Cost Effective Air Forces
The Sukhoi Su-35S 'Super Flankers' (above) should be purchased instead of the Joint Strike Fighter. (Image: www.sukhoi.org). |
Air Forces are an
essential part of Australia's Defence Force - but billions can be saved by buying more cost-effective aircraft.
Australia's Air Force is
comprised of about 70 operational
F/A-18A "Hornet" fighters. Regrettably Australia's formidable fleet of F-111's has been retired half way through the aircraft's service life.
24 new F/A-18 "Super Hornets" are being delivered from 2009.
All the F/A-18As are now technically obsolete and unable to compete with the advanced Sukhoi Flankers now becoming the standard fighter plane across the region (See: APA's 'F/A-18A vs. Sukhois'). This is made worse by the emergence of the Chinese J-20 and Sukhoi PAK-FA stealth fighters.
Replacing the 70 F/A-18A with a new fighter is reasonable - the question is which fighter.
We recommend that Australia enter an arrangement with Sukhoi similar to HAL in india to build either Sukhoi Su-35S 'Flanker' or Su-32 'Fullback' aircraft under licence in Australia. The current preference is Su-35S.
Cancelling the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter
The previous government
decided that the few Sukhoi Flankers (costing $A60 Million each) deployed by
our neighbours are such a serious threat
that they need to be countered with 100 Joint Strike Fighters (costing $A160+ Million each). These
will replace all the RAAF's existing
combat aircraft.
Here are some of the major problems with the JSF:
- Cost. Air Power Australia estimates the cost of 100 JSF aircraft is up to $A33 Billion Dollars ($US160-$US230 million each). See Coffin Corners for the Joint Strike Fighter .
Range. The short range of the JSF means they would have to be refuelled several times to fly across Australia.
Single-Engine. This makes the aircraft more vulnerable to engine failure.
Speed. The top speed of the JSF is only 1.6 Mach placing it at a significant disadvantage to Mach 2.4 aircraft such as the super cruising Sukhoi. Wing and engine intake geometry is optimised for sub-sonic flight - so a more powerful engine cannot fix the problem even if one would fit in the small JSF airframe.
Radar. The nose geometry of the JSF limits the aperture of the radar. This makes the JSF dependent on supporting AEW&C aircraft which are themselves vulnerable to long range anti-radiation missiles and jamming. Opposing Sukhoi aircraft have a massive 1 meter radar aperture enabling them to detect and attack at an JSF long before the JSF can detect the Sukhoi.
"Partial Stealth". It is argued that these disadvantages are offset by the JSF being "partially stealthy" in that it has low frontal visibility to millimetre-band radar. However, this is of little value against VHF radar using meter-long wavelengths. Russian engineers are now producing advanced VHF radar systems for the Sukhoi and for ground-based system such as Nebo SVU. As explained by Air Power Australia, this exposes most fighter-sized 'stealth' aircraft. While the radar technology will only improve, the stealth characteristics of the JSF are locked-in with its flawed geometry. more...
Unavailability. The JSF is not expected to start arriving before 2020. As a result the government planned to spend $6.6 Billion on purchasing 24 Super Hornets as an interim solution. (While the Super Hornet is a major step up from the old Hornets it is still inadequate compared to the latest Sukhoi Flankers or even the F-111 it is supposed to replace. See Air Power Australia's Media Release on this topic.)
Weight. The JSF seems to have a serious weight problem and may be unable to take off with a full load of fuel and weapons making it even more dependent on air-tanker support. See Air Power Australia's The Biggest Loser for more on this topic.
Only Four BVR Missiles. The JSF can only carry four air-air missiles (AAM) for Beyond Visual Range (BVR) combat. By contrast late model Sukhoi Flankers can carry a wide range of AAM on twelve hard-points.
Classified Components. The JSF is likely to have a range of components that are 'off-limits' to the ADF and can only be serviced in the US. (Australian Aviation, April 2009)
Air Power Australia JSF Analysis
See Air Power Australia's detailed analysis of the JSF weaknesses.
APA research shows the JSF will be unable to survive an encounter with existing Sukhoi, let alone the new Sukhoi PAK-FA.
What other fighter aircraft are available?
RAAF F/A-18 Hornet (rear 2) with TNI AU Su-27SKM (front) and TNI Su-30MK2 (second) during Exercise Pitch Black, July 2012 (Aus DoD). |
Looking at the specifications of available fighter aircraft suggests that Sukhoi has the best aircraft for Australia where range is so important.
Except for partial X-band stealth, the JSF rates poorly with other fighter aircraft.
The Raptor is still included here as it is currently the world's best fighter plane - but Australia cannot buy it and production has been cancelled.
|
Aircraft |
Approx Ferry Range1 (km) |
Engines |
Super- cruise |
Approx Max Speed (Mach) |
Thrust/ Weight |
Thrust Vectoring / Canards 2 |
Very Low Observability to Radar2 |
Approx Cost ($M USD) |
|
High Capability Aircraft |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chengdu J-20
|
5,000+? |
2 |
Yes |
2+ |
? |
Yes |
Yes |
? |
|
Sukhoi PAK-FA (Not available for export yet) |
5,500 |
2 |
Yes |
2.45 |
1.4 |
Yes |
Yes |
60 |
|
F-22 Raptor 4 (Cancelled 6/4/2009) |
3,200 |
2 |
Yes |
2.4 |
1.2 |
Yes |
Yes |
140 |
|
SU-35S Flanker |
4,500 |
2 |
Semi7 |
2.4 |
1.1 |
Yes |
No |
60 |
|
Su-34 Fullback |
4,000 |
2 |
No7 |
1.8 |
0.7 |
Yes |
No |
60 |
|
F-15E Strike Eagle |
3,900 |
2 |
No |
2.5 |
1.1 |
No |
No |
100 |
|
Lower Capability Aircraft |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Eurofighter Typhoon |
3,790 |
2 |
? |
2.0 |
1.3 |
Yes |
No |
110 |
|
Dassault Rafale |
3,700+ |
1 |
? |
1.8 |
1.1 |
Yes |
No |
70 |
|
F/A-18E/F Rhino |
3,330 |
2 |
No |
1.8 |
- |
No |
No |
1006 |
|
SAAB Grippen |
3,200 |
1 |
No |
2.0 |
0.9 |
Yes |
No |
60 |
|
F-35A Joint Strike Fighter /Lighning II (Available from 2020) |
2,200+ |
1 |
No |
1.6 |
0.9 |
No |
Partial |
1225 |
Notes
Australia is about 4,000 km wide. Aircraft designed for European use such as the Eurofighter Typhoon, Dassault Rafale, Mig-35 or SAAB Gripen have too short a range for use by such a large country as Australia. (Actual range varies with mission.)
Thrust vectoring directs the thrust from the engine and provides high manoeuvrability. Canard fore- planes also improve agility. Aircraft without either are not likely to be very agile.
Sukhoi licences the manufacture of Sukhoi planes and parts in several countries including India and China. Australia could buy entire Sukhoi aircraft and build the avionics, consumables and weaponry locally. Many companies in Russia, Asia, Israel and Europe manufacture Sukhoi components. (Sukhoi is “open source”)
Latest (12/3/10) official price. F-35A price is estimated to be between $160 and $230 each by Air Power Australia.
The ADF is purchasing 24 F/A-18E/F for $A7.6 billion, or $A316 million per aircraft.
The Su-35S is the first non-US fighter with substantial sustained supersonic cruise capability. (APA) more...
The Chengdu J-20 is included for comparison only. Australia should not buy aircraft from non-allied government-owned aircraft companies even if this was possible.
| Aircraft data varies widely between available sources, especially range and price. Arguably range should be replaced with internal fuel. Contact us to contribute. |
Air Power Australia Rating
| Fifth Generation Fighter | F-22A Raptor (Discontinued. APA's Choice.) | T-50 PAK-FA (Prototype - |
J-12/J-XX (Chinese) | F-35 JSF Lightning II (Lib/Lab choice.) | Su-35S |
| APA Score | +2 | +5 | 0 | -8 | +2 |
See the full Air Power Australia comparison at Is the JSF Really a Fifth Generation Fighter?.
Australian Built Sukhoi Flankers
Sukhoi SU-35S (www.sukhoi.org). |
"In strategic terms the Su-35S is a game changer, as it robustly outclasses all competing Western fighter aircraft other than the F-22A Raptor. Deployed in significant numbers it is capable of changing the balance of power in any region where this occurs. This reality does not appear to be widely understood in most Western air forces, or DoD bureaucracies." - Air Power Australia. 23 Aug 2009.
Sukhoi licences the manufacture of Sukhoi planes and parts in several countries including India and China. Australia could buy entire Sukhoi aircraft or build them here as a joint venture with Sukhoi. Alternatively we could just build the avionics, consumables and weaponry locally.
So instead of
buying 100 JSF Australia could build about 70 Sukhoi 'Super Flankers'.
While the Sukhoi does not
have the
partial stealth characteristics of the JSF it does offers
significant other
advantages:
Range. The Su-35 has an effective range of about 4,000km compared to about 2,200 for the JSF. This means the JSF would have to be refuelled to fly from Perth to Brisbane and would require significant air-tanker support to operate outside of Australia's maritime boundary.
Safety. The Su-35 has two engines instead of one on the JSF. This improves the safety and reliability of the Su-35 over single-engined designs.
Manoeuvrability. The Sukhoi's ability to 'turn and burn' greatly improves its ability to escape the missile envelope of an enemy fighter. (JSF proponents view this ability as irrelevant seing as JSF are invisible and all-knowing due to 'the system' providing the JSF pilot with perfect knowledge of all enemy fighter locations).
Speed. The Su-35 is a Mach 2.4 aircraft while the JSF is limited to about Mach 1.6. The replacement of the existing AL-31 engines with new AL-41 engines will provide Sukhoi aircraft supercruise ability - the ability to efficiently cruise at supersonic speed for long distances. Only the much more expensive F-22 Raptor is capable of doing this for extended periods now. Non-supercruising fighters such as the JSF or the F/A-18E would be wholly uncompetitive against the much cheaper supercruising Sukhoi.
Cost. The Su-35 compares well with the projected price of the JSF of $A160 Million each. The Su-35 is also an existing aircraft whereas the JSF is still under development so its true price is unknown and is rumoured to be escalating towards $A200 Million each.
Radar. The Sukhoi has a huge 1-meter diameter radar bay which can accommodate the most powerful radar systems fitted to any combat aircraft. This will enable the Sukhoi driver to detect and destroy partially stealthy aircraft such as the JSF.
Weapons. Various Russian manufacturers produce a wide range of sophisticated air-air missiles (AAM) and seekers on 12 hard-points. The JSF can only carry four AAM. These can be combined in various combinations. Sukhoi can carry a large number of AAM and typically would fire salvos of several different types at a target to defeat any particular counter-measure the target could use. Sukhoi can launch at over Mach 1 imparting more momentum and hence range to the missile. More...
Availability. Sukhoi fighter aircraft have previously been delivered in about 4 months to other nations. The JSF will not be available until at least 2020.
Multiple Suppliers. The Sukhoi Design Bureau licences several manufacturers to build Sukhoi aircraft. The Flanker is like an "open source" aircraft - many manufacturers from Russia, Europe & Asia are already competing to build parts and weaponry that are Sukhoi-compatible. Ideally one of the existing Sukhoi manufacturers could establish a production facility in Australia. (Note too that Australia would be a major customer if it ordered 70 Su-35. This is a much bigger and more lucrative deal for Sukhoi manufacturers than the orders for any ASEAN nation. Australia would not be an expendable 'second tier' customer.)
Proven Design. Sukhoi fighters are the front-line fighter for many nations including Russia, India, China, Malaysia, Vietnam, Ukraine, Chile, Venezuela & Indonesia.
Networking. Sukhoi aircraft are typically networked to each other and other defence assets such as ground based radar capable of exposing 'stealth' aircraft. Australian Sukhoi should be able to be networked to existing RAAF assets such as Jindalee over-the-horizon radar, Wedgetail AEW&C aircraft and RAN submarines. This would give Australian Sukhoi a clear advantage over any intruding Sukhoi, along with the obvious advantage of the Australian Sukhoi being closer to base and fuel.
Australian PAK-FA?
Sukhoi PAK-FA or T-50 prototype on the day of its first flight, January 2010. (Source: Sukhoi News). |
With the cancellation of the US F-22 Raptor in April 2009 the Sukhoi stealth fighter 'PAK-FA' is now set to become the worlds best production fighter plane - and for half the price of the far inferior JSF.
Air Power Australia research indicates that unless the F-22 program is restored and upgraded, the PAK-FA would even defeat the F-22.
Longer term Australia should consider purchasing a small number of PAK-FA aircraft to ensure air-superiority over Australian air space once they become available. Indonesia and other regional countries have shown interest in the PAK-FA.
We do not recommend the PAK-FA yet as it is unclear when the PAK-FA would become available for export with some source indicating this may not be this decade.
See also APA Sukhoi PAK-FA Imagery and Multimedia page.
Australian Su-32 'Fullbacks' ?
Sukhoi Su32 fighter bomber. (Source: Sukhoi). |
The Su-32 'Fullback' (sometimes designated su-34) is a long range strike aircraft and would be of particular value against naval targets. The presurised cabin comes complete with a small toilet and cooking facilities. This coupled with the side-by-side seating configuration maintains crew effectiveness on long missions.
This aircraft would offer similar capabilities to the scrapped F-111. The Su-32 has lower maximum speed and range but higher maneuverability due to its front cannard foreplanes.
For more information read Air Power Australia's analysis of Su-32/Su-34 capabilities: Russia's New Heavy Strike Fighter
F-22 Raptor Cancellation
On the 6th April 2009 Secretary of Defense Gates has called for production of the US F-22 'Raptor' to be phased out by fiscal year 2011, leaving the USAF with 187 fighters.
The cancellation of the F-22 will make Sukhoi aircraft the most capable production fighter planes available. It also marks a historic shift in air-power from the US to Russia and the countries that use Russian defence technology. This will be compounded by sales of the Sukhoi's stealth fighter the PAK-FA in 2015.
It had been suggested by Air Power Australia and others that Australia should purchase the F-22 instead of the JSF. Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon has stated: "I intend to pursue American politicians for access to the Raptor". As only 40 or 50 of these aircraft would have been required it is possible that they could be purchased for about the same amount as the JSF. Since the stealth characteristics of the Raptor are far better than the smaller JSF the Raptor has a clear advantage over existing Sukhoi aircraft.
However:
- The whole project has now been cancelled.
- No F-22 has ever been exported to any country - even Israel. (In February 2008, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said he had no objection to sale of the Raptor to Australia, but Congress would have to change the law.)
- Any exported F-22 would be less capable than the US version and Australia would have limited access to sensitive technologies on the aircraft. This raises the question of whether we would really own the aircraft and whether it can be "turned off" remotely by one means or another. (Locally built Sukhoi would be totally "ours".)
- There is nill chance of the F-22 being manufactured locally. We would be totally dependent on a continuous stream US-supplied parts to keep the planes flying. (Sukhoi licences India & China to manufacture whole aircraft now.)
- Export approval would only be likely for nations that could be relied upon to back the US in any conflict. Australia's independence and freedom of action is likely to be eroded by such a purchase. (Sukhoi are exported to anyone with the money.)
- Choosing the F-22 does not yield any cost saving over the JSF.
Hardening and Distributing Bases
Hardened Aircraft Shelter at Volkel Air Base, Netherlands (Source: Wikipedia) |
All key RAAF assets should be distributed across Australia in hardened shelters. Ideally these bases would be some distance away from the coast as the most likely source of a surprise attack would be submarine-launched cruise-missiles. These measures would greatly increase the difficulty of mounting a surprise attack and the likelihood of it succeeding. (See APA's Hardening RAAF Air Base Infrastructure for more details.)
Video: Su-35 BM Technology and Weapons
Video: PAK-FA Flight Test
Air Power Australia
Visit Air Power Australia's great web site for detailed analysis
on:
- Why regional Sukhoi outclass the Hornet & Joint Strike Fighter.
- Why surface warships are so vulnerable.
- Why Australia needs to buy the F-22 Raptor
if it wants air dominance in the region. (
NewAustralia just wants self defence.) - Why cheap Sukhoi with Russian Air-Air Missiles will defeat the expensive JSF and 'Super' Hornet. See also article on likely two stage hybrid BVR combat missile.
- The latest updates & news.
- All other air-force related issues.
JSC Sukhoi
Military aircraft page.
News page.
KnAPPO
KnAPPO is the current manufacturer of the Su-35.
2013 White Paper
7th May 2013: 12 more super hornets are to be bought as the JSF is still some way off. As per analysis on this page these aircraft will be no match for the Sukhoi aircraft being deployed into the region. Article.
Defence obsessed with JSF
20th Feb 2013: Former defence minister Joel Fitzgibbon has slammed the defence force chiefs he once worked with as 'obsessed' with the JSF. His attempts to look at alternative aircraft were thwarted. Article.
T-50's for sale?
6th Feb 2013: Sukhoi shows T-50 / PAK-FA model in Indian colour at AERO INDIA 2013. This suggests Australia could also buy or make T-50. Sukhoi News.
More JSF delays
28th Jan 2013: According to a leaked draft of the 2013 defence white paper, Australia will take delivery of just two Lockheed Martin JSFs by 2020. Article.
Canada reconsiders JSF
8th Dec 2012: Canada joins Italy in reconsidering their JSF purchase. Article.
Super Jet Tragedy
10th May 2012: The loss of a new Sukhoi Super Jet in Indonesia is a major blow to Sukhoi. Our condolences to those lost. Article. List of passengers and crew.
JSF delayed again
4th May 2012: Defence minister Stephen Smith announces the JSF project will be delayed again to cut costs: Article.
Italy Cuts JSF Order
15th Feb 2012: Italy is the latest countryto slash Joint Strike Fighter orders - Australia should too.
more...
More JSF Delays
30th Jan 2012: Following US budget cuts the JSF will be delayed even further which probably means more inadequate 'Super' Hornets.
more...
Third PAK-FA Flying
22nd Nov 2011: Sukhoi JSC says third PAK-FA prototype is flying. PAK-FA have undertaken over a hundered flights now indicating the program is progressing well.
more...
New Fighters are Lemons
3rd Nov 2011: Pentagon warned of 'serious mishaps [and] a higher risk of catastrophic failure' if it did not delay training for pilots on the F-35 fighter.
more...
JSF Review a sham
9st Feb 2011: Wikileaks: The review by federal Labor to justify its commitment to the JSF was just a public relations exercise, according to comments by former defence minister Joel Fitzgibbon. more....
Chengdu J-20 Analysis
9th Jan 2011: APA analysis on China's new F-111
sized stealth fighter. more...
China's New Stealth Fighter
31st Dec 2010: What China's New J-20 Stealth Fighter Means for the F-35 JSF and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. more....
Not your father's flanker
30th Mar 2010: "Defence Today" article on the Su-35S. more...
F-22/PAK-FA vs. F/A-18/JSF
30th Mar 2010: Why the F-22 and the Sukhoi PAK-FA have the 'Right Stuff' and why the F/A-18 and the F-35 do not. APA NOTAM
JSF now $M122 each.
10th Mar 2010: "The price for each of the US-built new-generation fighter jets that will form the centrepiece of Australia's future air defences is nearing $122 million - more than double the 2001 estimate.." more...
New APA PAK-FA Analysis
16th Feb 2010: "The emergence of the Russian Sukhoi PAK-FA marks the end of the United States' quarter century long monopoly on the design of ... stealth aircraft" more...
More turbulence for JSF
3rd Feb 2010: "The troubled Joint Strike Fighter project - upon which Australia is relying for its next generation of attack aircraft - has struck further chaos" more...
Sukhoi PAK-FA to dominate
2nd Feb 2010: "All indications at this time are that the conclusions of the two 2009
JSF Delayed Again
26th Nov 2009: JSF pushed back to 2018, and that's just the first 14. By this time they will be flying against the new sukhoi PAK-FA more...
Bistatic Radar
21th Nov 2009: APA analysis of new barrier radar system that can detect aircraft like the JSF. more...
Su-35 L-Band Radar
14th Sep 2009: APA analysis of new radar system to be fitted to the wings of Su-35 to detect aircraft like the JSF. more...
F-35 2 years late
25th July 2009: 'An internal Pentagon board has found that the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program - the cornerstone of Australia's future air defence - is two years behind the publicly announced schedule.' more...
First F/A-18F Completed
9th July 2009: 'Australia's first new Super Hornet to be acquired under a $US6 billion ($7.6 billion) deal has been unveiled in a glitzy ceremony held in a cavernous aircraft hangar at the Boeing factory in St Louis in the United States.' more...
APA on F-22 Cancellation
15th Apr 2009: America's Self-Induced Strategic Death Spiral: Why Australia will not be able to rely on the US for protection any more. more...
F-22 Cancelled
6th Apr 2009: The F-22 program has been terminated by the US government. This leaves the far cheaper Russian Sukhoi Flanker as the worlds best production fighter plane. The new PAK-FA will now far exceed the capability of any 'Western' fighter plane in production.more...
Assessing the JSF
12th Nov 2008: Dr Carlo Kopp's latest analysis. "It is now abundantly clear that the Joint Strike Fighter is not going to be viable in Beyond Visual Range air combat, just as it was clear from the outset that it would never be a serious player in Within Visual Range air combat." more...
JSF 'Clubbed' by Flankers
11th Sept 2008: JSF jets, for which Australia is likely to pay $16 billion, were comprehensively beaten in highly classified simulated dogfights against Russian-built Sukhoi fighter aircraft. The war games, conducted at Hawaii's Hickam airbase last month, were witnessed by at least four RAAF personnel and a member of Australia's peak military spy agency, the Defence Intelligence Organisation. more...
6 Flankers for $M335
11th Sept 2008: Indonesia to buy six Sukhoi jet fighters worth $US335 million. (E.g. $A55 Million each). more...