Story by Michael Smith | Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division | 11.18.2025
VX-31 at China Lake and VX-23 at Pax River completed a multi-phase test campaign on the Automatic Terrain Awareness and Warning System for the F/A-18 Hornet. The system protects pilots from controlled flight into terrain, or CFIT, by automatically recovering the aircraft when warnings are not heeded or the pilot becomes incapacitated. The team validated ATAWS performance in aggressive......
Story by NAWCAD Visual Information | Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division | 06.12.2025
Col. Jay Zarra turned over command of the Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 23 “Salty Dogs” to Cmdr. Eric Zilberman in an airborne ceremony over Naval Air Station Patuxent River, June 12, where Zarra piloted an F-35B Lightning and Zilberman flew an F/A-18F Super Hornet....
Story by Donna M Cipolloni | Naval Air Station Patuxent River | 05.04.2021
Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Equipment) 1st Class Max Belton wasn’t going to let hand surgery stop him from his beloved weightlifting routine, which he describes as his personal method to “blow off steam.”...
Story by F-35 Joint Program Office Public Affairs | F-35 Joint Program Office | 11.09.2020
Aerospace engineering department students witness future of naval aviation, speak with pilots about test and evaluation career path Nov. 9, 2020....
Story by Connie Hempel | F-35 Lightning II Pax River ITF | 06.19.2019
The F-35 Joint Program Office Auto Ground Collision Avoidance System team received the 2018 Robert J. Collier Trophy, June 13, for its rapid design, integration and flight test of critical, lifesaving technology for the global F-35 fleet during a ceremony at the National Air and Space Museum....
Story by Connie Hempel | F-35 Lightning II Pax River ITF | 11.19.2018
F-35 Lightning stealth fighters have left HMS Queen Elizabeth after eight weeks flying on and off the 65,000-tonne warship, helping to write the ‘operator’s manual’ so the jets can fly from her deck on front-line operations...
Story by Brittany Dickerson | Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division | 11.13.2018
Patuxent River Integrated Test Force (ITF) supports first of class flight trials for the F-35B aboard Britain's new Queen Elizabeth class carriers....
Story by Connie Hempel | F-35 Lightning II Pax River ITF | 11.10.2018
US Marines on board HMS Queen Elizabeth shared their birthday celebrations with Royal Marines and Royal Navy sailors.
