Aussie Defence Spokesman say Australia's 72 F-35's will be the most potent warplanes in the world...

via News.Com.AU

Australia has at least two F-35s that will likely require many millions being sunk into reconstruction and upgrade before they are fully capable of fighting on the front line.

Or they could be restricted to limited training roles, reducing the number of the incredibly expensive aircraft available for active duty.
Or they could be handed to pilots expected to fly into combat with the software and hardware equivalent of one arm tied behind their back.

A spokesman for the Defence Minister has rejected any suggestions Australia’s F35s won’t be combat ready.

Australia does not possess any F-35A Lightning II Block 2B variants,” he said.
“Both of our planes were updated more than a year ago. The Australian F-35 is currently operating a much newer software package, the Block 3i. This is similar to the types of planes operating in South Korean military exercises a few weeks ago.

“The Australian fighters cannot be compared directly to the experiences of the United States Air Force. Australia’s 72 Joint Strike Fighters will be the most potent warfighting planes in the world.”

But the US Marines F-35B ‘jump jet’ variants being operated in South Korea are also not yet fully operational. Their “Initial Operational Capability (IOC)” status means they are flying under restricted parameters and with limited sensor integration and weapons loads.
And they face the same - if not more - costly hurdles to bring them up to “Full Operational Capability” as their air force F-35A siblings.

Story here. 

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