Bushranger71,

Is that a callsign btw?

DMO has only been up and about since 2000. My understanding is that the Sea Sprite project was not DMO initiated or managed nor was the Collins class. The acquisitions process has improved significantly over its predecessor, although there are still problems.

I wonder how it is you believe that the AWACs and Tankers don’t help with the maritime strike capability that you refer to?

And I would have though that the MRH-90 and the Tiger were both no brainers, vital as they are to modern battlefield mobility, surveillance and force protection.

The Collins class, whilst it cost way too much, is now a potent capability and the lack of crews which is limiting its effectiveness should be immediately redressed.

Those are the real hard facts Olly.
Without Jesus and The Holy Spirit in our lives its all simply drifting along with theory and daydreaming.
The truth is that there have been many revelations to the christians of Australia about enemy soldiers on Australian soil and it all fits "the China build-up".
The REAL world is where Gods Spirit lives and works amongst christian pastors and ministers and ordinary believers...where theres prophecy and "words of knowledge" of the future....where people get healed...where the truth of a young earth is taught.
May God Bless you so that it clicks in your heart.
Genuinely inviting Jesus Christ in...is a really marvellous experience.
I smile nowadays at the ignorant young man I was to have believed that evolution was anything and that man was going to star trek to a glorious world conquering future...
Not without God in his life first he isnt.

Olly,
Gibo and I don't see eye to eye on many issues, but he does have a real faith in the power of God, his son Jesus and the Holy Spirit. None of these things can be proven to the unbeliever. The existance of God cannot be proven to anyone who doesn't want to know God, at times I can't prove it to myself. Faith in God is exactly that. When you see a speeding car, you know someone has got there foot on the accelerator, and that is the most likely answer, however what if the pedel was stuck, as once happened to me in an old car?
Everybody has faith of some type, When I fly in a plane, I have faith the the pilot knows how to fly that plane. I don't personally check his flying credentials, I have faith that the airline has done that.
Any reader of this site will know that Gibo believes Australia will be invaded by China. He has referred to verses in the Bible that suggest this. My view is that is his interpretation. Personally, I doubt that Australia will be invaded by China. If the Chinese want to take over Australia, all they need to do is migrate here in numbers and then get elected to Government and take control.

Hello Paul L.,

Yes a callsign; I was the original Bushranger 71.

Much forum commentary overlooks that we have a ‘pretend’ military in many respects. Little parcels of expensive hardware are not credible military capabilities particularly if they cannot be adequately manned.

Collins submarine shortcomings were apparent very early in the project and the combat system was recently replaced at huge cost. The Seasprite was never going to be a viable project and should have been cancelled years back.

5 Wedgetail may provide 3 continuously online and 1 aircraft would require about 7 crews to provide 24/7/30 surveillance considering world recognized aircrew endurance limits. Intended aircrew manning for the Wedgetail is only 9 or 10 crews overall if they can be recruited so its continuous surveillance capability will be limited to just 1.5 aircraft to cover vast oceanic areas. Australia is the launch customer for a project that is hitherto a technical failure.

The prematurely retired RAAF B707 would have endured for another 15 to 20 years as will USAF versions. A large force of tankers is necessary to support combat operations and 5 MRTT will only provide 3 online at best which will be little more than a ferry flight refuelling capability. The secondary cargo role of the MRTT is limited by suitable airfield availability in the region.

The Rudd Government has already admitted the Tiger attack helicopter a failed project, the aircraft being entirely unsuited in multiple respects to replace the Iroquois gunship which could have been cost-effectively upgraded to Huey II for about $2million. So-called attack and gunship helicopters were created for differing roles with the latter being far superior for intimate close air support.

Unjustifiable rubbery costings for the Tiger and MRH90 are between $45million and $78million per aircraft, perhaps half the cost of sophisticated JSF or F22 aircraft! Battlefield helicopters perform very basic functions and upgraded Kiowa, Iroquois, Chinook versions are performing primary combat roles today. Arguably, at least $4billion of taxpayer funds has been irresponsibly forfeited on helicopter projects