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.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth vowed to undertake far-reaching reforms on the way the U.S. military buys weapons, promising a sweeping overhaul of the way the Defense Department determines requirements, handles the acquisition process, and tests its kit. The fundamental goal, which Hegseth underscored in a 1-hour and 10-minute speech…
