F-35B STOVL fighter goes supersonic - Military News | News From Afghanistan, Iraq And Around The World - Military Times

F-35B STOVL fighter goes supersonic

The short-takeoff and vertical-landing version of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter flew past the sound barrier June 10, becoming the first U.S. operational STOVL aircraft to exceed that milestone.

Marine Corps pilot Lt. Col. Matt Kelly flew the F-35B test aircraft, known as BF-2, to a speed of Mach 1.07, or 727 miles per hour. The test run took place at an altitude of 30,000 feet over an off-shore supersonic test track near Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md.

The achievement came on the aircraft’s 30th test flight. Aircraft manufacturer Lockheed Martin reported that Kelly accomplished 21 unique test points during the flight, including validation of roll, pitch, yaw and propulsion performance. Further testing, according to Lockheed, will gradually expand the flight envelope out to the aircraft’s top speed of Mach 1.6 — a speed the aircraft is designed to reach while carrying a full internal weapons load of more than 3,000 pounds.

Customers for the F-35B include the Marine Corps and the British Royal Navy. The aircraft is to be the first JSF version to become operational, and is scheduled to enter service with the Marines in late 2012.

Two F-35A conventional takeoff-and-landing test aircraft produced for the Air Force also have broken the sound barrier.

A carrier-capable version of the JSF, the F-35C, is being produced for the Navy.

In addition to the U.S. and the United Kingdom, other international JSF partners include Italy, the Netherlands, Turkey, Canada, Australia, Denmark and Norway.