Photo By Dane Wiedmann | The F-35 Lightning II Pax River Integrated Test Force from Air Test and Evaluation...... read more read more Photo By Dane Wiedmann | The F-35 Lightning II Pax River Integrated Test Force from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 23 conducted the first weapons separation test of an AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) from an F-35C Lightning II carrier variant March 23. During flight 180 over the NAVAIR Atlantic Test Ranges, Cmdr. Ted Dyckman, a U.S. Navy F-35 test pilot, dropped an inert JSOW from aircraft CF-05. This test is the first of a series of JSOW separation events scheduled for 2016. U.S. Navy courtesy photo by Dane Wiedmann. see less | View Image Page

PATUXENT RIVER, Md. — An F-35C Lightning II launched its first AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) over the Atlantic Test Ranges on 23 March.



Test aircraft, CF-05, cleanly released the 1,000-pound air-to-surface guided glide bomb from an internal weapons bay, said U.S. Navy Cmdr. Ted “Dutch” Dyckman, the F-35 Lightning II test pilot who flew the mission.



The JSOW is a medium range all-weather standoff weapon that enables aircraft to remain outside the threat envelopes of typical enemy anti-aircraft and counter- air defenses while effectively engaging and destroying targets. This lethality and survivability delivers a decisive advantage over potential adversaries.



The F-35 Lightning II Pax River ITF joint team, assigned to the Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 23 aboard Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland, released one JSOW during the flight. The team will release additional JSOWs throughout 2016. Working on the multi-phase testing of the F-35 Block 3F capabilities, are U.S. government, military and contractor personnel, and industry partners from Raytheon Systems Ltd.



JSOW is integrated and in operational status on the F/A-18C/D/E/F, F-16, B-52, F-15E, B-1B and B-2 aircraft. Integration is underway on the F-35 Lightning II. It is a joint Navy-Air Force weapons program, with the Navy as the lead service.



The F-35 Lightning II is a multi-role stealth strike fighter that incorporates low-observable technologies, advanced sensor fusion, internal and external weapons to accomplish its missions. The fleet of F-35 Lightning II aircraft operating at 12 different locations worldwide has more than 50,000 flight hours.