Israel's First Stealth Fighter Jet Enters Advanced Production in Texas

The Jerusalem Post reports: The first Lockheed Martin F-35 stealth fighter jet, due to be delivered to Israel later this year, has entered an advanced production stage.

To mark the event, the head of the Defense Ministry’s delegation to the US, Aharon Marmaroush, visited Lockheed Martin’s production plant in Fort Worth, Texas, and inscribed a message on the frame of the future IAF jet, dubbed Adir.

“The aircraft, designated as F-35A aircraft AS-1, officially began its mate process, where the four major components of the 5th generation fighter aircraft are joined together in the Electronic Mate and Assembly Station to form the aircraft’s structure. AS-1 will continue its assembly here and is expected to roll out of the factory in June and be delivered to the Israeli Air Force later this year,” Lockheed Martin said.