Posted on 11/14/2008 4:37:55 PM PST by lewisglad
The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter flew supersonic for the first time yesterday, achieving another milestone. The aircraft accelerated to Mach 1.05, or about 680 miles per hour.
The test validated the F-35 Lightning II's capability to operate beyond the speed of sound and was accomplished with a full internal load of weapons on the one-hour flight.
"The F-35 transitioned from subsonic to supersonic just as our engineers and our computer modeling had predicted," said Jon Beesley. "I continue to be impressed with the aircraft's power and strong acceleration, and I'm pleased that its precise handling qualities are retained in supersonic flight."
Beesley said it was also a significant achievement for a test aircraft to fly supersonic for the first time with the weight of a full internal load of weapons. The milestone was achieved on the 69th flight of F-35 aircraft AA-1. Beesley climbed to 30,000 feet and accelerated to Mach 1.05, or about 680 miles per hour, over a rural area in north Texas.
The F-35 accomplished four transitions through the sound barrier, spending a total of eight minutes in supersonic flight. The flight was preceded by a high-subsonic mission earlier in the day. Future testing will gradually expand the flight envelope out to the aircraft's top speed of Mach 1.6.
F-35 AA-1, a conventional takeoff and landing variant, and F-35 BF-1, a short takeoff/vertical landing variant, together have combined for 83 test flights.
The F-35 is a supersonic, multi-role, 5th generation stealth fighter. Three F-35 variants derived from a common design, developed together and using the same sustainment infrastructure worldwide will replace at least 13 types of aircraft for 11 nations initially, making the Lightning II the most cost-effective fighter program in history.
(Excerpt) Read more at marketwatch.com ...
I would imagine “Joint” to be multi-role. Air-to-air, air-to-ground, and air-to-ship capabilities probably.
Actually the FA-18 is pretty quiet, almost silent, as it approaches but is just deafening as it passes. Those twin GE F414 afterburners rattle the teeth out of your head.
And a ping
The speed of sound is a function of your altitude. Northern Texas is quite a ways above sea level.
I think that is what I noticed sound wise. The 35’s were almost out of sight before I heard the roar and the rattle in my teeth...lol. They were long gone!! I was very near the take off zone and it was impressive to say the least.
Sounds awesome, can’t wait till they start showing up in demo flights and airshows. My guess is the low noise has something to do with the stealth capability.
Lazamataz wrote:
Very good news indeed but who does the word “Joint” include please?
I think it means that the F35 is really DOPE.
Look at meeeeeeee, I am a bug!!! hehhehheeeeeeheheeeeheheeeeee
Same difference between the F-15 and F-16.
No freakin' Light-Bulb-Meat-Ball on this Bad Boy :-) .....
(For those of you in Rio Linda, that is a GE reference....)
I think the F-22 is a prettier bird...
Thanks very much for the information.
I was sitting in a little hole-in-the-wall Mongolian barbecue in San Francisco during Fleet Week, and an F-18 must have made a run down the street to the bay.
The whole building shook, and we weren't even under attack. I was delighted and proud to be a citizen of a country that could impose that kind of terrifying might upon its enemies.
It’s competitor (Boeing ugly model built for the same spec’s) “might” have worked, but it just didn’t “look” right.
Sort of the difference between the old P-6 and the Japanese Zero. The
Nowdays, America's most serious enemies were in the buildings around you in San Francisco.
Thanks for the ping.
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