T
he F-35 Lightning II completed its first self-powered ground taxi test on Dec. 7 and is on its way to a last series of tests before first flight, per a statement from prime contractor Lockheed Martin. Lockheed spokesman John Smith would not hazard a guess as to the actual date of the first flight, but it is slated for this month. Next up are medium-speed taxi tests, traveling at from 75 to 92 mph; this first taxi only reached about 35 mph.
Both the Air Force and Space Force are helping support the U.S. military’s emergency response efforts in Venezuela, where a pair of devastating earthquakes have killed more than 900 people, according to U.S. Southern Command.