Forum: General F-35 Forum

Lockheed Martin Delivers Four F-35s To U.S. Air Force And Marine Corps 10 July 2012

http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/news/p ... vered.html

"FARNBOROUGH, England, July 10, 2012 – With the delivery of four Lockheed Martin [NYSE:LMT] F-35 Lightning II aircraft since June 29, an important milestone was achieved as the Department of Defense now possesses more operational-coded F-35s than test aircraft. A total of nine F-35s have been delivered for the year, giving the DOD a total of 30 aircraft fleet-wide. Of these, 16 are operational aircraft and 14 are test planes.

“To date, the F-35 program has focused on system development and flight testing while most recently transitioning to low rate initial production,” said Orlando Carvalho, Lockheed Martin executive vice president and general manager, F-35 program. “We’ve crossed a critical threshold as we begin delivering our LRIP 3 aircraft. We’re increasingly becoming more operationally focused. These deliveries illustrate the program’s natural progression and maturation that is taking place on a daily basis.”

The four aircraft, which were formally accepted by the Defense Contract Management Agency with the signing of Department of Defense Form 250 (DD-250), are the first jets manufactured as part of Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) Lot 3. They will begin ferrying to Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., in the coming days, bringing the total there to 16. The DOD has eight test aircraft at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., and six test aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.

Three of the jets are F-35A conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) variants and will be assigned to the U.S. Air Force’s 33d Fighter Wing. One F-35B short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft will be assigned to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing’s Marine Fighter/Attack Training Squadron 501. Once at Eglin, the 5th Generation fighters will be used for pilot and maintainer training at the base’s F-35 Integrated Training Center...."

No more.

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Wow 4 at a time! Very Happy

The following three AF-35 have the OT tail code and may go to either Eglin or Edwards, both having test squadrons. Also, I noticed Edwards recently changed the name of their squadron form Flight Test to Test. Looks like they may be getting "more and more" serious about EW testing. Uh, Oh!..... Smile

The "Bees" have to deliver #13 before BK-1 moves to Eglin, later in July. I hope to see them flying near Ft. Walton while on holiday the 30 & 31. Salute

Slideshow from the arrival at the link

http://www.nwfdailynews.com/sections/sl ... d=15200526

neptune wrote:

Wow 4 at a time!

With the delivery of four Lockheed Martin [NYSE:LMT] F-35 Lightning II aircraft since June 29,
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all of the 4 jets are delieved at the same day or not?

One B earlier in the week. 3 As same day.

quicksilver wrote:

One B earlier in the week. 3 As same day.

Was this a "holdup" from the strike or is it an indication of things to come (maturing of production line)? Smile

AF-14, 2-Mar; AF-15, 3-Mar; AF-16, 3-May; BF-12, 30-Mar

neptune wrote:

quicksilver wrote:

One B earlier in the week. 3 As same day.

Was this a "holdup" from the strike or is it an indication of things to come (maturing of production line)? Smile

AF-14, 2-Mar; AF-15, 3-Mar; AF-16, 3-May; BF-12, 30-Mar

AIUI, laxative for resolving pre- DD-250 issues between LM and the USG. Jets were ready for some time.

What is the delivery plan this year? How many A/C per month?

19 Jul 12 .....""Shortly after the ceremony, the first F-35B for the United Kingdom, called BK-1, took off from Fort Worth, Texas, to Eglin AFB, Florida."" Smile

The Marines are starting to collect a flyable quantity of a/c. Cheers

Forum: General F-35 Forum

LM Delivers Four F-35s To U.S. Air Force And Marine Corps