RAAF releases jet fighter back-up plan

In article , =20
says...
The RAAF originally selected the F/A-18 over the F16. I don't see=20
them acquiring any F16s.
=20
Did that have something to do with HMAS Melbourne, or is that a furphy?

Can't operate fixed wing aircraft off a frigate, but presuming you're=20
talking about our old aircraft carrier, she was way too small for=20
Hornets. A loaded Hornet weighs about half as much again as a Skyhawk -=20
in the region of ten tonnes - and to launch and recover these aircraft=20
safely you need a correspondingly longer catapult and arrestor stroke.

Melbourne's single small catapult would have had to be replaced again,=20
this time with something stretching over half her length. Her launching=20
and recovery areas would have been much the same place, pretty much=20
negating any advantage of having an angled deck (which was only 6=BA=20
anyway) and making the forward elevator useless for much of the time.

I'm not saying it couldn't have been done, but the cost of refitting=20
what was already an elderly ship to operate a very small complement of=20
Hornets wouldn't have been worthwhile.