SwingWing
Commendable of you to add to a thread that is off on the veritable tangent.
Is there not a considerable risk to the ADF, if regional forces add a similar capability?
Your post very diplomatic, but I consider a touch dismissive, as an Australian cruise missile capability understated somewhat. The capability significant regionally. An analogy being the Indonesians aquiring a Scud like capabiliy off North Korea say.
If all we are getting from cruise missiles, is the ability to replace the F111's range with a depleted force of fatigued Hornets and the Orion fleet, is it worth it?
If regional air forces acquire cruise missiles, there must be an enhanced defensive capability of the ADF to enable elemental offensive operations ( Timor etc ) around our near north. But we will be left hung out to dry with a small force of Hornets awaiting the introduction of JSF - and is this the right aircraft in a region with a proliferation of long range missiles?
Would an interim fighter, such as the F15, be more prudent? Far less contentious than cruise missiles. The cruise missile capability slapped on easlily if regional air arms aquired a more threatening posture.
Regional skirmishes aside, certainly a capability where the RAAF can participate with the Americans in the opening round of a future air war.
Macchi
As painful as it is, public interest in defence healthy. Unless you want to go down the road of the RNZAF!
Conversely, to see defence personnel and bueracrats continuously bungle tax funds painful too.
Staying with the long range missile issue, isn't there a hangar full of Israeli missiles at Amberley? First rule of business in the civilian world, try before you buy off the Israelis.
Zapatas Blood
The efficiency of reducing the Japanese war effort by dropping incendiary devices from hundreds of B29's at low level, only a war crime admission if we lost the war.
Another tangent, but I respect your belief that we do not need long range offensive weapons.
I believe we do. Firstly, in defence of our huge land mass with relatively small resources, such weapons the most efficient means of protection. Secondly, such weapons offer a stand off capability to keep our crews out of harms way in any future "adventure".