Article Posted on : - Jan 19, 2012

BF-6, the first F-35B STOVL production jet delivered to the US Marine Corps. Photo: Angel DelCueto.

FORT WORTH, TEXAS (BNS): The first two Lockheed Martin production model F-35B aircraft was recently delivered to the US Marine Corps.

The short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft known as BF-6 and BF-8 are now assigned to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing's Marine Fighter/Attack Training Squadron 501 residing with the host 33rd Fighter Wing at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.

The jets are the first two F-35 deliveries to the Department of Defence in 2012 and the seventh and eighth F-35 aircraft delivered to Eglin AFB since July 2011. Previously, six US Air Force F-35A conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) jets were delivered to the base.

The F-35 Lightning II is a 5th Generation fighter, combining advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations and advanced sustainment.

Three distinct variants of the F-35 will replace the A-10 and F-16 for the US Air Force, the F/A-18 for the US Navy, the F/A-18 and AV-B Harrier for the US Marine Corps, and a variety of fighters for at least nine other countries.

Lockheed Martin is developing the F-35 with its principal industrial partners, Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems.