The first F-35 squadron is ready for combat, according to the Marines
REUTERS/U.S. Marine Corps/Lance Cpl. Remington Hall/Handout
The decision, to be announced formally later Friday, makes the Marines to first U.S. military service to declare an "initial operational capability" (IOC) of the F-35 fighter, a key milestone for the $391 billion program after years of cost overruns and schedule delays.
The F-35B model of the aircraft can take off from shorter runways and land like a helicopter.
The F-35 progam is the single most expensive military program in history. The expected lifetime cost of the program is estimated at $1.5 trillion. The cost reflects the wide range of abilities that the F-35 is meant to possess.
The aircraft comes in three varieties, each of which is specialized for a branch of the military. While the Marines have the F-35B, which can take off like a helicopter, the Air Force and Navy have the F-35A and C models respectively.
Although the F-35 is meant to ultimately replace the legacy US aircraft and function as a Jack-of-all-trades combat system, the plane has suffered from multiple shortcomings and delays to date. Aside from massive cost overruns, the aircraft suffers from a plethora of problems including software delays and flight control issues.
Most recently, a test variant of the F-35A was incapable of effectively dogfighting against an F-16 legacy jet that it was meant to replace.
(Additional reporting done by Andrea Shalal)
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