Alenia C-27J Wins Australian Airlift Contest

It’s been a long time coming but at last we know what the incomparable Caribou replacement will be.

And I heartily approve, believing from the word go that the Spartan would be the right choice.

But it still can’t do what the ‘bou ‘bou would do as the first aircrew to try and land it on an unprepared rising strip in the3 New Guinea Highlands will discover!

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) chose the Alenia C-27J Spartan to replace a fleet of 14 DHC-4 Caribou STOL airlifters that have already been retired. The 10-aircraft deal will be conducted via the U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) system, with L-3 acting as the prime contractor. Alenia and L-3 formed a partnership to sell the C-27J to the U.S. armed forces. The RAAF also evaluated the EADS CN-295 for the Air 8000 requirement.

The contract is worth about $1 billion, including support equipment and several years of training and logistics support. According to the Pentagon’s notice of potential sale, the aircraft will be equipped with a full U.S.-made electronic warfare suite. The notice added that the C-27Js will also help replace 12 C-130H airlifters that the RAAF plans to retire. The first C-27J will be delivered in 2015, with initial operating capability to follow by the end of 2016.

Alenia said that the aircraft will be new-build, thereby safeguarding the workforce in Italy. There had been speculation that the RAAF would be offered C-27Js being built for, or already flying with, the U.S. Air Force. That service decided last January to withdraw its fleet of C-27Js as a budget-cutting measure, having already received 13 of a planned total of 38. The decision has been challenged in Congress, and might be overturned.

May 11, 2012, 2:03 PM

Alenia C-27J Wins Australian Airlift Contest
Chris Pocock
Fri, 11 May 2012 15:10:00 GMT

Croatia offered German Phantoms to replace MiG-21s

So that mightiest of aeronautical war horses is not done quite yet:

Croatia offered German Phantoms to replace MiG-21s

First flown in 1958 that most evocative of all modern combat aircraft, the Mighty Rhino, has seen more service and been used by more operators than just about any other Warbird. With its outer wing dihedral and tailplane anhedral its shape was utterly distinctive.

Even the RAAF used the F-4 while it was waiting for its F-111s so that’s how old the mighty Phantom is.  This is the 1972 RAAF display team:

Most closely associated with the war in Vietnam the F-4 has had many devoted Phantom Phlyers and Phixers over the years and now it seems like it may soldier on until God only knows when.

It is indeed primus inter pares.

The Life Guard and the RAF

It seems that former Life Guard and international crooner James Blunt had a bad experience trying to get to a morale boosting concert in Afghanistan.

On the face of it everything that could go wrong at the hands of the RAF did and the concert had to be cancelled.

As  former air force officer (in my case the RAAF) it really hurts to hear these tales of woe.  Being a fighter jock is great and glamorous but the real projection of strategic power in the sorts of conflicts we chose to fight these days can only be achieved by the so called “trash haulers”.  But it appears that they aren’t very good at it.  A big size 12 boot up the arse is definitely required here.

Aussies Steal a March on the USAF

While the USAF,Office of Procurement and vested aerospace interests continue to squabble over the specification and contract for the KC-X, the replacement tanker for the venerable KC-135, the RAAF is set to take delivery of its first A330MRTT tanker/transport, based on the Airbus A330, in the next few weeks. This aircraft is also on order for the RAF and will probably become the standard Western “full fat” tanker in the years to come.
The importance of the KC-X programme for the US’s global reach cannot be overestimated and is possibly the single most important USAF programme for a generation.  So it is perplexing that the Yanks can’t get their act together.  I am a great admirer of US kit and ways of doing things but sometimes they border on the pathetic.

Air Force Fire-fighters join the fight

Air Force Fire-fighters join the fight: "

Fire-fighters provide an important capability within any deployed force. When combined with other coalition personnel and assests, they form a formidable team that is critical for the safe operation of any airfield.




Operation SLIPPER is Australia's military contribution to international campaigns against terrorism, countering piracy in the Gulf of Aden, and maritime security. Under this operation our forces contribute to the efforts of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) - led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, which seeks to bring security, stability and prosperity to the country and aims at preventing Afghanistan again becoming a safe haven for international terrorists, and the United States-led International Coalition Against Terrorism (ICAT) efforts in the broader Middle East.



Operation photos (DOD website)
Panther photos (Air Force Multimedia)


Airforce fire fighting has changed dramatically in 30 years. Below is a 70s Oshkosh TFA (Truck Fire Aircraft) at RAAF Base Point Cook:

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As Old as the Airframe but Older than the Crew

I have written about the Caribou before.  Here's one of the last with a commerative paint job.  Photo from the RAAF:

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Caribou - peerless

Of all the aircraft that I have flown in, and that's over 70 types,  I think my fave is the DHC-4 Caribou, a transport aircraft with extraordinary short field performance.  Used now only by the Royal Australian Air Force the Caribou is the original "steam-powered" aeroplane. It has two petrol-powered radial engines and has been going strong in the RAAF since the mid 60s.  Sadly it now has to be replaced because in aeroplane terms it is very old.  But, unfortunately for Australia, there is no other aircraft in the world that can do what the Caribou can.  See for yourself


So it's bye, bye, 'bou,'bou - you will be sorely missed.