Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 Home

    News
    
        Newsroom

    Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesFive & ThriveNewsroomBiographiesAF Senior Leaders      An F-35 assigned to the 31st Test and Evaluation Squadron takes off from Edwards AFB, Calif. The 31st TES kicked off the DoD’s F-35 Initial Operational Test and Evaluation with a large force employment sortie Dec. 5. (Photo by Scott Wolfe)31st TES begins F-35 Initial Operational Test and Evaluation
                        
                        
                        An F-35 Lightning II assigned to the 31st Test and Evaluation Squadron takes off from Edwards AFB, Calif. The 31st TES kicked off the Defense Department’s F-35 Initial Operational Test and Evaluation with a large force employment sortie Dec. 5. (Photo by Scott Wolfe)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

31st TES begins F-35 Initial Operational Test and EvaluationPublished Dec. 11, 2018
                    
                    By Maj. Ashley Conner
                    
                    
                    53rd Wing Public Affairs
            **EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFNS) --**The 31st Test and Evaluation Squadron kicked off the Defense Department’s F-35 Lightning II Initial Operational Test and Evaluation with a large force employment sortie from Edwards AFB, California, Dec. 5.
“The sorties consisted of seven F-35s performing both offensive counter air, suppression of enemy air defenses and air attack operations. This marks an important milestone for the F-35 program,” said Lt. Col. Nicholas Ihde, 31st TES commander.  
During the IOT&E phase, the 31st TES F-35 pilots will fly more than 30 missions designed to fully evaluate the complete air system as well as identify technical and operational areas for improvement.
“These unique flights place the aircraft in realistic combat conditions with our joint and coalition partners to determine the operational effectiveness and suitability for the warfighter,” Ihde said.  
The 31st TES has 10 F-35 pilots, 145 maintainer’s and 11 engineers to bring the F-35 program through this phase. If they discover an issue they will work with the director of operational test and evaluation, Lockheed Martin and the F-35 Joint Program Office to address it before going out to the fleet.
“As the conduit between developmental test flights and combat missions it is our duty to ensure this aircraft fulfills the need of the warfighter, (major command), and the American public," Ihde said. "We must guarantee that we hand the Combat Air Force a product that has been tested with rigor and is ironed out. An advantage the 31st TES possesses is pilot experience.  Most of the pilots have over 1,500 flight hours in various fighter aircraft and previous operational test backgrounds lending vast experiences fall back on and reference in order to make this jet the best it can be.”  
The completion of F-35 IOT&E will aid the Navy in an initial operating capability decision and will help inform full rate production for the DoD in the future.F-35 



Air Force 



maintainer 



Air Combat Command 



Lightning II 



pilot 



AF 



Edwards AFB 



evaluation 



test 



Engineer 



Air Force Base 



operational 



31st Test and Evaluation Squadron 



initial 



31st TES 



Edwards Air Force Base 



F-35 Initial Operational Test and Evaluation 



F-35A Lightning II 



#IOT&E 



Combat Air Force 



U.S. Air Force 



U.S. Navy 



testing 



#readytofight 



ACC Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                Air Force mourns 5th CMSAF passing
                    
                    419th Fighter Wing welcomes CMSAF
                    
                    SecAF delivers holiday message
                    
                    DAF senior leaders, spouses deliver their holiday message
                    
                    CMSAF, senior leaders visit Keesler AFBInnovation
                DAF announces Spark Tank 2024 finalists
                    
                    Chief Digital, Artificial Intelligence Office to host hackathon in Hawaii
                    
                    AFWERX accepting applications for spring 2024 fellowship
                    
                    Restoring an F-35A Lightning II: A collaborative endeavor
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA hosts multinational medical knowledge exchangeMAJCOM News
                AFGSC selected for $18M research allocation
                    
                    AFGSC establishes new directorate
                    
                    Fairchild AFB demonstrates strategic deterrence readiness during Titan Fury 24-1
                    
                    New initiatives continue to drive civilian talent acquisition changes across command
                    
                    DAF, DoD senior leaders urge AMC to sustain momentum during annual mobility symposium
 Quick Links
Contact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil