Post by corsair67 on Mar 10, 2006 9:28:46 GMT 12
Well, it finally sounds like a bit of common sense might be coming into play at Russell Offices. The idea of ditching the F-111C & G aircraft years before the F-35 came on-line was stupid to say the least. At one stage it was looking like 2007/8 was going to be the time of withdrawal for "The Pig".
I wonder if the fact that the RAAF F-111s have performed quite well during the past three Red Flag exercises that they've been involved in will have anything to do with this decision to reconsider their retirement date?
An upgraded F/A-18A is never going to be as capable as an F-111C, no matter how much some Govt/Defence officials might talk it up.
Anyway, I hope that they remain in service until 2012. ;D
Final flight plans for F-111
AAP
March 10, 2006.
THE fate of the Royal Australian Air Force's veteran F-111 fleet will be decided in the next couple of months as plans firm for the acquisition of up to 100 new Joint Strike Fighters.
RAAF Head Air Marshal Geoff Shepherd said the plan was to retire the F-111s in 2010, but that could be stretched to 2012.
"F-111 retirement is still linked to the Hornet upgrade. 2010 is our desired time frame. We always had a hedging out to 2012 and we are looking at that," he said.
"We need to make a decision on that in the next couple of months and it will depend very much how the Hornet upgrade is going.
"But the important point to make is that we need to get out of the F-111 business before we get into the JSF business."
Australia ordered 24 F-111s in 1963 but technical problems meant the first did not arrive until 1973.
Under current plans, both the F-111 and Hornet fleets will be replaced by the advanced Lockheed Martin F-35 JSF, which is scheduled to enter service in the period from 2012 to 2014. Each JSF now has a nominal price of $65.7 million with the entire program worth up to $16billion.
RAAF Hornets are now being upgraded with new weapons and electronics so they can fill the gap between the retirement of the F-111s and the arrival of the JSFs.
Air Marshal Shepherd said some elements of the Hornet upgrade, including installation of new radars and weapons, had proceeded smoothly. "But a lot of the electronic early warning stuff is developmental. It's being made in Australia with BAE Systems and DSTO (Defence Science and Technology Organisation). So they are ambitious programs," he said.
He said the RAAF had conducted some preliminary studies that indicated it would need about 100 JSFs to replace 21 operational F-111s and 71 Hornets.
He said the US Quadrennial Defence Review - the four-yearly review of US defence programs released last month - made no mortal cuts to JSF, although some flexibility had gone.
"The price has gone up slightly and we are looking to see how that will affect us," he said.
"But the figure of 100 is still affordable and within the program, and the detailed analysis we will conduct throughout the year - with our force development people and the scientific modelling with DSTO and in America - will define the number.
"But the figure of 100 is not far off the mark."
I wonder if the fact that the RAAF F-111s have performed quite well during the past three Red Flag exercises that they've been involved in will have anything to do with this decision to reconsider their retirement date?
An upgraded F/A-18A is never going to be as capable as an F-111C, no matter how much some Govt/Defence officials might talk it up.
Anyway, I hope that they remain in service until 2012. ;D
Final flight plans for F-111
AAP
March 10, 2006.
THE fate of the Royal Australian Air Force's veteran F-111 fleet will be decided in the next couple of months as plans firm for the acquisition of up to 100 new Joint Strike Fighters.
RAAF Head Air Marshal Geoff Shepherd said the plan was to retire the F-111s in 2010, but that could be stretched to 2012.
"F-111 retirement is still linked to the Hornet upgrade. 2010 is our desired time frame. We always had a hedging out to 2012 and we are looking at that," he said.
"We need to make a decision on that in the next couple of months and it will depend very much how the Hornet upgrade is going.
"But the important point to make is that we need to get out of the F-111 business before we get into the JSF business."
Australia ordered 24 F-111s in 1963 but technical problems meant the first did not arrive until 1973.
Under current plans, both the F-111 and Hornet fleets will be replaced by the advanced Lockheed Martin F-35 JSF, which is scheduled to enter service in the period from 2012 to 2014. Each JSF now has a nominal price of $65.7 million with the entire program worth up to $16billion.
RAAF Hornets are now being upgraded with new weapons and electronics so they can fill the gap between the retirement of the F-111s and the arrival of the JSFs.
Air Marshal Shepherd said some elements of the Hornet upgrade, including installation of new radars and weapons, had proceeded smoothly. "But a lot of the electronic early warning stuff is developmental. It's being made in Australia with BAE Systems and DSTO (Defence Science and Technology Organisation). So they are ambitious programs," he said.
He said the RAAF had conducted some preliminary studies that indicated it would need about 100 JSFs to replace 21 operational F-111s and 71 Hornets.
He said the US Quadrennial Defence Review - the four-yearly review of US defence programs released last month - made no mortal cuts to JSF, although some flexibility had gone.
"The price has gone up slightly and we are looking to see how that will affect us," he said.
"But the figure of 100 is still affordable and within the program, and the detailed analysis we will conduct throughout the year - with our force development people and the scientific modelling with DSTO and in America - will define the number.
"But the figure of 100 is not far off the mark."
