Australia Buying 24 Super Hornets As Interim Gap-Fillers
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DID has covered the recent controversies over Australia’s involvement in the F-35 Lightning II program, amid criticisms that the F-35A will be unable to compete with proliferating SU-30 family aircraft in the region, lacks the required range or response time, and will either be extremely expensive at $100+ million per aircraft in early (2013-2016) production, or will not be available until 2018 or later. The accelerated retirement of Australia’s 22 long-range F-111s in 2010 sharpened the timing debate, with a recently retired Air Vice-Marshal and the opposition (now governing) Labor Party both weighing in with criticisms and alternative force proposals.
In December 2006, The Australian reported that Defence Minister Brendan Nelson was discussing an A$ 3 billion (about $2.36 billion) purchase of 24 F/A-18F Block II Super Hornet aircraft around 2009-2010. A move that came as “a surprise to senior defence officials on Russell Hill”; but is now an official purchase as requests and contracts work their way through. Australia’s new Labor government’s later decided to keep the Super Hornet purchase, cementing the deal. Recent ministerial statements now place the program’s final figure at A$ 6.6 billion, which presumably includes some sort of long-term maintenance deal.
This DID Spotlight article that describes the model chosen, links to coverage of the key controversies, and offers a history of contracts and key event’s from the program’s first official DSCA requests to the present day. The latest additions include additional monies that will prepare some of the aircraft for possible conversion to EA-18 Lite electronic warfare variants, plus other engineering and electronics contracts…
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Stay on top of news and implications of Australia's efforts to purchase the F/A-18F Super Hornet, when you subscribe to DII. Our cross-linked article network and reference materials include:
- Timeline of key events; political fallout and review of the Super Hornet purchase across governmental leadership changes in Australia; discussion of Australia's past, current and future fighter jet fleets
- Tracking of contracts awarded to Raytheon, Boeing, McDonnell Douglas Corp, Smiths Aerospace, and more
- Expansive network of links to news coverage and source materials
- Links to additional coverage from DII including: "The Australian Debate: Abandon F-35, Buy F-22s?," "EA-18G Program: The USA's Electronic Growler," "APG-79 AESA Radars for Super Hornets," and "Australian Air Power Controversy: F-35 and Super Hornets Under Fire"
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