Lockheed Martin rolls out F-35 test model

FORT WORTH, Texas, June 16 (UPI) -- U.S. company Lockheed Martin announced a milestone achievement for the F-35 Lightning II aircraft program with a rollout of a full-scale representation.

Lockheed Martin rolled out a detailed, full-scale representation of the F-35 radar-signature test aircraft. The rollout Monday, at the company's Fort Worth, Texas, facility, keeps the F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter on schedule and marks a milestone for the program.

Officials say the rolled-out model is part of an effort by Lockheed Martin to validate the F-35's radar-evading properties. Testing of the model is expected to take place at the company's Acceptance Test Facility in Texas.

"Today's milestone is the realization of an F-35 test schedule commitment we made more than two years ago," Dan Crowley, Lockheed Martin F-35 executive vice president and program manager for the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike fighter program, said in a statement.

"We continue to achieve outstanding progress in F-35 design, development, production, ground test and early flight test."