CANBERRA, Australia - Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon. Linda Reynolds, CSC, and Minister for Defence Industry, Melissa Price MP, declared Initial Operational Capability (IOC) for Australia's F-35As, making Australia the seventh country to declare IOC for its F-35 fleet. Lockheed Martin will sustain the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) F-35A fleet, which will play a crucial role in defending Australia's national interests.
The F-35 program is also a catalyst for evolving Australia's robust and resilient defense industry capability. With every F-35 manufactured containing Australian-made parts, more than 50 Australian companies have benefited from $2.7 billion Australian dollars ($2 billion) in contracts for the development, production and sustainment of the aircraft. The F-35 program creates more than 2,400 high-tech manufacturing jobs for Australian industry.
With more than 600 aircraft operating from 26 bases and ships across the globe, the F-35 plays a critical role in today's global security environment. More than 1,200 pilots and 10,000 maintainers have been trained on the aircraft. Nine nations have F-35s operating from their home soil.
Australia currently has a fleet of 33 F-35As, and RAAF crews have surpassed more than 8,780 flight hours to date, with more than 45 pilots and 600 maintainers supporting the fleet.
