Sixteen years ago, Lockheed Martin won the contract to build America’s premier fifth generation stealth fighter jet. Australia has committed to buying 72 of the F-35A Lightning IIs variants.
Today, the first two of Australia’s jets will be displayed at the Avalon Airshow in Geelong, Victoria, and make up part of the global Joint Strike Fighter program.
In 2015, Business Insider toured Lockheed Martin’s massive production facility in Fort Worth, Texas, where the three F-35 Lightning II variant aircraft are designed and manufactured.
Here is a look at the unique capabilities of the F-35 variant aircraft.
*This article was originally published in October, 2015. It’s has been updated with relevant information to reflect the delivery of Australia’s first F-35s.
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