Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010
Fort Worth, Texas
A Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] F-35C Lightning II carrier variant successfully completed testing in which it was dropped from heights of more than 11 feet during a series of simulated aircraft-carrier landings. The tests validated predictions and will help confirm the F-35C’s structural integrity for carrier operations.
The jet, a ground-test article known as CG-1, underwent drop testing at Vought Aircraft Industries in Grand Prairie, Texas. No load exceedances or structural issues were found at any of the drop conditions, and ... Read more
Categories: General
Monday, June 14th, 2010
Patuxent River
The Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] F-35 Joint Strike Fighter short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) variant flew faster than the speed of sound for the first time June 10, achieving a significant milestone. The aircraft accelerated to Mach 1.07 (727 miles per hour) on the first in a long series of planned supersonic flights.
“For the first time in military aviation history, supersonic, radar-evading stealth comes with short takeoff/vertical landing capability,” said Bob Price, Lockheed Martin’s F-35 U.S. Marine Corps program manager. ... Read more
Categories: News Release
Friday, June 11th, 2010
Fort Worth, Texas
The Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] F-35 Lightning II program successfully completed F-35A conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) full-scale static testing – with zero structural failures – five months ahead of schedule and in less than half the time of legacy programs.
The test program was conducted on AG-1, an F-35A dedicated to validating the strength of the jet’s airframe.
During testing, the strength and stability of the aircraft structure were verified to 150 percent of design limits or 13.5 G’s (force ... Read more
Categories: News Release
Tuesday, June 8th, 2010
Fort Worth, Texas
The most advanced aircraft in the history of the United States Navy made its inaugural flight yesterday, assuring a future of long-range, first-day-of-the-war stealth striking capability from the Navy’s big-deck carriers. The first Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] F-35C Lightning II carrier variant took off from Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base at 11:46 a.m. and logged a 57-minute flight.
“I am thrilled the F-35C has attained this milestone,” said Vice Adm. Thomas J. Kilcline, Commander of Naval ... Read more
Categories: General
Monday, June 7th, 2010
Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland
The first mission systems-equipped Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] F-35 Lightning II test jet joined the fleet at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., today.
Piloted by F-35 Test Pilot Dave “Doc” Nelson, the short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) F-35B known as BF-4 became the fourth F-35 to arrive and begin testing at the Naval Air Systems Command site. The STOVL variant will be employed by the U.S. Marine Corps, the U.K. Royal Air Force and Royal Navy, ... Read more
Categories: News Release
