STOVL Aircraft Completed 72 Short Take-Offs And 72 Vertical
Landings
The amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) heads back toward
homeport October 21 after spending three weeks at sea hosting the
initial sea trials of the F-35B Lightning II, Joint Strike Fighter
(JSF). The first F-35B landed on Wasp's flight deck October 3,
beginning an 18-day test period for the aircraft. During the
testing, two F-35B Marine Corps test jets (BF-2 and BF-4)
accomplished vertical landings and short take-offs under various
conditions.
While underway, the world's first supersonic short take-off,
vertical landing (STOVL) fighter logged more than 28 hours of
flight time and completed 72 short take-offs and 72 vertical
landings. Wasp crew members worked around the clock with pilots,
engineers, mechanics and a wide array of aeronautical
professionals, both military and civilian, to meet the mission of
the F-35B sea trials.
"Wasp Air Department personnel and the JSF team started working
together from day one," said Lt. Cmdr. Michael Curcio, Wasp's
assistant air officer and JSF program officer. "Starting initially
with the leadership interacting to set the vision for the ship
trials, we worked a top-down approach to gradually bring in more
people from each respective team. This ensured that, from planning
to execution, every detail was tended to and no stone was left
unturned. Ultimately, this group was well ahead of the power curve
at every juncture," he said.
The Wasp and the JSF team have been preparing for these sea
trials for more than a year. The ship, which typically accommodates
the AV-8B Harrier, had to receive modifications and installation of
test monitoring equipment in preparation for the F-35B's arrival.
"We used Harrier operations as a baseline from which to deviate.
Working with the JSF team, we identified the operational
differences between the AV-8B and the F-35B and we trained to those
differences," said Curcio.
The trials are the first of three scheduled sea-based
developmental test events for the STOVL variant periods. One of the
goals was to collect environmental data on the deck using
instrumentation to measure the F-35B's sound, power and thermal
impact during flight operations. Ansis Kalnajs, better known as
"AK," a topside design and integration technical warrant for Naval
Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), and his team of 31 engineers
collected data to capture the effects of the F-35 on flight deck
and superstructure components. "We have been collecting data on how
the main engine effects deck edge equipment," said Kalnajs. "As
well as thermal load stresses to the structure and the acoustic
effects. We got a sufficient amount of data and real good
assessments for the road ahead," he said.
Also being tested is a newer non-skid deck surface, Thermion,
which is supported by a mechanical bond of ceramic and aluminum
that makes the surface more resistant to extreme heat and better
endures the wear and tear of flight operations. The Thermion covers
landing spot nine on the flight deck, a small area used for
vertical landings. The Thermion shows no signs of heat stress,
which is good for the F-35, and eventually good for all surface
ships," said Kalnajs.
During the testing period the WASP and JSF team demonstrated the
F-35B's at-sea capabilities for the Secretary of the Navy, the
Honorable Ray Mabus; Commandant of the Marine Corps, General James
Amos; senior military officers; and JSF international partners as
well as members of the national media. The testing for the F-35 and
its sea-based operations will continue over the next several years.
"It is imperative that we build off that basic knowledge for the
next sea trials," said Curcio.
The next sea trial, DT-2, is scheduled for 2013 after Wasp
receives additional modifications for F-35B operations. (Photos
courtesy U.S. Navy)