F-35A Releases First Air-Launched Weapon

Lockheed Martin's F-35A Joint Strike Fighter has performed its first in-flight weapons release, with conventional take-off and landing test aircraft AF-1 having dropped a JDAM-series GBU-31 908kg (2,000lb) bomb on 16 October.

Jettisoned from the F-35A's left-side internal weapons bay, the instrumented weapon was released over the China Lake weapons range in California. AF-1 was flown by US Air Force Maj Matthew Phillips from Edwards AFB.

Lockheed says the F-35A has a maximum payload capacity of almost 8,200kg, with the fighter having four internal weapons points and three hardpoints under each wing.