Italian F-35 Makes First Atlantic Crossing

Italian F-35 Makes First Atlantic Crossing

The Italian Air Force has successfully conducted the first trans-Atlantic crossing of a Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), with the arrival of aircraft AL-1 into the U.S. last week.

AL-1, the first conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) F-35A to be assembled at Italy’s final assembly and checkout (FACO) facility at Cameri Air Base near Milan, arrived at Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River in Maryland via the Azores.

During the approximately seven-hour flight, the aircraft, shown here, was accompanied by two AMI Boeing KC-767 tankers, two Lockheed Martin C-130J Hercules transport aircraft for logistical and search-and-rescue support, and a pair of AMI Eurofighter Typhoons which were flying on to a separate Red Flag exercise.

For the complete story by Gareth Jennings of IHS Jane’s Defence Weekly, click here.

Photo by Lockheed Martin

Updated: February 9, 2016 — 9:03 AM
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