The fifth generation fighter bomber, which marries stealth technology with capabilities straight out of science fiction, was always going to be the subject of friendly fire for a whole range of reasons.

The first was that as the product of the most expensive weapons development program in history, with an estimated cost well in excess of one trillion dollars to build and maintain, it was always a large target.

The second was that thanks to a unique global marketing program that saw international customers signed up on a sight unseen basis on the understanding they would get a slice of the construction pie, it has given Lockheed Martin the closest thing to a monopoly on combat aircraft the western world has ever seen.

Australia was one of the early adopters and a number of local companies, including Quickstep in Bankstown, have manufactured and supplied key components for many of the hundreds of jets that have already been delivered around the globe.

Then there is the fact that while older, and iconic, combat aircraft such as the Spitfire, the Phantom, and the controversial F-111, made it off the drawing board and onto the tarmac in a handful of years, the JSF first saw the light of day back in the 1990s.

These are just some of the reasons why the arrival of the RAAF's two latest F-35As at Williamtown on Monday was never going to go unremarked.

While the JSF is remarkable for many reasons, including the fact it is significantly slower than the F-111 it has replaced, its most notable feature in the eyes of many critics, including President Trump, has been its ability to clock up massive cost overruns.

Eight years ago the Australian government was talking about spending $10 billion for 100 of the planes, or $100 million each.

While the order has since been cut back to 72 planes, the cost estimate has now blown out to $17 billion or $236 million each over the operational life of the aircraft. The current unit cost is $124 million.

On the plus side, manufacturers Lockheed Martin say that as the production line matures unit costs will fall. The cost per plane could be down to $80 million by 2020.

The company now also claims it will be able to bring the plane's operational costs down to a level comparable with fourth generation fighters such as the Super Hornet.

The reality is that with the world's centre of gravity rapidly shifting to our region thanks to the rise of China and the American pivot to the Pacific, Australia could be heading for interesting times.

Given a modern, and well-equipped, defence force is the cornerstone of our national security, the JSF investment will probably, in time, prove sensible and defensible.

While only time will tell if this is the best plane for the job, if Australia did get it wrong then so did the Americans, the Israelis and a lot of others. Let's hope we never have to find out.