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A new day, and Smith is still poorly advised about the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter:
Mr Smith says the US has devoted so much to this project that in the end it will be successful.
"The first risk from our perspective in my view has always been capability gap, by the scheduling. Secondly, of course there is a unit cost risk as well," he said.
Mr Smith says Australia has been sensible from the outset in opting only for the conventional landing and takeoff JSF variant.
1. He has no proof that it will be successful. The program is riddled with problems; is not affordable; and is light years away from showing a go-to-war configuration; if ever.
2. And, who told him that; implying that things are so much better because Australia opted for the conventional landing and take off variant?
I smell a rat.
“It’s about $37 million for the CTOL aircraft, which is the air force variant.”
- Colonel Dwyer Dennis, U.S. JSF Program Office brief to Australian journalists, 2002-
". . . US$40 million dollars . . "
-Senate Estimates/Media Air Commodore John Harvey, AM Angus Houston, Mr Mick Roche, USDM, 2003-
" . . US$45 million in 2002 dollars . ."
-JSCFADT/Senate Estimates, Air Commodore John Harvey, Mr Mick Roche, USDM, 2003/2004-
". . average unit recurring flyaway cost of the JSF will be around US$48 million, in 2002 dollars . . "
-Senate Estimates/Press Club Briefing, Air Commodore John Harvey, 2006
". . the JSF Price (for Australia) - US$55 million average for our aircraft . . in 2006 dollars . ."
-Senate Estimates/Media AVM John Harvey ACM Angus Houston, Nov. 2006-
“…DMO is budgeting around A$131 million in 2005 dollars as the unit procurement cost for the JSF. .”
-AVM John Harvey Briefing, Office of the Minister for Defence, May 2007-
“There are 108 different cost figures for the JSF that I am working with and each of them is correct”
-Dr Steve Gumley, CEO of the DMO, Sep./Oct. 2007-
“…I would be surprised if the JSF cost us anymore than A$75 million … in 2008 dollars at an exchange rate of 0.92”
-JSCFADT Dr Steve Gumley, CEO DMO, July 2008-
". . Dr Gumley's evidence on the cost of the JSF was for the average unit recurring flyaway cost for the Australian buy of 100 aircraft . ."
-JSCFADT/Media AVM John Harvey, Aug. 2008-
Confirmed previous advice i.e. A$75 million in 2008 dollars at an exchange rate of 0.92,
-JSCFADT Dr Steve Gumley, CEO of the DMO, Sep. 2009-
" ...about $77 million per copy."
-Robert Gates, U.S. Secretary of Defense, Feb. 2008.
2 comments:
Hi you are doing a great job. I was looking for this information. I found it on your page its really amazing.I am sure that these are your own views. I hear exactly what you’re saying and I’m so happy that I came across your blog. You really know what you’re talking about, and you made me feel like I should learn more about this. Thanks for sharing useful information; I’m officially a huge fan of your blog.
Hello Eric
I also strongly agree with you about the F-35 JSF is a lemon which is totally incapable of facing high end threats that will never cement Australia's regional air power lead etc. To be honest I really dislike the F-35 very much its a biggest failed project I've ever seen. Compared to the F-111 with development problems back in the late 1960's with the wing box bearing etc, it's problems were all got solved back in the early 1970's. I find the JSF 50 times worse.
When I see "ELP" from DoD Buzz, F-16.net or anywhere I reckon you excatly know what you're talking about the JSF/Super Hornet are wrong aircraft with inferior performance, behind schedule etc. To me I feel that I always learn more useful information from your blog and your view points I find. I also find your blog very interesting as well as the Air Power Australia's website too.
Since I found the information about the "More delay for Australia's F-35 fantasy" I find the "The Source of Risks Equation" a high quality image and information on the JSF very useful, about the extreme high risk problems and the reasons why it's a wrong aircraft for any air force and navy needs. Now I'm reading and learning more about the high & extreme level risks identified on the F-35A CTOL variant, as well as the B/C variants of the JSF which have same high level risks.
I hope this will give more hard time to the pro-JSF advocates, the Government, the Pentagon and the RAAF which they deserve.
Cheers Peter
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