Aviation News - June 2016

different FLTSs has been reduced and

programmes combined to save costs and to

create more synergy. Some major changes

took place in May last year. On the 1st the

445th FLTS was merged with the 416th

FLTS, while on the 15th the 412th FLTS was

disbanded and the sole Speckled Trout, s/n

63-7980 (a highly modi ed KC-135) found a

new home in the 418th FLTS. It is currently

being used in the F-35 programme but, as

the only receiver-capable KC-135 on base,

it will eventually also be used for KC-46-

related work.

Some programmes have had to be

cancelled and others put on hold until more

funds are available. An example is the

Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) for

the F-16, which was to extend the type’s

service life from 8,000 to 10,000 – or, in

some cases, even 12,000 –  ying hours.

Nevertheless, with new aircraft being

tested and older ones being upgraded,

there’s plenty of work for the personnel at

Edwards AFB for the foreseeable future.

http://www.aviation-news.co.uk 47

NASA’s Beechcraft King Air N7NA mission support aircraft over the compass rose on Rogers Dry Lake adjacent to NASA’s Armstrong Flight

Research Center. NASA/Jim Ross

Lightning II BF01 was the  rst short take-off and vertical landing aircraft to  y in the

Joint Strike Fighter programme. There are currently 22 F-35s based at Edwards.

42-47_edwardsMFDC.mfDC.mf.indd 47 04/05/2016 16:55