The evolving debate in the US about the future of the F-35A joint strike fighter may open up new opportunities for the Royal Australian Air Force to take a radically different direction in its future capability development. Under Project AIR 6000 Phase 7, additional F-35As are one option under consideration, bringing the fleet up to a maximum of 100 aircraft in total. There now might be good reason to consider alternatives, rather than rush to embrace an all-F-35A capability. The current debate in the US focuses on the high sustainment cost of the JSF, and whether the US Air Force really wants to depend so heavily on the aircraft as its core capability amid rising US–China strategic and military competition.