AF-1 recently became the second F-35A test aircraft to reach 500 flight hours, announced F-35 prime contractor Lockheed Martin. The airplane reached the milestone on a test sortie from Edwards AFB, Calif., according to the company’s Jan. 23 release. This was AF-1’s 272nd flight, states the release. AF-1 began flying in November 2009. Back in June, AF-2 became the first F-35A to reach 500 flight hours, said Lockheed Martin. The F-35A flight test program has completed more than 43 percent of the overall test plan, noted the company.
The Space Development Agency says it’s on track to issue its next batch of missile warning and tracking satellite contracts this month after those awards were delayed by the Pentagon’s decision to divert funds from the agency to pay troops during this fall’s prolonged government shutdown.
