7:25 am on Tuesday July 19, 2011
| Posted by Ian Leslie
Marines to get an F-35B early but it'll cost an additional $10 million
Lockheed Martin
The Marine Corps Times has an interesting story on how the United Kingdom is looking to trade one of its F-35Bs with the U.S. Marines for an F-35C.
Basically the UK has decided to abandon the B variant, which the Marines are using, instead going with the C, which is what the Navy will be using.
Due to see its first F-35B earlier than the U.S. Marines were to receive the jet, the UK has to unload this extra one.
While the UK will foot the bill for any upfits required to bring the jet up to Marine Corps standards, the U.S. will have to pay for an additional $10 million in maintenance costs and flight hours; $10 million that wasn't in the budget.
