RAF FAIRFORD, England, July 7 (Reuters) - Lockheed MartinCorp's F-35 fighter jet programme is on track for theU.S. Air Force to declare an initial squadron of jets ready forcombat between August and December, a senior Lockheed officialtold reporters on Thursday.
Jeff Babione, Lockheed's F-35 programme manager, said thedecision was up to the Air Force, but Lockheed had delivered theairplanes required for that first squadron.
The U.S. Marine Corps declared its first squadron ofradar-evading F-35 fighter jets ready for combat a year ago.
(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Susan Fenton)