32 AUSTRALIAN AVIATION DECEMBER 2017
of forward operating bases, such as
RAAF Learmonth, or RAAF Curtin,
or RAAF Scherger, it’s a very different
concept to the Americans when they’re
deployed, because they go to Kadena
(Japan) and fully-established, functional
bases with mature supply lines.
“So, the OT&E was about operating
in our environment. It was about
picking up any differences in the
training from what we received in
the US. And it was about how can
we ensure that from the maintenance,
as well as a logistics and supply
perspective, we can function effectively
prior to initial operating capability
being declared because once that
happens then it will be a case of, ‘right,
go and do Resolute, go and operate in
the South China Sea and so on’.”
11SQN is working towards
achieving IOC early in 2018.
“Effectively come January next year,
we’ll have four crews, we’ll have five
aircraft, we’ll have enough maintainers
to generate a level of mission assurance
for a limited period of time,” says
WGCDR Titheridge.
“But there’s also the unwritten
aspects to IOC, which are, do we
think we’re mature enough in terms
of experience? Our publications, for
example, is this system at the right
level to meet that gate? We’re on track
for that, which is good.”
Central to achieving IOC is
maturing the logistics and sustainment
systems to support the aircraft.
“Every day we’re learning about the
complexity of our logistics priority, our
support and our sustainment. That’s
probably where the most learning is
happening.”
And key events such as the
participation in Talisman Saber and the
Butterworth and Resolute deployments
have helped the unit build experience in
operating the aircraft, and supporting it
away from home base.
“We deployed to the South China
Sea in May, in support of Operation
Gateway,” recalls WGCDR Titheridge
of the first international deployment by
a RAAF P-8.
“The focus was, can we effectively
operate in that environment? What are
the differences in the data we collect,
getting it off the aircraft and, you
know, can we operate from that runway
with a bigger jet, and a short runway,
compared to what we were used to on
the P-3? And that was very successful.”
Then the deployment of a P-8 to
take part in Talisman Saber proved
“another good test”.
“That was for about five weeks in
July up in Townsville. And that was a
fantastic opportunity to test the aircraft
in its core roles of anti-submarine
warfare and anti-surface warfare.”
But, says the 11SQN CO, “it was
less about training for those roles, or
testing the aircraft’s capabilities in
those roles, because that was a given.
It was more about, instead of sending a
maintenance workforce of 34 to cover
off in a day shift and a night shift, what
about 12? What about six for day and
six for night? How does that work with
a modern aircraft? And what sort of
rate of effort can we sustain with one
jet? How does that allow us to do more
concurrent tasks?”
Talisman Saber also saw the RAAF
successfully deploy a mobile tactical
operations centre, or MTOC, whichallows the full capabilities of the P-8 to
be exploited.
“We set it up in a series of four
high-tech tents which allowed all the
mission planning, mission support,
communication with the aircraft, as
well as the post-mission analysis and
dissemination of data.”
An MTOC isn’t necessary for lower
intensity, less “dynamic” operations
like Operation Gateway missions,
where mission planning can largely be
completed before the aircraft leaves
Edinburgh.
“Not having an MTOC is fine for
the maritime intelligence surveillance
reconnaissance role. The more high-
end roles, like a Talisman Saber,
those sorts of deployments you’re best
off having that support. Not just for
tailoring mission media for the task,
but also when you get home, if you
want to do that deep analysis on the
acoustic data that you’ve collected
against submarines, or ships. That
requires an MTOC to do the analysis on
that, and then pass it off to the different
agencies that receive the data.”
A permanent tactical operations
centre (TOC) for the P-8 has been
established at Edinburgh, with a
second permanent TOC to be located at
RAAF Base Darwin. A second mobile
TOC is also being acquired, this one
containerised and able to be deployed
by C-17 airlifter.
Another key enabler to help realise
the P-8’s full potential, and full
operational capability (FOC), are the
four simulators due to come online at
Edinburgh next year, two full-flight
simulators for the pilots and two
mission simulators for the ‘back-end’There’s also
the unwritten
aspects to
IOC ... do we
think we’re
mature
enough in
terms of
experience?
WGCDR DAVE TITHERIDGETransferring all AP-3C
operations to 10SQN has allowed
11SQN to focus on introducing
the P-8A into service.DEFENCE