F-35C Completes Initial Catapult Testing

F-35C Completes Initial Catapult Testing: Aircraft Performed 'Better Than Predicted' F-35 integrated test force personnel and F-35C test aircraft CF-3 returned to NAS Patuxent River last week after completing two major catapult test events. Starting this past summer, the test team put the carrier variant of the Joint Strike Fighter through its first set of catapult launches. The goal was to complete an initial structural survey of the aircraft to withstand launch stresses and the impact of steam ingestion into the engine.

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