Article Posted on : - Mar 08, 2011

First flight of AF-7. A Lockheed photo

FORT WORTH (BNS): After flight testing the first production model of the F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter last month, Lockheed Martin has test flown the second stealth fighter of the series.

The F-35A conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) variant, called AF-7, underwent the flight test on March 4. The aircraft took off from the Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base and flew for one and half hours, Lockheed said.

The AF-7 is the second and final aircraft from Low Rate Initial Production lot 1.

The two production jets and eleven preproduction F-35 test aircraft have completed a total of 683 flights since their testing began in December 2006, the company said.

The F-35s are being developed as fifth-generation multi-role stealth combat aircraft to replace the existing fleet of fighter aircraft of nine NATO member countries.

Lockheed Martin is building the new-generation fighters with its main industrial partners Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems.

The three variants of the new fighters under development include the F-35A conventional take and landing (CTOL) variant, the F-35B short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) variant and the F-35C aircraft carrier variant.

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