The first Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II for Norway known as AM-1, transferred out of the F-35 main production facility Aug. 19, marking a key milestone for the Norwegian F-35 program.
This move from the production facility is one of the final steps in the process leading to the jet’s eventual assignment to Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, later this year. Once at Luke, it becomes part of the U.S. Air Force’s pilot training program for both the USAF and international countries.
AM-1 is currently in the Aircraft Final Finishes (AFF) facility where it receives low observable coatings. From there it undergoes a series of functional fuel system checks and then transports to the flight line for operational ground checks and its first flight.
AM-1 is the first of four Norwegian F-35s currently in production at the Fort Worth plant. Norway’s second F-35 known as AM-2 recently jointed its sister aircraft in the AFF while AM-3 and AM-4 are both in work at the wing systems and forward fuselage areas. Both of these aircraft will take shape for the first time in late September, when their major components are joined together.
Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 112,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation’s net sales for 2014 were $45.6 billion.
