Retired Col. Warren “Bob” Lilly, 74, died Oct. 12 in Alabama. Lilly was a rescue helicopter pilot during the Vietnam War and was shot down in 1965. He spent seven years as a prisoner of war in Hanoi, alongside Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). In a statement, McCain wrote: “Bob was not only a good friend, but a real American hero. Throughout the year we spent together as prisoners in Hanoi, I was inspired by his strength and loyal patriotism.”
It'll take up to 18 months for Lockheed Martin to deliver the 100 or so F-35s that went directly from production line to storage, awaiting the completion of Tech Refresh 3 testing. Customers haven't complained about the order in which the backlog is being delivered.