Slater Posted July 9, 2018 Share Posted July 9, 2018 Wonder if New Zealand and Australia could pool their maintenance and support resources? https://www.defensenews.com/air/2018/07/09/another-win-for-boeing-new-zealand-commits-to-the-p-8-with-16-billion-deal/ 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Britman Posted July 10, 2018 Share Posted July 10, 2018 Looks like P8 world domination is imminent. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silver Fox Posted July 10, 2018 Share Posted July 10, 2018 Hidden in the text is the move from Whenuapai to Ohakea, I wonder what implications that has for Whenuapai? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDSModeller Posted July 10, 2018 Share Posted July 10, 2018 1 minute ago, Silver Fox said: Hidden in the text is the move from Whenuapai to Ohakea, I wonder what implications that has for Whenuapai? As I understand it 40 Squadron will remain along with what ever remains with Navy flight, no major changes till 2023. Ohakea has longer runways. Plus the RNZAF has just formally opened close to 50 new base houses so don't see Whenuapai closing any time soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bandsaw Steve Posted July 10, 2018 Share Posted July 10, 2018 And a good thing too! 👍 A key capability for a nation with NZ’s geography. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silver Fox Posted July 10, 2018 Share Posted July 10, 2018 58 minutes ago, LDSModeller said: As I understand it 40 Squadron will remain along with what ever remains with Navy flight, no major changes till 2023. Ohakea has longer runways. Plus the RNZAF has just formally opened close to 50 new base houses so don't see Whenuapai closing any time soon. That's good news all round then. No nasty surprises in the small print. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinChipmunkfan Posted July 13, 2018 Share Posted July 13, 2018 Downsizing from 6 Orions to 4 P8's is hardly good news. Given that at any one time one aircraft will be on downtime 3 aircraft to defend NZ maritime interests is problematic to say the least. They may be more capable but they can only be in one place at any one time. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troffa Posted July 13, 2018 Share Posted July 13, 2018 On 7/10/2018 at 9:44 AM, LDSModeller said: Plus the RNZAF has just formally opened close to 50 new base houses so don't see Whenuapai closing any time soon. Not sure about the situation in NZ, but a large capital expenditure like that on any UK MOD facility is almost a guarantee of its closure! 🙂 I was at Leuchars in the late '80's when a superb purpose built hangar/ office complex was completed for 22 Sqn SAR Wessex- Just in time for Leuchars SAR to be closed. Subsequently St Andrews University Air Sqn moved in with a few Bulldogs. 2 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Headroom Posted July 13, 2018 Share Posted July 13, 2018 Maybe the RAAF and RNZAF are to have a pooling arrangement? It would make sense. Trevor 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDSModeller Posted July 13, 2018 Share Posted July 13, 2018 8 hours ago, Troffa said: Not sure about the situation in NZ, but a large capital expenditure like that on any UK MOD facility is almost a guarantee of its closure! 🙂 I was at Leuchars in the late '80's when a superb purpose built hangar/ office complex was completed for 22 Sqn SAR Wessex- Just in time for Leuchars SAR to be closed. Subsequently St Andrews University Air Sqn moved in with a few Bulldogs. The new P8's need a longer runway so Ohakea is the natural decision outcome of that. Whenuapai's runway can not be extended, with out major land reclamation/Road re-routing (Brigham Creek Road end) the upper Waitemata Harbour is at the other end. New Zealand only has two main operational bases from which to fly from, (Woodbourne is training/major maintenance), Whenuapai and Ohakea. Ohakea currently is home to the 3 Sqn NH90 & A-109's, 14 Sqn Harvard II and CFS Harvard II's , given the P8A's will be there, the apron will become a little crowded, not to mention Singapore are looking at the possibility of housing F15's there as well. The term "Eggs in one basket" comes to mind. Still early days yet, I'll guess we'll wait and see. Regards Alan 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted July 13, 2018 Share Posted July 13, 2018 Hello ... as a yank and not really connected may i add a thought ? Is it possible that any and/or all of the NH-90’s, A-109’s, and the Harvard II’s might swap bases to Whenuapai ? When the P-8’s come to Ohakea ? Maybe im just wishful thinking and they will close the one base down. Then again it might be a possibility ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted July 14, 2018 Share Posted July 14, 2018 (edited) Ohakea has the benefit of being relatively central to the country, certainly more so than Whenuapai, important for helicopters that might be called on for SAR work. I doubt the residents of areas around Whenupai would welcome the Harvards in their areas, its the noise you know. To me it would make some sense to expand Woodbourne back to an operational base, big runway & relatively sparsely populated, central too. Steve. Edited July 14, 2018 by stevehnz 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwitrogg Posted July 14, 2018 Share Posted July 14, 2018 Here's a link that shows a map of New Zealands SAR area compared to the size of Europe. It's a bit of an eye opener. https://defence-blog.com/aviation/new-zealand-government-approves-purchase-four-p-8a-poseidon-maritime-patrol-aircraft.html Gaz 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jo NZ Posted July 14, 2018 Share Posted July 14, 2018 Another factor in moving to Ohakea is that the Orions currently have to fly there to get weaponed up - Make sense to do it all in one place. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calum Posted July 14, 2018 Share Posted July 14, 2018 On 7/13/2018 at 8:15 PM, ColinChipmunkfan said: Downsizing from 6 Orions to 4 P8's is hardly good news. Given that at any one time one aircraft will be on downtime 3 aircraft to defend NZ maritime interests is problematic to say the least. They may be more capable but they can only be in one place at any one time. Of the 6 Orions I'd expect they'd be lucky to have 3 available/crewed. The P-8 is vastly more capable and reliable but like you I'd like to have more, 1 more would have been nice. Ultimately 4 is all can afford, but the upside is at least they have committed to maintaining (or re-establishing) a high level ASW/ISR/ASuW capability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slater Posted July 15, 2018 Author Share Posted July 15, 2018 Are the Orion weapons transferable to the P-8's? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Alpha Yankee Posted July 15, 2018 Share Posted July 15, 2018 On 7/13/2018 at 10:57 PM, Max Headroom said: Maybe the RAAF and RNZAF are to have a pooling arrangement? It would make sense. Trevor No such arrangement, but I believe that a P-8 depot serving centre for the region's P-8s is to be set up in Australia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hairystick Posted July 16, 2018 Share Posted July 16, 2018 Whenuapai has had intensive housing crammed into the area (queue moaning residents complaining about "aircraft" flying near an airport...) so there are even more issues involved. Lengthening the runway westwards would be do-able, but I guess that would have been investigated when the prospect of using WP as Auckland's second airport was underway. Currently the approach paths of helicopters has been overlooked by the developers of the housing, as has been the halting of progress on the new Westgate shopping centre as they failed to negate glass reflections onto the approaching aircraft cockpits... There's nothing like being blinded while nearing landing thresholds! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiger331 Posted July 26, 2018 Share Posted July 26, 2018 On 7/10/2018 at 11:44 AM, LDSModeller said: As I understand it 40 Squadron will remain along with what ever remains with Navy flight, no major changes till 2023. Ohakea has longer runways. Plus the RNZAF has just formally opened close to 50 new base houses so don't see Whenuapai closing any time soon. During my almost 40 years Service with the Royal Air Force, any announcement regarding a major new accommodation initiative (technical or domestic) is a clear signal that the base is going to be CLOSED or handed over to one of the other Services, so I am not convinced that 50 new houses at Whenuapai will secure the future of the base, though the RNZAF may be different. I have lost count of the number of bases where we spent serious money on accommodation upgrades to then hand them over to the British Army, Royal Marines, Her Majesties Prisons et al. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDSModeller Posted July 26, 2018 Share Posted July 26, 2018 8 hours ago, Tiger331 said: During my almost 40 years Service with the Royal Air Force, any announcement regarding a major new accommodation initiative (technical or domestic) is a clear signal that the base is going to be CLOSED or handed over to one of the other Services, so I am not convinced that 50 new houses at Whenuapai will secure the future of the base, though the RNZAF may be different. I have lost count of the number of bases where we spent serious money on accommodation upgrades to then hand them over to the British Army, Royal Marines, Her Majesties Prisons et al. Having lived on RNZAF Bases part of my life, I have seen new house built as married quarters on those bases, and the bases were not closed (even lived in the new housing). As I said in my post above (#10) New Zealand only has now, two operational bases, Whenuapai and Ohakea. Since 5 Squadron are slated to receive the P8's in 2023, Whenuapai is not going to close anytime soon, and even when they do move, there are still RNZAF/RNZN squadrons there. Our incumbent Defence Minister is ex Military, and seems intent on improving our defence capabilities. Again come 2023 things may change we'll wait and see 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinChipmunkfan Posted July 27, 2018 Share Posted July 27, 2018 Agree with Tiger331, resurfacing an RAF runway was often the kiss of death for a station - Binbrok for example Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seahawk Posted July 27, 2018 Share Posted July 27, 2018 10 hours ago, LDSModeller said: Our incumbent Defence Minister i....seems intent on improving our defence capabilities. Interesting concept. I wonder if it will ever catch on in the UK. 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMK Posted July 28, 2018 Share Posted July 28, 2018 On 7/15/2018 at 9:58 AM, Calum said: Of the 6 Orions I'd expect they'd be lucky to have 3 available/crewed. The P-8 is vastly more capable and reliable but like you I'd like to have more, 1 more would have been nice. Ultimately 4 is all can afford, but the upside is at least they have committed to maintaining (or re-establishing) a high level ASW/ISR/ASuW capability. There was an interesting interview with a (USN) P-8 pilot on YouTube regarding SAR capabilities. They had a USCG-coordinated SAR task. The coordination centre was used to tasking C-130s in allocating SAR boxes. The P-8 flew its assigned area in 45 minutes, not the 6-8 hours (can’t recall which) that the C-130 would take. Maybe fewer assets, while not ideal, isn’t as much as issue at it may seem at first glance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMK Posted December 8, 2022 Share Posted December 8, 2022 First one on its way home. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwitrogg Posted December 12, 2022 Share Posted December 12, 2022 NZ4801 unofficially arrived just past midday today. She officially arrives tomorrow in front of a whole bunch of dignitaries. Looks pretty sweet! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now