DEFENCE
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NEWS FOCUS PA
ustralia has removed the
Airbus A330 multi-role tank-
er transport from its ‘Projects of
Concern’ list, following the suc-
cessful completion of remedia-
tion work related to the type’s
aerial refuelling boom.
Designated the KC-30A in
Australian service, the type has
been on Canberra’s watchlist
since February 2010 owing to a
number of project delays, with
extensive work having been un-
dertaken by Airbus in Spain re-
lated to the capability.
“Resolution of this [boom]
issue completes the remediation
of all activities identified in the
project’s remediation plan, and it
has been removed from the list,”
says Harry Dunstall, acting chief
executive of Australia’s Defence
Materiel Organisation (DMO).
D
efence minister Ng Eng Hen
has announced plans to re-
place Singapore’s air force fleet of
32 Airbus Helicopters AS
Super Puma and AS532 Cougar
rotorcraft over the next 10 years.
“Our Super Puma helicopters
have been in service for almost 30
years,” Ng said in a speech to the
nation’s parliament. “They will
need replacements, and this will
occur over the next decade.”
Ng made no mention of the
number of airframes to be ob-
tained, but it is believed that the
fleet acquired could be substantial-
ly lower than at present – perhaps
half the current total. It is not clear
whether a request for proposals has
CAPABILITY GREG WALDRON SINGAPORE
RAAF tanker fleet set for boom time
Canberra removes KC-30A from ‘Projects of Concern’ list following successful remediation work on aerial refuelling system
Deliveries of the AS332 to the nation’s air force started in 1985The service has already taken delivery of five modified A330sSingapore reveals Super Puma replacement plan
REQUIREMENT GREG WALDRON SINGAPORE
tion’s hot, humid climate.
A newer, more maintenance-
friendly aircraft would allow it to
operate fewer airframes.
A replacement contest could
attract interest from manufactur-
ers such as AgustaWestland, Air-
bus Helicopters, Bell Helicopter
and Sikorsky. At the 2014 Singa-
pore air show, Bell Boeing also
demonstrated the V-22 Osprey
tiltrotor, but Singapore may not
need such a significant enhance-
ment in its rotorcraft capabilities.
Flightglobal’s Ascend Fleets da-
tabase records the Republic of
Singapore Air Force’s AS332/532s
as having been delivered between
1985 and 1993. ■been issued for the requirement,
or which manufacturers could be
interested in bidding.
Although Singapore’s Super
Pumas and Cougars are wellmaintained, industry observers
say the ageing airframes are likely
to impose a substantial mainte-
nance burden, particularly given
high utilisation rates and the na-The Royal Australian Air Force
operates five KC-30As, with one
currently deployed to the Middle
East to support US-led efforts
against Islamic State insurgents in
Iraq. The type has so far refuelled
Australian and coalition aircraft
using its under-wing hose-and-
drogue pods.“The recent acceptance of the
boom capability paves the way to
begin introduction of boom in-
flight refuelling into service
through 2015,” the DMO says.
“This capability will now under-
go operational evaluation.”
By 2023, only 36 of the RAAF’s
aircraft will still use hose-and-drogue refuelling, counting 24
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornets
and 12 EA-18G Growlers. Anoth-
er 100, including the Lockheed
Martin F-35, will require boom
refuelling.
Flightglobal’s Ascend Fleets
database records four of the ser-
vice’s KC-30As as being in cur-
rent active use with Amberley,
Queensland-based 33 Sqn.
Speaking at last month’s
Avalon air show near Melbourne,
Air Cdre Warren MacDonald said
the KC-30A fleet is expected to
accumulate a combined 4,
flight hours this year. The type
has already logged in excess of
1,300h in the Middle East since
being deployed to the region late
last year as part of Australia’s
operation “Okra” commitment,
he adds. ■Commonwealth of AustraliaBillyPixDownload the 2015
World Air Forces Report
http://www.flightglobal.com/waf
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