The VFA-125 and VFA-101 test squadrons of the US Navy completed the qualification tests of the deck version of the F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft on the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln of the Nimitz type. According to Flightglobal, following the results of inspections, the fighters were allowed to conduct operational tests on an aircraft carrier. Upon their completion, the US Navy will be able to accept new aircraft for service. It is expected that this will happen in 2019.

As the development of aviation technology passes various tests, confirming its characteristics and reliability. Fighters F-35CY deck versions of Lightning II, previously passed tests on land - they flew from simulators of springboards and with the help of a catapult, and also sat down with the help of aerofiners (braking devices that allow the aircraft to drop speed and stop).

The aircraft carrier qualification tests conducted by the VFA-125 and VFA-101 squadrons were to show that the F-35C is suitable for safe landing on the ship's deck. In total, test pilots carried out 140 landings on the deck of "Abraham Lincoln" using an airfighter. All landings were successful.

During the qualification tests, the F-35C also performed a series of landings with a go-around. Such checks made it possible to evaluate the interaction of airborne aircraft systems with the course and glide path of an aircraft carrier. As expected, operational testing of fighters will begin this year. They will allow to test the aircraft in the conditions of the standard carrier-day.

The maximum take-off mass F-35 at a length of 15.4 and the wing span of 10.7 meters is 27.3 tons. The aircraft can develop a speed of up to 1.9 thousand kilometers per hour, and its combat radius is 845 kilometers. The F-35 can carry rockets, bombs and air guns with a total mass of up to 8.1 tons - 6.8 tons at six underwing wing points and 1.

3 tons on two pylons in the internal arms compartments.

Last summer, tests of F-35B fighters with a short take-off and vertical landing took place with the help of a springboard. The tests used an aircraft with full combat load. The inspections were carried out in the interests of the Ministry of Defense of Great Britain, which intends to equip the F-35B fighters with the perspective aircraft carriers "Queen Elizabeth" and "Prince of Wales".

Source: nplus1.