LOCKHEED MARTIN JSF X-35B COMPLETES FLIGHT TESTING FOLLOWING
HISTORY-MAKING SHORT TAKEOFF /SUPERSONIC DASH/VERTICAL LANDING
1 August 2001
The Lockheed Martin Joint Strike Fighter X-35B completed one
of history’s most successful flight test programmes on 30 July
after achieving what no aircraft has ever done: a short takeoff,
a level supersonic dash and a vertical landing in a single
flight.
 Test
pilots Maj. Art Tomassetti of the U.S. Marine Corps and Simon
Hargreaves of BAE SYSTEMS each accomplished the unprecedented
feat, which will be required of production JSFs for the Marines,
Royal Navy and Royal Air Force. Tomassetti flew "Mission X", as
the operation is known to JSF team members, on 20 July.
Hargreaves followed up with a Mission X flight on 26 July.
The X-35B has now completed all Concept Development Programme
(CDP) objectives, and has generated all required contract
flight-test data. Lockheed Martin officials say the aircraft’s
performance surpassed expectations that were already high.
"This completes the third and final phase of a concept
demonstration programme that has redefined the standard for
flight test. The Lockheed Martin JSF team made a promise and
kept it – including fielding a demonstrator aircraft that is
representative of the one we have planned for production," said
Tom Burbage, executive vice president and general manager of the
Lockheed Martin JSF programme. "That means fewer expensive
development hurdles to clear and a more seamless transition into
the programme’s next phase, Engineering and Manufacturing
Development.
"The astonishing success of this flight-test programme can be
traced directly to the hardworking and talented international
team Lockheed Martin assembled to develop a superior and
affordable next-generation strike fighter for the U.S. and her
allies. With the X-35B, we also proved that our revolutionary
short-takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) propulsion system, with
the shaft-driven lift fan as its centrepiece, is reliable,
durable, and offers profound performance advantages over legacy
STOVL systems," Burbage said.
During its flight-test programme, the X-35B completed 27
vertical landings, 14 short takeoffs, 18 vertical takeoffs, was
flown by four pilots from the U.S. and the U.K., broke the sound
barrier on five separate occasions and completed five aerial
refuellings.
"The best reward for this team’s hard work over the years is
a great success story like this. It was a privilege to be a
small part of this history-making event," said Maj. Tomassetti,
after becoming the first pilot to achieve a short takeoff,
supersonic dash and vertical landing in a single flight.
His mission included an automatic short takeoff at 80 knots,
an in-flight conversion from the STOVL propulsion system to the
conventional system, a climb to 25,000 feet and acceleration to
Mach 1.05. He then conducted a series of flying-qualities tests,
converted back to STOVL mode, decelerated to a hover at 150 feet
above ground level, and landed vertically.
Hargreaves repeated the Mission X performance on July 26,
adding a steep afterburner climb, 360-degree rolls at 20 degrees
angle of attack, and an aerial refuelling. He achieved Mach 1.06
at 25,000 feet. In a subsequent flight, he demonstrated a
60-knot automatic short takeoff (approx. 500 feet), then
transitioned into a sustained hover, executed a 360-degree
pirouette and landed vertically with an aircraft weight of more
than 34,000 pounds – double the hover weight of legacy STOVL
aircraft.
"The ability to convert from STOVL to CTOL at full power
ensures that no performance is sacrificed during the conversion
and demonstrates the ruggedness and simplicity of the conversion
process," said Hargreaves, also a Harrier pilot.
In a later flight the same day, X-35 Chief Test Pilot Tom
Morgenfeld expanded the X-35B’s flight envelope with a full
afterburner takeoff and accelerations to Mach 1.2 at 25,000 and
30,000 feet.
The Joint Strike Fighter Concept Demonstration programme was
designed to produce a new breed of "X" plane -- a research
vehicle exploring technologies directly applicable to an
operational combat aircraft. The X-35B made that goal a reality
with the highly successful "X" missions, demonstrating that
supersonic STOVL is within reach now, at low risk, using the
Lockheed Martin team’s innovative shaft-driven lift fan
technology.
The X-35B will fly to the Lockheed Martin plant in Palmdale,
Calif., following post-flight maintenance and inspections.
X-35B Flight-Test Milestones
July 30 – The X-35B completes its flight test
programme with all goals met.
July 26 – The X-35B performs an automatic short
takeoff at 60 knots, using approximately 500 feet of runway. A
later flight by X-35 Chief Test Pilot Tom Morgenfeld pushes the
aircraft to Mach 1.2.
July 20 – The X-35B, flown by USMC Maj. Art Tomassetti,
performs the world’s first short takeoff, level supersonic dash
and vertical landing in a single flight.
July 19 – Squadron leader Justin Paines becomes the
first Royal Air Force pilot to transition from wingborne flight
to a vertical landing in the X-35B.
July 16 – X-35B Chief Test Pilot Simon Hargreaves
guides the aircraft to its first vertical landing from wingborne
flight.
July 9 – The X-35B completes its first airborne
transition from STOVL propulsion mode to conventional mode,
completing a supersonic mission on the same flight.
July 3 – The X-35B flies to Edwards Air Force Base
from Lockheed Martin-Palmdale to continue its STOVL
flight-envelope expansion.
June 30 – RAF Squadron Leader Justin Paines becomes
the first U.K. service pilot to take off vertically, hover and
land vertically in the X-35B. His hovers total more than 8
minutes.
June 29 – USMC Maj. Art Tomassetti becomes the first
Marine Corps pilot to take off vertically, hover and land
vertically in the X-35B.
June 24 – The X-35B, achieves its first sustained
hover.
June 23 – The X-35B becomes the first JSF demonstrator
to perform a vertical takeoff and vertical landing.
Lockheed Martin, in partnership with Northrop Grumman and BAE
SYSTEMS, is in competition 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 Autumn 2001.
# # #
For further information, please contact:
Mark Douglas
Lockheed Martin Tel: +44 (0)20 7798 2850
Email:
mark.douglas@lmco.com
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