Obama to visit Australia

[Bob C]

Hi Gerald

Did I read somewhere that Obama's visit has been cancelled as he wants to remain in the US to work on his Health policy ?

And I never say never, and there are plenty of others on this Board more knowledgeable and "in the know" than me, but I think it highly improbable and just coincidence that Obama's arrival and the F/A18Fs were due on the same
day. And someone other than Steve Creedy, the "Australian's " respected aviation correspondent wrote that piece.

So perhaps the "Australian's" reporter, Mark Dodd, looked at the facts and worked backwards to give himself a story ?

I really don't think that the US would trust anyone except its own forces to escort the President. The US is loathe to pass on software secrets to Australia and other Allies so why would they trust us with the most powerful man on earth ?

And what is the point if the F/A18Fs are not armed ? Do they ram airborne threats "kamikaze" style if they're not armed ? And where would threats come from over the vast Pacific ocean ? The F/A18Fs are brand new aircraft with only a few hours flying time so surely the RAAF pilots are heavily involved in conversion training and preparing for the delivery flight rather than weapons training. And would any of our pilots have been cleared to fire air to air weapons from the Fs ?

I don't recall any other US Presidents being escorted by the RAAF or for that matter, the USAF.

Perhaps I'm wrong. Be interesting to see what transpires whenever Obama visits.

[Stephen B]

When GW was here back in '05 he was escorted accorss Australia to Canberra by armed RAAF F/A-18 Hornets, which maintaied an armed CAP over the ACT the entire time GW was here.

That said though, security on the ground was almost non existant. The Police stopped anyone from gathering directly inline with either end of the runway, but aside from that there was simply no visible security. There was a massive crowd litterally right up against the fence right around the airport photographing everything that moved. I got some really good photos of both AF1 & AF2, infact the pilot of the second one to take off even turned off the taxi lights when the aircraft was pointing straight at us as it was early evening and the lights were a bit bright for photos.

And as far as software secrets go, the RAAF has a special steel canopy they fit to any RAAF hornets going to the US for repairs so that the US can't light up the systms and see what we've got!

[Montague S]

Originally Posted by Gerald A

FOUR of the RAAF's new Super Hornet fighters, just off the assembly line at the Boeing factory in St Louis, will escort Air Force One on the flight from the US to Canberra when Barack Obama visits this month.

how can they be locked in from US to Canberra when Australia isn't the first port of call on his tour?

[Bob C]

Thanks Stephen

I wasn't aware that GW was escorted across Australia to Canberra by F/A18s. I wonder where the escort started ? And I was also unaware that the RAAF maintained an armed CAP over Canberra the entire time GW was here. I presume that would have extended to Sydney when he visited that city and must have been a pretty expensive exercise for the RAAF.

In regards to software, I was referring to other aircraft such as the F35s and F22s. And if the RAAF is so secretive about what our F/A18s have , I wonder how the Hornet Upgrade program is undertaken ?

Hi Monty - long time no hear - I did read that Obama was calling into NZ on the way here!

Very dull and boring in sleepy, dry as a bone Perth (NO rain since November).

[Andrew McLaughlin]

Originally Posted by Gerald A

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news...-1225837132059

Absolute total crap - looks like a sub-editor at The Oz got his grubby little hands all over this and totally cocked it up.

The Supers will...

a) be unarmed for the delivery flight
b) not able to perform any kind of combat duty until they declare IOC late next year and
c) be at the end of a four day delivery flight!

I dunno about escorting AF1 in the air, but certainly look for classic Hornets to be on alert 5 or airborne over CBR at certain times.

Originally Posted by Stephen B

And as far as software secrets go, the RAAF has a special steel canopy they fit to any RAAF hornets going to the US for repairs so that the US can't light up the systms and see what we've got!

Huh?

[Geoff W]

Deleted info already in first line of post

[Mick.B]

Couldnt agree more Andrew. Have you got any idea of the date they will arrive and place. Want to go up to be there.

[Andrew McLaughlin]

Originally Posted by Mick.B

Have you got any idea of the date they will arrive and place

Current plan is they'll transit AKL on March 22nd, arrive CBR on the 23rd (dunno what times yet), and arrive early arvo on the 24th at AMB from what I understand.

We'll have a photographer on the Omega tanker bringing them back by the way, so look for some cracker shots online and in the next mag!

[Darren Butterworth]

Guys - do we know if he's coming to Sydney or just Canberra?

[Tony G]

Originally Posted by Andrew McLaughlin

Current plan is they'll transit AKL on March 22nd, arrive CBR on the 23rd (dunno what times yet), and arrive early arvo on the 24th at AMB from what I understand.

We'll have a photographer on the Omega tanker bringing them back by the way, so look for some cracker shots online and in the next mag!

Looking forward to the photos. Last edition had some fantastic shots of the Airbus on Ice ( sounds like a musical)