US Marine Corps Begins F-35B Operational Trials

US Marine Corps Begins F-35B Operational Trials

It's good to see that the f-35 is moving along with it's testing.

I feared it was just going to get bogged down in dev hell.

So after this phase of testing what's next?

Six U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II jet aircraft arrived Monday evening aboard the USS WASP off the coast of the United States’ Eastern Seaboard to mark the beginning of the first shipboard phase of the F-35B Operational Test (OT-1).

The at-sea period will continue aboard USS WASP for the next two weeks, with fleet representative aircraft and maintenance personnel from Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron 22, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121, Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501, and Marine Aviation Logistics Squadrons 13 and 31.

The at-sea period will continue aboard USS WASP for the next two weeks, with fleet representative aircraft and maintenance personnel from Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron 22, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121, Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501, and Marine Aviation Logistics Squadrons 13 and 31.

OT-1 will assess the integration of the F-35B while operating across a wide array of flight and deck operations. Specific OT-1 objectives include demonstrating and assessing day and night flight operations in varying aircraft configurations; digital interoperability of aircraft and ship systems; F-35B landing signal officer’s launch and recovery software; day and night weapons loading; and all aspects of maintenance, logistics, and sustainment support of the F-35B while deployed at sea.

a reply to: grey580

Once this is done they will reach IOC.

a reply to: grey580

Thank God!

I am so tired of hearing the rest of the world whine about them.

It will be an easier path now as isn,t the B the most complex with its VTOL?Training onboard and getting routines in place will hopefully iron out the operational bugs quickly..If it goes as well as the X47 I can see a very potent strike package coming together.