F-35 - First Sidewinder launch - UAS Vision

F-35A Completes First Air-to-Air UAV Weapons Test

The US Air Force’s (USAF’s) Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II combat aircraft completed its first air-to-air weapons test against an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) target, the air force announced on 1 August.

The USAF test pilot, Major Raven LeClair, launched an AIM-9X missile from an F-35A’s external wing at Point Mugu Sea Test Range off the coast of California, according to the statement. “It’s been said you don’t really have a fighter until you can actually hit a target and we crossed that threshold with the first air-to-air weapon delivery of an AIM-9X,” said Maj LeClair.

The F-35 was able to identify and target the UAV with its mission systems sensors, pass the targeting information to the missile, and enable the pilot to verify targeting data using the helmet mounted display (HMD) before launching the missile that destroyed the UAV.

The AIM-9X is a short-range heat-seeking missile; the F-35 can carry two of the weapons on its wings. The latest test was part of a round of trials designed to advance the Block 3F combat software that the stealthy fighter will deploy with when the USAF declares its initial operational capability (IOC).

Maj LeClair also fired an internally carried AIM-120C Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) against another UAV during the test. However, that target was beyond visual range and the missile “was given a successful self-destruct signal right before target impact”, according to the air force.