New Photos: Chilled Lightning

F-35 skeptics might see these photos and declare with delight that the program is on ice. Not so, the Pentagon continues to throw its support behind the $400 billion project. 

In advance of the U.S. Marine Corps' plans to declare initial operatioanl capability for its F-35B -- optimized for the Harrier replacement mission -- F-35 program officials have begun to test the single-engine, stealthy jet in extreme climates. BF-05, was ferried to Eglin AFB, Florida, last fall for the trials. The aircraft is in the McKinley Climatic Laboratory on the base, which is designed to simulate nearly every possible weather condition on Earth. The lab is designed to produce temperatures from -40 degrees to 120 degrees. The lab can also produce various conditions including rain, ice, fog, snow and varying humidity levels. 

Here are some pictures of the testing from Lockheed Martin's Andy Wolfe. 

BF-05 is on an icing cloud test calibration fixture at the McKinley Climatic Lab (above).

Below are two pictures of BF-05 during icing cloud calibration runs.