Photo courtesy of Andy Wolfe, Lockheed Martin

NAVAL AIR STATION PATUXENT RIVER, Md., Jan. 22, 2013 - For the first time, two Lockheed Martin F-35C Lightning II carrier variant test aircraft refuelled together with a Lockheed Martin KC-130 Hercules in the sky above Patuxent River, Md. recently. The CV aircraft, known as CF-1 and CF-2, completed the milestone as part of an F-35 flight test program that will accomplish more than 1,000 flights in 2013.  Later this year, Eglin AFB, Fla., will receive its first CV aircraft joining the F-35 pilot and maintainer training program there.

Cobham's comprehensive aerial refueling capability is represented in this demonstration from the wing mounted aerial refueling pods on the C-130 to the refueling probes aboard the F-35 jets.  Cobham is the world-wide leader in hose & drogue aerial refueling with systems on over 550 C-130 tanker aircraft around the globe.