The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is stepping up its lobbying efforts for a full order of 100 F-35 Lightning IIs, a number that has been officially endorsed but could easily be trimmed in a defense white paper due next year.
The chief of the air force, Air Marshal Mark Binskin, strongly defends the choice of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 as its next fighter, arguing that it will be part of an integrated airpower system and the country could not hope to find better.
He also endorses the Boeing 737 Airborne Early Warning & Control Wedgetail and Airbus A330 tankers – both on order for Australia but running late – as the best equipment available.
The F-35 will be the best multirole fighter in the world, Binskin says, and will be able to beat advanced Russian fighters because it will be backed by other superior equipment and superior personnel.
“It will have the best radar, the best defensive system of any of those aircraft in the world,” Binskin said in a speech reported by the Australian Associated Press.
“It will be supported by the best airborne early warning and control aircraft and the best tanker in the world and flown, maintained and supported by the best people in the world,” he reportedly said. “I’ve got to tell you: the system ain’t going to get any better than that.“
The air force regards the Wedgetails as critical. As Boeing has suffered delays in developing the electronics, including an e-scan radar and advanced passive radio detection equipment, the service has said that it cannot afford to get less capability from them than it has specified — a clear sign that the six aircraft on order are at the center of its planning.
While holding F-35s in high esteem, the air force also says its studies show a need for a large quantity of them. “No matter how you model it, the modeling keeps coming back to 100,” Binskin said.
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– Christian
I don’t think it will. I think the FCS will take the first hit. I think drawing down in Iraq will see the most significant savings though, enabling these programs to continue.
F-35 would not lose funding and definitely not be canceled before the F-22. Its exportable technology, and can make money.
I have suggested long ago that if automakers want to get back on top, retrofit some of the factories of lackluster selling cars to build military aircraft parts. As for the F-35, what the heck is the hold-up? Are they still having a problem with VSTOL? And just a quick question, if the AF gets the F-35 AND the F-22, will they get rid of everything except tankers and the B-52’s?
The dilemma with the recession is that if you do cut programs like the JSF (btw all programs are different), thousands of people will be out of work, making the problem worse.
A330 is best tanker, folks you heard it.
Let me sum up this position in just one sentence.
NOBODY EVER GOT FIRED FOR BUYING IBM.
Let me sum up this position in just one sentence from an old business saying.
“Nobody ever got fired for buying IBM.”
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While holding F-35s in high esteem, the air force also says its studies show a need for a large quantity of them. “No matter how you model it, the modeling keeps coming back to 100,” Binskin said.
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This is true for the F-22 as well. Despite how great the F-22 is, you still need a given number (381 under the current USAF stucture) of them to do all that it is expected to do.
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