Back on the thread about V-22s for UK being used as refuellers ground/air as mentioned by the USMC at the time has a lot of info. Yes the USMC change/evolve and have re-iterated many times they are not the '2nd land army' and that they will operate from a sea base going ashore as need be in places they choose. Recently a new doctrine for USMC was released - I'll look for it meanwhile to harsh some mellows about the above discussion - looks like F-35C HOOK testing is underway. Yay!
Break De Fence 29 May 2014
"The F-35C passed landing at max sink speed of 21.4 feet per second [1,284 feet per minute] to test landing gear, airframe arrestment system"
https://twitter.com/BreakingDefense/...439489/photo/1
F-35 Achieves Three Major Flight Test Milestones On Same Day 29 May 2014
“...The F-35C, designed for aircraft carrier operations, completed a landing at its maximum sink speed to test the aircraft’s landing gear, airframe and arrestment system at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland. “Five sorties were conducted, building up the maximum sink rate test condition of 21.4 feet per second, which represents the maximum sink speed planned for this test,” McFarlan said. During the tests, the F-35C did three arrestments, several touch and goes and one bolter. The landings were to demonstrate structural readiness for arrested landings on an aircraft carrier at sea.
Fleet-wide, the F-35 has, to date, amassed more than 17,000 flight hours, with all three variant aircraft at the F-35 Integrated Training Center at Eglin AFB, Florida, surpassing the 5,000 sorties milestone this week....”
http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/news/press-releases/2014/may/150529ae_f-35-achieves-three-milestones-on-same-day.html
STRIKE TEST NEWS Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 23 Newsletter
2011 Issue
"...“Shake, Rattle and Roll” testing... Arrested landings include high sink rates up to 20 feet per second (which translates to 1,200 feet per minute or about a 5° flight path angle)...”
http://www.navair.navy.mil/nawcad/in...ownload&id=769
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bo1NAvkCIAAxSW4.jpg
