F35 Lightning.....
Sunny we didn't have it with the Mirage either! The French wouldn't provide spares for the Mirage if Australia sent them to Vietnam even though it would've been the perfect aircraft to counter the MiGs.
This includes the ability to modify the aircraft and more importantly its software.
I just heard a thousand pilots cry out in protest, then silence. Every "Australianise" project I've ever heard of has #fail stamped all over it.
How will we crew these aircraft anyway? I heard that the Australia Day flypast in Canberra was with four Hawks because Ronnie couldn't raise a flight of Hornets due crew and aircraft availability. Also heard that 77 has only 8 pilots right now!
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I just heard a thousand pilots cry out in protest, then silence. Every "Australianise" project I've ever heard of has #fail stamped all over it.
Not to mention looking for back doors designed for 'murica to be able to disable them in case a now friendly country they sell them to goes rogue.
for 'murica to be able to disable them in case a now friendly country they sell them to goes rogue.
Just watched 4 cnrs; if an aircraft looks nice, it flies nice. That thing certainly ain't a nice-looking lady!
As evidenced by the jet jockey being interviewed after a flight, who sounded very much like he was really saying "this thing's a dog!"PS: Thought I'd read the rest of the thread and found this pearler:
Originally Posted by Baswell on the NBN
It's actually twice the speed for the same price. Remember there is no additional line rental, so compare NBN plan prices to "naked ADSL" services.
Last edited by Capn Bloggs; 22nd Feb 2013 at 13:50.
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"if the U.S.A. doesn't like the idea of us using the aircraft, it will just stop working."
We are in a slightly better position than some countries in that we have
some nice white domes and other equipment that are very important to
the US, but I agree, not a good situation to be in.
We are in a slightly better position than some countries in that we have
some nice white domes and other equipment that are very important to
the US, but I agree, not a good situation to be in.
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What the US wants, the US will get when it comes to Australia. This country is so scared of shadows that it will leap into the arms of anyone who it thinks will protect them. So long as we don't have to commit much in the way of resources to any foreign nastiness unless we absolutely have to. Our commitment to Vietnam was minimal as was Iraq and Afghanistan given the stated reasons for how important it was/is for us to be there in the first place.
As a consequence we will continue to get shafted. The navy wanted a German fire control system for its Collins class submarines but that would not have been compatible with the US system (after all, the US had plans to use the Collins class subs in the shallow waters of the Straits of Taiwan when it came to fisticuffs with the PRC) so pressure was put in the appropriate places and a US fire control system was installed thereby leading to most of that platforms problems.
The US didn't want Australia to have some vital software for the FA-18 at one stage until it was lifted from under their noses. But now the US really wants us to have the F-35, otherwise they may have to bail out LM as they cut back their own order. In the end the order will proceed unless the whole program is canned and that is not likely, just a redrawing of the specs for its capability. At the end of the day the US is far more important to Australia that Australia is to the US so we won't upset them no matter what.
As a consequence we will continue to get shafted. The navy wanted a German fire control system for its Collins class submarines but that would not have been compatible with the US system (after all, the US had plans to use the Collins class subs in the shallow waters of the Straits of Taiwan when it came to fisticuffs with the PRC) so pressure was put in the appropriate places and a US fire control system was installed thereby leading to most of that platforms problems.
The US didn't want Australia to have some vital software for the FA-18 at one stage until it was lifted from under their noses. But now the US really wants us to have the F-35, otherwise they may have to bail out LM as they cut back their own order. In the end the order will proceed unless the whole program is canned and that is not likely, just a redrawing of the specs for its capability. At the end of the day the US is far more important to Australia that Australia is to the US so we won't upset them no matter what.
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Given after the excellent service re the Mirage 111 it is good to see that we went back to France again and bought some helicopters for the Army. I can just imagine the sales pitch:
Aus: $30 million each if we buy in bulk? But it doesn't have airconditioning...
Fr: This is no problem, you can do your training in France where it does not get hot or if flying in Australia or other country where it is sometimes hot just do not fly the hot day!
Aus: But there are fumes in the cockpit..
Fr: This is no problem, open the little window and do the sideslip, the air will soon clear provided you have the height..do not try this at the low level.
Aus: But we fly at low level alot.
Fr: This is no problem provided you fly the low level with the height.
Aus: But what if the window jams..
Fr: This is no problem, we have the exploding canopy for just an occasion, be sure your helmet is well fastened if doing the canopy jettison.
Aus: Will the oleos break?
Fr: This is no problem, be sure to only land your helicopter on the runways or tarmac areas, avoid all paddocks and rocky places. There is no need to land on such places in any case, that is why the oleos are like the woman. They need to have the caring about.
Aus: What about spares?
Fr: This is no problem, we have plenty of spare spares in France. Ring me and we will send, you can pay when you receive.
I wonder if they make submarines?
Stiky
Aus: $30 million each if we buy in bulk? But it doesn't have airconditioning...
Fr: This is no problem, you can do your training in France where it does not get hot or if flying in Australia or other country where it is sometimes hot just do not fly the hot day!
Aus: But there are fumes in the cockpit..
Fr: This is no problem, open the little window and do the sideslip, the air will soon clear provided you have the height..do not try this at the low level.
Aus: But we fly at low level alot.
Fr: This is no problem provided you fly the low level with the height.
Aus: But what if the window jams..
Fr: This is no problem, we have the exploding canopy for just an occasion, be sure your helmet is well fastened if doing the canopy jettison.
Aus: Will the oleos break?
Fr: This is no problem, be sure to only land your helicopter on the runways or tarmac areas, avoid all paddocks and rocky places. There is no need to land on such places in any case, that is why the oleos are like the woman. They need to have the caring about.
Aus: What about spares?
Fr: This is no problem, we have plenty of spare spares in France. Ring me and we will send, you can pay when you receive.
I wonder if they make submarines?
Stiky
Last edited by Stikybeke; 22nd Feb 2013 at 22:53.
High data rates is largely about transmission of video, so what we're paying $quillions for is to be able to sit on our collective arses and watch more ****e in sparkly HD!
As any shrewd businessman will tell you, acquisition cost of capital equipment is everything in staying competitive. Pay over the odds for your hardware and the smarter competition will run rings around you!
The ABC show was another politically inspired media beat up.
We ( me included ) know absolutely nothing about the F35 and its capabilities and if you think you do you are dreaming.
Lockheed Martin are an aerospace leader with an amazing list of successful Military Aircraft built over the years:--
F22
C5A
C141
F104
U2
SR71
F117
P3
C130
Etc etc etc.
Not to mention Missles, Ships and the SKUNK WORKS....
They may just have an idea what they are doing....
Lockheed Martin · Lockheed Martin
We ( me included ) know absolutely nothing about the F35 and its capabilities and if you think you do you are dreaming.
Lockheed Martin are an aerospace leader with an amazing list of successful Military Aircraft built over the years:--
F22
C5A
C141
F104
U2
SR71
F117
P3
C130
Etc etc etc.
Not to mention Missles, Ships and the SKUNK WORKS....
They may just have an idea what they are doing....
Lockheed Martin · Lockheed Martin
Last edited by nitpicker330; 22nd Feb 2013 at 23:57.
Not to mention a big bunch of those Aircraft were winners of Collier Trophies:-
Lockheed Martin · Collier Trophies
Lockheed Martin · Collier Trophies
It's still only got one engine
Having said that, I'm not sure that the aircraft will meet it's performance targets as originally set out by LM themselves. It's supposed to be a one size fits all, multirole aircraft suited to the USAF, the USMC and the USN, not to mention all of the foreign buyers that have signed up to the program.
In other words, it will fulfil a variety of roles to a satisfactory level without being outstanding in any one particular area because of the compromises that have been made in order fit in with the differing requirements of various military organisations.
The only reservation that I have with the aircraft, is that when it boils right down to it, the airframe/engine combination is simply, physically to small to carry out some of the roles asked of it. You can only do so much with a relatively small single engine airframe. The defence minister recently suggested that an F-35 would be able to deliver the same amount of ordinance that an F-111 was capable of. I very much doubt that.
The most successful fighter aircraft in history was eventually compromised to some degree by it's tiny airframe and proved to be more than a little vulnerable in carrying out some of the tasks asked of it. Hopefully the F-35 won't end up in the same place.
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Pay over the odds for your hardware and the smarter competition will run rings around you!
Nobody else is going to run another piece of fibre to your house. The NBN is installing the next 100 years of communications infrastructure. Future generations will thanks us for it.
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Fixed communications in a mobile world.
Wonderful.
Far better if we had used that money to commercialise CSIRO technology to create not just a staggeringly good mobile network but also a multi billion dollar export business with associated hi tech related jobs.
Wonderful.
Far better if we had used that money to commercialise CSIRO technology to create not just a staggeringly good mobile network but also a multi billion dollar export business with associated hi tech related jobs.
How about considering our international competitiveness? It's enough of a joke already without asking the populace to pay for (and they will, either way!) expensive toys with little productivity upside...
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Fixed communications in a mobile world.
I hate to say it, but "we should use wireless" is the single most ignorant argument in the NBN debate and show a complete lack of technological and internet business understanding. Even the LNP seems to have stopped using it.
How about considering our international competitiveness?
About 21% of GDP goes to taxes goes to taxes in Australia. Out of the 1% of the budget, it would mean a 0.21% decrease in tax burden if we scrapped it. Imagine how much more competitive Australian pricing could be if we saved businesses that much money!
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Spending 1% of our annual budget for 10 years to implement a network that will last a century and will pay for itself through subscriber revenue
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Originally Posted by 18-Wheeler
Agreed.
I can't see why we simply don't equip ourselves with the gear suitable to combat any expected enemy. And let's face it, they are only likely to have ageing Migs or maybe Sukhoi's at best. So something like the F-18's we already have and good pilot training & avionics & backup should be more than enough.
I can't see why we simply don't equip ourselves with the gear suitable to combat any expected enemy. And let's face it, they are only likely to have ageing Migs or maybe Sukhoi's at best. So something like the F-18's we already have and good pilot training & avionics & backup should be more than enough.
But if the new threat on the horizon is China and its expanding influence throughout the region, then no amount of F-18s is going to save us. Unless they're squadrons of USAF F-18s (or some other type) - and even then, the US may or may not have the military capability to beat China in its own back yard in 20-30 years time.
