Airforces

which visited in late November 2017; Lockheed
Martin’s C-130J transport and its SC-130J
‘Sea Hercules’ MPA derivative; Airbus D&S’s
A400M transport and C295 MPA; Leonardo’s
ATR 72MP, and Saab’s Swordfish, offered
on the Bombardier Global 6000 platform.
Embraer proposes the KC-390 airlifter with a
podded electro-optical system to meet both
FAMC and the SAR portion of FASC. The
second KC-390 prototype visited Whenuapai
in July as part of an international sales tour.
Unmanned solutions from companies, such
as General Atomics and Israel Aerospace
Industries (IAI), may also have been offered
for FASC as investment in remotely piloted
aerial systems is also under consideration,
according to the 2016 Development Plan.

The need for speed
One detail of the requirement that has
emerged, via Embraer, is that the RNZAF’s
long-range patrol solution should have a
transit speed of Mach 0.82. A higher transit
speed can give an MPA more time on patrol
once it gets to its station or reduce overall
mission duration for the same station time.
On the face of it, this Mach 0.82 stipulation
would seem to rule out the turboprop A400M
and SC-130J and even the KC-390 and
Swordfish jets, which are capable of only
Mach 0.80 and Mach 0.67, respectively.
Another complication is that the longest
runway at Whenuapai is 6,665ft (2,031m) while
the take-off requirements for a loaded P-1

or P-8 are believed to be more than 8,202ft

(2,500m). A mission at full load could require

staging through Auckland International

Airport if Whenuapai cannot be extended.

The RFI has produced broad indicative

information to give the MoD reasonable

options to consider further before putting

an investment case to government in late

2017. A decision to evaluate more closely
      the realistic options and eliminate the high-
      risk emerging technologies (the “Beam me
      up, Scotty machines”, as one MoD official
      put it) was expected by May 2017. A firm
      decision on the new capability is not expected
      before 2018 after the MoD delivers a business
      case for the preferred option or options.
      The election of a Labour Party-led coalition
      government in October 2017 may cause a
      review of FASC and FAMC. Labour promised
      to examine further if proposed purchases
      met capability requirements at the best
      value for money. New Defence Minister
      Ron Mark from the New Zealand First party
      previously called for a review of defence
      procurement and is said to favour smaller
      tactical airlifters. Minor coalition partner the
      Green Party specifically referred to the need
      for patrol aircraft in its manifesto, but called
      for the platforms to have neither submarine
      detection equipment nor weapons.
      In late 2016 then-commanding officer of
      No 5 Squadron, Wg Cdr Daniel ‘DJ’ Hunt
      told AFM: “There’s a lot to be said for not
      buying a bespoke system and not being

the first user or operator of new aircraft or

a new capability. I think we would probably

be attractive [to manufacturers] as a first

customer because we’re a small nation with

a small buy. In terms of our capabilities

you’ve got to weigh up what’s the trade-off

here. Are we going to get what we required?

Are we going to end up being the only

operator, in which case there will be spares

and obsolescence issues? If that happens

it becomes hard to sustain the capability.”

Replacement

For 51 years the default option for

investigating activity in the region’s oceans

has been to send a P-3 whether it’s near or

far, to search for a foreign submarine or a

missing dinghy. Those involved admit that

it’s a tricky problem to choose a maritime

surveillance solution that can carry out this

work efficiently and also perform combat

tasks. The concurrent FAMC project offers

the possibility of synergies and crossover

with FASC and some of No 5 Squadron’s

tasks may even move to other RNZAF units,

depending on the eventual platforms chosen.

No single platform can do everything the

government wants and there’s probably

nothing as flexible as the P-3. New Zealand

has gained significant value from the Orion

since 1966 and will keep doing so until

2024-25, but finding a replacement that can

match its eventual six decades in service

is going to be an adventure in itself.

Above: Under the P-3K Systems Upgrade

Programme (SUP), the six RNZAF Orions were

upgraded to P-3K2 standard, with the former L-3

Communications as the prime contractor. P-3K2

initial operational capability was achieved in March

2013 after delays, and final capability release was

given in early 2016. RNZAF Below: A Mk46 torpedo

falls away from a P-3K2 at RIMPAC ’16. RNZN/Petty

Officer Chris Weissenborn

An officer of the New Zealand Ministry of Primary Industries discusses details of a fisheries patrol mission
with the pilot of a P-3K2. The K2 upgrade retained the position of flight engineer, seen centre. RNZAF

AFM

http://www.airforcesmonthly.com #358 JANUARY 2018 // 95