Wasn't the intent of the RAAF to realize the benefits of standardizing on a single platform. If they buy enough F-35s then why extend the service of the Super Hornets and incur the additional overhead costs?
That was certainly the original plan. But even with that original plan, there would be a significant period of transition between the the F-18 and the F-35 spanning many years.
Then with the CBR not being economically viable, air frame life issues with the RAAF F-18, the retirement of the F-111's and the delays in the F-35 and an always tight production schedule, that original plan was going to leave a capability gap in a region that is changing.
While I am not sure officially it has been stated that the plan is the keep the super hornets, the additional purchase and the word around town is that they are highly likely to stick around and not be hurried out of service. With high levels of commonality with the hornets, this doesn't really create a huge new burden (but would have if we had gone F-15SE for example) and they are also providing a useful 4.5 gen platform to transition to a true 5th gen F-35, operationally now in Syria. Australia has also sought to acquire capability which would be useful even after the F-35 introduction such as the 12 growlers.
In fact if anything the possibilities of further delays, slow production, slower development of later blocks with additional capabilities, is putting more pressure on the classic F-18's, people are again talking capability gap.
Nocookies | The Australian
Google : Classic Hornets ‘stretched beyond capability’ if JSF delayed
With the USN in a similar situation, most likely looking at keeping the SH around longer, an advanced hornet, the additional capabilities of a SH to act as bomb truck(like Australia's F-111s) or electronic warfare version, is tempting. It won't be an orphaned platform, upgrades form part of that.
But the advanced hornet package will help bridge that perceived capability gap in quality at least. Anything that increases range was already going to be on the acquisition radar as the SH still have less range than the F-111's.
Australia still has 72 F-35's ordered. But it looks to be a while before those are delivered. Complimenting that with 36 advanced hornets, while not ideal, seems livable and cost effective. In the mean time any other F-35 delays, issues, or if the region was to heat up, Australia has another production line and a capable plane in service ready to go. There are even USN orders keeping the line open that we might be able to push in front of again.
I wouldn't be surprised if Australia pays to integrate JSM onto the super hornets. It would also a reasonable platform for things like LRASM and all those big ugly things in the RAAF inventory JDAMs, Harpoons, JASSM etc.
