F-35B hits another milestone.

NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md. – Lockheed Martin test pilot David “Doc” Nelson flies F-35B test aircraft BF-3 on its first flight in short take-off and vertical landing mode (STOVL) in an Atlantic operating area April 25, 2011. BF-3 is a test aircraft dedicated to structural loads evaluation; its first STOVL flight and subsequent first vertical landing April 29 demonstrated growing maturity in STOVL mode flight for the F-35B. The F-35B is a supersonic stealth fighter with next generation mission systems capable of short take-offs and vertical landings suitable for the U.S. Marine Corps expeditionary environment. The F-35B is undergoing test and evaluation at NAS Patuxent River in preparation for delivery to the fleet. (Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin)

NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md. – U.S. Marine Corps test pilot Lt. Col. Fred “Tinman” Schenk lands F-35B test aircraft BF-4 on its first vertical landing April 27, 2011. BF-4 is a test aircraft dedicated to evaluating mission systems and currently flies with Block 1.0 software. With this milestone, the F-35B test aircraft at NAS Patuxent River demonstrated growing maturity in short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) mode flight with all four aircraft completing STOVL flights. The integrated test force at NAS Patuxent River has completed all of the vertical landings and more than eighty percent of the short take-offs needed for upcoming shipboard testing this year. The F-35B is a supersonic stealth fighter with next generation mission systems capable of short take-offs and vertical landings suitable for the U.S. Marine Corps expeditionary environment. The F-35B is undergoing test and evaluation at NAS Patuxent River in preparation for delivery to the fleet. (Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin)