F-35B Lightning II Developmental Trials onboard HMS Queen Elizabeth [Image 1 of 32]

NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN

10.06.2018

Courtesy Photo

F-35 Lightning II Pax River ITF   

Royal Navy aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth, has deployed to the U.S. to land fast jets on deck for the very first time. Eight years since a British aircraft carrier last flew a fast jet from her decks, the 65,000-tonne carrier has embarked two F-35B test aircraft from the Integrated Test Force (ITF), based out of Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland. Around 200 supporting staff, including pilots, engineers, maintainers and data analysts joined the two ‘orange wired’ ITF test aircraft for the testing period at sea. The aim of these initial, or developmental trials, are to ascertain, through the specially equipped aircraft and sensors around the ship, the operating parameters of the aircraft and ship, in a range of conditions.

Photo courtesy of Royal Navy

• Date Taken: 10.06.2018
• Date Posted: 10.12.2018 08:46
• Photo ID: 4810355
• VIRIN: 181006-N-ZZ999-221
• Resolution: 2987x3600
• Size: 1.97 MB
• Location: NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN