The F-35 Lightning II fifth generation fighter
is developed by the United States and eight partner nations. In 2002 The
Netherlands joint the program as a Tier 2 (Level 2) partner. Until it
received its current designation the aircraft was known as Joint Strike
Fighter (JSF). Lockheed Martin head test pilot Jon Beesly made the first
with the JSF on December 15, 2006. Taking off from Fort Worth, Texas
the aircraft flew for 35 minutes and reaching 15.000 feet. It marked the
start of a 12.000 flight hour test program.
The Dutch goverment decided to buy two F-35As Lightning II to
participate in the operational test and development phase of the
Lightning II. In 2009 the contract was signed for the first aircraft
followed in 2011 for the second F-35.
On October 17, 2018 the Dutch MoD announced to buy the final three
aircraft resulting in the planned purchase of 37 aircraft. From LRIP 12
these will be part of a block buy with the F-35 partners.
As part of the national NATO plan approved by the government the
intention to buy additional F-35A's was announced on December 14, 2018.
The decision will be taken in the spring of 2019 when the government
will decide how to divide additional budget between all its priorities.
Currently two operational squadrons can be fielded with NATO calling for
a third squadron which translates to rougly 15 additional Lightnings.
The first eight F-35s will be build by Lockheed Martin at its Fort
Worth, Texas plant. Two ordered in the early production batches are engaged in the Operational Test and
Development (OT&D) program and assigned to 323 TES based at Edwards AFB,
California. The other six aircraft (MSN AN-3 until MSN-8) are currently in various stages of production at Fort Worth.
Of these AN-3 (F-003) made its first flight on Saturday December 15,
2018. F-003 will be the first aircraft for Nederlands Opleiding
Detachement F-35 (NODF-35). The detachment is embedded within the USAF
308th FS / 56th FW at Luke AFB, Arizona and will be responsible for all
training on the Lightning II. F-003 will be delivered in week 4 of 2019.
By the end of the second quarter all six F-35A's should be delivered to
the unit with the two 323 TES aircraft to follow after the OT&D program
has been completed.
In Italy (Leonardo FACO Cameri) final assembly of AN-9 began on June 15,
2018. The aircraft made its on September 9, 2019 and was rolled-out
during an official ceremony on September 12. On October 31, 2019 F-009
was delivered from Cameri to Leeuwarden.
More information about the F-35 Lightning II can be found at the
website:
F-35
Lightning II order and delivery reports
(overview of current ordered and delivered aircraft and detailed
production batches).
Luke Lightnings article about the
56th FW and its current and future F-35A squadrons/
F-35 to The Netherlands (May 23 - June
14, 2016).
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