Relief mission to Vanuatu.

[Oldlae]

Good to see an aircraft going to Vanuatu, which aircraft is used and what would be the route?

[Tarq57]

From where?
Ex NZ, c130's and a 757 are used. (Two aircraft had to abort their missions due to tech issues, 2 days ago.)
On a news website, there's a photo showing a C17 on the apron. Probably Aussie.

[Bts70]

RAF C-17 departs for stricken Vanuatu (http://www.raf.mod.uk/news/archive/raf-c17-departs-for-stricken-vanuatu-16032015)


Going East, was sat on an Island in the Pacific this morning

[Courtney Mil]

Good grief. There was I thinking that the politicians had decided they didn't need to appear on the World stage any more and, therefore, had chosen to impose increasingly savage Defence cuts. But, no. They still want to be World players.

Good for the guys going to help. Shame on the polis who what to ride on their good works without properly supporting them.

[jindabyne]

Hear hear!

[Heathrow Harry]

Normally I'd think this was grand standing but in the early stages of disaster recovery you need things like a C-17 (or an A400) to go in as facillities are likely to be "basic" if they exist at all

they can get the place up and running for commercial freighters

the other point is that the commerical world doesn't give a damn about Vanuatu - only aid agencies and governemtns will act int hese circumstances

[Trackmaster]

ZZ 178 arrived Amberley just before 16.30 local time.

[Martin the Martian]

That's a bit strong, Courtney. I don't think flying out a C-17 full of aid has anything to do with wanting to be a world player. Frankly, I'd want to know why the UK government wouldn't make use of some of its capabilities after such an event.

[ORAC]

Aid is nice, but I find it odd that the UK has to send a C-17 half way round the world to Oz when they have a fleet of their own, and the Pacific is ringed by USAF bases with fleets of hundreds of C130s and C-17s, let alone the USN capable of turning up with several flat decks of various sizes with organic helo support.

[glad rag]

That's a bit strong, Courtney. I don't think flying out a C-17 full of aid has anything to do with wanting to be a world player. Frankly, I'd want to know why the UK government wouldn't make use of some of its capabilities after such an event.

OK how does sycophantic VSO'S stand with you?

[Roadster280]

Aid is nice, but I find it odd that the UK has to send a C-17 half way round the world to Oz when they have a fleet of their own, and the Pacific is ringed by USAF bases with fleets of hundreds of C130s and C-17s, let alone the USN capable of turning up with several flat decks of various sizes with organic helo support.

Indeed. I can only surmise that in fact the UK did not have to, but wanted to, for whatever reason.

[Melchett01]

I don't think flying out a C-17 full of aid has anything to do with wanting to be a world player.

At the risk of being exceptionally cynical, we do know it was carrying aid and not just a flag waving exercise?

I've heard from Movers on at least one occasion where the UK sent assets to an area just to get the RAF rounded / Union Flag into the media without actually doing much of any substantive use. I do hope we're past all that spin nonsense now.

[Heathrow Harry]

well it is part of the Commonwealth

The US does a lot of good work but in general they leave the S Pacific to the ANZACS and the French - you can't be everywhere

[Jimlad1]

We help because a country has been devastated by the worst natural disaster in its history, an unknown number of people are dead and as a nation we feel it is the right thing to do to try and share some support to them.

I am sickened that some people here feel that this is some kind of game, or that it's about showing the flag or other such BS. It's nothing to do with that, it's about us as a nation trying in a small way to help people out of the most unimaginable kind of hell possible.

We sent a c17 because it had the range, speed and payload to get out there quickly enough to make a meaningful difference. It's now helping to save lives and try to help play a part in getting this tiny nation back on its feet.

Its also a good wider reminder that the uk still takes an interest in its former colonies and where possible will do what we can to help. Sometimes I think we take cynicism too far here.

[Rhino power]

+1, Jimlad1...

-RP

[ACW418]

Jim,

I am too thick to be able to work up conspiracy theories etc. but I think you are being a bit too altruistic if you think politicians (and VSO's) do not keep an eye on what might do their future some good as well.

Having said that we as a nation should be assisting people like these - to quote the Chancellor we are one of the fastest growing economies....

ACW

[Tinman74]

Plus as it was probably paid by the Department for foreign aid and development, it cost the MOD nothing, it gained the real world deployment at fast notice. Win Win.

[Melchett01]

Jimlad,

I too hope we have assisted because we could and because it's the right thing to do. However, you need to park the outrage bandwagon because politicians and VSOs are unfortunately that cynical as to play those sorts of tricks - it wasn't out of any tactical necessity that we made the RAF logo more prominent on the SH Fleet some years back, it was because they kept being described as 'Army helicopters'.

I'm not going to name names or specific incidents, but I have it on very good authority from a senior movements officer that the scenario I described has happened (not in recent times), and I have no reason to suspect the individual of lying.

And I wouldn't at all be surprised, with more cuts, sorry a strategic review, looming, that we didn't see all the Services jockeying for media time and trying to prove capability x is worth saving in coming months with various bits of grandstanding. That's the world we live in now. You may not like it, I don't, but you have to accept it because it won't get any better.

[Bts70]

The local Oxford rag ran a report yesterday that clearly reported why we sent a C17 "capable of transporting thousands of tonnes at a time".......... thousands sounds a bit hopeful but it must be right if its reported!


Not sure which movers have been spoken to because the last aid lifts have certainly proved their worth, but are we talking about the flag waving C17 or C130 fleet, staying in place for weeks and even providing an airborne platform to assist SAR duty?

[TBM-Legend]

The RAAF appreciates the extra frame as with only six birds and supporting the ISIS and A/Stan campaigns we're stretched.

[Pontius Navigator]

Shelterbox, originating in the west country and now global I believe has kit that needs shipping, and who knows maybe that is where a C17 May come in.
https://www.shelterbox.org/news_global.php?id=1339
http://www.raf.mod.uk/news/archive/raf-c17-departs-for-stricken-vanuatu-16032015