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Post by nige on Apr 19, 2011 17:33:02 GMT 12
Sooo, are the AW109's flying (like at the mo)?  |
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Post by beagle on Apr 19, 2011 18:07:55 GMT 12
probably in Italy
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Post by Calum on Apr 20, 2011 15:33:55 GMT 12
Did the RNZAF buy any weapons for the 109's?
Will they fit a door gun?
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Post by beagle on Apr 20, 2011 20:43:11 GMT 12
Don't think the Sidewinders were in the tender with the A4's so they will probably use them.
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Post by kiwiscanfly on Apr 21, 2011 3:07:31 GMT 12
Did the RNZAF buy any weapons for the 109's? Will they fit a door gun? don't think so....... they got the LUH variant that can be fitted with the following. *TOW missiles *Hellfires *FN Heastral .50cal and missile pods *Door guns If they are going to use them to train Helicopter Crewmen i'm sure they will door mount one of the current light machine guns operating with the hueys, as i know of they are the FN Heastral machine guns. They might have been waiting for Clarke to get out of office before they purchased the weapons........ I don't think she knew that they got the LUH variant. |
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Post by strikemaster on Apr 21, 2011 13:30:11 GMT 12
Lol, she wouldn't want it to be used to potentially shoot back at something.
So what is the grand total? 8?
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Post by kiwiscanfly on Apr 27, 2011 17:36:59 GMT 12
a snippet of news here. New Air Force helicopters could this week be flying over New Zealand for the first time. Two Augusta Westland 109 choppers arrived last month from the Italian factory where they went through final fit out and test flights. They have been reassembled at Ohakea Air Base in Manawatu, and put through operational tests and evaluation. They may have their first test flight over Ohakea this week, weather permitting, the air force said. The A109s were the first of five which will replace the ageing fleet of Sioux training helicopters, which first flew with the air force 46 years ago. The Bell 47G-B1 Sioux were similar to the aircraft made famous in the M*A*S*H television series about the Korean war. The A109 was "very much a 21st century aircraft compared to its Sioux counterpart. It's a lightweight, twin-engine helicopter with a modern glass cockpit and a retractable wheeled undercarriage." the air force said. The new machines would be used for training before pilots converted to the fleet of NH90 machines which are to replace the Iroquois, or the navy's Seasprite helicopters. The A109 would also be used in other light utility work - passenger transport, surveillance, observation and reconnaissance, search and rescue - and would support other Government agencies. The A109s come with a flight simulator, can be fitted with a door gun and winch, and have a top speed of 300kmh. NZPA www.3news.co.nz/New-Air-Force-helicopters-may-be-flying-over-NZ-this-week/tabid/423/articleID/208717/Default.aspx |
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Post by Officer Crabtree on Apr 28, 2011 20:42:43 GMT 12
Didn't know the Seasprites were being replaced...or that they are the Navy's.
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Post by phil on Apr 28, 2011 20:46:29 GMT 12
Who said the sprites were being replaced?
And they are the Navy's assets, maintained by the air force.
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Post by Officer Crabtree on Apr 28, 2011 20:54:46 GMT 12
Three news thinks so... By the way, I know sarcasm is hard to convey on the internet, and I know the Sprites aren't being replaced  |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2011 21:09:28 GMT 12
It's meant to be read that they are used to train the pilots of iroquois (or the NH90s, as they replace the Iroquois) and the Seasprites.
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Post by Officer Crabtree on Apr 28, 2011 21:14:31 GMT 12
Ah. This is why we have forums.
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Post by 30sqnatc on Apr 28, 2011 21:26:36 GMT 12
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Post by Officer Crabtree on Apr 28, 2011 21:36:36 GMT 12
Controversy! So, who's right?
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Post by beagle on Apr 29, 2011 18:22:52 GMT 12
There was a rumour that they might look at saving money on the Seasprite upgrade and just get the ex RAN ones that they didn't want. Pretty sure there would be a good deal going for them plus we would get a good price for ours since they were brand new frames for a start, just a pity about the analogue avionics.
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Post by strikemaster on Apr 30, 2011 12:25:01 GMT 12
If the RAN ones are being retired would they just use them as parts? Or are they newer than the Kiwi ones? Less airframe hours? Or are they better kitted out than ours and could be used to upgrade the existing fleet?
Interesting topic. I'm chafing to see pics of the new Kiwi choppers.
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Post by Naki on Apr 30, 2011 15:44:27 GMT 12
I cant see us using the RAN for operational use...maybe for spare parts..as far as I know they dont work as they intended and the airframes are old (the RAN used ex USN airframes)..ours are bought new
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Post by beagle on Apr 30, 2011 16:24:25 GMT 12
Quite a bit of the airframe was new and the rest zero times and the cockpit was fully digital.
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Post by Naki on Apr 30, 2011 17:28:19 GMT 12
Okay, but why would we use a RAN reject..or were their standards too high (or ours too low)?
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Post by skyhawkdon on Apr 30, 2011 17:38:28 GMT 12
We did it with their Skyhawks!
But the software issues with the RAN Sprites were never resolved, despite years of trying and hundreds of millions of dollars wasted. We have our own orphan/software problems with the Herc and Orion upgrades. Both projects are years late and the Herc one in particular is in big trouble... I doubt we would take on another set of problems by buying the ex RAN Sprites.
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