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Subject:
JSF fighter decisions
gf0012-aust
12/13/2004 9:23:24 PM
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| Double post from the Australian section. I thought you blokes might be interested in what's happening with us as there appears to be some Canadian involvement at various points. You may be in the market for our upgraded Hornets.
Details of the Australian Hornet Upgrades: (In Oz we refer to the modified Hornets as "Hug Bugs" (The "Bug" being our nickname for the Hornet)
F/A-18 Hornet Upgrade (HUG) Program
The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) F/A-18 A/B weapon system is a primary asset in Australia's air defence. Project AIR 5376, the Hornet Upgrade (HUG) Program, seeks to enhance the ability of the RAAF's F/A-18 to carry out its Air Defence Strategic Concept tasks, through to the expected Life of Type in 2015. The RAAF's fleet of 71 F/A-18 A/Bs (55 A-single seat models and 16 B-dual seat models) are currently being upgraded under Phase 1 of the HUG Program.
Boeing Military Aircraft and Missile systems in St Louis (USA) is the prime contractor for this project, and Boeing Australia Limited has been sub-contracted to carry out the aircraft modification work at RAAF Base Williamtown.
HUG Phase 1 Engineering Design and Development
Stage 1 modifications are currently underway. The primary capability improvements being procured under HUG Phase 1 are:
Incorporation of AN/ARC-210 (V) radios with HAVEQUICK II and Single Channel Ground-to-Air Radio System (SINCGARS) anti-jam appliqués;
A sixth Avionics Multiplex Bus;
XN-8+ Mission Computers;
An Embedded Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation System (EGI);
A Combined Interrogator Transponder (CIT); and
Extend the Armament Multiplex Bus (ARMUX) to the disconnects of both wingtips, to support fitment of a digital missile.
Upon completion of HUG Phase 1 Engineering Design and Development (Stage 1), subsequent stages of modification will be actioned, as detailed below:
Stage 2 Modifications
The Aircraft Modification Validation and Verification (Val/Ver) Type Acceptance Test and Evaluation Program (Stage 2) modifies two RAAF F/A-18 aircraft, one Lot VII A model aircraft (single) and one Lot VII B model aircraft (dual seat).
Stage 3 Modifications
Upon completion of the Val/Ver, the Stage 3 Production Aircraft Modification Incorporation Program to modify the remaining RAAF F/A-18 fleet aircraft will commence in October 2000.
Warranty Modifications
RAAF Performance Warranty modifications are incorporated in conjunction with the HUG Phase 1, Stage 2 and Stage 3 modifications on a non-interference basis. These modifications enhance the structural fatigue life of the aircraft
Extract from "The Australia/NZ Defence Industry & Aerospace Report On-Line"
"Senior defence committees are reportedly set to consider before the end of the year the merit of unsolicited proposals to position the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) to embrace an interim strike fighter acquisition/lease after 2005 to fill the widening gap until a fully combat effective Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) can be declared to be operational in the ADF in the years after 2015. The investment committee proposal looks at the current status of the F/A-18 'Hornet' upgrade (HUG), as well as escalating costs as the HUG moves into the phase 3 approval stage, and seeks to compare that situation with the cost/capability advantages of suspending phase 3 in preference for a short-term purchase/lease of more contemporary aircraft such as the F/A-18 E/F 'Super Hornet', latest upgrade F-15s or indeed, the Eurofighter 'Typhoon'."
plus:
"Favouring the F/A-18 E/F approach is understood to be a Canadian Government interest in picking-up Australia's currently HUG'ed F/A-18s to fill a capability gap recently identified by an official Auditor-General's report (see DIAR.com, 26 November 2004). With its own JSF requirement likely to be pushed out beyond 2020, the theory is that Canada would acquire/lease the bulk of Australia's F/A-18 fleet to supplement its own 'Hornet' fleet (currently undergoing a centre-barrel replacement program) to fulfil expanded national security requirements. Australia would then buy/lease up to 50 'E/F' Super Hornets for a minimum of ten years, with such aircraft then being passed onto the Canadians after 2015 to fill a similar capability gap as that country similarly decided at which point it would formally require fully combat capable JSF deliveries of its own. Re-structuring of Boeing's F/A-18 E/F production line in St Louis to the dicates of 'Lean' manufacturing is progressively providing a capability to provide new aircraft within 18 months of a formal acquisition contract being signed."
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