• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF)

The Government is investing over $17 billion to acquire at least 72 Joint Strike Fighters. The F-35A Joint Strike Fighters will be based at RAAF Base Williamtown and at RAAF Base Tindal in the Northern Territory. The Australian F-35A Project, also known as AIR6000 Phase 2A/2B, is introducing a fifth generation air combat capability to meet Australia’s air combat needs beyond 2030.

Australia’s F-35A will fulfill the functions of air dominance and strike capability currently provided by F/A-18A/B Hornets. In the 2016 Defence White Paper, the Government confirmed that it plans to equip the Air Force with 72 F-35A aircraft by 2023, to meet Final Operating Capability. The Australian F-35A Project is on track to meet Initial Operating Capability in December 2020.

In addition to acquiring 72 aircraft, the project will also deliver facilities, weapons and new support systems to meet the fifth generation requirements. The workforce will also need to transition to meet fifth generation approaches to operating and sustaining a fifth generation F-35A fleet as part of a global F-35 network.

In an historic day in Australian aviation, the first two F-35A Joint Strike Fighters to be permanently based in Australia arrived at RAAF Base Williamtown 10 December 2018. The Minister for Defence, the Hon Christopher Pyne MP, and Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Steven Ciobo MP, were there to welcome the aircraft and RAAF fighter pilots who flew the final leg in the journey from Luke Air Force Base Arizona.

Minister Pyne said the Joint Strike Fighter will be a game-changer for the Australian Defence Force. “This is the most advanced, multi-role stealth fighter in the world. It will deliver next generation capability benefits and provide a major boost to our intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities,” Minister Pyne said. “The Joint Strike Fighter can get closer to threats undetected; find, engage and jam electronic signals from targets; and share information with other platforms.”

Minister Ciobo said the aircraft created significant opportunities for Australian defence industry that was creating new jobs. “Australian industry is manufacturing parts that will be fitted to every F-35 in production globally, and more than 50 Australian companies have directly shared in $1.2 billion in production contracts to date,” Minister Ciobo said. “Up to 1500 contractors have worked on the construction of the facilities to accommodate the F-35A at RAAF Base Williamtown, representing approximately $1 billion of investment in the Hunter region alone.”

Lockheed Martin is contracted to the US Government for the development and production of the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). Australia will procure the aircraft through a government to government co-operative agreement.The New Air Combat Capability (NACC) Project aims to introduce a new air combat capability that will meet Australia’s air combat needs out to 2030 and beyond. In the 2009 Defence White Paper, the Government confirmed that it plans to equip the Air Force with around 100 F-35 aircraft.

The F-35 is a fifth-generation, stealthy, multi-role fighter being developed for the US and eight international partner nations, including Australia. Of the three variants being produced, Australia is acquiring the Conventional Take-Off and Landing (CTOL) F-35A variant. When integrated into a networked Australian Defence Force, Australia’s F-35A will fulfil the functions of air dominance and strike capability currently provided by F/A-18A/B Hornets and F/A-18F Super Hornets.

AIR 6000 Phase 1B has focused on the analysis and risk mitigation activities necessary to support Government’s procurement decision on the F-35 and to support Australian defence industry participation in the F-35 Program. The primary financial activity was provision of Australia's shared cost contribution to the US F-35 Program in accordance with our obligations as a Program partner. Apart from ongoing funding to support some outstanding contracts, Phase 1B is complete and the NACC Project is now in the acquisition phase.

On current plans, AIR 6000 Phase 2A/B, the first phase of the acquisition, will consider acquiring up to 72 CTOL F-35A aircraft to establish three operational squadrons, a training squadron and necessary supporting/enabling elements to replace the current F/A-18 A/B Hornet capability.

1. In November 2009, the Government approved funding for Phase 2A/B (Stage 1) to acquire 14 CTOL F-35A aircraft, support and enabling elements required to establish the initial pilot and maintainer training capability in the US commencing in 2014 and to allow conduct of operational test in the US and Australia.
2. Phase 2A/B (Stage 2) will consider approving funding for the next tranche of (up to) 58 CTOL F-35A aircraft and support and enabling elements to form the first three operational squadrons and a training unit. A Government risk assessment of overall F-35 progress, and any recommendations, to be presented to Government in early 2012, will inform a decision on Stage 2 during 2012. On current plans, Air Force aims to achieve an Initial Operational Capability in late 2018.
3. A subsequent AIR 6000 Phase 2C is planned to acquire the fourth operational squadron to bring the total number of aircraft to around 100. A decision on Phase 2C – not expected before 2015 – will depend on the decision on the timing of the withdrawal of the F/A-18F Super Hornets.

The NACC project office continues to work closely with Australian industry, Lockheed Martin and its F-35 industry partners and their suppliers, to improve the business case for Australian industry participation on the F-35 Program. The NACC project office continues to work closely with Australian industry, Lockheed Martin and its F-35 industry partners and their suppliers, to improve the business case for Australian industry participation on the JSF Program. The F-35 is a large and complex program and many challenges remain. Outcomes and information from US reviews of the JSF Program continue to be factored into Defence’s planning to ensure Australia can deal with risks.