Lockheed Martin has conducted the inaugural flight of its first production model of the F-35 Lightning II fifth generation multirole fighter for delivery to the US Air Force (USAF) soon.
Lockheed Martin test pilot Bill Gigliotti said the aircraft successfully completed all the tests it was put through during the flight.
“The air force is getting a great jet that represents a huge leap in capability, and we’re looking forward to getting it into the hands of the service pilots in just a few more weeks,” he added.
During the flight, the conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) F-35A variant, known as AF-6, underwent basic flight manoeuvring and engine tests.
The fighter will continue flight tests in Fort Worth for about a month before it is accepted by the USAF.
The aircraft will be delivered to Edwards Air Force Base, California, US, to support developmental testing shortly after the USAF takes delivery.
The F-35 Lightning II combines advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations and advanced sustainment.
