The first flight of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter takes place. The conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) version, piloted by company test pilot Jon Beesley, flew for 30 minutes from the company facility at Fort Worth, Texas.
The U.S. began extensive air and artillery strikes against Islamic State group targets in Syria on Dec. 19 in retaliation for the killing of three Americans on Dec. 13 by a gunman affiliated with ISIS, U.S. officials said.
