F-35 Joint Strike Fighter

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is the first international collaborative development program for a US combat aircraft and is the world’s largest defence project. The JSF is a fifth-generation, multi-role, stealth fighter being developed for the US and eight partner nations, including Australia. Three JSF variants are being produced and total JSF production is estimated between 3,500–4,500 aircraft.

The JSF achieves its capability edge through a combination of stealth, onboard sensors and advanced communications and weapons. JSF also has the largest ever single engine for a fighter aircraft, which radically reduces the support requirements.

Why JSF?
“We’ve done more analysis on this aircraft than any other platform in the acquisition history of the Australian Defence Force, …it’s the best multi-role aircraft in the world, it can cover the spectrum and will be a good aircraft for us…”
(Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Mark Binskin, AM, March 2009).

The JSF acquisition enhances opportunities for interoperability and commonality between the international JSF partners to support future coalition operations. When integrated into the networked Australian Defence Force, the JSF will allow Australia to maintain a regional capability edge out to 2030 and beyond, in an affordable way for the planned 30-year service life of the aircraft.

Opportunities for Australian industry
By mid-2009, 25 Australian companies had won more than US$194 million worth of JSF work, primarily in the JSF’s development phase. Opportunities for the production phase are starting to become available. In the future, Australian industry is expected to play a major role in sustainment of the JSF fleet over the life of the JSF aircraft.

	Joint Strike Fighter specifications (Conventional Take Off and Landing Variant)
	Empty weight	Approximately 12,250 kg
	Internal fuel	Over 8,200 kg
	Payload	Over 7,250 kg
	Maximum takeoff weight	In excess of 22,700 kg
	Length	15.6 m
	Wing Span	10.7 m
	Speed	Supersonic
	Combat radius	Over 1,100 km
	Crew	1
	Weapons	A wide selection of US and UK air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons, including AMRAAM, JDAM, SDB, laser-guided bombs and an internally mounted 25 mm gun.