The Defense Department is exploring a potential new mission for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter: ballistic missile defense, according to a senior DOD official. The move could leverage sensors on the planned fleet of 2,456 new stealthy aircraft the U.S. military plans to buy in the coming decades to help detect and track enemy launches. Missile Defense Agency Director Lt. Gen. Sam Greaves revealed the new development in written testimony prepared for a March 22 hearing of the Senate Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee.
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