRAAM, or medium range AIM-7 Sparrow/ AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles.

Work will be performed in Indianapolis, IN in and is expected to be complete in October 2015. All contract funds are committed (N00019-10-G-0006).

Aug 23/12: EA-18G. Minister for Defence Stephen Smith and Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare announce their decision to proceed with the conversion of 12 Super Hornets into Growlers for about $1.5 billion, with availability expected for 2018.

EA-18G conversion OK

Aug 7/12: EA-18G. Australia’s Canberra Times gets some clarification on the difference between the Australian government’s A$ 300 million estimate to convert 12 F/A-18Fs into EA-18Gs, and the USD 1.7 billion mentioned in the May 22/12 DSCA request. Short answer: The difference is the $1.4 billion cost of the 34 AN/ALQ-99 jamming pods, if they are bought outright:

“Australia wasn’t planning to buy the ALQ-99 electronic warfare pods, just the systems and hardware to allow them to be fitted on an “as required” basis… a Defence spokesman has explained. “The initial proposal that underpinned the 2009 cost estimate would have provided a lesser capability than Defence now proposes to acquire”. The pods would have had to be obtained from the United States Navy whenever Australia wanted them, a source said.”

The key tradeoffs here are money, risk, and time. An “obtain as needed” approach might work reasonably well in coalition operations, and if Australia sees a low risk of high intensity regional conflict over the next decade. In exchange for some risk that the pods wouldn’t be available in all situations, Australia would save money, and buy time for the USA to field a more reliable “Next Generation Jammer” system around 2020. If NGJ succeeds, Australia could either be approved for the new technology and then invest large sums, or seek to buy older ALQ-99 pods at a discount. On the flip side, paying for the ALQ-99 pods now ensures that Australia has a jamming capability now, which isn’t dependent on either US political whims, or on the NGJ’s ability to overcome its technical challenges and Navy budget crunches.

June 27/12: Radars. Raytheon in El Segundo, CA receives a $6.7 million cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order, for upgrades that will let the F/A-18 AN/APG-79 AESA radar commercial depot diagnose and validate repairs of RAAF APG-79s under the Foreign Military Sales Program.

Work will be performed in El Segundo, CA (70%), and Forest, MS (30%), and is expected to be complete in August 2014. US Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD manages the contract (N00019-10-G-0006).

May 22/12: EA-18G request. The US DSCA announces [PDF] Australia’s formal request for 12 EA-18G Modification Kits. They include:

• 34 AN/ALQ-99F-V Tactical Jamming System Pods, 2 per operational aircraft, plus 10 spares. These are known to have serviceability issues.
  
• 22 CN-1717/A Interference Cancellation Systems (INCANS), which prevent the plane from jamming itself.
  
• 22 R-2674C/A Joint Tactical Terminal Receiver (JTTR) Systems
  
• 30 LAU-118 Guided Missile Launcher pylons, for AGM-88 HARM/AARGM anti-radar missiles
  
• A Command Launch Computer (CLC) for HARM/AARGM missiles
  
• Plus support and test equipment, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, spare and repair parts, and other forms of U.S. Government and contractor support.

Implementation of this proposed sale may require the assignment of additional U.S. Government or contractor representatives to Australia; that will be determined in negotiations. The estimated cost is up to $1.7 billion, and the prime contractor will of course be Boeing in St. Louis, MO.

EA-18G kits request

May 10/12: Need a HUG? In the wake of budget plans that would slash defense spending, and move further F-35A buys back 2 years due to delays in the program, Australia is considering its bridging options. Minister for Defence Stephen Smith:

“The Budget effect of [our F-35A delay] is that it takes out of the forward estimates for this year’s budget about $1.6 billion… In the meantime, I will not allow, and the Government will not allow, a gap in our air combat capability… Government will also consider whether any alternative options need to be implemented to supplement and ensure our air combat capability in the light of Joint Strike Fighter delays.

An obvious option is the [F/A-18F]… However, other alternatives will be examined before any decision is taken. This includes considering the life of our existing 71 ‘classic’ F/A-18 Hornets [via the HUG program].”

March 30/12: EA-18G initial buy. Australia announces an A$ 19 million buy of long-lead time items, which would be used to convert RAAF F/A-18Fs into EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft. This is on top of the A$ 35 million spent to ensure that 12 new-build F/A-18Fs came with some of the necessary systems already built-in, which is much cheaper that cutting the planes open to retrofit them later. At the same, all concerned stress that no final decision has been taken regarding that conversion. Minister for Defence Stephen Smith:

“Growler was used very effectively by the US Navy in the recent Libya conflict… Whether we proceed down the track to adopt and acquire the Growler capability is a very substantial and significant decision… The Government has always been attracted to this capability, which is why on two occasions in 2009 and now, for the expenditure of a modest capital sum, we have kept ourselves in the game in this respect… [Further] judgments and decisions will be made in the course of this year… The formal process in terms of acquiring the long-lead items is what’s described as a Letter of Request and we’ve received every indication from the United States system, including the United States Air Force, that our Letter of Request will be accepted… So we are absolutely confident that if we determine to pick up the capability that our United States colleagues will respond positively. We’ve been working very closely with them in that respect.”

See: Australian DoD press conference transcript.

March 30/12: Boeing in Saint Louis, MO receives a firm-fixed-price, sole-source contract with a maximum $12.9 million to support RAAF F/A-18F Super Hornets from FY 2012 through June 2015, as a Foreign Military Sale transaction. The US Defense Logistics Agency Aviation in Philadelphia, PA acts as the RAAF’s agent (SPM4A1-09-G-0004).

March 23/12: Boeing in St Louis, MO receives a $7.2 million firm-fixed-price delivery order for RAAF Super Hornet operational test program sets, support equipment, and spares. Work will be performed in St. Louis, MO, and is expected to be complete in November 2013. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division in Lakehurst, NJ manages the contract, on behalf of their Foreign Military Sale client (N68335-10-G-0012).

Feb 22/12: EA-18s. Adelaide’s The Advertiser reports that March 2012 will feature Defence Minister Stephen Smith announcing an A$ 200-300 million decision to upgrade 12 of Australia’s Super Hornets to EA-18 electronic warfare planes.

“News Limited understands that the first [EA-18] aircraft will be converted at the Boeing factory in St Louis and the remainder at Amberley RAAF base near Brisbane.”

It also reports that the Minister favors a September 2012 decision to buy another 12 F/A-18Fs, in order to make up for the F-35A’s expected lateness. The RAAF is reportedly against this, given expected defense reductions this year, and worries that the cost will eventually be paid for by fewer future F-35s. Which may be true. On the other hand, Australia needs to keep its fleet combat-capable while it waits.

Feb 14/12: Top Guns. Cubic Defense Applications has received a new $11+ million contract valued at more than $11 million to provide the RAAF’s Super Hornets with the P5 Tactical Combat Training System (P5TCTS). The system isn’t a simulator, it’s a set of tracking and debriefing equipment used for monitoring live-flight exercises, including simulated aerial combat. The RAAF’s new P5TCTS will be very similar to the current U.S. Navy TCTS system, and will include airborne instrumentation pods built by DRS, transportable ground systems with live monitoring, and portable ground subsystems, which includes Cubic’s Individual Combat Aircrew Display System (ICADS) software for debriefing.

Australia is an existing Cubic customer, and has installed their 4th-generation system at RAAFB Williamstown. The P5TCTS will be located at the Super Hornets’ base instead, which is RAAFB Amberley, and delivery is expected in late 2012. Cubic is also contracted to make sure these 2 systems can merge data, allowing for training between Hornet and Super Hornet aircraft. Australia’s future F-35As will come with P5TCTS already installed internally. Defense Update.

2011

All Super Hornets delivered; Ground trainers arrive in Australia; AMRAAM request; EA-18 and F-35 questions.

Celebration flight
(click for whole photo)

Oct 21/11: All 24 arrived. The last 4 of 24 Super Hornets arrive at RAAF Base Amberley.

The occasion is marked by celebration flights of 16-20 Super Hornets in formation over parts of northern New South Wales and SE Queensland. Australia’s DoD says that they have been delivered on schedule and under budget. Minister for Defence Materiel speech | Australia DoD | Boeing | US NAVAIR.

All 24 in Australia

Oct 19/11: EA-18s. During an interview with Australia Broadcasting Corporation Radio, Labor government defense minister Stephen Smith discusses the possibility of turning 12 of Australia’s Super Hornets into EA-18G Growler electronic warfare fighters, whose conversion price tag is described by the interviewer as “upwards of A$ 300 million.” The EA-18G recently saw their its combat use over Libya, and:

“We’ve just started the process of making a judgment about whether acquiring [them] would be in our national interest or our national security interest… we took the sensible precaution of wiring up half of our Super Hornets for this potential. But it is a very expensive capability. We’re just going through the process… this possibility would come as no surprise to our friends and neighbours in the region. It’s been on the public record before and part of the [2009 Defence] White Paper.”

The minister does not contradict the price figure, and in a related ABC TV interview, he mentions costs of “hundreds of millions.” The minister also implied that further delays or issues with the F-35A could make an EA-18 conversion more likely, as a way to strengthen Australia’s air capability in the interim. ABC radio transcript | ABC24 TV news transcript | Reuters.

Sept 12/11: More F/A-18Fs? During a joint press conference with Canada’s defense minister Peter MacKay, Australian Minister for Defence Stephen Smith says that they might buy more Super Hornets – but no decision has been taken. The window is closing, however, unless the USA extends F/A-18 production beyond MYP-III. So:

“Our position on Joint Strike Fighters I’ll restate. We’ve committed ourselves to 14. The White Paper or the Defence Capability Plan talks in terms of ultimately a number up to or around 100, but we’ve committed to 14… we’ll do an exhaustive risk assessment in the course of next year and make a judgment next year about whether we need any transition capability… The last thing I will allow will be a gap in our capability for our air combat capability. And if I am concerned or worried or not persuaded there won’t be a gap in terms of delivery of the Joint Strike Fighters, then an obvious option for us is more Super Hornets. We’ve made no decision to that effect.”

July 15/11: 3 more. Australia’s DoD:

“The Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare today welcomed three new F/A-18F Super Hornets worth more than [$A]175 million to RAAF Base Amberley in Queensland… This is the fourth batch of Super Hornets the RAAF has received, bringing the current Australian fleet to eighteen. A further six aircraft will be delivered by the end of the year.”

The photo archive blurbs add:

“The Super Hornets participated in their first overseas exercise in May for Bersama Shield in Malaysia, which brought the project another step closer to declaring Final Operational Capability anticipated in 2012… The Super Hornet transition project remains on budget and on time.”

July 12/11: Former USAF F-16 pilot Mike Gerzanics pens “Testing the new-generation Super Hornet“, documenting his experience flying an F/A-18F Block II simulator. Overall, he was impressed by the radar and liked the aircraft, but said:

“My overall feel for the pilot/vehicle interface, while it is effective and combat proven, was that it lags newer aircraft. Tactical information, for the most part, is presented on separate displays, forcing the pilot to do much of the fusion. This federated arrangement is no different from what I experienced when I flew a Block 60 F-16 simulator… [In contrast,] The F-35’s level of integration and sensor fusion was a generation ahead of what I experienced in the Block II Super Hornet and Block 60 F-16 simulator sessions… A next-generation [Super Hornet] cockpit is also under development and has a very large 19in x 11in touch-sensitive display. I was able to fly a cockpit built around this display and can confirm that it provides an ideal palette to display fused tactical information.”

June 2/11: AMRAAMs for Super Hornets. The US DSCA announces [PDF] Australia’s formal request to buy up to 110 AIM-120C-7 AMRAAMs, 10 AIM-120C-7 Air Vehicle-Instrumented (tracking telemetry replaces warhead), 16 AIM-120C-7 CATMs (has seeker, no motor), plus containers, weapon system support equipment, support and test equipment, site survey, transportation, repair and return, warranties, spare and repair parts, publications and technical data, maintenance, personnel training and training equipment, and other forms of support. The DSCA specifically notes that:

“The proposed sale will allow the Australian Defense Force to complete Australia’s F/A-18 program under their Project AIR 5349. Phase I allowed acquisition of F/A-18 Block II aircraft and Phase II is for the acquisition of weapons.”

The estimated cost is $202 million, with Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, AZ as the contractor. Actual costs will, of course, depend on the terms of any eventual contract. Australia already uses AMRAAMs on its older F/A-18A/B Hornets, but its F-111s did not. A larger AMRAAM-capable fleet means a need for a few more missiles. This proposed sale wouldn’t require any additional U.S. Government or contractor representatives in Australia.

AMRAAM missile request

May 9/11: Trainers. Boeing announces that it has delivered 6 F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircrew and maintenance trainers to RAAF Base Amberley in Queensland: 2 Tactical Operation Flight Trainers (TOFT), 2 Low Cost Trainers (LCT), and 2 Integrated Visual Environment Maintenance Trainers (IVEMT); plus 1 conversion of a VEMT to full IVEMT capability. They are the first Super Hornet training devices for a Foreign Military Sale customer.

See the “Variants and Variances” section, above, for full details re: each type of flight trainer. The short explanation is that TOFTs are for full simulation, LCTs for key cockpit processes like navigation and weapons use, and IVEMT for maintenance training.

Trainers & sims in.

March 25/11: Boeing receives a $10.6 million firm-fixed-price delivery order for 741 Honeywell model GG1320 ring laser gyros, to be installed in F/A-18E/F and EA-18G aircraft for the U.S. Navy (714) and the government of Australia (27 spares).

Work will be performed in Clearwater, FL (87%), and St. Louis, MO (13%), and is expected to be complete in April 2013. US Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD manages the contract (N00019-11-G-0001).

March 4/11: Martin-Baker Aircraft Co., Ltd. in Middlesex, England receives an $18.3 million firm-fixed price contract modification, exercising an option for 65 Navy Aircrew Common Ejection Seats (NACES). They will equip F/A-18 A+/C+ Hornets and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler aircraft flown by the U.S. Navy ($18.2M/ 99.4%), and the air forces of Australia (F/A-18A+ and F/A-18F; $51,920/ 0.27%) and Kuwait (F/A-18C+; $61,730; 0.33%). This option also buys associated hardware, equipment, technical data, and production support services.

Work will be performed in Johnstown, PA (60%), and Middlesex, England (40%), and is expected to be complete in December 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. US Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD manages the contract (N00019-07-C-0011).

2010

F-111s retired; 1st F/A-18F lands in Australia, with help from Omega; 15/24 delivered by year end; ROVER kits.

Awaiting transfer
(click to view full)

Dec 8/10: 4 more. Another 4 planes arrive at RAAFB Amberley, making 15, and Australia’s 1st squadron of F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jets is declared operational and ready for duty. The current fleet includes the first 3 of Australia’s EA-18 compatible Super Hornets.

“The fleet of Super Hornets has reached initial operational capability on time and on budget… The four newly arrived aircraft departed from the Boeing facility in St. Louis USA, and over a number of days transited to RAAF Base Amberley via Travis Air Force Base California, Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii and Guam.”

See Australia DoD release & photo gallery | Boeing.

Dec 3/10: F-111s retired. Australia formally retires its F-111 fleet. Australia DoD event photos.

Nov 15/10: Trainers. US NAVAIR announces that its Naval Aviation Training Systems program office (PMA-205) delivered 2 Super Hornet Integrated Visual Environment Maintenance Trainers (IVEMT) to Amberley Air Force Base, Ipswich, Australia in October 2010.

“The IVEMT is a 3-D visual trainer which allows military personnel to virtually navigate through multiple aircraft systems. It provides maintainers training on ground operation, maintenance, and testing. It also offers troubleshooting procedures for the F/A-18 Super Hornet aircraft including avionics, environmental control, electrical, flight control, fuel, engines, landing gear, and hydraulic systems… [It] is the first Super Hornet maintenance trainer to be delivered to a foreign military. The design is an upgraded version of the U.S. Navy’s Visual Environment Maintenance Trainer (VEMT)… built by Boeing, St. Louis, Mo., and DiSTI, Orlando, Fla.”

Sept 23/10 Boeing announces that the 1st RAAF F/A-18F Super Hornet with EA-18 pre-wiring has completed production. That fighter took its first test flight on Aug 12/10. Boeing is pre-wiring the RAAF’s second lot of 12 Super Hornets for potential electronic attack capability conversion, giving them a new capability dimension while eliminating high retrofit costs later.

As of this announcement, the RAAF has 11 Super Hornets operating at RAAF Base Amberley in Queensland, all of which were delivered ahead of schedule and on budget. Boeing is scheduled to deliver Australia’s 24th Super Hornet in 2011.

July 26/10: ROVER. Boeing in St. Louis, MO receives an $11.5 million firm-fixed-price order against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-05-G-0026) for 889 Rover data link kits, in support of engineering change proposal #6342 for the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet’s ATFLIR surveillance and targeting pod. Orders will be divided between the US Navy (837 kits, $9.76 million, 85%) and the Royal Australian Air Force (52 kits, $1.7 million, 15%).

The ATFLIR pod is actually a Raytheon product, but Boeing is the Super Hornet’s system integrator and manufacturer. Work will be performed in St. Louis, MO (70.5%); Spring Valley, CA (17.5%); Wallingford, CT (6.5%); Murphy, NC. (3.5%); and Van Nuys, CA (2%). Work is expected to be completed in July 2011. The Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD manages this contract.

July 20/10: Trainer IOC. L-3 Link Simulation & Training (L-3 Link) announced today that the first F/A-18F Tactical Operational Flight Trainer (TOFT) has achieved initial training capability status, including a fully integrated mission briefing and debriefing system. L-3 Link is under contract from Boeing Training Systems and Services to support the delivery of 2 F/A-18F TOFTs to RAAF Base Amberley. See also Feb 19/10 entry.

Each F/A-18F TOFT consists of independent cockpits and visual display systems for both the pilot and weapons sensor officer. They use L-3 Link’s 360-degree SimuSphere visual display and SimuView image generator, along with Boeing’s advanced avionics simulations and simulated JHMCS helmet display. The second F/A-18F TOFT, which will include a new Australian visual system database, will be delivered with an additional mission briefing and debriefing system in late 2010. That 2nd delivery will be accompanied by a parallel upgrade to the current simulator. L-3 Communications LST.

July 5/10: 6 more. Another 6 F/A-18F Block II Super Hornets arrive at RAAF Base Amberley in Queensland, after a 4-day journey from Naval Air Station Lemoore in California. Omega Aerial Refueling provided assistance.

That makes 11 Super Hornets in Australia now, while the first Super Hornet delivered [A44-201], remains in the United States conducting advanced software development trials. A44-201 is expected to finish its trials this year, and arrive in Australia in December 2010. Australian DoD release | Image gallery.

June 25/10: Australia’s DoD announces that RAAF is planning to transit 6 more F/A-18F Super Hornets from NAS Lemoore in the USA to RAAF Amberley, in early July 2010. A detachment of RAAF aircrew and maintenance personnel from No 1 Squadron is currently conducting work-ups with the new aircraft at NAS Lemoore, CA, which includes up to 96 hours of test and evaluation flying and 2 weeks of Electronic Warfare flight trials.

“Another key task involves working with an air-to-air tanker conducting day and night refuelling flights to ensure we are ready for the flight to Australia.”

June 21/10: Aerial refueling. Omega Aerial Refueling Services, Inc. receives a $6.8 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract (N00421-10-D-0009) to provide air-to-air refueling services in support of RAAF F/A-18s under the Foreign Military Sales Program. Omega already performs contracted aerial refueling work for the US government, and for Australia since 2008.

Work will be performed at Naval Air Station, Lemoore, CA (50%), and at the Royal Australian Air Force Base, Williamstown, Australia (50%), and is expected to be complete in February 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. US Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD (N00421-10-D-0009).

March 22/10: Fly-in. Australia’s first F/A-18F Block II Super Hornets begin their flight to Australia. By March 26/10, the first 5 RAAF Super Hornets arrive at RAAF Amberley. Australian DoD image gallery | US NAVAIR | Boeing release.

Feb 23/10: 1st 2. Australia’s DoD informs us that F/A-18F Super Hornets A44-204 and A44-202 (see Sept 30/09 entry) were formally transferred to Australia’s DMO on this day, at NAS Lemoore.

Feb 19/10: Raytheon Australia wins an A$ 21.5 million Training Support Services Contract at RAAF Base Amberley. The firm will provide maintenance, logistics, and training services to support the Super Hornet flight simulators, visual environment maintenance trainers and electronic classrooms for Australia’s Super Hornets. Minister’s announcement | Raytheon Australia [PDF].

Feb 18/10: Formal transfer. The first Australian F/A-18F Super Hornet, aircraft #A44-203, is formally transferred from the USA’s Defense Contract Management Agency to Australia’s Defence Materiel Organisation, in a contract signing and ceremony at Naval Air Station Lemoore, CA, USA. Australian DoD gallery.

1st hand-over

2009

1st Australian F/A-18F unveiled; Pre-wiring for EA-18 upgrade gets OK; ALE-55 decoys; 3-year sustainment contract; Maintenance training can begin in Australia now.

ALE-55 concept
(click to view full)

Dec 16/09: Sustainment deal. Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science Greg Combet announces a Super Hornet Aircraft Sustainment Contract for Boeing, worth approximately A$ 20 million per year for 3 years, and provides for about 74 jobs at RAAF Base Amberley.

Under the contract, Boeing will provide engineering, supply chain management and maintenance services. The first 4 F/A-18Fs are scheduled to be at RAAF Base Amberley in March/April 2010, with the remaining 20 aircraft arriving through 2010-2011.

Dec 8/09: Trainers. Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science Greg Combet announces the introduction of a Visual Environment Maintenance Trainer to RAAF Base Amberley. This will allow RAAF Super Hornet maintenance training to move out of the United States and back to Australia, beginning in January 2010.

The VEMT system consists of a mock Super Hornet cockpit with touch screens that allows RAAF maintenance students to perform diagnostic and system functional checks, without actually being in a real aircraft. As is usual for such simulators, they can be monitored by an instructor who can bring up teaching points as the student works toward finding a fault, and can quickly be reprogrammed to simulate new faults.

Dec 1/09: Raytheon in Fort Wayne, IN receives a $12.7 million delivery order against a previously issued basic order agreement (N00019-05-G-0008) for 30 electronic modules. This contract for the RAAF F/A-18F aircraft will be performed in Fort Wayne, and is expected to be complete in August 2013. The US Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD manages this contract.

Sept 30/09: 3rd delivered. Boeing delivers the 3rd RAAF F/A-18F Block II Super Hornet, 3 months ahead of schedule. Each of the 3 completed aircraft has now been delivered 3 months ahead of schedule, and the remaining 21 planes will be delivered through 2011. Note that “delivery” happens in the USA.Boeing release.

Sept 22/09: Raytheon in Goleta, CA received a $6.7 million firm-fixed-price contract to retrofit 603 integrated multi-platform launch controllers (IMPLCs) on F/A-18 aircraft for the US Navy (576 for $5.9 million, 89%) and the government of Australia (27 for $764,613, 11%). The IMPLC is the launch controller component of the AN/ALE-50 and AN/ALE-55.

Work will be performed in Goleta, CA (99%) and Fullerton, CA (1%), and is expected to be complete in April 2013. This contract was not competitively procured, pursuant to the FAR 6.302-1. The Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD issued the contract (N00019-09-C-0036).

July 8/09: Unveiling. Boeing unveils the 1st complete RAAF F/A-18F Block II Super Hornet during a ceremony at Boeing Integrated Defense Systems’ production facilities in St. Louis, MO. The program is on budget to date, and the aircraft will be delivered later in July 2009, 3 months ahead of schedule. It is scheduled to arrive at RAAFB Amberley in March-April 2010.

The remaining 23 Super Hornets, each equipped with the Raytheon-built AN/APG-79 radar, will be delivered to the RAAF throughout 2010 and 2011. Australian DoD release | Australian DoD image gallery | Boeing release | US NAVAIR release.

July 1/09: Honeywell International, Inc., Defense and Space Electronic Systems in Albuquerque, N.M receives a $26.3 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed price contract (N00019-07-C-0014). It exercises an option for the full-rate production of 498 Advanced Multi-Purpose Displays (AMPD) for Lot 33 F/A-18F and EA-18G aircraft, and retrofit of Lot 26-28 F/A-18E/F and E/A-18G aircraft. Work will be performed in Albuquerque, NM and is expected to be complete in December 2010. The Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD is managing the contract.

Customers include the US Navy (422 for $21.8 million, 82.8%) and the Government of Australia (76 for $4.5 million, 17.2%). Australia is ordering 30 of the 5″x5″ forward; 30 of the 5″x5″ aft; and 16 of the 8″x10″ AMPDs.

The U.S. Navy is ordering 167 of the 5″x5″ forward, 134 of the 5″x5″ aft, and 64 of the 8″x10″ AMPDs, along with 57 8″x10″ AMPD High Resolution Recorder Interface kits to upgrade legacy displays with higher-resolution capability. The USN’s Lot 26-28 F/A-18 Super Hornets are currently receiving a number of upgrades, including a swap-out of their mechanically-scanned AN/APG-73 radars for the more powerful and advanced AN/APG-79 AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) used in Australia’s F/A-18F Block IIs.

April 17/09: Decoys. The AN/ALE-55 (V) consists of an electronic frequency converter (EFC) and a fiber optic towed decoy. It works together with an aircraft’s onboard electronic warfare (EW) equipment, throughout the ECM cycle of Suppression (harder to acquire or track), Deception (active jamming techniques aimed at launchers); and Seduction (active jamming aimed at missile, and decoy target).

BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems in Nashua, NH received a $33.7 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-08-C-0044) for the Low Rate Initial Production Lot V of the Integrated Defensive Electronic Countermeasures (IDECM) AN/ALE-55 (V) Subsystems and associated technical support and non-recurring engineering for the U.S. Navy (70 EFCs, 251 decoys, $27.5 million, 81.57%) and Royal Australian Air Force (12 EFCs, 72 decoys, $6.2 million, 18.43%) F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft.

Work will be performed in Nashua, NH (92%) and Mountain View, CA (8%), and is expected to be complete in August 2011. The US Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD manages this contract. See also “ALE-55 Towed Fighter Decoys for US Navy, Australia.”

March 3/09: Engines. General Electric Aircraft Engines in Lynn, MA receives a $438.1 million modification to a firm-fixed-price contract, exercising an option for FY 2009 full rate production of 116 F414-GE-400 engines and 114 F414-GE-400 device kits. This contract combines purchases for the U.S. Navy (90 engines, 90 kits; $343.7M; 78.4%) and the Royal Australian Air Force (26 engines, 24 kits; $94.4M; 21.6%). Note that 26 engines covers only 13 planes, but see also Sept 8/08 entry, which makes 56 engines in total.

Work will be performed in Lynn, MA (50%); Madisonville, KY (22%); Hooksett, NH (13%); Albuquerque, NM (6%); Rutland, VT (5%); Dayton, OH (2%); Evandale, OH (1%); and Bromont, Quebec, Canada, (1%), and is expected to be complete in April 2011 (N00019-06-C-0088).

USN F/A-18F at
Minister’s press conference
(click to view full)

Feb 27/09: In an important procurement shift, Minister for Defence Joel Fitzgibbon announces that Australia is pre-wiring 12 of its planned 24 F/A-18F Super Hornets, in order to allow future conversions to EA-18 Lite electronic warfare aircraft. The additional cost for the pre-wiring on the production line is cited as A$ 35 million, out of a total order now cited as A$ 6.6 billion. Completing that fit out to “Growler Lite” status is expected to involve an additional A$ 300 million, with the go/no-go decision set for 2012.

Characteristically, the new Labor Party government’s release ends with a shot at the procurement policies of the previous Liberal Party government:

“If the Howard Government had taken a more prudent approach in making the Super Hornet decision rather than rushing to fill their impending air combat capability gap, they may have realised that this was a more effective approach to take.”

EA-18G pre-wired

Feb 27/09: Boeing subsidiary McDonnell Douglas Corp., in St. Louis, MO received a not to exceed $26.5 million (A$ 40.75 million at that day’s exchange rates) modification to a previously-awarded firm fixed price contract (N00019-04-C-0014) for “non-recurring engineering and recurring effort associated with Engineering Change Proposal 6359 in support of Australian F/A-18 aircraft.”

Work will be performed in St. Louis, MO (40%); El Segundo, CA (30%); Bethpage, NY (25%); and Mesa, AZ (5%) and is expected to be complete in August 2011. The Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD manages this Foreign military Sale contract.

Feb 27/09: Raytheon Co., Electronic Warfare Operations in Goleta, CA received a $9.9 million cost plus fixed fee contract for products and engineering services in support of the AN/ALR-67v3 operational flight programs for US Navy F/A-18E/F Super Hornets ($5.4 million, 55%) and the F/A-18 A-D and E/F aircraft owned by the Governments of Canada ($1.5 million, 15%), Australia ($1.5 million, 15%), and Switzerland ($1.5 million, 15%). The estimated level of effort for this contract is 57,686 man-hours.

Work will be performed Goleta, CA (80%) and Point Mugu, CA (10%); and China Lake, CA (10%), and is expected to be complete in February 2011. Contract funds in the amount of $1.15 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured by the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division in China Lake, CA (N68936-09-C-0029).

2008

Australia to keep the Super Hornet after review; Engines and ancillaries bought; ATFLIR pods bought; Support request.

F/A-18F over CV-63
(click to view full)

Dec 19/08: Raytheon Technical Services Co. LLC in Indianapolis, IN received a $26.2 million firm-fixed-price modification to a previously-issued basic order agreement. The order exercises an option for 65 LAU-115D/A Launchers and 140 LAU-116B/A launchers, split between the U.S. Navy (38 LAU-115, 126 LAU-116; $20.3 million, 80.3%) and the Royal Australian Air Force (27 LAU-115, 14 LAU-116; $5.2 million, 19.7%).

The LAU-115 is an underwing pylon for Hornet family fighters that can be fitted with LAU-7 launchers or LAU-127 launchers on the sides, in order to carry short range AIM-9/ASRAAM or AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles. The LAU-116’s are the 2 ejection launchers placed in the Hornet family’s semi-recessed slots along the fuselage, under the engine intakes. They carry AIM-7 Sparrow and/or AIM-120 AMRAAM medium range air-to-air missiles.

Work will be performed in Indianapolis, IN, and is expected to be complete in April 2011. Contract funds in the amount of $5.2 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year (N00019-05-G-0008).

Dec 19/08: General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, Bloomington, Minn., is being awarded a $45.4 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract for full rate production of 195 Type 3 Advanced Mission Computers for the US Navy (166, $38.5 million, 85%) and Australia (29, $6.9% million, 15%). The computers will be installed in F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and E/A-18G Growler aircraft.

Work will be performed in Bloomington, MN and is expected to be completed in Dec. 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $1.2 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year (N00019-07-C-0030).

Nov 6/08: Boeing in St. Louis, MO received a $14 million ceiling-priced delivery order against a previously issued Basic Ordering Agreement (N68335-06-G-0024) for 72 varieties of “peculiar support equipment items” for the RAAF’s F/A-18F fleet.

Work will be performed in St. Louis, MO and is expected to be complete in December 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division in Lakehurst, NJ manages this contract.

Sept 24/08: Boeing in St. Louis, MO received an $8.8 million not-to-exceed modification to a previously awarded firm fixed price delivery order contract (N00383-06-D-001J) for in-service engineering and logistics services in support of the Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18F aircraft. In addition, this modification provides for the design, development, fabrication, qualification, and delivery of the Logistics Support Analysis Records (LSAR) and the Automated Maintenance Environment (AME) systems.

Work will be performed in St. Louis, MO (75%); Amberley, Australia (10%); Brisbane, Australia (10%); and Patuxent River, MD (5%), and is expected to be complete in September 2010.

Sept 19/08: ITT Industries Avionics Div. in Clifton, NJ received a $55.7 million modification to a previously awarded firm fixed price contract (N00019-05-C-0054), exercising an option for 32 AN/ALQ-214 On-Board Jammer Systems for F/A-18 E/F aircraft operated by the U.S. Navy (13, $22.6 million, 41%) and the Government of Australia, (19, $3.1 million, 59%).

Work is expected to be complete in December 2011. The US Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD manages the contract.

Sept 8/08: General Electric Aircraft Engines Business Group in Lynn, MA received a $120.2 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-06-C-0088) for the FY 2008 Full Rate Production of 30 F414 GE-400 jet engines, 24 device kits; and 19 various modules in support of the Royal Australian Air Force under the Foreign Military Sales Program.

Work will be performed in Lynn, MA (50%); Madisonville, KY (22%); Hooksett, NH (13%); Albuquerque, NM (6%); Rutland, VT (5%); Dayton, OH (2%); Evandale, OH (1%); and Bromont, Quebec, Canada, (1%), and is expected to be complete in January 2010. Note that Australia buys its engines under the same firm-fixed-price contract used by the US Navy. That’s an advantage offered to prospective sales by the US government, allowing them to leverage the pricing for America’s much larger orders.

Aug 1/08: The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announces [PDF] Australia’s formal request for follow-on support for its pending F/A-18F Super Hornet purchase, as well as associated equipment and services. The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $1.5 billion.

The exact request includes avionics software, engine component improvement and spare parts, technical ground support equipment, spare and repair parts, supply support, publications and technical data, engineering change proposals, personnel training and training equipment, U.S. Government and contractor technical and logistics personnel services, and other related elements of program support. It also adds:

• Up to 4 AIM-9X Sidewinder Captive Air Training air-air missiles, which have seeker heads but no rocket motor
  
• 10 of BAE’s AN/ALE-47 Electronic Warfare Countermeasure Systems
  
• 8 of ITT’s AN/ALQ-214 Radio Frequency Countermeasure Systems
  
• 10 of Raytheon’s AN/ALR-67v3 Electronic Warfare Countermeasure Receiving Sets.

The principal contractors will be: Boeing Company of St. Louis, MO (F/A-18F), Raytheon Missile Systems of Tucson, AZ (AIM-9X); Raytheon EW Systems of Goleta, CA (ALR-67), ITT EW Systems of Clifton, NJ (ALQ-214), and Symetrics Industries of Melbourne, FL. Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the assignment of any U.S. Government or contractor representatives to Australia.

Weapons & gear request

May 23/08: ATFLIR pods. Raytheon in El Segundo, CA received a $51.6 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-06-C-0310) for 19 Full Rate Production Lot 6 Advanced Targeting Forward Looking Infrared (ATFLIR) pods. These ATFLIR pods will equip the Government of Australia (18, confirmed for the new F/A-18F Bock IIs, $35.6 million; 69%) and also buys 1 ATFLIR pod and long lead time items for the Government of Switzerland ($5.4 million; 10.6%), plus Units Under Test and one Electro-Optical Sensory Unit for the U.S. Navy ($10.5 million; 20.4%).

Work will be performed in El Segundo, CA (60%) and McKinney, TX (40%), and is expected to be complete in November 2010. The Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD administers the contract.

Australia uses Northrop Grumman’s LITENING AT pods on its F/A-18A Hornets, but Raytheon’s ATFLIR is currently the only pod qualified with the Super Hornet. Faced with the choice of buying a different pod off the shelf, or paying the integration costs and having a common fleet resource, Australia apparently decided that buying off the shelf was the better decision.

May 20/08: Training. Boeing subsidiary McDonnell Douglas Corp. in St. Louis, MO received a $139 million ceiling-priced indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract for F/A-18F aircrew and maintainer systems, computer-based training systems and support for the Royal Australian Air Force under the Foreign Military Sales Program. Initial requirements include: 2 Tactical Operation Flight Trainers, 2 Low Cost Trainers, 2 Integrated Virtual Environment Maintenance Trainers, and related courseware.

Work will be performed in St. Louis, MO and is expected to be complete in May 2014. This contract was not competitively procured by the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division in Orlando, FL (N61339-08-D-0006).

F/A-18F, refueling
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March 17/08: Australia to keep the Super Hornet. Australia’s new defence minister announces several decisions in the wake of Part A of Australia’s Air Combat Capability Review. One is that the decision to retire the F-111 by 2010 was made in haste, but is now irreversible. Another is that an air capability gap will exist due to the F-111s’ retirement, and the decision to pursue the F-35. Meanwhile, “No other suitable aircraft could be produced to meet the 2010 deadline the former Government had set.”

In interviews, the Minister cites data from classified briefings he has received when he vouches for the planes’ ability to handle any threats in the region. His release adds that:

“The analysis also highlighted additional capabilities such as specialist electronic warfare variants (the F/A-18G) [sic – it’s the EA-18G] that will be considered as part of the Super Hornet acquisition. These additional capabilities will be more fully considered under the second stage of the Air Combat Capability Review.”

Sources: Australian DoD | Opposition Liberal Party release | ABC news [with video of the announcement and an interview] | The Age | News Australia | Sydney Morning Herald | Aviation Week | Defense News | Flight International.

F/A-18Fs survive

Feb 27/08: A report in Australia’s The Age newspaper cites Dr Stephen Gumley, the head of Australia’s Defence Materiel Organisation, as saying that “it would cost about $400 million to cancel the [F/A-18F] contract with penalties accruing at the rate of $80-100 million a month.”

Feb 27/08: The Australian Liberal Party, now the loyal opposition in Parliament, vigorously disputes a Labor Party argument that the government paid too much under the contract. Liberal Party release:

“The fact is Australia will pay the best possible price for the Super Hornet. In Senate Estimates, 20 February 2008, Dr Stephen Gumley CEO, Defence Materiel Organisation said “We get the same unit prices as the US government. I know no way of getting better prices than the US government, particularly in the home market; therefore I am confident that the price we are paying for the aircraft is as good as Australia is going to get.”

This is true. Of course, if one believes the Super Hornet is the wrong aircraft; $1 is too much. The Liberal Party alludes to this in their Feb 26/08 release, which states that: “Labor set up an Air Capability Review presumably as a pretext to scrap the Super Hornet contract.”

Feb 26/08: In an Australia Broadcasting Corporation interview, Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon offers an outwardly confusing statement re: the F/A-18F purchase, which he has opposed to date. The key is to strip away the statements re: ‘want’, since a politician can always say that circumstances force something unwanted. Note, instead, what they say they will do, and under what conditions. Full quote, as reported by news.com.au:

“I will follow the advice of the experts who are doing the capability review. If they come to the conclusion or recommend that the Super Hornet isn’t up to the job, I will have no hesitation in cancelling it… I’m really hoping that the air combat review recommends that we retain the Super Hornet. It’s a pretty rude, if you like, thing for us to do now to move in and cancel the project and I’ll be very, very happy if we don’t have to.”

Feb 18/08: Australia’s new government formally announces its Air Combat Capability Review. Extension of the F-111s’ lives, re-evaluation the F-35 and F-18F buys, and the desirability of the F-22 Raptor will be discussed in light of regional air power trends to 2045.

Feb 11/08: Smiths Aerospace Mechanical Systems – Santa Ana, Inc. in Santa Ana, CA received a $13.6 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00421-00-C-0433), for a total of 420 of its 480-gallon external fuel tanks. The firm will deliver 210 tanks to the US Navy ($7.8 million; 57%), and another 210 to Australia under the Foreign Military Sales Program ($5.8 million, 43%), for use on their F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division in Patuxent River, MD issued the contract.

Feb 5/08: Despite the new Australian government’s review of their Super Hornet purchase, GKN Aerospace-Monitor begins machining the first wing bulkhead for a RAAF Super Hornet, one of 3 titanium bulkheads that hold the F/A-18 wings in place.

The wing bulkheads will be shipped to Northrop Grumman’s production facility in El Segundo, CA, where the company produces the F/A-18E/F’s center/aft fuselage section and twin vertical tails and integrates all associated subsystems. Northrop Grumman is Boeing’s main sub-contractor for the F/A-18 Super Hornet program, and expects to begin assembling the first Super Hornet fuselage shipset for Australia in late March 2008. Northrop Grumman release.

2007 and earlier

Initial DSCA request and contract; Australian DoD was surprised by the deal; Change of government; Cancellation rumored; Weapons requested.

SU-30: overmatch?
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Dec 31/07: The Sydney Morning Herald: “Axe set to fall on Nelson’s fighters.” Maybe – despite the likely $300 million price tag of canceling the Super Hornet buy:

“The Herald understands that Department of Defence planners have been asked to present an analysis on all the fighter jet options to the Federal Government and how they stack up against likely adversaries, the first time such a study has been done for at least five years. All projects in the $30 billion program will be scrutinized “with fresh eyes”. That includes what aircraft are to be bought, how many, when and at what price. “Absolutely everything is on the table,” a Government source said.”

Dec 3/07: Change of government. In the aftermath of the Nov 24/07 election, John Howard’s Liberal Party coalition loses its majority in Parliament, and Labor gains one. In a Parliamentary system, this means that Labor Party leader Kevin Rudd automatically becomes Prime Minister, and the Labor party forms a majority government – albeit one that can have legislation blocked by the Liberal Party majority in the Upper House: ABC summary results. Some counting is still ongoing in certain ridings, but the overall margin (80-86 seats, 76 required for a majority) means that Rudd is sworn in as Prime Minister on Dec 3/07. Former defence minister Dr. Brendan Nelson is now serving as leader of Howard’s center-right Liberal Party, in the wake of ex-Prime Minister Howard’s resignation as party leader.

Oct 4/07: The US DSCA announces Australia’s formal request for weapons and equipment to be integrated on its 24 F/A-18F Super Hornet aircraft, as well as associated equipment and services. The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $617 million. The announcement was revised on Oct 11/07 to correct inaccuracies.

The principal contractors will be Boeing in St. Louis, MO (JHMCS, overall F/A-18F integrator); Raytheon Missiles Systems in Tucson, AZ (AIM-9X, AGM-154, ATFLIR); and General Electric Aircraft Engines in Lynn, MA (support?). Implementation of this sale will require approximately 8 contractor representatives to provide technical and logistics support in Australia for 2 years. U.S. Government and contractor representatives will also participate in program management and technical reviews for 1-week intervals twice annually. Specific items requested include:

• 47 AIM-9X Sidewinder air-air missiles, America’s most advanced short-range AAMs. This is a bit of a surprise, because Australia’s Hornets generally carry MBDA’s competing ASRAAM missile, which won Australia’s ‘Within Visual Range missile’ competition in 1998.
  
• 20 Captive Air Training Missiles (CATMs), 16 Special Air Training Missiles (NATMs), 4 Tactical WGU-51/B Guidance Units, 8 CATM-9X WGU-51/B Guidance Units. CATMs are missiles with a guidance system and link, but no warhead or motor. They’re used for training pilots on the new Sidewinders.
  
• 50 AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) glide bombs
  
• 18 AN/ASQ-228 (V2) Advanced Targeting Forward-Looking Infrared (ATFLIR) Pods
  
• 24 AN/ALQ-214 Radio Frequency Countermeasures sets (BAE/ITT product, integrated by Boeing)
  
• 90 Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems (JHMCS helmet mounted display, Boeing/VSI)
  
• 32 AN/PVS-9 Night Vision Goggles
  
• 16 MIDS-LVT Link 16 Terminals
  
• System integration and testing, software development/ integration, test sets and support equipment, spare and repair parts, publications and technical documents, U.S. Government and contractor technical assistance, and other related elements of logistics and program support.

Weapons & gear request

F/A-18F, incoming…
(click to view full)

Sept 26/07: F/A-18F initial order. Boeing subsidiary McDonnell Douglas Corp. received a USD $1.32 billion not-to-exceed modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-04-C-0014) for 24 F/A-18Fs and Alternate Mission Equipment (AME) for the Government of Australia, under the Foreign Military Sales Program.

Work will be performed in St. Louis, Mo. (28.7%); El Segundo, Calif. (25%); Goleta, Calif. (8.6%); Clearwater, Fla. (2.3%); Greenlawn, N.Y. (2.1%); Burnsville, Minn. (2.1%); Johnson City, N.Y. (2.1%); Brooklyn Heights, Ohio (2%); Vandalia, Ohio (2%); Grand Rapids, Mich. (2%); South Bend, Ind. (2%); Mesa, Ariz. (1.8%); Fort Worth, Texas (1.8%); and at various locations across the United States (17.5%), and is expected to be complete in July 2011. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the official contracting agency.

Aug 9/07: Just how surprised was Australia’s DoD? Australian Senator John Faulkner rises to make a speech that highlights the minister – department relationship, and the decision process behind Australia’s Super Hornet purchase. He says [full speech, MS Word]:

“Evidence provided during Senate Estimates Hearings in February this year confirmed that there had been no specific Defence recommendation to the Minister on the Super Hornets – so without doubt, both the CDF and the then Secretary to the Department of Defence Mr Rick Smith, must have been stunned at the Minister’s actions at that NSC meeting.

There is much we do not know about what happened at that strange meeting, but it was clearly a remarkable – possibly unique – occasion. The NSC decided to buy a new fighter without advice from Defence or the RAAF. I have been told by very reliable sources that neither the Secretary nor CDF even knew the issue was on the agenda, let alone what their Minister was going to propose…”

July 11/07: Raytheon Electronics Systems in Goleta, CA received a $24.4 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-04-C-0123), exercising an option for 24 Full-Rate Production Lot 10 AN/ALR-67(V)3 Radar Warning Receiver (RWR) systems for the Royal Australian Air Force under the Foreign Military Sales Program. Raytheon’s Aug 2/07 release confirms that the order is for Australia’s F/A-18F Super Hornets.

Work will be performed in El Segundo, Calif. (27%); Goleta, CA (23%); Lansdale, PA (23%); Forest, MS (21%); Portland, OR (3%), and McKinney, TX (3%), and is expected to be complete in September 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD issued the contract.

F/A-18F: launch!
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May 5/07: Australia’s DoD announces the signing of its 1st contract for the new F/A-18F Block II Super Hornet fleet, valued at approximately A$ 2.9 billion (currently about US$ 2.39 billion), for 24 aircraft and associated support systems. Additional contracts will be established later in 2007 for weapons acquisition and sustainment.

The aircraft will be based at RAAF Amberley, which currently houses Australia’s long-range strike fleet of F-111 fighter/bombers. The government will be focusing on local Industry participation as part of the through life support concept, in order to maintain the extensive support infrastructure that has grown up around the F-11 fleet. Australian personnel are scheduled begin Super Hornet training in the United States in 2009, and the current government plans to retire its F-111s in 2010 instead of 2020 as originally forecast.

F/A-18F initial contract

March 6/07: Defence Minister Nelson officially announces the F/A-18F Block II purchase in his release: “$6 Billion to Maintain Australia’s Regional Air Superiority.” A$ 6 billion is the estimated total cost for purchase, training, and maintenance over 10 years.

The Australian Super Hornet program plans to use local contractor owned and operated intermediate maintenance and training for aircrew and support personnel. Additionally, the supply chain infrastructure, warehousing and operation will be manned locally in support of both Australian and US Navy Super Hornets in the region.

Note, however, that the Minister’s quoted Aviation Week reference to the aircraft’s 5th generation capability “similar to that of the F-22A Raptor…” refers to the Super Hornet Block II’s APG-79 radar, which is an AESA radar like the F-22A’s larger, more powerful, frequency-agile APG-77. It does not refer to the entire aircraft, as the selective excerpt might lead one to believe.

Feb 6/07: Australia has submitted a formal request. The US DSCA has announced the $3.1 billion request and its details. In addition to the 24 F-18Fs, Australia has requested:

• 48 installed and 6 spare F414 engines
  
• 24 AN/APG-79 AESA radar systems
  
• 24 AN/USQ-140 Multifunctional Informational Distribution System Low Volume Terminals (MIDS-LVT Link 16)
  
• 30 AN/ALR-67(V)3 Electric Warfare Countermeasures Receiving Sets, the same kind that will also equip Australia’s other Hornets after the ALR 2002 project’s failure.
  
• Integration of the AN/ALE-47 Electronic Warfare Countermeasures Systems
  
• 145 LAU-127 Guided Missile Launchers. These wingtip launchers allow the plane to launch AIM-9 Sidewinders or medium-range AIM-120 AMRAAM air-air missiles.
  
• 30 AN/PVS-9 night vision goggles
  
• 12 Joint Mission Planning Systems
  
• AN/ALE-55 Fiber Optic Towed Decoys
  
• System integration and testing, software development/integration, test sets and support equipment, spare and repair parts, maintenance and pilot training, software support, publications and technical documents.

Australia falls under the same provisions as NATO for Foreign military Sales announcements, in that it only takes 15 days for DSCA requests to be considered approved, as long as Congress doesn’t specifically block it. Negotiations regarding the next step, a contract, can then begin.

F/A-18F request

Dec 20/06: The Australian reports that:

“Defence Minister Brendan Nelson intends to ram through a $3 billion purchase of 24 F/A-18F Super Hornet aircraft, amid concerns Australia may lack a fully deployable air combat capability early next decade… His swift action came as a surprise to senior defence officials on Russell Hill. The decision to buy an expensive interim fighter will generate a major rethink of the 2006-16 defence capability plan…”

Appendix A: RAAF Super Hornet Controversies

RAAF F-111, smokin’
(click to view full)

Liberal Party defense minister Dr. Nelson reportedly decided to opt for the Super Hornet without a detailed study of alternative aircraft types, such as the longer-range F-15E Strike Eagle, advanced air superiority options like the Eurofighter Typhoon, or even an export version of the USA’s F-22 Raptor. Despite its name, the Super Hornet is a larger aircraft that offers only 25-30% commonality with the Australian air force’s existing F/A-18A/B Hornets. What is does share, is the same support structure.

Justifications advanced for this buy include service as a gap-filler to the F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter after the F-111’s retirement in 2010, and also the ability to boost aircraft numbers while existing F/A-18A Hornets rotate through year-long center section replacements, designed to lengthen their service fatigue life. The Super Hornet buy had significant impacts on the 2006-2016 Defence Capability Plan, and reportedly cut the number of F/A-18A Hornets undergoing the A$ 1+ billion HUG mid-life upgrade program to 42. It may also result in cuts to other programs, unless additional funding is provided to cover the interim fighter purchase.

RAAF F/A-18B Hornet
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For a detailed account of the Super Hornet’s origins and its specific differences vs. the earlier model F/A-18 A-D Hornets, plus an in-depth first-person flight report, see “Flying the F/A-18F Super Hornet,” originally published in the May/June, 2001 issue of Australian Aviation.

Whether these attributes will be enough to deal with present and future SU-30 family aircraft on even terms remains a matter of controversy.

For a more detailed account of the ongoing controversy around Australia’s F-35 Lightning II/ F/A-18F Block II purchases, as well as links that shed more light on the F-111 program at RAAF Amberley, see DID’s Spotlight article “The Australian Debate: Abandon F-35, Buy F-22s?, especially the updates and readings sections which include Super Hornet related news. See also DID’s follow-up: “Australian Air Power Controversy: F-35 and Super Hornets Under Fire,” which has been updated to reflect subsequent DoD speeches and defenses of their purchase, as well as follow-ups by those who believe that the F/A-18F is the wrong aircraft for Australia.

Those controversies may be of historical interest, but the issue has become moot. Large signed contracts turned the buy into a fait accompli. After a review of the aircraft and the likely costs of canceling the contract, the new Labor Party government decided to continue with the buy. The last plane from that order arrived in October 2011.

Additional Readings Background: Super Hornet

• Australia’s RAAF – F/A-18F Super Hornet.

• Boeing – F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.

• Flight International (March 13/07) – Ultra Hornet. Describes the updates to create the Hornet Block 30/Block II+. The performance enhancements are all electronic rather than aerodynamic. Interestingly, future Flightplan enhancements may include a limited electronic attack function for all APG-79 AESA radars.

• Aerospace Web – Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet Multi-Role Fighter.

Official Reports

• Australian Parliamentary Joint Standing Committee On Foreign Affairs, Defence And Trade (Sept 12/07) – Inquiry into Australian Defence Force Regional Air Superiority.

• Australian Parliamentary Joint Standing Committee On Foreign Affairs, Defence And Trade Defence Subcommittee: Australian Defence Force Regional Air Superiority panel Q&A (July 5/06) – Ipswich session, near RAAF Amberley: Group Capt. Morrison; Group Capt. Davies; Mr Webb; Mr Harling; Mr Duff; Mr Sanderson; Mr Macklin. A very interesting look at the elements required to maintain aging aircraft (the F-111) whose original suppliers are no longer making those parts – an issue that’s highly relevant around the world as global military aircraft fleets age.

News & Views

• ASPI (March 2014) – Taking wing: Time to decide on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter [PDF].

• Sydney Morning Herald (Jan 26/13) – Defence is headed for its own crisis. A budget crisis.

• ASPI (Oct 4/12) – Air combat capability: the good news and the bad news. Includes expected full costs for the Super Hornet family fleet, and the history and plans for F/A-18 Hornet spending as well.

• Flight International (July 12/11) – Testing the new-generation Super Hornet. An F/A-18F Block II simulator, to be precise.

Americas

• President-elect Donald Trump has urged for the cancellation of the new Air Force One. Believing that manufacturer Boeing “is trying to do a little number,” Trump took to Twitter saying “Boeing is building a brand new 747 Air Force One for future presidents, but costs are out of control, more than $4 billion. Cancel order!” In 2015, the USAF announced plans to acquire Boeing’s 747-8 to replace the two current Air Force planes used to transport the US president. $1.65 billion has been earmarked for the purchase, although exact figures have yet to be released.

• United Launch Alliance has received a $269 million contract modification to execute production services for the Delta IV Heavy launch vehicle. The deal will see the joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin support launch vehicle configuration for the USAF. Satellites launched with the vehicles are used to support a variety of missions, including national security, telecommunications, and interplanetary exploration.

• The Pentagon’s chief arms buyer, Frank Kendell, is hopeful that a three-year block buy of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter will go ahead. Covering some 400 F-35 units for both the US military branches and partner nations, the agreement is expected to generate large savings through bigger economies of scale between the fiscal years 2018 through 2020. Negotiations with lead contractor Lockheed Martin, however, have been slow as seen in the year-long negotiations of the fighter’s ninth batch, while the government’s chief weapons tester, Michael Gilmore, has long argued about the need to test the planes before buying and building larger quantities.

Middle East & North Africa

• Officials from the EU and supported by the UN, have carried out maritime security training with the Somaliland Coastguard. European Union Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) sailors, supported by staff from EUCAP Nestor, carried out radar training on board the Spanish offshore patrol vessel, ESPS Relampago, in Berbera Bay, as a precursor to an engagement the following day on board EU NAVFOR flagship, HNLMS Tromp. On the following day, EUCAP Nestor’s Head of Operations, Chris Reynolds, EU NAVFOR Force Commander, Commodore Rene Luyckx, and representatives from UNSOM’s Rule of Law and Security Institutions Group, hosted Somaliland representatives on board HNLMS Tromp alongside Berbera Port for the Joint Maritime Security Seminar (JMSS). The JMSS follows a series of engagements conducted in recent months by EU NAVFOR and EUCAP NESTOR in Mogadishu and Bosasso, where maritime security and the strengthening of Somali maritime capacities were discussed.

Europe

• Mid-life upgrades of Finnish F/A-18 fighters will see the inclusion of the Multifunctional Information Distribution System Joint Tactical Radio System (MIDS-JTRS), following approval by the US State Department. 90 units of MIDS-JTRS will be sold to Helsinki at a cost of $156 million. MIDS-JTRS is the communication component of the Link 16 military technical data exchange network, used by the US, NATO, and approved partner nations.

• A joint-venture is to be established between the German manufacturer Rheinmetall and the Philadelphia-based family-owned enterprise Day & Zimmerman. The focus of the joint venture is the production of medium-caliber ammunition for the US market and will include the 25mm ammo used by the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The new firm will be known as Rheinmetall, Day & Zimmermann Solutions, or RDZS.

Asia Pacific

• Vietnamese Su-30 pilots will be trained by India. While the cost of the training is yet to be finalized, the numbers and scope of the program is expected to be resolved quickly after both governments’s defense ministers reached a provisional agreement during bilateral discussions on Monday. Indian sailors have already trained their Vietnamese counterparts in operating the Kilo-class submarines.

Today’s Video

The world’s largest rocket. June launch of a Delta IV Heavy:

Americas

• Sikorsky has been tapped to provide technical and logistics services for variants of the H-60 helicopter operated by the US Army. Valued at $93.8 million, work carried out by the company includes the provision of engineering services in addition to other weapon system supplies. Helicopters included in the deal include the UH-60 Black Hawk.

• John Richardson, the US Navy’s Chief of Naval Operations Admiral, has spoken of American shipyards capabilities to boost warship production, as hopes of more orders soar under a Trump presidency. Promises to expand the target vessels from 308 to 350 would be incredibly easy if funding is made available to fit the bill, said Richardson, speaking in an interview at the annual Reagan National Defense Forum in southern California. Navy officials were still calculating how much it would cost to expand the Navy to 350 ships from around 290 now, but it would depend on the mix of ships and related costs.

• As part of efforts to upgrade USMC radar capabilities, Saab has received an $18.6 million contract to provide supporting AN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar components. The contract was awarded by lead contractor Northrop Grumman, work will include major subsystem delivery and assembly in addition to software for the next 9 low-rate initial production units. Saab delivered the first six systems for the program in previous contracts. Its next deliveries are expected to begin in 2018.

Africa

• The first batch of four Super Mushshak trainers have been delivered to Nigeria. Delivery comes six weeks after the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) signed a deal with the Nigerian Air Force to supply 10 new Super Mushshaks, eight of which will be loaned on an interim basis until the new trainers are exported. The next four will arrive by the second quarter of 2017, while the new models will be delivered later that summer.

• Kenya has taken ownership of six of an eventual eight Bell Huey II helicopters, following delivery by the US government. Washington had contracted Bell $52.1 million back in September for a five helicopter foreign military sale to Kenya, however this has now been extended. The final two will arrive in May 2017 and will go toward helping Kenyan forces tackle militants associated with the Somali jihadist group, al-Shabaab.

Europe

• Contracts have been signed between General Atomics and the UK government to develop new UAVs. The company will equip existing drone technology into new remotely piloted aircraft for the RAF, in a deal worth $127 million. 20 Protector UAVs will be developed under the program and will replace the current fleet of 10 MQ-9 Reapers.

• The Netherlands will participate alongside Norway in the development of the F-35’s brake chute. Dutch participation in the work comes as it agreed to pay $11.4 million to Oslo as part of a cost-share and will allow the Norwegian government to redirect those funds to other areas of its F-35 program. The incorporation of drag chutes on Norwegian and Dutch F-35s will help the aircraft land on icy runways.

Asia Pacific

• Private companies in India will be allowed to produce and supply ammunition as part of a rule change by New Delhi to fill demand and improve quality control. Until now, the state-owned Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) was permitted to produce ammunition, with private firms limited to providing fuses and shells. The rule change has been followed by a request for information (RFI) for a $400 million program to supply a wide variety of ammunition in the next five to eight years, and has attracted the interest of several large and small-medium local firms participating. Foreign companies may also be able to get in on the game with the potential for joint ventures with Indian companies, offering established designs from abroad, licensing and manufacturing ammunition in India.

Today’s Video

S-300 misfire:

US Army HH-60Ms
(click to view full)

In July 2012, the US military signed another huge contract with Sikorsky. With production of the Army’s HH/UH-60M, and the Navy’s MH-60S and MH-60R helicopters, all in full swing, there’s no question about the need for future orders. In that environment, multi-year contracts allow efficiencies in purchasing, and security of staffing, throughout Sikorsky’s supply chain. These new helicopter types are also available to Foreign Military Sales class customers, under the American contract’s advantageous pricing and terms. The UH-60M, MH-60S and MH-60R models have already inked export deals, and official requests indicate that more deals are in the pipeline.

The new multi-year 2013-2017 contract could be worth up to $11.7 billion, and follows a 5-year, multi-service “MYP-VII” contract in December 2007. Like its predecessor, it covers UH-60M Black Hawk troop transport and light cargo helicopters, Army HH-60M SAR (Search And Rescue) / MEDEVAC (MEDical EVACuation) helicopters, and the US Navy’s MH-60S and MH-60R Seahawk helicopters.

MYP-VIII: Contract in Context USN Heli Plan
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The US Army plans to order 956 UH-60M and 419 MEDEVAC HH-60M Black Hawks through 2026, a total of 1,375 H-60M models. By then, the US Army’s total H-60 Black Hawk fleet, including upgraded UH-60As and UH-60Ls, is expected to reach more than 2,100 helicopters. US Navy production will end much sooner, and beyond about 2018 the only Seahawks built will be for export.

MYP-VIII’s base award covers 653 helicopters from FY 2013 – 2017: 234 UH-60M and 120 HH-60M Black Hawks, 193 MH-60R/S Seahawks, plus 106 helicopters for Foreign Military Sales. Like its predecessor, The 5-year agreement also allows the Army and Navy to order as many as 263 more helicopters within the same contractual terms, either for the USA or for export sales. If exercised, the optional purchases could push the contract value from $8.5 billion to a maximum of $11.7 billion.

Note that this MYP-VIII contract is a price framework agreement, rather than a firm schedule. Orders are planned 5 years in advance at the Pentagon, but annual budgets can and do increase or decrease those numbers. Actual production orders will be determined year-by-year over the life of the program, based on American budgets and foreign orders. Under the terms of the contract, Sikorsky will provide helicopters, technical publications, and changes/upgrades within set terms, while its field service representatives provide technical guidance and on-site training.

The need for replacement is certainly clear. According to FY 2011 budget documents, the USA’s oldest UH-60As are now over 30 years old, and the average age of the UH-60A fleet is 23 years. New UH-60Ms have an 18 month lead time from order to delivery, while the more advanced HH-60M for SAR/ MEDEVAC duties has a 24 month lead time.

In the Navy, the helicopters being replaced by the MH-60S armed utility & mine-warfare helicopter, and by the MH-60R strike and anti-submarine helicopter, date from the Reagan years – or earlier. The MH-60S/Rs are replacing the US Navy’s remaining SH-60B/F Seahawks, HH-60 CSAR(Combat Search and Rescue), CH-46D Sea Knights, and HH-1N Huey SAR helicopters.

The minimum production rate to sustain the H-60 line is 18 helicopters per year, while the maximum is listed in FY 2011 US Army budget documents as 150 per year. American orders are large but don’t push that limit, leaving plenty of room for export production.

Contracts & Key Events UH-60M
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Unless otherwise specified, all order are placed by US Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL to Sikorsky in Stratford, CT.

Note that a contract for helicopters is not the same thing as a contract for flying, ready-to use helicopters. Many contracts omit key “Government Furnished Equipment” items like engines, sensors, etc., which make the cost of a ready-to-use helicopter higher than the base contract. Sikorsky does sometimes buy items that are usually GFE when filling some Foreign Military Sales contracts. There are still some questions about FMS inclusions within MYP-VIII, and some buys whose structure is unclear. Australia’s Letter of Offer and Acceptance for the MH-60R, for instance, was signed in June 2011, and some contracts have begun. DID will attempt to resolve those questions and details going forward.

Finally, the naval MH-60R strike and MH-60S Seahawk utility/ specialty helicopters have a large array of unique features, and a central place within the USN. We will cover purchases under MYP-8 here, but full details regarding the helicopters, their foreign sakes opportunities, and all of their related contracts can be found in “MH-60R/S: The USA’s New Naval Workhorse Helicopters.”

FY 2015 – 2017

Orders: US Army, US Navy.

December 6/16: Sikorsky has been tapped to provide technical and logistics services for variants of the H-60 helicopter operated by the US Army. Valued at $93.8 million, work carried out by the company includes the provision of engineering services in addition to other weapon system supplies. Helicopters included in the deal include the UH-60 Black Hawk.

March 18/15: Mexico. The DSCA notified Congress of the potential sale of three Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawks to Mexico, in a deal potentially worth $110 million. That there are only three Black Hawks in the deal is surprising, as the application appears to have gone in with five requested.

March 18/15: Slovakia. Slovakia is also poised to receive nine of the same model.

March 18/15: Tunisia. Sikorsky saw a $93.3 million contract modification today for eight “Green” UH-60M helicopters for the Tunisian government.

Dec 15/14: Mexico. $56.4 million modification (P00217) to contract W58RGZ-12-C-0008 to exercise an option for 5 UH-60M aircraft for Mexican Navy’s foreign military sales case MX-B-UEU. Estimated completion date is May 30, 2016. Work will be performed in Stratford, Connecticut. Fiscal 2010 funds in the amount of $2,221,115 were obligated at the time of the award.

HH-60M
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Nov 17/14: FY 2015 USA. The US military buys 102 helicopters for the Army and Navy for $1.302 billion, as its FY 2015 purchases.

A $772 million contract modification buys 41 UH-60M helicopters and 24 HH-60M helicopters, plus associated support functions. All funds are committed immediately, using FY 2015 Army aircraft budgets. Work will be performed in Stratford, CT, and is expected to complete in June 30/15 (W58RGZ-12-C-0008, PO 0201).

At the same time, a $535.3 million contract modification funds 29 MH-60R and 8 MH-60S helicopters for the Navy, plus associated sustaining engineering, program management, systems engineering, provisioning, technical publications, other integrated logistics support. There’s also advance procurement funding for program years 4 and 5. All funds are committed immediately, using FY 2015 Navy aircraft budgets. Work will be performed at Stratford, CT (W58RGZ-12-C-0008, PO 0202).

FY 2015 USA: 41 UH-60M, 24 HH-60M, 29 MH-60R, 8 MH-60S

FY 2014

Orders: US Army, Mexico, Saudi Arabia; Requests: Austria, Brazil, Mexico, Tunisia; Unmanned UH-60MU tested; US Navy wants to cancel MH-60R buy without destroying MYP-8 – can they? UH-60M, Ft. Bragg

Sept 29/14: Mexico. An unfinalized $93.2 million not-to-exceed, undefinitized contract for 8 “uniquely configured” UH-60Ms and other support equipment and services for Mexico’s secretary of national defense. Mexico has now ordered 35 UH-60Ms, with confirmed customers in the Federal Police, Navy, & Air Force. This order didn’t mention the purchasing service, nor did the recent DSCA request (q.v. June 24/14).

Work will be performed in Stratford, CT, with an estimated completion date of June 7, 2015; this contract falls under the Foreign Military Sales program. One bid was solicited and one received. Fiscal 2010 other procurement funds are being obligated at the time of the award. With all modifications, the cumulative total of this contract is $7,035,259,311. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal (Aviation), Redstone Arsenal, AL manages the contract (W58RGZ-12-C-0008, PO 0171).

Mexico: 8 UH-60Ms

Sept 15/14: Mexico. Sikorsky receives a $203.6 million firm-fixed-price contract modification for 18 “green” UH-60M Blackhawk helicopters, plus their conversion to the Mexican Air Force’s designated configuration using contractor-furnished and government-furnished (and paid for) equipment. In other words, this is the entire FAM order mentioned in the April 21/14 DSCA request.

Estimated completion date is May 30/16 (W58RGZ-12-C-0008, PO 00179).

Mexico FAM: 18 UH-60Ms

Sept 9/14: Brazil. The US DSCA formally announces Brazil’s export request for 3 UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters, equipped for search and rescue. Brazil already has the Army 4th squadron and Air Force 7/8 “Harpia” air group at Manaus, whose H-60L and S-70 Black Hawks/ Pave Hawks perform a SAR/ counter-narcotics role, and are well-equipped for disaster response. These would be Brazil’s first UH-60Ms.

The full request involves 3 UH-60Ms, 8 T-700-GE-701C engines (6 installed and 2 spares), 12 M-134D 7.62mm gatling guns, 8 H765GU Embedded Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation Systems, spare and repair parts, tools and support equipment, publications and technical data, personnel training and training equipment, and other US government and contractor support. The estimated cost is up to $145 million.

The principal contractors will be United Technologies’ Sikorsky Aircraft in Stratford, CT; GE Engines in Lynn, MA; and Dillon Aero Systems in Mesa, AZ. Implementation of this proposed sale may require the assignment of 1 contractor representative to Brazil for up to 3 years to support fielding, maintenance, and personnel training of this new helicopter type for Brazil. Sources: DSCA #14-36, “Brazil – UH-60M Black Hawk Helicopters”.

DSCA request: Brazil (3)

June 24/14: Mexico. The US DSCA formally announces Mexico’s export request for 5 UH-60M Black Hawk Helicopters in standard US government configuration with designated unique equipment and Government Furnished Equipment (GFE), 13 T700-GE-701D Engines (10 installed and 3 spares), 12 Embedded Global Positioning Systems/Inertial Navigation Systems (10 installed and 2 spares), 10 M134 7.62mm gatling guns, 5 Star SAFIRE III day/night surveillance turrets, Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) systems, AN/ARC-210 RT-8100 series radios, 1 Aviation Mission Planning System, and 1 Aviation Ground Power Unit. Also included are aircraft warranty, air worthiness support, facility construction, spare and repair parts, support equipment, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, site surveys, tool and test equipment, and other forms of US Government and contractor technical and logistics support. The estimated cost is up to $225 million.

Mexico has previously ordered 9 UH-60Ms, with 6 going to Mexico’s federal police, and 3 to the Armada for use in land-based operations. These 5 would bring the Mexican Navy’s fleet to 8:

“Mexico intends to use these defense articles and services to modernize its armed forces and expand its existing naval/maritime support in its efforts to combat drug trafficking organizations.”

The principal contractors will be Sikorsky Aircraft Company in Stratford, CT; and General Electric Aircraft Company (GEAC) in Lynn, MA. Implementation of this proposed sale may require the assignment of 3 more US Government and 5 more contractor representatives in country, as full-time delivery and training support for approximately 2 years. Sources: DSCA #14-25, “Mexico – UH-60M Black Hawk Helicopters”.

DSCA request: Mexico (5)

Aug 19/14: UH-60M. Sikorsky in Stratford, CT receives a $30.3 million contract modification for 12 UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters, on behalf of the Saudi Arabian National Guard. All funds are committed immediately. This appears to be an initial award, with a follow-on to come that will finalize the buy, modify the helicopters for Saudi use (q.v. March 25/13, Dec 20/13), and bring total announced SANG UH-60M sales to 24 of 72 requested (US DSCA, Oct 20/10) machines.

The estimated completion date is Aug 31/17. Work will be performed in Jupiter, FL and Stratford, CT. US Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL manages the order on behalf of its Saudi client (W58RGZ-12-C-0008, PO 0072).

July 24/14: Tunisia. The US DSCA announces Tunisia’s official request for 12 UH-60M Black Hawk utility helicopters, complete with Battlehawk kits that allow them to be used as attack helicopters. these helicopters will include surveillance turrets with laser designators, laser-guided 70mm rocket capability, Hellfire missiles, various defensive and communications systems, and associated support that may include an infrastructure build-out. The estimated cost is up to $700 million, or about $58.3 million per helicopter with weapons and support. Sources: DID, “Armed & Versatile: Sikorsky’s ‘Battlehawk’ Helicopters” for full coverage | US DSCA #14-23, “Tunisia – UH-60M Black Hawk Helicopters”.

DSCA request: Tunisia (12 + Battlehawk kits)

May 20/14: +13. Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. in Stratford, CT receives a $143.4 million contract modification for 13 Army UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters.

All funds are committed immediately, using FY 2014 “other procurement” budgets. Work will be performed in Stratford, CT with an estimated completion date of Sept 30/15 (W58RGZ-12-C-0008, PO 0146).

13 UH-60M

May 29/14: A $24 million contract modification to “realign the funding between the fiscal 2014 advance procurement funds and the planned aircraft production funds for fiscal 2015, with no change to the UH-60 or HH-60 contract price.” All funds are committed immediately.

Work will be performed in Stratford, with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/15. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, AL manages the contract (W58RGZ-12-C-0008, PO 0163).

April 22/14: MYP-8. Lockheed Martin ups the pressure on the US Navy, by reminding everyone that they also have a multi-year contract that involves termination fees. CFO Bruce Tanner says that work had already begun on cockpits, radars, and other equipment for the MH-60Rs. He recommends buying them and selling them to allies:

“That would probably be a better deal for the taxpayer than paying close to 100 percent and not getting anything for it…. The cost to terminate partially built helicopters is pretty significant relative to the cost to actually finish those helicopters.”

Sources: Reuters, “Lockheed says costly for Pentagon if it cancels MH-60 helicopters”.

Apr 21/14: Mexico. The US DSCA announces Mexico’s formal request for up to 18 UH-60M Black Hawk Helicopters and associated equipment, at an estimated cost of up to $680 million. The order could also include up to:

• 40 T700-GE-701D Engines (36 installed and 4 spares)
  
• 42 Embedded Global Positioning Systems/Inertial Navigation Systems (36 installed and 6 spares)
  
• 36 M134 7.62mm gatling guns
  
• 5 Aviation Mission Planning Systems
  
• 18 AN/AVS-9 Night Vision Goggles
  
• 1 Aviation Ground Power Unit
  
• Communication security equipment including AN/ARC-210 RT-8100 series radios and Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) systems
  
• Plus aircraft warranty, air worthiness support, facility construction, spare and repair parts, support equipment, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, site surveys, tool and test equipment, and other forms of US Government and contractor support.

The principal contractors will be Sikorsky in Stratford, CT; and GE in Lynn, MA. If congress doesn’t block the sale, and Mexico negotiated a contract, implementation may require the assignment of an additional 3 US Government and 5 contractor representatives, who would be in country full-time for 2 years to support delivery and training. Sources: DSCA #14-10, “Mexico – UH-60M Black Hawk Helicopters”.

DSCA: Mexico request (18)

April 15/14: MYP-8. The Pentagon is trying to find ways not to break their MYP-8 multi-year contract with Sikorsky, given the likely effects on the Army’s Black Hawk fleet. Defense News goes a step further, and reports that Sikorsky officials are saying that any cancellation of the Navy buy would cancel the entire contract, destroying multi-year procurement for the US Army. Sources: Defense News, “DoD Looking for Ways Not To Break MH-60R Helicopter Deal”.

Apr 11/14: Unmanned UH-60M. Sikorsky successfully demonstrates autonomous hover and flight operations, using a UH-60MU from the US Army Utility Helicopters Project Office (UH PO). The project is called MURAL (Manned/Unmanned Resupply Aerial Lifter), and uses technology from Sikorsky’s July 2013 Matrix research program and an advanced Ground Control Station (GCS).

Sikorsky began this work in 2007, but they only signed MURAL’s CRADA (Cooperative Research & Development Agreement) with the US Army Aviation Development Directorate (ADD) in 2013. Sikorsky has also been flying its own SARA (Sikorsky Autonomy Research Aircraft) helicopter since July 26/13. The long-term goal is to avoid conceding the unmanned helicopter resupply market to Lockheed Martin’s K-MAX, the MQ-8C Fire Scout, etc. Making their core H-60 helicopters “optionally manned” is a strong competitive position, if they can pull it off. Sources: Sikorsky, “Optionally Piloted Black Hawk Demonstrator Helicopter Takes Successful First Flight”.

April 9/14: MYP-8. Sikorsky director of maritime programs Tim Healy points out that the US Navy’s proposed cancellation of 29 helicopters within the current multi-year deal has consequences. One involves the likelihood of higher prices for US Army Blackhawks, which are still being purchased. The other is more basic:

“This is not a legal issue. This is a confidence issue…. If multiyear contracts are negotiated and then not followed through … industry is back to making year-to-year calculations and investments because you never know when the next year’s contract is going to be canceled.”

That would be the rational approach, but industry enters into these contracts in order to reduce the odds of program cutbacks and cancellation in an irrational political environment. In other words, the contracts are primarily political acts. Our take: cancellation will dent industry’s credence in these contracts, but won’t make much difference. Companies will still rush to sign them, until and unless they see a behavior pattern that destroys their belief in this strategy. Sources: Reuters, “U.S. Navy move to ‘break’ multiyear deal worries industry-Sikorsky”.

March 4-11/14: FY15 Budget. The USAF and USN unveil their preliminary budget request briefings, but it takes another week to release detailed documents. FY 2015 orders are unaffected: 8 MH-60S will end production for the US Navy, and 29 MH-60R helicopters will be bought as planned. On the other hand, the planned FY 2016 close-out order for 29 MH-60R helicopters is gone.

The cut is linked to the planned removal of 1 carrier air wing (to 10) and cap in the number of LCS ships at 32. The problem is twofold. One, the air wing would have to be put back if the Navy does decide to fund USS George Washington’s mid-life RCOH in FY 2016. Two, the 20 subsequent LCS buys are supposed to be replaced by ships with frigate-like capabilities, and those ships will need ASW helicopters. Navy officials said that advance procurement funds for FY 2016 were still present in the FY 2015 budget, and the Navy could reverse course. They’re under a multi-year procurement deal, so unless there’s a resale of some kind that’s allowed within the terms, you’d have to think that the penalty fees for cancellations would be high. Sources: USN, PB15 Press Briefing [PDF] | Defense News, “US Navy Budget Plan: Major Questions Abound”.

Jan 9/14: FY 2014 USN. Sikorsky in Stratford, CT receives a $549.9 million contract modification, funding the base airframes and some integration for 18 MH-60S and 19 MH-60R helicopters, plus advance procurement for years 4 & 5 of the multi-year deal; and associated sustaining engineering, program management, systems engineering, and other support.

Work will be performed in Stratford, CT, and will be complete by Dec 31/15 (W58RGZ-12-C-0008, PO 0126).

USN 2014: 18 MH-60S, 19 MH-60R

Dec 23/13: FY 2014 Army. A $724 million contract modification buys the initial set for program year 3: 33 UH-60M helicopters, 24 HH-60M helicopters, plus the associated associated program management, systems engineering, provisioning, technical publications, and integrated logistics support. Funding to buy long-lead material for the next year is also normal, but this modification includes long-lead funding for years 4 & 5 as termination liability. All funds are committed immediately, using US Army FY 2014 other procurement budgets.

Work will be performed in Stratford, CT, and the contract runs until June 30/15 (W58RGZ-12-C-0008, PO 0127).

33 UH-60M + 24 HH-60M

Dec 20/13: Saudi Arabia. Sikorsky in Stratford, CT receives a $105.3 million contract modification to contract “to modify 8 UH-60M Black Hawk Helicopters to a General Service Configuration in Support of the Saudi Arabian National Guard.” The contract number indicates that these machines are purchases under the MYP-8 multi-year deal. Essentially, they’re buying 8 UH-60Ms as an initial order under the Oct 20/10 DSCA request to export up to 72 machines.

One bid was solicited with one received. Work will be performed in West Palm Beach, FL and in Saudi Arabia. US Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL acts as the Saudis’ agent (W58RGZ-12-C-0008, PO 0089).

Saudi Arabia: 8 UH-60Ms

Dec 5/13: Austria. The US DSCA announces Austria’s formal export request for 3 UH-60Ms and associated equipment, worth up to $137 million. The principal contractor will be Sikorsky in Stratford, CT, with engines from General Electric in Lynn, MA. Austria already has 9 earlier model S-70A-42 aircraft in its inventory. The full request includes:

• 3 standard UH-60Ms with designated unique equipment and Government Furnished Equipment (GFE)
  
• 7 T700-GE-701D Engines (6 installed and 1 spare)
  
• 8 Embedded Global Positioning Systems with Inertial Navigation
  
• 8 AN/AVS-9 Night Vision Goggles
  
• Communications gear including AN/VRC-92 SINCGARS, AN/ARC-201D, AN/ARC-210, AN/ARC-220, and AN/ARC-231 radios.
  
• 3 Aviation Survivability Equipment (ASE)
  
• 3 Aviation Mission Planning Systems
  
• 1 Transportable Black Hawk Operations Simulator (TBOS)
  
• 1 Aviation Ground Power Unit
  
• Plus Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) systems, aircraft warranty, airworthiness support, tool and test equipment, spare and repair parts, site surveys, facility construction, support equipment, communication equipment, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, and other US Government and contractor support.

Austria won’t need any additional foreign support personnel in country. Sources: DSCA 13-69.

DSCA: Austria request (3)

FY 2013

MYP-8 signed; USAF and US Army exercise options. MH-60S
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Sept 27/13: Support. Sikorsky in Stratford, CT receives a 3-year, $84 million cost-plus-fixed-fee indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract for support services. They’ll provide incidental H-60 Black Hawk materials for foreign military sales and other government agency customers. Note that the award isn’t restricted to H-60M helicopters.

Funding and performance locations will be determined with each order. The contract was solicited via the Web, with 1 bid received by US Army Contracting Command – Redstone Arsenal (Aviation), Redstone Arsenal, AL, is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-13-D-0177).

Sept 27/13: MH-60M DVE. The Technical Applications Contracting Office in Fort Eustis, VA issues 3 contracts to develop and field “the degraded visual environments (DVE) system.” DVE will “integrate information from [MH-47E/G and MH-60K/L/M helicopter] sensors,” in order to help aircrews perm their missions through rain, fog, sand brownouts, etc. Dust-driven brownouts are an especially prevalent killer in many operating theaters, and the advanced sensors already on board US SOCOM’s helicopters offer an interesting option for cutting through the clutter. See also: US Army, “Army acquiring ‘brown-out’ assistance for helos” for additional context regarding this area in general. This area is being pursued by a number of US military programs, and by a number of private companies.

The 60-month SOCOM DVE contracts were awarded from 5 offers received in response to the FBO.gov solicitation, and they will run until Aug 31/17. Winners include:

Rockwell Collins in Cedar Rapids, IA wins a maximum $22.4 million indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity, cost reimbursement contract, with $1.3 million in FY 2013 research, development, test and evaluation funds committed immediately for task order 0001 (H92241-13-D-0008).

Sierra Nevada Corp. in Sparks, NV receives a maximum $22.6 million indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee DVE contract, with $624,013 in FY 2013 research, development, test and evaluation funds committed immediately for task order 0001 (H92241-13-D-0010).

Boeing in Philadelphia, PA wins a maximum $23 million indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee DVE contract, with $2.1 million in FY 2013 research, development, test and evaluation funds committed immediately for task order 0001 (H92241-13-D-0011).

Aug 21/13: No CVLSP. The US Air Force cut their planned UH-1 Huey replacement program from the FY 2013 budget. Now they’re planning to refurbish their existing UH-1N fleet for another 10 years of service in securing nuclear launch sites, and ferrying people around Washington. The Hueys will add night vision compatible cockpit lighting, crash worthy seats, a helicopter terrain awareness warning system, and traffic collision avoidance. The USAF will also pick up about 26 used UH-1Ns from the US Marines, and have begun with 3 helicopters already.

Even the 10 year horizon isn’t fixed, and the service could choose to keep the helicopters running longer. Bottom line: replacement with H-60s is a long way away, unless a Huey crashes with a prominent member of an appropriations committee on board. Defense News, “USAF Planning Decade-Long Huey Extension”.

June 13/13: Army FY13. Sikorsky Aircraft in Stratford, CT receives a $244.9 million firm-fixed-price modification to by an unspecified number of UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters, using FY 2013 procurement funds.

It would appear that the $804.4 million Nov 16/12 buy didn’t fully fund FY 2013’s plan for 71 helicopters, which makes sense given Pentagon cost estimates of around $18 million per machine. $1,049.3 million / 71 = $14.8 million per, which is closer to the mark given the price of added engines, avionics, etc. (W58RGZ-12-C-0008, PO 0077).

May 8/13: Thailand. Sikorsky in Stratford, CT an $11.4 million firm-fixed-price contract modification, to buy 1 UH-60M base helicopter and related equipment for Thailand. The cumulative total face value of this multi-year contract is now $4.819 billion. US Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL manages the contract on behalf of their FMS client (W58RGZ-12-C-0008, PO 0055).

Thailand: 1 UH-60M

April 10/13: FY 2014 Budget. The President releases a proposed budget at last, the latest in modern memory. The Senate and House were already working on budgets in his absence, but the Pentagon’s submission is actually important to proceedings going forward. See ongoing DID coverage.

The UH-60M/ HH-60M budget line is interesting, because it plans for 64 more buys than the base multi-year deal. Instead of 318 helicopters over FY 2012 – 2016, the total becomes 382. The framework is obviously able to handle those planned options, and MYP-8 overall has a top limit of 916 helicopters for the US Army, US Navy and foreign customers.

March 25/13: Saudi. Sikorsky in Stratford, CT receives a $49 million firm-fixed-price contract. This modification will provide engineering and configuration services to 4 utility helicopters for Saudi Arabia. The contract number indicates a MYP-8 purchase, and the amount indicates that there’s a base helicopter order still to come. There are ways that could be done outside the purview of standard contract announcements.

Work will be performed in Stratford, CT with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/16. One bid was solicited, with 1 bid received by US Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL (W58RGZ-12-C-0008).

Saudi Arabia: 4 UH-60Ms?

Dec 11/12: +37 Navy. Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. in Stratford, CT receives a $563.8 million firm-fixed-price contract modification, which funds the Navy’s 2nd Program Year of the MYP-8 multi-year program. Sikorsky tells us that Year 2 buys 18 MH-60S Production Lot 15 helicopters for delivery in 2013-2014, and 19 MH-60R Production Lot 11 Helicopters for delivery in 2014. The contract also covers sustaining engineering, and the usual set of advance materials for the next production lots.

Work will be performed in Stratford, CT, with an estimated completion date of Sept 30/16. One bid was solicited, with 1 bid received (W58RGZ-12-C-0008).

Nov 16/12: +71 Army. Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. in Stratford, CT received an $804.4 million firm-fixed-price contract modification. Sikorsky confirms that this fully funds Year 2 of MYP-8: 47 UH-60M and 24 HH-60M Black Hawk helicopters, plus associated engineering, program management, provisioning, technical publications, and support.

Work will be performed in Stratford, CT with an estimated completion date of June 30/14. One bid was solicited, with 1 bid received (W58RGZ-12-C-0008).

FY 2012 MH-60R
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Sept 25/12: +22 Army. A $242.2 million firm-fixed-price contract modification to buy UH-60M Plus-Up Helicopters, which are over and above the yearly baseline buys under MYP-8. Sikorsky confirms that the contract covers 22 helicopters, but doesn’t include support.

Work will be performed in Stratford, CT and will run until Sept 16/16. One bid was solicited, with 1 bid received (W58RGZ-12-C-0008).

Sept 25/12: +18 USAF. A $203.4 million firm-fixed-price contract modification, which Sikorsky confirms will buy 18 UH-60M helicopters for the USAF. This appears to be part of the USAF’s Operational Loss Replacement (OLR) program for their HH-60H Pave Hawk combat search and rescue fleet.

Work will be performed in Stratford, CT, with an estimated completion date of Sept 30/16. One bid was solicited, with 1 bid received (W58RGZ-12-C-0008).

Sept 18/12: UH-60 CPTD. Sikorsky announced the award of a Combat Tempered Platform Demonstration (CTPD) contract from the U.S. Army’s Aviation Applied Technology Directorate (AATD). This program will builds upon previous work by Sikorsky Innovations to develop key technologies including: a zero-vibration system, adaptive flight control laws, advanced fire management, a durable main rotor, a more damage tolerant airframe, and better “full-spectrum crashworthiness.” Asked about the program, Sikorsky said that:

“We currently have nothing slated for the next two block upgrades that come from the Combat Tempered Platform Demonstration program. We are testing how components play together.”

Sikorsky Innovations will have more than 15 partnering companies, including Lord Corporation, Phyre Technologies, and Firetrace Aerospace.

July 18/12: #500. Sikorsky delivers the 500th H-60M helicopter since production began in December 2007, which divides up as 400 UH-60Ms (incl. 73 exported) and 100 HH-60M MEDEVAC helicopters. Most of those deliveries which were made under the MYP-VII contract, which ended this month.

Sikorsky adds that the US Army plans to order 956 UH-60M and 419 HH-60M aircraft through 2026, a total of 1,375 H-60M models. By then, the Army’s total H-60 Black Hawk fleet, including upgraded UH-60As and UH-60Ls, is expected to reach more than 2,100 helicopters. Sikorsky.

UH-60M #500

July 11/12: MYP-8. Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. in Stratford, CT receives a firm-fixed-price umbrella contract to buy and provide initial support for up to 916 UH/HH/MH-60 Helicopters for the US Army and US Navy, with Foreign Military Sales options. The Pentagon announces the initial total as $2.828 billion, but Sikorsky puts the base contract’s total value at $8.5 billion. Sikorsky also breaks up the MYP-8 contract into an $8.5 billion base for 653 helicopters, plus options for up to 263 more that could push the contract as high as $11.7 billion. Interestingly, Sikorsky adds that:

“To reach the full baseline value of $8.5 billion, the services are ordering aircraft in the base agreement to be sold via the U.S. Government’s Foreign Military Sales program. These aircraft include Foreign Military Sale (FMS) UH-60M aircraft for several allied countries and MH-60R SEAHAWK anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare helicopters for the Royal Australian Navy… BLACK HAWK and SEAHAWK aircraft deliveries under the new contract will begin this month.”

Those totals compare to $7.4 billion for 537 helicopters in MYP-7, plus 263 additional options that Sikorsky said could push the contract to $11.6 billion for 800 helicopters. Orders ended up falling well short of that total, but the options were there.

Recent DSCA requests indicate that interest in Sikorsky’s helicopters is rising, so MYP-8 looks set to produce more machines. Work will be performed in Stratford, CT, but the helicopters themselves are made on 4 separate production lines located in West Palm Beach, FL, and in its Stratford, CT final assembly facility. The contract is announced by the Pentagon as running until Sept 30/16 (end of FY 2016). Sikorsky, on the other hand, cites December 2017 as the end date. Subsequent Pentagon documents continue to insist on FY 2012 – 2016, even though MYP-7 technically ended on Dec 31/12.

The bid was solicited through the Internet, with 1 bid received by US Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL (W58RGZ-12-C-0008). Since only Sikorsky can make those helicopters, it isn’t surprising that only 1 firm responded. See also Sikorsky.

MYP-VIII Framework

Feb 13/12: The USA’s FY 2013 budget documents include a proposal for the next multi-year deal. Helicopters bought will be in basically the same configuration as MYP-VII machines, and overall savings vs. single year buys add up to $850.3 million:

“This proposed Multiyear Procurement (MYP) covers the purchase of 318 UH-60M/HH-60M BLACK HAWK aircraft and 193 Navy MH-60 helicopter airframes in FY 2012 through FY 2016 under a single, five year fixed price type contract. The MYP strategy is structured to achieve $850.3 Million (TY$) in cost savings over the five year period with $502.9M realized in the Army Aircraft Procurement Appropriation and $347.4M in the Navy Aircraft Procurement Appropriation. This proposed Joint Service multiyear contract for the procurement of Army UH-60M/HH-60M aircraft and Navy MH-60R/S aircraft follows a currently executing (FY 2007 through FY 2011) Joint Service MYP between the Army, Navy, and Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation for H-60 helicopters. The UH-60M/HH-60M,MH-60S, and MH-60R aircraft .being procured on the proposed multiyear contract are essentially the same configuration as those being procured on the current FY07-11 multiyear contract. The MYP will include a Variation in Quantity Clause allowing for minor fluctuation of aircraft quantity and provide baseline pricing for potential Foreign Military Sales. The U.S. Army and Navy met SECDEF certification requirements on March 1, 2011.”

Additional Readings

Readers with corrections, comments, or information to contribute are encouraged to contact DID’s Founding Editor, Joe Katzman. We understand the industry – you will only be publicly recognized if you tell us that it’s OK to do so.

• Sikorsky – UH-60M BLACK HAWK Helicopter.

• Global Security – UH-60M [UH-60L+] .

• USAF – HH-60G Pave Hawk. Used for Combat Search & Rescue. The HH-60M is an Army variant with different equipment.

• Rotor & Wing (Oct 1/04) – Modern Medevac Mobilized. Covers experiences with the UH-60Q and HH-60L models, and planning for the HH-60M. A good illustration of what the new capabilities mean on the battlefield.

• DID FOCUS – MH-60R/S: The USA’s New Naval Workhorse Helicopters.

• Sikorsky – SEAHAWK(R) Helicopter. MH-60S and MH-60R naval helicopters, whose base airframe are also purchased under MYP-VII.

• Lockheed Martin – MH-60R. Lockheed Martin is responsible for the MH-60R’s unique equipment.

• Naval Technology – MH-60R Seahawk Multimission Naval Helicopter, USA.

• Naval Technology – MH-60S Knighthawk Multi-Mission Naval Helicopter, USA. Technically, it’s a Seahawk not a Knighthawk, though that was widely believed to be its distinguishing name when it was first fielded.

• DID – Sikorsky’s $7.4-11.6B “Multi-Year VII” H-60 Helicopter Contract.

• DID – Combat Rescue Helicopter competition. The 2nd attempt at replacing HH-60Gs, which will field CRH-60Ms that share many of the same limitations.

• DID – Armed & Versatile: Sikorsky’s ‘Battlehawk’ Helicopters.

Tags: myp-viii, myp-8

Americas

• Officials from Lockheed Martin have announced that the T-50A trainer has commenced flight operations in order to test the plane’s capabilities. A joint effort between LM and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), the T-50A is based off the legacy T-50 and is being offered to the USAF’s T-X program. For combat training, the aircraft incorporates air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons, an avionics suite with electronic warfare capabilities, and a multi-mode radar.

• The US Navy plans to invest in more F/A-18E/F Super Hornets as a means of stopping a shortfall in capabilities. Delays in the fielding of the F-35C, longer-than-expected maintenance times for older model Hornets, and higher usage rates, have resulted in a predicted shortfall of 70 fighters over the next number of years. If implemented, the plan could receive funding in the fiscal 2018 budget and keep the Super Hornet production line in continuation for the next several years.

Middle East & North Africa

• Egypt is to receive 65 LANTIRN targeting pods under the US Excess Defense Articles (EDA) program. Manufactured by Lockheed Martin, the navigation and targeting pod systems will come from existing USAF stocks and are most likely to be used on Cairo’s fleet of F-16 Fighting Falcons. Some of Egypt’s F-16s already operate LM’s AN/AAQ-33 Sniper targeting pod, LANTIRN’s successor.

Europe

• Lockheed Martin has been contracted to supply two US government-configured C-130J-30 Super Hercules aircraft to France. Work on the $133.4 million deal is expected to be completed by August 2020. A stretched-out version of the C-130J, the Super Hercules acquisition comes as France tries to fill a cargo and refueling capability gap created by problems related to the development and delivery of the A400M by Airbus.

• Qinetiq has been awarded a $1.26 billion contract by the UK MoD to modernise the test and evaluation services it provides at three sites across the UK. The company has provided test and evaluation services to the MoD since 2004, under a 25-year long-term partnering agreement (LTPA). The new deal will include the modernization and continued operation of air ranges at MoD Aberporth in Wales and MoD Hebrides in Scotland, plus test aircrew training at the Empire Test Pilots’ School at Boscombe Down in Wiltshire.

• Armored personnel carriers from the German Armed Forces will be transferred to the Lithuanian Army in a deal worth $1.71 million. 168 M577 vehicles will be delivered in stages between 2017 and 2018. While not normally equipped with defensive weapons, the vehicles are primarily used as a tactical operations center by warfighters on the battlefield.

Asia Pacific

• India’s navy has decided not to deploy the HAL Naval Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) onboard its aircraft carriers. In what will be seen as a blow to the country’s growing indigenous industry, the fighter was deemed too heavy and did not meet the service’s requirements. New Delhi will instead import a foreign-made carrier-borne fighter while still encouraging India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to develop the Naval LCA.

• Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force has received their first F-35A, joining Israel and South Korea as the first three export customers for the Joint Strike Fighter. The fighter will join an international training fleet at Luke Air Force, where pilots from partner countries will receive instruction. Six aircraft are currently under contract and Tokyo plans to purchase 28 over the next five years, eventually procuring 42.

Today’s Video

Maiden flight of the Certifiable Predator B:

F-16 with twin LANTIRNs
(click to view full)

Targeting pods are a very affordable way to upgrade existing aircraft with precision strike and surveillance capabilities. As such, their popularity in the modern age is likely to remain very strong for the foreseeable future. At present, the top offerings on the market include the Northrop-Grumman/ RAFAEL LITENING series (vid. the recent Dutch order), Lockheed’s Sniper XR/Pantera, and Raytheon’s ATFLIR. All are 3rd generation offerings, successors to the early 2nd generation LITENING all-in-one pods and the first-generation LANTIRN (Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night) twin-pod set.

LANTIRN pods may be first-generation technology, but they still fly with a number of air forces and were included as the pods specified for Greece’s new F-16Ds. As such, Lockheed’s announcement that it is selling upgraded LANTIRNs to Denmark offers an interesting look at potential opportunities at the lower end of the global market.

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As noted earlier, LANTIRN is a system of two pods. The AN/AAQ-13 navigation pod provides high-speed penetration and precision attack assistance in all flying conditions, using a terrain-following radar and a fixed infrared sensor to display an image of the terrain in front of the aircraft on a heads-up display of cockpit viewscreen. This helps the pilot maintain a pre-selected altitude above the terrain and avoid obstacles, while flying at high speed and using mountains, valleys and the cover of darkness to avoid radar detection.

The AN/AAQ-14 targeting pod is just what it says: a laser and infrared targeting pod to assist in the delivery of precision weapons like Paveway laser-guided bombs, AGM-65 Maverick missiles, et. al.

(click to view larger)

The Royal Danish Air Force will pay Lockheed Martin $20 million for the latest round of upgrades to their 13 LANTIRN targeting pods, and also requests another 3 LANTIRN ER (extended range) pods. The 26-month contract includes organizational-level spares, maintenance training and pilot familiarization training.

As part of Lockheed’s 8-year partnership with the RDAF, its LANTIRN targeting pods were upgraded in a previous contract to include a CCD TV, a 40,000-ft. laser and a laser spot tracker. LANTIRN ER adds a third-generation mid-wave forward-looking infrared (FLIR), an infrared pointer, an inertial measurement unit to assist with positioning fixes guided weapons, and extended range software. It also simplifies the original pod design and eliminates many parts in an effort to increase reliability and reduce operation and support costs. See Lockheed press release.

While the LANTIRN ER is significantly less capable than the LITENING AT pod recently ordered by the Dutch for their F-16s, the deal’s economics are worth noting: $20 million for 13 upgrades of existing systems plus 3 pods (16), vs. just over $40 million for 20 LITENING AT 3rd generation targeting pods and spares.

Update

December 5/16: Egypt is to receive 65 LANTIRN targeting pods under the US Excess Defense Articles (EDA) program. Manufactured by Lockheed Martin, the navigation and targeting pod systems will come from existing USAF stocks and are most likely to be used on Cairo’s fleet of F-16 Fighting Falcons. Some of Egypt’s F-16s already operate LM’s AN/AAQ-33 Sniper targeting pod, LANTIRN’s successor.

Americas

• Defense officials from Bolivia are exploring the possibility of purchasing A-29 Super Tucanos from Brazil. The Embraer-made light attack aircraft will be used to clamp down on illegal activity, namely drug and mineral trafficking, along both nation’s 3,423 km shared border. According to Brazil’s defense ministry, Bolivian interest in the counter-insurgency plane was raised during a meeting to deepen bilateral relations.

• Saab will provide further training and simulation systems under a contract awarded by the US Army. According to the company, the contract falls under the service’s Program Executive Office of Simulation, Training and Instrumentation (PEO STRI), and will provide OSAG 2.0 interoperability upgrades for the 7th Army Training Command’s Deployable Instrumentation System, Europe (DISE) and Combat Vehicle Tactical Engagement Simulation System (CVTESS). The new capability will allow the US, who use the MILES Communicaton Code (MCC), to train seamlessly with the European partners, who mostly utilize the OSAG 2.0 standard.

Middle East & North Africa

• Tunisia’s government has admitted that US drones are patrolling its border with Libya, to help fend off attacks from the Islamic State. Speaking on television, President Beji Caid Essebsi maintained that the UAV’s were unarmed and denied that they took off from Tunisian air bases. Essebsi also stated that the surveillance drones would be given to Tunisia after training conducted by 70 US soldiers, although exact numbers remain unclear.

Africa

• The Nigerian Air Force has announced that they have refurbished 13 aircraft, some of which have returned to active duty putting down an insurgency led by the jihadist group, Boko Haram. In addition, ten more aircraft will be added to their fleet, including four new Mi-35N attack helicopters, at least three ex-Brazilian Air Force Super Tucanos, and three JF-17 Thunders from Pakistan. This will add to a recent order of Super Mushshak trainers and a soon to be completed refurbishment program of older helicopters and light aircraft to carry out surveillance and counter-insurgency missions.

Europe

• Plans by Ukraine to test fire missiles near Crimea have been met with protest from Russia. Having annexed the peninsula in 2014, Moscow is regarding the planned tests as violating “Russia’s sovereign air space,” summoning the Ukrainian defense attache to hand over a protest note ahead of the December 1 & 2 launches. Meanwhile, Russian military buildup in Crimea continues.

• The US State Department has cleared the potential sale of Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles – Extended Range (JASSM-ER) to Poland. Estimated at $200 million, if passed Warsaw will receive 70 AGM-158B JASSM-ER missiles, 2 AGM-158B Flight Test Vehicles, 2 AGM-158 Mass Simulant vehicles, and 1 Captive Carry variant of the AGM-158B Flight Test Vehicle. F-16 C & D upgrades, along with training services, and additional supporting equipment are also included in the deal.

• In the wake of Brexit and Trump, the European Union unveiled its biggest defense funding and research plan in more than a decade as part of a broader push to revitalize defense cooperation within the bloc. Also included is the European Commission’s proposed plan for a 5 billion-euro ($5.3 billion) fund to let governments club together to buy new helicopters and planes to lower costs. Another plan, according to EU officials, to let the EU’s common budget and its development bank invest in military research, would open the door to new drones, cyber warfare systems and other hi-tech gear.

Asia Pacific

• Raytheon has been contracted by the USAF to provide upgraded missile warning radar centers to Taiwan in a $22 million foreign military sale. Under the deal, the company will upgrade Taiwan’s Early Warning Radar Surveillance Radar Program Missile Warning Center to address obsolescence concerns. The new system will warn operators of incoming ballistic missile attacks, as well as track threats, and provide accurate determination of threat versus non-threat objects.

Today’s Video

Aster 30 SAMP T:

T-27: Smoke & Mirror
(click to view full)

Brazil has kicked off the LAAD 2013 expo with a pair of announcements related to their Super Tucano fleet. The first is a 5-year, BRL 252 million (about $127.4 million) contract for Embraer to support the FAB’s 92 remaining “A-29″/EMB-314 Super Tucanos, of the 99 originally purchased. Programa de Suporte Logístico Integrado (PSLI) is a fixed-price contract with performance requirements, mirroring Britain’s recent advances in reducing support costs using “contracting for availability.” PLSI covers materials and planning, supplies for scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, repairs, and overhauls of components, support for the landing gear and propeller groups, and specialized technical support. The basic service package is BRL 223 million, with BRL set aside for unexpected services. Embraer.

The number of combat-capable Super Tucanos is about to shrink, however, as Brazil’s national “Esquadrilha da Fumaca” (“Smoke Squadron”) aerobatic team will get 12 of the FAB’s A-29s. They’ll replace the current “T-27″/ EMB-312 Tucanos with a larger, higher performance aircraft. Embraer received BRL 26.1 million ($13.2 million) guaranteed: a BRL 16 million contract to convert the Super Tucanos for aerobatics by stripping off unneeded weight and adding provisions for smoke pods, etc., plus a BRL 10.1 million service package. Another BRL 5.9 million ($3 million) could be added if the FAB picks up the option for ground support equipment and additional services. Embraer.

Update

December 1/16: Defense officials from Bolivia are exploring the possibility of purchasing A-29 Super Tucanos from Brazil. The Embraer-made light attack aircraft will be used to clamp down on illegal activity, namely drug and mineral trafficking, along both nation’s 3,423 km shared border. According to Brazil’s defense ministry, Bolivian interest in the counter-insurgency plane was raised during a meeting to deepen bilateral relations.

Americas

• An undisclosed member of the Patriot Integrated Air and Missile Defense System program has contracted Raytheon to provide additional Patriot missile capabilities. The $225 million deal comes just 45 days after Poland requested the same product from the US government, and when Raytheon received another contract from the Netherlands to upgrade their own systems. Answers on a postcard please.

• US Senator Bernie Sanders has urged President-elect Donald Trump to leverage defense contracts in order to save jobs at an Indiana air conditioner manufacturer. The factory, owned by United Technologies, is slated to move operations to Mexico, at a loss of 1,400 jobs. As firebrand outsiders vying for the working vote, both men had used the announcement earlier this year to challenge Hillary Clinton as an example of how trade deals hurt US workers. With Trump now the insider, Sanders warned “it is not good enough to save some of these jobs” and said Trump should use as leverage United Technologies’ defense contracts, Export-Import Bank financing, and tax breaks. While Trump does not take office until January 20, he may already be feeling the Bern.

Middle East & North Africa

• Just ten days after the US State Department cleared the sale of 40 warplanes to Kuwait, the Gulf monarchy wants more. Major General Lafi al-Azmi, chief of the military’s Armament and Procurement Authority, said that Kuwait plans to purchase 28 more F-18 Super Hornets as well as return a number of outdated F-18s in their inventory as part of the purchase deal. Details of the sale will only be revealed once it is officially signed.

Africa

• The UN Security Council will vote this week on whether to ban arms sales to South Sudan. A US proposed resolution, the move comes after a summer of ethnic violence due to rivalries between President Salva Kiir, an ethnic Dinka, and his former deputy Riek Machar, a Nuer, which has led to claims of genocide. The rivalries had previously led to civil war in 2013 but a tentative peace agreement was signed in 2015.

Europe

• From now on Heckler & Koch wares will be for NATO members and friends only, according to reports. Difficulty in obtaining government approval for exports is being cited as the main reason, and from now on the company will “only sell to countries that are democratic and free from corruption and that are members of NATO or NATO members’ partners.” The new strategy would rule out deals with Saudi Arabia, Russia, Mexico, and India. Not even NATO members are safe, with Turkey – in the middle of a military, political and civil purge since a failed coup during the summer – also in the firing line for being freezed out.

• As part of governmental approval to increase defense spending, Norway plans to drop some $1.15 billion on five P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft. With Norway sharing a long maritime border with Russia, the acquisition comes as Nordic and Baltic states ramp up modernization and capability efforts in order to dissuade Moscow from trying to pull another “Crimea” in the Baltics. Delivery of the planes will take place between 2021 and 2022 and will replace the current fleet of six P-3 Orion and three DA-20 Jet Falcon aircraft.

• Exercises by the Italian Navy have seen the successful first launch of the Aster 30 missile. A requirement for the missile’s qualification program, the test was part of the Italian Surface-To-Air Extended Self Defense system program. Capable of hitting targets over 62 miles away from their launch sites, the new system will greatly enhance defensive capabilities of naval vessels.

Asia Pacific

• With the US looking to replace Russian-made Afghan helicopters and India offering to fix them, it’s quite natural to be confused about what is actually going on with Afghan military procurement. The issue is muddied further with US regime change just around the corner, and presidents who have rather different foreign policy objectives. At present the US DoD has requested additional funding to refurbish and update 53 older-model US military UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters for the Afghans, enough to replace the current fleet of Russian-designed Mi-17 helicopters. But with a Donald Trump presidency and potentially warmer relations with Russia, will the hundreds of millions of dollar price tag for refurb, transfer and retraining ever come about?

Today’s Video

Third flight of Japan’s X-2 stealth demonstrator:

Americas

• The Bell-Boeing Joint Project Office has been awarded a $267.2 million US Navy contract modification for additional logistics support for MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft. Under the deal, both the USMC MV-22 and the USAF Special Operations Command CV-22 variant will be covered. The contract runs until November 2018.

Middle East & North Africa

• 17 more F-35As will be making their way to Israel, bringing the total ordered by the government to 50. Speaking on the new order, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the decision by the cabinet on November 27 was unanimous. The additional fighter order comes just two weeks before the first two F-35As destined for Israel fly from the US.

• The Indonesian state-owned firm PT Dirgantara Indonesia, will help in maintenance work for Saudi Arabian military aircraft. While the type of aircraft has remained classified, the company will work on both helicopters and airplanes. PTDI has previously conducted maintenance work on Colombian and Panamanian aircraft.

Europe

• Antonov has announced the successful assembly of their first An-132 prototype aircraft ahead of testing in December. The Ukrainian light multi-mission transport plane, a successor to the An-32, was built with zero technology and subsystems input from Russia, following the souring in relations over Moscow’s annexation of Crimea in 2014. Saudi Arabia will be the plane’s first export customer, with plans to purchase six An-132s, four of which would be configured for search-and-rescue operations and two for electronic warfare (EW) operations.

• The first flight of the Gripen E will have to wait until 2017 as manufacturer Saab self-imposes a delay of at least six months. It was initially expected that the latest Gripen model would fly before the end of the year, however Saab has chosen to fully qualify its distributed integrated modular avionics (DIMA) design to commercial standards prior to the first flight. Deliveries of orders to the Swedish and Brazilian air forces, slated for 2019, are not expected.

Asia Pacific

• India is positioning itself to supply Afghanistan with long-term spares and support for grounded Russian-made helicopters and aircraft operated by the Afghan Armed Forces. A team from the Indian Air Force, sent to Afghanistan to assess requirements, will now report back what kind of parts can be sourced from India’s inventory and others that need to be procured from Russia. The news comes shortly after it was reported that US DoD officials had asked Congress to cease buying Russian MI117 helicopters for Afghan forces and instead to buy American helicopters.

• Reports that Iran is eyeing a procurement of Su-30 fighters has been denied by Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan. Several agencies had originally quoted the minister saying “the purchase of this fighter is on the agenda of the Defense Ministry” when asked about the Sukhoi aircraft, but some later said the ministry had called the reports “incorrect.” Whether the intentions are real or not, any deal between Tehran and Moscow for such fighters would be subject to UN Security Council approval, potentially further straining relations with Israel, Saudi Arabia and the US.

• A directional, high-powered electromagnetic pulse (EMP) generator has been developed by South Korea’s Agency for Defense Development (ADD), which will allow it to shoot down North Korean UAVs. The ADD presented its progress on the weapon during a conference hosted by the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology. North Korean UAVs have emerged as new threats over the recent years. Most recently, South Korean forces detected but failed to down wanton North Korean UAVs that crossed the military demarcation line (MDL) five times in August.

Today’s Video

Delayed gratification. With its first flight delayed, a look at the Gripen E’s unveiling this summer:

It’s that time of year again. For those of you celebrating American Thanksgiving: if you’re deep-frying your turkey (otherwise known as “doing it right”), be safe. Hundreds of years ago, boiling oil was a weapon we would have covered. Treat it accordingly. Common tips include making 100% sure that adding the turkey to the oil will not cause an overflow or near-overflow. The turkey has displacement, and on top of that, oil will boil up a bit when the moisture of the turkey skin hits it. So test displacement first to figure out the fill line, then make sure the bird is fully thawed, and pat that bird dry inside and out. Fire Marshals also advise people to set up the fryer away from one’s house, on a flat, non-wooden surface, and have oil-rated fire extinguishers handy as you monitor the frying. Keep your home safe, and don’t forget to take precautions for yourself and your family, too.

Yummly offers some options for your leftovers, although around our house, the favorite use for leftovers is turkey tetrazzini!

DID offers thanks to all of our readers, and to all American and allied soldiers in uniform; we won’t be publishing again until Monday.

Americas

• The F-35B has reached another program milestone following the completion of weapons load testing during trials on board the USS America assault ship. During the trials, pilots intentionally conducted flight tests under unfavorable conditions to gauge the fighter’s limitations; international partners also participated. The tests were part of F-35 program lead contractor Lockheed Martin’s third developmental test phase for the fighter, which aimed to assess the aircraft’s combat capabilities in a maritime environment. In comparison to its A counterpart, the F-35B is designed to include a short takeoff and vertical landing capability to allow for operation on naval vessels.

• Repairs on the last of 13 F-35A fighters affected by faulty insulation issues have been completed. In September, 57 aircraft suffered the coolant line glitch, 15 of which were already fielded, while the others were still in production. Both the company and the USAF maintain that the faulty parts were the result of a supply chain issue rather than a design flaw.

Middle East & North Africa

• A deal negotiated between Germany and Israel for the provision of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) submarines is garnering criticism for its unusual secrecy from Israeli naval and military officials. When compared to the three year procurement negotiations needed for the F-35, the submarines were concluded within one. While the F-35 involved much coordination and contact between US government and industry representatives, the IDF branches and Israeli government, this recent deal has failed to involve the naval branches and is being spearheaded solely by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A potential conflict of interest raised by some media outlets highlighted that Netanyahu and the Israeli agent for TKMS share the same attorney, and that attorney’s law partner is the same man who Netanyahu entrusts to negotiate the most sensitive affairs of state.

Europe

• Switzerland’s Defense Ministry plans to ask parliament next year for funding to extend the life expectancy of their F/A-18 Super Hornets. $486 million will be requested for the modernization. The Swiss Air Force is also looking to keep a number of their aging F-5 Tiger aircraft, until a new replacement fighter is selected in 2022 and inducted into service in 2025. Saab’s Gripen, the Eurofighter and Dassault’s Rafale are believed to be in the running and follow the 2014 rejection by Swiss voters to acquire 22 JAS-39 Gripen fighters.

• Inspired by the shell of the ironclad beetle, BAE Systems will use a bendable titanium alloy in their future military vehicles. Known as “memory metal alloy,” the flexible material will allow the suspension to “bounce back” into shape after impact, allowing operators to continue their mission with the vehicle. The company claims that their latest project marks the first time it will be used to build an entire suspension system.

• Russian industry is currently developing a new anti-tank missile set to replace the Khrizantema-S and Shturm-SM currently in service. The new tank-killing munition will come with a fire-and-forget targeting capability, capable of destroying moving and stationary air and ground targets, including main battle tanks, small surface ships, low-flying air targets and fortifications.

Asia Pacific

• Officials from South Korea have continued their negotiations in Washington over technologies needed for their KF-X fighter program. A request for AESA radar, infrared search and track, electro-optical target tracking devices, and jammer technology transfers was denied by the Pentagon last year, resulting in Seoul having to pursue the technologies themselves. Speaking on the discussions, Korean Minister for the Defense Acquisition and Procurement Administration (DAPA), Myoung-jin Chang, said “there are additional technologies that we are awaiting approval from the US government and we are pushing for these to be approved and we look forward to your continued support.”

• The final six of new training helicopters ordered by Australia have been cleared by lead-contractor Boeing. In 2014, Canberra selected a joint team involving Boeing, Thales and Airbus to provide them with the airframes, flight simulators and synthetic training devices, as well as instruction for army and navy pilots under their Helicopter Aircrew Training System program. The full compliment of 15 helicopters are Airbus’ H135 model, manufactured to the older T2+ standard.

Today’s Video

Indian fighters land on the newly opened Agra-Lucknow expressway:

Americas

• Arms trafficker Viktor Bout will continue serving his 25-year stint in federal prison following the denial of a retrial by the US Circuit Court of Appeals. Convicted of conspiring to kill US soldiers by agreeing to sell arms to DEA informants posing as members of the FARC terrorist group, Bout maintained that he could not have been part of such a conspiracy as his business associate, Andrew Smulian, was already an informant for the US agency. The judge stated that the evidence suggested merely that the agency “saw Smulian as a way to get to Bout.”

• The Dutch Damen Shipyards Group is to provide two modernized Stan Patrol 4207 vessels to the Jamaican Defense Forces as part of the JDF’s renewal of its patrol boat fleet. Three decommissioned Damen-built Count-class offshore patrol vessels previously used by the JDF are being traded in as part of the deal. Delivery of the new boats is expected by the end of the year.

Middle East & North Africa

• Rheinmetall has secured a $10.6 million contract to modernize and expand a live combat training facility for a country in the region. The deal will see the company supply up-to-date hardware and software components for the customer’s Mobile Combat Training Center, which includes new laser engagement simulator to support combat vehicle and weapon systems training. A modernized Legatus combat simulation training system will also be provided to the customer and is already in use by the German military.

• Turkey’s quest for an air-defense system continued with Defence Minister Fikri Isik saying on Friday that they were in talks with Russia over purchasing the S-400. Other countries are also being contacted, but Isik maintained that the Russian stance on the issue has been positive. Ankara is also looking to develop its own indigenous system, but a foreign procurement would be ready for operational use in a much shorter time period.

Europe

• The US State Department has cleared the sale of 26 Predator B UAVs to the UK. Valued at $1 billion, the deal also includes 12 Advanced Ground Control Stations, 12 Multi-spectral Targeting Systems, 25 AN/APY-8 Lynx IIe Block 20A Synthetic Aperture Radars, and other communication and identification devices, as well as equipment spares. Having already operated the MQ-9 Reaper, it is expected that British forces will have no problems making the transition.

• Officials from the French and British governments have come to an agreement on further collaborative missile defense development. Franco-British missile manufacturer MBDA has been selected to support the project, which includes the establishment of new development centers in the company’s UK sites Stevenage and Bolton. The missile cooperation agreement comes shortly after officials announced the launch of the next phase of the $145 million joint Franco-British Maritime Mine Counter Measures program, which aims to improve naval defense technology.

Asia Pacific

• The Afghan military will be flying more American wares following the decision by the Pentagon to swap out Russian-made Mi-17s for the Sikorsky Black Hawk. Citing increased problems in maintaining the Mi-17 fleet due to sanctions caused by “Russian aggression,” a number of US lawmakers have been pushing for the switch. It’s believed that Washington will modernize 53 UH-60As by acquiring them from the Army before transferring to the Afghans.

• South Korea has been cleared to continue with their purchase of Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasure systems (LAIRCM). Developed by Northrop Grumman, the pods are designed to protect large aircraft from man-portable missiles. The $141 million sale will see four LAIRCM systems procured for Korean A-330 multirole tanker aircraft. South Korean F-16s are also slated for upgrade, following the awarding of a $1.2 billion contract by the Pentagon to Lockheed Martin.

Today’s Video

Combat debut of the Tu-95MSM strategic bomber:

LAIRCM Concept
(click to view full)

Defense Support Services (DS2), a Greenville, SC-based venture between Lockheed Martin and Day & Zimmermann, received a $96 million contract to provide support for the Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasure (LAIRCM) System.

Northrop Grumman’s LAIRCM is a laser-based countermeasures system that is designed to defend C-17 and C-130 transport aircraft and other large, slow-moving aircraft from an infrared missile attack by automatically detecting a missile launch, determining if it is a threat, and activating a high-intensity system of pulsed lasers to track and defeat the threat by confusing its guidance head…

The LAIRCM was developed in response to heat seeking missiles that are able to outsmart the flares that large aircraft deploy to thwart them. Particularly troublesome are the shoulder-fired man-portable air-defense missiles (MANPADS). More than 700,000 MANPADS are estimated to have been produced in the past 30 years. According to the USAF, 90% of all US air combat losses for the last 25 years can be attributed to infrared missiles, such as MANPADS.

The LAIRCM system has 2 small laser transmitter assemblies mounted on the rear of the plane, as well as 5 missile warning transmitters at various points on the aircraft. The most prominent warning transmitters are in 2 projections on top of the aircraft just back of the cockpit that resemble “horns.” Processors in the cockpit and rear of the plane collect the data and transmit information to the aircrew.

Capt. Jeffrey Bryant, USAF 95th Airlift Squadron’s standardization and evaluation navigator, said that the USAF has seen a lot of MANPADS in Iraq. He explains how the LAIRCM system defeats them.

“The laser transmitters are the heart of the system. They basically work to interrupt the infrared signal, or heat. The two rear lasers ‘blind’ the missile’s eyeball, so it disables the missile’s ability to follow the heat source from the plane.”

The US Air Force’s Aeronautical Systems Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base manages the DS2 contact (FA8625-10-D-6501).

Updates

November 22/16: South Korea has been cleared to continue with their purchase of Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasure systems (LAIRCM). Developed by Northrop Grumman, the pods are designed to protect large aircraft from man-portable missiles. The $141 million sale will see four LAIRCM systems procured for Korean A-330 multirole tanker aircraft. South Korean F-16s are also slated for upgrade, following the awarding of a $1.2 billion contract by the Pentagon to Lockheed Martin.

August 9/16: Northrop Grumman has been awarded $45 million as part of the Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM) program. The USAF deal will see NG conduct work on processor replacement and support hardware with completion expected for April 2018. First fielded in 2005, LAIRCM provides automatic protection against shoulder-fired, vehicle-launched, and other infrared-guided missiles for large transport and rotary-wing aircraft.

Americas

• Sources close to the Canadian government claim that Ottawa is still hoping to acquire approximately 20 F/A-18 Super Hornets without the need for an open competition. It’s believed that the procurement, intended as an interim solution to replace their soon-to-be retired fleet of CF-18s, could move the need for a new fighter selection process for another decade. It’s been just over a year since Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party took office, and they vigorously campaigned for the cancellation of Ottawa’s participation in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program during ithe election campaign. Trudeau deemed the jet too expensive and not necessary to Canadian defense requirements.

• The Brazilian government has finally contracted South African firm Denel to integrate the A-Darter missile on the Brazilian Air Force’s new Saab Gripen E/F fighters, alleviating fears that the program was off track. While Brazil has been heavily involved in the fifth-generation munition’s development, fiscal woes along with political turmoil and a change in government resulted in the official nod to finance the procurement being delayed. The missile will also be integrated on South African Gripens as well as their Hawk Mk 120 lead-in trainers.

Middle East & North Africa

• With the Obama administration entering its final weeks, the US State Department has cleared a number of big ticket foreign military sales to Qatar and Kuwait. Destined for Qatar are 72 Boeing F-15QAs in a $21.1 billion deal that includes weapons and related support, equipment, and training. Also included is the building of a Lead-in-Fighter-Training unit to be located in the US. A $10.1 billion sale will see Kuwait receive 32 F/A-18Es and 8 F/A-18F, including systems, training and support.

Europe

• While defense firms are always looking for high-tech solutions to the problem of rogue UAVs, the French Air Force is currently training eagles to engage drones that may be utilized by terrorists. The low tech high-talon method follows that of the Dutch police, who announced earlier this year that the birds of prey were being trialed to tackle nuisance drones. France, having just experienced a year of devastating terrorist attacks at the hands of jihadists, are concerned that mini-UAVs may be used to drop explosives, similar to those used by IS militants, currently on the defensive in Iraq.

• Armata tanks being built by Russia’s Uralvagonzavod will now come with a tethered drone, dubbed Pterodactyl. Equipped with a tether management system, the drone will provide full data protection and improve the tank’s situational awareness and aid in guiding rounds. With a flight range of 100 metres, the drone can be launched from the Armata’s hull and is capable of maintaining the tank’s speed.

• Gulfstream is the latest beneficiary of increased Polish defense spending, with the company to provide two G550 business jets configured for VIP transport duties. Delivery of the jets is scheduled for 2017, at the end of a lease between Warsaw and the national carrier LOT Polish Airline for two Embraer 175s. With their transport fleet mostly consisting of older Russian models, there has been a push to modernize transport aircraft following the 2010 crash of a Tupolev Tu-154 which killed 96 people, including the nation’s then-president, Lech Kaczy?ski.

Asia Pacific

• The site for THAAD‘s deployment on the Korean peninsula has been settled with Seoul agreeing to a deal with the Lotte Group. A well known Korean cheabol, Lotte owns a golf course in Seonju county, identified as a potential deployment for a THAAD battery site during the summer. Under the agreement, a land swap will take place of lands owned by the Ministry of National Defense for the golf club, while valuators will assess whether the government needs to give a bigger parcel of land or make up any disparity with cash.

• F-16s operated by the Taiwanese Air Force will receive upgrades to the V model, with work to be undertaken by Aerospace Industrial Development Corp (AIDC) and overseen by Lockheed Martin. Four fighters will initially take part in the conversion program, dubbed Phoenix Rising, with the government aiming to upgrade 25-28 of the fighters every year. With 144 A/B variant F-16s set to be upgraded, the retrofitting will cost approximately $3.45 billion.

Today’s Video

Su-33 launched from the Admiral Kuznetsov via ski-jump:

A-Darter model, 2012
(click to view larger)

There’s a new advanced dogfighting missile coming to town, and it won’t be coming from any of the standard players. Denel Pty Ltd.’s missile/UAV subsidiary Denel Dynamics has entered into a joint development agreement with Brazil’s Ministry of Defence and Forca Aerea Brasileira for the A-Darter short range air-air missile (SRAAM), signed as a government to government agreement via South Africa’s Armscor. The original contract was apparently signed in July-August 2006, but the formal cooperation launch was announced at the April 2007 Latin American Aerospace and Defence exhibition in Brazil.

With the SRAAM export market already crowded by high-end products like the AA-11/ R73 Archer (Russia), AIM-9X Sidewinder (USA), AIM-132 ASRAAM (UK), IRIS-T (Germany & European), and Python 4/5 (Israel), one may legitimately wonder where the Agile-Darter’s capabilities, design philosophy, and market positioning fit within this array. This article addresses the A-Darter, and those market issues.

The A-Darter Program A-Darter
(click to view larger)

The A-Darter missile uses common LAU-7 type launchers, and is designed to work with standard MIL-STD-1553 databus systems. At the same time, it’s expected to be a 5th generation weapon. Reports indicate modern thermal imaging technology with a wide “boresight angle” for targeting, reportedly a 90-degree look angle with cockpit-selectable seeker scan patterns. Track rate is reportedly about 120 degrees per second, and target acquisition is said to be quick. Denel also worked to avoid using aluminum in the rocket propellant, in order to minimize the smoke trails that both warn enemy aircraft, and point back to the launching fighter.

One important similarity with MBDA’s AIM-132 ASRAAM is a streamlined design with few control surfaces, in order to minimize drag and maximize range. To take maximum advantage of that design decision, lock-on after launch capability will allow A-Darter to fly to a specified area before acquiring the target with its seeker head, using an inertial navigation system from BAE Systems (now divested as Atlantic Inertial Systems) for pre-lock navigation. There is no word, however, on whether the missile’s datalink is intended to allow for updates in flight, in order to prevent accidental engagement with the wrong target.

Denel Dynamics leads the industrial effort. The FAB’s Aerospace Technical Centre (CTA) is in charge of the Brazilian industrial end of the deal, and missile manufacturer Mectron is the lead company on the Brazilian side. the missile is expected to enter service in 2016.

Denel has also planned a product roadmap. An A-Darter Mk.II would reportedly feature seeker acquisition, target tracking, and decoy countermeasures upgrades. A-Darter Mk.III would be full a mid-life update, and is likely to add extended range.

Platforms & Exports South African JAS-39D
c. Gripen International
(click to view full)

In such a crowded SRAAM market, where integration of a non-standard weapon can be a difficult and expensive endeavor, a new missile is a difficult sell. A clue to its positioning may be provided by the 2007 statement of Denel’s spokesperson Joe Makhafola:

“The co-development of the missile… not only brings much-needed skills, training and technology transfer to the country, but reinforces the South-South co-operation initiated by President Thabo Mbeki and his counterpart.”

This industrial strategy seeks to boost the indigenous aerospace industries in both Brazil and South Africa, and fits into the IBSA cooperation framework. It may also be a lead-in to the missile’s market positioning in many 3rd world countries, as a weapon without political strings attached, due to its so-called non-aligned political positioning.

Whether this marketing approach will be successful remains to be seen. First, the missile’s development must itself succeed. After that, a new weapon’s market reach depends on the breadth of platforms that carry it.

FAB F-5EM
(click to view full)

In South Africa, the A-Darter will equip the SAAF’s Hawk Mk. 120 trainer/ light attack jets and JAS-39 C/D Gripen fighters. In Brazil, the A-Darter will begin serving on leased JAS-39C/D Gripens in time for the Rio 2016 Olympics, before transferring to the F-X2 program’s JAS-39E/F Gripen NGs once deliveries begin. A-Darters will also replace indigenous Mectron MAA-1 Piranha and AIM-9H Sidewinder missiles on some Brazilian aircraft, beginning with the FAB’s upgraded A-1M AMX subsonic fighters.

That may be as far as things go in Brazil. The FAB’s handful of Mirage 2000s retired in December 2013, leaving Brazil with upgraded F-5EM/FM supersonic light fighters, and “A-29” Super Tucano turboprops. The F-5s had been touted as the A-Darter’s base platform, but their coming demotion to secondary fighter status took most of the impetus away. The F-5Ms will do just fine with the FAB’s healthy stock of Israeli Python-3 and advanced Python-4 missiles, and the photo above seems to show one with AIM-9J/N/P Sidewinders. Those SRAAMs will accompany its medium-range, radar-guided RAFAEL Derby missiles.

For the Super Tucanos, a joint venture program between Mectron and EADS Cassidian is about to begin producing the MAA-1B upgrade of the Brazilian-designed Piranha SRAAM. The good news for A-Darter is that the deep involvement of Elbit Systems’ AEL subsidiary in Brazilian military aviation is giving their modernized AMX “A-1M” and F-5M jets, and A-29 turboprops, a very similar set of avionics. That will make common missile integration easier.

Beyond the 2 partner countries, Hawk integration is the biggest pointer to a larger export market. Hawks are very popular around the world as trainers, and many countries use them in a secondary role as light fighters and air policing aircraft. Even NATO planned to use them as airfield defense planes, in the event of a Soviet invasion. An integrated A-Darter would offer operators of advanced Hawk models a significant SRAAM upgrade over existing options, and might even become a reason to upgrade older Hawk models.

Contracts and Key Events 2015 – 2016

Qualification phase; Deal to manufacture in Brazil. A-Darter concept cutaway
(click to view full)

November 21/16: The Brazilian government has finally contracted South African firm Denel to integrate the A-Darter missile on the Brazilian Air Force’s new Saab Gripen E/F fighters, alleviating fears that the program was off track. While Brazil has been heavily involved in the fifth-generation munition’s development, fiscal woes along with political turmoil and a change in government resulted in the official nod to finance the procurement being delayed. The missile will also be integrated on South African Gripens as well as their Hawk Mk 120 lead-in trainers.

April 21/16: A joint South African and Brazilian development of the 5th generation A-Darter infrared short-range air-to-air missile (AAM) is in trouble, as the latter may be pulling out of the project. Despite development work already being done on the missile, only South Africa has put in a production order, with Brazil citing financial troubles to be able to further integrate the missile on the JAS 39 Gripen E fighter. South Africa has signed commitments to order the missile for the next five years, while Brazil is looking at existing missiles that are cleared for carriage on the latest variant of the JAS 39.

November 3/15: The South African Air Force will receive the first batch of A-Darter short-range air-to-air missiles in February 2016, following a six-month delay in development testing. The co-developed missile, a product of Brazil’s Mectron and South Africa’s Denel Dynamics, has reached a Production Baseline certification following the conclusion of a series of critical design reviews. The missile has been jointly funded by the Brazilian Air Force and the South African National Defense Force, with the project formally launched in April 2007.

Feb 13/15: The Brazilian Air Force is bragging (Portugese) about a successful test firing of an air-to-air A-Darter missile developed with along with South Africa. The news release appeared geared to an export market, noting that other missiles with similar technologies aren’t allowed to be exported from those producing countries.

2011 – 2014

Qualification phase; Deal to manufacture in Brazil.

July 7/14: South Africa’s defenceWeb looks at Denel Dynamics’ growing array of missiles and guided weapons. With respect to the A-Darter:

“On the A-Darter air-to-air missile front, Denel Dynamics is planning improvements for this weapon, including extended range and targeting. An A-Darter Mk II would feature improved acquisition, target tracking and countermeasures upgrades while an A-Darter Mk III would feature a mid-life update (MLU).”

Sources: defenceWeb, “Denel Dynamics upgrading missile range”.

May 16/14: South Africa’s defenceWeb reports that A-Darter is in its final stage of development, with testing complete for the SAAF’s JAS-39C/D Gripens, production expected to begin in 2015, and expected service entry by 2016. That means it would be in time to serve on Brazil’s leased JAS-39C/Ds as well. Integration on the SAAF’s Hawk fleet is expected to take about 2 years. They also report that cooperation could extend beyond A-Darter:

“One project that is moving forward is the joint development of a new air-to-air missile with a range of up to 100 km. Called Marlin by Denel Dynamics, the new weapon will feature a radar seeker head and will be developed into an all-weather surface-to-air missile (SAM) that can be used by South African and Brazilian Navies.

The Marlin technology demonstrator programme was contracted by the [South African] Department of Defence through [state conduit] Armscor and will result in a missile that is launched at a target in three to four years’ time. Marlin technology will subsequently be used for Navy, Army and Air Force applications, with synergy achieved due to common subsystems. The missile will use some subsystems and system architecture from Denel’s proven Umkhonto [link added] surface-to-air missile and the A-Darter.”

Brazil hasn’t formally signed on to anything yet, and South African defense budgets can’t even maintain their existing military. That leaves the Marlin project with little margin for error, absent a significant commitment by Brazil. Sources: “SA and Brazil to collaborate on missiles post-A-Darter”.

Dec 6/12: Infrastructure. The FAB signs a R 1.4 million (about $672,000) contract with Denel to prepare for a missile-building factory in the Sao Jose dos Campos industrial park. Production is expected to begin some time in 2015.

The release also discusses some of the thrust-vectoring missile’s characteristics, touting the 2.98 meter, 90 kg weapon as having capacity for 100g maneuvers, and the ability to hit targets behind the aircraft like other 5th generation SRAAMs. It also specifies Brazil’s upgraded A-1Ms and winners of its F-X2 competition as the designated platforms. FAB [in Portuguese] | Flight International.

Nov 7/12: Brazil. Brazil’s air force chief of staff, Gen. Aprigio Eduardo de Moura Azevedo, offers some missile program updates at IQPC’s International Fighter conference in London, UK. The A-Darter is in its prototype performance verification phase, with qualification scheduled to begin in Q2 2014, production and manufacturing baselines scheduled to be fixed by mid-2015, and production to commence in Q3 2015. That would place FAB operational service somewhere in 2015-2016. Flight International adds that:

“Once operational, the A-Darter will arm the Brazilian air force’s upgraded Northrop F-5EM/FM fighters (above), operations of which are expected to continue until 2025, and the service’s future F-X2 combat aircraft, as well as the South African Air Force’s Saab Gripens.”

Gen. Azevedo also says that Mectron’s MAR-1 radar-killing missile is now involved in final flight tests of a new software update, aboard an AMX fighter. Low Rate Initial Production of the missile is scheduled for Q3 2013. Flight International.

April 18/12: Argentina? Argentina’s defense minister Arturo Puricelli reportedly expresses interest in the A-Darter missile, as part of a wider range of proposed cooperation on military programs. The most likely candidate within Argentina’s limited air force would be its A-4AR Skyhawks, which could be done as a joint program that also upgraded Brazil’s carrier-based fighters.

Despite a long history of strained relations with Brazil, Argentina has already signed an MoU to participate in Embraer’s KC-390 medium tactical transport program. Puricelli was also reportedly interested in Brazil’s SATCOM-equipped version of Elbit’s Hermes 450 UAV, and in modernization of Argentina and Brazil’s stocks of Exocet missiles to the MM40 variant. defesanet [in Portuguese].

March 7/12: Testing. As the program enters its 5th year of development, South Africa’s DefenceWeb reports on a successful series of undisclosed A-Darter guided launches in January 2012, against Denel Dynamics high sub-sonic Skua aerial target drone. Denel’s Business Development Manager for Air-to-Air missiles, Deon Olivier, provides confirmation. The report adds that:

“The programme has now entered its qualification phase, and is well on its way to completion by next year (2013), with the ultimate goal of being production-ready by the end of that year. The initial fighter aircraft for integration are the Hawk and Gripen for the South African Air Force (SAAF), and the Northrop F-5M for the Brazilian Air Force. It is likely that A-Darter will enter into operational service in both air forces in 2014, Denel Dynamics said in a statement released at the Defence and Security Asia 2012 show in Thailand.”

June 7/11: South Africa. Jane’s Missiles and Rockets reports that the SAAF is likely to retain both the A-Darter and the IRIS-T missiles for its Gripens, while making A-Darter the main air defense weapon for its Hawk Mk120s. The pilots liked the design’s inherent range, and the unofficial SAAF web site summarizes that:

“Specific aspects of the A-Darter mentioned to by SAAF pilots include the absence, under favourable atmospheric conditions, of the tell-tale (aluminium oxide particle based) smoke trail (no aluminium is used in the rocket propellant), giving opposing fighter pilots no visual warning other than a very discrete launch flash… a 90-degree look angle; the availability of cocpit-selectable [sic] seeker scan patterns; quick target acquisition, which “rarely needs a second scan cycle”, was told; after-launch scanning for lock-on-after-launch engagements, which is particularly valuable in “over the shoulder” engagements; and the 120-degrees per second track rate.”

2006 – 2010

Program launch, tests. SAAF Hawk Mk.120
(click to view full)

Sept 22/10: Market. Reuters Africa quotes Denel Dynamics CEO Jan Wessels, who sees a bright market future for the A-Darter. He’d hardly say it was rubbish, but for the record, here’s his take:

“In 10 years time I predict that a significant percentage of the missile business in the developing world will be kept among themselves, with many of them getting their sourced technology from South Africa… We will see as a percentage of the missile market the developing countries share possibly doubling to 20 percent, and importantly they are no longer buying from traditional suppliers but keeping the business among themselves…” [Wessels] cited the A-Darter air-to-air missile, a joint development with Brazil, as one example.”

July 21/10: Testing. The 1st A-Darter firing takes place from a South African Air Force JAS-39D Gripen, at the Overberg test area in South Africa. Magnus Reineholm Project Manager for the integration of A-Darter at Saab:

“The A-Darter and the Gripen aircraft have worked beyond our expectations and we are extremely pleased with the test firing results.”

See: Saab.

April 23/10: South Africa. The South African Air Force reportedly intends to fit A-Darter missiles to its fleet of 24 BAE Hawk Mk. 120 lead-in fighter trainers and light attack aircraft, as well as its 26 JAS-39 C/D Gripen Fighters.

The move will give Denel Dynamics a larger market within South African and also abroad – Hawk aircraft are flown by about 18 countries. South Africa’s Defence Web.

April 22/10: Testing. The A-Darter missile program has completed a series of ground- launched flight tests, and Denel Dynamics executive manager for air-to-air programmes, Denise Wilson, says the project will be ready for full production by 2012. Denel is reportedly working toward a 2011 date to supply early unarmed training missiles for the SAAF.

Program manager Deon Olivier is quoted as saying that the project is now at the stage “where uncertainties have decreased considerably,” thanks to increased confidence in the seeker stemming from December 2009 – January 2010 seeker tests. Step 2 was a series of ground-based test shots to evaluate the missile’s aerodynamics and control, followed by guided shots in which all the components were tested together in flight. March 2010 saw the completion of carriage clearance tests of the A-Darter missile on the JAS-39C/D Gripen, at up to 12g instantaneous maneuver and 45,000 feet/ 13,700m.

Future tests include imminent ground-launch programmed tests for aerodynamics and flight control evaluations, followed by firing clearance from the Gripen aircraft to test missile and seeker performance. Johannesburg Business Day.

April 16/09: Tech transfer. Defense News covers a presentation from Denel Dynamics at the 2009 Latin America Aerospace and Defense (LAAD) conference. Col. Ian van Vuuren, director for the A-Darter program at Denel Dynamics:

“…gave a basic “how-to” seminar on establishing a framework for technology transfers between countries. “One of the typical problems with technology transfer is everybody agrees to do it, [but] it takes two and a half years for the client receiving the technology to put the establishment team in place in his own country,” van Vuuren said. In that time, knowledge is lost and training loses its effectiveness… Van Vuuren’s presentation focused on the process Denel and the governments of South Africa and Brazil used to establish a framework for the technology transfer as part of the A-Darter program. Key to the process is having over-arching government support, formalized in cooperation agreements, and creating a joint contracting body to award the contract to companies.”

IRIS-T on Gripen
(click to view larger)

May 28/08: South Africa. Diehl BGT announces that the South African Air Force has picked the IRIS-T short range air-to-air missile to equip their Gripen fighter aircraft “as an interim solution until the local missile development – the A Darter – will be operational.” This makes them IRIS-T’s 2nd export customer outside the original 7-nation consortium.

The South African arms acquisition organization Armscor placed a contract order for the IRIS-T missiles “in the second half of May 2008,” and the missiles will become operational on SAAF Gripens in 2009. Industrial offsets are also involved, which will be tricky given the A-Darter’s explicit status as a future competitor.

April 26/07: Formal Launch. The A-Darter program is formally launched at the April 2007 Latin American Aerospace and Defence exhibition in Brazil.

The firm adds that it expects to employ at least 200 engineers over the duration of the contract, and hopes to use the program to attract young engineers to the company. while this is an excellent long-term strategy, it would have development implications if implemented. Meanwhile, 10 Brazilian air force members have begun work on the program at the Denel Dynamics plant, to be joined by another 20 people from “the Brazilian defence companies.”

Denel spokesperson Joe Makhafola said that current contracts amount to ZAR 1 billion [about $145 million], and that future export contracts are expected to add another ZAR 2 billion over the program’s 15 years. Denel | The Arms Deal Virtual Press Office.

Formal project launch

Aug 11/06: Contract? South Africa’s Engineering News reports that the A-Darter agreement was signed “a few weeks ago,” and that a team of 5 specialists from the FAB’s Aerospace Technical Centre (CTA) is now in South Africa to participate in development.

The contract is between the Brazilian Ministry of Defence and South Africa’s Department of Defence, though the government contacts will involve Brazil’s FAB dealing with South Africa’s Armscor. A certain amount of development has already taken place in South Africa, and the rest of the development will be divided 50/50.

Brazil has reportedly allocated $52-million, but estimates of the final cost could reach $100 million or more. The FAB currently expects the missile to enter service in 2015, nine years from now. Brazil’s CTA is known to be holding talks with missile-maker Mectron; rocket, missile and armoured vehicle maker Avibras; and strategic systems software house Atech for Brazilian participation.

Feb 14/06: Initial agreement. South Africa and Brazil have agreed in principle to a ZAR 300-million (about $57.5 million) project to finish developing Denel’s A-Darter short-range air-to-air missile. The investment was disclosed in an extract of an “exemption from tendering” notice published on Jan 27/06 in Brazil’s Official Daily of the Union. Subsequent inquiries lead to descriptions of the agreements as being “80 percent to 90 percent there.” So they’re not a signed contract yet, more like agreement in principle.

Reports indicate a government-to-government agreement, involving the Brazilian Air Force’s department of research and development and South Africa’s Armscor agency for defence acquisition, disposal, research and development. Meanwhile, Denel has created a “Denel do Brasil” subsidiary office in the city of Sao Jose dos Campos. South Africa’s IOL.

Additional Readings

• Mectron – Armamentos Inteligentes [in Portuguese]. Includes MAA-1 Piranha variants as well.

• SAAF (unofficial) – Weapon – Air-to-Air – V3E A-Darter

• DID – Brazil’s F-X2 Fighter Competition

• DID – Brazil’s F-5BR Fighter Fleet Upgrade Program. The F-5BR program produces F-5EM/FM fighters.

• DID – Enhancing Brazil’s AMX Light Attack Fighters. They’ll become A-1Ms in Brazil.

Americas

• An agreement has been signed between Airbus and the Chilean government to pursue collaborative business development in the defense and aerospace industry. Both sides will cooperate on manufacturing and maintenance for future projects while exploring further possibilities. The Airbus deal is one of several agreements Chile has made with defense firms which includes a contract with Lockheed Martin to produce spare parts for C-130 aircraft.

Middle East & North Africa

• The Turkish Defence Minister Fikri Isik stated that the first two of a batch of 24 more Lockheed Martin F-35 aircraft will be delivered in 2018. 24 of the Joint Strike Fighter will be ordered over the next three years, of which six, including the two expected in 2018, had already been ordered. Ankara has committed to procuring a total of 115 F-35s.

Europe

• Greece has taken delivery of three second-hand CH-47SD heavy-lift helicopters. The transfer of the ex-National Guard Chinooks was completed on November 11. Seven more are expected by the end of 2017 as part of a $120 million deal with the US.

• European Defense Ministers agreed to raise the budget of the European Defence Agency (EDA) ending a six-year freeze. While small, the increase will see 2016’s $32.7 million increased to $33.1 for 2017’s activities. All 27 EU members gave their resounding support for the measure and will use the extra funds to develop and procure additional aircraft and other defense materials.

• Spain’s Air Force has received its first A400M transporter from Airbus. Aircraft MSN44 carried out its maiden flight from Airbus’s Seville final assembly site in September, and is the first of 27 examples on order for Spain. The delivery came days after Airbus announced that two A400Ms had successfully demonstrated the in-flight transfer of fuel using a fuselage-housed hose-and-drum unit.

Asia Pacific

• South Korean investigators have raided the offices of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA). An official from DAPA is suspected of leaking confidential information on military equipment to BAE Systems during a mismanaged project to upgrade the KF-16 fighter jet. The 2011 modernization award with the company has since been dissolved.

• Boeing is eager to sell its KC-46A aerial refueling tanker to India. The Indian Air Force has yet to procure a capability to refuel its C-17 and P-8I aircraft, and New Delhi has eyed up the Pegasus to fill such a role. A laborious search has been underway to fill a six multi-role tanker capability soon to be vacated by their aging IL-76 aircraft. Earlier attempts to procure Airbus A 330 MRTT never came to fruition.

• The first flight of India’s Rustom-II UAV has been successfully completed. Conducted by India’s Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO), the drone accomplished all main objectives during the test, including takeoff, bank, level flight, and landing. While this marks a good milestone for the program, officials maintain that a lot more evaluation and testing needs to be done before operational evaluation and eventual entry into service with India’s military branches can take place.

Today’s Video

Live demonstration of South Korea’s K30 Biho twin 30 mm self-propelled anti-aircraft gun:

Rustom-H mockup
(click to view full)

India has not been left out of the global UAV push. The country operates Israeli Searcher tactical UAVs, and Heron Medium Altitude, Long Endurance (MALE) UAVs, placing an additional Heron order in 2005. It has also undertaken development programs for a smaller UAV, the “Nishant”. With its “Rustom” program, however, India hopes to offer a UAV in the Heron/ Predator/ Watchkeeper class of MALE UAVs.

It had also hoped to begin to change a culture and tradition of wholly state-owned development of military hardware, which has not always performed well, or served India’s needs. A recent award has selected a winner, and moved the project forward. It may also serve as a reminder that bureaucracies are very difficult to change.

The Rustom family of UAVs Rustom-1 scale model
(click to view full)

“Rustom” translates as “warrior,” and may remind some readers of the great hero in Persia’s classic The Shah-nameh. Reports indicate that India’s UAV is named after a more contemporary personality, however: Rustom Damania, a former professor of IISc, Bangalore, who led the National Aeronautical Laboratories’ light canard research aircraft (LCRA) project in the 1980s.

The LCRA is reportedly the initial basis for the DRDO ADE’s 1,100-1,800 kg UAV design, which aims for a maximum altitude of 35,000 feet and a range of 300 km/ 240 miles, with endurance around 24 hours. This will be the Rustom-C/H, with the “C” variant expected to carry weapons as well as surveillance gear.

A lighter “Rustom-1” looks more like Burt Rutan’s Long-EZ design, with canards up front, winglets on a squared delta wing, and a pusher propeller in back. It will act as a test platform, and could fill a tactical UAV slot, with endurance of only 12-14 hours, maximum altitude of 22,000 feet, and a range of around 250 km.

Procurement & the Private Sector: India’s Struggles

In some ways, Rustom’s naming is also a fine encapsulation of India’s defense industry struggles. Given the sensitive nature of defence projects, private firms have generally been limited to step-and-fetch roles as component suppliers or sub-contractors on projects designed and managed by state-owned agencies or firms such as DRDO, NAL, HAL, BEL, et. al. Many of those projects have fared poorly, leaving India with gaps in critical defense capabilities that then had to be filled by buying foreign equipment as a “temporary” measure. Which would frequently become permanent mainstays for India’s forces.

In 2002, India took the first steps toward changing its procurement model. It opened up defence equipment production to private sector companies, and even allowed up to 26% foreign direct investment in such ventures. In 2006, “India’s DRDO Rethinking the Way it Does Business” covered changes in government statements, and even grudging DRDO admissions that more private sector involvement was necessary, if India’s industry was to develop and deliver the equipment a rising power needs. Subsequent moves by the government on a number of fronts, from aircraft to tanks, are opening up a far larger role for global defense firms in supplying India’s needs.

The problem is that bureaucracies are entirely uninterested in changing their long-standing and comfortable models, especially if those changes promise reduced future roles for those bureaucracies. Domestic development remains largely the bailiwick of existing agencies and bureaucracies. In those competitions so far, Indian firms partnered with experienced foreign suppliers like Thales, IAI, et. al. continue to lose to state-owned Indian firms whose overall record in the sectors under competition is shallower, and arguably adds development risks to these projects.

That appears to have been the case with Rustom.

IAI Heron UAV
(click to view larger)

DRDO intended to move away from its traditional model of developing and finalizing the system itself, then handing the designs and technology over to a production agency. Instead, they would introduce concurrent engineering that involves the producing firm, and initial design efforts also take into consideration production issues. This production agency development partner (PADP) was whittled down from 23 firms to 4 finalists: Larsen and Toubro Ltd. (L&T), Godrej and Boyce Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Tata Advanced Systems Ltd. – and a joint bid from state-owned firms Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and Bharat Electronics.

The accompanying maritime patrol radars and electro-optical systems were expected to come from Israel, whose systems equip current UAVs and aircraft. The engine is also expected to come from a selection process, rather than being a product of new R&D.

So far, that’s an improvement. Unfortunately, Rustom’s reported contract structure is a fine illustration of the time and performance blindness that has crippled so many indigenous Indian efforts. LiveMint describes an agreement that involved INR 4 billion investment in prototypes and trials, over a decade or more. All in a field where major new designs are being fielded, now, in 2 year cycles – and where the capabilities India seeks already exist in several fielded platforms. One hopes that is a reporting error.

The Rustom development contract also contains no guarantee of an order from the armed forces once it is complete. That’s normal in India, and not unusual in many countries that used staged-gate approval processes for weapons. What’s unusual is the combination of no commitment plus partnership financing requirements, which is a poor fit for the private sector. The HAL official who confirmed these arrangements for LiveMint asked the logical question: “If there is no assurance of an order [and such a high investment target], why should the private industry come forward and invest?” Yet some firms did make that offer, in conjunction with experienced foreign partners. They lost to HAL, whose history of aviation production does not extend to UAVs of this size and complexity.

What is clear, is that India’s efforts to build up its private sector defense industry beyond a mere conduit for foreign firms’ industrial offset programs is off to a slow start. N.S. Sisodia, director general of the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, is typically diplomatic in his survey of the broader situation. He is also correct:

“The process does take a little time. There are efforts made in DPP (the defence procurement procedure) to involve private industry. But I think much more can be done.”

Contracts & Key Events

November 18/16: The first flight of India’s Rustom-II UAV has been successfully completed. Conducted by India’s Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO), the drone accomplished all main objectives during the test, including takeoff, bank, level flight, and landing. While this marks a good milestone for the program, officials maintain that a lot more evaluation and testing needs to be done before operational evaluation and eventual entry into service with India’s military branches can take place.

November 23/15: The long awaited death of India’s indigenous Nishat UAV program has come to pass. The final of four UAVs in use by the Army has crashed less than a week after the program was officially cancelled. The final nail in the program’s coffin occurred earlier this month after a third UAV crashed amid technical problems cited by the Indian Army. However, these claims have been refuted by the Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO), who claim army incompetence and poor handling by the army. While the blame game continues, we do know that we won’t be seeing any more Nishats in the Indian sky.

November 18/15: The Indian Army has decided to cancel a two decade long indigenous Nishant UAV program after the third of four in use by the army crashed near the city of Jaisalmer on November 4. The Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) had been developing the Nishant UAV since 1995 with the aim of developing India’s own reconnaissance and intelligence gathering abilities. Phase 1 had seen four of the UAVs introduced in 2011 and continuation would have seen 8 more orders of the UAV by the army. The announcement comes shortly after Prime Minister Modi’s recent push to increase development within India’s private defense industry and the sharing of indigenously designed Rustom UAVs by the government. In the wake of the Nishant duds, these companies may be best served looking elsewhere for design ideas.

September 25/15: In a bid to spur development in the country’s private defense industry, the Modi government has decided to share designs of indigenously-developed unmanned aerial vehicles with private firms. Developed by the Indian state-owned Defence Research and Development Organisation, details of the Rustom family of UAVs were until now kept secret from the private sector. As the Indian government looks to develop its defense industrial base domestically, it has also recently relaxed joint venture restrictions on foreign companies in a bid to build expertise through collaborative working. However, foreign companies still face stringent offset policies and investment restrictions, despite slow progress.

November 2013: Rustom-II. India Strategic quotes Honeywell Aerospace India President Pritam Bhavnani as saying that:

“As well as propulsion, our technology portfolio across these [American UAV] platforms spans electrical power systems, Auxiliary Power Units, navigation, air thermal systems, fuel controls, pneumatics, wheels and brakes and high integrity controls…. Rustom II is an exciting development in the evolution of India’s defence capabilities. I cannot give any specific details today regarding our involvement with the program…”

Sources: India Strategic, “Rustom II: An exciting opportunity for Honeywell”.

May 8/12: Test flight 14. India’s MoD:

“Indigenously designed and developed RUSTOM-1 made 14th successful flight this morning at Kolar with attainment of about 11,500 ft AGL (above ground level) and speed of above 140 Kmph during 2 hrs 10 minutes of cruise. It may be noted that this unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), developed by Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), a DRDO lab at Bangalore, had its maiden flight in Nov 2009. Mr. PS Krishnan, Director ADE stated that the flight was successful. All the parameters were achieved by the UAV which weigh around 690 Kg and the total performance was satisfactory.”

Nov 11/11: Test flight 5. India’s government announces that the 661 kg Rustom-1 UAV had made its 5th test flight, at 100 knots and 2,300 feet above ground level near Hosur. The release adds that: “This UAV can attain a maximum speed of 150 Knots, 22,000 ft of altitude and endurance of 12-15 Hours with an operating range of 250 Kms when fully developed.”

May 24/11: DRDO’s Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) has flown an upgraded version of “Rustom-1” from TAAL’s airfield near Hosur. It’s reported to be a converted manned aircraft, and the goal is an endurance of 14 hours and altitude ceiling of 8 km/ 26,000 feet. ADE reports it was happy with the flight, conducted as a precursor to flights with payloads. DNA India.

Prahlada, chief controller of research and development (aeronautics programme), said “with the successful accurate flying of Rustom 1, ADE is geared up for integration of payloads with the Aircraft within next three months, to demonstrate performance of payloads and necessary secure data-link to the users.”

Rustom 1st flight
(click for video)

Oct 26/10: Rustom-1’s first flight.

April 25/10: State-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) and Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) win the bid to design and build Rustom. The award marks the 3rd large Indian defence project in which private firms have lost out to public sector rivals, after the Saras light passenger plane and the Army’s tactical communication system project. That trend is causing some questioning of the government’s sincerity regarding its pledges to advance private Indian defense firms. Larsen & Tourbo aerospace and defence VP M.V. Kotwal, whose firm bid on all 3 contracts, is quoted by LiveMint:

“This is a disappointment for us since we had been told that the projects would be open for participation by the private sector on a competitive basis… Otherwise we would not have spent the time and efforts in preparing for the bids. Detailed plans for execution had also been presented as required…”

That last statement alludes to DRDO chief controller of R&D Prahlada’s statement that “HAL-BEL gave us a clear road map for manufacture” as the reason for their victory. LiveMint.

Nov 16/09: DRDO’s Rustom technology demonstrator crashes at the Taneja Aerospace Air Field near Hosur, during its 1st flight. The taxiing and takeoff went as planned, but “due to misjudgment of altitude of the flight, the on-board engine was switched off through ground command…”

That’s not generally a good thing. On the flip side, DRDO says the shortened flight was useful for establishing more confidence in the UAV’s aerodynamics, redundant flight control, engine and datalink. Defense News.

Aug 6/09: India’s Tata Group signs a wide-ranging joint venture agreement with Israel Aerospace Industries, the builders of India’s Searcher and Heron UAVs. The agreement finalizes a commitment made in February 2009 by IAI CEO Itzhak Nissan and Tata Sons Chairman Ratan N. Tata.

Under the terms of the MoU, the new Company will develop, manufacture and support a wide range of defence and aerospace products, including missiles, UAVs, radars, electronic warfare (EW) systems and home land security (HLS) systems. The new company will also perform offset work for IAI and other defence and aerospace programs in India. domain-b.

May 15/09: Larsen and Toubro Ltd. (L&T), Godrej and Boyce Manufacturing Co. Ltd., and Tata Advanced Systems Ltd. bid to develop India’s Rostam MALE UAV. The 4th bidder is a joint effort by state-owned defence equipment makers Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) and Bharat Electronics Ltd. (BEL).

The Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) is testing a technology demonstrator. Once a vendor is selected, ADE and that vendor will design an enhanced version; a selection is expected later in 2009.

ADE’s tender expects that the cost of producing one set of 5 Rustom vehicles with 5 sets of spares, plus payload and ground handling/control equipment, would be around INR 2.5 billion (just under $50 million). India Defence.

Sept 22/08: The first low-speed taxi tests of ADE’s Rustom technology demonstrator take place.

Additional Readings

• Air Force Technology – Rustom Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, Chitradurga

• DID – India’s DRDO Rethinking the Way it Does Business.

• iHLS (July 5/13) – Indian desire for UAS results in home production

• DID (June 10/10) – Private Shipbuilding Firm Wins Indian OPV Contract. It’s a slow opening in an important military sector.

• India Defence (March 12/09) – DRDO’s Rustom UAV To Roll Out Soon

Americas

• The first US flight of the T-50A advanced jet trainer will take place on November 17 at Lockheed Martin’s Advanced Pilot Training facility in Greenville, South Carolina. Developed jointly by LM and Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI), the trainer is an upgraded version of the T-50 Golden Eagle and is being offered to the USAF’s T-X trainer competition. It was expected that RoKAF Chief of Staff Gen. Jeong Kyeong-doo and Vice Defense Minister Hwang In-moo would witness the flight, but due to the recent political turmoil at home, will not make the trip. South Korean President Park Geun-hye is under increased pressure to resign following allegations that she let her friend Choi Soon-sil, a shamanist cult leader, have extensive access and influence over government policy and decision making.

• Aurora Flight Sciences is to develop an unmanned Huey helicopter for cargo delivery. The company has already tested their aerial cargo/utility system (AACUS) on two other helicopters and are now looking to develop an unmanned UH-1H Huey with their Tactical Autonomous Aerial Logistics System (TALOS). Commercial applications being mulled over by Aurora include for civilian first responders flying in storms or nighttime.

Middle East & North Africa

• F-16C/D fighters from the Israeli Air Force 101 Fighter Squadron are being integrated with the Rafael Spice 1000 precision guided munition. The munition is a 453kg (1,000lb) bomb equipped with a guidance kit, with pop-out wings that extend its range to more than 100km (54nm). The IAF expects to reach full operational capability with the Spice 1000 in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, Israel’s Defense Ministry is looking to outsource testing the Arrow missile defense system and Shavit rocket to private companies with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Rafael both bidding for the tender.

Europe

• The Royal Navy is expected to be left without an anti-ship missile strike capability between 2018-2020. Such a gap is being caused by the planned retirement of the Sea Skua missile in early 2017 and the 2018 retirement of the SWS60 Harpoon. A limited anti-ship capability will only return when the Sea Venom/ANL lightweight anti-ship missile is equipped on the Wildcat HMA.2 helicopter in late 2020. No funded program is in place by the UK for a Harpoon replacement, however.

• Russia’s third-generation Ratnik (Warrior) combat gear will feature an active exoskeleton, which will significantly increase the physical power of soldiers wearing it. It will be introduced within the next 5-7 years. The active exoskeleton mechanism’s hinges are equipped with electric and hydraulic drives, to enhance the possibilities of the musculoskeletal system. A passive exoskeleton that does not contain wire and will not be connected to the body of the serviceman will also be included. It will serve to reduce the load on joints and will reduce the likelihood of injury. Designers will create systems to display information and target designation on the visor or goggles.

• US troops in Europe have received their largest ammo delivery in over 20 years. 600 shipping containers were delivered to the Miesau Army Depot in Germany late last month for storage and distribution to USAF and Army forces. The buildup is seen as a way of reassuring anxious European allies, especially in eastern Europe, against a believed security concern posed by Russia.

Asia Pacific

• While some commercial jet deals are slowly making their way toward Iran, a Russian diplomat has said that military acquisitions are not so simple. Tehran’s plans to acquire Russian fighters such as the Sukhoi Su-30SM may be difficult due to UN Resolution 2231, which would refer such defense deals to the Security Council. Levan Dzhagaryan, the Russian Ambassador to Iran, made the comments but also stated that Moscow is “ready to cooperate with Iran on this sensitive issue, but only under permitted areas.”

• A joint venture agreement has been finalized between Elbit Systems and Adani Enterprises to manufacture UAVs for the Indian market. The joint venture will pitch Elbit’s Hermes 450 and 900 systems in an effort to break the stranglehold currently held by fellow Israeli firm IAI. Having recently joined the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), New Delhi is forging ahead with procuring armed UAVs in order to tackle militants operating in areas such as the disputed region of Kashmir.

Today’s Video

GoPro Cockpit footage of a Croatian Air Force MiG-21:

ANL on NH90
(click to view full)

Britain needs to replace the old Sea Skua missiles carried by its Lynx naval helicopters. France could use a lighter missile than the 655 kg AM39 Exocet – one that could be carried by a wider range of helicopters, and offer a different attack profile. The answer to both needs may lie in a notional 110 kg missile under development by MBDA, as part of a broad 2006 “Team Complex Weapons” arrangement with the UK’s Ministry of Defence.

The tough part was getting Britain and France to come together and agree on the development framework for the Sea Venom / Anti-Navire Leger (ANL) / Future Anti-Surface Guided Weapon – Heavy (FASGW-H) missile. Britain needs a strike missile to equip its new AW159 Wildcats, but France can already mount longer-range AM39 Exocets on its Super Puma helicopters, and didn’t feel a huge sense of urgency about its new NH90-NFH medium helicopters or AS565 Panther light naval helicopters. It took until 2013, but development is now underway.

Sea Venom / ANL / FASGW-H: The Missile MBDA video
click for video

The program’s goal is a 110 kg missile with a 30 kg warhead, one capable of sinking or disabling Fast Attack Craft (FAC) in the 50t – 500t ton range, and damaging corvettes or frigates. The choice of guidance modes should also allow it to be used for precision attack more generally. Boost and sustain rocket motors are both compliant with naval safety requirements, and steps have been taken to ease integration by minimizing changes to shipborne handling equipment, magazines, etc. that currently handle the Sea Skua and AS.15TT missiles.

The Sea Venom / ANL (Anti-Navire Leger) missile will rely on inertial navigation + Imaging Infrared (IIR) guidance, creating a fire-and-forget weapon that won’t alert its targets by broadcasting a radar signal. A radar altimeter looks down, to keep the missile skimming just above the waves and make it harder for defensive radars to pick up. ANL can be fired in either Lock-on Before Launch or Lock-on After Launch modes, and a bi-directional datalink allows updates and retargeting in flight.

As a comparative illustration, the semi-active radar homing AS.15 and Sea Skua aren’t fire and forget, while the Exocet’s active radar guidance will trigger a ship’s ESM defensive electronics.

Range isn’t given, but given its size, the ANL’s range is very likely to be shorter than the Exocet’s 70 km/ 38 nm. It’s said to be longer than the Sea Skua’s 25 km/ 13.5 nm, which represents the rough minimum in order to keep the launching helicopter beyond the reach of short range air defenses expected on FAC, corvette, and light frigate opponents.

Development will be led by European missile giant MBDA, who has branches on both sides of the English Channel and is owned by BAE, EADS, and Finmeccanica. They’re also the manufacturer of larger helicopter-launched anti-ship missiles like the AM39 Exocet and Marte Mk2, and shorter-range missiles like the FASGW-L/ LMM and laser-guided 127mm Zuni rockets.

Britain had been planning to replace its Sea Skua missiles by 2012 – 2014, but that won’t be possible. At best, there will be testing in late 2017 – early 2018. France’s timeline was more leisurely, aiming only to equip its NH90-NFH helicopters by 2020. Those timelines will force Britain to either extend the service life of its Lynx Mk8 helicopters and Sea Skua missiles, or do without a helicopter anti-ship capability until the new Sea Venom missile is ready for use from its new AW159 Wildcats.

Malaysian Sea Skua
click for video

Exports aren’t a major focus yet, but Sea Venom will be the standard strike missile option aboard future AW159 maritime helicopters, and will compete for every NH90-NFH naval helicopter customer. Customers for its predecessor missiles offer another opportunity. Saudi Arabia was the only AS.15TT export customer, but Sea Skua has been exported for helicopter and shipborne use to Brazil, Germany, India, Kuwait, Malaysia, Pakistan, South Korea, and Turkey.

Sea Venom’s competitors include MBDA’s own Marte Mk2/S, which will compete for NH90 orders, and Kongsberg’s popular Penguin missile. China’s TL-6 also sits in this category, but isn’t likely to compete because its integrated helicopters are unlikely to overlap.

Contracts & Key Events 2013 – 2017

Final Development contract; MoU with France and the UK; France puts ANL in their 5-year budget; UK faces a 3-year missile gap. Panther launch concept
(click to view full)

November 15/16: The Royal Navy is expected to be left without an anti-ship missile strike capability between 2018-2020. Such a gap is being caused by the planned retirement of the Sea Skua missile in early 2017 and the 2018 retirement of the SWS60 Harpoon. A limited anti-ship capability will only return when the Sea Venom/ANL lightweight anti-ship missile is equipped on the Wildcat HMA.2 helicopter in late 2020. No funded program is in place by the UK for a Harpoon replacement, however.

November 5/15: The United Kingdom and France have signed a technology-sharing agreement to develop a next-generation cruise missile. The two partners are expected to award MBDA a development contract in coming months, with the Intergovernmental Agreement covering several complex weapons programs, including the helicopter-launched anti-submarine missile known as Sea Venom.

Oct 28/14: Sub-contractors. Sagem DS announces a contract with their long-standing partner MBDA to develop and produce the ANL/ Sea Venom’s imaging infrared seeker. Sagem has picked Britain’s Selex ES Ltd. as a subordinate participant.

Sagem’s IIR seeker is based on uncooled detectors, based on work done for the FELIN infantry modernization and MMP anti-tank missile program. The missile will also have the ability to send back images to the helicopter’s cockpit. That will give Sea Venom a man over the loop (MOTL) firing mode that could change the assigned target during the missile’s flight, or choose a precise impact point. Sagem DS, “Sagem seeker chosen for MBDA’s new light antiship missile”.

July 17/14: Weapons. AgustaWestland signs a EUR 113 million (about GBP 89.3M / $153.1M) contract with the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) to integrate, test, and install ANL anti-ship missile and LMM light strike missile system compatibility onto 28 Royal Navy AW159 Wildcat HMA2 helicopters.

Note that the UK MoD has also signed a EUR 60.2 million contract with LMM missile maker Thales regarding broader integration of their missile onto the Wildcat fleet. Sources: Finmeccanica, “Finmeccanica – AgustaWestland signed a contract worth EUR 113 million with the UK Ministry of Defence”.

March 27/14: Development. MBDA receives the missile’s Anglo-French contract, a GBP 500 million / EUR 602 million / $830 million award to finish development. It will be managed by the UK DE&S (Defence Equipment & Support) on behalf of the French and UK ministries, as part of MBDA’s Team Complex Weapons Portfolio in Britain. This is the follow-on to the Sept 10/09 Joint Assessment Phase.

Work will take place at the Joint Project Office in Bristol, at MBDA in Lostock near Manchester, and at Stevenage. This makes 4 joint missile projects between the 2 countries: ANL AshM, Aster SAM, Meteor BVR AAM, and Storm Shadow cruise missile. Sources: UK MoD, “Multi-million-pound investment in Royal Navy missiles” | French DGA, “Le programme franco-britannique de missile anti navire leger (ANL) est lance” | MBDA, “MBDA to Develop FASGW(H)/ANL, Next Generation Anglo-French Anti-Ship Missile”.

Development contract

Feb 13/14: NAO Report. Britain’s National Audit Office releases their 2013 Major Projects Report, as well as their review of Britain’s 2013-2023 Equipment Plan. They place the value of the FASGW-H project’s Demonstration & Manufacture phase at GBP 452 million, and mention that:

“There have also been instances where project teams have relied too heavily on its industry partners, owing to resourcing problems. For example, the Department’s Scrutiny Team assessed in January 2012 that the teams responsible for implementing the heavy variant of the Future Anti-Surface Guided Weapon appeared to have entirely relied on its industry partners to plan the weapon’s integration on to Wildcat and it was not evident they had the necessary skills and staff required to successfully manage the integration. While funding is in place, the team has had difficulty in recruiting and retaining staff. The project team is currently conducting a review of staffing requirements to deliver this project.”

Jan 31/14: MoU. Britain and France were expected to sign a EUR 500 million Memorandum of Understanding to build FASGW-H, among other products of a head-of-state summit. They did sign an MoU confirming joint FASGW-H orders, but unlike other items in the agreement, there was no financial figure associated with it.

Meanwhile, French sources express quiet reservations about the difficulty of securing program cooperation with British political counterparts who are already in campaign mode for 2015, and express reservations regarding British austerity measures and their potential effects on joint programs and endeavors. Sources: The Independent, “Britain to set up controversial drone development partnership with France” | UK MoD, “UK and France agree closer defence co-operation” | Defense Update, “UK, France to Invest £120 million in a Joint UCAV Study” | IHS Jane’s, “France and the UK sign defence co-operation agreements” | Le Monde, “La defense au coeur du sommet franco-britannique”.

British – French MoU

Nov 27/13: France go-ahead. French defense minister Jean-Yves Le Drian announces the end of “The End of History” in France’s Assemblée Nationale, and follows by heralding the launch of FASGW(H) and other defense programs. The 2014 – 2019 budget still needs to be approved, but the minister refers to development beginning by the end of 2013:

“D’ici la fin de 2013, pourront ainsi être engagés le missile moyenne portée MMP, qui prendra la succession des missiles MILAN, essentiel à la fois pour l’armée de terre et notre industrie missilière ; les travaux du nouveau standard du Rafale, améliorant ses capacités, avec entre autres l’intégration du missile Météor et d’un POD de désignation laser de nouvelle génération ; le missile anti navires léger ANL, que nous mènerons en coopération avec nos partenaires britanniques ; les nouveaux radars du programme SCCOA, conduit par Thalès, pour protéger le territoire national ; ou encore les bateaux multi-missions, lesB2M, destinés à l’outre-mer… Autant de contrats qui seront lancés, conformément au calendrier prévu.”

The delays will still present difficulties for Britain, which is very unlikely to get the missile in time to replace Sea Skuas by 2015. If 2018 is a more realistic date, Britain will need to either abandon the capability until ANL is ready, or extend the service life of its Lynx Mk8 fleet and Sea Skua missiles. Sources: Ministère de la Défense: “Allocution devant l’Assemblee nationale a l’occasion de l’examen du projet de loi de programmation militaire” | Naval Recognition, “French Minister of Defense Confirms Launch of ANL FASGW(H) anti-ship missile program”.

April 29/13: France. French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian offered the 1st official confirmation of France’s intent to develop the ANL missile with Britain, during a speech at the Ecole Militaire staff college. On the other hand, his confirmation isn’t exactly laced with urgency.

He talks about including the anti-ship missile in France’s planning, but Britain needs the program to start very soon, in order to be ready by 2015. Otherwise, Britain’s AW159 Wildcat will find itself handicapped in the global export market. Where it competes against machines from Eurocopter, which is partly owned by the French state. The French Navy already has Super Puma helicopters equipped with Exocets, and are reportedly comfortable with ANL delivery after 2020.

Estimates for the Demonstration & Manufacture phase are around EUR 500 million ($655 million/ GBP 422 million), with another EUR 150 million or so to add it to French NH90-NFH and AS565 Panther naval helicopters and conduct all of the required trials. A bilateral high-level working group is expected to thrash out the details by summer 2013. A 50/50 split is expected for the base funding, but negotiations are underway, and the competing timelines give France added leverage. On the other hand, a failure could damage the broader 2010 Lancaster House cooperation agreement between Britain and France. Defense News.

Jan 10/13: NAO Report. Britain’s National Audit Office releases their 2012 Major Projects Report. With respect to FASGW-H:

“There will now be at least a 19-month gap between the existing [Sea Skua] capability leaving service and the new missile being available. The Department may extend the life of the existing missile to mitigate the gap…. Interim Main Gate 3 was the third of the submissions and concerned approval for the Future Anti-Surface Guided Weapon (Heavy) Demonstration and Manufacture Phase. The Business Case was presented to Equipment Capability Secretariat on 9 January 2012 and was considered by the Investment Approvals Committee on 18 January. On 31 January, Director General Finance approved the case, with a caveat that negotiations should be concluded with France before 31 March 2012. Bi?laterals continued, but by 28 March [2012] when Chief Secretary to the Treasury (CST) wrote to the MoD, discussions had not been concluded and as such Chief Secretary to the Treasury approved the case, subject to receiving French national approval.”

2009 – 2012

Joint Assessment Phase, Initial Team CW set doesn’t include FASGW-H. Early concept
(click to view full)

Sept 16/10: MBDA offers a progress report for the Joint Assessment Phase. Short version: they’ve got a final system design, and proven the technical maturity of key sub-systems.

Trials have included high speed wind tunnels using a representative scale model, gas gun firings to validate the warhead design, rocket motor firings “in various thermal environments”; and trials of the seeker, radar altimeter, data link terminal, and missile antenna. What they need now, is a contract for the Demonstration & Manufacture phase. MBDA.

March 29/10: Team CW. MBDA and the UK MoD sign a GBP 330 million interim Portfolio Management Agreement (PMA-I) contract, as the 1st step in a “Team Complex Weapons” partnering arrangement that could be worth up to GBP 4 billion over the next 10 years.

FASGW-H is a bit of a sideshow, as they aren’t As part of PMA-I directly. Its Assessment Phase will continue as part of the meta-program, while the PMA-I contract focuses on the Demonstration and Manufacturing phases for the ground-fired Fire Shadow Loitering Munition, and air-launched Selective Precision Effects At Range (SPEAR Capability 2, Block 1). It also funds Assessment Phases for SPEAR Capability 3 to equip the F-35, and the naval CAMM/ Future Local Area Air Defence System (FLAADS). EADS.

Team Complex Weapons PMA-I

Sept 10/09: Assessment phase. MBDA welcomes the announcement by the United Kingdom and France of a Joint Assessment Phase, funding initial development work on “a common solution for the next generation of a European helicopter anti-surface weapon.” They’re referring to FASGW(H) / ANL. MBDA.

Assessment Phase

Additional Readings

• French DGA – Le missile anti-navire leger : un atout de poids pour la marine.

• MBDA – Sea Venom / ANL. Also known as Britain’s FASGW-H program.

Background: Missiles

• MBDA – FASGW(H)/ANL. Slated for Lynx Wildcat, NH90-NFH, and AS565-SB Panther helicopters.

• MBDA – MARTE MK2/S. ANL competitor, uses active radar guidance. Integrated aboard NH90-NFH and AW101 helicopters.

• Designation Systems – Kongsberg AGM-119 Penguin. ANL competitor, uses INS/IIR guidance. Integrated aboard Lynx, H-60 Seahawk, and SH-2G Super Seasprite helicopters.

Background: Helicopters

• Naval Technology – AS 565MB Panther Mulitrole [sic] Naval Helicopter, France

• DID DII – AW159 Wildcat: The Future Lynx Helicopter Program

• DID DII – NH90: Europe’s Medium Helicopter Contender

News & Views

• UK Armed Forces Commentary (Nov 18/13) – The evolving budget situation: helicopters – UPDATE

• Think Defence (April 21/13) – UK Complex Weapons – Part 4 (Sea Skua and FASGW(H)). Includes a good recap of Sea Skua’s combat service.