17-02-2022, 11:53 AM
By Sakshi Tiwari- February 15, 2022
Last year, the Royal Australian Air Force bid adieu to its archaic Classic Hornets that had served the country for about three decades and welcomed a new batch of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, with the total count now standing at 44.
The acquisition of the F-35 has come under the scanner as questions are being raised about its capability and viability for the Royal Australian Air Force.
......
According to budget projections filed by the Department of Defense last week, the Joint Strike Fighters’ flying hours have been reduced by 25% this fiscal year.
The data has sparked a row with the opposition charging that the US$16.6 billion fighter jet program was “plagued with issues” and demanding an answer from Defense Minister Peter Dutton.
“The (Joint Strike Fighters) aircraft are critical to Australia’s defense, and the fact that they are flying thousands of hours less than planned is a real concern,” opposition defense spokesman Brendan O‘Connor and assistant defense spokesman Pat Conroy said in a joint statement.
......
the opposition Labor Party’s analysis found that flight hours were cut by 17%, 14%, and 13% in each of the next three fiscal years. The jets are expected to cost around $200 million each, excluding maintenance costs, it was pointed out.
......
Experts in the US Air Force admit that the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter sold to the RAAF was a disaster. It was supposed to be a low-cost, light-weight, high-performance stealth fighter, but it isn’t
......
The plane has a restricted range, low air-to-air combat survivability, and extremely expensive operating costs, costing US$100 million (AU$140 million) each jet.
......
Due to its combat range of just 1000 km, the fighter jet will require mid-air refueling, if it were to fly to Taiwan or closer to China to assist the American fighters in case of a contingency.
The RAAF’s biggest problem with fighting China would thus be its inability to get there
......
Additionally, the F-35’s weakness, particularly for Australia, is its inability to carry the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM).
......
In 2002, Australia joined the US-led F-35 program without any official evaluation or tender procedure. Many were surprised by the abrupt decision
......
The then-Air Force chief outlined the rationale behind the surprise rush to buy F-35s in public. Unfortunately, the F-35 began experiencing technical issues, cost increases, and protracted delays soon after the choice was made.
The suspicions surrounding the F-35 fighter of the Royal Australian Air Force when seen alongside the reduced flying hours raise some very important questions, strategic to Australia’s security.
https://eurasiantimes.com/16-billion-f-3...australia/
Last year, the Royal Australian Air Force bid adieu to its archaic Classic Hornets that had served the country for about three decades and welcomed a new batch of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, with the total count now standing at 44.
The acquisition of the F-35 has come under the scanner as questions are being raised about its capability and viability for the Royal Australian Air Force.
......
According to budget projections filed by the Department of Defense last week, the Joint Strike Fighters’ flying hours have been reduced by 25% this fiscal year.
The data has sparked a row with the opposition charging that the US$16.6 billion fighter jet program was “plagued with issues” and demanding an answer from Defense Minister Peter Dutton.
“The (Joint Strike Fighters) aircraft are critical to Australia’s defense, and the fact that they are flying thousands of hours less than planned is a real concern,” opposition defense spokesman Brendan O‘Connor and assistant defense spokesman Pat Conroy said in a joint statement.
......
the opposition Labor Party’s analysis found that flight hours were cut by 17%, 14%, and 13% in each of the next three fiscal years. The jets are expected to cost around $200 million each, excluding maintenance costs, it was pointed out.
......
Experts in the US Air Force admit that the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter sold to the RAAF was a disaster. It was supposed to be a low-cost, light-weight, high-performance stealth fighter, but it isn’t
......
The plane has a restricted range, low air-to-air combat survivability, and extremely expensive operating costs, costing US$100 million (AU$140 million) each jet.
......
Due to its combat range of just 1000 km, the fighter jet will require mid-air refueling, if it were to fly to Taiwan or closer to China to assist the American fighters in case of a contingency.
The RAAF’s biggest problem with fighting China would thus be its inability to get there
......
Additionally, the F-35’s weakness, particularly for Australia, is its inability to carry the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM).
......
In 2002, Australia joined the US-led F-35 program without any official evaluation or tender procedure. Many were surprised by the abrupt decision
......
The then-Air Force chief outlined the rationale behind the surprise rush to buy F-35s in public. Unfortunately, the F-35 began experiencing technical issues, cost increases, and protracted delays soon after the choice was made.
The suspicions surrounding the F-35 fighter of the Royal Australian Air Force when seen alongside the reduced flying hours raise some very important questions, strategic to Australia’s security.
https://eurasiantimes.com/16-billion-f-3...australia/
