X-35 Flight Test Timeline

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This article appeared in the Fourth Quarter 2001 issue of Code One Magazine.

Flight testing for the X-35 JSF demonstrator aircraft concluded on 6 August 2001, with all requirements and objectives achieved or exceeded. Combined, the X35A/B/C completed 139 flights and accumulated 106.9 hours of flight time. Those figures, however, don’t begin to describe the program’s success. This third and final phase of the JSF concept demonstration program redefined the standard for flight testing a new fighter design. Never before has a flight test program addressed and successfully demonstrated such a broad range of capabilities and new technologies. The milestones described and depicted in the timeline represent the products of the hard work, talent, and dedication of the international JSF team assembled by Lockheed Martin.

X-35A (24 Oct. to 22 Nov. 2000) Total Flights 27 Total Flight Hours 27.4 Speed Achieved Mach 1.05 G Achieved 5.0 Altitude 34,000 ft. Contributing photographers: Derk Blanset, Judson Brohmer, Carol Dodd, David Drais, Tom Harvey, Denny Lombard, Daniel Perales, Tom Reynolds, Kevin Robertson, Peter A. Torres, Jim Valentine, Patrick Whalen, and Steve Zapka	X-35C (16 Dec. 2000 to 10 Mar. 2001) Total Flights 73 Total Flight Hours 58 Total FCLPs* 252 Speed Achieved Mach 1.22 G Achieved 4.8 Altitude 34,000 ft. *Field carrier landing practice	X-35AB (23 June to 6 Aug. 2001) Total Flights 39 Total Flight Hours 21.5 Total Vertical Takeoffs 17 Total Short Takeoffs 14 Total Short Landings 6 Total Vertical Landings 27 Total Mission X*Flights 2 Speed Achieved Mach 1.2 G Achieved 5.0 Altitude 34,000 ft. *Short takeoff, level supersonic dash, vertical landing in a single flight