F-35 Lightning II

F-35 Lightning II
U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Donald R. Allen · Public domain · source
Name	F-35 Lightning II
Caption	F-35 Lightning II in flight
Type	Multirole stealth fighter
Manufacturer	Lockheed Martin
First flight	2006
Introduction	2015
Primary user	United States United States Air Force, United States Marine Corps, United States Navy
Developed from	F-22 Raptor

F-35 Lightning II The F-35 Lightning II is a family of single-seat, single-engine, fifth-generation multirole stealth fighters developed and produced by Lockheed Martin for the United States Department of Defense and allied nations. It combines low observable technology, advanced sensors, and networked combat capabilities to perform air superiority, strike, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions for services such as the United States Air Force, Royal Air Force, and United States Marine Corps. The program has been central to defense planning in NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and partner states including Australia, Japan, and Israel.

Development

The F-35 program emerged from the Joint Strike Fighter competition overseen by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the United States Department of Defense during the 1990s, with Lockheed Martin selected over competitors including Boeing and Northrop Grumman. Development involved prime contractors and major subcontractors such as Pratt & Whitney, Boeing, and Raytheon Technologies and interoperated with acquisition frameworks like the Joint Program Office. Program milestones included concept design, the first flight in 2006, and initial operational capability declarations by the United States Marine Corps and United States Air Force in the 2010s, set against challenges familiar from programs like the B-2 Spirit and F-22 Raptor development efforts. International partner governance invoked agreements similar to memoranda with Italy, Norway, and The Netherlands to manage industrial participation and export policy.

Design and Features

The F-35's design integrates signature reduction techniques influenced by stealth research from projects such as the Have Blue demonstrator and the Lockheed Martin Skunk Works heritage, while avionics draw on sensor-fusion principles advanced in programs including the AN/APG-81 radar lineage and electronic warfare suites akin to systems used on the EA-18G Growler. Airframe materials include composites and radar-absorbent treatments produced by firms like Hexcel and Toray Industries. The propulsion system centers on the Pratt & Whitney F135 turbofan with technologies derived from earlier engines like the F119; short takeoff and vertical landing capability on the STOVL model uses a shaft-driven lift fan concept linked to work by Rolls-Royce on lift systems. Cockpit and mission systems employ mission data files and helmet-mounted displays comparable to innovations from Elbit Systems and BAE Systems' avionics divisions, enabling connectivity with platforms such as the E-3 Sentry and the MQ-9 Reaper through datalinks pioneered in programs like Link 16.

Variants

The program comprises three primary variants developed to meet service-specific requirements: a conventional takeoff and landing model for the United States Air Force with designs referencing avionics packages similar to the F-16 Fighting Falcon upgrade paths; a short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) variant tailored for the United States Marine Corps and amphibious operations in the tradition of AV-8B Harrier II missions; and a carrier variant modified with strengthened landing gear and arresting hook features relevant to United States Navy carrier operations, reflecting carrier modifications employed for aircraft like the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. Each variant maintains a common core of systems to reduce lifecycle costs in a manner analogous to multinational programs such as the Eurofighter Typhoon consortium approach.

Operational History

Operational deployments began with training and expeditionary basing for squadrons assigned to commands including Pacific Air Forces and United States European Command, supporting exercises such as Red Flag and joint operations with allies like Japan Self-Defense Forces and the Royal Australian Air Force. The F-35 has participated in coalition deterrence missions and has been employed in contested airspaces where interoperability with airborne command platforms like the E-3 Sentry and naval assets including USS Gerald R. Ford is emphasized. Its sensor-fusion and data-sharing capabilities have been demonstrated in integrated air operations resembling command relationships from operations such as Operation Inherent Resolve and multinational training events like Exercise Cobra Warrior.

Operators and Procurement

Primary operators include the United States Air Force, United States Marine Corps, and United States Navy, alongside international services such as the Royal Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force, Italian Air Force, Royal Norwegian Air Force, Israeli Air Force, Japan Air Self-Defense Force, Republic of Korea Air Force, and the Royal Netherlands Air Force. Procurement has involved foreign military sales managed through the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, industrial partnerships with companies like Leonardo S.p.A. and Babcock International, and sovereign acquisition processes comparable to procurement programs in Denmark and Belgium. Programmatic decisions have been influenced by defense acquisition laws and budgetary oversight from bodies including the United States Congress.

Incidents and Safety

The program's safety record includes ground and flight incidents investigated by agencies such as the National Transportation Safety Board-adjacent military boards and service safety centers like the Air Force Safety Center. Issues have prompted fleet groundings, inspections, and corrective actions analogous to responses following events involving aircraft such as the AV-8B Harrier II and F/A-18 Hornet. Investigations have examined software integration, engine anomalies, and ejection-system events with remediation overseen by contractors including Lockheed Martin and Pratt & Whitney and regulatory scrutiny from defense oversight committees in legislatures like the United States Congress.

Export and International Partnerships

Export and partnership arrangements have been structured through multinational cooperative agreements involving partner nations including United Kingdom, Italy, Netherlands, Turkey (subject to political disputes), and Canada, with industrial workshare distributed among primes and subcontractors such as BAE Systems, Northrop Grumman, and Rolls-Royce. Political and legislative factors affecting sales have involved parliamentary reviews in countries like Norway and export controls related to the Arms Export Control Act and bilateral security relations exemplified by accords between the United States and allies. Collaborative sustainment and training initiatives leverage facilities such as the Luke Air Force Base training center and multinational logistics arrangements resembling those in NATO cooperative logistics frameworks.

Category:Fifth-generation jet fighters Category:Lockheed Martin aircraft