The F-35 and Weapons Certification

10/18/2012
Weapons certification is the next step to moving the F-35 along to initial operational capability. The standing up of the first F-35 B squadron at Yuma Air Station in November will see the process of building a capable F-35 force begin. Weapons certification is an important step as well. In…

The United States at a Key Turning Point: The Core Necessity for a Military Rebuilding Strategy

10/17/2012
2012-10-17 by Michael Wynne, the 21st Secretary of the Air Force In a speech at the Virginia Military Institute, Governor Mitt Romney began a great conversation about the United States role in the world going forward.  How this conversation is framed will influence many emerging international realities. In fact in…

Ball Aerospace and Lockheed Martin Highlight F-35 Lightning II Capabilities at Cockpit Demonstration Event

10/09/2012
10/3/12  Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. and Lockheed Martin today showcased the F-35 Lightning II mobile cockpit demonstrator to state and local elected officials, community leaders, other stakeholders, news media and employees at the Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. Westminster facility. “We are proud to provide critical technologies for the…

Hangar 80 at Yuma Air Station: A Building Block for F-35 Global Presence

10/05/2012
2012-10-05 In a discussion with Phil Klendworth, head of site activation for the F-35 at Lockheed Martin, we focused on the new infrastructure being built to house the F-35. Site activation is an important part of any new program, especially so for the F-35 with its new hangers being built appropriately…

All Aussie F-35 maintenance to be performed in Australia

10/03/2012
Kym Bergmann / Canberra Speaking to the media on August 23 August in Canberra, Lockheed Martin’s F-35 program manager Tom Burbage explained that once Australia’s F-35s are delivered they will never have to return to the US for maintenance. He seemed surprised that the media was surprised by the information,…

US Military Presence and the “Dynamic Defense” of Japan

09/30/2012
2012-09-30 By Richard Weitz Although the Japanese-U.S. security relationship has evolved considerably since the end of the Cold War, the fundamental bargain enshrined in their mutual security treaty has remained. The United States will defend Japan from external aggression while the Japanese will facilitate this process by hosting U.S. military…

Dutch Trade Union and Fokker Working Together on Jobs in F-35 Project

09/29/2012
2012-09-29  Fokker Technologies and the Netherlands trade union confederation FNV Bondgenoten have signed a covenant about the importance of support for the aerospace industry and the efforts that both parties will make to maintain employment opportunities in the Netherlands resulting from participation in the F 35 project. Fokker has chosen…

BAE Systems Australia to develop models for F-35 sustainment

09/29/2012
by Greg Waldron, Singapore Flight Global BAE Systems Australia has won a nine-month contract to develop operational models for the integration of the Lockheed Martin F-35 into the Australian defence environment. The company will work with the Australian Defence Force (ADF) to create a model that covers all aspects of…