JSF Due for its Handle:

July 5, 2006

Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.org

The Joint Strike Fighter program may celebrate a very public milestone—being given its official name—this Friday when Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Michael Moseley plan to formally unveil the first production F-35 at a ceremony at prime contractor Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth, Tex., facility, reports the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The paper confirms earlier speculation, saying that “heavy betting” among aerospace industry officials leans toward Lightning—or rather Lightning II.

Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.org

Trending Stories

All B-1 Bombers Leave RAF Fairford in Hasty Departure from UK Base

7th Air Force Ends ‘Super Squadron’ Test, Returns F-16s to Kunsan

Air Force Honors EOD Community with ‘Visible Recognition’ of New Beret

Air Force Finalizes Decision to Put F-35s at Oregon Base Starting in 2027

Related

B-21 Testing, Manufacturing Ramp Up: ‘We’re Moving Fast’

Oct. 7, 2026
Northrop Grumman has broken ground on a major new production facility for the B-21 Raider, the company and the Air Force announced Oct. 6. The construction comes as a top service official said testing on the bomber is going well in the lead up to its planned introduction into the…

With OCX Axed, Space Force Moves Forward with New GPS Ground Plan

Oct. 7, 2026
After scrapping a long-delayed program to build a next-generation GPS ground system earlier this year, the Space Force and prime contractor Lockheed Martin are pushing toward delivery of the capability in time to support the first launch of the newest GPS satellites, currently planned for 2028.

Air Force Leaders Elevate Point Defense as a Key Air Warfare Mission

Oct. 7, 2026
Flying and fixing aircraft remains the Air Force’s reason for being, but protecting air bases from attack is becoming an essential component that makes those possible. Following attacks on air bases across the Middle East during Operation Epic Fury, point defense was among the hottest topics on tap at AFA’s…

Why Financial Stability Matters for Military Readiness

Oct. 7, 2026
Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.orgMilitary readiness requires preparation for the unexpected. Airmen and Guardians train for...

Two Dover Airmen Sentenced in Multimillion-Dollar Cyber Fraud Scheme

Oct. 6, 2026
A federal judge recently sentenced one Airman and a former Airman to a combined 15 years in prison and ordered them to pay $1.36 million in restitution for a two-year cyber fraud scheme they perpetrated while serving on Active-Duty at Dover Air Force Base, Del.

OA-1K Goes Off Runway at Oklahoma Airport; Crew Safe

Oct. 6, 2026
An OA-1K Skyraider II belonging to Air Force Special Operations Command went off the runway while landing at a small Oklahoma City airport Oct. 5 and is waiting to be moved, according to officials and flight tracking data.

Air Force Finalizes Decision to Put F-35s at Oregon Base Starting in 2027

Oct. 6, 2026
More than two dozen F-35 Lightning II fighters are heading to Kingsley Field, Ore., after Air Force Secretary Troy Meink signed the official record of decision to base the jets there on Oct. 5, clearing the last bureaucratic hurdle for the Air National Guard base to host the service’s third…