A digitally created image of the
new F/A-259 Striker that was
unveiled in July. Aero VodochodyPACIFIC AREA POSEIDON NEWS
THE REPUBLIC OF Korea announced
plans to replace its current eet of
16 P-3CK maritime patrol aircraft
with P-8As on June 26. It will initially
purchase six Poseidons under its
MPA-II project at a cost of around
$1.7 billion. Before deciding to
acquire the P-8A, the government’s
procurement agency considered
several options including the
Airbus C295 MPA, upgrades of the
Lockheed P-3C Orion and S-3B
Viking and the Saab Sword sh, the
latter based on the Bombardier
Global 6000 business jet. According
to South Korea’s Defense Acquisition
Program Administration (DAPA), the
aircraft will be purchased through a
government-to-government Foreign
Military Sales contract.
Meanwhile, New Zealand’s defense
minister announced plans to buy
four P-8As from Boeing under the
US Foreign Military Sales program
on July 9. The aircraft are being
acquired under the future airsurveillance capability project at a
cost of $1.6 billion, including training
and infrastructure improvements.
The US State Department previously
approved the potential sale in
April 2017. The Poseidons will
replace the Royal New Zealand
Air Force’s current eet of six
Lockheed P-3K2 Orions and will
enter service with No 5 Squadron
in 2023. It will shift operations from
RNZAF Base Whenuapai to RNZAF
Base Ohakea, near Manawatū.
The government also plans to
consider options for additional
maritime surveillance capability
as part of a defence capability
plan review that is scheduled for
completion by the end of 2018.
According to the defense minister,
‘The complementary capability will
consider smaller manned aircraft,
remotely piloted aircraft systems
(RPAS) or satellites, for additional
maritime surveillance tasks within
New Zealand’s Exclusive EconomicZone and near region’. New Zealand
originally purchased ve P-3Bs in
1966 and acquired a sixth aircraft
from Australia in 1985. Since the
mid-1980s the Orions have received
several upgrades but the eet is
expected to reach the end of its
operational life in 2025.
Australia recently announced
plans to upgrade its facilities at
the Royal Malaysian Air Force’s
Butterworth air base in preparation
for the deployment of RAAF
P-8As in support of missions in
the South-east Asia region. The
RAAF conducted its initial P-8A
deployment to the base in May 2017
as part of the Poseidon’s operational
and test evaluation program. The
$16.3-million project involves the
refurbishment of the hangars and
other facilities that will support the
maritime patrol aircraft. The RAAF’s
AP-3Cs have deployed to the region
and operated from Butterworth as
part of Operation ‘Gateway’ since
1981, but will hand this role o to
the Poseidon in 2018. Tom KaminskiJAPAN PLANNING NEW
NAVAL INTELLIGENCE
AIRCRAFT
THE JAPAN DEFENSE Ministry
is considering the acquisition
of naval intelligence-gathering
aircraft as part of its ve-year
defense program that will
begin in 2019. It will reportedly
consider existing and modi ed
types for the role. Although
the Japan Maritime Self-
Defense Force (JMSDF) will
determine how many aircraft
will be acquired, development
will be the responsibility of
the ministry’s Acquisition,
Technology and Logistics Agency
(ATLA). The agency released a
request for information for an
intelligence-gathering aircraft
in April. The new machine
is apparently intended as a
replacement for the JMSDF’s
existing eet of four EP-3C
and ve OP-3C intelligence,
surveillance and reconnaissance
(ISR) aircraft. The service also
operates the Kawasaki Heavy
Industries P-1, currently replacing
Japan’s eet of P-3C maritime
patrol aircraft, which is a likely
candidate for this role. However,
smaller aircraft including
unmanned types could also be
considered. Tom KaminskiA Royal Australian Air Force P-8A supports sea trials for the NUSHIP Hobart in the
Gulf St Vincent off the coast of Adelaide last year. In future, Australia will be joined
by South Korea and New Zealand among Asia-Pacifi c Poseidon operators.
CPL Craig Barrett/Commonwealth of Australia[NEWS] WORLD
18 September 2018 //^ http://www.combataircraft.net
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