The three plus billion the RAAF has spent on 24 Super Hornets has actually saved the Australian Government a large amount of money. Because the last phase of AIR 6000 to acquire a final 24 F-35s to bring the number up to 100 probably won’t happen or if it does not until the mid 2030s. Plus of course the alleviation of ongoing F-111 costs, the need to replace the Hornet centre barrels and the expense of acquiring early F-35s just to have an air worthy fighter in service. The Super Hornet buy was not wasted money. And in return it provides a very advanced strike fighter in service well before the F-35 even if the original 2012 schedule had been possible.

Using the same logic you could “save” much more by having an all superhornet force.

The choice of the JSF by the NACC originally was faulty it failed to access the risks of delay, even with its built in fudge factor, they made a big mistake selecting a very immature product, the present situation now proves what many of us said at the time, and despite the whining of the JSF fan club its still not been delivered, its still not a mature aircraft, its not a production aircraft, and it will be 2020 before it stands up in Australia.

How is that a successful outcome from AIR6000?

Maybe something to do with the current financial crisis they find themselves in ? I don’t see what that has to do with the actual aircraft ?

The financial crisis happened yesterday? :).

There is a rash of media reports from Italy, all coming in the last day or two, it seems a concerted coordinated effort, I was just wondering who is pushing the agenda there. is it shaping public opinion for an announcement, is it NGO stirring the pot?

Any Italians want to give me some backgroundexplanations?

Cheers

Tribes: “Flocking to” is not the same as “Have not dumped”.

Also, those nations signed on at delivery dates, and acquisition and operating costs, that were attractive but not real, and at a point where alternatives appeared equally immature.

They may well flock off all together if the death spiral doesn’t change real quick.:)

You lost me there…?

How many competitions has F-35 lost so far?

The Japanese were always disposed to a US solution, however they were given a credible alternative in the Eurofighter, thus they were able to wring every possible concession from the JSF offer, something Australia could learn from and they could have gotten some “extra pie” from LM too.

Re how many competitions has the JSF lost, better question to ask how many production aircraft are serving with the customers as promised 10 years ago…:)and when they will actually be delivered.

Winning and delivering are two different things, and the former depends on the latter before it can be counted.

It certainly reinforces the idea that Eurofighter gave the JSF a good run for its money in Japan, the Japanese were able to extract every last concession from the winning bidder.

But those concessions may have an impact.

Things to consider:-
The Japanese could have relaxed the self imposed ban anyway.

The preferential treatment of the Japanese may in fact alienate some of the partners who have paid up front and now expect manufacturing contracts, I think the previously stated “best price bidder wins work” isn’t being implemented a fairly as some partners expected, and the large changes that have and are still to come in the program have damaged some relationships.

There is a caveat in the Japanese order that the delivery’s must commence at a certain date, we shall see if that date is hard and fast or if its a rubbery one like Australia negotiated.
Plus are the deliveries allowing for a “still work to be done” JSF’s with promised fixes at a later date included in the price or is it a fully working block X delivered on XX/XX/XX remains to be seen.

Cheers

aSending such a letter NOW (when both bidders are supposed to shut up and wait) is a clear try to shift the process from the way it is supposed to work. That is why it looks so desperate

Not necessarily, if a validity confirmation (or other instrument as applicable) is required from the vendors, that would fit nicely and no problem, if anything is outstanding today is the last day.

Just reading some info on the Japanese deal, I don’t think anyone doubts the strength of the political dimension to this deal.

How it stacks up to the deal Australia got.

$114 per aircraft, FACO main wing manufacture etc and if Japan relaxes their arms ban they become a global supplier. thas all i got as my Japanese is restricted to google translate

Not to bad for a non partner who have requested less than half of the Australian planned buy.

Looks like Boeing and Eurofighter gave a very very good offer to push the US to that sort of deal.