Qantas to Service Australia's KC-30B Tankers

[Chris]

"Australian Minister of Defence Dr. Brendan Nelson announced that Australia's DoD has signed a 5-year contract with Qantas airlines for the ongoing engineering, maintenance, supply and training support of Australia's 5 Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft. The A330 MRTT aircraft, also called the KC-30B, will replace the RAAF's fleet of KC-135 (Boeing 707) tankers."

http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/australia_s_pacific/index.php?offset=0

[Collo]

I don't like it, this out sourcing military support roles is bull shirt. No offense to QANTAS, love the airline, I only fly with em but the RAAF need her people maintaining her aircraft.

[Chris]

yup i agree collo , btw collo why were talking bout planes is boeing australia australia owned or US owned?

[Collo]

As far as I know, Boeing is all American. They might have International divisions like here in Australia, can't say for sure.

[Crusty]

Yes, Boeing is American. As for out sourcing to civilian contractors, yes, it's a crock of $hite. The Brits have landed themselves in all sorts of trouble doing that. The care of our wounded from Irag and Afganistan pays testament to that folly.

[Collo]

The way things are going I do believe the Defence Force will one day be out-sourced.

[Elwingflys]

Just find out who was once a board member or has a brother-in-law they don't want to get stuck supporting when it comes to dumb things like that. That might be great in peace at home but when the fur starts to fly they always pull the civies out and then where are you?

[Collo]

The whole thing is that the military is the military not some branch of the a civilian coporation. Our servicemen and women do not go through all that training just to have their job, a job that is vital to the defence of our country out sourced to the cheapest bidder. If kevin rudd wins the next election, out sourcing like this will continue and be wide spread through out the ADF.

[Elwingflys]

The Indians and the  Chinese will be glad to take some of that action. They have most of our jobs over here already. Join the club. What difference does it make to the govt if it is the military as long as it is cheap.

[Collo]

Whats funny they don't care now as it's cheap but when our lads start coming home in body bags or a foreign army marches down our streets, that will wake the f***ers up.

Kevin Rudd wants to out source coastal patrols to companies. I don't know where to start to say how f***ed that is.

[Elwingflys]

Bush has sold off the operation of some of our major ports to other countries. One company they signed a contract is practically run by one of our enemies. When they handed out brains he thought they said trains and he missed his.

[Collo]

Yeah I heard about that (last year wasn't it), I guess it's cutting out the middle man for their attacks. Not one of Bushes finner moments.

I have the sick feeling that if labour win, in three years this country will be open to attack from any enemy force due to the fact that our nations key defences are controlled by corporations.

[Elwingflys]

This all makes me think of some of the SciFi books I've read and games I've played. The corporations control the govts and all have private armys, navys, and air forces. Industrial espionage, hell. They fight wars between the corps. I wonder if we are seeing the first steps in that direction. More SciFi comes true than regular predictions. Scary thought, isn't it.

Just think, in a decade all you men will be in Boeing's private military when they go to take out Air Bus.

[Collo]

More SciFi comes true than regular predictions.

Just think, in a decade all you men will be in Boeing's private military when they go to take out Air Bus.

Section 1
Well that is due to the fact some Sci-fi guy saw it on TV and then decided to see if it would work.

Section 2
That's OK, I don't like Air Bus, the cut corners with their planes design.

[Elwingflys]

Sign up now and you may get the CinC spot. LOL