RAAF Caribou Replacement
DASH 8 or the CC142 variant.
High fuselage clearance for rough strips. Easily do the job for nav training, probably able to carry, what four five times as much as the King Air in this role and at what double the cost?
Easily convert into some reasonable seating for the wastefull pollies.
Maybe a multi role aircraft for the ADF
High fuselage clearance for rough strips. Easily do the job for nav training, probably able to carry, what four five times as much as the King Air in this role and at what double the cost?
Easily convert into some reasonable seating for the wastefull pollies.
Maybe a multi role aircraft for the ADF
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18: Heard the same thing re 47D's. Canadian vintage. Talk is maintaining a sub fleet while waiting for the Foxtrot buy.
Seeing as this is a rumour site and all, there's also the one about bringing the Foxtrot buy forward.....They could always do both and support a decent fleet of MLH....
Seeing as this is a rumour site and all, there's also the one about bringing the Foxtrot buy forward.....They could always do both and support a decent fleet of MLH....
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Canadian connection sounds right - they are now receiving their F models and took some D models from the US Army in lieu. Options to bring forward our F model buy are limited as Boeing is pumping them out pretty much at max rate already.
Other well sourced rumours for the mill - there WILL be a sixth C-17, and probably before the end of FY11/12. There is also talk of bringing forward the Caribou replacement - C-27J is still the favourite.
Re Dash 8s - only the Q400 is in production now. The 1/2/300s are no longer in production.
And in lieu of the BFA arriving, the C-130H fleet will be reduced to six and retained until late 2016, with four being donated to the Indons. The other two have been Xmas tree'd to beyond reasonable return to service standard, although LockMart is being ever so subtly encouraged to see what they can do to assist.
And finally, the three 707s at Richmond have at last been sold to Omega, with at least one due to be flight tested in the August timeframe. Not sure yet whether the others are flyable or will be broken up for spares.
Other well sourced rumours for the mill - there WILL be a sixth C-17, and probably before the end of FY11/12. There is also talk of bringing forward the Caribou replacement - C-27J is still the favourite.
Re Dash 8s - only the Q400 is in production now. The 1/2/300s are no longer in production.
And in lieu of the BFA arriving, the C-130H fleet will be reduced to six and retained until late 2016, with four being donated to the Indons. The other two have been Xmas tree'd to beyond reasonable return to service standard, although LockMart is being ever so subtly encouraged to see what they can do to assist.
And finally, the three 707s at Richmond have at last been sold to Omega, with at least one due to be flight tested in the August timeframe. Not sure yet whether the others are flyable or will be broken up for spares.
Last edited by FoxtrotAlpha18; 1st Jul 2011 at 06:05.
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There was some nosing around the 707s last weekend ... power carts running, that sort of thing. Didn't sound like the donks were turning on the aircraft.
Folks, the 707s went on Tuesday
Aus AF, What do you mean Aerial Activities? I can't find a link.
Bit of thread drift, but I am keen to hear about the 707s - LTDT says they departed Tuesday, under their own steam or in bits??
BBad
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Two of the 707s actually departed on Sunday - under their own steam -while the third left Tuesday after a delaminated rudder trim tab was repaired.
Looks like Australian Aviation caught the gouge!
Former RAAF 707s flown out by Omega | Australian Aviation Magazine
Looks like Australian Aviation caught the gouge!
Former RAAF 707s flown out by Omega | Australian Aviation Magazine
Wow, thanks for that F/A-18. Good to see that all three flew out and will continue to fly. And the sim too.
Let's hope, however, that we don't have to rely on Omega anymore now we have the KC-30s.
Let's hope, however, that we don't have to rely on Omega anymore now we have the KC-30s.
That last line "...you guy's got some serious cahounas" says it all really. This is Vietnam style LL airdrop in an AO full of MANPADS. How about the Army/RAAF get serious and purchase some decent precision airdrop ADE. That way Herc's and C-17s can deliver their payloads from a much safer altitude and thus eliminate the need for a new airframe type. The technology exists and is in service elsewhere.
Yes, and JPADS is the way MOST airdrop operations should be completed in the future, in any AO where a MANPADS threat exists. At the moment, however, the ADF doesn't posess enough units to call it more than a bare bones capabability. The AD Sqn (as opposed to AMTDU ADs) also have minimal exposure to it. But then the RAAF is doing very little (in terms of tac airdrop/airlift) to support the Army on current ops. JPADS units currently operational with the RAAF are also severely limited in application due weight, but their aquisition is certainly a step in the right direction. 
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We trained up JPADS crews in 08 for deployment but this never got the green light. Due this, and other reasons, the last 2 guys I know trained as PADSO's went uncurrent in 09 (one got posted outside of ALG since then). The only use nowadays of the equipment is with the GPS RTS down the back of cargo compartments for flight trials and related tasks.
LL airdrop will never be conducted on deployments unless unopposed (Eg Timor). This sucks from an operator POV as we want to do the job rather than get allies to help out. The reality is the risk has been deemed unacceptable from higher up.
LL airdrop will never be conducted on deployments unless unopposed (Eg Timor). This sucks from an operator POV as we want to do the job rather than get allies to help out. The reality is the risk has been deemed unacceptable from higher up.
Lost again...
It's a real shame isn't it? Tac airlift/airdrop has just been left to wither. It's an essential capability that really needs to be pushed by those up the chain. JPADS, and related heavydrop developments, are the only way it can continue.
It's a real shame isn't it? Tac airlift/airdrop has just been left to wither. It's an essential capability that really needs to be pushed by those up the chain. JPADS, and related heavydrop developments, are the only way it can continue.