US Navy’s F-35C Lightning II Stealth Fighter Makes First Arrested Landing On Ford-Class Aircraft Carrier

The US Navy’s F-35C Lightning II stealth fighter has made its first arrested landing on a Ford-class aircraft carrier. The landing took place aboard the future USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) in the western Atlantic on October 13, 2026.

The Navy announced the test on October 15, saying the aircraft belonged to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 23 (VX-23), known as the “Salty Dogs”.

The test is part of an ongoing programme to check how the carrier’s aircraft launch and recovery systems work with the F-35C.

The Ford class uses electromagnetic catapults to launch aircraft and advanced arresting equipment to recover them. This differs from the steam-powered catapults and conventional arresting systems used on older Nimitz-class carriers.

Two VX-23 test pilots took part in the Aircraft Compatibility Testing (ACT) programme alongside the F-35 Integrated Test Force, which is associated with the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD).

The team is testing the aircraft aboard the carrier using a specially equipped F-35C that collects data on the aircraft and the ship’s systems.

The tests help engineers understand how the carrier’s launch and recovery equipment performs with different aircraft. The data can also help identify problems that may need further testing.

The landing comes as the future USS John F. Kennedy moves closer to entering service.

The US Navy took preliminary acceptance of the carrier from Newport News Shipbuilding on September 29, following successful acceptance trials in August.

Preliminary acceptance allows the ship and its crew to carry out tests at sea and gain experience operating the carrier while the shipbuilder completes the remaining systems testing. The Navy plans to take formal delivery of the ship in spring 2027.

The F-35C is the carrier-based version of the F-35 Lightning II. Unlike the Air Force’s F-35A, it has larger wings, reinforced landing gear and a stronger tail hook to handle the demands of carrier operations, including take-offs and arrested landings.

The fighter is equipped with stealth features, advanced sensors, electronic warfare systems and networked communications. These systems help pilots detect threats, share information and operate in areas where air defences pose a challenge.

The F-35C allows the Navy to operate the fighter from aircraft carriers at sea instead of relying entirely on land-based airfields. It is designed to work alongside other aircraft in carrier air wings. The US Marine Corps also operates F-35C fighters from aircraft carriers.

The Navy has faced technical challenges over the years in integrating the F-35C with the Ford-class carriers. The latest landing is a step forward, but more testing is needed to assess how the fighter works with the ship’s systems.

Images released by the Navy showed two F-35C aircraft taking part in the test. One was shown making the landing, while the other carried inert Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) bombs mounted externally.

Lockheed Martin, which manufactures the F-35, describes it as a fifth-generation fighter that combines stealth, sensors and communications to support operations with other forces.

References: Interestingengineering, twz