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

[Todjaeger]

There’s something wrong with those articles. From 20,000 feet the horizon is about 280 km away. If the F-22 was also at 20,000 feet the maximum line of sight would be IVO 600 km. And, how did a Chinese observer get within 1000 km of an F-22, which are almost exclusively CONUS based, with the kit needed to make the observation? That’s not to mention the chaotic nature of the atmosphere when it comes to heat distribution.

The one article which mentioned an altitude, was an altitude of 20,000 metres IIRC so the radar and visual horizon issue should not be so much of an issue. The claims about the ability to actually detect non-Chinese LO aircraft in testing very much remain though.

TBH the articles tend to strike me as some of the articles which came out about 15 to 20 years ago where different nations made claims to have essentially 'defeated stealth' through various methods, but when a number of them were raised and discussed here on DT there was quite a gap, or perhaps more of a chasm, between claims and what was actually deliverable. It generally turned out that the ideas presented then, as now, seemed to be more that such developments might be able to detect LO objects, under certain circumstances. That is quite different from any claims about a method being able to reliably able detect LO objects, never mind doing so across a broad range of circumstances, and even further from then being able to reliably track a LO object once it has been detected.

Also, I would still urge people to re-read the LO sticky thread, because people still seem to think that 'stealth' is some sort of specific or discreet set of technologies which it is not.

 

[MARKMILES77]

This radar would likely be ideal for GhostBat.
High Capability, Low Cost and very low weight, weighing only 68Kg.
Perhaps it's most important feature though, is the fact that it is completely air cooled requiring no
complicated plumbing to the host aircraft.

PhantomStrike Low-Cost Lightweight AESA Radar Flies For First Time

The air-cooled AESA is a major contender to equip fighter-like loyal wingman drones, along with other air, land and sea platforms. The compact E-scan radar is headed for the Polish FA-50 light combat aircraft, but is also being pitched for use in drones.

www.twz.com

 

[hauritz]

This radar would likely be ideal for GhostBat.
High Capability, Low Cost and very low weight, weighing only 68Kg.
Perhaps it's most important feature though, is the fact that it is completely air cooled requiring no
complicated plumbing to the host aircraft.

PhantomStrike Low-Cost Lightweight AESA Radar Flies For First Time

The air-cooled AESA is a major contender to equip fighter-like loyal wingman drones, along with other air, land and sea platforms. The compact E-scan radar is headed for the Polish FA-50 light combat aircraft, but is also being pitched for use in drones.

www.twz.com

That would seem logical given Boeing's plans to test air-to-air missiles with the GhostBat. Also the inherent flexability of being able to swap out its nose cone means it could be intergrated later if required.

 

[StevoJH]

That would seem logical given Boeing's plans to test air-to-air missiles with the GhostBat. Also the inherent flexability of being able to swap out its nose cone means it could be intergrated later if required.

However, there is always the question of how much US content does the government want or desire in the platform?

Saying that, at this stage they are a development platform and (as far as we know) not in active service.

 

[hauritz]

However, there is always the question of how much US content does the government want or desire in the platform?

Saying that, at this stage they are a development platform and (as far as we know) not in active service.

Personally I don't care so much about the origin of the various bits and pieces that go into something like the Ghost Bat as I do about whether these components would be available during times of war. We should be aiming at building as much of this aircraft as possible in Australia using our own manufacturing capability. This will no doubt result in a premium price tag but we need this sort of sovereign capability.

 

[Aardvark144]

Block 3 upgrades to F/A-18F and EA-18G underway?

https://www.dsca.mil/Press-Media/Ma...stralia-fa-18f-and-ea-18g-sustainment-support

 

[seaspear]

That would seem logical given Boeing's plans to test air-to-air missiles with the GhostBat. Also the inherent flexability of being able to swap out its nose cone means it could be intergrated later if required.

How would this smaller AESA radar range compare with an infrared addition instead for guiding missiles

 

[StingrayOZ]

Australian Demo Pairs E-7A With MQ-28 To Engage Target | Aviation Week Network

With the Boeing E-7A Wedgetail facing a cancellation threat in the U.S., the AEW&C aircraft has demonstrated a new ability to control multiple uncrewed aircraft systems in flight.

aviationweek.com

E7 controls Ghostbats to engage aerial target. Seems very promising.

Further making it unclear why the US would leave the program. I am not sure the E2D is an ideal drone controlling platform.

 

[John Fedup]

Australian Demo Pairs E-7A With MQ-28 To Engage Target | Aviation Week Network

With the Boeing E-7A Wedgetail facing a cancellation threat in the U.S., the AEW&C aircraft has demonstrated a new ability to control multiple uncrewed aircraft systems in flight.

aviationweek.com

E7 controls Ghostbats to engage aerial target. Seems very promising.

Further making it unclear why the US would leave the program. I am not sure the E2D is an ideal drone controlling platform.

Why they would leave the program.....a defence secretary unfit for his job backed by a master who prizes loyalty above competency.

 

[hauritz]

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/successful-ghost-bat-drone-missile-trial-piques-interest-of-foreign-militaries/news-story/7f8b51d24c95760e8329bd758b4ddf49

For those unable to crack the Australian paywall the article discusses the missile trials about to be conducted by the MQ-28. Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy confirms there will be an armed trial later this year with the drone firing AMRAAM missiles. The recent success of pairing the MQ-28 with an E-7A has promped the fast tracking of the missile trial.

Conroy declined to say when the Ghost Bat was expected to enter service but said the program was running four months ahead of schedule and indicated it was in line for further funding when its budget was expended by the end of the year.

Much of the rest of the article focuses on attracting overseas buyers.