Fourth to fifth

Enter the F-35A Lightning II

Following the earlier RAAF fighter transitions from Avon-Sabre to Mirage IIIO, then to F/A-18A (March and April, 2017 AA), the RAAF–as evidenced by the deployment of its first two F-35A fighters across the Pacific for the 2017 Avalon Airshow–has already commenced its transition from fourth generation to fifth generation. Like the two previous fighter transitions, each with their unique characteristics, the introduction of the F-35A will pose some new problems especially given the large step-change in capability.

Like previous transitions, this transition will also require the RAAF to maintain a credible level of combat capability throughout the change, and possibly require it to sustain concurrent operational deployments. But aside from this, most of the issues arising from the transition can be categorized as related to either the management of the increased resources and personnel needed for the transition, or to the introduction of significantly increased levels of technology and capability.