Australia's New F-35A Conducts First Flight

Australia’s first Lockheed Martin, F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter, made its inaugural flight on Sept. 29. The first of Australia’s Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters (JSF) successfully taking flight from Fort Worth, Texas on Monday 29 September. The first two of 72 F-35A JSF’s for Australia were rolled out of the Lockheed Martin’s production facility in Fort Worth, Texas on 24 July 2014. The F-35As will replace the RAAF’s current fleet of ageing F/A-18A/B Hornets. FORT WORTH, Texas, September 30, 2014 – Australia’s first Lockheed Martin, F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter, made its inaugural flight on Sept. 29, marking another significant milestone for the Royal Australian Air Force’s F-35 program. Lockheed Martin F-35 Chief Test Pilot Alan Norman, piloted the aircraft through a series of functional checks for the sortie that lasted two hours. The aircraft, known as AU-1, is scheduled for delivery to the Royal Australian Air Force later this year and will be assigned to Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. Australia and partner countries will use the jet for F-35A pilot training. The F-35 Lightning II aircraft provides the Royal Australian Air Force with a transformational 5th generation fighter capability and significant benefits for the Australian aerospace industry. Australian industry already has more than $412 million (USD) contracted.