B71, your comments are as always interesting but let's look at the facts. No first or second rate Air Force or Army has gone ahead with Huey 11 or Turbine Caribou. Both have been around for a long time. The first turbine Caribou flew 10-15 years ago and no takers. The same could be said for the S-2 Tracker. Mighty ship in their day but only Brasil converted a handful to turbines and a few more got a new lease as turbine S-2T firebombers mainly because the airframes were given to the CDF [California] and Conair in Canada did a few more.
The F27/HS748 types mostly replaced the DC-3 but they're just about extinct as well.
Your argument on defence expenditure might make some sense but I think in Australia the mob in charge today are wasting billions of $$$$ on pink batts/BER and other social issues. At least the ADF gets a new set of toys which if they wait they may never get and we are worse off.....
Airlift with the RAAF is really pretty good with KC-30/C-17/C-130J and now C-27J
Can they keep them flying? Well only the politicians know that!
PS: what has Amrock Aviation, new "owner" of the last 7 'bous done lately with them??