Australian lawmakers confident in F-35's future

beepa · by **beepa** » 15 Oct 2017, 23:14

If Australia were to charge Canada $50 Million per airframe then that would give Australia a good deposit for 24 or so F35b's....Just dreaming....

optimist · by **optimist** » 15 Oct 2017, 23:22

If it does go ahead. They won't be sold till we are finished with them, around 2023-4, the junk ones will be retired first, the 30 that canada would want will be the last 30 retired.
Normally we gift our x-mil to our neighbours. the Hercules, patrol boats and such, for examples. Their labour costs of sustaining old platforms are viable. Having stronger neighbours is in Australia's interest.

Dragon029 · by **Dragon029** » 16 Oct 2017, 01:13

The first might be able to be delivered in around 2020; by that time we'll have about a full squadron's worth of F-35As in Australia.

white_lightning35 · by **white_lightning35** » 16 Oct 2017, 01:40

When did it get decided when respective airforces got their planes? I've noticed that the RAAF is getting theirs very fast and was wondering if it was something like first come first served or did the RAAF decide that the need for new planes was very urgent and wanted to get theirs fast?

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 16 Oct 2017, 02:14

white_lightning35 wrote:When did it get decided when respective airforces got their planes? I've noticed that the RAAF is getting theirs very fast and was wondering if it was something like first come first served or did the RAAF decide that the need for new planes was very urgent and wanted to get theirs fast?

It gets decided when orders are placed. Is that OK with you?

white_lightning35 · by **white_lightning35** » 16 Oct 2017, 02:20

Thank you for your response. I'm sorry if my dumb question offended you somehow, and will attempt not to do so in the future

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 16 Oct 2017, 02:28

Why so - perhaps you need to ask questions less querulously - am I reading to much into your question? No need offence.

To further pad my answer the Oz Guvmnt decided to delay by two years then the schedule of purchases was decided as seen in the article (and others) referenced to meet the requirements decided by the Federal Government and the RAAF.

white_lightning35 · by **white_lightning35** » 16 Oct 2017, 02:55

spazsinbad wrote:Why so - perhaps you need to ask questions less querulously - am I reading to much into your question?

Perhaps so. Sometimes things can be lost in translation without having to be translated. I was reading up on the timelines for each air forces' delivery schedule and I found it interesting how slowly the UK was procuring f-35's and how quickly the raaf was procuring their own, relative to others. That is all.

optimist · by **optimist** » 16 Oct 2017, 03:08

It's normal to replace a plane over a few years, it's expensive to keep 2 platforms running. So there is no advantage to drag it out.also consider our hornets are spent and we have been patching them since their original retirement date of 2012
I haven't looked at the UK timeline, but where UK also have the Typhoon as a fast jet. while the f-35 replaces the tornado. the f-35b for the carrier build up is first, then the rest later. there should be 2 distinct buying patterns.

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 16 Oct 2017, 03:49

white_lightning35 wrote:
spazsinbad wrote:Why so - perhaps you need to ask questions less querulously - am I reading to much into your question?

Perhaps so. Sometimes things can be lost in translation without having to be translated. I was reading up on the timelines for each air forces' delivery schedule and I found it interesting how slowly the UK was procuring f-35's and how quickly the raaf was procuring their own, relative to others. That is all.

OK sounds reasonable and fair and I apologise for misinterpreting your question as querulous. For sure the UK lacking funds for Defence have a slow buy rate. The OzGubmnt has set aside a budget and, while the price of all things associated with the F-35 including the buy remain within that budget, then we buy them as indicated - this is looked at regularly.

magitsu · by **magitsu** » 18 Oct 2017, 23:18

Hey, isn't JASSM integrated only on these vintage Hornets?
If so, then that's another reason why RAAF shouldn't sell them. Those missiles would sit on the shelf for the rest of their 15 year storage life. F-35A doesn't look like it's going to carry them until around 2030+.

white_lightning35 · by **white_lightning35** » 18 Oct 2017, 23:49

https://newsroom.unsw.edu.au/news/scien ... e-missions

This doesn't involve the f-35 but I since it involves the RAAF and maritime surveillance capability I thought it might be okay to post here.

Dragon029 · by **Dragon029** » 18 Oct 2017, 23:58

The RAAF is apparently looking into LRASM; I'm not sure if it'll be procured, but I imagine JASSM integration onto the Super Hornet wouldn't be too lengthy a process.

SpudmanWP · by **SpudmanWP** » 19 Oct 2017, 03:29

magitsu wrote:Hey, isn't JASSM integrated only on these vintage Hornets?
If so, then that's another reason why RAAF shouldn't sell them. Those missiles would sit on the shelf for the rest of their 15 year storage life. F-35A doesn't look like it's going to carry them until around 2030+.

JASSM has UAI and the F-35 is getting that in Block 4 (don't know which one). Once F-35 get's it, there is no need to wait for any more block upgrades as that is the point of UAI.

white_lightning35 · by **white_lightning35** » 20 Oct 2017, 14:36

http://www.katherinetimes.com.au/story/ ... ouch-down/

How close is the relationship between the RAAF and Indonesia? Are they on something like "pretending they are allies because they have to" terms, or are exercises like this fairly common? I read that Indonesia will supposedly buy SU-35's. This should make things very interesting if exercises like this happen in the future.