Defence Update

Tankers and Leased VIP Aircraft Emerge as Only New Items in Emaciated Defence Budget

The 1986/87 Defence Budget provides some major expenditures for the Royal Australian Air Force, but subsequent announcements also will have a major effect in the longer term For example, some details of plans to convert the RAAF’s four Boeing 707 transport aircraft for inflight refuelling has emerged and a Request for Proposals (or at least Registrations of Interest) has been called for on possible leasing options for the future operations of the VIP No34 Squadron at Fairbairn, ACT. A Request for Tender for airborne early warning and control aircraft (AEW&C) is also due to be issued soon.

From an estimated total Defence Budget of $7,415m, the McDonnell Douglas F-18 Hornet fighter programme, now almost at the full production level of producing 18 aircraft a year, takes virtually $1000m. By late October the RAAF had 18 Hornets and some had gone to the re-formed No3 Squadron at Williamtown. The Pilatus PC-9 basic trainer project requires $81m and the new RAAF utility battlefield troop carrying Black Hawk helicopters were allocated $79m. A1r to air missiles (Sparrow & Sidewinder) for the Hornets require $32m this financial year and the final stages of the acquisition of 1 0 new P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft $23m, the Pavetack target acquisition system for the F-111 strike planes also takes $16m.

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