It seems that Australia’s next fighter jet, the F-35 may well be an expensive dud.
From The Australian last week:
Nevertheless, like Australia the British Parliament has been grossly misled about the costs involved.
The British politicians have been told that each Joint Strike Fighter will cost between £77 million and £100 million. Thanks to research work by Deborah Haynes, the defence editor of The Times, the British learned that the cost of the aircraft was actually more than £150 million…
…But then there are extras which take the total cost to £7 billion for the 21 JSF or a total cost per aircraft of £333 million — that’s more than $US400 million and about twice The Times’ estimate, which did not include all the ancillary requirements…
…But for the poor British, the JSF morass is even worse than The Times outlined. The British are buying the F-35B or the aircraft carrier version called ‘the STOVL’ (short takeoff and vertical landing). But it now looks as though the STOVL version of the JSF has a flying distance range that is substantially below what is required to be a serious aircraft carrier weapon. So not only are the British going to pay an enormous price for the JSF, but they have also outlaid a huge amount for an aircraft carrier that can only be used for the JSF. It is a double blow.
To top it off, the British have been studying the video of the JSF at the Paris Air Show. Because the aircraft was flying at very high levels, those on the ground couldn’t really follow what was going on. But the videos showed that the JSF was really struggling despite some excellent flying by its test pilot. And just to rub the salt deep into the British wounds Moscow has had its own air show and showed off its new Sukhoi Su-35 aircraft which performed with unbelievable brilliance. There was no comparison. And, of course we all know, the Indonesians are going to buy the Russian Sukhoi Su-35 aircraft.
I am no expert on jet aircraft. So hopefully all the predictions are wrong.
However, it is not just the capability of the F-35 that Australians should worry about. Because even if it turns out to be everything promised, the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has just embarked on a program to produce second-rate pilots.
This scandal is far worse. And it comes to us thanks to the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), which now appears to be running the nation’s military.
You can forgive the AHRC for being dud military commanders.
No one in there has any military experience at all. And it is flat out like a lizard drinking (if I am still allowed to use the phrase) dealing with racist cartoonists, racist uni students, rape-filled uni campuses and an entire nation of racist businesses that can only be solved with expensive PR campaigns to promote the AHRC Commissars of Enlightenment (at taxpayer expense of course).
So even if the AHRC was filled with Rommels and Pattons, they don’t have much time to devote to military matters anyway.
Despite this, the AHRC’s Kate Jenkins has provided a series of recommendations to the RAAF. She is a human rights lawyer (appointed by the Turnbull government as Sex Discrimination Commissioner) and so knows nothing about combat air power or how to manage it.
Yet the RAAF has accepted and is implementing 62 of Jenkins’ 65 recommendations.
What are they about?
Not improving Defence capability.
Instead, they are all about turning Top Gun into Miss Gun.
Apparently, the AHRC is unhappy that we don’t have a female fast jet fighter pilot in Australia. And that has to change, even if it means the RAAF becomes so degraded that it is virtually pointless.
To gain a taste of the insanity in the AHRC’s report, ‘Improving Opportunities for Women to Become Fast Jet Pilots in Australia’, one only needs to read three paragraphs on page 9:
ACG Command report that they are losing male pilots due to the physical requirements of intensive air-to-air combat training combined with high G-force. They report that fast jet pilot trainees who excel in all other areas of the training program may fail due to their inability to manage repeated head-turning under G-force.
ACG report that there are physical injuries associated with fast jet flying, predominantly relating to soft tissue back and neck injury. When the Commission visited ACG at Williamtown Base, Command advised that five pilots were grounded due to neck and back injuries. Injury for female pilots during dog-fighting is a concern for Command at ACG. Over the years, Command have debated the ways to optimise the training while avoiding injury. This includes implementing training techniques to alleviate the need for so much head movement at G-force. Some members at ACG suggested that pilots could prop their head against the seat and move it from side to side without making large head turning movements. ACG will need to consider these options if it is to sustain a female and male pilot workforce with increased operating capacity in future years.
A number of female pilots reported that the U.S. Air Force streams its pilots into specialities and not all fast jet pilots are required to be highly skilled in dog-fighting techniques. While the number of pilots in the U.S. Air Force is significantly larger than that of the Air Force, this pyramid model may be worthy of further exploration by ACG.
I know that staff at the AHRC probably prefer finger-painting and often do not have English as a first language. And even if they did, it is probably frowned-upon as some vestigial hangover from the days of offensive colonialism. But the language in this report is clear enough.
The AHRC recognises that even males struggle to meet the physical requirements of intensive air-to-air combat. So it has decided that air-to-air combat training should be watered down or even done away with altogether so that we can have glossy magazines with sheilas standing in front of fighter jets.
And it put forward 65 recommendations to achieve that outcome. Here are just some of the more outrageous recommendations that the AHRC has put forward.
- Create a Female Pilot Workforce Development Unit filled with HR experts (instead of Air Combat experts) to manage such things as maternity leave (recommendation 1.2).
- Provide female pilot trainees with extra non-tested training in PC-9 aircraft (recommendation 1.4).
- Provide female pilot trainees with extra non-tested training in Hawk aircraft (recommendation 1.5).
- Redesign the pilot training program and tailor it for each individual female trainee so that it can provide opportunities for ‘Miss Top Gun’ to also become ‘Mrs Mum’ (recommendation 1.13).
- Implement recruitment quotas for female trainee pilots with cash bonuses for all when females graduate (recommendation 2.1).
- Mandate ‘unconscious bias’ training for all recruiting staff (recommendation 2.7).
- Ensure equal gender representation of RAAF members at all stages of recruitment (recommendation 2.8).
- Redesign medical assessment policies to remove ‘unwanted barriers’ for female pilots (recommendation 2.10).
- Redesign spatial visualisation assessments to account for ‘gender bias’ (recommendation 2.13).
- Re-engineer the common-sense of the 50% plus of RAAF members who disagree with strategies to water down pilot training programs to produce female fighter pilots through ‘zero-tolerance’ gender diversity training (recommendation 2.14).
- Provide females with additional training on technical flying requirements (recommendation 3.1).
- Change the testing parameters for test flights (recommendation 3.2).
- Redesign the pilot training program so that there are less tested flights (recommendation 3.3).
- Allow pilot trainees to ‘negotiate’ their instructional preferences with instructors (recommendation 3.5).
- Increase training on visualisation skills for females who do not have the same natural ability as males (recommendation 3.7).
- Ensure changes to training programs are promoted as ‘gender neutral’ so that females do not feel like the changes are being made for them (recommendation 3.8).
- Provide females with coaching on ‘controlled aggression’ which they do not naturally exhibit (recommendation 3.9).
- Provide female trainees with a week of non-tested flight training in the RAAF’s front-line combat wing (recommendation 3.10).
- The RAAF is to acknowledge its masculine culture and the ‘cultural advantage’ this bestows on males (recommendation 4.1).
- Review training curriculum to remove ‘gendered’ language (recommendation 4.2).
- Run propaganda programs across the RAAF to explain that gender diversity actually increases combat capability (recommendation 4.7).
- Prioritise females as flying instructors (even though no females have qualified as fast jet pilots) (recommendation 4.9).
- Monitor the F-35 design so that it is female friendly (recommendation 5.1).
- Modify air-to-air combat training so that pilot trainees who cannot withstand the physical requirements can still pass (recommendation 5.2).
- Redesign flight suits so that they ‘conform to the female body shape’ (recommendation 5.4).
- Allow females to have shorter return of service obligations to the RAAF than males (recommendation 6.1).
- Train men to stop being upset that they are required to serve in the RAAF longer than females and to instead become ‘advocates of gender inclusivity’ (recommendation 6.2).
- Adjust posting procedures across the entire Defence Force to allow female pilots returning from maternity leave extra flexibility (recommendation 6.4).
- Train extra female pilots to cater for the requirements of maternity leave (recommendation 6.6).
Remember, these recommendations have all been accepted and are now being implemented across the RAAF.
And it seems that Kate Jenkins is putting ‘discrimination’ back into the role of Sex Discrimination Commissioner.
Males in the Air Force are now second class Defence members. Whether they work in recruiting or fly an F-18, females will be prioritised over them, regardless of whether they are actually capable of the job.
Females will also be given favourable treatment when it comes to recruitment, posting, leave and training opportunities. Not because they are better at being fighter pilots. But because they can’t make the grade that already exists.
It is being lowered too. And this all means that qualified, motivated, patriotic blokes will end up missing out on jobs in the RAAF as a result of Kate Jenkins’ recommendations.
And for the males that do make it through, they will also be required to watch as females are allowed to walk away from the RAAF and into higher paid civilian roles before they can.
This point also needs making:
The AHRC is an organisation that has already hounded one Australian to his grave. And now it has virtually been given command of the institution meant to protect the rest of us.
Heaven help us all.
And while we cannot blame the AHRC for being a bunch of military numpties, no one should forgive the RAAF top brass for handing over control of the nation’s air defences to a bunch of social engineers living in ivory towers inside the Canberra bubble of insanity.
The RAAF’s lethal ‘White Ribbon’ C-17. White Ribbon is an organisation so dedicated for women’s rights that it campaigns for unregulated abortion, including gender-selection abortion…
August 10, 2017
When I read about this sort of Bureaucratic rubbish, I thank whatever deity is in charge of this mess known as the “human race” that I was dragged screaming out the gate of the RAAF in 1990 having served, man and boy, for thirty years full time and ten years part time.
Has our Military not been subject to the micro-management of amateurs, to great detriment, in years gone by? And have we not learned?
How can our senior commanders kowtow to so many obviously rubbish bureaucrat inspired orders?
“I voss only followink orders!” has a familiar ring to it.
The Government sets the Aim and the Military does the Job! Finish!
August 11, 2017
P.S. Our fighter pilots, from “Top Gun” to “Pop Gun”.
August 9, 2017
Another big WTF moment brought to you by the HRC.
Weakening our Military to conform to perceived imaginary diversity requirements is nothing but BS.
It should always be the better person for the job not whether you are male or female.
August 3, 2017
FFS ex RAAFie. Do your research BG certainly has served. As soon as I read your first wrong statement I knew the rest would be total BS.
August 3, 2017
Go the Suffragettes !!! Go stand in front of an air intake & FOD an engine please !
August 3, 2017
As an infantry PL sgt I recntly suggested to my NCOs that we should all assist with the Pathway to Change, by transitioning to women and forming the first all female transgendet led INF platoon in the army!
No one would fail a BFA thats for sure. And if it didn’t work out, given the whole deal is fluid you could always transition back. Lol
August 3, 2017
You’re an ideas man.
You can take that one straight to the pool room.
August 2, 2017
Clearly this is a miss information exercise by the RAAF. I think they are trying to bluff our “enemies” into believing that the once mighty RAAF has become a nannies home, while all along they are recruiting and training the best PILOTS that Australia has to offer, of which I’m sure there are many, regardless or gender/strength etc. So now I’m going to fuel the pig up and have a quick fly. My god what has become of this country? Even if half the stuff listed above is true.
August 2, 2017
Look, Bernie, I think your being a bit harsh. Those changes don’t go far enough. Here’s a couple I think are essential.
1. The word “cockpit” (I nearly choked on my latte just saying it) has to go. It’s clearly sexist. I propose “gender neutral jet seat”.
2. All fighter jets to be fitted with makeup mirrors. This, of course, is a given.
3. A hook to hang handbags and makeup kits must be added, preferably near the choke for easy and quick access.
4. Automatic Tampon Removers installed with a very clear sign warning non-surgical trans pilots and cis males not to touch!
5. Training in basic Arabic so that, in the event of being shot down by surface to air missiles over hot spots like Lakemba and Footscray, just before being either violently sodomised or beheaded (or both) by Muslim terrorists sympathetic to ISIS, female pilots can fluently offer to have themselves enslaved. Worth a try.
6. All planes fitted with basinet carriers and room for an in-air nanny. The nanny can be given a short course on jet flying so she can step in while mum is breast feeding. Obviously, mum will be able to go out of formation while this is happening leaving it to the blokes to carry on without her. Let’s face it, she’s going to be next to useless, anyway!
These are just a few little basic changes and are well overdue. If any of the girls actually see combat, after taking into account period leave, stress leave, compassionate leave, domestic violence leave, annual leave, maternity leave and a special new leave for female pilots only, they are to be excused from doing anything that the blokes have to do on the basis that it would be clearly sexist to force them to do tasks inappropriate to their physical attributes.
Your thoughts?
August 2, 2017
In the near future i think we will be seeing fast fighter jets dropping from the sky. Talk about discriminate against males. Soon the RAAF will only be allowed to employ rainbow snowflakes and women so that will be the last straw when it comes to Australias defences. May as well put out the white flag now. The HRC needs to drop from the sky. Disgraceful.
August 2, 2017
You have wrongly interpreted every single recommendation. Yes I don’t necessarily agree with the report, but I have taken the time to actually read it.
For those who are being blindsided by this, here is the report.
http://www.defence.gov.au/FOI/Docs/Disclosures/138_1617_Documents.pdf
August 2, 2017
Thanks Evidence Finder.
However, you got off to a bad start. I actually included the link to the report in the article. So don’t think you get any pretend browny points for doing what I already have.
And I have not misinterpreted a single recommendation.
But feel to try and prove me wrong. You could give an example of how I did so. Not for every single recommendation. I’ll let you try and start with just one…
August 3, 2017
Bernard as a former male RAAF member I get rather disappointed with people like you who have never served writing reports condemning particular strategies. Females in the defence force already have a hard enough time in a male dominated work force, if they do get promoted they receive a backlash of its because your female, never a pat on the back saying you deserved that.
It’s fairly obvious that pilots training should be adjusted. With only male pilots it means that training has been adapted so that male pilots pass, as females may very well learn in different ways so training should be tailored so that more pilots pass not just females.
As for the air to air combat, dog fighting is no longer required with today’s weapons and radar systems if you get close to another jet your dead
August 3, 2017
@ Evidence Finder & exRAAFie. The pair of you are clowns. ExRAAFie I take particular aim at you as you clearly have not got a clue about what you are talking about. What did you do in the RAAF ??? Let me guess.
Was it a,
ClerkA, ADMINO, LOGO, EDO, Box Packer, MTD, LEGALO. None of what I have listed have ANYTHING to do with aircraft – these are support services only. But if you talk to these arse-clowns they would to you they’re essential. THEY ARE NOT. Having been to the business end of the RAAF I’ll enlighten you. That’s where the flying gets done & our aircraft get shot at & our groundies work 24/7. Been there done that – really.
Speed, agility, range & endurance are as relevant as ever. The F35 lack ALL of these. The talk of stealth making the F35 invisible is utterly false. Any advanced Low Wave Length Radar is capable of detecting it. The Russians know this & that’s why they haven’t pursued it.
Your talk of learning styles when it comes to the fast jet cockpit is puerile Socialist learning theory you hear in a Uni lecture.
My credentials for this spray. 30 years RAAF, multiple aircraft engineering trades holder, heavy maintenance, holder of multiple technical auth’s, SSA, Saf Sup, Ind Insp, Auditor, B.Ed, Commissioned. etc, etc, etc, etc.
August 3, 2017
Hey – exRAAFie!
I think you’ll find that Bernard spent a whole bunch of years in the Australian Army and has deployed to Iraq on three occasions.
Have a look at his “About” tab.
So … where have YOU served – mate?
August 3, 2017
I must address a typo; Long Wave radar NOT Low wave radar. I wasn’t wearing my specs !. By the way the basic technology dates back to the late 1930’s & was used by the RAF to great success in the Battle of Britain.
August 8, 2017
Love it.
August 2, 2017
Your not the only one that read the report in total and I found it abhorrent that the authors would insult all the past, present and future female fighter pilots of other nations who pass the same stringent tests as their male counterparts and continue to not only fly but lead successful lives as well!. By “dumbing down” the same requirements of flying it is an insult and a disgrace to our young pilots that will have to fly in combat one day. I’m sure you would be the first to complain at the lack of sufficient and comprehensive training when the first female fighter pilot “spears in” because she couldn’t do the job as required.
August 2, 2017
I was answering Evidence finder and I meant to include that I hope that the pilot is NOT a relative of theirs or mine!
August 2, 2017
We need a massive purge of the education system, bureaucracy, brass etc. We need a strong government with emergency powers to drain the swamp and also to punish those responsible for the mess.
August 2, 2017
Given 5 male pilots are are currently taking legal action to leave the RAAF due to its poor culture, I see it as unlikely it will be an attractive workplace in the near future anyway.
August 2, 2017
And here I was thinking that David Morrison was the ADF’s biggest embarrassment.
If the RAAF really does adopt these recommendations we can save a fortune by cancelling the F35 contract and replacing our current F/A18s with the cheapest aircraft available. With this sort of stupidity guiding pilot selection and training our pilots will all be killed within seconds of engaging an enemy regardless of what they are flying.
We also need to make a list of all the brass who approved this idiocy. If we ever face a situation where our pilots have to go into combat then everyone on the list should be forced to fly missions with these new ‘gender equal’ pilots. If they truly believe that these changes will not degrade combat capability then it shouldn’t be a problem.
August 2, 2017
Why not let the AHRC make some “long overdue” changes to combat gender-bias during Australia Open Tennis.
Women Tennis player should be using carbon-fibre rackets and male players should be compelled to use Canberra-made cast-iron goat-intestine stringed rackets for improved gender equality in the sports arena.
The sport field is due to be leveled out by Kate Jenkins’ recommendations.
August 2, 2017
I don’t always agree with your opinions about inclusion of females, Bernard, but in this case I believe you are 100% correct. Females are every bit as intelligent as males but they are physically less able. It’s biology, pure and simple. Lives will be at risk if the general training program is made less rigorous. If a person’s body isn’t able to withstand the conditions in a given situation then the person needs to accept the reality and find other ways to utilize their skills. The Defence Force is violating the human rights of the male pilots by deliberately under-preparing them to fly the aircraft. That is dangerous and outrageous. I will be contacting my local MP to protest.
August 3, 2017
On average females and males have similar intelligence levels. However the distribution about the mean is wider in males than in females.
This means there are more really dumb males than females and more really smart males than females.
For the roles being spoken of in this article one hopes that the RAAF would be looking for the ‘top guns’, to pardon the pun, i.e. extreme high performing outliers, and these will overwhelmingly be males.
One must ask the question of Kate Jenkins “When is the AHRC going to address the obvious discrimination against females exhibited in the very low proportion of the prison population, where males far outnumber females?” Surely she should look to having the criminal code wound back to make it easier to convict females and sent to prison, while keeping the strict standard of proof and evidence required to send down a male.
This is no more an absurd proposition than relaxing flying standards for females but keeping them higher for males so as to increase the number of women pilots.