F-35 Lightning II

The F-35 Lightning II is a supersonic fighter aircraft with stealth capability developed as part of the Joint Strike Fighter Program by Lockheed Martin for the US Navy, US Marine Corps, and US Air Force. The JSF program was designed to replace the United States military F-16, A-10, F/A-18 and AV-8B Harrier. The F-35 has three different models; one is a conventional takeoff and landing variant, the second is a short take off and vertical-landing variant, and the third is a carrier-based variant.
The F-35B Lightning II is a short take-off and vertical-landing variant of this supersonic fighter aircraft.

  

FACTS & STATS:

First Flown
2006
Range
1,379 mi (2,220 km)
Length 51 ft 5 in (15.67 m)
Engine
One Pratt & Whitney F135 afterburning turbofan
Wingspan
35 ft 11 in (10.95 m)
Max Speed Mach 1.6
Ceiling 60,000 ft (18,288 m)
Weight

Empty: 29,300 lbs (13,290 kg);
Loaded: 60,000 lbs (27,216 kg)

Number Built

100 produced to date (2013)

Armament

One internally mounted 25 mm GAU-22/A cannon; four AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles; two AGM-154 JSOW air-to-air missiles; 18,000 lb (8,100 kg) of ordnance

 

The F-35C test aircraft CF-2 flies over Naval Air Station Patuxent River, MD on January 28, 2013.

Image Description: The F-35C test aircraft CF-2 flies over Naval Air Station Patuxent River, MD on January 28, 2013.

 

Teams at the Lockheed Martin facility in Fort Worth, Texas work on the second F-35A for the Royal Netherlands Air Force in December 2012.


 Image Description: Teams at the Lockheed Martin facility in Fort Worth, Texas work on the second F-35A for the Royal Netherlands Air Force in December 2012.