UK announces F-35 purchases

FORT WORTH, Texas - The United Kingdom will buy three Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II operational test aircraft, a sign of the U.K.’s commitment to the Operational Test and Evaluation phase of the Joint Strike Fighter program. British Defense Secretary John Hutton made the announcement during a visit to Washington, D.C. The F-35B combines stealth with short takeoff/ vertical landing capability and supersonic speed. It will be flown from the two new Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers. The U.K. plans to bring 138 F-35s to the fleet. (Source: Lockheed Martin, 03/19/09) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., will be home of the Joint Strike Fighter Training Center