taly's Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 fighter jet completed its inaugural flight onMonday, marking the first-ever F-35 flight outside the UnitedStates and a major international milestone for the $391 billionweapons program, Lockheed said.
Lockheed test pilot Bill Gigliotti completed a flight ofnearly one-and-a-half hours in early afternoon European time onMonday, a key step toward planned delivery of the jet, known asAL-1, to the Italian government by the end of the year.
Gigliotti said the flight went as planned, with nosurprises.
The 34th Fighter Squadron Assistant Director of Operations Maj. Brad Matherne, flies a combat-coded F-35A Lightning II aircraft past the control tower at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, Sept. 17. Maj. Matherne and 34th Fighter Squadron Commander Lt. Col. George Watkins were conducting mission qualification training, focusing on weapons employment, range familiarization and mission system proficiency. (U.S. Air Force photos/Alex R. Lloyd)