Posted on 07/17/2007 8:19:42 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
Silly hysteria — the F-35 despite its failings is more than sufficient for Australia’s needs, and it can’t afford the F-22.
Don’t believe that the US is offering F-22s to foreign countries.
Do you suppose the decision to buy Hornets and Lightning IIs might have to do with affordability? and do you think the Raptor might have some really stringent export restrictions?
Wait... the F-35 is outclassed by Russian jets? Didn’t we build the F-15 or F-16 to beat them? Or was it another jet?
I think you are referring to the F-22 itself.The F-15/16/18 were all designed in the same era as the main russian threats(the SU-27 & Mig-29 variants).
It is said that apart from stealth the F-35’s was designed to have a performance just better than the F-16.
The Raptor is terribly expensive for Australia to buy in reasonable numbers(which is over 20),even if it wants to.Besides,it is on the no-export list.
Carlo Kopp is one of the most vocal proponents of the Aussies buying Raptor-The best way to do that is to ratchet up the threat of Russian Flankers & rubbish the SuperHornets & Lightnings.One of his suggestions is to buy F-22s for air superiority & keep the F-111s going till about 2020,when the Strike variant of the Raptor appears.
Only the Aussies can decide what they really need and will be able to afford. But, I’m reminded of all the years we painted the Rooskies as being 10 feet tall, and they turned out to be only about 5’8”.
Yes, but what is his real agenda. He doesn't want them to buy the best available weapons by holding out an unobtainable carrot? Even if they were available, the Australians couldn't afford enough F-22s to form a credible force.
If they aren't going to buy the F-35s, they might as well shop for Russian planes.
In those years,there were few effective means to find out what the Russians were really coming up with,so it made sense to err on the side of caution.These days, American built aircraft & Russian built jets serving with various nations regularly conduct exercises,among other things.
Despite better choices like Lockheed-Martin’s F-22 Raptor fighter, the defence bureaucracy and minister are in the process of repeating the blunders of the late 1930s.”
I didn’t realize that the USA was selling the F-22 to any of its allies.
Also, please explain to me why the F-35 (JSF) is inferior to Russian aircraft. I have seen briefings on the JSF and while it is not in the same class as the F-22, it has a lot of stealth and other capabilities. Of course, I am not an expert in the field.
However, Australia also needs long range over water, and the single engine F-35 isn't the best choice. Nor is the SuperHornet with it's short range.
The F-15K with AESA radar would have been a much better choice for an interim air superiority fighter than the SuperHornet, and a much better replacement for the F-111 in the maritime interdiction role.
I can't imagine the SuperHornet cost that much less than the F-15K, and since so much of the SuperHornet is unique from the older and smaller (A)F/A-18A/Bs that Australia flies, commonality isn't a real argument in the SuperHornet's favor, either.
“The F-15K with AESA radar would have been a much better choice for an interim air superiority fighter than the SuperHornet, and a much better replacement for the F-111 in the maritime interdiction role.”
I agree & we should sell them our old F15’s & F14’s.
Very distinctly remember our first visit on board a front-line Russian warship, where we were shocked by the vermin (not to mention the painted-shut missile tubes). In any event, we spent them into bankruptcy.
“I’ll bet with Australian pilot training and an F-35 over PLAAF pilot training and the Su-30.”
I wont. And PLAAF is still far away. Their more immidiate concern would be the Indonesian F-16s, F-5s and Su-30s.
And add to that even Malaysian airforce has the F/A-18 hornets, F-5s, Mig 29s and Su-30MKMs.
No, we should sell them brand new F-15Ks. As far as our old F-15s and F-14 go, they were maintence intensive, and that’s what they have now with the F-111s that they wish to retire. If they wanted aircraft that required lots of maintenace, they’d stick with the F-111Cs and Gs they have now.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.