“The F-22 Raptors have arrived in the Northern Territory as part of the EAC Program,” said Air Vice-Marshal (AVM) Darren Goldie, Air Commander Australia.
The F-22s, 12 in total, deployed to RAAF Base Tindal under the direction of U.S. Navy Adm. Harry B. Harris, the U.S. Pacific Command commander, as part of the Enhanced Air Cooperation Initiative under the Force Posture Agreement between the U.S. and Australia.
Australia has purchased 72 Lockheed F-35A jets to form three squadrons, with all aircraft scheduled to be fully operational this year.
(Washington D.C.) There are likely several reasons why the US never exported its famous 5th-generation F-22 Raptor to allied nations, the first and most obvious of which is simply that US leaders and weapons developers wanted to make sure cutting-edge exclusively developed technologies remain only with the US.
The F-22 has a low mission-capable rate, meaning it spends significant time on the ground undergoing maintenance. The F-35, on the other hand, has a higher mission-capable rate and is designed to be more accessible and less expensive to maintain than the F-22.
While the latest Lockheed Martin aircraft, the F-35 Lightning II, is available for export, the F-22 is not. Thanks to its high cost and the technologies involved in its creation, the United States decided against export of the fighter.
F-35A Lightning II.
The GFP index denotes Australia as a Top 20 world power. For 2023, Australia is ranked 16 of 145 out of the countries considered for the annual GFP review. The nation holds a PwrIndx* score of 0.2567 (a score of 0.0000 is considered 'perfect').
BAE Systems Australia plays a vital role in the global sustainment of the F-35 Lightning II aircraft — the world's most advanced fighter jet. We sustain the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) fleet of F-35 fighter jets.
Air Force intends to award NGAD fighter contract in 2024
“NGAD will include attributes such as enhanced lethality and the ability to survive, persist, interoperate, and adapt in the air domain, all within highly contested operational environments.
The F-22 fleet, which now numbers 182 aircraft, has experienced 32 “Class A” mishaps and 50 “Class B” accidents over the past 21 years. A Class A accident involves a fatality, loss of the aircraft, or more than $2.5 million in damage.
"The F-22 Raptors have arrived in the Northern Territory as part of the EAC Program," AVM Goldie said. “This program has been in place since 2017, which builds on a broad range of long-standing air exercises and training activities undertaken between Australia and the United States.
The Royal Australian Air Force's fleet of Boeing "Classic" Hornets were retired in late 2021 after almost 40 years of service, which included bombing missions in the Middle East against Islamic State.
SERGEANT Paul Cale is one of Australia's toughest soldiers. His Special Forces Commando regiment has seen more violence and casualties than any other Australian military outfit, with the sergeant now developing combat strategies for special forces units around the world.
Access to US technology and intelligence, combined with our own research, intelligence and industry capabilities, gives Australia a far more powerful military than we could achieve otherwise.
Special Air Service Regiment (SASR), also called Special Air Service (SAS), Australian special forces unit that exists within Australia's Special Operations Command. The unit was formed in July 1957 as the 1st Special Air Service Company, Royal Australian Infantry, and it was modeled on the British Special Air Service.
Located 30 kilometres north of Newcastle, RAAF Base Williamtown is Australia's premier fighter pilot training base and houses most of the F-35A Joint Strike Fighters.
According to the report, Australia Army has a total of 59 combat tanks and 2040 armoured fighting vehicles. Bangladesh Army has a total of 534 combat tanks, 942 armoured fighting vehicles, 18 self-propelled artillery guns, no-towed artillery guns and 32 rocket projectors.
America's formidable air superiority fighter, F-22 Raptor, considered the world's most capable jet because of its stealth features and sensor fusion technology, lost a couple of dogfights to German Eurofighter Typhoons, causing severe damage to the mighty Raptor's reputation.
F-35 employs the most advanced radio communications equipment available, which again renders it incompatible with India's Russian-origin communication suites. Its induction into the IAF will mean a replacement of almost 80 percent of the software and hardware employed by the Indian systems.
The F-22 Raptor: A great aircraft
It combines advanced technology, such as stealth, sensor fusion to produce superb situational awareness, and an airframe that is highly maneuverable and can supercruise, or fly at supersonic speeds without the use of afterburners.