F-35Bs land on USS America

Five F-35B aircraft landed on the USS America on October 28th for operational testing. They will be joined by two other aircraft that will perform DT-III. The DT-III aircraft will test STOVL operations in high sea states, night operations, and shipboard landings. Meanwhile, the other five will be performing tests, such as changing a lift fan, and other maintenance operations while at sea. The OT aircraft will also include preparing maintenance and flight crews to deploy on the Wasp, starting next year.

PACIFIC OCEAN (NNS) -- Five Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II aircraft landed on the amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) on Friday, October 28.

America will embark seven F-35Bs -- two are scheduled to begin the third shipboard phase of developmental test (DT-III) and five are scheduled to conduct operational testing.

America, the first ship of its class, is an aviation-centric platform that incorporates key design elements to accommodate the fifth-generation fighter.

The ship's design features several aviation capabilities enhanced beyond previous amphibious assault ships which include an enlarged hangar deck, realignment and expansion of the aviation maintenance facilities, a significant increase in available stowage of parts and equipment, as well as increased aviation fuel capacity.

www.navy.mil...

And it only cost us a gazillion dollars so far! You go, military industrial complex!

a reply to: starviego

And is only 100 times more capable than any other aircraft flying in the world.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
And is only 100 times more capable than any other aircraft flying in the world.

OOOoooo, you're making me all hot and bothered....

a reply to: Zaphod58

a reply to: Zaphod58

A question I have had since I saw the 2 F-4 Phantoms make a left turn right over my head and then face the engines at my face, A Harrier hover in front of me like 50 feet for 8 minutes, an SR-71 blow our heads off 400 feet away passing at perhaps 1000 feet high, and a Tomcat take off with afterburners roasting and shoot straight up after maybe 60 yards of runway,

HOW DOES IT RATE ON THE BOOM SCALE!!!!

originally posted by: ParasuvO
a reply to: Zaphod58

HOW DOES IT RATE ON THE BOOM SCALE!!!!

Nowhere near as high as the XB70 Valkyrie or four Vulcans all taking off at the same time from about 100 metres away!

a reply to: ParasuvO

Louder than a Honda Accord with an exhaust kit, quieter than a jet truck.

a reply to: starviego

I thought that the cost of the plane was over the life of the program.

breakingdefense.com...

The first images from the America of the testing.

www.combataircraft.net...

Looks so different running external ordinance..

a reply to: Zaphod58

And is only 100 times more capable than any other aircraft flying in the world.

That was a great non response to the MIC jab, well done...like most of your military threads...the blood on the hands of the MIC...who to invade next?

A total of 12 F-35s embarked on board the America as a proof of concept test. They'll be flying with two V-22s that will be flying troop insertion, and various other aircraft from the ship.

a reply to: TheConstruKctionofLight

Keep screaming it's about to get worse the cabinet are all EAGLES,not hawks,reagan was a politician.

Will the F-35 B communicate with ground marines directly for force ID?
If so they can better vector our favorite "danger close" calls...