some nice avalon 17 shots
In pictures: 2017 Australian International Air Show, featuring F-35 Joint Strike Fighter debut
In pictures: 2017 Australian International Air Show, featuring F-35 Joint Strike Fighter debut
Royal Australian Air Force [RAAF] News, Discussions and Updates
Boagrius
Well-Known Member
Managed to get there on Saturday. Was a fanatastic show - I had a great yarn with a USN Hawkeye console operator who was now on exchange working on our E7s. Very interesting perspective given he's looking at the unfolding battlespace on such a regular basis.
Favourite quote though was from one of the USAF Raptor pilots fresh from Tindal. I asked him how much of a challenge facing off with our classic Hornets could really be given the disparity in capability between them and a Raptor.
He responded by saying that the focus of the exercise was mainly about 4th gen/5th gen teaming but that the RAAF pilots were "really good". He described being annoyed at the fact that he "couldn't kill any of them" when placed on Red Team.
Take it with whatever sized pinch of salt you see fit, but I thought it was a nice compliment to the RAAF all the same.
Mmm..nice Bell simulator :spam
It's controlled by the pilot (although in aircraft like the JSF there is a computer sorting out e flight controls to achieve what the pilot wants). It's been going on since F86 sabre days so nothing new.
There is heaps of stuff about Jericho - very impressive stuff from the RAAF. The thing that is great about the way the RAAF are working Jericho is that they have clearly defined the Vision, what they expect to see, and who is responsible for achieving the outcomes and are en letting the operators/SME's sort it out.
As an aside - an announcement regarding red-air. Discovery Air Defence Services - Discovery Air Defence and Air Affairs Australia Win Jet Air Support Trial Contract in Australia
Yep and they were loud compared with the F-18 chase which took off to escort them in. They joined downwind from over the bay and on their first approach both initiated after- burner missed approach. The lead then climbed straight up to 15000 ft according to the commentator while No 2 went round the circuit and landed. No 1 then followed after descending.
Very impressive!
a quick look at their fleet and I almost thought we could see the RAN scooters coming home..... but alas they are ex israeli ....
At the rate the canuck AF is deteriorating Discovery Air could end up as the defacto CAF
a quick look at their fleet and I almost thought we could see the RAN scooters coming home..... but alas they are ex israeli ....
At the rate the canuck AF is deteriorating Discovery Air could end up as the defacto CAF
Sadly it already has more air combat capability than the RNZAF.
I wonder who is out here at the moment for Avalon .......
I am sure that both Bell and Boeing would love to be at those demos too
MB
As it happens Boeing and Bell are here.
Boeing brought a real life AH-64E here and Bell brought a 407 ARH they will be pitching at the SOCOMD light helo project, though whether it is just an impressive mock-up or an aircraft that can actually get up and demonstrate it's capabilities is not known to me anyway.
The Bell guys on the stand said it wasn't a mock-up and I've no doubt it's a real Bell 407, but whether it's weapons and sensors and combat systems actually work or not...
Surely if you are replacing the Tigers you go for a proper attack helicopter such as an Apache.
Reconnaissance is going to be unmanned (and multi-platform) so Apache seems the stand out.
Hopefully they go for enough to properly equip 3 squadrons (though I prefer 4...)
Regards,
Massive
One would hope, but they should have opted for it last time around and they didn't...
The whole 'recon' argument for Tiger over Apache in the Australian context is a crock of shite in my opinion.
What is the capability that Tiger has in the 'recon' role that Apache doesn't?
I don't accept the range argument either because you aren't comparing apples to apples (10t helicopter with a payload to match versus a 6t helicopter and a very light payload comparatively) and even then Tiger needs EFT's to get the range we want anyway and Apaches can be equipped with the same thing.
To me 'recon' was the role that justified acquiring a lesser called capability, supposedly more cheaply. But the complete opposite has turned out to be true. We acquired far less capability at a higher price...
Boagrius
Well-Known Member
The fact that the US themselves are explicitly pushing the Apache into the "ARH" role once occupied by Kiowa et al (eg. via Gray Eagle and MUM-T) would seem to make it an even bigger no-brainer to me. Once upon a (AIR87) time I suppose you could have dismissed it as more of a gunship, but surely not now. Just my 2c...
Even back in the 90's AIR-87 days there was no capability Tiger had that Apache didn't, but Bowing had to down-spec the AH-64D to compete against Tiger and dropped the Longbow Radar.
Nowadays with the Apache's Longbow radar, radar interferometer / Inverse SAR capability, Link 16 integration and UAS control capability, while the Tiger has the EXACT same capability sensor and comms / data-sharing wise it had in the 90's, the argument over which is the better 'recon' asset isn't even close...
Then of course there is the whole 2k ranged targetting capability of the Tiger matched to an 8k ranged missile... But you know I don't like kicking a fellow when he is down...
SpazSinbad
Active Member
Plan Jericho with Ret'd AVM Brown VIDEO from LM (support from RAN):
RAAF F-35 battlespace 09 Mar 2017
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpbTWLXzRjA
RAAF F-35 battlespace 09 Mar 2017
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpbTWLXzRjA
SpazSinbad
Active Member
Back on page 353 & 354 there was a discussion about 'training basic USAF pilots to the F-35A' with the first class going through then. Here is a quote about USAF Basic Student Training to the F-35A: (start: http://www.defencetalk.com/forums/a...news-discussions-updates-6007-353/#post320530 )
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Ex Diamond Shield backgrounder...
Air Warfare Instructors sparkle for Exercise Diamond Shield – Aviation Spotters Online
Air Warfare Instructors sparkle for Exercise Diamond Shield – Aviation Spotters Online
Many thanks for the video link, Spaz. If viewers disregard the obvious PR aspect of what Brown and Di Pietro are required to say, they cover the broad aspects of linked 5-gen very well, in just a few words. Required viewing.
Mark_Evans
Active Member
Long range strike/reconnaissance bomber
With the retirement of the f111, is Australia actually considering anything to replace that capability? Get our hands on a few b1b's to rebuild and maintain the capacity while waiting for access to an export version of the b21?
With the retirement of the f111, is Australia actually considering anything to replace that capability? Get our hands on a few b1b's to rebuild and maintain the capacity while waiting for access to an export version of the b21?
That was kind of replaced by the super hornet.
You could argue that this capability was effectively replaced with a combination of Super Hornets, Growlers and KC30s with longer term plans involving the F-35.
Very interesting, thankyou.
the shornets were the interim F-111 replacement
unless the govt elects to keep them, they will then be replaced by the 4th F-35 squadron.
I suspect that based on the evolving unhappiness in the region, that they may end up staying on when number 4 comes up for govt decision anyway