Luke AFB receives Air Force’s 100th F-35 on heels of IOC announcement, unit activation

The F-35 Lightning II program took another huge step forward Aug. 26 when the Air Force’s 100th F-35, designated AF-100, arrived here following the recent announcement of the fifth-generation jet fighter’s initial operational capability.
“This marks a milestone and shows the fact that the F-35 program has continued to grow, progress and support initial operational capability,” said Brig. Gen. Brook Leonard, the 56th Fighter Wing commander. “It is also a ‘scare factor’ for our enemies that we are able to produce such an incredible platform at such a high production rate and that it’s getting out in the field in larger and larger numbers.”
Luke Air Force Base received its first F-35 in March 2014 and developed the training and tactics for the program. The fleet has since grown to more than 40 F-35s at the base, including those of partner nations such as Australia and Norway. The base also recently activated its third F-35 unit -- the 63rd Fighter Squadron.
af.mil

First Japan Air Self Defense Force F-35A Makes First Flight

The first Japan Air Self Defense Force (JASDF) F-35A successfully completed its maiden flight here today. The jet, known as AX-1, took off at 1112 and landed at 1246 local time. The flight was piloted by Lockheed Martin’s F-35 test pilot Paul Hattendorf.
Japan is on record to purchase 42 F-35A Conventional Take Off and Landing, or CTOL, aircraft, acquired through the U.S. government’s Foreign Military Sales program. The first four aircraft are in assembly in Fort Worth and are anticipated to deliver before the end of 2016. The remaining 38 aircraft will be assembled at the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries final assembly & check-out facility in Nagoya, Japan. Aircraft assembly is also underway at the Nagoya facility. Maintenance training for the first Japan maintainers has already begun at Eglin AFB, Florida, and training of the first JASDF F-35 pilots will begin at Luke AFB, Arizona, in November 2016.
f35.com

Sin fecha para el segundo Escuadrón de Eurofighter para el Ala 14 de Albacete

El programa para completar el armamento del Ala 14 en la Base Aérea de los Llanos con Eurofighter continúa, pero la dotación no será «a corto plazo»
Más de cuatro años después de que los primeros Eurofighter llegaran al Ala 14 de la Base de Los Llanos todavía se espera la dotación del segundo escuadrón, el 141, si bien ya se ha completado la plantilla de 18 aviones para el primero, el 142. Los planes de Defensa y del Ejército del Aire pasan por ir dotando al segundo escuadrón del mismo sistema de armas, pero se trabaja sin fecha concreta.
latribunadealbacete

TURKEY AIR FORCE PATCHES/PARCHES FUERZA AEREA TURQUIA RED FLAG 2016-2

Comprar/Shop

Singapore, France could Receive First Airbus MRTT in 2017

Airbus Defence and Space (DS) expects that the next new Airbus A330-200 Multirole Tanker Transport (MRTT) will be delivered to either the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) or the French Air Force.
"The next [MRTT] is either [for] Singapore or France," Fernando Alonso, Head of Military Aircraft at Airbus DS, told reporters in Kuala Lumpur in early August.
"Australia has bought two additional ones. Those are something quite special as they are second-hand ones," he added, referring to the two former Qantas-operated A330 airliners that are being converted into MRTT platforms by Airbus DS. However, he did not provide exact time frames for the deliveries.
defense-studies

USA DSCA APPROVES T-6C DEAL FOR ARGENTINA

The U.S. State Department has approved a possible $300 million foreign military sale to Argentina for T-6C Texan aircraft.
Buenos Aires requested 24 of the trainer aircraft, as well as spare engines, initial spare parts, support equipment, communications equipment, studies and surveys, contract logistics support and technical services, aircraft technical publications, aircraft ferry and support, life support equipment, initial maintenance training, initial pilot training, follow-on training, alternate mission equipment, Air Force Material Command services and travel, unclassified minor modifications and engineering change proposals, ground-based training system, operational flight trainer and operational flight trainer spare parts.
upi