Jet fighter costs go skyward as price of rival nosedives

Posted on: Apr. 19th, 2006 || Source: smh.com.au | E-mail Article | Print Article

THE F-22A Raptor strike jet - considered the best manned warplane yet - can be bought for about the same price that Australia will pay for the first batch of F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, new figures show.

The data from the US Department of Defence highlights a disturbing trend for the Government: as the price of the F-22A declines, the cost of the Joint Strike Fighter is rapidly increasing.

"It's extremely concerning," said Dennis Jensen, a Coalition MP and a former defence scientist. "What I want to know is how does Defence get the numbers so wrong?"

As well as posing fresh questions over defence costings, the new figures will rekindle debate about whether Australia will get the right aircraft to maintain its long-held air superiority in the region.

The Joint Strike Fighter is Australia's preferred option to replace its FA-18 and F-111s, at a cost of $15 billion.

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