How well is F-35 testing going?

Time for an update as to progress in F-35 testing.

All numbers and events are as of May 31st.

Monthly flight and Test Point actuals again exceeded plan.

Year To Date cumulative flight and Test Point (TP) actuals again remained ahead of plan.  Of the 3737 actual TPs, 3146 are baseline points against a baseline plan of 2818 and 591 are added points.

So how does that break out per each aircraft type?  And what are the percentages over requirement (FS = Flight Sciences  and MS = Mission Systems): 

May major program achievements:

· MAXIMUM FLIGHTS and HOURS:  Highest number of F-35 flights in one day, 11, achieved three times this month:  May 10 (9 SDD + 2 LRIP), May 17 (7 SDD + 4 LRIP) and May 22 (5 SDD + 6 LRIP). AF-7 flew for a total of 35.6 hours (14 flights, 176 TPs) in May, setting a new individual record for the most flight hours in one month.

· PROGRAM TO DATE FLIGHTS:  BF-1 200 flights (Thurs 10 May).  BF-3 200 flights (Thurs 3 May). CF-2 100 flights (Fri 11 May).  STOVL variant 750 flights (Thurs 31 May).  CV variant 300 flights (Tues 29 May).  The SDD fleet (including AA-1) 2000 flights (Thurs 31 May).

· PROGRAM TO DATE FLIGHT HOURS:  AF-7 200 flight hours (Fri 11 May).  BF-1 200 flight hours (Fri 18 May).  BF-3 300 flight hours (Mon 7 May).  The SDD fleet (excluding AA-1) 3000 flight hours (Mon 7 May).

· PROGRAM “FIRSTS”: AF-6 flies at the highest altitude for a Mission Systems jet, 39Kft, Thurs 10 May.  CATB demonstrated Electronic Attack (EA) Against Eglin Range Emitters with Block 2AS2.5 Software, Thurs 17 May.  

CATB achieved integrated MADL communications with the OASIS lab, Tues 22 May.  CF-3 performed a total of 18 successful roll-in arrestments [MK-7 (6 with risers and 4 with no risers) and E-28 (8 arrestments)] at Lakehurst from 80 to 100 knots ground speed.  AF-7 (LRIP1), first production F-35 to fly supersonic for over 2 minutes at EDW, Tues 15 May.

LRIP jets:

49 total flights (19 at FTW, 30 at Eglin).  Three production deliveries to Eglin (BF-9, BF-10, BF-11).  Three first flights (AF-16, AF-17, AF-18).  Program to date, LRIP achieved 200 flight hours, Wed 9 May (at month end, approximately 250 hours).

Additionally:

For the Mission Systems software, 8.1M of 9.3M Software Source Lines of Code (87%) flying today. Conducting Radar, Electronic Warfare, Electro Optical sensor employment. 95% of airborne software now operating in flight and ground labs

Signature testing on open air test range has been conducted on F-35A and F-35C with results meeting all Key Performance Parameters.

And that’s your May update on F-35 testing progress.

@Graff48099375