Quote:
I still shake my head at our politicians (useless plicks!) inability to convince the yankee congress to approve us for F-22 export.....at least we'd be combat capable now.
The yanks and Canadians are flying Hornets in combat as we speak. Buying the F-22 isn't magically going to make the RAAF combat capable. If they are not considered combat capable with what they've got now, they don't deserve any new toys. A bad tradesman blames his tools, after all...
Sorry, was a lil short in explaining my thoughts. The combat capability comment, was only comparing aquisition of the F-22 (or maybe something else) Vs the F-35. Heck we'd even have a whole lot more of them....or more money to spend in other area's for the same unit number.
---------------------------------------
The article mentions an interesting point.
Speed. The author comments on how the JSF is slower than a hornet, and I quote.
The JSF will mark the first time in Australia's air combat history that a fighter jet replacing an older one will have inferior aerodynamic capability.
This is incorrect, as the F/A-18 is some 400kmh slower than the Mirage III-EO it replaced
--------------------------------------
Aroa, I recall in the early 80's when the Mirage replacement process began, Aircraft like the F-16 were ruled out, under the 'never a single engine again' theory. Full circle we have come..
Cheers
Jas