The Royal Australian Air Force is planning a major air show at Williamtown in November which could attract tens of thousands of people to the Hunter.
The Newcastle Herald has been told the one-off event will be staged over two days in late November and comprise an aerial display over Newcastle followed by an open day at the RAAF base.
A Department of Defence spokesperson confirmed on Thursday that Williamtown was "currently being considered for an event in late 2023".
"The RAAF typically conducts an air show at a major RAAF base every two years as a key event in the Air Force's community engagement," the spokesperson said.
"Planning is at the initial feasibility and conceptual stages.
"Formal announcement and details of any event can be expected in early May."
The spokesperson said the event would not have an aerospace industry trade-show component.
The Herald understands the Williamtown air show would include modern air force planes and a large array of historic RAAF aircraft.
Williamtown is Australia's main fighter pilot training base and is home to most of the nation's new F-35A Lightning II joint strike fighters.
The base hosted an air show in 2010 which attracted 52,000 people, but rising interest in Australia's defence capabilities and a rare opportunity to see Williamtown's latest state-of-the-art fighter jets and other military aircraft up close could attract a larger crowd.
More than 60,000 people attended a RAAF air show at the Edinburgh base in Adelaide's northern suburbs in November 2019.
News of the planned Williamtown event comes a week before the Hunter Valley Airshow at Cessnock Airport on March 25 and 26.
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