The Royal Australian Air Force’s first pilot of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has completed his first flight in the type.
On 17 March, Sqn Ldr Andrew Jackson conducted a flight in a US Air Force F-35A from Eglin AFB, Florida, says Lockheed.
Australia received its first pair of F-35As in 2014, with both examples going to the USAF’s F-35 training school at Luke AFB, Arizona. They are designated AU-1 and AU-2.
Canberra has firm plans to buy 72 examples of the stealthy type, and could obtain an additional 28 aircraft.
The RAAF’s first F-35A squadron will be 3 Sqn, which will re-equip with the jet at Luke AFB in 2018, before returning to Australia to conduct national-specific operational test and evaluation work.
The F-35A will replace Australia’s fleet of Boeing F/A-18A/B 'Classic' Hornet fighters.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
