Australian Military Deployability
Australian defence planners seem to believe that 2 x LPDs (aircraft carriers) will be the ultimate answer for deployment of military forces offshore (albeit sluggishly with substantial protection penalties) and they have really neglected tactical airlift capabilities for quick response, especially throughout our neighbouring tropical archipelago characterised by numerous rudimentary airfields and limited aviation fuel storage.
No argument that more C-17s would be beneficial, but the USAF and RAF will not operate them into scruffy airstrips and the MRTT will be restricted to airliner standard airfields, also requiring complementary freight handling gear.
The C-27J might be a good Caribou replacement if acquired downstream, but will not substitute for essential C-130 tactical deployment capability.
The obvious need is for more C-130 capacity and modification of C-130H to provide flight refuelling and gunship capabilities for long range/endurance firepower. The Herc transportable Iroquois has been shed and disposal is intended for Blackhawk despite Australia not having any capacity for long-range flight refuelable helo support for submarine operations and search and rescue within our vast area of international responsibility.
The ability to quickly deploy M113 armoured personnel carriers by air has also been somewhat compromised because DoD was conned into stretching the standard vehicle (via a now 10 year behind schedule program), thus taking up more cargo hold space.
ADF military preparedness/credibility is shrinking as inexcusable capability gaps continue to emerge throughout the thinly-veiled unified force while billions of dollars are being squandered on inappropriate flawed programs, aiming toward a mythical Force 2030 structure.
An unjustifiable huge outlay of $3.5billion seems intended on just 24 very expensive MH-60R helicopters (or the even more outrageously costly NFH90) whereas easy fitment of the modular AQS-18(v)-3 Dipping Sonar System to Sea King and/or Seahawk would provide an adequate cost-effective ASW capability.
$3.5billion would be much better spent on another 12 x C-130 and enhancement of existing Hercules assets (plus flight refuelling modifications for some Blackhawks); but the question arises whether such vast amounts of funding are affordable with ongoing compounding annual increases in defence expenditure projected out to Year 2030 that will soon cost Australian taxpayers near $30billion per annum?
Last edited by Bushranger 71; 6th Mar 2011 at 03:38.