Here is a link to Benyamin Netanyahu's speech at Davos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uB1gPj6m-D0

Take home messages.

--Israel with few natural resources has a high tech economy. It spends 4.4% of GDP on R&D, more than any other country. (Australia 2.2% as at 2010).

--Much of Israel's high tech sector was driven by the need for a robust defence industry. (Even Kuwait buys the products of the Israeli defence industry.)

--Israel is sometimes called startup nation. (According to the "Startup Genome Project" Tel Aviv is second only to Silicon Valley as the go to place for startups)

What does all this have to do with Australia?

Robert Gottliebsen, writing in Business Spectator on 24 January has a piece titled "How Indonesia will control Australian migration."

Bottom line:

--Indonesia is buying 180 modern jets including the Sukhoi 35S. They're probably better than the American F35 which appears to be a disaster.

--The Indonesians are also buying a dozen missile firing submarines.

To quote Gottleibsen:

>>And it’s clear the Indonesians believe their greatest threat is from Australia. Air Force chief spokesman Air Commodore Hadi Tjajanto told The Jakarta Post: “We are concentrating on four radars in Timika, Merauke, Saumlaki and Buraen, which face Australia.>>

Gottliebsen bases his story on articles in the Jakarta Post which he links.

See: http://www.businessspectator.com.au/article/2014/1/24/politics/how-indonesia-will-control-australian-migration

It looks as if Indonesia is set to be the dominant air and sea power in the waters north of Australia.

The minerals boom is tapering off. Australia will continue to make money from its minerals trade provided it improves efficiency and reduces costs but the halcyon days are over.

What now?

Three points emerge.

--Australia needs to move past being a farm and a quarry. That means developing technology. It has an able scientific labour force but seems to lack a startup ecology.

--It needs to augment its defence capabilities.

--Maybe time to consider the nuclear ace in the hole?

How to achieve all this?

If Kuwait can partner with Israel can Australia?

Why not learn from the people who've done it?

You can read about startup genome here:

http://techcrunch.com/2012/11/20/startup-genome-ranks-the-worlds-top-startup-ecosystems-silicon-valley-tel-aviv-l-a-lead-the-way/

The top two places for startups are Silicon Valley and Tel Aviv.

Sydney weighs in at number 12 sandwiched between Paris and Sao Paolo. Melbourne is down at number 18.

Let's compare Abbott and Netanyahu.

As Netanyahu put it in his speech, you have to balance your cheque book. Abbott would agree.

But then, Netanyahu points out, merely balancing your cheque book does not make you rich. He goes on to expound a sort of vision of Israel. Where is Abbott's vision of Australia? When you've "axed the tax" and done something or another to the NBN what then?

Can you imagine an argument about the need for a national broadband network in Israel of the sort we've had here?

Can you imagine the anti-science attitudes we find in Australia about, say, climate change? To quote Netanyahu:

>>The threat of climate change is no less menacing than the security threats that we face.>>

Maybe that's why Israel is innovation nation and Australia is wondering what to do as the minerals boom tapers off

Obviously Australia giving aid to Indonesia is about as stupid as it can get. They are much richer than us.

It was ridiculous our servicemen losing their lives in helping after the tsunami, when Indonesia had all the resources it required, but was not interested in using them to help the people of a rebellious province.

That billion a year that Rudd/Gillard ripped out of our defense budget will come back to bite us.

We are also buying the wrong gear. Amphibious ships, whose main purpose is to offer support, & aid after a disaster are of little defense use. Surface to surface missile armed patrol boats would be a better weapon to defend our northern approaches, along with adequate anti air & anti submarine capacity.

Vessels to support peacekeeping missions are only of use, once peace is enforced. Unless we can enforce such peace, these ships are just good target practice for any enemy.

Stevenlmeyer, I would hate to see Australia have anything to do with Israel, given that they continue on with an ancient 'war' with their neighbours, and seem to be in a perpetually agitated state!
I doubt we could learn anything from that country, other than how to continue a war.

Hasbeen, obviously Abbott and Co. have not heard the scary declarations of war against us from Indonesia that you have.

They prefer to send our navy personnel to turn back boatloads of scary refugees rather than in defending our Northern borders...

'I would hate to see Australia have anything to do with Israel, ' To late Susie, read history and stop your hatred. Our light horseman are heroes.,

Aren't we discussing modern day Australia Runner?
Drag yourself out of the last century(s) man...

Susie,
On Israel your small mindedness is showing. They lead the World in many technologies. A close friend of mine works in water conservation and irrigation relies on Israeli research information for use in his product development. I suggest you visit Israel and see for yourself if they are the modern country or just carrying on an ancient war.

Josephus wrote:

>> I suggest you visit Israel and see for yourself if they are the modern country or just carrying on an ancient war.>>

LOL

Give it up.

You will not change Suseonline's mind.

As a matter of plain fact, though, you are right. When it comes to water science Australian researchers do make extensive use of research and technology from Israel, another water short country.

There's also a lot of Israeli technology embedded in smartphones and there'll be more now that Samsung has set up a research centre in Israel.

Funny how some people care more about the Israeli technology in their phones than about the "blood coltan."

See: http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/blood-coltan/

C'est la vie

'Aren't we discussing modern day Australia Runner?
Drag yourself out of the last century(s) man... '

why so I could display the ignorance you have.

One other thing that we can learn from Israel is to have many citizens trained in the use of arms because when it comes to the crunch it's the people with the small arms who do the final fighting.
Witness Afghanistan.

stevenlmeyer,
We blew our opportunity a few years back when we opted for the Collins Class and the Joint Strike (second hand) when we should have went for two Nuclear powered and equipped aircraft carriers which would have adequately blocked the Indonesians for a long time.
Of course anybody with any sense realizes that sooner or later the Indonesians are going to make a strike for Australia if only because of population pressures and food security.

What can we learn from Israel?

The Institute of Advanced Studies at the University
of Western Australia has this to say:

http://www.ias.uwa.edu.au/new-critic/nine/

Hi (again) CHRISSGAFF1000...

You can't possibly believe the left, the greens, and all the other fragmented groups with loud, influential voices would ever permit our Aussie military to develop and possess nuclear powered Submarines ? Or a couple of fully endowed nuclear Aircraft Carriers ? Nor would they be given access to our 'green harbours' like Jervis Bay or worse Sydney Harbour ? Any conventional naval vessels, must have the majority compliment serving thereon, as certified 'green' pacifists sailors ?

From What I've heard, they've finally relented somewhat, and allowed SMLE's .303's, with a FULL magazines, to be carried aboard these battle vessels, providing they're not discharged within 500 nautical miles of our shores ? Chris, the word 'nuclear' should be forever struck from our military vernacular !

Dear stevenlmeyer,

Just to get this clear you want us to follow Israel's lead by antagonising our neighbours so we then have the justification of engaging in an arms race which will then drive local r&d to provide local arms industries to export more ingenious ways of killing people?

That is some future you have mapped out for us my friend.

Dear o sung wu,

I think the nuclear option referred to is nuclear armed missiles rather than nuclear powered aircraft carriers. And you might have to explain to me why we would need slow, expensive, aircraft carriers if the perceived threat is Indonesia.

SteeleRedux wrote:

>>Just to get this clear you want us to follow Israel's lead by antagonising our neighbours ....>>

Oh dear you've rumbled me.

This is part of my secret plan to destroy Australia

Of course if if you are a sympathizer of the Muslim cause to obliterate Israel you would be part of the Muslim Cause to make Australia Muslim. Then we would have all the same benefits as Israel's Muslim neighbors.

Dear Josephus,

Avraham Burg, the former Knesset member and speaker was/is
had this to say writing in "The Guardian" newspaper five
years ago:

"We were supposed to be a light onto the nations."

"The Jewish people did not survive for two milennia in
order to pioneer new weaponry, computer security programs
or anti-missile systems. Sadly, sixty years after its creation,
the nation created by the children of the Holocaust,
the greatest human catastrophe of the 20th century, has become
synonymous with ruthless military prowess."

o sung wu,
At least we built the Owen gun before they built the Uzi but for slightly different reasons.

Good evening to you STEELEREDUX...

Preparation dear boy, preparation ! Should Indonesia launch a collaborative attack against us, with their main forces concentrated in the various vessels we've kindly given them over the years, we'd need an almighty retaliative force, in response to their aggression !

Hi CHRISGAFF1000...

Ah the old Owen SMG, few moving parts, but utterly reliable, a far superior gun to the F1 that you and I may have carried in SV ?

This thread is getting bizarre.

I doubt the Indonesians have any intention of invading Australia. It would in any case take a long time for them to build up the logistic capabilities which means there would be time to prepare defences.

But they could dominate the air and sea north of Australian and, perhaps, the air over NT within a few years.

I think like it or not we're beginning an arms race with Indonesia.

However in the longer term I think Indonesia, however much they may be grandstanding now, are more concerned about China's growing navel power that about a pipsqueak like Australia.

Foxy,

I think I made it clear what sort of learning I had in mind.

In the late 1960s the Israeli government implemented a plan to turn the Israeli economy away from being an exporter of mainly agricultural products into a tech powerhouse. It took a long time but it is now paying off.

It is expensive for a foreign company to patent a product or process in the USA so they tend not to do it unless it's profitable. Here is a table of foreign patents in the US by country of origin for selected countries for the year 2012:

Japan.............50,677
Germany...........13,835
Taiwan............10,646
South Korea.......13,233
Australia..........1,525
Israel.............2,474
Singapore............810
Turkey................47
Saudi Arabia.........170

See:
http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/ac/ido/oeip/taf/cst_utl.htm

Japan is the powerhouse. The Taiwanese figure is a little suspect. It looks as if some Chinese companies are choosing to register patents via Taiwan.

However compare Israel and Australia. Australia has three times Israel's population and barely more than half the number of US patents.

In proportion to population Israel is almost on a par with Japan. It is truly an innovation nation.

Among the companies that have recently set up research facilities in Israel are Samsung and Lockheed Martin.

Israel turned itself from an agricultural exporter into a tech powerhouse. In proportion to its population it outperforms even Singapore.

A wealthy Chinese businessman, Li Ka-shing, has given the Technion, roughly the Isralei equivalent of MIT, $130 mn to open a campus in China in partnership with a Chinese university.

The Technion has also launched online course (MOOCs) in Arabic and is attracting thousands of students from Arab countries. (Why aren't Australian universities offering high quality course in Indonesian)

Australia has two options. It can turn itself into a tech powerhouse, an innovation nation, or it can sink into genteel poverty. Historically nations which relied on raw materials exports have not done well.

Israel managed the transformation.

Do any Australian politicians even understand the issues?

Josephu, I doubt your support for Israel has much to do with Israel, but with your obvious dislike of Muslims.

I dislike war of any sort, regardless of the countries involved, or their religion or politics.

Australia is doing just fine, and doesn't need the aggravation of Israel's wars with others.

Dear stevenlmeyer,

My post was probably a little presumptuous assuming you were one of those wanting us to take it up to Indonesia. My apologies.

I personally have no problem with governments finding ways to promote R&D spending in this country so I support you fully on that point, it is just the method you propose I think is dangerous and threatening to us as a country.

On another thread I suggested we direct the subsidy we have been directing at the old car companies be instead directed at kick starting an electric car industry. There are many ways and imaginative government might facilitate R&D spending in this country. To believe in letting purely market forces drive it instead is a folly. I share your pessimism about the current lot.

Dear Steven,

The most important thing to me at least that
Australia can learn from Israel is - water management.

Israel has always faced enormous challenges with regard
to its water supply and it has pioneered National Water
Management and is an innovator in areas such as drip
irrigation, recycling, purifying sewage and of course -
water desalination.

According to Noam Lior, Professor of Mechanical
Engineering and Applied Mechanics at the University of
Pennsylvania,

"Israel's expertise in this
field dates back to the early 20th century when agriculture
was the primary occupation of Palestine (as it was called
then). Agriculture demands vast amounts of water, and there
was an ongoing, organised effort to use technology imported
from Europe to develop water resources, introduce conservation
and treat waste water..."

Australia could benefit for what Israel has learned in this
area as our country also faces enormous challenges with
regard to its water supply.

THE LESSON..of israel..is about ZIONISTS

the mask of zion
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaXkzhupiVo&feature=c4-overview&list=UUjNKMHqfoVSuJF739U66_7g
Who wrote annie frankEnsteins book?
http://lovkap.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/who-wrote-diary-of-anne-frank.html
NEW YORK’S ‘LIBERAL’ MAYOR SPEAKS ~~ AT AIPAC
http://desertpeace.wordpress.com/2014/01/25/new-yorks-liberal-mayor-speaks-at-aipac/
New York “City Hall will always be open to AIPAC. When you need me to stand by you in Washington or anywhere, I will answer the call and I’ll answer it happily ’cause that’s my job.”

NOT Anemic kids
http://www.veteransnewsnow.com/2014/01/25/401871an-open-letter-to-university-of-maryland-president-dr-wallace-loh/

http://theuglytruth.wordpress.com/2014/01/27/israeli-engineered-911-gateway-to-war-of-civilizations-between-the-west-and-the-muslim-world/

http://desertpeace.wordpress.com/2014/01/27/holocaust-survivors-in-israel-are-now-the-victims/

zion..built the 3 rd/4th reike
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1556520778/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_7?ie=UTF8&psc=1

In 1933 the German Zionist Federation sought Hitler s patronage: "Zionism hopes to be able to win the collaboration even of a government fundamentally hostile to Jews, Boycott propaganda, currently being carried on against Germany, is in essence un-Zionist." Zionism became the only other legal political movement in the Nazi Reich. That same year, the World Zionist Organization (WZO) made the Ha'avara (Transfer) Agreement, undermining the boycott against Nazi Germany. German Jewish emigrants to Palestine had to buy Nazi goods that the WZO sold in the Middle East.

In 1937 the Haganah (later the Israeli army) sent an agent to Berlin. They would provide spy intelligence if the Nazis further eased the monetary regulations for emigrants to Palestine. The Zionist-Revisionist movement (today the ruling Likud Party) set up a detachment at Mussolini's naval academy. He personally reviewed them in 1936. They wanted him to replace Britain as Zionism s patron.

http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Syrian-opposition-Israeli-jets-bomb-missile-launchers-in-Latakia-339465
http://www.richardsilverstein.com/2014/01/27/israel-attacks-syria-missle-facility-in-latakia-again/
http://rinf.com/alt-news/latest-news/us-congress-secretly-approves-sending-small-arms-moderate-syrian-rebels/

http://rinf.com/alt-news/latest-news/summary-israeli-violations-international-law-2013/

O Sung Wu,

"Ah the old Owen SMG, few moving parts, but utterly reliable, a far superior gun to the F1 that you and I may have carried in SV ?"

I used the Owen a lot and worked on it and the F1 and the F1 lost out, one of its drawbacks was in not having a forward pistol grip; we made up a few pistol grips that clamped around the barrel shroud and these made for a much handier weapon.

A mate of mine, another Armourer, was the armourer on the range for a comparison test between the Owen and the F1, the Owen won hands down but the F1 project still went ahead.
Now almost all the Owens have been sold overseas or destroyed.

Can Australia learn from Israel?

Anyone can learn from anyone else, but it needs to be selective.

It would obviously be of an advantage to create a system that brings water from the Australian drenched north to its parched south.

I think it will also be an advantage to have nuclear and biological weapon capability, which would deter anyone thinking of invading Australia.

But I wouldn't support becoming a weapon exporter.

And I wouldn't support encouraging a hi-tech industry:

Israel is in the unique situation of being in a constant state of war and having almost no natural resources. Its main resource is its brains, so the choice to concentrate on hi-tech was natural for them, as well as a desperate measure.

Due to the extreme competition, working in high demands very long hours and deadline pressures. It would destroy whatever is left of the relaxed Australian lifestyle. Also, about 99% of the work invested in hi-tech ends in nothing: you may be doing a wonderful job, but because everything changes so quickly, chances are that the other team or the rival company's product will prevail and yours will be thrown in the bin - you will receive a nice cheque and compliments, but you will know that all your efforts have been useless. Some people in the hi-tech industry may work all their life and successfully produce products that work, yet none of their creations was ever marketed successfully or brought any real good to the world, thus they feel they worthless and cheated.

Such tiredness and frustration would make us irritated and rough-edged like the Israelis, so it would not be nice to be around each other. It's just not worth the price: if we were at war, well then we could say as they do, "we have no choice", but we are not!

Good afternoon to you IS MISE...

You know your SMG's my friend ! Having made that perhaps (too hasty) statement; that in my opinion the Owen was superior to the F1, that said, the SAF F1 wasn't a bad SMG overall, it's just when compared to the legendary Owen, well the Owen was so well established and proven wasn't it ?

I've had the opportunity to use the Sterling SMG too (Malaysia-1964/65), and a lot of the older hands condemned it ? Still I wasn't troubled with excessive jamming myself, notwithstanding the very hot, humid/wet conditions, we encountered over there. Even the wooden furniture became excessively sticky, and there wasn't much on the thing !

IS MISE may I enquire, you were an Armourer ? A fascinating duty to be sure ! Thanks mate.

o sung wu,

Yes, I was an Armourer, top job!!
I joined the ARA in 1953 from the CMF, Infantry till mid 1955, then to RAEME till discharged in 1959.
Had a year or so working for myself and then went to the Defence Dept, as a Civilian Armourer, later Fitter, Small Arms Class 1 under the new classifications and finished as a Machine Shop Foreman, in Base Wksp, in 1972 when I got married and moved to the bush.

Foxy

It's not so much individual research programs as how to engender a culture of commercial R & D. Starting in the late 1960s various governments wrought a change in the culture of the whole country.

That's where I think Australia can learn from Israel and perhaps also from South Korea.

The present government declined to give any more subsidies to Holden and Ford. While I understand the hardship this causes I think it was the right call. You can only go on being blackmailed for so long.

But whence the jobs of the future? What replaces motor car manufacturing? That's where I think all Australian governments have lacked vision. They seem to think all they need to do is fiddle with the tax code and everything else will fall into place.

And that's where Israeli governments have displayed great vision. They understand that something more than balancing your chequebook is needed.

Yuyutsu wrote:

>>And I wouldn't support encouraging a hi-tech industry>>

Then how is Australia going to pay its way in the future? Yes we can continue to dig minerals out of the ground and provided we control costs and up productivity that'll keep us going. But, ultimately, we create wealth through innovation. And we ought to be up there with the best. The fact that we're not is a failure of government policy.

o sung wu
The Qwen might have been the ugly duckling but up close you wouldn't want to be without it.
The F1 really was designed for Rambo in my opinion (one in each hand and running)
We actually had Owens (9mm) in VC early but the were replaced with the F1 and more so the yank M14 (7.62)which went further and hit harder.
Got a mate up in New Guinea who found a case of Owens along with a whole weapons dump in the hills. He carries it all the time in the bush.
Apparently 9mm Luger ammo fits it ok

o sung wu
Wasn't the Stirling on issue to the Brit Marines and Commandos and they came with a right or left mag so you could shoot around right or left corners?

Dear Steven,

<<And we ought to be up there with the best.>>

Not if the price for a quantitative high economic/financial standard of living impacts negatively on the quality of life. Those "best" only have numbers to show, not actual happiness - they are too stressed to enjoy their wealth.

It's not that we are anywhere close to starvation or to losing a war because we won't have that little bit extra.
In fact, the more modest and relaxed we live, the lesser the pressure on our borders by would-be economic migrants.

Hi there IS MISE...

What interesting career choices you've made ! As a civvy armourer, were you at St Mary's or The Navy place at Kingswood, or at the SAF in Lithgow ?

When I was in the coppers, I had occasion to visit the SAF, Lithgow for the oddest of reasons - As you may well know, they mfg'd the Aussie designed 'SafLoc' Handcuffs. They proved to be very reliable manacles, and almost 'bullet proof' as far as being escape proof ? The only significant defect detected, was the linkages in the earlier models ? It was found when sufficient purchase was exerted on these earlier model linkages, some actually failed, thus the offender made good his escape ! Most of these earlier models (Mk l) had a high lustre shine on their surfaces. Though the later models, were in a dull metallic finish, and some still had the defective linkages fitted to them, regrettably ?

Consequently, after a lot of 'toing and froing' as to who was to meet the costs, for the necessary modifications, all at a very high government level of course, most of the defective 'cuffs were gradually withdrawn, and modified ! Was it a design fault or a metallurgical problem ? Anyway, a bit of useless info for you IS MISE ?

Perhaps my old mate CHRISGAFF1000 may well recall the problems we had with the earlier model 'SafLocs' ? He might've had some crook bolt from him, because of this deficiency ?

I guess the above is just a another symptomatic sign of an old man with far too much time on his hands eh ?

Take it easy there, IS MISE.

Hi there CHRISGAFF1000...

Now you've got me Chris ? I was issued with the mag to the left ? We were operating with the 2nd or 3rd (one of 'em) Green Jackets, normally based in Penang. They in turn, were backing up Gurkha Rifles, with the Brits 'Saturdays 'n Sundays' being dropped into the bush by this noisy FAA Wessex, 'Yellow' S & R Chopper ! They were the days, a yellow helicopter in the bush ?

Speaking of the Gurkha's, one of their Sergeants won a VC over there in 1965 ?

First we need to get handed billions of dollars per year from the US government and have some sort of moral card we can play to get us out of trouble for everything we are criticised for.

Then we need a viable arms industry so we can sell weapons to oppressive regimes and train their armed forces.

Otherwise, I don't think there's much chance.

o sung wu,

I was a civilian armourer at 2 Base Workshops at Moorebank, it was one of those rare units that had a half civilian staff, most of the civilians were ex service so were only half civilian themselves, for example if an Officer was present and someone came up and saluted him, everyone would automatically come to attention!

We all wore the same working dress of blue bib and brace overalls, blue blouse and blue beret and civilian foremen were equivalent to sergeants in rank and were honorary members of the Mess.

The year 2013 witnessed over 20,000 severe violations against the occupied State of Palestine and its people, who have suffered a number of violent attacks and incursions at the hands of Israel, the occupying power. These violations include attacks by both Israeli authorities and settlers, along with home demolitions, arbitrary arrests and the ongoing construction of illegal settlements.
http://rinf.com/alt-news/latest-news/summary-israeli-violations-international-law-2013/
Since the resumption of negotiations at the end of July 2013, Israel has announced almost 6200 new settlement units, throughout the occupied State of Palestine.

Please find below a Media Brief prepared by the NSU summarizing Israel’s violations of International Law during 2013, with a particular focus on violations committed since the beginning of negotiations, a process which is supposed to lead to a just and lasting peace. http://desertpeace.wordpress.com/2014/01/29/the-proud-anti-semites-of-today/ http://desertpeace.wordpress.com/2014/01/28/israels-planned-occupation-of-the-internet/ http://desertpeace.wordpress.com/2014/01/28/misrembering-ariel-sharon/

o sung wu
Never had a problem with cuff mate, didn't use them much other than for a escort job. Very few Detective carried cuffs. I had a well known policy amongst the 'black hats' run and you get shot.
Only had one problem in Mosman. Bullet missed to runner and then just missed an old dear sleeping on her verandah beyond the car park.
IA cooked my arse for a while up at Chatswood.

Hi there CHRISGAFF1000...

No, neither did I, no failures or escapes. I was with the old TRG at the time (later, the SPG) consequently the cuff's were a regularly used appointment, whenever we were deployed en masse.

Thus, for whatever reason we were chosen to examine these few linkages failures, and report on them. So a couple of us took a nice quite drive up the Great Western Highway to Lithgow, to spend a day with the SAF 'experts' in order to determine these peculiar linkage failures ? Some nice clubs there you know ?

Good evening to you IS MISE...

Ah right, Moorebank that's not too far from civilization at Liverpool is it ? From what you've said, you've pretty well seen it all with Oz military small arms ? Did you work on the Steyr AUG, or had you retired before they came into service ? I've never picked one up, let alone fire one. Nevertheless the Army seem happy enough with them though. Personally, despite their weight the L1A1 SLR 7.62 was a favourite of mine, with sufficient energy at the muzzle (about 2,750 + - fps), to drop a 'Roo at 200yards without any problem ?
All just a memory now, Chris and IS MISE ?

Speak with you both, again soon.

Suzie said;
Israel, given that they continue on with an ancient 'war' with their
neighbours, and seem to be in a perpetually agitated state!

Can you be that ignorant of history ?
It is the Islamists that invaded the land of the Jews, not the other way around.

The area was Jewish and Christian until the Moslems arrived and killed
most of the Christians. Why do you think the Crusades were undertaken ?
I am amazed that simple historical facts like that do not seem to be common knowledge.

They then went on to invade Europe which has been their aim ever since those times.

o sung wu

One of the blessings of being a P&W officer with the RSL is you get invited to in-house "open" days at various military establishments.
You get well fed and the grog is great but you get to bang of a few rounds in their latest.
I find the Austeyr A1 more of an overgrown toy especially to the novice attempting a single shot (without the ALO engaged)and pulling the trigger back too far to be shocked by a full burst of auto fire.
The F88 GLA fitted with red dot scope sight and 40mm GL is a real dream and the armorer tells me they fit out to spec.
The SR98 (7.62) has an 800m red dot flat trag and a dream to fire.
I have even driven a new Bushmaster and yes they still have Browning .5s to scare to enemy.

Hi there CHRISGAFF1000...

You sound like you're well connected with your honorary Pension & Welfare job ! I think it was IS MISE I told that I've never even held a Steyr let alone fire one. Is the Bushmaster sufficiently well placed to survive the average roadside IED's, size depending of course ? Obviously, I've only seen photographs of them, never even seen one in the flesh, so to speak ? Is this the vehicle chosen to replace the irrepressible APC, a conveyance in which we journeyed out and about, while touring the beautiful sights and terrain, in the stunning Provence of Phuoc Tuy, in SV ?

My only issue with the beloved APC, the vision outwards, wasn't all that appealing in reality ? Still and all, it proved to be lovely and snug, and exceedingly comfortable, over an extended period of thirty seconds or so, I would've thought ? Providing our chauffeur kept his eyes open of course ?

Well, best keep your powder dry there, old chap ! Speak again soon.

o sung wu.
HiHo.
The current Bushmaster model is about the safest high speed land combat vehicle in the world. Where the old model Bushmasters( and the APCs) were flat bottomed and very prone to up-blasts from IEDs ripping their guts out and anybody inside, the new ones have a toughened V bottom which deflects the blast away.
Inside they are fitted out with all the mod cons and best or all we make them here in Australia and are now selling them overseas.
One interesting feature I noticed was genuine "Kelly" axe mounted on the side of the vehicle. The vehicles even have a satnav auto-drive to get home if the driver is asleep and a nice arrangement of rocket grenade launchers on the turret sides.
Rolls Royce stuff these units.