Australia Orders 58 More F-35 Stealth Fighters for a Total of 72

Australia announced Wednesday that it had increased its order for F-35 Joint Strike Fighters by 58 to 72 to be fully operational by 2023 in a declaration of confidence in the troubled stealth war plane.

The government expects the additional 58 U.S. jets, developed by Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., will cost 12.4 billion Australian dollars ($11.5 billion), Prime Minister Tony Abbott said.

"This is one of the largest defense purchases that Australia has ever made," Abbott told reporters. "It will ensure our edge as a regional power."

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