Sea Power: Hawklink for Oz? | ADM April 2012

Julian Kerr | Sydney

Equipping RAN Anzac-class frigates to utilise the Hawklink Tactical Common Data Link on the MH-60R combat helicopters that will enter Australian service in 2014 is part of contractual discussions that should be concluded by March, a Lockheed Martin spokesman said during the exposition.

Although contracts covering the $3.2 billion purchase of 24 MH-60Rs have already been agreed, discussions on Australian Industry Content, intended to maximise the participation of Australian industry in the program on a best value for money basis, have yet to be completed.

Hawklink provides a dedicated encrypted 10 MB per second Ku-band line-of-sight datalink allowing the host ship to access in realtime whatever the helicopter is seeing.

The RAN is known to be particularly interested in having immediate access to FLIR images, which would help to inform command decisions in anti-piracy and border protection missions.

The Australian MH-60Rs will be delivered fitted with Hawklink capability, but utilising this will require new antennae on Anzac class ships and the integration of the Hawklink feed into the frigates’ Saab 9LV combat systems.

Rear Admiral Mark Campbell, head helicopter systems division at DMO, confirmed Australian interest in Hawklink to ADM but said scheduling the relevant upgrades to the eight Anzacs could be an issue.