No, This Isn’t a UFO — It’s Eerie Footage of One of the Government’s Newest Weapons

The Blaze via Yahoo News ^ | 8/20/13 | Liz Klimas

[Kartographer]

One feature that makes Lockheed Martin's F-35B different than other fighter jets is its ability to land on an aircraft carrier without requiring a hook to prevent it from sailing right off the end into the ocean.

The F-35B recently completed its first vertical landing at night on the USS Wasp. When visualized through a night vision lens, the F-35B looked just like what you might expect of a Hollywood-stylized UFO.

[Kartographer]

[GeronL]

Cool

[the_boy_who_got_lost]

I saw something like that, a vertical landing, at the Battle Creek airport/base back in 2009. A jet just sat there hovering about 50 ft in the air for as I drove by. I didn’t even know it was possible at the time.

[agere_contra]

One feature that makes Lockheed Martin's F-35B different than other fighter jets

Other jets that aren't VTOL, anyway.

[GeronL]

That sounds pretty awesome

[Hulka]

“A jet just sat there hovering about 50 ft in the air for as I drove by. I didn’t even know it was possible at the time.”

Harriers were developed back in the 60’s. . .first jet capable of a vertical take-off and landing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_4oD-BltCY

[BenLurkin]

[A.A. Cunningham]

first jet capable of a vertical take-off and landing

The Harrier was the first operational VTOL tactical jet but not the first jet with VTOL capability.

[Hulka]

Correct. I misspoke.