Australia, Japan and the U.S. will conduct joint F-35 fighter training trilaterally. The decision was reached at the Trilateral Defence Ministerial meeting.
In a joint statement, U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles, and Japanese Defence Minister Minoru Kihara announced that they would conduct trilateral F-35 exercises, such as Cope North in the United States, Bushido Guardian in Japan, and Pitch Black in Australia, between 2025 and 2026.
The three countries' defence ministers announced plans for more cooperative F-35 training in 2025 and 2026. This is a key step towards improving operational collaboration and defence readiness. Australia has facilities will be utilised for complicated air and missile defence exercises.
The ministers reviewed progress made since the 2023 Joint Statement, emphasising practical collaboration and activities that improve Indo-Pacific security and stability.
They emphasised the three countries shared strategic objectives and underlined their commitment to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific.
This agreement improves interoperability and strengthens defence connections among the three countries by allowing for more efficient deployment of defence personnel on each country's territory.
The ministers signed a trilateral Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation (RDT&E) Project Arrangement during the conference, demonstrating their strong commitment to technical innovation and cooperation.
This arrangement enables the three countries' defence organisations to collaborate on operationally important breakthroughs in fighter aircraft technology, autonomous systems, and aerospace composite materials.
Australia has ordered 72 F-35As and formed three squadrons in the Royal Australian Air Force, while Japan plans to buy 105 F-35As and 42 F-35Bs. Several F-35As have already been delivered.
U.S., Australia and Japan to Hold Trilateral F-35 Training
