Lockheed Martin completed on 14 August the first mid-air refuelling between an F-35B short-takeoff and vertical landing variant and a US Marine Corps KC-130R tanker. The flight test was a critical step as Lockheed continues preparing the first two STOVL prototypes for the first vertical landing test in the fourth quarter. The refuelling test involved the second STOVL variant, named BF-2. The return-to-flight of BF-1, grounded since 2008 due to an engine blade design problem, was expected imminently.
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© Lockheed Martin |
Source: Flight International
