AUS AVIATION 10 RE F 111 FLEET FLIES INTO SAFETY DOUBTS
From: "The CO" (askme@no-spam)
Subject: Re: F-111 fleet flies into safety doubts
Date: Tue, 1 Jul 2003 11:53:30 +0930


"L'acrobat" <husky65@no-spam> wrote in message news:bdp4hc$2g1h$1@no-spam >
> "Guy Alcala" <g_alcala@no-spam> wrote in message > news:3EFFAC48.933A02F@no-spam > > The CO wrote:
> >
> > <snip>
> >
> > > Again, we have nothing in our inventory > > > that can do PR as well as the F111, or do you want to go shopping for a > > > U2 or something similar?
> >
> > Not disputing your main points, but the RAAF hopes to acquire Global Hawk > > for that mission.
>
> It is quite possible that they will not be aquired until about the time that > the F-111 is due to retire.

It's arguably the best replacement in the pure recon role.

The CO

From: "L'acrobat" (husky65@no-spam)
Subject: Re: F-111 fleet flies into safety doubts
Date: Tue, 1 Jul 2003 12:51:40 +1000

"The CO" <askme@no-spam> wrote in message news:Eg6Ma.35$35.2418@no-spam
> > It is quite possible that they will not be aquired until about the > time that > > the F-111 is due to retire.
>
> It's arguably the best replacement in the pure recon role.

Quite possibly.

But the F-111 is due to retire by 2015 and AFAIK they have not even started a project to procure Global Hawk yet.


From: "L'acrobat" (husky65@no-spam)
Subject: Re: F-111 fleet flies into safety doubts
Date: Tue, 1 Jul 2003 13:49:07 +1000

"L'acrobat" <husky65@no-spam> wrote in message news:bdqsuh$b4i$1@no-spam >
> "The CO" <askme@no-spam> wrote in message > news:Eg6Ma.35$35.2418@no-spam >
> > > It is quite possible that they will not be aquired until about the > > time that > > > the F-111 is due to retire.
> >
> > It's arguably the best replacement in the pure recon role.
>
> Quite possibly.
>
> But the F-111 is due to retire by 2015 and AFAIK they have not even started > a project to procure Global Hawk yet.

Whilst not specifically a project to procure Global Hawk, Air 7000 is looking at it -

http://australianit.news.com.au/articles/0,7204,6678886%5E15319%5E%5Enbv%5E15306,00.html

ASYLUM-seekers and illegal fishing vessels are the targets of a likely $150
million investment in the Global Hawk pilotless spy plane.

Global Hawk has been slotted into the Defence Department's Project Air 7000
plan as a partial replacement for the Air Force's AP-3C Orion.
Officially classified as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), Global Hawk can stay airborne for 36 hours, scanning an area the size of Tasmania in 24
hours.

It hit the headlines in 2001 when it flew non-stop between the US and Australia.

Orions are now used for surveillance along Australia's northern maritime border.

Project Air 7000 is exploring replacements, including UAVs.

------------------------------

The AP-3C Orions are due to retire around 2025, you would expect Global Hawk (or follow ons) to start supplimenting them by around 2015/2020 if they were to replace them by 2025


From: "RT" (r.thomas@no-spam)
Subject: Re: F-111 fleet flies into safety doubts
Date: Tue, 1 Jul 2003 18:47:57 +1000

L'acrobat wrote in message ...
>http://australianit.news.com.au/articles/0,7204,6678886%5E15319%5E%5Enbv%5E 15306,00.html >
>ASYLUM-seekers and illegal fishing vessels are the targets of a likely $150
>million investment in the Global Hawk pilotless spy plane.
>
>Global Hawk has been slotted into the Defence Department's Project Air 7000
>plan as a partial replacement for the Air Force's AP-3C Orion.
>Officially classified as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), Global Hawk can >stay airborne for 36 hours, scanning an area the size of Tasmania in 24
>hours.

Eh? Taswegia? Taswegia = approx 26k sq miles (www.goway.com/downunder/australia/tasmania/) however the Global Hawk is supposed to be able to scan 40k sq miles in 24 hours ............(www.fas.org/irp/program/collect/n19991026_991973.htm )


From: "The CO" (askme@no-spam)
Subject: Re: F-111 fleet flies into safety doubts
Date: Wed, 2 Jul 2003 15:06:40 +0930

"L'acrobat" <husky65@no-spam> wrote in message news:bdr0a6$c6i$1@no-spam
> The AP-3C Orions are due to retire around 2025, you would expect Global Hawk > (or follow ons) to start supplimenting them by around 2015/2020 if they were > to replace them by 2025

I'll be interested to see what is going to replace the P3's. More P3's or will they look at Nimrod again? Getting the TAP3's to keep the hours down on the operational fleet seems to have been a very good idea.

The CO

From: "The CO" (askme@no-spam)
Subject: Re: F-111 fleet flies into safety doubts
Date: Thu, 3 Jul 2003 12:50:12 +0930

"L'acrobat" <husky65@no-spam> wrote in message news:bdu2gi$23e6$1@no-spam >
> "The CO" <askme@no-spam> wrote in message > news:IbuMa.87$d21.7219@no-spam > >
> > "L'acrobat" <husky65@no-spam> wrote in message > > news:bdr0a6$c6i$1@no-spam > >
> > > The AP-3C Orions are due to retire around 2025, you would expect > > Global Hawk > > > (or follow ons) to start supplimenting them by around 2015/2020 if > > they were > > > to replace them by 2025
> >
> > I'll be interested to see what is going to replace the P3's. More P3's > > or will they look at > > Nimrod again? Getting the TAP3's to keep the hours down on the > > operational fleet seems > > to have been a very good idea.
>
> They seem keen on at least partially replacing them with UAVs
That would make sense for the surveillance role.
There could be huge savings over the present setup assuming the quality of surveillance can be matched by the UAVs.
That leaves the ASW/Maritime strike component. Smaller quantity of replacements,
ie new Orions or Nimrod?
I'm aware of UAVs being fitted for air/ground strike (on a small scale)
but I don't recall any attempt at an ASW UAV being made. Given the complexity of systems like Global Hawk I suppose it would be possible, but I'm less sure it would be an economic proposition compared to more conventional methods.

The CO