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AL-1 touches down at Pax River after flying from the
Azores across the Atlantic. Credit: Lockheed Martin

Four years ago, a field at the Cameri Air Field near Milan Italy, began development of
an F-35 final assembly plant, the first outside of the United States for the F-35. Here the
Italians are building wings for the F-35 program, in general – the first integrated onto a
USAF F-35 recently – and full up planes for themselves and the Dutch. The first F-35
came off of the line in early 2015. Then on Sept. 7, 2015 the first F-35A assembled out-
side the US, made its very first flight from Cameri airbase. Later in 2015, the Italian AF
took delivery of AL-2, the second F-35 built in Italy.

In stark contrast to the F-16 experience, the first F-35A to cross the Atlantic was flown by
Italy not the USAF. Put in blunt terms, the Italians and the partners are flying the most
advanced US combat jet in current production at the same time as the US services,
which provides a unique moment in history and a clear opportunity for shaping new
global capabilities.

Second Line of Defense Lessons Learned at Pax River
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