Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Flies Supersonic
Lockheed Martin F-35 flies supersonically for the first time on Nov. 13 over North Texas. (PRNewsFoto/Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, DAVID DRAIS)
FORT WORTH, TX UNITED STATES
Achieves Another Significant Milestone
FORT WORTH, Texas, Nov. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- The Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT)
F-35 Joint Strike Fighter flew supersonic for the first time yesterday,
achieving another milestone. The aircraft accelerated to Mach 1.05, or about
680 miles per hour.
The test validated the F-35 Lightning II's capability to operate beyond
the speed of sound and was accomplished with a full internal load of inert or
"dummy" weapons on the one-hour flight.
"The F-35 transitioned from subsonic to supersonic just as our engineers
and our computer modeling had predicted," said Jon Beesley, Lockheed Martin's
chief F-35 test pilot. "I continue to be impressed with the aircraft's power
and strong acceleration, and I'm pleased that its precise handling qualities
are retained in supersonic flight, even with a payload of 5,400 pounds
(2,450 kilograms) in the weapons bays."
Beesley said it was also a significant achievement for a test aircraft to
fly supersonic for the first time with the weight of a full internal load of
weapons. The milestone was achieved on the 69th flight of F-35 aircraft AA-1.
Beesley climbed to 30,000 feet (9,144 meters) and accelerated to Mach 1.05, or
about 680 miles per hour, over a rural area in north Texas. The F-35
accomplished four transitions through the sound barrier, spending a total of
eight minutes in supersonic flight. The flight was preceded by a high-subsonic
mission earlier in the day. Future testing will gradually expand the flight
envelope out to the aircraft's top speed of Mach 1.6, which the F-35 is
designed to achieve with a full internal load of weapons.
F-35 AA-1, a conventional takeoff and landing variant (CTOL), and F-35
BF-1, a short takeoff/vertical landing variant (STOVL), together have combined
for 83 test flights.
The F-35 is a supersonic, multi-role, 5th generation stealth fighter.
Three F-35 variants derived from a common design, developed together and using
the same sustainment infrastructure worldwide will replace at least 13 types
of aircraft for 11 nations initially, making the Lightning II the most
cost-effective fighter program in history.
Lockheed Martin is developing the F-35 with its principal industrial
partners, Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems. Two separate, interchangeable F-35
engines are under development: the Pratt & Whitney F135 and the GE Rolls-Royce
Fighter Engine Team F136.
Headquartered in Bethesda, MD, Lockheed Martin is a global security
company that employs about 140,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged
in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment
of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation
reported 2007 sales of $41.9 billion.
F-35 and Lightning II are trademarks of Lockheed Martin Corporation.
For additional information, visit our Web site:
http://www.lockheedmartin.com
F-35 photographs and information also available at:
http://www.teamjsf.com
