Airforces

http://www.airforcesmonthly.com #367 OCTOBER 2018 // 29

Australasia

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New NH90

fl ight sim

for RNZAF

THE ROYAL New Zealand

Air Force (RNZAF) will

receive a flight simulator

from Canadian company

CAE to train pilots

for its NH90 multirole

medium helicopter fleet.

In an August 8

statement, Minister of

Defence Ron Mark said:

“A New Zealand-based

simulator offers the

benefits of increasing the

number of trained pilots,

while making more pilots

and flight instructors

available for deployment.

This places less strain on

RNZAF resources.” He

added: “The availability

of in-country, simulator-

based flight training

will also reduce the

need to use NH90s

for training flights,

ensuring the helicopters

are available for more

operational tasking.”

Currently RNZAF

NH90 pilots train on

simulators in Australia

and Germany, together

with local live flying.

The government has

approved purchase

and installation of the

simulator at RNZAF

Base Ohakea at a cost of

NZ$2.73m (US$28.42m).

The new facility is

planned to begin

training by July 2020.

RNZAF NH90s serve

with No 3 Squadron at

RNZAF Base Ohakea.

Full-scale P-8A training airframe inaugurated

Above: The new P-8A Poseidon fuselage ordnance trainer at RAAF Base Edinburgh. Nathan Rundle

A NEW state-of-the art

training centre for Royal

Australian Air Force (RAAF)

P-8A Poseidon aircrew

was formally opened at

RAAF Base Edinburgh,

South Australia, on August

17 by Minister for Defence

Senator Marise Payne and

the Minister for Defence

Industry Christopher

Pyne. The facility includes

a full-scale fuselage

ordnance trainer, two flight

simulators, two air combat

officer trainers, together

with other synthetic and

hands-on training devices.

“This [AUS] $470m facility

marks the beginning of

a transformation of our

training that will support

the air force’s ability to

meet emerging threats and

future challenges,” Senator

Payne said. “The facility

will deliver over 39 separate

training courses which will

minimise training demands

on the P-8A Poseidon

aircraft, reducing aircraft

fatigue, increasing safety

and improving availability

for higher priority tasking.”

The ordnance trainer

comprises a complete

fuselage, minus the tail

section, plus slightly

cropped wings complete

with engines. It also

carries serial ‘A47- 0 01’

along with an RAAF

roundel on the side of the

fuselage, replicating the

real A47- 0 01, the first RAAF

P-8A, which is operational

with No 11 Squadron at

Edinburgh. Dave Allport

Above: Armée de l’Air Rafale Bs fl y in formation with a No 33 Squadron KC-30A en route

to Australia to participate in Exercise Pitch Black at RAAF Base Darwin, Northern Territory.

Commonwealth of Australia

KC-30A brings Rafale

to Pitch Black

A ROYAL Australian Air

Force KC-30A tanker

played a key role in

assisting the Armée de

l’Air (French Air Force) fly

Rafales to Exercise Pitch

Black for the first time.

The KC-30A Multi-Role

Tanker Transport (MRTT)

travelled from the Middle

East region to RAAF Base

Darwin, refuelling the three

Rafale Bs along the way.

Armée de l’Air detachment

commander Colonel Arnaud

Brunetta said: “Pitch Black

gives our personnel the

opportunity to participate

in work exchanges with the

Australian Defence Force

which is important for

professional and personal

growth.” He added: “We

are proud of our aircraft, the

Rafales have travelled more

than 8,699 miles [14,000km]

with over 20 hours of flying

to arrive in Australia with

no technical issues.”

Deployed to the Middle

East, the RAAF KC-30A has

now delivered one million

pounds of fuel during air-

to-air refuel missions on

Operation Okra in the

Middle East. The milestone

was reached on August

6, during a routine air-to-

air refuelling mission.

This year’s Pitch Black

was the largest iteration

of the Northern Territory

exercise ever held, involving

around 4,000 personnel

from 16 different nations

and 140 aircraft. See

AFM’s Exercise Report

on p70-73 for more.

Above: RAAF/ARDU PC-9

A23-062 on approach to its

base at RAAF Edinburgh

wearing tail markings to

celebrate ARDU’s 75th

anniversary. Nathan Rundle

ROYAL AUSTRALIAN

Air Force PC-9 A23-062

operated by the Aircraft

Research and Development

Unit (ARDU) at RAAF Base

Edinburgh, South Australia,

has been painted in special

markings to

commemorate

ARDU’s 75th

anniversary. Formed

as No 1 Air Performance

Unit in December 1943, it

assumed its current ARDU

title in September

1947. The unit conducts
      ground and flight testing
      of both new and existing
      RAAF aircraft, including
      modifications. Dave Allport

ARDU PC-9

in 75th

anniversary

colours

28-29 News AFM Oct2018.indd 29 10/09/2018 14:17:06