Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II

Judge Dredd 🇦🇺

1h ago · © Judge Dredd

Royal Australian Air Force F-35A Lightning II climbing skyward during a demonstration flight.

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Lockheed Martin Lockheed Martin F-35a lightning II

Aircraft

F-35A Lightning II F35

Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) standard low-visibility tactical grey with squadron tail flash

A35-045

Registration

Manufacturer

Lockheed Martin

Gear

FUJIFILM X-S10 XC 50-230mm F4.5-6.7 OIS II

Achievements

Rare Bird, Military Maverick

2 badges earned

Photo grade

Gold

Score: 93.0

Impressive clarity and perfect focus; the F-35 fills the frame nicely against vibrant sky for a striking result.

Location

Newcastle Airport

NTL/YWLM

-32.7961, 151.8350

Open map

Newcastle Airport NTL

Airport

Insights

Aviation History

Fifth-generation multirole stealth fighter; RAAF’s most advanced combat aircraft, centerpiece of Australia’s air combat capability

Fleet Rarity

Relatively rare in RAAF fleet (~70 aircraft planned); overall fewer than 1,000 F-35s built across all operators as of 2024

Record Flights

Used in numerous multinational military exercises; first RAAF F-35A arrived in Australia in 2018

Safety & Events

Global F-35 fleet has experienced several incidents, including non-fatal mechanical issues; no major accidents reported for this specific airframe

Future Outlook

Active service; expected to remain RAAF’s principal combat aircraft until at least the 2040s

Specifications

Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100

Engine

10.7 m

Wingspan

15.7 m

Length

2,200 km (internal fuel, unrefueled ferry range)

Range

1,930 km/h (Mach 1.6, supercruise possible for short duration)

Speed

Single-pilot (combat aircraft, no passenger capacity)

Capacity

31,800 kg

MTOW

4.38 m

Height

191.3 kN (43,000 lbf) with afterburner

Thrust

Not rated under ICAO civilian standards; known to be very loud in military context

Noise