Article Posted on : - Feb 28, 2011

F-35 Lightning II aircraft

TEXAS (BNS): The first production model of the F-35 Lightning II aircraft has completed its inaugural flight successfully.

According to Lockheed Martin, US Air Force will begin the support developmental test of the aircraft at its Edwards Air Force Base, California by spring.

“The aircraft was rock-solid from takeoff to landing, and successfully completed all the tests we put it through during the flight,” Lockheed Martin Test Pilot Bill Gigliotti, said.

The test flight took off from Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base at 9:05 pm (GMT) and landed at 10:05 pm (GMT).

During the flight, the conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) F-35A variant, known as AF-6, underwent basic flight manoeuvring and engine tests.

The F-35A CTOL variant – designed to meet US Air Force requirements – is also the primary export version of the Lightning II.

The company has started delivering F-35B short takeoff/vertical landing variant to the US Marine Corps from this year, while the deliveries of the F-35C carrier variant to the US Navy will start in 2012.

Since December 2006, seventeen F-35s have completed more than 650 flights and numerous ground tests.

The F-35 Lightning II is a 5th generation fighter, combining advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations and advanced sustainment.