BREAKING NEWS

US sending F-35 fighters to Europe for training -Pentagon

WASHINGTON, April 14 - The US Air Force will this weekend deploy a small number of F-35A fighter jets to Europe for several weeks of training with other US and NATO military aircraft, the Pentagon said on Friday.
In a statement, the Pentagon said that the deployment would allow the US Air Force to "further demonstrate the operational capabilities" of the stealthy fighter jet. It did not name the countries where the aircraft would be deployed to.
The F-35, which is the Pentagon's costliest arms program, has been dogged by problems. The Pentagon's chief arms buyer once described as "acquisition malpractice" the decision to produce jets before completing development.
During last year's election campaign, President Donald Trump criticized Lockheed Martin Corp for the F-35's cost overruns.
Days after taking office in January, Trump announced his administration had been able to cut some $600 million from the latest U.S. deal to buy about 90 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters.
The United States is expected to spend some $391 billion over 15 years to buy about 2,443 of the F-35 aircraft.