Wedgetail's radar is a boon to ships
The Australian, 05/26/2012
Author : Kym Bergmann
Copyright 2012 News Ltd. All Rights Reserved
DESPITE more than its fair share of developmental difficulties, AIR 5077, better known as Project Wedgetail, is now on the cusp of providing Australia with cutting-edge network-centric warfare technology. Deliveries of the six airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft started in November 2009 and the RAAF has now accumulated more than two years of operational experience with the fleet. Delivery of the final Boeing 737-700 radar equipped jet, which is undergoing flight-testing, is imminent.
While some aircraft sub-systems are not yet fully mature, the RAAF is confident of being able to declare initial operating capability later this year.
Wedgetail is a critical project in moving the ADF to a fully networked force. The tremendous advantage conferred by operating AEW&C aircraft has been known for decades and proven in all recent conflicts, including Libya and Afghanistan. Initially developed for air-to-air operations, systems such as Wedgetail can now do far more. The radar horizon from a high-flying aircraft can be hundreds of kilometres, allowing operators to detect and track objects from vast distances and relay this radar picture to the ground, to other aircraft and to surface ships.
Project director Air Vice-Marshal Chris Deeble explains: ``We are in many respects already equivalent to a US E-3 Sentry AEW&C capability and we have a more modern aircraft with growth potential. A current example of system performance is that the navy's upgraded FFG frigates are able to receive data transmitted on Link 16 from a Wedgetail, and that is making a huge difference. For example, one of the AEW&Cs flying near Newcastle was able to provide a ship north of Sydney information about an aircraft taking off from Melbourne, which represents a huge boost in capability for the ADF.''
Until now, various platforms such as ships at sea have almost completely depended on their own organic sensors, giving them a typical useful air surveillance radius of less than a few dozen kilometers at the most, because of the curvature of the Earth.
However, with Wedgetail this can be increased by an order of magnitude, leading to much greater situational awareness. This in turn greatly improves survivability and increases the combat effectiveness of all platforms that are able to receive AEW&C data.
Through a number of related data link communications projects, this list is growing and will include Super and Classic Hornets, numerous ADF helicopters, ground assets and the RAN's surface fleet. When the air warfare destroyers and LHDs enter service in the second half of this decade they, too, will be vital parts of an expanding information-sharing network. Another key asset to be acquired by the ADF is the Poseidon P8-A maritime patrol aircraft, which will eventually replace our ageing fleet of AP-3Cs.
As well as being able to send information via Link 16, Wedgetail is also able to receive it from a variety of sources. This means the aircraft will be a key building block in the future structure of a fully networked ADF.
Interoperability is an important issue for the ADF and the performance of Wedgetail has been noticed by our allies during joint exercises such as Cope North, held in Guam during March. The exercise involved aircraft from the US, Japan and Australia, and Wedgetail was described by a senior US officer as the ``rock star'' performer in the activity.
This is not to say that all problems have been overcome. There is more work to be done on maximising the performance of the first-of-class electronically scanned radar.
Another longstanding headache -- the underperformance of the electronic support measures system -- is also being overcome. RAAF expects the remaining technical issues to be solved by next year.
ⓒ Australian Gov. DoD
ⓒ Australian Gov. DoD
ⓒ Australian Gov. DoD
ⓒ Australian Gov. DoD
ⓒ Australian Gov. DoD
ⓒ Australian Gov. DoD
ⓒ Australian Gov. DoD
ⓒ Australian Gov. DoD
ⓒ Australian Gov. DoD
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