Tindal possible JSF home base

Volume 48, No. 20, November 2, 2006

BASING decisions on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) are “a couple of years away”, according to DCAF AVM John Blackburn.

AVM Blackburn was speaking at a media briefing on the current status of the JSF on October 10.

He said that there will always be a JSF presence at Tindal because of its continued use as the Air Force’s major base and training area in the Northern Territory.

However, several considerations will need to be addressed when determining its home base, including the question of where the personnel involved in operating the platform and their families want to live.

The Australian program will reach another major milestone towards the end of the year when Defence seeks first-pass approval as well as getting approval from government to sign the Production, Sustainment and Follow-on Development Memorandum of Understanding (PSFDMOU), which will govern the remaining life of the JSF program.

Director General New Aircraft Combat Capability AIRCDRE John Harvey said: “We believe we are in good shape and will be seeking government approval to sign the PSFDMOU before the end of the year”.

AIRCDRE Harvey stressed that although the MOU covers the life of the program, it is not a commitment to buy any aircraft. That would be covered by the second-pass approval, which Defence plans to achieve by the end of 2008.

He said that based on analysis, Air Force will need four operational squadrons and a training unit of the F-35s, which equates to around 100 aircraft.

The first Australians would commence training on the aircraft in around 2010, however, the USAF had indicated to all partner countries that opportunities will be made available for pilots to fly the aircraft earlier during development tests.

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