WI: RAAF F - 104 Starfighters

In the non nuclear role the f104 might be too limited. IIUC in Vietnam USAF F104 carried a pair of 750lb bombs and I think the Mirage carried significantly more than that.
Both the F-104G and Mirage IIIE are quoted on wikipedia (yeah, yeah, I know...) as having a maximum bomb load of around 1800 kg, though stats for the later F-104S suggest the type was able to lug an additional 1000 kg to a useful range (though, in practice this extra warload saw little use).

Combat radii are about the same, given the lack of clarity about mission profile and load

Mirage III claims a longer ferry range by about 400 km. Again, the actual load-out is unclear... we may be comparing one clean vs the other with tanks.

Superficially, the F-104, particularly if you can pick up the '-104S looks much better.

The F-104G has no BVR capability and could lug four IR guided WVR missiles, while the Mirage III nominally has BVR capability but in practice the R.530 proved a total mess, and it's also limited to two WVR missiles. The F-104S, in service from '69 but with a prototype flying in '66 and earlier design studies... well two Sparrows and up to six Sidewinders make it pretty clearly better in the air to air role.
 
The S will be too late for the RAAF, which needs something in 1964.The decision will have to be made by 1961 so the G with fighter-bomber spec would be the most advanced model available .
 
was the Saab Draken suggested for australia?
the J35D had bvr and could carry 4 sidewinders, 2900kg max ordnance load.
the improved F version was produced from '65 onwards
 
Given Sweden wouldn't supply support for the 84 mm carl gustavs during the Vietnam War I would suggest that we dodged a bullet by not getting the draken. It is bad enough that the french applied pressure with the Mirage.
 
Off topic but I am surprised Australia has not shown more interest in the two seat strike variants of the F-15 the US has sold to Israel, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and the ROK. All around more capable than the Super Hornet and it seems to fit Australia's requirements.
 

Errolwi

Monthly Donor
The Supers are a temporary stand-in for the F-35 (like the F-4s were for the F-111).
Less of a new support load than F-15E(/I/K). Also the option to retain EF-18Fs (some of the first batch are wired as such), they have now ordered actual EF-18s.
And they can tank more F-18Fs at a time than F-15s (and their boom capability is only just coming on line now).

They also play games with number of pylons fitted and suchlike to make it harder to distinguish Supers and Classics - hard to pull of with F-15s.
 
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