Scott Nicholas
A team of Lockheed Martin maintainers has partnered with airmen from the 62nd Aircraft Maintenance Unit to sustain the U.S. Air Force‘s F-35 jets in preparation for a turnover of maintenance responsibilities.
Lockheed currently maintains all 62nd AMU F-35s and will turn over aircraft maintenance responsibilities to the Air Force beginning June, the service branch said Jan. 24.
“We can’t afford to have any dip in pilot training so we need to make the integration and transition as seamless as possible,” said Capt. Lauren Chaffee, 62nd AMU officer in charge.
“This transition will be a learning experience and will set the standard for how we do business,” noted Master Sgt. Joshua Hopper, 62nd AMU F-35 tactical aircraft maintenance specialist.
Chaffee added that more than 100 airmen from the 61st AMU will join the 62nd AMU as part of the integration effort and he expects that the 63rd AMU to start operations later this year.
Lockheed will remain as the maintenance services provider of the F-35 program’s partner countries.
