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  • F-35B in the clear

The probation hanging over the Lockheed Martin F-35B Joint Strike Fighter programme has been lifted.

Gary Parsons - 23-Jan-2012

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BF-07 is the latest F-35B delivered to the training unit at Eglin AFB in Florida. Lockheed Martin image

January 23: The threat of cancellation was imposed in early 2011 by the former US Defense Secretary Robert Gates due to poor performance of the testing programme for the F-35B Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) variant, designed primarily for the US Marine Corps. Gates said that if the programme was not turned around in two years, it would be cancelled.

On Friday the current Defense Secretary, Leon Panetta, visited the F-35B test team at NAS Patuxent River in Maryland and announced the probation had been lifted a year early. Vice Admiral David Venlet, USN Program Executive Officer for the F-35 Joint Fighter Program Office, said Secretary Panettas decision to take the F-35B Lightning II short takeoff, vertical landing (STOVL) variant off probation was a hard-earned and rewarding announcement for the entire DoD/Industry team that worked very hard last year. Successful F-35B performance ashore and at sea has very positively advanced the state of demonstrated capability in 2011. The positive momentum generated during 2011 will continue as testing proceeds, production aircraft are delivered, and fleet training begins in 2012.

Lockheed Martin F-35 Program General Manager, Larry Lawson, added We are honoured by the trust and confidence Secretary Panetta showed in the F-35 STOVL variant and the entire F-35 team with todays announcement. I want to thank General Amos and Vice Admiral Venlet for their stalwart leadership in navigating the STOVL program through the year long probation period. Id also like to thank the thousands of men and women of the combined government and contractor team who worked tirelessly to make substantial progress in flight testing the STOVL and by solving critical engineering challenges to get us to this point today. We are committed to the Marine Corps vision and the F35B role that will revolutionize our expeditionary Marine Air-Ground combat power in current and future threat environments. These 5th Generation aircraft are essential capabilities to our military services and partner nations.

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F-35B Lightning
Lockheed Martin F-35B
F-35B
F-35 Lightning II
Joint Strike Fighter
F-35B Short

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Lockheed Martin

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United States

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Eglin AFB

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Gary Parsons

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