Australia could get first new F-35 by 2029 if government reverses program cuts: Lockheed exec

Lockheed Says Australia Could Still Get 28 New F-35s by 2029

Australia could still get 28 new F-35 stealth fighters as early as 2029 if the Coalition wins the coming federal election and goes ahead with its pledge to commit $3 billion to the purchase, a Lockheed Martin executive says. The planes were originally slated to become the country’s fourth F-35 squadron, but when the government unveiled the National Defence Strategy in April last year, it cancelled the order. This cancellation came despite an add…

Australia Joins F-35 Bandwagon Amid Canada, Portugal "Threats"; Makes Its Stance Clear On Stealth Fighters

Amid all the hullabaloo surrounding the F-35 Lightning II aircraft in recent times, Australia, a close US ally, has asserted that it has no misgivings about purchasing the US-origin aircraft. The statement is intriguing, given that Canberra preferred the B-21 Raider over the F-35 until a few years ago. Air Vice-Marshal Nicholas Hogan, the head […]

Australia could get first new F-35 by 2029 if government reverses program cuts: Lockheed exec

“[C]onceivably, based on where we are buying long-lead parts for Lot 21 we could make that happen,” said J.R. McDonald, Lockheed’s vice president of business development for the F-35 program.

Australian National Review - Lockheed Says Australia Could Still Get 28 New F-35s by 2029

Labor cancelled the order for 28 new F-35 stealth fighters, but the Coalition has said it will commit $3 billion to the purchase if it’s elected. Australia could still get 28 new F-35 stealth fighters as early as 2029 if the Coalition wins the coming federal election and goes ahead with its pledge to commit $3 billion to the purchase, a Lockheed Martin executive says. The planes were originally slated to become the country’s fourth F-35 squadro…