Marines Ready, But Is JSF?

By Bill Sweetman
Washington

Delays in vertical landing tests with the F-35B short-takeoff-and-vertical-landing (Stovl) version of Lockheed Martin’s Joint Strike Fighter are driving a reassessment of the U.S. Marine Corps’ plans for the jet’s service entry.

The Marines insist they will achieve initial operational capability (IOC), with eight ship-qualified aircraft and 20 pilots, by late 2012. That is only six months later than the ...

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