AF-6, the second F-35A production aircraft accepted into the Air Force’s inventory, has arrived at Edwards AFB, Calif., to take part in F-35 flight test activities, announced prime contractor Lockheed Martin. It joins AF-7, the first production F-35A to enter the force, that arrived one week prior at the California base. Both airplanes flew in from Lockheed’s assembly plant in Fort Worth, Tex., to bolster the fleet of four F-35A test aircraft already at Edwards. Once their role in testing is complete, AF-6 and AF-7 will be part of the joint F-35 schoolhouse at Eglin AFB, Fla. The Air Force intends to buy 1,763 F-35As to replace legacy F-16s and A-10s. AF-8, the first F-35A production aircraft that will go directly to the schoolhouse, made its maiden flight on May 6 in Fort Worth.
The Space Development Agency added 21 satellites to its nascent data transport network in an Oct. 15 launch, the second mission in a 10-month campaign to field 154 operational spacecraft.
