May 2011 Archives

Think tank Australian Strategic Policy Institute has produced a 255 page report titled the Cost of Defence about Australia's 2011-2012 defence budget. It pegs the daily expenditure at A$72.8 million ($77 million).

While the report touches on all aspects of Australia's military. It expresses doubts that  Australia is on-track to achieve Force 2030, the high-tech, flexible force envisaged in a 2009 government white paper. The issue, said ASPI, is delayed acquisition programmes.

While ASPI's insights into the issues facing Australia's defence establishment are worth reading, the sections dealing with air force, army, and naval aviation are illuminating.

Page 69 offers a stark glimpse of how the engine problems the army has faced with the NH Industries MRH-90 transport helicopter have affected flying hours. Between 2009-2010 the army hoped for nearly 3000 hours, but ended up with less than 500.

One of the RAAF's troubled programmes, the Boeing 737-based Wedgetail airborne warning & control (AEW&C) aircraft, produced just over 100 hours in 2009-2010, far short of the 500 hours planned. The other problem child, the KC-30A tanker (due to be inducted soon, two years late), does not even get a chart.

On page 92 ASPI details the cost per flying hour of all types. The F-18 E/F Super Hornet runs the RAAF A$22,900 per flying hour. This is a bargain compared with the Wedgetail (A$65,800) and MRH-90 (A$34,700).

The best part of the report runs from page 197 to 207. Here defence journalist Gregor Ferguson of Australian Defence Magazine provides a well-written review of the challenges Australia faces training new pilots, as well as the programmes designed to meet Australia's future training needs.

Ferguson also offers perspective into the outlook for Australia's airlift fleet. He describes how the new battlefield airlifter (either the C-27J Spartan or C-295) will one day integrate with Australia's fleet of C-17s (interior shot below), C-130s, and Chinooks. The C-130, he adds, could eventually be replaced by the A400M.

Came across a clip on Youtube about the Chengdu JF-17 (AKA FC-1 Xialong in China). Owing to the still images I assume this was a radio interview. Interesting to learn that China has 35 staff at Pakistan's Kamra factory to support the joint production programme.

The JF-17 will make its international air show flying debut at Paris next month. Since we are including the JF-17 in our must see aircraft list, one of our UK editors asked me to write 100 words describing the aircraft and its importance. Here is what I sent him:


The Chengdu/Pakistan Aeronautical Complex JF-17 could be the fighter of choice in developing nations in coming years. With a flyaway cost estimated below $20 million, it was the star of Air Show China in Zhuhai in November 2010.

China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation (CATIC), which markets military aircraft overseas on behalf of the country's manufacturers, said at the show that it was in talks with up to eight countries.

"The JF-17 is a low cost solution for developing countries," said a CATIC executive at Zhuhai. PAC began indigenous assembly of the aircraft last year, and could incorporate western avionics, radars and other systems into the fighter from 2012.

Southeast Asia's two most powerful air forces are in PR mode this week.

In conjunction with this weekend's open house for the public at Paya Labar airbase, the Republic of Singapore Air Force has posted some cool videos on its web site - and buzzed the city countless times with Boeing F-15SGs. 

Singapore's Alert5.com was kind enough to upload a good video (below) of the F-15SG loading up for a combat mission.

Unsurprisingly the venerable Eagle looks to figure prominently at the show as its the latest major type in the city state's force. Visitors will also get a chance to check out the Gulfsteam G550 Airborne early warning & control aircraft (AEW&C), which replaced Singapore's Grumman E-2C Hawkeyes.

Meanwhile, the Royal Thai Air Force has posted two videos of the Saab JAS 39 Gripen. The testosterone-laden music in the first video is way over the top, but the Gripen is still a joy too watch - irrespective of its elimination from India's medium multi-role combat aircraft competition. Second video has only the sweet sound of the Volvo Aero RM12 engine. 

Indian Air Force Chief Pradeep Vasant Naik recently visited the Gromov Flight Research Institute to check on progress with the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) being jointly developed by Russia and India from the developmental Sukhoi PAK FA aircraft.

During the visit he was treated to flying display of the PAK FA and also got to check out the cockpit. Ho hum stuff, really, but I was also intrigued by a comment by Mikhail Pogosyan, the President of the United Aircraft Corporation, General Director of Sukhoi and RSK MiG, made in a statement in issued by Sukhoi.

"We do not just offer Indian colleagues the best examples of our aircraft as a finished product, we are dedicated to working with Russian and Indian companies, sharing engineering resources to develop the most advanced aircraft systems that have high potential for the world market. And I am confident that the joint program in combat and transport aircraft is a launching pad for expansion of cooperation in the implementation of programs to create civil aircraft."

Joint civil aircraft? India has plans to develop its own regional aircraft, the RTA-70. This could be a jet, and therefore yet another competitor to the Sukhoi Superjet 100 in the over-crowded regional jet business. Nonetheless, a future India-Russian airliner would be a very interesting development indeed.