Royal Australian Air Force [RAAF] News, Discussions and Updates

[jack412]

It is getting that and a bit more if this is accurate and given it's unclas publicly stated.
US to base stealth fighter jets in Australia in response to South China Sea tensions | The Independent

The US will begin flying its world-leading F-22 stealth fighters from bases in Australia, amid mounting tensions in the South China Sea.

America's Pacific commander Admiral Harry Harris revealed during a speech at the Lowy Insititute think tank that he had signed an agreement with the Australians to host not just the Raptors, but enough US military assets to constitute a "credible combat power" - saying the US wanted to maintain "enduring interests" in the region

the event
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3veCWzH8-8

 

[MARKMILES77]

Golden opportunity for the RAAF to get two additional A330 tankers cheaply looks like it is about to present itself again.
Australian Aviation reporting two A330-200s (identical to the two the RAAF previously purchased and is converting in to KC-30A tankers currently) are coming to the end of their lease with Qantas. One is less than 8 years old and the other less than 9. Qantas is contemplating returning them to the leasing company.

The same thing happened last year and the RAAF acquired those two aircraft from CIT Aerospace, the leasing company, before handing them over to Airbus Defence for conversion to tankers.
If the Government will fund it, an expansion to 9 KC-30A tankers is a possibility.

 

[Redlands18]

Golden opportunity for the RAAF to get two additional A330 tankers if the Government will fund it, an expansion to 9 KC-30A tankers is a possibility.

There is a requirement in the DWP for a 8th & 9th KC-30s but not for several more years. I suspect that the RAAF already know about these Aircraft. The biggest issue with getting 2 more KC-30s after 2020 will be, can they get aircraft of the same vintage or will we end up with an orphan sub-fleet of 2 Aircraft.

 

[John Newman]

Golden opportunity for the RAAF to get two additional A330 tankers cheaply looks like it is about to present itself again.
Australian Aviation reporting two A330-200s (identical to the two the RAAF previously purchased and is converting in to KC-30A tankers currently) are coming to the end of their lease with Qantas. One is less than 8 years old and the other less than 9. Qantas is contemplating returning them to the leasing company.

The same thing happened last year and the RAAF acquired those two aircraft from CIT Aerospace, the leasing company, before handing them over to Airbus Defence for conversion to tankers.
If the Government will fund it, an expansion to 9 KC-30A tankers is a possibility.

Sounds good, but...

If you have a look at the DIIP, the timeframe (and budget allowance) for possible airframes 8 & 9, doesn't get started till around 2023.

The project timeframe was for the period 2023-31, with a budget range of $1B-$2B.

Not to say that projects can't get shuffled around, but would I hold my breath? Maybe not.

 

[John Newman]

The biggest issue with getting 2 more KC-30s after 2020 will be, can they get aircraft of the same vintage or will we end up with an orphan sub-fleet of 2 Aircraft.

Maybe that is not so much of a problem 'if' the RAAF is looking for a different configuration for that last pair.

If I remember correctly, France is acquiring 12 A330 MRTT's, and a number of the latter airframes will be based on the -200F version with the main deck cargo door.

Not saying the RAAF will or won't, but if it was, better to have France accept a couple in that configuration first.

 

[gf0012-aust]

Not to say that projects can't get shuffled around, but would I hold my breath? Maybe not.

I doubt that RAAF would be remotely interested in shifting other projects - things are already tight

the gloves are off for recruitment to cope with new projects coming online or ramping up - and there aren't the bodies around.

at least some of the 457's will be engineers rather than fruit pickers

 

[John Newman]

Came across this one the other day on Flight Global:

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/pentagon-prioritises-ep-3-role-for-triton-432702/

Interesting to read that approval has been made to give Triton an 'EP-3' type capability on top of it's primary capability and systems (something I wasn't aware of).

I wonder if the RAAF's Triton's will also be configured this way too?

I'm certainly interested to know (if it's ever released in the public domain), how the various combinations of E-7A, P-8A, EA-18G, Triton and G550 will operate as a whole.

The RAAF is certainly going to have some impressive capabilities delivered by those various airframes when they are all in service by the mid 2020's.

(Edit: And not to forget F-35A either!)

 

[gf0012-aust]

I'm certainly interested to know (if it's ever released in the public domain), how the various combinations of E-7A, P-8A, Triton and G500 will operate as a whole.

look up plan jericho

I've got some USAF colleagues in their force planning shops who continue to be gobsmacked at where we are going. we're small enough to bypass some of the hurdles they'd have to jump through to achieve what we are well on the path to.

I would suspect that one of the 8's is destined to be special

 

[John Newman]

look up plan jericho

I've got some USAF colleagues in their force planning shops who continue to be gobsmacked at where we are going. we're small enough to bypass some of the hurdles they'd have to jump through to achieve what we are well on the path to.

I would suspect that one of the 8's is destined to be special

Yes I have read the Plan Jericho PDF before, attached (probably time for a re-read and refresh too!!).

https://www.airforce.gov.au/docs/Plan-Jericho-Booklet.pdf

I like your term 'gobsmacked' about the USAF guys, I'm gobsmacked too with the depth of capabilities all of these different types of airframes are going to deliver to the RAAF, and ADF as whole, too.

Regardless of our size, compared to the big players, there is nothing 'small' about the eventual capabilities that will be available to the Australian Government.


Interesting comment too, you suspect that one of the 8's is destined to be 'special', would that be in conjunction with what the USN is doing, or would that be an Australian specific mod?

 

[John Newman]

I doubt that RAAF would be remotely interested in shifting other projects - things are already tight

the gloves are off for recruitment to cope with new projects coming online or ramping up - and there aren't the bodies around.

at least some of the 457's will be engineers rather than fruit pickers

I think that is pretty spot on.

The RAAF certainly has it's hands full for the next 10 years at least:

* Progressive phase out of the Classic Hornet Fleet
* Progressive phase in of the F-35A fleet
* Introduction of Growler into service
* Phase out the Orion fleet
* Introduction of Poseidon
* Introduction of Triton
* Introduction of the G550 fleet
* PC-9 out, PC-21 in
* C27 in
* Etc, etc.

And at the same time ensuring capabilities are maintained, existing aircraft are upgraded, etc, etc.

Will be a headache, but a good headache, when you consider by around the mid 2020's the 'oldest' airframes in the RAAF fleet will probably be the C-130J's, eg, the current model Herc too!!

And I haven't even mentioned Hawk 127 replacement, the VIP and King Air fleets, or the possible introduction of a Reaper fleet too!!

Yes a headache, but a headache that I'm sure the RAAF is happy to have too.

 

[Oberon]

(Edit: And not to forget F-35A either!)

Speaking of the F-35A, Robert Gottleibsen in The Australian is again banging on about the JSF:

Nocookies | The Australian

How a business/finance reporter is so qualified to write about the technical issues of the F-35 has me sceptical of what he is writing about. He's a big fan of APA and Goon and Kopp too.

 

[John Newman]

Speaking of the F-35A, Robert Gottleibsen in The Australian is again banging on about the JSF:

Nocookies | The Australian

How a business/finance reporter is so qualified to write about the technical issues of the F-35 has me sceptical of what he is writing about. He's a big fan of APA and Goon and Koop too.

Mate, you must have been asleep all day (too much Christmas cheer? Ha ha).

Go have a look at the F-35 General Discussion thread, we've been commenting about that crap all day!!

Cheers,

 

[ngatimozart]

The two RAAF F35A aircraft have had the Block 3i (3iP6) interim software final upgrade with the Block 3F software due for release by the end of this year (2017).

 

[John Fedup]

Mate, you must have been asleep all day (too much Christmas cheer? Ha ha).

Go have a look at the F-35 General Discussion thread, we've been commenting about that crap all day!!

Cheers,

Considering the reading audience (in Canada at least), any reporter at borderline moron level, can write pretty much any BS he or she cares to and it will be feasted upon by the public. How else can you explain the muted opposition to junior's pathetic Superhornet purchase?

 

[south]

http://https://blog.usni.org/2017/01/05/ameri-straya-the-story-of-the-people-behind-the-u-s-australian-partnership-in-electronic-warfare

Good link about how the RAAF are viewed by the USN with regard to the Growler program.

 

[hauritz]

60 minutes did a story on the F-35 last night. Mostly just a fluff piece but you actually get to talk to the pilots and see the planes in action.

https://www.9now.com.au/60-minutes/2016/episode-48

No Kopp or Goon.

 

[SpazSinbad]

http://https://blog.usni.org/2017/01/05/ameri-straya-the-story-of-the-people-behind-the-u-s-australian-partnership-in-electronic-warfare

Good link about how the RAAF are viewed by the USN with regard to the Growler program.

Thanks for the headsup 'south'. I was across the other side of 'J' Hangar when VF-805 hosted the USMC EA-6As in Feb 1971 for the JUCEX that month. Two armed US Marines on guard 24/7 would not allow us to look closely at the aircraft parked outside the hangar. Col. Whitten comments:

" Col Wayne "Flash" Whitten USMC • 4 days ago
Cdr. Great article.. glad to know the standup for the downunder Growler squadron was supported well by all concerned. I know their interest in EW goes back to at least Feb 1971 when we invited to bring a EA-6A det down from Iwakuni to Nowra for a regional fleet exercise supported by the RAAF as well as RAN. Sadly my Marine Corps is on a path taking it the opposite direction from maintaining the long standing partnership with the Navy VAQ community. The Fat Lady is warming up but not yet sung so some of us old hands are trying to reverse that course."

Col. Whitten has written about those times - with a quote below:

VMCJ-1 ON THE ROAD AGAIN by Col. H. Wayne Whitten USMC (Ret)
"...I got to fly a mission on the last day with Buz Shranz which called for us to make 3 chaff runs against the exercise ships. We had to abort the last run due to a low cloud layer and not wanting to bring the chaff back to base I decided to drop it all while we were at altitude some distance from shore. Upon landing I was asked to come to the base radar center where I was shown a line of blinding white still on their ATC radar scopes. I was informed they had received a complaint from Sydney approach control but told not to worry as they promised them the troublesome Yanks would be gone tomorrow!..."
http://www.mcara.us/documents/VMCJ-1_On_the_Road_Again.pdf 91.2Mb)

 

[ADMk2]

60 minutes did a story on the F-35 last night. Mostly just a fluff piece but you actually get to talk to the pilots and see the planes in action.

https://www.9now.com.au/60-minutes/2016/episode-48

No Kopp or Goon.

Twas a puff piece on repeat from about 18 months ago. Still good to see a mostly positive story for a change...

 

[MARKMILES77]

Avalon looks worth attending this year!

Australian Defence Magazine

Australian F-35s at Avalon
25 Jan 2017

Katherine Ziesing | Canberra

ADM understands that both AU-1 and AU-2, the first Australian F-35A JSFs, are planning on making their Avalon debut this year.
This of course is subject to availability, but it will be the first time locals will be able to see the jets up close on the static line. Both jets are currently working at Luke Air Force Base as part of the international training pool. The ADF currently has four pilots (all instructors) and four maintainers (three RAAF and one CASG) at Luke undergoing training.
Avalon this year will be a bonanza for plane spotters and aviation enthusiasts with a number of new RAAF platforms making their debut. This includes:
P-8A
C-27J Spartans
F-18G Growlers
EC135 helicopters for HATS
PC-21
F-model Chinooks (to be confirmed)

 

[SpazSinbad]

"...ADM understands that both AU-1 and AU-2, the first Australian F-35A JSFs, are planning on making their Avalon debut this year...."

Have our F-35As become sentient with an upgrade that enables them to PLAN unaided by RAAFie CHAPpies?