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Post by thelensofhistory on Feb 26, 2016 20:26:07 GMT 12
Brownlee is just another lame duck Defence Minister, sadly the latest in a very long line of them. He is just as incompetent in his role as the Christchurch Earthquake Recovery Minister. How he and his equally incompetent EQC CEO have survived is totally beyond me. IMO the answer is like asking a car mechanic to do the wiring on a new house. Brownlee has been a better mechanic (His role in recovery from the Canterbury Quakes) than many people think. But the deliberate choice to put him in charge of Wiring a new home (Minster of Defence) is appalling. Make no mistake all the chickens will come home to roost in due time.
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Post by thelensofhistory on Feb 26, 2016 20:04:48 GMT 12
Paul if you are interested in or have a background in logistics I just finished reading the above book. The book is analytical in style as such the role of logistics is prominent as is the role Air Power played in the allied victory over Japan.
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Post by thelensofhistory on Feb 19, 2016 13:23:33 GMT 12
This kind of thing was bound to happen once aspects of the NZDF started to be privateised in the 90's. Along similar lines The privatisation of the logistics supply chain has left a dangerous capability cap because of the lack of preexisting supplies in the event something unexpected happens in the South Pacific or Asia. In short stupid actions can only produce stupid results.
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Post by thelensofhistory on Feb 17, 2016 20:02:43 GMT 12
Another project to buy multiple big holes in the ocean is in the news for lack of progress, this time the Canadian Surface Combatant program which will replace all there ships - 18 hulls or 17 or 16 or possibly just 15 are now being suggested all the the fixed budget can buy. Canadians may well have elected a government that is unfriendly towards the military. Kiwi have and continue to this with no understanding of what the consequences will be not too far down the road. Coming back to the focus of the topic. I think the way successive governments have neglected defence ties with our allies and partners is now coming to the forefront. The thing to do would have been to start a phrased RNZN modernisation/capability upgrade program. A part of the program would have been the replacement of the Navy's combat arm and a whole host of other issues could have been addressed.
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Post by thelensofhistory on Feb 16, 2016 22:18:02 GMT 12
If the Type 26 gets up for the RAN future frigate that may offer the RNZN an opportunity to tack onto a larger order. The same could be said about whatever vessel the RAN decide on. If that prove to be the case timing would be important. The government could have to bring forward the replacements of HMNZS Te Mana and Te Kaha to around 2025-27. It would depend on the production schedule of the Australian shipyards. Usually NZ government's try to extend the shelf of life of existing military hardware so they can avoid buying new equipment.
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Post by thelensofhistory on Feb 16, 2016 22:00:30 GMT 12
The thing I recall most vividly was the remark by an American commentator that said something like "On 15 January 1991 Saddam had the fourth largest army in the world. A few days later he had the fourth largest army in Iraq. What made that possible was air power". Says it all, really. A shame the value of Air Power was/is lost on our politicians! Maybe Fiji receiving all those gifted Russian weapons today will make them start to wake up and realise we don't live in a benign strategic region!? That would require our political leaders to have more brains than a meat pie.
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Post by thelensofhistory on Feb 9, 2016 19:31:14 GMT 12
There will probably be Type-26's built in both Brazil and India, I don't think theres any reason for NZ to buy direct from Britain. Weapons and systems fitouts can also be done in the most appropriate country. IMO your spot on about NZ sourcing the design from a UK shipyard. The NZ government is pacifist so they would most likely buy vessels build for but not with like the Anzac Class Frigates. They would than equip the vessels with the same kind of armaments as the RNZN's current frigates. I don't think the RN/UK Government will order a sufficient number of Type 26 Frigates that the cost per unit will go down. So in other words NZ won't be able to tact on a order for a couple of vessels at a good price.
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Post by thelensofhistory on Feb 6, 2016 23:05:12 GMT 12
Good video clip. I have trouble comprehending just how stupid the politicians who canned the operational capabilities the Skyhawks and the F-16's offered the RNZAF. The same goes for those politicians who have failed to restore the capability. When a heavy price is paid for such madness I hope Goff have to face the music.
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Post by thelensofhistory on Feb 6, 2016 21:29:38 GMT 12
The numbers we're seeing of people viewing over each 24 period is about normal. Posts however have been a little thinner and I have deduced this is because of one thing, Facebook. There are now specialist groups on Facebook for every single area of NZ aviation you can imagine. While that has its merit I think it is sad that it has drawn a lot of people away from the forum, where we have more of a caring and sharing and helpful community than most of the Facebook pages. Also Facebook is dreadful for searching for older archived messages, and it also is out to make money so restricts who sees your posts unless you pay them, but the average person does not know this. Here on the forum everything is easily found in the archives and goes back to day one nearly 11 years ago. Twitter has had the same kind of effect as Facebook. On the upside I have found Twitter to be a useful way of connecting with authors whose books I have read or I wish to review.
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Post by thelensofhistory on Jan 18, 2016 16:42:57 GMT 12
A great opportunity was lost to demonstrate the value in having an Air Combat Force, something we would pay dearly for 10 years later under HC and Co. The RNZAF could get away with not deploying Air Combat Capabilities during the Gulf War. The day is coming when much closer to home this won't be the case.When that day comes Clark , Key and Co are going to have a lot to answer for to say the least. Coming back to the Gulf War for a moment. Interestingly the RAAF Air Combat Force/capabilities weren't deployed to Kuwait either. The Australian contingent was mostly a naval presence.
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Post by thelensofhistory on Jan 5, 2016 0:00:29 GMT 12
Please forgive me if this seems like a silly question to some, but I honestly don't know much about this and cannot find anything of substance online. During the Vietnam War were the soldiers of the New Zealand Infantry performing the jungle patrols deep into potentially enemy territory, like the Americans infantry,and like the kiwi soldiers had done in Malaya and Borneo? Or were they there performing a different role? If they were, whereabouts was the front line area that they were patrolling? Was it fluid and ever moving backwards and forwards? Were the NZ Infantry moved around the country a lot? Or was their front line static for the six or so years they were involved with the war? Do we have any actual NZ Army Vietnam veterans here on the forum? From what I have read Victor Company was attached to 6RAR. Whisky Company was attached to 3RAR. 3RAR and 6RAR was a part of the Australian Task Force (ATF) based at Nui Dat. The Australian Task Force Area of Operations was Phuoc Tuy Province. I don't recall to what extent Kiwi troops were involved with the defence of Firebase Coral which if I recall correctly took place outside of the ATF Area of Operations. While specific procedures and cultural differences (Maori troops) Australian and Kiwi Infantry shared a mutual understanding of Jungle Warfare. So yeah the tactics and doctrines used by the ATF were by far much closer to those used in Borneo and Malaysia than the US approach.
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Post by thelensofhistory on Dec 13, 2015 20:48:31 GMT 12
Meanwhile the NZ Government committed today to gift $200 million over four years to our Pacific neighbours for them to prepare for the effect of rising sea levels. That'll be money well spent, I seriously doubt. Words can't convey my sheer level of disgust. I find it highly regrettable that events will prove the folly of such moves.
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Post by thelensofhistory on Dec 13, 2015 17:37:40 GMT 12
NZ politicians are just dumb and crazy enough to consider such an idea. And yes I caught your sarcasm.
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Post by thelensofhistory on Dec 13, 2015 17:35:04 GMT 12
If politicians excel at anything it is kicking the can down the road so a future government has to deal with a (enter issue here) . Eventually the reaches the end of the road as it as with the RNZAF aging C-130's. Since voters have failed punish successive governments for the shabby way they have treated the NZDF the consequences will just have to be felt in not too distance future.
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Post by thelensofhistory on Oct 31, 2015 12:29:14 GMT 12
Does the US have no non-nuclear carriers now? Or France or Britain? RN has no flat tops in service at the moment , a capability gap will be around until HMS Queen Elizabeth enters service. I think the French Navy's Aircraft Carrier is nuclear powered , same for the USN ones as well.
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Post by thelensofhistory on Oct 31, 2015 11:45:15 GMT 12
Which Navies have non-nuclear carriers nowadays that might come along? Off the top my head India comes to mind. China's flat top is a training vessel so they may not want to take it away from that role.
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Post by thelensofhistory on Oct 31, 2015 11:28:44 GMT 12
If the USN sends a vessel , my prediction is that it will be a LCS . I think such a visit would show the anti nuclear hysteria for the BS that it has always been.
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Post by thelensofhistory on Oct 5, 2015 11:42:35 GMT 12
As far as I have seen Phil Goff has still not issued any apology for his release of false information. Well it's not like Phil Goff would know anything about the NZDF . Goff's idea of air power would be farting in a Cabinet meeting.
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Post by thelensofhistory on Oct 2, 2015 16:23:22 GMT 12
I use to live by the other side of the river where the MV Tuhoe was stranded. I was sadden to read of the news as Kaiapoi was just starting to get back on its feet after the quakes.
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Post by thelensofhistory on Oct 1, 2015 13:12:50 GMT 12
Brilliant to see them back in the air where they belong!! I am sure when the RNZAF needs the capability the current owners will lease them back to us at a handsome profit.
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