Lockheed Martin has completed assembly of the first production F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and, on Feb. 19, moved it out of the factory in Fort Worth, Tex., to tank it up on fuel. The first F-35 off the assembly line is USAF’s conventional takeoff and landing version, which is slated to begin flight tests this fall. First, though, it must go through extensive ground testing.
The KC-Z4, a blended wing body tanker concept being developed by startup JetZero, could fuel larger groups of aircraft at longer range to hold more targets at risk, company officials say.