December 16

What happened on December 16 in aviation and space history.

• December 16, 2000

  First flight of the X-35C, the carrier-variant demonstrator

  First flight — Test pilot Joe Sweeney, a former Navy attack aviator, took off at 09:23 Pacific time from Lockheed Martin's Palmdale plant and flew for twenty-seven minutes, climbing to 10,000 feet and accelerating to 250 knots before landing at Edwards. The X-35C was distinguished by a larger wing and control surfaces and by structure reinforced for catapult launch and arrested recovery. Its campaign concentrated on handling qualities in the carrier approach.

• December 16, 2025

  Rollout of Finland's first F-35A

  Milestone — The first F-35A destined for the Finnish Air Force was unveiled at the Fort Worth plant. Finland had chosen the Lightning II in December 2021 at the end of the HX competition, with an order for sixty-four aircraft to replace its fleet of F/A-18C/D Hornets. The country had joined NATO two years before the aircraft's debut.