Australia Could End Up With Potentially Inferior US Fighter Jets
Australia’s new F-35 fighter jets may be technologically out of date when they arrive in Australia in December after the Pentagon’s decision to delay the approval of the plane’s new weapons system.
Known as the TR-3, the system allows the new Joint Strike Fighters (JSF) to run a software platform called Block 4 that provides a range of new weapon capabilities for the JSF, like enhanced electronic attack weapons and the ability to carry additional missiles.
TR-3’s development has been embroiled in delays, with the F-35 Lightening II Joint Program Office (JPO), which is in charge of the plane’s ongoing development, recently disclosing to the Breaking Defense news website that the U.S. military would not accept any aircraft until ongoing testing for the system is completed….