Armée Australienne/Australian Defence Force (ADF)

Citation :

Industry
Boeing wins Australian contract to support Super Hornets and Growlers
Jon Grevatt, Bangkok - IHS Jane's Defence Industry
11 August 2016
The Australian government has signed a contract with Boeing Defence Australia (BDA) to support the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF's) fleets of F/A-18F Super Hornets and EA-18G Growlers, the Australian Department of Defence (DoD) announced on 11 August.

The contract is valued at AUD264 million (USD203 million) and will run for a five-year period, following on from a previous deal. Sustainment services provided under the contract include engineering, supply chain management, and maintenance services.

The DoD said the services would be provided by BDA as well as subcontractors including the Boeing Company, Raytheon Australia, Northrop Grumman Australia, Air Speed, and Pacific Aerospace.

Citation :

Saab Continues to Enhance the Australian Army’s Ground-Based Air Defence Capability
(Source: Saab AB; issued Aug 15, 2016)
Defence and security company Saab has signed a contract with the Australian Defence Force to upgrade the Army’s RBS 70 ground-based air defence weapon system and Giraffe AMB radar. The contract has a combined value of approximately AUD32.5 million.

Delivered under the AIR 90 programme, the existing Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) capability of the RBS 70 and Giraffe AMB systems will be upgraded to include Mode 5 functionality. The Mode 5 waveform uses modern modulation, coding, and cryptographic techniques to overcome performance and security limitations in the current Mode 4 waveform.

Additionally, Mode 5 systems provide expanded data handling capabilities to securely pass GPS position and other extended data. The IFF is a critical safety feature of any ground-based air defence capability as it dramatically reduces the risk of incorrectly engaging friendly aircraft. This upgrade will support Australia’s Ground-Based Air Defence capability operating in a joint and coalition airspace environment beyond 2030.

The RBS 70 weapon system has been in service in Australia since 1987. Significant enhancements to both the weapon sight and the missile have ensured that it remains a modern and potent missile system to counter a constantly evolving air threat. The Giraffe AMB radar was acquired in 2010 and is part of the capability of the Army’s 16th Air Land Regiment. It provides high-fidelity airspace situational awareness while simultaneously ensuring early warning of incoming rocket and mortar attacks, and locating hostile indirect fire.

“Saab’s IFF Mode 5 upgrade will ensure the Australian Army’s RBS 70 and Giraffe AMB radar capabilities continue to provide world-leading force protection against a wide range of air threats,” says Dean Rosenfield, Managing Director of Saab Australia.

“Saab Australia has been the Australian Army’s Ground-Based Air Defence trusted capability partner for many years and we look forward to growing this relationship through future Ground Based Air and Missile Defence programs”, says Rosenfield.


For three decades, Saab Australia, which is part of Saab business area Surveillance, has successfully delivered and supported the Australian Army’s Ground-Based Air Defence capability. Saab’s commitment to innovation and technological advancement ensures world-leading capability for modern defence forces. Saab Australia’s local expertise and experience makes it the perfect Ground-Based Air and Missile Defence capability partner for the Australian Army, now and into the future.

Saab serves the global market with world-leading products, services and solutions within military defence and civil security. Saab has operations and employees on all continents around the world. Through innovative, collaborative and pragmatic thinking, Saab develops, adopts and improves new technology to meet customers’ changing needs.

-ends-

Citation :

Sea Platforms
ANZAC frigate HMAS Toowoomba begins anti-ship missile upgrades
Ridzwan Rahmat, Singapore - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
18 August 2016
The Royal Australian Navy's (RAN's) ANZAC (MEKO 200)-class guided-missile frigate HMAS Toowoomba has begun anti-ship missile defence (ASMD) upgrade works, the service disclosed on 17 August.

Work on the ship commenced on 1 August at the Henderson Shipyard in Western Australia, and the platform is scheduled to undock in September 2016, the service added.

The ASMD upgrades are being conducted under an AUD650 million (USD499 million) programme, known as the Project SEA 1448 Phase 2, to bolster the ANZAC class' anti-ship missile defence capabilities.

Toowoomba is expected to receive a number of systems including the installation of the CEAFAR S-band active phased-array radar, the CEAMOUNT X-band multichannel active phased-array missile fire-control illuminator, the Saab Systems 9LV 453 combat management system, and the Sagem Vampir NG infrared search-and-track system.

Citation :

Thursday, August 18, 2016

Australian CH-47F conducting flight trails aboard HMAS Adelaide





http://snafu-solomon.blogspot.fr/2016/08/australian-ch-47f-conducting-flight.html

Citation :

Australia looks to future Growler and JSF participation as largest and most complex 'Pitch Black' exercise concludes
Kelvin Wong, RAAF Base Darwin, Australia - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
19 August 2016
Key Points
The Royal Australian Air Force hosted its biennial 'Pitch Black' multilateral air combat exercise from 29 July to 19 August.
Up to 115 aircraft and about 2,800 personnel from 10 countries participated in this year's edition, which made it the largest yet in the exercise series since it was established in 1990.
The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is already anticipating the introduction of new capabilities and platforms for the 2018 iteration of its biennial multilateral air combat exercise series, codenamed 'Pitch Black', even as the curtain on this year's event drew to a close on 19 August.

Citation :

Meggitt Training Systems Awarded ADF Contract for Additional Mortar Simulators


19 Agustus 2016


Meggit mortars simulator (photo : Meggit)

SUWANEE, Ga.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Meggitt Training Systems recently announced a $1.49 million (USD) contract from the Australian Defence Force’s Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group. Under terms of the contract, Meggitt will manufacture, install, maintain and operate additional 81mm simulated mortars at multiple locations in support of Regular Army Infantry Battalions and Army Reserve Light Batteries.

“Meggitt continues to enable the maximum level of training and readiness for the Australian Defence Force,” said Chris Jordan, managing director, Meggitt Training Systems Australia. “For example, we have installed, maintained and operated the Weapon Training Simulation Systems in Australia since 1999 and most recently installed Meggitt 81mm mortar simulators at four sites during 2016.”

The 81mm simulated mortars will be used to train and test mortar men, command post operators, fire controllers and commanders in their duties with regard to mortar operations, tactics, techniques and procedures.

Deliveries connected to this contract will take place at Darwin, Northern Territory (also home to the U.S. Marine Corps’ Rotational Force-Darwin); Perth, Western Australia; and Sydney, New South Wales. They are expected to occur from May to June 2017 with installation to follow shortly thereafter.

Meggitt Training Systems

Meggitt Training Systems, makers of FATS® and Caswell technologies, is a Meggitt business unit. The leading global supplier of integrated live-fire and virtual weapons training systems, over 13,000 Meggitt live-fire ranges and 5,100 virtual systems are fielded internationally, providing judgmental, situational awareness and marksmanship training to the armed forces, law enforcement and security organizations.

Meggitt Training Systems employs more than 400 people at its headquarters in Atlanta and at facilities in Orlando, Canada, the United Kingdom, Netherlands, UAE, Australia and Singapore. It can deploy service personnel anywhere in the world for instructor training, system installation and maintenance. www.meggitttrainingsystems.com

(Business Wire)

http://defense-studies.blogspot.fr/2016/08/meggitt-training-systems-awarded-adf.html

Citation :

ASC warns of further job cuts as AWD project winds down

Jon Grevatt, Ba



Australia's state-owned naval shipbuilder ASC has warned its workforce that it will need to reduce the number of trade positions on the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) programme by about 175 by the end of October.

In a statement on 24 August, ASC said the cuts are part of "planned and progressive reductions that have been occurring since the workforce profile on the [AWD] project reached its peak".

ASC added that the job losses will include an about 75 permanent positions with the remainder contract positions. Jobs effected by the cuts will include those related to structure construction, electrical, piping, mechanical and operator trade groups.

Citation :

DCNS victime d’une fuite massive de documents concernant son sous-marin ScorpènePosté dans Asie-Pacifique, Forces navales, Industrie par Laurent Lagneau Le 24-08-2016


L’affaire est pour le moins troublante. Ainsi, le quotidien The Australian a révélé que le constructeur naval français DCNS, qui a remporté l’appel d’offres de la marine australienne pour la livraison de 12 sous-marins à propulsion classique Shortfin Barracuda, a été victime d’une fuite massive de documents concernant les 6 submersibles de type Scorpène destinés à l’Inde.

Selon le journal, qui publie quelques uns de ces documents estampillés « Restricted Scorpene India », ce sont pas moins de 22.400 pages d’informations classifiées sur les futurs sous-marins indiens.

Les renseignements mis ainsi dans la nature portent sur les capteurs de ces navires (sous-marins et aériens) ainsi que sur leurs systèmes de combat, de navigation, de lancement de torpilles et de communication. Données importantes : le niveau de bruit émis par les Scorpène indiens à différentes vitesses a ainsi été révélé, de même que les données magnétiques, électromagnétiques et infrarouge de ces derniers.

Évidemment, une telle fuite de documents confidentiels a de quoi inquiéter en Australie. Toutefois, le gouvernement australien se veut rassurant.

« Le sous-marin que nous construisons ou que nous allons construire avec les Français s’appelle le Barracuda, et est totalement différent du Scorpène conçu pour la marine indienne », a ainsi fait valoir Malcom Turnbull, le Premier ministre australien. « Nous avons les dispositifs de protection de nos informations de Défense les plus élevés, que ce soit dans le cadre d’échanges avec d’autres pays ou en Australie », a-t-il ajouté.

Même chose pour Christopher Pyne, le ministre de l’Industrie de Défense. « La fuite n’a aucun lien avec le prochain programme de sous-marins du gouvernement australien », a-t-il fait valoir, via un communiqué. « Ce programme se déroule dans un cadre très strict qui régit la façon dont toutes les informations et données techniques sont gérées et seront gérées à l’avenir », a-t-il précisé.

Reste que cette affaire fait mauvais genre, d’autant plus qu’il a été rapporté, en février, que des responsables de l’US Navy craignaient de voir « fuiter » des secrets militaires américains si DCNS remportait l’appel d’offres portant sur les sous-marins australiens dans la mesure où le système de combat de ces derniers devait être fourni par les États-Unis.

Pour le moment, l’origine de cette fuite est inconnue. Le ministre indien de la Défense, Manohar Parrikar, a indiqué à la presse qu’il venait de demander « au commandant de la marine d’enquêter et de découvrir ce qui avait fuité et l’étendue de ce qui nous concerne. » Mais, selon lui, il pourrait s’agir d’un « piratage informatique ».

Une autre piste, évoquée par The Australian, concerne un ex-officier de la Marine nationale qui aurait emporté ces documents confidentiels hors de France en 2011 alors qu’il travaillait à l’époque pour un sous-traitant de DCNS. Les données sur les Scorpène indiens « pourraient avoir transité par des sociétés du sud-est asiatique avant d’être finalement envoyés à une entreprise en Australie », ajoute le journal.

De son côté, DCNS a indiqué à l’AFP que les « autorités nationales (françaises) de sécurité enquêtent » sur cette fuite, sans donner plus de détails. Les investigations doivent déterminer « la nature exacte des documents qui ont fait l’objet de ces fuites, les préjudices éventuels pour nos clients ainsi que les responsabilités ».

En outre, le constructeur français a tenu à rassurer les Australiens. « La diffusion non contrôlée de données techniques n’est pas possible avec le projet australien », a-t-il affirmé. Et d’expliquer : » Des contrôles multiples et indépendants existent au sein de DCNS pour empêcher tout accès non autorisé aux données. Tout mouvement de données est chiffré et enregistré. Dans le cas de l’Inde, où un plan DCNS est utilisé par une compagnie locale, DCNS est le fournisseur et non le contrôleur des données techniques. »

Pour rappel, le sous-marin Scorpène a été choisi par l’Inde, la Malaisie, le Chili et le Brésil.


http://www.opex360.com/2016/08/24/dcns-victime-dune-fuite-massive-de-documents-concernant-son-marin-scorpene/

Citation :

24 août 2016 | Par Emmanuel Huberdeau
Australie : Le KC-30A utilise son "boom" en opération pour la première fois




Le KC-30A (A330 MRTT d'Airbus Defence & Space) australien continue de monter en puissance. Le ravitailleur en vol australien a utilisé pour la première fois en opération son "boom", perche centrale rigide permettant de ravitailler les appareils dotés d'un réceptacle comme ceux en service dans l'US Air Force. L'armée de l'air australienne a annoncé qu'un KC-30A déployé au Moyen-Orient a ravitaillé pour la première fois un F-16 de l'US Air Force.

Le KC-30A est en service dans la force aérienne australienne depuis déjà plusieurs années et l'appareil participe aux opérations aériennes au Levant depuis septembre 2014. Mais jusqu'à présent les KC-30A n'utilisaient que leurs nacelles de bout d'ailes, dotées de manches souples pour ravitailler les appareils équipés de perches de ravitaillement tels que les chasseurs de l'US Navy et ceux de conception européenne.

Alors que le KC-30A a été pleinement employé par l'Australie depuis 2014 pour des missions de ravitaillement en vol et de transport stratégique, la mise en service du "boom" a été assez complexe. Début 2015, l'armée de l'Air australienne a réalisé une étude pour évaluer la maturité de ce système. En décembre 2015, pour la première fois, le "boom" avait été employé avec un F-16 à l'occasion d'essais en vol.

L'emploi en opération du "boom" prouve que le système est désormais pleinement opérationnel. Il s'agit d'une étape importante pour l'Australie qui sera équipée majoritairement à l'avenir d'appareils dotés d'un réceptacle pour les ravitaillement rigides : E-7A Wedgetail, C-17A, F-35A et P-8A Poseidon.


http://www.air-cosmos.com/australie-le-kc-30a-utilise-son-boom-en-operation-pour-la-premiere-fois-81597

Citation :

BAE Systems secures $200mn contract to sustain RAAF Hawk Mk127 fleet


BAE Systems Australia has secured a two-year contract, worth approximately $200 million, to sustain the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Hawk Mk127 Lead-In Fighter fleet. This extension reinforces the Company's position as a long-time capability partner of the RAAF.






http://worlddefencenews.blogspot.com/

Citation :

Scorpène : quelle est la réelle valeur des documents divulgués ?



Scorpène : quelle est la réelle valeur des documents divulgués ?
Publié le 24/08/2016 18:39 | Mis à jour le 25/08/2016 09:18



La fuite d’un document technique de 22 400 pages sur les sous-marins Scorpène vendus par DCNS à l’Inde provoque une tempête chez l’industriel français, ainsi que chez ses clients, en particulier en Inde et en Australie. Cependant, la réelle valeur des données diffusées reste à définir. Selon deux experts interrogés par le marin, elle pourrait être, en fait, mineure.
L’un des éléments clés des prochains jours va être de déterminer précisément la valeur du document dont le quotidien australien The Australian a révélé la fuite, dans un article paru le 24 août en matinée, c’est-à-dire au milieu de la nuit à Paris.
Alors, The Australian annonçait avoir pu consulter un document décrivant les caractéristiques techniques des sous-marins Scorpène sur 22 400 pages. Une masse considérable équivalente à 16 fois Flottes de combat. Pour étayer son propos, The Australian détaille le sommaire, la pagination des chapitres, évoque certains aspects techniques décrits et publie une douzaine de pages dont les quelques données précises imprimées ont été masquées à l’initiative du journal.

Quel contenu ?


Reste donc à savoir qui est l’auteur de la fuite, qui en a été destinataire, mais surtout ce qu’elle contient exactement. Ce qui pourrait permettre de contenir l’incendie qui s’est aussitôt déclaré à Bombay et à Canberra.
En Inde, on procède depuis trois mois aux premiers essais à la mer du premier des six sous-marins dont les plans sont désormais dans la nature, nouveaux fers de lance de la sous-marinade indienne en compétition avec ses voisins pakistanais (eux aussi équipés par DCNS, mais avec une génération antérieure de sous-marins, les Agosta) et, surtout, chinois. Une série de six navires en construction à Bombay avec l’assistance française (et quatre ans de retard), moyennant un contrat de 3,9 milliards de dollars, un avenant étant de plus en cours de négociation. Il est peut-être la première cible du mauvais coup.

Retournement possible


À Canberra, on a sélectionné, le 26 avril, l’offre de DCNS pour la réalisation, en Australie, de 12 sous-marins dérivés, en version diesel-électrique, du sous-marin nucléaire français Barracuda. Un contrat géant qui s’étale sur 25 ans et 50 milliards de dollars australiens, soit 34 milliards d’euros, dont 8 milliards d'euros pour DCNS. Mais à ce stade, on en est encore des négociations exclusives. Les contrats fermes doivent encore être négociés. En fait, un retournement est encore possible.
Plusieurs services français de renseignement ont été missionnés sur l’affaire. Et, chez DCNS, c’est l’une des priorités du moment, qui permettra d’autant mieux, le cas échéant, de rassurer les clients (Chili et Malaisie, dont les Scorpène naviguent déjà, Inde, Australie) et prospects (Norvège, Pologne).
Si l'on en juge par les extraits mis en ligne par The Australian, peu nombreux, le document semble relever du manuel d'instruction ou de la notice de présentation générale.

« Pas particulièrement sensible »


Des documents de ce type, a priori réalisés en commun par l’industriel et la marine utilisatrice, peuvent circuler entre de nombreuses mains : équipages, techniciens, sous-traitants. Certaines données et mesures sont mentionnées (mais ont été masquées par la rédaction du journal). Différents schémas d'équipements sont présentés, par exemple du sonar d'étrave, l'un des équipements les plus secrets qui soient. Ceci étant, un schéma ne donne pas les performances du sonar.
Le marin a interrogé deux experts. Tous deux n’ont pu avoir accès qu’à ce qui a été mis en ligne par The Australian, c’est-à-dire à quelques pages seulement. « On n’est certes pas à l’abri de la présence des données vraiment classifiées glissées dans la masse. Mais sauf à ce que soit le cas, le type de document qui est présenté ne semble pas particulièrement sensible », estime l’une de nos sources.
Un autre expert considère que « ce que l’on découvre ne contient rien qui soit vraiment protégé, en tout cas rien qui ne soit objectivement connu de toute personne ayant quelque curiosité sur le sujet. Les documents joints sont très synthétiques et les courbes en tiers d’octave (NDLR : présentées pour illustrer le bruit rayonné du navire) n’expriment rien de proprement secret. Les descriptifs d’appareils sont génériques. Il faut en outre considérer que le document est daté et que rien ne dit que l’on n’est pas techniquement plus loin. »
Le fait que des caractéristiques électro-magnétiques, magnétiques et infrarouges du sous-marin soient décrites « ne suffit pas à permettre la détection d’un sous-marin ». Les systèmes de lancement de torpille sont considérés comme « connus », de même « pour les conditions d’utilisation des périscopes ».

Authenticité et portée à vérifier


En Inde, le ministre de la Défense Manohar Parrikar a indiqué le 24 août qu'il venait de charger le chef d'état-major de la marine, l'amiral Sunil Lanba, de vérifier l'authenticité des documents et l'étendue des données réellement valables. Mais il a ajouté que, par définition, les données, si elles sont exactes, ne révèlent pas 100 % des caractéristiques des sous-marins, puisqu'elles ne comprennent pas ce qui relève du travail d'intégration par les industriels indiens.
Autre son de cloche chez un officier général indien, ancien sous-marinier en retraite, le vice-amiral A.K. Singh, qui a indiqué à un journal indien être en train de parcourir le document (ce qui signifie donc qu'il circule au moins en Inde) et avoir la certitude que d’autres faisaient de même à Islamabad et à Pékin. Selon lui, un tel document récompense à lui seul « 20 à 30 ans d’espionnage des services pakistanais et chinois ».
L’amiral Arun Prakash, ancien chef d’état-major de la marine indienne, relativise la valeur des documents et rappelle pour sa part que leur niveau de classification (« restricted ») est seulement le moins élevé (équivalent à « diffusion restreinte » dans les armées françaises).
DCNS, qui est actuellement en compétition pour des sous-marins à fournir à la Norvège et à la Pologne, n’est pas le seul à se trouver sur le gril. Avec lui, tous ses partenaires et fournisseurs français, dont, au premier chef Thales, qui est à la fois actionnaire de DCNS et fournisseur de la plus grande partie d'équipements sensibles : suites sonars et radars en particulier dans le domaine naval, radars, équipements optroniques et autres pour l'aérien et le terrestre. Le leader français de l'industrie de défense cédait d'ailleurs 1,34 % en milieu de matinée, le matin de la révélation de l'affaire, pour clore la journée à -1,28 %. Thales est aussi l'un des premiers industriels de défense sur le sol australien, depuis qu'il y a racheté ADI en 2006.
On imagine que des vérifications sont également en cours au sein de grandes entreprises françaises telles que Sagem, MBDA, dont les produits navals sont proposés à l'export et pas uniquement dans le cadre de contrats liés aux navires de DCNS.

http://www.lemarin.fr/secteurs-activites/chantiers-navals/26139-scorpene-quelle-reelle-valeur-des-documents-divulgues

Citation :

Navantia signs the Future Frigate Participant Services Contract for Australia's SEA 5000 Program


The Commonwealth of Australia and Navantia have signed an agreement for the Risk Reduction and Design Study (RRDS) Phase for the SEA 5000 Future Frigate Program. This is part of the Competitive Evaluation Process (CEP) being conducted by the Australian Department of Defence for the SEA5000 Future Frigate Program. The Commonwealth has also entered into similar agreements with each of Fincantieri and BAE Systems.





http://worlddefencenews.blogspot.com/

Citation :

Risk reduction study agreed for Australia's Future Frigate programme

Julian Kerr, Sydney - IHS Jane's Navy International
31 August 2016

All three contenders to provide the design for Australia's Future Frigate requirement have signed an agreement for the Risk Reduction and Design Study (RRDS) phase of Project Sea 5000, the companies confirmed with IHS Jane's on 30 August.

The programme, estimated to be worth more than AUD35 billion (USD26 billion), will provide nine frigates that will begin replacing the Royal Australian Navy's (RAN's) eight ANZAC-class frigates from the mid-2020s.

The RRDS agreement came into effect on 15 August as Phase 2 of an ongoing competitive evaluation process (CEP) to select a winner from the three designs that were shortlisted on 18 April.

Citation :

Australian court orders newspaper to stop publishing leaked Scorpene data

Rahul Bedi, New Delhi - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
31 August 2016

A court order compelled The Australian newspaper to cease publishing classified data on the Indian Navy's (IN's) Scorpene-class submarine programme from 30 August.

The New South Wales Supreme Court also instructed The Australian to remove portions of the classified documents from its website and to hand them over to French shipbuilder DCNS, which is licence-building the boats for the IN in Mumbai for USD3.5 billion, by 1 September.

"We are not publishing any more documents," journalist Cameron Stewart, who broke the story for The Australian , told New Delhi-based NDTV news channel ahead of a 1 September court hearing.

The court order followed a petition by DCNS to bar the newspaper from publishing additional extracts from the 22,400 pages of classified data that are reportedly in its possession.

Citation :

L’Australie va modifier une loi pour permettre à son aviation d’étendre ses frappes contre l’EIPosté dans Australie, Moyen-Orient, Opérations par Laurent Lagneau Le 01-09-2016


En l’état actuel des choses, les 6 avions F/A-18 Hornet engagés par l’Australie au sein de la coalition anti-État islamique (EI ou Daesh) ne sont autorisés qu’à frapper les éléments jihadistes qui participent directement aux combats, c’est à dire les combattants dûment identifiés comme tels.

En clair, la Royal Australian Air Force ne peut intervenir que pour fournir un appui aérien rapproché. Il ne lui ainsi pas possible de frapper les capacités logistiques de l’organisation terroriste – comme, par exemple, un centre de production de véhicules piégés – étant donné que la loi australienne encadrant ses règles d’engagement, le lui interdit.

Pour le Premier ministre australien, Malcom Turnbull, il s’agit-là d’une « anomalie juridique » qui entrave les actions de la RAAF contre l’État islamique et pose un problème « majeur » à « l’efficacité » de ses opérations. « Cela signifie que nous ne pouvons pas agir aussi librement que nos partenaires de la coaliton », a-t-il expliqué devant le Parlement, le 31 août.

D’où la modification de la loi qu’entend mener rapidement à bien le chef du gouvernement australien, afin de permettre à ses forces armées d’agir de façon « maximale » contre l’EI en Irak et en Syrie, dans le cadre du droit international.

Ce changement permettra ainsi de frapper ceux qui « ne prennent pas ouvertement les armes mais qui sont la clé des capacités de combat de Daesh », a fait valoir M. Turnbull. Et donc de « viser le coeur » de l’organisation jihadiste.

« Nous sommes une cible simplement en raison de ce que nous sommes et nous représentons. Cette légère modification ne fera aucune différence sur la façon dont nous sommes perçus par certains groupes terroristes », a commenté Rodger Shanahan, un analyste du Lowy Institute, sollicité par HuffingtonPost Australia.




http://www.opex360.com/2016/09/01/laustralie-va-modifier-loi-pour-permettre-son-aviation-detendre-ses-frappes-lei/

Citation :

Australian Tiger helicopter fleet riddled with capability deficiencies, says report

Julian Kerr, Sydney - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
02 September 2016



The Australian Army's 22-strong fleet of Airbus Helicopters Tiger armed reconnaissance platforms was riddled with capability deficiencies when full operational capability (FOC) was declared in April, according to an Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) report released on 1 September.

The report said that the FOC declaration by the Chief of Army came seven years later than planned and was accompanied by nine operational caveats. These included the electronic warfare self-protection system, the Identification Friend or Foe system, and the communication and mission planning system.

The FOC declaration allowed the Tiger to be operationally employed in a land-based 'non-permissive' environment. However, the relevant documentation and advice to the defence minister did not define the meaning of such an environment.

Of the 76 deficiencies relating to the Australian Army's current and future operational requirements, 60 were deemed by the Department of Defence (DoD) to be critical and requiring resolution, the report stated.

Other key limitations mentioned in the report are related to shipborne operations, pilot numbers and flying hours, interoperability and communications, air-worthiness, rocket launchers, and the roof-mounted sight.

The ANAO also said that the small size of the international fleet - currently 119 aircraft flown by France, Germany, Spain, and Australia - had created a niche capability with the associated challenges of sustaining the aircraft within a limited supply chain.

The contract for 22 Tigers for AUD1.1 billion (USD827 million) was signed with Eurocopter International Pacific (now Airbus Group Australia Pacific) in 2001.

A 15-year sustainment contract provided for expenditure of AUD571 milllion. As of June 2016 expenditure was AUD 921 million, the report said.

As of the same date, the cost per flying hour for the Tiger fleet was AUD30,335 compared to a target of AUD20,000.

Citation :

Australian Army showed modern capabilities during a showcase at Russell Offices, Canberra


The Australian Army showed some of the new equipment that is being introduced into service through our modernisation plan at Sir Thomas Blamey Square, Russell Offices, Department of Defence.

The Australian Army allowed the public to see and test out some of its most recent technology in an event at Russell.

Many of the changes being rolled out countered the increased threat from blast weapons and made the most of improvements in technology.

They have been driven by soldiers’ experiences in places such as Afghanistan.








http://defence-blog.com/army/australian-army-showed-modern-capabilities-during-a-showcase-at-russell-offices-canberra.html

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BAE Systems signs SEA 5000 Frigate design contract with Australian Government


BAE Systems has signed a contract with the Commonwealth Government to further refine its design of the Type 26 Global Combat Ship (GCS) for the Royal Australian Navy under the SEA 5000 (Future Frigate) program.







Fincantieri Signed the SEA 5000 Participant Services Contract with Australian Government


Fincantieri, one of the world’s largest shipbuilding groups and number one by diversification and innovation, has signed a contract with the Australian Government to participate in the Competitive Evaluation Process, conducted by the Department of Defence, to deliver 9 Future Frigates - to be built in Adelaide, South Australia - for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) under the SEA 5000 programme.




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Visit to Germany and France
(Source: Australian Department of Defence; issued Sept 05, 2016)
The Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Marise Payne, will today depart Australia for a series of meetings in Germany and France.

On 6 September, Minister Payne, with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Hon Julie Bishop MP will attend the 2+2 Foreign and Defence Ministerial Meeting with their German counterparts, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and Federal Minister of Defence, Dr Ursula von der Leyen, in Berlin.

The inaugural Ministerial dialogue marks a milestone in the Australia-Germany relationship and will focus on strengthening bilateral cooperation on foreign policy and defence matters.

On 7 September Minister Payne will meet with her French counterpart, Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, in Paris to discuss the Australia-France Defence relationship including Pacific engagement, materiel cooperation, Australia’s Future Submarine Program, and operational commitments in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Minister Payne will also meet with senior executives from DCNS in Paris to discuss the commercial arrangements for Australia’s Future Submarine Program.

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AeroVironment offers Wasp AE Micro UAV to Australian Army and Special Forces

AeroVironment, a US-basedl leader in small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), announced yesterday it is teaming with Australia-based XTEK, Sentient Vision and General Dynamics (GD) Mediaware to deliver AeroVironment’s Family of Unmanned Aircraft Systems to the Australian market. The team will offer the AeroVironment Wasp AE Micro Air Vehicle, designated as the RQ-12A by the U.S. Department of Defense, to the Australian Armed Forces.




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Electronic Warfare Boost
(Source: Australian Ministry of Defence; issued September 6, 2016)
Our military’s electronic warfare capabilities will be significantly expanded after the Minister for Defence Industry the Hon Christopher Pyne MP and Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Marise Payne today announced the Turnbull Government has approved a major new joint project worth $500 million over the life of the program, with approximately three quarters of this to be spent locally in a boost to Australia’s Defence Industry.

The Electronic Warfare Operations Support for Maritime and Land Forces project will provide electronic warfare equipment and infrastructure – significantly sharpening the ability of naval ships and army units to deal with threats emerging across the electronic warfare spectrum.

Once delivered, the systems will better prepare the ADF for operations in complex threat environments consistent with the objectives of the Defence White Paper and Integrated Investment Program.

Minister Pyne said Australian companies would be the big winners of the decision, with the bulk of the $500 million budget helping to drive local jobs and economic growth.

“Australian companies’ BAE Systems Australia and Ultra Electronics Avalon Systems, will deliver the major equipment to support deploying navy and army units.

“In a boost for the Australian economy a new facility will also be built within the Edinburgh Defence precinct in South Australia to house laboratories, simulation equipment and testing support systems.

“The facility and systems delivered will be operated and sustained by Defence scientists, military personnel, public servants and Australian industry.

Minister Payne said the program would build on the existing Electronic Warfare Operations Support for the ADF’s Air capability.

This program will sharpen the capability of the Australian Defence Force and is needed to ensure Australia keeps its edge on the modern day battlefield.

“This project will better prepare the Australian Defence Force to conduct operations in areas where advanced threats such as missiles could threaten lives and assets and will also provide a significant boost to ADF capabilities.

“Many of the electronic warfare support systems to be acquired by this project will be portable and capable of operation within Australian ranges and training areas.

JP 500 PHASE 2A – BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Electronic Warfare Operations Support for the Maritime and Land Domains

Imagine you’re in a tank or a ship, before going into a fight it is important to know who your adversary is, what your own vulnerabilities may be and how to best use the systems that come with the tank or ship to protect yourself. This project will provide a range of equipment, tools and data sets to help better understand what our platforms may look like to weapons and weapons systems we may come up against, how to use the self -Protection systems that already come with our platforms. Obviously, this is information is highly classified.

The project will deliver a range of testing equipment, tools and laboratories and construct a new purpose built facility in Adelaide, South Australia where the detailed analysis of the systems under test will be undertaken. The project is not delivering any electronic warfare protection and countermeasure systems for installation on maritime and land platforms. These systems are delivered by the platform capability projects, such as the Air Warfare Destroyer and Land combat vehicle projects.

In essence, this project will provide a capability to test, assess, verify and validate the Australian Defence Force (ADF) Maritime and Land Electronic Warfare (EW) capabilities. We will be able to simulate modern threats, assess system reactions and better support the development of countermeasures, using this information in a broader assessment of platform survivability.

Australian companies BAE Systems Australia and Ultra Electronics Avalon Systems, and their Australian sub-contractors, will through the acquisition phase of the project, deliver the major items of equipment. This will include design, integration and production of the capability. These companies will also provide through life support of the major items of equipment throughout its expected service life. Over the life of the program, about ¾ of the total budget will be spent in Australia.

Further opportunities may arise as the Project progresses for Australian Industry involvement in the supply of components for this capability. On going operations and sustainment of the capability will be undertaken using local small to medium enterprises such as commercial aviation assets and certification companies. Contractor support will be required to undertake specialised modelling and simulation activities in support of trials and operations.

The primary mission of this capability will provide operators with a clear and documented assessment of the characteristics of their platform when using authorised countermeasures and tactics against specific threats in both simple and complex engagements; and ensure ADF platforms fitted with EW systems are able to achieve and maintain a battle-worthy EW capability.

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Lockheed Martin Delivers Final MH-60R SEAHAWK Helicopter to U.S. Navy in Support of Royal Australian Navy Foreign Military Sales Program
(Source: Lockheed Martin; dated July 28, issued Sept 05, 2016)







OWEGO, N.Y. --- Lockheed Martin has delivered the 24th, and final, MH-60R SEAHAWK helicopter to the U.S. Navy in support of the Navy’s Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The milestone delivery took place during a July 27 ceremony at Lockheed Martin’s Owego, New York facility.

The event marked the official transfer of ownership of the final MH-60R SEAHAWK destined for the RAN from Lockheed Martin to the U.S. Navy. The ceremony was attended by officials from the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), the RAN and the Australian Embassy, as well as representatives from the Defense Contracting Management Agency, Sikorsky and Lockheed Martin.

“In late 2010, the Australian Government had not yet made a decision to acquire the Romeo, and yet here we are in mid-2016 accepting the 24th, and final, aircraft,” said Royal Australian Navy Commodore Scott Lockey, Director General Navy Aviation Systems. “The Royal Australian Navy has formed the first three embarked flights, conducted the first Hellfire Missile shoot and conducted a highly successful ‘DIPEX’ against a Collins Class submarine. None of this would have been possible without the professional work conducted by everyone at Lockheed Martin involved in the Romeo program. The work done here at Owego has been of the highest quality and directly contributed to the most successful helicopter acquisition program undertaken by the Australian Defence Force.”

The Commonwealth of Australia chose the MH-60R “Romeo” SEAHAWK helicopter in June 2011 to fulfill the Australian Defence Force’s requirement for a fleet of 24 new-generation, multi-role naval combat aircraft. In addition to the MH-60R helicopter’s primary mission areas of anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, it also has the capability for secondary missions including search and rescue, vertical replenishment, naval surface fire support, logistics support, personnel transport, medical evacuation, and VHF/UHF/link communication relay. The new MH-60R helicopters are currently replacing the RAN’s existing fleet of S-70B-2 SEAHAWK helicopters.

"This is a very exciting time for the U.S. Navy and Australia. Although today is significant in marking the last Seahawk delivery to the Royal Australian Navy, it also signifies a great opportunity to continue and grow our collaboration in advanced maritime operations," said Captain Craig Grubb, H-60 Multi-Mission Helicopter program manager. "I’m proud of the team’s accomplishments and look forward to our continued partnership with the RAN."

The sale to Australia marked the first international sale of a U.S. Navy MH-60R SEAHAWK helicopter. The RAN took in-country delivery of its first mission-ready aircraft in 2014, and the MH-60R SEAHAWK helicopter training Squadron, 725 Squadron, was commissioned in Nowra, New South Wales in June 2015.

“This delivery is a testament to seamless teamwork between industry, the U.S. Navy and Australia’s Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group, which has kept this program on-budget and on-schedule,” said Lockheed Martin Director of Naval Helicopter Programs Tom Kane. “From aircraft delivery to training and long-term sustainment, we are honored to support the Australian Defence Force and ensure that the Romeo maintains superior capability and performance throughout its life.”

In 2015, the Romeo Project Office in Australia’s Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group won a “Project of the Year” award for the RAN MH-60R SEAHAWK helicopter program from the Australian Capital Territory chapter of the Australian Institute of Project Management (AIPM). The AIPM award serves to recognize, honor and promote recognition of the program’s outstanding achievements in program and project management.

Sikorsky and Lockheed Martin support the RAN fleet through the Maritime Helicopter Support Company (MHSCo), which provides ‘Through Life Support’ logistics services to sustain peak flight readiness for the RAN SEAHAWK helicopters during the fleet’s estimated 30-year lifespan.

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18 nations participate in ASEAN Exercise 16-3
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Areas of the world riddled with natural disasters and cursed by the secondary effects of mother nature’s wrath demand a responsive force that thinks, trains and plans ahead.

An exercise bringing together those very forces from 18 nations’ military and government organizations kicked off Sept. 5, 2016 at 14th Military Circle, Chonburi Province, Thailand. ASEAN Exercise 16-3 commenced with a fitting demonstration of an earthquake-induced collapsed building Search and Rescue operation.

Helicopters from Japan, Russia, Singapore and Thailand roared toward the airfield, dispatching fast-rope rescue teams and airlifting casualties. Meanwhile, teams on the ground moved casualties from the “hot zone,” a simulated collapsing building, to the “warm zone,” the immediate safety of an open field, and triaged according to casualty condition.

Teams from the Indian Army, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force and Royal Thai Army moved casualties secured on backboards swiftly to the pickup zone or field hospital. It was a grand display of pre-planned, coordinated and rehearsed disaster response, reinforcing the pay-off of the very familiarity and training this exercise will focus on.

“This exercise is intended to foster cooperation and to share experience, information and skills among military medics of the ASEAN member states and plus countries, while fostering capabilities of military units in the region through joint humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations,” said General Prawit Wongsuwon, Kingdom of Thailand Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, during the opening ceremony.

AEx 16-3 is an opportunity for different nations to apply and hone common standard operating procedures and diversify each other’s capabilities for the inevitable calamities of the volatile Indo-Asia-Pacific.

A U.S. contingent of approximately 25 personnel from U.S. Pacific Command; U.S. Army Pacific; U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific and Pacific Air Forces will work alongside the other nations in both the command post and field training exercises conducting medical planning, air medical evacuation, military medicine and chemical/ biological/ radiological/ nuclear defense.

Approximately 2,000 personnel are participating in the exercise from the 10 ASEAN member states Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam and “plus” countries Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and Russia.

“This is considered an important milestone of defense cooperation,” Wongsuwon lauded the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting Plus program, which, “which helps maintain peace, stability and security in the region.”

Humbling reminders of the significance of combined joint disaster response training come in the form of approximately 100 natural disasters on average each year in the Indo-Asia-Pacific. Sharing and honing real-world, on the ground, tactical and operational response capabilities facilitates effective, efficient response in a merciless environment.

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End In Sight for Frigate Upgrade Program
(Source: Royal Australian Navy; issued Sept 07, 2016)

The Anzac class frigate Anti-Ship Missile Defence (ASMD) upgrade program has reached a milestone at the BAE Systems Shipyard in Henderson, Western Australia recently.

Navy personnel joined counterparts from the Australian Public Service, BAE Systems, CEA Technologies, SAAB Systems and a number of other organisations on 2 September to witness the final time two Anzac Class frigates would be in dry dock together.

Surface Combatant Group Capability Manager Representative Captain (CAPT) Michael Turner said with HMAS Toowoomba due to undock on 13 September and Stuart deep into her upgrade, the end of the ASMD program was now in sight.

“It’s important for us to pause and acknowledge both the significant achievements made by the people here today, and those who couldn’t be here, to deliver these world-leading upgraded frigates and also the incredible reach this project has in terms of the people required to deliver it,” CAPT Turner said.

“Each ship docks for approximately 12 months to facilitate the significant structural work required to install the new mast to support the Phased Array Radar system, a coating of the new haze grey livery and other docking dependant tasks."

“This is followed by several months alongside conducting harbour acceptance trials and system work, and culminates in a month-long sea trial period before the ship is formally returned to full Royal Australian Navy service.”

ASMD Program Delivery Manager, Lieutenant Commander (LCDR) Felicity Petrie, has been involved with the program since 2014 and said she was proud to see what had been delivered in that time.

“It’s impressive to take in the sheer number of personnel here today and to understand that this is not everyone who has a hand in the delivery of this cutting edge technology to Navy,” LCDR Petrie said.

“This program has had an enormous positive impact on local industry and on Navy capability.”

Each docking and upgrade is a complex operation managed by an Integrated Project Team comprising Navy and contract personnel responsible for project and engineering management.”

This ranges from various maintenance jobs to trade work, painting, cleaning, safety and security tasks.

“In the background, hundreds more people have ‘touched’ the project in design, contracting and other aspects – it’s estimated that more than half a million hours of work are expended on each ship as it progresses through the upgrade,” Lieutenant Commander Petrie said.

Work started on the first upgrade in 2010 when HMAS Perth went through the ASMD program.

Over the next six years, the entire fleet of Anzac Class frigates took their turn on the Henderson hardstand with Stuart due to be delivered back to Navy in late 2017.

Lieutenant Commander Petrie said the upgraded capabilities of Navy’s Anzac Class frigates have been on display in various parts of the world over the past few years.

“As well as performing operational duties in the Middle East, upgraded frigates have deployed all over the globe,” she said.

“HMAS Anzac proceeded on a world deployment in 2015, culminating in participation in the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli landing in Turkey, while both Warramunga and Ballarat recently completed successful deployments as part of Exercise RIMPAC.”

Stuart’s delivery back into Navy service will conclude one of the most significant upgrade programs ever undertaken by the Royal Australian Navy.

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Indonesia received ex-RAAF C-130H full-mission simulator

CAE today Sept. 7 announced that the Indonesian Air Force has recently taken delivery and accepted for training a CAE-built C-130H full-mission simulator that was previously in-service with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).





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