Video released of RAAF F-35 first flight

The RAAF has released this video footage of the first flight of its first F-35A Lightning II, which took place from Fort Worth on September 29.

The aircraft, known to the RAAF as A35-001 and to manufacturer Lockheed Martin as AU-1, is scheduled for formal handover to the RAAF “later this year”, Lockheed Martin says, before being assigned to Luke Air Force Base, Arizona where it and sistership AU-2/A35-002 will join the F-35 international training pool there.

The first F-35 deliveries to Australia are planned for 2018, with the first operational squadron to be stood up by 2020.