The first F-35B assembled outside of the U.S. landed at NAS Patuxent River on Jan. 31 after completing a transatlantic flight from Cameri Air Base in northern Italy.
The flight follows the Italian Ministry of Defense's acceptance of the
aircraft on Jan. 25 at the Cameri F-35 final assembly line. There are two
foreign F-35 final assembly lines, the other is located in Nagoya, Japan.
Cameri is the only B variant final assembly line outside of the U.S. and has delivered nine F-35As and one F-35B.
The aircraft is assigned to the Italian Navy and is now undergoing
electromagnetic environmental effects certification for the next three
months at the Integrated Battlespace Simulation and Test Facility on NAS
Patuxent River.