australia considers F35b purchase

[thomastmcc]

in the latest issue combat aircraft australia considers a joint F35A & B purchase the latter for possible use on the new canberra class LHD which could accommodate up to 12 F35B ..but would need extensive modifcations and heat resistant coatings on the deck ..

see page 26 for the full article ..

thomas

online article also..

http://www.janes.com/article/38374/australia-could-buy-f-35b

[tonyot]

It would be nice to see the RAN have jets again,......although like the UK they would probably be part of a `Joint Force' which is actually run by the Air Force!

Perhaps the UK & Aussie `Joint Forces' could co-operate closely and be run along similar lines?

Cheers

Tony

[j_jza80]

This would be great

[Giorgio N]

It would be nice to see the RAN have jets again,......although like the UK they would probably be part of a `Joint Force' which is actually run by the Air Force!

Perhaps the UK & Aussie `Joint Forces' could co-operate closely and be run along similar lines?

Cheers

Tony

They could be run along similar lines but it's very unlikely they would co-operate closely as for many years now Australia has been much closer to the US that to the UK in terms of military collaboration. Several bits of equipment have been selected over the years based explicitly on the capability of joint operations with US forces

[phildagreek]

I wonder if they're still thinking about it?

[Paul J]

[-Neu-]

I wonder if they're still thinking about it?

Why, because there was an engine failure in development? Seriously... if that was an impediment to purchasing an aircraft we'd have no military jet fighters ever built.

[magwitch]

The first two RAAF F-35As in 2OCU colours are being rolled out this week.

I like it, but it does everything have to be so relentlessly grey?

Edited July 24, 2014 by magwitch

[LeVi Tophatter]

Yes, because it satisfies the needs of equally relentlessly grey bureaucrats...

The 'arrows' on the tail would look really nice in yellow and green, like the 'legacy' Hornets. I can see it so clearly in my mind and it would make the F-35 look so much better...

[hovis]

Do you not think a wee bit more colour on these initial airframes, including the British ones, would win a few more of the mild doubters over?

[xffw45343tg]

....does everything have to be so relentlessly grey?

It's so you can't see it coming. Some new-fangled concept they call "camelflarge" or something similar.

Whatever next? Some kind of radio-wave detection jamming? Super high speed propellers? They'll be telling us next that they can fire at the enemy before they can even see him!!

Now, where's my pipe?

Kirk

[AndyP]

Ahh Bruce and Sheila are looking good ahead of their big day* the -A model looks so much better than the B without the Hunchback

as for the whole Grey thing, its 2 fold 1) it helps sell the idea of 'Stealth!!!!!' to the general public and 2) these aircraft are really still development aircraft so are undergoing testing/evaluation and 3) the Stealth skin is actually really advances and i expect they haven't worked out the compounds to add colour pigment to the paints yet (also explains why you don't tend to see F-22's in anything other than 2 tone)

* I think the Aussie Aircraft AU-1 and AU-2 should be called Bruce and Sheila, and I think the British Aircraft BK 1,2, and 3 should be called 'Blackadder, Baldrick and Bob

[tempestfan]

as for the whole Grey thing, its 2 fold 1) it helps sell the idea of 'Stealth!!!!!' to the general public and 2) these aircraft are really still development aircraft so are undergoing testing/evaluation and 3) the Stealth skin is actually really advances and i expect they haven't worked out the compounds to add colour pigment to the paints yet (also explains why you don't tend to see F-22's in anything other than 2 tone)

Well I didn't expect the Spanish Inquisition !

[Max Headroom]

Given that the Israelis are obtaining examples, they are our best hope for 'colourful' birds.

Brown and green colourful? All relative I suppose.

Trevor

[RichardPrice]

Do you not think a wee bit more colour on these initial airframes, including the British ones, would win a few more of the mild doubters over?

I'd rather it be effective rather than colourful...

[RichardPrice]

Given that the Israelis are obtaining examples, they are our best hope for 'colourful' birds.

Brown and green colourful? All relative I suppose.

Trevor

That will only happen if the Israelis pay for the development of coloured coatings, as no one else is doing it.

[AndyP]

Well I didn't expect the Spanish Inquisition !

NOBODY Expects the F-35 Inquisition, Amongst our weapons are Fear, Surprise, A ruthlessly over inflated budget and and almost fanatical devotion to the concept of First look first kill and a nice red hat...

[hovis]

If it was colourful it would be effective at winning over the public.

Obviously you lose the colour if you go to war, but until it does.....

[-Neu-]

Ahh Bruce and Sheila are looking good ahead of their big day* the -A model looks so much better than the B without the Hunchback

as for the whole Grey thing, its 2 fold 1) it helps sell the idea of 'Stealth!!!!!' to the general public and 2) these aircraft are really still development aircraft so are undergoing testing/evaluation and 3) the Stealth skin is actually really advances and i expect they haven't worked out the compounds to add colour pigment to the paints yet (also explains why you don't tend to see F-22's in anything other than 2 tone)

Except that they have had a number of airframes with colour, including the first US Navy F-35, CF-1.

[RichardPrice]

Except that they have had a number of airframes with colour, including the first US Navy F-35, CF-1.

Those colour birds are solely for PR purposes, and the colours will be lost when they go into active service as they fairly dramatically affect the stealth capability.

Edited July 25, 2014 by RichardPrice

[AndyP]

Yeh, the 3 initial variant aircraft (AF-1, BF-1 and CF-1) all have colourful tails, but they are never intended for anything aside from the initial flight envelope flight testing, not testing things like RCS or combat performance (note they also have the Pito Tube's)

that being said, the first F-35C delivered to the VFA-101 has some colour to it

[RichardPrice]

Yeh, the 3 initial variant aircraft (AF-1, BF-1 and CF-1) all have colourful tails, but they are never intended for anything aside from the initial flight envelope flight testing, not testing things like RCS or combat performance (note they also have the Pito Tube's)

that being said, the first F-35C delivered to the VFA-101 has some colour to it

Unfortunately the F-35C is still not in active service, so that jet is still in PR colours When VFA-101 actually deploys with the F-35C, watch for what colours its aircraft deploys with...

[F-32]

Kill it with fire.

Oh wait, it's doing it already

[-Neu-]

Those colour birds are solely for PR purposes, and the colours will be lost when they go into active service as they fairly dramatically affect the stealth capability.

And you know this how? And why does it matter? The F/A-18E/F has significant signature reduction features, and most of the US Navy Squadrons fly a hi-viz aircraft.... into combat no less. There are a number of F-16 squadrons with the Have Glass application, and they have the normal colour tail banners on them. Either the paint is not a serious source of reflective energy (which is quite likely) or active squadrons will just remove it before entering a war zone.

[Albeback52]

NOBODY Expects the F-35 Inquisition, Amongst our weapons are Fear, Surprise, A ruthlessly over inflated budget and and almost fanatical devotion to the concept of First look first kill and a nice red hat...

And an inexplicable obsession with Stealth over everything? As long as First Look, First kill doesn't go to some totally underestimated opponent in a 70s era MiG or,some lucky infantryman equipped with a MANPAD or a machine gun. How VERY embarrassing that would be !!! Unlikely Maybe but, I think it wouldn't be the first time some over hyped,over priced,overdue & mind bogglingly complex piece of supa dupa technology was taken out by something as mundane as a bullet costing a few pence!!

Allan