INTERVIEW: Air Commander Australia Steve Roberton [LONG article best read at source -
3 page PDF below]
26 Feb 2019 Greg Waldron"In December 2018, the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) truly entered the era of the Lockheed Martin F-35, with the arrival of its first two examples. After a long flight across the Pacific from Luke AFB in Arizona, the pair of jets (A35-009 and A35-010) were welcomed by Boeing F/A-18A/B "classic" Hornets, the venerable fighter they will replace.
The moment was a long time coming: RAAF pilots and support crews have been training at the Luke AFB F-35 school since 2015, with the service's first F-35A delivered in 2014. Ultimately, Canberra could obtain up to 100, making it one of the largest international operators of the type.
Air Vice Marshal Steve Roberton, Air Commander Australia, says the F-35A is part of the RAAF's continuing advance into what he refers to as a "fifth-generation air force" in an interview with FlightGlobal. It is a well-oiled machine that works seamlessly together.
Roberton has served with the RAAF since 1989 and has over 3,000h in the cockpit, mostly in F/A-18As but also in the F/A-18F Super Hornet. "We are in a fairly privileged position of being one of the first all fifth-generation forces in the world," he says. "In terms of platforms, we're well on track."...
...Original plans for the Super Hornets called for their retirement in the 2020s, but there is speculation that Canberra may opt to keep the type, possibly upgrading them to the USN's Block III standard. This activity includes a range of structural and sensor upgrades, as well as the ability to receive and transfer large amounts of sensor data with other aircraft.
On the long-term prospects for the RAAF's Super Hornets, Roberton says in the "next few years" a proposal will be made to the government about the air force's future asset mix.
"Having tied ourselves in with the US Navy and their plans and upgrades, and what's more the US Navy's integration of Super Hornet, Growler, and their own F-35 variant, I believe there are more options for extending the life [of the Super Hornet]. But these are matters for the Australian government, and part of this planning will be put forward to the government to consider."...
..."Australia is expeditionary by nature being where we are on the globe, especially given the distances just to get up and work with our allies in the near region or in the Middle East. The KC-30A has been an absolute fundamental enabler for us."
Looking forward, he feels that there are several emergent technologies that will impact the air forces, namely the deployment and increased capabilities of large unmanned air vehicles. Of import will be the mix of manned and unmanned assets, and how these elements work together. "There are rapidly developing technologies in that area around the world. It's safe to say the air force in 2029 is not going to look exactly like it does in 2019.""
Source: https://www.flightglobal.com/news/artic ... on-455460/