The first F-35 basic course students to come straight out of undergraduate pilot training will start coursework in December, Air Education and Training Command chief Gen. Darryl Roberson told reporters at ASC16. He also said the first instructors from foreign countries—Australia and Italy—are teaching students at Luke AFB, Ariz., and instructors from other countries will be joining them soon. Last week’s fuel line problems (which grounded F-35s in several locations) affected four jets in AETC, but the grounding will have “no impact on pilot production” because other aircraft are available for instruction flights at Luke, Roberson said.
F-35 Deliveries Soared to New Record in 2025
Jan. 8, 2026
Lockheed Martin says it delivered 191 F-35 fighters in 2025—just ahead of the goal it set for itself at the beginning of the year as it works to clear a backlog of jets in storage.
