You are also seeing F18E/F/G entering service, with upgraded model being worked on by Boing.

I like the Incat design for an 112m small carrier. Incat have now increased their shipyards and can now build ships to 150m, so a larger version of this is feasible.
I have been trying to copy/paste a set of plans for this ship, but I cant do it.
A cutaway drawing shows it has four F35’s two helicopters, 2 UAV’s and room for two more aircraft on the below deck level, plus two levels of vehicles and equipment, so it is not just a small aircraft carrier. The same ship with a 50% increase in size would be very interesting indeed.

Getting back to the subject matter, “Back-up ordered for next warplane”, I think this is common sense. It will show the manufacturers that if falls too far below the American version, or expectations, we will go elsewhere.
I would prefer that Australia was considering a second aircraft. I dont believe it is intelligent to have an air force with just one type of plane, especially one so highly computerised. If anything goes wrong with the aircraft mechanically of computer software etc, the whole airforce is grounded. I dont believe there is another country buying these things that wont have additional aircraft types to fall back on in such an eventuallity. It is a case of finding out the weaker areas of F35’s, and getting a second type aircraft that will re-inforce that area. If for instance the weakest area of the F35 was in A-A combat, we should look at a couple of squadrons of F22 ‘s or Eurofighters. I personally would like to see us get Su-34, but that is purely as a one for one replacement for the F111.

Like many others I am not keen on an interim buy or a leasing of aircraft. We should be considering an alternative buy. Buy say 28 aircraft now and reduce the F35 purchase to 75. If we had 2 aircraft types it would create the need for two types of spares ect., but if they were based seperately that should not be a big concern. The main attraction for me is that when a wheel falls off a F35 and the fleet is grounded, we still have something flying.

I have seen this aircraft referred to as “Platypus” on a number of occasions. Maybe the Russians are trying to Australianise it to attract a RAAF order, which incidentally I would like to see.

If Australia decided against the F35, or for a joint buy of the F35 and a 2nd aircraft (my preference), what aircraft, other than American, should be considered.
It appears to me that the F22 would be too expensive and an overkill, the F15E too old an airframe, and the Superbug not capable enough.

Jonesy wrote “There is no platform, realistically, available to the Aussies which can replace the F-111’s mission like-for-like”
The closest thing to it without doubt is the Su-34, but being Russian the RAAF probably wont consider it.
It looks like we are going to get the F35, no matter how long we have to wait for it, which is my greatest concern. I cant see the RAAF having it in Squadron strength before 2015 at the earliest.
Like many others I dont believe we should be putting all of our eggs in the F35 basket. We have always had two distinct types of warplanes in the RAAF.
As I remember it, we had Lincoln bombers and Vampire fighters, when I was in the ATC (Air Force cadets). Then Avon Sabres and Canberra bombers, then Mirage 111 & Canberra/F111, Now F18’s and F111’s.
If some computor or other fault came to light, the entire air force could be grounded.
America is getting 3 types of F35’s, will keep their F22’s and F15’s and F18 and F16’s for many years. Britain will operate the Eurofighter and Tornado as well as the F35. I know of no other country that is going to have just one type of warplane, the F35.
If it is a given that we are going to have the F35, we should consider the areas it is weakest in, and bolster that area with a purchase of a couple of squadrons of a 2nd class of aircraft.
It appears that its greatest weakness is in the Air Defence role, that being the case we should consider getting some F22’s, or Eurofighters. or even Raphael’s, which I believe are still better than anything that is going to be in the region. Possibly even the Griffen, but I dont know much about them.

Does anyone know what version Mistral the RAN uses as a CIWS?