Designated AL-1, the first F-35A assembled internationally flew today from Cameri airbase, Italy.
On Sept. 7, the first F-35A assembled outside the US, made its very first flight from Cameri airbase.
The aircraft, designated AL-1, is the first of eight aircraft currently being assembled at the Final Assembly and Check Out (FACO) facility at Cameri, in northwestern Italy. As already explained in a previous post, the FACO will assemble the first Italian F-35As and the remaining F-35A and F-35B for the Italian Air Force and Navy, and build F-35A for the Royal Netherlands Air Force.
The 5th generation multirole aircraft was given the low-visibility roundel and markings of the Aeronautica Militare (Italian Air Force), as well as the 32° Stormo (Wing) emblem and code “32-01.”
During the flight, that lasted about 1,5 hours, the F-35A was escorted by a Eurofighter Typhoon.
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The Aviationist’s contributor Simone Bovi took the exclusive images that you can find in this post.
The first F-35A is expected to be delivered to the Italian Air Force by the end of the year.
