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Lockheed F-35 fighter executes first live missile launch
USINFO | 2013-11-29 09:31
The test of the F-35's ability to fire an AIM-120 advanced medium range air-to-air WASHINGTON, Oct 31 (Reuters) - Lockheed Martin Corp's F-35 fighter jet conducted its first live-fire launch of an air-to-air missile over a military test range, the new warplane's second big weapons milestone this week, the Pentagon said on Thursday.
missile (AMRAAM) took place on Wednesday off the California coast, near Edwards Air Force Base, the Pentagon's F-35 program office said.
In the test, an F-35A, the Air Force model of the plane, identified and tracked a target drone before firing a radar-guided AIM-120 missile from the F-35's internal weapons bay.
Moments before the missile was about to destroy the target, a self-destruct signal was sent to the AIM-120 in order to preserve the aerial drone for use in future tests, the Pentagon said.
"This successful missile launch marks the first live-fire weapons test and is an initial demonstration of the air-to-air combat capability the F-35 will bring to the U.S. military and our international partners," Charlie Wagner, who leads the F-35 program's weapons team, said in a statement.
He said many more weapons tests were planned to ensure that F-35 pilots got the combat capability they needed to carry out their missions and return home safely.
The F-35A air-to-air missile test occurred the day after an F-35B variant, which can land like a helicopter, carried out the F-35's first air-to-ground weapons test.
After more than a decade of development, the $392 billion F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program is making strides in testing, production and operations. The Marine Corps plans to start operating the planes in mid-2015.
Separately, the Pentagon awarded Lockheed an additional $422 million contract for continued operating and maintenance support of the F-35 fighter jets that have already been built. It said the contract would run through October 2014.
missile (AMRAAM) took place on Wednesday off the California coast, near Edwards Air Force Base, the Pentagon's F-35 program office said.
In the test, an F-35A, the Air Force model of the plane, identified and tracked a target drone before firing a radar-guided AIM-120 missile from the F-35's internal weapons bay.
Moments before the missile was about to destroy the target, a self-destruct signal was sent to the AIM-120 in order to preserve the aerial drone for use in future tests, the Pentagon said.
"This successful missile launch marks the first live-fire weapons test and is an initial demonstration of the air-to-air combat capability the F-35 will bring to the U.S. military and our international partners," Charlie Wagner, who leads the F-35 program's weapons team, said in a statement.
He said many more weapons tests were planned to ensure that F-35 pilots got the combat capability they needed to carry out their missions and return home safely.
The F-35A air-to-air missile test occurred the day after an F-35B variant, which can land like a helicopter, carried out the F-35's first air-to-ground weapons test.
After more than a decade of development, the $392 billion F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program is making strides in testing, production and operations. The Marine Corps plans to start operating the planes in mid-2015.
Separately, the Pentagon awarded Lockheed an additional $422 million contract for continued operating and maintenance support of the F-35 fighter jets that have already been built. It said the contract would run through October 2014.
