Picture in the article is really blurry. Serial of AX-1 is said to be 69-8701. Roll out is planned to be on September 29, 2016 according to this source.JASDF releases images of first F-35
Gareth Jennings, London - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
15 August 2016
The first Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) for Japan was photographed at the Fort Worth production facility in mid-August.
The images, released by the Japan Air Self-Defence Force (JASDF) on 14 August, show aircraft 69-8701 (also designated AX-1) in its completed state ahead of flight tests and delivery to the international training fleet at Luke Air Force Base (AFB), Arizona, in the coming weeks. Four aircraft for the JASDF are currently being built at Fort Worth.
Japan has committed itself to buying 28 F-35As over the next five-years (6 of the aircraft are under contract), and has a total requirement of 42 to replace its ageing Mitsubishi-McDonnell Douglas F-4J Kai (Phantom II) aircraft, which have been in service since the early 1970s.
On 25 June 2014, then Japanese defence minister Itsunori Onodera announced that the F-35 would initially be based at Misawa, which is expected to receive the first 4 of about 20 aircraft during fiscal year 2017. The initial operating unit is expected to be either 301 or 302 Squadron.
http://www.janes.com/article/62957/jasd ... first-f-35
All above are confirmed, except 169303, have not seen a picture of it with the code, but seems very likely to be NJ-126.ngroot wrote: 169160 VFA-101 NJ-121 MARINES
169162 VFA-101 NJ-123 MARINES
169163 VFA-101 NJ-124 NAVY
169302 VFA-101 NJ-125 NAVY
169303 VFA-101 NJ-126 MARINES
I'm not 100% certain about the italic BuNos. These aircraft were previously flying without modex at Fort Worth. It would make sense they got numbered in this order after being delivered.
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