Time Period: Post-WW2
Country of Origin: United States
Type: Fighter Aircraft (Multirole)
Manufacturer: Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Aircraft Overview
The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a fifth-generation, single-seat, single-engine, stealth multirole fighter aircraft designed for ground-attack and air-superiority missions. It is the result of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program, which was initiated in the 1990s by the United States Department of Defense in collaboration with several other countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Italy, Australia, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Turkey.
The F-35 Lightning II incorporates advanced technologies, including stealth capabilities, advanced sensors, and networking systems, to provide enhanced situational awareness and lethality. It is available in three variants: the F-35A, which is a conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) variant for the U.S. Air Force; the F-35B, which is a short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) variant for the U.S. Marine Corps and the Royal Navy; and the F-35C, which is a carrier-based variant for the U.S. Navy.
The F-35 Lightning II has faced several development and production issues, including cost overruns and schedule delays. However, it has also been praised for its advanced capabilities and is expected to play a critical role in the future of airpower.
Lockheed Martin F-35A Specifications
- Crew: 1
- Length: 51.4 ft (15.7 m)
- Wingspan: 35 ft (11 m)
- Height: 14.4 ft (4.4 m)
- Wing area: 460 sq ft (43 m2)
- Aspect ratio: 2.66
- Empty weight: 29,300 lb (13,290 kg)
- Gross weight: 49,540 lb (22,471 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 65,918 lb (29,900 kg)
- Fuel capacity: 18,250 lb (8,278 kg) internal
- Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 afterburning turbofan, 28,000 lbf (125 kN) thrust dry, 43,000 lbf (191 kN) with afterburner
Lockheed Martin F-35A Performance
- Maximum speed: Mach 1.6 at altitude
- Range: 1,500 nmi (1,700 mi, 2,800 km)
- Combat range: 669 nmi (770 mi, 1,239 km) on internal fuel
- 760 nmi (870 mi; 1,410 km) interdiction mission on internal fuel, for internal air to air configuration
- Service ceiling: 50,000 ft (15,000 m)
- g limits: +9.0
- Wing loading: 107.7 lb/sq ft (526 kg/m2) at gross weight
- Thrust/weight: 0.87 at gross weight (1.07 at loaded weight with 50% internal fuel)
Lockheed Martin F-35A Armament
- Guns: 1 × 25 mm (0.984 in) GAU-22/A 4-barrel rotary cannon, 180 rounds[N 16]
- Hardpoints: 4 × internal stations, 6 × external stations on wings with a capacity of 5,700 pounds (2,600 kg) internal, 15,000 pounds (6,800 kg) external, 18,000 pounds (8,200 kg) total weapons payload, with provisions to carry combinations of:
- Missiles:
- Air-to-air missiles:
- AIM-9X Sidewinder
- AIM-120 AMRAAM
- AIM-132 ASRAAM
- AIM-260 JATM (To be integrated)[460]
- MBDA Meteor (Block 4, for F-35B)[173][461] (not before 2027)[462]
- Air-to-surface missiles:
- AGM-88G AARGM-ER (Block 4)
- AGM-158 JASSM[166]
- SPEAR 3 (Block 4, in development, integration contracted)[160][461]
- Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM)
- Air-to-surface/Anti-ship missiles:
- Joint Strike Missile (JSM, integration in progress)[463]
- Anti-ship missiles:
- AGM-158C LRASM[464] (being integrated)
- Air-to-air missiles:
- Bombs:
- Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) series
- Paveway series laser-guided bombs
- Precision-guided glide bomb:
- AGM-154 JSOW
- GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb (SDB)
- GBU-53/B StormBreaker (Small Diameter Bomb II)
- B61 mod 12 nuclear bomb (being certified)
- Missiles:
