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

[mickk]

While the bulk of Australia's forces are on the southeast coast, there are many bases on its north coast, both empty and used especially near its northern city of Darwin. Much of the Australian forces have as much distance to travel to meet any Indonesian threat as Indonesia. There isn't much in-between, but harsh desert. Indonesia faces seas which don't have much of anything either.

Any amphibious threat will be engaged before the threat ever reached the shores of Australia. F-117s don't have much more range than a Hornet, Super Hornet, and/or Lightning II. Yes, the F-111's range will be missed, but with air tankers the range don't matter anymore.

To invade Australia, one would take Tasmania and use it as an Aircraft Carrier. That possibility is still on the books and included in current strategy.

However, if you could take out Aus and NZ airforces, before the US could get Phillipines/Japan/Coral Sea assets going, you could invade with 20,000 troops and hold the joint for a fair while.

We are lucky that we are surrounded by millions of square miles of nothing, any threat from marine forces would be detected that far in advance it wouldnt be funny.

I spose you could try and hide 20,000 marines in a Car Carrier, but even that would be detected before it began thanks to technology.

We do not share any land borders, so we are immune from conventional incursions/invasions.

It was good to read that the new Govt. is considering considering scrapping the order book and starting anew and will contemplate looking at Sukois, but as we all know, that would never happen.

I just want us to stop falliing for all this second hand crap we keep buying and buy the best available for the job, be it a plate or a plane.

We have decided to play in the big boys game, so we have to cop the cost.

 

[swerve]

To invade Australia, one would take Tasmania and use it as an Aircraft Carrier. That possibility is still on the books and included in ...

To take Tasmania, you have to sail past all the important bits of Australia first, exposing your invasion fleet & their supplies to attack by the RAAF & RAN for a few thousand km. If you can do that, & take Tasmania at the end of it, you've beaten both the RAAF & RAN, & there's no need to take Tasmania; you can go ashore anywhere you want.

Wouldn't it make more sense to invade from the north? Take PNG or Timor Leste or the Solomons as a base, or persuade Indonesia to let you borrow some of their territory?

 

[McTaff]

To take Tasmania, you have to sail past all the important bits of Australia first, exposing your invasion fleet & their supplies to attack by the RAAF & RAN for a few thousand km. If you can do that, & take Tasmania at the end of it, you've beaten both the RAAF & RAN, & there's no need to take Tasmania; you can go ashore anywhere you want.

Wouldn't it make more sense to invade from the north? Take PNG or Timor Leste or the Solomons as a base, or persuade Indonesia to let you borrow some of their territory?

Pretty much - unless you are attacking from South Africa and are going polar first, or South America and feel like taking on the RAAF staging out of NZ, then going for Tas is a waste of time.

Best to land near Broome or Darwin with heavy air support, land your bits and pieces and dig in. After that, you can try to maintain a sustained campaign for Perth and FBW, start stockpiles and base a few wings of strike fighters out of the airfields there.

Mind you, you'd have still had to slap down a few Bugs to do it, and punched a hole in the defences already there. Basing out of Timor or PNG is the best way to do it. The trouble is that when not on our soil, but on someone elses other than their own, the RAN/RAAF/Army have to decide whether to mount an amphibious campaign to stamp out the "red" team. Kind of hard when they are hitting you at the same time - not impossible but certainly a pain in the backside.

 

[Aussie Digger]

To invade Australia, one would take Tasmania and use it as an Aircraft Carrier. That possibility is still on the books and included in current strategy.

As evidenced by the "Army move to the North" basing program...

However, if you could take out Aus and NZ airforces, before the US could get Phillipines/Japan/Coral Sea assets going, you could invade with 20,000 troops and hold the joint for a fair while.

Well attacking via Tasmania isn't going to do much against RAAF Townsville, Scherger, Darwin, Tindal, Amberley, Williamstown, Pearce and RAN bases in Darwin, Cairns, Fleet Base West and East in Sydney.

Logistically it would be an absolutely hideous option and what strategic benefit could possibly be gained from attempting such an operation?

I spose you could try and hide 20,000 marines in a Car Carrier, but even that would be detected before it began thanks to technology.

20,000 seems a bit rich, but what would be the point? They would be completely unsupported...

We do not share any land borders, so we are immune from conventional incursions/invasions.

I'm not so sure we are immune, PNG and FNQ are VERY close and I'm sure a competent or reasonably competent force could slip some specwarries in though again, for what purpose I have no idea.

It was good to read that the new Govt. is considering considering scrapping the order book and starting anew and will contemplate looking at Sukois, but as we all know, that would never happen.

I just want us to stop falliing for all this second hand crap we keep buying and buy the best available for the job, be it a plate or a plane.

We have decided to play in the big boys game, so we have to cop the cost.

Well at least we are now talking about a RAAF related topic. Why should we look at Sukois?

What "second hand crap" has RAAF been buying?

Strange...

 

[lobbie111]

To me the Defence forces should have two forces EAST and WEST, with the same strength for example 75 F-35's on each side distributed around the place and 25 Eurofighter/Suhkoi (Raptors if we could).

Anyone invading us will have a hard time even if they invaded unseen (which they won't) because for the force to invade inconspicoulsy you would have to invade the most remote areas of Australia, which they can have really, once we find them we can cut off their supplies and then leave them, in a couple of weeks they'll come running to surrender.

 

[gf0012-aust]

I'm not so sure we are immune, PNG and FNQ are VERY close and I'm sure a competent or reasonably competent force could slip some specwarries in though again, for what purpose I have no idea.

Depending on the tide mark, there are some PNG islands where you can technically walk to australia. Good luck with the crocs though.....

 

[Aussie Digger]

Depending on the tide mark, there are some PNG islands where you can technically walk to australia. Good luck with the crocs though.....

True, not this little black duck...

Still a "Z force" coming our way could easily come in zodiacs, shoot a few crocs, perhaps blow up a tree or 2, upset Bob Brown and leave again.

Actually I think APA's right. We DO need F-22's and Uber Pigs to counter such a threat!!! :nutkick

Come back Occum, all is forgiven...

 

[Tasman]

To invade Australia, one would take Tasmania and use it as an Aircraft Carrier. That possibility is still on the books and included in current strategy.

The Japanese sent a recce aircraft over Hobart in 1942 but, apart from that, they decided that deploying any forces to take or even harass Tasmania was not worth the effort. Japan had far more powerful expeditionary forces in 1941 than any possible adversary (to Australia) has today.

IMO, the RAAF is far more likely to be involved fighting with allies outside Australia than it is against any invasion force and it should be equipped accordingly. In other words it needs equipment that is compatible with its close allies, that certainly does not include Sukhois.

Tas

 

[lobbie111]

If Australia so decides to get suhkoi's I doubt they will have the same avionics as the basic version and adopt more advanced (speaking about avionics nothing else) western avionics. I saw a video of a vectored thrust suhkoi, it was like watching a ballet, it was great.

As was mentioned in another thread in the forum, someone suggested to convert pigs to unmanned strike/recce craft. This would be great as we will keep our long range strike ability and still be able to project our force way beyond what is planned.

In short, by keeping unmanned or manned F111's we do not need to put F-35's on amphibious ships when there is trouble in our region, we have the force projection we need to cover our troops in our area.

However if like stingray said we will most likly be helping others outside of australia, they would be handy not even to use on ships but to be stored then deployed on land.

 

[gf0012-aust]

If Australia so decides to get suhkoi's

We're not getting sukhois. that was political colour and movement to alert some of the Primes that they're under the gun.

There are a whole series of other systems and projects underway for 2020-2025 release that we are not interested in jeopardising.

We may not be happy with Boeing and Thales, but we definietly won't be buying Sukhoi.

 

[lobbie111]

I diddnt say we were buying suhkoi's...We might if all of a sudden they are the only option (ie world war 3). Would, with the combined economies of the Oceanic region, would a consortium be able to be produce our own indigenous aircraft design? (I know this wouldn't happen either)

To me I cannot see why the Oceanic region forms a similar idea to the EU and develop region specific equipment but I'm not going to comment further as now I'm getting pollitical.

 

[Navor86]

We're not getting sukhois. that was political colour and movement to alert some of the Primes that they're under the gun.

There are a whole series of other systems and projects underway for 2020-2025 release that we are not interested in jeopardising.

We may not be happy with Boeing and Thales, but we definietly won't be buying Sukhoi.

Of which Systems are you talking?

 

[barra]

To take Tasmania, you have to sail past all the important bits of Australia first,

Some of our Taswegian friends may take exception to this comment. Plenty of good and important things have come out of Tassy, Boony, Ponting (until he upset the Indians anyway nfloorl: ) and that wood chopping chap just to name a few.

I suppose the RAAF's dream team would be a combination of about 30x F-22 and 70X F-35 for a Hi-Lo mix unmatchable in S E Asia. The new Defmin has talked the F-22 up while he was opposition Defence spokesman, lets see how he goes convincing the yanks now that they should sell us some. Maybe he has some photos of Bush with a goat or something because I can't see the yanks changing their position on F-22 sales.

As for shaking up Boeing, Thales and BAE by talking about buying Suhkois, they know damn well such a purchase would be to politically unpalateable for any western govt to consider. They know they don't have to worry about another pig with their snout in the trough. God knows they all need a shake up to start delivering on time and budget.

 

[Mr Ignorant]

I hate to say this, but I feel the timing of the review was a bit offputting. The F-22 is one of those aircraft that requires constant heavy duty maintenance and support by US Defence Contractors, not too mention additional assistance from the USAF. I read somewhere these aircraft constantly download its software direct from US Satellites - so it appears that there are quite a of support tiers involved.

I appreciate the notion of operating a fleet of F-22s and F35s - at a combined number of 100 or thereabouts - But is there any solid merit in coughing up more Aussie dollars for what could be an expensive tin god? How much GDP should be dedicated in procuring the F- 22?

PS To Magoo - I couldn't be bothered to add another post, so I edited this a little bit. Also, that wasn't my question. Cheers

 

[Magoo]

I read somewhere these aircraft constantly download its software direct from US Satellites...

Huh? :unknown

I appreciate the notion of operating a fleet of F/A 22s...

It's F-22..., or F-22A to be exact...has been for more than two years now.

 

[mickk]

The reason you would take Tasmania, come up from the south, coz no one thinks anyone would try to invade the joint.

Been lotsa battles and wars won by taking objectives thought impossible to take and not worth worrying about.

I think its just the 14/20 tas regt or similar that is a reserve unit, a patrol boat if lucky, and maybe a PC3 on a good day to defend the joint. Its anyones for the taking, as would be Melbourne or Adelaide. Theres not much about in the southern states.

Youre then what is it? 150k from the mainland with nothing to do but wait for airstrikes from the north?

Take Hobart with 20 Special Forces troops, from a Sub. Parachute in a coupla regts of Infantry to Launny and Hobart. A few Antonovs loaded with gear. Then a few Sukois from long range tankers, 500 troops from a dodgy Antartic research vessel and viola! youre own piece of Australia.

Be a piece of cake, I shoulda been an Indonesian general.

 

[alexsa]

The reason you would take Tasmania, come up from the south, coz no one thinks anyone would try to invade the joint.

Been lotsa battles and wars won by taking objectives thought impossible to take and not worth worrying about.

I think its just the 14/20 tas regt or similar that is a reserve unit, a patrol boat if lucky, and maybe a PC3 on a good day to defend the joint. Its anyones for the taking, as would be Melbourne or Adelaide. Theres not much about in the southern states.

Youre then what is it? 150k from the mainland with nothing to do but wait for airstrikes from the north?

Take Hobart with 20 Special Forces troops, from a Sub. Parachute in a coupla regts of Infantry to Launny and Hobart. A few Antonovs loaded with gear. Then a few Sukois from long range tankers, 500 troops from a dodgy Antartic research vessel and viola! youre own piece of Australia.

Be a piece of cake, I shoulda been an Indonesian general.

Hmmm, day dreaming I see. Out of curiosity where would the Antooves, tanks and sukois fly from, or more to the point over.

Don't bother answering that as it is off thread.

 

[swerve]

Hmmm, day dreaming I see. Out of curiosity where would the Antooves, tanks and sukois fly from, or more to the point over.

Don't bother answering that as it is off thread.

One suspects that Boags may be involved somewhere.

 

[Aussie Digger]

The reason you would take Tasmania, come up from the south, coz no one thinks anyone would try to invade the joint.

Been lotsa battles and wars won by taking objectives thought impossible to take and not worth worrying about.

I think its just the 14/20 tas regt or similar that is a reserve unit, a patrol boat if lucky, and maybe a PC3 on a good day to defend the joint. Its anyones for the taking, as would be Melbourne or Adelaide. Theres not much about in the southern states.

Youre then what is it? 150k from the mainland with nothing to do but wait for airstrikes from the north?

Take Hobart with 20 Special Forces troops, from a Sub. Parachute in a coupla regts of Infantry to Launny and Hobart. A few Antonovs loaded with gear. Then a few Sukois from long range tankers, 500 troops from a dodgy Antartic research vessel and viola! youre own piece of Australia.

Be a piece of cake, I shoulda been an Indonesian general.

JORN would see the Antonovs, Sukois and long range tankers coming and RAAF F/A-18's would be vectored from RAAF Tindal and that would be all she wrote.

Indonesia doesn't have a single operational C-130 and no Antonovs or long range tankers either for that matter.

I suspect you wouldn't be a general there for long...

 

[swerve]

JORN would see the Antonovs, Sukois and long range tankers coming and RAAF F/A-18's would be vectored from RAAF Tindal and that would be all she wrote.

Indonesia doesn't have a single operational C-130 and no Antonovs or long range tankers either for that matter.

I suspect you wouldn't be a general there for long...

Indeed. He may be right about it being possible to pull off a coup de main against Tasmania, or at least a part of it, but it's obvious he hasn't thought through what would happen next. Think Yorktown, or Kabul 1841*, or Stalingrad* . . . . Outnumbered, surrounded, nowhere to go, no help coming . . .

*But without the snow.