ðɪ ɔːstɹˈeɪliən ɡˈʌvɚnmənt ɹᵻplˈeɪst ðɪ ˈɛf slˈæʃ ˈeɪ ˈeɪtiːn ˈeɪ ænd bˈiː wɪððɪ ˈɛf θˈɜːɾi fˈaɪv ˈeɪ lˈaɪtnɪŋ ɹˌoʊmən tˈuː, stˈɑːɹɾɪŋ ɪn tˈuː θˈaʊzənd sˈɛvəntˌiːn ænd wɪððɪ ɛkspˈɛktᵻd fˈaɪnəl ˈɛɹkɹæft ʌvðə sˈɛvənti tˈuː ˈɔːɹdɚd ɚɹˈaɪvɪŋ ɪn tˈuː θˈaʊzənd twˈɛnti θɹˈiː.
The Australian Government replaced the F/A-18A and B with the F-35A Lightning II, starting in 2017 and with the expected final aircraft of the 72 ordered arriving in  2023.