Some fuel - all based upon real/proposed contenders for various competitions over the decades:
For Mirage III Replacement (won by F/A-18A/B):The list at one time included:
- SAAB Viggen
- McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle
- Northup P.530 Cobra
- Kockheed CL-200 Lancer
- Grumman F-14 Tomcat
- Dassault Mirage F1, and
- Panavia Tornado.
This was apparently the list during the early - mid '70s.
Later on the YF-17 was also looked at as well as the Sepecat Jaguar, A-10, Mirage 2000 were all mentioned.
The eventual list considered during the late '70s was:
- McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle
- Northop F-18L
- McDonnel Douglas F-18A
- Dassault Mirage 2000, and
- Panavia Tornado.
Others:A-400M - was looked at (EADS even tried to interest Australia in a co-production role) under AIR8000. Eventually lost out since the C-17 was available now!
AIR-87 - contenders included:
- Tenix/Agusta A129 Scorpion - a derivative of the A129INT
- Bell ARH-1Z
- Boeing AH-64D
- Rooivalk
I also believe that at various times some of the Kamov/Mil products were offered as was the AH-60L and a variant of the Super Seasprite.
F-35 alternatives - under the guise of AIR6000, just about every modern combat aircraft was a potential option, though the F-35 join in killed off the comp. Possible contenders included:
- Eurofighter Typhoon
- Dassault Rafale
- SAAB Gripen
- Boeing F-15 (in updated form)
- Lockheed F-16 (in updated form)
- Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet (surprise, surprise)
- Sukhoi Flanker developments
AEW&C Aircraft: E-2s and E-3s were both looked at numerous times from the late '70s onwards, as was a AEW&C variant of the P-3 and the C-130. The final contenders for what eventually became Wedgetail also included a C-130 derivative and an A-300 (or 310) fitted with the Israeli Phalcon system.
Another often overlooked RAAF competition was for a
Caribou replacement (under AIR5190). Possible contenders included:
- CASA C-295
- CASA CN-235
- IPTN CN-235 (Indonesian variant of above)
- Lockheed C-27J (the apparent winner before the project was shelved - note, not cancelled)
- Antonov AN-32 (yes this was proposed)
- Re-engined Caribou with Turbo-props and possible fuselage extension.