David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for his interest in what is a very important national security matter. I am very pleased to be able to update the Senate on the progress of Australia's acquisition of the Joint Strike Fighter aircraft. On Monday evening Australian time, our first Joint Strike Fighter, known as AU1, made its inaugural flight in Fort Worth, Texas. This is a significant milestone in the Joint Strike Fighter program for Australia, and an important step towards acceptance of this aircraft into service.

Australia's first aircraft, AU1 and AU2, will now undergo further flight testing in the lead-up to acceptance and their ferrying to Luke Air Force Base in 2015. The Joint Strike Fighter engine has successfully completed nearly 32,000 hours of testing, and availability has remained steady at about 98 per cent. The fifth-generation Joint Strike Fighter 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 aircraft will enter service in Australia in 2018, with the first operational squadron established by 2020.

The Abbott government's decision earlier this year to acquire a further tranche of 58 Joint Strike Fighters demonstrates a strong commitment by this government to build a strong Defence Force. As a fifth-generation aircraft, the Joint Strike Fighter will ensure that in air-combat-capability terms, Australia will remain regionally dominant. It will make a vital contribution to our national security, and ensure interoperability with our allies, as Australia continues to maintain a reasonable air-combat edge.