From the very latest RAF News...

[phil82]

From the latest RAF News:

"Chief of the RNZAF, AVM Peter Stockwell is at RAF Linton-on-Ouse on a fact finding mission to see how the UK trains its front line Typhoon and Tornado pilots."

AIR Vice-Marshal Peter Stockwell AFC, Chief of the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) visited RAF Linton-on-Ouse recently to meet key station personnel, trainee pilots and view the training systems in place to prepare military pilots for the front line.

Along with Linton’s new station commander - Group Captain David Cooper - and the Director of Flying Training for the RAF, Air Commodore Terry Jones, Air Vice-Marshal Stockwell visited 72 Squadron to chat to trainee pilots and also the Tucano simulator facility, run by civilian contractor Thales. Trainee pilots and instructors make extensive use of the simulator, which is an integral part of the basic fast jet training syllabus at Linton-on-Ouse.

Air Vice-Marshal Stockwell said: “It was a valuable visit to see to see how the RAF conduct their advanced training as the Royal New Zealand Air Force are in the process of upgrading our Flying Training system to meet the needs of state of the art cockpits in our front line units. It was a great opportunity to compare how we do business and especially see how the RAF employ synthetic training. I particularly enjoyed the opportunity to talk with some of the instructors and students”.


Now I wonder what prompted that interest ! Are we about to get an offer of surplus Typhoons from British PM "Call me Dave?"

[beagle]

Not sure if any Typhoons were on their "throw out" list with other defence items.

[ngatimozart]

I think they may have a tranche that they aren't going to purchase.

[beagle]

wern't they going to go to the Saudi's or someone ?

[phil82]

Err...I was joking> There is no way we would accept Typhoons, not even as gift!But there are a few spares around in the UK. Mind you, it would be nice to out-Hornet the Skippies!

[beagle]

Aug 1, 2012 17:47:25 GMT 12 phil82 said:

Err...I was joking> There is no way we would accept Typhoons, not even as gift!But there are a few spares around in the UK. Mind you, it would be nice to out-Hornet the Skippies!

We all knew that, good rumour to spread across the world to the UN HQ in NY though. She would be back on the first flight

[McFly]

I would suggest that the visit by the AVM was more about the training of pilots with the Tucano then the Typhoon...

Linton-on Ouse in the main training base for future RAF fast jet pilots and it's the systems, procedures and syllabus etc that will be of interest. If you read into it with the recent visit of the T6 Texan II to NZ and the RNZAF as a possible contender for the advanced pilot trainer, it is probably not too much of a coincidence then to see the AVM checking out the Tucano end-to-end training (i.e very similar to the Texan...)

See the latest 'Pacific Wings' article on 'Training Tomorrow's RNZAF' here: pacificwingsmagazine.com/2012/07/14/training-tomorrows-rnzaf-a-single-solution/

And some further info on Linton-on Ouse here: www.raf.mod.uk/raflintononouse/

[beagle]

of course it was mr mcfly.
would that mean he will go to switzerland next or visit raaf pearce to check out both the raaf and rsaf methods at the same time

[bell407]

I've read that the RAF have or are retiring their Tornado GR3's, I wouldn't be too upset if they were gifted to us.

[beagle]

I remember the tv program Test Pilot and Steve Moore participated in it. His final project was to test and evaluate the Tornado which was pretty new at the time and found lots of faults with it.

[ngatimozart]

We don't want the Typhoons or the Tornado. If we are going to get a strike aircraft lets do it properly and get the Boeing F15E Striike Eagle. 28 of them would give the RNZAF very good capability and it can carry more ordinance, has a larger combat radius and a higher ceiling than the F18E. More noise & more bang.

[beagle]

oh no, not on that topic again are we.......
huge operating costs I would think, but yes lots of noise, lots of happy armourers, lots of happy pilots.

1 Very unhappy Aunty H

[ngatimozart]

Ah Uncle Helen is supposed to be here in ChCh to give a lecture in UN approach to resilience after natural disasters. Uncle Helen was a disaster in itself when it came to NZDF

[bell407]

ngatimozart best damn suggestion ever and Beagle, I can live with an unhappy Aunty H if it mean we could get some strike eagles, I know it would never happen but still.

[silverfox]

A little taste of what he saw.

[alanw]

Aug 2, 2012 15:58:28 GMT 12 ngatimozart said:

We don't want the Typhoons or the Tornado. If we are going to get a strike aircraft lets do it properly and get the Boeing F15E Striike Eagle. 28 of them would give the RNZAF very good capability and it can carry more ordinance, has a larger combat radius and a higher ceiling than the F18E. More noise & more bang.

The only way we would ever receive the F 15E would be as of
the following

1) Become an Ally of the USA (or reform ANZUS)

2) Receive "Aid" from the US in the form of the Military
Assistance Programme
3) Become more involved in the Pacific Region Defense

Pros
Supersonic Booms
www.flickr.com/photos/magic_man/1574807211/

Cool afterburner take offs at Airshows
cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/middle/1/1/7/1096711.jpg

Awesome dogfight simulations with the RAAF F 18 Super Hornets

RNZAF Pilots getting to drop some real time BOOM on the bad guys
shooting at our troops overseas (Have you ever seen how much
an F15E can pack bomb wise)
www.howitflies.com/files/photos/wikiexport/c/c2/RAF_F-15E_Strike_Eagle_Iraq_2004.jpg

One mean looking Aircraft sitting at either Whenuapai or Ohakea
with the Kiwi emblem

Expanse in RNZAF recruiting 1) dual cockpit, twice as much more
manpower

2) More ground support staff to keep these birds ticking over

Possible conversion of Boeing 757 for Air to Air refuelling OR
aquisition of at least two more Boeings.....

Cons
Super ticked off Socialists/ Greenies/Greenpeace et al
Ticked off Aunty/Uncle H
Did I say Ticked off Socialists/Greenies/Greenpeace?

Pros win!!! by shear volume!!! ;D ;D ;D

Man I wish!!!!!

[ngatimozart]

We are really good mates with the US now even if PACFLEET doesn't want to know and since the US has made the Pacific its main area of interest then it would be in their interest for us to have credible force sructures, so we could try the MAP route. The reason I picked the dual cocpit was reading the literature out there it appears that by the wizzo taking a lot of workload off the pilot the pilot concentrates on flying and the wizzo concentrates on weapons etc with better outcomes resulting. I don't particularly like the F18 that much and feel that the F15E would be better suited for our needs. Reckon she'd be good doing attack runs on shipping, full noise at low level I know the price is high but value for money I just think we'd get better vfm out of F15Es than F18Fs.

For air to air refuelling we could go one of two routes. We can work in with RAAF and utilise their KC30s. We could also buddy store using Strike eagles or C130s / A400s. I think two or three KC30s of our own would be to big an ask on top of 28 F15Es. Ah well dreams are free

[alanw]

Aug 5, 2012 12:23:51 GMT 12 ngatimozart said:

We are really good mates with the US now even if PACFLEET doesn't want to know and since the US has made the Pacific its main area of interest then it would be in their interest for us to have credible force sructures, so we could try the MAP route. The reason I picked the dual cocpit was reading the literature out there it appears that by the wizzo taking a lot of workload off the pilot the pilot concentrates on flying and the wizzo concentrates on weapons etc with better outcomes resulting. I don't particularly like the F18 that much and feel that the F15E would be better suited for our needs. Reckon she'd be good doing attack runs on shipping, full noise at low level I know the price is high but value for money I just think we'd get better vfm out of F15Es than F18Fs.

For air to air refuelling we could go one of two routes. We can work in with RAAF and utilise their KC30s. We could also buddy store using Strike eagles or C130s / A400s. I think two or three KC30s of our own would be to big an ask on top of 28 F15Es. Ah well dreams are free

When the F15 first entered USAF inventory it had systems so
highly capable, that it could tell the pilot most things about his
(now her too) adversay except the colour of the bad guys eyes.

The Isralies have made great use of the F15. Once upon a time
the F4 Phantom had the term "Biggest Distributor of MIG parts
in the World, the F15 is not far behind ;D

I know Singapore ordered some F 15E's and have received
some 20 odd, so if the US have decided that the PTO is the
next big threat, then arming little ol NZ with F15E's would
be a logical move
(intergrated Allied/friendly Air Forces with same/similar assets).

If we were to project forward the next "possible" threats to
stability in our region then the accelerated arming of the PRC's
PLN/PLAF would need to be countered.

The current F15E in the USAF inventory can carry a vast array
of stand off/smart weapons, such as AGM 83 Harpoon/SLAM
(SALM-ER/SLAM-ATA) which could also be carried by RNZAF
P3k's which incidently could act as AWAC's with their range,
as well as be offensive in tracking PLN sub assets.

Other weapons which would allow usage in attacking PRC
(PLN) assets would be the GBU family of munitions
including JDAM packages.
One or two GBU 24's into any of the current surface
PLN assets would place them directly on the path to
Davy Jones Locker.

The other thing the F15E would allow the RNZAF to do,
would place us in a postion to counter PLN cruise missles.
These obviously would come our way due to our our ability
to attack their assets, the PRC would want to take out
Whenuapai or Ohakea.

The F15E can carry the AIM 120 D ARAAM which has a range
upto 200kms (purportedly).
This would allow RNZAF F15E assets to not only take out the
cruise missles but allow our pilots to take on PLN aircraft
assets from any PLN carriers.

In any thtreat (after thinking about it) we probaby could rely
on US aerial tanking also along with their AWAC systems

Note this all highly theorectical, but as we have noted New Zealand
does NOT live in a benign environment ......

Oh well as you said dreams are free... but very cool to dream
though ;D ;D ;D

[raymond]

[quote author=alanw board=Postwar thread=16848 post=163659 time=1344037531
Cons
Super ticked off Socialists/ Greenies/Greenpeace et al
Ticked off Aunty/Uncle H
Did I say Ticked off Socialists/Greenies/Greenpeace?
[/quote]

Con? I would have thought that would have been a "Pro"

[alanw]

Aug 5, 2012 15:53:38 GMT 12 raymond said:

[quote author=alanw board=Postwar thread=16848 post=163659 time=1344037531
Cons
Super ticked off Socialists/ Greenies/Greenpeace et al
Ticked off Aunty/Uncle H
Did I say Ticked off Socialists/Greenies/Greenpeace?

Con? I would have thought that would have been a "Pro"[/quote]

Yes. You're right it is a "Pro" for those of us who enjoy our military,
but a con for those who don't - probably should have worded it
better