Lockheed Building Six Marine Corps F-35 Simulators; Dwight DeJong Comments
Marine Corps photo
Lockheed Martin has finished installing two F-35 mission simulators at a Marine Corps station in Arizona and plans to build six simulators.
The company said the Yuma-based air station will house the first operational F-35 squadrons worldwide for the branch.
Pilots at Yuma will be able to use the simulators later this year, the company said.
“Due to the fidelity of the simulators, approximately 50 percent of the core syllabus flights for the F-35 program are accomplished in the simulator,” said Lt. Col. Dwight DeJong, director of the Joint Strike Fighter Site Activation Team at the Yuma stadium.
DeJong also said simulator training does not depend on the weather, maintenance and range availability affecting daily operations.
These simulators have 360-degree visual display system designed to replicate all F-35 sensors and weapons deployment.
Yuma will host five F-35 squadrons and one operational test and evaluation squadron, while Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121 will be the first operational F-35 squadron on station.
In August, a short take-off and vertical landing F-35 variant released an airborne weapon for the first time in the JSF program’s history.
Related posts:
- GDIT to Provide Marine Corps C4ISR Tech, Program Mgmt; Tom Kirchmaier Comments
- Marine Corps Bans Twitter, Facebook, MySpace
- AF to Pick Up Lockheed F-35 Testing Pace; Lee Kloos Comments
- Marines to Continue Testing Lockheed-Built Unmanned Cargo Choppers; Doug Hardison Comments
- Army, Marine Officials Tell Lawmakers Robotic Systems Work