Article Posted on : - Jun 26, 2013

The Navy welcomed its first 5th generation F-35C production aircraft at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. (EAFB) on Saturday. Photo: Todd R. McQueen, Lockheed Martin.

FORT WORTH, TEXAS (BNS): The first Lockheed Martin F-35C Lightning II Navy carrier variant (CV) aircraft, CF-6, arrived at Strike Fighter Squadron 101 located at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, on Saturday.

The aircraft is the US Navy's first 5th generation F-35 production aircraft.

"The F-35 represents the new standard in weapon systems integration, maintainability, combat radius and payload that brings true multi-mission capability to the Navy," Lorraine Martin, Lockheed Martin executive vice president and F-35 programme general manager, was quoted as saying in the news release.

Strike Fighter Squadron 101 will serve as the F-35C Fleet Replacement Squadron, training both pilots and maintainers.

CF-6 will join a fleet of 12 F-35A conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) jets and 13 F-35B short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) jets already assigned to Eglin.

Later this year, four additional CVs will join the fleet.

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.

The F-35C, the US Navy and Marine Corps' CV, has larger wings and more robust landing gear than the other F-35 variants. The U.S. Navy plans to declare Initial Operational Capability with the CV in 2019, the release added.