NEWS

FORT WORTH, Texas — The first of four F-35 Lightening II fighters currently in production for Norway has rolled off the Lockheed Martin production line in Texas.

The jet, designated as AM-1 by Lockheed Martin, is now undergoing coating with low-observable finishes, followed by functional fuel system checks, operational ground checks, and first flight.

Lockheed Martin said the aircraft will later be delivered to Luke AFB, Ariz., where it will join the U.S. Air Force’s F-35 international pilot training program fleet.

In other F-35 news, the U.S. Department of Defense has announced the award of a contract modification for F-35 conventional takeoff and aircraft for Israel.

The $89.265 million modification includes the development and demonstration, integration and sustainment planning for the Israel F-35A CTOL Air System.

The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity for the modification to a Foreign Military Sales contract.

More specific details of the modification were not disclosed.