C-17 Infrastructure At Amberly, Ministerial Announcement

[Brendan Cowan]

No big suprise here, but the details are there for the record........ BC


Minister for Defence Media Mail List
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THE HON DR BRENDAN NELSON MP
Minister for Defence

Thursday, 20 September 2007
MIN100/2007

$268.2 MILLION INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT FOR C-17s GIVEN ‘GO AHEAD’ BY PARLIAMENT

I am pleased to announce that the C-17 Heavy Air Lift Infrastructure Project, has been recommended to proceed by the Parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on Public Works and that this recommendation has been approved by Parliament.

The works are valued at $268.2 million and include new facilities and infrastructure. Aircraft aprons, a headquarter building, an air movements terminal, a C-17 simulator precinct and a warehouse will be provided at the aircraft’s home base, RAAF Base Amberley.

Aircraft pavements, air movement terminals and infrastructure will also be provided at RAAF Bases Darwin, Edinburgh, Pearce and Townsville, where the C-17s will operate.

The provision of this infrastructure will enhance the operational capability of C-17 aircraft and increase the Australian Defence Force’s ability to rapidly deploy military troops and equipment for military operations or disaster relief efforts.

Construction will commence in early 2008 and will generate a significant amount of short-term employment opportunities for skilled consultants, sub-contractors and construction workers in each of the five regions that encompass the home and deployment bases.

Media contacts
Nigel Blunden
(Dr Nelson)
02 6277 7800
0407 632 931

Defence Media Liaison
02 6265 3343
0408 498 664

www.defence.gov.au

[Brendan Cowan]

Any one care to speculate whether further airframe purchases will be announced in the run up to the election?

^_^

BC

[Luig]

Recently the AGE had this story. Probably not the airframes to which you refer but...: (any excuse for a GROWLER story)

"Hornet's nest - are we buying?
Tom Hyland
September 16, 2007.

AUSTRALIAN officials are reported to have sounded out the US about buying more Super Hornet jet fighters, on top of the 24 ordered in a controversial $6.6 billion deal to plug a potential gap in our air defences.

The respected US magazine Aviation Week has reported Australia has "quietly expressed interest" in buying a second squadron of 24 Super Hornets.

It said Australia could also be interested in an electronic attack version of the aircraft, known as the Growler, used to counter enemy communications, radar and missile systems.

"They would be bought with budget surpluses, not with the regular defence budget," the article says.

The US Navy and the plane's maker, Boeing, are keen to secure foreign orders to keep the Super Hornet production line running until the introduction of the new Joint Strike Fighter (JSF).

Australia's existing order was made despite RAAF advice that the Super Hornet was not needed and was outclassed by Russian planes being bought by Asian air forces.

Any further purchase would trigger renewed controversy over the Government's defence acquisitions.

A spokesman for Defence Minister Brendan Nelson flatly denied the Government was planning to buy more Super Hornets.

"Absolutely not. There is no consideration of a further purchase," he told The Sunday Age.

The US Navy has been testing Super Hornets and Growlers in strike forces that could compete with the JSF.

Australia is also planning to buy 100 JSFs for $16 billion.

The Super Hornets on order are designed to fill any gap between the retirement of the RAAF's F111 bombers in 2010 and the arrival of the first JSFs in 2013.

The RAAF's former air commander, retired air vice-marshall Peter Criss, a strong critic of the Super Hornet and the JSF, said Dr Nelson should resist US pressure to buy more Super Hornets.

"I can understand why Boeing and the US Navy would like us to buy more," he said.

"The JSF is already delayed and it will fall further behind. I have no doubt the US is dead keen for us to buy more."

Aviation Week is not the only journal to suggest Australia could be interested in more of the planes. In July, Flight International quoted the head of the US Navy's Hornet program as saying Boeing had a "potential follow-on order in Australia".

[darren.crick]

whats the bet JSF slips (or worse) and we end up with Hornets...

[herkman]

Darrens previous post on ten frame numbers allotted for use by the RAF.

Some are very actively pushing for a total buy by the RAF of ten maybe 12.

I expect to see that as we ramp up the crews that the hours will climb, I am in touch with an ex USAF guy who tells me that they too are exceeding the hours originally budgeted for.

We have a lot if tired airframes in the RAAF, and we need to get on top of it, or we will find ourselfes in the USAF situation.

Our Air Force deserves better than what they are getting.

Regards

Col

First C130H to go into storage I believe is A97-011.

[darren.crick]

it was a bit strange to see that RAF C-17 allocation Col...

So we believe a Herc has gone already eh, any word where?? It will be interesting to see what happens.

just FYI, I have been watching some hercs come and go at Canberra here for some maintenance... I have noted any serials for some time. The last H model Herc to be done here was 01. The J's have been coming through as well.

I will have to take a drive and see I think...