A KC-135 tanker refueled a Navy F-35C strike fighter for the first time, announced F-35 manufacturer Lockheed Martin. The hook-up took place on Aug. 20 near NAS Patuxent River, Md., with Lt. Col. Patrick Moran piloting the F-35C airframe, CF-1, for the coupling with the tanker, states the company’s Aug. 23 release. With this, all three variants—Air Force’s F-35A, Marine Corps’ F-35B, and Navy’s F-35C—have now taken on fuel from the KC-135, according to the company. Earlier this month, the first F-35C local training sortie took place at the F-35 schoolhouse at Eglin AFB, Fla.
The rate of building B-21 bombers would speed up if the fiscal 2026 defense budget passes. But it remains unclear how much capacity would be added, and whether the Air Force would simply build the bombers faster, or buy more.
