BAE Systems’ River-class Offshore Patrol Vessels:
The USA isn’t the only country whose SAR (search and rescue) aircraft programs are having a hard go of it lately. In 2004, Canada announced a program to replace its aging DHC-5 (CC-115) Buffalo (West Coast) and CC-130E/H Hercules (East Coast) search-and-rescue planes with at least 15 new aircraft. Some of the Canadian Forces’ CC-130s have already been grounded after flying 40,000 – 50,000 hours, and a contract has been signed for C-130J replacements.
The SAR project hasn’t been so lucky. The first SAR aircraft was supposed to be delivered in 2006, with all deliveries complete by 2009. Unfortunately, the Conservative Harper government temporarily shelved the project when it came to power, and subsequent efforts to restart it have featured one poor performance after another. The competitors have since expanded beyond the familiar duo of the Alenia C-27J Spartan with its speed advantage and C-130J compatibility, vs. the EADS-CASA C-295M with its longer fuselage and lower operating costs. Yet expanded options are no substitute for serving planes, and at least 1 victim has already died because the current fleet was unserviceable. What Canada’s SAR program really needs right now is transparency and urgency. Neither is currently in evidence.
Canada is the 2nd-largest country in the world in terms of square area. Its 9,976 km3 exceeds both China (9,596 km3) and the USA (9,363 km3), and its 3 ocean borders to the east, west and north expand its required coverage into large and hostile environments. Each year, the JRCCs handle an average of 8,000 air and marine SAR cases, and Canadian Forces SAR aircraft conduct well over 1,000 missions per year. In 2008, for instance, Canadian Joint Rescue Coordination Centres (JRCC) handled 9,097 SAR cases across Canada.
JRCCs are staffed by a combination of coast Guard and Canadian Forces personnel, and are currently located in Halifax, NS; Trenton, ON; and Victoria BC. The SAR crews and aircraft are based in Gander, NL (EH-101 derivative CH-149 Cormorant helicopters); Greenwood, NS (CH-149 Cormorant helicopters and C-130E/H “CC-130” Hercules aircraft); Trenton, ON (Bell 412 derivative CH-146 Griffon helicopters and CC-130 Hercules aircraft); Winnipeg, MB (CC-130 Hercules aircraft); and Comox, BC (CH-149 Cormorant helicopters and DHC-5/ CC-115 Buffalo fixed-wing aircraft).
These are supplemented as required by Canadian Forces’ Griffon helicopters in Goose Bay, Labrador, NL; Bagotville, QC; and Cold Lake, AB; and by a small arctic fleet of DHC-6/ CC-138 Twin Otter aircraft based in Yellowknife, NWT.
The “Competitors” Bath for a BuffaloDe Havilland’s DHC-5 Buffalo and DHC-4 Caribou aircraft were uniquely well designed for short-field operations in difficult conditions. The Buffalo program actually won an Us Army competition for a light STOL(Short Take-Off and Landing) airlifter, and its 1st flight was in 1961, but the production contract was never awarded because the USAF took over fixed wing operations and canceled it. Canada bought them, and so did a number of 3rd world countries who found its bush-plane design heritage appealing.
Buffalo production stopped in 1986, however, which is creating an issue with spare parts. Plans are currently in place to keep Canada’s 6 remaining Buffalos in the air until 2015, as their slow speed makes them ideal for searching the west coast’s difficult mountain ranges. At present rates, Canada may not even have a flying replacement by then.
Under the 2004 program, there were 2 competitors. That may expand to 5 or even 6 competitors once Canada releases its new RFP, but only if that RFP is a real competition.
C-27J SpartanC-27J. One sure competitor is Alenia’s C-27J Spartan, which won the US Army’s Joint Cargo Aircraft light transport competition. This is ironic, because the Buffalo arose out of a similar US Army contract. In time, the USAF’s emphasis on larger aircraft instead, and their mismatch with front line needs, would spawn the competitions that culminated in the USA’s Joint Cargo Aircraft. The C-27J’s win gave it a toehold in North America – until the role was given to the US Air Force again, and they killed the JCA just as they did the Buffalo.
The C-27J “Baby Herc” has a wider cabin with a strengthened floor that can accommodate vehicles and heavier loads; offers a 325 knot cruising speed; would offer commonalities with the US Army during continental emergencies; and offers long-term cost savings via engine and other commonalities with Canada’s new C-130J Hercules. The US fleet of 21 C-27Js needs to find a home, but Alenia has said point-blank that it will not support that fleet if it’s sold abroad. If Canada wants this plane, it will have to buy new.
Media reports indicate that the C-27J may be the government’s choice under an ACAN bid, which essentially picks the desired aircraft and then invites other competitors to make an offer. To date, ACAN experience is that the requirements are explicitly written to exclude many competitive choices. There is also no appeal process comparable to the US GAO, which can hold the government to fair application of set criteria and review procurement decisions. As such, ACAN bids by other manufacturers are generally a waste of time.
C-295, Alaskan mountainsC295. EADS-CASA’s C-295M, is a stretched version of the smaller CN-235. The CN-235MP variant is a popular maritime search and patrol aircraft, and a modified version serves the US Coast Guard as the HC-144A “Ocean Sentry” surveillance aircraft. The larger C-295M offers substantial long-term savings by costing less to fly and maintain than the C-27J; may offer interesting cross-over possibilities by leveraging the HC-144A’s “mission pallet” approach. It has a longer cabin that can carry more pallets of cargo or medical litters, or offer more crew room, reportedly offers better range, and has a cruising time of 12 hours. Built-in air-to-air refueling capability can extend even that mission time, to the limit of the crew’s endurance.
That last set of performance statistics may prove especially appealing, given Canada’s vast distances. The tradeoff is a slow cruise speed of just 260 KTAS, which also has implications for long-range rescue attempts. On the other hand, EADS-CASA says that Portugal picked the C-295 because it outperformed its competitor in precisely the kind of long-term low-speed, low-level handling that’s required for mountain search operations on Canada’s west coast.
C-130J HerculesC-130J family. Lockheed Martin attempted to submit a 3rd aircraft in the USA’s JCA competition, but their bid was denied. That plane was a compact version of the C-130J Hercules. Now that Canada has confirmed itself as a C-130J customer, Lockheed Martin may seek to take advantage of the industrial offset partnerships it is already creating in order to meet the “Canada First” 100% industrial offset rule, and offer Canada a C-130J-SAR. One outside suggestion would have them offer their HC-130J Commando II, for use in a dual SAR/ Special Forces role.
Advantages in this SAR role would include size, speed, range and cruising time, C-130 class transport capabilities in an emergency, and full commonality with Canada’s new C-130J fleet. Its 4 engines create a tradeoff, however, as fuel economy and hence operating costs would suffer.
CoastWatch Q200The 4th and 5th potential competitors are Canadian entries.
Q400. Bombardier’s Q-series/ Dash 8 has been modified for use as a maritime patrol and search aircraft, and serves with similar organizations like Australia’s CoastWatch. The aircraft’s lack of a rear ramp is probably its biggest obstacle to its acceptance in a full search and rescue role.
DHC-5NG? The Buffalo itself is the 5th option. Viking Air Ltd. now holds the type certificates for most of DeHavilland’s aircraft, including the DHC-5 Buffalo. The firm has recently enjoyed success with its revival of the legendary DHC-6 Twin Otter, and has offered to upgrade the existing CC-115 fleet, while producing new aircraft for the SAR program at its manufacturing facilities in Calgary and Victoria. The Buffalo’s old GE CT64-410-3 engines would be replaced by Pratt & Whitney Canada’s PW150 used in Bombardier’s Dash 8s and many other regional aircraft, and the planes would receive digital avionics suites and FLIR systems derived from the Series 400 Twin Otter.
The Buffalo has excellent short takeoff capabilities, and excels at slow-speed, all-weather flying, which is why it performs SAR on Canada’s mountainous west coast. The Viking proposal would offer Canada the largest industrial benefit, with nearly 100% Canadian content for the buy, and additional potential for exports. With Viking’s modifications, the DHC-5NG’s top speed is projected to improve from 235 knots to 300 KTAS, with a carrying capacity and profile that’s comparable to the slower C-295M. The DHC-5NG’s risks include development risks, and the risk of an aircraft type that could wind up being unique to Canada, with all of the attendant support and upgrade burdens.
MV-22 OspreyCV-22. The 6th option is quite recent, and surfaced with October 2011 reports that Bell Helicopter and Boeing were demonstrating their tilt-rotor V-22 Osprey in Canada.
Its notional advantage over current contenders is the V-22’s ability to do more than perform identification and supply drops. Unlike other competitors, an MV-22 or CV-22 derivative can pick up rescuees immediately, removing the risks and expense involved in sending additional helicopters or ground forces. All it needs is a landing spot or winching position. The flip side is its status as the most expensive option to buy and most expensive to operate, coupled with a readiness rate that remains below expectations. Canada’s poor experience with the readiness of its AW101/CH-149 Cormorant SAR helicopters may create especial caution around that last point.
Contracts and Key Events 2016
December 9/16: Airbus has been selected as the winner of the Canadian government’s competition for new search and rescue aircraft. The C-295 won out against offerings from Leonardo’s C-27J and Embraer’s KC-390 by offering the best pricing for the Royal Canadian Air Force’s requirements. Under the $2.3 billion program, Airbus will collaborate with key Canadian firms, including PAL Aerospace on in-service support, Pratt & Whitney Canada for engines, CAE for training and simulation, and L3 Wescam for the electro-optic sensors.
January 20/16: Canada’s hunt for a new fleet of search and rescue aircraft will not consider Lockheed’s C-130J. Proposals for the procurement were due mid-January and do include the Airbus C-295, Alenia’s C-27J Spartan and Embraer’s latest offering, the KC-390. Part of the competition involved the potential providers suggesting how many of their aircraft would be required by the Royal Canadian Air Force to conduct their operations, rather than a specified number being supplied by the government. Lockheed Martin’s lack of participation in the competition is said to have been in reaction to the saga revolving around Canada’s recent backing out of the F-35 program to launch a new procurement competition.
2015
December 15/15: Canada’s search-and-rescue procurement program has a new contender as Brazilian firm Embraer is to offer a bid for their KC-390. Embraer will likely face competition from Airbus’s C-295, and Alenia’s C-275 when bids are officially submitted in January. While Airbus and Alenia have been courting the Canadian government for a number of years, the KC-390 is said to have an advantage in terms of speed and range, although it is not expected to enter into service until 2018. Canada’s procurement competition will see companies submit bids based on how many they think will be needed to fulfill the country’s search-and-rescue needs as opposed to being given a fixed figure for tender.
Feb 13/15:The long, long, long delayed RFP for Canada’s new fixed-wing SAR capability is said to be coming shortly. By now, only three players are still waiting for it.
2014
May 30/14: One day, Canada might even have an RFP for an FWSAR program touted as a “top priority” back in 2008. The Canadian Press discovers that Canada did give serious consideration to buying the USA’s Joint Combat Aircraft fleet of 21 C-27Js, but it fell through. The RCAF’s Feb 12/12 presentation described it as “a unique, time-sensitive investment opportunity,” albeit one that would spark a political backlash from Canadian firms that wouldn’t get their cut. CP writes that:
“The air force’s proposal would have effectively blown up years of careful bridge rebuilding between Public Works and the aerospace industry, which complained loudly that the original specifications were wired to favour the…. C-27J…. protests were so deafening that MacKay ordered the National Research Council to examine the plan. It agreed the military’s specifications were far too specific and needed to be broadened in order to ensure competition.”
By the time that NRC examination would have been underway, it would have been abundantly clear that Alenia and the Italian government were prepared to use extreme measures. The Feb 27/12 statement from their CEO said that the manufacturer and Italian government would work hard to deny any support to any resale customer outside the US government, effectively making a Canadian purchase impossible. The USAF C-27J fleet now resides with SOCOM and the US Coast Guard. Sources: CP, via Vancouver Sun, “Fixed-wing search plane program almost short-circuited by RCAF proposal”.
May 29/14: Team Airbus. Airbus Military signs a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Provincial Aerospace Ltd. in Newfoundland to provide in-service support for their C295, if it wins the FWSAR competition. Sources: Canadian Manufacturing, “N.L. firm joins Airbus on Canadian Forces search and rescue fleet bid”.
May 27/14: Team Spartan. Finmeccanica-Alenia Aermacchi picks Esterline CMC Electronics (CMC) in Montreal, PQ to provide the flight management system (FMS) for its worldwide C-27J Spartan fleet, and for Team Spartan’s FWSAR offering. CMC is already tapped to supply their its TacView Portable Mission Display and SureSight Enhanced Vision System sensor for Team Spartan in Canada. Sources: Ottawa Citizen Defence Watch, “Esterline CMC Electronics of Montreal Selected To Provide Flight Management System For Worldwide C-27J Spartan Fleet”.
2013 CC-130 over BCDec 26/13: USCG. The 2014 National Defense Authorization Act is signed into law, locking in the transfer of the USAF’s 14 remaining C-27Js to the Coast Guard. Initial flight operations are scheduled to begin within 6-12 months, but a Jan 6/14 Alenia North America release shows that there’s more expense to come:
“The company also anticipates the USCG will immediately begin the process for expanding the C-27J’s capabilities with tailored mission kits to include surface-search radars, electro-optical sensors and mission suites installed on all 14 planes.”
Creation of these new kits will be good news for Alenia’s chances in Canada, which already seems to tilt toward the C-27J. Alenia improves their odds of winning by having the USCG use their solution as a lead customer, giving them parity with the fully integrated C295 MPA. It’s also better to have the USCG pay to integrate all of the required equipment, instead of adding that cost to a Canadian bid. Sources: Govtrack, “H.R. 1960: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014” | Alenia NA, “14 Alenia Aermacchi C-27Js transferred to U.S. Coast Guard”.
Aug 30/13: Canada’s Minister of Public Works and Government Services announces that after 2 years worth of Letters of Interest, Canada’s bureaucracy has produced… a draft RFP. Not a real RFP, which won’t arrive at the government’s BuyAndSell.ca site until 2014. A draft RFP “for final comments.”
The name of the ministry making the announcement is a clue regarding why this might be so. Canadian government.
June 17/13: Defence minister MacKay offers some thoughts on Canada’s SAR competition to
Aviation Week. It looks like Viking will have a very hard time pushing its modernized Buffalo. The required recertification of their upgraded aircraft comes with a time-to-service delay that could be a killer.
He also points to the Buffalo NG’s status as a developmental aircraft, though experience with Canada’s CH-147Fs and CH-148/S-92 helicopters shows that Canada is perfectly capable of turning an off-the-shelf buy into a developmental project. Aviation Week | CDFAI.
April 30/13: Report. The Auditor General of Canada’s 2013 Spring Report includes a section covering Canadian Search and Rescue. The bottom line is stark, but what’s DND doing? Still “reviewing its options.” Translation: nothing of substance. OAG:
“National Defence has not sufficiently replaced and has had difficulty maintaining its SAR aircraft at the level necessary to respond to SAR incidents effectively.”
Canada’s 11 CC-130E/H Hercules are based across Canada at Comox, BC (west), Winnipeg, MN (central), Trenton, ON (central), and Greenwood, NS (east). They lack modern SAR sensors and equipment, and are all over 20 years old. Maintenance is time-consuming and expensive, and 2 planes have received new wings to keep them flying. The Hercules planes are also needed for transport operations, so they aren’t always available.
The CC-115 Buffalos on the west coast cost $20 million per year to maintain, and will need new engines if they’re flown past 2015. In 2011, Buffalo airplanes were unavailable for SAR on 119 occasions, and in 5 of these cases there were no SAR replacement airplanes.
The CH-149 Cormorant/ AW101 helicopters have been spread more evenly across Canada, with 5 in B.C. on the west coast, 4 in Nova Scotia on the east coast, and 3 in Newfoundland to cover the northeast seas. Buying the USA’s failed Presidential helicopters has helped with spares, but “corrosion from salt water is increasing maintenance needs, with at least two helicopters always in maintenance…”
The 5 CH146 Griffon/ Bell 412 helicopters assigned to SAR duties lack range and payload. They’ve been relocated to Trenton, ON in a secondary role. OAG release | OAG Report, Chapter 7 | CDFAI.
March 19/13: The National Post runs an article covering DND’s SAR competition decisions, by former NDP (socialist party) candidate Michael Byers, and left-wing Rideau Institute research fellow Stewart Webb (q.v. also June 19/12 entry). Their failure to mention Public Works Canada’s role in defense procurement is odd, but their other factual assertions are pretty straightforward.
Byers and Webb allege that DND passed up an 2007 opportunity to buy Brazil’s retired fleet of Buffalo aircraft as a source of spare parts, and also dismissed an internal proposal to buy spare parts from Viking Air, which owns the rights to the design. A proposal to re-engine the Buffalos to allow service until 2015 was also reportedly rejected.
Their most damning allegation, if true, is that DND still hasn’t re-written their FWSAR specifications, over 3 years after the competition was derailed because the specification had been written to allow only 1 contender. We say “if true” because DND’s Aug 16/11 statement specifically said that the Statement of Requirements had been re-written. National Post.
2010 – 2012Maneuvering and teaming by industry, disinterest and slipshod work by government; An alternative FWSAR proposal.
HC-130JEnd 2012: FWSAR+. US Army Lt. Col. (ret.) Jim Dorschner offers an alternative FWSAR framework, in DND’s Canadian Military Journal. FWSAR Plus: A Way Forward proposes that Canada buying 10 Bombardier Q200s in the same SAR configurations bought by foreign militaries, plus 10 dual-role HC-130Js to fulfill SAR and Special Forces roles. The Q200/ Dash-8s would be based on both coasts at CFB Comox, BC and CFB Greewood, NS. The HC-130Js would be based in central Canada at CFB Winnipeg, MB and at Canada’s main C-130 base: CFB Trenton, ON. All existing C-130H transports and transport/tankers would be retired, leaving only C-130Js in the fleet.
The result would be a unified fleet of 27 C-130Js to serve in transport, tanker, SAR, and special forces roles, plus 10 lower-cost Q200s with conformal tanks to extend range. It’s an interesting proposal, and its venue ensures that it will be noticed.
Nov 27/12: Mixed signals. Defence minister Peter MacKay confirms to the Commons Defence Committee: “We’ve broadened the specs to include the possibility of a mixed fleet…” This confirms reports from Oct 16/12.
The public works ministry has given airplane manufacturers until Dec. 21 to express interest. Sun Media.
Nov 15/12: Embraer’s KC-390? The Ottawa Citizen’s David Pugliese writes:
“The recent industry day on the Canadian Forces fixed wing search and rescue (FWSAR) project brought a new player into the mix. Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embaer was invited to attend.”
The KC-390 is a twin-engine jet transport in the same performance class as the C-130J Hercules, and Embraer has built it into a trans-Atlantic, multinational project. Its faster cruising speed would give it advantages in a SAR/special forces role, and Embraer might be tempted to offer Canada a deal, in order to secure a high-end market endorsement. The bad news for Embraer is that they’re seen as a major competitor by Canadian aerospace firms, and especially by Bombardier. FWSAR’s rear ramp requirement caused Bombardier to bow out of the recent Industry Day. The political optics of shutting out Quebec’s flagship firm Bombardier, while giving the contract to their biggest competitor, make a KC-390 victory almost impossible to imagine.
Oct 16/12: Dual buy? The Canadian government is reportedly thinking of buying 2 different FWSAR platforms. That could open a West Coast niche for Canada’s Viking Air and its Buffalo NG. It could also open the door to a limited V-22 buy, if Canada wants to have those capabilities without compromising its entire fleet. Ottawa Citizen | Victoria Times-Colonist.
Oct 10/12: Team Airbus. Discovery Air in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories signs a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to become Airbus Military’s primary Canadian partner, and provide training and in-service support if the C295 is picked for the FWSAR program. An Arctic partner is one way to strengthen their bids credential’s, and the partners hope their duties will include setting up a search and rescue base in Yellowknife, instead of dispatching planes from places like Winnipeg, many flying hours south. N.W.T. Premier Bob McLeod adds his support for their bid:
“The Northwest Territories is many hours from the nearest dedicated search and rescue facility. Whenever I say that to people, they are surprised. They know how harsh our climate is. In any search and rescue operation, every minute counts. This is particularly true in our northern winters. Northerners are Canadians, too. We should not be penalized for where we live.”
See: CBC News | CDFAI | Discovery Air.
Sept 14/12: LoI. Letter of Interest (amendment 004) issued to publish FWSAR Essential Elements V2.0. Source.
LoI issued
Sept 3/12: Air Force only. The Ottawa Citizen reports that the government will not consider public-private partnerships for its SAR requirements, along the lines of programs in Australia and Britain. A July 2011 statement had appeared to open that option, but:
“…industry sources say that the option of allowing firms to provide aircraft and crews on a contract basis to the Canadian Forces never really stood a chance. The RCAF was not keen on the option as they see SAR as a high-profile role they want to continue providing in all aspects.”
June 19/12: Rideau Report. The left-wing Rideau Institute releases a report: “Search and Replace: The Case for a Made-in-Canada Fixed-Wing Search and Rescue Fleet” advises the government to choose a mixed fleet of SAR aircraft, using an open competition, with a clear Statement of Operational Requirements (SOR) that permits Canadian bidders.
The only Canadian options would be Viking’s Buffalo NG and Bombardier’s Q400/ Dash 8. Co-incidentally, a separate article by the authors of that report recommends picking only those 2 planes. The Q400s would be used on the East Coast and in the arctic, but modified with side door deflectors for parajumps, and underbelly “drop hatches” for life rafts and other equipment. The Ottawa Citizen points out that the Q400 may have another issue, beyond its lack of a rear ramp:
“Defence Watch has visited the Bombardier [CANSEC defense trade show] booth a number of times over the years to ask about the Q400 or other Bombardier products for FWSAR, only to be met with blank looks and the suggestion that some information might be available from corporate HQ… maybe.”
The Canadian Defence & Foreign Affairs institute also chimes in and asks, reasonably, why would one bother recommending a competition when one’s mind is already made up? CDFAI also cites, and sources, the Canadian Forces’ unstated requirement that the planes should double as tactical transport aircraft. Within Canada’s closed and opaque procurement process, the fact that a requirement is unstated is no barrier to having it determine the winner. Rideau Institute release | full report || BC’s The Tyee | CDFAI | Ottawa Citizen.
May 30/12: Team Lockheed. Lockheed Martin and Cascade Aerospace Inc. announce a partnership at the CANSEC 2012 trade show. Their Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) includes offering the C-130J for Canada’s FWSAR, “as well as other programs and projects relating to Lockheed’s C-130J Super Hercules aircraft.” The obvious selling points of that bid will be range, commonality, and an established industrial offsets program. The obvious pitfall is cost.
In 2010, Lockheed Martin awarded a 20 year contract to Cascade for maintenance services to support Canada’s 17 new CC-130Js, the last of which arrived on May 8/12. Cascade also provides fleet management services directly to the RCAF for their older CC-130E/H fleet, and is 1 of just 2 Lockheed Martin-authorized C-130 Service Centers in the western hemisphere. Cascade Aerospace.
May 29/12: Team Alenia. Alenia Aermacchi announces its C-27J FWSAR team. General Dynamics Canada will offer performance-based aircraft support, and Provincial Aerospace will handle the SAR conversions. Fellow Finmeccanica subsidiary DRS Canada’s role is not made clear. The release professes faith that a draft RFP will materialize in the fall of 2012, and that a winner will be picked in 2014. Alenia [PDF]
May 8/12: DND’s Report on Plans and Priorities 2012-2013’s “Supplementary Tables: Status Report on Transformational and Major Crown Projects” include FWSAR. It says that the Treasury Board approved a budget in March 2012, but approval isn’t due until the fall of 2013, and even if this contract actually keeps its schedule, no order will be placed until spring 2014. The 1st new aircraft isn’t expected until 2017, and it will be 2018 before the new planes can really take over.
Other sources report that the approved expenditure authority was C$ 3.8 billion. Treasury Board DND “Status Report on Transformational and Major Crown Projects” | left-wing Rideau Institute.
March 23/12: Public Works Canada announces yet another Industry Day workshop for Canada’s FWSAR, on April 11/12. They are “now ready to resume industry engagement on FWSAR”, after taking since Aug 16/11 to move things forward again. Companies are “invited to provide comments and questions,” but failure to attend the workshops won’t exclude any suppliers from bidding later on.
Note that this competition was supposedly re-started in 2009. PWGSC | MERX Solicitation.
Feb 27/12: Better buy new. Alenia Aermacchi CEO Giuseppi Giordo gives an interview at Singapore’s air show, which throws a major wrench in American plans to re-sell the C-27J fleet. The contract itself reportedly has clauses that given Alenia discretion over resales, and if the USAF doesn’t reassign or store the Spartans,
“…we will do our best – not only us, but the Italian government – not to support those planes. They can sell, but as the original equipment manufacturer, I will not give spares, not guarantee configuration control, and so on…”
See full coverage in “The USA’s C-27J Joint Cargo Aircraft“.
Jan 26/12: Buy used? Preliminary FY 2013 budget materials discuss coming shifts in Pentagon priorities, as the US defense department moves to make future cuts. The USAF’s 38-plane C-27 fleet will now be eliminated entirely, and sold:
“The new strategic guidance emphasizes flexibility and adaptability. The C-27J was developed and procured to provide a niche capability to directly support Army urgent needs in difficult environments such as Afghanistan where we thought the C-130 might not be able to operate effectively. However, in practice, we did not experience the anticipated airfield constraints for C-130 operations in Afghanistan and expect these constraints to be marginal in future scenarios. Since we have ample inventory of C-130s and the current cost to own and operate them is lower, we no longer need – nor can we afford – a niche capability like the C-?27J aircraft. The Air Force and the Army will establish joint doctrine relating to direct support.”
This could be an opportunity for Canada, if DND can act with uncharacteristic haste. Australia has an approved request for 10 new C-27Js, and could decide to step in. Other C-27J operators looking to expand their fleet may also see an opportunity. Pentagon release | “Defense Budget Priorities and Choices” [PDF]
Jan 5/12: The Ottawa Citizen reports that the Cabinet of government ministers has signed off on the FWSAR project. DND spokeswoman Tracy Poirier adds:
“The $1.55-billion FWSAR project will acquire a new off-the-shelf fleet of fixed wing aircraft to replace the existing fleet of six CC115 Buffalo and ten CC130 Hercules SAR aircraft by 2015. A project objective is to provide an equivalent level of SAR service to Canadians while reducing costs associated with supporting the fleets.”
Oct 1/11: V-22. Reports surface that Bell Helicopter and Boeing have demonstrated their V-22 to the Canadian Forces, as a possible solution to that country’s long-running on-again, off-again domestic search and rescue aircraft competition.
The competition is currently off-again, so there’s no live RFP, and no commitment yet by Boeing to bid. AIN Online | Ottawa Citizen Defence Watch.
Aug 16/11: Canada’s DND finally addresses the FWSAR project:
“Based on the NRC review, the SOR(Statement Of Requirements) has been amended to allow for a wider range of Fixed Wing Search and Rescue solutions and to reflect a capability-based rationale.”
Jan 25/10: Defense News reports that a recommendation for Canada’s FWSAR program is expected to be put before the government by May 2010 for approval. In addition, the government has asked the National Research Council in Ottawa, to examine the military’s search-and-rescue needs and how such capabilities could be improved. That review is due March 5/10.
Even so, Defense News reports that some of their sources believe that even when FWSAR recommendations are made, the Canadian government will not move on it. Relief from incoming C-130Js, and statements that the Buffalo fleet could last until 2015, are likely to remove any sense of urgency. Barring some sort of systemic SAR failure that costs lives, of course.
2007 – 2009Incoming government delays FWSAR in 2007, re-launches in 2009.<
CC-115 BuffaloJuly 15/09: Re-launch. Canada’s DND formally re-launches the Fixed Wing Search and Rescue Program. It is very vague on specifics, and mostly discusses Canada’s required Industrial/Regional Benefits policies. According to an Ottawa Citizen report, the 140 or so people who showed up for the Industry Day launch were generally unimpressed:
“Government representatives who called the meeting couldn’t answer questions on how many planes would be bought, when they would be purchased, whether they would be equipped with sensors or how they would be maintained… About 140 people were jammed into a room in a military hangar, with some having to stand in a nearby hallway. The audio-visual presentation that was to outline details of the program did not work and the microphones for the main speakers and audience members failed.
At the last minute, the Harper government shut down an invitation for the media to listen to the presentations, leading to a bizarre situation where government employees refused even to confirm they were government employees.”
Sources: DND Backgrounder | Ottawa Citizen | Halifax Chronicle Herald | Aviation Week | David Pugliese’s Defence Watch.
Re-start
July 9/09: Ottawa Citizen reporter David Pugliese notes that the July 14/09 Industry Day for the C$ 3 billion FWSAR project is scheduled to be only 90 minutes long, and wonders if the fix is still in:
“…only setting aside 90 minutes for his presentation and to deal with all the questions from industry that might be associated with a $3 billion project has some cynics in the defence industry world suggesting not much has changed on this project. They expect the same details from four years ago to be trotted out and polished up as something new, with the usual “fair and open competition” buzz words to be thrown in for good measure.
But again, they are very cynical about this project.
It also doesn’t look from the details the government has posted that Industry Canada and Public Works officials will be taking part in this industry day.”
Jan 20/09: The Ottawa Citizen’s David Pugliese reports that political considerations are spawning proposals for a different procurement strategy as the purchase recommendation is prepared for Cabinet – but not for a different outcome:
“Nothing would change, I’m told. The C-27J would be selected but there would be the appearance of a competition. The way the requirements are now set, the Airbus Military (CASA-EADS) C-295 would be automatically excluded. Same goes for Canadian company Viking and its proposal for new build Buffalos. One way a competition could be held, however, is if Lockheed Martin were to bid the C-130J for FWSAR… [but] C-130J would be disqualified because the FWSAR budget would not allow for the purchase of enough of the aircraft.”
Dec 23/08: Buffalo. Viking Air CEO David Curtis issues an open letter, offering to refurbish existing Buffalo aircraft and re-start production in order to fill the government’s SAR needs. An excerpt from the letter’s reproduction on the CASR site:
“The requirement to replace the present [SAR] fleet is not based on a lack of ability for the Buffalo to do the job, but simply due to the aging of the aircraft. By breathing new life into the program, the DND can continue to operate the best-suited aircraft, safely, reliably, and with a huge reduction in acquisition and direct operating costs [including aircrew / maintenance personnel training, airframe spares, etc.]… Canadian taxpayers will receive a proven, low-risk product with huge economic benefits and cost savings, thus allowing the DND to either acquire more aircraft for search and rescue or reallocate the funds to other projects within DND.”
See also: “DHC-5NG – a New-Production Buffalo Compared with C-27J.”
Dec 18/08: C-27J sole-source? Reports begin to surface that the Canadian DND plans to issue an Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN) for the SAR requirement, specifying Alenia’s C-27J as its preferred type. Martin Sefzig, Airbus’s director of Canadian programs, is surprised when the Ottawa Citizen asks him about it:
“We’re caught off guard by the current initiative calling for an ACAN… After five years of no evaluation and very little discussion, they now go for an ACAN. No aircraft has been tested. Why?”
The move would have to survive Cabinet scrutiny, and the unstable state of Canada’s Parliament makes that far less likely. Handing out a manufacturing contract that creates jobs in Italy, while shutting out Canadian competitors and creating controversies in Quebec, Alberta, and British Columbia, isn’t a winning move if one’s political margins are as thin as the current Harper government’s. Time will tell. See also: Canada.com | Halifax Chronicle-Herald op-ed | The Torch | Flight International.
Dec 13/08: Canada’s Defence Minister Peter MacKay is quoted as saying that a proposal to replace the CC-115 Buffalos is on his desk, and ready to be presented to the federal cabinet in early 2009. He will ask the Cabinet to approve up to $3 billion for the project, and says “I hope to move very early in the new year toward procurement.”
The purchase of 15 new aircraft is now expected to cost around C$ 1.5 billion, with an additional C$ 1.5 billion tacked on for a 20-year service contract. Toronto Star.
June 4/07: Delay. Aero News reports that the Canadian SAR competition has now been pushed forward 4 years, and quotes Canadian Air Force spokesman Capt. Jim Hutcheson as saying that there isn’t even a projected delivery date any more.
“It is acknowledged that there are other government priorities, other departmental priorities that are being pursued right now, largely associated with operations in Afghanistan… We’ll most likely use the Buffalo and the Herc beyond 2010 until the new aircraft arrive… How much beyond, they’re looking at options that will cover that range.”
Giuseppe Giordo, President of Alenia North America in Washington, DC, notes that negotiations are ongoing and the first CC-130Js aren’t expected until 2009 at the earliest. He contends that the funds could be used now to finance SAR recapitalization.
Canada’s Conservative Party is a minority government, which means it can be brought down at any time via a vote of no-confidence by the other political parties. The deferral of this purchase is likely to prove contentious in many regions of Canada, which is the world’s second largest country and has large remote areas that are thinly-populated but important to its economy.
Stay tuned.
FWSAR delayed 4 years
Jan 3/07: Sole-source? Canada’ Globe and Mail newspaper reports that:
“A DND document obtained by The Globe and Mail confirmed that only one aircraft is being considered as a “viable bidder” for the search-and-rescue contract. The project is worth about $3-billion, including the maintenance of the aircraft over 20 years… Defence contracts are among the most lucrative deals the government signs, and if the Spartan is bought, it will illustrate a growing government habit of signing multibillion-dollar deals without accepting competing bids.”
Additional Readings Main DocumentsThe UK’s forthcoming Ocean Class 90m+ Offshore Patrol Vessels stem from a shipbuilding sector agreement that the UK MoD signed with BAE in November 2013. Britain needed to find an affordable bridge-buy that kept its naval shipyards running in-between completion of existing ships, and delayed construction of the new Type 26 frigates. Rather than paying termination and industrial costs to keep the shipyard idle, the UK government decided to buy 3 OPVs, for delivery by 2017. This would also allow the Royal Navy to retire or gift out the existing River Class OPVs HMS Tyne, HMS Severn and HMS Mersey.
As of August 2014, the contract for these new open-ocean patrol vessels is complete…
The new British OPVs will be built at BAE Systems’ facilities in Glasgow, under a GBP 348 million contract announced on Aug 12/14. That brings the total to GBP 368 million, following a GBP 20 million long-lead parts contract announced on March 12/14.
The design based on vessels already sold abroad: Thailand’s HTMS Krabi, and the 3 similar Amazonas Class OPVs that Brazil picked up when Trinidad and Tobago cancelled their deal.
The new ships will be larger and more efficient than Britain’s existing River Class OPVs, with more room for embarked personnel, more storage space, and the addition of a flight deck capable of landing the Royal Navy’s AW101 Merlin medium-heavy helicopters. The Ocean Class are designed for a maximum speed of 24 knots, and a range of 5,500 nautical miles. Sources: UK MoD, “£348 million warship contract delivers Clyde jobs boost” | BAE, “New contract award for Royal Navy Offshore Patrol Vessels” | UK MoD, “£20 million contract for new Royal Navy ships” (March 2014) | UK MoD, “New offshore patrol vessels for Royal Navy” (Nov. 2013).
UpdateDecember 9/16: BAE Systems has been contracted by the UK government to build two additional River-class Offshore Patrol Vessels for the Royal Navy. The $360 million deal adds two more manufacturing and support projects to the five-ship program, bringing the total contract value to $797 million. Work on the two vessels, named Tamar and Spey, will involve more than 100 companies from Britain. The designs build on existing River-class ships with variants already used by the navies of Brazil and Thailand.
The world’s largest rocket. June launch of a Delta IV Heavy:
Australia’s A$ 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.
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 RadarThe 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 systemsFor 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 TOFTThe 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 GapThe 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 EventsEven 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 – 201612 EA-18Gs bought; F-35 approval rises to 72.
F-35 mockupDecember 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.
2013Request for more; ANAO Report.
RAAF F/A-18F, armedDec 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 & StoresThe 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,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:
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 $11 million to provide the RAAF’s Super Hornets with the P5 Tactical Combat Training System (P5TCTS). The system isn’t a simulator, it’s a set of tracking and debriefing equipment used for monitoring live-flight exercises, including simulated aerial combat. The RAAF’s new P5TCTS will be very similar to the current U.S. Navy TCTS system, and will include airborne instrumentation pods built by DRS, transportable ground systems with live monitoring, and portable ground subsystems, which includes Cubic’s Individual Combat Aircrew Display System (ICADS) software for debriefing.
Australia is an existing Cubic customer, and has installed their 4th-generation system at RAAFB Williamstown. The P5TCTS will be located at the Super Hornets’ base instead, which is RAAFB Amberley, and delivery is expected in late 2012. Cubic is also contracted to make sure these 2 systems can merge data, allowing for training between Hornet and Super Hornet aircraft. Australia’s future F-35As will come with P5TCTS already installed internally. Defense Update.
2011All Super Hornets delivered; Ground trainers arrive in Australia; AMRAAM request; EA-18 and F-35 questions.
Celebration flightOct 21/11: All 24 arrived. The last 4 of 24 Super Hornets arrive at RAAF Base Amberley.
The occasion is marked by celebration flights of 16-20 Super Hornets in formation over parts of northern New South Wales and SE Queensland. Australia’s DoD says that they have been delivered on schedule and under budget. Minister for Defence Materiel speech | Australia DoD | Boeing | US NAVAIR.
All 24 in Australia
Oct 19/11: EA-18s. During an interview with Australia Broadcasting Corporation Radio, Labor government defense minister Stephen Smith discusses the possibility of turning 12 of Australia’s Super Hornets into EA-18G Growler electronic warfare fighters, whose conversion price tag is described by the interviewer as “upwards of A$ 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).
2010F-111s retired; 1st F/A-18F lands in Australia, with help from Omega; 15/24 delivered by year end; ROVER kits.
Awaiting transferDec 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
20091st 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 conceptDec 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; $94.4M; 21.6%). Note that 26 engines covers only 13 planes, but see also Sept 8/08 entry, which makes 56 engines in total.
Work will be performed in Lynn, MA (50%); Madisonville, KY (22%); Hooksett, NH (13%); Albuquerque, NM (6%); Rutland, VT (5%); Dayton, OH (2%); Evandale, OH (1%); and Bromont, Quebec, Canada, (1%), and is expected to be complete in April 2011 (N00019-06-C-0088).
USN F/A-18F atFeb 27/09: In an important procurement shift, Minister for Defence Joel Fitzgibbon announces that Australia is pre-wiring 12 of its planned 24 F/A-18F Super Hornets, in order to allow future conversions to EA-18 Lite electronic warfare aircraft. The additional cost for the pre-wiring on the production line is cited as A$ 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).
2008Australia to keep the Super Hornet after review; Engines and ancillaries bought; ATFLIR pods bought; Support request.
F/A-18F over CV-63Dec 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:
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, refuelingMarch 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 earlierInitial DSCA request and contract; Australian DoD was surprised by the deal; Change of government; Cancellation rumored; Weapons requested.
SU-30: overmatch?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:
Weapons & gear request
F/A-18F, incoming…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 $24.4 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-04-C-0123), exercising an option for 24 Full-Rate Production Lot 10 AN/ALR-67(V)3 Radar Warning Receiver (RWR) systems for the Royal Australian Air Force under the Foreign Military Sales Program. Raytheon’s Aug 2/07 release confirms that the order is for Australia’s F/A-18F Super Hornets.
Work will be performed in El Segundo, Calif. (27%); Goleta, CA (23%); Lansdale, PA (23%); Forest, MS (21%); Portland, OR (3%), and McKinney, TX (3%), and is expected to be complete in September 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD issued the contract.
F/A-18F: launch!May 5/07: Australia’s DoD announces the signing of its 1st contract for the new F/A-18F Block II Super Hornet fleet, valued at approximately A$ 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:
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 $3 billion purchase of 24 F/A-18F Super Hornet aircraft, amid concerns Australia may lack a fully deployable air combat capability early next decade… His swift action came as a surprise to senior defence officials on Russell Hill. The decision to buy an expensive interim fighter will generate a major rethink of the 2006-16 defence capability plan…”
Appendix A: RAAF Super Hornet Controversies RAAF F-111, smokin’Liberal Party defense minister Dr. Nelson reportedly decided to opt for the Super Hornet without a detailed study of alternative aircraft types, such as the longer-range F-15E Strike Eagle, advanced air superiority options like the Eurofighter Typhoon, or even an export version of the USA’s F-22 Raptor. Despite its name, the Super Hornet is a larger aircraft that offers only 25-30% commonality with the Australian air force’s existing F/A-18A/B Hornets. What is does share, is the same support structure.
Justifications advanced for this buy include service as a gap-filler to the F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter after the F-111’s retirement in 2010, and also the ability to boost aircraft numbers while existing F/A-18A Hornets rotate through year-long center section replacements, designed to lengthen their service fatigue life. The Super Hornet buy had significant impacts on the 2006-2016 Defence Capability Plan, and reportedly cut the number of F/A-18A Hornets undergoing the A$ 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 HornetFor 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 HornetThe world’s largest rocket. June launch of a Delta IV Heavy:
S-300 misfire:
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.
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-60MUnless 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 – 2017Orders: 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-60MNov 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 2014Orders: 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:
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:
Austria won’t need any additional foreign support personnel in country. Sources: DSCA 13-69.
DSCA: Austria request (3)
FY 2013MYP-8 signed; USAF and US Army exercise options.
MH-60S
(click to view full)
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-60RSept 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 ReadingsReaders 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.
Tags: myp-viii, myp-8
Maiden flight of the Certifiable Predator B:
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.
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.
UpdateDecember 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.
Aster 30 SAMP T:
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.
UpdateDecember 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.
Third flight of Japan’s X-2 stealth demonstrator:
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.
Indian fighters land on the newly opened Agra-Lucknow expressway:
Combat debut of the Tu-95MSM strategic bomber:
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).
UpdatesNovember 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.
Su-33 launched from the Admiral Kuznetsov via ski-jump:
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 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-39DIn 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-5EMIn 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
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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 – 2014Qualification 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 – 2010Program launch, tests.
SAAF Hawk Mk.120
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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 GripenMay 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.
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