The Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) final three F-35A aircraft landed in Australia on 18 December following a ferry flight from the US. The F-35A Technology Refresh 3 (TR-3) aircraft landed at RAAF Base Williamtown six years after Australia's first two F-35As arrived in December 2018.
Australia is the second F-35 customer after the Republic of Korea to have received its entire initial F-35 order.
“The delivery of the final F-35A Lightning II aircraft is a practical demonstration of the Air Force’s ability to deliver highly effective air power as part of an integrated and focused force, in line with the National Defence Strategy," said the Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Stephen Chappell.
The final nine aircraft (A35-064 through A35-072) were the first delivered to the RAAF with TR-3 hardware. TR-3 underpins the F-35 Block 4 upgrade, however, delays in certifying and testing TR-3 software led to the US Department of Defense pausing acceptance of new F-35s from Lockheed Martin in July 2023.
While deliveries resumed in July 2024, TR-3 aircraft are being delivered with a training-capable software build, known as 40P01. TR-3 aircraft won't be fully combat capable until a second software release - known as 40P02 - is rolled out across the global fleet.
The US delivery pause led to the RAAF's F-35A not achieving Final Operational Capability (FOC) as scheduled in December 2023. The FOC decision will now be made in Q1 2025.
“Australian defence industry has been integral to the successful introduction of the F-35A, with more than 75 Australian companies having shared in over $4.8 billion in contracts to support production, sustainment and follow-on development, including as part of the F-35 global supply chain," Air Marshal Chappell said.
Australia had planned to acquire an additional squadron of F-35As for as many as 100 F-35A aircraft, however, the 2024 National Defence Strategy instead decided to extend the life of No.1 Squadron's 24 F/A-18F Super Hornets through into the 2040s.