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Australia says JP129 replacement project ?well advanced?
The Australian government says efforts to find a replacement tactical unmanned air system to support deployed army operations are now "well advanced" with preference being given to a purchase as opposed to a services based contract.
Australian minister for defence procurement Greg Combet says that "we are now well advanced in exploring other possible UAV systems that we can purchase and deploy as soon as possible."
Addressing a defence industry conference in Canberra 17 February, Combet reiterated requirements for the replacement acquisition to proceed on a fast track basis, with this coming ahead of an expected Australian government decision to bolster forces deployed to Afghanistan. Combet says the tactical UAS requirement represents "a capability that could be well utilised in theatres such as Afghanistan."
Candidate systems being evaluated comprise the AAI Shadow 200B, the Elbit Hermes 450, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Predator A and the Selex Galileo Falco. Officials from the Australian Defence Materiel Organisation conducted site visits at the facilities of all four firms during the final two months of 2008.
Australia is currently seeking US approvals for a waiver of release restrictions on the Shadow 200B with a US foreign military sales acquisition of that system being closely studied by the Australian Defence Materiel Organisation. The US army and marine corps have both placed restrictions on non-US sales of the Shadow 200 family to ensure availability of systems to meet current operational and training demands.
Australia cancelled its Joint Project 129 tactical UAS acquisition contract with Boeing Australia and Israel Aerospace Industries in September 2008. Boeing was required to refund $A6 million as part of settlement arrangements.
The Australian Department of Defence confirmed in late November that it had received full repayment, in parallel advising that it intended "to restart the project with an emphasis on fielded systems which can be delivered and deployed in minimum time."
Combet confirmed the cancellation decision was based on a combination of "technical and commercial issues". Australian officials have previously publicly cited technical problems in the development and integration of the IAI I-View 250 UAS as the basis of the decision.
The IAI-250 was named after its proposed maximum gross take off weight of 250kg, however the version being developed for Australia was nearing 400kg at the time of cancellation.
The Hermes 450 offer is being managed by Thales Australia, with the company submitting an unsolicited proposal for a services based solution soon after the JP129 cancellation decision. That proposal was closely aligned to existing Hermes 450 services provided by Thales to the British Army in Iraq.
By Peter La Franchi - Asia-Pacific Editor
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