Royal Australian Air Force [RAAF] News, Discussions and Updates

gf0012-aust

gf0012-aust

Grumpy Old Man
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
SpazSinbad said:
20 More P-8s for US, Australia Ordered From Boeing
Media said:
"...All 20 aircraft in this latest order are Lot III full-rate production aircraft. The award is a modification to a previously awarded fixed-price-incentive-firm contract from the US Navy.

The award includes the second batch of four Poseidons for the RAAF. Australia is the second international partner for the P-8A, and agreed in 2014 to buy eight Poseidons, with an option for four more. A decision on the four option aircraft is to be part of the country’s new Defence White Paper, due this year...."
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still out of the 1st tranche reqs - not additionals
 
gf0012-aust

gf0012-aust

Grumpy Old Man
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
t68 said:
Personally I think there is a role for a Squadrons worth of Osprey within our fleet for SOCOMD as replacements for Blackhawk
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Nope, nothing in their capability that SOCOMD need - and they'd rather have coin identified for something like that put into other things more useful.
 
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jack412

Active Member
A brief and PDF on the P-8A that is worth listening to.

Air Power Development Centre - Podcasts: P-8A Poseidon: The Next Step Forward in Maritime Patrol

Delivered by Air Commodore Roger McCutcheon
The Royal Australian Air Force’s Maritime Patrol capability has been critical to the security of our maritime trading nation since the darkest days of World War Two. Aircraft such as the Catalina, Sunderland, Neptune and the Orion have all served Australia extremely well in both peace and war. Soon we will welcome into the Air Force the next aircraft to perform this role – the P-8A Poseidon.
 
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rossfrb_1

Member
additional P-8A for RAAF

From the DWP
http://www.defence.gov.au/whitepaper/Docs/2016-Defence-White-Paper.pdf

Maritime Aviation
4.37 Eight P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance and response aircraft will
be introduced in the early 2020s, with seven additional aircraft to be
acquired in two tranches to bring the total to 15 aircraft by the late
2020s

Interesting how the 2nd lot will be staggered after the first.
Is this due to availability of production slots or an estimate of the ability to absorb them into the RAAF?
rb
 
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Redlands18

Well-Known Member
It could be up to 5 G-550EW ac, good to see, certainly makes more sense then the previously revealed 2. 15 P-8s will get the fleet out to similar numbers of aircraft available for ops as the P-3 fleet, taking into account they won't need to chew up quite as many flight hours in trg, with much more trg being able to be done using simulaters. The only drama i can see with the 2 extra KC-30s is they may be of a different vintage than the first 7. Certainly extra heavy lift will be a problem to obtain, the A400 could go 1/2 way but can't see anything else on the horizon even in the medium term.
 
t68

t68

Well-Known Member
Redlands18 said:
It could be up to 5 G-550EW ac, good to see, certainly makes more sense then the previously revealed 2. 15 P-8s will get the fleet out to similar numbers of aircraft available for ops as the P-3 fleet, taking into account they won't need to chew up quite as many flight hours in trg, with much more trg being able to be done using simulaters. The only drama i can see with the 2 extra KC-30s is they may be of a different vintage than the first 7. Certainly extra heavy lift will be a problem to obtain, the A400 could go 1/2 way but can't see anything else on the horizon even in the medium term.
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USAF is about to store 16 C17, could used c17 be on the cards?
 
ngatimozart

ngatimozart

Super Moderator
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
t68 said:
USAF is about to store 16 C17, could used c17 be on the cards?
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Mate, do you have a link for that please. Something I can use. Thanks.

I am aware Congress were overly generous (wish our pollies were like that :) ) and gave the USAF more C17As than they requested or required. However given the current international situation, would the USAF, or more importantly Congress, be willing to let x number of those stored aircraft be sold off?
 
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vonnoobie

Well-Known Member
ngatimozart said:
Mate, do you have a link for that please. Something I can use. Thanks.

I am aware Congress were overly generous (wish our pollies were like that :) ) and gave the USAF more C17As than they requested or required. However given the current international situation, would the USAF, or more importantly Congress, be willing to let x number of those stored aircraft be sold off?
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I'd imagine it depends on which nation they might be getting sold off to, If it is to a nation for which they regularly make use of each others assets then I don't imagine they would have a massive issue, Could also be the USAF could word it in such a way that it is needed to sustain the F-35 or some other asset many of which would be supporting more jobs across the US as a whole then the C-17.
 
blueorchid

blueorchid

Member
vonnoobie said:
I'd imagine it depends on which nation they might be getting sold off to, If it is to a nation for which they regularly make use of each others assets then I don't imagine they would have a massive issue, Could also be the USAF could word it in such a way that it is needed to sustain the F-35 or some other asset many of which would be supporting more jobs across the US as a whole then the C-17.
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As all RAAF C-17's major maintenance is done in the USA that would still keep jobs in the US as well.

Cheers
 
t68

t68

Well-Known Member
ngatimozart said:
Mate, do you have a link for that please. Something I can use. Thanks.

I am aware Congress were overly generous (wish our pollies were like that :) ) and gave the USAF more C17As than they requested or required. However given the current international situation, would the USAF, or more importantly Congress, be willing to let x number of those stored aircraft be sold off?
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Here ya go mate, only problem is if they can get the funding tap turned back on they want them to go to the ANG, also I don't know which model these are if they are the ER or early birds

Air Force changes status of C-17 squadrons to save money - UPI.com
 
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Richo99

Active Member
t68 said:
USAF is about to store 16 C17, could used c17 be on the cards?
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Clause 3.7 of the integrated investment program is specifically talking about the c17 and notes that 2 have been approved (presumably numbers 7&8) with further aircraft to be acquired in the future. Pretty clear which direction the government wants to take.
 
t68

t68

Well-Known Member
Richo99 said:
Clause 3.7 of the integrated investment program is specifically talking about the c17 and notes that 2 have been approved (presumably numbers 7&8) with further aircraft to be acquired in the future. Pretty clear which direction the government wants to take.
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As far as I know there is only one new aircraft left, they are due for upgrade along with the US aircraft in the mid 2020's if they wait till then the only way we can get more C17's if the US or other nations give them up, or A400M
 
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Richo99

Active Member
t68 said:
As far as I know there is only one new aircraft left, they are due for upgrade along with the US aircraft in the mid 2020's if they wait till then the only way we can get more C17's if the US or other nations give them up, or A400M
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Yes it is somewhat confusing given the lack of readily available c17s, so maybe the government is waiting until some second hand ones show up on Gumtree.
 
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