RAAF PC 21s deploy to Ohakea

[mcmaster]

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) will deploy aircraft and personnel to New Zealand for Exercise RAVEN KAHU which will occur from 8 to 19 August 2022.

Exercise RAVEN KAHU is a combined training exercise involving RAAF and Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) aircraft and personnel. This exercise focuses on enhancing New Zealand’s Joint Terminal Attack Control (JTAC) and Forward Air Control (Airborne) capabilities.

Commanding Officer of No. 4 Squadron, Wing Commander Sean Jobson, said the exercise will provide a valuable opportunity to integrate with Australia’s closest partner nation.

“A detachment from No. 4 Squadron will be deploying to RNZAF Base Ohakea for the exercise,” Wing Commander Jobson said.

“No 4. Squadron will conduct Close Air Support training for the New Zealand Defence Force JTACs, supported by up to four RAAF PC-21 aircraft and two JTAC instructors.

“Deployments are a regular part of ADF operations, but training with our New Zealand partners demonstrates the longstanding relationship and ability to operate together as a joint force.”

The PC-21 aircraft from No. 4 Squadron are normally based at RAAF Base Williamtown, New South Wales. The aircraft provide a Forward Air Control (Airborne) training capability and ADF JTAC training support.

International deployments are an essential element of operational preparedness, currency and proficiency objectives. This is the first time the RAAF has deployed the PC-21s for an international activity.


news.defence.gov.au/media/media-releases/pc-21-aircraft-deploying-new-zealand-exercise-raven-kahu

[madmac]

So will we find out if the PC21 dominates the T-6 in ACM, looks mostly one sided. PC-21 looks well ahead on excess power, while T-6 lower wing loading and higher aspect ratio may allow them to out turn the PC21.

[Mustang51]

The valleys over there will howl .....

[skyhawkdon]

Hopefully this will highlight (again) the foolishness of getting rid of the Air Combat Force capability 20 years ago. We used to do regular FAC training with the Army back in the day, not to mention very realistic fleet support training for the Navy. The need for this capability never went away.

[Dave Homewood]

The Navy was getting fleet support training post-Skyhawks from some of the Warbird jets and I seem to recall even a private jet (Citation?) for a while. Is this still happening?

[gibbo]

Aug 8, 2022 15:29:56 GMT 12 skyhawkdon said:

Hopefully this will highlight (again) the foolishness of getting rid of the Air Combat Force capability 20 years ago. We used to do regular FAC training with the Army back in the day, not to mention very realistic fleet support training for the Navy. The need for this capability never went away.

Yes true...pity they couldn't convince Govt to invest in 3 AT-6 which I presume have a high % of commonality with the basic T-6C and use those for FAC/JTAC training... would have a few other potential benefits as well but unlikely to happen.

[Mustang51]

Like to see some pix of the PC.21s

[planecrazy]

Be interested to hear if the PC 21s have the range to fly the Tasman in one hop?

Another reason hoping they transit the islands on the way back?

Thank you........

[Dave Homewood]

They came via Norfolk Island, Peter.

They are A54-049, A54-048, A54-047, and A54-046 from No. 4 Squadron, RAAF Williamtown.

[planecrazy]

Aug 9, 2022 21:35:09 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

They came via Norfolk Island, Peter.

They are A54-049, A54-048, A54-047, and A54-046 from No. 4 Squadron, RAAF Williamtown.

Thanks Dave can only hope they go home via Lord Howe?

[skyhawkdon]

Aug 9, 2022 17:17:37 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

The Navy was getting fleet support training post-Skyhawks from some of the Warbird jets and I seem to recall even a private jet (Citation?) for a while. Is this still happening?

Yes Dave Phillips' Hunter and the Cessna Dragonfly did it for a couple of years. As well as Learjets/Westwinds towing targets (they came over from Nowra). Hardly credible fleet support flying though. OK for basic radar and weapons system calibration and basic crew training but little tactical advantage without a radar on the attacking aircraft and only one aircraft to track v multiple coming from all directions in the Skyhawk days. I also don't think they were allowed below 200ft. Skyhawks were always at 50ft (or less). For most of the last 20 years the Navy have had to go overseas to get any realistic training.

[mcmaster]

www.australiandefence.com.au/news/defence-to-replace-pc-21-in-jtac-role

As the Royal Australian Air Force prepares to deploy a number of its Pilatus PC-21s to New Zealand to train Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTAC), Defence is planning to replace the aircraft in that role with an off the shelf solution.

The PC-21 was acquired under Air 5428 Phase 1 (Pilot Training System) from 2017 and four were subsequently allocated to 4 Sqn at Williamtown for the JTAC training role. However, Defence now says the aircraft is at best only “80 per cent effective” in the role, as it is unable to carry live ordnance.

“The unmodified PC-21, as delivered to the Pilot Training System under Air 5428, can satisfy up to 80 per cent of JTAC training system live-fly requirements, however does not have the ability to provide the live weapons passes needed to complete initial, currency, and proficiency training,” a Defence spokesperson told ADM.

Accordingly, Defence has raised Project Air 6016 (Joint Terminal Attack Control System), which it says will deliver a sovereign training system to ensure the sustainable generation of sufficient and appropriately skilled JTACs.

“A live-fly capability, delivered by a fixed-wing airborne platform is essential in achieving this outcome,” Defence said.

A Request for Information (RFI) for the desired capability was released to industry in July, with a closing date for responses of 11 August. Defence, however has yet to decide between a Contractor Owned/Contractor Operated (COCO) or Contractor Owned/Government Operated (COGO) model of acquisition under a Supplied Services Contract (SSC) for Air 6016.

Air 6016 is seeking an existing/off the shelf turboprop or turbofan aircraft with “specific technologies and functionality, capable of addressing JTAC training outcomes.”

The platform being sought is required to have at least two UHF/VHF radios and the ability to exchange tactical data (voice and data) with JTACs via Link 16 and Variable Message Format (VMF) and capable of broadcasting Full Motion Video (FMV) imagery via Video Downlink (VDL). It is also required to have an Electro-optical/Infra-Red (EO/IR) sensor capable of capturing FMV, in addition to the ability to track and mark surface targets using a Laser Spot Tracker (LST) and be fully certified to operate with Night Vision Imaging Systems (NVIS).

Desired performance is a cruise speed of 180 knots at 5,000 ft and an on-station endurance of at least one and a half hours at that altitude. It is desired to have a maximum range of at least 600 nautical miles, a maximum operating altitude of 25,000 ft and a load limit factor of at least +4/-1.5 G.

Air 6016 was included in the 2020 Defence Integrated Investment Plan and Defence says the budget will be “sufficient to address the various options being assessed”. It is seeking the services be supplied for an initial five years.

“The project has identified a number of options which take into account the needs of the JTAC training system balanced against the competing demands on limited Defence resources,” the Defence spokesperson told ADM.

“To help develop these options, the project has released an RFI seeking defence industry input regarding technologies that may be available to either incrementally improve the JTAC training system, or to be a solution that can deliver the required training system outcomes, while continuing to modernise the JTAC training system to adapt to the evolving threat environment.”

The spokesperson said the initial five-year period has been deemed a suitable compromise between Defence’s capability needs and the commercial needs of industry.

“The Air 6016 solution will provide a holistic solution, including live weapon drop, and will likely see the PC-21 aircraft currently used in JTAC training released back to the Pilot Training System,” the spokesperson added.

[saratoga]

Thats interesting.

As NZ has an obligation to be able to provide and maintain a JTAC capability, wouldn't it be a good idea to have a joint NZ/AUS JTAC squadron?.

[Mustang51]

Maybe picking up some of the light attack aircraft about to be disposed of by the USAF may be a temp solution......

[Mustang51]

.....actually....when you read the requirement, P-51 fills that hole admirably

[machina]

Let’s just get some Strike Eagles and be done with it.

[30sqnatc]

Contract the training out to Draken. I'm sure they have some suitable aircraft

[Antonio]

Aug 13, 2022 12:40:28 GMT 12 Mustang51 said:

.....actually....when you read the requirement, P-51 fills that hole admirably

A-36  - keeps on running 

[Calum]

Aug 13, 2022 11:10:10 GMT 12 saratoga said:

Thats interesting.

As NZ has an obligation to be able to provide and maintain a JTAC capability, wouldn't it be a good idea to have a joint NZ/AUS JTAC squadron?.

Considering they want a contracted service, depending on the model they choose, there may be no actual "squadron" assigned.

They also seem to want quite a bit capability wise - hope they have a budget to match their wants.

Now US SOCOM has chosen their light attack type platform there may be a few Supper Tucano's, AT-6's or OV-10's available for a contractor to use.

[saratoga]

I would have thought contractors 'delivering' aerial ordnance was a bit of a no no?.