Sqn Ldr Andy Edgell, the lead test pilot
for the ying trials program, added, ‘It
could not have gone any better and it
was obvious to anyone watching that
we were watching a moment in history
being made for Royal Navy aviation. Now
we will focus on putting all four of our
test pilots here through the same process
to achieve the widest breadth of data
possible on the landings.’
The initial two FOCFT phases will
demonstrate numerous maneuvers
and deck operations. They are being
conducted consecutively over a period of
11 weeks and will conclude in December.
More than 200 test points will be
evaluated during varied weather and sea
conditions to support development of
the F-35B’s operating envelopes. A third
FOCFT phase, due in September 2019, will
be followed by operational testing.F-35B combat debut
Another event that was unfortunately
overshadowed by the Beaufort crash was
the US Marine Corps’ combat debut of the
F-35B. VMFA-211 ‘Wake Island Avengers’
entered the US Central Command and US
Fifth Fleet area of operations for the rst
time in late August. The Lightning IIs are
embarked aboard the amphibious assault
ship USS Essex (LHD 2) as part of the 13th
Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU).
A pair of F-35Bs from VMFA-211 carried
out the rst combat strikes by a US
variant of the Lightning II on September- Operating from USS Essex (LHD 2), in
the Arabian Sea, the F-35s attacked xed
Taliban targets in Afghanistan’s Kandahar
province in support of a ‘ground
clearance operation’ under Operation
‘Freedom’s Sentinel’. Following the strikes
the F-35Bs recovered to Kandahar Air eld
before returning later to the Essex.
Notably, one of the F-35Bs honored the
memory of former VMFA-211 squadron
commander Lt Col Christopher ‘Otis’
Raible by carrying his name on its
refueling probe door. Raible was one of
two marines killed in a Taliban strike on
Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, that occurred
on September 14, 2012. Six AV-8Bs
operated by the ‘Wake Island Avengers’
were destroyed in that attack.
Above: A pair of
VMFA-211 F-35Bs
made the type’s
combat debut
on September 27
in a pre-planned
strike on a Taliban
target. USAF/SSgt
Corey Hook
This image: An
offi cial statement
said the F-35s
used ‘undisclosed
weapons’ for
the mission,
although images
showed them
being loaded with
GBU-31 JDAMs
aboard the USS
Essex. USAF/SSgt
Keith Jameshttp://www.combataircraft.net // December 2018 81