F-35 Joint Strike Fighter On The Leading Edge Of A Battle

Third F-35 JSF 'BF-2' made first flight February 25, 2009
Photo: Scott Fischer at Fence Check 

 

Original F-35 prototype 'AA-1'

 The top pic is of F-35 ‘BF-2', the second ‘B' model to be completed.  It flew for the first time February 25, 2009 in Fort Worth, Texas making it the third F-35 prototype to fly. The ‘B' model is the short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) variant.  The bottom pic is the original prototype 'A' model which is (CTOL) conventional takeoff and landing and first flew December 15, 2006. 

 While the JSF program is moving forward, the aircraft might find itself going to battle much earlier than expected.  Our financial crisis may cause some in government to try to take a hatchet to the program.  I sure don't have all the answers, but I'm thinking this is a program we NEED.

 I'm all for watching where and how we spend taxpayer dollars, but the world isn't getting any nicer... but it is getting much more capable of building high-tech weapons.  I'm sure that's a game the planet still desperately needs us to be at the top of. 

 Here's an interesting UPI news story titled "Buying two engines for the F-35 wastes billions of dollars" that seems shows an easy way to save boatloads of cash without holding the JSF program back.  I don't think we've ever seen a more critical time for the United States to make absolutely sure that we continue to fund essential defense projects that will be effective at keeping as much peace as possible around the world.