F-35 Lightning II
No fighter in the history of military aviation comes close to the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter - a truly transformational weapon system that provides quantum leaps in survivability and lethality.
· Provides the United States and allied governments with an affordable, stealthy 5TH generation fighter for the 21st century
· Brings stealth capability that is integrated throughout the aircraft with embedded antennas, aligned edges and special coatings and materials
· Meets multiple service requirements with a single-engine supersonic multirole fighter
· Conducts air-to-air and air-to-ground combat missions simultaneously with near impunity
· Carries a comprehensive sensor package that integrates vast amounts of battlespace information with allied forces in the air, on the ground, at sea or in space
The single-engine F-35 Lightning II will be manufactured in three variants:
· Conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) for the U.S. Air Force
· Carrier variant (CV) for the U.S. Navy
· Short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) for the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.K. Royal Air Force and Royal Navy
The F-35 Lightning II’s successful first flight occurred Dec. 15, 2006. Flight testing continues to advance full development of this 5TH generation fighter. Flight testing of the STOVL variant begins in 2008. Deliveries to the armed services are scheduled to begin in 2010 and continue well beyond 2030.
With greatly increased reliability and ease of maintenance, the F-35 joins the world’s only other 5TH generation fighter, the F-22 Raptor, in defining the ultimate in fighter performance.
F-35 Variants:
F-35A CTOL
The conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) F-35A – designed for the U.S. Air Force – is the primary export version of the Lightning II. The F-35A uses standard runways for takeoffs and landings. Internal fuel capacity is nine tons, providing an unrefueled range of more than 1,200 miles without external tanks. The F-35A carries a 25 mm GAU-22/A cannon internally. The standard internal weapons load is two AIM-120C air-to-air missiles and two 2,000-pound GBU-31 JDAM guided bombs. Optional internal loads include eight GBU-38 small-diameter bombs, as well as a wide variety of air-to-ground missiles, dispensers and guided weapons. The internal weapons bay is reconfigurable for all air-to-ground ordnance, all air-to-air ordnance or a blend of both. When stealth is no longer required to execute a mission, the F-35A external pylons are loaded with ordnance, giving the aircraft a weapons payload of more than 18,000 pounds.
F-35B STOVL
The F-35B is the first aircraft in history to combine stealth with short takeoff/vertical landing capability and supersonic speed. This distinction gives the F-35B the unique ability to operate from small ships, roads and austere bases. The F-35B deploys near front-line combat zones, dramatically shrinking the distance from base to target, increasing sortie rates and decreasing the need for logistics support. Internal fuel capacity is seven tons, providing an unrefueled range of more than 900 miles without external tanks. The F-35B standard weapons load is two AIM-120C air-to-air missiles and two 1,000-pound GBU-32 JDAM guided bombs. Optional internal loads include six GBU-38 small-diameter bombs, as well as a wide variety of air-to-ground missiles, dispensers and guided weapons. The internal weapons bay is reconfigurable for all air-to-ground ordnance, all air-to-air ordnance or a blend of both. A missionized version of the 25 mm GAU-22A cannon is installed or removed as needed. When stealth is not required to execute a mission, the F-35B external pylons are loaded with ordnance, giving the aircraft a weapons payload of more than 15,000 pounds. Primary customers will be the U.S. Marine Corps, the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force and Royal Navy, and the Italian Navy.
F-35C CV
The U.S. Navy’s first-ever stealth aircraft operates from the service’s large carriers via catapult launch and arrested recovery. Larger wings and control surfaces and the addition of wingtip ailerons allow the F-35C pilot to control the airplane with precision during carrier approaches. The aircraft incorporates larger landing gear and a stronger internal structure to withstand the forces of carrier launches and recoveries. Ruggedized exterior materials mean low maintenance requirements for preserving the aircraft’s Very Low Observable radar signature, even in harsh shipboard conditions. F-35C internal fuel capacity is nearly 10 tons, providing an unrefueled range of well over 1,200 miles without external tanks. The standard internal weapons load is two AIM-120C air-to-air missiles and two 2,000-pound GBU-31 JDAM guided bombs. Optional internal loads include eight GBU-38 small-diameter bombs, as well as a wide variety of air-to-ground missiles, dispensers and guided weapons. The internal weapons bay is reconfigurable for all air-to-ground ordnance, all air-to-air ordnance or a blend of both. A missionized version of the 25 mm GAU-22A cannon is installed or removed as needed. When stealth is not required to execute a mission, the F-35C external pylons are loaded with ordnance, giving the aircraft a weapons payload of more than 18,000 pounds.
