Lockheed Says Australia Could Still Get 28 New F-35s by 2029

Labor cancelled the order for 28 new F-35 stealth fighters, but the Coalition has said it will commit $3 billion to the purchase if it’s elected.

A Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) F-35A Lightning II lands during the Australian International Airshow in Avalon in Victoria, Australia on March 26, 2025. William West/AFP via Getty Images

Australia could still get 28 new F-35 stealth fighters as early as 2029 if the Coalition wins the coming federal election and goes ahead with its pledge to commit $3 billion to the purchase, a Lockheed Martin executive says.

The planes were originally slated to become the country’s fourth F-35 squadron, but when the government unveiled the National Defence Strategy in April last year, it cancelled the order.