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CF-18: which way?
(click to see clearly)

The Hornet is the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet’s predecessor, and the first models were introduced in the late 1970s as a spinoff of the USAF’s lightweight fighter competition. While the General Dynamics F-16 won, Northrop’s YF-17 eventually evolved into the McDonnell-Douglas (now Boeing) F/A-18 Hornet.

The F/A-18 Hornet is currently flown by the US Marine Corps as their front-line fighter, by the US Navy as a second-tier fighter behind its F/A-18 E/F Super Hornets, and by 7 international customers: Australia, Canada, Finland, Kuwait, Malaysia, Spain, and Switzerland. The USA’s aircraft were expected to have a service life of 20 years, but that was based on 100 carrier landings per year. The US Navy and Marines have been rather busy during the Hornets’ service life, and so the planes are wearing out faster.

This is forcing the USA to take a number of steps and issue a series of contracts in order to keep their Hornets airworthy, replacing center barrel sections, re-opening production lines, and more. Some of these efforts will also be offered to allied air forces, who have their own programs and services to call upon. The latest additions involves a move from Australia that will reduce the scope of its HUG program…

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RC-7B “Crazy Hawk”

The US military has planes like F-22A stealth fighters that make a lot of news. It also has planes that make very little news, even though they play key roles in a number of conflicts around the world. One example is the RC-7B/EO-5B “Crazy Hawk”/ Airborne Reconnaissance Low aircraft, who use their short-field takeoff capabilities and array of imaging, signals collection, and radar sensors to monitor developments on the ground. The RC-7B made the news briefly in 1999 when one went down in Colombia, and again when the US military had to cancel the $8 billion ACS (Aerial Common Sensor) replacement program in 2006 and start over in 2008. Meanwhile, the situation in Afghanistan and Iraq is well suited to planes like the Dash-7 derived RC-7Bs.

ACS’ cancellation, delay, and restructuring have left the Navy pursuing its own independent program. The US Army’s RC-12N Guardrail electronic intelligence aircraft are being refurbished to keep them current and in service until the ACS arrives. And the RC-7B fleet continues to receive additional help, via a parallel program called MARSS…

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I-View, landing
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On Nov. 11, 2005, DID relayed a report from the Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz, which noted that Australia had purchased 18 Heron UAV systems. It was at about the right time for the JP129 program’s announcement, but a couple of our readers emailed us to wonder. DID attempted to check this out, and eventually an official announcement re: the JP129 program has debunked the Ha’aretz report. Australia will have a new tactical UAV to go with the Israeli Skylark mini-UAV – and the new UAV was Israeli as well: the short-range IAI I-View (see also Defense Update profile).

Australian Minister of Defence Senator Hill said the Government had agreed to the A$ 145 million (USD $109 million) UAV project to provide the Army with a high precision day and night surveillance and targeting capability with accompanying ground systems. Details regarding the winning UAV, and the other members of the competition, follow – including additional details re: the competitors.

DID’s extra efforts to reveal the JP129 Program competitors have just become very relevant. The contract has been canceled…

• The I-View UAV
• The Competitors
• Australia’s UAV Plans
• Updates & Outcomes [updated]
  
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AP-3C over Darwin
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In November 2005, the Australian Government, Tenix Defence and Eurocopter subsidiary Australian Aerospace (AA) have signed the P3 Accord Master Agreement to provide capability upgrades and Through Life Support (TLS) for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) AP-3C Orion maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft. The three parties have established a Joint Management Office (JMO) to supervise all Accord activities under a unique risk-sharing contractual arrangement. The JMO will develop and implement all RAAF AP-3C capability upgrades and TLS solutions through to the aircraft’s planned withdrawal date – at which point it will likely be replaced by the 737-based AP-8A MMA.

The combined value of the TLS and block upgrades to the aircraft is expected to be more than A$ 1 billion, and the project is moving on to a new phase – even as some of the efforts that led to the most recent announcement win Australian awards…

• Australia’s AP-3C Programs [updated]
• The AP-3 Accord
• AP-3 Accord Updates [updated]
  
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USMC M1A1 settles a
firefight in Fallujah
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As DID’s past coverage has noted, the RESET process takes used vehicles apart, inspects the parts, then replaces any defective parts and refurbishes the equipment to like-new condition. Sometimes upgrades are also performed. RESET and related processes like remanufacture/upgrades are being performed on M1 Abrams tanks, Bradley IFV/CFVs, HMMWV jeeps, et. al., and even attack helicopters. It usually takes place when the vehicles return from the front lines in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other locations where sand damage and increased wear have taken their toll.

In truth, many of these vehicles were produced in the 1980s, and are reaching an age where this would be a wise measure regardless. A July 2006 Washington Times article noted the effect age and wear have had on the USA’s vehicle fleet, a subject DID has also covered under the wider rubric of the coming maintenance overhang.

DID believes these efforts are sufficiently important that the consolidated visibility of a FOCUS Article is in order. Note that this is not a complete list; DID will seek to backfill its roster as opportunities arise, and all newly-added materials will be presented in green as a reader convenience. Recent additions include an M1A1 AIM RESET contract…

• RESET Programs and Procedures
• RESET Contracts, Delivery Orders & Developments, FY 2006-Present [updated]
• Vehicle Fleets and Maintenance Overhangs
• Additional Readings [updated]
  
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Hermes 450
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Elbit Systems Ltd. recently announced [PDF] a contract to supply Hermes 450 UAV systems to “a country in the Americas” for the total of approximately $25 million. The Hermes 450 is currently in service with Israel, Britain (as the Watchkeeper), Singapore, and other countries – but it has become most famous for its service with Georgia’s armed forces in the face of Russia’s invasion. The contract also includes Skylark I hand launched mini-UAV systems, and all UAVs are to be delivered within a year.

Haim Kellerman, General Manager of Elbit Systems UAS Division said: “We are proud to report another link in the chain of successes, with a new order from a new customer…” The most likely customers for this sale are Ecuador and Chile…

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A-10 over Germany
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The Precision Engagement modification is the largest single upgrade effort ever undertaken for the USA’s unique A-10 “Warthog” close air support aircraft fleet. when complete, it will give them precision strike capability sooner than planned, combining multiple upgrade requirements into one time and money-saving program rather than executing them as standalone projects. Indeed, the USAF has accelerated the PE program by 9 months as a result of its experiences in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The entire A-10 fleet will be modified over 4-5 years, at an estimated total cost of $420 million. While A/OA-10 aircraft continue to outperform technology-packed rivals on the battlefield, this set of upgrades is expected to help keep the aircraft current until the fleet’s planned phase-out in 2028. Overall, an April 2, 2007 GAO report places the potential total cost of upgrading, refurbishing, and service life extension plans for the A/OA-10 force at up to $4.4 billion.

This is DID’s FOCUS Article for the PE program, and for other modifications to the A-10 fleet. It covers the A-10’s battlefield performance and advantages, the elements of the PE program, other planned modifications, and the contracts that have been issued each step of the way.

In the latest updates, the A-10C program is about to become an early test case for a new law that changes Pentagon procurement…

• A/OA-10 Thunderbolt II: Experiences on the Ground
• The A/OA-10 Precision Engagement Modification Program
• A-10 PE, Other Planned Improvements
• Contracts & Key Events [updated]
• Additional Readings & Sources
  
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IAI Heron
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In April 2005, Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) and Elbit Systems won an estimated $150 million contract to supply unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to the Turkish military.

The contract’s terms have been the subject of shifting reports, and the type of UAV was not specified in the official releases. Nevertheless, DID was able to lend clarity on both fronts. According to various sources, the contract involves 3 systems of 10 Heron aircraft each, plus surveillance payloads and ground control stations. Turkey’s local industry will provide sub-systems and services amounting to 30% of the contract.

Reports indicate that the UAVs have now been used in combat, but unspecified issues are creating delivery delays, and creating problems with the relationship…

• Contract Arrangements and Participants
• The UAVs
• Updates [new]
• Additional Readings and Sources
  
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Skylark-I launch
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Elbit’s Skylark-I mini-UAV has become a popular choice, as nations like Israel, Australia, Canada, France, Singapore, et. al. adopt it for battlefield use. Bental’s electric propulsion system using brushless permanent magnetic motors is an especial benefit to Skylark operators, as its silent operation avoids warning enemy targets of its presence.

In an effort to build on that success, Elbit soon introduced the larger Skylark-II for battalion level UAV operations, fired from a rail launcher mounted on small wheeled vehicles rather than launched by hand. In exchange for the launcher requirement and a doubling of the crew size to 2, the Skylark-II gains a mission radius of 50-60 km instead of 10 km, and the ability to mount larger sensor packages. Awards soon followed from sources as varied as Popular Science and industry analysts Frost & Sullivan – but awards don’t pay the bills.

December 2007 featured Elbit’s first Skylark-II customer, followed by a French order for Skylark Is, a 3rd Australian order for the mini-UAV, and a South American contract…

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South African JAS-39D
c. Gripen International
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As a neutral country with a long history of providing for its own defense against all comers, Sweden also has a long tradition of building excellent high-performance fighters with a distinctive look. From the long-serving Saab-35 Draken (“Dragon,” 1955-2005) to the Mach 2, canard-winged Saab-37 Viggen (“Thunderbolt,” 1971-2005), Swedish fighters have stressed short-field launch from dispersed/improvised air fields, world-class performance, and leading-edge design. This record of consistent project success is nothing short of amazing for a country whose population over this period has ranged from 7-9 million people.

The JAS-39 Gripen (“Griffon”) is a canard-winged successor to the Viggen, built as one of the world’s first 4+ generation fighters. Gripen remains the only lightweight 4+ generation fighter type in service, its performance and operational economics are both world-class, and it has become one of the most recognized fighter aircraft on the planet. Unfortunately for its builders, that recognition has come from its appearance in Saab-Volvo TV commercials, rather than from hoped-for levels of military export success. With its 4+ generation competitors clustered in the $60-120+ million range vs. the Gripen’s claimed $40 million, is there a light at the end of the tunnel for Sweden’s lightweight fighter?

This is DID’s FOCUS Article for background, news, and contract awards related to the JAS-39 Gripen. We will continue adding to and filling in this article as new information and opportunities arise, with new material highlighted in green type as is our convention. The most recent news includes an offer to the Netherlands, where the Gripen has become a competitor again. Thanks to a reader’s heads-up, DID can now offer downloadable versions of the JAS-39NL official presentation and offer summary…

• JAS-39: The Gripen Program [improved]
• JAS-39NG: A Way Forward? [improved]
• JAS-39 Gripen: Sales Opportunities
• JAS-39 Gripen: Major Events [updated]
• JAS-39 Gripen: Contracts & Awards
• Additional Readings & Sources
  
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