ANNIVeRSARY AIR SHow! - Royal New Zealand Air Force
ANNIVeRSARY AIR SHow! - Royal New Zealand Air Force
ANNIVeRSARY AIR SHow! - Royal New Zealand Air Force
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celebrating 75 Years of service to new <strong>Zealand</strong><br />
MATES ACRoSS ThE<br />
DiTCh—ThE RoyAL<br />
AuSTRALiAn AiR<br />
FoRCE<br />
The links between the RNZAF<br />
and RAAF go back to the First<br />
world war when a number of<br />
kiwis joined the Australian<br />
Flying corps.<br />
The two air forces were further<br />
linked during wwII with our<br />
shared commitment to the british<br />
commonwealth <strong>Air</strong> Training Plan. From<br />
1949 our commitments under ANZAM<br />
and, later, the commonwealth Strategic<br />
Reserve, ensured the two air forces<br />
deployed side by side for collective<br />
defence in our region. Today our air<br />
forces share a number of facilities and<br />
undertake personnel exchanges, as well<br />
as join in regular combined exercises.<br />
The two air forces share an exchange<br />
posting for Qualified Flying Instructors<br />
– the kiwi at RAAF Pearce western<br />
Australia, the Australian at ohakea with<br />
No. 42 Sqn.<br />
No.5 Sqn personnel undertake P-3<br />
Simulator Training at RAAF edinburgh<br />
near Adelaide, for three Instructors and<br />
about 5 students each year. Similarly<br />
No.40 Sqn personnel have access to<br />
the RAAF c-130 simulator at RAAF<br />
Richmond, west of Sydney.<br />
24 <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong> news<br />
A d<br />
b c<br />
with the new NH90 tactical helicopter<br />
entering <strong>New</strong> <strong>Zealand</strong> service, we have<br />
pilots and technicians on secondment<br />
to the Australian Army (which flies the<br />
AdF’s land-based helicopters)<br />
In addition, two RNZAF personnel<br />
undertake the AdF senior staff course<br />
each year, while one other is conducting<br />
a fellowship year there. An RNZAF officer<br />
is appointed to the Joint operations<br />
centre in canberra and other RNZAF<br />
personnel are working at the RAAF base<br />
in darwin, in support of operations in<br />
Timor leste.<br />
with such close links, the RAAF—<br />
which was formed in 1921— sent<br />
a strong contingent to the RNZAF<br />
Anniversary air show.<br />
A: F/A-18A hoRnET<br />
The Hornet is a multi-role fighter<br />
designed for both air-to-air and air-toground<br />
missions. The Hornet was<br />
developed for the US Navy and Marine<br />
corps and is also used by canada,<br />
Finland, kuwait, Malaysia, Spain and<br />
Switzerland. The RAAF’s fleet has just<br />
undergone a major avionics upgrade<br />
equipping them for the next 10 to 15<br />
years.<br />
B: C-17 GLoBEMASTER iii<br />
The RAAF operates five c-17<br />
Globemaster heavy transport aircraft,<br />
operated by No. 36 Sqn from RAAF base<br />
Amberley, near brisbane.<br />
The c-17 has three times the carrying<br />
capacity of the c-130 Hercules, allowing<br />
Australia to rapidly deploy troops,<br />
combat vehicles, heavy equipment and<br />
helicopters anywhere in the world. It<br />
significantly enhances the RAAF’s ability<br />
to support national and international<br />
operations, and major disaster relief<br />
efforts.<br />
C: B737 WEDGETAiL<br />
The boeing wedgetail airborne early<br />
warning and control (Aew&c) aircraft<br />
entered RAAF service in 2010. Six<br />
are being acquired, equipped with<br />
sophisticated mission systems and an<br />
advanced radar to increase Australia’s<br />
surveillance and air combat capability,<br />
and assist in civil operations such<br />
as border protection or search and<br />
rescue. The key sensor is a multi-role<br />
electronically scanned phased array<br />
(MeSA) radar with range in excess of<br />
400 km.<br />
The wedgetail Aew&c aircraft are<br />
operated by No. 2 Squadron from RAAF<br />
base williamtown, near <strong>New</strong>castle. The<br />
first two were modified by boeing in the<br />
USA, with the remaining four modified at<br />
RAAF base Amberley, near brisbane.<br />
The wedgetail eagle is a native of<br />
Australia, and is one of the largest<br />
eagles in the world. It has extremely<br />
acute vision, ranges widely in search<br />
of prey, protects its territory without<br />
compromise and stays aloft for long<br />
periods of time.<br />
D: C-130 hERCuLES<br />
No.37 Squadron RAAF operates two<br />
models of the ubiquitous Hercules,<br />
the c-130H and the c-130J, based at<br />
RAAF base Richmond, near Sydney. The<br />
Hercules provides medium to long range<br />
transport capabilities with an excellent<br />
short dirt runway capability.<br />
The c-130H, introduced in 1978, is<br />
recognised by its four-blade propellers.<br />
The c-130J Hercules, introduced in<br />
1999, has a longer, stretched, cargo<br />
area and the engines power six-blade<br />
propellers. The J needs only three crew<br />
– two pilots and a loadmaster.