Military of China, force comment.
Military of China, force comment.

Lockheed Martin’s second aircraft short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) F-35B-type testing machine completed its first flight 25

According to the U.S., “Lockheed Martin website” February 25, 2009 report] Lockheed Martin’s second aircraft short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) F-35B Model 25 test machine completed its first flight. The number BF-2 will join a conventional takeoff and landing aircraft (CTOL) F-35A type aircraft and the other composed of F-35B STOVL-type test fleet, after the two aircraft had accumulated 84 flying sorties.

its first flight in, BF-2 completed a series of maneuvers to assess their subsystems and basic handling qualities, and check the machine’s instruments. In the subsequent series of test flights, the aircraft will fly higher and faster. Up to now, all the F-35 testing machine are used Pratt & Whitney’s F135 engine, which is by far the largest fighter with thrust jet engine.

Lockheed Martin executive vice president and F-35 program general manager of Crowley, said: “F-35 is now entering a period of greatly accelerated flight test aircraft delivery speed faster than ever before.”

BF-2 aircraft with the first STOVL aircraft (BF-1) is basically the same, the main difference is that the instrument, because the two aircraft testing purposes is not the same. BF-2 will be the flutter envelope expansion, air refueling, high angle of attack, performance and propulsion, weapons systems and radar signature tests. BF-1 will focus on the initial STOVL flight (short takeoff, hover and vertical landing), and suitable for shipboard integration testing and machine guns. BF-1 of the first vertical landing the pilot scheme conducted in 2009. (China Aviation Industry Development Research Center of Jiang Shuguang)