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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 25, 2017 11:58:51 GMT 12
How good would this be? NZ could host Singapore's fighter jets at Ohakea5:00 AM Saturday Feb 25, 2017  Minister of Defence Gerry Brownlee suggested the benefits to New Zealand would be strategic and economic. Photo / Jason Oxenham Singapore is eying Ohakea air base in Manawatu as a potential base for one of its own Air Force squadrons of F15 fighter jets. Up to 500 people would be stationed in or near the base in the region. Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee confirmed that the Singapore Government in undertaking a feasibility study to determine what the move would entail, including housing and education needs of family. That study needed to be completed before any proposal could be put before the Singapore or New Zealand Governments. Brownlee said that Singapore's position in Southeast Asia so close to Malaysia and near Indoesia meant that air space was very tight. "New Zealand doesn't have the same congestion so the opportunity to fly more freely clearly exists at Ohakea." The Singapore Air Force has other overseas bases, in France, the United States and in Western Australia's Pearce Air Base where a squadron is based. Brownlee suggested the benefits to New Zealand would be strategic and economic. "It would mean there would be up to 500 people based out of Ohakea in the Manawatu region so that has a big economic effect on the local community," he told the Weekend Herald. "But the benefit of strengthening the strategic alliance with Singapore is the most important aspect." Brownlee said there was deadline by which the proposal needed to be considered by but he expected that it was approved, could take a couple of years to establish. Singapore and New Zealand have a longstanding defence relationship. The New Zealand Army stationed a battalion in Singapore for 20 years until 1989. And both are members of the Five Power Defence Arrangement along with Britain, Australia and Malaysia. New Zealand's combat arm of the Ari Force was axed in 2001 by the Helen Clark-led Labour Government. Asked if the Singapore proposal might be a way for New Zealand to re-establish a combat arm, Brownlee said "definitely not." "It would be a Singapore operation entirely but based at Ohakea." He did not know how many aircraft would be involved but a squadron is usually between 12 and 24 aircraft. Singapore has F15s in New Zealand at present to take part in an Air Force Tattoo at Ohakea this weekend. - NZ Herald www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11807172 |
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Post by lumpy on Feb 25, 2017 12:36:51 GMT 12
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Post by skyhawkdon on Feb 27, 2017 15:01:25 GMT 12
Ohakea would need a lot of infrastructure work for this to happen, including likely extending the runway(s), installing new arrestor gear, upgraded/new hangars, flight line, etc. But very exciting for the base and wider Manawatu region. From what I heard at Ohakea over the weekend this proposal is looking very promising. Singapore is prepared to fund all of this work themselves.
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Post by conman on Feb 27, 2017 15:19:08 GMT 12
Ohakea would need a lot of infrastructure work for this to happen, including likely extending the runway(s), installing new arrestor gear, upgraded/new hangars, flight line, etc. But very exciting for the base and wider Manawatu region. From what I heard at Ohakea over the weekend this proposal is looking very promising. Singapore is prepared to fund all of this work themselves. Would not the current runway length be more than adequate, I don't think the F15 is overly demanding in this respect, are the current original hangars fully utilised by the RNZAF ? |
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Post by skyhawkdon on Feb 27, 2017 16:44:21 GMT 12
Yes I would have thought so too, as 09/27 is already 8,000ft long, but apparently the Singaporeans want another 2,000ft on top of that! Their runways in Singapore are around 12,000ft long so I guess they are used to LOOOOOOONG runways!
No 3 Hangar (the old 75 Sqn/3 Sqn concrete hangar) and the flight line in front is empty/unused now that all of the helicopter operations have moved over to the other side. That hangar and its associated annexes is getting pretty old though so would need quite a lot done to it to bring it up to spec. I'd say. I wouldn't be surprised if they built their own stand-alone facilities on the south side of 09/27. Better security for them (which is important to them) and they can build it how they want it. They will also need things like an engine run-up "hush house". I can't see them getting away with doing high power ground runs at Camp Sanson like we used to! Noise considerations will be big in any discussions I'd imagine.
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Post by nige on Feb 27, 2017 17:26:22 GMT 12
Ohakea would need a lot of infrastructure work for this to happen, including likely extending the runway(s), installing new arrestor gear, upgraded/new hangars, flight line, etc. But very exciting for the base and wider Manawatu region. From what I heard at Ohakea over the weekend this proposal is looking very promising. Singapore is prepared to fund all of this work themselves. Didn't the primary radar system also get closed down in 2001? Was it ever reinstated or if not, would CAA need to look at this (for aircraft safety reasons) or has technology progressed negating the need nowadays (although what about non-radio equipped vintage planes or crop dusters etc? I wonder if any "fly-away" RPAS devices are radar trackable)? Regardless, interesting times ahead! |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 27, 2017 17:27:12 GMT 12
Is there room to extend the runways or will extra land have to be taken outside the base perimeter? Would SH1 have to be lowered under the runway?
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Post by skyhawkdon on Feb 27, 2017 19:52:34 GMT 12
Is there room to extend the runways or will extra land have to be taken outside the base perimeter? Would SH1 have to be lowered under the runway? There is room to extend at the Sanson end but not at the bomb dump end. Another 2,000ft would bring the threshold close to SH1. I heard the figure of $60M mentioned just for the runway upgrade! Who knows if that is true or not though. |
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Post by skyhawkdon on Feb 27, 2017 19:54:39 GMT 12
Ohakea would need a lot of infrastructure work for this to happen, including likely extending the runway(s), installing new arrestor gear, upgraded/new hangars, flight line, etc. But very exciting for the base and wider Manawatu region. From what I heard at Ohakea over the weekend this proposal is looking very promising. Singapore is prepared to fund all of this work themselves. Didn't the primary radar system also get closed down in 2001? Was it ever reinstated or if not, would CAA need to look at this (for aircraft safety reasons) or has technology progressed negating the need nowadays (although what about non-radio equipped vintage planes or crop dusters etc? I wonder if any "fly-away" RPAS devices are radar trackable)? Regardless, interesting times ahead! Ohakea always used the Airways radar even when we had our own jets. The Singaporeans have plenty of their own portable air defence radar systems so may just deploy one of those for their own needs. |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 27, 2017 20:13:08 GMT 12
I just had a thought, it's on the cards that we'll end up with a bloody Labour-Greens government later this year if English and his mob do not pull finger to woo the fickle voters, so such a deal would never happen if that occurs.
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Post by gibbo on Feb 27, 2017 20:41:18 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 27, 2017 21:01:33 GMT 12
Ah, of course, it's his electorate. His party overlords will likely have different views though.
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Post by gibbo on Feb 28, 2017 15:47:55 GMT 12
Ah, of course, it's his electorate. His party overlords will likely have different views though. Yeah but I figure that now he's on record as supporting it the overlords will have a harder job to dismiss it off hand. I get the impression there might be other locations they are looking at? From what I can see the F15SG can happily handle Ohakea's runway length, so wonder if the talk of wanting a longer main could suggest they might want to have a AAR coming & going on a semi-regular basis... or even be based there & rotated out |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 28, 2017 15:58:17 GMT 12
What is AAR?
The squadron that the two F-15's that visited came from, No. 149 Squadron "The Fighting Shikras" is a mixed squadron with just five F-15's and the rest of the unit are Tiger II's. I wonder if we might see some other types like that as well if this goes ahead.
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Post by Naki on Feb 28, 2017 16:46:22 GMT 12
What is AAR? The squadron that the two F-15's that visited came from, No. 149 Squadron "The Fighting Shikras" is a mixed squadron with just five F-15's and the rest of the unit are Tiger II's. I wonder if we might see some other types like that as well if this goes ahead. Air to air refuelling |
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Post by gibbo on Feb 28, 2017 17:00:43 GMT 12
What is AAR? The squadron that the two F-15's that visited came from, No. 149 Squadron "The Fighting Shikras" is a mixed squadron with just five F-15's and the rest of the unit are Tiger II's. I wonder if we might see some other types like that as well if this goes ahead. Sorry... meant wonder if they'll have tankers come & go...currently KC135 but A330-MRTT on order I believe. |
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Post by typerated on Feb 28, 2017 17:00:53 GMT 12
Seems a strange plan. I don't see what NZ basing gives that Aussie doesn't.
But I do see a lot of negatives.
No EW range, modern air weapons range, DACT or JTAC's looking for trade - all readily available in Aussie and not here.
It would be pretty limited and benign training in NZ.
The extra distance will cost them a fortune too.
I would be looking at Tindal if I was them!
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Post by errolmartyn on Feb 28, 2017 17:20:46 GMT 12
Seems a strange plan. I don't see what NZ basing gives that Aussie doesn't. But I do see a lot of negatives. No EW range, modern air weapons range, DACT or JTAC's looking for trade - all readily available in Aussie and not here. It would be pretty limited and benign training in NZ. The extra distance will cost them a fortune too. I would be looking at Tindal if I was them! Not to mention all that exciting mountainous terrain to test one's skills in in Aussie - Not! Errol |
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Post by typerated on Feb 28, 2017 17:30:13 GMT 12
Low level's importance is a fraction of what it once was.
I think you can gauge how important it is by how often the RAAF come across here to do it!]
You can do plenty of low level in Aussie - often less restricted than here. Apart from for fun the big mountains here offer little.
Modern fast jet training uses many assets - most of which are not here but are in Aussie.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 28, 2017 17:51:46 GMT 12
We have better beer, wine, bars and women, the very needs of any fighter pilot.
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