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When comparing the ADF and CF, and their funding, two questions seem apparent: for what roles do you really need uniformed personnel, and how long do you spend money on obsolescent equipment, even if it remains serviceable, to the detriment of investment in new platforms and capabilities?

There wouldn't be too many metrics against which the ADF would be smaller than the Canadian Forces though.

I suspect the two "sides" are just so far apart on fundamental issues of "fact" and "judgement" that consensus is most likely not possible.  There are a lot of audits undertaken in the defence procurement space, the vast majority never get close to this level of disputation. 

I think a lot of folk were expecting this deal to be sidelined by the ongoing Brexit chaos.  Should be a major capability upgrade for the UK. The defence secretary oversells the equipment commonality with Aus though: the RAAF will operate the F-35A, while the Hunter class will be very different...

The total buy is 25, with 7 to be used as parts.

Would the RCAF bother with the structural upgrades though?  When the RAAF did the math on that they decided they weren't needed given the low hours on the airframes and the planned phase out timetable  (the classics have a pretty short lifespan ahead of them in RAAF service, with the last of the...

So Canada fitted ejection seats and engines that were different than other F-18 operators?  RAAF seats differ from USN only in terms of the harness. "Canada’s CF-18s are of a similar configuration to those of the RAAF, having undergone an extensive upgrade in the late 1990s and early 2000s to...

Wasn't that the the aim of the purchase; to acquire airframes with significantly fewer fight hours to provide flexibility in managing the fleet until eventual replacement? I'd be surprised if the cost was "great" though. Conversion seems to be limited to things like changing the seat harness...

The Hunter class will be equipped with MU-90 like the Hobarts.

Yes, the Brit tourist in Aus; not a style you really want to copy....,, :o

The only folk ever to be seen in Australia wearing hats with corks are foreign tourists. So yes, a hat like that will certainly let the locals know you’ve only just arrived in country...  ;D

The deal includes seven (of 25 total) aircraft that are to be broken down and used for spares.  Might as well do that in Aus.

To be fair, he’s comparing NH-90 and tiger in ADF service compared to other forces.  The ADF probably has pushed a lot harder than most of those countries.  There were some interesting statistics on equipment availability in the German armed forces recently.

Seems like there was a lot of "t crossing"  and "i dotting" by some very experienced and independent people as part of the RAN future submarine selection process:  http://www.defence.gov.au/casg/NewsMedia/News/DCNS_announced

For the RAN the combat system will be Aegis, with SAAB developing an interface layer between that and non-Aegis "native" sensors and weapons like the CEAFAR and CEAMOUNT radars.  It probably leverages off work they did to integrate earlier versions of CEAFAR, MU-90 etc into the 9LV CMS.

There wouldn't be much of the Hawkei that couldn't be produced domestically or sourced from a variety of alternative suppliers if need be, and Land 400 vehicles will be built in Aus as a strategic choice.  Given the history of the programs, the ADF probably wishes it could control the supply...

Without a robust local industry the ADF would be dependent on supply lines stretching half way across the globe for the supply and major repair of vehicles.  And while the US army's MRAP was no doubt cheaper than Bushmaster, the latter is probably a much better fit for their requirements and...

It will be interesting to see how well BAE supports the design and construction of three very different variants of the GCS base design concurrently.

With the AESA CEAFAR2-L and CEAMOUNT, the same Aegis CMS with CEC, greater displacement and room for additional Mk41 cells, I wouldn't be surprised if the new Hunter class matches or surpasses the Hobarts as an air warfare platform.

Auscam was an OK evolution of the USMC P42 pattern.