Orion hits the mark

Air Force weapons specialists from RAAF Base Edinburgh’s 92WG Rimpac Detachment fit a CATM-84 Harpoon missile to an AP3-C Orion prior to a sortie. Photo by LAC Jeremy Patten, 92WG.

NO. 92 Wing personnel have accurately fired two Harpoon missiles from the newly updated AP-3C Orion during Exercise Rim of the Pacific 2002 (RIMPAC) in Hawaii.

The firings, designed to exercise the capabilities of the Harpoon missile and the AP-3C Orion’s new Data Management System, were the first to be conducted from the new aircraft.

Officer Commanding 92WG Group Captain Steve Martin said the American personnel operating the instrumented range were impressed that the Australians had selected a complex firing scenario rather than the benign, straightforward alternative.

“In order to test the full capability of the missiles and the aircraft’s new equipment, we chose a more realistic, war-like scenario for the firings,” GPCAPT Martin said.

He said the crews did an excellent job throughout RIMPAC and the Harpoon firings were a particular success. Both missiles hit the retired United States Naval support ship that had been supplied for the exercise.

“We used telemetry missiles (without a warhead) because it was important for us to monitor the missiles in flight ... it allows us to better assess missile performance,” he said.

The missiles are worth about $1.5 million each.

GPCAPT Martin said RIMPAC allowed 92WG to complete the broader and more complex tactical evolutions required for the initial AP-3C Orion Operational Test and Evaluation.

“The testing to date has clearly shown that the aircraft is far more operationally capable than the current P-3C Orion,” he said.

“The second point is that this exercise allowed us to operate with a multi-national force, to test our interoperability and to also provide crews with exposure to more complex scenarios.”

A group of 89 aircrew, maintenance and support personnel and two AP-3C Orions from 92WG participated in RIMPAC.
Led by RIMPAC Detachment Commander Wing Commander Dick Larking, the wing flew 21 missions from the Marine Corps Base Kaneohe Bay on the island of Oahu.

“The feedback I have is that our crews did very, very well and greatly benefited from the exercise’s training opportunities,” GPCAPT Martin said.

“The exercise was also a good mechanism for us to benchmark our capabilities and the feedback from the US and the Multinational Force Commander clearly shows that our crews, both aircrew and maintainers, are at least the equals of other crews around the world. We have a first-rate product operated and maintained by very professional airmen and airwomen.”

With the Initial Operational Test and Evaluation program now complete, the next major step for the AP-3C Orion is consideration by ADF Airworthiness Board on October 2 for Supplemental Type Certification and Service Release.
The board will consider the basis for type certification and the framework under which the aircraft operates and is maintained. Based on a joint Defence Materiel Organisation/Air Force submission, the Airworthiness Board will decide whether to recommend to the Chief of Air Force that the AP-3C is ready to begin full operations.

In parallel with the Airworthiness submission, the AP-3C aircraft will undergo first-of-type testing to quantify the aircraft’s performance.

• By Deanna Nott

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