All things considered for the JSF, the aggreements that the US has made with all the SDD partners are moot. By all accounts, it won't release the same version that it is giving itself to even its closest allies.
Being from Oz myself, I am somewhat reluctant to believe that it was a prudent decision by the R.A.A.F. or DOD to become involved in it. Sure, there may be opportunities for us to input our two cents worth here and there, but the main question remains - will this enterprise be all that it was cracked up to be by the various industry partners from the US and other associated allies?
Sure, all new production aircraft have teething problems, but as we have such a large stake with Boeing in AUS, then you have got to forsee that if we go ahead with this aircraft anyway despite its failings, then we won't be sending a particularly good message to our own industry partner - the aforementioned Boeing??
Let's all here in AUS hope that Lockheed extracts the digit and figures out the weight concerns, and that the US decides that we are indeed friendly enough (and if they need convincing, have a look at our foreign envoys - are they in the least bit scary??????) to release the same level of stealth technology to us as they are to their own military.
Apparently, they are afraid of that level of technology falling into enemy hands??
Who's going to steal it over here? The immirgants on Nauru??
If we ever have to go into battle with that aircraft in the forseeable future, it will be with the backing and the support of the U.S. Defence force...
Our White Paper hasn't left us with many other options....
Then we will see how well the catch-phrase of "interoperability" can be bandied about then...