F-35 not going to be cheap
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Unlikely. SAF budget has been going up year after year. Also, reservist numbers have been going down which means more $ per person. For the F-5/F-16 replacement, this will need about ~S$8b over 25 years. That's ~S$320m (current year prices) budget allocation per year (3% of budget). That's equivalent to 0.5% GST.
Even keeping the budget stable means $800m increase over 2007 budget and $1.2b over 2006 budget. The budget allocation has probably been forward budgeted already.
RSAF always get 1st priority budget allocation. Don't think there will be a difference.
More likely education budget get cut before defence. Too many white elephant schools for pampered children already. So many that some become foreign worker housing....
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According to press release, other than Denmark, additional partner nations have completed their analyses in favour of F-35. The PR lists 11 nations (which means SG included).
http://www.lockheedmartin.com/news/press_releases/2008/112008ae_f35_norway-future.html
Norway to get their aircraft in 2016. SG should get theirs around that time or later.
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Well, if our dear PM is right, we are gonna have 0 growth or even negative next year... The money might be hard to come by...
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Originally posted by Shotgun:
Well, if our dear PM is right, we are gonna have 0 growth or even negative next year... The money might be hard to come by...
eh ?
IIRC isnt the projected growth from 0 ~ 2.5% with 0 and below being the worst case scenario ?
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I must say I still don't get it .... why are so many countries looking at the F-35 as the be-all and end-all solution to their future airforces ? ....
either the officials of these countries were privy to information about the capabilities of that plane that's unavailable in the open domain that caused them to wet their pants ....
or that we've all underestimated the marketing prowess of unker sam's military-industrial complex ....
we're talking about a largely unproven airplane after all ... large parts of which still exists only on paper ....
I still believe that if the costs become astronomical, then we'd can simply get something else ... eurofighter anyone ? ....
even the brits have threatened to get a navalized version of the typhoon for their QE class carriers if things doesn't go their way in the JSF project ... I don't think we're committed in anyway to a purchase, other than the sum of money we've paid .....
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(1) The F-35 will be the only stealth production aircraft available for purchase.
(2) A production run of 3000-4000 aircraft offers significant production opportunities for companies that can get sub-contracts. Even ST will have opportunities for maintenance contracts etc.
(3) None of the current gen fighter could even pass F-15 for SG requirements. They won't pass the F-35 either.
(4) Whatever people read in the news, the UK govt has already committed to production of the F-35 and will be the first after US to get LRIP production aircraft.
Whether RSAF will get the F-35, just have to wait and see...
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Originally posted by Fatum:
we're talking about a largely unproven airplane after all ... large parts of which still exists only on paper ....
I still believe that if the costs become astronomical, then we'd can simply get something else ... eurofighter anyone ? ....
even the brits have threatened to get a navalized version of the typhoon for their QE class carriers if things doesn't go their way in the JSF project ... I don't think we're committed in anyway to a purchase, other than the sum of money we've paid .....
hmm ?
in what sense is it unproven and large parts of which it exists only on paper ? its flying, its in LRIP at the moment. A version is proceedingly nicely on the development timeline, C/carrier version i m not certain but the B version is the one thats having alot of problems with the lift fans/blade issue.
i think one must consider the threat scenario first before we write off the F35. first you have the Su-30s/35/PAK-FA coming up on the radar screen. the F35 is designed to counter and achieve superiority over these platforms.
currently there are no western platforms equivalent to these. the Eurofighter typhoon comes close, but AFAIK, the targeting systems arent that good and the avionics pod they are developing for it seems to have been delayed. The F35 comes with the equivalent of a Sniper pod intergreated.
maybe can think of it this way ? u pay roughly 60 million for a typhoon, but if you get a F35, is like getting a typhoon several tranches down in terms of upgrades. capability of the F35 is superior in the sense it is going to have the Off boresight LOAL system, 360 degrees DAS and superior thrust in comparison to the eurofighter.
plus u cant discount stealth. it could be the real effect multiplier. stealth is really useful if its going to be a first day strike mission to take out the other sides air assets.
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Whilst it cannot be proven in combat cos its not in service yet, the capabilities upgrades are definitely proven.
The stealth characteristics are proven.
The new engine is proven (and its based on a very proven design).
The radar and avionics are proven.
The missiles and munitions it carries are proven.
How much more proof do people require?
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Originally posted by slim10:
Whilst it cannot be proven in combat cos its not in service yet, the capabilities upgrades are definitely proven.
The stealth characteristics are proven.
The new engine is proven (and its based on a very proven design).
The radar and avionics are proven.
The missiles and munitions it carries are proven.
How much more proof do people require?
"Proven" is a marketing word.
Combat record just tells, but doesn't "prove" anything other than what the record already says. The F-15's record is so far par-none. Yet, there are still concerns what level of threat new generations of Sukhois are capable of posing despite the fact that they are not "proven."
I have high hopes for any aircraft that is to fill the F-16's shoes. Its gotta be able to do every damn mission the F-16 can already do and More. Its gotta be as ridiculously easy to fly as the F-16, and more potent in combat.
So far, the F-35 is shaping up to be just that. Only problem I have with it is of cost, production, and it's slightly spartan internal carriage capacity.