Don't buy in haste

The F-35 has low speed, short range and rigid weight restrictions. Everything depends on its low radar observability and if it can be seen it will be inferior to the Flanker. Australia will be forced to get round the F-35's new in-service obsolescence by buying the F-22 sooner or later. Australia can wait to buy the F-22 rather than buying the F-35 "off the plan".

A further reason not to give in to the Lockheed-Pentagon accelerated schedule is that if Australia bought the F-35 early Australia would be sharing in Lockheed's commercial risk using Australian tax payers' money.

To date our Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon may not have decided whether to buy the F-35. With Australia in stringent financial shape it would be foolish to sign a contract for at least $16 billion before uncertainties are sorted out. When we consider that the 24 Super Hornets will cost Australia at least $6 billion the estimate of only $16 billion for 100 F-35s looks suspiciously optimistic.

Joel Fitzgibbon and Kevin Rudd do not need to make a decision before Bush’s return to Texas in early 2009 even if the Lockheed F-35 sale is being orchestrated by the Texans of Lockheed’s Pentagon.