Axe set to fall on Nelson's fighters - National - smh.com.au
The new government is ready even to brake the signed deals with the US on the sale of new fighter aircraft.
The aircraft in question are US F18s Hornets which have been discontinued and rejected by the US army. Nevertheless, the "big ally" Howard ordered them. The deal would have probably gone ahead but Indonesia decided to spice it up a bit and purchased latest Sukhoi aircraft from Russia, so Australia had no choice but to rethink their plans and buy something that can actually fly and not fall apart!.