An F-35A executed the program’s first live-fire launch of a guided air-to-air missile one day after it successfully delivered an unarmed weapon against a ground target, the Defense Department said in a statement.
The test pilot employed an AIM-120 advanced medium range air-to-air missile (AMRAAM) Oct. 30 from the F-35A’s internal weapons bay against an aerial drone target in restricted military sea test range airspace. Test data and observers confirmed the F-35A identified and targeted the drone with its mission system sensors, passed the target “track” information to the missile and launched the AIM-120 from the aircraft to engage the target drone.
After launch, the missile successfully acquired the target and followed an intercept flight profile. Moments before the missile was about to destroy the target, a self-destruct signal was sent to the AIM-120 to preserve the aerial drone for use in future tests.
One day earlier, an F-35B vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) variant demonstrated a successful air-to-ground weapons test by dropping a 500-pound Guided Bomb Unit-12 (GBU-12) Paveway II laser guided bomb against a stationary target tank at Edwards AFB, Calif. The GBU-12 was not carrying ordnance and, therefore, was not considered a live fire test. The Paveway II is developed by Lockheed Martin [LMT].
The AIM-120 is a radar guided air-to-air missile developed by Raytheon [RTN] and is the Defense Department’s standard air intercept missile carried on tactical fighter aircraft. The AIM-120 is also a beyond visual range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) capable of all-weather, day-and-night operations and is powered by a solid-propellant rocket motor.
The F-35 is developed by Lockheed Martin with subcontractors BAE Systems and Northrop Grumman [NOC].