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.
The rate of building B-21 bombers would speed up if the fiscal 2026 defense budget passes. But it remains unclear how much capacity would be added, and whether the Air Force would simply build the bombers faster, or buy more.
