Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning

Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning
Name	F-35 Lightning II
Type	Stealth multirole combat aircraft
Manufacturer	Lockheed Martin
First flight	15 December 2006
Introduction	31 July 2015 (USMC)
Status	In service
Primary users	United States Air Force, United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, Royal Air Force
Number built	1,000+ (as of 2024)
Unit cost	F-35A: $77.9M (2024)
Developed from	Lockheed Martin X-35

Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning. The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a family of single-seat, single-engine, all-weather stealth multirole combat aircraft designed for ground-attack and air-superiority missions. Developed under the Joint Strike Fighter program, it is intended to perform the roles of several legacy aircraft across the United States Armed Forces and allied nations. The F-35's advanced sensor fusion, low-observable technology, and networked warfare capabilities represent a generational leap in aerial combat, though its development has been marked by significant cost overruns and technical challenges.

Development

The origins of the F-35 trace back to the Joint Strike Fighter program of the 1990s, which sought to develop an affordable, next-generation strike fighter for the United States Department of Defense and international partners. In 2001, Lockheed Martin's X-35 design was selected over the Boeing X-32 after a rigorous competition. The program was structured as a multinational effort, with primary partners including the United Kingdom, Italy, the Netherlands, Canada, Turkey, Australia, Norway, and Denmark. Key development milestones were managed by the F-35 Joint Program Office, with major assembly taking place at Lockheed Martin's facility in Fort Worth, Texas. The program faced intense scrutiny from the Government Accountability Office and United States Congress due to escalating costs and schedule delays, becoming the most expensive weapons program in history.

Design

The F-35's design centers on stealth, achieved through its shape, internal weapons bays, and advanced radar-absorbent materials. It incorporates the Northrop Grumman AN/APG-81 Active Electronically Scanned Array radar and the Harris Corporation AAQ-40 Electro-Optical Targeting System. A defining feature is the Lockheed Martin F135 afterburning turbofan engine, developed by Pratt & Whitney, which enables supersonic speed and provides power for the BAE Systems-developed Helmet Mounted Display System. The aircraft's core processor, the Integrated Core Processor, fuses data from onboard and offboard sensors via the MADL datalink, providing pilots with unprecedented situational awareness. The short takeoff and vertical landing variant, the F-35B, utilizes a Rolls-Royce lift fan system, a technology pioneered during the Cold War.

Operational history

The United States Marine Corps declared initial operational capability with the F-35B in July 2015, followed by the United States Air Force with the F-35A in 2016 and the United States Navy with the F-35C in 2019. The Israeli Air Force was the first international operator to use the F-35 in combat, conducting strikes in the Middle East. The Royal Air Force and Royal Navy have deployed their F-35Bs from RAF Marham and the HMS Queen Elizabeth. The aircraft has participated in major exercises like Red Flag and real-world operations, including missions against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. In 2023, an F-35A from the Royal Netherlands Air Force intercepted Russian aircraft near Poland.

Variants

Three main variants were developed to meet specific service requirements. The F-35A is the conventional takeoff and landing model for the United States Air Force and most international partners. The F-35B features short takeoff/vertical landing capability for the United States Marine Corps, Royal Air Force, and Italian Navy. The F-35C is the carrier variant, with larger wings and reinforced landing gear for operations with the United States Navy and the French Navy. A two-seat variant, sometimes called the F-35D, has been proposed for training and specialized missions but has not been developed.

Operators

Primary operators include the United States Air Force, United States Navy, and United States Marine Corps. International operators with delivered aircraft include the Royal Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force, Royal Norwegian Air Force, Italian Air Force, Japan Air Self-Defense Force, and Republic of Korea Air Force. Other committed partners and Foreign Military Sales customers include Belgium, Poland, Germany, Switzerland, Finland, and Canada. Several operators, like Singapore and Greece, are in the process of acquiring the aircraft. The program's original partner, Turkey, was removed from the program in 2019 following its acquisition of the S-400 missile system from Russia.

Specifications (F-35A)

* **Crew:** 1 * **Length:** 51.4 ft (15.7 m) * **Wingspan:** 35 ft (10.7 m) * **Height:** 14.4 ft (4.4 m) * **Empty weight:** 29,300 lb (13,290 kg) * **Max takeoff weight:** 70,000 lb (31,800 kg) * **Powerplant:** 1 × Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 afterburning turbofan * **Maximum speed:** Mach 1.6 * **Combat range:** 770 nmi (1,420 km) * **Ferry range:** 1,650 nmi (3,060 km) * **Service ceiling:** 50,000 ft (15,000 m) * **Armament:** Internal bay for AIM-120 AMRAAM and GBU-32 JDAM; wing stations for additional ordnance * **Avionics:** Northrop Grumman AN/APG-81 AESA radar, AAQ-40 EOTS, Distributed Aperture System

Category:Military aircraft