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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 17, 2005 17:36:52 GMT 12
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Post by corsair67 on Nov 18, 2005 14:58:29 GMT 12
Steel Talon? I thought Auntie Helen had gotten rid of all the sharp bits in the RNZAF?
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Post by Bruce on Nov 18, 2005 15:12:01 GMT 12
Occupational Safety and Health requires all steel Talons to be gaurded, padded or removed....  |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 26, 2005 11:29:46 GMT 12
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Post by corsair67 on Nov 26, 2005 12:10:56 GMT 12
Dave, the link wouldn't work for me. Maybe ASIO is stopping me from reading military info from "Commie" New Zealand  Anyway, I had a look at the Manawatu Standard and saw the Goffie has been out seeing the LAVS in action during a hostage exercise. The article mentions that the Army's attrition of personnel rate is 18%/annum: how the hell are they going to stop that? How does the current RNZAF attrition rate compare? |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 26, 2005 17:14:00 GMT 12
Those Stuff.co.nz pages often have commers in the url link for some reason, which don't work when linked from here
Here's the article which is from the Manawatu Standard
Silver Warrior's in town
23 November 2005
By HELEN HARVEY
Army exercise Silver Warrior was due to move into Bulls and Marton this morning.
The exercise is designed to test the Army's new motorised battalion in a number of scenarios and involves 800 military personnel and 251 vehicles, including 51 light armoured vehicles (LAVs).
A fictitious scenario has been created for Silver Warrior, which is designed to provide a realistic framework for the 800 military personnel involved in the exercise.
In the scenario the operation is being carried out on "Toa Island" (actually Manawatu, Rangitikei and South Taranaki) and is based around a United Nations mission similar to those New Zealand has been part of in the past.
A meeting between the mayor and religious leader of a fictitious town and the New Zealand Army team was due to take place in Bulls this morning.
In the scenario New Zealand has taken over the town from Australia and the leaders want to meet the Kiwis and express their grievances, Army public relations manager Major Denise MacKay said.
In Marton, Huntley School was to be the scene of a different type of operation. The plan is for a light armoured vehicle platoon to be dispatched to escort a fictional non-government organisation delivering humanitarian aid to the school.
Maj MacKay said some of the children have been studying communities in conflict and will be involved in the exercise.
The New Zealand Air Force is involved in an exercise dubbed Steel Talon.
This week Steel Talon will be run from RNZAF Base Ohakea with the helicopters from 3 Squadron taking part in Silver Warrior.
Next week the squadron will operate from a tented camp near Rangitikei Airfield, with the choppers flying as far north as Tauranga and east to Napier. Steel Talon involves 160 personnel from 3 Squadron, and up to seven Iroquois helicopters will conduct tactical flying operations.
Pilots will practise flying in formation in a hostile environment. It will also provide experience for door gunners and helicopter crewman.
Silver Warrior finishes on Saturday and Steel Talon finishes on Friday, December 2.
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Post by Bruce on Nov 26, 2005 20:56:35 GMT 12
They dont actually practice deploying the LAVS etc to the "Toa Island" do they - that seems to be the weakest part of the whole game!
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Post by corsair67 on Nov 26, 2005 21:47:07 GMT 12
They'd drive them there, silly!  Water crossings are easily done with several tractor tyre inner tubes attached to each LAV and a couple of Grunts on the roof paddling with their entrenching tools. The only problem is that they may not have enough drivers for the task. |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 26, 2005 22:22:57 GMT 12
Come now, let's not be derogatory towards the Army, they do their best.
Have you guys seen the new trucks the Army has to replace the Unimog. I forget it's name but it's German or Austrain or some sort of European make.
They had one of them at the Armistace Day and not trying to take the pee here, but, I seriously thought it was one of the WWII exhibits, I thought it was an old German truck of some sort like you'd see in photos of the Russian front. I never looked too closely at it. I just glanced as I went by and registered it as another collectable old vehicle (there were doazens of old vehicles there). It wasn't till I saw it in the newspaper the next week and realised it's brand new! Does anyone know what they're meant to be like? Are they better than the Mog or the Bedford RL? (Not much could be worse than an RL in my opinion)
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Post by corsair67 on Nov 26, 2005 23:33:58 GMT 12
I think you are talking about the Pinzgauer vehicles, Dave? They look like they were designed by 12 people who didn't have any form of contact with one another until the first one was assembled. Maybe the design was a leftover from WW2? Apparently they are pretty good, and I believe that the NZ SAS has taken some to Afghanistan with them; and if they can handle that, then nothing will break them! I thought they are only being purchased to replace the V8 Rovers? |
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Post by steve on Nov 27, 2005 0:12:14 GMT 12
Ugley looking vehicles i think 350 in total to replace all land rovers...hummers aparently were high on the list...however were rejected because they had that ugly perveived american look like a B52 in full flight....Na...they were a cheap deal...and lets hope they last the course NZSAS took some of the armoured variety with them true..
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 27, 2005 0:17:24 GMT 12
I believe these have replaced both the Unimog and the Landrover to streamline things. Am I right? I'm sure I read that.
The Unimogs were bought in a cheap deal too I recall - they bought so many they ended up with one truck for every four people in the army! Must have been a real bargain sale.
The SAS using anything is a great endorsement. They have the choice of using whatever they want from what I have been told, they don't have to stick to what military stores has on offer like other units (much like Armed Ofenders Squad members can choose their weapon of choice)
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Post by turboNZ on Nov 27, 2005 19:49:41 GMT 12
Armed Ofenders ? Sheesh, Dave you're on a pee-take mission aren't ya !!!  ;D Looks like the Police AD use CAR-15's to me and not the lovely plastic Steyrs that all of us here know about....  |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 27, 2005 20:20:09 GMT 12
Not joshing at all.
I used to know an Armed Offenders Squad officer in the early 1990's, and back then they, in Christchurch at least, were given their choice of weapon for the job, so long as it was approrpiate. I mean they weren't allowed Uzis or anything, but if they wanted a specific sort of rifle, or pistol, or whatever they felt most comfortable using, they got it.
That's what he told me anyway. The reason I met him was when I worked in the RNZAF Fabric Section my mate in the same trade as me made him a specialised vest for AOS work, much like a Helicopter Crewman's vest, with pockets made to specificaly fit the magazine of his rifle (I forget what he used) and his other equipment.
Maybe these days the spending cuts to Police mean they have Hobson's Choice? I don't know.
(As an aside, reminds me speaking of Hobson's Choice and Pigs, we got some bacon the other day and the brand name was called Hobson's Choice! Unbelievable - it means take it or leave it! I laughed at this name and asked do they make Salami too called Gift Horse In The Mouth? hehe)
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Post by turboNZ on Nov 27, 2005 20:25:18 GMT 12
That's something I could never work out, was why the Police used Glocks' and the Army use Sig-Sauer P226's ?
I mean to say they're both quite similar pistols. I think the Glock's do have more hitting power though....
oops...sorry getting off the subject here.
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Post by Bruce on Nov 28, 2005 13:57:43 GMT 12
I had a look at the Pinzgauer at Cambridge - looked functional, but would do what was required, and pretty well too. The rear compartment has nifty folding bench seats with storage underneith, they flip down and make a flat deck cargo area. I think they come in different sizes / wheelbases. The Territorial guy who was looking after it reckoned it was pretty good. Aparently it performs very well off road, can turn in tiny spaces and has a very light weight footprint which would be good for soft terrain - even fits in a herk too!
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Post by corsair67 on Nov 28, 2005 18:59:26 GMT 12
Oh my God: those Pinzgauers are made in England! I have been reading that these vehicles are shortlisted as a replacement for the ADF light vehicle fleet too, with Australian Defence Industries as a preferred contractor. |
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Post by steve on Nov 28, 2005 22:08:23 GMT 12
I understand that these austraian designed UK made pinzg..will replace all the landrovers and a small amount of unimogs...I do remember when the unimogs were ordered they purchased why to may ...1500 ...makes you wonder if cash was exchanging hands?
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Post by corsair67 on Nov 29, 2005 8:48:36 GMT 12
Steve, maybe someone in command was wishfully thinking that one day the Army might get bigger? It would be interesting to find out how these decisions are made, especially in light of the LAV purchase; I mean, how did they come up with 105 as the number required? Are the LAVS completely replacing the M113 in service, or are the Army keeping some of those in service as well? |
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Post by Bruce on Nov 29, 2005 9:39:15 GMT 12
I heard the other week the M113s were sold to somewhere in Australia where they will be upgraded - Surely the aussies arent going to get them!  some have been kept at Waiouru museum (6 I think) in operating condition to offer "tank rides" for visitors. Re number of vehicles - I reckon that defence HQ has a random number generator to work out force requirements.... |
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;D
some have been kept at Waiouru museum (6 I think) in operating condition to offer "tank rides" for visitors.