Just two years ago, the Pentagon had threatened to cancel the F-35B program unless it made significant technical progress.

Marine Corps Air Station Yuma will eventually have five operational squadrons of the B-model of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Lockheed is developing three variants of the fighter for the U.S. military and eight international partners -- Britain, Italy, Norway, Australia, Canada, Turkey, the Netherlands and Denmark.

Defense consultant Robbin Laird said the F-35 would be a key asset in the Pentagon’s increased focus on Asia since its ability to operate with other allies such as Australia and Japan would allow the U.S. military to maintain a persistent presence in the region.

MCCAIN “ENCOURAGED” BY PROGRESS AFTER YEARS OF SETBACKS

McCain, who has been critical of the F-35 program after years of cost increases and technical challenges, lauded recent progress on what he called an “enormously challenging program.”

“I am -- after many years of frustration and setbacks -- encouraged that the overall program is moving in the right direction,” McCain said in a speech at the base, a copy of which was emailed to Reuters.

But he cautioned that much work was still needed before the program could be called a success, including better cooperation among various Pentagon agencies, and between the government and the defense companies that are building the plane.

Air Force Major General Christopher Bogdan, who will become the Pentagon F-35 program executive officer on Dec. 6, in September said ties between the company and the government were the worst he had ever seen. {ID:nL1E8KA3OG]