Australia's First F-35s Arrive Home To RAAF Williamtown Heralding New Era For The Australian Defence Force

Australia's first two locally-based F-35 fighter aircraft arrived on home soil today at Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Williamtown, signalling the dawn of a new era for the nation's defence capabilities.

Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) designed and built Australia's fleet of F-35s and also serves as the global industry lead for F-35 sustainment.

The most advanced fighter jet ever built, the F-35 will be a catalyst for the transformation of the Australian Defence Force (ADF), utilising its sensors and low observability to operate with impunity in contested airspace and fuse a picture of the battlespace for other air, land and sea assets. Along with its advanced weapons capacity and superior range, the 5th Generation F-35 is the most lethal, survivable and connected fighter in the world. 

"The arrival of the first F-35 aircraft to be permanently based in Australia is a historic occasion and we are proud of our role as the 5th Generation design pioneer and F-35 original equipment manufacturer," said Chief Executive of Lockheed Martin Australia, Vince Di Pietro AM, CSC.

"We congratulate the RAAF, the ADF and all of our Australian industry partners who have worked to make this achievement a reality."