Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne says Australia remains committed to buying the new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter despite US President-elect Donald Trump saying its "cost is out of control".
Mr Trump went on Twitter on Monday to criticise aircraft maker Lockheed Martin over the program which has been plagued by delays and cost over-runs.
"The F-35 program and cost is out of control," he tweeted.
"Billions of dollars can and will be saved on military (and other) purchases after January 20th," referring to the day he becomes president.
But speaking to reporters in London on Monday, Mr Pyne defended Australia's choice of the jet, saying it was "the most potent weapon in the air".
"We're very confident that the Joint Strike Fighter is the right jet for Australia and for the United States and the rest of the world.
"Whether it has been efficiently managed from the United States' point of view in terms of their cost and delays and so on is really a matter for them and for President-elect Trump's opinion," Mr Pyne said.
Australia plans to buy 72 of the advanced jets and perhaps as many as 100 to replace the ageing Hornets and Super Hornets and form the core of the RAAF's air combat capability out to mid-century.
The RAAF plans to have the first two squadrons operational by 2020.
Mr Pyne said Australia was "very committed" to the F-35 program as a partner nation and had just become the Asia-Pacific maintenance hub for the jet.
He dismissed concerns that the F-35 program may be under threat under a Trump administration, saying it was a long way down the road in terms of delivery and a lot of money had been spent on it.
How Mr Trump managed the delivery of the program was up to him and his administration, Mr Pyne said.
Two Australian pilots and two ground crew are in Arizona now being trained and testing the aircraft.
