Armée Australienne/Australian Defence Force (ADF)

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New drones to protect Diggers

AFGHAN-BASED Diggers will get enhanced protection from a new $170 million US-designed unmanned spy plane system within months, Defence Materiel Minister Jason Clare confirmed yesterday.
The catapult-launched Shadow 200 is a tactical unmanned aerial vehicle that will provide day and night surveillance. Its purchase, part of a $1.1 billion package of protection measures, was first announced by former defence minister John Faulkner last year.
The package includes the C-Ram early-warning radar system used to detect incoming rockets or artillery.
The first UAV system, which comprises as many as six drone aircraft, is expected to be deployed by the end of the year, a defence spokesman told The Weekend Australian.
It will replace the smaller, less capable Scan Eagle UAV leased under an earlier deal with US aircraft maker Boeing.
"The Australian government is acquiring two Shadow 200 systems from the US army via a Foreign Military Sales Agreement," the spokesman said.
It is understood the Australian Defence Force will take early delivery of its first Shadow 200 System within months, 18 months ahead of the FMA schedule.
The early delivery of a second system has been made possible by the US army giving up one of its production-line slots.
The propeller-driven Shadow is launched from a trailer-mounted catapult but lands conventionally on a tricycle undercarriage and is retrieved using an arrester wire.
It is powered by a 38hp engine and has a range in excess of 100km and eight-hour endurance.
Mr Clare was at Amberley yesterday to receive three new F/A-18F Super Hornets, which brings to 18 the total number of aircraft now operated by the Royal Australian Air Force.
Six more aircraft will be delivered by the end of the year.
The Super Hornets will ensure that Australia's air combat capability is maintained until the full introduction into service

theaustralian

Enfin l'armée de prendre livraison de 31 véhicules de patrouille "NARY"avec trois ans de retard pour la somme de 80 millions de dollars,ils vont aller rejoindre le Régiment SAS.

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Australia Receives Air Warfare Destroyer Gun Mounts




Australia has received the three main gun mounts as part of the $8bn air warfare destroyer project, Defence Materiel Minister Jason Clare has confirmed.

"The guns will be able to hit targets on land, air and at sea. They are capable of firing both Royal Australian Navy standard munitions and future extended-range munitions," he added.

The $80m gun mounts, manufactured by BAE Systems, will be installed on Royal Australian Navy ships HMA Hobart, HMA Brisbane and HMA Sydney.

The mounts are also installed on RAN's Anzac Class frigates as well as on ships within the US, Spanish, South Korean, Japanese and Danish Navies.

Construction on the air warfare destroyer is being carried out across three shipyards in Australia.

naval-technology

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RAAF Hornet fighters to be armed with Joint Air to Surface Stand-off Missile





THE fleet of RAAF Hornet fighters will soon be armed with a potent new weapon following a successful test firing last week at the Woomera test range.

The Joint Air to Surface Stand-off Missile has a range of more than 200 kilometres and was selected in 2006 by the former Howard government to equip the F/A-18 Hornet fleet pending the retirement of the F-111 fleet.

The JASSM has been listed on the federal government's "projects of concern" watch list, but makers Lockheed Martin are optimistic the successful Woomera test will mean its removal.

"A second successful firing of the JASSM baseline missile off a RAAF F/A-18 Hornet was achieved at the Woomera test range in South Australia last week," a Lockheed Martin spokesman told The Australian.

"This now sets the RAAF up to achieve Initial Operational Capability (IOC) by the end of the year, and full entry into service in 2012."

RAAF chief Geoff Brown yesterday confirmed the semi-stealth missiles would soon enter service.

It is understood the missile tests involved the destruction of hardened concrete bunkers.

JASSM is in service with four other air forces including the US Air Force which has ordered more than 3000 of the semi-stealthy cruise missiles each worth about $700,000.

Experts say JASSM will give RAAF a leading weapons capability edge within the Asian region.

In related developments, RAAF, will get its first batch of 10 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters delivered to Williamtown Air Base for test and conversion flights in late 2017, a Lockheed Martin spokesman said yesterday.

theaustralian

Citation :

ASPI Australian Defence Almanac 2011–2012

fichier Pdf

Citation :

SOURCE:Flight International
JASSM heads to Australia IOC following successful tests
By Greg Waldron

Australia has conducted two successful test firings of the Lockheed Martin AGM-158 JASSM missile from a Boeing F/A-18 A/B Hornet, clearing the way for an initial operating capability by the end of 2011.

The second test took place last week, said Lockheed Martin.

In both tests, conducted at Australia's Woomera test range, the weapon successfully penetrated a concrete target to the necessary thickness and destroyed it.

This will likely clear the way for initial operating capability by the end of the year, said Lockheed.

In 2006, Australia selected the joint air-to-surface stand-off missile over Boeing's SLAM-ER cruise missile for its F/A-18 A/Bs.

In November 2010, the JASSM acquisition programme - AIR 5418 Phase 1 - was placed on Australia's projects of concern list. The list is designed to help the government and industry resolve issues with listed projects.

When the system was included, the defence minister was concerned that the government had not been kept informed about the programme's progress.

With the completion of two successful tests the JASSM stands to be removed from the list, sources indicated.

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RAAF Receives Additional Super Hornet Aircraft




The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has received an additional two F/A-18F Super Hornet aircraft, bringing the current Australian fleet to 20.

Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare said the Super Hornet was one of the best fighter planes in the world.

"It has an advanced multimode AESA [actively electronically scanned array] radar and 'low observability' characteristics that make it significantly better than any fourth generation fighter," he added.

Built by Boeing, the Super Hornet aircraft is a twin-engine carrier-based multirole fighter aircraft and can carry about a third more fuel and weapons payload.

The aircraft will enhance the RAAF capabilities to conduct air-to-air combat and reconnaissance as well as strike targets on land and at sea.

The RAAF is expected to receive an additional four aircraft by the end of the year.

airforce-technology

HMAS Success ( OR 304 ) à la base navale de l'île de Garden le 05-07-11





l'AN opére aussi un autre Tanker, ex-commercial, c'est la HMAS Sirius ( O 266 ), plus de 25000T pour 191m de long.

le defunt HMAS Manoora

Sydney, le 25-07-11

HMAS Canberra aux chantiers de navantia le 02-07-11



Photo Señalero

F/A-18F N° 219 Super Hornet





Le N° 220

Citation :

Smith sets deadline for air combat Plan B


Max Blenkin, AAP Defence Correspondent




AAP

Defence Minister Stephen Smith has set a firm 2012 deadline on any decision to buy additional Boeing Super Hornet aircraft in the face of further delays in delivery of the new Joint Strike Fighter (JSF).

Mr Smith again vowed he would not allow any air combat capability gap to emerge between retirement of older F/A-18 Hornet aircraft and entry to service of the JSF.

Under current plans, Australia is looking to acquire up to 100 of the advanced Lockheed-Martin F-35 JSF at a cost around $16 billion. But so far Australia has committed to buy just 14, with the RAAF set to take delivery of the first two in the US for training in 2014-15.
Advertisement: Story continues below

Mr Smith said the RAAF's 71 classic Hornets were being upgraded and would remain in service until around 2020 when the JSF is expected to enter full service. Twenty of 24 new Super Hornets have now been delivered with the rest to arrive later this year.

He said Australia prudently chose to buy the conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) JSF variant rather than the more troubled carrier or short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) variants.

As well, the government placed substantial padding into plans to cope with JSF cost increases and delay.

Mr Smith has warned that delays were pushing likely delivery close to the buffers, telling top officials during his recent visit to the US that Australia's greatest concern was the risk to schedule.

He said Australia and other JSF program partners were now proposing an exhaustive assessment of delivery schedule by the end of the year.

Advice from the Defence Department indicated Australia could wait until 2013 to make a judgement about whether alternative arrangements were required to ensure there was no gap in capability, he said.

"I am not proposing to wait until the last minute. I am proposing to recommend to the government that we make that decision next year," Mr Smith said in answer to a question from independent MP Andrew Wilkie.

Mr Smith said there was an obvious Plan B - more Super Hornets.

"I am proposing to recommend to government in the course of next year whether there is a need for us to take alternative steps to ensure there is no gap in our air combat capability."

Mr Smith said the biggest single biggest variable in likely cost related to JSF numbers set to be acquired by the US Air Force and Navy.

"That is something which we are also closely monitoring in the contest of their defence budget difficulties and general budget difficulties," he said.

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Australian Navy to decommission amphibious ship


The Australian Navy is to decommission its amphibious ship, HMAS Kanimbla, the ministers for defence and defence materiel have confirmed.

The move has come after the assessment of extensive remediation work required on HMAS Kanimbla, which is valued at A$35m (US$36.7m).

In a statement, the ministers said that teh remediation work did not represent value for money as the HMAS Kanimbla would not on that basis be available for operations until at least mid 2012 and the vessel is scheduled to be decommissioned by the end of 2014.

The chief of navy imposed an operational pause on HMAS Ships Kanimbla due to seaworthiness concerns in September 2010.

naval-technology

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Boeing to Provide Simulator-based Training for Australian Army Kiowa Pilots

Published August 18, 2011 | By Rob Vogelaar



OAKEY, Queensland, Aug. 18, 2011 – Boeing [NYSE: BA] today announced that it will use a Helimod helicopter simulator leased from Ryan Aerospace to help train Australian Army pilots to fly Bell 206B-1 Kiowa helicopters. Delivery is expected before the end of this year.

“Under our Army Aviation Training and Training Support (AATTS) contract, Boeing has traditionally taught students to fly Kiowas using classroom-based instruction and real flight hours,” said Mark Brownsey, senior manager of AATTS for Boeing Defence Australia. “Over the next year, we’ll assess the effectiveness of transferring some of this curriculum to the synthetic environment, which has the potential to reduce costly flight hours and improve safety and training outcomes for the Australian Army.”

Helimod provides significant advances in flight and helicopter simulation by offering affordable, accurate simulation for a wide range of training applications. The simulator is reconfigurable for all types of helicopters through the attachment of different modules.

“This is an exciting project for Ryan Aerospace,” said Chris Ryan, managing director of Ryan Aerospace. “Modern advances in computer technology and simulation software are allowing end users to achieve much more in a simulator than ever before. This represents huge cost savings when compared with flying real helicopters.”

The Australian Army primarily uses the Kiowa as a lead-in trainer to the Boeing CH-47D Chinook, Tiger Armed Reconaissance Helicopter and Multi-Role Helicopter 90. Boeing AATTS graduates arrive at Australian Army operational units ready for conversion training on these platforms.

“The benefit of introducing students to helicopter simulator technology at an earlier stage of their rotary wing training is that we improve their overall readiness for learning to fly more advanced helicopters and, in turn, provide the Australian Army with pilots who are more technically proficient, safer and mission-ready,” Brownsey said.

Boeing will continue to deliver the AATTS until the Australian Defence Force’s Air 9000 Phase 7 – Helicopter Aircrew Training System (HATS) project is introduced. Boeing is a strong contender for HATS, which will modernize and combine rotary wing training for the Australian Army and Navy.

Under the AATTS contract initially awarded in 2007 and renewed in 2010 with an increased scope, Boeing provides:

• Helicopter pilot, aircrew and technician training using the Australian Army’s fleet of 19 Bell 206-B1 Kiowa helicopters, six S-70A-9 Black Hawk training helicopters, a Black Hawk full-motion simulator, and two civil Bell 412 helicopters
  
• Operational fleet and depot level maintenance and support services at the Oakey Army Aviation Training Centre
  
• Operational level maintenance on 10 Kiowa aircraft for the 173rd Aviation Squadron in Holsworthy, New South Wales
  
• CH-47D Chinook pilot and technician training at the 5th Aviation Regiment in Townsville, Queensland.
  

Source: Boeing
Photo: Australian Army

Citation :

SOURCE:Flight International
Australia may decide on additional Super Hornets in 2012

Australia will make a decision next year as to whether it will acquire additional Boeing F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet fighters, following a comprehensive review of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II programme in late 2011.

In an official transcript of a TV interview, minister for defence Stephen Smith stressed that the country will conduct an "exhaustive risk assessment" of the F-35 programme next year in conjunction with other partners in the programme, namely the USA.

Following this, he will make a recommendation "as to whether we need to exercise any other options to ensure no gap forms in the nation's air combat capability." Smith added that the "obvious option" to ensure no such gap occurs is more Super Hornets.

"The Super Hornets are very good air combat planes and if we have to use them as a bridging capacity then that doesn't fill me with any fear at all," he said. "But I'm confident that the joint strike fighter project will get up."


"Our pre-planning (for the F-35) had a lot of padding for cost and for schedule," said Smith. "We're now starting to run up against schedule. We're still expecting to receive our first two planes in the United States in 2014-15 for training purposes. We've committed ourselves to 14. Our Defence White Paper and our Defence Capability Plan talks in terms of around or up to 100, but beyond 14 the Government will make a judgment and a decision as time and events unfold."

Though Smith's comments highlight that no decision about further Super Hornets has been made, they indicate that Canberra could be warming to the idea. On 27 July, Smith, commenting on delays to the F-35 programme, said he did not "want people to run or leap to a conclusion that [more Super Hornets] is the path we'll go down."

On 5 August the Royal Australian Air Force received two Super Hornets, bringing its total of the type to 20. The final four of a 24-aircraft Super Hornet order will be received by the end of 2011. Australia originally purchased the Super Hornet as a stop-gap owing to delays in the F-35 programme.

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First keel block delivered for new Australian warship

(Photo: Air Warfare Destroyer Alliance)

Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare today announced the delivery to Adelaide of the first keel block that will be used to construct HMAS Hobart – Australia’s first Air Warfare Destroyer.

“This is an important step forward in the $8 billion project to construct three new warships,” Mr Clare said.

Construction of the AWDs involves 90 separate steel blocks being built at shipyards in Adelaide (ASC), Melbourne (BAE Systems), Newcastle (Forgacs) and Ferrol, Spain (Navantia).

Three sonar blocks are being constructed in Spain and the United Kingdom.

“Approximately 70 blocks will be shipped to Adelaide over the next four years where they will be consolidated into three new warships,” Mr Clare said.

Over the next six months it is expected that six blocks will be delivered from Melbourne and Newcastle to Adelaide.

This first block weighs around 180 tonnes. It is 18 metres long, 16 metres wide and five metres high and will form part of the keel of HMAS Hobart.

It was loaded on to a barge at BAE System’s Melbourne shipyard on 11 August.

The barge was towed by tug boat to the Common User Facility in Adelaide arriving on 15 August. Last night it was removed from the barge and transported by a large multi-wheeled vehicle to the pre-fit-out facility on ASC's Shipyard (ASC South).

Further work on the block including blast and paint, fitting pipes, installing communications and electrical cables and fitting internal walls will now be completed.

Two other hull blocks are currently being prepared for shipment from Melbourne to Adelaide.

Construction has begun on all main blocks for the first ship and work has also begun on blocks for the second ship, HMAS Brisbane.

Next year work will begin on blocks for the third ship, HMAS Sydney and the first ship will start to be consolidated in Adelaide.

Mr Clare thanked the more than 1,000 people currently working on the ships across the three Australian shipyards.

In May, the Government announced that the AWD Alliance had reallocated construction work on the project to reduce the schedule risk to both the AWD and Landing Helicopter Dock ship projects.

“The delivery of the first keel block is an important step forward in this project,” Mr Clare said.

defpro

Citation :

Australia may decide on additional Super Hornets in 2012
By Greg Waldron

Australia will make a decision next year as to whether it will acquire additional Boeing F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet fighters, following a comprehensive review of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II programme in late 2011.
In an official transcript of a TV interview, minister for defence Stephen Smith stressed that the country will conduct an "exhaustive risk assessment" of the F-35 programme next year in conjunction with other partners in the programme, namely the USA.
Following this, he will make a recommendation "as to whether we need to exercise any other options to ensure no gap forms in the nation's air combat capability." Smith added that the "obvious option" to ensure no such gap occurs is more Super Hornets.
"The Super Hornets are very good air combat planes and if we have to use them as a bridging capacity then that doesn't fill me with any fear at all," he said. "But I'm confident that the joint strike fighter project will get up."


"Our pre-planning (for the F-35) had a lot of padding for cost and for schedule," said Smith. "We're now starting to run up against schedule. We're still expecting to receive our first two planes in the United States in 2014-15 for training purposes. We've committed ourselves to 14. Our Defence White Paper and our Defence Capability Plan talks in terms of around or up to 100, but beyond 14 the Government will make a judgment and a decision as time and events unfold."
Though Smith's comments highlight that no decision about further Super Hornets has been made, they indicate that Canberra could be warming to the idea. On 27 July, Smith, commenting on delays to the F-35 programme, said he did not "want people to run or leap to a conclusion that [more Super Hornets] is the path we'll go down."
On 5 August the Royal Australian Air Force received two Super Hornets, bringing its total of the type to 20. The final four of a 24-aircraft Super Hornet order will be received by the end of 2011. Australia originally purchased the Super Hornet as a stop-gap owing to delays in the F-35 programme.

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2011/08/19/361019/australia-may-decide-on-additional-super-hornets-in.html

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Un sous-marin australien contraint de faire surface à cause d’une panne de moteur

http://www.corlobe.tk/article25585.html

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Staff cadets from the Royal Military College of Australia, Duntroon, are currently in the Mt Bundey training area, south of Darwin, as part of a three-week (31 August – 21 September 2011) training exercise to better prepare them for their Army careers.

The exercise tests and reinforces the skills they will require as officers leading soldiers on complex war-fighting operations (such as Afghanistan, East Timor and Iraq), when they are working in conjunction with armoured vehicles, artillery, aircraft and other assets to achieve their mission.

During the exercise, the staff cadets are being integrated into 1st Brigade’s ‘Battle Group Eagle’, which combines Australian Light-Armoured Vehicles (ASLAVs) from the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, M1A1 Abrams tanks from the 1st Armoured Regiment, M114AS4 armoured fighting vehicles from the 5th Battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment, forward observers from the 8th/12th Regiment, and elements from the 1st Combat Signal Regiment and 1st Combat Service Support Battalion.

The 165 staff cadets are in the final phase of their 18-month training course at Duntroon, Canberra, and will graduate in December 2011 as part of the Royal Military College’s centenary celebrations.

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An Abrams M1A1 tank from the 1st Armoured Regiment races to its firing point as staff cadets from the Royal Military College, Duntroon, look on during a 1st Brigade firepower demonstration at the Mt Bundey training area.

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Staff cadets from the Royal Military College watch M1A1 Abrams tanks from the 1st Armoured Regiment engage targets on the live-fire range during the 1st Brigade firepower demonstration at Mt Bundey training area.

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An ASLAV from the 2nd Cavalry Regiment tows another past staff cadets from the Royal Military College, Duntroon, during their complex war-fighting battle block training at Mt Bundey, south of Darwin.

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An M113AS4 armoured fighting vehicle from the 5th Battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment provides a braking demonstration to Royal Military College staff cadets during the 1st Brigade firepower demonstration at the Mt Bundey training area.

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ASLAVs from the 2nd Cavalry Regiment and Abrams M1A1 tanks from the 1st Armoured Regiment during the 1st Brigade firepower demonstration for Royal Military College staff cadets at Mt Bundey training area.

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M1A1 Abrams tanks from the 1st Armoured Regiment engage targets on the live-fire range during the 1st Brigade firepower demonstration for Royal Military College staff cadets in the Mt Bundey training area, south of Darwin.

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An Abrams M1A1 tank from the 1st Armoured Regiment fires at a target during the 1st Brigade firepower demonstration for Royal Military College staff cadets at the Mt Bundey training area.

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ASLAVs from the 2nd Cavalry Regiment fire alongside an Abrams M1A1 tanks from the 1st Armoured Regiment during the 1st Brigade firepower demonstration for Royal Military College staff cadets at Mt Bundey training area.

impressionante demonstration

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Boeing Delivers Royal Australian Air Force’s 5th C-17 Globemaster III






Boeing today delivered Australia’s fifth C-17 Globemaster III airlifter to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) during a ceremony at the C-17 program’s final assembly facility in Long Beach. A RAAF delegation led by Stephen Smith, Australia’s Minister for Defence, received the country’s latest C-17 at an event also attended by Chief of the Defence Force Gen. David Hurley, Australian Secretary of Defence Duncan Lewis, and U.S. Ambassador to Australia Jeffrey Bleich.

“Australia’s fleet of four C-17s has been on the front lines of defense and humanitarian missions around the world, and continues to demonstrate the aircraft’s great versatility and capability,” said Boeing Military Aircraft President Chris Chadwick. “We look forward to a continued close partnership with the Commonwealth.”


Australian C-17s were part of the relief mission to Japan following a devastating earthquake and tsunami earlier this year. The fleet delivered more than 1 million pounds of cargo, including water cannons to help cool the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant. RAAF C-17s also conducted relief operations following a major earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, and floods in Pakistan and Australia.

“Since 2006, Boeing has enjoyed a strong partnership with the RAAF and the crews who fly the C-17,” said Bob Ciesla, Boeing C-17 program manager. “With this fifth C-17, the RAAF continues to expand and extend its global airlift reach. We’re certain that the C-17 we delivered today will continue to fully provide the reliability and versatility the RAAF has come to expect.”

The Commonwealth of Australia in April announced the signing of an agreement with the U.S. government to acquire its fifth C-17. The U.S. Air Force approved the Foreign Military Sale and assigned a C-17 already in production to be delivered to the RAAF.

The C-17 provides the RAAF with the capability to airlift large payloads across intercontinental distances and transport combat-ready troops to remote locations, by either landing or airdropping them directly where needed. The C-17’s unique maneuverability allows it to operate on narrow taxiways and congested ramps. With a maximum payload of 164,900 pounds (74,797 kg), the C-17 can take off and land on runway space measuring 3,000 feet (914.4 m) or less.

There are currently 235 C-17s in service worldwide – 24 with international customers. The U.S. Air Force, including active duty, Guard and Reserve units, has 211 C-17s. Other international customers include the UK Royal Air Force, the Canadian Forces, the Qatar Emiri Air Force, the United Arab Emirates Air Force and Air Defense, and the 12-member Strategic Airlift Capability initiative of NATO and Partnership for Peace nations. India became the newest C-17 customer in June, when India’s Ministry of Defence signed an agreement with the U.S. government to acquire 10 C-17s that will be delivered in 2013-2014.

Boeing press release

Citation :

L'Australie va vérifier tous les hélicoptères MRH90

http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?hl=fr&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dlenta%26hl%3Dfr%26biw%3D1280%26bih%3D959%26prmd%3Dimvns&rurl=translate.google.fr&sl=ru&u=http://www.lenta.ru/news/2011/09/16/mrh90/&usg=ALkJrhgnpoTqbJsHfEoZYJO--pfkmT_nDg