t68
Well-Known Member
Care to elaborate, link goes nowhere "Not found, error 404"
Royal New Zealand Air Force
- Thread starter Lucasnz
- Start date
Doubt it because if that was the case it would go to Ohakea or Auckland and the exercise has already started. Could just be a NAVEX or delivering something to the High Commission etc.
https://www.defense.gov/News/Articl...partners-kick-off-mobility-guardian-exercise/
Exercise Mobility Guardian 2017
Scheduled events include formations of aircraft from the United States, Brazil and Colombia and a joint forcible entry from an intelligence alliance composed of service members from the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Canada.
Exercise Mobility Guardian 2017
Scheduled events include formations of aircraft from the United States, Brazil and Colombia and a joint forcible entry from an intelligence alliance composed of service members from the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Canada.
Redlands18
Well-Known Member
40 deg south
Well-Known Member
https://www.defensenews.com/trainin...and-issues-rft-for-nh90-helicopter-simulator/
A bit more detail from Defense News on the planned NH90 simulator buy.
Does Australia have a simulator? If so, I'm surprised NZ doesn't simply buy some time on it.
Perhaps it is at full capacity with Australian needs, or the NH90 variants may be too different for it to be worthwhile?
A bit more detail from Defense News on the planned NH90 simulator buy.
Does Australia have a simulator? If so, I'm surprised NZ doesn't simply buy some time on it.
Perhaps it is at full capacity with Australian needs, or the NH90 variants may be too different for it to be worthwhile?
40 deg south
Well-Known Member
https://twitter.com/70SqnA400M?lang=en
The RAF is also turning up with the A400m, which may give NZ another chance to see it in action.
I'm struck by the sheer number of exercises NZ is participating in, now that we are good buddies with the US again.
Yep the RFT was released last week from memory. I think that in the long term it is probably more cost effective for the RNZAF to have their own simulator.
With such a small fleet it does make sense to have our own simulator for all the naff tick in the box stuff and will no doubt pay itself off over time. It does make mention of using overseas examples so obviously works out better to have one here.
Also of interest is the fact they have not been meeting/using all their allocated hours anyway so obviously not as over worked as some would think so perhaps the numbers are currently workable.
danonz
Member
Missed this whats the chances they talked about the P1 and K2 for NZ?
I'm sure they had a lot to talk about joint training exercises and SCS ect, but it is a rather appropriate time for sales push. I am not sure what phase the ministry of defence is in for the replacements of the Orion's and Herc's must be close to business case for them?
It appears I cant post links yet :smash, the gist of it is that the Japanese Minister of Defence meet with NZ Minister of Defence on the 21st of July.
It was posted on the scoop news website.
Link added : https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/japanese-state-minister-defence-visits-nz
I'm sure they had a lot to talk about joint training exercises and SCS ect, but it is a rather appropriate time for sales push. I am not sure what phase the ministry of defence is in for the replacements of the Orion's and Herc's must be close to business case for them?
It appears I cant post links yet :smash, the gist of it is that the Japanese Minister of Defence meet with NZ Minister of Defence on the 21st of July.
It was posted on the scoop news website.
Link added : https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/japanese-state-minister-defence-visits-nz
Last edited by a moderator:
FOC is not until first quarter 2018 and not all capability sets have been cleared so hours allocations are still arbitrary. The reduction in hours was caused by delays in 3 Sqd generating and consolidating crews and 'rebalancing' resources.
An example of this 'rebalancing' - 3 Sqd directed to use A109's to support inshore maritime patrols - that should have been done on another type by another squadron even though adequate SRMP has been on the wish list for 20 years.
The NH90 project is a $93m underspend. Wouldn't it be nice if that sum and a top up were used to buy two more to get the identified optimal solution of ten airframes.
Famc
According to the latest Air Force News, Cabinet approved the FAMC Indicative Business Case in July, with the Detailed Business Case likely to be sent to Cabinet in early 2018.
According to the latest Air Force News, Cabinet approved the FAMC Indicative Business Case in July, with the Detailed Business Case likely to be sent to Cabinet in early 2018.
No it's not like the F-16 acquisition that got politicised and canned by Labour when it got into government. We weren't expecting any definitive pre-election announcements any way. What could potentially alter things is a change of govt at the election. If Labour get in, defence wise a lot will hinge upon how left leaning they are / will be.
t68
Well-Known Member
Timeline is still very tight if they are still expecting first aircraft in 2021, still think because of tight timeframes C130 will get the nod.
This would have been taken into account by all serious contenders and their production time frames would have had to reflect the 2021 timeframe.
Has anyone seen an application for congress to approve foreign military sales of the C130 to us yet as was the case for the P8 or is it exempt as it is unarmed even though it carries military equipment.
Novascotiaboy
Active Member
MrC
With $93 million unspent in the NH90 program would not additional AW109LUH and a some basic A109's for training be a more functional purchase? Three dedicated to training and an additional three LUH for taskings.
That would give 16 helicopters, eight NH90 and eight AW109LUH to support operations. Having all of the LUH's upgraded with an armament kit including 2.75" rocket pods and HMG pods would allow fire support to land forces. This level of armament would be superior to anything in the South Pacific. Given the grounding of the OZ Tigers an armed LUH would be a welcome addition to regional operations as an alternate.
With $93 million unspent in the NH90 program would not additional AW109LUH and a some basic A109's for training be a more functional purchase? Three dedicated to training and an additional three LUH for taskings.
That would give 16 helicopters, eight NH90 and eight AW109LUH to support operations. Having all of the LUH's upgraded with an armament kit including 2.75" rocket pods and HMG pods would allow fire support to land forces. This level of armament would be superior to anything in the South Pacific. Given the grounding of the OZ Tigers an armed LUH would be a welcome addition to regional operations as an alternate.
t68
Well-Known Member
Someone brought this up a couple of days ago, I think it's an element missing in the Kiwi line up and I quite like your idea. But from memory they wanted something that can do more.
Also I think it was NG that brought up the Scorpion some time ago and came across this update for USAF Light Attack Experiment
Not that I'm advocating any of them just where showing whee the US is up to.
One of These Planes Will Be the Air Force's New Light Attack Aircraft
The additional three A109s for training (primary role) and VIP (secondary role) were mooted back when Wayne Mapp was DefMIn circa 08-11. The thinking then was the standard Power version which could have been supplied as either new or near new or leased per a service agreement with industry. (There were a number of low hours A109s post GFC on the market ex Corporate sector at attractive prices). This would have allowed the small LUH fleet to concentrate on military support / MAOT taskings. That would give the 16 airframes for 3 Sqd.
You do raise a valid point concerning fleet mix. So with a $93 million underspend re-appropriated back into play it would go a fair way towards managing a further NH90 airframe bringing 9 available, three leased A109 Powers, and an additional LUH bringing the total to six LUH - which may present the opportunity to further capabilities as you outlined to be integrated. In total 18 airframes 9 of each basic type. Just that little bit more of a comfort zone for 3 Sqd operating in the years ahead. Even the three extra vanilla 109's would help if they were all Mr Scrooge about it.
JTAC training and accreditations using the T-6 platform are plausible however the NZDF employment contexts for counter-insurgency are well off the threat radar in our AOI (South Pacific and territorial New Zealand) which fortunately are peaceful civic societies and do not warrant such specialist investment.
The employment context of fast air in the NZ context was never about local air defence to deal with incursions from enemies' fast jets (and to be honest that is still the case) but CAS, interdiction and maritime strike as part of a expeditionary contribution to a coalition force.
I do not want to damper enthusiasm however but reconstituting an air combat capability within the RNZAF will mean we would have to look forward to what is ahead of us rather than simply replay what we did when we flew A-4"s and Canberra's post war. One of the capabilities envisaged downstream within the employment context of the cancelled F-16's was AN/ALQ-131 and if evolved EW would have emerged as a more prominent capability within the platform and NZDF operations.