The first TR-3 F-35's initial checkout flight comes as the Joint Program Office hunts for a way to accelerate deliveries, perhaps using interim software.
The complex simulations at Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland were meant to test how well the F-35 would perform in real-world combat scenarios.
SECNAV aims to help programs of record adjust to changing fleet requirements, and to go outside the acquisition process to solve the most urgent needs.