Examining the logical option

The Australian media worked itself up into a real frenzy after Defence Minister Stephen Smith’s comments about the possibility of acquiring more Super Hornets during his visit to Washington DC in July. Smith said that another batch of Super Hornets was the “logical option” when asked by the ABC what the RAAF would do if there were further delays to the F-35 JSF program.

It’s interesting to speculate on whether Smith was just holding the JSF Program Office (JPO) and Lockheed Martin’s ‘feet to the fire’ on the issue of the F-35’s costs and schedule, or whether he is setting himself up to possibly emulate former Defence Minister Brendan Nelson’s decision to acquire the original batch of F/A-18Fs, supposedly against ADF advice back in 2006.