Lockheed Martin and its F-35 industry partner, BAE Systems, announced this week that the two defense firms have signed an agreement setting out how to support Britain’s Lightning II fighters. The deal, announced at the Farnborough Air Show, declares that BAE will take the lead on providing sustainment activities for the life of the program, expected to extend through the next 40 years. The Lightning II is expected to equip both the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy’s aviation arm.
Fixing the Air Force’s chronic combat pilot shortage will require more aircraft in the fleet, more flying hours to squadron operations, and retaining more pilots within Reserve components, according to a new paper from AFA’s Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies.