U.S Plans To Operate F-35 By Mid-2016

The U.S Air Force will put the F-35s into operational use by mid-2016, with a similar software package as the Marine Corps.

The Air Force also plans to introduce a slightly less capable version of the F-35 software package which means the planes will carry fewer weapons at first, although the software will later be upgraded to the final version. 

The decision reflects the military's desire to start using the new warplanes, which are already rolling off the assembly line, even as military officials continue to test the plane.

The Air Force, Marines and Navy have a deadline (June 1st) to submit their target dates to Congress for initial operational capability, or IOC, marking the point when the services will have enough warplanes to deploy in need.

The U.S Marine Corps being the first service among the two, planning for operational use of its F-35B jets in mid-2015 and the Air Force later by 2016 and the Navy being the last, has planned by mid-2018 of its C-model F-35.