Eglin receives first upgraded F-35 By LAUREN SAGE REINLIE / Daily News 07 May 2013
NWF Daily News
"EGLIN AFB — A brand new F-35 with additional capabilities landed Monday afternoon....
...The Air Force’s 58th Fighter Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base is set to receive an additional 13 of the new F-35s, known as Block 2 aircraft, by the end of the year....
...The F-35 is the military’s newest stealth fighter jet. Students from all military branches who are learning to fly the plane go through the schoolhouse at Eglin,
including some from international services.
Eglin’s first Block 2 jet includes some improvements over the first batches of planes. The F-35 is still in development stages and the actual flight training has been limited by the lack of capability in the early versions.
While a few of the improvements are related to design, the biggest difference is the new software, Kloos said.
Pilots for the first time will be able to begin using the state-of-the-art distributed aperture system, a series of six sensors embedded in the skin of the F-35 that provides a complete spherical view around the jet, day or night....
...The image will be displayed in the cockpit for now, but eventually should be available inside the pilot’s helmet.
The Block 2 jet is still restricted from certain maneuvers, including flying at night, aerobatics, taking off or landing in formation and flying during certain weather events or at certain speeds. Additional capabilities should arrive with new versions of the jet and software updates that already are in the pipeline....
...The Navy contingent at Eglin should receive its first two F-35s, which will also be Block 2 capable, by the end of the month...."
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