Edwards AFB News

  • F-35 receives first fuel from RAAF tanker

    A U.S. Air Force F-35 Joint Strike Fighter completed its first aerial refueling from a Royal Australian Air Force tanker here Sept. 25.An F-35A completed 59 contacts with the refueling boom of a RAAF KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport throughout a four-hour sortie. During five of those contacts the

  • F-35 testers wrap up Weapons Delivery Accuracy tests

    Testers from the 461st Flight Test Squadron and F-35 Integrated Test Force (ITF) completed a major test milestone bringing the F-35 Lightning II’s full combat capabilities closer to the battlefield. Weapons Delivery Accuracy (WDA) flight tests began in July 2013 and testing wrapped up earlier this

  • F-35 undergoes pit testing

    F-35 tail number AF-1 underwent stores static ejection testing at the F-22 Combined Test Force for the past three weeks. The aircraft is carefully positioned over a pit filled with foam, and instrumented inert weapons are released from the aircraft. This type of testing, also known as pit testing,

  • F-35A completes 1st in-flight missile launch

    An F-35A conventional takeoff and landing aircraft completed the first in-flight missile launch of an AIM-120 over the Point Mugu Sea Test Range, June 5. It was the first launch where the F-35 and AIM-120 demonstrated a successful launch-to-eject communications sequence and fired the rocket motor

  • F-35A completes first in-flight weapons release

    An F-35A conventional takeoff and landing aircraft completed the first in-flight weapons release of a 2,000 pound GBU-31 BLU-109 Joint Direct Attack Munition from a 5th Generation fighter, Oct. 16. The flight was conducted by Maj. Eric "Doc" Schultz, 461st Flight Test Squadron. The aircraft, known

  • F-35A completes first live air-to-air ‘kill’ test

    The F-35 Lightning II advanced its combat capability by launching an air-to-air missile and directly hitting a drone over a military test range off the California coast July 28. U.S. Air Force test pilot, Maj. Raven LeClair, employed an AIM-9X missile from an F-35A's external wing against an aerial

  • F-35A completes first night refueling mission

    The first night refueling in the history of the Lockheed Martin F-35 program was completed March 26 at Edwards Air Force Base. Piloted by Lt. Col. Peter Vitt, 461st Flight Test Squadron director of operations, AF-4, an F-35A conventional takeoff and landing variant, rendezvoused with an Air Force

  • F-35A enters BAF for first time to undergo electromagnetic effects tests

    An F-35A Lightning II entered the Benefield Anechoic Facility for the first time Sept. 14. The aircraft is undergoing Electromagnetic Environmental Effects testing, called E3 or "Triple E" by the team."What that means is we're testing the different electronic components on the jet and making sure

  • F-35A successfully fires GAU-22/A 25mm Gun in flight

    The F-35A successfully fired the GAU-22/A 25mm Gun system for the first time while in flight Oct. 30, 2015. The aircraft recently completed ground gun firing test at the Edwards Gun Harmonization range with good results enabling progression to first flight. This is one more step in validating the