Achieves Major Milestone For 2011

One of five milestones established by the Joint Program Office for the F-35 for 2011 has been reached with the successful completion of static structural testing on the airplane. The testing is used to verify the structural integrity of the airframe and to ensure specifications outlined in technical drawings used to produce the aircraft are accurate. Engineering teams at Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems, Northrop Grumman and the Joint Program Office conducted the tests over the past two years.

In static structural testing, external loads designed to simulate the pressures of full envelope flight conditions are applied to hundreds of points on the airframe using an integrated system of load pads, hydraulic actuators, air pressurization mechanisms and reaction channels. As proof that the airframe is capable of withstanding the pressures associated with the full flight envelope, engineers tested the structure to 115 percent of requirements and confirmed that no detrimental deformation of the structure occurred. In the final phase of static structural testing, the airframe was pushed to 150 percent of requirements to verify that there was no rupturing or structural failure.

"As one of our major program milestones, the completion of static structural testing demonstrates the significant progress that we're making on our joint mission to field this 5th Generation air combat capability," said Larry Lawson, executive vice president and general manager of the F-35 program. "These successful tests bring us one step closer to delivering the F-35 into the hands of the men and women of our U.S. and allied forces."

Bob Burt, director of F-35 Structures Development added, "This is a significant accomplishment for the F-35 program. Working together with our partners at BAE Systems, Northrop Grumman and the Joint Program Office, we successfully completed the static structural testing ahead of schedule."

Prime contractor Lochkeed Martin has released an update on the overall progress of the program. The company says the F-35 system development and demonstration (SDD) flight test remains on or ahead of plan for 2011, despite 15 days of testing lost due to fleet stand-down after a ground mishap involving the Integrated Power Package (IPP). Flight testing was also interrupted at Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River, Md., because of an Aug. 23 earthquake and severe weather associated with Hurricane Irene. During this period of down time, the flight test teams at all locations continued working through planned modifications and maintenance.

As of Aug. 31, the company says the fleet remained 8 percent ahead of plan in year-to-date (YTD) flights. Several flight test and production key milestones were accomplished since the last report:

• BF-1 performed a 40 foot hover in calm winds and two vertical landings (VL) for the 150th VL to date on Aug. 31.
• AF-10 and AF-11 were delivered to Eglin AFB, Fla., Aug. 31. They join AF-8 and AF-9 assigned to the 33d Fighter Wing.
• Static testing was completed on the F-35C Lightning II carrier variant (CV) ground article CG-1 at Lockheed Martin Fort Worth, Texas, Aug. 29. With this achievement, the F-35 Program has accomplished its static structural testing milestone for 2011.
• Jet Blast Deflector (JBD) testing was completed by F-35 CV aircraft CF-2 at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. from June 25-August 13. CF-2 successfully completed this portion of JBD tests required to ensure the F-35C is compatible aboard an aircraft carrier.
• AF-7 completed its last flight of currently required conventional take off and landing (CTOL) maturity flights on Aug. 31.

Throughout the entire flight test program: 

• F-35A conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) jets have flown 314 times.
• F-35B short takeoff/ vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft have completed 226 flights.
• F-35C carrier variant (CV) jets have flown 102 times.

From the start of flight testing in December 2006 through September 16, 2011, F-35s flew 1,202 times, including the production-model flights and AA-1, the original flight test aircraft.

FMI: http://thef35.com