Lockheed Martin engineers are pouring over the results of several ground speed taxi tests of the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter before giving the OK to take the new fighter into the air. In the last taxi test Tuesday, Lockheed’s chief test pilot Jon Beesley sped down the runway at speeds up to 127 mph. A company statement said Lockheed would alert the news media “upon conclusion of the flight.”
The Air Force expects to start modifying its first B-52H Stratofortress bomber with new engines and other upgrades later this year, following the successful review of the Commercial Engine Replacement Program’s design.