British defense powerhouse BAE Systems just tested its F-35B Fighter Jet at the Naval Air Station on the Patuxent River in Maryland. Here’s why it’s cool, though: They had to build a ski jump on the runway for the aircraft to take off, which gives the jet an automatic upward flight trajectory. I genuinely don’t know the physics behind why that’s necessary for a F-35B compared to Uncle Sam’s F-18s, but whatever. This “ski jump” for the F-35B will soon be a permanent fixture on the Royal Navy’s new Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier, along with an Italian aircraft carrier.
Here’s the launch, via the Aviationist. Not going to lie, my gut instinct was “I bet that ramp is fun to write a skateboard down” when watching this.
And the full video: