Royal New Zealand Air Force

[Gibbo]

Yea, what a conundrum for the peaceniks they may be force behind closed doors to do their tearing of hair and gnashing of teeth. Got a use for pulled out hair? But I do hope (possibly vainly) for third time lucky.

Lees-Galloway the Labour defence spokesman (yes lefties, he's a man, not a spoked person!) is actually publicly stating the idea is good... but then he is the local MP... LOL! Once he's said that publicly it's going to just that little bit harder for the party hierarchy to go the other way!

I get the impression there might be other locations they are looking at?

From what I can see the F15SG can happily handle Ohakea's runway length, so wonder if the talk of wanting a longer main could suggest they might want to have a AAR coming & going on a semi-regular basis... or even be based there & rotated out.

 

[MrConservative]

With respect to the possibilities of a RSAF Squadron based at OH one must consider the potential nuances that may impact the FAMC mix.

 

[MrConservative]

From what I can see the F15SG can happily handle Ohakea's runway length, so wonder if the talk of wanting a longer main could suggest they might want to have a AAR coming & going on a semi-regular basis... or even be based there & rotated out.

Very warm to what I was thinking about in the previous post Mr Gibbo!

 

[Rob c]

With respect to the possibilities of a RSAF Squadron based at OH one must consider the potential nuances that may impact the FAMC mix.

Hopefully this would be a significant consideration, I only see win-win from most angles. here's hoping.

 

[ngatimozart]

With respect to the possibilities of a RSAF Squadron based at OH one must consider the potential nuances that may impact the FAMC mix.

KC-46 in the mix from Boeing and KC-30 from Airbus?

 

[gf0012-aust]

Very warm to what I was thinking about in the previous post Mr Gibbo!

nah, send them back across the ditch so that they can keep their helicopters company at SWBTA - or better still Tindal so that they keep the periodic visiting F-22's company

 

[gf0012-aust]

defense-aerospace op-ed

Why Singapore Air Force Wants to Invade NZ (excerpt)

 

[MrConservative]

KC-46 in the mix from Boeing and KC-30 from Airbus?

Singapore ordered a half dozen A330 MRTT's.

With the RFI's seeking A2A capability it may colour their decision on either side.

If Singapore knew that there was an available A2A capability right here in NZ for training or for provision in P2P transfer flights then we would be more attractive partner.

It would take a fair bit of extra resources to base a RSAF tanker down at OH. If they had a 'when needed' access to an A2A capability locally (and we are seriously looking at that per the RFI) it does become a very interesting prospect.

 

[MrConservative]

nah, send them back across the ditch so that they can keep their helicopters company at SWBTA - or better still Tindal so that they keep the periodic visiting F-22's company

Hah ... speaking of Tindal. The Yanks could have at least made the effort to send a couple of F-22's across the Tassy for last weekend's Birthday Bash at OH.

Then I would have bothered to drive the 5 hours South to just see it.

 

[recce.k1]

Lees-Galloway the Labour defence spokesman (yes lefties, he's a man, not a spoked person!) is actually publicly stating the idea is good... but then he is the local MP... LOL! Once he's said that publicly it's going to just that little bit harder for the party hierarchy to go the other way!

Good find, that's good to know (and just a wee minor point, Ian McKelvie (National) is actually the local MP, as the airbase is in the Rangitikei electorate). Lees-Galloway (Labour) is the Palmerston North (city) PM but despite the political rivalry, from what I understand the two MP's work together on "Manawatu Defence Hub" initiatives eg in order to boost the regional economy and jobs supporting and supplying the NZDF's army and air force bases in the wider region etc, so it is pleasing to hear that this bi-partisan support continuing in light of the announcement.

In terms of the (Labour) party hierarchy, I could be wrong, but the impression I have of Labour's current leader is that he appears to be more "pro-defence" than the long list of their previous leaders (I base that that on the likes of his previous comments of NZ contributing an ACF to the Syrian/Iraq/ISIL conflict rather than ground troops, well if NZ still had an ACF! And a couple of other side comments he has made that have escaped me atm, that the MSM reported but never picked up on), trouble is, will he make it back into Parliament (on the List) if their Party Vote drops come the next election?

 

[kiwipatriot69]

I wonder what on earth was the logic behind refusing the RSAF basing rights, twice? Ticks all the boxes in my book, a job provider for the local economy, closer ties with our five eyes partner, and the added security a air combat force provides? Whats more, they are paying the rent!

 

[ngatimozart]

I wonder what on earth was the logic behind refusing the RSAF basing rights, twice? Ticks all the boxes in my book, a job provider for the local economy, closer ties with our five eyes partner, and the added security a air combat force provides? Whats more, they are paying the rent!

Singapore is not part of Five Eyes. Never was and very unlikely ever to be.

 

[Rob c]

Singapore is not part of Five Eyes. Never was and very unlikely ever to be.

I was of the understanding that the 5 I was purely about intelligence gathering and sharing of that intelligence, I don't see the connection with the basing of aircraft or other hardware or personnel that are outside of the intelligence community if they don't have any contact or access to that community . If I am wrong I will stand corrected.

 

[gf0012-aust]

Singapore has partnered with FVEY on some INT issues but is not part of the normal relationship

 

[Todjaeger]

Ticks all the boxes in my book, a job provider for the local economy, closer ties with our five eyes partner, and the added security a air combat force provides?

See the above quote;

I was of the understanding that the 5 I was purely about intelligence gathering and sharing of that intelligence, I don't see the connection with the basing of aircraft or other hardware or personnel that are outside of the intelligence community if they don't have any contact or access to that community . If I am wrong I will stand corrected.

Ng was pointing out to kp that Singapore is not a 5I's member as had been stated.

 

[oldsig127]

I wonder what on earth was the logic behind refusing the RSAF basing rights, twice? Ticks all the boxes in my book, a job provider for the local economy, closer ties with our five eyes partner, and the added security a air combat force provides? Whats more, they are paying the rent!

I have no idea, but from the perspective of an Australian it seems a bit odd. We've had 126SQN RSAF based at the Oakey Army Aviation Centre for a decade without any particular issue of which I'm aware.

oldsig

 

[MrConservative]

In terms of the (Labour) party hierarchy, I could be wrong, but the impression I have of Labour's current leader is that he appears to be more "pro-defence" than the long list of their previous leaders (I base that that on the likes of his previous comments of NZ contributing an ACF to the Syrian/Iraq/ISIL conflict rather than ground troops, well if NZ still had an ACF! And a couple of other side comments he has made that have escaped me atm, that the MSM reported but never picked up on), trouble is, will he make it back into Parliament (on the List) if their Party Vote drops come the next election?

In a way yes he is. He is probably where Goff and Shearer were on the pro defence spectrum on the right of the labour party.

Little comes from the EPMU who have quite a solid engineers section who are generally very pro aviation work in the country.

If we had stayed with the F-16 procurement and retention of the ACF we could have always had a flight attached to the European Participating Air Wing of 4 nations.

Another good point in Little's cap is that he has not played partisan activist politics over the intelligence services and is holding the line in that policy area over the Alliance faction who have taken over quite a few of the electorate branches in the last 5 years. And he is also showing disinterest in having the Greens anywhere near that select committee.

https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/han...ntelligence-and-security-committee-membership

The above is an interesting read from Hansard.

 

[MrConservative]

I thought that the rationalisation of Linton to a OH Joint Superbase as was once mooted was part of it. Now security issues may have played a part in that - but also competing infrastructural and spatial issues.

 

[Cadredave]

I have no idea, but from the perspective of an Australian it seems a bit odd. We've had 126SQN RSAF based at the Oakey Army Aviation Centre for a decade without any particular issue of which I'm aware.

oldsig

When the gunner's visit Waiouru Army base they are always fully escorted and never left alone in any room with computers tied to our system, also a clear desk policy is in place fully & all ABCA or NATO pams are locked away they are good friends but are known to be hoovers if left alone.

CD

 

[MrConservative]

I was of the understanding that the 5 I was purely about intelligence gathering and sharing of that intelligence, I don't see the connection with the basing of aircraft or other hardware or personnel that are outside of the intelligence community if they don't have any contact or access to that community . If I am wrong I will stand corrected.

FVEY's is essentially these days an umbrella term that covers the 5 partnership nations relationships involving a number of specific intelligence and security groups including protocols and technicals.

To give you an idea of its significance in terms of international politics our FVEY membership was at the heart of the reason why NZ was inside the first 15 nations that had formal calls from Mr Trump - well ahead of some major regional powers.

And the morons in our so called media thought it was because the Don was a big Bob Charles fan ....