[UPDATED] Defence signs multi-million dollar contract with Raytheon Australia for Joint Adversarial Training and Testing

Defence signs multi-million dollar contract for Joint Adversarial Training and Testing [This story has been updated on the 3rd of March 2020 at 10:45am with comments from Defence.]  Defence has recently signed a $330 million dollar contract with Raytheon Australia Pty Ltd to deliver Joint Adversarial Training and Testing Services (JATTS) to the Australian Defence Force (ADF) for a period of eight years. In a news release issued on Saturday morning,  Defence says that the JATTS contract consolidates three existing contracts that form the ability to support ADF exercises with ‘enemy’ airborne force aircraft, aerial targets, and electronic warfare capabilities across a range of ADF platforms including: The Air Force‘s Joint Strike Fighter, Super Hornet, Growler, Wedgetail airborne early warning and control capabilities and ground based Aircraft Control Units; Navy’s Helicopter Frigate and Guided Missile Destroyer capabilities; and Army’s Ground Based Air Defence Capabilities. The critical services to be delivered by the JATTS contract includes aerial opposing force effects, manned and unmanned targets and sophisticated electronic attack. The contract also introduces two new additional capabilities: the testing, training and certification of ADF Identification Friend or Foe Mode 5 interrogation systems; and advanced airborne threat simulations Consisting of over 94 per cent Australian Industry Contribution, the JATTS contract will utilise approximately 88 Raytheon Australia and sub-contractor personnel, predominantly based in the Nowra region of New South Wales. Defence told APDR that the JATTS contract is an amalgamation and replacement for the following previous Defence contracts, which saw Air Affairs Australia provide Jet Air Support to ADF training, Air Target Services  with the provision of Aerial Towed Targets and services, and Electronic Warfare Training Services (EWTS) for ADF Identification Friend or Foe by Raytheon Australia. JATTS will employ seven Learjet 35/36, one Learjet 31 and two Learjet 60 aircraft, with access to additional aircraft if required to act as Live Opposing Force (OPFOR) aircraft. Eight aircraft are configured to carry a range of ADF external stores, including target launchers and target-reeling machines, podded systems and research and development equipment. Defence added that the EWTS aircraft is fitted with specialist equipment to perform integrated employment of Communications Electronic Attack (EA), Radar EA, Radar and Threat Simulation and Counter-measure Dispensing capabilities, and “provides airborne real-world and realistic simulated adversarial EW training for ADF warfare and Command teams to provide them with the required level of understanding of, and effect on, significantly differing Electromagnetic Environments (EME) across all combat domains”. In its response to APDR’s questions, Defence also provided further details on the two “new additional capabilities” that will be provided under JATTS. Two aircraft in the JATTS fleet have been modified, equipped and certified for IFF Mode 4/5 certification, test and training services for long term testing and certification of Mode 5 IFF, Model Select (Mode S) and the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B). In addition, one of the OPFOR aircraft is modified and certified for carriage of the Future Advanced Threat Simulator (FATS) Pod. This will be used for the testing and validation of “the effectiveness of Royal Australian Navy (RAN) EW systems such as the NULKA active missile decoy system. Both additional capabilities were previously provided to Defence on an ad-hoc basis, and are now incorporated as part of the core services under the new JATTS contract It however appears that there is no provision for fast-jet OPFOR services under the JATTS contract, which has been an increasing focus in advanced Western air forces following the introduction of advanced combat aircraft such as the Lockheed-Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter. However, the original announcement of the JATTS contract noted that it “is designed evolve over the term of the contract to ensure it remains contemporary and continually satisfies the ADF’s requirements during a time of significant Defence capability expansion.”, which holds open the possibility that such a provision could be added in the future. Defence had previously carried out a two-year trial for contracted fast jet adversary services utilising three Dornier Alpha Jet trainers provided by Canadian company Top Aces which ended in the middle of 2019.