Awash with KC-30s

[tor lives]

This is good news:
1 July 2015

"The Australian Government will purchase two additional KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport aircraft for the Royal Australian Air Force.

The two additional KC-30A aircraft will be delivered in 2018 and provide a substantial increase to the air-to-air refuelling capacity of the RAAF.

Defence has signed an update to the existing acquisition contract with Airbus Defence and Space for the two aircraft and associated conversion at a cost of approximately AUD $408m.

Each KC-30A has a fuel capacity of more than 100 tonnes, and can offload fuel via the 17-metre-long Aerial Refuelling Boom System or the two hose-and-drogue refuelling pods.

The aircraft is capable of refuelling F/A-18A/B Hornets, F/A-18F Super Hornets, E-7A Wedgetail, C-17A Globemasters and other KC-30A aircraft.

In the future it will refuel EA-18G Growler, P-8A Poseidon and the F-35A (Joint Strike Fighter) providing a force-multiplier so aircraft can remain on station longer, extending their range and persistence.

The KC-30A continues to play an important role in the Middle East region as part of Operation OKRA, refuelling both a growing number of Australian and Coalition fighter aircraft.

Since September 2014, the KC-30A deployed to Operation OKRA has delivered more than more than 10,800 tonnes of fuel.

The additional two aircraft will be based at RAAF Base Amberley, increasing our KC-30A fleet to seven".

Geez.....it's a different Air Force now to the one I knew.
TOR

[RHB785]

It sure is Ray. The only aircraft that could be air refuelled in my time were the F-111s and the legacy F/A-18s. Did I read somewhere recently that we're also buying an extra 2 C-17s in the next few years? I think I read that over at ARC in a thread about white tail C-17s. That will bring our total to what, 8 C-17s.

Regards,
RHB.

[hrtpaul]

Yep 2 more C-17's as well. These and the KC-30's are a couple of the brighter defence acquisitions in the recent past.

[Adam the Akrodude]

Man, what I'd give to be in my early 20's again! Really I think this is the best time ever for the RAAF. Next come the F-35's - what a time for the RAAF! The PM was at Willitown today announcing lots of money to be spent on the base to get it F-35 ready.

Very interesting time for military aviation in this country.

Cheers

Adam

[tor lives]

Forgot to mention that these latest two KC-30s will apparently be ex-Qantas aircraft.
History repeats it's self.
I am with you Adam, if I were a younger bloke I would re-join again in a heart beat.
TOR

[RayS]

Forgot to mention that these latest two KC-30s will apparently be ex-Qantas aircraft.
History repeats it's self.
I am with you Adam, if I were a younger bloke I would re-join again in a heart beat.
TOR

Yes, EBH and EBI are the airframes being converted. A couple of the 'younger' QANTAS A330s

[RHB785]

If we were younger blokes? Somewhere I saw a pic of the Southern Cross at Fairbairn during WW2 with a couple of airmen standing under the wing. The caption said one of them was a 65 year old LAC. Amazing what can happen in wartime.

Regards,
RHB.

[Nicolas_Fantich]

And awash with additional funds it seems..........

Hang on - wasn't Defence told it would have to cut it's cloth from what it had already been allocated in Budgetary terms ?

So where did another $0.5 billion come from just for one project ? Project Air 5402 was only authorised to procure five (5) KC-30A aircraft, not seven (7). Projects do not squirrel away additional funds for the hell of it because they don't start out with a 'slush fund'. Half a billion bucks isn't management contingency.

Weren't the guys and girls in uniform on the path to being shafted by the Government in respect of their pay recently. It was a last minute reprieve that got them an additional pittance. Not so fortunate were their APS colleagues, who are still trying to negotiate with the SECDEF for a smaller paltry pittance one year after their enterprise agreement expired.

If the RAAF found the additional money for the two additional KC-30s from within its own resources, then good for it. If they had to go back to Government for additional funds, then I'd love to know how the case was argued. Furthermore, I wonder what the long delayed Defence White Paper says about the AAR capability either directly or indirectly ?

Remember that the ADF is not an end in itself, but an instrument (of policy) of the Government of the day. I'd say all decisions should be open to scrutiny, except of course, those made in the Cabinet Room

[RayS]

I think every one seems to forget the complexities of the government budget. These aircraft, as well as the 2 C-17s will be funded though money in the forward estimates (money the govt puts away for future expenses). Current operational funds for pay, etc come from a different 'bucket' of money.

Don't you save for future big ticket purchases like cars, overseas holidays, etc Nicholas? or is it a case of just slapping it on the CC or getting one of those GE type loans because you want it now?

It annoys me that people ALWAYS jump to this idea that if the govt can go and spend $1.5B in 2-3 years from now that they have all that the money now and it should be spent on other things. Running the country's spending is a huge balancing act.

Look at what happened to the P-8 and JSF programs when the previous government was in power, both pushed out 3 or so years because they did not have the money to spend on Defence. We should have a SQN of P-8s at Edinburgh by now rather than trying to keep the P-3s airworthy. All because the previous Govt was spending that money on school halls, etc

[tor lives]

Quiet frankly......I don't care how they budgeted for the extra C-17s and KC-30s. I am just glad they have the smarts enough to go ahead with the purchases.
Word is that the next two KC-30s will also supplement the VIP fleet. God knows the VIP fleet is in desperate need of long-range, wide body capacity.
TOR