ADF-SERIALS
Australian
& New Zealand Military Aircraft Serials & History
RAN N28 BAE MQM-107E Kalkara
The first Kalkara flight was conducted from Jervis Bay on June 19, 1998 and the Kalkara was also operated from HMAS Stirling and the Woomera Weapons Range in South Australia with operational flights commencing in February 1999.
After nearly four years of trials and operations, a Kalkara successfully flew mission 100 on Thursday March 27,2006 from Gilbert Point at HMAS Stirling while the Kalkara Flight was conducting development trials and providing aerial targets to ships missile systems.
The Kalkara Unmanned Aerial Target System (UATS) achieved the Operational Release (OR) on August 10,2006.
During the OR process the Kalkara system was awarded an Australian Military Type Certificate (AMTC) and became the first UAV in the world to successfully achieve a full AMTC in August 2000. Today most UAV/UAT systems in the world follow the Kalkara example and hold an AMTC or equivalent for their country of operation.
The Kalkara proved to be a
valuable asset to the ADF as it was the target system used for the
introduction of at least three missile systems into the AF including
ASRAAM and AMRAAM for the RAAF, and ESSM for the RAN.
The Kalkara system was to be the last fixed wing aircraft to be owned
and operated by the RAN.
Launched using rocket-assisted take-off from a cradle, Kalkara was been operated from basic facilities in locations on Australia’s East and West coasts working for Navy. It has also been operated at the Air Weapons Range in Woomera in inland South Australia for work with the RAAF fighter force.
The Kalkara was capable of
operation between 100 feet and 40,000 feet and its top speed is Mach
0.86. Depending on it planned flight profile, its endurance was about 30
to 60 minutes.
With a 6-G manoeuvre limit and low-level speed of around 360 knots,
Kalkara could simulate missile and aircraft profiles that challenge the
ships’ and fighter aircraft weapon systems and operators alike. Although
Kalkara was normally fitted with a variety of towed targets from the
HUTTS target family or could be fired at directly while being
manoeuvred.
| RAN Serial | Airframe History |
| N28-1 | In Service with the RAN 1998-2008. |
| N28-2 | In Service with the RAN between 1998 and 2008. |
| N28-3 | In Service with the RAN between 1998 and 2008. |
| N28-4 | In Service with the RAN between 1998 and 2008. |
| N28-5 |
Shot down during exercises by a RAAF F/A 18 Hornet fighter off
Jervis Bay on the 15/12/2001. It was found by a group of walkers four months later after having washed up on a beach south of Cronulla, more than 130 kms north of where it was shot down. It has since been restored by Boeing Australia and was presented to the Fleet Air Arm Museum, Nowra on the 24/08/2005.
|
| N28-6 | In Service with the RAN between 1998 and 2008. |
| N28-7 | In Service with the RAN between 1998 and 2008. |
| N28-8 | In Service with the RAN between 1998 and 2008. |
| N28-9 | In Service with the RAN between 1998 and 2008. |
| N28-10 | In Service with the RAN between 1998 and 2008. |
| N28-11 | In Service with the RAN between 1998 and 2008. |
| N28-12 | In Service with the RAN between 1998 and 2008. |
| N28-13 | In
Service with the RAN between 1998 and 2008.
|
| N28-14 | In Service with the RAN between 1998 and 2008. |
| N28-15 | In
Service with the RAN between 1998 and 2008.
|
| N28-16 | In Service with the RAN between 1998 and 2008. |
| N28-17 | In Service with the RAN between 1998 and 2008. |
| N28-18 | On
Display at Avalon 2001. In Service with the RAN between 1998 and 2008.
|
| N28-19 | In Service with the RAN between 1998 and 2008. |
| N28-20 | In Service with the RAN between 1998 and 2008. |
