Replacing the RAAF F/A-18 Hornet Fighter Strategic, Operational and Technical Issues Carlo Kopp Defence Analyst Submission to the Minister of Defence Parliament House, Canberra May, 1998 UNCLASSIFIED - NOT FOR PUBLIC RELEASE -2- © 1998, C. Kopp [Release] "qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum" De Re Militari, Flavius Vegetius Renatus, Fourth Century A.D. UNCLASSIFIED - NOT FOR PUBLIC RELEASE Drawings -3- © 1998, C. Kopp [Release] Sukhoi Su-30K/MK/MKI/37 TNI-AU TNI-AU 11 TNI-AU 08 (C) 1997, Carlo Kopp Drawing 1. Sukhoi Su-30MK/MKI Tactical Fighter The Sukhoi Su-27P/S, Su-30M/MK/MKI, and Su-35/37 family of fighters represent the Soviet/Russian capability response to the US developed F-15A/C and F-15E Eagle fight- ers. Employing vortex lift techniques, these aircraft are unsurpassed in sustained and instantaneous close in manoeuvre capability, while offering 1000 NMI class unrefuelled combat radius and a respectable Beyond Visual Range radar and missile capability. The PLA-AF intend to deploy in excess of 350 such aircraft, and the IAF may deploy as many as 200 aircraft in time. The type is also operated by Vietnam and was ordered by Indone- sia prior to its economic collapse. Depicted is an aircraft in Indonesian TNI-AU colours. UNCLASSIFIED - NOT FOR PUBLIC RELEASE Drawings -4- © 1998, C. Kopp [Release] 23 A21-23 Drawing 2. RAAF/Boeing F/A-18A+ Hornet Tactical Fighter Deployed during the eighties, the Boeing (MDC) F/A-18A+ Hornet is the ADF’s princi- pal air superiority asset, which also has a respectable maritime and theatre strike capabil- ity. A capable and flexible second tier multirole fighter, the Hornet has now become marginally competitive with the large scale deployment of first tier Russian Sukhoi Su-27 and Su-30 fighters in the broader region. The RAAF’s 72 F/A-18A aircraft are to be equipped with the Matra-BAe AIM-132 ASRAAM and the Raytheon/Hughes AIM-120B air-to-air missiles under AIR 5400. UNCLASSIFIED - NOT FOR PUBLIC RELEASE Drawings -5- © 1998, C. Kopp [Release] A8-129 (c) 1997, Carlo Kopp RAAF F/RF-111C AUP 129129 Drawing 3. RAAF/GD F-111C Strike Aircraft UNCLASSIFIED - NOT FOR PUBLIC RELEASE Drawings -6- © 1998, C. Kopp [Release] Size Comparison- Su-30MK, F/A-18A and F-111C Drawing 4. Relative Size Comparison - Su-30MK, F/A-18A, F-111C UNCLASSIFIED - NOT FOR PUBLIC RELEASE Drawings -7- © 1998, C. Kopp [Release] Table of Contents Executive Summary....... ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........9 Notes....... ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........11 Author Background....... ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........12 Section 1 The Strategic Context.... ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........13 1.1 Historical Perspective on Existing RAAF Force Structure.. ........ ........ ........ ........ ........13 1.2 Historical Perspective on Regional Capabilities ......... ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........18 1.2.1 Fighter, Strike and Multirole Capabilities......... ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........18 1.2.2 Surface Based Air Defence Capabilities.. ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........24 1.3 Projected Regional Flanker Deployments ........... ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........26 1.4 The Projected Strategic Context ......... ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........28 Section 2 Technical and Operational Issues ......... ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........32 2.1 Recent Technological Trends in Fighter Development ................ ........ ........ ........ ........32 2.1.1 Radar Issues.... ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........33 2.1.2 Electronic Warfare Systems .... ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........36 2.1.3 Optical Sensors....... ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........38 2.1.4 Cockpits and Computers......... ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........39 2.1.5 Propulsion ...... ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........40 2.1.6 Airframes........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........41 2.1.7 Air to Air Weapons ......... ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........47 2.1.8 Air to Ground Weapons .......... ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........48 2.1.9 Stealth Issues.. ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........51 2.1.9.1 Stealth In Strike Warfare .............. ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........52 2.1.9.2 Stealth In Air Combat .. ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........56 2.1.9.3 Technical Issues in Stealth ... ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........59 Section 3 Capability Issues.... ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........63 3.1 The Sukhoi Su-27/30/35/37 Flanker Family of Fighters ..... ........ ........ ........ ........ ........63 UNCLASSIFIED - NOT FOR PUBLIC RELEASE Contents -8- © 1998, C. Kopp [Release] 3.1.1 Airframe and Propulsion......... ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........65 3.1.2 Cockpit... ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........66 3.1.3 Radar and IRS&T ... ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........67 3.1.4 Electronic Warfare .......... ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........67 3.1.5 Weapons ......... ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........68 3.1.6 Performance ... ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........69 3.2.1 The Sukhoi Su-27P/PU/PK/UB Flanker .......... ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........70 3.2.2 The Sukhoi Su-27S/SK and Su-27K/Su-33 Flanker ......... ........ ........ ........ ........ ........70 3.2.3 The Sukhoi Su-30/30K, Su-30M/MK and Su-30MKI Flanker ......... ........ ........ ........70 3.2.4 The Sukhoi Su-27M and Su-35 Flanker .......... ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........70 3.2.5 The Sukhoi Su-37 Flanker ............... ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........70 3.2.6 The Sukhoi Su-27IB and Su-32FN, Su-34 ...... ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........71 3.2.7 Advanced Munitions for the Flanker .............. ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........71 3.3 Advanced Russian Fighter Projects.... ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........73 3.4 Capability Issues in the Hornet Replacement ..... ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........74 Section 4 Replacement Strategy.... ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........81 4.1 Rationale ... ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........81 4.1.1 Role Spectrum......... ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........82 4.1.2 Type Capabilities and Availability ........... ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........84 4.2 Strategy ............. ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........91 4.3 Specific Recommendations......... ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........94 4.3.1 Balancing The Hi-Lo Mix and Stretching Existing Assets....... ........ ........ ........ ........94 4.3.2 F/A-18A Hornet...... ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........95 4.3.3 F-111...... ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........96 Section 5 Summary......... ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........98 Section 6 F-22 Technical Data ....... ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........100 UNCLASSIFIED - NOT FOR PUBLIC RELEASE Executive Summary -9- © 1998, C. Kopp [Release] Executive Summary The last decade has seen a significant increase in the number of modern combat aircraft acquired in the nearer and broader region. The most important acquisitions have been variants of the capable Russian built Sukhoi Flanker aircraft. Current projections, based upon existing orders, indicate that in excess