34 | Flight International | 17-23 February 2015 flightglobal.com
AUSTRALIA
SPECIAL REPORT
RAAF to increase levels of security within US
International Traffic in Arms Regulations
(ITARS) requirements, and gain experience in
the maintenance of low observable coatings
and networked combat aircraft.
Six RAAF Super Hornets were deployed to
the UAE in October 2014 to participate in
combat operations against Islamic State forces
in Iraq, where they have flown nearly 3,000h
with a better than 98% availability rate. These
aircraft are expected to be swapped out for a
deployment of RAAF Classic Hornets in
March, and it is planned for Supers and Clas-
sics to complete alternating six-month de-
ployments for the duration of that campaign.ENHANCEMENTS
There is much interest within the RAAF in
the proposed enhancements to the Super
Hornets, particularly the GE F414 engines and
upper fuselage conformal fuel tanks. Howev-
er, the RAAF is wary of deviating from its in-
dustry support model, which parallels that of
the US Navy, and thus will likely adopt these
enhancements only if the US Navy does.
The Super Hornets will be joined at Amber-
ley by 12 Boeing EA-18G Growlers from 2017.
A number of RAAF crews are already based at
the US Navy’s NAS Whidbey Island in Wash-MILITARY AVIATION
Powering
down under
The Royal Australian Air Force is
renewing its air combat and ISR
capabilities with a series of
acquisitions and upgrades
ANDREW MCLAUGHLIN SYDNEY
Six RAAF Super Hornets
deployed against Islamic
State forces have flown
3,000h with 98% availabilityT
he Royal Australian Air Force’s air combat
and intelligence, surveillance and recon-
naissance (ISR) capabilities will be substan-
tially increased over the next decade as new
fifth generation capabilities are introduced.
The current RAAF air combat fleet compris-
es 71 Boeing F/A-18A/B Hornets in three
fi ghter squadrons and one operational conver-
sion unit based at Williamtown near Newcas-
tle and Tindal in the Northern Territory, and 24
F/A-18F Super Hornets in a single squadron
based at Amberley near Brisbane.
Australia’s ‘Classic’ Hornets have been
substantially upgraded over the past decade,
receiving AN/APG-73 radars in place of the
original APG-65 sets, substantially upgraded
communications including MIDS/Link 16
datalinks, the Boeing/VSI Joint Helmet
Mounted Cueing System, new AN/ALR-
67(V)3 radar warning receivers, Saab BOL
countermeasures dispensers and the Elta
EL/8222 jammer pod.
REFURBISHMENT
Other enhancements include the integration
of the Northrop Grumman Litening AT EO/IR
targeting pod, and new weapons including
the MDBA ASRAAM infrared guided AAM
and precision GPS guided JDAM bombs, and
the stand-off Lockheed Martin AGM-158
JASSM air-to-surface missile.
However, the youngest Classic Hornet
entered service in 1990 and the fleet is show-
ing its age structurally. A plan to replace the
main fuselage centre barrels (CBs) of up to 49
of the aircraft was cut short in 2009, partly be-
cause of emerging structural and fatigue is-
sues that could not be addressed by a CB re-
placement. Instead, a multi-staged Structural
Refurbishment Program is expected to con-
tinue until the type is retired in 2022.
Acquired in 2007 as a decade-long bridging
capability between the retirement of the
General Dynamics F-111C and the service
entry of the Lockheed Martin F-35A, the 24
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornets operated by 1
Sqn will likely now be retained until at least- More than just providing airframes on
the ramp, the Super Hornets have allowed the
A recent Boeing E-7A Wedgetail surveillance operation over Iraq lasted more than 17h
Commonwealth of Australia