(This concept was inspired by the Greater Australia story line, and I asked GTX Admin would he mind if I did this project. Note that the options/opinions here are mine and mine alone. Some units use correct marking, others are fictitious. Also, there may be weapons loads etc that are not capable of being used - the Eagles carrying a mix of ASRAAM and AIM-9 for example - for the purpose of this exercise the technical issues and interfaces have been resolved.)
(the builds here are all - 1/72nd. They are basically the fast jet fleets and most of the Helo fleets in the case of the Army. I do have CH-47 and NH-90 kits I may build and add later.)
ALTERNATIVE AUSTRALASIAN AIR FORCESIn the 70’s, the RAAF ran an evaluation of aircraft to be considered as a Mirage replacement. I was a controller at Williamtown in 1976-79, and during that time we had a visit from an F-15 prototype as (then) McDonnell Douglas pushed the F-15 as an option. While history tells us the RAAF eventually selected the F/A-18A Hornet, what if the RAAF (and indeed the rest of the ADF) considered other options for a much larger (and more capable) ADF air fleet?
Units/Types (read as type, unit, role, establishment)
RAAF
82 Wing F-15E Strike Eagle 1 SQN Strike 16
F-15E Strike Eagle 6 SQN Strike 16
F-111E 2 SQN Recce 8
EF-111 2 SQN EW 6
RQ-1 Predator 5 SQN Surveillance/Recce 10
5OTU Strike Eagle Conversion 10 F-15E
81 Wing F-15C 75 SQN Fighter 16
F-15C 77 SQN Fighter 16
F-16CJ 3 SQN Multi-role/SEAD 16
F-16C 76 SQN Multi-role 16
F-16C 79 SQN Multi-role 16
78 Wing A-37B 4 SQN FAC – expanded 4 Flight 14
F-16D/F-15D 2OCU Fighter Conversion 10 x F15D, 16 x F-16D
Hawk 100 25 SQN Lead-In Fighter Training 40
F-16A ROULETTES Air Display team 7 (6 x A and 1 x B)
Pilot Training Hawk 2 FTS Training 90
RANCAW-1 HMAS AUSTRALIA F-14 Tomcat VF-805 Fighter, Recce 24
A-7E VA-850 Strike 20
A-6E VA-851 Strike 16
EA-6B Prowler VAQ-852 Electronic Warfare 6
E-2 Hawkeye VAW-808 Air Surveillance 6
S-3A Viking VS-809 ASW, Anti-Ship 6
S-70B, MH-60R Sea Hawk HS-723 ASW, utility 6/6
AW-2 Ashore/LHD’sSea Harrier FRS-1 VF- 816 Fighter 12
AV-8B Harrier VF-817 Strike, CAIRS 12
NH-90 HS-722 Utility Transport 12
Training Wing VC-724 SQN (Fighter) 6 x F-14, 4 x Sea Harrier, 6 x AV-8B
VC-725 SQN (Strike) 4 x A-7, 3 x A-6, 2 x EA-6B
ARMY
1 AVN Regiment OV-1 Mohawk 172 SQN Surveillance 8
OV-10D Bronco 173 SQN FAC, Recce 20
5 AVN Regiment S-70A Black Hawk A SQN SF Transport/Support 30
NH-90 B SQN Transport 50
CH-47F CHINOOK C SQN Transport 20
6 AVN Regiment AH-1S 161 SQN ARH 24
AH-64D 162 SQN Firepower 20
ADF Helicopter School Army Helicopter Training Contractor supplied Aircraft
RNZAF
1 Wing F-20 Tigershark 26 SQN Multi-role 16
F-5E 16 SQN Light Fighter 20
RF-5E 15 SQN Recce 10
2 Wing F-18 2 SQN Fighter 16
F-18 75 SQN Fighter 16
3 Wing (Training)Operational Conversion (1SQN) 4 x F-18A, 4 x F-18B, 4 x F-20B, 2 x F-5E, 2 x F-5F
PILOT TRAININGWith the significant number of jet aircraft entering the ADF inventory, instead of the proposed PC-9 to replace the Macchi, the decision was taken to acquire the Bae Hawk, to provide an all-through jet pilot training course (previously trialled by the ADF on the Macchi). 2FTS also provided pilot training to the RNZAF by way of the RNZAF “purchasing” sufficient hours for their needs from the ADF and supplying instructors to the combined effort.
Given the nature of aircraft selected, RAN Pilots continued to complete the RAAF 2 Flying Training School (2FTS) syllabus along with their RAAF colleagues, while Army Pilots completed the initial flying training assessment at Tamworth before commencing rotary-wing training at the ADF Helicopter School (utilising contractor provided aircraft) while those selected for the OV-10 and OV-1AU complete conversion training with the relevant Squadron.
On completion of 2FTS, graduates for Multi-engined aircraft (C-130, C-17, P-3, Wedgetail etc.) are posted to their squadron for conversion training, while those selected for fast jet (including Navy pilots) remained in Pearce for Lead-In Fighter Training (LIFT) with 25 SQN on Hawk 100 aircraft. Navy pilots selected for rotary wing are posted to the ADF Helicopter School for rotary wing training then direct to their selected unit for conversion training. The advantage of this collocation of flying training and LIFT places all Hawk maintenance at one location.
On completion of LIFT, RAAF fast jet pilots selected for fighters are then posted to 2 Operation Conversion Unit (2OCU) for training on the F-16 or F-15 depending on their selection/ADF requirements. Attack pilots and Air Combat Officers for the Strike Eagle Squadrons are posted to 5 Operational Conversion Unit (5OCU – remembering 5 Operational Training Unit that trained Beaufighter, Boston and Mosquito crews in WW2 and Mustang and Sabre pilots later) for conversion onto the Strike Eagle. RNZAF fast jet pilots are posted to the NZ Operational Conversion Squadron (No 1 Shadow Squadron) for training on their type.
2 Flying Training School Hawk
Hawk-01 by
David Freeman, on Flickr
Hawk-02 by
David Freeman, on Flickr
25 Squadron Hawk 100
The Hawk’s used for LIFT can carry AIM-9 missiles for training sorties as well as ACMI instrument pods. The aircraft here is equipped with the centre-line gun pod.
Hawk-25-03 by
David Freeman, on Flickr
Hawk-25-01 by
David Freeman, on Flickr
Hawk-25-02 by
David Freeman, on Flickr