RAAF: Super Hornets to Fill Gap Until F-35 is Fielded?

su-34 would do just right... exept 4 integration issues and politics

actually fb-22 would do much better IF it was build. any info on it?

just read probably the best soulution overall. buy about 55 f-22s then buy just about every f-111 spare part/airframe and completely rebuild them.
they got completely new electronics in about '99 so that will be fine.
f-119 or f-135 engines will fit fairly easily into engine bays.
new radar for new weapons such as amraam and jssam.
maybe some RCS reductions
bring some ex us ef-111s into service with these upgrades as well

www.ausairpower.net/TE-F-111-Supercruise-2001.html

55 F-22's
30 F-111h's
5 EF-111's

that would do just nicely

[edit on 17-1-2007 by Forsazh]

Hell, why do all that when you can get some brand new pimped out F-15E Super Eagles? Say, what's the current F-111 got on the Strike Eagle?

Originally posted by WestPoint23
Say, what's the current F-111 got on the Strike Eagle?

Well, let's have a look:

F-111G F-15E

Range: 3'100 NM 2,400 miles (ferry range w/max fule capacity)

Speed: Mach 2.5 Mach 2.5

Max T/O
Weight: 100'000 LBS. 81'000 LBS.

Ceiling: 60'000 FT. 50'000 FT.


These are the areas I could find where the F-111 matches or outclasses the F-15E.

Tim

Originally posted by WestPoint23
Hell, why do all that when you can get some brand new pimped out F-15E Super Eagles? Say, what's the current F-111 got on the Strike Eagle?

F 15 with Raytheon APG-63(V)3 Active Electronically Scanned Array, would
do nicely with harpoon capability and all the latest in weaponry
40 aircraft with the remainder to be RAPTORS.

Thats right Tim, it should also be remembered that the F-15E only exists because an earlier proposal for Grumman to build the Tornado for the USAF was not acceptable to the NIH (Not Invented Here) lobbyists within the US Govt, incidentally the Tornado also falls short of the F-111 in certain areas, like range for example.
Although it also falls short of the TSR.2 that Britain and Australia could both have had by 1970 (three years before the F-111) but thats another discussion entirely.

Tim, I'm saying that if Australia wants to replace the F-111 then the F-15E makes the most sense. It offers long range, a heavy payload (especially the "Super Eagle" variant offered by Boeing) and advanced sensors/weapons. In Fact the avionics/sensors/weapons that could come with the F-15E are more advanced than what the F-111 is carrying now.

So, why has Australia not shown any interest in the Strike Eagle?

Originally posted by WestPoint23
So, why has Australia not shown any interest in the Strike Eagle?

Because if you want to replace something, you want to replace it with something significantly better.

The F-15E is not significantly better than the F-111 in the roles required by the RAAF.


[Similar to the F-14/F-18 argument really - some (well, many) would argue that an updated design F-14 building on the lessons learnt, and incorporating new avionics would perform the missions required better than the "Super"Bug]

Originally posted by kilcoo316
Because if you want to replace something, you want to replace it with something significantly better.

The F-15E is not significantly better than the F-111 in the roles required by the RAAF.

Nothing but a bomber currently offers F-111 type range and payload.

Anyway, you advocated the Su-34? Significantly Better? Don't think so. In some respects the F-15E+ would be better than the F-111, weapons, avionics/sensors. However the F-15E is better than the SU-34 in every category mentioned so far, max external payload, range, avionics/sensors, weapons, speed etc...

Originally posted by WestPoint23
Anyway, you advocated the Su-34? Significantly Better? Don't think so. In some respects the F-15E+ would be better than the F-111, weapons, avionics/sensors. However the F-15E is better than the SU-34 in every category mentioned so far, max external payload, range, avionics/sensors, weapons, speed etc...

Learn something every day


I thought the Fullback was much larger and heavier than the F-15E - whoops.