F-35 Conducts First Flight with TR-3

An F-35A takes off from Edwards Air Force Base, California, on January 6, 2023. A developmental test team from the 461st Flight Test Squadron conducted the first flight of an F-35 in the Technology Refresh 3 (TR-3) configuration at the base. The 50-minute flight, which took the jet to 35,000 feet at speeds just shy of the speed of sound above the Mojave Desert, marked the start of an extensive flight test campaign. TR-3 provides the computational horsepower to support modernized Block 4 capabilities. The F-35 Joint Program Office is the Department of Defense's focal point for the 5th-generation strike aircraft for the Navy, Air Force, Marines, and our allies. The F-35 is the premier multi-mission, 5th-generation weapon system. Its ability to collect, analyze and share data is a force multiplier that enhances all assets in the battle space: with stealth technology, advanced sensors, weapons capacity, and range. The F-35 has been operational since July 2015 and is the most lethal, survivable, and interoperable fighter aircraft ever built.

Welcome to Edwards Air Force Base!

Published Feb. 27, 2023
By Adam Bowles
412th Test Wing Public Affairs

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --

The 412th Test Wing is the host wing for Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. -- the 2nd largest base in the Air Force. The wing oversees base day-to-day operations and provides support for over 10,000 military, federal civilian and contract personnel assigned to a 481 square mile installation.

Visit our Welcome Information and Newcomers Guide for all of the information you need to have a successful career and experience here at Edwards Air Force Base!