At least in the Turkish case it's because their purchase of F-35 was blocked by the US for them breaching CATSAA by buying S-400 from Russia.
For Türkiye its accessibility
I think the RN is looking to see if there are other options than helicopter based AEW, me being me though I would very much want to see if a UAV-based AEW system can actually be made to work. Given some of the potential bandwidth requirements, there is a distinct possibility that unmanned AEW is not viable at the present time.
It had enough aviation capacity that it allowed Spain to decommission their carrier than ran exclusively on Jp5! It wasn't designed as a carrier, it was designed enough with enough capabilities to allow Spain to unburden itself of it dedicated carrier. Spain had designs for a more dedicated carrier version, but it, suprise suprise, never happened.
I don't think Helos make good AEW platforms. For many reasons. Their radars are slung under the platform usually. Helicopters aren't known for endurance, low maintenance, or high altitude, or range. They aren't also known for being fast (in climb or in straight flight) or low observable. Against any sort of peer capability a Helo AEW is a bad idea, it's a prime target for a OTH missile. It will be easy to target, as its broadcasting its location and at high altitude, moving very, very slowly, with an absolutely obvious radar signature. You are making a really clear target for your carrier, fire your smart self targeting ASM this way..
ukdefencejournal.org.uk
F-35B can carry LRASM and nIt had enough aviation capacity that it allowed Spain to decommission their carrier than ran exclusively on Jp5! It wasn't designed as a carrier, it was designed enough with enough capabilities to allow Spain to unburden itself of it dedicated carrier. Spain had designs for a more dedicated carrier version, but it, suprise suprise, never happened.
I don't think Helos make good AEW platforms. For many reasons. Their radars are slung under the platform usually. Helicopters aren't known for endurance, low maintenance, or high altitude, or range. They aren't also known for being fast (in climb or in straight flight) or low observable. Against any sort of peer capability a Helo AEW is a bad idea, it's a prime target for a OTH missile. It will be easy to target, as its broadcasting its location and at high altitude, moving very, very slowly, with an absolutely obvious radar signature. You are making a really clear target for your carrier, fire your smart self targeting ASM this way..
Anyone operating any sort of EW or dedicated land based AEW platform, is going to cause big problems for the weaker, less powerful, less processing, lower altitude, less endurance, less maneuverable platform. They will see you first, they will detect you and all your assets first.
Something like a MQ-9 would be a better platform for radar. Its 50% faster, has more range (by more than twice, more like 3 times), has a 500% higher service ceiling, and 10 times the endurance. Also unmanned with lower maintenance requirements, and lower operational costs. It can operate at range from the task group while offering organic capabilities. While it could operate off a carrier if it absolutely needed to, it could, most of the time, operate off land, freeing resources off the carrier.
AFAIK crowsnest is to be scrapped in 4 years.
At this point some sort of drone AEW will take its place.New Govt keeps plan to scrap Crowsnest after four years
The Government have confirmed they intend to retire the the Crowsnest Airborne Early Warning system in four years, despite the system set to achieve full operating capability this year.
This space is still moving pretty fast.
Australia is in a bit of a different space with its needs to the UK. We don't have something like the Falkland's, a large unprotected, but inhabited island, far away from friendly or home land bases, with a contestable non peer power with an airforce nearby. Spain, UK are more in that space than we are.
Key functions would more like submarine hunting or supporting and securing airspace around key choke points like Malacca or Sunda.. Or christmas island or Manus. Which we would have to do with local/regional support. However, even with local support, they have limited airfield capability, and are likely targets, also support doesn't mean we can always turn up and base 75 F-35 A fighter jets, KC-30, E7 and P8s from their airstrips, and mostly that is what they are airstrips, not advanced western airbases..
Fielding naval aviation against China is going to be problematic. Even F-35Bs against J20's isn't a sure bet, particularly with Chinese AEW capabilities.. Aim 174b and LRASM are no go on the F-35B.
Carrier stuff for Australia would involve a lot of risk, development, money and time. Its more than just a ship and some F-35Bs.
The F-35B is being certified to carry the LRASM. At least according to the photo below. I can’t see any reason why it couldn’t carry the AIM174B in the future.It had enough aviation capacity that it allowed Spain to decommission their carrier than ran exclusively on Jp5! It wasn't designed as a carrier, it was designed enough with enough capabilities to allow Spain to unburden itself of it dedicated carrier. Spain had designs for a more dedicated carrier version, but it, suprise suprise, never happened.
I don't think Helos make good AEW platforms. For many reasons. Their radars are slung under the platform usually. Helicopters aren't known for endurance, low maintenance, or high altitude, or range. They aren't also known for being fast (in climb or in straight flight) or low observable. Against any sort of peer capability a Helo AEW is a bad idea, it's a prime target for a OTH missile. It will be easy to target, as its broadcasting its location and at high altitude, moving very, very slowly, with an absolutely obvious radar signature. You are making a really clear target for your carrier, fire your smart self targeting ASM this way..
Anyone operating any sort of EW or dedicated land based AEW platform, is going to cause big problems for the weaker, less powerful, less processing, lower altitude, less endurance, less maneuverable platform. They will see you first, they will detect you and all your assets first.
Something like a MQ-9 would be a better platform for radar. Its 50% faster, has more range (by more than twice, more like 3 times), has a 500% higher service ceiling, and 10 times the endurance. Also unmanned with lower maintenance requirements, and lower operational costs. It can operate at range from the task group while offering organic capabilities. While it could operate off a carrier if it absolutely needed to, it could, most of the time, operate off land, freeing resources off the carrier.
AFAIK crowsnest is to be scrapped in 4 years.
At this point some sort of drone AEW will take its place.New Govt keeps plan to scrap Crowsnest after four years
The Government have confirmed they intend to retire the the Crowsnest Airborne Early Warning system in four years, despite the system set to achieve full operating capability this year.
This space is still moving pretty fast.
Australia is in a bit of a different space with its needs to the UK. We don't have something like the Falkland's, a large unprotected, but inhabited island, far away from friendly or home land bases, with a contestable non peer power with an airforce nearby. Spain, UK are more in that space than we are.
Key functions would more like submarine hunting or supporting and securing airspace around key choke points like Malacca or Sunda.. Or christmas island or Manus. Which we would have to do with local/regional support. However, even with local support, they have limited airfield capability, and are likely targets, also support doesn't mean we can always turn up and base 75 F-35 A fighter jets, KC-30, E7 and P8s from their airstrips, and mostly that is what they are airstrips, not advanced western airbases..
Fielding naval aviation against China is going to be problematic. Even F-35Bs against J20's isn't a sure bet, particularly with Chinese AEW capabilities.. Aim 174b and LRASM are no go on the F-35B.
Carrier stuff for Australia would involve a lot of risk, development, money and time. Its more than just a ship and some F-35Bs.
I notice the invitation asks you to "Please select an Expression of Interest Registration type." Pretty sure if you were interested in buying it they would give you centre, front row seats.