New Zealand boosts defence spend to US$6.6 billion and vows increased closeness with Australia
This budget will be spent over the next four years and nearly doubles the country’s defence spending as part of GDP to 2%.
Avalon 2019: F-35 makes lightning start in Australia
Two F-35A Joint Strike Fighters (JSF) of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) are attending the Avalon Air Show. This pair of fighters is now permanently stationed at RAAF Base Williamtown, after reaching Australia and being allotted to No. 3 Squadron on 10 December 2018.
Two more JSFs will arrive in Australia in early April, and four more by the end of 2019. This will give a total of eight F-35As in country by year’s end, a figure that will reach 30 by the end of 2021.
An extra eight JSFs are in use with the multinational 61st Fighter
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