F-35B Twilight Operations

10/19/2013
2013-10-19  The Integrated Test Force operates F-35B test aircraft aboard the USS Wasp at twilight in August 2013. The tests were a part of Developmental Test Phase Two for the F-35B STOVL variant. According to Lt. Col. Gillette, currently the X0 of the Squadron and in transition with the jet…

Israel and F-35 Production: Building New Pilot Helmets

10/18/2013
2013-10-18 According to Israeli sources, Israel will build helmets for the F-35 program. An Israeli company has been selected to take part in manufacturing hi-tech helmets for pilots of the US F-35 stealth fighter, Israeli Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon said. He said in a statement that Elbit Systems and its…

Canadian Company Builds Horizontal Tail Assemblies for F-35

10/18/2013
2013-10-18  Magellan Aerospace announced today (October 16, 2013), that the first complete ship set of F-35A Lightning II horizontal tail assemblies produced at its Winnipeg manufacturing division was successfully installed onto the aircraft at Lockheed Martin's final assembly line in Fort Worth, Texas. This successful installation of Magellan's horizontal tail…

A USAF Perspective on the F-35 Combat Systems

10/12/2013
2013-10-12 In a USAF overview on the F-35 published in late September, some key elements of the combat systems of the aircraft and the fleet were highlighted by 33rd Fighter Wing personnel. Lt. Col. Anthony Pelkington is the 33rd FW chief of safety and was one of the first of…

Japan and F-35 Production

10/04/2013
2013-10-04 In addition to building a Final Assembly Line similar to the one in Italy, Japanese firms are building parts for the global supply chain. According to an October 3, 2013, UPI story: The Japanese government has confirmed three domestic companies will manufacture parts for Lockheed Martin's F-35 Lightning II…

Visiting the 33rd Fighter Wing: An Overview and Update on the F-35 Program

09/29/2013
2013-09-29  By Robbin Laird On September 4th Secretary Wynne visited the 33rd Fighter Wing for an update on the F-35 program as seen from the training facility.  Ed Timperlake and I accompanied him and added some meetings of our own, notably with maintainers and USMC squadron leaders. https://www.sldinfo.com/secretary-wynne-visits-the-33rd-fighter-wing/ We have…

Declaring IOC for the F-35B and Going to Japan: Lt. Col. Gillette Discusses the Approach

09/29/2013
2013-09-29 During the visit of Secretary Wynne to the 33rd Fighter Wing, we accompanied him on the visit and add some meetings of our own. Among the most notable of those additional meetings was an opportunity to sit down with two USMC leaders in the process of the roll out of…