F-35C Lightning II carrier variant Joint Strike Fighter conducted its first arrested landing aboard an aircraft carrier off the coast of San Diego on 03 November 2014. Navy test pilot Cmdr. Tony Wilson landed F-35C test aircraft CF-03 at 12:18 p.m. aboard USS Nimitz's (CVN 68) flight deck. The arrested landing is part of initial at-sea Developmental Testing I (DT-I) for the F-35C, which is expected to last two weeks.
" For the first time in U.S. naval aviation history, radar-evading stealth capability will come to the carrier deck. The F-35C carrier variant sets new standards in weapon system integration, lethality, maintainability, combat radius and payload that bring true multi-mission capability to the sea. As we countdown to the F-35C’s first carrier developmental testing, find out how the F-35C differs from the other F-35 variants and the features that make it suitable for carrier operations..."
Lower view shows well the larger wing planform of the F-35 C with its foldable wing-tips. Other features of the carrier-borne version of the Lightning II include the twin nose wheel configuration for the nose-tow launch system. The C also features a greater internal fuel capacity. Read the rest of Lockheed Martin's F 35 C press release here
