Even if the bomb used in the test did not contain any explosive, the F-35 test team made a new step towards operational status by conducting the program’s first guided weapon test on Edwards Air Force Base Precision Impact Range Area in California, on Oct. 29.
The Electro-Optical Targeting System, or EOTS, enabled the pilot to identify, track, designate and deliver the GBU-12 on target.
David Cenciotti is a freelance journalist based in Rome, Italy. He is the Founder and Editor of “The Aviationist”, one of the world’s most famous and read military aviation blogs. Since 1996, he has written for major worldwide magazines, including Air Forces Monthly, Combat Aircraft, and many others, covering aviation, defense, war, industry, intelligence, crime and cyberwar. He has reported from the U.S., Europe, Australia and Syria, and flown several combat planes with different air forces. He is a former 2nd Lt. of the Italian Air Force, a private pilot and a graduate in Computer Engineering. He has written four books.
F-35Bs showcase their STOVL capabilities that can be useful for remote airfield ops. Taken on May 6, 2015 the following footage features two F-35Bs from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121, based out at Marine Corps […]
The Distributed Aperture System (DAS) is going to be one of the key sensors of the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter. Developed by Northrop Grumman, the electro-optical DAS (EO DAS) surrounds the aircraft with […]
A mixed F-35 Lightning II Eurofighter Typhoon formation could be more frequent in the future. This image was taken on Apr. 4, 2014, near Edwards Air Force Base, California. It shows, an F-35 of the […]