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

[76mmGuns]

"
Meanwhile, in the real world right now :
"A Royal Australian Air Force E-7A Wedgetail, two EA-18G Growler jets and two F-35A Lightning II aircraft fly in formation with two United States Air Force B-2 Bombers and two F-22 Raptor fighter jets." Image Source : ADF Image Library "

I really like this photo. Everything there is modern and advanced. And we have a lot of them (relatively). This is a complete contrast to the RAN. RAN has plans and is in the stages of doing things, but the RAAF is practically the most advanced complete air force in the world NOW.

 

[John Fedup]

Another defence review is due in 2026 and this will probably need to address the replacement of the Super Hornet and Growler fleet. Probably want to add the Wedgetails and refuelling aircraft into the mix as well.

Most likely we will be looking a complex system of systems replacement so it won’t be anything as straight forward as buying additional F-35s. So much will depend on technology that is still in development and may not even be sufficiently mature when the Super Hornet replacement falls due.

Australia could already be falling behind on working out a solution for this. The US has already started work on NGAD and the USN F/A-XX programs neither of which might be entirely suitable for Australia. Personally I think the British led FCAS may be better suited.

Australia may yet decide to work on its own unique solution. It is all very complex and given Australia’s propensity to procrastinate on these decisions we could even see us having to come up with an interim solution to replace the Super Hornets, which ironically were themselves an interim solution.

FCAS is the French-German project, GCAP (Tempest) is the British-Japanese-Italian project.

 

[StingrayOZ]

Some footage from riverfire..

The C17 look really cool doing their thing.

F-18 warmup.

 

[swerve]

FCAS is the French-German project, GCAP (Tempest) is the British-Japanese-Italian project.

A quibble: FCAS is French-German-Spanish.

 

[John Fedup]

A quibble: FCAS is French-German-Spanish.

Do we know which program Sweden is leaning towards? I imagine Saab would like to be involved in one of the programs as it is unlikely the government wants to fund a 5-6 Gen aircraft alone.

 

[swerve]

Sweden was reported to be interested in GCAP at one point, but didn't join it.

 

[StevoJH]

Do we know which program Sweden is leaning towards? I imagine Saab would like to be involved in one of the programs as it is unlikely the government wants to fund a 5-6 Gen aircraft alone.

Can Sweden afford to develop a Gen 5/6 combat aircraft alone?

The ratio of R&D to procurement would be horrendous given the size of their fast jet fleet.

 

[Going Boeing]

It’s finally official - the ADF will receive the first Joint Strike Missiles in 2025.

https://www.minister.defence.gov.au...boost-australias-long-range-strike-capability

No mention as to what assets they will be fitted to. I might be wrong but I think that they can’t be fired from the F-35 until they have the TR-3 & Block 4 software upgrade. The Super Hornets & P-8 Poseidon’s may get them first.

 

[MARKMILES77]

Deleted due to error.

 

[Bob53]

Update on JASSM XR. AGM-158 XR with probable range around 1500km. rhinos can carry them but no mention if F35 can.

Everything We Just Learned About The Supersized AGM-158 XR Stealth Cruise Missile

Lockheed's XR variant of the JASSM family of missiles is stretched to accommodate more fuel, giving it a range that should approach or exceed that of the Tomahawk.

www.twz.com

 

[Going Boeing]

Update on JASSM XR. AGM-158 XR with probable range around 1500km. rhinos can carry them but no mention if F35 can.

Everything We Just Learned About The Supersized AGM-158 XR Stealth Cruise Missile

Lockheed's XR variant of the JASSM family of missiles is stretched to accommodate more fuel, giving it a range that should approach or exceed that of the Tomahawk.

www.twz.com

The extra range of the JASSM-XR would be a good fit for the P-8’s as it should allow them to launch from a safer distance. Theoretically, the Super Hornets be able to approach closer before being detected and have the speed to egress quickly after launch so they would probably use the JASSM-ER’s that have been ordered.

Lockheed Martin Presents JASSM XR: An Extreme Range Cruise Missile

 

[Bob53]

The extra range of the JASSM-XR would be a good fit for the P-8’s as it should allow them to launch from a safer distance. Theoretically, the Super Hornets be able to approach closer before being detected and have the speed to egress quickly after launch so they would probably use the JASSM-ER’s that have been ordered.

Lockheed Martin Presents JASSM XR: An Extreme Range Cruise Missile

I like the idea of the XR as it reduces the Refuelling logistical footprint by about 600kMs. if target was out at up to 2500km range there should be no need for refuelling.

The F/A-18E Super Hornet has an unrefueled combat radius of approximately 390 nautical miles (449 miles or 722 kilometers) on internal fuel. When external fuel tanks are added, its range can be extended up to 700 nautical miles (805 miles or 1,296 kilometres) without air-to-air refuelling.

Add to this approx 1500 KMs from the JASSM XR and it’s further than anything the F111 could tackle.

But the point re the P8s is a good one. How many could a F18 carry? I think it’s 2.

 

[Todjaeger]

I like the idea of the XR as it reduces the Refuelling logistical footprint by about 600kMs. if target was out at up to 2500km range there should be no need for refuelling.

The F/A-18E Super Hornet has an unrefueled combat radius of approximately 390 nautical miles (449 miles or 722 kilometers) on internal fuel. When external fuel tanks are added, its range can be extended up to 700 nautical miles (805 miles or 1,296 kilometres) without air-to-air refuelling.

Add to this approx 1500 KMs from the JASSM XR and it’s further than anything the F111 could tackle.

But the point re the P8s is a good one. How many could a F18 carry? I think it’s 2.

Aircraft mission and config make a significant difference, particularly with range performance. If one looks here (on page #10) at this Unclass SAR release by the US DOD from 2012, then one can see the F/A-18E in an air-to-air fighter escort role has an unrefueled range of 434 n miles. OTOH if the mission role is interdiction and therefore air-to-ground/shipping ordnance is carried, as well as drop tanks, the non-AAR range can vary between 419 n miles and 463 n miles, depending on whether two or three drop tanks are embarked. As for ordnance carriage options, the SHornets have 11 hardpoints and at least some of those under the wings and fuselage can be for larger ordnance or droptanks. I believe max JASSM/LRASM plus drop tank carried would be a total of four JASSM/LRASM.

Now of course the numbers for the RAAF would be at least a little different, since the F/A-18E is a single seater whilst the SHornet in Australian service is the two-seater -F, but I believe the numbers should be at least somewhat similar.

There is of course also the other practical issue in that Australia would likely have problems making effective use of extremely long-ranged ordnance simply due to the limitations of target awareness. How able/aware is Australia to get target quality location and tracking information for potential strikes some 1,500 + miles away from Australia?