On Mar 15, 10:42 am, Trev
gmail.com> wrote:> On Mar 15, 4:41 am, Addinall
addinall.org> wrote:
>>> On Mar 14, 10:21 am, "Praetorian"
dontwantany.com> wrote:>
>>> After 25 years, it's off to AMARC...
>
>>> F-117: A long, storied history that is about to end
>
>>> by Staff Sgt. Matthew Bates
>>> Air Force Print News
>
>> Indeed. And has anyone noticed the press releases that the F-117
>> is to be replaced by the F-22 Raptor? The F-117 is a stealthy,
>> long range bomb truck. It replaced the F-111 long range bomb truck
>> yonks ago.
>
>> F-111 => F-117 => F-22
>
>> The F-22 was always considered to be a strike fighter, not only an
>> air superiority machine, but capable in both roles (highly capable).
>
>> The F-22 was designed to replace the air superiority fighter the
>> F-15, and to replace the stealth bomb truck F-117.
>
>> The JSF is BEING designed to replace the F-16, A-10, FA-18 and
>> the Harrier.
>
>> [ F-16, A-10, FA-18, Harrier, [ F-5 ]] => F-35
>
>> Australia doesn't have any F-16s, A-10s or Harriers. And given that
>> we decided to buy (at inflated cost) some more bloody FA-18 E/Fs
>> we no longer have a plane capable of the F-111 role. Long range
>> strike.
>
>> Do we need long range strike? A strategic question, one that needs
>> a carefull eye in what the role of our ADF intends to take on.
>
>> The JSF as of yesterday, is at least $43 BILLION (AUD) over budget,
>> and is going to slip another 2 years in delivery date. This was
>> predicted,
>> and well known to anyone following the industry. If we end up with
>> ten of the bloody things by 2018 it will come as a shock to me, and
>> I'm never wrong.
>
>> Meanwhile, the Su-30 is being widely deployed in our area, the Su-35
>> is just about to hit production runs, the Su-50 (or whatever name it
>> ends up
>> with) is due to fly in 2009-10, the J-12 is on the way. ALL outclass
>> the JSF
>> in the air.
>
>> If we need a tiny fighter with limited capabilities that the JSF
>> offers,
>> the Gripen is up for sale. I'd prefer an Australian built Su-30 MKA
>> or Su-35 Australian edition, but for those that are still fighting the
>> cold war, and can't possibly buy anything Russian, the Gripen
>> is up for grabs. Not the best thing in the sky, and rather un-suited
>> for Australia
>> IMO, but it's about the same as the (promised, really, really soon
>> now)
>> JSF.
>
>> We could get the Gripen at a good price, as it is about as popular on
>> the
>> market as the FA-18 E/F.
>
>>> The poms are committed to building way more Eurofighters than they
>>> need.
>>> A long range strike fighter designed to hold off the Rooskies at all
>>> costs. They are building about 100 more than they need. I wonder
>>> if we could get a price on those babies? That is a plane that WILL
>>> stack up against the Flanker(s), as it was designed to do so, and
>>> it's in build and production at the moment.
>>
>>> "Self sufficiency" was mentioned in an earlier white paper, and
>>> espoused the
>>> doctrine of "Defend Australia", a pretty good model IMO.
>>
>>> We have already built some of the world's best military kit here in
>>> Australia,
>>> why not an Australian Stike Fighter based on an Su-35 model?
>>
>>> Not that hard, we built bloody good submarines (until the Howard
>>> government decided to fuck the software and the torps with a rabid
>>> "we muss buy Yammerican kit" mantra. We also built the best
>>> battlefield comms system on the planet (ahem, thank you), and
>>> some pretty nifty missile systems.
>>
>>> This "tugs our forelock" and buy everything from the Yanks
>>> gives me the irrats. The Sea-Sprite was a classic example
>>> of a fuck up. The Liberal government had no fucking idea
>>> when it came to military procurement. Unfortunatly, I don't
>>> see a lot of movement from the current mob in charge.
>>
>>> Can anyone, ANYONE, tell me why we are getting excited
>>> about building a new class of subs? The new ones we
>>> have, have only just hit the water, we don't really have
>>> a defined role for the things, and no crew to man the
>>> tin cans. How bizzare. And yet we need another new
>>> class.
>>
>>> The Australian military procurment system is fucked up.
>>> The Howard government mostly did that. It needs a long hard
>>> look. Perhaps Rudd an Co can do it, perhaps not.
>>
>>> Mark Addinall.
>>
>> Taken on board, I like reading this stuff.
>
> Pleasure.
Undoubtedly it is a pleasure. Yay!
However what Marky is condensing is pretty well known and symptomatic.
I doubt that 80%% of ADF are unaware or unfamiliar with the history and
the arguments. Every second journalist has been briefed, and Brendan's
complicity has been highlighted. [Although "complicity" is probably too
generous a term to describe how the mess arose]. Etc, etc.
The deep stories are more about backroom deals, where the names like
Nelson, Reith & Co, Peacock, Cheney, MacFarlane, Hill, McArthur, Freehills,
Booz Allen, Marks, Abetz, Quinton McHale and Randolph Agarn are HOT.
And others skimming their bit in more traditional ways.
May take 30 years to see some of these stories.
T.
> Mark Addinall.
>
>
>>
>> cheers
>>
>> Trev- Hide quoted text -
>>
>> - Show quoted text -
