First Flight

Lockheed Martin has flown the first Australian F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, known as AU-1, through a series of functional checks ahead of its transfer to the Royal Australian Air Force later this year.

According to the company, Lockheed's chief test pilot took the conventional-takeoff-and-landing (CTOL) jet on a two-hour inaugural flight Sept. 29.

So far, the JSF program has delivered two Australian F-35s that were part of low-rate initial production Lot 6, according to Lockheed. A formal rollout ceremony was held July 24 at the F-35 production facility in Fort Worth, TX.

Those two aircraft are due to be flown to Luke Air Force Base, AZ, where they will be incorporated into the multinational training fleet, which is due to commence training early next year.

The Australian government has ordered 14 A-model F-35s, and has committed to purchasing a further 58 aircraft with an option for more pending a decision on the future of the country's F/A-18 Super Hornets.

In a Sept. 30 press statement, the Australian minister for defense, Sen. David Johnston, said the first flight was an important step toward acceptance of the aircraft.

"Australia's first aircraft, AU-1 and AU-2, will undergo further flight testing in the lead up to acceptance and ferry to Luke Air Force Base in 2015," Johnston said. "The fifth generation JSF is the most advanced fighter in production anywhere in the world and will replace our fleet of Classic Hornets, which by 2020 will be over 35 years old."

The first F-35 will enter service in Australia in 2018 and will be based at RAAF Base Williamtown in New South Wales. The first operational squadron will be established by 2020, according to the Australian press statement.