Gen. William Fraser said he’s happy with the current status of the F-35 fighter. The Air Combat Command boss said Wednesday at AFA’s Air & Space Conference, “I’m encouraged by what I’m seeing in some of the … tests out at Edwards. … They are meeting the test points … and numbers of sorties.” He said all indicators are now “pointing in the right direction.” However, ACC will “continue to stay very engaged with joint program office” to make sure “we … have our voice heard” about the fighter’s progress and capabilities, added Fraser. The Air Force will fly the lion’s share of F-35s in the US, with some 1,763 of a planned 2,443.
The U.S., South Korea, and Japan flew an unusual trilateral flight with two U.S. B-52H Stratofortress bombers escorted by two Japan Air Self-Defense Force F-2s, and two ROK Air Force KF-16 fighters—both countries’ respective variants of the F-16—July 11. That same weekend, the top military officers of the three nations…