Australian Plan Relates F-35 Details
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By Graham Warwick
Australia’s latest defense capability plan (DCP), which sets out expenditures expected over the next four years, confirms its intent to buy at least 72 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters but slips initial operational capability (IOC) by up to five years, to 2017-19.
The previous DCP, in 2006, set the planned in-service date at 2012-14, and as recently as March the Royal Australian Air Force was still expecting to take delivery of its first F-35s in 2013, but Canberra’s recent defense white paper signaled a delay.
The Air 6000 project to acquire a new air-combat capability is one of several programs that suffer slips in the latest defense capability plan. IOC for Air 7000 Phase 2B, procurement of eight Boeing P-8 replacement maritime patrol aircraft, slips two years to 2017-19.
Air 7000 Phase 1B to acquire a high-altitude long-endurance multi-mission unmanned aircraft for maritime and overland surveillance is still alive, but government consideration has been pushed out beyond 2019, according to DCP 2009.
Australia had planned to buy the U.S. Navy’s RQ-4N version of the Global Hawk, but in March withdrew from participation in the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance program because the in-service date had slipped to 2015 from 2013 and now conflicted with introduction of the P-8.
The new DCP incorporates several previously announced decisions, such as the acquisition of seven new Boeing CH-47Fs rather than upgrading the Australian Army’s six CH-457Ds as originally planned under Air 9000. IOC is set for 2016-18.
Announced in the white paper, the accelerated acquisition of at least 24 new naval combat helicopters under Air 9000 Phase 8 will see the aircraft entering service in 2014-16. The original plan to replace the Navy’s Sikorsky S-70B-2s in 2017-19 was brought forward after termination in March of the Kaman SH-2G(A) program.
Air 8000 Phase 1 to acquire two additional Lockheed Martin C-130Js in lieu of refurbishing the Air Force’s C-130Hs should see the aircraft enter service in 2013-15. New light tactical airlifters to replace the DHC-4 Caribous are to follow in 2014-15 under Phase 2, according to DCP 2009.
Australia, meanwhile, still plans to buy a total of 100 F-35s, acquiring a fourth squadron in conjunction with the withdrawal of its Boeing F/A-18E/Fs — which enter service late this year — but those aircraft, and a maritime strike weapon for the F-35, are expected to be programmed in later DCPs, it says.
Photo: Lockheed Martin
