This looks interesting....

"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn) 08/19/2013 at 15:03 • Filed to: Planelopnik

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I was looking at the Google Maps satellite shots of NAS Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth (formerly Carswell AFB). This is sitting on the ramp over by Lockheed Martin. Clearly some sort of testbed, but for what? F-35 avionics? Anybody have definite information?

NSA > ttyymmnn 08/19/2013 at 15:15

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Thank you for bringing this to our attention. It will be blurred out shortly.

Dukie - Jalopnik Emergency Management Asshole > ttyymmnn 08/19/2013 at 15:18

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Possibly the "CATbird" 737.

http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?do=m…

F-35 Avionics testing, like you thought.

Dukie - Jalopnik Emergency Management Asshole > ttyymmnn 08/19/2013 at 15:19

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Possibly the "CATbird" 737.

http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?do=m…

F-35 Avionics testing, like you thought.

doodon2whls > ttyymmnn 08/19/2013 at 15:31

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Lockheed Martin Boeing 737-330 CATB Catbird

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_…

Wave Motion Gun > ttyymmnn 08/19/2013 at 15:46

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As has already been mentioned, it's the CATB. The grafted JSF nose and wing sensors are located in the same positions as they are on the actual JSF, making integration testing with flights that don't involve a fighter plane possible. It's a neat piece of kit, and unless things have changed significantly, it has some of my project teams handiwork floating around in its systems.

The WB > ttyymmnn 08/19/2013 at 16:10

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I live less than 10 miles from there, all kinds of neat aircraft going in and out.

ttyymmnn > The WB 08/19/2013 at 16:12

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I imagine there is. Must be some good plane spotting to be done there. I drove up from Austin and went to an air show a couple of years ago, during that spell when it was so damned windy every day. Great show, though.

Etienne > ttyymmnn 08/20/2013 at 05:08

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This is not a new aircraft. This is a Google Earth image error. It often happens that one image is super-imposed on another.

And you guys are from which generation? lol.