Royal Australian Air Force receives final F-35 jets to roughly double number of UK's fleet

The Royal Australian Air Force has now received all of its 72 F-35A aircraft after the last of its stealth fighters arrived at RAAF Base Williamtown.

Following the latest additions, Australia's fleet is around double that of the UK's – as of earlier this year, the UK had 34 F-35Bs but that is expected to grow to 37 by the end of the year.

The UK is set to have almost 50 of the fifth-generation fighter jets by the end of 2025 and 74 by 2033.

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The UK has planned to purchase 138 F-35s but only 48 have been ordered so far.

The F-35 was designed with three initial variants – the F-35A, a conventional take-off and landing land-based version, the F-35B, a short take-off and vertical landing variant capable of being operated either on land or on an aircraft carrier, and the F-35C, a catapult-assisted carrier-based version.

Australia's fleet consists of only the F-35A variation, which works in conjunction with their EA-18G Growler and F/A-18F Super Hornets, which combine to form the cornerstone of Australia's air defence and strike capability.

Australia's Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Stephen Chappell, said the delivery of the final aircraft was a key milestone for the Royal Australian Air Force.

"The delivery of the final F-35A Lightning II aircraft is a practical demonstration of the Air Force's ability to deliver highly effective air power as part of an integrated and focused force, in line with the National Defence Strategy," he said.

The Royal Navy and RAF operate the F-35B, which sacrifices the amount of fuel or weapons it can carry in favour of flexibility.

Not only capable of conducting air-to-surface warfare, the F-35B Lightning is a multi-role aircraft, capable of electronic warfare, intelligence-gathering and air-to-air missions simultaneously.

Thanks to the short take-off and vertical landing capability of the F-35B it can operate from the new Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers and the vessels of allied nations, as well as short airstrips.