F-35 Performs First Night Flight

Posted on January 25, 2012 by Fighter Country

The first night flight in the history of the Lockheed Martin F-35 program was completed on Jan. 19, 2012 in the skies above Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. Piloted by Lockheed Martin Test Pilot Mark Ward, AF-6, an F-35A conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) variant, launched at 5:05 p.m. PST and landed after sunset at 6:22 p.m.
F-35 Night flight video courtesy of Lockheed Martin.

Luke Forward F-35 Mission Update

Posted on October 31, 2011 by Fighter Country

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F-35 Mission Update: The United States Air Force issued the following revised schedule for the release of F-35 Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). As indicated in the news release, the draft EIS has been deferred to December 2011/January 2012. The public comment period will follow the release of the draft EIS by 30-45 days. It is expected that the Record of Decision will likely come in Summer 2012. Thank you for your continued support of the F-35 Mission and Luke AFB.

F-35B Lightning II (STOVL) stealth fighter today became the fifth F-35 to begin flight operations

Posted on February 2, 2010 by Fighter Country

A Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) F-35B Lightning II short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) stealth fighter today became the fifth F-35 to begin flight operations. One day after the secretary of defense commented about the F-35 program regarding its lack of performance on the F-35 joint strike fighter, Lockheed Martin got its fifth F-35 test airplane in the air Tuesday for the first time. The jet, known as BF-3, departed the runway near Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth plant at 4:02 p.m. CST for its first flight. During the one-hour sortie, F-35 Chief Test Pilot Jon Beesley tested the aircraft’s handling qualities, engine…