A FRANKSTON-raised pilot has lived out a childhood dream by leading a Royal Australian Air Force, Japan Air Self-Defense Force, and United States Air Force mission of F-35A Lightning II jets.
Flight Lieutenant Patrick Kane led the mission during Exercise Bushido Guardian 25 in Misawa, Japan. He said the experience was a dream come true.
“It was always the fast jets – that’s the only flying I was interested in,” Kane said. The F-35A Lightning II is the ADF’s first fifth-generation air combat fighter. It is capable of supersonic flight while retaining stealth, has 9G manoeuvrability, and is also equipped with advanced sensors and data fusion.
“Flying the F-35A for the very first time, it felt like strapping myself onto a rocket ship,” Kane said.
The Exercise Bushido Guardian 25 led by Kane involved F-35As from three squadrons, which deployed to Japan. The fighters took part in a tri-lateral air combat exercise, which included JASDF and USAF F-35A Lightning IIs. “It is very easy to work side by side with JASDF and USAF pilots,” Kane said. “This training greatly enhances those comraderies and relationships.”
First published in the Mornington News – 21 October 2025
