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DispatchBulletinPolicy

by The Vietnam Democratic Republic of The Great Expanses. . 25 reads.

Australian Commonwealth Air Force (ACAF)

The Australian Commonwealth Air Force



Historical Overview


Australia was a pioneering nation in the field of aviation, with the Duigan Brother's biplane being the first powered aircraft to fly outside of Europe or the United States. The Australian Flying Corps (AFC), formed in 1910, was the first official military flying service established anywhere in the world and served heavily during the First World War. The leadership structures of the Flying Corps and Army were separate at the time of establishment, though the AFC was still considered a subsidiary Corps of the Army.

This changed during the Australian Civil War, where the AFC's staff remained largely loyal to the United Kingdom. This created a situation where there was no longer a fully formed Army for the Corps to be subsidiary to. Several dozen aircraft were destroyed by pro-independence insurgents and many more defected with their crews, the defectors formed the basis for the ACAF. However, the split left the young and proud AFC as a broken and spent force. After the war the bulk AFC became reunited with the dissident ACAF under the new Free State Army, though their leadership structures had lost trust for eachother and were too dissimilar to remain compatible. The rivalry between loyalist AFC members and ACAF personnel persisted throughout the interwar years. However, as relations with Britain began to normalize towards the beginning of the Second World War, the multiple identities of the service chose to set aside their differences. During campaigns in North and East Africa, the Pacific and South East Asia, their hatred developed into a clear sense of camaraderie. Their structures, already formally integrated, were able to reform in spirit. Attitudes between the three services have persisted over the years, though relations have overall become considerably friendlier and the only real manifestations of their former disdain emerge in the annual tri-service rugby series.

The culture of the ACAF is still looked at as being typically more upper-class than their land and sea based comrades.


Basic Information


Formed
22nd of October 1911 (as Australian Flying Corps)
15th of March 1923 (as Australian Commonwealth Air Force)

Allegiance
The Commonwealth of Australia

Headquarters
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory

Engagements

First World War
Australian War of Independence
Australian Civil War
Tasman Crisis
Second World War
Indonesian Revolution
Korean War
Borneo Confrontation
Papuan Emergency
Vietnam War
Gulf War
INTERFET
Afghanistan War
East Timor Peacekeeping



Leadership


Commander-in-Chief
President Kim Beazley

Minister of Defense
Colonel The Honourable Mike Kelly

Chief of Defense Force
General Angus Campbell

Chief of Air Force
Air Marshal Mel Hupfeld


Manpower


Military Age
16-55

Active Service
~15,000

Reservists
~6000


Recognition Markings



Numbers


15,000 active personnel
6000 active reserves
244 Combat Aircraft
17 Maritime Patrol Aircraft
10 AWACs Aircraft
18 EW Aircraft
10 Tanker Aircraft
8 VIP Transports
85 Transports
100 Trainer Aircraft
492 Total Aircraft
46 Flying Squadrons


Equipment


Uniform


Aircraft


Combat Aircraft


Crew: 1 (E) or 2 (F)
Length: 18.31 m
Wingspan: 13.62 m
Height: 4.88 m
Wing Area: 46.5 m²
Empty Weight: 14,550 kg
Loaded Weight: 21,320 kg
Maximum Takeoff Weight: 29,937 kg
Powerplant: 2 × General Electric F414-GE-400 turbofans, 62.3 kN dry thrust each, 98 kN each with afterburner
Maximum Speed: Mach 2 (2500 km/h)
Cruise Speed: Mach 0.96 (1186 km/h)
Ferry Range: 3785 km
Combat Range: 1450 km (730 km at full load)
Service Ceiling: 18,000 m
Rate of Climb: 260 m/s
Thrust/Weight: 1.1 at standard load, 0.93 at full load
Wing Loading: 430 kg/m²
Armament:
Guns: 1 x 20 mm M61 Vulcan cannon, fitted in front of cockpit, 412 rounds
11 Weapon Stations in total: 2 wingtip launch rails, 6 under-wing pylons and 3 under-fuselage, with a capacity for 8150 kg of ordnance
Rockets: 70 mm Hydra 70 rocket pods, 127 mm Zuni rockets
Air-to-Air Missiles: AIM-132 ASRAAM, AIM-7 Sparrow and AIM-120 AMRAAM
Air-to-Surface Missiles: AGM-65 Maverick, AGM-84H/K SLAM-ER, AGM-88 HARM, AGM-154 JSOW, AGM-158 JASSM, AGM-84 Harpoon
Bombs: Paveway Series Smart-Bombs, JDAM Smart Bombs, Mk80 Series Bombs
Other Equipment: ADM-141 TALD decoy missile, AN/AAS-38 Nite Hawk, SUU-42A/A flare and chaff pod, ECM pod, AAQ-28 targeting pod, SUU-42A/A Flares/Infrared decoys dispenser pod and chaff pod, AN/ALE-50 towed decoy system pod, AN/ASQ-228 ATFLIR Targeting pods, up to 4 × 1800 L Sargent Fletcher drop tanks, 1 × A/A42R-1 Aerial Refueling Store (ARS) pod for aerial refueling (optional), 12 × ADM-141C TALD, AWW-13 Advanced data link pod
Avionics: Raytheon APG-79 AESA Radar (range: 300 km+, can track up to 30 aerial targets)
Northrop Grumman/ITT ALQ-165 self-protection jammer system or BAE Systems AN/ALE-214 integrated defensive electronic countermeasures system
Raytheon AN/ALE-50 or BAE Systems AN/ALE-55 towed decoy
Raytheon AN/ALR-67(V)3 radar warning receiver
MIDS LVT or MIDS JTRS datalink transceiver
ROVER antenna (rarely fitted)


Crew: 1
Length: 15.7 m
Wingspan: 11 m
Height: 4.4 m
Wing Area: 43 m²
Empty Weight: 13,290 kg
Loaded Weight: 22,471 kg
Maximum Takeoff Weight: 31,751 kg
Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 afterburning turbofan, 120 kN thrust dry, 190 kN with afterburner
Maximum Speed: Mach 1.8 (2223 km/h)
Ferry Range: 3900 km (with droptanks)
Combat Range: 1450 km
Service Ceiling: 18,000 m
Rate of Climb: >250 m/s
Thrust/Weight: ~0.9-1
Wing Loading: 488 kg/m²
Armament:
Guns: 1 × 25 mm GAU-22/A 4-barrel rotary cannon, 180 rounds
Hardpoints: 10 In Total, 4 x Internal Weapon Stations, 6 x External Hardpoints 9600 kg total (2800 kg internal, 7000 kg external)
Air-to-Air Missiles: AIM-120 AMRAAM, AIM-132 ASRAAM
Air-to-Surface Missiles: AGM-65 Maverick, AGM-84H/K SLAM-ER, AGM-88 HARM, AGM-154 JSOW, AGM-158 JASSM, AGM-84 Harpoon, AGM-158C LRASM
Bombs: Paveway Series Smart-Bombs, JDAM Smart Bombs, Mk80 Series Bombs
Other Equipment: Up to 3 × 1800 L Sargent Fletcher drop tanks
Avionics: AN/APG-81 AESA radar
AAQ-40 E/O Targeting System (EOTS), AN/AAQ-37 Distributed Aperture System (DAS) MWS, AN/ASQ-239 Barracuda EWS, AN/ASQ-242 CNI suite, MADL communication system, Link 16 data link, SINCGARS, IFF interrogator and transponder, HAVE QUICK, AM, VHF, UHF AM, and UHF FM Radio, GUARD survival radio, radar altimeter, Instrument landing system, TACAN system, JPALS, TADIL-J JVMF/VMF

Maritime Patrol Aircraft


Crew: 2 Flight Crew (pilot, co-pilot), 7 Mission Crew
Length: 39.47 m
Wingspan: 37.64 m
Height: 12.83 m
Empty Weight: 62,730 kg
Maximum Takeoff Weight: 85,820 kg
Powerplant: 2 × CFM56-7B27A turbofans, 121 kN each
Maximum Speed: 907 km/h
Cruise Speed: 815 km/h
Range: 8300 km
Combat Range: 2422 km, 4 hours on station
Service Ceiling: 12,500 m
Armament:
Hardpoints: 5 Internal, 6 External carrying a variety of conventional weapons
Avionics:
Raytheon APY-10 multi-mission surface search radar
AN/ALQ-240 Electronic Support Measures Suite
Advanced Airborne Sensor surface search radar and SIGINT package

Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEWC) and Electronic Warfare Aircraft


Crew: 6-10 (mission crew)
Length: 33.6 m
Wingspan: 35.8 m
Height: 12.5 m
Wing Area: 91 m²
Empty Weight: 46,606 kg
Maximum Takeoff Weight: 77,600 kg
Powerplant: 2 × CFM International CFM56-7B27A turbofans, 121 kN each
Maximum Speed: 923 km/h
Cruise Speed: 853 km/h
Range: 6700 km
Service Ceiling: 12,500 m
Payload: 19,830 kg
Avionics: AN/APS-133 colour weather radar
Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems L-Band AEW Multi-role Active Electronically Scanned Array (MAESA) surveillance radar (range: 370-620 km)


Crew: 2 (pilot, electronic countermeasures officer)
Length: 18.31 m
Wingspan: 13.62 m (including wingtip-mounted pods)
Height: 4.88 m
Wing Area: 46.5 m²
Empty Weight: 15,011 kg
Loaded Weight: 21,772 kg
Maximum Takeoff Weight: 29,964 kg
Powerplant: 2 × General Electric F414-GE-400 turbofans, 62.3 kN dry thrust each, 98 kN each with afterburner
Maximum Speed: Mach 1.8 (2150 km/h)
Ferry Range: 3350 km
Combat Range: 2346 km
Service Ceiling: 17,000 m
Rate of Climb: 250 m/s
Thrust/Weight: 0.96
Wing Loading: 453 kg/m²
Armament:
11 Weapon Stations in total: 2 wingtip launch rails, 6 under-wing pylons and 3 under-fuselage, with a capacity for 8150 kg of ordnance
Air-to-Air Missiles: AIM-120 AMRAAM (on the 2 conformal fuselage stations)
Air-to-Surface Missiles: AGM-88 HARM (on outermost hardpoints), AGM-154 JSOW (optional, on midboard pylons)
Other Equipment: 2-4 x 1820 L fuel tanks (inboard pylons)
Avionics Pods: AN/ALQ-218 Detection Pods (mounted on outer rails), AN/ALQ-99 High Band Jamming Pods (midboard pylons), AN/ALQ-99 Low Band Jamming Pod (centreline hardpoint), SHARP and AN/ASQ-228 ATFLIR can be carried on centerline and left conformal weapon stations
Avionics:
Raytheon APG-79 AESA Radar (range: 260 km+, can track up to 30 aerial targets)
Electronic Attack Unit (EAU) AES Mission Computer
Various Equipment From Original Super Hornet
Nose Mounted Electronic Sensor and Management Pod


Crew: 2 Flight Crew (pilot, co-pilot), 6-8 Mission Crew
Length: 29.4 m
Wingspan: 28.5 m
Height: 7.9 m
Empty Weight: 21,909 kg
Loaded Weight: 24,721 kg
Maximum Takeoff Weight: 41,277 kg
Powerplant: 2 × Rolls-Royce BR710 C4-11 high-ratio bypass turbofan, 68.44 kN each
Maximum Speed: Mach 0.885 (1093 km/h)
Cruise Speed: Mach 0.8 (988 km/h)
Range: 12,510 km
Service Ceiling: 16,500 m
Rate of Climb: 22 m/s
Avionics: IAI EL/W-2085 AESA radar (range 400 km, can track up to 120 targets)
Various management and data storage equipment

Forward Air Control Aircraft


Crew: 2
Length: 11.233 m
Wingspan: 9.108 m
Height: 3.74 m
Wing Area: 15.221 m²
Empty Weight: 2270 kg
Maximum Takeoff Weight: 4250 kg
Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-68B turboprop engine, 1600 hp (5-blade constant speed propeller)
Maximum Speed: 685 km/h
Range: 1335 km
Service Ceiling: 11,580 m
Rate of Climb: 21 m/s
Wing Loading: 200 kg/m²
Armament: (fitted for but not with)
Guns: 2 x M3 Browning 12.7 mm Heavy Machine Guns
Hardpoints: 5 in total, 4 wing-mounted, 1 centreline (capacity of up to 1250 kg of ordanace)

Tanker


Crew: 3 (pilot, co-pilot, AAR operator)
Capacity: Up to 291 passengers
8 military pallets + 1LD6 container + 1 LD3 container
45,000 kg of non-fuel payload
Length: 58.8 m
Wingspan: 60.3 m
Height: 17.4 m
Wing Area: 362 m²
Empty Weight: 125,000 kg
Maximum Takeoff Weight: 233,000 kg
Powerplant: 2× General Electric CF6-80E1A4, turbofans, 320 kN each
Fuel capacity: 111,000 kg max, 65,000 kg at 2000 km with 2 hours on station
Maximum Speed: 880 km/h
Cruise Speed: 860 km/h
Ferry Range: 15,000 km
Combat Radius: 2000 km with 65 tonnes of fuel
Service Ceiling: 14,000 m

Transport


Crew: 2-4
Passengers: Up to 70 in VIP configuration
Length: 35.56 m
Wingspan: 35.92 m
Wing Area: 127 m²
Height: 12.3 m
Empty Weight: 57,150 kg
Maximum Takeoff Weight: 80,286 kg
Powerplant: 2 x CFM International LEAP-1B, 130 kN each
Maximum Speed: Mach 0.9 (1109 km/h)
Cruise Speed: Mach 0.8 (988 km/h)
Range: 8321 km
Service Ceiling: 13,200 m
Rate of Climb: 21 m/s


Crew: 2 pilots, 1 or 2 crew
Passengers: 16 passengers
Length: 23.38 m
Wingspan: 26.21 m
Height: 7.83 m
Wing Area: 70.7 m²
Empty Weight: 15,655 kg
Maximum Takeoff Weight: 31,751 kg
Powerplant: 3 x Pratt & Whitney Canada PW307A Turbofans, 30 kN each
Maximum Speed: Mach 0.92 (1134 km/h)
Cruise Speed: Mach 0.81 (1006 km/h)
Range (with typical load and 8 passengers): 11,030 km
Service Ceiling: 15,455 m
Rate of Climb: 24 m/s
Avionics: Falcon EASy enhanced avionics system Flight Deck


Crew: 2, pilot and co-pilot
Passengers: 12
Length: 14.22 m
Wingspan: 17.65 m
Height: 4.37 m
Empty Weight: 4289 kg
Maximum Takeoff Weight: 7484 kg
Powerplant: 2 x Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-60A turboprops, 580 hp each
Maximum Speed: 590 km/h
Cruise Speed: 525 km/h
Range: 3348 km
Service Ceiling: 10,668 m
Rate of Climb: 12.5 m/s
Takeoff run: 630 m


Crew: 3 (pilot, co-pilot, loadmaster/crew chief)
Passengers: 52 troops or 24 stretchers
Payload: 8164 kg
Length: 24.1 m
Wingspan: 29.26 m
Height: 8.73 m
Empty Weight: 7675 kg
Maximum Takeoff Weight: 22,316 kg
Powerplant: 2 × General Electric CT64-820-4 turboprop, 3133 hp each
Maximum Speed: 467 km/h
Range: 2100 km (1122 km at max payload)
Service Ceiling: 9450 m
Rate of Climb: 12 m/s
Takeoff Length: 215 m
Landing Length: 200 m


Crew: 2 or 3 (pilot, co-pilot and loadmaster/crew chief)
Passengers: 60 troops
or 46 paratroopers
or 36 stretchers and 6 medical personnel
Payload: 11,650 kg
Length: 22.7 m
Wingspan: 28.7 m
Height: 9.64 m
Empty Weight: 17,000 kg
Maximum Takeoff Weight: 31,650 kg
Powerplant: 2 × Rolls-Royce AE2100-D2A turboprop, 4640 hp each, 6-bladed propeller
Maximum Speed: 610 km/h
Cruise Speed: 583 km/h
Ferry Range: 5852 km
Range: 1800 km at maximum capacity
Service Ceiling: 9145 m
Rate of Climb: 16 m/s
Take-off Length: 650 m
Landing Length: 530 m


Crew: 5 standard crew (pilot, co-pilot, navigator, flight engineer, loadmaster/crew chief)
Passengers: 128 full laden troops
or 92 paratroopers
or 97 stretchers and 6 medical personnel
Payload: 20,558 kg,
8 cargo pallets or
3 Hawkei IMV or
2 M113s or
1 ASLAV or
6 M119 Howitzers
Overall Useful Load: 33,000 kg
Length: 34.36 m
Wingspan: 40.41 m
Height: 11.84 m
Wing Area: 162.1 m²
Empty Weight: 34,274 kg
Maximum Takeoff Weight: 74,393 kg
Powerplant: 4 × Rolls-Royce AE 2100D3 turboprop, 4637 hp each
Maximum Speed: 671 km/h
Cruise Speed: 643 km/h
Range: 3850 km with max payload
Service Ceiling: 8620 m with max payload
Rate of Climb: 12.3 m/s
Takeoff Length: 953 m at max weight
427 m with no cargo


Crew: 3 pilot, co-pilot and loadmaster/crew chief (navigator and flight engineer sometimes assigned for long-haul flights)
Capacity: Up to 77,520 kg of cargo over 18 pallets
105 paratroopers
or 144 troops
or 109 stretchers and 8 medical personnel
1 x M1 Abrams or 3 ASLAVs or 8 Hawkei IMVs
Length: 53 m
Wingspan: 51.755 m
Height: 16.79 m
Wing Area: 350 m²
Empty Weight: 128,140 kg
Maximum Takeoff Weight: 265,352 kg
Powerplant: 4 × Pratt & Whitney F117-PW-100 turbofan engines, 179.9 kN thrust each
Maximum Speed: Mach 0.875 (1081 km/h)
Cruise Speed: Mach 0.79 (975.5 km/h)
Ferry Range: 8000 km
Range: 5400 km (with typical payload)
Service Ceiling: 14,000 m
Takeoff Length: 2500 m at maximum payload, 914 m at standard payload
Landing Length: 1050 m at maximum payload
Avionics:
AlliedSignal AN/APS-133(V) weather and mapping radar

Trainers


Crew: 2
Length: 11.233 m
Wingspan: 9.108 m
Height: 3.74 m
Wing Area: 15.221 m²
Empty Weight: 2270 kg
Maximum Takeoff Weight: 4250 kg
Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-68B turboprop engine, 1600 hp (5-blade constant speed propeller)
Maximum Speed: 685 km/h
Range: 1335 km
Service Ceiling: 11,580 m
Rate of Climb: 21 m/s
Wing Loading: 200 kg/m²
Armament: (fitted for but not with)
Guns: 2 x M3 Browning 12.7 mm Heavy Machine Guns
Hardpoints: 5 in total, 4 wing-mounted, 1 centreline (capacity of up to 1250 kg of ordanace)


Crew: 2 (pilot and instructor)
Length: 12.43 m
Wingspan: 9.94 m
Height: 3.98 m
Wing Area: 16.7 m²
Empty Weight: 4480 kg
Maximum Takeoff Weight: 9100 kg
Powerplant: 1× Rolls-Royce Turbomeca Adour Mk. 951 turbofan with FADEC, 29 kN
Maximum Speed: Mach 0.94 (1165 km/h)
Cruise Speed: 853 km/h
Range: 2520 km
Service Ceiling: 13,565 m
Rate of Climb: 47 m/s
Thrust/Weight: 0.7
Wing Loading: 419 kg/m²
Armament: (fitted for but not with)
Guns: 1 x 30 mm ADEN cannon under nose
5 Hardpoints in total: 4 under wings, 1 centreline Capable of carrying up to 3085 kg of ordnance
Air-to-Air Missiles: 4 x AIM-132 ASRAAM
Bombs: Paveway and Mark 80 bombs


Crew: 2, pilot and co-pilot
Passengers: 12
Length: 14.22 m
Wingspan: 17.65 m
Height: 4.37 m
Empty Weight: 4289 kg
Maximum Takeoff Weight: 7484 kg
Powerplant: 2 x Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-60A turboprops, 580 hp each
Maximum Speed: 590 km/h
Cruise Speed: 525 km/h
Range: 3348 km
Service Ceiling: 10,668 m
Rate of Climb: 12.5 m/s
Takeoff run: 630 m

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