A US general who heads up the F-35 fighter program at the Pentagon says the jet is the only aircraft for modern combat.
"It is combat ready for anything we need it to do," Brigadier General Scott Pleus declared.
Before the launch of Australia's new F-35A fighter jets at Avalon on Friday, Brig Gen Pleus blasted critics of the fighter.
He said he had spoken with pilots from Hill Air Force Base in the US last week, and they had nothing but praise for the aircraft.
"If you are forming your opinion by listening to anybody who has not flown, fought against or fixed the airplane, I would tell you you are wrong," he told reporters on Friday.
"Our nations and our allies need to us to be able to go into highly contested airspace, destroy targets at a time and place of our choosing and the F-35A is the only jet that gives us the ability to do that."
The F-35 also increases the effectiveness of older fourth generation fighters, like F16s, giving them a better shot kill ratio in testing by providing advanced information about on ground targets and possible threats.
Pilots in the F-35 are also equipped with a screen in the helmet that allows "virtual capability".
The video screens allow the pilot to see around the aircraft as they move their head - like virtual reality - to view under the plane without turning it upside down.
"Traditionally when you were being shot at it tended to be underneath you and you relied on someone telling you somebody is shooting at you," Brig Gen Pleus said.
The first two Australian F-35A planes will be on display at the Avalon Airshow until Sunday.
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