Darth Vader
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To date, the F-35 program has focused on system development and flight testing while most recently transitioning to low rate initial production, said Orlando Carvalho, Lockheed Martin executive vice president and general manager, F-35 program.
Weve crossed a critical threshold as we begin delivering our LRIP 3 aircraft. Were increasingly becoming more operationally focused. These deliveries illustrate the programs natural progression and maturation that is taking place on a daily basis.
The four aircraft, which were formally accepted by the Defense Contract Management Agency with the signing of Department of Defense Form 250 (DD-250), are the first jets manufactured as part of Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) Lot 3.
They will begin ferrying to Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., in the coming days, bringing the total there to 16. The DOD has eight test aircraft at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., and six test aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.
Three of the jets are F-35A conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) variants and will be assigned to the U.S. Air Forces 33d Fighter Wing.
One F-35B short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft will be assigned to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wings Marine Fighter/Attack Training Squadron 501. Once at Eglin, the 5th Generation fighters will be used for pilot and maintainer training at the bases F-35 Integrated Training Center.
The F-35 Lightning II is a 5th Generation fighter, combining advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations and advanced sustainment.
Three distinct variants of the F-35 will replace the A-10 and F-16 for the U.S. Air Force, the F/A-18 for the U.S. Navy, the F/A-18 and AV8-B Harrier for the U.S. Marine Corps, and a variety of fighters for at least nine other countries.