Hornets get new missile

CPL Robbie Warne makes some adjustments watched by SGT Jeff Graham, left, and LAC Rhys Mitchell, right, as the three armament fitters affix the Air Force's latest weapon, an ASRAAM, to a Hornet at RAAF Base Williamtown. A ceremony was held at the base on August 20 to officially introduce the missile into service.

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THE world’s most potent and technologically advanced short-range air-to-air missile has been accepted into service for the Hornet fleet. Defence Minister Robert Hill, CAF Air Marshal Angus Houston and Commander Air Combat Group Air Commodore Mark Binskin attended an acceptance ceremony for the Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM) at RAAF Base Williamtown on August 20.

The acceptance follows a rigorous program of capability, safety and reliability checks on the missile and its supporting systems. Project Air 5400 was established in 1996 to identify, integrate and introduce into service the replacement Beyond Visual Range and Within Visual Range missiles to enhance the F/A-18’s air defence capability.

Australia selected the British-manufactured ASRAAM as its future Within Visual Range missile in 1998. The US Navy did the initial integration of the missile.

The Aircraft Research and Development Unit (ARDU) confirmed software compatibility on a RAAF F/A- 18 in 2001 following two successful firings off the coast of Western Australia. Carriage, release and jettison trials were conducted at the Woomera Instrumented Range in 2002 and culminated in a further two successful firings at Kalkara drones.

During these trials the ability of the missile to reject countermeasures and remain locked on to its target was assessed. The Project Office, the Aerospace Operational Support Group and the Defence Science and Technology Organisation then worked with the manufacturer to further enhance the missile’s countermeasure rejection capability.

Wing Commander Peter Kiss, Air-to- Air Missile Project Manager, said this work meant Air Force had received an extremely capable and countermeasureresilient missile.

“The ASRAAM is the most technologically advanced Within Visual Range air-to-air missile in the world today with a lethal range greater than the Air Force has ever seen before,” he said. No. 77 Squadron conducted the Operational Test and Evaluation of the missile between September and December 2003 and ARDU completed the acceptance firings of the final missile software load in March this year.

The 2004 Fighter Combat Instructors’ course spent a significant part of the course developing tactics required to deploy ASRAAM and then carried out three successful firings of the missile against Kalkara targets.

The ASRAAM is the second of the two missile programs for the Hornet acquired under a $488 million acquisition program. The other is the Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM).

“The ASRAAM, in conjunction with the AMRAAM, will greatly enhance the F/A- 18’s air-to-air combat capability and give our pilots the tactical advantage. This advantage will be further enhanced by the introduction of the helmet-mounted cuing system in the near future,” WGCDR Kiss said.

 

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