Article Posted on : - Jul 15, 2011

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE (BNS): The US Air Force has received its first F-35A Lightening II stealth fighter for training purposes from Lockheed Martin.

The conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) variant of the fifth-generation fighter, designated AF-9, arrived at the Eglin Air Force Base in Florida on Thursday.

The warplane will be assigned to the 33rd Fighter Wing for training pilots and maintainers who begin coursework at the base’s new F-35 Integrated Training Center this fall.

The fully-integrated F-35 pilot-and-maintenance training center includes pilot and maintenance training equipment, support, systems and facilities for all three F-35 variants – the CTOL, short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) and aircraft carrier-based variant.

The AF-9 is the third production-model F-35 delivered to the US Air Force, with the first two assigned to Edwards Air Force Base, California.

The Eglin Air Force Base eventually will have a total of 59 F-35 fighter fleet, Lockheed said.