Australian Industry Proves World Beater, Smashing $1BN Milestone for Superjet

The Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Christopher Pyne MP, today announced that Australian industry has been collectively awarded over $1 billion in production for the F-35 program.

The strength of Australia’s defence industry has made it a significant and crucial contributor to the program which will support up to 5000 Australian jobs by 2023.

“More than 50 Australian companies directly shared in the production contracts to date, with many more indirectly benefiting through supply chain work,” Minister Pyne said.

“Australian industry continues to prove its global competitiveness by performing better than initial forecasts, with Australian industry involvement expected to exceed $2 billion by 2023.”

“The journey of Australian industry’s involvement in the global F-35 Program has been one of great success and long-term economic opportunity for Australia.

In 2016 the Joint Strike Fighter program supported more than 2400 jobs across Australia, which is set to grow to 5000 by 2023.

“Further opportunities are expected for Australian companies to increase production contract values over the next four years as F-35 production rates more than double.

“Australian industry is manufacturing parts that will be fitted to every F-35 aircraft in production across the globe.

“Australian success in the Joint Strike Fighter program isn’t limited to manufacturing parts. Australian industry has also been chosen as the maintenance hub for the engines, airframes and 64 of 65 components which have been assigned by the Joint Project Office.

“When I travel to the U.S. in April I will be arguing for more work for Australia, we have the capability and we deserve the work,” Minister Pyne said.

In a major milestone for the Australian F-35A Project, the first Australian-made Vertical Tail – produced by Victorian-based company Marand – was fitted to Australia’s third F-35A aircraft as it neared completion at Lockheed Martin’s production facility in Fort Worth, Texas, in August 2017.

The stealthy, advanced F-35A represents a significant change in capabilities and will give Australia an edge against the emergence regionally of advanced capabilities.

The first two Australian F-35A aircraft are scheduled to arrive for permanent basing at RAAF Base Williamtown, New South Wales, in December.

By the time of Final Operating Capability, expected in December 2023, Australia will have a training squadron and three operational squadrons comprising 72 aircraft.

Australian Army took the wraps off some of its Blackhawk helicopters, as they flew through the city and Harbour

Their work is usually secret or dangerous but the Army took the wraps off some of its Blackhawk helicopters, as they flew through the city and Harbour. @JayneAzzo #9News pic.twitter.com/pRj7vHsJjM

— Nine News Sydney (@9NewsSyd) February 16, 2018

Video of RAAF EA-18G incident at Nellis AFB

A RAAF EA-18G caught fire during take-off at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada on Jan. 27. KTNV Channel 13 Las Vegas has a video of the incident.

HMAS Hobart continues with her trials off the coast of New South Wales

#GreenGhost #HmasHobart continues with her trials off the coast of New South Wales - this is a great video of yesterday’s Harpoon ejection test- #FightandWin. @Australian_Navy pic.twitter.com/1iuLdX4oi5

— RADM Stu Mayer (@COMAUSFLT) November 30, 2017

Great footage of the 7th Brigade - Australian Army in action

"Taking care of business (every day)…" 🎵🎵 🕶️
Great footage of the 7th Brigade - Australian Army in action. pic.twitter.com/d7oY0spNiR

— DefenceAustralia (@DeptDefence) November 13, 2017

Royal Australian Navy commissioned the Guided Missile Destroyer, HMAS Hobart

HMAS Hobart has “slipped her lines” and set sail for the first time since commissioning on 23 September 2017.

Her departure from Fleet Base East, Garden Island, Sydney on Wednesday heralded the much anticipated return to sea for the Guided Missile Destroyer (DDG) of the Royal Australian Navy.

During her journey to and from Jervis Bay on the New South Wales south coast, HMAS Hobart’s ship’s company will perform a series of exercises to test core mariner skills.

Commanding Officer, HMAS Hobart, Captain John Stavridis, said the ship’s company were eager to put their skills to the test.

“This is really the first key milestone in proving that we can operate the warship safely and effectively,” he said.

“My crew have worked very hard to get the ship commissioned and ready for sea.”

The week long Mariner Skills Evaluation (MSE) period will see the ship’s company put through their paces in a series of essential navigation and seamanship exercises off the east coast of Australia to prove Hobart’s safe and effective operation at sea.

The MSE will feature boat drills, man-overboard, casualty and damage control exercises.

“The ship’s company will be tested in toxic hazards, fire-fighting, flood stop and repair, all the essential emergency responses to ensure a ship can operate safely at sea,” Captain Stavridis said.

“It’s a challenging time for the ship’s company but the sense of accomplishment will make it very worthwhile.”

“We’re all very proud to wear the name Hobart on our shoulders and carry the motto ‘Grow with Strength’,” he said.

“This is an opportunity to live up to that legacy.”

On return to Fleet Base East, Hobart will continue with a complex series of system trials and unit readiness tests and evaluations, working towards full operational capacity late next year.

RAAF performed a rare practice landing on the Nullarbor plain

Extraordinary scenes on the Nullarbor plain as the Royal Flying Doctor Service & the RAAF performed a rare practice landing. @JessAdamson7 pic.twitter.com/fn2edgdNcq

— 7 News Adelaide (@7NewsAdelaide) October 22, 2017

Indonesia deploys F-16s to Darwin for Elang AUSINDO 17

The Indonesian Air Force has deployed six F-16s to Darwin, Australia for exercise Elang AUSINDO 17 with the Royal Australian Air Force.

Royal Australian MH60R helo conducts submarine-tracking exercises

Globally deployed #MH60R helo conducts submarine-tracking exercises | video via @Australian_Navy https://t.co/9SzbGHZYJY #SeoulADEX pic.twitter.com/Hoaja8rtBt

— Lockheed Martin (@LockheedMartin) October 20, 2017

Royal Australian Air Force races to the MotoGP

Three Miniature Satellites for ADF will be Provided by UNSW Canberra

Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Christopher Pyne MP, today announced a three-year space research and development program between the University of New South Wales Canberra (UNSW Canberra) at the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) and Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).

Announcing this significant investment at the Astronautical Conference on Thursday night, Minister Pyne said the Government was investing the $9.96 million to support the growth of Australian space technologies, as well as to investigate and demonstrate ways to enhance Defence space capability.

“The program is designed to enhance the ability of UNSW Canberra to deliver world-class space education to Defence personnel, as well as inform the future direction of Defence space capability.

“Through the program’s delivery, UNSW Canberra will partner with Australian industry to develop elements of a space flight mission.

“Research outputs are anticipated to provide UNSW Canberra with commercialisation opportunities, which in turn could provide opportunities to stimulate Australian space industry.”

A total of three miniature-satellites will be launched over the duration of the program, providing the opportunity to demonstrate innovative communications and remote-sensing payloads, and test spaceflight modelling techniques.

Minister Pyne said the program would also help to achieve a secure, resilient Australia by supporting the protection of our space systems from debris and anti-satellite weapons.

“Partnerships such as this are an integral element of our Defence Force,” Minister Pyne said.

“The expansion of space research and development into a regional academic institution provides Defence with an opportunity to build, sustain and create momentum to develop our space professionals.”

Austrian Army have revealed their new camouflage pattern

STOP!
The Austrian Army have revealed their new camouflage pattern!! #CamoGeek 🤓 pic.twitter.com/2udXiKNJpQ

— Ric Cole 🇸🇴 (@ric_cole) September 30, 2017

Next Eight RAAF F-35As on Track for 2018 Delivery

Australia’s next eight F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters are in production at prime contractor Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth final assembly plant ahead of delivery to the Commonwealth in 2018.

Australia is acquiring 72 F-35As to replace the RAAF’s F/A-18 ‘classic’ Hornets, the first two of which, known as AU-1 and AU-2, were handed over in late 2014 and have since been based at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona as part of the F-35 International Pilot Training Center – a brief visit to Australia for the Avalon Airshow earlier this year aside.

AU-1 and -2 are scheduled to be joined at Luke AFB by aircraft AU-3 through AU-10 in 2018.

“Matter of fact, talking to our program people, there is a chance we might actually deliver the first of those airplanes late this year,” Steve Over, Lockheed Martin’s director of F-35 international business development, told media in Canberra on Monday.

“The contract commitment is to do it in first quarter [of 2018].”

Then in December 2018 two F-35s are due to be delivered permanently to Australia, to begin Australian-specific operational test and evaluation.

F-35A AU-3 was inspected on the Fort Worth production line by Australian ambassador to the US Joe Hockey in May, and recently had its vertical tails installed, becoming the first Australian F-35 to feature vertical tails built by Melbourne’s Marand.

Aircraft AU-3 through -10 are eight of the 90 F-35s currently being built under low-rate initial production (LRIP) lot 10, while a further eight RAAF F-35As will be built under LRIP 11. The next F-35 production batch will be for a total 141 F-35s – Over said the term “low-rate” is now something of a “misnomer” given the quantities involved – with initial funds for LRIP 11 released under two ‘undefinitised contract actions’ signed by the JSF Program Office (JPO) with Lockheed Martin earlier in July.

When final LRIP 11 contracts are signed by the end of the year, Over said Lockheed Martin expects the unit price of an F-35A to be “significantly below” the US$94.6 million “aggregate negotiated” price for an A-model built under LRIP 10.

“The production ramp up is here,” said Over. “And that’s reflected by the production numbers in lot 10 and lot 11.”


LRIP 11 aircraft will be delivered in 2019.

RAAF to Receive New Tech to Identify Electronic Threats

As part of the government’s second tranche of Defence Innovation Hub investments, a Sydney company will develop new technology for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) that can autonomously identify electronic threats.

Saber Astronautics was awarded a $275,000 contract to develop the software to support the RAAF.

The contract is the first phase of a three-phase project using the company's advanced machine learning capability.

It is expected that the technology will not only have defence applications, but commercial, with Saber anticipating it will enable better communications between spacecraft operators and their satellites, especially during disruptive events such as solar flares.

Saber's director and chief executive Dr Jason Held said the contract came at the right time as Australia is looking to advance its space industry and technology with International Astronautical Congress arriving in Adelaide in September.

"This is great timing as it allows us to develop a key technology for secure communications at exactly the time that the Australian market is heating up," said Dr Held.

"Commercial small satellites are more susceptible to solar storms but still need to produce clean data for customers on Earth. We’re particularly excited to explore this potential more broadly with the Australian Air Force."

Saber Astronautics has nearly a decade of experience in applying machine learning to diagnostics, having demonstrated the technology previously on several NASA and commercial spacecraft. Using the technology to diagnose signals is a new application.

The company's mission statement is to reduce barriers to space flight, making it more accessible to people on Earth.

Marine Rotational Force Darwin coordinates fires with Australian forces at Exercise Koolendong in the Northern Territory

Marine Rotational Force Darwin coordinates fires with Australian forces at Exercise Koolendong in the Northern Territory pic.twitter.com/ow5IKrfLCj

— U.S. Pacific Command (@PacificCommand) July 26, 2017

Aus Air Force C-17 Globemaster III delivers a load of Mk82 bombs

An #AusAirForce C-17 #Globemaster III delivers a load of #Mk82 bombs to continue #YourADF air strikes against Deash. #DefeatDaesh pic.twitter.com/2QTiWtXVNu

— RAAF - Aus_AirForce (@Aus_AirForce) July 25, 2017

Third Australian F-35A on Production Line

Air Force’s third Australian F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (A35-003) is progressing along the production line in the United States (US).

The program’s milestone coincided with a visit by Australian Ambassador to the US Mr Joe Hockey, who toured the Lockheed Martin, Fort Worth facility where the F-35A Joint Strike Fighters are being assembled.

Meeting with Lockheed Martin representatives and Joint Strike Fighter Division’s US embedded staff, Mr Hockey was briefed on the achievements of the F-35 Program. He signed the bulkhead of the aircraft as it made its way down the assembly line at the Fort Worth facility.

Head Joint Strike Fighter, Air Vice-Marshal (AVM) Leigh Gordon said the A35-003 was the first of the next batch of eight Australian F-35s currently in production in Fort Worth to begin the “mate” process, where major components of the aircraft were joined together to form the aircraft structure.

“The aircraft will then make its way down the assembly line and through its check flights in preparation for delivery in early 2018,” AVM Gordon said.

A35-003 is the first F-35 to be assembled for Australia since the delivery of the first two RAAF F-35A’s in 2014.

“Like its two RAAF F-35A stablemates, A35-003 will be delivered to Luke Air Force Base Arizona in early 2018, where it will be used for F-35 pilot and maintainer training until permanently re-locating to Australia in 2020,” AVM Gordon said.

AVM Gordon said as Australia was a strategic partner in the global F-35 Program it was delivering significant benefits to Australian industry.

“As with every F-35 being produced, A35-003 includes components made by Australian companies, with more than $800m in production contracts so far.”

“More than 50 Australian companies have directly shared in production work to date, with hundreds more Australian companies who are indirectly benefiting through supply chain work,” he said.

“Australian industry will also be closely involved in sustaining the RAAF F-35As and providing through-life support services for the global fleet.”

Defence estimates industry involvement in F-35 production is expected to reach $2 billion by 2023.

Australian Troops Conduct Beach Landing During Talisman Saber Joint Military Exercises

Australian Navy & INS Shivalik crew practice Yoga 2gether during ship stay at Freemantle Australia

#Yoga #BridgesofFriendship #AUSINDEX @Australian_Navy & INS Shivalik crew practice Yoga 2gether during ship stay at Freemantle Australia pic.twitter.com/NRT08Su1Gf

— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) June 16, 2017

Australia Requests Sale of Anti Radiation Missiles for EA-18G Growler

The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Australia for Anti-Radiation Missiles. The estimated cost is $137.6 million.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on April 27, 2017.

Australia has requested a possible sale of up to seventy (70) AGM-88B High Speed Anti-Radiation Missiles (HARM) Tactical Missiles; up to forty (40) AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missiles (AARGM) Tactical Missiles; up to sixteen (16) CATM-88B HARM Captive Air Training Missiles (CATM); up to sixteen (16) CATM-88E AARGM CATM; up to twenty-five (25) AGM-88B Control Sections; up to twenty-five (25) AGM-88B Guidance Sections; up to twenty (20) AGM-88E Control Sections; up to twenty (20) AGM-88E Guidance Sections; up to forty eight (48) Telemetry/Flight Termination Systems; U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical and logistics support services; and other associated support equipment and services. The total estimated cost is $137.6 million.

This sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a major contributor to political stability, security, and economic development in the Western Pacific. Australia is an important Major non-NATO Ally and partner that contributes significantly to peacekeeping and humanitarian operations around the world. It is vital to the U.S. national interest to assist our ally in developing and maintaining a strong and ready self-defense capability.

Australia is requesting these missiles for its Electronic Attack EA-18G Growler aircraft. The proposed sale will improve Australia’s capability in current and future coalition efforts. Australia will use this capability as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen its homeland defense. Australia will have no difficultly absorbing these additional missiles into its armed forces.

The proposed sale of this equipment and support does not alter the basic military balance in the region. The prime contractors will be Orbital ATK (OA), Ridgecrest, CA, and Raytheon Missile Systems Company, Tucson, AZ. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.

Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the assignment of additional U.S. Government or contractor representatives to travel to Australia.