RAAF PIGS
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There're a couple of B-47's in the Mojave which could be cranked up.
Now let's see, got a doctorate in smarts, lots of friends in the SEA area who were at Uni here, work for the Govt., in ONA of course, were all friendly, so - BINGO - no threat for 15 years - in fact, never. Left of Lenin, so who needs a military force.
BAAHHHHH!!!!!!
Now let's see, got a doctorate in smarts, lots of friends in the SEA area who were at Uni here, work for the Govt., in ONA of course, were all friendly, so - BINGO - no threat for 15 years - in fact, never. Left of Lenin, so who needs a military force.
BAAHHHHH!!!!!!
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HAL Pilot
Yes, but they have 21 of them in their inventory now so what is your point.
And since when has cost been an issue with a defence budget of $350 Billion + each year and a bit for mum and the kids! The point I am making is deleivery capability with current assets.
Oh by the way, based on FY2001 figures the Nimitz Class Carriers come it at close to $US 3-4 Billion, then of course there is the operating costs, maintainence (The carrier "Kennedy" just completed a $300 million dollar servicing) and most importantly the 70-80 airframes that need to be plonked onto the deck.
And since when has cost been an issue with a defence budget of $350 Billion + each year and a bit for mum and the kids! The point I am making is deleivery capability with current assets.
Oh by the way, based on FY2001 figures the Nimitz Class Carriers come it at close to $US 3-4 Billion, then of course there is the operating costs, maintainence (The carrier "Kennedy" just completed a $300 million dollar servicing) and most importantly the 70-80 airframes that need to be plonked onto the deck.
Last edited by Fox3snapshot; 7th Aug 2003 at 16:58.
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Firstly, a B-1 isn't a B-2.
Secondly, the unit price of a B-2 wasn't that high, $1.157 billion according to the USAF. Even that's exaggerated because of sunk costs. In May 2001 Northrop put forward a proposal to build 40 new B-2s at a cost of $545 million each.
As a comparison, the construction cost of CVN-76 Ronald Reagan is $4.3 billion. The procurement cost of the air wing is $4 billion+. That's not counting the annual operating costs of $160 million, and the need to store the nuclear fuel for a few millennia afterwards....
(Buying new B-2s would also have saved the tax payer over $100 billion over the next 30 years. The Lexington Institute estimated the cost of keeping the present mixed, and aging, force flying until 2037 as $220 billion. The cost of a pure B-2 bomber force of 100 aircraft, including procurement, over the same period was estimated as $120 billion.)
Academic of course, Congress wasn't interested and they'll need every airframe they've got to make the present fleet last long enough. Sustaining the present bomber force till 2037 is predicated upon only losing a B-1 every five years and a B-52 every decade. The actual loss rate is running at a B-1 every 2 years and a B-52 every 5 years.
So no spare aircraft for sale I'm afraid.....
Secondly, the unit price of a B-2 wasn't that high, $1.157 billion according to the USAF. Even that's exaggerated because of sunk costs. In May 2001 Northrop put forward a proposal to build 40 new B-2s at a cost of $545 million each.
As a comparison, the construction cost of CVN-76 Ronald Reagan is $4.3 billion. The procurement cost of the air wing is $4 billion+. That's not counting the annual operating costs of $160 million, and the need to store the nuclear fuel for a few millennia afterwards....
(Buying new B-2s would also have saved the tax payer over $100 billion over the next 30 years. The Lexington Institute estimated the cost of keeping the present mixed, and aging, force flying until 2037 as $220 billion. The cost of a pure B-2 bomber force of 100 aircraft, including procurement, over the same period was estimated as $120 billion.)
Academic of course, Congress wasn't interested and they'll need every airframe they've got to make the present fleet last long enough. Sustaining the present bomber force till 2037 is predicated upon only losing a B-1 every five years and a B-52 every decade. The actual loss rate is running at a B-1 every 2 years and a B-52 every 5 years.
So no spare aircraft for sale I'm afraid.....
Last edited by ORAC; 7th Aug 2003 at 18:52.
ORAC me ol mate....
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B-2 vs aircraft carrier is all very well but the CV does do one or two other jobs other than landing big iron on bad guys noggins.
Convoys and amphibious landing air cover are the first two that come to mind... oh dear am I conjuring the ghost of WEBF?
Suffice it to say that a multirole force needs a multi-equipment inventory.
Convoys and amphibious landing air cover are the first two that come to mind... oh dear am I conjuring the ghost of WEBF?
Suffice it to say that a multirole force needs a multi-equipment inventory.
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Slightly off topic
Talking about Macchis, whatever happened to the old MB326's that the RAAF used to operate? Would've expeceted to see them on the Warbirds circuit by now. But maybe they're in the Strategic War Reserve. Does OZ have one of those?
Believe most of the RAAF's retired Mirage III's are soldiering on in the Paki AirForce.... and the old C130A's are still alive and well (some of them anyway - in Africa and Sth America). P3B's went to Portugal, NZ and Lockheed I believe. Canberra's mostly junked?
Any mil plane-spotters out there with facts?
Believe most of the RAAF's retired Mirage III's are soldiering on in the Paki AirForce.... and the old C130A's are still alive and well (some of them anyway - in Africa and Sth America). P3B's went to Portugal, NZ and Lockheed I believe. Canberra's mostly junked?
Any mil plane-spotters out there with facts?
But I wouldn't worry about it, neither's an option to replace the Pig.........
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Belgique
Yup know where they have gone....but don't want to be labelled a spotter......to many people know who I am already and would argue that its too late!
Jobs on, Anoraks on!
Fox3
Jobs on, Anoraks on!
Fox3
Last edited by Fox3snapshot; 7th Aug 2003 at 20:52.
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I suppose the military is like insurance, a waste of money, that is until you really need it.
Getting rid of this asset is as smart as getting rid of the A4's from the RAN, the then defence minister Gordon Scholes said " that it was highly unlikely for Australian service men to need to project it's forces halfway around the world,"
I feel sorry not only for the Australian people but also for all those dedicated and highly skilled folks at Amberley.
You make us proud.
Getting rid of this asset is as smart as getting rid of the A4's from the RAN, the then defence minister Gordon Scholes said " that it was highly unlikely for Australian service men to need to project it's forces halfway around the world,"
I feel sorry not only for the Australian people but also for all those dedicated and highly skilled folks at Amberley.
You make us proud.
ex-knuck for Defence Minister
I agree with you Ex-knuck. If it wasn't for those pesky politicians, Australia wouldn't have given away the A4's, the RAAF wouldn't have lost the Hueys and Chinooks, the RNZAF would be a potent F16 wielding peacekeeping force, and ... oh I could go on all day about this.
I'll bet some crazy smiling dudes in the Indonesian region are partying hard on hearing the news about the Pigs.
Maybe the Aussie politicians are planning the re-use of the controversial Brisbane Line as was planned during WW2. Apparently it was a line drawn from Brisbane to Melbourne, anything to the North West of it was prepared to be given away to the invaders, and 'we' would retreat to the South East. That includes the loss of the Castlemaine XXXX brewery !!
I'll bet some crazy smiling dudes in the Indonesian region are partying hard on hearing the news about the Pigs.
Maybe the Aussie politicians are planning the re-use of the controversial Brisbane Line as was planned during WW2. Apparently it was a line drawn from Brisbane to Melbourne, anything to the North West of it was prepared to be given away to the invaders, and 'we' would retreat to the South East. That includes the loss of the Castlemaine XXXX brewery !!
Last edited by Runaway Gun; 9th Aug 2003 at 02:50.
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Upgrades Continuing
In Flight International 5-11 August 2003 :
BAE Systems Australia is to equip RAAF GD F111's with night vision capable cockpit and external lighting.
Am confused as to why contracts are still being issued if they will be withdrwn from service well ahead of the planned retirement date.
BAE Systems Australia is to equip RAAF GD F111's with night vision capable cockpit and external lighting.
Am confused as to why contracts are still being issued if they will be withdrwn from service well ahead of the planned retirement date.
