WI 20 yrs ago the RAAF decided to find another replacement for the ageing Mirage IIIOs, instead of OTL the FA-18 Hornet ? What possiblt alternative fighters/attack planes could've been found ?
RAAF doesn't replace Mirage IIIs with FA-18 Hornets
- Thread starter Melvin Loh
- Start date
I wonder if there weren't any other choices? The F16 might be another replacement but is there something about the F18 having greater range and better as a multi-role aircraft? I don't know enought about the Mirage 2000 (whether it was in production yet or was multi-role enough) but that's about the only other member of the Mirage family that might be suitable.
I think we can rule out anything Soviet
and not Tornados, how about saab Viggens (spelling?), they've always look quie nice!
I think we can rule out anything Soviet
and not Tornados, how about saab Viggens (spelling?), they've always look quie nice!The only other serious choice for the RAAF was the F-16. The Mirage 2000 didn't come close, nor did the Kfir.
BTW the F-16 has greater speed & range than the F-18 (we are talking late 1970s/early 1980s models here), but the F-18 was better developed as a multi-role fighter at the time (totally different story now of course).
BTW the F-16 has greater speed & range than the F-18 (we are talking late 1970s/early 1980s models here), but the F-18 was better developed as a multi-role fighter at the time (totally different story now of course).
That was one of the reasons, David, I think there was also a feeling at the time that Europe should do more to have its own weapons programs geared towards its own needs and of coruse there were some political issues (re jobs and the fact that we could still design and build our own aircraft).
Going off track, there was a BAE design for a wholly British design just before the Tornado. I can't remember much about it (I did see a photo of a full size mock up and I think it was swing wing) but it was abandoned when the idea of the joint Tornado project was proposed though a lot fo teh BAE design work got absorbed into the Tornado.
Did the RAAF ever consider buying more than one type of aircraft to replace its Mirages? Ok, at the risk of being accussed of having a harrier fixation did the RAAF consider buying a small batch of these at the time as well as FA18s? They might have been handy for close support either in the Outback (in the very unlikely event of Indonesia attacking) or in the Pacific Islands-no need for runways? Maybe instead of buying 75 FA18s (I think that was the number?), they buy say 60 FA18s and a dozen or so harriers.
Going off track, there was a BAE design for a wholly British design just before the Tornado. I can't remember much about it (I did see a photo of a full size mock up and I think it was swing wing) but it was abandoned when the idea of the joint Tornado project was proposed though a lot fo teh BAE design work got absorbed into the Tornado.
Did the RAAF ever consider buying more than one type of aircraft to replace its Mirages? Ok, at the risk of being accussed of having a harrier fixation
did the RAAF consider buying a small batch of these at the time as well as FA18s? They might have been handy for close support either in the Outback (in the very unlikely event of Indonesia attacking) or in the Pacific Islands-no need for runways? Maybe instead of buying 75 FA18s (I think that was the number?), they buy say 60 FA18s and a dozen or so harriers.DMA said:
Jason said:
Yes, all that would be true, of course.
Jason said:
I'm afraid I know nothing about that. Landshark might be the man to ask as he's into such UK weapons projects that missed out.
Jason said:Did the RAAF ever consider buying more than one type of aircraft to replace its Mirages? Ok, at the risk of being accussed of having a harrier fixation
Nope. The RAAF never considered having two different fighters. In fact it's never really been RAAF policy during times of peace. Usually it's a policy of one fighter & one bomber. And, as I said, only two fighters were seriously considered back in the mid-late 1970s, when replacing the Mirage IIIs - that was the FA-18 & F-16.
Now sure the Harrier's would indeed have been useful, & they are really cool with how they do things, but the problem with defend Australia is the very long distances involved. Alas a Harrier simply hasn't got the range. Of course in Europe it's a completely different story.
Jason said:Did the RAAF ever consider buying more than one type of aircraft to replace its Mirages? Ok, at the risk of being accussed of having a harrier fixation
The problem with harrier is it's range. Now, if Aussies keep carriers or build smaller ones....