Three sadly all too predictable unproductive posts in response to Bushranger's VERY sensible post. Gents, it's not a dick-measuring contest, but an attempt to come up with a system that will serve the ADF - I'm assuming that includes YOU - best so that a credible and best possible force can be fielded with the minimum assets available should push ever come to shove.
Is there someone out there who really believes that our helicopter assets today are as they should be, particularly when you consider the huge amount of money that has been outlaid? If your answer is yes, many would say you're in cloud cuckoo land. If your answer is yes, someone should accept responsibility for today's sad state of affairs and maybe hand over to someone else who may be able to address - and solve - the problem better.
Who would be towards the top of YOUR list in who should accept that responsibility?
Bushranger 71 has been a voice in the wilderness for some years now saying that things could and should be done better in the ADF helo world, and a number of people here have resorted to pretty crass personal attacks in reply rather than properly discuss the issue.
I'd like to see a helicopter force that delivers 'product' to ADF sub-units as widely - and with the frequency - that it was once delivered. Despite a grossly inaccurate urban myth pushed very hard within certain areas of the Army and retired Army ranks today to the contrary, I'm damned certain that today's AAVN does not deliver even a pale shadow of what was once offered by the RAAF.
Surely to God we can all put our tape measures away, zip up our flies, and DISCUSS this problem - for problem it is - sensibly rather than point score? Everyone would be a winner if all military aircrew could transfer and cross-train in at least two different roles - as the RAAF system used to do until some years ago. Current Army pilots - with absolutely no insult to their abilities inferred - would probably need some extra training in fast jet or heavy multi-engine operations before being on the same level as others who have already had that training.
A single stream and a single service would serve EVERYONE better than the current system has proven not to.