An F-35B from the F-35 Patuxent River Integrated Test Force in Maryland, has undergone rigorous climatic testing at the 96th Test Wing’s McKinley Climatic Laboratory at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The laboratory supports all-weather testing of weapon systems to ensure they function regardless of climatic conditions.
With 13 countries currently involved with the program, the F-35 must be tested in meteorological conditions representative of those locations from which it will operate, ranging from the heat of the Outback in Australia, to the bitter cold of the Arctic Circle.
“We’ve designed an environment here at the chamber where we can simulate virtually any weather condition — all while flying the jet at full power in either conventional or vertical take-off mode,” said Dwayne Bell, the McKinley Climatic Laboratory technical chief.
