Trump’s search for truth about the JSF no bolt from the blue

For us, Trump’s biggest call is not the refugees deal but his move to reveal the truth about the Joint Strike Fighter.

The Joint Strike Fighter’s “goal posts” on display. (US Department of Defense)

Love him or hate him, Donald Trump is different to almost all other elected politicians — he is doing what he promised voters he would do.

And so the globe is now reeling from “the unexpected” -- politicians normally forget controversial promises once elected.

For Australia, the most important decision of the Trump administration is not Manus Island refugees but rather the decision of his administration to discover and reveal to the world the truth about the Joint Strike Fighter — the aircraft we are depending on to have air power credibility in the region.

The defence equipment “swamps” in Washington and Canberra are almost certain to be exposed for their constant telling of JSF untruths and quarter truths. In Washington, the swamp will be drained and US defence capability will be increased.

And so, on Wednesday January 25, the US Senate confirmed General James Mattis as defence secretary.

The next day, almost his first action was to order an inquiry into the Joint Strike Fighter — also called the F-35.

The man entrusted for the task is Mattis’ assistant, Robert Work — Mattis could not have chosen a better man because Work understands how the US swamp works to conceal the truth.

The initial emphasis will be on the JSF cost but then the inquiry will swing to the most immediate problem — the fact that the navy and marine versions of the Joint Strike Fighter are not working and the catapult systems required for takeoff from an aircraft carrier are putting physical strains on pilots that are way beyond limits.

The marine and navy Joint Strike Fighters represent about a quarter of planned production so any withdrawal by the US navy and marines will further boosts JSF costs. The navy planes were supposed to be delivered first. Australia and other foreign customers are scheduled to be next. That means our first planes will become the guinea pigs.

Michael Gilmore, the defence department’s director of operational test and evaluation, (i.e. the chief JSF tester) has revealed that there are some 1,000 operational defects in the JSF, many of which have been so far too hard to rectify — and they continue to be discovered at a rapid rate.

The Chinese have become world leaders in the techniques of locating so called vortices which are streams of atmospheric disturbance that come from the wings of the JSF and extend for over a kilometre. In the right atmospheric conditions they are white and extend out like goalposts for opposition fighters (as demonstrated in the above photo). But even when the atmosphere does not create the visible “goalposts”, the right technology can locate them — that’s why the Chinese are perfecting their “goalpost” technologies.

And when it comes to the JSF (or F-35) cost, the Australian swamp loves to use the figure of $US90m per aircraft. It’s a misleading figure and whenever used is a sign that the concealment that has plagued the JSF for more than a decade is still alive and well. The Treasury forward estimates are about twice that figure and, once you include the extra facilities required, the real cost is about three times $US90m.

There is no doubt that Lockheed Martin will find a way to reduce the fictional $US90m amount — say by $US15m. But that’s a ridiculously small amount when the real cost is at least $US180m per aircraft and the total cost nearer $US270m.

Australians, along with Americans, need to be told the truth.

As readers will know, I am not an expert on aircraft and I obtain much of my information from Air Power Australia who has been helping Mattis and his people. Air Power has been proved right and the Australian swamp proved wrong on so many occasions over the decade that it must be embarrassing for Canberra.

But we will now defer to Robert Work and James Mattis.

If they confirm the Air Power work then they have to decide whether it is too late to change strategies. Air Power says that it is not too late Mattis and Work will be the arbiters.