This has wide reaching implications for the aviation/defence industry in Australia, as we may be looking at a reduced JSF buy-
Air force eyes 18 more Super Hornets as delays dog our new fighter | The Australian
I'd like to pose a few questions.
- Who is being held accountable for the JSF gamble? We are being told by the RAAF brass that we need 100 JSF aircraft to fight concurrent air campaigns. This is a dim view of our strategic/regional outlook. If the security outlook so bleek from Defence, why do we have a smaller number of tactical fighters now?
- We have been told the Super Hornets will be sold back to the US Navy when JSF available in numbers. Has the US Navy agreed to buy them back at a all or at a reasonable price? With the emergence of Chinese blue water Pacific ambitions, and associated capabilities, why would the US Navy buy them back in 10 years+ anyway: when the Chinese threat will dictate a US naval upgrade.
- Lockheed/Martin's influence in Canberra seems to be far reaching. There have been a number of gambles on JSF that seem to have gone wrong. Anyone remember the F104 scandals of the 60's? Is there any advertised and open disclosure of who from Defence or ex-RAAF is being employed by Lockheed Martin.