Ian McPhedran, like every other journalist in Australia, knows nothing about defence and neither do the idiots who he gets his ‘information’.
The lack of military/security knowledge in Aussie journalists is epic.
Don’t ever hesitate to possess the very best, especially when it concerns your very survival. When the next Asian bully arises and they’re climbing right up your arse you will have no time to acquire a weapon of choice. In those circumstances would you rather have a bloody rusty bucket to fend off the heathens or would you like to heft a razor sharp saber with which to hand them their heads?
That doesn’t even begin to touch the philosophical difference between providing a secure home for your grandchildren and digging their grave and telling them to jump in and piss on them anyway because what did they ever do for you. Is it really so hard to understand?
No I doubt they ever are used in Anger ...Most people have no idea, that when it comes time to act we don't have ungided, mis applied Anger.
We have professionals, whose training and sense of duty direct their actions. They disconnect themselves from their emotions and complete their missions, later when the emotions hit and they reflect upon what they have done its rarely Anger they feel, after all; they are human too.
First: Personally, I appreciate your efforts to keep us all here on this forum up to speed on what’s going on in international defense issues.
Second: Australia has troops engaged, in the field, right now. And, Australia will have troops engaged, in the field, for the foreseeable future. Australian forces should be able to expect Australian air support while in combat.
This combat against the expansionist caliphate has every potential to spread into areas of concern for the Australian government well within the next decade.
This concept of not needing them soon because they don’t need them right this very second is foolishness in the extreme.
Also, if Australian combat air forces can not integrate with the US naval fleet’s combat control and information system, then they will be fighting alone and without integrated support.
Same goes for India in the next decade +. If they’re not able to fully integrate with US data link systems, then no matter how cool or cheap their purchase look to be on paper, their pilots and airframes will be worse than useless when push comes to shove.
When purchasing a modern combat or combat support aircraft, the airframe is only one part. The avionics and data linkage are HUGE force multiplier or nullifier.
If they can get “good enough” capability from somewhere else, good for them. If they’re crapping on themselves to save a dollar or to play political “gotchas” then they’re only hurting themselves as well as killing their own war fighters.
Life extends zero mercy or forgiveness to the weak and the stupid.
The Aussies need aurcraft carriers, but they have a stopgap for that right now: the US Navy. I’m sure they are fully integrated with our military and could base off of our carriers if necessary.