NZFF

You might get to see one of these fairly soon - 2000nm on a tankful makes for an easy jump across the Ditch.

https://www.qt.com.au/news/lightning-la ... y/3149072/

Mike , no runway left at Wigram so no problems landing here or the takeoff ... love to whind the residents up a little , course I also like the new aircraft carriers Australia built .. recon New Zealand should spend some of those, our tax dollars for one off our own HMNZS New Zealand sound great

I think the range is 2000km not 2000NM which would make a Tasman crossing tight without inflight refueling.
At $190M each we sure wont be seeing any.

cowpatz wrote:I think the range is 2000km not 2000NM which would make a Tasman crossing tight without inflight refueling.
At $190M each we sure wont be seeing any.

I think Australian Navy will want to show off its new carrier in the next few years, that is when might get to see them.

Australian purchase is for F-35A, not the carrier-based -C.
The fact that they pulled a couple out of the test programme to show at Avalon delights me as I'll be there!

But interfering with the training/acceptance trials is a sign of how desperate they are to rah-rah this by now very unpopular purchase.
The time and cost overruns make the Australian F-111 procurement look like a resounding success (at the time tagged as their biggest military spending blunder ever)

As the most expensive military programme in history, it continues largely because it is "too big to stop".
There are many issues unresolved in systems (and in the flying envelope!): the latest AIR International has a shocking list of these.
It is nowhere near ready (7 years late) and costs more than promised. Much, much more.
Lockheed Martin is such a cute outfit, I wish I had shares.

They also are being coy about their other product, the F-16.
A little electronics and it too could become the net-centric animal the F-35 is touted to be.
And stealth ain't a selling point any more, the F-35 carries its real hardware underwing.

I suspect I'd put my money on a half dozen F-16 Block 70's for the same price as a single F-35.
Too late for everybody now, though!
LM know this, and will milk it for years to come.

I knew the ski jump was only for the Sailors fun , tie em to a set of ski's and get towed the ramp with the NH's !

cowpatz wrote:I think the range is 2000km not 2000NM which would make a Tasman crossing tight without inflight refueling.
At $190M each we sure wont be seeing any.

You're right, CP - I remembered it wrong

And it gets worse

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-05/j ... c=Newsmail

They did call em 'Lightning II's' for a reason , make a bigger blunder with a carrier with a ski jump , I have not followed on these for the RAAF but why build a carrier X2 with a straight deck launch platform ... OOOOOPhs !

Australian name for the new fighter "Boomerang II" fair whack of the diddle there mate !