The first round of catapult testing with the F-35C carrier variant of the Lightning II was recently completed at NAF Lakehurst, New Jersey. An F-35C test aircraft piloted by Lt. Christopher Tabert was launched from a from a degraded test catapult during a test on 6 October 2011. The test used an intentionally degraded catapult to check the aircraft's response to steam ingestion. Future testing at both Lakehurst and at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, will include catapult launches at varying weights, with various weapons and stores, and with increased mission system functionality. The F-35 test team completed more than fifty launches to collect the needed data.
