Combat Aircraft – September 2019

Coming from a fast jet background, some

of the tasks that I conduct include weapon

systems testing and carriage release. However, we

don’t necessarily always test our parent platforms

Flt Lt Adam Rouessart

are also undergoing testing to ensure

their compatibility with local systems

and infrastructure, not least Australia’s

sovereign version of the Autonomic

Logistics Information System (ALIS).

Wg Cdr Rich said: ‘There is a massive

team that is making sure we understand

how Australia is going to best employ

the F-35. Working together with No 3

Squadron, its parent No 81 Wing, the

Air Combat Transition O ce — which is

leading the F-35 introduction to service

— as well as the rest of the AWC, our role

is essentially to provide expertise in the

development and planning of the test

activities and making sure that everyone

understands how to gain the most

bene t from those lessons.

‘It’s about leveraging each other’s

expertise for the delivery of timely

and relevant advice to the war ghter

— and that, in essence, is the mission

of the AWC.’

The ARDU’s ability to evolve as

requirements dictate new missions

over its 76-year history have validated

its ability to provide a relevant, organic

and comprehensive test and evaluation

service to the RAAF. This unit has proven

itself to be indispensable, with its

accomplishments over time being of

immensurable value to the RAAF.

major activity includes certi cation

of the C-27J Spartan battle eld

airlifter’s Communication, Navigation,

Surveillance/Air Tra c Management

(CNS/ATM) avionics, which will allow

the crews to operate unrestricted in

international airspace. A project to

upgrade the E-7A Wedgetail mission

systems to provide increased situational

awareness for its operators and the ability

to share greater volumes of information

to other platforms is also being worked

on by the ARDU.

Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) have

grown in importance for the unit, with

both the MQ-4C Triton high-altitude

long-endurance and the MQ-9 Reaper

medium-altitude long-endurance

systems to be inducted into service in the

2020s. Its future focus will most certainly

include the Airpower Teaming System,

which was unveiled at this year’s Avalon

Airshow. Billed as Australia’s answer to the

US Air Force Research Laboratory’s ‘Loyal

Wingman’ concept, the joint project

between the Australian government and

Boeing will herald a new era for local

aerospace defense industry.

By far the most prominent program

the ARDU is dealing with right now

relates to initial veri cation and

evaluation of the F-35A as it’s inducted

into service. The  rst two aircraft were

delivered to No 3 Squadron at RAAF

Williamtown in December 2018 with

another pair following in April 2019. With

operational test and evaluation of the

F-35 ongoing in the US, the RAAF F-35s

While the F-35 is undergoing operational

test and evaluation in the US, the RAAF’s

F-35s are undergoing local testing

to ensure they are compatible with

Australian systems and infrastructure.

Commonwealth of Australia

Above: Working

with 92 Wing,

which is co-

located at RAAFB

Edinburgh,

the ARDU has

assisted with

clearing the

Poseidon to

refuel from the

KC-30 and the

deployment of

the SAR kit from

the aircraft.

Commonwealth of

Australia

http://www.combataircraft.net // September 2019 75

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