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 The Lockheed Martin JSF team began radar cross-section testing in February of a full-scale aircraft pole model at Lockheed Martin’s remote Helendale Measurement Facility in California. The testing will measure the RCS of the aircraft and the performance of various antennas on the aircraft. Tests also will demonstrate the robustness of supportable low observable materials and their ease of repair. After baseline testing, several doors and panels will be intentionally damaged and later repaired, and RCS measurements will be made to determine the impact of defects and the effectiveness of repairs. The model’s high-fidelity features include removable doors and access panels, canopy transparency, cockpit details, external lights, air data probes, engine components, edges, repositionable control surfaces, antenna apertures, radar array, and a flight-capable radome.
“The high level of detail built into the signature model is unprecedented for this stage of development,” said Henry J. Sherrer, manager of JSF signature demonstrations. “The results to date closely match our detailed predictions. By the end of the tests, we expect to qualify our JSF design as low risk in meeting customer survivability requirements.”
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