AN influential air power lobby group wants Australia to acquire long-range unmanned combat aircraft that can fire precision missiles against targets without risk to pilots.

According to the Canberra-based think tank, the Sir Richard Williams Foundation, so-called unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) are developing at such a rapid rate that they could replace manned fighters by the late 2020s. 

In a report entitled ‘Protecting Australia with UAS (unmanned aerial systems)’ launched today the foundation, which is run by former air force chief Errol McCormack, said that UCAVs must be considered in the long-range strike role that the RAAF lacked since the retirement of the F-111. 

Former Labor Defence Minister Stephen Smith kicked off a debate about Australia’s possible purchase of unmanned strike aircraft, but there has been little public reaction to contentious issues such as accidental civilian casualties from remote controlled drone strikes in Afghanistan. 

At present such strikes are carried out by unmanned aircraft such as Predators and Reapers that are not capable of defending themselves from attack. 

However successful trials with aircraft such as the Northrop Grumman X-47B flying from US aircraft carriers indicated that technology was advancing rapidly. 

“While for the foreseeable future, Australian aircrew will still drop weapons, some will do so from the cockpit of an aircraft and some perhaps from the confines of a ground station,’’ the report said. 

Ahead of a major air power conference in Canberra next week, the Williams Foundation said that a cultural shift was underway inside the Australian Defence Force to prepare it for opportunities presented by unmanned aerial systems. 

“Australia needs to start looking at the future acquisition of long-endurance unmanned combat air vehicles (UCAV) and their ability to deliver strike effects,’’ it said. 

“But current UAS limitations, including lack of survivability in contested and denied airspace and the lack of assuredness of communication links and satellite coverage, need to be addressed before their potential can be fully realised.’’ 

The report cites RAAF Chief Air Marshal Geoff Brown pointing out that strike UAS did not make their own decisions on target selection and acceptable levels of collateral damage. 

According to the Williams Foundation unmanned platforms must be able to communicate between each other, to a controlling aircraft or to a ground station. 

“A jammed signal could significantly degrade UCAV combat performance; this is less of an issue for manned fighters because of the skill and judgment resident on board in the aircrew. So while the human element of a fighter aircraft may be able to be stripped away, other areas will need to be enhanced and this will come at a cost.’’ 

In the short-term Australia is more interested in the surveillance capabilities of unmanned aircraft such as the US Navy Triton and the Abbott Government has signalled that it will spend $2.5 billion the capability. 

The Triton (or US Air Force Global Hawk) can remain aloft for 30 hours and cover a vast area of ocean or land with a complex suite of sensors on board. 

“ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) is the growth area for ADF unmanned operations,’’ the report said. 

The Foundation said the Australian Defence Force must position itself as an informed and influential buyer to promote the development of multi-role UAS.