"John Cook" wrote in message
...
Hi all

I have just heard on the radio that Australia is to scrap its fleet
of F111's...

Not surprising really they did cost quite a bit to run.





DEFENCE CAPABILITY REVIEW 2003



The Government has reviewed Australia's Defence capabilities and considered
the Defence Capability Plan (DCP) in light of changes in the strategic
environment (as evidenced by the Defence Update released in February),
recent operational experience and more mature costings.

The goal has been to ensure a balanced force able to achieve the objectives
of the Defence 2000 White Paper whilst recognising the extra complexity of
unconventional threats.

The review reaffirmed that the defence of Australia and regional
requirements should be the primary drivers of force structure. Tasks such as
the protection of Australia's borders remain as important as ever.

In relation to force structure, the review process identified an increased
requirement to strengthen the effectiveness and sustainability of the Army,
to provide air defence protection to deploying forces, to enhance the lift
requirement for deployments and to position the Australian Defence Force to
exploit current and emerging Network Centric Warfare advantages.

In undertaking the review, the Government has drawn heavily on the advice of
the Chief of the Defence Force and the Service Chiefs.

The Government has also been mindful to strike the right balance between
maintaining near term preparedness and longer term capability.

In consideration of the review, the Government has now taken a number of
decisions which lead to some rebalancing of the DCP.

Some of the more significant include:

Australian Army

The Government has accepted recommendations which will contribute to the
Army becoming more sustainable and lethal in close combat.

The government has in particular accepted the advice of the Chief of Army
that the combined arms approach - whereby infantry, armour, artillery,
aviation and engineers work together to support and protect each other -
remains the best way of achieving rapid success while minimising friendly
casualties.

The Government has decided that to provide our land forces with the combat
weight they need within combined arms will require the replacement of
Australia's ageing Leopard tanks.

A decision on which tank to purchase will be made by the Government in the
near future. The Government is considering Abrams and contemporary versions
of the Leopard and Challenger 2.

The Government has also agreed to move rapidly to acquire combat
identification for our forces, more capable communications and increased
provision of night vision equipment.

It is the view of the Army that with these additional capabilities, the
introduction of the Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (a project which
is on time) and additional troop lift helicopters for amphibious transport,
the force will be significantly hardened and better networked.

Royal Australian Navy

Both frigates and amphibious ships have been engaged constantly since
September 2001 across a full spectrum of operations. Additionally, the
importance to the Government of the ability to safely deploy, lodge and
sustain Australian forces offshore has been re-emphasised.

Whilst these deployments have been highly successful, lessons have been
learned and government has accepted advice from the Chief of Navy to further
improve capability.

Defence and warfare capability

The Government has accepted advice to strengthen the Navy' s defensive air
warfare capability. The anti-ship missile defence projects currently being
implemented will be complemented by:


1.. the introduction of SM2 missiles to four of the Navy's guided missile
frigates (FFGs).


2.. the acquisition of three air warfare destroyers.

The FFG will be improved in Australia and the Government's strong preference
is to build the air warfare destroyers in Australia, which will provide
significant work for Australia's shipbuilding industry. The core of the
combat system for the air warfare destroyers will be United States
designed - probably a variant of the Aegis air warfare system. This combat
system can track large numbers of aircraft at extended range and, in
combination with modern air warfare missiles, can simultaneously destroy
multiple aircraft at ranges in excess of 150 kilometres. This capability
will significantly increase the protection from air attack of troops being
transported and deployed.

To provide offsets, the two oldest FFGs will be laid off from 2006 when the
last of the new ANZAC frigates is delivered. Furthermore, the Government's
strategic guidance will enable it to lay up two mine hunter coastal vessels
which could be brought back into service should the need arise.

Sea lift

The Army and Navy have advised that the deployment requirements of the White
Paper would require greater lift capacity than that envisaged in the current
DCP.

As a result, the Government proposes to enhance Navy's amphibious capability
by replacing HMAS Tobruk with a larger amphibious vessel in 2010 and
successively replacing the two LPA's HMA Ships Manoora and Kanimbla with a
second larger amphibious ship and a sea lift ship.

To help offset the costs of larger amphibious ships, the fleet oiler HMAS
Westralia will be replaced through the acquisition of another operating but
environmentally sustainable oiler which will be refitted in Australia. The
substitute oiler, which is expected to be in service in 2006, is a less
ambitious replacement than that envisaged by the White Paper.

This is a significant and demanding program for the Navy but one the
Government thinks is warranted by the current and projected strategic
environment.

Royal Australian Air Force

The Government has accepted advice from the Chief of Air Force that future
strategic uncertainty demands continued emphasis on a balanced and flexible
Air Force comprising intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, air
combat, strike aircraft and combat support elements. Furthermore, the Air
Force must be networked, flexible and adaptable with modern versatile,
multi-role capabilities that can contribute to joint and combined operations
across the spectrum of conflicts.

The Government is of the view that a sound pathway to the future has been
laid.

The Air Force already plans for the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft, new
Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft are in production and
air-to-air refuelling aircraft are out to tender.

The Air Force also has plans for the acquisition of Global Hawk unmanned
aerial vehicles and a replacement for the AP-3C under the further maritime
patrol and response capability.

In such circumstances, the Air Force has advised that by 2010 - with full
introduction of the AEW&C aircraft, the new air-to-air refuellers,
completion of the F/A-18 Hornet upgrade programs including the bombs
improvement program and the successful integration of a stand-off strike
weapon on the F/A-18s and AP-3C - the F-111 could be withdrawn from service.
In other words, by that time the Air Force will have a strong and effective
land and maritime strike capability. This will enable withdrawing the F111 a
few years earlier than envisaged in the White Paper.