Australia’s Big F-35 Commitment

[mota bhai 2,675]

By Mike Yeo
May 01, 2014

After years of deliberations, Australia has made a full commitment to the controversial Lockheed-Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) with Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s announcement that his government has approved an A$12.4 billion ($11.5 billion) deal for 58 F-35A Conventional Takeoff and Landing (CTOL) variant of the JSF. In addition to the 14 aircraft ordered in 2009, of which two are already in production and set to be delivered to a training detachment in the United States later in 2014, this latest commitment brings Australia’s order up to 72 aircraft. The first will arrive Down Under in 2018 for local testing and evaluation by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), with Initial Operating Capability scheduled for 2020.

http://thediplomat.com/2014/05/australias-big-f-35-commitment/

[Jacque67 7,328]

Why is it controversial?

[mota bhai 2,675]

Why is it controversial?

http://www.npr.org/2013/01/03/168549286/the-f-35-fighter-jet-the-cost-and-controversy

[Jacque67 7,328]

Guess if I were a pilot I would want to fly one. Sounds cool. But the price seems rather steep?

[Pooky 3,786]

The Thunderpig is overpriced and under-achieving. It doesn't meet the specs it was designed for and, when it has to carry too much ordnance for its (limited) internal capacity, it's just as unstealthy as the assets it's supposed to replace.

And the so-called experts on the NPR clip need a swift kick upside the head. When the interviewer said the TFX program eventually led to the F-4, he was way off base. The TFX program was the F-111 and yes, there was a carrier-based version of the Aardvark. They even carried out carrier landing trials with it. Didn't go so well.

Edited May 4, 2014 by Pooky

[luckytxn 2,264]

Seems we are trying hard to go backwards. We used to always come out with better or at least try to do so. How are they getting these countries to sign on to a piece of #######?

[mota bhai 2,675]

Seems we are trying hard to go backwards. We used to always come out with better or at least try to do so. How are they getting these countries to sign on to a piece of #######?

Defense procurement is highly corrupt.

[Pooky 3,786]

Seems we are trying hard to go backwards. We used to always come out with better or at least try to do so. How are they getting these countries to sign on to a piece of #######?

Because it's the only piece of carp out there and because they all bought into the program at an early stage.

[Pooky 3,786]

Defense procurement is highly corrupt.

And LockMart have a long track record in corrupt defence procurement. They are the reason so many European nations bought the most useless POS Century-series aircraft, the F-104 Widowmaker Starfighter.

[luckytxn 2,264]

Or the NSA got the goods on everyone. Be honest. Do you think they will ever make the aircraft actually workable?

Because it's the only piece of carp out there and because they all bought into the program at an early stage.

[mota bhai 2,675]

Or the NSA got the goods on everyone. Be honest. Do you think they will ever make the aircraft actually workable?

'workable' is an awfully low bar.

[luckytxn 2,264]

Yeah I know and I did think about wording it differently.

'workable' is an awfully low bar.

[Pooky 3,786]

Or the NSA got the goods on everyone. Be honest. Do you think they will ever make the aircraft actually workable?

It will work, it just won't work as well as it should. Any air superiority assert designed for the task will make a Thunderpig just a very expensive piece of scrap metal in a heartbeat.

'workable' is an awfully low bar.

No kidding.

[luckytxn 2,264]

About what I thought. We should be ashamed.

It will work, it just won't work as well as it should. Any air superiority assert designed for the task will make a Thunderpig just a very expensive piece of scrap metal in a heartbeat.


No kidding.