- 1 1 7 A ▁N ighth awk ▁testing ▁ ▁Background ▁In ▁November ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁the ▁pre lim inary ▁testing ▁of ▁the ▁Have ▁Blue ▁ste alth ▁aircraft ▁was ▁successfully ▁completed , ▁and ▁during ▁November ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁Lock he ed ▁Corporation ▁was ▁awarded ▁a ▁contract ▁to ▁begin ▁full - scale ▁development ▁of ▁the ▁project . ▁ ▁The ▁program ▁was ▁given ▁the ▁code ▁name ▁Senior ▁Tr end . ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 0 , ▁the ▁Senior ▁Tr end ▁J oint ▁( l ater ▁Com b ined ) ▁Test ▁Force ▁was ▁established ▁at ▁Area ▁ 5 1 ▁consisting ▁of ▁a ▁combination ▁of ▁Lock he ed ▁and ▁US AF ▁personnel ▁as ▁an ▁accept ance ▁test ▁unit ▁for ▁newly ▁manufact ured ▁aircraft . ▁ ▁Air ▁Force ▁Systems ▁Command ▁personnel ▁particip ating ▁in ▁the ▁test ▁were ▁assigned ▁to ▁Air ▁Force ▁Fl ight ▁Test ▁Center , ▁Det achment ▁ 3 . ▁ ▁In ▁June ▁ 1 9 8 1 , ▁the ▁first ▁Senior ▁Tr end ▁test ▁aircraft ▁was ▁delivered ▁for ▁testing ▁and ▁on ▁ 1 8 ▁June ▁ 1 9 8 1 ▁the ▁first ▁successful ▁flight ▁was ▁made ▁by ▁a ▁Lock he ed ▁test ▁pilot . ▁ ▁There ▁were ▁usually ▁four ▁to ▁six ▁test ▁fl ights ▁( about ▁half ▁contract or ▁and ▁half ▁US AF ) ▁for ▁accept ance . ▁They ▁included ▁systems ▁checks , ▁handling ▁qual ities ▁evalu ations , ▁and ▁low ▁observable ▁rad ar ▁ver ifications . ▁All ▁fl ights ▁of ▁the ▁aircraft ▁were ▁made ▁at ▁night ▁without