"PAF is about twenty years behind the times, as is most of the ADF, fighting the last war"
nice work sunfish, nothing like slagging off the entire defence force, it would appear that you have never served, and remember that term served, as in your country as thousands do every day. They don't do it for the great pay and conditions, they do it in some of the worst conditions imaginable and have no voice. So that somepone like you who gets peeved off at one person, PAF, can then tar everybody with the same brush. And as for fighting the last war, I suggest you do a little bit of research, you may even find that our guys are getting shot at even as I type.... so who's 20 years behind the times now? also don't forget your rant in the hangar during smoko about ADF personal, I'm sure there are a few ex members who would be more than happy to take you outside for some "contact councelling", although to do that would take guts, something that you would know very little about.
Aplogies for the subject drift.
v900, I think what Sunfish is alluding to is the truism that any defence force, worldwide, prepares for the next war as though it was going to fight the last war again. Why? because they don't have a crystal ball and they can only go on what they know.
Cases in point: WW1 generals sending thousands of men to their deaths against the wire trying to break the trenchlines, holding onto the hope for a "breakthrough" and a return to manouevre warfare after the very successful Prussian defeat of the French in 1870.
The French building the Maginot Line to defend against the strategy and tactics seen by the invading Germans in WW1, only to have it outflanked by manouevre warfare in WW2.
The Americans using the tactics of massive firepower which worked so well in WW2 to fight an insurgency in Vietnam.
The defence forces as a whole can hardly be criticised for the "mistakes" of its leadership or its "failure" to adequately prepare. I don't think Sunfish is levelling such criticism. I'm sure Sunfish, like all of us, appreciates the sacrifice of our countrymen, friends and family serving in the ADF - even PAF.