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Post by Barnsey on Feb 7, 2007 10:59:40 GMT 12
From www.stuff.co.nz Reuters | Wednesday, 7 February 2007
WASHINGTON: The US Defence Department has told Congress it was proposing to sell Australia 24 Super Hornet fighter jets, made by Boeing, and related services in a deal worth $US3.1 billion (NZ4.55b).
The Pentagon's Defence Security Co-operation Agency said Australia wants to buy the F/A-18E/F aircraft, 48 installed engines and 6 spare engines. It said Australia was also interested in buying the following as part of the deal:
24 AN/APG-79 radar systems
24 AN/USQ-140 Multifunctional Informational Distribution System Low Volume Terminals
30 AN/ALR-67(V)3 Electric Warfare Countermeasures Receiving Sets
145 LAU-127 Guided Missile Launchers
30 AN/PVS-9 night vision goggles
Integration of the AN/ALE-47 Electronic Warfare Countermeasures Systems
12 Joint Mission Planning Systems
AN/ALE-55 Fiber Optic Towed Decoys. "Also included are system integration and testing, software development/integration, test sets and support equipment, spare and repair parts, maintenance and pilot training, software support, publications and technical documents," the agency said.
The Defence Security Co-operation Agency is required to notify Congress of possible foreign military sales.
In addition to Boeing, Defence contractors involved in the possible sale would include Northrop Grumman , Raytheon , BAE Systems , General Electric , Data Link Solutions, and Visions Systems International.
Australia is a partner with the United States and seven other countries in developing the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jet, which made its first test flight in December. ...and we couldn't get 28 F-16s past our "glorious leader" for $750 million. (Obviously no where near as capable as the Super Hornet). Mind you, we were getting cleaned up by 3 Sqn Hornets last night...
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 7, 2007 11:45:41 GMT 12
Wow, that's big money. That's about 3 years worth of our entire Defence budget.
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Post by corsair67 on Feb 7, 2007 14:14:06 GMT 12
What were you in that was being cleaned up by Hornets?
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Post by beagle on Feb 7, 2007 16:35:29 GMT 12
This has been in the planning for some time now. It is to fill the gap when the F 111's leave service and the JSF F35 comes on line. I do not think they know yet when they will retire the F111 and when they will have their F35's. Maybe they should just get them now and if the F111's stay around till 2012 or so, they can send them here for us to play with for 5 or years. I am pretty sure our boys would be pretty keen to have a crack at flying them.
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Post by Barnsey on Feb 7, 2007 17:57:38 GMT 12
A Learjet!!
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Post by corsair67 on Feb 7, 2007 18:29:30 GMT 12
A Learjet! No wonder the Hornets were cleaning you up. ;D
The Super Hornets will nearly pay for themselves after a few years, because it's costing about $140 million/annum just to keep the F-111 fleet airborne. Apparently 6SQN have ceased training new F-111 drivers, so the F-111 days must be well and truly numbered; unless the hordes from the North attack! ;D
It'll be sad to see the F-111 retired, but I guess it has to happen sometime.
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Post by Calum on Feb 7, 2007 20:56:25 GMT 12
Bloody waste of money, both keeping the F-111 flying and buying/leasing Super Hornets. They should can the F-111 now, forget the Rhinos and put the money into more (6 or so)Ch-47's for the Army another 1 or 2 C-17's, more MRH90s for the RAN the Caribou replacement, And a LUH for SF guys. Thats just a few things that spring to mind Platforms that actually address the threats we face. Not some perceived threat. These platforms are the ones that are actually operational in this so called "War" As for this so called capability gap? What capability is that, the ability to strike a flooded Jakarta. Please Their is NO current or even likely future conventional threat to Australia. And no I don't buy Carlo Kopps loony rambings about hordes of Tu 22 and Su-27/30/33's etc coming to attack Australia The HUG'd Hornets will suffice until the F-35 comes on line. It's an obscene waste of tax payers money Rant off
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Post by beagle on Feb 7, 2007 21:15:11 GMT 12
Too true Yes agree totally I would even go as far as saying another 4 C17's due to how big the area of aussie is. The day of the Herk being a long range freighter is gone. The C17 is here now, use it. Yes they have been going on about a Caribou replacement for years, ok, nothing really matches it 100% but more and upgraded Chinnooks would be the way to go. They have , what 72 hornets in service, take away about 10 for servicing at the minimum, would they be capable of getting the other 60 odd up. They still haven't got a definite number of f35's yet ?, heard 100 but surely 1/2 that number would be sufficient. my 10 cents. was going to say 5 cents but they have gone
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Post by corsair67 on Feb 8, 2007 10:06:22 GMT 12
Yeah, but they can have the Super Hornet AND all that extra equipment too: Johnnie and Brendan have it all under control! ;D Just hope Rudd doesn't win the next election, or it'll all go out the window!
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Post by Calum on Feb 8, 2007 11:44:25 GMT 12
Why do say that Craig?
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Post by corsair67 on Feb 8, 2007 13:21:23 GMT 12
Because Labor only like to spend money on boring stuff like schools and hospitals! I don't trust the Labor Party very much, as I can imagine there are probably a few defence projects that they may pull the pin on: not all of which will be deserving of being culled. While I quite like Kevin Rudd, there are still quite a few members of the Labor movement who have too much influence for all the wrong reasons e.g. ex-unionists. I do think Brendan Nelson needs to do a bit more for defence here, like get rid of some of the airy-fairy projects and concentrate on the real needs. Maybe because the economy has been in pretty good shape for the past 10 years they're making the most of it?
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Post by FlyNavy on Feb 8, 2007 15:06:04 GMT 12
Perhaps the NZed PM can advise what 'airy-fairy' programs Australia needs to cull? :-) & I need to empty my deep pockets with all those (Aussie) 5 cent pieces - when did they become obsolete in New Zealand? Phil.
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Post by Calum on Feb 8, 2007 16:49:00 GMT 12
Because Labor only like to spend money on boring stuff like schools and hospitals! Wish they would, I'm sick of buying all those fundrasing chocolates I don't trust the Labor Party very much, as I can imagine there are probably a few defence projects that they may pull the pin on: not all of which will be deserving of being culled. While I quite like Kevin Rudd, there are still quite a few members of the Labor movement who have too much influence for all the wrong reasons e.g. ex-unionists.As opposed those big busniess type who have no iterest over the Libs ;D Although that only adds to my extreme dislike fo the current regime As I said above,I do beleive we should ensure those capabilites who have been operational for the past 15 yrs (Navy and Army avaition, Transport, P3s SOF etc get adequately funded and upgraded. The Super Hornet/F-111 isn't a essential capabilty IMHO, more a nice to have. Another LPH for the navy would be more useful. The Hornet will be OK until JSF comes online
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Post by corsair67 on Feb 8, 2007 19:15:37 GMT 12
Aren't new helicopter carriers/landing ships in the current capability plan? I think the finalists were Spanish and French designed vessels.
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Post by FlyNavy on Feb 8, 2007 19:18:41 GMT 12
Later of course the RAN FAA will acquire the Navalised Vertol JSF for the LPH. (I'm dreaming.) :-)
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Post by Kereru on Feb 8, 2007 20:26:38 GMT 12
Aren't new helicopter carriers/landing ships in the current capability plan? I think the finalists were Spanish and French designed vessels. I did read somewhere that the French were going to use a British design for new carriers as they didn't have time to start from scratch? I must see if I can find the link or have i got it all wrong? They are much bigger than the present ones at around 60000 tons to supplement the new US carriers. Colin
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Post by Calum on Feb 8, 2007 22:38:30 GMT 12
No I believe you're basically correct Colin. From memory the 2nd French carrier will be based on the new British design
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Post by Calum on Feb 8, 2007 22:43:32 GMT 12
Aren't new helicopter carriers/landing ships in the current capability plan? I think the finalists were Spanish and French designed vessels. yeah plan is to buy 2 (LHD'a nor LPH's). Considering the instability in this region, 3 would be better IMHO. Certainily better than 24 Super bugs ;D And Phil... Fighters flying of the LHD isn't totally impossible. But they'd be RAAF aircraft and aircrew
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Post by steve on Feb 8, 2007 22:57:16 GMT 12
The british are buiding two new real carriers about 50-60,000 tonn...maybe aus could purchase two of the three old light carriers....ideal in a pacific conflict....just a pipe dream for the RAN....
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Post by corsair67 on Feb 9, 2007 9:45:20 GMT 12
HMAS John Howard, HMAS Paul Keating, HMAS Bob Hawke? ;D
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