24 December 2016

News Story: RAAF F-35A carries out first weapons release

A Royal Australian Air Force F-35A has dropped a weapon for the first time after the aircraft was upgraded with its initial combat-capable software load.

Images dated December 13 and released on the Department of Defence’s website show F-35A A35-002 carrying a GBU-12 laser-guided bomb in its starboard side internal weapons bay.

“The 500lb Paveway II laser-guided bomb, the GBU-12, was the first weapon certified for release on Australian F-35A aircraft, following the recent upgrade of the aircraft with initial warfighting capability software,” caption information for the photos read, suggesting the aircraft has now been upgraded with the final Block 3i software load.

<< A35-002 with its weapons bay open during the loading of the 500-pound Paveway II laser-guided bomb. (Lockheed Martin)

Squadron Leader Andrew Jackson, Australia’s first qualified F-35A pilot, flew the sortie which saw the laser-guided bomb released over the Barry M Goldwater range in southwest Arizona.

Read the full story at Australian Defence Business Review