F-35B Declared Combat Ready, But More Development Remains

摘要

The last day of July was momentous for the Marine Corps as it declared that a squadron of F-35B joint strike fighters was ready for combat. It was the first of the joint strike fighter models to reach initial operating capability. "The U.S. Marine Corps decision to make the F-35B ready for combat is a significant event for the F-35 program. The weapons system is now in the warfighters' hands and can be called upon to do its mission," Lt. Gen. Christopher Bogdan, F-35 program manager, said in a July 31 statement. After 14 years of development, the program has plenty of critics along with a few fans. Analysts warned that there is a lot of work remaining for the Marines before the aircraft reaches its full potential. Bogdan said the service now has a stealth fighter that can fly faster than the speed of sound, carry its weapons internally, conduct short take offs and vertical landings, and be deployed from amphibious ships and austere bases. Ten F-35Bs stationed at Marine Corps Station Yuma, Arizona, were the first to reach IOC.