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First Norwegian F-35 rolls off production line

Assembly of the first of four F-35s for Norway has been completed and it is now being coated with a low-observable finish.

By Richard Tomkins
The first F-35 for Norway is towed from Lockheed Martin's assembly facility. Photo courtesy Lockheed Martin
The first F-35 for Norway is towed from Lockheed Martin's assembly facility. Photo courtesy Lockheed Martin

FORT WORTH, Texas, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- 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.

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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.

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