Marine Corps Joint Strike Fighter F-35B Makes First Flight

Posted on June 19, 2008 by yojoe

The Marine Corps version of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) – aka the Lightning II – the F-35B , is the version of the JSF intended for vertical takeoff and landings.  According to Aviation Week,

Lockheed Martin has flown the first short-take-off-and- vertical-landing (STOVL) F-35B, in conventional-take-off (CTOL) mode, clearing the way for funding to be released for production of the first six U.S. Marine Corps aircraft.

The 44-minute flight of aircraft BF-1, the first production-representive F-35, from Lockheed’s Fort Worth, Texas, plant also marked the start of a five-year, 5,000-plus test program involving three variants of the Joint Strike Fighter: the CTOL F-35A, STOVL F-35B and aircraft carrier-capable F-35C.

yojoe (in STOVL mode) out

Filed under: Blog, Business, F-35 Lightning, Joint Strike Fighter, Marine Corps, Military, Military Hardware, Military Technology, Technology, USMC | Tagged: ,

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7 Responses

  1. The Lonely Trader, on June 22nd, 2008 at 3:27 pm Said:

    Sweeeeet. This should finally put to bed grumblings over the Harrier’s retirement.

  2. mp3 istek, on June 22nd, 2008 at 3:35 pm Said:

    That’s very nice…

  3. damewiggy, on June 22nd, 2008 at 5:28 pm Said:

    ; )

  4. yojoe, on June 23rd, 2008 at 6:47 am Said:

    Dame – Great to hear from you. Is all well?

  5. f35, on June 26th, 2008 at 2:55 pm Said:

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  7. joint strike fighter, on July 5th, 2008 at 12:39 pm Said:

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