The Navy’s flight test center at NAS Patuxent River, Md., now has a new $24 million facility with the prime purpose of testing the Navy and Marine Corps versions of the F-35. Under current plans, Pax River will get a flight-test F-35B, the Marine Corps short takeoff and vertical landing variant in early 2008. The Navy’s F-35C carrier-landing variant will follow in 2009. The JSF is not new to Pax River, since the center participated in testing of the demonstration X-35C in 2001.
The Air Force plans to have its new Integrated Capabilities Command stood up by the end of 2024, Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin said May 2, offering new details of one of the signature reforms announced by the service earlier this year. Allvin said around 500-800 Airmen will…