Page 1 - Aerotech News and Review 8-7-15

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The Marine Corps declared July 31 that a Navy photograph by Seaman Zhiwei Tan

squadron of 10 F-35B Lightning II aircraft is $Q)%/LJKWLQJ,,ODQGVRQWKHÀLJKWGHFNRIWKHDPSKLELRXVDVVDXOWVKLS866Wasp.

ready for worldwide deployment.

The Marines’ declaration of initial operation-

al capability for its squadron of F-35Bs “marks
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tion of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program,”

Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition,

Technology and Logistics Frank Kendall said

in a statement issued July 31.

“The decision was made following a thor-

ough operational readiness inspection, which

assessed the Marine Corps’ ability to employ

this complex weapon system in an operation-
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as well as the hard work and support from the

Marine Corps.”
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he added. “It is also a reminder that we still
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partners while we continue our successful ef-
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Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121, or
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See USMC, Page 3

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CZ-JTB'FSEJOBOEP “Small manned and unmanned air- DOD photograph by Lisa Ferdinando
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POINT MUGU, Calif.—Small, un- he said. “It’s hard to tell the difference &DOLI-XO\7KH8$6ZDVSDUWRI%ODFN'DUWD'2'VSRQVRUHGGHPRQVWUDWLRQ-XO\WR$XJWKDW
manned aircraft systems, or drones, are LQFOXGHVLQGXVWU\SHUVRQQHOREVHUYHUVIURPDOOLHGQDWLRQVDQGSDUWLFLSDQWVIURPIRXUPLOLWDU\EUDQFKHVWRDVVHVVDQG
easy to obtain and launch and they’re in the radar cross section from that and LPSURYHWHFKQRORJLHVWDFWLFVDQGWHFKQLTXHVXVHGE\'2'DQGLWVSDUWQHUVLQFRXQWHULQJWKHWKUHDWRI8$6V
hard to detect on radar, making them of RWKHUVPDOODLUERUQHYHKLFOHVRUHYHQ
particular concern to the Department of
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part in the Black Dart 2015 counter- %ODFN'DUWSURYLGHV³DXQLTXH
UAS demonstration held here.
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Black Dart 2015, which began July
26 and runs to Aug. 7, is DOD’s larg- come together for two weeks here and
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tegrated Air and Missile Defense Or-
ganization, or JIAMDO, told reporters =RRNVDLGWKHGHPRQVWUDWLRQIHDWXUHV
July 31.
cooperation and interoperability among
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Ventura County and Sea Range here.
He said the demonstration is bringing fense, while also assessing the anti-
together some 1,000 people, including
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lied nations, and participants from four
military branches. partners and industry.
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Small drones can be launched from
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Staying one step ahead

One only needs to look at recent
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See DRONES, Page 3

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