The whole situation is very sad, both the RAF, RCAF and RAAF apears to have greatly under estimated their uplift requirements.
!965 I believe saw the RAF buy was it 60 C130K's and the RAAF buying 12 C130E's. If we presume that the RAF got the figure correct, how can today the MOD be happy with a few very tired K models, and the J models running life out on the mainplanes quicker thjan you can wink.
As I have said before thank goodness the RAAF did not fall for the A400M sales pitch.
An unknown design in both airframe and engines. With a company that has no military support experience, and a product which is very expensive to buy and maybe the same to operate.
We the RAAF have fallen for the RAF trick, and not bought enough of the C17, so still we are short of uplift capacity, with no real short term fix for the problem.
Hope Kevin looks in his till and see if he has change for the fix of more C17's.
Caribou now out of service next year with no replacement, with every chance that the remaining C130H's will go too.
Things not looking good, and will be even worse if the Airbus fails to meet the need.
Regards to all for Christmas.
Col