F-35 On Track for IOC

F-35 fighter jet is on track both to meet the Marine Corps's July target to declare the jet ready for combat use and to meet the Air Force's target date a year later, top U.S. military officials said Thursday.
The F-35 B-model, was making good progress and should meet the Marine Corp's target for initial combat use.
Air Force Chief of Staff told a separate news conference at the Pentagon that he was confident the Air Force would meet its target date of declaring the F-35 A-model ready for initial combat use by August to December 2016.
He said the Air Force had found a way to maintain its initial detachment of operational F-35s despite a shortage of technicians caused by lawmakers' refusal to allow the Air Force to retire its A-10 attack planes.
Mabus said the Navy still expected to declare the F-35 C-model, ready for combat use by the end of the decade, as planned. The Navy tested the F-35C on board a ship for the first time in November.
reuters