F-35B Makes First Vertical Landing at Sea

A U.S. Marine Corps F-35B made its first vertical landing on an amphibious assault ship on Oct. 3, Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program officials confirmed.

A U.S. Marine Corps F-35B prepares to vertically land for the first time at sea on the flight deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp on Oct. 3. (Joint Strike Fighter Program Office)

 

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The aircraft, called BF-2, made the landing at 3:20 p.m. Eastern time over the Atlantic onboard the USS Wasp.

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Over the next two weeks, the JSF program hopes to conduct 67 landing while Wasp is underway, according to Tom Burbage, Lockheed Martin's F-35 program manager.

The U.S. Marine Corps' deputy commandant for aviation, Lt. Gen. Terry Robling, said recently that Wasp is available for six weeks should there be any anomalies in testing.

BF-2 is the second short take-off vertical landing variant test aircraft.