The Air Force has accepted its first F-35A production aircraft from prime contractor Lockheed Martin. It’s the first of the 1,763 state-of-the-art stealthy F-35As that the Air Force plans to buy to form the core of its fifth generation fighter force of the future, replacing legacy F-16s and A-10s. This first production airframe, AF-7, is actually the second production-version F-35A in numerical sequence to roll off of Lockheed’s assembly line in Fort Worth, Tex. AF-6 was the first, but AF-7 was the first one to complete acceptance testing and be delivered on May 5, Lockheed spokeswoman Laurie Quincy told the Daily Report. “AF-6 is close behind” in completing the acceptance process, she noted. Lockheed’s industry team built AF-6 and AF-7 as part of Lot 1 F-35 low-rate initial production. Both aircraft are slated to spend time at Edwards AFB, Calif., supporting F-35 flight testing before they head to Eglin AFB, Fla., to be part of the joint F-35 schoolhouse there. Meanwhile, AF-8, the first F-35A built under Lot 2 LRIP, made its maiden flight last week. It will be the first F-35 production aircraft to go directly to Eglin. (See also Lockheed AF-7 release, AF-8 release, and F-35 flight test update.)
The Pentagon’s new counter-drone task force will play a direct role in arming Airmen with new weapons to defend Air Force agile combat employment, or ACE, air bases in austere locations against enemy drone attacks, the director of Joint Interagency Task Force 401 said Oct. 14.
