The three variants of the program’s aircraft flew a total of 427 test sorties, or 37 more than planned, says Michael Gilmore, Pentagon director of operational test and evaluation, in his annual report released today.
Cumulatively, the test program also accomplished 4,614 “test points,” or individual objectives, within those flights, or 210 more than planned, Gilmore wrote.
Goals were met by the Air Force and Navy versions but not the Marine Corps short-takeoff and vertical landing version, said Gilmore. That model flew 216 sorties out of a planned total of 254. Lockheed Martin officials have acknowledged throughout the year that the Marine model was behind schedule.
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