F-35B Completes Initial Shipboard Vertical Landing Aboard USS Wasp

The Navy and Marine Corps Team made naval aviation history Oct. 3 as the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) test aircraft BF-2 landed safely on USS Wasp‘s (LHD 1) flight deck, the first at-sea vertical landing for the Marine Corps’ F-35 JSF version.

Marine Corps test pilot Lt. Col. Fred Schenk landed BF-2 at 3:12 pm.

“It was exactly like we predicted,” said Schenk. “But that’s because of all the hard work and extensive preparation done by the Wasp and JSF team.”

The first vertical landing is part of the initial ship trials for the F-35B which started Monday and is expected to last two weeks. The tests are scheduled to collect data on the aircraft’s ability to perform short take-offs and vertical landings on a ship at sea, as well as determine how the aircraft integrates with the ship’s landing systems, and deck and hangar operations.

This test period, the first of three scheduled at-sea test periods over the course of the development program, will also collect environmental data on the deck through added instrumentation to measure the F-35B‘s impact to flight deck operations.

“The first at sea vertical landing is a huge milestone,” said Marine Corps Col. Roger Cordell, military site director for F-35 test and evaluation at Naval Air Station Patuxent River. “We’re still early in this test period, and we expect to learn a lot more, but this is a great step toward delivering the capability to the fleet.”

Wasp spent time in a shipyard earlier this year, preparing for the F-35 test period; adding specialized instrumentation to measure deck environmental effects.

“It is no small feat to put together sea trials,” said Vice Adm. David Venlet, F-35 Program Executive Officer. “This test was planned to happen on 3 October back in early spring of this year and the team delivered on schedule. Signs of dependable performance are emerging across broad aspects of the development program. Professionals from the Navy, Marine Corps and industry team of Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, BAE Systems and Pratt and Whitney and Rolls Royce continue to work tirelessly to deliver this aircraft to the fleet.”

“Every time an aircraft is first tested at sea we learn a great deal and the data collected from this event will inform us about the further development work necessary to successfully integrate the F-35B on large-deck amphibious ships. By all accounts, we’re off to a great start today,” Venlet said.

The F-35B is the variant of the Joint Strike Fighter for the U.S. Marine Corps, capable of short take-offs and vertical landings for use on amphibious ships or expeditionary airfields to provide air power to the Marine Air-Ground Task Force. The F-35B will replace Marine AV-8B Harriers and F-18 Hornets and is undergoing test and evaluation at NAS Patuxent River prior to delivery to the fleet.

In addition to being the first ship to successfully land the F-35B, USS Wasp was also the first ship to host the V-22 Osprey during shipboard trials in October 2007.

Summary information regarding the performance of the F-35B ship trials will be made available after the completion of the test period.

 

-dcmilitary.com

USS Wasp braces for F-35 JSF

USS Wasp is preparing to be the first ship to test the F-35B at sea. A group of Aviation Boatswain’s Mates from the ship’s Air Department will soon work in the jet at NAS Patuxent River to familiarized themselves with the aircraft.

Recently, four members of Wasp’s Air Department traveled to one of the Navy’s premier test facilities at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., to help give them a good idea of what WASP can expect when testing begins. The group consisted of Cmdr. Stephen McKone, Wasp’s Air Boss; Lt. Michael Curcio, Wasp’s Aircraft Handling Officer and F-35B Ship Integration Project Officer; Ens. Maguel Brooks, Wasp’s Air Bos’n; and Senior Chief Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handler) Richard McCray.

The F-35B fighter will replace the Department of Navy’s current Vertical and /or Short Take Off/Landing (VSTOL) aircraft, the AV-8B Harrier.

“The F-35B is a really unique aircraft,” said Lt. Curcio. “This aircraft alone has the potential to completely revitalize the utility of large-deck amphibious platforms by adding significant strike capability to their resumes.”

During Wasp’s four-month maintenance availability conducted earlier this year, major modifications were completed to various elements of the ship including the flight deck and combat systems equipment. Also, the aft NATO Sea sparrow missile launcher mount was removed and replaced with a “dummy” launcher.

“The ship has had a few physical changes made to it,” said Curcio. “Some of these are necessary to accommodate the physical differences between the Harrier and the F-35B fighter, while others will help the engineers to collect data on both the ship’s effect on the aircraft and the aircraft’s effect on the ship.”

“For example, the flight deck tramline was shifted slightly to port to accommodate the F-35B’s larger wingspan, while the operational aft NATO Sea Sparrow launcher was replaced with an a test launcher laced with sensors to measure heat, vibrations, overpressure, and sound levels.”

According to Curcio, only five F-35B test aircraft have been delivered to flight test operations at Pax River from the factory. These prototypes are the product of millions of man hours of work and represent the full ingenuity and industrial strength of the United States.

As Wasp and her crew prepare to help test one of the world’s most technologically advanced jet fighters, Curico realizes that this will be a tremendous team effort.

“With any new piece of equipment being tested, there will some road blocks,” said Curico. “Since the crew will be working together on this, Wasp will be writing the book on how to operate the Joint Strike Fighter at sea.”

Source: dvidshub.net

U.S. Navy Test Pilot Completes First F-35B Flight

 

 

USMC Gen.James Conway , Speaking at the roll out ceremony of the first F-35B aircraft at Lockheed Martins Fort Worth , Texas Plant.

 

After a series of extensive ground and simulator training events, Lt. Cmdr. Eric “Magic” Buus completed the first flight by a U.S. Navy test pilot of an F-35B STOVL variant Joint Strike Fighter Feb. 3.

“The flight was very enjoyable and went off without a hitch,” Buus said. “I’m very blessed to be on this program, and it’s a testament to the designers and engineers that this airplane flies so well. I’m looking forward to getting a few more hours, helping the team knock out test points, and delivering this airplane to the warfighters. I think the fleet is going
to love this airplane.”

“This is a great milestone for the Navy and naval aviation,” said Vice Adm. David Architzel, commander, Naval Air Systems Command.

“Technology has come a long way, and our test pilots today are doing a great job getting the technology and capability out to the front lines,” he continued.

The F-35B flight control and pilot interface is designed to reduce workload through automation and integration, allowing the pilot to focus on warfighting.

For new Navy and Marine Corps test pilots at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, advanced flight simulators provide test pilots the ability to complete their first F-35 flights solo, a first for naval aviation, and will be the model for F-35 pilot training for the fleet.

The F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter program is in the system design and development phase, focusing on delivering three different, new aircraft variants to the U.S. Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force. The Marine Corps and Navy variants represent the first fighter aircraft with stealth capabilities.

- US Navy -