Carrier Variant Sports Larger Wings, Enhanced Slow-Flight Handling

Representatives with Lockheed Martin tell ANN the US Navy's F-35C Lightning II carrier variant has completed its Air System Critical Design Review (CDR), a significant development milestone that Lockheed says verifies the design maturity of the aircraft and its associated systems.

The review was conducted June 18-22 at Lockheed Martin's facilities in Fort Worth, TX and involved officials from Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), the Joint Strike Fighter Program Office, the F-35 international-participant nations and the F-35 contractor team. Completion of the CDR is a prerequisite for the F-35C to move into Low Rate Initial Production.

"We're pleased with the CDR results, which reinforce our confidence in the F-35C's design," said Dan Crowley, Lockheed Martin executive vice president and F-35 program manager. "The review highlighted the program's development progress and the 5th generation capabilities that the carrier variant will bring to the Navy."

"Completion of this design review is a very significant milestone -- the die is now fully cast for the unique, three-variant Joint Strike Fighter program envisioned when the planning began in the late 1990s," said JSF Program Executive Officer Brig. Gen. C.R. Davis. "This is a momentous day never seen in another acquisition program in history. The entire team should be proud of the work that got us here today."

Terry Harrell, Lockheed Martin director of F-35 carrier variant development, added, "We met our objectives for detailed design and performance while removing more than 200 pounds from the aircraft in the past seven months -- a major accomplishment. Getting the design ready for this important milestone required tremendous teamwork among NAVAIR, the Joint Strike Fighter Program Office, Air Force Materiel Command's Aeronautical Systems Center and the entire JSF contractor team."

The F-35C will be the Navy's first stealth aircraft. It is designed to replace the F/A-18 Hornet and complement the newer F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. While it shares its fundamental design with the F-35A (conventional takeoff and landing) and F-35B (short takeoff/vertical landing), the F-35C is specialized for the catapult launches and arrested recoveries of large aircraft carriers. It features 30 percent more wing area than the other two variants, larger tails and control surfaces, and wingtip ailerons -- all contributing to the precise slow-speed handling characteristics required for carrier approaches.

The F-35C's internal structure is strengthened to withstand the punishment of repeated catapult launches and arrested recoveries on the carrier deck. Funding for the first two production-model Lightning IIs -- both conventional takeoff and landing versions -- is approved and fabrication for those aircraft has begun.

The US Marine Corps and Navy together are planning to operate 680 F-35Bs and F-35Cs, and the United Kingdom plans to place 138 F-35Bs into service with the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy. The remaining F-35 participant countries plan to acquire more than 700 aircraft.

FMI: www.lockheedmartin.com, www.navy.mil