4 F-35A Lightning II plane touched down at RAAF Base Williamtown between August 30 and September 2. It brings the full of F-35As primarily based in Australia to 54 of the full deliberate fleet of 72 plane. The latest plane to hitch the fleet had been accepted by No. 77 Squadron on behalf of No. 81 Wing in Air Fight Group. The newest plane had been ferried throughout the Pacific Ocean as a part of Train Lightning Ferry 22-3 – the third supply job of this 12 months. The 4 F-35As made the journey from United States Luke Air Drive Base in Arizona with trans-Pacific stops made at Hickam Air Drive Base in Hawaii and Andersen Air Drive Base in Guam. They had been supported by Air Mobility Group components together with a KC-30A Multi-Position Tanker Transport from No. 33 Squadron and a C-17A Globemaster from No. 36 Squadron.
Commanding Officer No. 77 Squadron, Wing Commander Tim Eire, stated,”It was one other vital step ahead for Australia’s F-35A fight functionality. These new jets symbolize a ten per cent improve in coaching and fight capability for our rising F-35A combating wing. The success of Train Lightning Ferry was the results of detailed planning and coordination throughout Air Drive. These 4 plane symbolize 1 / 4 of a fighter squadron in functionality. All ferries are advanced occasions requiring synchronisation and suppleness from throughout Air Fight Group, Air Mobility Group, Air Fight Programs program workplace, Aerospace Fight Programs department and the Air Operations Centre No. 77 Squadron celebrated 80 years of service this 12 months. All of us really feel very honoured to be quickly advancing our F-35A functionality.”
Commercial
The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is an American household of single-seat, single-engine, all-weather stealth multirole fight plane that’s supposed to carry out each air superiority and strike missions. It is usually in a position to present digital warfare and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities. Lockheed Martin is the prime F-35 contractor, with principal companions Northrop Grumman and BAE Programs. The plane has three principal variants: the traditional takeoff and touchdown (CTOL) F-35A, the quick take-off and vertical-landing (STOVL) F-35B, and the carrier-based (CV/CATOBAR) F-35C. Its improvement is principally funded by the USA, with extra funding from program associate nations from NATO and shut U.S. allies, together with the UK, Australia, Canada, Italy, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, and previously Turkey.
Australia’s first F-35, designated A35-001, was manufactured in 2014, with flight coaching offered by worldwide Pilot Coaching Centre (PTC) at Luke Air Drive Base in Arizona. The primary two F-35s had been unveiled to the Australian public on 3 March 2017 on the Avalon Airshow. By 2021, the Royal Australian Air Drive had accepted 26 F-35As, with 9 within the US and 17 working at No 3 Squadron and No 2 Operational Conversion Unit at RAAF Base Williamtown. With 41 skilled RAAF pilots and 225 skilled technicians for upkeep, the fleet was declared able to deploy on operations. It’s anticipated that Australia will obtain all 72 F-35s by 2023. Norway and Australia are funding an adaptation of the Naval Strike Missile (NSM) for the F-35; designated Joint Strike Missile (JSM), two missiles could be carried internally with an extra 4 externally.
