Australian lawmakers confident in F-35's future

steve2267 · by **steve2267** » 03 Apr 2021, 16:28

Great 100 year photo posted by Doge above really highlights the difference in size between the Bug, Panther, and Rhino. I didn't realize just how small the original F/A-18 was. Practically tiny. And the Viper smaller yet. While the Panther appears rather, err, husky, that's what happens when you inflate an airframe to carry 9 tons of gas internally... Still small for all the capability LM crammed into the -35.

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 03 Apr 2021, 18:07

The photo is not 'overhead' for a proportional plan view. One may guess that a lens was used at a slant angle that has distorted the size of the foreground aircraft larger than the background much larger aircraft (where is the VIPER?).

A nice person uploaded their overlay an F-35A upon an F-16: http://www.f-16.net/forum/download/file.php?id=29714

This nice person combined several scale plan views from PDFs to make comparo below.

Conan · by **Conan** » 05 Apr 2021, 10:54

spazsinbad wrote:Perhaps 'Conan' you missed a UK 'mini stir' 'MISS POKE' "it's the vibe" Quotes earlier? Keep up: viewtopic.php?f=58&t=23043&p=451812&hilit=misspoke#p451812 And as I mentioned now a few times I don't bleedin' care - so there.

So someone with no relevance to the ADF and no specific knowledge of our future capability plans, misspoke and that is enough to inspire hope?

Wow...

You sure bring it up a lot for someone who ‘doesn’t care’...

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 05 Apr 2021, 11:22

I just add 'news' as seen fit. WHY DO YOU 'CARE' so much? I post lots of 'news' that some here claim may not be true. WDIK?

I'll repeat my original words at the URL given with the THREE 'news' items mentioning OZ

"The UK minister perhaps misspoke or perhaps hints at an Oz interest NOW in the F-35B whereas before now ADF has been adamant that they have no interest in the F-35B especially RAN for having ANY F-35Bs from anywhere cross deck. <sigh> " [THEN FOLLOWS THE THREE NEWS ITEMS NOT REPEATED HERE]

element1loop · by **element1loop** » 24 Apr 2021, 06:10

A third LRASM production line will be opened in Australia. This is in addition to the recent announcement of 200 US built LRASM for RAAF.

The initial planned emphasis is on adding a more capable surface-launch booster. This LRASM is likely to replace Harpoon on RAN surface ships (rather than the formerly expected NSM) and also to equip a forward expeditionary ADF ground force. Perhaps the USN will follow with US production of what emerges from that development.

This should also eventually permit RAAF to rebuild evolved stocks of LRASM domestically, plus for secondary use against high-value deeper land targets. Will be interesting to see if a similar development occurs with the JSM, i.e. a significant initial buy for RAAF, then licence-built production in Australia.

Lockheed Martin And Thales Team Up For LRASM Surface Launch Variant

Lockheed Martin and Thales Australia have finalized a teaming agreement advancing the delivery of an Australian guided weapons manufacturing capability in support of a sovereign national guided weapons enterprise.

Xavier Vavasseur 22 Apr 2021

Lockheed Martin press release

The agreement will see experienced strategic industry partners in Lockheed Martin and Thales Australia cooperate in the design, development and production of Lockheed Martin’s Long Range Anti-Ship Missile – Surface Launch (LRASM SL) variant, with a specific focus on booster and rocket motor technologies. ... This teaming agreement advances the proven and mature LRASM maritime strike capability across further platforms for the next generation of surface and ground launch domains. ...

... Through the signing of this agreement with Lockheed Martin, we look forward to expanding our existing booster and rocket motor production lines to design, develop and manufacture LRASM SL.”

Chris Jenkins, Chief Executive Officer at Thales Australia

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... h-variant/

Update: Lockheed Martin, Thales Australia team for surface-launched LRASM-development

by Robin Hughes

Lockheed Martin Missiles & Fire Control and Thales Australia have finalised a teaming agreement to cooperate in the design, development and production of a surface-launched variant of Lockheed Martin’s AGM-158C Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM), designated LRASM-SL.

The teaming agreement, announced on 22 April, is intended to advance the delivery of an Australian guided weapons manufacturing capability in support of a sovereign national guided weapons enterprise. ... Jointly, we will represent our expertise and experience to advance the delivery of an Australian guided weapons manufacturing capability,” Lockheed Martin and Thales Australia spokespersons told Janes in a joint statement. “Over time and through this agreement, it is our joint objective to expand the sovereign industrial and manufacturing capability in alignment with the Australian government’s capability requirements,” the statement added.

Lockheed Martin and Thales Australia did not disclose further detail about the LRASM-SL rocket motor and booster design, or detail the development, production and initial trials programme timelines associated with the LRASM-SL initiative.

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news ... evelopment

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 24 Apr 2021, 08:53

ASLO (yes I know) for our Poseidons P'raps P-8wise? USN goes hell for leather on it + other future munitions for dem P-8s.
Boeing secures US$73 M order for LRASM integration on P-8A MPA 23 Apr 2021 Nathan Gain
https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... -p-8a-mpa/

element1loop · by **element1loop** » 24 Apr 2021, 09:02

Definitely, RAAF operates the P-8s so that's a given.

boogieman · by **boogieman** » 26 Apr 2021, 03:04

LRASM is the one weapon I was hoping to see us produce at home. It has a lot of relevance in a neighborhood as vast and oceanic as ours. Out of interest does anyone know how many LRASMs a P-8 could be expected to carry? I'd imagine the answer to be rather high given the number of hardpoints on the Poseidon, combined with the potential to dual-rack the suckers.

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 27 Apr 2021, 23:33

Expansion of Australian military bases in signal to China
28 Apr 2021 Richard Wood

"Prime Minister Scott Morrison will announce major upgrades to military bases in the Top End today in a signal to China. Mr Morrison will unveil the $747 million spending package on four key training bases during his visit to the Northern Territory.

The expansion of the defence facilities will enable more joint exercises with forces from the United States - Australia's key ally. Northern Australia is a key region for Australian Defence Force bases, given its proximity to the Asia Pacific.

In February, the Federal Government announced a $1.1 billion upgrade to the Northern Territory's RAAF Base Tindal in a bid to expand Australia and the US air power into the Indo-Pacific. The RAAF's new F-35 joint strike fighter jets will be based there...."

Source: https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australi ... r-BB1g7kkR

Corsair1963 · by **Corsair1963** » 29 Apr 2021, 01:23

I still think they should work out a deal to base a UK and/or US Aircraft Carrier in Australia. Of course assuming Australia would pick up a good portion of the cost??? As in upgrading the port facilities, infrastructure, housing, etc.

In the case of the UK. Maybe the RAAF could acquire some F-35B's. That could operate as part of the air wing. Like the USMC F-35B will do this year. On HMS Queen Elizabeth's first deployment.

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 29 Apr 2021, 02:17

Our current PM in Oz is a former Advertising Executive so there is no surprise that annoucements of the same actions or intentions are many and similar. Difficult sometimes to keep track of annoucings compared to actions (always future). An example of ongoing upgrading of port facilities from 2019 : https://www.stripes.com/news/pacific/au ... s-1.610761

Wishing & Hoping for Oz F-35Bs will have to wait for them to have a role NOT ONLY BUT ALSO on dry land for the RAAF.

steve2267 · by **steve2267** » 08 May 2021, 02:12

Apologies in advance if I've missed the discussion or cannot recall said...

But now that the damn Yanks have embarked an operational gaggle of Killer Bees on Her Majesty's carrier... have there been any rumblings from down under of acquiring a Bee squadron, not for her own RAN Canberra's, but to be able to crossdeck / share deck with HMS QE or POW?

While there have been discussions, spirited at times, of converting RAN Canberra's to operate Killer Bees, I do not recall such discussion of the merits, or any possible mention of plans or hints of Aussieland acquiring F-35B's to help flesh out the ships complement when the QE or POW are off visiting.

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 08 May 2021, 02:43

steve2267 wrote:Apologies in advance if I've missed the discussion or cannot recall said...

But now that the damn Yanks have embarked an operational gaggle of Killer Bees on Her Majesty's carrier... have there been any rumblings from down under of acquiring a Bee squadron, not for her own RAN Canberra's, but to be able to crossdeck / share deck with HMS QE or POW?

While there have been discussions, spirited at times, of converting RAN Canberra's to operate Killer Bees, I do not recall such discussion of the merits, or any possible mention of plans or hints of Aussieland acquiring F-35B's to help flesh out the ships complement when the QE or POW are off visiting.

As mentioned a few times now probably in other more appropriate threads and aslo (yes I know) recently above the RAAF will have to have a main role ashore for any Oz F-35Bs with any other use a sideshow I reckon and none likely until the ADF/RAN get it in their noggins to get a dedicated STOVL aircraft carrier or two - depends upon Chinese activity up NORF.

OF course once we have KILLER BEES in our dreams and even a carrier or two Oz F-35Bs can crossdeck till whenever. :mrgreen:

Naysayers abound with boundless criticisms however it is likely the UK/USMC carrier task force CSG21 will prove an HUGE success so numbers of UK F-35Bs are not likely to decrease; however purchase will be slow DUE MONETARY BUDGET lack.

Dragon029 · by **Dragon029** » 08 May 2021, 02:50

steve2267 wrote:Apologies in advance if I've missed the discussion or cannot recall said...

But now that the damn Yanks have embarked an operational gaggle of Killer Bees on Her Majesty's carrier... have there been any rumblings from down under of acquiring a Bee squadron, not for her own RAN Canberra's, but to be able to crossdeck / share deck with HMS QE or POW?

Despite being part of the Commonwealth, Australia and Britain actually have disproportionately limited military interaction; naturally there's plenty of cooperation with things relating to the Middle East, and large international exercises like RIMPAC, but in recent decades there hasn't been much need for Australian and UK forces to seriously integrate with one another (due to sheer geographic distances and how regional interests are correspondingly different).

Perhaps with the world's attention moving to Asia, we might see more cooperation, but by the time the UK is regularly doing cruises around Asia / South East Asia, they'd likely already have a proper complement of F-35Bs of their own.

steve2267 · by **steve2267** » 08 May 2021, 02:52

Yeah, I wuzz dreamin' whatiffs the Aussies got the Bees first... hitched rides on QE / POW... then said to selves, "Gee, these carriers are pretty good, we oughtsta get one or two ourselves..." Putting the cart before the horse, if you will, cuzz you can borrow Her Majesty's horses, so tuh speak.