Mate the latest official stuff that I’ve been readin is that the RAAF are now only going to buy 57 F-35’s as these planes are not delivering on promised goals, thus the government have started cutting back on the order (Read that in Asia Pacific Aerospace).
Its a bit early to be judging on promised goals yet, the SD&D phase for the F-35 has only just begun. Until a release is made by the MOD, nothing I see regarding our numbers is official as far as I am concerned.
The growing idea is for the RAAF to look into buying FB-22’s should they become a reality, if this doesn’t happen then the contest will be opened up to procure a deep ranged strike a/c.
FB-22 would be nice, but cost again would have to be an issue, unless of course the USAF produced a lot of them. The problem with a new comp for a long-range striker after 2010 is that pretty much all on offer will be ‘old’ by then; been simply upgraded versions of old airframes, e.g. Rafale, Typhoon, etc. On the other hand, UCAVs will be maturing, or mature systems after 2010, they will be very stealthy compared to contemporary manned platforms, and will have VERY good PGM payload/range figures too. And they will be cheaper, and will not endanger valuable pilots. I still think with the RAAF’s tendency to ‘look ahead’ for future tactical air systems, the UCAV concept stands a good chance.
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