Posts by Tom Semmens
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This might sound awfully full of kiwi-centric hubris, but I can imagine that the All Black's failure to win the WRC must be beginning to undermine the credibility of the tournament as a place that finds a "champion" of anything except that particular event. As such, even the Stephen Jones and the gravy-train toffs from the English RFU who have seamlessly moved into running the IRB must be getting worried, since the whole WRC circus is the cash cow that keeps them in their Saville Row suits and flash international hotels...
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Chris Rattue is what happens when a journalist paints himself into a corner using intemperate language.
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"...Further, I have to observe that to claim the P-3 Orion, A PURPOSE DESIGNED ASW/Maritime reconaissance and strike platform, is not suitable for offshore attack roles is rubbish..."
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I don't disagree that the armed forces have played a huge role in vocational training. But to try and formalise that role, to try and detract from their primarily MILITARY function in any formal way would be an absolute disaster for combat efficiency.
I still can't see exactly WHAT "glaring operational gap" you see the MBB339's fufilling, unless you envisage them carrying out COIN operations against Te Qaeda in the Ureweras or something. That is about the only opposition they could realisticly operate against. Further, I have to observe that to claim the P-3 Orion, A PURPOSE DESIGNED ASW/Maritime reconaissance and strike platform, is not suitable for offshore attack roles. If equipped with anti-ship missiles it is a fine maritime strike platform. Remember, New zealand is long, long way from anywhere so unless the bad guys have got an aircraft carrier the Orion will rules the sky around NZ.
In terms of replacing the P-3 , there is no doubt our aircraft are old. But equally, I can't see a decent replacement on the horizon. Certainly, we wouldn't want to buy the P-8, for the simple reason that they are skyrocketing in costand a turbofan powered aircraft is highly inefficient in the low level maritime patrol role that the RNZAF would largely want to use it. Having said that, there is bugger all options out there!
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Hmmm, Simon the range of a P-3 is around a prodigious 7-9,000km, the Macchi's are short legged 900km radius aircraft. I have thought about it but I can't imagine any realistic "maritime situation" that could be efficiently be met by a single engined, fine weather, short-ranged training jet. Quite simply, the macchi is a training aircraft with a secondary light attack capability. The Orion is actually a very capable Maritime recon/strike platform if equipped with the appropriate weapons. Arguably, the P-3 is possibly
The idea of the military is to be even the least a uniformed polytechnic for vocational training is plain dumb, and very deleterious to morale. This function can performed far more cost effectively by existing tertiary institutions. The purpose of the armed forces is to protect the sovereignty of New Zealand.
The bottom line is this - if we want more firepower for the air force (or the Army or the Navy) then we will have to pay for it. That is a different argument. Currently, there is zero constituency for anything more than grudging re-equipment of the priority branches of the armed forces (the Army and then the Navy) on the current modest budgets. And given the lack of any conventional enemy and the public's lack of any enthusiasm for major foreign military adventures that is the way it shall stay for the foreseeable future
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If we are to assume the history of weapons in the electronic age is really the history of the rise of the robot weapon, then manned jet aircraft have a future that doesn't extend beyond the next 30-50 years anyway.
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@Sam F - Oops! I am just used to dealing with the blood thirsty armchair admirals and keyboard commandos of the kiwiblog sewer, who see the fast jet issue as a direct attack on the size of their dicks.
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"...I do think it's unfortunate that NZDF lost it's fast jet training ability, a skill which has some application beyond combat..."
The role of the New Zealand Air Force is to defend New Zealand, not act as a very expensive taxpayer funded training institution for international air lines. The A-4's were useless in joint operations in, say, Afghanistan because our Allies have more modern and better equipped aircraft that can do the job more accurately. Since there is no remotely realistic threat to our home islands either, the A-4 attack jets we had had no conceivable combat application. They consumed a disproportionate chuck of the operational budget in fuel, parts and wages to keep flying. The cost of buying fast jets that were sufficiently modern and capable of combat operations was deemed to expensive for the limited range of uses they would have.
That is the end of the matter.
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I am convinced talkback radio can act as a Neizchean abyss for people who spend a lot of time listening to it in their cars or trucks as a way to pass the time. Listening to the racist and fascist ravings of Leighton Smith and co over a period can slowly brainwash you.
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Curiously on topic, I just have share this piece of gold -
Anne Coulter has had her jaw wired shut...
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/thedishrag/2008/11/oh-dear-page-si.html