F-35 Lightning II

F-35 engine test

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Lightning II, built by Lockheed Martin, takes off for its first flight on Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas, during a test of the aircraft's initial capability. The U.S. Defense Department and eight other allied countries have contracted Lockheed Martin as part of the JSF program, which was designed to maximize efficiency and minimize the life cycle, costs of a future multi-role fighter jet. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class D. Keith Simmons)

Lockheed Martin's newest development in aviation, the F-35, took off for its first flight to test the aircraft's initial capability. The US Defense Department and eight other allied countries have contracted Lockheed Martin as part of the Joint Strike Fighter program which was designed to maximize efficiency and minimize the life cycle costs of a future multi-role fighter jet. Official US Navy Photo by: Mass Communications Specialist Second Class, D. Keith Simmons, NAS JRB Fort Worth.

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Lightning II, built by Lockheed Martin, takes off for its first flight on Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas during a test of the aircraft's initial capability. The U.S. Defense Department and eight other allied countries have contracted Lockheed Martin as part of the JSF program, which was designed to maximize efficiency and minimize the life cycle, costs of a future multi-role fighter jet. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class D. Keith Simmons)

F-35 Lightning II first flight takeoff. Lockheed Martin Photo by Neal Chapman.

F-35 Lightning II first flight. Lockheed Martin Photo by David Drais.

F-35 Lightning II first flight takeoff. Lockheed Martin Photo by Tom Harvey.

F-35 Lightning II first flight. Lockheed Martin Photo by David Drais.

F-35 Lightning II first flight. Lockheed Martin Photo by David Drais.

F-35 Lightning II first flight. Lockheed Martin Photo by David Drais.

An F-35 Lightning II, marked AA-1, lands at an Edwards runway Oct. 23. The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Integrated Test Force concluded a series of testing at Edwards. (Air Force photo by Senior Airman Julius Delos Reyes)

Lieutenant Col. James Kromberg, 461st Flight Test Squadron director of operations, adjusts his helmet as he prepares to fly the F-35 Lightning II Jan. 30 at the Lockheed Martin facility at Naval Air Station Fort Worth, Texas. Colonel Kromberg's test flight marks the first time a military pilot flew the F-35. (Lockheed Martin photo by Randy Crites)

A1 Flight 28

A1 Flight 29

"Glacier Girl", a P-38F Lightning, and an F-35X Joint Strike Fighter Lightning II are displayed at the Lockheed Martin Corporation, in Fort Worth, Texas for a special ceremony in recognition of the past and present success of the company's production of fighter aircraft. This P-38 is named "Glacier Girl" in commemoration of the recovery and restoration of the aircraft from her icy tomb, more than 250 feet below the surface of a glacier, on the eastern coast of Greenland where she crash landed in July, 1942 with four other P-38s and two B-17s in route to England. U.S. Navy photo by MC2(AW) D. Keith Simmons, Fort Worth, Texas

BF-1 Flight 14. Pilot Graham Tomlinson. 2nd time opening all of the STOVL doors. Photo by Kaszynski.

AA-1 Arrival at Edwards AFB, California

AA-1 Ferry flight 64. Over Grand Canyon.

Maj. Joseph T. Bachmann prepares to fly the F-35 Lightning II at Lockheed Martin. The flight marked the first time a Marine had flown the supersonic, stealth fighter.

Maj. Joseph "O. D." Bachmann, a developmental test pilot for the F-35 Lightning II, takes off in an F-35 AA-1 from the runway at the Lockheed Martin Aeronautics plant here. Bachmann was the first Marine to fly the aircraft and has been training to fly the multirole, stealth-capable, supersonic joint strike fighter aircraft for more than two years. The Marine Corps will field the F-35B variant of the aircraft, which is short take-off and vertical landing capable.

F-35 AA-1 FLT 75. Maj. Joseph T. “O.D.” Bachmann today became the first U.S. Marine Corps pilot to fly the F-35 Lightning II, logging the flight-test program’s 90th mission. He is the fifth pilot to fly the stealthy, multi-role fighter. Aerial Photos by Liz Kaszynski.

Maj. Joseph “O. D.” Bachmann, a developmental test pilot for the F-35 Lightning II, takes off in an F-35 AA-1 March 19 from the runway at the Lockheed Martin Aeronautics plant here. Bachmann was the first Marine to fly the aircraft and has been training to fly the multirole, stealth-capable, supersonic joint strike fighter aircraft for more than two years. The Marine Corps will field the F-35B variant of the aircraft, which is short take-off and vertical landing capable.

An F-35 Lightning II maneuvers during its first flight over Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The jet is a fifth generation, single engine, stealth-capable strike fighter and can perform close air support, tactical bombing and air defense missions. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Julianne Showalter)

An F-35 Lightning II taxis down the flight line at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The jet is a fifth generation, single engine, stealth-capable strike fighter and can perform close air support, tactical bombing and air defense missions. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Julianne Showalter)

100th Takeoff and Flight of AA1 with Jon Beesley as Pilot and Military Maintainers Attending the JSF AA1

The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter aircraft production facility in Fort Worth, Texas. (DoD photo by Cherie Cullen)

Plant workers work on the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter aircraft, Fort Worth, Texas. (DoD photo by Cherie Cullen)

A Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter aircraft is on display at the production facility in Fort Worth, Texas. (DoD photo by Cherie Cullen)

F35 AF1 first flight with Dave"DOC" Nelson at controls. Tom Harvey, Lockheed Martin Photographer

BF-1 Arrival at NAS Patuxent River.

The BF-1, the test plane of the F-35 Lightning II, lands at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland. This landing marks a step closer to adding the F-35, also called the Joint Strike Fighter, to the Marine Corps arsenal. The Marine Corps is set to receive the F-35B STOVL variant of the aircraft, capable of short take-offs and vertical landings.

BF-2 Ferry Flight to Patuxent River, MD. Pilot Joseph "O.D." Bachmann, USMC. BF-2 Flight 16.

BF-1 Initial Transition flight at NAS Patuxent River, MD. Mr. Graham Tomlinson is the Test Pilot. First time the STOVL lift system (MODE 4) has been engaged in flight. Flight 29.

Flight 18. First flight For Squadron Leader Long.

The first Lockheed Martin [NYSE:LMT] F-35B Lightning II stealth fighter passes overhead at 40 knots (46 mph) prior to a slow landing at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., on Wednesday, March 10. The flight was one of the last missions before the aircraft's first vertical landing, and confirmed the jet's power and controllability at very low speeds. The aircraft's short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) propulsion system generates more than 41,000 pounds of vertical thrust, and enables airspeeds from zero to Mach 1.6. The F-35B will be flown by the United States Marine Corps, the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and Royal Navy, and the Italian Air Force and Navy. It will be capable of operating from small ships and austere bases near front-line combat zones. F-35 Lead STOVL Pilot Graham Tomlinson was at the controls for Wednesday's flight.

The first Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II short takeoff, vertical landing stealth fighter demonstrated the capability to hover during a test flight at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland. The flight was a significant test mission leading up to the aircraft’s first vertical landing. It confirmed predictions of the jet’s vertical thrust, stability and control in hovering flight. The flight began with a conventional takeoff before F-35 lead STOVL Pilot Graham Tomlinson initiated conversion to STOVL mode at 200 knots airspeed. He then slowed the aircraft to 60 knots and flew a decelerating approach to a zero airspeed hover at 150 feet above the runway. This marked the first free air hover in the F-35B Lightning II aircraft. Upon reaching zero airspeed, the pilot executed test points to confirm the controllability of the aircraft in the hover. After completing all hover test points, the pilot executed a STOVL landing at 70 knots airspeed. Later in the day, BF-1 performed the first F-35 short takeoff. Matching performance predictions, the F-35B accelerated down the runway in STOVL mode and lifted off at 100 knots using less than 1000 feet of runway. The successful tests are the latest steps in demonstrating the F-35B’s ability to conduct operations from small ships and unprepared fields, enabling expeditionary operations around the world.

The first Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II short takeoff, vertical landing stealth fighter demonstrated the capability to hover, during a test flight at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland. The flight was a significant test mission leading up to the aircraft’s first vertical landing. It confirmed predictions of the jet’s vertical thrust, stability and control in hovering flight. The flight began with a conventional takeoff before F-35 lead STOVL Pilot Graham Tomlinson initiated conversion to STOVL mode at 200 knots airspeed. He then slowed the aircraft to 60 knots and flew a decelerating approach to a zero airspeed hover at 150 feet above the runway. This marked the first free air hover in the F-35B Lightning II aircraft. Upon reaching zero airspeed, the pilot executed test points to confirm the controllability of the aircraft in the hover. After completing all hover test points, the pilot executed a STOVL landing at 70 knots airspeed. Later in the day, BF-1 performed the first F-35 short takeoff. Matching performance predictions, the F-35B accelerated down the runway in STOVL mode and lifted off at 100 knots using less than 1000 feet of runway. The successful tests are the latest steps in demonstrating the F-35B’s ability to conduct operations from small ships and unprepared fields, enabling expeditionary operations around the world.

Flight 41. Hover, Slow Landings and STO. Graham Tomlinson is the pilot.

BF-1 Flight 42. First VL. Graham Tomlinson is the pilot.

BF-1 Flight 42. First VL. Graham Tomlinson is the pilot.

BF-4 First Flight, Pilot Doc Nelson, POC Monica Keen and Laura Siebert, Lockheed Martin Fort Worth Texas. Photo by Angel DelCueto Keen

This Air Force version of the F-35 Lightning II completed a test flight, from Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, Texas. The F-35 is the first aircraft to be developed to meet the needs of three services -- the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps -- and U.S. allies with variants being developed simultaneously by prime contractor Lockheed Martin. (Couresty photo)

AF1 Flight 14 Pilot Giggs, AF2 Flight 15 Pilot Griffiths, Tom Reynolds Chase photographer

AF1 Flt 14 Pilot Giggs, AF2 Flt 15 Pilot Griffiths, Tom Reynolds Chase photographer

AF1 Flight 14 Pilot Giggs, AF2 Flight 15 Pilot Griffiths. Tom Reynolds Chase photographer

AF1 Flt Flt 14 pilot Gigs, AF2 flt 15 Pilot Griffiths, David Drais Photographer

AF-1 (rear) and AF-2, F-35A Lightning II joint strike fighters, complete a test flight in preparation for the nonstop flight May 17 to Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., to begin extended flight test operations. Air Force test pilot Lt. Col. Hank Griffiths and Lockheed Martin chief test pilot Jon Beesley flew the jets nonstop in the first multi-ship, long-range F-35 flight. (Courtesy photo/David Drais)

AF 1, one of two F-35A Lightning II joint strike fighters flying nonstop to Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., departed its final-assembly site in Fort Worth, Texas. As part of the F-35 flight test operations expansion, the jet will undergo ground- and flight-test activities for propulsion, aerial refueling, logistical support, weapons integration and flight-envelope expansion. The arrival is the first in a series that will increase the Edwards AFB F-35 test fleet to at least eight aircraft. (Courtesy photo/Angel DelCueto)

F-35 test aircraft AA-1 undergoes flight test over Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin)

F-35 engine test

F-35 engine test

Electronics test bed for the F-35