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U.K. F-35 fleet increases capability at Eglin AFB
The second F-35 Lightning II for the UK, BK-02 arrives at Eglin AFB on October 19th, 2012. BK-02 is embedded with USMC squadron VMFAT-501. [USAF photo by Maj. Karen Roganov]
Oct 26, 2012 - A second British F-35B Lightning II arrived at Eglin AFB on October 19, joining the nine A variants of the joint strike fighter flown by the Air Force and the 13 B variants flown by the Marine Corps to become the largest fleet of F-35s in the world. [Read more...]
F-35 completes first aerial AMRAAM weapons release
AF-01 releases the F-35 program's first AIM-120 AMRAAM missile over the China Lake test range on flight 255 on October 19th, 2012. Pilot was Maj Matthew 'Fuze' Phillips. [Lockheed Martin photo by Matthew Short]
Oct 22, 2012 - An F-35A test aircraft completed the first aerial weapons release of an AIM-120 AMRAAM (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile) on Oct. 19. [Read more...]
F-35A completes first in-flight JDAM release
USAF test pilot Maj. Eric Schultz in F-35A, AF-1 performs the first successful in-flight weapons release of an inert, instrumented 2,000 pound GBU-31 from the aircraft’s left weapons bay over the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Center ranges, China Lake during a test flight on October 16th, 2012. [Lockheed Martin photo by Tom Reynolds]
Oct 17, 2012 - An F-35A conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) aircraft completed the first in-flight weapons release of a 2,000 pound GBU-31 BLU-109 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) from a 5th Generation fighter, October 16, 2012. [Read more...]
F-35: Newest fighter much more than just 'stealthy plane'
An F-35A Lightning II from the 33rd FW at Eglin AFB and an F-22A Raptor from the 43rd FS at Tyndall AFB soar over the Emerald Coast on September 19th, 2012. This was the first time the two fifth-generation fighters have flown together for the Air Force. [USAF photo by MSgt. Jeremy T. Lock]
Oct 16, 2012 - The engines roared overhead as an F-35A fell into formation. Although this is a basic maneuver for the test pilots, the possibilities for combat environments created by these elite aircraft working together are anything but mundane. [Read more...]
First F-35 training commander: 'this jet is our future'
Lt. Col. Lee Kloos, 58th FS commander, prepares to exit an F-35A Lightning II joint strike fighter, after a successful sortie on May 31st, 2012. Kloos is the first non-developmental test pilot to fly the JSF and now trains other 33rd FW initial cadre pilots to fly the F-35. [USAF photo by Maj. Karen Roganov]
Sep 11, 2012 - Five months of flying the Air Force's newest fighter jet has left one Airman convinced of the aircraft's substantial combat capability. [Read more...]
F-35A reaches 'huge milestone' in program development
Lockheed Martin test pilot Al Norman flew F-35A AF-20 (USAF serial no: 09-5007) on its inaugural flight on August 6th, 2012 from NAS Fort Worth. [Photo by Carl Richards]
Sep 09, 2012 - Air Force officials begin their F-35A Lightning II Operational Utility Evaluation on September 10, an instrumental step in beginning Joint Strike Fighter pilot and maintenance training for the service. [Read more...]
F-35 completes first airborne weapons separation
The first-ever F-35 weapons release test flight was successfully carried out over the Atlantic Test Range near NAS Patuxent River, Maryland on August 8th, 2012. During flight 224, Lockheed Martin test pilot Dan Levin released an inert 1,000-pound GBU-32 JDAM separation test article while flying at 400 knots at an altitude of 4,200 feet in BF-03, the third F-35B test aircraft. [Photo by Andy Wolfe]
Aug 08, 2012 - The F-35 Lightning II accomplished a significant test milestone August, 8 when the aircraft successfully released a weapon in flight. [Read more...]
Luke AFB selected for F-35A pilot training
Lockheed Martin test pilot Al Norman was at the controls for the first flight of F-35A #09-5006 (AF-19) on June 9th, 2012 from NAS Fort Worth. [Photo by Carl Richards]
Aug 01, 2012 - It's official, the F-35 is going to Luke. [Read more...]
UK accepts first international F-35
On July 19th, 2012 the United Kingdom took delivery of its first F-35 Lightning II jet during a ceremony at Lockheed Martin in Fort Worth. The jet (BK-1) is an F-35B STOVL model. [Lockheed Martin photo]
Jul 19, 2012 - The United Kingdom accepted the first international Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II aircraft in a ceremony today with senior representatives of the U.K. Ministry of Defence and the U.S. Department of Defense. [Read more...]
Guard’s first F-35 pilots ready to take flight
Lt. Col. Randal Efferson (left) and Maj. Jay Spohn stand in front of a F-35 at Eglin AFB on May 11th, 2012. The Florida Air National Guardsmen are the only National Guard pilots currently assigned to the 33rd OG and they’ll soon be taking to the skies to master the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter. [USAF photo by MSgt. Thomas Kielbasa]
May 23, 2012 - When military aviators of the future look back at the beginnings of the F-35 program, they may see the names of two Florida National Guard pilots listed among the first to fly the Air Force's fifth-generation fighter jet. [Read more...]
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