F-35 delay's and other restrictions

Hi all more JSF delays...

See:-
http://www.aviationnow.com/avnow/new...s/06144wna.xml

F-35 In-Service Dates Slide
By Robert Wall
06/13/2004 08:29:39 PM

"Top Pentagon officials are about to consider a new course for the
F-35 Joint Strike Fighter that includes delaying the fielding by two
years.
The adjustments are merely the latest ripple stemming from the
Pentagon's realization last year that the fighter is overweight.
Managers have opted to spend more time and money early in the
development program to tackle the weight problem which is impacting,
in particular, the short takeoff and vertical landing (Stovl) version.
Program officials had already delayed design reviews and indicated
first flights of the various models would incur schedule slips.
The move will further complicate deliberations for British military
planners at a time when they are reviewing which version of the
multirole fighter to buy. If the U.K. bows out of the Stovl version,
it would buy the carrier-based configuration instead.
The Pentagon's top acquisition panel is to convene as early as this
week to discuss whether the new schedule is acceptable. The revised
plan calls for the U.S. Marine Corps to remain the first to field the
F-35. However, the in-service date is now projected to be 2012, rather
than 2010. The U.S. Air Force's initial operational capability with
the conventional takeoff and landing version (CTOL) has been delayed
to 2013 from 2011.
The U.S. Navy's carrier-based model would reach service in 2013, a
one-year delay rather than two."

See:-
http://www.themercury.news.com.au/co...55E462,00.html



"US arms sales blocked
By David Uren
14jun04

A PROPOSAL to liberalise American armament sales to Australia and
Britain as a reward for their support of the Iraq war has been blocked
by a powerful Congress committee.

The Bush administration had proposed that the requirement for
Australian and British importers of weapons to obtain US licences be
waived.
The House Committee on International Relations, however, concluded: "A
policy to relax weapons export controls seems unhinged from US
counter-terrorism and non-proliferation policy." The proposal covered
"non-sensitive" military equipment and was based on the assumption
that both Australia and Britain had controls over their weapons
industry that were comparable with those of the US. "


"The committee report, however, found that many of the low-sensitivity
items that would be subject to licence-free shipments could be
expected to figure prominently in the acquisition plans of
international terrorists.

They include shoulder-fired missiles, patrol vessels, body armour,
operational flight trainers, rockets, torpedoes, bombs, mines,
military explosives and propellants and large calibre ammunition. ."

"The committee was critical of Australia's weapons control
procedures."

"Australia's future export control system is still being debated
internally. Little is known about its details."

"It said Australia was wanting the US to change its own laws so that
Australia could gain exemptions from complying with all its
requirements. It also said Australia had given no commitment to
consult the US prior to weapons being re-exported to third countries."



Hmmm...

Doesn't bode well for JSF talks....

Cheers


John Cook

Any spelling mistakes/grammatic errors are there purely to annoy. All
opinions are mine, not TAFE's however much they beg me for them.

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