Project | Explanation |
Description | The $4,310 million Project Air 5349 Phase 1 will acquire 24 Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornets, associated weapons, support, and training systems to establish a bridging air combat capability. |
Background | In November 2006, Government directed Defence to develop options to de-risk the transition from the current ADF air combat capability to the new air combat capability being acquired under Project Air 6000. To achieve this, Defence established Project Air 5349 to acquire a bridging air combat capability for the ADF. In March 2007, a joint sitting of the Expenditure Review Committee and National Security Committee of Cabinet approved the acquisition and sustainment of 24 F/A-18F Super Hornet aircraft and associated weapons, support, and training systems. Under Project Air 5349 Ph 1, 24 F/A-18F Super Hornet aircraft and associated training and support systems will be acquired primarily through FMS Cases with the US. The 24 F/A-18F Super Hornet aircraft being acquired include alternate mission equipment; electronic warfare equipment (with an Australian-unique data library); targeting pods; communication and navigation suites. The training systems being acquired include tactical flight simulators (known as Tactical Operation Flight Trainers), cockpit procedural trainers (known as Low Cost Trainers), and maintenance training simulators (known as Integrated Visual Environment Maintenance Trainers). The support systems being acquired include an automated maintenance environment, support and test equipment to operate and maintain the aircraft, initial aircrew and maintenance training; and the provision for three years worth of repairable items and breakdown spares, including fly-away-kits. Weapons for the Super Hornet aircraft are being acquired under a separate project phase, Air 5349 Phase 2. Integration of weapons onto aircraft is within the scope for Phase 1. |
Uniqueness | The F/A-18F Super Hornets are a military-off-the-shelf aircraft acquisition. The aircraft are common with US Navy F/A-18F Super Hornets with the only significant configuration difference being the inclusion of a civilian-compatible Instrument Landing System. The F/A-18F Super Hornets was a directed Government solution resulting from the combined first and second pass project approval process. The timeframe between the Government approval of the project and the Initial Operational Capability date is significantly shorter than for other major aerospace acquisitions. The majority of acquisition activity is being undertaken through a US FMS Sales Case. |
Major Challenges | Whilst the aircraft are military-off-the-shelf with a current production line running, the acquisition of the training and support systems needed requirements definition and design development activities so that they could be integrated into existing Australian operational and sustainment infrastructure. |
Current Status | Cost Performance The project remains within its current approved budget. Schedule Performance The project remains on schedule in order to meet IOC by December 2010 and FOC by December 2012 noting the challenges discussed above. Capability Performance The capability requirements for the project are expected to be fully satisfied, noting the risks discussed later relating to Instrument Landing System and the Navigation capability. |