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  • #46
    Originally posted by Te Kaha View Post
    I hope your right Kea about us getting eight. Its just that I have developed a degree of cynicism in recent years about NZDF defence purchases. Can you blame me? Totally agree about six being not enough. I personally believe ten A109's for the NZDF would be about right. With eight NH90's, five Seasprites and ten A109's we would have most contingencies covered in terms of tasking. There is going to be a balancing act between 2010 and 2013 with the introduction of the NH90's and the phasing out of the Huey's. Therefore the risk management having more than eight LUH's during this time will be essential - the 'unknowable unknowns' you could say.

    I suppose if Labour wants a "good news day" in February or March if the post New Year opinion polls are flagging, they could announce how "wonderful they are in getting eight LUH's for the budgeted cost of six". That could well happen as I'm also equally cynical about the political spin the Pollies get up to.

    This weeks further LTDP package came out. The Defence Satellite concept is very interesting and I'll also be interested to see how the King Air replacement goes.
    There is a rumour that the KingAirs may be replaced by Bombardier Q200's with a dual role mult-engine training and close in maritime surveillance as per the Aussie coast guard aircraft with is mentioned in the LTDP. The A109's will certainly be alot cheaper to operate than the NH90, you would think twice about firing up one of those beasts to look for some lost trampers.

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    • #47
      Ive heard the rumour also but nothing official about the Q200 - probably just a discussion document thats got out, but since phase 3 of the LTDP came out this week it must be on the cards. The Bombardier Q200 Multi Mission Version is probably the one which would interest me the most and be most likely. Its like turning back to the good old Andovers. The Q200 MM with its SAR, Coastal Patrol and Surveillance, Light Transport, Medivac and Para-drop capabilities would be great. It also has the VIP aspect which would interest Ms Clark and her mates.

      Further features are large conformal observation windows, special surveillance radar, wing hard points, custom navigation and communications suites. It can be reconfigured into its various roles fairly quickly also. A range of about 1700kms with a light infantry platoon onboard or around 900kms with a cargo load of 4500kg. Enough range to get around the country to perform Civil Defence Assistance missions, spot lost vessels and illegal fishing. Small enough to manage the minor domestic runways around the country so Helen can visit us peasants.

      We currently have five King Air B200s leased at present, so say five leased Q200MM's and a simulator would be a very tidy replacement indeed. Quite an upgrade actually. It would help us do those frequent little tasks a lot better and a lot more often. Taking the strain off the P3's and the C130's to concentrate on the bigger picture. By the way what other rumours (that wont get you into trouble) have you heard?
      Last edited by Te Kaha; 19 October 2006, 14:17.

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      • #48
        This press release came into the office today from a current NZ Member of Parliament Retired RNZNVR Captain Richard Worth. It bluntly highlights issues from the NZDF 2006 Annual Report.

        God Defend New Zealand

        The Defence Force Annual Report is sobering reading. It notes that the Defence Force failed to meet many of its operational targets across almost every arm of the service. The examples include:

        Naval Combat Forces - Crews at manning levels as specified in the RNZN Funded Personnel Level

        “Shortages in key positions and branches, particularly Aircrew, Bridge Watch-keeping and Warfare Officers, technicians and some Operations Branch personnel, continue to provide challenges in manning the NCF [Naval Combat Forces]. (p 61)

        Seasprite Helicopters
        “Critical shortages in aircrew instructors availability, preventing conversion course training from being conducted ashore while simultaneously conducting embarked aircrew training.”(p. 62)

        Land Combat Forces - Elements contributing to the forces available at manning levels as specified in Army Tables of Organisation and Equipment
        “Most units are staffed at below 80% of establishment. Ongoing composite deployments continue to highlight the shortages of infantry personnel and equipment available for rotation.” (p. 79)

        Maritime Patrol Forces - Air and Ground crews up to the RNZAF directed personnel levels
        “There were insufficient aircrew personnel to generate the number of crews required to meet Schedule 4 of the NZDF Output Plan. Efforts to regenerate aircrew numbers remain a high priority.” (p.93)

        Specified equipment types and numbers;
        “Mission equipment is inadequate for the majority of the more demanding surveillance and maritime air operations tasks. Spares support for the existing mission systems is becoming increasingly problematic with increased failure rates impacting on mission completion rates and increasing maintenance and logistic support overheads.” (p. 93) ends

        Fiji, the Solomons, Timor Leste and West Papua are all presently "problematic" on top of the Afghanistan deployment and EEZ duties. Though the current Government say they are investing 4.6 billion over 10 years with the LTDP, all this is basically is just playing catch up only to a MINIMUM BASELINE of readiness that was lost over the last decade.

        In NZ we have a defence force which spends around the same as Ireland and is basically the same in numbers - but to be honest due to the arc of instability that surrounds us we need to spend more than Ireland (And it needs to spend more itself frankly). We do not nor never have lived in a strategically benign environment. I am pleased with the bluntness and honesty in the 2006NZDF Annual Report but Im saddened that we have got this bad. With annual budget surpluses approaching $11.5 billion p.a - if only the defence force could get 10% of that surplus over 5 years, over and above the current spending - to build personnel numbers back up to establishment and have us invest in those capital items that are necessary to maintain regional stability, then maybe we could recover the lost ground. If the intent of the 1997 Defence White Paper had been maintained as with the 20% p.a extra annual defence funding promised to make it happen ( 1.2% of GDP not less than 1% GDP as in recent years) compounded over the decade, we would not be in this bleak position and we would still have a balanced Defence Force.

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        • #49
          At least you have people willing to admit the deficiencies. Many of our lot prefer to leave the Government with the impression that all is fine and that all arms of the DF are ready for anything.
          Which is not the case.


          Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing.

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          • #50
            Goldie. When you refer to "our lot" are you meaning Senior Defence Staff? Generally, what is the quality of mainstream media interest in the Irish Defence debate - do the media seek out ex senior DF staff (who aren't muzzled by the ministry anymore) for their views on the subject of defence? Are their any Irish pollies getting the message out?

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            • #51
              Originally posted by Te Kaha View Post
              Are their any Irish pollies getting the message out?
              No. That would require a direct admission on the part of our politicians that

              a) Our Neutrality is not enforceable and thus useless as a shield
              b) that "Ah sure, people love us" is not an effective foreign policy.
              c) Threats exist.
              Meh.

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