DID has covered the recent controversies over Australia's involvement in the F-35 Lightning II program, amid criticisms that the new aircraft will be unable to compete with proliferating SU-30 family aircraft in the region, lacks the required range or response time, and will either be extremely expensive at $100+ million per aircraft in early (2013-2016) production or will not be available until 2018 or later. The accelerated retirement of Australia's 22 long-range F-111s in 2010 has sharpened the timing debate in particular, with a recently retired Air Vice-Marshal and the opposition Labor Party both weighing in with criticisms and alternative force proposals.In December 2006, The Australian reported that Defence Minister Brendan Nelson is discussing an A$ 3 billion (about $2.36 billion) purchase of 24 F/A-18F Block II Super Hornet aircraft around 2009-2010, a move that came as "a surprise to senior defence officials on Russell Hill"; but is now an official purchase, including a $1+ billion component of the order that just went through….
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