Annual Report 2004-05

Approved Major Capital Equipment Projects

Top 30 Projects by 2004-05 Expenditure

AIR 5398 Air-to-Surface Stand-off Weapon Capability

Prime contractor: Precision Guided Systems (United States), through Foreign Military Sales with the United States Government.

This project will acquire and bring into service the AGM-142E missile for use on F-111C aircraft. It will provide the ADF with a capability to strike non-hardened and semi-hardened unitary targets while providing improved stand-off range, contributing to the survivability of the aircraft.

Delivery of missiles and ground support equipment continued in 2004-05, as did the upgrades to the aircraft simulator. The acquisition contract for the mission rehearsal system was signed and aircraft ground testing completed. Flight testing also occurred as planned culminating in a successful live missile firing.

A major milestone in the test and evaluation program of AIR 5398 has been achieved following the successful firing of two AGM-142E missiles from an F-111 aircraft conducted on 28 June and 1 July 2005 at the Woomera Test Range in South Australia.

The project's expenditure for 2004-05 was greater than the revised estimate due to a foreign military sales payment associated with equipment delivery during 2004-05.

This project contributes to Air Force capability.