Australia is set to become the first country outside the United States to operate the highly classified AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM), marking a significant milestone in the nation’s air combat modernization efforts.
royal Australian Air force
American, Australian, and Japanese Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters have begun flying joint combat missions over northern Australia as part of Exercise Pitch Black 2026, one of the world’s largest multinational air combat drills.
Lockheed Martin Australia has begun construction of a new AUD 85.9 million Air Power Precinct in the Hunter region, marking a major investment in Australia’s future air and missile defence capabilities.
The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has completed a landmark weapons testing milestone on the F-35A Lightning II, conducting the first joint Weapon Fill Measurement Vehicle (WFMV) flight test in partnership with the United States Air Force.
The Australian government has announced the deployment of a Royal Australian Air Force E-7A Wedgetail early warning aircraft to the Middle East as tensions escalate following Iranian missile and drone attacks across the Gulf region.
Common themes emerge in the choices of Boeing aircraft: interoperability with the U.S., proven combat performance, and logistical simplicity.
Few military aircraft have reshaped global airpower as dramatically as the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II.