F-35 Fighter Jet Purchase

[kEiThZ]

For years, those of us who knew about these things suspected that in the long run the F-35 would be a lot cheaper than the alternatives. People who argued this were called all kinds of names. The government even ordered military officers and bureaucrats who knew the truth to take the secret to their graves. Behold the Czechs, who just revealed that the F-35 is cheaper than the Gripen on total costs. And they've provided some detailed responses to media RFI (albeit without giving numbers for confidentiality):

Czech MoD Rebuts Critics of F-35 Choice but Arguments Are Vague, Unconvincing

PRAGUE --- 9In connection with the planned modernization of the Czech Army's supersonic air force, a number of inaccurate and misleading information has...

www.defense-aerospace.com

I recommend everybody read it. Good time to ask what the motivations were of those who argued that F-35 advocates were just warmongers.

 

[Admiral Beez]

For years, those of us who knew about these things suspected that in the long run the F-35 would be a lot cheaper than the alternatives. People who argued this were called all kinds of names. The government even ordered military officers and bureaucrats who knew the truth to take the secret to their graves. Behold the Czechs, who just revealed that the F-35 is cheaper than the Gripen on total costs. And they've provided some detailed responses to media RFI (albeit without giving numbers for confidentiality):

Czech MoD Rebuts Critics of F-35 Choice but Arguments Are Vague, Unconvincing

PRAGUE --- 9In connection with the planned modernization of the Czech Army's supersonic air force, a number of inaccurate and misleading information has...

www.defense-aerospace.com

I recommend everybody read it. Good time to ask what the motivations were of those who argued that F-35 advocates were just warmongers.

Waiting until Block 4 was available seems to have worked out for us. Though we’ll need to run the CF-18s into 2030 before we get them. Maybe a Block 5 will be available?

 

[kEiThZ]

Waiting until Block 4 was available seems to have worked out for us. Though we’ll need to run the CF-18s into 2030 before we get them. Maybe a Block 5 will be available?

Block 5 isn't even fully defined yet and won't be for years. Block 4 production just started. And full Block 4 isn't even going to be delivered till probably 2027. The Hornets won't last long enough to wait for Block 5. Waiting for full Block 4 at delivery is the right call. The first few aircraft delivered without Block 4 software will be upgradeable later. They will still have all the necessary hardware.

The really amazing thing here is how cost-effective and even cheap the F-35 is turning out to be for the price, compared to all the other options that were bandied about for years.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Block 5 isn't even fully defined yet and won't be for years. Block 4 production just started. And full Block 4 isn't even going to be delivered till probably 2027. The Hornets won't last long enough to wait for Block 5. Waiting for full Block 4 at delivery is the right call. The first few aircraft delivered without Block 4 software will be upgradeable later. They will still have all the necessary hardware.

Was it in hindsight the right move to delay F-35 acquisition from PM Harper’s 2010, $9 billion announcement to presumptive-PM Poilievre‘s 2028 first unit deliveries?

 

[kEiThZ]

Was it in hindsight the right move to delay F-35 acquisition from PM Harper’s 2010, $9 billion announcement to presumptive-PM Poilievre‘s 2028 first unit deliveries?

Absolutely. What was arguably a poor decision was the games played with the "gap" and then spending a billion buying and upgrading old Australian Hornets, while further delaying the F-35 purchase. Would have been good to start deliveries in 2024 with TR3 hardware (enables Block 4 software). This would have seen the Hornets starting exit from service in 2028 and full withdrawal from service by 2030.

 

[kEiThZ]

I love this video for the facts it spits out and the myths it dispels. I argued all this stuff for years. And on every single forum, the public was convinced that the plane was a lemon. Even politicians got onboard with the narrative over the facts. Now we're finally seeing more and more acknowledgement that the aircraft is not just more capable, but that it's actually cheaper to own and operate.

 

[kEiThZ]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1725470322520965623