Hi Boys & Girls,
Herewith some readout on a brief meeting yesterday with Bob Baldwin, Shadow Portfolio – Defence Personnel &Science with his military advisor/minder present. Both appear totally brainwashed by the Defence regime in Canberra.
The Liberal Party seems maybe more in thrall to the big arms conglomerates than the Labor Party and handcuffed to the defence industry policy that governs all Australian military capabilities planning, although BB mentioned that the Bushmaster vehicle is about the only hardware produced that is generating a productivity return through foreign military sales. The Liberals seem determined to hive off DMO into a separate corporate entity as recommended in the Mortimer Report which in my view will only reinforce the murky nexus between big arms business and the DMO, further isolating the military from the acquisition processes.
I opined there seems a conflict of interest with DMO having presence on the highest level capabilities committee, but he responded along lines military ambitions have to be kept in check and the turnover of military staff within DMO has been a major cause of their acquisition planning problems(?). Sounded like Defence spin to me and veiled criticism of the military.
I raised capability gaps and issues with Tiger, MRH90, LHDs; all projects approved by the Howard Government. He reckons there are no significant problems with these helos as he saw the French operating MRH90 in Afghanistan, although he did not offer any insight into how that aircraft is performing. Earlier, he had mentioned that you would struggle to find a politician who knows anything about military hardware (really!!!).
Chinooks were mentioned with me stating that just 7 CH-47F will only provide 3 or 4 on line to cope with all of Army heavy lift requirements. He seemed a bit ambivalent re that opinion but then mentioned they will be able to embark 2 Chinook on the LHDs and move them around to wherever required. He and his advisor seemed to think the LHD will be able to do all things regionally, irrespective of cost.
I raised the escalating running costs for the ADF and particularly helos including Seahawk, Blackhawk, Tiger, MRH90, MH-60S. When I challenged the decision to shed the Iroquois instead of reserve storage, they more or less shrugged off the huge operating costs differential. They seem religiously committed to Project Air9000 concerning helicopters and will fore-seeably have to spend more big money to acquire an Iroquois replacement downstream, as a civvy Defence entity informed me was intended a couple of years back. So the big spend juggernaut could roll on, without accountability, although there may be an economic reality check somewhere downstream.
One bright spot; the Liberals will apparently commit to fairer indexation of military pensions if elected to office and that election promise might force a 'me too' response from Gillard & Co. BB reckons it is a $4.8billion commitment.
Please consider just as feedback on my impressions. The better part of the day was a nice hotel lunch with my wife and methinks we should have just gone to the pub in lieu of my wasting time with Bob Baldwin.
Images still being generated for some other posts and will emerge soon.
Last edited by Bushranger 71; 23rd Jul 2010 at 00:54.