American F-35 stealth fighters have been used in a combat operation for the first time, officials said, marking a major milestone for the most expensive plane in history.

Thursday's mission took place against Taliban targets in Afghanistan's Kandahar province, when the F-35s flew from the USS Essex amphibious assault ship.

The planes deployed were the F-35B variant, used by the Marine Corps and capable of taking off from a short runway and landing vertically. The Air Force and Navy have their own models.

"During this mission, the F-35B conducted an air strike in support of ground clearance operations, and the strike was deemed successful by the ground force commander," US Naval Forces Central Command said in a statement.

Officials did not say how many planes took part in the operation, but the F-35 flies in pairs or larger groups.

Israel -- one of the F-35 program's partner nations -- said in May that it had used its newly acquired F-35s in combat operations, becoming the first country to do so.

Launched in the early 1990s, the F-35 is considered the most expensive weapons system in US history, with an estimated cost of some $400 billion and a goal to produce 2,500 aircraft in the coming years.

Once servicing and maintenance costs for the F-35 are factored in over the aircraft's lifespan through 2070, overall program costs are expected to rise to $1.5 trillion.

Proponents tout the F-35's radar-dodging stealth technology, supersonic speeds, close air support capabilities, airborne agility and a massive array of sensors giving pilots unparalleled access to information.

But the program has faced numerous delays, cost overruns and setbacks, including a mysterious engine fire in 2014 that led commanders to temporarily ground the planes.

So far, the US military has taken delivery of 245 F-35s, most of them to the Air Force.

Harris to provide modernization services for F-35 aircraft
Washington (UPI) Sep 27, 2018 -Lockheed Martin has selected Harris Corporation to develop the Integrated Core Processor for the F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter.

The F-35's ICP processes data for communications, sensors, electronic warfare systems, control systems and cockpit displays including the helmet, and is considered a key part of the "Technology Refresh 3" for the aircraft.

Lockheed Martin said Thursday that competition in the F-35 supply chain will significantly reduce costs and increase the plane's capabilities.

"We are aggressively pursuing cost reduction across the F-35 enterprise and, after conducting a thorough review and robust competition, we're confident the next generation Integrated Core Processor will reduce costs and deliver transformational capabilities for the warfighter," Greg Ulmer, vice president and general manager of the F-35 program at Lockheed Martin, said in a statement.

"The next generation Integrated Core Processor for the F-35 will have positive benefits for all customers in terms of life cycle cost, capability, reliability and more," Ulmer said.

The Integrated Core Processor is part of the Technology Refresh 3 program that is meant to update F-35's computer systems. Other parts of the refresh include the Panoramic Cockpit Display Electronic Unit and Aircraft Memory System. Both will be handled by Harris, according to Lockheed.

"The new F-35 ICP will pave the way for system scalability well into the future," Ed Zoiss, president of Harris Electronic Systems, said in a press release.

The F-35 is a 5th-generation stealth fighter that is being purchased by the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps as replacements for much of their air fleets. Partner nations including Japan, the United Kingdom, Australia and many others are invested in the plane

Three different variants are being produced to meet the needs of each U.S service and international customer. The aircraft is now beginning to enter operational service with the United States.

The program has seen significant cost overruns and is the most expensive weapons program in U.S. history. It has been plagued by delays, software bugs, hardware problems and other issues.

It is meant to serve as the primary U.S. stealth fighter platform with the F-22 Raptor for years to come, with some estimates stretching it's role for the next several decades.

Test planes have already been exported to partner nations, including Israel, Japan and the United Kingdom. Thousands are expected to be purchased by the U.S. and allied nations for the indefinite future.

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Washington (UPI) Sep 26, 2018
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