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Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II

The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a family of single-seat, single-engine, fifth generation multirole Fighter aircraft under development to perform ground attack, reconnaissance, and air defense missions with stealth capability.[11]

F-35 Lightning II
Role Stealth multirole fighter
National origin United States
Manufacturer Lockheed Martin Aeronautics
First flight 15 December 2006
Introduction 2016[1]–2018[2][3]
Status In initial production, in U.S. service as a training aircraft[4]
Produced 2006–present
Number built 13 flight-test aircraft[7]
Unit cost F-35A: US$122 million (flyaway cost, 2011)[8]
F-35B: US$150M (avg. cost, 2011)[9]
F-35C: US$139.5M (avg. cost, 2011)[9][10]
Note: Average costs excludes development cost[9]
F-35A weapons system unit cost is US$183.5M (FY 2011)[8]
Developed from Lockheed Martin X-35


The development of the F-35 has been very controversial. Many people feel like the US Air Force has been spending too much money on the F-35 project, and that the government should halt all development of the project.

Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Media

  • X-35B flying over Edwards Air Force Base

  • An F-35 wind tunnel testing model in 16-foot (5 m) transonic wind tunnel at the Arnold Engineering Development Center

  • The first F-35A prototype, AA-1, being towed to its inauguration ceremony on 7 July 2006

  • USAF F-35A at RAF Fairford for RIAT 2018

  • (From the top) F-35A of the 33rd FW, F-35B of VMFAT-501 and F-35C of VFA-101 near Eglin AFB, 2014

  • A vortex forming around the body of the aircraft

  • the AN/AAQ-40 Electro-Optical Target System (EOTS) under the nose of an F-35

  • AN/APG-81 AESA radar antenna

  • The sawtooth design on the landing gear door and access panels

  • USN F-35C makes the aircraft's first arrested landing aboard the carrier USS Nimitz off the coast of San Diego

References

  1. ↑ "Adjustments Put F-35 on Track, Program Director Says". US DoD, 23 February 2011.
  2. ↑ Cost Predictions Rattle Foreign Customers&next=0 "JSF Cost Predictions Rattle Foreign Customers." Archived 2012-01-23 at the Wayback Machine Aviation Week, 23 March 2011.
  3. ↑ Shalal-Esa, Andrea. "US Navy, Air Force may field F-35s later than 2016." Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine Thomson Reuters, 21 April 2011.
  4. ↑ King, Samuel Jr. "First F-35 arrives at Eglin." U.S. Air Force, 15 July 2011. Retrieved 20 July 2011.
  5. ↑ "Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II". Jane's All the World's Aircraft. (online version, 21 January 2008).
  6. ↑ McKinney, Brooks. "Northrop Grumman Begins Assembling First F-35 Production Jet." Northrop Grumman, 1 April 2008. Retrieved 19 April 2008
  7. ↑ Less than eight were completed prior to 1 April 2008.[5][6]
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "FY 2012 Budget Estimates" Archived 2011-07-24 at the Wayback Machine, p. 01–1. U.S. Air Force, February 2011.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 , Schwellenbach, Nick. "JSF Likely Far More Expensive Than Aircraft They're Replacing." Project on Government Oversight, 15 February 2011.
  10. ↑ Fulghum, David A. "Canada Expects Much Higher JSF Unit Costs." Archived 2012-01-23 at the Wayback Machine Aviation Week, 10 March 2011.
  11. ↑ "Knesset Finance Committee approves F-35 deal." Globes (Israel). Retrieved: 29 November 2010.
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