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Last Updated: Fri May 16 04:19:50 UTC 2008



Analysing
“The ADF Air Combat Capability- On the Record”

 
Air Power Australia - Australia's Independent Defence Think Tank

Air Power Australia Media Release
   5th November, 2007

Contacts: Peter Goon
Dr Carlo Kopp


Mob: 0419-806-476 Mob: 0437-478-224

“The rebuttal comments produced by Defence last week to the ABC 4 Corners program ‘Flying Blind’ failed to address any of the serious matters raised by 4 Corners correctly or at all”, said a spokesman for Air Power Australia today.

An Air Power Australia NOTAM released today analyses the comments made by Defence in its response to 4 Corners, and found no less than 42 errors of fact and 17 logical fallacies.

“One of the main reasons behind Australia now having to face the unwanted reality of losing air superiority in our region goes back to the insistence of the past two Defence ministers and their senior leadership group on bypassing thorough evaluation and due process, and making arbitrary and unsupportable choices when selecting fighter aircraft for the ADF.”


“Neither the Super Hornet nor the Joint Strike Fighter are viable aircraft types for a region which has aggressively armed itself with upper tier combat aircraft like the Sukhoi Flanker series, and Boeing F-15 Strike Eagle series, supported by sophisticated integrated air defence systems with matching networked command and control infrastructures. Australia has become the 'odd man out' in the regional arms race, opting for lower tier aircraft best suited for hunting tanks on the battlefield, and ill matched to the competitive air combat environment  developing in this region.”

“Past and present Defence Ministers have stifled independent thought and ignored comprehensive analyses of regional capabilities. Delivery of the F/A-18F needs to be immediately cancelled and the JSF decision deferred until such analysis is considered.  Given the rapid rise of regional air combat capabilities, this is a prudent, risk mitigating acquisition strategy for the Department and the Government.  This should be the highest priority for Defence.”

“While the United States is deploying stealthy supercruising F-22A Raptors to its Pacific Rim bases, those who make up Australia’s defence capabilities, like our Air Force and our Aerospace Industry, have been let down.”

“The broadly consulted Defence 2000 White Paper provided Defence, Industry and Australia the opportunity to take the ‘high road’ under the collaborative banner of TEAM Australia.  Sadly, those at the helm of the Canberra Defence bureaucracy at the time took Australia down the ‘low road’.  Most of these parties have since disappeared from sight, while those now entrusted to guard our Nation’s interests are being forced to take ownership of their ill considered decisions, along with the incumbent risks now materialising.”

“However, in saying this, APA emphasises that the errors revealed in Defence’s rebuttal are entirely symptomatic of dysfunctions and behaviours that have been allowed to develop over time, as a result of inadequate checks and balances at government and parliamentary levels. Those working within the organisation have thus been constrained, often unwillingly, to take ownership of past mistakes and continue inexorably down the ‘low road’, repeating the blunders of the early 1940s.”

“This is a legacy with which our children and future generations of Australians should not be lumbered.”

Air Power Australia NOTAM# 11 05/11/2007 Analysing The ADF Air Combat Capability- On the Record
Endnote:

Defence posted its response to the 4 Corners ‘Flying Blind’ Program on its web page entitled “On the Record” in order to “set the record straight to correct any inaccuracies in media reporting of Defence issues”.  In line with this intent and in the interest of advising the Australian public so they may have an informed choice as to which ‘road’ Australia should take, Air Power Australia cordially invites Defence to post APA NOTAM #11 on the “On the Record” webpage, for the record.
Air Power Australia Website - http://www.ausairpower.net/
Air Power Australia Research and Analysis - http://www.ausairpower.net/research.html








F-111 Aardvark F/A-18A Hornet Joint Strike Fighter F-22A Raptor Weapons Aerial Refuelling and Airlift Issues ISR and NCW Issues Regional Capability Issues Air Power and National Military Strategy Issues Defence Policy and Reform Issues Supporting Air Power in Australia
Directed Energy Weapons and Electromagnetic Bombs Systems and Basic Technology Australia's First Online Journal Covering Air Power Issues [ISSN 1832-2433] Information Warfare, Information Operations and Electronic Attack Maps and Imagery Intelligence
Artwork, graphic design and text © 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Carlo Kopp; Text © 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Peter Goon; All rights reserved.
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