asiapacificdefencereporter.com
While the opportunity would certainly be there if we asked or they offered, whether or not we would go through with it is a different story. I would at this point rather we purchased some of Spains surplus A400M seeing as they can carry the NH-90 and the NVLAV without having to remove the turret, and they can take more further in general. The A400M has also matured a bit more since the C-130H replacement program and I think it'd be a fine fit. Although more C-130J-30s is good nonetheless, yet I highly doubt we would be buying anymore at least right now and I also doubt an A400M purchase is on the table with it being even less likely.ADF to fast-track expanded Hercules fleet - APDR
The ADF is set to fast-track the acquisition of an expanded fleet of new Lockheed Martin C-130J Hercules transports to replace the current C-130Js that have been in service since 1999.
Does this RAAF C130 order provide an opportunity for the NZG to add a couple more C130 to NZ at a better price than a one off small order?
What order? Little more than speculation by a Defence Magazine at this stage, have they seen the report from the review team already? Everything is on hold right now; the current Government is not going to do anything until they have that review in their hands. Anyway any C-130 order would be an FMS sale through the Pentagon, and we would pay the same price per Aircraft as the US Military does.ADF to fast-track expanded Hercules fleet - APDR
The ADF is set to fast-track the acquisition of an expanded fleet of new Lockheed Martin C-130J Hercules transports to replace the current C-130Js that have been in service since 1999.
Does this RAAF C130 order provide an opportunity for the NZG to add a couple more C130 to NZ at a better price than a one off small order?
I have a problem with us acquiring the A400M because of the problems surrounding it. WRT the NH90 the rotor head and mast have to be removed to fit it inside the A400M because of the hold height being to low.
Agreed on that part, yet buying surplus A400s from Spain would be cheap and it still does give us the capability of transporting the NH-90. My preference would be C-17s but that's not going to happen. C-2 is a good option and I read back a few years on this thread to see what peoples thoughts were on it and it seems like a good aircraft. I do have two questions though, is it certified to carry the NH-90? as in has it actually had one loaded in it before and gotten the thumbs up? and is it proven?
No it's not certified to carry the NH90 and given the current war in Ukraine, I think that the surplus Spanish A400M may not be surplus much longer.
I would expect that the certification to carry the NH-90 in the C-2 should be either a joint effort between Japan and NZ as a precondition for a purchase or it is the responsibility of RNZAF to provide the supplemental certification after any possible purchase. The certification prior to parting with the cash would seem to be the more prudent approach.
There are no flyable MB-339s in the country, however the one at classic flyers in Tauranga is in a taxiable condition.
Could be an L-39 Albatros (this beastie). There are a couple in NZ, iirc, and they look pretty similar to an Aermachi. Used to see one flying over Central Otago every now and then. I'd ask over at the WONZ forum, somebody there is bound to know
OFF TOPIC.
While that would be more logical this definitely was the svelte italian lines of the mb339 (not too say the albatross is a bad looking plane) . Just not sure if it was a real one.
More likely spooked by both China and Ukraine, what part of the news was this and was it channel one or three? Seeing as it's a labour government right now that's quite surprising to hear.
Channel one. 6pm news today.
Yup, just went on TVNZ on demand. This is massively interesting.
Retention is a huge issue right now, just manpower in general is a MASSIVE issue and I can't even emphasize that enough.