Air Power: Naval aviation - White Paper to shape Fleet Air Arm | ADM Mar 2009
Gregor Ferguson
The statistics on Australian naval aviation don't make encouraging reading.
At a time when submarines are proliferating in our region the RAN's Fleet Air Arm is down to 16 S-70B2 Seahawk Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) helicopters spread across a notional 12 surface combatants.
The picture looks bleaker still when one considers the RAN's FFGs and Anzac-class frigates as well as its Seahawks are separately undergoing major upgrades which have reduced their availability and overall rate of effort.
According to the 2007-08 defence Annual Review the Seahawks were budgeted to fly some 2,800 hours, down from 3,300 in 2005-06 and 4,600 hours annually in the four years prior to that.
They actually flew 2,543 hours in 07-08; 2,439 in 06-07, 2,670 in 05-06 and never more than 3,931 a year in the four years before that.
Overall, the Fleet Air Arm flew 6,549 hours during 2007-08, at a total cost of $1.529 billion, an average cost per flying hour of about $233,000.
None of its major helicopter types - the Seahawk (16 aircraft), Sea King (6), Squirrel (13) and Super Seasprite (11) - achieved its planned rate of effort.
It may be an unfair comparison, but Army Aviation, including its 34 Blackhawks, 41 Kiowas, six Chinooks, six Iroquois and 14 Tigers, managed to fly 18,275 hours in 2007-08 at a cost of $658.6 million, or about $36,000 per hour.
To a considerable degree the pressure on the Fleet Air Arm is the result of the Super Seasprite debacle.
Thanks to the non-appearance of this aircraft, over the past decade the RAN has struggled to embark a ship's helicopter flight for each of its operational air-capable frigates.
But at the same time the service has had to divert aircrews, engineers, maintainers, airworthiness specialists and training resources to the Super Seasprite program, an investment which has delivered no return whatsoever and instead caused considerable pain to the Fleet Air Arm.
Adding to the pain, as of May 2008, the Fleet Air Arm was 23 per cent below its authorised manpower level.
Put bluntly, its scarce human capital has been spread too thinly across too many helicopter types and these difficulties have been compounded by the fact that its two major combat aircraft, the Seahawk and Super Seasprite, were ‘orphans' - ordered in unique and complex configurations which have proved expensive (and impossible in the Seasprite's case) to sustain and upgrade.
Starting over
Project Air 9000, and especially Phase 8, represents a once in a generation opportunity to clean the slate and regenerate the Fleet Air Arm.
To use Defence's own words, this "will provide an embarked organic Multi-Role combat capability to the current and future surface combatant fleet including the current ANZAC class frigates and future HOBART class destroyers."
The Navy's Sea Kings are being replaced by the MRH90, which will also be in service with the Army and largely supported by that service; the Squirrels will be replaced by a new ADF rotary wing flying training system; the Seahawks and Super Seasprite will be replaced by a single aircraft type which will enable the Fleet Air Arm to concentrate its aircrew, engineering, maintenance, airworthiness and training resources on a single fleet of a single type of aircraft and provide the chance to regenerate many of these capabilities in a coherent way.
At the time of writing, it wasn't known how the Defence White Paper and its companion Force Structure Review would treat naval aviation.
There is no doubt that a modern surface combatant cannot develop its full combat potential, especially in the ASW role, without an embarked and properly integrated helicopter.
The need for a robust, effective embarked ASW/ASuW (Anti Surface Warfare) helicopter force ought to be a given.
Under Project Air 9000 Ph.8 - Future Naval Aviation Combat System Navy aims to replace its Seahawks (and the Super Seasprites it never got) with a single aircraft type.
In early 2008 Defence solicited MOTS price and delivery data for up to 27 helicopters from two manufacturers, Sikorsky (teamed with Lockheed Martin) and Eurocopter, on behalf of the NH Industries consortium.
The current Defence Capability Plan allocates a budget of $2.5 to $3.5 billion to this Phase; although the stated in-service date is 2017-19, there has been speculation Defence will try to bring this forward to forestall the need for additional investment in keeping its current Seahawks operational for a further decade.
The aircraft Navy had its eye on were the MH-60R Seahawk, for which Lockheed Martin is prime contractor and systems integrator, and the NFH90 maritime variant of the MRH90 which the Army had already ordered under Phases 2 and 4 of Air 9000.
"Price data has been provided by Australian Aerospace/Eurocopter and Sikorsky," ADM was told.
"These costs are being constantly refined and updated as the project progresses.
"Subject to the White Paper, Defence will be seeking a MOTS solution that can interface with current Surface Units.
"Possible contenders would need to meet this requirement."
Why 27 aircraft?
This would represent a one for one replacement of both the Seahawk and Super Seasprite, but ADM was told, "The indicative number of 27 aircraft is an initial assessment of the number of airframes required to support sufficient Flights at sea.
"The specific number of airframes required will be determined by ongoing studies by Defence."
It's a safe rule of thumb that for every helicopter embarked in a small ship's flight, any navy needs another one and a half or two aircraft ashore for training.
A force of 27 aircraft would sustain a single embarked helicopter flight on up to a dozen frigates.
MH-60R enters service
As reported previously in ADM, the MH-60R is part of a two-pronged US Navy master plan to replace and rationalize a fragmented and ageing rotary wing fleet.
It intends to acquire this aircraft to replace its existing ASW and ASuW SH-60B and -60F Seahawks embarked on its frigates, destroyers, cruisers and carriers; and the MH-60S will replace a diversity of transport, SAR and special operations helicopters including the Sea King, Seahawk and CH-46D Sea Knight.
The MH-60R ASW mission system is based on the AQS-22 low frequency active dipping sonar, or ALFS, with 25 active/passive sonobuoys and an 8-Channel sonobuoy receiver.
The AQS-22 offers a significant increase in detection range over current US Navy dipping sonars.
The MH-60R is integrated with the Mk46 lightweight torpedo but can also be integrated with the Eurotorp MU90 Impact lightweight torpedo which is now entering RAN service.
The ASuW mission system is based around the Telephonics APS-147 X-band radar with integrated IFF.
This sensor has a 360 degree field of view and has both Inverse SAR and periscope detection modes.
It is supplement by the AAS-44 FLIR and an Integrated Self-Defense suite of missile warning and countermeasures equipment built around the ALQ-210 ESM system.
The aircraft is also equipped with Link 16 and the Tactical Common Data Link (TCDL) as well as NVG-compatible internal and external lighting.
Furthermore, the RAN would be able to take advantage of US Navy Pre-Planed Product Improvements (P3I) - a Block II comms/navigation and weapons upgrade which will be introduced this year, and a Block III upgrade due in 2010.
The RAN's missile needs remain unclear.
ADM was told, "FNACS is required to provide a modern, capable, multi-role combat system, however the specific sensor, communications and weapons systems requirement are yet to be endorsed."
US Navy MH-60Rs carry eight Hellfire 2 laser-guided air-surface missiles; these weapons are also in ADF service aboard the Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter, so there are obvious synergies to be captured if the RAN selects the MH-60R. Hellfire's 9kg warhead and 8km range would make it highly effective against a number of pirate and terrorist-type threats.
The RAN ordered the Kongsberg Penguin Mk2Mod7 anti-ship missile to arm its Super Seasprites and they remain within the inventory at present, their fate uncertain; these have a significantly longer range and a much larger warhead than alternatives such as the MBDA Sea Skua and Hellfire, but it's uncertain how hard the service will press for this capability if it means a new and potentially risky, or expensive, integration program.
Nor is it certain whether the Penguin still satisfies the RAN's Concept of Operations for ASuW.
Lockheed Martin has already examined various missile integration options and earlier models of the Seahawk have been integrated with the Penguin in the past, so the integration difficulties may not be significant.
As far as risk retirement is concerned, the MH-60R has one great advantage over its European rival: it is operational - earlier this year the carrier US John C Stennis deployed from San Diego with the first mixed, two-squadron helicopter wing of MH-60R and -S Seahawks embarked; for the MH-60Rs force protection (defined broadly) will be a priority role.
NFH90 works through development issues
If Australia selects a variant of the NFH90 in the interests of commonality with the MRH90, it would likely become the third biggest individual customer for the NH90 family after Germany and Italy.
The NFH90 has been ordered so far by Germany, Italy, France, Norway, Sweden and The Netherlands in a number of configurations which are being developed more or less concurrently, with Italy as the lead customer.
The RAN should have a choice of sensors and processors: the baseline radar is the Thales ENR (European Navy Radar), which is derived from its earlier Ocean Master I-band sensor and developed in partnership with EADS and Italian avionics firm Galileo Avionica.
However, Sweden has ordered the US-made Telephonics AN/AP-143B(V)3 multi-mode radar, similar to the radar which equipped the Super Seasprite.
Both are advanced sensors with Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) modes for target identification.
The NFH90 baseline communications system also includes an Italian-designed Selex Link 11 tactical data link.
French, Norwegian and Swedish NFH90s will also employ Thales Underwater Systems' Flash Sonics sonar processor, which integrates the Flash active dipping sonar system with Thales' TMS 2000 sonobuoy processor.
However, Dutch, Italian and German NFH90s will use the HELRAS (Helicopter Long Range Active Sonar) from L-3 Communications Ocean Systems integrated with the Galileo Avionica OTS-90 sonic system.
Italian aircraft will also be integrated with the Eurotorp MU90 lightweight torpedo already entering service with the ADF as well as the Marte Mk2/S anti-ship missile which has a 70kg warhead and a range in excess of 30km, and potentially up to 100km.
However, like all new helicopter projects, the NFH90 has encountered sub-system integration difficulties and is estimated to be over a year behind schedule.
Furthermore, attempts to reduce its weight (it was at one stage nearly 400kg overweight) were complicated by the need to overcome landing gear weaknesses discovered during early shipboard testing.
Nevertheless, Eurocopter maintains the aircraft will be ready in time to meet the RAN's schedule requirements.
Which to choose?
The MH-60R, and specific variants of the NFH90, both satisfy Navy's fundamental requirements in their current configuration, ADM was told by Defence.
So how do you choose between them?
The likely measures will include price, risk, ship integration issues and interoperability.
So far as risk is concerned, neither aircraft would be an orphan - there will always be a parent Navy to provide support and technical assistance.
The price issue isn't that clear-cut: regardless of the unit price per aircraft, if the RAN selects the NFH90 it stands to reap a significant benefit from technical, training and airworthiness management synergies with the Army's MRH90 (of which a further six have been acquired to replace the RAN's Sea Kings).
Eurocopter's local subsidiary, Australian Aerospace, says the opportunities for local industry involvement in the NFH90 would far exceed those offered by any potential rival.
If acquired under a US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) arrangement, local industry involvement opportunities with the MH-60R may be confined to in-service support.
That said, a MOTS fleet of 27 MH-60R Seahawks would be substantial enough to justify a significant investment in stand-alone training and logistics support facilities; and the benefits of a high degree of interoperability with the US Navy can't be underestimated.
Nor can the RAN's two-decade history of operating the Seahawk family on frigate-size flight decks.
In that sense the Fleet Air Arm's comfort zone currently looks Seahawk-shaped.
The RAN has made an early decision that the AWDs will be equipped with the Curtiss-Wright ASIST flight deck handling system.
This is closely related to the RAST system which equips all of the US Navy's air-capable destroyers and cruisers, the Spanish Navy's F-100 destroyers (which also operate Seahawks) and which is also currently in RAN service aboard the Anzacs and FFGs - indeed, below deck level ASIST is essentially identical.
Above deck level there are significant differences, and aircraft integration with ASIST is more complex and expensive.
Importantly, RAST and ASIST are configured to suit the Seahawk better then the NFH90, whose tricycle undercarriage is the opposite way round from the Seahawk's.
This issue is a fundamental aspect of aircraft-ship integration and by selecting a flight deck handling system before choosing the aircraft the Navy could be accused of putting the cart before the horse.
However, Defence told ADM, "Both Australian Aerospace/Eurocopter and Sikorsky have confirmed that their airframes can be configured to utilise the ASIST system without major redesign requirements.
"Choice of this system to equip the Hobart-class destroyers will not therefore have a major impact upon the choice of aircraft to satisfy the requirements of AIR 9000 Phase 8 - FNACS."
That remains to be seen, though it should be pointed out the Italian Navy has selected ASIST for its NFH90-equipped Horizon-class frigates.
Conversely, the majority of NH90/NFH90 customers have selected the British Trigon/Harpoon deck handling system, including the Spanish navy which will operate NFH90s from its BAM-class corvettes.
Confirmation that the FNACS will be embarked on the AWDs and Anzacs prompts the question - what about the Seahawks and the FFGs?
The Seahawks have undergone a much delayed upgrade under phases 1 and 2, respectively, of Project Sea 1405, for which BAE Systems Australia (formerly Tenix Defence, formerly Hawker de Havilland) is prime contractor.
This saw the aircraft equipped with a FLIR, ESM and ECM systems and is another project blighted by the Super Seasprite program, where high levels of equipment and software commonality were sought.
This desire for interoperability resulted in Sea 1405 being delayed by the Super Seasprite, but 14 aircraft have been modified to date, with the remainder due for completion by the end of March.
Final test and airworthiness activities are ongoing and should be completed around mid-year. Aircraft modified under Sea 1405 have been deployed at sea since last year, ADM was told.
It's currently understood that the S-70B2s will remain in service until late in the next decade, equipping the four FFGs until they retire around 2018.
The Air 9000 Ph.3 Seahawk Capability Assurance Program (SCAP) is designed to counter current obsolescence issues with the aircraft.
Depending on how long it is required to remain in service, further phases of the SCAP may be necessary, Defence told ADM.
Exactly when the S-70B2 retires, and what will replace it and when, will become clear once the White Paper is published.
It's reassuring to know there are a number of relatively low-risk options open to the RAN; the big question is which of those options it will choose.