Tue, Aug 04, 2009
Navy's First Stealth Fighter Joins The Fleet
The chief of Naval Operations (CNO) welcomed the Navy's first
Joint Strike Fighter, the F-35C Lightning II, to the fleet in a
ceremony last week.
Photo Courtesy U.S. Navy
The F-35C is the Navy's first stealth fighter and enables the
Navy to decrease the time from threat to response at sea. The
aircraft possesses uncompromised carrier suitability and
low-maintenance stealth materials designed for long-term durability
in the carrier environment.
Adm. Gary Roughead, CNO, said this aircraft adds tremendous
capability to the fleet. "Our Sailors will never be in a fair fight
because this airplane will top anything that comes its way. It will
give our Sailors and pilots the tactical and technical advantage in
the skies and it will relieve our aircraft as they age out,"
Roughead said.
CNO said the pace of operations has not been easy on Sailors,
Soldiers, Airmen, and Marines, nor on the ships and aircraft they
rely on. He said the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is essential to
addressing the Navy, and more importantly the nation's, strike
fighter needs.
"It is most exciting for me to think about the young men and
women who look to this uniform, who look to naval aviation and see
a fulfillment in their lives and an excitement in their lives that
is unmatched in any other profession in the world," Roughead said.
"I thank you for what you have done and thank you for what you are
going to do. It is indeed a great honor to be here."
F-35 File Photo
The F-35C is on schedule to meet the Navy's initial operational
capability in 2015, and combines stealth with supersonic speed and
high agility. The Lightning II employs the most powerful and
comprehensive sensor package ever incorporated into a fighter.
ANN salutes Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW) Rebekah
Blowers
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