My comments regarding the fact that the cost of keeping the F-111s
flying is equivalent to the cost of raising two regular infanry
battalions was meant as an illustration of the comparitive spending
power of the defence dollar. That's all. I was not advocating raising
those battalions at the expense of the RAAF. I can't see how anyone
would have arrived at a different conclusion.

Our updated F/A-18s with AWAC and tanker support would be a much
better match for SU-27s - should our neighbours ever actually take
possesion - than the F-111 which we did not even consider to be up to
an appropriate standard to deploy to the Gulf.

Here's a question - what's the point having a good strike aircraft if
the enemy has already knocked them out on the ground? The F-111
scarcely has a defence - its EW equipment is non-existant and its best
move is to run. Thus if an attack was launched against us the Hornets
would be the only defence of the F-111s on the ground. There would be
no point having the F-111s take-off to defend the airbase - their best
option would be to runaway to another base. We can't afford to have
combat aircraft that can't fight.

I'm not against the idea of leasing F-15s till the JSF comes on line -
I just wonder about the cost. It may be a good move.