Dutch Air Force F-35s Cross the Atlantic and Conduct Tests in the Netherlands

06/07/2016
2016-06-02 In this video from the Dutch Ministry of Defence, two Dutch F-35s, which had been operating as part of the test group at Edwards AFB, are seen crossing the Atlantic. Accompanying them is the Dutch Minister of Defence in her Gulfstream along with two Dutch tankers. A number of F-16s…

The Danish Parliament And the New Fighter: Moving Forward

05/31/2016
2016-05-27  Earlier this week, the Defence Committee of the Danish Parliament held a hearing on the government’s decision to buy the F-35 as the new fighter aircraft for Denmark. On May 12, 2016, the Danish government made a decision to select the F-35 as their fighter replacement choice and released…

Italians Continue Their Flight Path Across the Atlantic: 2nd and 3rd Italian Built F-35s Arrive at Luke AFB

05/26/2016
2016-05-26 Earlier, we were at Pax River on February 5, 2016, when the first F-35 arrived from Italy and performed the first trans-Atlantic crossing of an F-35. We wrote at the time: On Feb. 5, the Italian Air Force’s first F-35, AL-1 with code “32-01” and markings of the 32 Stormo Wing…

Reshaping Operational and Training Approaches: Airpower Led Combat Innovation

05/22/2016
2016-05-19 By Robbin Laird We have argued throughout the discussion of fifth generation aircraft that the transition was about the re-norming of airpower. It was about reshaping airpower as airpower leads a broader transformation of US and allied combat forces to prevail in 21t century environments and to meet 21st…

RAF’s Airbus Tanker at Pax River: Working with the F-35B

05/21/2016
2016-05-21 The F-35 has already worked with the Aussie A330MRTT known as the KC-30A at Edwards. Now the RAF has flown its Voyager to Pax River to work with the F-35B as well. Both the F-35 and the KC-30A are being bought and operated by multiple allied air forces, and…

Visiting the Pax River F-35 Integrated Task Force: Todd Miller Provides an Update

05/20/2016
2016-05-20 By Todd Miller Relentless criticism and real-time reporting of any negative development often overshadows the steady progress of the F-35 program and the unprecedented capability of the F-35 platform itself. Many critics simply “don’t know what they don’t know” and attempt to cast the aircraft within the context of…