Japanese military visits 33 FW
Stanley Stevens, a Pratt and Whitney employee, briefs General Shigeru Iwasaki, air self-defense force, chief of staff, joint staff, Japan Self-Defense Forces, on the F-135 engine for the joint strike fighter during the general's visit to the 33rd Fighter Wing Aug. 20. Iwasaki's visit to Eglin was included in a larger tour of five Air Force and Department of the Navy installations as part of a Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff counterpart visit. The Japan Ministry of Defense announced its selection of the F-35 Lightning II as the Japan Air Self Defense Force's next generation fighter aircraft December 2011 and signed a foreign military sales agreement in June. The F-35 is the world's only "fifth generation" multi-role fighter jet, combining state-of-the art stealth technology with highly advanced avionics and maneuverability. The fighter is being developed jointly with the U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps along with support from the United Kingdom, Italy, The Netherlands, Turkey, Canada, Australia, Denmark and Norway. (U.S. Air Force photo/Maj. Karen Roganov)