The problem is that the planning process is made without a clear understanding of what our REAL needs are.
We bought the C130E when in actual fact going down the line were higher HP C130's and whilst they may not have been full H models they would have given us a better operating situation particularly as most of our take off and landings were done well above the standard plus 20 day.
We kept the A models which were really not suited for long range operation and lost the chance to trade them with Lockheed, who wanted to turn them into AC130 gunships.
Then we buggered around with the 707 buy to a stage we had to go onto the world market because Qantas had sold most of their frames. Then the contract with the Jews was far from satisfactory for the AR conversion, and we could have bought KC135R's cheaper and quicker than we got the 707 into AR service.
Then there is the little bou, we were talking of converting them to turbo props in 1968, but the army bitched about another fuel they had to deploy, guess which fuel the army tanks use now.
The people who have the operational knowledge and and hands on should be listened to instead of the chair born leaders who often have had nothing to really contribute that would make the purchase a real good deal.
The aircraft that we have clearly bought off the shelf, after we have defined what we need are the ones that were good buys. Going back to the C47, Neptune and on to all four of the C130 buys all have done a good job. As did the various models of the UH1's. I could but will not list all the junk that the three services have bought that was not fit for use.
We need to have the best of information so we can plan on what operations we will have to conduct to ensure that we get what is best suited for the job.
Regards
Col