Fed: Cabinet gives go ahead for Nomad

AAP General News (Australia)
01-01-2001
Fed: Cabinet gives go ahead for Nomad

By Max Blenkin

CANBERRA, Jan 1 AAP - Burned by problems buying F-111 jet bombers from the United States,
the government of John Gorton gave the go-ahead for what it believed was a winning all-Australian
aircraft design - the Nomad.

Despite long delays and cost blowouts, the F-111s have proved a success and will remain
in frontline RAAF service to at least 2015.

In contrast, the Nomads were phased out of service in 1995 after a series of crashes
which earned them the unhappy title of "widowmaker".

Cabinet documents for 1970, released by the …