Australia’s Senate panel recommends buying another fighter as hedge against F-35A

Australia’s Senate committee on Foreign Affairs, Defense and Trade has recommended that the Defense Department implement a “hedging strategy” against any delay with the F-35 program by 2019.

Australian F-35 pre-launch 150127-F-BW200-075
By Staff Sgt. Timothy Boyer (https://www.dvidshub.net/image/1738569) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

The committee was not convince that there is a credible alternative to the Lockheed Martin plane and the jet “is the only aircraft able to meet Australia’s strategic needs for the foreseeable future.”

However, Senators also had a “healthy skepticism” that the jet can be delivered on time and on cost. Thus, the panel has recommended the hedge as Australia will be phasing out legacy Hornets at the end of the decade.