Lockheed F-35s get first role in major military exercise

Lockheed Martin Corp's F-35 fighter jet will drop weapons and take part in a major U.S. military exercise this week for the first time, another milestone for the Pentagon's largest weapons program, Air Force officials said Monday.

The exercise, called "Green Flag West," tests the U.S. military's ability to engage in air-to-surface conflicts and helps get ground troops who pinpoint potential air strikes ready for combat.

Several F-35 A-model jets, along with a host of other warplanes and other weapons, will participate in the exercises.

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