Fitzgibbon wants details of JSF concerns

Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon has demanded details on the performance of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) following a report the jet had performed poorly in war games against a rival plane.

The JSF, for which Australia is likely to pay $16 billion, was comprehensively beaten in highly-classified simulated dogfights against Russian-built Sukhoi fighters, The West Australian reported.

"I've asked for a full report from defence and I'll rely upon that report to come to some conclusion about whether there is merit in the newspaper article," Mr Fitzgibbon told ABC TV tonight.

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