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eers at the Arnold Engineering and Development Center in Tennessee have completed wind tunnel testing for all three variants of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. AEDC project manager 1st Lt. Ezra Caplan says the $50 million test process covered five years and more than 8,600 hours in the wind tunnel. The test results go into an aerodynamic database compiled by prime contractor Lockheed Martin and help reduce production time and cost.
The six-week government shutdown did not affect the hours flown by Air Force pilots, a service spokesperson told Air & Space Forces Magazine—avoiding what could have been a major blow at a time when flying hours are already lower than they have been in decades.
