Federal Government to announce purchase of 72 stealth fighter jets for RAAF

news.com.au ^ | 23rd April 2014

[SZonian]

Delivery means the “customer” has accepted the aircraft. It’s called a DD250 where the Customer Flight Representative or DCMA has inspected the aircraft and found that it has met the customer’s criteria.

Operational means ready for combat. There are 2 forms of “operational”; initial which is a basic form, some weapons and systems are ready. Fully which means all systems and all weapons are tested, vetted and certified.

In order to be ready for combat, the maintainers, pilots and aircraft all have to be deemed qualified. These things take time given the scope and complexity of the program and aircraft. The various partner nations and our 3 services all have unique operating requirements which need to be carefully managed and integrated since these aircraft are designed for inter-operability with each other and the F22.

Training and Test aircraft have logged over 15,000 flight hours...not “hangar queens” in the correct and true definition of the term. The training aircraft have surpassed the test aircraft in flight hours.

I am rather amused and bemused by all of the so-called “aviation experts” who comment on topics or subjects of which they know little to nothing of based purely on other subjective opinions posted with little to no actual research and education on such matters.

[citizen]

2500 @ $100M+ each would be over a quarter trillion just for the aircraft. Plus much more for facilities, maintenance, training, spare parts, etc.
Didn’t Ike warn us to beware the military-industrial complex?

[M Kehoe]

Hi. I hope you are doing well.

Didn’t Ike warn us to beware the military-industrial complex?

Yes, as he was leaving office.

5.56mm

[MeganC]

I know our government is whacked but do you think we will really build a large number of these planes and let them rot in the hangar?

I don't underestimate the capacity of our government for malfeasance.