Joint Strike Fighter Is Not ‘Flawed’
(Source: Australian Department of Defence; issued June 24, 2006)
Defence strongly disagrees with media reporting today that the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program is ‘flawed’ and should be abandoned. This reporting, following on from a newspaper article today, misrepresents the true status of the JSF program.
The original media report draws on excerpts from two risk assessments in 2005 by Australia’s Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO), which identified possible risks with aspects of the JSF program at that time.
Contrary to media reporting that the DSTO assessments showed the JSF program to be flawed, these assessments are a good example of best practice project management to identify risk and to take early steps to reduce or eliminate it.
In relation to the JSF cockpit display, an alternative technology has been identified as having reached a stage of maturity where it can now be incorporated – resulting in only one element of the display system needing change. This means that the cockpit display issue identified by DSTO in 2005 has been overcome and is no longer of concern.
In terms of the risk report relating to computing and software, there is no doubt the JSF will be heavily reliant on massive computing power and a lot of software – which is exactly why the JSF will be more capable than any other fighter aircraft.
As a result of DSTO’s risk assessments in 2005, the following actions have been taken:
-- A DSTO specialist has been posted to the US for fulltime monitoring of JSF computing and software development;
-- Lockheed Martin is providing excellent support with information on computing and software development; and
-- DSTO is acquiring specialised computer hardware in order for Australia to undertake our own further assessments of performance in the JSF program.
Lockheed Martin itself has risk mitigation strategies in place to provide additional computing capacity if required.
One of the key benefits Australia derives from being a partner in the JSF project is obtaining detailed inside knowledge on the development of the aircraft and the consequent ability to assess any potential issues first hand.
This enables Defence to accurately understand the maturity of the JSF’s development and its potential as a highly capable military platform.
Defence has full confidence that the stealthy, fifth-generation, multi-role JSF will mature on time to provide Australia’s future air combat capability in the most effective way.
By the time the Australian Government decides whether to acquire the JSF, this aircraft will have been subject to more detailed technical analysis than any other Defence project in Australia’s history. This ongoing detailed technical analysis is appropriate to the importance and level of investment in the project.
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