185 Test Flights Conducted Since Last Update
Lockheed Martin tells ANN that its F-35 flight test program
continues to make progress. Since the last flight test update
issued on Sept. 20, the F-35 Lightning II 5th Generation multirole
fighter conducted 185 test flights, bringing the total number of
test flights for the year to 837. A major highlight for
October was the completion of F-35B short takeoff/vertical landing
(STOVL) ship suitability testing aboard the USS WASP (LHD-1) off
the coast of Virginia. The test began when BF-2 executed the first
shipboard vertical landing on Oct. 3. The next day, BF-2 executed
the first short takeoff from the WASP. During the third week of sea
trials, BF-2 and BF-4 operated simultaneously on the ship.
Combined, they accomplished 72 shor