strikes or supported aircraft that engaged
targets. Israel has already approved the
purchase of 50 F-35As against a potential
acquisition of 75 ghters and deliveries will
run through to December 2024. By the end of
this year, 15 Lightning IIs will be operational.
Israeli pilots were initially trained at Luke, but
local training takes place at Nevatim Air Base
in central Israel.
The ‘Adirs’ will acquire several locally
developed systems and equipment that
reportedly consist of an electronic warfare
system, external jamming pod and precision-
guided air-to-air weapons, as well as
command, control, communication and
computers (C4) software developed by
Israel Aerospace Industries’ Lahav Division.
In 2020, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) will
receive an F-35A tted with special test
instrumentation to support the integration
of the locally developed systems. According
to the commander of the IAF test centre, it
will enable the service “to begin the work
of upgrading the capabilities of this aircraft”
to ensure it can meet Israel’s “special
operational requirements”.ITA LY
Three F-35As were ordered for the Italian
Air Force under Lot 6. Assigned the Italian
serial number MM7332 (AL-1), the initial
aircraft was produced at the Cameri Final
Assembly and Check Out (FACO) facility
near Milan and was the rst Lighting II to
be produced outside of Fort Worth. It rst
ew on September 7, 2015 and completed
the Lightning II’s maiden transatlantic ight
on arrival at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland,on February 5, 2016. After completing
electromagnetic environmental effects (E3)
testing in May 2016, the F-35A joined the
international training eet at Luke. Local
deliveries began on December 12, 2016
when two F-35As were delivered to 32°
Stormo (Wing) at Amendola Air Base. Five
Block 3i F-35As assigned to the wing were
tasked as part of the country’s air defence
system on March 1, 2018. Italian F-35A pilots
undergo training with the 56th FW at Luke
and the air force’s long-term commitment to
the training eet includes ve F-35As.
Italy is currently the only international
partner to operate multiple versions of the
Lightning II and plans include 60 F-35As
and 30 F-35Bs. The STOVL versions will be
operated both by the Italian Air Force and
Navy and F-35Bs will replace the former’s
AMX (A-11) light attack aircraft, and the
latter’s AV-8Bs.
The rst F-35B to be assembled outside
the US was ordered with Lot 9 and rolled
out of Cameri on May 5, 2017. Known as
BL-1, serial MM7451 made its rst ight on
October 25. It operated in STOVL mode and
hovered over the runway for the rst time on
October 30 and was accepted by the Italian
Navy in a ceremony on January 25, 2018.
The jet was own to Patuxent River, whereit arrived on January 31. After completing
E3 certi cation, it relocated to MCAS
Beaufort, South Carolina, to support training
efforts with Marine ghter attack squadron
VMFAT-501. The rst Italian pilots completed
training at Beaufort in early 2018. The Navy
F-35Bs will be based at Grottaglie Naval Air
Station and operate from the aircraft carrier
Giuseppe Garibaldi (C 551). Owned by
the Ministry of Defence and managed by
Leonardo, and Lockheed Martin, the Cameri
FACO facility was due to deliver a second
F-35B last month (November).JAPAN
An initial batch of four F-35As was purchased
as part of Lot 8. Serial 69-8701 (AX-1), which
was produced in Fort Worth, rst ew on
August 26, 2016 and was formally unveiled on
September 28. It was subsequently delivered
to Luke AFB on November 27. Planned
procurement includes 42 F-35As and 38
will be built at the FACO in Nagoya, Japan.
Operated by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
and Lockheed Martin, the factory is located
adjacent to the Komaki Air Base and the
Nagoya Air eld. It will also serve as the
North Asia-Paci c regional heavy airframe
maintenance repair overhaul & upgrade
(MROU) facility for the Lightning II.
Local assembly of the rst F-35A began
in Nagoya in December 2015 and AX-05
(s/n 79-8705) was rolled out on June 5,- It rst ew on June 13 and was ferried
to Patuxent River in November that year.
After completing E3 certi cation it was
delivered Luke AFB to support training.
The rst two Japan Air Self-Defense Force
34 Aviation News incorporating Jets December 2018
Italy is currently the only international partner
to have procured multiple versions of the
F-35 and is due to operate the F-35A and
F-35B. Lockheed MartinJapan is one of two countries which bene ts
from an F-35 Final Assembly and Check Out
(FACO) facility. Along with Italy it has already
produced F-35s indigenously. Lockheed Martin