Lockheed Martin announced Monday that the F-35B, the short takeoff/vertical landing variant of the F-35 strike fighter, reached supersonic speeds for the first time during a June 10 test flight at NAS Patuxent River, Md. Test aircraft BF-2 accelerated to Mach 1.07 during this flight, according to the company. “For the first time in military aviation history, supersonic, radar-evading stealth comes with short takeoff/vertical landing capability,” said Bob Price, company program manager for the F-35B. It was BF-2’s 30th flight. Marine Corps pilot Lt. Col. Matt Kelly was at the controls. Lockheed says testing will gradually expand the flight envelope out to the aircraft’s top speed of Mach 1.6. The Air Force’s F-35A variant has also attained supersonic speeds in flight tests.
The Air Force and Boeing agreed to a nearly $2.4 billion contract for a new lot of KC-46 aerial tankers on Nov. 21. The deal, announced by the Pentagon, is for 15 new aircraft in Lot 11 at a cost of $2.389 billion—some $159 million per tail.