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Post by phil on Jan 24, 2006 15:53:31 GMT 12
It's not a rumour any one at Ohakea seems to have heard yet.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 24, 2006 17:35:10 GMT 12
John Smith, you're not Helen Clark are you? ;D ;D ;D
Just kidding. Sorry, that was probably hurtful.
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Post by turboNZ on Jan 24, 2006 21:48:04 GMT 12
Dave Homewood top 10 tips of keeping forum members here....  ;D ;D |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 24, 2006 22:06:28 GMT 12
Sorry if it caused any offence. It's just these rumours must start somewhere near the top and trickle down. I just thought I'd have a laugh, nothing offensive meant by it.
I'm sure 'John Smith' knows what 'he's talking about and probably didn't appreciate my little joke. I have a warped sense of humour sometimes. This is a serious topic I know, and if the rumour's true it'll devastate the morale of the RNZAF just as it's picking up again. I hope like hell it turns out to be wrong.
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Post by turboNZ on Jan 24, 2006 22:31:42 GMT 12
;D ;Dha ha you're too easy to wind up, Dave......
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Post by John Smith on Jan 25, 2006 5:55:56 GMT 12
Dave, no offence taken. I have been called worse.
This is the thing with rumours, who knows if they are true. This is something I have heard from where I work in Wellington.
The one thing I do know, is that there is no contract yet, and these things are expensive. There like the LAVs, being the best things around at the moment for the role we need them for. I just hope we don't end up with Blackhawks, and even worse second hand aussie Blackhawks.
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Post by corsair67 on Jan 25, 2006 8:37:25 GMT 12
My God, you've been called something worse than Helen Clark? I didn't think there could be anything worse than that! ;D
Hey, there's nothing wrong with Blackhawks; so long as you've got plenty of fuel stockpiled!
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Post by john smith on Jan 25, 2006 11:09:32 GMT 12
And plenty of spares, and plenty & plenty & plenty & plenty of man hours to keep them flying. I belive that is the main reason why the Aussies went for the MRH90 over more Blackhawks....
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 25, 2006 12:17:47 GMT 12
If the Australians are building the helicopters under licence, is it possible to get a cheaper mates rates deal through them? They're always winging we don't do enough for defence. Maybe they could help us out.
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Post by corsair67 on Jan 25, 2006 13:10:13 GMT 12
Yeah, I can really see that happening! They might end up charging NZ extra because Helen's been horrible to Johnnie on a couple of occasions too! ;D
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Post by Calum on Jan 25, 2006 20:36:19 GMT 12
From what I've heard the RNZAF doesn't wnat much to do with the Aussie MRH-90's due the troubles with the Sea Sprite project. Althoough Ithey could still be assembled by AUs aero in Brisbane. It would benefit both countries but particular Austrlia as it should drop the unit price and keep the assembly line going unitl (or if) they Sign up for the other 28 they were quoted on.
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Post by phil on Jan 25, 2006 21:31:00 GMT 12
Part of the trouble with the Aussie sprites was the all-singing, all-dancing avionics they installed.
We went for a considerably more basic aircraft that actually worked.
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Post by corsair67 on Jan 25, 2006 22:26:44 GMT 12
Yep, but once they do (finally!) get the SH-2G(A) Super Seasprites working properly they'll be very good helicopters.
The F-111s were considered to be lemons when the RAAF first got them in 1973, but look at them now! ;D
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Post by Calum on Jan 27, 2006 21:13:50 GMT 12
I Dunno Bruce. I still think they chose the wrong aircraft. Should have gone with the Super Lynx.
Plus they may not ever get it working right.... :-)
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Post by corsair67 on Jan 27, 2006 21:27:46 GMT 12
A Pommy helicopter - better? How could that ever be the case? Maybe things have changed somewhat since the Wasp?  (By the way, I'm Craig: Bruce is the one with the homebuilt plane as his avatar.) ;D |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 27, 2006 21:45:36 GMT 12
You mean you didn't build that Corsair in your garage Craig? Perhaps Calum's just been in Aussie too long, and calls everyone Bruce, like in the Monty Python sketch ;D |
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Post by corsair67 on Jan 27, 2006 21:59:09 GMT 12
LOL ;D
I wish I could build a Corsair in my garage, but unfortunately it'd probably end up getting lost amongst all the junk in there!
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Post by Calum on Jan 28, 2006 16:55:27 GMT 12
A Pommy helicopter - better? How could that ever be the case? Maybe things have changed somewhat since the Wasp? (By the way, I'm Craig: Bruce is the one with the homebuilt plane as his avatar.) ;D Oops Sorry Craig.  Mind you I was working for Westlands at the time so I'm a little biased  But the Super Lynx can do all the Super Seasprite is supposed to except for carrying Penguin. Mind you it could carry 4 Sea Skua, probably a more useful weapon than the cold war Penguin. Sea Skua has a shorter range and smaller warhead but it's handier in todays scenarios ,eg small boats, pirates, ROE where you have to positiveily ID the target. Penguin is desgined for larger warships but with only 2 it's unlikely that they would get through modern defences. And Super Lynx is put there working now, and still gathering customers. (Thailand just got theres). The story I heard when working for Westlands(rumour if you will  is that NZ chose the Lynx. They decided to wait for Australias announcement. Once the RAN opted for the SH-2G(A) NZ changed there mind and went for the Sea Sprite as well. The other rumour (dunno how true, if at all)is that the Kaman bid had a much better technology transfer. That is what got it over the line. At Nowra we now have a nice facility that empolys allot of people looking after the Sea Sprite . The Westlands bid didn't provide that sort of thing. Another thing to note is that the bulk of the work went to a Kiwi company ;D , Safe Air. There has been allot of Kiwis here working, quite a few ex RNZAF, I think most if not all are now home. But theres still a few kiwis working for the various companies on the project. |
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Post by corsair67 on Jan 28, 2006 21:01:04 GMT 12
I'd heard that rumour too about NZ choosing the Lynx, but then going for the Super Seasprite after Australia announced that was how they were going to go. I guess the idea of commonality of equipment was behind this possible change of heart, even though (as it's turned out) there's a great deal of difference in capabilities and operational fitout between the SH-2G of the RNZAF and the SH-2G(A) of the RAN.
Technology transfer and local industry involvement seem to be the big things in securing orders for military equipment nowadays; and I think the Yanks have stolen the running on the Poms a few times now on this front.
I've also heard that many rumours about Lynx vs Seasprite, that I don't know what to believe anymore. For instance, one one hand I've heard that the Lynx can land on in rougher conditions than a Seasprite, yet on the other hand I've heard that the Seasprite can land on in rougher conditions than the Lynx!
Calum, do you happen to know if the RAN Seasprites will carry Mavericks too, like the RNZAF ones do? The Penguin may be overkill, but they look damn pretty! ;D
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Post by zknsj on Feb 21, 2006 21:29:41 GMT 12
they can afford $13million a day in welfare, but cant afford some choppers,if that is the case, why dont we just get a whole pile of used blackhawks from the americans, sure the will be old, but not as old as the hueys, and certainly a lot cheaper than the NH-90's
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is that NZ chose the Lynx. They decided to wait for Australias announcement. Once the RAN opted for the SH-2G(A) NZ changed there mind and went for the Sea Sprite as well.