|
The US Department of Defense released $1 billion in funding on 22 July to acquire six F-35B short takeoff/vertical landing, or STOVL, aircraft as part of the second Low-Rate Initial Production, or LRIP, contract for the F-35. The LRIP 2 contract, worth $2.2 billion for twelve aircraft, was awarded in May. At that time, the government authorized six conventional takeoff and landing, or CTOL, F-35As and gave provisional approval for the STOVL jets pending first flight of the initial F-35B test aircraft, which occurred 11 June, and completion of a propulsion system review, which occurred 22 July. The nineteen F-35 test aircraft and the first two LRIP 1 aircraft are now in production.
|
