Securing America: The Newest American Fighter Jet

The Marine Corps is setting up a new fighting group to go along with a new plane that is entering service.

FOX News Radio’s Steve Taylor reports in our ongoing series on national security:

Securing America.

At the Marine Air Station in Yuma, Arizona…

(Sound of jet engines)

…The latest American fighter jet, the F-35B.  The Pentagon has been testing the plane in Marine, Navy and Air Force versions for several years.  Today, the Marine Corps forms its first attack squadron of F-35Bs.

The planes can take off from short fields or small ships and land vertically.  Senators John McCain and Carl Levin are wondering publicly whether the plane has had enough testing, but the Marines say they will be in squadron operations by year’s end.

The total cost of the plane for all three services is $385 billion, and may go higher.

In Washington, Steve Taylor, FOX News Radio.