Neville,
Those aircranes (only 3 of them) cost; (these figures are 5 years old and where quoted to me by one of the crew)
10,000 per day each just to be in oz
10,000 per hr if they go flying.
They are here for about 100-150 days/yr that works out to be 150 *30000 = 4.5mil per season just to be in Oz....if they go flying its more.
Now add the operating costs of all the jetrangers/airtractors and anything else that can carry water and the cost you quote to convert the trackers would only amount to about the total one season fire fighting cost...not that much really.
They have been here every season for at least a decade...thats about 45mil spent so far...just on 3 helicopters...
I know 20-25 mil sounds like a lot....but if it gets 8-10 aircraft going of that capacity it probably isn't wasted money.
What needs to be considered is cost vs benefit. I really don't know how effective they would be. They seem to be effective overseas in similar environments, so I am of the opinion it would not be money wasted. I am not an expert of fixed wing firebombing.
I am just trying to say that the money argument for not doing it, is kind of void if you compare it to how much money we are already spending figting fires....but they have to be effective.
This assumes the Trackers are also capable of being made airworthy. Something I suspect they are not.....they have been sitting there for an awfully long time.
Alpha