Australia is to delay its purchase of 12 of an initial tranche of 14 F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters (JSFs) by two years as part of defence cuts announced by the government on 3 May. However, Australia will press ahead with plans to build 12 new conventionally powered submarines, Defence Minister Stephen Smith said five days before the 8 May federal budget. Smith said that deferring the purchase of 12 conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) F-35s until 2016-17 would save AUD1.6 billion (USD1.7 billion). Two F-35s for which Australia is contractually committed - the first of an anticipated fleet of up to 100 - would be delivered as scheduled in 2014-15 for testing and training in the United States.
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