Lack of mechanics threatens U.S. Air Force target date for F-35

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Air Force may miss its target of August 2016 to start using the Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 fighter jet in combat if Congress blocks the service's plan to retire its A-10 tank-killer aircraft, a top U.S. general said Thursday.

Air Force Lieutenant General Chris Bogdan, the Pentagon's F-35 programme chief, told reporters the Air Force was counting on training experienced A-10 mechanics to help reach the total 1,100 mechanics needed to declare that the F-35 had reached "initial operational capability" or IOC.