Royal Australian Air Force [RAAF] News, Discussions and Updates
Sometimes I do wonder if the USAF itself knows what it wants. How many times has it started programs that go nowhere? Admittedly it isn't as bad as the US Army, but sometimes I think that it doesn't have a long term strategic plan. Yes it's hampered by Congress critters and their pork barrelling, but they've had 70 plus years as an institution to organise a battle plan for that.The announcement I'm waiting for is the acquisition of the JAS39F as a Hawk LIFT replacement
Joking but looking at the revised US requirements I am wondering if they would have been happier if the Redhawk had more Gripen DNA than it does.
To some extent that is pretty much the US military at every branch. Army, Marines, Navy, AF.. About the one that doesnt seem to have the problems (Well not as many at least) is the bloody coast guard....
The USCG is the poor relative. They have been struggling for years to get replacement heavy icebreakers. They are down to their last one and the rust is holding the hull together; it's that old @ASSAIL was an OD boy seaman on it when Noah was the Captain
Finally Congress has authorised the building of a replacement for it. Whether or not the current icebreaker shuffles from its mortal coil before the new one gets it's keel wet remains to be seen.Go and *@%& yourself!
Just banter old chap.
@Gooey Whilst banter is good fun, the language used isn't acceptable on this forum. Hence me having to censor it and deal with a formal complaint. You are a very naughty girl. Don't do it again or next time the reaction will not be as nice.
Ngatimozart.
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During a security course one of the attendees postulated that a highly effective way to for foreign operatives to degrade the capability of the RAAF, would be to burn down all the barbers and hair dressers within several kilometres of the RAAF base.
A follow up campaign targeting "Sun Glass Hut" and "BrightEyes" franchises in the area would also cause serious issues in protecting the egos and self image of the affected pilots.
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Rock the kasbah
Active Member
Australian warheads introduced into service | Defence News
No. 81 Wing recently accepted the first Australian manufactured BLU-111(AUS)B/B.
Bonus points if you can explain what's unique about this Herc
"A Royal Australian Air Force C-130J Hercules aircraft departs RAAF Base Richmond, New South Wales, to assist the Tonga Government after the eruption of the Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha'apai volcano." Image Source : ADF Image Library
"A Royal Australian Air Force C-130J Hercules aircraft departs RAAF Base Richmond, New South Wales, to assist the Tonga Government after the eruption of the Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha'apai volcano." Image Source : ADF Image Library
Wild guess. I know that they were recently slated to get Litening imaging pods. Is this so new as to be the first (if indeed that's what it is)Bonus points if you can explain what's unique about this Herc
"A Royal Australian Air Force C-130J Hercules aircraft departs RAAF Base Richmond, New South Wales, to assist the Tonga Government after the eruption of the Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha'apai volcano." Image Source : ADF Image Library
View attachment 48798
oldsig.
buffy9
Well-Known Member
Ka-band SATCOM on top of the fuselage, external fuel tanks (19t to 27t) and the Litening pod under the left wing - good for damage assessment and to check if the runway is good to go.Bonus points if you can explain what's unique about this Herc
"A Royal Australian Air Force C-130J Hercules aircraft departs RAAF Base Richmond, New South Wales, to assist the Tonga Government after the eruption of the Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha'apai volcano." Image Source : ADF Image Library
View attachment 48798
Definitely a good choice considering the range from Australia, the need to see what is happening and the possible need to get information back over those same distances. It'd be interesting to see how much all these little programs put together cost - they seem to provide good use in addition to the normal transport role.
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Tail number A97-448 so it was first to have it fitted but that was back in January 2020 with tests apparently starting by the end of that month.
https://www-ainonline-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/defense/2020-02-05/australia-trials-litening-pod-c-130j?amp_js_v=a6&_gsa=1&&usqp=mq331AQKKAFQArABIIACAw%3D%3D#aoh=16425016564054&csi=1&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=From%20%251%24s&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ainonline.com%2Faviation-news%2Fdefense%2F2020-02-05%2Faustralia-trials-litening-pod-c-130j
That we finally got around to putting an ISR payload on a Herc, decades after other nations have already done it, yet patting ourselves on the back for our ‘world-leading innovation’…Bonus points if you can explain what's unique about this Herc
"A Royal Australian Air Force C-130J Hercules aircraft departs RAAF Base Richmond, New South Wales, to assist the Tonga Government after the eruption of the Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha'apai volcano." Image Source : ADF Image Library
View attachment 48798
Com'on mate, a whole 12'ish frames, 30 years old, to do all of ADF tac transport ... just recently added ISR, no AAR, no weapons. No air drop in AFG or Iraq when it was SOP for Allies. But we have C-17s!That we finally got around to putting an ISR payload on a Herc, decades after other nations have already done it, yet patting ourselves on the back for our ‘world-leading innovation’…
A Sqn Eng O refused to see the need for C-130H lap top based moving map / PFPS linked to iPads for the pilots in the 00/nought's. Not part of RTS so would have been a 'flight safety issue'. With that sort of 'world-leading innovation' it's a miracle that ISR is finally here and the J's have Nav's 30 years after being told so ....
Interesting article on the ABC
US fuel storage for Darwin.
www.abc.net.au
Regards S
US fuel storage for Darwin.
Work begins on $270m US fuel storage facility on Darwin's outskirts
300 million litres of American-owned jet fuel will soon be stored on the outskirts of Darwin, increasing speculation the US is preparing to expand its military presence in the Northern Territory.
www.abc.net.au
Regards S
I know a few blokes who are building a "town" outside of Darwin, complete with shops, school, medical centres etc, it will basically be a small US town.Interesting article on the ABC
US fuel storage for Darwin.
Work begins on $270m US fuel storage facility on Darwin's outskirts
300 million litres of American-owned jet fuel will soon be stored on the outskirts of Darwin, increasing speculation the US is preparing to expand its military presence in the Northern Territory.
Regards S
And look how ‘quickly’ we thought to add C-130H EFT’s to our J’s when we already had the tanks in-service…
Takao
The Bunker Group
Had an authority mention they were considering allowing the use of iPads in the cockpit of a particular airframe. Asked the engineers in DMO if they had any concerns.
"Ahh....nope"
"That's a short response, normally its longer. Why so confident"
"Ummm.....we/they have been doing it for a couple of years no with no issues."
"oh"
To be honest and fair, I should say that my limited DMO time did teach me the importance of contracts, attention to detail, Technical Air Worthiness, spreadsheets, and a new respect for the amount of tosh that Engineers have to deal with. Oops, I missed risk adversion. Based on my 3 years of observation, it was a true miracle that KC-30A was ever introduced to service through the various 'flight safety' empires. I'm guessing that the 2014 sandpit deployment helped considerably.
Now if only the same degree of enthusiasm was spent on operational flying training. I know, TAA is a necessary evil but saying 'no' seems to be the default answer for anything new with a committee of experts allowed to pontificate for long periods of time instead of the SQN authorising system just getting on with the job.
Now if only the same degree of enthusiasm was spent on operational flying training. I know, TAA is a necessary evil but saying 'no' seems to be the default answer for anything new with a committee of experts allowed to pontificate for long periods of time instead of the SQN authorising system just getting on with the job.