U.S. Commits to Marines' F-35 Fighter

The U.S. military is committed to developing the Marine Corps version of the next-generation strike fighter jet, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta says, but he warned that the program is "not out of the woods yet."

Standing in front of one of the fighter aircraft at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, where the jets are tested, Panetta said the Pentagon needs "to make sure we're on the cutting edge" of military technology like that incorporated in the F-35. He said he based his support for the plane on its developers' ability to resolve a series of technical problems that some had feared might doom the project.

"This fifth-generation fighter behind me is absolutely vital to maintaining our air superiority," Panetta told about 100 people inside an aircraft hangar at the air station. Many in his audience work on the test program.

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