New JSF Program Chief Visits Pax River

Vice Adm. David Venlet, program executive officer for the F-35 Lightning II program and his deputy, Air Force Maj. Gen. Christopher Bogdan, visit the Patuxent River integrated test force Nov. 7.

The program executive officer for the F-35 Lightning II program and his deputy visited Naval Air Station Patuxent River’s integrated test force Nov. 7 as part of a series of similar tours around the country to the aircraft’s development facilities.

During the visit, program head Navy Vice Adm. David Venlet introduced his successor Air Force Maj. Gen. Christopher Bogdan and noted the progress of the F-35 in test and evaluation.

The aircraft program’s integrated test force, comprising approximately 900 industry, military and government civilians, evaluates the F-35B and F-35C naval variants of the Lightning II.

In the past year, the force successfully completed the first airborne weapons separation for any version of the F-35. In addition, the Patuxent River team completed critical testing for the F-35C carrier variant’s arresting hook system redesign and initial sea trials for the F-35B short take off and vertical landing (STOVL) variant.

Through test and evaluation, the Patuxent River team retired enough technical risk for the STOVL variant, enabling Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta to announce that he was lifting early the two-year probation placed on the F-35B during a visit to the base Jan. 20.

In the next year, the Patuxent River F-35 test force is planning the second sea trials for the F-35B, will continue expanding the weapons separation envelope and continue testing on the F-35C’s arresting hook redesign effort.

Source: PEO(JSF) Public Affairs