Given that the USAF is having to relearn mobile basing and are flying the same aircraft as the USMC (although the the USAF for now is not following the recommendation of an earlier COS of the USAF that they acquire F-35Bs), it is not surprising to find USAF pilots onboard…
By Robbin Laird The Italians have had a number of firsts with regard to the F-35 global enterprise. As I wrote in 2015: At the beginning of the 20th Century, Italy was a pioneer in combat aviation. Although different at the beginning of the 21st century, Italy has again emerged…
Blue Flag Exercise 2019 was conducted in Israel and the Israeli F-35s were involved for the first time in a Blue Flag exercise. ISRAEL 11.13.2019 Video by Airman 1st Class Alex Miller 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
It's mission complete for the F-35 II's after they completed their first combat deployment and returned home to Hill Air Force Base. The 5th generation fighter continues to fly missions out of Al Dhafra Air Base in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. UNITED ARAB EMIRATES 10.25.2019 Video by Capt. Amanda…
By Yaakov Lappin Israel completed its fourth international air exercise in southern Israel, Blue Flag 2019, earlier this month – a drill that planners have described as being the most advanced of its kind to date. Towards the end of the exercise, held from Nov. 3 to Nov. 14 at…
Edwards Air Force Base, California, said farewell to six of its F-35 Lightning II’s in October. The F-35s were transferred to Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, to continue initial operational testing. The 31st Test and Evaluation Squadron, a tenant unit at Edwards, recently completed their portion of the mission of…
By Marcus Hellyer One of the ironies of the current debate about how Australia should adjust its military strategy in light of the changing great-power balance in the Indo-Pacific is that many of the participants—regardless of their views on the future of US military power—make similar recommendations, namely, that Australia…
By Andrew McLaughlin Two European JSF partner nations operators have achieved significant milestones with their F-35A Lightning II fleets. On November 6, Norway declared it had achieved an initial operational capability (IOC) of its F-35A following a testing deployment to Rygge Air Station, away from its Ørland Main Air Station…
