Message posted by jose on December 20, 2000 at 22:38:10 EST:

I found AP article on http://www.nandotimes.com and AP website :-)

Jose

LOCKHEED-MARTIN TAKES NEW FIGHTER FOR TEST SPIN
The Associated Press

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. ( December 16, 2000 8:32 p.m. EST
http://www.nandotimes.com ) - A Lockheed Martin test pilot took the first
flight Saturday in the company's latest entry into the military's
multibillion-dollar fighter jet competition.

The defense giant is competing with Boeing to produce a Joint Strike
Fighter, which would be used by the Air Force, Navy, Marines and Britain's
Royal Air Force and Navy.

The winner of the contract, expected to be worth $200 billion, is to be
chosen next year.

Lockheed Martin's X-35C, designed specifically for naval aircraft carrier
operations, made a 27-minute flight from Palmdale, Calif., to Edwards Air
Force Base, where it will undergo further flight testing, said Joe
Sweeney, the test pilot.

"It went very smoothly, very similar to the simulations," Sweeney said.
But he said testing wasn't completed "because of some give-and-take
between the airplane and the control room" as data from the flight was
examined.

The X-35C was the second Lockheed Martin Joint Strike Fighter demonstrator
to fly. The company's X-35A began flying in October and completed its test
program on Nov. 22.

Boeing's X-32A Joint Strike Fighter demonstrator has been flying since
Sept. 18.

In Reply to: X-35C first flight posted by Magoo on December 17, 2000 at 18:58:19 EST:

Replies:

• Re: X-35C first flight Gunny 12/22/2000, 20:06:53 EST (1)
  • Re: X-35C first flight Magoo 12/26/2000, 18:03:54 EST (0)