Image: Raytheon
Posted on 03/26/2007 9:08:24 PM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
Australia confirms AIM-9X selection for Super Hornets
By Peter La Franchi
Australia has confirmed that its Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet acquisition will include the purchase of the Raytheon AIM-9X Sidewinder short-range air-to-air missile, and potentially also Raytheon's ATFLIR targeting pod.
"We are going to go with the US Navy-common AIM-9X," says Gp Capt Stan Roberton, head of Australia's Super Hornet programme office.
"We are very happy with [MBDA's] ASRAAM and the capability that is bringing to our legacy [F/A-18A/B] Hornets, but the driver is to stay USN-common with the weapons and keep this a very low risk but high-end capability."
Decisions on whether Australia's planned fleet of Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighters will be fitted for AIM-9X rather than ASRAAM are still to be made, with trade studies continuing. "We are still considering AIM-9X and ASRAAM," said Air Vice Marshal John Harvey, head of Australia's JSF acquisition programme office, speaking during last week's Australian International Air Show at Avalon, near Melbourne.
Noting that the Super Hornet will be acquired with the AIM-9X, Harvey said: "We also see some advantages in ASRAAM, potentially with longer range than AIM-9X, and are trying to work out how that would fit in the mix for JSF."
Roberton said no decision has been made on whether to integrate the Royal Australian Air Force's new Lockheed Martin AGM-158 JASSM cruise missiles with the Super Hornet fleet, which will enter service from early 2010 (Flight International, 13-19 March).
The move will be considered by early next year as part of a broader strike study for the Australian Defence Force, but Roberton said the Super Hornet/JASSM combination "is not unlikely".
The RAAF has already conducted initial cost studies through the USN, he said, while Lockheed confirmed that it has discussed the integration effort with Australian defence authorities.
The need to maintain commonality with USN Super Hornets could also prompt the RAAF to equip its 24 aircraft with the ATFLIR targeting pod, despite having previously selected Northrop Grumman to supply its current F/A-18A/Bs with the Litening II system.
Image: Raytheon
Post or FReepmail me if you wish to be enlisted in or discharged from the Navair Pinglist.
This is a medium volume pinglist.
Why all the concern with keeping their SuperHornets USN compatible? Are they hoping to sell them back to the USN after the F-35 comes online?
I would think the long term disposition for the SuperHornets, ordered as a stopgap in capability between the retiring of the F-111C in 2010 and the activation of the F-35 in 2015+, would be to retire their F/A-18As and Bs, but continue to operate the F/A-18Fs. It seems if that were the case, they would want to make the F/A-18Fs compatible with their current inventory of ASRAAMs.
Those wacky Aussies! Everybody in their neighborhood are buying Su-27s, Su-30s, and F-15s, while they're buying F/A-18Fs. Bringing a knife to a gunfight.
The idea of giving it back seems to be the case.Pretty weird to have 2 state of the art AAMs & that to in rather limited numbers.
With their soon to be delivered Boeing AEW/C & refuellers,I wouldn't underestimate the SuperHornets.
The Aussies are hoping the future belongs to cruise missiles and UAVs.
Great article here if you haven't already read it.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.