Raaf Pilots Get Carrier Training

[Dave Masterson]

This just in..from the Australian Newspaper

Carrier training for our pilots Dodd | August 21, 2007

AUSTRALIAN fighter pilots will be taught to land on aircraft carriers for the first time in 25 years.

A select handful of Royal Australian Air Force instructors will be chosen for lessons on how to land on US aircraft carriers flying the new F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter.

The plan, which could eventually lead to participation in US carrier-based operations, marks the first time Australian pilots have flown off aircraft carriers since the retirement of the navy's flagship carrier HMAS Melbourne in 1982.

The carrier training underscores the rapidly evolving military partnership between the US and Australian military.

Senior US navy sources said the relationship was likely to involve an increasing convergence in training and tactics between the RAAF's fast jets and their US equivalent.

RAAF Flight Lieutenant John Haly will become the first Australian air force pilot to become carrier-qualified when he attempts his toughest flying skills test later this year.

Asked to clarify RAAF Super Hornet training, Defence Minister Brendan Nelson said yesterday: "There is no plan for RAAF pilots to undertake training in aircraft carrier landings."

The official government line contradicts briefings provided to The Australian by senior US military officials at Lemoore Naval Air Station in California that other RAAF "Top Gun" instructor pilots are expected to follow Flight Lieutenant Haly and be provided with carrier training.

Full-scale Super Hornet training for RAAF air crew starts in the US in 2009.

"We've got him (Flight Lieutenant Haly) driving on the right side of the road so we figure he's trainable," said Lemoore-based Commander Art "Kato" Delacruz, executive officer of Strike Fighter Squadron VFA-122.

The RAAF is buying 24 F/A-18F Block-2 Super Hornets for $6 billion to maintain its air combat capability between the phasing out of the ageing F-111 fleet in 2010 and the introduction of the delayed fifth-generation F-35 Joint Strike Fighter in 2013.

Despite criticism of the deal in Australia, US Navy aviators say the the Block-2 Super Hornet is the world's most capable multi-role combat aircraft.

Australia is acquiring a virtually identical aircraft to the one currently operated by the US Navy, with the first four aircraft scheduled for delivery in early 2010 and final delivery in late 2011.

Boeing, the manufacturer of the Super Hornet, says the Australian version will be equipped with enough technology for the aircraft to remain a formidable asset for the next 20 years.

During a briefing at the weekend, Flight Lieutenant Haly said it took only five hours' flying time for an F/A-18C pilot trained on a "Classic Hornet" to become familiar with the new Super Hornet. Acquiring the tactical skills to take advantage of the jet's massive capabilities would take considerably longer, he said.

This post has been edited by Dave Masterson on Aug 22 2007, 03:25 PM

[millsy2]

I don't know why we muck around with training RAAF pilots to land on carriers? What we need is a Fleet Air Arm with 2 Carriers - one based at Fremantle and the other at Garden Island. How the heck can we be expected to keep peace in this region with a Frigate navy? Carriers project power, a frigate navy commands the square kilometres of sea it sits in. If this sounds Hawkish, I'm sorry - but I was against the scrapping of HMAS Melbourne, without a replacement, years ago.

[Luig]

Millsy2,
The discussion is also over on this link:
http://www.adf-serials.com/invboard/index.php?showtopic=731

For what it is worth the RAAF Super Hornet trainees (in the US initially) being trained are not wasting their time being carrier qualified. I doubt if this specialised training will follow on to those RAAF Super Hornet pilots being trained in Australia later.

As Australia expands the economic base to support a 2 carrier Navy of some kind then we might well see such a thing. Already the LHDs give some capacity for future expansion.

Phil.

[Rod Farquhar]

We could probably afford to operate two carriers, we would be able to close down every Navy base in Australia and a couple of RAAF ones as well and transfer all the people and aircraft to the carriers. save heaps of money.
Rod. ;)

[Luig]

Slight exaggeration there. :-) Modern equipment does not require the manpower of a generation ago to operate and maintain. Exact numbers would be theoretical but if our defence situation required it then it would be possible. Two Vertol carriers would be a minimum as we saw how having only one carrier (MELBOURNE) was very limiting for availability. All conjecture at moment.

Personally I have no problem closing every RAAF base in Australia if that is what it takes. :-) FLY NAVY.

[Dave Masterson]

Yeah good on ya Phil....FLY NAVY !

[Luig]

:D