Air6000 project of Australia

AIR 6000: A New Aerospace Combat Capability for the ADF

Project Overview
Project AIR 6000 was established in May 1999. The project aims to identify and acquire a new aerospace combat capability to replace the air defence and strike capabilities currently provided by the F/A-18 and F-111 aircraft fleets. Current planned withdrawal dates for the F/A-18 and F-111 aircraft are 2012-2015 and 2015-2020 respectively. Under Defence Capability & Investment Committee direction, the project is required to examine a broad range of capability options that would provide an on-going capability, whilst avoiding a continuation of the ‘replacement mentality’ that has characterised many past major capital equipment projects and contributed to block obsolescence issues.

Project Objective
The objective of the project is to provide the ADF with cost effective, credible and sustainable aerospace control and strike capabilities throughout the period 2012 to 2020 and beyond.

In the Defence White Paper, Defence 2000 – Our Future Defence Force, the Government has placed a high degree of importance on the sustainment of capable air combat and strike capabilities. Provision has been made in the Defence Capability Plan for the acquisition of up to 75 new combat aircraft to replace the F/A-18, and, for planning purposes, the acquisition of up to 25 aircraft of the same type as a potential replacement for the F-111 fleet. The Government has also expressed the requirement to examine long range missiles and unmanned combat aerial vehicles as possible strike capability options.

Context
In that context, the Capability Definition Phase of the project will involve a range of activities, focussed on quantifying the effectiveness of different weapon systems (generic), their resource costs (acquisition and in-service) and the relative risks including technical maturity, capability parity over the timeframe (2012-2045), costs and schedule.

Risk Mitigation Through Rigorous Capability Definition
Representing a capital investment of between $10-20 billion, Air 6000 is set to become the largest project in Australian defence history. In addition, the air defence and strike capabilities that will be introduced by Air 6000 are viewed as key elements to Australia’s defence strategy. For that reason, the Australian Defence Organisation (ADO) is investing significant financial and manpower resources into the Air 6000 Capability Definition phase.

The primary objective of the Capability Definition phase, will be to produce a Capability Options Document that provides senior defence decision makers with sufficiently robust information for them to make sound and cost effective decisions on the capabilities to be acquired to satisfy future ADF aerospace control and strike requirements. Capability definition phase activities will revolve around undertaking early analysis of the maturity and performance of various capability options, major acquisition and support cost drivers and project risks in order to develop acquisition and support strategies to maximise the ADF’s return on investment whilst minimising project risks.

In broad terms, the objectives of the Capability Definition Phase is aimed at:
providing Government and the ADF with the depth and fidelity of information necessary for them to make an informed capability investment decision, based on rigorous analysis of feasible future ADF force mix options; and
developing an evolutionary equipment acquisition strategy that maintains credible ADF air dominance and strike capabilities throughout the withdrawal period for F/A-18 and F-111 and beyond, while accommodating technology maturation cycles and ADF budget constraints and minimising future block obsolescence.

In order to mitigate against capability definition, schedule and budgetary shortfalls that would adversely impact the acquisition and in-service support, a core Integrated Product Team (IPT) has been formed during the capability development phase. This approach has been taken to inject the necessary amount of dedicated effort into the front end of the project. The core IPT comprises all of the major stakeholders and covers the entire capability lifecycle (capability definition, acquisition and in-service).

Project Scope
The project will involve a three-stage Capability Definition Phase, followed by, potentially, up to three acquisition phases.

Capability Definition Phase.
The capability definition stages involve the following:
Stage 1 – Feasibility Analysis (completed). This stage involved F/A-18 and F-111 life-of-type capability/cost assessments to validate the platforms’ planned withdrawal dates. Options for the subsequent analytic stages were presented for consideration.

Stage 2 – Impact Analysis (underway). The final product of Stage 2 will be an Initial Concept Options Document (COD). Stage 2 aims to:

Conduct force structure analysis of a spectrum of future force mix options, based on the available technology, the strategic environment and the available resources, to assess broad affordability and effectiveness.
examine and apply relevant developments in technology and operational concepts; and
provide decision support to enable selection of a reduced set of realistic force mix options for Stage 3 analysis.
Stage 3 – Options Definition. Stage 3 will:
deliver a range of force structure options that will offer decision makers clear guidance on enhancing ADF capability,
provide an acquisition strategy that minimises the recurrence of block obsolescence in future years, and
inform decision makers of the cost and capability implications of all possible options.
Acquisition Phases
The exact nature and composition of the ensuing acquisition phases will be determined by the Capability Definition Phase and will be subject to Government endorsement of the Acquisition Business Case.

Schedule
EVENT PLANNED DATE

Capability Definition Phase

Stage 2 Activities Jan 01 – Dec 02
Stage 3 Activities Jan 03 – Dec 04
Second Pass to Government (Budgetary Approval of Phase 1A Acquisition) FY 06/07

Phase 1A Acquisition
Entry into service of Phase 1A System 2012

Phase 1B Acquisiton (Planned) TBA
Budgetary Approval FY 10/11
Entry into Service Phase 1B System 2015

Possible Proposed Solutions from around the World
The following links are to combat systems which may be considered as Air 6000 candidates. Whilst not exhaustive, the list provides insight into the spectrum of systems and capabilities under consideration.

Aircraft
EF2000
Gripen
Rafale
F16 Block 60
F22
Superhornet EF
F15
JSF
Sukhoi

UCAVS

http://www.darpa.mil
http://www.saab.se/future/
http://www.boeing.com/news/relea…00927n.htm

Source: http://www.defence.gov.au/dmo/as…ir6000.cfm
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What aircraft would you pick to replace the current fleet of Asutralian F-111 and F-18s??

To be purchase 2006/2007 (F-18 replacement)
To be purchase 2010/2011 (F-111 replacement)
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