Air Force F-35A Joint Strike
Fighters have dropped bombs during training, the Air Force announced, marking a
key milestone in the path toward combat readiness.
Airmen from the 388th and
419th fighter wings dropped the laser-guided bombs at Hill Air Force Base in
Utah last week. "This is significant because we're building the confidence
of our pilots by actually dropping something off the airplane instead of
simulating weapon employment," Lt. Col. George Watkins said in an Air
Force statement.
The F-35's aviation technology ranks among the
most sophisticated in the world. It is designed to conduct air-to-air combat,
air-to-ground strikes, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.