Photo Release: Marine Corps Commandant Visits F-35 Test Facility

PATUXENT RIVER, Md. -- Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. James Amos, Assistant

Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Joseph Dunford and Lt. Col. Fred Schenk and 

Lt. Col. Matt Kelly of the F-35 Integrated Test Force inspecting a F-35B test aircraft on 

December 17, 2010. Earlier that week with reporters, Gen. Amos said, "The programmatic 

health of the STOVL variant of the F-35 is a matter of great national interest. Right now, we

have 11 aircraft carriers and 11 "big deck" amphibious ships - so our nation effectively has

22 carrier-type capital ships to do our nation's bidding. We need to put fifth generation aircraft

on all 22 of those ships if we are to maintain operational flexibility for the National Command

Authority and the Combatant Commander." Photo courtesy Lockheed Martin.