Post by corsair67 on May 11, 2006 9:40:35 GMT 12
Edited text from an article in The Australian.
I wish Helen would learn something from all this!
New-age jet fighters are coming, Nelson promises
Patrick Walters, National security editor
May 11, 2006.
AUSTRALIA's $13 billion joint strike fighter is on track for delivery to the RAAF from 2012, according to Defence Minister Brendan Nelson.
In an interview with The Australian, Dr Nelson strongly defended the JSF as the best possible choice to replace the frontline combat force of F-111 bombers and the F/A 18 fighters.
He said the Government expected to sign a memorandum of understanding with Washington late this year on sensitive technology transfer issues relating to the JSF, and then commit a further $180 million to the next phase of the program. "We are not going to go into it unless we get access to the technical data we need. I am very confident we will," Dr Nelson said.
A final decision to buy up to 100 strike fighters in Australia's biggest-ever military purchase would be taken in 2008.
"There are a lot of uncertainties in the JSF program, but in the key elements it's on track. All of the evidence I have got is that we may reasonably expect to see one here in 2012."
Dr Nelson said calls for the Government to reconsider its decision to buy the JSF and look at alternative combat planes such as the F-22 Raptor were misplaced. "In terms of the suite of challenges we are likely to face, the JSF is a superior aircraft and will be at least half a generation more advanced than the F-22."
He said the Government could still decide to delay the arrival of the first batch of aircraft to get a better budgetary deal, but 2012 remained the target date.
Dr Nelson agreed that the commitment to fund the defence budget at 3 per cent real growth beyond 2010 would make it difficult for future governments to cut military spending.
The decision will add more than $10 billion to defence from 2010-2015, locking in the purchase of the JSF as well as new warships worth at least $8 billion and helicopters and armoured fighting vehicles.
"It's clearly something that needs to be done. It's the baseline commitment for the foundation of the defence budget."
I wish Helen would learn something from all this!
New-age jet fighters are coming, Nelson promises
Patrick Walters, National security editor
May 11, 2006.
AUSTRALIA's $13 billion joint strike fighter is on track for delivery to the RAAF from 2012, according to Defence Minister Brendan Nelson.
In an interview with The Australian, Dr Nelson strongly defended the JSF as the best possible choice to replace the frontline combat force of F-111 bombers and the F/A 18 fighters.
He said the Government expected to sign a memorandum of understanding with Washington late this year on sensitive technology transfer issues relating to the JSF, and then commit a further $180 million to the next phase of the program. "We are not going to go into it unless we get access to the technical data we need. I am very confident we will," Dr Nelson said.
A final decision to buy up to 100 strike fighters in Australia's biggest-ever military purchase would be taken in 2008.
"There are a lot of uncertainties in the JSF program, but in the key elements it's on track. All of the evidence I have got is that we may reasonably expect to see one here in 2012."
Dr Nelson said calls for the Government to reconsider its decision to buy the JSF and look at alternative combat planes such as the F-22 Raptor were misplaced. "In terms of the suite of challenges we are likely to face, the JSF is a superior aircraft and will be at least half a generation more advanced than the F-22."
He said the Government could still decide to delay the arrival of the first batch of aircraft to get a better budgetary deal, but 2012 remained the target date.
Dr Nelson agreed that the commitment to fund the defence budget at 3 per cent real growth beyond 2010 would make it difficult for future governments to cut military spending.
The decision will add more than $10 billion to defence from 2010-2015, locking in the purchase of the JSF as well as new warships worth at least $8 billion and helicopters and armoured fighting vehicles.
"It's clearly something that needs to be done. It's the baseline commitment for the foundation of the defence budget."
