The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is now officially known as the Lightning II. At a ceremony held July 7, 2006, in Fort Worth, Texas, defense officials and representatives of builder Lockheed Martin unveiled the first F-35 5th generation stealth fighter.

The inaugural flight of the first F-35 (pictured above), a preproduction conventional takeoff and landing variant, is planned for later in 2006 according to Lockheed Martin. Fifteen F-35s will undergo flight test, seven will be used for static testing and another will validate the aircraft’s radar signature.

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