Regional F-35 sustainment facility to boost operational resilience in Indo-Pacific region
BAE Systems will run a sustainment hub for Australian and allied F-35 fighters at RAAF Base Williamtown. (Photo: Gordon Arthur)
Lockheed Martin has ensured more efficient sustainment of F-35 fighters thanks to a new warehouse in Australia.
BAE Systems has received a AUD$1.6 million contract ($1.1 million) from Lockheed Martin to set up a regional warehouse designed to sustain F-35 fighters.
The facility will house spare parts for F-35s belonging to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and for ‘F-35 operations in Australia and the Indo-Pacific,’ according to a Lockheed Martin press release.
By 2035, more than 300 F-35 fighters will be based in the Indo-Pacific region. Operators include Australia, Japan, Singapore, South Korea and the US.
The warehouse will logically be located at RAAF Base Williamtown in New South Wales, since the RAAF has No. 3 and
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
More from Air Warfare
-
![October crewed air review: Israel’s Apache deal bets on crewed aviation in an uncrewed age]()
October crewed air review: Israel’s Apache deal bets on crewed aviation in an uncrewed age
Israel’s $1 billion Apache helicopter order highlights the continued demand for crewed attack aviation, while growing integration with uncrewed systems could shape future modernisation and procurement decisions.
-
![Connecting the layers: how networks can secure the future of European air defence]()
Connecting the layers: how networks can secure the future of European air defence
The rise of drones has reshaped the threat landscape for all European militaries. For industry, future defensive strategies must carefully balance a mix of passive and active measures to address the evolving danger, based around a highly integrated and responsive network of sensors and effectors.
-
![October drone digest: France and Lithuania advance loitering munition procurements as global spending surges]()
October drone digest: France and Lithuania advance loitering munition procurements as global spending surges
Recent procurement developments in France and Lithuania highlight the growing demand for loitering munitions, with global annual spending forecast to increase nearly 50-fold between 2020 and 2029.
