Lockheed Martin runs nearly all aspects of decision-making for Australia's fighter replacement program. Oh, there is now some people waking up to the horror and slowing funding because of obvious gross risk, but that is only recently after many years of can-do delusion. And for those that oppose the F-35, it is pretty important to take the wanton rent-seekers in to account.
For years if there were problems with the F-35, talking points were filtered down from LM and became the de facto Australian government position on the matter.
Below is a letter and accompanying paper constructed by then Defence Minister Hill and his merry band back in 2003. Look at the big leap taken for Australia to join the risky F-35 program. All the chips were pushed in on one big bet. The greed of rent-seeking potential was just too strong.
And while there appears to be some words stating if it all doesn't work out, Australia can withdraw...
While the supplement does not guarantee work share, there is an explicit statement included in the supplement that enables Australia to withdraw from the SDD phase if Australian industry expectations are not realised.
Everyone is pretty much all-in. Victory or defeat. No in-between. Further:
Prior to signing the MOU, there was an Exchange of Letters (EoL) between the Australian and US Governments concerning Australia’s aspirations for long-term participation in the JSF program. Unlike the MOU, which only covers the SDD phase, the EoL addresses matters concerning the joint development, production, operation and support of an effective and affordable JSF. These letters affirm the importance of having no predetermined work share for any participating country and of maintaining a level playing field for industrial participation for the life of the program. The Australian Government expects to have visibility into industrial participation to monitor outcomes for Australian industry to assure the Government that subcontracting competitions are conducted fairly and provide best value.
How reassuring. So many years later, how are we doing today? Affordable? Not yet. Lots of industry work? No. Thousands of F-35s for the future? A dream. Notice that most of letter and paper below is industry, industry, industry and little mention if it is a valid weapon's system other than platitude.
As long as it can make an equal number of take-offs and landings most of the time, the grubby rent-seekers are happy.
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