F-35C hits weapons milestone

PATUXENT RIVER, Md. -- The F-35 integrated test force aboard Naval Air Station Patuxent River completed a weapons ejection milestone for the F-35 carrier variant Wednesday. CF-2, the second F-35C test aircraft, ejected a 2,000-pound inert GBU-31 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) and a 500-pound GBU-12 Paveway II Laser Guided Bomb from an internal weapons bay into a foam-covered concrete pit, completing the series of first-ever ground weapons ejections for the F-35C. The team also successfully ejected the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM). Overall, the team completed eleven weapon releases, split between the left and right weapon bays, earlier than planned. (Source: NNS, 11/30/12) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the F-35 training center, that will train pilots and maintainers for the three F-35 variants. Previous related