RAAF CAF slams 'his' Air Force!
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PROXIMITY MEANS CAPABILITY by Baddams (F-35Bs on LHDs)
2015 Defence White Paper Submission
PROXIMITY MEANS CAPABILITY Operating F-35Bs from the Canberra-class LHDs, Oct 2014 David Baddams
http://www.defence.gov.au/Whitepaper...82-Baddams.pdf (158Kb)
PROXIMITY MEANS CAPABILITY Operating F-35Bs from the Canberra-class LHDs, Oct 2014 David Baddams
"EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The submission argues that acquisition and operation of the F-35B aircraft from the Canberra-class Land Helicopter Docks (LHD) is affordable, feasible and desirable. Embarked air power would give the Government of Australia (GoA) and the Australian Defence Force (ADF) a significant and necessary increase in decisive air power to support deployed ADF forces and assist the prosecution of foreign policy objectives.
The submission describes the strategic and military considerations surrounding embarked air power. It addresses the technical and organisational issues involved and outlines a scenario where embarked air power would have a decisive impact in ADF operations.
Finally, it provides conclusions and recommendations for consideration by the Defence Review....
...The Author
David Baddams, 55, was a fighter pilot in the Royal Australian Navy from 1978 to 1984, and then the Royal Navy from 1984 to 1999. In the latter he commanded 800 Naval Air Squadron on multiple operational deployments, including strike fighter operations over Iraq from HMS Invincible in the North Arabian Gulf, and over Kosovo. In 2000 and 2001 he was the Hawk Production Flight Air Test Pilot for most of the RAAF's 33 Hawk lead-in fighter trainers. Since then he has been sales director for Britten-Norman, and in 2013 founded his own aviation support company, Snow Goose International. For SGI client BAE Systems he planned and piloted air support for Nuship Canberra in Port Phillip Bay during her final contractor's sea trials in August 2014. David was appointed MBE in 1998 for Leadership in Air Operations. He lives in Tamworth, New South Wales."
The submission argues that acquisition and operation of the F-35B aircraft from the Canberra-class Land Helicopter Docks (LHD) is affordable, feasible and desirable. Embarked air power would give the Government of Australia (GoA) and the Australian Defence Force (ADF) a significant and necessary increase in decisive air power to support deployed ADF forces and assist the prosecution of foreign policy objectives.
The submission describes the strategic and military considerations surrounding embarked air power. It addresses the technical and organisational issues involved and outlines a scenario where embarked air power would have a decisive impact in ADF operations.
Finally, it provides conclusions and recommendations for consideration by the Defence Review....
...The Author
David Baddams, 55, was a fighter pilot in the Royal Australian Navy from 1978 to 1984, and then the Royal Navy from 1984 to 1999. In the latter he commanded 800 Naval Air Squadron on multiple operational deployments, including strike fighter operations over Iraq from HMS Invincible in the North Arabian Gulf, and over Kosovo. In 2000 and 2001 he was the Hawk Production Flight Air Test Pilot for most of the RAAF's 33 Hawk lead-in fighter trainers. Since then he has been sales director for Britten-Norman, and in 2013 founded his own aviation support company, Snow Goose International. For SGI client BAE Systems he planned and piloted air support for Nuship Canberra in Port Phillip Bay during her final contractor's sea trials in August 2014. David was appointed MBE in 1998 for Leadership in Air Operations. He lives in Tamworth, New South Wales."
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Dave Baddams Gets a Guernsey on SLDinfo:
Australia and F-35Bs: Examining an Option for the Australian Defense Force 08 Nov 2014
Australia and F-35Bs: Examining an Option for the Australian Defense Force | SLDInfo
Australia and F-35Bs: Examining an Option for the Australian Defense Force 08 Nov 2014
"...In an input to the Defence White Paper process, David Baddams has had his paper on F-35Bs published on the Australian Ministry of Defence website...."
Australia and F-35Bs: Examining an Option for the Australian Defense Force | SLDInfo
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ASPI Goes SPAZo on Oz F-35Bs - On Oz LHDs (wot about elsewhere then)
Jump jets for the ADF?
17 Nov 2014 Richard Brabin-Smith, Benjamin Schreer | Australian Strategic Policy Institute
https://www.aspi.org.au/publications..._jump_jets.pdf (200Kb)
Jump jets for the ADF? | Australian Policy Online
17 Nov 2014 Richard Brabin-Smith, Benjamin Schreer | Australian Strategic Policy Institute
"This report argues that the costs of Australia acquiring F-35B Joint Strike Fighter short take-off, vertical landing aircraft outweigh the potential benefits.
Overview
Is there a case for Australia to acquire F-35B Joint Strike Fighter short take-off, vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft to operate from the two new Canberra-class landing helicopter docks (LHDs)? The government has directed that this question be addressed in the development of the 2015 Defence White Paper.
This report is an independent assessment of the costs and potential benefits of such an acquisition. Reintroducing organic naval air power into the ADF would be a big strategic decision, and very complex and expensive, so it’s important to have a clear view of the circumstances in which it might be beneficial enough to be worth pursuing. And it’s important to be aware not only of the direct costs but also of the potential risks and opportunity costs. Overall, this report concludes that the benefits would be marginal at best, wouldn’t be commensurate with the costs and other consequences for the ADF, and would potentially divert funding and attention from more valuable force."
Overview
Is there a case for Australia to acquire F-35B Joint Strike Fighter short take-off, vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft to operate from the two new Canberra-class landing helicopter docks (LHDs)? The government has directed that this question be addressed in the development of the 2015 Defence White Paper.
This report is an independent assessment of the costs and potential benefits of such an acquisition. Reintroducing organic naval air power into the ADF would be a big strategic decision, and very complex and expensive, so it’s important to have a clear view of the circumstances in which it might be beneficial enough to be worth pursuing. And it’s important to be aware not only of the direct costs but also of the potential risks and opportunity costs. Overall, this report concludes that the benefits would be marginal at best, wouldn’t be commensurate with the costs and other consequences for the ADF, and would potentially divert funding and attention from more valuable force."
Jump jets for the ADF? | Australian Policy Online
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Bs on Ds
Another weigh in on the Bs on LHDs from a knowledgeable source. It is good to see some claims other than 'it can't be done' for XYZ reasons. The White Paper may reveal more about the 'ease of fitting Bs on LHDs'. I can happily accept that any special RAN Fixed Wing is dead with some salt water DNA injection into the crabs via Willytown exchanges. :-) It is sad to know that STOVL experienced former A4G personnel are not employed to help out with the White Paper (I'm not one of those of course). Perhaps that can be remedied easily. Binny knows about A4Gs.
F-35 strike fighters for the Canberra-class? 24 Nov 2014 David Baddams
F-35 strike fighters for the Canberra-class? | Australian Naval Institute
F-35 strike fighters for the Canberra-class? 24 Nov 2014 David Baddams
"...Minor refits indeed. The never-ending claim that the Canberras are not F-35 capable is the bloviating of spectacularly ill-informed mugwumps. The Canberras are delivered with the same hardened fast-jet deck and underpinnings as the Spanish navy’s lead ship, and all essential internal aviation spaces for fast jets have been retained. All of them. This was intentional and a specific factor in the acquisition process. The much-maligned aviation fuel bunkers and weapons stowage spaces have near-identical capacity to the enormous ones in the Spanish ship. Senior personnel have been poorly briefed if they state otherwise.
The fast jet and helo aviation capabilities of the French Mistral and Italian Cavour class were closely examined at the time, and the Spanish design came up trumps in all respects. Right now, the known requirements at refit for F-35Bs are a precision landing light called a HIHAT – it looks like a long green crucifix and is attached the middle mast – some sensor enhancements and Thermion coating on the flight deck. Some existing kit might need to be moved from A to B for electro-magnetic reasons. The glide slope kit, known as GLIS, is already fitted to the Canberras. This is the stuff of minor refit, and no more.
Refit and F-35Bs would deliver a motza more capability. More choices. There is no “niche capability” about six or eight embarked F-35Bs, where sensor fusion and data networking go merrily berserk when four are in the same airspace. That picture of threat and strike solution available to both pilots, controllers and commanders will offer startlingly long reach that any enemy is highly unlikely to penetrate without huge loss. He who sees first and shoots first wins. The days of close-up dogfighting or chasing missiles are long over, and a bad guy sneaking through a “niche” 4-ship of ADF F-35Bs protecting an LHD force would face being seen and shot at before he knew he or his ammunition was a target.
It is no good for pontificating PhDs of think-tankery to praise and extol emerging threats and the peril they pose to the LHDs and then dismiss the essential counterpunch as a tiny and extravagant toy. Further, their doctoral eminences need to learn that of 100 ADF F-35s only 60 or so will ever be in line service. The rest will be in attrition reserve, maintenance, repair or required for development work. The mooted 28 F-35Bs would easily provide three for attrition reserve, three in deep maintenance, one hangar queen, two flights of six or eight for the Canberras and a flight for conversion, training and reinforcement.
There is nothing “niche” in the relative or actual of these numbers. They are the sorts of numbers that current and probable F-35B operators use. So long as the powers-that-be are committed to supporting this through the F-35B’s life-of-type then the ADF can do this in a doddle...."
The fast jet and helo aviation capabilities of the French Mistral and Italian Cavour class were closely examined at the time, and the Spanish design came up trumps in all respects. Right now, the known requirements at refit for F-35Bs are a precision landing light called a HIHAT – it looks like a long green crucifix and is attached the middle mast – some sensor enhancements and Thermion coating on the flight deck. Some existing kit might need to be moved from A to B for electro-magnetic reasons. The glide slope kit, known as GLIS, is already fitted to the Canberras. This is the stuff of minor refit, and no more.
Refit and F-35Bs would deliver a motza more capability. More choices. There is no “niche capability” about six or eight embarked F-35Bs, where sensor fusion and data networking go merrily berserk when four are in the same airspace. That picture of threat and strike solution available to both pilots, controllers and commanders will offer startlingly long reach that any enemy is highly unlikely to penetrate without huge loss. He who sees first and shoots first wins. The days of close-up dogfighting or chasing missiles are long over, and a bad guy sneaking through a “niche” 4-ship of ADF F-35Bs protecting an LHD force would face being seen and shot at before he knew he or his ammunition was a target.
It is no good for pontificating PhDs of think-tankery to praise and extol emerging threats and the peril they pose to the LHDs and then dismiss the essential counterpunch as a tiny and extravagant toy. Further, their doctoral eminences need to learn that of 100 ADF F-35s only 60 or so will ever be in line service. The rest will be in attrition reserve, maintenance, repair or required for development work. The mooted 28 F-35Bs would easily provide three for attrition reserve, three in deep maintenance, one hangar queen, two flights of six or eight for the Canberras and a flight for conversion, training and reinforcement.
There is nothing “niche” in the relative or actual of these numbers. They are the sorts of numbers that current and probable F-35B operators use. So long as the powers-that-be are committed to supporting this through the F-35B’s life-of-type then the ADF can do this in a doddle...."
Last edited by SpazSinbad; 25th Nov 2014 at 17:34. Reason: quots
