UV Online 
Australia trials WASP III ahead of new SUAS fleet buy
Australia has a launched a rolling trials and demonstration programme of the Aerovironment Wasp III small unmanned air system (SUAS) as part of new plans to acquire a new tier one system to provide its Army with a mature organic surveillance and reconnaissance capability.
Wasp trials commenced in June with an Australian Army trials team undergoing training in the United States earlier this year. The system saw its first high level exposure in mid July as part of exercise Talisman sabre 2009 held in conjunction with United States forces at Australia’s Shoalwater bay training range.
The Wasp III trial has been in planning for two years and is being jointly run by the Australian Defence Science and Technology Organisation and the Australian Army.
The trial outcomes will help inform capability planning for Australia’s new Joint Project 129 Phase 4 requirement for new tier 1 SUAS, unveiled last month as part of a new five year Defence Capability Plan (DCP).
Head of helicopter and army aviation acquisition projects in the Australian Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO), MAJGEN Tony Fraser, says that Wasp III trial “information is being taken and fed to continue to inform” capability development plans.
Australia currently operates the Elbit Skylark SUAS as its interim tier one solution. That type was acquired as a rapid acquisition to support operational requirements by Australian forces in Iraq, Afghanistan and East Timor.
The new DCP, issued 1 July, confirms Skylark is “not intended to provide an ongoing capability”.
It says JP129 Phase 4 is scheduled to receive initial Australian government approvals to proceed to acquisition between 2010 and 2012 with final funding decisions – what the Australian purchasing system refers to as second pass – between 2011 and 2013. An initial operational capability is planned to occur between 2013 and 2015.
The new SUAS will support Army and other service arm close range intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance requirements says AIRCRDE Ian Meyn, director general aerospace development in the Australian Defence Capability Group.
“Phase 4 intends to provide an ongoing organic ISR capability for land force operations as well as provision of a system that can be operated from or within confined areas such as the urban environment.
“The SUAS to be acquired under phase 4 is intended to provide units with enhanced situational awareness and increased force protection. At present it is intended to acquire non developmental systems based on proven designs with an expected in service life of ten years.”
He says “the system is about the soldier having something small and finding out what is over the next side of the hill. We really are looking at a very small system, similar to what we are using in Afghanistan”
The project may also encompass the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) standing MIC 965 “minor project” requirement for a “small UAV for force protection”. That system would be operated by RAAF airfield defence guard units.
RAAF has been exploring a near term buy of two SUAS systems, each comprising six air vehicles, for use as trials assets to inform its requirements.
The DMO’s head of aerospace acquisition, AVM Colin Thorne, says “Air Force are keen to fall into line if the projects are available and like most air force minors if there is a larger capability out there that can do the job it will be developed.”
By Peter La Franchi / Asia Pacific Editor
Email this to a friend.