News Review: October 2007 | ADM Oct 2007
Orion data link upgrade to support ME Coalition
Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) AP-3C Orion aircraft have been upgraded with a new Tactical Data Link (TADIL) to support coalition land operations in the Middle East.
The new Tactical Common Data Link (TCDL) will provide ground commanders a valuable real time aerial view of their surrounding environment with the introduction of real-time video links. This helps protect coalition forces by warning them of hostile or suspicious activity.
TCDL is being progressively fitted to the RAAF AP-3C Orion fleet, and is part of the AP-3C Capability Assurance Program, Project Air 5276 CAP.
The Australian Government approved this upgrade in late 2006. Defence Materiel Organisation delivered the TCDL capability to a very aggressive schedule and under budget through a strategic alliance between the Commonwealth, Tenix Defence and Australian Aerospace known as the P3 Accord.
This upgrade enables RAAF Orion crews to enhance the support already provided to Coalition forces in the Middle East Area of Operation. Since 2003, the Orion aircraft have used their sensitive imagery equipment to track people, vehicles and ships of interest by day or night.
The Orions are traditionally a maritime patrol aircraft, but since late 2003 RAAF Orion aircraft have been conducting overland patrols of Iraq, in addition to watching over international waters in the Persian Gulf.
Their contribution to Coalition operations is rarely publicised because most missions are classified, but the RAAF Orion air and ground crews have won great respect from our allies.
The Air Force Orion detachment in the Middle East includes two aircraft and about 170 personnel, from Number 92 Wing and Numbers 10 and 11 Squadrons, home based at RAAF Base Edinburgh in Adelaide. In the last four and a half years, Orion aircraft have flown more than 10,500 hours during 1100 sorties over the Middle East.
GD Canada to upgrade AP-3C acoustic processors
General Dynamics Canada has been awarded a contract to replace the existing signal processing capabilities of the UYS-503 Acoustic Processing System for the RAAF’s fleet of 18 AP-3C Orion Patrol Aircraft. Work will be performed in Ottawa, Ontario and Adelaide, South Australia.
Under the contract, General Dynamics Canada, a business unit of General Dynamics, will be replacing obsolete processing cards in the current acoustic system with the company’s PA9000 Single Board Computers equipped with Pentium M processors.
The computers will significantly enhance the AP-3C’s active and passive capabilities required to detect, localize and track modern nuclear and diesel submarines in the most challenging environments.
In-flight training of crewmembers will be enhanced by the UYS-503’s embedded Tactical Acoustic Trainer providing realistic simulation of acoustic contacts and oceanography.
The embedded trainer supports progressive crew training from simple, single-contact scenarios to those featuring complex multiple-contact, mixed ocean environments.
F-35 pilot training system completes CDR
The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II has successfully completed its Pilot Training System Critical Design Review (CDR), a significant development milestone that verifies the design maturity of the pilot training system and its subcomponents.
The review, conducted by Lockheed Martin's Simulation & Support, included representatives from the JSF Program Office, the F-35 contractor team, members of the US military services and the F-35 international partner services.
Completion of the CDR is a prerequisite for the Pilot Training System to move into the implementation phase, which includes software and hardware development. The corresponding maintainer training system CDR will be held in the fourth quarter of 2008.
“The results of our pilot training systems design review helps ensure that pilots get the most comprehensive, technologically-advanced integrated schoolhouse including simulator and classroom training,” said Dale Bennett, Lockheed Martin Simulation, Training & Support president.
The F-35 pilot training system offers a next-generation training curriculum that includes a Full Mission Simulator with a 360-degree field-of-view, desktop simulation exercises, courseware lessons and flight events. The curriculum is tracked and scheduled using Training and Learning Management System software.
“A unique characteristic of the F-35 pilot training system is its reuse of aircraft software for the simulators and air system data for the courseware, said JoAnne Puglisi, Lockheed Martin F-35 Training System Director. “This level of reuse enables high fidelity and also reduces software and courseware development and life cycle support costs.”
First RAAF Hornet centre barrel replacement complete
An important milestone has been achieved with the recent completion of the first centre barrel replacement for Australia's F/A- 18 Hornets.
The centre barrel replacement program will allow the life of the Australian Hornet fleet to be extended to 2018 and potentially beyond.
The F/A -18 Hornet is a key element of the air combat capability employed in the defence of Australia. Other users of the Hornet; such as Canada and the US Navy, are undertaking similar programs for their Hornet fleets.
The centre barrel is the major structural element of the aircraft to which the wings and main undercarriage are attached. The centre barrel is susceptible to structural fatigue from wing and main undercarriage mechanical loads.
The prototype aircraft was disassembled in Australia and shipped to Canada where the centre barrel was successfully replaced. The initial low rate production of nine aircraft will continue in Canada following the successful prototype.
The Hornet Industry Coalition at RAAF Base Williamtown, near Newcastle, has returned the prototype aircraft to Australia for reassembly.
Full rate production is planned for up to 39 aircraft in Australia once the Hornet industry Coalition has developed a mature supply pipeline and industrial capacity, and has recruited and trained additional skilled workforce.
The prototyping activity demonstrated the complexity of the centre barrel work, with up to 25,000 replacement spare parts required for each centre barrel replacement. This has emphasised the need for a specialised workforce, facilities and equipment.
Disassembly and reassembly work will continue at Williamtown. Importantly, the requirement to conduct additional aircraft work in Canada has no impact on the current Australian workforce.
FATS of the land
The acquisition of FATS (Firearms Training Systems) by Meggitt Defence Systems in October has provided Meggitt with an ideal opportunity to grow their business in Australia and the Asia/Pacific region by leveraging off the success of FATS Australia and Meggitt’s global reputation for providing quality aerial targetry and other defence products.
The ADF is familiar with FATS Australia through their supply and management of the Weapon Training Simulation Systems (WTSS), virtual simulation training systems located at 17 major ADF bases throughout Australia, and the Indirect Forward Observer Trainers (IFOT), located at artillery units throughout the Army.
FATS Australia has been operating and maintaining the WTSS and IFOT since their introduction into service in 1999/2000.
To support their increased tempo in this region, Meggitt has relocated Peter Stammers from FATS headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, to Australia, to assume the position of Vice President Business Development Asia/Pacific Region.
Peter had a lengthy career in the Australian military before moving to the US in 2001 where he was FATS Vice President of Customer Support & Training prior to returning to Australia in July this year.
One of Meggitt’s initial priorities in Australia is to prepare for the release of the Joint Programme (JP) 66 Aerial Targetry RFP in the coming months.
Meggitt is a major player in the UK MOD’s Combined Aerial Target Service (CATS) project. MDS is providing Banshee, Voodoo and Pop-up Helicopter Aerial Targets, together with scoring for all targets including the Mirach 100 and Mirach 100 Towed Target.
The ADF has utilised Banshee and MDS towed targets, including the GT-400, which has been evaluated by DTRIALS.
DMS wins project management award
Defence Maritime Services Pty Ltd (DMS) has been named the Winner of the 2007 Project Management Achievement Awards for the category of Defence / Aerospace and NSW State Runner Up for Project of the Year in NSW for 2007.
DMS was recognised for its mobilisation project management efforts, which culminated in the successful recovery of the remains of an Australian Soldier and Australian Army Black Hawk helicopter which had been tragically lost in an accident off Fiji in late 2006.
Project 221, as it was known, required a specialised recovery vessel to locate the remains in 3,000 metres of water off Fiji, “hover” within metres for as long as necessary to effect the recovery, and then safely return the remains to Australia.
As there was no purpose built vessel immediately available, the DMS 2,200 tonne Dynamic Positioning 2 (DP2) vessel Seahorse Standard transited from WA to Sydney, where it was outfitted with specialised deep sea recovery systems flown in from USA and improvised craneage to undertake the very difficult mission.
All these systems were integrated into Seahorse Standard in a two-week period in February 2007 in Sydney, all work being subject to stringent design, quality and safety requirements.
Such a project was possible from DMS’ proven expertise in management and delivery of integrated operational, technical and logistic support services packages.
DMS is the Prime Contractor for delivery and through life support of the Armidale Class Patrol Boats for the RAN, the 14th and last of which will be delivered in October this year.
Thales Australia promotes SATCOM capability
Thales Alenia Space’s recent success to fulfill satellite communication requirements for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) provides an excellent opportunity for the ADF to leverage off the skills, knowledge and engineering development already completed to benefit Joint Project 2008 Phase 4.
Through selecting Thales, the ADF will not only have access to capability developed for the Yahsat project but will also have access to significant R&D, engineering and technological advances made in Europe over the last 20 years. As a result there is significant and realistic price and risk reduction for the ADF.
Thales has provided the ADF with an offer for two indigenous satellite communications systems Thales solution for JP2008 Phase 4 Satellites means the ADF will have a sovereign capability dedicated to strategic and operational needs and removes any reliance on second party networks.
An indigenous capability gives the ADF the ability to take a regional leadership role for local coalitions on operations and exercises and to share or provide SATCOM capacity to allies.
At a proposed price of around A$1 billion, the ADF would receive two uniquely tailored, broadband, communications satellites, management until handover in orbit and full insurance until one year after launch.
The Thales offering meets ADF requirements including dramatically increased capacity in the UHF, X and Ka frequency bands.
The YahSat satellite communications system for the UAE includes two large satellites to be delivered in orbit, as well as the associated ground infrastructure. The operational life of the Yahsat satellites is estimated at 15 years.
In addition to leverage of the YahSat project for reduction in price and risk, the YahSat program brings a new, advanced SATCOM modem to the market.
This modem provides multiple Electronically Protected modes that prevent Symmetric and Asymmetric groups from jamming critical communications networks.
Thales has offered this modem product to the ADF as part of JP2008 Phase 3F to ensure ADF strategic communications are protected from current and emerging threats.
Astrium and Thales win UAE satcomms contract
Al Yah Satellite Communications Company - “Yahsat” - a wholly owned subsidiary of Mubadala Development Company, has awarded a contract to a joint team of Astrium and Thales Alenia Space to build its US$1.66 billion dual satellite communications system ready for a launch in the second half of 2010.
Yahsat will provide customers with solutions for broadcasting services, internet trunking via satellite, corporate data networks and backhauling services to telecom operators.
The Yahsat satellites will fulfil the satellite communication requirements of both government and commercial customers in the Middle East, Africa, Europe and South West Asia. The system is designed to accommodate the trends of emerging applications in the satellite industry like HDTV and other broadband satellite services.
The dual (government and commercial) Yahsat satellite communications system includes two large satellites to be delivered in orbit, as well as the associated ground infrastructure.
The operational life of the satellites is estimated at 15 years. The Yahsat system will comprise of a space segment including two operational satellites -YahSat 1A and YahSat 1B. Yahsat 1A is to be stationed at the orbital position of 52.5°E.
Big win for Safe Air
New Zealand’s largest defence aerospace maintenance contract has been awarded to Safe Air Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Air New Zealand.
The NZ$110 million, six-year contract covers total heavy maintenance of the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s P3 Orion, C130 Hercules, UH1 Iroquois aircraft fleets and Rolls Royce T56 turbine engines.
The six-year contract with a potential five-year extension also covers the right to occupy the heavy maintenance facilities operated by Safe Air Ltd at RNZAF Woodbourne.
Safe Air General Manager Jeremy Remacha said the deal renews Safe Air’s long-standing relationship with the RNZAF, with the addition of spares supply, components management and clear performance targets.
Deputy Chief of Air Force Air Commodore Dick Newlands said the addition of joint initiatives and performance targets in the new contract pave the way for continuous improvement and long term reduction of ownership costs.
“We want to see improved aircraft availability, improved readiness for operations, and more competitive cost of fleet ownership. We are confident Safe Air has the capability and commitment to match our focus,” said Air Commodore Newlands.
Safe Air has more than 50 years experience in civil and military aircraft engineering at Woodbourne. In addition to the air force contract, it carries out work on some Air New Zealand aircraft and for offshore civil and military customers.
Safe Air will also fulfill two other New Zealand Ministry of Defence contracts on behalf of lead contractor L3 Communications - upgrading P3 Orion systems and a life-extension program on the C130s.
Gap year filling up
Minister for Defence, Dr Brendan Nelson, has encouraged young people who are considering the ADF Gap Year for 2008 to apply now as places are filling up quickly.
“The skills they will gain in terms of teamwork, self-discipline, communication and access to emerging technologies will assist them in their future studies and will be valued highly by prospective employers,” he said last month. “All this while earning between $30,000 and $46,000 over the year.”
On 9 August 2007, the Prime Minister announced that Defence is now accepting applications for the Australian Government’s ADF Gap Year program.
Within less than a fortnight of applications opening, there were more than 500 applications, 12,000 enquiries and over 33,000 visits to the ADF Gap Year website.
Also promising is that over 300 people have used the online chat facility and there have been over 3,000 requests for packs via the text message service.
Since December 2006, the Australian Government has committed $3.1 billion to recruitment and retention measures, which include the ADF Gap Year, recruiting reform and ADF pay reform.
Recruitment - “Best result for 10 years”
Defence Recruiting enlisted 8,924 people in total into the ADF last financial year, according to Dr Nelson; this is 1125 more people than enlisted in the previous financial year.
“This is a notable result at a time when Australia’s economy is robust, with the lowest unemployment rate for 30 years and where civilian employers are competing strongly for people with the same professional skills and technical and trade aptitude keenly sought by the ADF,” Dr Nelson said.
Since 2001, the Australian Government has committed $3.8 billion to boost ADF recruitment and retention through a range of new initiatives and measures.
For Defence Force Recruiting alone, $789 million has been allocated to improve the recruitment and career marketing process, better manage applicants, establish a career and transition advice service and introduce a new Defence Apprenticeship scheme.
“While recruiting results this year are a great improvement on past years, further gains are needed,” said Dr Nelson. “Defence’s immediate ‘people’ priority for the coming years is to enlist about 6500 full-time ADF entrants each year and reduce the ADF separation rate to below 10 per cent. These targets are important to grow the ADF to 57000 personnel by 2016 to meet the Government’s military capability needs.”
And the winner is . . .
Elbit Systems Ltd. has been awarded the Israel Defense Prize for 2007 for two military system developments, which make a significant contribution to enhancing Israel's security.
Elbit Electro-Optics Systems Elop Ltd. (Elop) received the 2007 Israel Defense Prize for development of an innovative system for ground forces.
Elop developed the system in cooperation with teams from the IDF Ground Forces Command and the Directorate of Defense R&D (MAFAT) of the IMOD, joint winners of the prize.
Elop was also an Israel Defense Prize recipient in 2005.
Elisra Electronic Systems Ltd. (Elisra), a 70 per cent-subsidiary of Elbit Systems, won the 2007 Israel Defense Prize for the development of a system based on advanced technological components, together with teams from MAFAT and the Israel Air Force.
“Being awarded the Israel Defense Prize is a great honor to the teams that participated in these projects. It is an indication not only of their advanced technological capabilities and creativity, but, first and foremost, of the extensive cooperation and interaction between our company and the Israel Defense Forces,” said Joseph Ackerman, President and CEO of Elbit Systems.
Defence to support NASA Dawn spacecraft launch
A team of four personnel from the United States Air Force will visit Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory to monitor the launch of the National Aeronautical and Space Administration’s (NASA) Dawn spacecraft.
The US team will arrive at Alice Springs and travel to Tennant Creek where they will establish a small temporary ground station.
Tennant Creek was selected as it affords the best view of the crucial booster separation phase of the launch. As part of the same mission a United States Air Force NKC-135 aircraft will be operating out of Perth International Airport from mid September and flying over north-west Australia.
The launch from Cape Canaveral is planned for between 19 September and 15 October depending on weather and atmospheric conditions.
Defence will be providing local liaison support and assisting NASA with its organisational arrangements while the team is in Australia supporting the Dawn spacecraft launch.
This mission will attempt to answer questions about the formation of our Solar System. Data returned from the Dawn spacecraft could provide opportunities for significant breakthroughs in our knowledge of how the solar system formed.
“Over the last decade Defence has supported five similar NASA missions as part of Australia’s ongoing cooperation with NASA,” said Minister for Defence Dr Brendan Nelson.
“I believe this is a very valuable scientific mission and I am proud to be able to offer Australian support to NASA to conduct the launch of this spacecraft.”
Movement at the station
John Gallacher has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) Alliance Management Team.
Mr Gallacher, who is also the CEO of ASC Shipbuilding, will now be responsible for the team that will deliver the next generation AWD’s to the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).
The Alliance Participants, which comprise of the DMO, ASC AWD Shipbuilder and Raytheon Australia, will work together to deliver the Hobart-class Air Warfare Destroyers to the RAN.
Following Second Pass Approval by Government, the project is now moving into the Build Phase which will give Australian Industry the opportunity to become involved in the most complex Defence acquisition ever undertaken in Australia.
And in other news, Tony Davis has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Rolls-Royce Australia Services Pty Ltd. Mr Davis, who succeeds Bob Moore, joined the company in September and will take up his new role effective January 2008. He will be based in Sydney.
Prior to joining Rolls-Royce, Tony was Director of Operations for the global Saab Systems naval business and the Deputy Managing Director for the Saab Australian operating entity, Saab Systems Pty Ltd based in Adelaide.
Bob Moore will be retiring from Rolls-Royce in December after more than 22 years of service.
NZ and Oz defence players to work together
The Australian Industry & Defence Network (AIDN) and the New Zealand Defence Industry Association Inc. (NZDIA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to formalise their intent to work together in support of mutual objectives.
The MoU, signed at the Defence and Industry Conference, is another signal that the two nations are working more closely together than ever before on defence-related projects.
It is intended that the agreement will facilitate and increased sharing of information that may be of mutual interest and promote inter-association cooperation on mutually relevant issues and activities. Where appropriate this may extend to detailed cooperative arrangements in respect to specific activities.
The MoU was signed by Neal Garnett, Chairman of NZDIA and Mike Turner, National President of AIDN and witnessed by Mr Peter Lindsay MP, Member for Herbert and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence.
“There is an established history of collaboration between New Zealand and Australian defence interests,” said Tim Green, Trade Commissioner, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise.
“The ANZAC Frigate project was arguably the single biggest catalyst for collaboration between New Zealand and Australian companies. Since then Australian contractors – and others based in Australia - have continued to play a significant part in the growth and support of New Zealand’s defence capability.
“Over time New Zealand companies have also begun to contribute an increasingly diverse range of products and services to the Australian defence industry. Activity has been centered in naval projects and aircraft maintenance and also innovative niche technologies in surveillance, simulation, navigation and combat fabrics.”
Copyright - Australian Defence Magazine, October 2007