Delays create a sting in the tail for ageing Hornets

THE RAAF's ageing F/A-18 Hornet fighters may need to stay in service beyond 2020 because of delays in the arrival of the new Joint Strike Fighter, an audit report has found.

By InvestSMART · 28 Sep 2012

By InvestSMART ·
28 Sep 2012

Comments

THE RAAF's ageing F/A-18 Hornet fighters may need to stay in service beyond 2020 because of delays in the arrival of the new Joint Strike Fighter, an audit report has found.

The Australian National Audit Office said there was a limit to how much the Australian Defence Force could extend the F/A-18 Hornet's life to cover even greater JSF delays. That would be costly and could result in reduced capability, it said.

Later this year, the ADF will present options on managing the transition, including a limited extension of the planned 2020 withdrawal date of the older Hornets, which entered service in the mid-1980s.

Buying more Super Hornets, beyond the 24 now in service, is also likely to be considered, to ensure there is no capability gap between the retirement of older Hornets and the introduction of the JSF.

The audit office said the F/A-18's operational life was likely to be extended.

But it would be a challenge to co-ordinate the highly complex and costly procurement and introduction to service of JSF, with sustaining older aircraft to ensure there was no capability gap, it said.

Australia is looking to buy up to 100 of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning JSFs as the RAAF's principal combat aircraft in a deal worth about $US13 billion ($A12.5 billion).

So far it has firmly committed to take delivery of just two, which are scheduled for arrival in 2014.

The audit office said JSF development had proceeded more slowly and at greater cost than first estimated, and its advanced technology gave even the US Defence Department difficulties in assessing the time and cost of developing and operating the aircraft.

"Although current estimates of the F-35's performance are close to those required, performance will not be fully demonstrated until the completion of initial operational tests and evaluation, presently expected in February 2019," it said.

The cost of a JSF is expected to drop from $127 million to $80 million as the production rate increases.

Go to Google News, then click "Follow" button to add us.

Share this article and show your support

Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…

Why might the RAAF F/A-18 Hornet fighters need to stay in service beyond 2020?

The Australian National Audit Office found that delays in the arrival of the new Joint Strike Fighter (JSF/F-35) could force the RAAF to keep ageing F/A-18 Hornets in service beyond the planned 2020 retirement date to avoid a capability gap.

What did the Australian National Audit Office say about extending the Hornet’s operational life?

The audit office warned there’s a limit to how much the Hornet’s life can be extended: doing so would be costly, hard to sustain, and could reduce overall capability if used to cover larger JSF delays.

What transition options will the Australian Defence Force present to manage Hornet retirement and JSF delays?

Later this year the ADF will present options including a limited extension of the Hornets’ 2020 withdrawal date and possibly buying more Super Hornets (beyond the 24 already in service) to ensure there’s no capability gap until the JSF arrives.

How many Super Hornets does Australia have in service and could more be purchased?

Australia currently has 24 Super Hornets in service, and the audit says buying additional Super Hornets is likely to be considered as a stopgap if JSF delivery is delayed.

How many F-35 Joint Strike Fighters is Australia planning to buy and how many are committed so far?

Australia is looking to buy up to 100 Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning JSFs as its principal combat aircraft in a deal worth about US$13 billion, but so far it has firmly committed to just two aircraft scheduled for arrival in 2014.

Why has JSF (F-35) development caused concern about schedules and costs?

The audit noted JSF development has proceeded more slowly and at greater cost than originally estimated; its advanced technology has made it hard even for the US Defence Department to predict accurate timeframes and costs, and full performance won’t be demonstrated until initial operational tests and evaluation are complete (then expected in February 2019).

What does the article say about the expected unit cost of the JSF/F-35 over time?

The article notes the cost of a JSF is expected to fall as production ramps up — from about $127 million down to around $80 million per aircraft as higher production rates are achieved.

What are the practical implications for defence capability if procurement and introduction of the JSF are delayed?

If JSF procurement and introduction are delayed, the ADF may need to sustain older Hornets longer or buy additional Super Hornets, both of which are complex and costly options; prolonged delays could therefore raise costs and risk reduced operational capability during the transition.