Lockheed Martin has successfully completed the F-35A conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) full-scale static test with zero structural failures as part of the F-35 Lightning II programme.
Lockheed conducted the test on AG-1, an F-35A specifically deployed to validate the strength of the jet’s airframe.
The test verified the strength and stability of the aircraft structure to 150% of design limits or 13.5g, with 174 critical load conditions applied to the airframe to evaluate its structural integrity.
The test was carried out at the BAE Systems Structural and Dynamic Test Laboratory in Brough, UK.
A fifth-generation fighter, the F-35 Lightning II combines advanced stealth with supersonic speed and high agility, fully fused sensor information and network-enabled operations.
