Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II aircraft have conducted 125 test flights, bringing the total number of flights for the year to 331.Several flight test key milestones were accomplished :
The F-35 program flew the most flights ever recorded on one day (May 6) when a combined total of eight test flights were completed at all three of its flight test locations. (Edwards AFB, Calif.; Fort Worth, Texas, and Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md.)
The U.S. Air Force accepted into its fleet the first of a planned 1,763 production-model F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters when AF-7 was delivered to Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., on May 6. It is the first aircraft from Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) lot one delivered.
The first F-35A production aircraft that will be delivered to Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., accomplished its first flight on May 6. Known as AF-8, the aircraft will be delivered to Eglin for pilot and maintainer training later this year. This jet is the first aircraft to fly from Low Rate Initial Production lot two.
The second F-35C carrier variant (CV), known as CF-2, completed its first flight April 29. Later this month it is scheduled to be delivered to the F-35 test fleet at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., (PAX).
The program recorded the 300th System Development and Demonstration flight of 2011 on May 6.
At Edwards, F-35s passed the 250 flight mark of the conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) variant on May 5. The first test jets, AF-1 and AF-2, arrived there on May 17, 2010.
Two more F-35B short takeoff /vertical landing (STOVL) jets, BF-3 and BF-4 performed their first vertical landings. BF-4 flew its mission on April 27 and BF-3 on April 29. STOVL jets have conducted 94 vertical landings to date in 2011.
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