USAF declares first squadron of F-35As combat ready

[Guest SrPilot]

From Defense News - August 2, 2016:

 

The Air Force on Tuesday declared its first squadron of F-35As ready for battle, fifteen years after Lockheed Martin won the contract to make the plane.

 

The milestone means that the service can now send its first operational F-35 formation — the 34th Fighter Squadron located at Hill Air Force Base, Utah — into combat operations anywhere in the world. The service, which plans to buy 1,763 F-35As, is the single-largest customer of the joint strike fighter program, which also includes the U.S. Marine Corps, Navy and a host of governments worldwide.

 

The Air Force, which follows the Marine Corps in approving F-35s for operations, had a five-month window between Aug. 1 and Dec. 31 to proclaim initial operational capability. After notifying Congress, Air Combat Command head Gen. Herbert “Hawk” Carlisle signed off on the declaration on August 2.

 

Full story:

 

Air Force Declares F-35A Ready for Combat

 

 

[fly_tornado]

when they post them overseas you know they are working properly, someone needs to sell some SAMs to IS to see whether or not the stealth works

 

 

[skippydiesel]

"When will they ever learn". "When will they ever learn" ------ DRONES & SAM's are the now & the future for fighter & surveillance aircraft. Why hall/lift a life support system & a pilot when you can replace all of that with fuel, equipment & or ordnance.