Signing Up

Australia commits to the F-35

Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s April 23 announcement that the government had approved the purchase of a further 58 Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning IIs confirms the aircraft’s role as the central pillar of RAAF airpower in the 2020s. The acquisition allows the replacement of the RAAF’s 71 ageing F/A-18A/B ‘classic’ Hornets and formalises an air combat force in the 2020s featuring 72 F-35As (after a first batch of 14 F-35As was approved by the former Labor government in 2009), 24 F/A‑18F Super Hornets and 12 EA-18G Growlers.

Decision

The confirmation of the further 58 aircraft is effectively a second pass approval of Stage 2 of Phase 2A/2B of Project AIR 6000. The previous Stage 1 of Phase 2A/2B for the initial 14 F-35As saw the construction of the RAAF’s first two jets commence, and long-lead items for the other 12 aircraft to be procured. Those first two aircraft – dubbed AU-1 and AU-2 – are currently in the final stages of construction as part of low rate initial production lot 6 (LRIP 6), and are due to be rolled out in late July. Of the remaining 12 aircraft in Stage 1, eight will be built in LRIP 10 which is currently being negotiated for approval this year and delivery in 2017, and four will be in LRIP 11 for delivery in 2019.