Saturday, March 03, 2012

F-35A AF-14 First Flight

Lockheed Martin test pilot Bill Gigliotti flew the ninth production model of the F-35 Lightning II, F-35A AF-14 (Air Force serial number 09-5001), on its inaugural flight on 2 March 2012 from NAS Fort Worth JRB.

I wonder how long it will be before there are more F-35's than F-22's?  Regardless critical mass has been achieved.  The Canadians have had there meeting with partner nations and haven't changed a thing.  Reductions in the buys of the F-35 have been relatively small and will not affect the program.  More importantly the USAF isn't backing off its buy and seems to be getting off the UAV bandwagon.  Amazing things happen when you start thinking outside of counter insurgency and start focusing on peer threats.

PS.

Does anyone know the total number of F-35's?  Test and production models...

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