US Navy Retires First F-35B Lightning II, Set for Display in South Carolina

The U.S. Navy is retiring its first Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II fighter jet, marking a historic moment in the evolution of fifth-generation aviation. The aircraft, known as BF-01, was the very first F-35 to perform a vertical landing and will soon be placed on permanent display at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Beaufort, South Carolina, according to Naval Air Systems Command.

The F-35 was designed with three initial variants – the F-35A, a CTOL land-based version; the F-35B, a STOVL version capable of use either on land or on aircraft carriers; and the F-35C, a CATOBAR carrier-based version. Since then, there has been work on the design of nationally specific versions for Israel and Canada.

The F-35B is the short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) variant of the aircraft. Similar in size to the A variant, the B sacrifices about a third of the A variant’s fuel volume to accommodate the shaft-driven lift fan (SDLF). This variant is limited to 7 g. Unlike other variants, the F-35B has no landing hook. The “STOVL/HOOK” control instead engages conversion between normal and vertical flight. The F-35B is capable of Mach 1.6 (1,960 km/h; 1,220 mph) and can perform vertical and/or short take-off and landing (V/STOL).

Unlike other U.S. aviation museums that only display F-35 flight gear, this will be the first time the public can see a Lightning II airframe up close. The National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, is expected to eventually showcase an F-35A variant, but for now, BF-01 represents the program’s entry into aviation history.

BF-01 first flew on June 11, 2008, and on March 18, 2010, test pilot Graham Tomlinson performed the jet’s first vertical landing at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland. It later achieved other milestones, including the first vertical takeoff and its 1,000th flight in December 2012. The aircraft continued in short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) trials until its retirement in 2022.

Transporting the inoperable fighter to South Carolina was a feat of its own. A Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion helicopter lifted the 22,000-pound aircraft, showcasing the heavy-lift capability of the Marines’ newest rotorcraft. It was the second time the King Stallion had carried an Lockheed Martin F-35, following a 2022 certification lift of an F-35C.

Though stripped of its propulsion systems, outer wings, and equipment, BF-01 will stand as a symbol of technological progress and testing legacy. For aviation enthusiasts, its display at MCAS Beaufort will offer a rare glimpse of the aircraft that helped pave the way for today’s operational F-35 fleet.


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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, nationalinterest.org