I said that I wouldn't, but I have ...
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Project Karearea - Swedish Lance into a New Zealand FalconIn 1974, the Government of New Zealand availed itself of the opportunity of purchasing retired RAAF aircraft at steeply discounted prices. The gem in this deal were twenty Saab (GAF) AF-32
Lance 2-seat fighters. These Swedish-built aircraft had been retired from RAAF service in 1969 and had been languishing in open storages at the Woomera Prohibited Area. The
Lance was a rather large fighter but their purchase helped make up for the cancellation of a A-4K/TA-4K
Skyhawk buy back in 1970.
After some refurbishment by the Government Aircraft Factory (a component of the purchase deal), the first
Lances were ferried to RNZAF Base Ohakea where they were taken on strength by No 2 Squadron RNZAF - that unit later providing
Lance pilot conversion for No 75 Squadron and the recently-reformed No. 26 Squadron. The latter unit was stood up again specifically for the maritime strike role. The F-32
Lance - as it was referred to by the Kiwis - certainly had the range for this role but its load-out of 30 mm cannons and unguided rockets was consider less than ideal. [1] However, armament and sensor improvements would have to wait for the time being.
Between 1976 and 1978, a series of incremental improvements and updated were made to the Kiwi F-32 fleet. That these 20-year-old aircraft were becoming outdated was obvious but the sturdy airframes had life in them yet. The most important upgrade was the replacement of the original Saab Mk 1 rocket-boosted ejection seats with new Martin-Baker PB Mk 4B 'bang seats' (as used in the RNZAF's
Strikemasters). The aging CAC-built Rolls-Royce
Avon engines were also replaced over time - by later-model Svenska Flygmotor RM6s (the Swedish-built variant of the
Avon). Investigations were also made into modernizing avionics and sensors, but action on these items would have to wait for a more comprehensive
Lance upgrade programme.
Project Karearea - Swedish Lance into a New Zealand FalconIn 1983, the RNZAF initiated Project
Karearea [2] to improve the capabilities of its ex-RAAF Saab
Lance fleet. It was originally planned that the original Swedish PS-432/A radar would be replaced by the Ferranti Airpass II
Blue Parrot (as on the Blackburn
Buccaneer) and a trial installation was made prior to the launch of Project
Karearea. Testing of the so-called F-32X 'test mule' suggested that the RNZAF should find a more modern search radar (as well as a better anti-shipping missile than the Hawker Siddeley/Matra AS 37
Marte). Fortunately, Saab had already tested the PS-37/A radar (intended for the new JA37
Viggen) on a J32
Lansen airframe. This set was chosen for the Project
Karearea radar upgrade. [3]
Bottom The sole F-32X trials mule seen in later days. In No 14 Sqn service, NZ6203 was dubbed '
Te Muera' ('The Mule'). Here, the F-32X retains its unique
Buccaneer radome - although, in 1989, it actually housed a General Instrument ALR-66 radar set on lone for trials.
Note that NZ6203 has also been used to trial the single-seat cockpit mod intended for the unrealized F-32NG upgrade. The rear cockpit space was largely filled with a new fuel tanks (allowing '03 to dispense with the usual
Lance belly fairing). The 'hi-viz' markings sported by NZ6203 were unique on
Lance wearing the overall green scheme introduced during Project
Karearea.
The new LM Ericsson PS-37/A monopulse X-band radar introduced by Project
Karearea was optimized for maritime tracking. The new radar's big, 70 cm diameter antenna greatly expanded the options for new anti-shipping armament. of twin, wing-mounted Hawker Siddeley/Matra AS 37
Martel missiles. [3]
Saab proposed integrating the Rb 75, Sweden's version of the AGM-65A
Maverick TV-guided missile. However, the David Lange-led Labour government which took power in 1984 was in no mood to buy US-made armaments. This proved to be of little concern to the RNZAF which had taken a shine to the new BAe
Sea Eagle - a sea-skimming, radar-guided missile. That missile was chosen and entered RNZAF service in June 1986. A key perceived advantage of the
Sea Eagle was that, once the British missile was launched, it became completely autonomous. The anti-shipping
Lances could safely launch their missiles from more than 100 km out and the active radar
Sea Eagles would find their own way to the target.
Top A
Sea Eagle-armed F-32M
Lance of No 75 (Maritime Strike) Squadron, flying out of RNZAF Base Ohakea in late 1986. Note, like all F-32Ms, NZ6209 has four gun ports. In fact, only two 30 mm ADEN cannons were fitted to the F-32M as a weight-savings measure.
Two of the RNZAF's operational squadrons traded primary missions during the Project
Karearea upgrades. A former fighter squadron, No 75 received F-32Ms and
Sea Eagle missiles. In turn, No 26 became a fighter squadron flying
Sidewinder-armed F-32Bs in the interceptor role. [4] No 14 Squadron became the Air Combat Force OTU - flying both the dual-control TF-32
Lance and
Jet Provost from RNZAF Base Woodbourne. No 2 Squadron remained at RNZAF base Ohakea but gave up its
Lance for BAC
Strikemasters. These updated
Lances remained in service until 2001 when the Labour Government of Helen Clark eliminated the Air Combat Force from the RNZAF's structure. Although than two preserved examples - one F-32B and one F-32M - the retired
Lances were all scrapped at the maintenance facility at Woodbourne.
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[1] In early RNZAF service, the
Lances usually carried four of six-round, 135 mm Bofors M70 rocket pods.
[2] Karearea is the Maori name for the New Zealand Falcon (
Falco novaeseelandiae).
[3] A Ferranti/Elliot dual-band Q/X-band radar had also been examined. However, this set was eliminated from the Project
Karearea due to this radar's experimental nature (and unnecessary emphasis on ground-following).
[4] Unlike other upgraded RNZAF
Lance variants, the F-32B retained its four-gun fixed armament.