Lego - Quote "It doesn't take a Mensa from the local Audobon Society to figure out that the whole article is crapola. Even a Densa could figure it out. Unfortunately, James O'Neill, Arjay and StephenS can not even match a Densas modest intellectual attainment."

I assume you include yourself as a Densa because even though I have 2 posts on the page you make your reply you could not even get my name right.

I certainly disagree with anti-Chinese, racist, views, noting I also said "in contrast to the usual American information and points of view."

So overall its a good article because it raises many thought-provoking issues from other than the standard Western perspective.

Pete

What a stupid article.

The yanks are the only ones likely to get a manned mission to Mars up and running; if Australia can contribute anything let's go; full steam ahead!

The lefties and the chatterers hate the idea of humanity leaving the planet because it will mean their pernicious, mean and little minds won' be able to control other people.

I didn't respond to your post Phillip S, because it was so devoid of any reasoned argument that it was not worth responding too. I typically write 500 words in response to the articles posted on OLO, and I then usually have the painful task of winnowing out 150 words to conform to the 350 word limit. I even have to do things like name you PhillipS to save a word.

The most noticeable thing about you trendy lefty types is how poorly you can form any argument to support he causes you advocate so passionately. This simply reinforces my perception that you have never thought about these issues at all. You simply accept the slogans tossed at you by your peers, because you need to think that you are clever, and you have been conditioned to think that clever people advocate these causes.

Please note how bad the responses are from people who have your culturally conditioned ideals? Unable to say anything to support their own worldview, they limit themselves to sneery one liners, usually pronounced in the tone of moral outrage, followed by some Dorothy Dixer question which they demand their opponents must answer.

In other words, they are tacitly admitting that they can not support their own premises. They can only ask leading questions which allows them to attack their opponents answers, usually by demanding that their opponents prove everything while they say nothing.

Pretty pathetic.

If you think you are smart, then you had better start thinking smart. Do what I do, and research your topics so that you know what you are talking about. Of course, if you did that, you would find out how wrong you were, and how the western self loathing lefties who hate the societies that they choose to live in, have made a chump out of you.

The Northern Territory is close to the equator, but the existing RAAF Woomera Test Range would be simpler to use for launching satellites.

An "aviation boneyard" in central Australia is not a useful staging platform for US interests into Southeast Asia, as it is too far away. There are more useful military bases around Australia.

There is no reason for the USA to control UAVs from central Australia, as this can be done from more accessible bases in the USA and elsewhere.

Reid-Smith suggested that "by 2012 China's first aircraft carrier fleet would be coming online". This seems a curious statement as China's first carrier, Liaoning (formerly the Russian Varyag) was only commissioned in September 2012: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_aircraft_carrier_Liaoning

One second hand carrier does not make a "fleet". Varyag and the former HMAS Melbourne have allowed China to learn a lot about carrier design, but it will take many years to build their own and operate them effectively: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_aircraft_carrier_programme

The Chinese military may not see LORAN (Long Range Navigation system) as an alternative to satellite technology, but rather something kept in use for use by their older military equipment. As an alternative to Global Positioning System (GPS), China has its won BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beidou_Navigation_Satellite_System

The Australian defense budget situation is not that bad, but a problem is that there are several long term large budget items which reduce flexibility. In particular Australia has invested in new electronic warfare aircraft, AWACS, in-flight refueling, heavy air transport, air warfare destroyers (with potential ballistic missile capability) and landing helicopter dock ships for amphibious assault (with the potential to operate stealth strike aircraft). This will provide considerable military capability, assuming Australia has the money to pay the skilled personnel needed to operate and maintain it.

See also: http://blog.tomw.net.au/search/label/Defence%20IT

I cannot comment on much of the article, except for at the beginning
where the advantage of the Nth Territory for satellite launching was
mentioned. That seems to be in error.
When a geostationary satellite is launched it makes a number of orbits
of the earth while it is maneuvered into place.
The US would be just as satisfactory as the NT.

I agree that in a warlike situation the GPSs of all varieties would have a short life.