Australia has signed the first in a series of contracts that will see its air force buy 24 Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter-bombers from the U.S. Navy. Australia's defense department said it signed an initial contract worth 2.9 billion Australian dollars ($2.4 billion U.S.) — almost half the total value of the ultimate 6 billion Australian dollar acquisition program.

The planes will fulfill the fighter-bomber role for the Royal Australian Air Force after the retirement of its aging F-111s in 2010 and ahead of the arrival of Lockheed F-35 Lightning Joint Strike Fighters that are scheduled to enter service in 2015.

The Australian defense department described the F/A-18F as "a highly capable, battle-proven, multirole aircraft" that the U.S. Navy plans to retain in service until 2030.

They will ensure that our air-combat, capability-edge is maintained through the transition to the F-35 over the next decade," the department said.
Australia plans to buy up to 100 of the F-35s beginning in 2015 at a cost of $19 billion, making it the largest military procurement in Australia's history.

The F-35 is a stealth-capable, supersonic multirole aircraft with its development funded by an international consortium led by the United States and including Britain, Australia and Canada. Though the $240 billion project has faced a string of delays and cost overruns, the F-35 made its first successful test flight last December.

The U.S. Defense Department plans to buy 2400 of the fighters and international sales are expected to account for another 2000 to 3500 aircraft.

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