Steve Irwin Says: John Howard World's Greatest Leader

[Sea Skimmer]

Our A4's formed the best maritime strike units in the asia pacific area and would have been usefull in a scrap with Indonesia/or other nation, but not in a strictly homedefence role. But we would have had to increace the overall size of the airforce at the same time.

While heavily upgraded, those A4's where nothing special and an Australian F/A-18 with four Harpoons would be greatly superior for anti shipping, as would many other aircraft in the area. As for fighting Indonesia, there navy is quite small and its air defenses non-existent, you could sink it with Skyraiders.

[Stuart Mackey]

Our A4's formed the best maritime strike units in the asia pacific area and would have been usefull in a scrap with Indonesia/or other nation, but not in a strictly homedefence role. But we would have had to increace the overall size of the airforce at the same time.

While heavily upgraded, those A4's where nothing special and an Australian F/A-18 with four Harpoons would be greatly superior for anti shipping, as would many other aircraft in the area.

True enough, but we had the best pilots. There were plans to put harpoons on the A4's at one point..lack of funding got in the way.

As for fighting Indonesia, there navy is quite small and its air defenses non-existent, you could sink it with Skyraiders.

this is true..we were more concerned with their submarines.

As for the entire RNZAF strike arm fiasco..aint funding a bitch?..but dont tell PM Clark this..but about 5 minutes down the road from me, is the Air force museum..its has some flyable combat aircraft {of varying vintages.}..and Ohakea AFB has a usable Tiger Moth.. with bomb racks!!!

[weemadando]

Isn't Howard the one that rounded up the illegal immigrants and asylum seekers and put them in camps pending hearing their asylum claims or deportation?

There was also some big scuffle involving a ship full of refugees, as I recall.

Yeah. The MV Tampa amongst others.

If there is one thing John Howard is good for, its getting our military to be the best in the world at Stop and Search at sea missions.

[Sea Skimmer]

True enough, but we had the best pilots. There were plans to put harpoons on the A4's at one point..lack of funding got in the way.

The limit would be two weapons, and only over a limited range with one drop tank and a pair of Winders. The F/A-18 could haul twice that, or two Harpoons, three drop tanks, and in all cases still be able to carry two Sidewinders and Sparrows. As a third alternative Harpoons could be carried along with Mavericks, Maverick is very good for blowing away small shitty warships. Most version even have a SHIP mod in which it automatically aims for a point below what its locked onto. That way the pilot can easily lock onto the funnel at long range, a big hot target, but get a hull impact.

this is true..we were more concerned with their submarines.

Not much of a threat, there mostly immobile waiting for spare parts it seems. and would be likely noticed snorting there way to NZ's shores.

As for the entire RNZAF strike arm fiasco..aint funding a bitch?..but dont tell PM Clark this..but about 5 minutes down the road from me, is the Air force museum..its has some flyable combat aircraft {of varying vintages.}..and Ohakea AFB has a usable Tiger Moth.. with bomb racks!!![/quote]

I reminded of an event a year or two ago in which your navy got some civilian pilots who owned 50's jet fighters to make passes on its warships so they could conduct AA training.

If there is one thing John Howard is good for, its getting our military to be the best in the world at Stop and Search at sea missions.

Course, why you need to use SAS teams for the task I don't know.

[weemadando]

If there is one thing John Howard is good for, its getting our military to be the best in the world at Stop and Search at sea missions.

Course, why you need to use SAS teams for the task I don't know.

Actually the majority of the time its just our Navy doing it. The SAS generally only do the big publicity missions.

[Stuart Mackey]

True enough, but we had the best pilots. There were plans to put harpoons on the A4's at one point..lack of funding got in the way.

The limit would be two weapons, and only over a limited range with one drop tank and a pair of Winders. The F/A-18 could haul twice that, or two Harpoons, three drop tanks, and in all cases still be able to carry two Sidewinders and Sparrows. As a third alternative Harpoons could be carried along with Mavericks, Maverick is very good for blowing away small shitty warships. Most version even have a SHIP mod in which it automatically aims for a point below what its locked onto. That way the pilot can easily lock onto the funnel at long range, a big hot target, but get a hull impact.

Hence why we wanted F16's..well air force did, Labour didnt and that was that {never mind some dubious things done by some army officers}

this is true..we were more concerned with their submarines.

Not much of a threat, there mostly immobile waiting for spare parts it seems. and would be likely noticed snorting there way to NZ's shores.

Not something you can always assume.During the Timor excursion, HMNZS Te Kaha {or Canturbury? I cant be fucked to look it up at the moment} had a track on one of them, but we didnt know exactly where one other had got to, but we knew it was about.

As for the entire RNZAF strike arm fiasco..aint funding a bitch?..but dont tell PM Clark this..but about 5 minutes down the road from me, is the Air force museum..its has some flyable combat aircraft {of varying vintages.}..and Ohakea AFB has a usable Tiger Moth.. with bomb racks!!!

I reminded of an event a year or two ago in which your navy got some civilian pilots who owned 50's jet fighters to make passes on its warships so they could conduct AA training.

I know of that and I will tell you an even better story than that, and its true.
When it became known that the strike arm was to effectivly go, Dereck Qiugly, who was on the defence select commitee{and providng various options for the government on defence}, flew the owners of these 50's jets to Wellington for a meeting. In the office he asked these chaps if they would contract to supply the Navy with anti air practice. The jet owners, to a man, told him to "go get fucked" {those words}, they were not going to cover for the governments fuckups and make politcians look good at the expence of their own aircraft.