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F-35 lands in San Diego for first time By Gretel C. Kovach 30 July 2013
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/jul ... irst-time/
"Marine version of stealth jet makes appearance at Miramar
An F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jet landed in San Diego for the first time Tuesday, stopping in a city saturated with military and defense industry representatives invested in keeping the Pentagon’s costliest weapons program aloft....
...The Marines sent a vertically landing F-35B to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar on a training flight, dispatching it for the first time to a base without permanent F-35 testing or operational support.
The jet also known as the Lightning II flew out of Yuma, where the Defense Department’s first squadron meant to eventually fly it in combat was established in November.
Lt. Col. Jeffrey Scott, commanding officer of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121, circled the Miramar flight line twice, did a touch and go off the runway, opened the weapons bay, then landed in the conventional manner....
...“Some people call it the unicorn, but it’s here. It’s actually right here on the flight line today. We have Marines working on it everyday,” and pilots fly it three to five days a week, Scott said. “It is the future of Marine tactical aviation.”...
...It received its ninth airplane Monday, two more are expected Wednesday, and all 16 slated for the squadron by October.
Their 10 aviators have flown more than 85 sorties and 100 hours, according to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing headquartered at Miramar....
...As the Marines ramp up operations, most flights now are conventional, but the squadron will probably be training with mostly short takeoffs and vertical landings by the fall...."
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/jul ... irst-time/
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