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The F-35 Cooperative Avionics Test Bed, or CATBird, aircraft completed a two-week deployment to the Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards AFB, California, in April. There, the highly modified 737 airliner was flown on ten test flights to evaluate the F-35’s radar operation; communications, navigation, and identification system; and electronic warfare infrastructure and sensor function. The airborne testing reduces hardware and software risks that cannot be mitigated in ground laboratories and individual sensor test beds. The joint industry/government F-35 Integrated Test Force at Edwards provided logistic support, ranges, and ground and air targets during the deployment. The first mission systems-equipped F-35 is scheduled to be tested later this year.
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