F-35C Operational Testing Aboard USS Abraham Lincoln

Lee Hudson
Lee Hudson/AW&ST

An F-35C Lightning II taxis on the flight deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) after completing an arrested landing during operational testing on Aug. 27. 

Lee Hudson/AW&ST

​An F-35C Lightning II prepares to take off during operational testing on Aug. 27 on the flight deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln.

Lee Hudson/AW&ST

Sailors prepare for flight operations on the flight deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln on Aug. 27. This is the first time the F-35C Lightning has flown missions with the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. 

Mass Communication Spc. 3rd Class Jeff Sherman/U.S. Navy

An F-35C Lightning II prepares to make an arrested landing on the flight deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln on Aug. 26.

Mass Communication Spc. 3rd Class Daniel E. Gheesling/U.S. Navy

Cmdr. Tommy Locke, Rough Raiders Strike Fighter Sqdn. 125 commanding officer, flies an F-35C above the USS Abraham Lincoln during carrier qualifications on Aug. 26. 

Mass Communication Spc. 3rd Class Daniel E. Gheesling/U.S. Navy

Sailors conduct maintenance on an F-35C Lightning II on the flight deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln on Aug. 21 during carrier qualifications.

Aviation Week was invited to observe the U.S. Navy’s first operational testing on an aircraft carrier. The test period began Aug. 22 and includes six Lockheed Martin F-35Cs and 30-40 Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornets. Test results will help the service determine if the aircraft is ready for combat in 2019.

Read about the challenges the Navy faces in preparing the F-35C for combat: Uncertainty Surrounds F-35C Combat-ready Date

Lee Hudson

Based in Washington, Lee covers the Pentagon for Aviation Week. Prior to joining Aviation Week in June 2018, Lee was at Inside Defense where she was managing editor for Inside the Navy.

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