The Marine Corps variant of the F-35 is currently undergoing a battery of tests in preparation to receive combat-ready status later this year, the latest of which included freezing the $251 million plane to temperatures as low as -40 degrees Fahrenheit.
The F-35B short-takeoff and vertical landing variant was heated to temperatures as high as 120-degrees Fahrenheit and as low as -40 as part of its six-month assessment at the 96th Test Wing’s McKinley Climatic Laboratory in Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, according to The Aviationist.
While there, the Lightening II will be subjected to extreme temperatures, wind, humidity, rain, ice, solar radiation and more to test its effectiveness in the range of climates where it will be deployed. (VIDEO: F-35s Perform Their First-Ever Flyover At The 2015 NFL Pro Bowl)