F-35 Joint Strike Fighters are said to be the most advanced fighter on the market. They are also known as the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning.
The jet is a supersonic, stealth fighter with a single engine and a single pilot.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott, on announcing the acquisition of the planes, described them as "the most advanced fighter in production anywhere in the world and will make a vital contribution to our national security."
What are its capabilities?
- As it is a fifth generation fighter jet, the U.S. manufacturer Lockheed Martin claims it can evade radars that normally detect fourth generation planes.
- The plane can securely “talk” to allied military systems at sea, in the air or on the ground.
- It also has a 360-degree view of the battlefield.
- Carries weapons internally which means it engage ground targets and long ranges without detection.
- Sophisticated communication, sensors and information systems.
According to Lockheed Martin:
"The F-35 Lightning II is a 5th generation fighter, combining advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations and advanced sustainment."
What other countries are using Joint Strike Fighter jets?
There are currently nine partner countries including: Australia, Canada, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Israel and Japan have both selected the F-35 planes through the US Foreign Military Sales process. South Korea is also considering joining the F-35 program.
The plane is called "joint" as these countries have collectively spent hundreds of millions of dollars on the development of the jet. Canada and Denmark are two countries that are still debating whether or not to purchase the jets for their own military.
Why is the government purchasing 58 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters?
The F-35 Joint Strike Fighters will replace the outdated F/A-18A/B Hornet planes, which will retire in 2022.
"Together with the Super Hornet and Growler electronic warfare aircraft, the F-35 aircraft will ensure Australia maintains a regional air combat edge. The F-35 will provide a major boost to the Australian Defence Force's intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities." said Mr Abbott.
How many fighter jets will Australia have in total?
The Royal Australian Air Force will have three squadrons of planes with:
- 72 Joint Strike Fighters by 2020
- 24 Super Hornets
- 12 Growlers which have the capacity to jam military electronic systems.
Are there any flaws?
F-35 Strike Fighters have come under heavy criticisms in the past.
In January this year, the chief weapons tester in the United States released a report outlining the flaws of the jet. Michael Gilmore found the plane’s Block 2B software was not performing as expected.
"Initial results with the new increment of Block 2B software indicate deficiencies still exist in fusion, radar, electronic warfare, navigation, electro-optical target system, distributed aperture system, helmet-mounted display system, and datalink," the report said.
Specifications
Manufacturer: Lockheed Martin
Role: Fifth generation multi role fighter
Crew: Pilot
Engines: Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100
Airframe: Length: 15.7 m, height: 4.4 m
Wingspan: 10.7 m
Weight: 13,290 kg (empty)
Range: 2,200 km
Ceiling: 50,000 feet
Max Speed: 1,960 km/h (Mach 1.6)
Capacity: Stealth
Advanced sensors: Networking and data fusion capabilities
Weapons: AIM-120C Air-to-Air Missiles, GBU-31 Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) Guided Bombs, 25 mm GAU-22/A cannon
