F-35 is backbone of Air Force's future fighter fleet, Welsh says

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III (center) answers a question posed to him from a subcommittee member during a hearing of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Defense Subcommittee, on Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C., June 19, 2013.The subcommittee met to receive testimony on the F-35 Lightning II, joint strike fighter fiscal 2014 budget request. During the hearing, Welsh talked about the importance of the aircraft for national security and helping provide air superiority for joint operations. Along with Welsh providing testimony were: Frank Kendall, under secretary for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics; U.S. Navy Adm. Jonathan Greenert, chief of Naval Operations, left; Gen. John M. Paxton, Jr., assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, right; and Lt. Gen. Christopher C. Bogdan, the program executive officer for the Department of Defense's F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office. (U.S. Air Force photo/Jim Varhegyi)

F-35 is backbone of Air Force's future fighter fleet, Welsh says

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III (center) answers a question posed to him from a subcommittee member during a hearing of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Defense Subcommittee, June 19, 2013, on Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.The subcommittee met to receive testimony on the F-35 Lightning II, Joint Strike Fighter fiscal 2014 budget request. During the hearing, Welsh talked about the importance of the aircraft for national security and helping provide air superiority for joint operations. (U.S. Air Force photo/Jim Varhegyi)

F-35 Lightning II

Maintainers from the 33rd Fighter Wing put the chocks on one of two new F-35A Lightning II fighters received at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., June 5, 2013. Including the Marine Corps variant of the F-35 based here, the training fleet grew to 25 F-35A and F-35B joint strike fighters. The Navy F-35C variant is slated to arrive in the coming weeks. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Nicholas Egebrecht)

F-35A first in-flight missile launch

An F-35A conventional take-off and landing aircraft completed the first in-flight missile launch of an AIM-120 over the Point Mugu Sea test range on June 5, 2013. (Courtesy F-35 Program Office)

F-35B

Marine Sgt. Robert Coates, an F-35B Lightning II maintainer, gives the thumbs up to Marine Capt. David Corkill piloting the joint strike fighter that he is cleared safe to resume his flying mission after hot refueling the aircraft. The F-35B and pilot were able to conduct a second training sortie after a quick ground refuel during the one-year anniversary of F-35B flying at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Eglin is the heart of F-35 training worldwide for the Air Force, Marines, Navy and international partner operators and maintainers of the Lightning II. U.S. Air Force photo/Maj. Karen Roganov)

F-35 Refueling

An F-35A Lightning II approaches a KC-135 Stratotanker during aerial refueling May 13, 2013, near Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The initial cadre of Air Force F-35 instructor pilots at the 33rd Fighter Wing recently qualified in aerial refueling for the joint strike fighter. The 33rd FW is responsible for F-35 A/B/C Lightning II pilot and maintainer training for the Marine Corps, the Navy, the Air Force and, in the future, at least eight coalition partners. The KC-135 is assigned to the 336th Air Refueling Squadron, March AFB, Calif. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. John Nimmo)