Interesting to read in JDW today about the changes planned for the NSW post Herrick.
Regenerating Core Capabilities.
* Long term deployments lasting weeks or months with 10+ jets are to be come much more common.
* Too much skill fade with the current arrangement.
* Unlikely light blue will get enough sea time to get night qualified. So dark blue will do day/night, light blue day only.
* Joint deployment with USMC will continue, leading to a major ex next spring off the US East coast combining NSW and USMC airgroups. They can operate 16 or more Harriers.
* 801 will stand up late next year as part of the NSW, making 4 sqns in total.
An excellent article by Richard Scott and well worth a read. Good to see the navy getting control of its own destiny back as capabilities are ramped up. Its only right to blame the crabs for everything, but things are moving in the right direction.
I also heard at DSeI that 892NAS maybe making a comeback in a few years. This is a rumour network after all
