Page 7 - Australian Defence Magazine Dec21-Jan22

DECEMBER 2021-JANUARY 2022 | WWW.AUSTRALIANDEFENCE.COM.AU
NEWS REVIEW INDUSTRY UPDATE 7
LEFT: This is the sixth deployment of RAAF aircraft to Paya Lebar airbase in Singapore since July 2020 and the first using the P-8A.
Although Defence added in its response that it “does not disclose the specific focus of maritime domain awareness missions,” the duration of the P-8A missions and the direction it is flying before its transponder is turned off suggests that its focus is on the South China Sea.
Based on the typical cruise speeds of civilian airliners (the P-8A is of course based upon a Boeing 737 airliner) it would take a little over two hours each way to and from the southernmost of the disputed Spratly Islands from Singa- pore, leaving it with two to three hours of flight time over the islands.
The longer AP-3C(EW) mission dura- tion could simply be a result of its slower speed, meaning it took a longer time to transit to the area of interest, and its use on the Singapore missions suggests these are not typical “maritime domain aware- ness” missions.
The AP-3C(EW), which is one of two aircraft assigned to 10 Sqn based at Ed- inburgh and are part of 42 Wing and the RAAF’s Surveillance and Response Group. The aircraft were deployed to Sin- gapore in July and October 2020 as well as February, April and August this year.
Flight tracking data also showed that an RAAF P-8A also made flights from Dar- win to and from the South China Sea on at least two occasions in June this year, while another aircraft was noted operat- ing from Bandar Seri Begawan in late June and early July, heading northwest before turning off its transponder.
The RAAF has been flying maritime domain awareness missions in the South China Sea and Indian Ocean since 1980 as part of Operation Gateway. One such flight in 2015 was caught on a BBC au- dio recording being challenged by Chi- nese military personnel as it flew in the vicinity of a Chinese-held feature in the Spratly islands.
The Spratly islands are the subject of a six-way territorial dispute involving China, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Viet- nam, and Taiwan and is also (in)famous for China’s Great Wall of Sand, where it has reclaimed reefs and turned them into island bastions with airbases, harbours, missiles, radars, and other sensors.
AIRBUS HELICOPTERS APPOINTS NEW MD FOR AUSTRALIA AND NZ
CHRISTIAN Venzal has been appointed Managing Director of Airbus Helicop- ters in Australia and New Zealand, with effect 1 November 2021. Based in Bris- bane, Venzal is responsible for the com- pany’s civil and military helicopter busi- ness in both countries, as well as for its MRO services and local operations.
Christian Venzal moves to the region from the company’s headquarters in Marignane, France, where he was previ- ously Vice President Transversal Coordi- nation and Business Development. He is a veteran of the aerospace business with a career spanning 30 years. In this time, he has worked in the areas of general management, strategy, sales and custom- er relations, as well as procurement.
“Australia and New Zealand are key markets for our helicopter business, with a strong footprint in the civil, parapublic and military segments,” Christian Venzal said, commenting on his nomination.
“In addition, we have an important local presence in both countries with some 1,300 employees in Australia and 200 in New Zealand. I look forward to further developing our position in these markets, working closely with col- leagues, customers, partners and indus- try stakeholders.”
Christian Venzal reports to Vincent Dubrule, Head of Airbus Helicop- ters Asia-Pacific. He succeeds Andrew Mathewson, who is pursuing opportuni- ties outside the company.
Today, over 500 Airbus helicopters operate in the civil, parapublic and mili- tary segments in the Pacific region, and the company has operational sites in 21 locations.
BELOW: Christian Venzal moves to the region from the company’s headquarters in Marignane, France.
AIRBUS HELICOPTERS