WRT England and Empire, I think they pretty much have.

Empire and its loss is a vital part of the English psyche......it basically manifests in a dual way of looking at our nation and people, which allows us to simultaneously assume we are absolutely superior and totally naff/uncool.

I wish we'd chosen to skip this particular experience, we are not real good on historical lessons.

They never need a new plane without a mission in mind....what future operations will be and considering the capabilities they require. There are a lot of planes that offer various capabilities for a lot less money. If they are going for the "top banana", they have something in mind.;)

Well if you want my opinion Bruce, it's probably cause they've realised they can't fly Black Hawks around here without killing people.

I assume you were being facetious, considering the C-17 is a humongous transport for moving many tons of men and materials long distances.:D

It's true! Australian pilots can't fly black hawks.

As to the specs on the C-17, I've no idea what they're capable of or what they're used for. Very much similar to the lack of knowledge I have on what my government is intending to do with it. Maybe I'll ask my cousin who's in the RAAF...actually, he's not in the RAAF anymore. He recently started working for Metalstorm, but I'll bet he's still got a good idea about what's going on...being an officer and all at the time of his departure (2 months ago).

Helicopters are very complicated, difficult critters to master. Big ones like the Blackhawk, even more so. Shipboard landings are the most difficult for any aircraft.
That accident on the Kanimbla was unfortunate, but not unusual. US aircraft carriers lose an average of one aircraft per six month training cruise.:(

The incident on the Kanimbla was only the latest in a long list of accidents.

Considering the relatively small size of our armed forces here, our track record is appalling.

Think of a C-17 as a jet-propelled Hercules. It carries about the same tonnage as a Herc and a little faster, gets off short runways nicely.

Oh well, I guess they're going to carry troops and things in it then. An aircraft like that would be useful when bringing emergency troops to our somewhat unsettled pacific island neighbours I would think.

The Vietnam era C-130 is a propeller plane. Its long life because no other aircraft could perform its tasks. The C-17 is a jet version that can fly so much faster, carry maybe three times the cargo (by weight), and can still deploy to unfinished landing areas. No other aircraft that can deploy large cargos to unfinished landing strips and can do so under combat conditions. The C-17 can do this even with only a three man crew.

C-17 was another example of engineering mismanagement (and it was a long list) in MacDonnell Douglas. Massive delays on a plane that air forces so desperately needed in their primary mission - support. Meanwhile, politicians created the C-130J - latest version of a now pathetic propeller plane that was such a design disaster as to be thrown to National Guard Units and (last I had heard) could not deploy (squadron could not activate).

When it comes to military transport, C-17 would be the most versatile and useful aircraft. There is no other large transport that can deliver so close to combat, carry so much, and deliver so quickly.

Back to original topic: looks like Saddam won't see either Valentine's Day or next Ramadan unless they really want to try him some more; the death sentence has been confirmed by the higher court.

Wonder if anyone will want to publish the verse -- I gather it isn't likely to be esteemed as at all poetic -- he was writing in prison?

I hope he doesn't see the new year - then again maybe a just punishment would be to tie him out in the middle of town and let the locals have at him.