Raaf Could-have-been's

[GTX]

Hi folks,

In no particular order, here are some responses:

A-400M - was looked at (EADS even tried to interest Australia in a co-production role) under AIR8000.  Eventually lost out since the C-17 was available now!

AIR-87 - contenders included:

• Tenix/Agusta A129 Scorpion - a derivative of the A129INT
• Bell ARH-1Z
• Boeing AH-64D
• Rooivalk

I also believe that at various times some of the Kamov/Mil products were offered as was the AH-60L and a variant of the Super Seasprite.

F-35 alternatives - under the guise of AIR6000, just about every modern combat aircraft was a potential option, though the F-35 join in killed off the comp.  Possible contenders included:

• Eurofighter Typhoon
• Dassault Rafale
• SAAB Gripen
• Boeing F-15 (in updated form)
• Lockheed F-16 (in updated form)
• Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet (surprise, surprise)
• Sukhoi Flanker developments

E-2s and E-3s were both looked at numerous times from the late '70s onwards, as was a AEW&C variant of the P-3 and the C-130.  The final contenders for what eventually became Wedgetail also included a C-130 derivative and an A-300 (or 310) fitted with the Israeli Phalcon system.

Regards,

Greg

[GTX]

Hi folks,

Another often overlooked RAAF competition was for a Caribou replacement (under AIR5190).  Possible contenders included:

• CASA C-295
• CASA CN-235
• IPTN CN-235 (Indonesian variant of above)
• Lockheed C-27J (the apparent winner before the project was shelved - note, not cancelled)
• Antonov AN-32 (yes this was proposed)
• Re-engined Caribou with Turbo-props and possible fuselage extension.

Regards,

Greg

[PolluxDeltaSeven]

Thanks Shasper, GTX and Spellbinder99 for the precisions!!

For the moment, the things I could imagine very well in "whiff" models (considering the models I have in my stach) are:
-ARH-1Z in some desert camo!    
-Rafale or Typhoon with CFT instead of F-35 (but I doubt it was seriously considered except for Dassault and BAe   )
-F-20?? Well, much more a "what-if" than a "could have been", as the RAAF never used the F-5... But still a good idea!
-F-16!!!    Instead of the Hornet, and why not in an upgraded variant? Maybe some F-16E Block 60 could have been selected in 2007 instead of the Super Hornet  

[Shasper]

In my Alt. Indonesian civil war scenaro the RAAF uses both the F-14D (as a gap-filler for the -111) and a F/A-20 (based on the 2-seat Tigershark) for the Aux. AF.

Shas B)

[PolluxDeltaSeven]

Well Shas, maybe it could have been possible.
I mean, IF the F-5 was selected instead of the Mirage III and IF (I know, too much "if"!!) the F-4 Phantom II was selected over the F-111, so why not having in the 1980's a replacment of the F-5 by F-20 and later in the 1990's-2000's the F-4 will be replaced by F-14D...

[Shasper]

Well my thoughts were that the F-20 would have been bought to supplement the Bugs, while the F-14s come in as stop-gap (Oz gets them cheap from the USN) for the retiring older Pigs untill something else comes along (what I dont know at the mo')

Shas B)

[DropBear]

• Re-engined Caribou with Turbo-props and possible fuselage extension.
  

Mr Goon was interested in picking that one up.

 

[DropBear]

The RAAF also wanted Vulcans but the RAF said no and offered Valiants instead.

err!

the RAAF were also looking at the HP Victor.

i know they were because i have seen the HP tender documents at hendon.

somewhere at home i have a photocopy.....  ^_^

trevor

Do you have a possible timeline on when this was mooted?

Do you know if an official RFT was placed for this platform?

I am intrigued by this and would love to hear more if possible.

[Excalibur]

As already mentioned the U.S did offer the RAAF B-47s as a fill in until the F-111 arrived. That would make a nice desert camo schemed build me thinks..

I also wonder if Australia wanted a purely defensive Air Force with only a minimal interest in being allies with the U.S. Would we still have gone for the JSF? Given its expense would Australia even risk them in battle? I like the idea of a SU-37 Berkut as F-18/F-111 replacement instead. It would be cheaper & an interesting modelling scenario....    

[B777LR]

RAAF Hindenburg, or would that be RAN?

[GTX]

RAAF Hindenburg, or would that be RAN?

I think we are talking about real possibilities here - i.e. those other aircraft that were actually considered or proposed for the RAAF.  Mind you, there was interest in RAAF Airships during the '80s for maritime surveilance.

Regards,

Greg

[Sentinel Chicken]

I remember seeing a picture of a B-1 (probably the "B" variant) in RAAF colors.
Was it a contender at this time, maybe in a two plane soultion with F-16(like Jaguar + Mirage F1 or F-15 + A-10) or was it an artist impression made later, when the USAF put some of their B-1B in storage??

I did this in Photoshop when I first joined this forum:

[Maverick]

SC,

Nice photoshop, but at the risk of pit-nicking, RAAF Willamtown doesn't have an 'S' in the spelling, and was/is predominantly a fighter base.  Amberley in Queensland is the 'Pig Pen' so that might be a better basing alternative.

Regards,

Mav

[GTX]

SC,

Any chance you could redo the pic with Amberley inserted instead or better yet simply remove reference to the Base altogether?  I have a few people who I work with plus some RAAF F-111 collegues who'd get a real kick ot of it.

Regards,

Greg

[DropBear]

It would look great in 1SQN markings.

Is that a possible goer for photoshopping?