Staff reporter

Liam Garman discusses why the three defence capabilities have been identified as a critical area for improvement.

In honour of the retirement of the F/A-18A and F/A-18B Classic Hornets, scroll through Australian Aviation’s photo gallery of what was the backbone of the RAAF for over 35 years.

The F-35 is the future of the RAAF: a swiss army knife aircraft that defines itself as a fighter but can take on almost any mission conceivable.

‘Then. Now. Always.’ is a truly outstanding military artwork that pays homage to the heritage of our magnificent Air Force, which has taken us from here to the stars in 100 years.

Loyal Wingman uses AI to fly alongside both manned and unmanned aircraft in mid-air and is the first military aircraft to be designed, engineered and manufactured in Australia in more than 50 years.

The all-metal, single-seat fighter with its iconic elliptical wing became a symbol of the UK’s defiance during the Battle of Britain – and a hugely important part of the RAAF’s WWII fleet.