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

[gf0012-aust]

One C‑17A can carry up to four C-130 Hercules loads in a single lift and cover twice the distance in three-quarters of the time of a C‑130 Hercules.

Mr Smith said that acquisition of an additional C-17 would almost certainly obviate any need for the acquisition of two additional C-130J-30 aircraft under project AIR 8000 Phase 1.

welcome to SRP

 

[Aussie Digger]

welcome to SRP

I was wondering about the cost of 1 C-17 v 2 Hercules. One would have to think the single aircraft would be cheaper overall.

Fortunately it's also more capable, except in simultaneous deployment instances. Now if we can only get Smith to hurry up the Battlefield Airlifter project and to acquire a proper squadron number (ie: 12) rather than the seemingly odd 10 currently planned...

 

[gf0012-aust]

I was wondering about the cost of 1 C-17 v 2 Hercules. One would have to think the single aircraft would be cheaper overall.

on their own the economies and efficiencies of scale add up, even more so when you start looking at theatre lift.. eg 5 c17s gives us 4 available most times - thats an ability to life as much as 8 on equiv range, but a whole lot more the deeper you go. A smart decision.

Fortunately it's also more capable, except in simultaneous deployment instances. Now if we can only get Smith to hurry up the Battlefield Airlifter project and to acquire a proper squadron number (ie: 12) rather than the seemingly odd 10 currently planned...

yeah well, small steps...

 

[meatshield]

on their own the economies and efficiencies of scale add up, even more so when you start looking at theatre lift.. eg 5 c17s gives us 4 available most times - thats an ability to life as much as 8 on equiv range, but a whole lot more the deeper you go. A smart decision.



yeah well, small steps...

Do you think they would seriously think about buying 2 due to the Aus$ being so high at the moment. If so would they get ride of more C130's?

 

[gf0012-aust]

Do you think they would seriously think about buying 2 due to the Aus$ being so high at the moment. If so would they get ride of more C130's?

any savings on programs due to exchange rate advantages are going back into the bucket to help pay for SRP.

getting another C-17 is because RAAF are giving up on something else.

to get more, RAAF would either need to give up more or convince another service that they needed less so that RAAF could spend the money

the spend bucket is capped even on favourable exchange rates

 

[Aussie Digger]

any savings on programs due to exchange rate advantages are going back into the bucket to help pay for SRP.

getting another C-17 is because RAAF are giving up on something else.

to get more, RAAF would either need to give up more or convince another service that they needed less so that RAAF could spend the money

the spend bucket is capped even on favourable exchange rates

I could live with 7-8 Battlefield Airlifters if it meant RAAF could operate a fleet of 6x C-17s, but I suspect after this decision that the airlift fleet will pretty much consolidate on:

5x C-17s,
5x KC-30 MRTTs
12x C-130J-30s,
10x Battlefield Airlifters.

Still a very capable force compared to 5 years ago, but more is always better...

 

[south]

AD - wrt your question on Wedgetail in T5C re top speed.

Most likely 340KCAS. Obviously the higher you go the higher a TAS you will get from that. At 41kft your TAS is effectively double your CAS.

 

[meatshield]

I could live with 7-8 Battlefield Airlifters if it meant RAAF could operate a fleet of 6x C-17s, but I suspect after this decision that the airlift fleet will pretty much consolidate on:

5x C-17s,
5x KC-30 MRTTs
12x C-130J-30s,
10x Battlefield Airlifters.

Still a very capable force compared to 5 years ago, but more is always better...

I thought the RAAF where still running with 5 or 6 C130H's therefore add 2 C17's and delete the H's.

Also I've read that the new tankers can be plumbed up for medical evac but the RAAF haven't taken up the option. Would be very useful thing to have.

 

[meatshield]

[]

"Officials in the C-17 program told Aviation Week last year that a fifth Australian C-17 was a possibility (Aerospace DAILY, May 28, 2010). At that time, there also was consideration of a sixth aircraft that would be operated jointly with New Zealand."Aviation Week

Just read this.

 

[StevoJH]

I thought the RAAF where still running with 5 or 6 C130H's therefore add 2 C17's and delete the H's.

Also I've read that the new tankers can be plumbed up for medical evac but the RAAF haven't taken up the option. Would be very useful thing to have.

Thats probably something that could be relatively quickly set up though. Rip out the seats and strip whatever you need out of an army field hospital.

 

[gf0012-aust]

Also I've read that the new tankers can be plumbed up for medical evac but the RAAF haven't taken up the option. Would be very useful thing to have.

the medevac modules would require some of the engineers to get their maths right first

those modules are an issue. there's a lesson in here if you scrape hard

 

[Aussie Digger]

I thought the RAAF where still running with 5 or 6 C130H's therefore add 2 C17's and delete the H's.

Also I've read that the new tankers can be plumbed up for medical evac but the RAAF haven't taken up the option. Would be very useful thing to have.

At the present time RAAF still does operate -H model Hercs. However C-17A is their replacement. I think the -H fleet is due to be retired entirely by 2013.

I vaguely recall a story about the C-130J-30's needing the full EWSP kit and clearances for the full range of tasks the Hercs undertake, before the -H fleet can be retired fully.

I'll try and find out over the next day or so...

 

[harryriedl]

At the present time RAAF still does operate -H model Hercs. However C-17A is their replacement. I think the -H fleet is due to be retired entirely by 2013.

I vaguely recall a story about the C-130J-30's needing the full EWSP kit and clearances for the full range of tasks the Hercs undertake, before the -H fleet can be retired fully.

I'll try and find out over the next day or so...

That was definitely a problem with the RAF hercs not sure if they solved it, I think in the RAF case it was to do with the props as well.

 

[t68]

I was looking through you tube and i came across some footage of C130 using JATO (jet assisted take off) experiments, and i recall some time ago Myth busters look at the JATO assisted car.

Has the RAAF ever looked at something like this, what sort of problems would happen if these where used on a regular basis on fatigue for the airframe. Does the USAF regular use it when required for an overloaded aircraft, besides using the C130 plus JATO to take off in Antarctica? So far i have come across the C130 Hercules, F-100 super Sabre and the B47 Stratojet using the system.

What is the possibility of a strengthened airframe on a C27J and using JATO to give it more of a shorter take off foot print similar of a DHC-4 Caribou? Obviously there has to be a weight trade off due to a stronger airframe plus a number of JATO rockets would be of any benefit?

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71DXDvlV9sc"]YouTube - World's Shortest Runway - F-100 Rocket Assisted Takeoff (1958)[/nomedia]

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1meoIL_JbZA&feature=related"]YouTube - LC130 Jato Takeoff[/nomedia]

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JL4mrxUtjxQ"]YouTube - B-47 JATO takeoff[/nomedia]

 

[uuname]

Looks like the fifth C-17 is now publicly confirmed.

RAAF Base Amberley will become home to another C-17 Globemaster.

Defence Minister Stephen Smith told ABC24 reporter Lyndal Curtis yesterday that the C-17 will be acquired “as quickly as we can”.

RAAF Base Amberley, near Ipswich, is home to four C-17s and the Super Hornet fighter jets.

Smith confirms C-17 purchase - Local News - News - Ipswich News

Another source:

The federal government will buy another giant heavy transport aircraft to help bolster Australia's disaster relief capabilities.

The Air Force acquired four C-17s under a $2 billion deal in 2006, and earlier this month, the government said it was considering a fifth.

Aust to buy another heavy transport plane

Seems a sensible decision. They have apparently become Australia's #1 choice for offering support in most situations, so I guess it's easy to show the need for them...

Stephen Smith certainly does like to talk them up.
Transcript: Interview With Lyndal Curtis, ABC24 | Scoop News

I'm a little suprised they sent one to help in Japan- I would have thought the US had more than enough capacity there, but I suppose there really isn't much else Australia can do to help...

 

[meatshield]

Awesome news about the c17.

The C17 would be pretty useful up in Japan. With roads, rail and ports taken out runways would be easy to get going compared to that.

 

[SASWanabe]

Operation PACIFIC ASSIST – Two additional RAAF C-17s deployed

Last night and early this morning, at the request of Japan and the United States, two Royal Australian Air Force C-17 aircraft departed RAAF Pearce near Perth for Yokota Air Base west of Tokyo, carrying equipment to assist Japan’s efforts at the Fukushima No 1 Nuclear Power Plant.

seems like the C-17s are pulling their weight, does anyone know what the other ones up to? still in Chch?

 

[Aussie Digger]

Operation PACIFIC ASSIST – Two additional RAAF C-17s deployed



seems like the C-17s are pulling their weight, does anyone know what the other ones up to? still in Chch?

Runs to Christchurch.

Normal peacetime domestic taskings and exercise support/deployments.

Runs to the MEA. Flights directly into Afghanistan.

Supporting Red Flag deployments, the list goes on and on.

No wonder RAAF wants as many as it can get...

 

[meatshield]

Runs to Christchurch.

Normal peacetime domestic taskings and exercise support/deployments.

Runs to the MEA. Flights directly into Afghanistan.

Supporting Red Flag deployments, the list goes on and on.

No wonder RAAF wants as many as it can get...

Yep 2 would have been better. The last few week has shown that when things go bad you want people and gear moved fast! C17 ticks all the right boxes..

 

[StingrayOZ]

Well very interested in this Aust/NZ shared C-17. Would be a big step in the right direction. Certainly a great deal for NZ, it would have capacity that it would otherwise never have and yet cost very little for the privilege. Also tying ADF and NZDF closer, the synergies are interesting. Flying a herc out of NZ for anything (except sydney/melb) has got to be pretty painful.

I've seen a fair bit of F-18 and C-17 action out at richmond, middle of the night runs. The F-18 have been buzzing the valleys around my place a fair bit. Im about 30 km from richmond in a national forest.