In Case You Missed It: Roby 'shows off' 187th in push for F-3

U.S. Representative Martha Roby (R-Ala.) hosted the Chairwoman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee in Montgomery on Sunday, July 23, 2017 for visits to the area's military installations.

Representative Kay Granger (R-Texas), who chairs the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, will tour the 187th Fighter Wing at Dannelly Field and Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base. Roby serves on the Subcommittee, which is responsible for crafting legislation to fund the military.

"I frequently brag on the amazing military installations we have here in Alabama, including Fort Rucker in the Wiregrass and Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base in Montgomery. And, of course, I have been constantly talking up the great work of the 187th Fighter Wing as we have pursued this unique opportunity with the F-35," Roby said.

The F-35 Lightning II is a 5th Generation fighter

The Multi-variant, Multirole 5th Generation Fighter

The F-35 Lightning II is a 5th Generation fighter, combining advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations and advanced sustainment. Three variants of the F-35 will replace the A-10 and F-16 for the U.S. Air Force, the F/A-18 for the U.S. Navy, the F/A-18 and AV-8B Harrier for the U.S. Marine Corps, and a variety of fighters for at least ten other countries. The Lightning II is a single-seat, single-engine fighter aircraft designed for many missions with advanced, integrated sensors built into every aircraft. Missions that were traditionally performed by small numbers of specialized aircraft, such as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and electronic attack missions can now be executed by a squadron of F-35s, bringing new capabilities to many allied forces.

The F-35 is developed, produced, and supported by an international team of leading aerospace companies. As the prime contractor, Lockheed Martin continues its 100-year history of aircraft research and design with the Lightning II. Principal partners Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems build the center and aft fuselages, respectively. Northrop Grumman also brings its expertise in carrier aircraft and low-observable stealth technology to the F-35 program and supports logistics, sustainment, modeling and simulation and mission planning. BAE Systems contributes a rich heritage of capabilities, including short takeoff and vertical landing experience, advanced lean manufacturing, flight testing and air systems sustainment. Pratt & Whitney builds the F-35's F135 propulsion system, the world's most powerful fighter engine.