I suppose it depends on what missions we really want to carry out.

 

  A low cost/low performance path is just use C-27J's.

  A high cost/high performance is to buy a ship load of 400ms.

  Or a mix.(how bigs the pot we have to draw on..)

 

 But I think we do need the Chinooks so the Bou will be replaced by at least a few more Chooks.

 

 I think we need to decide on the other sea lift ship. If we get say 2x 30,000t roro, then I think we are better off going with the higher number of airframes possible with the C27J. If we get say 1 HSC, then definately buy up 400m.

 

 The C-17 is in a different level. I think the 400m and the C27-j might really did into C130 sales. How many C-130 do you think Indonesia or NZ can afford?

I see no reason whatsoever why we would buy A-400's now that we operate Herc's and C-17's. They basically fullfill the same role that our current fleet does without being able to lift a tank. If we needed extra medium or heavy lifters wouldn't we want to keep our logistics simpler by buying more of what we already have? The only other type of fixed wing lifter that I can see that we would need would be a lighter battlefield lifter with a decent STOL performance, as a cheaper way to shuttle smaller loads.

The A400 can lift Puma, Boxer, LAV IV &V not to forget FCS and FRES the C130 can't.  So basically replacing the C-130H with A400 would allow the RAAF to continue to support the Army once LAND 400 replaces most of our Herc compatable vehicles.

 

Can a Herc lift a Bushmaster or an M113AS4?  The A400 would be able to lift a pair of either.

 

Personally I would rather see extra C-17's and a large number of C-27 backed up by MV and CV-22's but it aint gunna happen.

 

As a replacement for the C-130H, the A400 makes sense, in terms of capability, cost and availability

Does anyone know how the KC30's stack up in the transport role, where they will fit in?  For instance can they carry more than the C130H or C130J etc?

 

AFAIK the Aussie KC-30s will retain the passenger cabin on the upper deck (~250 people), but the lower deck alone can accommodate 34t. (All the fuel is held in the wings)

 

Cargo capacity in relation to 463L pallets:
C-27j ~ 3

C-130 ~ 5

KC-30 ~ 6 (lower deck only), 25 total if upper deck is used

C-17 ~ 18

 

 The A330 freighter as a guide: h t t p://www.airbus.com/en/aircraftfamilies/a330a340/a330-200f/deck_layout.html  

 

 

The C-130J's won't be around for ever. By 2015-17, some of them will have been in RAAF service for some 20 years.

 

Army as you know is being hardened and networked and with the increased acquisitions of Bushmasters, the new armoured JLTV and "standard" vehicles with SEK's, Airforce's lift capacity is shrinking compared to the increasing weight of Army vehicles. 

 

Nowadays RAAF lifts Army vehicles which are mostly un-armoured. In 10-15 years, most will be armoured to some degree and any C-130 variant will become increasingly marginalised. They simply weren't designed to handle large numbers of heavy (relatively speaking) vehicles.

 

This doesn't even touch on the lack of outsized load capability inherent in the C-130J. In 1995 we had no choice BUT a C-130J to replace our old C-130E airlifters.

 

By 2013-2015 A400m will become an increasingly attractive option unless L-M can deliver an upsized Herky in that timeframe. 

 

Personally I think the A400m is a shoe-in...

 

on Page four I asked gf that very question, to which he replied NFI. From the other stuff that he said, it sounds like no one really knows what will replace the hercs.

I said I had NFI, there are others who might have a clue, but I haven't seen or had any traffic from those who would normally be keen to unofficially spill their guts

Has converting the c 130s in to ac 130s been look at ?

I know its not a simple plug and play that the air frames have to be reinforced and so on

was just wondering if it would be to costly for geting a few more years out of them and a some more options for ground troops?