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Video by Dane Wiedmann

F-35 Lightning II Completes DT-I Aboard USS Nimitz

F-35 Lightning II Pax River ITF

Dec. 3, 2014 | 4:24

During the history-making F-35C Initial Sea Trials aboard USS Nimitz (CVN 68) in 2014, the F-35 Lightning II Pax River Integrated Test Force (ITF) from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 23 aboard NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, landed two F-35Cs aboard an aircraft carrier for the first time ever and completed 124 catapult launches and 124 arrested landings with zero one-wires or unintentional hook-down missed arrestments (bolters) during its first-ever at-sea period. ITF test pilots flew approaches in three different approach modes (Manual, Approach Power Compensation (APC), and the revolutionary F-35 Delta Flight Path (DFP)), noting that handling qualities in all three modes were excellent. The test team characterized the performance of DFP — a new approach mode that enables the pilot to directly command a glideslope —as an enhancing characteristic of the airplane that significantly reduces pilot workload during the approach to the carrier, increases safety margins during carrier approaches, and reduces touchdown dispersion. Calling the aircraft a three-wire machine, they noted that the F-35C was very good at flying behind the ship, that the flight control system was precise, stable, responsive and delivered carefree handling in all flight regimes, and predicted that future fleet pilots would be able to correct any deviations quickly and accurately. Since the aircraft flew very well behind the ship, the test team decided to conduct night ops — an unheard of feat during the first at-sea period of any naval aircraft since the F-4 era — flying multiple approaches, two hook-down passes, and two traps. Testers also accelerated the F-35C program test and evaluation objectives by six months as they completed all 2014 carrier-based threshold test goals ahead of schedule, developed a large amount of the initial Aircraft Launch and Recovery Bulletins, and paved the way for F-35 fifth generation fighters to deliver an unprecedented stealth-at-sea capability to the Carrier Air Wing.