AF-1, an F-35A test aircraft at Edwards AFB, Calif., recently flew its final mission testing for clear wing flutter, announced prime contractor Lockheed Martin. This testing, conducted over the course of three years, was meant to ensure that the aircraft’s structure can withstand various aerodynamic loads, helping to certify its design, according to the company’s Feb. 11 release. “The testing demonstrated the F-35 is clear of flutter, at speeds up to 1.6 Mach and 700 knots with weapon bay doors open or closed,” states the release. The data collected prove that the F-35A’s flight dynamics maintain “a large margin between its designed airspeed and airspeeds where possible flutter could occur,” said the company.
Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, held meetings with defense leaders from the Philippines, Japan, and South Korea during a trip to the Indo-Pacific this week.