Aussie F-35s not until 2017-19?
Meanwhile back in Canada:
Australia’s latest defense capability plan (DCP), which sets out expenditures expected over the next four years, confirms its intent to buy at least 72 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters but slips initial operational capability (IOC) by up to five years, to 2017-19 [emphasis added].
The previous DCP, in 2006, set the planned in-service date at 2012-14, and as recently as March the Royal Australian Air Force was still expecting to take delivery of its first F-35s in 2013, but Canberra’s recent defense white paper signaled a delay...
Australia, meanwhile, still plans to buy a total of 100 F-35s, acquiring a fourth squadron in conjunction with the withdrawal of its Boeing F/A-18E/Fs — which enter service late this year [more here]— but those aircraft, and a maritime strike weapon for the F-35, are expected to be programmed in later DCPs, it says...
Why has our new fighter requirement been reduced to 65?Money.
Deciding on the F-35 soon?
...
According to the DND official, there are no plans to accelerate the delivery of new fighters, which are planned to begin by 2018 [emphasis added] to replace Canada's CF-18s as they are phased out between 2017 and 2020...
posted by Mark, Ottawa at 7:21 p.m.
1 Comments:
Stephen Harper announced that Canada will purchase about 150 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, but those plans have since been reduced to about 65 fighters. The Canadian military institute had recommended at least 150 F-35 and the same number appears from a research of DR&D Canada. I red something in 2003 about the UAV from "The maple leaf" (Canadian Forces magazine) about a possible fleet of UAV.Later the conservative government announced the CF-18 Hornet would remain in active service until at least 2017.
They have some rumours from Internet about a possible contract of the Eurofighter.
http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_airshow.jsp?channel=busav&id=news/PF35061709.xml&show=paris2009
http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2009/05/28/327053/boeing-eurofighter-bid-to-usurp-f-35-for-canadian-fighter.html
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