Wheres the photo from?

Note the 1021 kg JASSM being fitted to the outer wing 1066 kg hardpoint, so its 3 drop tanks, 2 JASSM (or 1 drop tank, 4 JASSM – yea right!). F-16 carries on the middle wing hardpoint, retaining all drop tanks, and defensive AAM. F/A-18F would be the middle hardpoints as well.

Spain has to carry the 1400 kg KEPD 350 on the inner wing hardpoint (which I thought was rated at 1134 kg?).

Its got me stuffed………… So what happens to the vast amount of time, ‘money’ and technical maintenance training of all the effort put into the purchasing of the Aim-132 ASRAAM?

Move across to F-35? And/or by the time the last F/A-18A/B retires the ASRAAM probably would have exceeded its shelf life.

Hell look at the waist of time, money (and lack of capability!) and in the end no cigar – the RAAF achieved in its attempts to field a stand-off attack weapon for the its F-111 fleet.
With the ever changing technology and ‘Bling’ factor of ever more modern types and capability of weapons being developed – did the RAAF truly want to field the likes of the ‘Popeye’ (AGM-142 ‘Have Nap’) in the end?
Or did it change its mind after all its time and effort?????

Yes, thats one of the disappointments of the F-111 digital AUP upgrade. It was assumed adding new weapons was going to be cheap and easy – adding the AGM-142 was neither. Factor in all the integration costs its cheaper to purchase new weapons. AGM-142 entered service in April 2006, with the F-111 to go December 2010….

The RAAF wanted a standoff missile family (HE, penetrating warheads, EO, ARM guidance). In the end it was decided to finish the project and at least have an interim standoff weapon.

At the end of the day it is clear to me that the RAAF never truly looked hard and in depth into all the options with its purchase of the Super Hornet.
I am convinced that it was more a political decision of the last Australian Federal Government to purchase the Super Hornet.
Some people would argue interservice compatability with the United States!
But this does not truly gel with me.

It was purely political. But it resulted in the right aircraft (interim to allow some slack in Hornet retirements, the current F-35 delays, and moving the crews across to a 5th gen jet) for the wrong reasons (political).

To think that the EF-18 Growler may be kept in use to support the eventual introduction of the F-35 seems a little odd to me!
Why when using the so-called stealth qualities of the F-35 to penetrate an enemies aerospace, would you counter act this with noise suppression Jamming?

Stealth jets have always been used with complementary standoff jamming. At some stage the F-35 will end up with external weapons, standoff jamming would be more important. Any RAAF EA-18G would hopefully have the new generation jamming pod rather than ALQ-99, but I’m not even sure whether Australia has been cleared for these.

To me – As for tanker / airborne refueling as a force multipliers – to support the Super Hornets – its will not take a determined enemy with a touch of genius to work out very quickly that by splashing a couple of tanks which the main strike force is critically relying on is a far more intuiting and productive target to splash than a multiple array of Super Hornets!
After all almost every neighbor to Australia has been using tankers / Airborne refueling in their orbat for over a decade+ – whilst our politicians deliberated wether it would be seen as provocative…………………. (but hey that’s just my thoughts!!!)

The RAAF converted 4 of its 6 Boeing 707 to tankers between 1989 and 1992 using Israeli kits (only available since 1989). The remaining two were to have been fitted with the flying boom to refuel the F-111, but cancelled due to lack of money. Of course they were retired between 2007 and 2008. KC-30 aren’t due till mid-2010.

Singapore has one KC-130H 1986, two KC-130B conversions 1986-88 and four ex-US KC-135R delivered 1999-00.

Indonesia has two KC-130B since the 1980s(?), but none are currently operational.

Malaysia converted two C-130H to KC-130H 2001-03, and might end with some of its A400M so fitted.

One thing is for certain for a long time now, the ADF has been following trends, instead of set them for its own unique requirements!!!!

Some of these unique requirements still have ongoing issues or were much delayed – Collins submarines, Wedgetail AEW, JASSM, the cancelled SH-2G(A), Jindalee OTH radar, FFG UP
Others have been more succesful – ASRAAM, F/A-18F, RF-111C, KC-30A, MRH 90, MU-90 torpedoes, Tiger helicopters, MK 48 ADCAP/CBASS torpedoes, Ikara missiles, Nulka decoy, Anzac frigates, Petrel sonar, CEFAR radar, CEAMOUNT radar

The ADF was pretty quick in adding Harpoon missiles (not in US service) and Pave Tack/laser guided bombs (in US service) to the F-111, C-130J, ASRAAM (August 2004 – third or so 5th Gen AAM operator?), AMRAAM (December 2001, ISTR UK Sea Harriers were first exports in 1995/96?), Mk 48 torpedoes, ESSM missiles.

They also jumped on the C-17A bandwagon, as soon as Boeing/RAF showed the way with the maintenance and training. Also the RAAF has always been pretty quick on the P-3B/C purchases.

The RAAF is very interested in the internally carried JSM missile for its F-35A – I’m not sure any other customer has expressed interest in this?

Other thing with F/A-18F to F-35 transition are the new weapons for the F/A-18F can also be used by the F-35. So cheaper training, crews already familiar with weapons.

Initial pilot and maintainer training will take place in the USA.

Foreign sales would include an additional profit component. AFAIK all FMS have a price increase compared with US.

Hi Folks.

I wonder if anyone can help with answers to the following questions please;

1 = How many C-130K’s currently in service with the RAF?
2 = How many C-130J’s currently in service with the RAF?
3 = How many, if any, C-130J’s are still on order?
4 = What are the current plans for the C-130K’s? (e.g. run them into the ground? retire the fleet?)
5 = How many A400M’s do the RAF intends to buy, and currently expected in-service date?
6 = How many A330 future tanker / personnel transports the RAF intends to buy, & currently expected in-service date?
7 = How Many VC10’s remain in service on the books, and currently expected out of service date for the last one?
8 = How Many Tristar’s remain in service on the books, and currently expected out of service date for the last one?

Thanks alot

1) 3 Hercules C.1, 8 Hercules C.3, 6 Hercules C.3A
2) 14 Hercules C.4, 10 Hercules C.5
3) None
4) Retire the remaining C.1 by 2012, C.3 by Dec 2010; C.3A by Dec 2012. They are in the process of rewinging three so might push some out further.
5) 25 A400M, expected from 2013 and ISD 2014.
6) As mentioned its a lease of 14 A330 MRTT. ISD 2012.
7) 15 VC.10: 10 C.1K, 2 K.3, 4 K.4 (yes this is 16, an unknown version was retired July 2008). CUrrently planned as March 2011, but will probably be extended to 2016.
8) 9 Tristars: 4 KC.1, 2 K.1, 3 C.2. Planned OSD 2015.

CdG objective airgroup always has been 32 Rafale, 3 E-2C, 2 Panther, 2 NH90.

It has 4000 m3 aviation fuel (~3200 tonnes). Standard operations use 100 t/day. By doctrine they don’t want to drop below 70% aviation fuel before replenishment.
(3200 x 0.3)/100 = 9.6 days. They replenish every 7-10 days, Foch was every 3 days.
The carrier has 45 days stores endurance.
Source: AFM, July 2002

It carries 600 t ammunition (another source has a more realistic 2100 t), maximum catapult was 19500 kg (also said to be 21000 kg), the arrestor wires are rated at 15000 kg. They can recover 20 aircraft in under 12 minutes.

The requirement was 20-24 5 times/day (100-120) or 48 every 1.5 hours.

ISTR they can launch two 20 aircraft strikes/day – 4 sweep, 2 close escort, buddy tankers and strikers. The actual real world time is limited by mission preparation and planning – its one thing to launch a CAP, another to plan a mission through defended airspace with co-ordinated time on targets, etc.

90 m cats allow use of 21700 kg (although see above, CdG might have alreayd operated at 22000 kg). The new design has 5000 m3 fuel (~4000 t), launch rate is one aircraft every 30 seconds (with 2 cats)

might not be so significant if BAE/VT or whoever deals with the major maintenance. As is done partly by contractors. So the boost in numbers shouldn’t be too disruptive

In the field as well? Where are the crews coming from?

Malaysia

November 6: Despite South Africa cancelling its order for eight Airbus A400M transport aircraft, news agency AFP reports that Malaysia’s order for four A400Ms will still proceed, but delivery will be delayed by at least three years to 2016.

Malaysia has the only non-European order for the A400M since the South African cancellation – it ordered four aircraft in 2005 with delivery by 2013. “The deal is still on, but delivery will be delayed by three or four years,” a senior defence ministry official told AFP.

http://www.key.aero/view_news.asp?ID=1052&thisSection=military