Royal Australian Air Force [RAAF] News, Discussions and Updates
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Aussie Digger
Guest
The Super Hornets will be in RAAF service, assuming the new Government doesn't cancel the contract, in 2010 with initial operational capability in 2011.
13 years of support for the entire squadron has been funded up front hence the seemingly huge price tag of the Super Hornets being $6.6b. The squadron should therefore be in-service until 2023/24.
It is an interim aircraft because RAAF will be buying the F-35 to replace it's legacy F/A-18A/B fleet and the F-111 fleet (eventually) however the F-35 won't start delivery prior to 2013/14. Ther Super Hornet will "bridge the gap" in capability lost when the F-111 retires in 2010 until the F-35 can replace the capability around 2017/18.
The Government will by then have made a decision to acquire another batch of F-35's to replace the Super Hornets from 2023/24 or a separate fighter/strike type such as an unmanned combat aircraft, if any are feasible at that point.
G'Day All
This is my first post ever on a forum so please be gentle, I'm not sure if I even clicked the right button to post, but here I go
Has anyone heard of a new unit the RAAF is supposedly to set up as Foward Air Control and that will provide Joint Terminal Attack Controllers? What I read (I can't even remeber where...wikipedia or somewhere else unreliable) is that it will draw recruits from the Airfield Defence Guards and will operate like the USAF Special Tactics Teams.
Is there any truth in this at all or is it some journalist using their artistic licence after hearing about the formation of No.4 Squadron? I've become suspicious of the media after all the stupidly inaccurate things they say (PC-9 fighter jets? Soldiers from the 57th Infantry Battalion? Don't you mean 5/7RAR?nfloorl: ) But anyway, can someone 'in the know' answer my question?
Thanks
This is my first post ever on a forum so please be gentle, I'm not sure if I even clicked the right button to post, but here I go
Has anyone heard of a new unit the RAAF is supposedly to set up as Foward Air Control and that will provide Joint Terminal Attack Controllers? What I read (I can't even remeber where...wikipedia or somewhere else unreliable) is that it will draw recruits from the Airfield Defence Guards and will operate like the USAF Special Tactics Teams.
Is there any truth in this at all or is it some journalist using their artistic licence after hearing about the formation of No.4 Squadron? I've become suspicious of the media after all the stupidly inaccurate things they say (PC-9 fighter jets? Soldiers from the 57th Infantry Battalion? Don't you mean 5/7RAR?
nfloorl: ) But anyway, can someone 'in the know' answer my question?Thanks
A
Aussie Digger
Guest
You've heard correctly. RAAF is establishing a Special Tactics Squadron which will be raised as 4 Squadron in January 2009. It will include the current Forward Air Control and Development Unit (FACDU), plus newly trained JTAC's.This is my first post ever on a forum so please be gentle, I'm not sure if I even clicked the right button to post, but here I go
Has anyone heard of a new unit the RAAF is supposedly to set up as Foward Air Control and that will provide Joint Terminal Attack Controllers? What I read (I can't even remeber where...wikipedia or somewhere else unreliable) is that it will draw recruits from the Airfield Defence Guards and will operate like the USAF Special Tactics Teams.
Is there any truth in this at all or is it some journalist using their artistic licence after hearing about the formation of No.4 Squadron? I've become suspicious of the media after all the stupidly inaccurate things they say (PC-9 fighter jets? Soldiers from the 57th Infantry Battalion? Don't you mean 5/7RAR?
Thanks
They will be JTAC controllers primarily but will have to undergoe elements of Special Operations training to integrate into SOCOMD sub-units.
I expect they will need to undertake SFET (special forces entry test) and pass the Commando course, special forces weapons course and parachute operators course and special forces Sigs and first air courses as a minimum, in addition to their RAAF JTAC qualifications.
Advertisments for volunteers have appeared in Air Force News and apparently the positions are open to ALL musterings and specialisations within RAAF, provided they meet special forces requirements.
Information can be found here:
http://digital.realviewtechnologies.com/flip.asp?xml=defencenews_airforce.xml&i=November 29th 2007
The original plan was to use ADG's to fill the JTAC role. Trials of ADG's were not apparently that successfull (stop laughing AD
: ). As AD says the positions have been advertised across the ADF. I have heard that Army artillery types were more successfull, if they apply to join the JTAC teams they would most likely transfer to the RAAF.Hah, what crap. Turkey will have the alternate centre barrel production centre to Northrop Grumman. Basically they will just be milling 400 big pieces of alumina.
Thanks for that Aussie Digger+ barra. I read that the SASR had USAF Special Tactics Teams attached to them in Afghanistan and Iraq, I guess in future the RAAF will take over that roleThe original plan was to use ADG's to fill the JTAC role. Trials of ADG's were not apparently that successfull (stop laughing AD
Considering the type of JSF work thats already happening here I'd wonder why anyone would get excited about wanting centre barrel work. The billet machining currently being done in Melb for complex components is far more technologically useful....
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Aussie Digger
Guest
I don't have anything against Adgies. I just laugh at the claims of some younger ones who for some reason see themselves as "equals" to SOCOMD operators...The original plan was to use ADG's to fill the JTAC role. Trials of ADG's were not apparently that successfull (stop laughing AD
No disrespect to current adgies, but I recall just prior to ET in 99 that outsourced Garrison Support resulted in a few of the "firies" getting restasked as adgies.I don't have anything against Adgies. I just laugh at the claims of some younger ones who for some reason see themselves as "equals" to SOCOMD operators...
I interviewed some of those early ex "firies" - and they were not the sharpest knives in the drawer.....
Mr Ignorant
New Member
Thanks Aussie Digger.
It makes sense for the RAAF in that respect. The F-111s cannot be employed forever, as I too was wondering why the big pricetag. 13 years of support is adequate and something I belief the RMAF should take into account if ever it contemplates buying a squadron of Super Hornets.
The only other issue is the F-35s but any questions I have had about this type has been answered on this thread already. It's been a lot of reading.
A
Aussie Digger
Guest
It caused a bit of controversy in Australia too, until Government explained it properly. The normal method was to announce the support costs separately or not at all... Be interesting to see the "real" costs of other strike fighter purchases around the world if they included ALL the cost of operating the capability for a similar period of time at the initial announcement of the capability acquisition...
I suspect some apparent "bargains" may not look so good...
Fact is RAAF is buying Super Hornets at the same price as the USN pays for theirs, other platforms such as an evolved F-15 variant or similar would have cost around $30m more per platform for little overall capability improvement, if any...
I am able to compare them because I have been around many Army and Air bases and the Army guards are much more alert, there was a cadet unit that actually managed to get lost out on the surrounding area and the ADG's did not realize they were gone nor did they find them on a perimeter patrol even though they were running communications with them and were on high alert because they got a few new bombs of some kind (don't know which ones) I believe they broke into a building which housed external fuel tanks/pods (not the cadets, some anti war protesters I believe).
I have had enough of these endless talks about the super hornet can someone update me on the caribou and how it's fairing?
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Now here is where I have a problem because it has been many a year since service personel guarded our facilities, so either these events you describe took place a fair while ago or you heard it from a mate who heard it from an old girlfriends brother sort of tale.Now I am not saying that ADGies are SF but being called lazy to describe an entire mustering is a big call.
when was this?
1998-2001 was a time when Garrison Support contracts were basically stipulating that the redundant applicants for the outsourced jobs had to try and be accomodated into available jobs. as a result, RAAF ended up with a few firies, green car drivers etc... who slipped into the adgie role
2002 on and the game changed. far more robust decisions were made and there was a lift in quality across a few points.
Post 1999 Garrison Support meant that perimeter and gate work was often done by the site vendor - so I'd be surprised if any adgies were involved.
Some of the events bleated about in the media actually had nothing to do with the uniforms.
yeah I see the CHUBB guys at the gate all the time, there cars are in the carpark next to the gate, i was talking about the large area around the rear and sides of the base where they train in regards to the cadets being lost, they were having cadet exercises and being supervised by adgies and they lost all contact with them.
I do not have a problem with thew ADGies themselves they are great people and all except they are not as active in their role as some of the army bases ive been to they tend to hang around the WETS all day.
I do not have a problem with thew ADGies themselves they are great people and all except they are not as active in their role as some of the army bases ive been to they tend to hang around the WETS all day.
Just throwing this out there
With all the talk of the ADFs supposed recruitment crisis (I'm not in the ADF so I don't know how bad the situation is) is the RAAF having problems getting pilots?
Because if they are, maybe a good idea would be a New Zealand squadron in the RAAF like the RAAF/RAF and RNZAF/RAF squadrons in the WW2 (there were quite a few in Bomber Command if I'm right) There must be a few Kiwis interested in flying high-end aircraft that aren't in the RNZAF (no offence to the RNZAF but there isn't a lot to compare to F-111s and F/A-18s) and the RAAF could get some more numbers through the door. Its probably a stupid idea because the cost of setting up a new squadron might outweigh the advantadges of getting a few pilots, but thats my 2 cents (maybe the haka can add a bit of flavour to the RAAF:wave :dance :mock )
With all the talk of the ADFs supposed recruitment crisis (I'm not in the ADF so I don't know how bad the situation is) is the RAAF having problems getting pilots?
Because if they are, maybe a good idea would be a New Zealand squadron in the RAAF like the RAAF/RAF and RNZAF/RAF squadrons in the WW2 (there were quite a few in Bomber Command if I'm right) There must be a few Kiwis interested in flying high-end aircraft that aren't in the RNZAF (no offence to the RNZAF but there isn't a lot to compare to F-111s and F/A-18s) and the RAAF could get some more numbers through the door. Its probably a stupid idea because the cost of setting up a new squadron might outweigh the advantadges of getting a few pilots, but thats my 2 cents (maybe the haka can add a bit of flavour to the RAAF:wave :dance :mock )