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A contract for Pratt & Whitney to upgrade F135 engines fitted to eight F-35A Lightning II aircraft built as part of low-rate initial production Lot 1 and Lot 2 was announced on March 23. While the details of the upgrade were not announced, the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) is currently looking at requirements for upgrading early production F-35s to a common baseline. The JPO effort will nominate which early Lot aircraft should be upgraded. Early Lot aircraft are mostly used for testing at Edwards and Nellis Air Force Bases, and those assigned to Eglin Air Force Base, Florida for training duty with the 33rd Fighter Wing. David C Isby
