Lockheed’s Mission Systems-Equipped F-35 Lightning II Stealth Fighter Takes Off
Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) has announced the first mission systems-equipped F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter flew for the first time.
During the flight, F-35 Test Pilot David Nelson climbed to 15,500 feet (4,700 meters), verified engine response at varying throttle settings, performed a series of flight-qualities maneuvers and checked the operation of the aircraft’s mission systems. The flight out of Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth plant began at 10:04 a.m. CDT and concluded at 10:59 a.m.
“Today’s flight initiates a level of avionics capability that no fighter has ever achieved,” said Eric Branyan, Lockheed Martin F-35 deputy program manager. “The F-35′s next-generation sensor suite enables a new capability for multi role aircraft, collecting vast amounts of data and fusing the information into a single, highly comprehensible display that will enable the pilot to make faster and more effective tactical decisions.”
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