Lockheed Martin Successfully Completes F-35B Flight Tests with Enhanced LRASM Capability.

Science and Technology

United States of America (USA)-based defence and aerospace giant Lockheed Martin Corporation has successfully completed initial flight tests to integrate the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) onto the F-35B Lightning II stealth fighter jet.


      - The tests were conducted in collaboration with the F-35 Pax River Integrated Test Force (ITF), marking a major advancement in extending the strike capabilities of the F-35B.

     

     

Main Point :-   (i) The latest upgrade will enable the F-35 to deploy both Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSM) and LRASM, significantly boosting its offensive range and target flexibility.

      (ii) During the initial test flights, the F-35B was equipped with two LRASMs mounted externally on the innermost wing hardpoints, along with two inert AIM-9X (Air Intercept Missiles) on the wingtips, simulating real-world weapon configurations.

(iii) These evaluations, termed as ‘captive carriage’ tests, aimed to assess the structural and aerodynamic impact of the LRASM on the F-35B airframe under various flight conditions, ensuring performance integrity and flight safety.

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