Sukarno stays in power - what would Australia do?

[Archibald]

So if Australia needs brute T56 power to replace E-1B's radials, they have three AEW options : Hawkeye, Orion and Hercules !

 

[Dilandu]

So if Australia needs brute T56 power to replace E-1B, they have three AEW options : Hawkeye, Orion and Hercules !

Yep. Must admit, I assumed that the choice would be much more limited.

 

[Pioneer]

Regards
Pioneer

 

[Pioneer]

I must admit, I do like the notion of the Lockheed C-130 AEW being able to operate from austere airfields, affording them to be deployed more unpredictable to Indonesian intelligence and targeting. I particularly like the thought of C-130 AEW's operating in PNG.

Now to work out the 'rough' specification differences between the flight performances of the C-130E/H and P-3B/C to ascertain which has the best altitude performance.....

Regards
Pioneer

 

[Dilandu]

I must admit, I do like the notion of the Lockheed C-130 AEW being able to operate from austere airfields, affording them to be deployed more unpredictable to Indonesian intelligence and targeting. I particularly like the thought of C-130 AEW's operating in PNG.

An argument, true. Albeit I suppose that any heavy AEW would operate from rearward bases anyway, leaving the forward bases for light AEW (like Tracers).

 

[Archibald]

Tactical, STOL AEW !! Only the Hercules can do that. Or perhaps an AEW variant of the An-72, itself inspired from the YC-14 aborted successor of... the Hercules.
Oh, wait...

Antonov An-71 - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Rule of cool]

I wouldn't have thought austere airfield operations were a requirements for AEW, indeed apart from maybe emergency or administrative use it would be a detriment. A P3 for example would have a flight endurance of 10+ hours and continent spanning range, indeed that's why the RAAF P3 were based at Adelaide, it was a central location that could cover both coasts. This means they could cover vast areas or stay on station for long periods operating from main RAAF bases. Even as electronics became more reliable I'd suggest 70s AEW aircraft would be maintenance hogs that would require large teams of techos to keep them fully operational, and such teams wouldn't be available at austere bases.

 

[Dilandu]

A P3 for example would have a flight endurance of 10+ hours and continent spanning range, indeed that's why the RAAF P3 were based at Adelaide, it was a central location that could cover both coasts. This means they could cover vast areas or stay on station for long periods operating from main RAAF bases. Even as electronics became more reliable I'd suggest 70s AEW aircraft would be maintenance hogs that would require large teams of techos to keep them fully operational, and such teams wouldn't be available at austere bases.

I agree here; it make more sence to operate them from secure rear airbases & use tankers to compensate for additional flight time from them.

 

[Scott Kenny]

I must admit, I do like the notion of the Lockheed C-130 AEW being able to operate from austere airfields, affording them to be deployed more unpredictable to Indonesian intelligence and targeting. I particularly like the thought of C-130 AEW's operating in PNG.

Now to work out the 'rough' specification differences between the flight performances of the C-130E/H and P-3B/C to ascertain which has the best altitude performance.....

Regards
Pioneer

No thoughts required, props alone will tell you.

P-3s and C-130s use the same engines, and almost the same wing. The difference is props. P-3s have rounded tips on their props, gives them better performance at low altitude, while C-130s have squared-off props for better performance up high.

I wouldn't have thought austere airfield operations were a requirements for AEW, indeed apart from maybe emergency or administrative use it would be a detriment. A P3 for example would have a flight endurance of 10+ hours and continent spanning range, indeed that's why the RAAF P3 were based at Adelaide, it was a central location that could cover both coasts. This means they could cover vast areas or stay on station for long periods operating from main RAAF bases. Even as electronics became more reliable I'd suggest 70s AEW aircraft would be maintenance hogs that would require large teams of techos to keep them fully operational, and such teams wouldn't be available at austere bases.

Agreed, though I'd have two bases for the AEW planes. Just to save a couple hours of flight time each mission getting to the patrol area.

 

[Rule of cool]

Agreed, though I'd have two bases for the AEW planes. Just to save a couple hours of flight time each mission getting to the patrol area.

I think Tindal would be a good base, some 300km inland makes them less vulnerable than the coastal bases. I think that AEW could do 'shuttle' missions: take off from the main base, do the mission, land at the nearest base to maximise mission time, transit back to main base for proper turnaround.