F-35 makes first test flights with external weapons

Los Angeles Times ^ | February 20, 2012 | W.J. Hennigan

[sukhoi-30mki]

F-35 makes first test flights with external weapons

By W.J. Hennigan, Los Angeles Times

February 20, 2012, 3:36 p.m. The F-35, the military's next-generation fighter jet, has begun its first flight tests carrying external missiles at Edwards Air Force Base in the Mojave Desert.

The stealthy, supersonic fighter, built byLockheed Martin Corp., has been undergoing tests since its first flight in late 2006.

The F-35, known as the Joint Strike Fighter, will be used by the Navy, Marines and Air Force. Three versions of the F-35 are being built — one that can operate off aircraft carriers, one capable of short takeoffs and vertical landings, and a conventional fighter jet.

All three F-35 variants will be built on the same production line at Lockheed's plant in Fort Worth. The center fuselage sections will be made byNorthrop Grumman Corp.in Palmdale.

The F-35 is the Pentagon's costliest program going; the Defense Department has plans to buy 2,443 of the aircraft at a cost of $382 billion.

On Thursday, an F-35 took off carrying two air-to-air missiles under its wing, Lockheed said. In addition, the F-35 carried two 2,000-pound bunker-busting bombs and two advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles in its two internal weapon bays.

[A.A. Cunningham]

You lack the grey matter necessary to rise to the level of being obtuse.

[A.A. Cunningham]

I didn’t say you were. Just pointing out that the F-22 will also carry ordnance on external hardpoints.

[A.A. Cunningham]

It has been a disaster of a program.

The VMA community disagrees.

[lentulusgracchus]

Even the Pentagon is getting tired.....

Nah, that's just some 'crat noising off, trying to ingratiate himself with the 'Rats. I suppose that means another handicapper is calling the election for Barky, and wants to be on the winning side, while riding his glide path to retirement.

'Rats and 'crats, birds of a feather.

[USNBandit]

When you crash 50% of the A models and have a shipboard mishap rate 15 times the next most dangerous aircraft, it is hard to call it a success.

[DesScorp]

"The Super Bug can't operate from the deck of an LHA/LHD. Now what's your "solution"?

Get the Marines out of fixed air, which they never should have had in the first place. Turn all fixed air duties over to the Navy, which makes all the sense in the world anyway. There's no way we're sending the Marines to hit the beach in real combat without a supercarrier nearby anyway. It's way past time to cut all this duplicative spending just because the military branches are going "Oooo, I want one too!".