LIGHTNING IITHE FIGHTER EVOLUTION - F-35

RIGHT: F-35A

AF-01 during an

external GBU-

31 2,000lb Joint

Direct Attack

Munition (JDAM)

loads/ utter test

 ight at Edwards

AFB. Lockheed

Martin/Darin

Russell

96

F-35 LIGHTNING II Te s t review

team substituted other test points, which

were available from Block 3 envelope plans

and that did not require the doors open.

However, as the formal development test

project under SDD wrapped up, the true

extent of the work undertaken was clear.

From flight sciences to mission systems

testing, the critical work completed by F-35

test teams cleared the way for the Block 3F

capability to be delivered to the operational

squadrons. More than 1,000 SDD flight-

test engineers, maintainers, pilots and

support personnel took the three variants

of the F-35 to their full flight envelope

to test aircraft performance and flying

qualities. The test team conducted six at-sea

detachments and performed more than 1,500

vertical landing tests on the F-35B STOVL

variant. The Integrated Flight Test Team

completed 183 weapon separation events

and 46 weapons delivery accuracy tests.

Software standards

Initial F-35s in the SDD phase were fielded with limited-test Block

0.5 software, but the Block 1A and 1B iterations came online

with initial training modes. Block 2 introduced basic warfighting

capabilities including weapons modes and the ability to start

testing initial weapons such as the Joint Direct Attack Munition

and AIM-120 AMRAAM. Additional weaponry for enhanced air-

to-air, SEAD, close air support and interdiction mission training,

including external stores carriage, was added under Block 3.

CF-01 also seen during

weapons bay trials with an

internal AIM-120 AMRAAM

carried on January 4, 2013.

Lockheed Martin/Andy Wolfe

F-35C CF-01 carries AIM-

9X Sidewinders during the

 rst external stores  ight

for the C-model on June

27, 2012, with LT Chris

Tabert at the controls.

Lockheed Martin/Andy Wolfe