Alaskan Aggressor F-16s, Oregon F-15s headed Down Under

U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Kevin J. Gruenwald

173rd Fighter Wing, 114 Fighter Sqn, Oregon Air National Guard Photo

Click on thumbnails to view high-res images

There will be some interesting visitors Down Under in late February/early March. We've just gotten word that the United States Air Force (USAF) will be supporting the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) ongoing Fighter Combat Instructor (FCI) course by providing adversary support. This year would see the colourful Aggressor F-16s of the USAF's 18th Aggressor Squadron, 354th Fighter Wing and the F-15s from the 114th Fighter Squadron, 173rd Fighter Wing of the Oregon Air National Guard at RAAF Base Williamtown from 25 February to 22 March 2013.

If previous years are a guide, the two USAF squadrons will take turns training with the RAAF, with one squadron spending the first two weeks of the above dates at Williamtown before the second squadron takes over for the next two weeks. This will be the first time the 18th AGRS is coming to Australia, while the 114th FS had previously supported the 2008 iteration of the RAAF's FCI course.

The 18th AGRS is normally based at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska while the 114th FS hails from Kingsley Field Air National Guard Base, Klamath Falls, Oregon.

Auditor: Australian Hornets may soldier on past 2020, costs to rise

The Australian National Audit Office is warning that delaying by two years the acquisition of 12 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters (JSF) for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) will mean a big hike in maintenance costs for the RAAF's ageing fleet of classic F/A-18A/B Hornets if they are to soldier on beyond its 2020 planned withdrawal date. For the first time, we are given an insight into the challenges facing nations struggling with keeping older fleets flying as a result of the protracted development of the JSF.

Australia currently operates 71 F/A-18A/B Hornets with three active squadrons and one Operation Conversion Unit, with the oldest aircraft in the fleet being delivered in 1984. The type has undergone several upgrades in RAAF service, and are regarded highly in terms of capabilities.

Links:
Management of Australia’s Air Combat Capability—F-35A Joint Strike Fighter Acquisition

Management of Australia’s Air Combat Capability—F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet Fleet Upgrades and Sustainment

Australia confirms conversion of 12 Super Hornets into Growlers

Click for high resolution graphic. © Commonwealth of Australia

In a media release, Australian Defence Minister Stephen Smith has confirmed that Australia has decided to acquire the Growler electronic warfare system for the Super Hornet. The total cost of will be around A$1.5 billion, with the aircraft expected to be operational from 2018

VIDEO: Twisted stomach, giant cramps: Inside Ex Pitch Black

The Royal Australian Air Force has given the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Jano Gibson a unique perspective of Exercise Pitch Black from the backseat of an F/A-18B Hornet. After 3 weeks of intense flying operations, the exercise has concluded yesterday.

Australian Growlers to use borrowed jamming pods?

Ignore the sensationalist headline in this Canberra Times article, but it also mentions that if Australia were to go ahead with the decision to convert twelve of it's Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornets in E/A-18G Growlers, the RAAF will not purchase the ALQ-99 jamming pods, but instead will be required to obtain them from the United States Navy's inventory whenever Australia wanted them. The US would retain absolute control over the RAAF's use of the Growler technology.

Exercise Pitch Black Open Day, RAAF Darwin, 11 August 2012

If you're in Darwin, or like military aviation and would like to head over, there will be an Exercise Pitch Black Open Day on Saturday the 11th of August at RAAF Base Darwin. Click on this link to the RAAF's Facebook page for more details and information.

VIDEO: Day One Pitch Black 2012

The Royal Australian Air Force's Wing Commander David "Max" Merritt discusses the first day of Exercise Pitch Black 2012.

Meanwhile, the below photo was snapped from just outside RAAF Darwin near the end of a frenetic day of Pitch Black 2012 flying activity today. We were given a first rate tour of RAAF Darwin courtesy of the good folks over at the RAAF, and have a ton of photos to process!

List of participants at Exercise Pitch Black 2012

The Australian Defence Force has just released the list of participating aircraft at this year's Exercise Pitch Black, which will be held in the skies over Australia's Northern Territory from 27 July to 16 August 2012. Up to 94 aircraft and more than 2200 personnel are expected to participate in Exercise Pitch Black 12. This will include:

Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF)

F/A-18A Hornet (Darwin and Tindal)
F/A-18F Super Hornet (Darwin)*
C-130H and C-130J Hercules (Darwin)
King Air 350 (Darwin)
Hawk 127 Lead-In Fighter (Tindal)
Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft (Tindal)*
AP-3C Orion (Tindal)
KC-30 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (Amberley)*

Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF)

F-16C/D Falcon (Darwin)**
F-15SG Eagle (Darwin)*
Gulfstream 550 Conformal Airborne Early Warning (CAEW) (Darwin)*
KC-135R Stratotanker (Darwin)

United States Marine Corps (USMC)

F/A-18C Hornet (Tindal)***
KC-130J Hercules (Tindal)

Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF)

F-16A/B Falcon (Darwin)

Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU)*

Su-30 Flanker (Darwin – 27 July to 13 August only)*

Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF)

Combat Support Personnel

*denotes first time participant for Exercise Pitch Black.
**RSAF F-16C/Ds will probably carry markings from both 140 and 143 Squadron, however personnel will be drawn from either of the squadrons listed.
***US Marine Corps F/A-18Cs will be from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 232, normally based out of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. The unit is currently based at Iwakuni in Japan as part of the USMC's Unit Deployment Program (UDP).

More on the ADF's dedicated Pitch Black website.

PHOTO: RAAF Wedgetail refuels at Red Flag Alaska

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A Royal Australian Air Force E-737 Wedgetail, Airborne Warning and Control System, moves into position to receive fuel from a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker from the 349th Air Refueling Squadron, McConnell AFB, Kan., over the Joint Pacific Range Complex near Eielson AFB, Alaska, June 20, 2012, during Red Flag-Alaska 12-2. Red Flag-Alaska is a Pacific Air Forces-sponsored, joint/coalition, tactical air combat employment exercise which corresponds to the operational capability of participating units. The entire exercise takes place in the Joint Pacific Range Complex over Alaska as well as a portion of Western Canada for a total airspace of more than 67,000 square miles. (Defense Media Activity - Hawaii News Bureau Photo by Tech. Sgt. Michael Holzworth)

PHOTO: Air-to-air of 2 Royal Australian AF F/A-18A Hornets

© Commonwealth of Australia. Click on thumbnail to view high resolution image

Some great work from the RAAF's photographers here. Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18 Hornets from No. 3 Squadron at RAAF Base Williamtown move into position as they conduct AIM-9M missile firing activities near Newcastle. Mid Caption: During 12-15 June 2012, No. 3 Squadron successfully conducted a readiness exercise carrying live air-to-air missiles using F/A-18 Hornets in the over water airspace at RAAF Base Williamtown. No. 3 Squadron, RAAF Base Williamtown was the lead fighter squadron with support from both No. 75 Squadron, RAAF Base Tindal and No. 77 Squadron RAAF Base Williamtown.

Lots of spectacular air-to-air photos of this event at at the RAAF's image gallery.

US Navy P-8A Poseidon visits RAAF Edinburgh

A US Navy P-8A Poseidon anti-submarine aircraft has visited the Royal Australian Air Force base at RAAF Edinburgh, South Australia. RAAF Edinburgh is home to the RAAF's fleet of AP-3C Orion anti-submarine aircraft, which is slated to be replaced by the P-8A in 2019.

Two US Navy Poseidons from VX-1 based at NAS Patuxent River have taken part in TAMEX, a joint US-Australian anti-submarine exercise involving the USN and Royal Australian Navy off the West Australian coast since early June.

DSCA Notification for sale of EA-18G Growler Modification Kits - Australia

The United States' Defense Security and Cooperation Agency has notified Congress of a possible sale of modification kits to convert 12 of Australia's Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornets into EA-18G Growler Electronic Attack Aircraft [PDF document]. Australia has indicated an interest in doing so for some time, having wired up 12 of its aircraft for such a conversion even as the aircraft were being built by Boeing, and with Australia having purchased long-lead items for such a conversion some months back.

According to the DSCA release, the total value of the conversion package is estimated to be US$1.7 billion, and among other things, includes 34 AN/ALQ-99F(V) Tactical Jamming System Pods, 22 CN-1717/A Interference Cancellation Systems (INCANS), 22 R-2674(C)/A Joint Tactical Terminal Receiver (JTTR) Systems and 30 LAU-118 Guided Missile Launchers (for the AGM-88 High Speed Anti-Radiation Missile or HARM). It is unclear at this stage when the conversion of the Super Hornets is planned to start and conclude.

While the DSCA stresses that the notification is required by (U.S) law and "does not mean the sale has been concluded", such notifications are usually published when negotiations are at an advanced stage and the sale is about to be finalised, so we're pretty sure this sale is a given, once the i's have been dotted and the t's are crossed. Australia currently operates 24 two-seat F/A-18F Super Hornets with Nos 1 and 6 Sqns, based at RAAF Amberley southwest of Brisbane, in the state of Queensland. The Super Hornets replaced the last of the RAAF's RF/F-111Cs Aardvarks, which retired in late 2010.

A point to note: Once Australia gets it's 12 Growlers, it will effectively triple the number of this advanced Electronic Attack aircraft this side of the Pacific, with the current permanent force being six U.S. Navy Growlers of VAQ-141 Shadowhawks based at Atsugi, Japan assigned to Carrier Air Wing 5.

PHOTO: RAAF Hawk 127 viewed from a C-130 over Perth

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A Royal Australian Air Force Hawk 127 from 79 Squadron flies over the city of Perth in the lead up to the Defence Force Air Show. A Royal Australian Air Force C-130 Hercules and two Hawk 127 aircraft flew in formation over Perth CBD and Rottnest Island, on the 17 May in the lead up to the Defence Force Air Show at RAAF Pearce on 19/20 May 2012.

The Defence Force Air Show will be held on 19 and 20 May 2012 from 8am to 5pm (last entry at 2pm) at RAAF Pearce, located on the Great Northern Highway, Bullsbrook WA 6084. Flying displays will be held from 12pm to 3pm. Entry is $20 for adults and $5 for children. More information from www.airforce.gov.au/airshows

Australia to acquire 10 C-27J tactical transports

The Australian Department of Defence has announced that Australia will acquire 10 C-27J Spartan Battlefield Airlift Aircraft from Italy's Alenia. The cost cited by the Department's Media Release today has put the cost at $1.4 billion, with the aircraft delivered by 2015 and to be based at RAAF Richmond, to the west of Sydney. The release also reveals that the RAAF's fleet of C-130Hs, which was to be retired ahead of schedule, "will proceed in an orderly fashion over the course of the year".

In December 2011, the United States' Defense Security Cooperation Agency issued a notification for the potential sale of the 10 C-27Js to Australia, and provides an insight into what other equipment is included in the proposed package.

Australia to retire C-130Hs early as part of budget shakeup

Flightglobal's Greg Waldron has a comprehensive writeup on Australia retiring it's fleet of 12 C-130H Hercules transports early, in a bid to trim it's Defence Budget as part of a government effort to achieve a budget surplus. Greg has pretty much covered most of the bases in the article, there's nothing much worth adding from my end really.

Australia delays delivery 12 F-35s to 2019, citing budget crunch

As part of a media conference announcing Australia's next Defence White Paper, Defence Minister Stephen Smith has said that Australia will delay delivery of 12 F-35s on order by two years to 2019 instead of 2015-2017 as originally envisaged. Australia has 14 F-35As currently on order, with two aircraft due to be delivered in 2014.

Australia's next Defence White Paper is due in 2014, but this morning's announcement has revealed that it is being brought forward by a year.

Aussie Hornets, Orion in Malaysia for Five-Power exercise

Australia and the other members of the Five Power Defence Arrangement (FPDA) have commenced Exercise Bersama Shield 2012, with Royal Australia Air Force (RAAF) F/A-18 Hornets from 3 Sqn and AP-3C Orions deployed Butterworth Airbase in northern Peninsula Malaysia for the exercise. Exercise Bersama Shield 2012 involves personnel, air and naval assets from Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Kingdom and will occur between 23 April – 05 May 2012 and will take place in Malaysia, the South China Sea and Singapore.

Link: Bersama Shield 2012 images from the Australian Defence Force website

VIDEO: Ex Kiwi Flag 2012 [HD]

Held at the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) base at Whenuapai, Exercise Kiwi Flag is a multilateral, tactical air mobility exercise which aims to improve the interoperability and partnership of the participating nations. The RNZAF is exercising with international air force partners on their way to the Air Force Air Show at Ohakea Air Base on Saturday 31 March. This video by the New Zealand Defence Force, gives us an insight into the exercise.

Countries involved in the exercise, which is based in Auckland are the French Armed Forces of New Caledonia (CASA CN235), Republic of Singapore Air Force (C-130H Hercules), Royal Australian Air Force (C-130J Hercules), the United States Air Force (C-17 Globemaster III) and the United States Marine Corps (KC-130J Hercules). The host nation is taking part with it's C-130H Hercules.

The exercise sees fixed wing tactical training comprising low level flying and airdrop of cargo and personnel to Kaipara and Raumai Air Weapons Range.

The exercise forms a key part of readiness training for the New Zealand Defence Force and its international partners and runs from March 24 to April 5.

Australia confirms 6th C-17; writing was already on the wall

The Australian Department of Defence has confirmed yesterday that a sixth Boeing C-17 Globemaster III will be purchased for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). But those following military aviation news the past few months will have noted that the writing was on the wall, with the DSCA notification for the sale already made in November 2011.

PHOTO: Royal Australian Air Force 77 Sqn 70th Anniversary Hornet

Image © Commonwealth of Australia. Click on thumbnail to view high resolution image

No. 77 Sqn of the Royal Australian Air Force is commemorating it's 70th Anniversary in 2012, and the squadron has painted one of its F/A-18A Hornets (serial A21-49) in a special commemorative scheme. Members from No. 77 SQN were asked to come up with a design for the commemorative aircraft and the winning design was by Aircraft Technician Leading Aircraftman (LAC) Nick Pearsall with input from all of the Aircraft Technicians at No. 77 Squadron.

77 Sqn was formed at RAAF Pearce, Western Australia in March 1942 with Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawks. The squadron took part in the defence of Darwin and later flew escort and ground attack operations over New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Borneo. During the Korean War, 77 squadron flew the P-51 Mustang and Gloster Meteor, supporting United Nations forces during the conflict. Today it flies the F/A-18A/B Hornet from RAAF Williamtown.