Air Force and Navy test air-to-surface missiles - NZ

[DarthFanta]

Without a force of fighters, the NZ may as well as reintegrate the air force back into the army and the navy or renaming it to Government Air Service.

[nzravensfan]

Pity that helicopter is a sitting duck against ANY fighter jet

[Timmyboy505]

It's sad to see a great military like the RNZAF to be restrained by budget cuts, etc etc

the same thing is happening to my country the Netherlands, I can understand that both countries are not like america and, but for godsakes if you send men to Afghanistan or Iraq, have the desecency to at least give them the tools they need

[MATARIKI1000]

Is this aircraft from NZ

[earthwormjah]

Tests with rocket powered rabid sheep proved inconclusive....

[ReturnOfTheSkyRaider]

@earthwormjah

ha

[seenitdoneit]

launching MEVRICK

[australian1000]

I don't get all of this. why sell all of your jets and only have two ANZAC's who is that meant to stop? And you can't leave your Defence to Australia what happens if we come under attack? who is going to help us apart from the USA and UK, but most important who is going to save you?? i think it is time that the kiwi's had a go at their government and told them to give their Defence force some more money. P.S while your at it tell the Australian government to give the ADF some more too lol.

[Kirkzzy]

@australian1000 It is getting shaken up with the Key government. I am a centrist, leaning Labour though but honestly Key needs to stay in. He is improving NZs international standing! Fixing up Clarke's mess.

[w25711]

NZDEF has met the task of a changing world despite pressures of a gobal finical crisis, which consequently new zealand wouldn't really know about cause they have always been broke .. but since NZ said no nukes and the yanks gave us the cold shoulder (yer thanks for the respect, whats wrong with telling ya allies if ya got nukes or not hmmm ?) it has been a hard road lost the sky-hawks with the kahu upgrade but when were they used in actual combat ?? besides most of them were station in oz

[toranamunter]

Ba hahaha counting down like its the launch of the space shuttle, absolutely pathetic. Whats this for, an attack by Somalian pirates in a canoe? What exactly do they plan on being able to approach with a fat sluggish helicopter? It has the radar signature of a school bus and the speed of a car driving down a motorway... A single fighter jet could destroy our entire country and theres not a single frickin thing some ancient helicopter could do about it. Thanks Helen Clark, we're fucked

[kduwe1]

2 2 thumbs up for New Zealand !!! I have to agree with jamin69 ..

I wish the US Navy would use the same system on the uh-60 platform

also the super seaspite is awesome lamps 1 helicopter

[stalkingalizee]

NZDF is a joke, one Mistral BPC could take over South Island.  Two could take over the whole country.

[neodelphi]

well hello is not that efficient delivery platform, it will be dead before it can launch its weapons.... well might be useful against pirates!

[jamin69]

There goes 1/2 the defense budget for this year!

[Reeggz]

@jamin69 Ahaha

[txtluva]

@jamin69 ur rite man

[Yeave79]

@jamin69 whoehahahahahahaha, LMFAO !

[kinsley2108]

@jamin69 You'll be surprised to know how true that is, lol.

[neodelphi]

NZ should buy subs.

[txtluva]

@neodelphi yup

[fixdeluxe1]

They should reintroduce the Aremacchis and construct a ship with a short runway.

They should also Arm the P-3K Orions with those Air-to-Surface Maritime strike missiles.

Would also help if the Mistral VVLAD's are replaced with Avenger missiles from the states.

[timtufuga]

Now Australia has the RAAF FA18, F111, and soon the JSF35, with a whole assortment of weapons, ouch... A maverick missile, heh?? Do yiou remember the F16? The closest NZDF came to owning one was owning a Ford Falcon. Incidently, most of the RNZAF pilots, stationed in Nowra, NSW, owned a Ford Falcon, owing to the fact that NZ could never ever hope or dream of owning an actual F16 Falcon fighter jet. Kiwis paid for Aussie A4 skyhawks only to have them returned to Nowra in 1991 at taxpayers exp.

[vne1981]

Both our Defence forces suck. Since I left in 2004, the number of ADF airdrop capable aircraft has halved. The number of bombers has reduced by 1/3.

[timtufuga]

Which ADF are you referring to? The RAAF have bought the Globemaster C5 the largest troop and support carrier in the world, a couple of them. They have on order over 100 JSF35 by 2014, as well as air to air combat cappabilities they also have Air to Surface HE Missile systems which is much more lethal than the F111 squadrons from Amberly and elswehere. So what are you talking about? NZ has buthin except for superseasprite with mavericks to sink illegal fishing boats, contraband, or boat people.

[vne1981]

The one that I flew with. The 4 C-17 (not C-5) Globemaster IIIs (big, but not anywhere near the largest) have been purchased to replace 12, thats right 12, C-130H aircraft, which will be gone by March. All Caribous will be gone by December without replacement. The Govt has committed to "at least 71" JSFs in the white paper. This usually means less. The 707s were retired in June with no replacement until Dec next year, leaving no AAR capability whatsoever. We have 2 additional C-130J on order!

[timtufuga]

Thank you for clarifying my speculative estimates, I had not checked on my sources but I was being spontaneous in answering your remarks. You believe that the 4 Globemasters will not meet the ADF global commitments in support ordninace transport? I must agree that the 12 C130 being de-comissioned may be a bad idea. I thought that they could still be used as Halo SASR and Infantry parachute regiments, in Townsville, for their use in place of the Caribou? Are you sure? 3RAR & SASR w/out Caribous?

[vne1981]

The Globemasters are good, but 4 is not enough. At least 2 will be offline at any time for maintenence. 38 Sqn (Caribous) are getting the Armys King Airs as a stop gap. These have no Parachute/Airdrop capability at all. The RAAF wants to purchase the C-27J to replace the Caribou but this hasn't even been ordered yet and so is at least 2-3 years away. BTW it takes 10 full Hercs to lift a single Parachute Infantry Battalion and its basic equipment. This was a struggle even when we had 24 Hercs.

[timtufuga]

I have seen the specs for the Sparton C27J by the Italian Alenia Aeronautica company, its smaller than the C130 and has half the carrying capacity and a slightly smaller fuselage space in comparison to the c130. Why would the RAAF want to replace the C130 with the C27J? The Sparton's length and span is smaller than the C130, this does not make any sense at all. Are you sure that the ADF wants to do this?

[vne1981]

The C-27J, if ordered, would be a late replacement for the Caribou. The problem is that neither the C-27J, The Herc or any other contender can land on the same short, rough feilds that the Caribou can. The RAAF hasn't ordered anything yet so there is no true replacement at this stage.

[timtufuga]

Easy, the CB-235-300 Multi-mission tactical transport aircraft, made in Spain is fully recognised from various international Airforce corrently using them now. It can carry 48 paratroopers, or 57 fully equiped troops, and has a short take off and landing capability. What about this option for RAAF and even NZDF?

[vne1981]

Yeah, that was a contender but the RAAF didn't like it. It doesn't take standard size 'L' type pallets like the Herc/C-17/C-27J do. The C-27 and CASA-235 don't have the same short/soft field capability like the 'bou. The RAAF have a saying that the only thing that can replace a Caribou, is another Caribou! Maybe they need a mixed fleet of replacements?

[badgerattoadhall]

ouch!!! as an outsider looking in, it seems like the 4 C-17s should supplement 24 C-130, reduce the fleet by twelve. I also read when the 21 Orions are replaced that they will only be 8 P8 replacements.

[vne1981]

Thats true, though they may also buy some unmanned aircraft at a later stage. For a country this big, that is pathetic. Even the Brits (with their tiny coastline) have more than us. That said, we also have 10 Customs Dash 8s fitted with surveilance radars patrolling our waters, they just have no weapons or ASW equipment.

[badgerattoadhall]

I do as an outsider find it odd that other countries during their purchases leave time periods with major capability gaps.

[vne1981]

All countries do, yours included. Some are worse than others though.

[timtufuga]

Hahaha. This is New Zealand's primary air to surface strike weapon. Its on a Super Seasprite Helicopter, the only air defense combat strike aircraft in NZDF.The NZ Iroquois will be decommissioned in 2013, to be replaced by the NH-90 Helicopter which is the NZ version of the MH 90 which is now in operation in the Australian Army, they showed this off in the 2009 rugby league grand final by dropping the match ball to the Sydney Football Stadium. Kiwis have to wait another four years for the this.

[JD55000]

that guy said holy shit

cause hes never even seen a missle

fire in his whole life.

cause this defence force sucks!

[yogicolonial]

no one cares if our seasprites carry mavericks. they would never risk loosing one to attack anything anyway! p.s we need some damn jets. they actually look scary to japanese fishermen.

[ratava15]

Just like the kiwis;

Use a 350k missile to destroy a 20k boat.

Rogernomics through and through.

[kblackav8or]

Outstanding shot.

[m1a8u7i]

Cher Willy shot bro!

[JD55000]

omg what a weird acsent!

[saltydog45]

yeah,and the weapons magazine holds over a dozen of them....if they ever get the chance to fill it.

[georgewtwat]

Yip - 20 people that left for Australias Taxes paid for that explosion.

[kenny95258]

lol nice try... that joke only works with the Axed Strike Wing.. You have probably just offended many of the Helo pilots in the RNZAF..