U.S. Air Force testers have completed weapons delivery accuracy flight tests on the F-35 Lightning II aircraft which evaluated the platform’s weapon system as well as the Block 3F software it uses to support lethal air-to-air and air-to-ground strike missions.The service branch said Wednesday members of the 461st Flight Test Squadron and F-35 Integrated Test Force conducted the flight tests as part of the F-35 developmental test and evaluation effort.
Lt. Col. Tucker Hamilton, 461st FLTS commander and F-35 ITF director, said the F-35 platform performed how the service branch wanted it to and the aircraft completed various test missions throughout the WDA evaluation.
The ITF evaluated all three F-35 variants and integrated them with air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles such as the AIM-120, AIM-9X, Paveway IV laser-guided bomb, GBU-39 small diameter bomb, GBU-12, GBU-31 joint direct attack munition as well as the AGM-154 joint standoff weapon.
ITF conducts developmental flight tests on behalf of the Defense Department‘s F-35 Joint Program Office including mission effectiveness testing, enemy air defense suppression, maritime interdiction, offensive and defensive air-to-air combat testing activities.
