Royal Australian Air Force [RAAF] News, Discussions and Updates

Boagrius

Well-Known Member
I thought this was relevant to the ongoing conversation about long-range strike:

“There is warfighter interest in both JASSM-ER and LRASM, and Lockheed Martin is working to ensure outstanding weapon standoff and effects. Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control and Lockheed Martin Aeronautics are completing key risk reduction actions in order to provide the warfighter with increased capabilities in accelerated timeframes. We are currently investing in F-35 integration efforts for JASSM-ER in areas such as the digital transformation of elements of smart factory assets. Also, initial fit checks for LRASM on the F-35 have been completed. Planned integration efforts will continue through 2021."


So Rhino lugs LRASM first, then hopefully you get it on the F35 with JASSM-ER not long after.
 

ngatimozart

Super Moderator
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
I thought this was relevant to the ongoing conversation about long-range strike:

“There is warfighter interest in both JASSM-ER and LRASM, and Lockheed Martin is working to ensure outstanding weapon standoff and effects. Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control and Lockheed Martin Aeronautics are completing key risk reduction actions in order to provide the warfighter with increased capabilities in accelerated timeframes. We are currently investing in F-35 integration efforts for JASSM-ER in areas such as the digital transformation of elements of smart factory assets. Also, initial fit checks for LRASM on the F-35 have been completed. Planned integration efforts will continue through 2021."


So Rhino lugs LRASM first, then hopefully you get it on the F35 with JASSM-ER not long after.
Yep read that early hours this morning. Makes a lot of sense for both aircraft in the RAAF sense, plus it's integration onto the P-8A.
 

Boagrius

Well-Known Member
Yep read that early hours this morning. Makes a lot of sense for both aircraft in the RAAF sense, plus it's integration onto the P-8A.
Yep. You also have to wonder whether they might be able to integrate JASSM-XR onto the F35's inboard stations down the track. IIRC the weapon is set to weigh in at ~5000lbs, which would put it just at the top end of their weight allowance. With ~1000nm of range to play with (vs ~900-1000km on the JASSM-ER) that would give you a lot of reach (from a fleet of 72-100 cutting edge aircraft no less).
 

ngatimozart

Super Moderator
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
Yep. You also have to wonder whether they might be able to integrate JASSM-XR onto the F35's inboard stations down the track. IIRC the weapon is set to weigh in at ~5000lbs, which would put it just at the top end of their weight allowance. With ~1000nm of range to play with (vs ~900-1000km on the JASSM-ER) that would give you a lot of reach (from a fleet of 72-100 cutting edge aircraft no less).
Yes it does have give you that extra long touch. But at the back of my mind is a Treaty preventing nations other than the US and Russia having cruise missiles that have ranges exceeding 500 miles. Maybe it's one of the ones that the US and Russia have let lapse or it might be the START II Treaty that's up for rolling over end of this month. I am just unsure about it.

We'll see about whether or not the RAAF receive their 100 F-35. The 72 yes, but the government hasn't fully committed to the final 28 yet, so it's not a given. However the geopolitical and geostrategic situation has changed somewhat in the last 6 months for Australia with the CCP / PRC launching an unprecedented political attack on Australia and its sovereignty. This will change the government's viewpoint upon the defence situation, which will influence their decision upon current and future defence policies and acquisitions.

There must be a DWP due out soon and that may answer a lot of questions.
 

swerve

Super Moderator
No treaty preventing anyone having cruise missiles of any range. If you can build a longer-range cruise missile, you're free to do so.

There's a non-binding agreement, the MTCR (Missile Technology Control Regime - MTCR) which a lot of countries have signed up to not to sell cruise or ballistic missiles with more than specified ranges/payloads, or the technology to make them, to countries which don't already have the technology, & aren't formal allies. NATO countries can sell anything to each other.
 

ngatimozart

Super Moderator
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
No treaty preventing anyone having cruise missiles of any range. If you can build a longer-range cruise missile, you're free to do so.

There's a non-binding agreement, the MTCR (Missile Technology Control Regime - MTCR) which a lot of countries have signed up to not to sell cruise or ballistic missiles with more than specified ranges/payloads, or the technology to make them, to countries which don't already have the technology, & aren't formal allies. NATO countries can sell anything
Cool thanks @swerve . I wasn't sure, just knew there was something that regulated the sale and TOT.
 

Stampede

Well-Known Member
Yes it does have give you that extra long touch. But at the back of my mind is a Treaty preventing nations other than the US and Russia having cruise missiles that have ranges exceeding 500 miles. Maybe it's one of the ones that the US and Russia have let lapse or it might be the START II Treaty that's up for rolling over end of this month. I am just unsure about it.

We'll see about whether or not the RAAF receive their 100 F-35. The 72 yes, but the government hasn't fully committed to the final 28 yet, so it's not a given. However the geopolitical and geostrategic situation has changed somewhat in the last 6 months for Australia with the CCP / PRC launching an unprecedented political attack on Australia and its sovereignty. This will change the government's viewpoint upon the defence situation, which will influence their decision upon current and future defence policies and acquisitions.

There must be a DWP due out soon and that may answer a lot of questions.
The mystery 28
A good one for fantasy fleets and I don't' disagree that the world has changed recently and this will have an impact on additional aircraft and what type is selected.
The only bit in concrete is the Force Structure Plan in the 2020 Defence Strategic update.
4.5 to 6.7 Billion allocated to Additional Air Combat Capability in the 2026 to 31 time frame.

This suggest to me additional airframes.
What we get
What we lose
Or what we keep is guess work.

Maybe that next DWP will shed some light.

Regards S
 

John Newman

The Bunker Group
One project I’ve been following closely (as much as in the public domain), is AIR 7003, armed UAS capability.

What we do know at this stage is the Government has selected the MQ-9B SkyGuardian version (also selected by the UK), final numbers are yet to be decided, but reported to be between 12-16 airframes.

MQ-9B is planed to have two versions, SkyGuardian and SeaGuardian, one obviously has a land focus and one a maritime focus.

Some interesting reported developments with the SeaGuardian version:


And:


What I’m particularly interested in knowing is, can the one airframe be configured as either version with ‘bolt on, bolt off’ sensors and equipment, or if they are ‘hardwired’ so to speak, as one version or the other?

From a maritime perspective, the RAAF won’t be short of assets with both P-8A and MQ-4C but it would be interesting to know if the future SkyGuardian fleet can be easily reconfigured to SeaGuardian simply by bolting on a different loadout of sensors and payload.

Anyway, will be interesting to watch this capability develop in the years ahead.

Cheers,
 

hauritz

Well-Known Member
The mystery 28
A good one for fantasy fleets and I don't' disagree that the world has changed recently and this will have an impact on additional aircraft and what type is selected.
The only bit in concrete is the Force Structure Plan in the 2020 Defence Strategic update.
4.5 to 6.7 Billion allocated to Additional Air Combat Capability in the 2026 to 31 time frame.

This suggest to me additional airframes.
What we get
What we lose
Or what we keep is guess work.

Maybe that next DWP will shed some light.

Regards S
My best guess would be the third tranche of F-35s. The wording suggests that they may, or may not be replacing the Rhinos. Certainly given the times we live in it might be prudent to expand the air force. Also the possible addition of teaming aircraft from the mid 2020s could give a new role to the Rhinos.
 

John Newman

The Bunker Group
A couple of F-35A did a flypast over Sydney Harbour yesterday for Australia Day:


Some good shots of the city and harbour.

Even if I’d known they were doing it yesterday, I wasn’t going outside.

It was a typical stinking hot Australia Day, here in Northern Sydney it was 39c!

Cheer,
 

alexsa

Super Moderator
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
It seems the debate on the F35 has reopened with some attention grabbing headlines in the Australian



It is behind a paywall so I cannot determine the merit (or lack of merit) the report may possess. However, the reporting from users has always been very good.

The author also appears to be taking aim at the Submarine project

PS: I refuse to pay for access to the Australian ... for good reason.
 
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Boagrius

Well-Known Member
Seems to come off the back of Robert Gottliebsen's latest APA inspired drivel. Would take with the correspondingly sized bucket of salt?
 

ASSAIL

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
It seems the debate on the F35 has reopened with some attention grabbing headlines in the Australian



It is behind a paywall so I cannot determine the merit (or lack of merit) the report may possess. However, the reporting from users has always been very good.

The author also appears to be taking aim at the Submarine project

PS: I refuse to pay for access to the Australian ... for good reason.
It’s just more crap from that 80 year old economist Gottliebsen.
He even states in the piece “I’m not an expert on aircraft but I’ve relied on the incredible research carried out by APA experts Peter Goon and Carlo Kopp. They analysed the Joint Strike Fighter problem far better than defence officials and ministers and enabled me to warn the nation of the disaster”.
He then wanders off into some dementia induced bs about submarines.
He’s too delusional to to understand he’s being a total clown.
 

oldsig127

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
It’s just more crap from that 80 year old economist Gottliebsen.
He even states in the piece “I’m not an expert on aircraft but I’ve relied on the incredible research carried out by APA experts Peter Goon and Carlo Kopp. They analysed the Joint Strike Fighter problem far better than defence officials and ministers and enabled me to warn the nation of the disaster”.
He then wanders off into some dementia induced bs about submarines.
He’s too delusional to to understand he’s being a total clown.
I read the article yesterday and laughed aloud when I saw him referencing Kopp and Goon. Even the ABC has stopped crediting them as experts in anything. I'm sorry I didn't report it here, but I'd rather wait to post something credible

oldsig
 

Bob53

Well-Known Member
The guts of the article in the Australian is saying the US Airforce is cutting its buy from 1700 to 1000 F35. Generally find the news in the Australian good but I haven’t heard anything about a reduction in the US AF purchaseBE2E79BB-72AE-488D-A7B6-B6E335865F9A.jpegFDC55315-A55D-491D-9A82-CA467BD5324F.jpeg27332F7E-2595-408A-BFC6-608BEEB6DBAA.jpegB3A8B61D-5F39-4A8E-AAEB-A971B2E9B8DE.jpegBE2E79BB-72AE-488D-A7B6-B6E335865F9A.jpeg27332F7E-2595-408A-BFC6-608BEEB6DBAA.jpeg27332F7E-2595-408A-BFC6-608BEEB6DBAA.jpegB3A8B61D-5F39-4A8E-AAEB-A971B2E9B8DE.jpeg of the F35 elsewhere.
 

oldsig127

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
The guts of the article in the Australian is saying the US Airforce is cutting its buy from 1700 to 1000 F35. Generally find the news in the Australian good but I haven’t heard anything about a reduction in the US AF purchase
Gottliebson again. Quoting Kopp and Goon as his expert sources. God save us from a future reading this sort of nonsense. Even the ABC have cut off APA after discovering their reputation was lower than a snakes cloaca. The article is rife with inaccuracies, as are all of his Defence articles.

oldsig
 

ADMk2

Just a bloke
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
Yes it does have give you that extra long touch. But at the back of my mind is a Treaty preventing nations other than the US and Russia having cruise missiles that have ranges exceeding 500 miles. Maybe it's one of the ones that the US and Russia have let lapse or it might be the START II Treaty that's up for rolling over end of this month. I am just unsure about it.

We'll see about whether or not the RAAF receive their 100 F-35. The 72 yes, but the government hasn't fully committed to the final 28 yet, so it's not a given. However the geopolitical and geostrategic situation has changed somewhat in the last 6 months for Australia with the CCP / PRC launching an unprecedented political attack on Australia and its sovereignty. This will change the government's viewpoint upon the defence situation, which will influence their decision upon current and future defence policies and acquisitions.

There must be a DWP due out soon and that may answer a lot of questions.
MTCR also only regulates cruise missiles with a warhead weight over 500kg. So keep the warhead weight under 500kg, ie: the 450kg warhead class on missiles such as SCALP and JASSM, and they can fly as far as you can make them go...
 

Depot Dog

Active Member

When I first saw this headline I thought the fourth F-35 squadron. But no no it's a new heritage squadron.

I look at the photo of the Sabre with pride. I worked on that jet in the 80's when it was part of 2AD. We would take it to airshows. Veterans would come to us with stories and appreciation of keeping it flying. That was one of the most proudest moments of my RAAF career.
 
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