X-35C Press Release - February 1
Ken Garlington
Lockheed Martin Navy JSF Breaks Sound Barrier
KC-10 Tanker Qualifications Completed
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – The Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) X-35C
carrier variant (CV) began a series of supersonic envelope-expansion flights
on Jan. 31, becoming the second Lockheed Martin JSF demonstrator to exceed
the speed of sound.
In two separate flights, test pilot Joe Sweeney climbed to 25,000 feet and
accelerated to Mach 1.05, then to Mach 1.10, validating the Navy JSF’s
supersonic performance. The flights are the first in a series designed to
test the X-35C at increasingly higher supersonic speeds, and they are among
the last before the plane’s scheduled transcontinental flight to the U.S.
Navy flight-test center at Patuxent River, Md.
"Pushing the envelope past Mach 1 in an aircraft that is essentially
identical to our proposed production JSF enables us to know today how that
production plane of the future will handle at supersonic speeds," said Tom
Burbage, executive vice president and general manager of the Lockheed Martin
JSF program. "It’s a very important exercise in risk reduction, and reducing
technical risk is the cornerstone of our flight-test program."
The X-35A broke the sound barrier on Nov. 21, 2000, opening up the JSF
supersonic envelope for the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Marine Corps. Each
aircraft is powered by a single Pratt & Whitney JSF119-611 engine,
developing about 40,000 pounds of thrust.
On Jan. 25, the X-35C completed tanker qualification trials with a series of
air-to-air refuelings behind a U.S. Air Force KC-10. Naval probe-and-drogue
refueling demonstrations are scheduled during the aircraft’s testing period
at Patuxent River.
The X-35C, designed to satisfy U.S. Navy requirements, features a larger
wing and control surfaces than the other JSF variants, and has an
increased-capacity structure for absorbing catapult launches and arrested
landings.
The X-35A conventional-takeoff-and-landing (CTOL) variant, built to U.S. Air
Force specifications, successfully completed its flight-test program on Nov.
22, 2000, logging a record-setting 27 flights in 30 days.
The X-35B short-takeoff-vertical-landing (STOVL) demonstrator is expected to
begin hover-pit testing next month. Designed to meet U.S. Marine Corps and
British Royal Air Force/Royal Navy requirements, the X-35B features a unique
shaft-driven lift fan that amplifies engine thrust and reduces exhaust
temperature and velocity during STOVL operations.
The single-seat, single-engine JSF will be a stealthy and highly
sophisticated replacement for an aging fleet of U.S. and British warplanes,
including the A-10, F-16, F/A-18 and Harrier.
Lockheed Martin, in partnership with Northrop Grumman and BAE SYSTEMS, is
competing to build the JSF for the United States and United Kingdom.
Government selection of a single contractor for the Engineering and
Manufacturing Development phase is set for fall 2001.
CONTACT: John Kent
(817) 763-3980
e-mail: john....@lmco.com
Urban Fredriksson
Ken Garlington <Ken.Gar...@computer.org> wrote:
>In two separate flights, test pilot Joe Sweeney climbed to 25,000 feet and
>accelerated to Mach 1.05, then to Mach 1.10, validating the Navy JSF’s
>supersonic performance.
So in _this_ context M 1.1 apparently is "supersonic", but
not regarding supercruise?
--
Urban Fredriksson http://www.canit.se/%7Egriffon/
A boundary between the known and the unknown always exists.