32 Facts About Lockheed F-35

Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is an American family of single-seat, single-engine, all-weather stealth multirole combat aircraft that is intended to perform both air superiority and strike missions.

Lockheed F-35 was the product of the Joint Strike Fighter program, which was the merger of various combat aircraft programs from the 1980s and 1990s.

Boeing and Lockheed F-35 Martin were selected in early 1997 for CDP, with their concept demonstrator aircraft designated X-32 and X-35 respectively; the McDonnell Douglas team was eliminated and Northrop Grumman and British Aerospace joined the Lockheed F-35 Martin team.

The Lockheed F-35 program is conducting sustainment and upgrade development, with early LRIP aircraft gradually upgraded to the baseline Block 3F standard by 2021.

Lockheed F-35 is expected to be continually upgraded over its lifetime.

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Lockheed F-35 is a family of single-engine, supersonic, stealth multirole fighters.

The second fifth generation fighter to enter US service and the first operational supersonic STOVL stealth fighter, the Lockheed F-35 emphasizes low observables, advanced avionics and sensor fusion that enable a high level of situational awareness and long range lethality; the USAF considers the aircraft its primary strike fighter for conducting suppression of enemy air defense missions, owing to the advanced sensors and mission systems.

Lockheed F-35 has a wing-tail configuration with two vertical stabilizers canted for stealth.

The Lockheed F-35 was designed with sensor intercommunication to provide a cohesive image of the local battlespace and availability for any possible use and combination with one another; for example, the APG-81 radar acts as a part of the electronic warfare system.

Lockheed F-35 was designed from the outset to incorporate improved processors, sensors, and software enhancements over its lifespan.

Lockheed F-35 Martin has offered the Advanced EOTS for the Block 4 configuration; the improved sensor fits into the same area as the baseline EOTS with minimal changes.

The USAF has studied the potential for the Lockheed F-35 to orchestrate attacks by unmanned combat aerial vehicles via its sensors and communications equipment.

The RCS of the Lockheed F-35 has been characterized as lower than a metal golf ball at certain frequencies and angles; in some conditions, the Lockheed F-35 compares favorably to the F-22 in stealth.

Noise from the Lockheed F-35 caused concerns in residential areas near potential bases for the aircraft, and residents near two such bases—Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, and Eglin Air Force Base, Florida—requested environmental impact studies in 2008 and 2009 respectively.

Lockheed F-35 Martin is developing a weapon rack called Sidekick that would enable the internal outboard station to carry two AIM-120s, thus increasing the internal air-to-air payload to six missiles, currently offered for Block 4.

Norway and Australia are funding an adaptation of the Naval Strike Missile for the Lockheed F-35; designated Joint Strike Missile, two missiles can be carried internally with an additional four externally.

Lockheed F-35 Martin is studying integrating a fiber laser that uses spectral beam combining multiple individual laser modules into a single high-power beam, which can be scaled to various levels.

The Lockheed F-35's Integrated Power Package performs power and thermal management and integrates environment control, auxiliary power unit, engine starting, and other functions into a single system.

Lockheed F-35 is expected to receive propulsion upgrades over its lifecycle to adapt to emerging threats and enable additional capabilities.

Lockheed F-35 is designed to require less maintenance than prior stealth aircraft.

The Lockheed F-35 has a fibermat radar-absorbent material baked into the skin, which is more durable, easier to work with, and faster to cure than older RAM coatings; similar coatings are being considered for application on older stealth aircraft such as the F-22.

Skin corrosion on the F-22 led the Lockheed F-35 using a less galvanic corrosion-inducing skin gap filler, fewer gaps in the airframe skin needing filler, and better drainage.

Lockheed F-35 was initially supported by a computerized maintenance management system named Autonomic Logistics Information System .

In concept, any Lockheed F-35 can be serviced at any maintenance facility and all parts can be globally tracked and shared as needed.

The Lockheed F-35 Integrated Test Force consisted of 18 aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base and Naval Air Station Patuxent River.

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Field testing of the Lockheed F-35's sensors were conducted during Exercise Northern Edge 2009 and 2011, serving as significant risk-reduction steps.

In late 2017, the GAO reported the time needed to repair an Lockheed F-35 part averaged 172 days, which was "twice the program's objective, " and that shortage of spare parts was degrading readiness.

Lockheed F-35's operating cost is higher than some older USAF tactical aircraft.

The Lockheed F-35 is to be Britain's primary strike aircraft for the next three decades.

Israel Aerospace Industries has considered a two-seat Lockheed F-35 concept; an IAI executive noted: "There is a known demand for two seats not only from Israel but from other air forces".

In December 2021, it was reported that Lockheed F-35 Martin was developing a new variant for an unspecified foreign customer.

The Lockheed F-35 reportedly did not send a distress signal nor did the pilot attempt any recovery maneuvers as it descended at a rapid rate.