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BALMAIN

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April 6, 2005 at 3:29 am in reply to: Aussie Warmira #2623086

BALMAIN
Participant

Notice the 2 different designs, the tandem seater and the side by side.
The RAAF wanted side by side and the design started that way, but then it was decided to compete in the RAF trainer comp and they were insistent on tandem, so the design was changed, thus the project was delayed and costs went up like a Saturn V. That’s what killed it.

BALMAIN

November 23, 2004 at 9:41 am in reply to: Drac's Yak #1413795

BALMAIN
Participant

Ja, you wouldn’ happen to have the Aussie rego for that aircraft would you?

Cheers,

September 3, 2004 at 7:12 am in reply to: China and Backfires AGAIN!? #2656661

BALMAIN
Participant

Leaving aside his political opinions and bias, I do think he provides a good technical analysis for various aircraft and weapons systems.
Having said that however, it is interesting that in the same article, he still proposes arming the F-111’s with ALCM version of Tomahawk (4 of them) inspite of the problems the RAAF has had in intergrating the AGM-142 due to it’s weight (at least I think that’s what he proposes, I just saw the graphic and did not actually buy the mag). Imagine what problems we would have then!

BALMAIN

August 31, 2004 at 12:26 pm in reply to: MRH-90 to Australian Army #2659271

BALMAIN
Participant

This decision will likely mean the replacement of all of Australia’s Blackhawks with an NH-90 variant sometime in the future.

BALMAIN

August 31, 2004 at 6:52 am in reply to: Australia to get cruise missiles #2058929

BALMAIN
Participant

The Hornet has very short legs compared to the Aardvark.
Thereby leading to this interesting situation: Strike range of F/A-18 w/ JASSM < F-111 w/ Harpoon.

Although the harpoon has no land attack capability.

The real motive was oil.

That doesn’t make much sense as the Australian government had previously signed (a very favourable) an agreement with the Indonesian government regarding the gas reserves, and when E.Timor became an independant state that deal obviously became invalid and had to be re-negotiated with E.Timor (and Indonesia?).

BALMAIN.

August 27, 2004 at 5:43 am in reply to: Chinese Il-76 at Zhukovsky #2662887

BALMAIN
Participant

That’s not Chinese. Chinese Il-76s don’t have the gunner/observer/refueling op position. Is that even an Il-76?

I think it’s an IL-76 mod of some kind. I think the protrusions just below the observer station on either side are pretty unusual.
Isn’t China planning to aquire additional used 76’s? If so they might be the standard MD version, complete with observer station.

BALMAIN.

August 27, 2004 at 2:27 am in reply to: Australia to get cruise missiles #2059124

BALMAIN
Participant

Does RAAF F-18 already field paveway kits and GPS guided munitions for bread and butter work ?

F-18’s can carry paveway LGB’s and did so during OIF, and the RAAF has committed to purchasing the JDAM.

BALMAIN.

August 26, 2004 at 4:48 am in reply to: Australia to get cruise missiles #2059170

BALMAIN
Participant

souce of this information?

http://news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,10570614%255E421,00.html

http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2004/s1185483.htm

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/103182/1/.html

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,10573681%255E1702,00.html

BALMAIN

August 21, 2004 at 8:24 am in reply to: AGM-142 & F-111 #2059335

BALMAIN
Participant

Despite the problems, and despite the fact that the F-111 will probably be retired within the decade, I read recently that the programme is still alive, although the weapon is far from being operational (possibly years). So it might be that the AGM-142 will only be around for about 2 years before it’s carrier is retired!

BALMAIN

August 13, 2004 at 3:49 am in reply to: RAAF and ASEAN Air Forces #2647298

BALMAIN
Participant

Could someone update me with the latest trends from the PNG air arm?

The latest trends are include a desire to get rid of the entire air arm (at least fixed-wing transport aircraft) and replace them with civil contractors. (This is already happening)
As for their current orbat, that’s hard to know, some UH-1’s, a couple of Nomad’s and maybe two CN-235’s are probaly the only aircraft that are even close to being operational.

BALMAIN

July 5, 2004 at 7:24 am in reply to: RAAF and ASEAN Air Forces #2675966

BALMAIN
Participant

Nice to see that someone has faith in those things! I served on Collins itself and if there was a case of never wanting to get back in a modern sub this would be it!

Well Ja, you are aparrently in the minority as far as submariners opinions of the Collins-class goes. The was a 60 minutes story which tried to do a hatchet job on the type a while ago and that really got the crew offside, and when that twit Peter Reith tried to put the boot into the Labor party for purchasing the sub he also ran afoul of much of the sub’s crew.
What was your role on the sub and how long ago was it?

June 20, 2004 at 4:14 am in reply to: Small Airforces Pics Request #2686147

BALMAIN
Participant

Balmain: Mate you are a legend, I’ve been looking for PNG pics for ages!

Yes, they seem to be quite rare don’t they? (present day ones)
I myself would like to see a pic of a PNG CN-235, they supposedly have two. :confused:
As I understand it, the Australian government (which pretty much finances the whole operation) wants to do away with the entire air wing.

June 19, 2004 at 6:57 am in reply to: Small Airforces Pics Request #2686754

BALMAIN
Participant

Some Papua New Guinea stuff

Nomad N-22b

Arava

Im not sure how much (if any) of the PNGDF is airworthy anymore.

May 30, 2004 at 8:56 am in reply to: What jet did your country start off with? #2673997

BALMAIN
Participant

[
Down here in the (According to Arthur) non relevant part of the world, we hit the jet age with the Meteor back in 1950’s,[/QUOTE]

Actually, the first RAAF aircraft to enter Squadron service was the Vampire in 1949. The Meteor did not enter service until 1951 when 77 sqn changed over from the P-51 for use in the Korean war. Of course, if you want to nitpick, the first aircraft to actually be taken on charge by the RAAF was a Meteor F.3 in 1946 but it was only used for evaluation.

May 19, 2004 at 11:27 am in reply to: f-22 raptor in china #2681889

BALMAIN
Participant

Yes, i can explain. This is just like that movie “Firefox” except this time the Chinese have stolen America’s newest fighter jet. :rolleyes:
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