F_I_2015_02_17_23_

36 | Flight International | 17-23 February 2015 flightglobal.com

AUSTRALIA

SPECIAL REPORT

With the divestment of the JCA by the Air

National Guard, L-3 last year established its

own training centre at Waco using civilian

staff and utilises a full flight simulator and

cargo hold trainer located at Arlington in

Texas. RAAF C-27J engineering staff com-

menced training on the C-27J in December,

while aircrew began in January.

AIRLIFT

Transports

transition

The RAAF’s role as lead customer

for the Airbus MRTT is an

example of how Australia is

reshaping its military airlift fleet

ANDREW MCLAUGHLIN SYDNEY

T

he Royal Australian Air Force’s air
transport capability is midway through a
massive transformation that is revolutionising
how it conducts operations.
Following the retirement of the DHC-4
Caribou in 2009 and Lockheed Martin C-130H
Hercules in 2011, the oldest type in the
RAAF’s transport fleet is the Lockheed Martin
C-130J-30 Super Hercules, 12 of which entered
service in 1999 and are operated by 37
Squadron at RAAF Richmond near Sydney.
The C-130J has been extensively upgraded
in recent years with new electronic warfare
and advanced communications systems, and
the amalgamation of planned Block 7 and
Block 8.1 upgrades. Also planned is the ac-
quisition of a high-fidelity fuselage trainer, the
addition of MIDS/Link-16 and SATCOM
communications to enable dynamic re-task-
ing, new airdrop load validation work and the
addition of a high-speed airdrop ramp, as well
as a revised flight training programme to pro-
duce seat-agile combat-efficient crews sooner.

T

he Royal Flying Doctor Service is as

Australian as they come. The world’s first

and largest civilian aeromedical service started

life in May 1928, when the Reverend John

Flynn launched his Aerial Medical Service to

provide vital healthcare to the people of rural

and remote Australia. In its first year of opera-

tion, the service provided care to 255 people.

Today’s RFDS is very different, with 60-plus

aircraft operating from 22 bases throughout the

AEROMEDICAL

Doctor’s

orders

The Royal Flying Doctor service,

which provides medical support

in Australia’s vast outback, has

undergone many changes

EMMA KELLY PERTH

The C-17 is a major leap

forward for Australia’s ability

to carry out military and

humanitarian missions

Two RAAF C-130J-30s remain deployed to

the United Arab Emirates in support of ongo-

ing Australian Defence Force operations in

Afghanistan, Iraq and the wider region.

Soon to arrive in Australia will be the first

two of 10 new Alenia Aermacchi/L-3 COM

C-27J Spartan battlefield airlifters. The

RAAF’s C-27J is the same as the now-retired

US Air National Guard/US Army-specified

Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA) configuration. The

aircraft starts life as a “green” C-27J at Alenia

Aermacchi in Italy before ferrying to L-3 COM

at Waco in Texas for the installation of cockpit

and cargo hold ballistic protection matting, an

electronic warfare self-protection system, and

a comprehensive communications suite.

The KC-30A multi-role tanker has had its operational debut with deployment to the UAE

In remote areas, the RFDS is the sole

provider of healthcare services

RFDS

Commonwealth of Australia