By 1st Lt. Lindsey Heflin, 53rd Wing / Published October 06, 2021
An F-35A Lighting II carrying a B61-12 Joint Test Assembly sits on the flight line at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Sept. 21, 2021. Two F-35A Lightning II aircraft released B61-12 Joint Test Assemblies during the first Full Weapon System Demonstration, completing the final flight test exercise of the nuclear design certification process. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Zachary Rufus)
An F-35A Lightning II takes off to complete the final test exercise of the nuclear design certification process at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Sept. 21, 2021 . Test pilots flew to the Tonopah Test Range at Nellis AFB and released two B61-12 Joint Test Assemblies from operationally realistic flight envelopes. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Zachary Rufus)
Airmen from the 926th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron watch as an F-35A Lightning II pilot assigned to the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron performs pre-flight checks before launch at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Sept. 21, 2021. The 442nd and 59th Test and Evaluation Squadrons led Air Combat Command’s portion of a nuclear design certification test with maintenance support from the 57th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and Bolt Aircraft Maintenance Unit. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Zachary Rufus)
Airman 1st Class Javier Farcia-Bustos waits for an F-35A pilot assigned to the 442nd Test and Evaluation Squadron to complete pre-flight checks on the flight line at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Sept. 21, 2021. The 442nd and 59th Test and Evaluation Squadrons led Air Combat Command’s portion of a nuclear design certification test with maintenance support from the 57th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and Bolt Aircraft Maintenance Unit. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Zachary Rufus)
F-35A Lightning II aircraft recently released B61-12 Joint Test Assemblies during the F-35A’s first Full Weapon System Demonstration, completing the final flight test exercise of the nuclear design certification process. Once airborne, 53rd Wing test pilots released two B61-12 JTAs from operationally realistic flight envelopes. This event was the first release of the most representative B61-12 test asset from an operationally-representative F-35A. “The B61 series weapons are tactical gravity nuclear weapons that can be used on Dual Capable Aircraft like the F-15E and F-16C/D,” said Lt. Col. Daniel Jackson, ACC Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration division chief. “Having a fifth generation DCA fighter aircraft with this capability brings an entirely new strategic-level capability that strengthens our nation’s nuclear deterrence mission." The nuclear certification is broken into two phases: nuclear design certification and nuclear operational certification. This test is considered the graduation flight test exercise for the F-35A nuclear design certification and concludes on-aircraft testing for the initial nuclear certification effort. The Department of Defense and Department of Energy analyze and review the test data to ensure the aircraft and weapon performed correctly throughout all phases of the operation. “The B-2 bomber was the prominent nuclear capable stealth aircraft,” said Jackson. “Adding ‘nuclear capable’ to a fifth-gen fighter that already brings several conventional-level capabilities to the table adds strategic-level implication to this jet.” No date has been released for full F-35A nuclear certification in support of real-world operations. The successful completion of this test covers a critical part of the nuclear certification process and ensures the F-35A will remain on track for future timelines. Not all aircraft will become nuclear-capable upon full certification in support of real-world operations. Only those units with a nuclear mission will be given the hardware and manpower necessary to configure and maintain nuclear capable F-35s.