F-35B Lightning II STOVL aircraft completes icing cloud testing at the McKinley Climatic Lab

15P000037_28 - In March, 2015, an F-35B Lightning II short take-off/vertical-landing (STOVL) variant completed climatic testing at the 96th Test Wing's McKinley Climatic Laboratory (MCL) at Eglin Air Force Base. MCL engineers installed an Icing Cloud test calibration fixture in the chamber as the team prepared for cold weather testing of aircraft BF-05 on January 25. Since 2010, the PAX ITF has flown more than 1,800 test flights, logged 2,544 test hours and completed 12,800 F-35B test points, directly resulting in the USMC Initial Operating Capability flight clearance. (Lockheed Martin photo by Michael D. Jackson)