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Marines Show Off Stealth F-35 Jet

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    Test flight for controversial $100 million plane

  • Duration 2:44
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Greens -- marking a major milestone launching their first ever test flight.

For the media of the new F 35 -- this supersonic flying machine is said to be the next generation.

For US and NATO forces in -- Jennifer Griffin.

Got an up close and personal look she joins us live from the Pentagon what -- these things like.

Well -- it's unbelievable we just got back from the flight.

We thought that as lawmakers were discussing deficit reduction and reduction on Capitol Hill.

And that they're so much talk in some of the plants of cutting 800 billion dollars over ten years from the defense budget that we would take a look at the Pentagon's.

Largest acquisition item the state of the art.

-- F 35 beat -- marine version of that joint strike fighter its fifth generation it's being developed to replace the Harrier jet.

Which will no longer be flying in about ten years time I'm told.

We traveled to naval air station protects -- river to get a glimpse of an F 35 -- in flight.

It is dealt it is supersonic.

And flies faster than mach one the speed of sound but it's expensive more than 100 million dollars a plane and it's four years past its production deadline.

The marine variant manufactured by Lockheed Martin has had so many production problems that then Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

Put it on probation before He left the building.

What this plane does that is so out of the ordinary in addition to a short takeoff.

It is capable of a vertical landing just like a helicopter.

It hovers at sixty knots a speed at which -- -- would normally -- Why is it needed the Marines say it uses 3000 foot runways for takeoff.

That gives them ten times the options around the world where -- similar plane would -- 8000 feet sometimes hard to find in a war zone.

They'll be able -- -- the F 35 B on amphibious ships like the USS kearsarge which was deployed off of Libya.

And they won't need aircraft carriers.

The Marine Corps.

-- needs this aircraft the nation -- aircraft in order to to counter the threats legacy.

But the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan will likely be over before the F 35 B is deployed the first one is supposed to be.

Combat ready in 2016.

The president of course says that -- the Afghan war.

-- wound down by 2014.

But this stealth fighter Allison really wouldn't be used in conflicts like Iraq and Afghanistan it would be used against countries.

That have have serious air defense systems Nelson.

Vertical plane to gas and give -- -- ride and that.

We had to ride in an osprey which was equally cool I -- it was that's great thanks much for -- -- us.

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