Tue, Dec 04, 2012
CF-2 Completes Initial Pit Drop Testing
The F-35 integrated test force at Naval Air Station Patuxent River completed a weapons ejection milestone for the Lightning II carrier variant on Nov. 28. CF-2, the second F-35C test aircraft, ejected a 2,000-pound inert GBU-31 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) and a 500-pound GBU-12 Paveway II Laser Guided Bomb from an internal weapons bay into a foam-covered concrete pit, completing the series of first-ever ground weapons ejections for the F-35C.
“The integrated government and industry team here, particularly the weapons team, have had a terrific 2012,” said Navy Capt. Erik Etz, director of test and evaluation for F-35 naval variants. “We have a lot more of the envelope to expand on the [F-35C], but we have a lot of momentum and we’re well equipped for the in-flight weapons separation work ahead of us.”
In addition to the GBU-31 and GBU-12, the CF-2 team successfully ejected the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM). Overall, the team completed eleven weapon releases, split between the left and right weapon bays, earlier than planned. Weapons pit drop testing collects data to measure stresses on the airframe and any neighboring munitions, ensures proper function of weapon and suspension equipment, and validates the separation models for the munitions’ ejection characteristics, including trajectories and velocities.
Combined with airborne test missions carrying inert weapons to evaluate environmental and handling conditions, pit drop testing is precursor to airborne separations.
In 2012, the F-35 test team at NAS Patuxent River completed the first airborne weapons separation for any of the three variants and at Edwards Air Force Base, CA, the F-35A test team completed successful testing with a GBU-31 JDAM and the AIM-120 AMRAAM.
(U.S. Navy Photograph)
More News
Inversion to Launch Reentry Vehicle Demonstrator Aboard SpaceX Falcon 9 This fall, the aerospace startup Inversion is set to launch its Ray reentry demonstrator capsule aboard Spac>[...]
"We are excited to accelerate the adoption of electric aviation technology and further our journey towards a sustainable future. The agreement with magniX underscores our commitmen>[...]
"The journey to this achievement started nearly a decade ago when a freshly commissioned Gentry, driven by a fascination with new technologies and a desire to contribute significan>[...]
Aero Linx: OX5 Aviation Pioneers Each year a national reunion of OX5 Aviation Pioneers is hosted by one of the Wings in the organization. The reunions attract much attention as man>[...]
"Our driven and innovative team of military and civilian Airmen delivers combat power daily, ensuring our nation is ready today and tomorrow." Source: General Duke Richardson, AFMC>[...]