Air Refueling of F-35s

06/19/2015
2015-06-19  F-35′s from the 56th Fighter Wing are seen with two KC-135′s for an aerial refueling mission over Arizona. Credit Video: 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs 6/5/15 And the perspective from MCAS Beaufort: Fueling a fighter jet mid-mission isn’t as easy as exiting a highway to top off your tank. It’s really…

F-35Bs Arrive Aboard USS WASP for Operational Testing

05/22/2015
2015-05-22 Six aircraft arrived for the opening of OT-1 (first phase of operational testing) on May 18, 2015 aboard the USS Wasp. The six aircraft are from Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501, Marine Aircraft Group 31, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, Beaufort, South Carolina, and Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121,…

USN Reservist Flying the F-35B and the F-35C

03/22/2015
2015-03-22 This video includes several shots of the operation of the F-35C as well as the F-35B operating off of the Nimitz and the WASP. The ability to operate from the sea provides a significant capability to enhance the overall effects from combined land and sea airpower. The video has…

First F-35A Arrives at the USAF Warfare Center Weapons School, January 15, 2015

02/06/2015
02/06/2015  Second Line of Defense attended the ceremony for the arrival of the first F-35A to the USAF Weapons School on January 15, 2015. There are already 4 F-35As here with the test wing, but this is the first full up IOC template F-35A, which will be put through its paces…

An Update from the 33rd Fighter Wing on F-35 Maintenance

11/11/2014
2014-11-11 In this video, members of the 33rd Fighter Wing address the F-35 maintenance approach being implemented at Eglin AFB. 33rd Maintenance Group operates at the 33rd Fighter Wing.  The mission of the 33rd Maintenance Group is to deliver safe, reliable and on-time aircraft to support F-35 pilot and maintainer…

First 1,000 Hour Flight F-35

08/23/2014
2014-08-23 “Workhorse” Becomes First F-35 to Achieve 1,000 Flight Hours by Kenji Thuloweit 412th Test Wing Public Affairs 6/18/14 Edwards Air Force Base AF-2, the second production F-35 Lightning II for the U.S. Air Force, became the first F-35 to reach 1,000 flight hours. Paul Hattendorf, Lockheed Martin test pilot,…

F-35B STOVL Mode Formation Flight Testing

07/01/2014
2014-07-01 Two F-35B aircraft flew in close formation for the first time in short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) mode, also known as Mode 4, on Feb. 11, 2014, at the Patuxent River Naval Air Station. Recently, we talked to instructors at MAWTS about their work with the F-35 at Yuma Air…

F-35 Training at 33rd Fighter Wing

04/17/2014
2014-04-17 The F-35 training process started at Eglin but now the Marines are moving from Eglin to Marine Air Station Beaufort with the USN taking over the USMC facilities at Eglin. At Second Line of Defense we have regularly followed the standing up of the training processes for the F-35…