I would be surprised if the A-4 Skyhawks generated much interest today, due to their age etc.
I have been pushing for the RAAF to get a warplane beside the F-35. I believe that we are going to be vulnerable from 2006 onwards. Over several years 43 F18’s are going to be re-worked and fitted with new centre fuselage sections, with each plane being out of action for 12 months. Also the F-35 is going to be available to the RAAF much later than the planned 2012.
I dont consider the F-35 to be an adequate replacement for the F-111, as it is only a small plane, originally designed to replace the F-16. We always said we wanted a twin engine aircraft, until the F-35 came up now a single engine will do.
Failing the RAAF getting Su-32/34, or F15E’s (or K’s whichever is the most modern and appropriate), there does not seem to be a lot out there to replace the F-111. If we are going the way of multi-purpose aircraft, which are needed anyway to replace the F-18’s, maybe we should adopt a different mindset, and go for Air Defence as the main feature of a replacement aircraft, and get a couple of squadrons of E2000’s, Rafael’s, or Gripen’s, whichever are best suited, and cut down the number of F-35’s required accordingly.
Any comments anyone?
Mate, you are wasting your time. We are getting the F-35, and the Hornets will end their useful lives sometime in the next decade. And there is not a chance in hell that we are going to be vulnerable to anyone over the next decade, as there is no one about to attack or invade us!
Sign In
