Mon, Dec 22, 2008
Will Be Shipped Overseas For Testing In The United Kingdom
Lockheed Martin's second F-35 Lightning II ground-test aircraft
rolled out last week at the company's Fort Worth plant, where it
will be fully instrumented before being shipped to the United
Kingdom for testing.
The new F-35, called AG-1, is the full-scale static test article
for the conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) variant, which will
be flown by the US Air Force and eight of the nine F-35 partner
countries. The static test aircraft for the short takeoff/vertical
landing (STOVL) variant was delivered earlier this year and has
successfully completed a third of its planned test program in Fort
Worth.
"AG-1 will be placed in a state-of-the-art test rig where
twisting, bending and pulling forces are applied to validate that
the CTOL variant's structure can sustain the tremendous forces and
loads exerted during flight," said Dan Crowley, Lockheed Martin
executive vice president and F-35 program general manager. "This
test article enables F-35 to retire technical risk as quickly as
possible so flight testing can progress toward the CTOL's full
nine-G performance envelope on schedule."
In late March, AG-1 will depart Fort Worth by truck and will be
transferred to a cargo ship for the final voyage to the BAE Systems
Structures Laboratory in Brough, England. Arrival is expected in
late April. Prior to shipping, AG-1 will undergo pressure testing
of the canopy and fuel tanks, and will be outfitted with final
instrumentation and load-application pads and fittings.
Upon the completion of the full-scale static testing program,
AG-1 will be shipped back to the United States.
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