Wild ride for Aussie top guns as F-35 in class of its own

Australia’s most potent fighter jets are so demanding to fly they can leave pilots bruised and mentally drained, but one of the ­nation’s top guns says the F-35A stealth fighter is “awesome”.

Squadron Leader ‘S’ with his F-35A at RAAF Base Darwin: ‘It is the most capable airplane I’ve flown – 100 per cent’. Picture: Defence Imagery / Emma Schwenke

Australia’s most potent fighter jets are so demanding to fly they can leave pilots bruised and mentally drained.

But, according to one of the ­nation’s top guns, the F-35A stealth fighter is “awesome”, and without doubt the most capable aircraft in the region.

Squadron Leader “S”, who asked not to be named but goes by the call sign “Robot”, has flown the Joint Strike Fighter for about four months with the RAAF’s 3 Squadron.

He has previously flown classic F/A 18 Hornets and Euro­fighter Typhoons, but says the F-35A is in a class of its own.

“It is the most capable airplane I’ve flown – 100 per cent. There is zero doubt on that,” he says.

“The combination of low ­observability, the sensor fusion, the sensors themselves, the ability to share information across multiple formates using the advanced datalinks that we have is absolutely unparalleled.”

The squadron leader, who is based at RAAF Williamtown north of Newcastle, is one of Australia’s most elite pilots, flying one of just 50 of the cutting-edge aircraft currently operated by Australia.

At the biennial Pitch Black, the RAAF’s biggest exercise, he is flying daily exercise missions with up to 70 other aircraft at the same time. They form blue and red ­forces, undertaking simulated combat missions and ground strikes with aircraft from 16 other nations.

“If we fly a dog-fighting mission (like) Top Gun, Top Gun II, with lots of hard turning, that is really physically demanding,” he said. “I did one of those yesterday and I have got bruises on my body from capillaries bursting. It’s very physically demanding.”

He said even when the aircraft was being flown more smoothly to conserve fuel and extend its range, it required huge concentration to fly.

“It is really mentally ­fatiguing,” the squadron leader said.

“I’m running out of fuel, there’s a tanker that I need to go to. There are so many different things that you’re trying to process when you are making these tactical decisions. Getting that right is hard.”