FARNBOROUGH: The US Navy has wobbled in its commitment to buy the F-35C over much of the last five years, though the service has increasingly spoken warmly of the aircraft’s capabilities, especially after its first and flawless landings on the USS Nimitz. So I asked Sean Stackley, assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and… Keep reading →

FARNBOROUGH: England is notorious for rain, but this is ridiculous. After tremendous rains far too heavy for furled black umbrellas, stiff upper lips, or for that matter safe operation of electrical systems — perhaps a divine retribution for Brexit? — UK authorities decided to close the massive Farnborough airshow for the remainder of the day.  We’ll… Keep reading →

CORRECTED: Fixes CEO Marillyn Hewson’s name. Sigh… FARNBOROUGH: A pair of cost initiatives by Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, BAE Systems and the Pentagon should save up to $4 billion over the life of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program, officials said here today. Frank Kendall, the head Pentagon buyer, the F-35 Joint Program Office, and… Keep reading →

LONDON: Gen. Hawk Carlisle, head of Air Combat Command, pulled no punches when I asked him at the Royal International Air Tattoo if the F-35’s flying displays in Britain should be read as a signal to Russia. “Yes. You bet.” Several generals at the Royal International Air Tattoo agreed with Carlisle’s view that the plane’s appearance at RIAT and… Keep reading →

The Lockheed Martin F-35B advanced short take-off and vertical landing aircraft will make its debut at this year’s Farnborough International Air Show. The last combat aircraft in this class to premiere at Farnborough was the Yakovlev Yak-41 (Yak-141) Freestyle more than 20 years ago. How times have changed. The Freestyle was unarguably a star of what… Keep reading →

PENTAGON: He won’t be there for long, less than half a day, but Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work will attend the Farnborough Air Show and discuss his Third Offset Strategy in closed-door meetings. It marks a boost in firepower for the air show, which has usually seen Frank Kendall, the head of Pentagon acquisition, there as… Keep reading →

UPDATED: With F-35A Pilot And Mechanic Interviews CORRECTED: Caption Misidentified MSgt De Leon As Former Deputy Defense Secretary Rudy… The Air Force pilots who flew the F-35A models across the Atlantic Thursday for seven hours and 45 minutes reported a nearly flawless ride in a comfortable cockpit that included seven airborne refuelings. But the most… Keep reading →

The first three F-35Bs to leave the United States land in the United Kingdom today, having left the US this morning. The Air Force’s two F-35As leave tomorrow. Perhaps the highlight of this year’s Farnborough Air Show and Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) will come when the B models, used by the US Marines and Royal… Keep reading →

WASHINGTON: After years and years of busted schedules, cost overruns and technical challenges, the F-35 program is expected to end 2015 on a high note, with all production goals met and solid progress resolving the ejection seat issues that threaten lighter pilots. I understand from industry and program sources that, after getting stalled, there is a good… Keep reading →