We just had the usual stuff with our Wedgetails and Vigilair, late, over budget etc. The same was with our old hornet and F111 fleet. It's the way US procurement works [or doesn't work, depending on your view]
I have no doubt the f-35 will continue in that tradition and it may even slip more.
Worse case is our old hornets won't last, Aussie's have to buy more supers and finish up with a hi-lo fleet. With 48 there is no chance we will scrap them to the US in the mid to late 2020's
If you don't like it, you do what some of the smaller forces do and buy existing off the shelf and don't push for bleeding edge new tech
It doesn't diminish the fact that the f-35 even exceeds the f-22 in 'the system' and it's doubtful it will ever catch up.
It also doesn't change the facts about euro procurement and development problems, as the eurocanards and our helo fleet shows
also your reference to a f-35 MLU only shows you haven't a clue about the f-35
Last edited by JSFfan; 17th Jan 2013 at 13:55.