The Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) F-35A aircraft has completed 1,000 flying hours over the skies of Arizona, US.
In 2014, the aircraft was manufactured by Lockheed Martin in Texas, US.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Currently, the aircraft A35-001 is operated by the international Pilot Training Centre (PTC) at Luke Air Force Base (AFB) in the US.
It is used as part of a pool of training aircraft to qualify F-35A pilots and maintainers across the globe.
Australia’s F-35A pilot Flight Lieutenant Adrian Herenda was at the controls of A35-001 as the aircraft completed its 1,000 flying hours.
Until date, the RAAF has accepted 26 F-35A aircraft. Besides the five at the PTC, 17 are operating at No 3 Squadron and No 2 Operational Conversion Unit at RAAF Base Williamtown. The remaining four jets are scheduled to reach Australia from the US before August.
From next year, all F-35 training will be undertaken in Australia.
Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) director-general Air Commodore Damien Keddie said: “It demonstrates the maturity of our F-35A capability and showcases the importance of the international F-35 partnership.
“A35-001 is one of five Australian aircraft at Luke AFB, with other F-35 partner nations also contributing aircraft to the PTC in a show of global collaboration that has been the cornerstone of the F-35 Programme since the earliest days.”
In December last year, the RAAF accepted the delivery of an additional seven F-35A fighter aircraft at RAAF Base Williamtown from the US.
Under the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter programme, the US provided the RAAF with a fifth-generation combat capability.
