The Lockheed Martin F-35 is the United States Air Force’s newest and most powerful aircraft, is it the United States most significant aircraft yet?
The Lockheed Martin F-35 is the United States’ premier fighter aircraft, it was originally developed from the Lockheed Martin X-35 (pictured below). The development of the F-35, at the time called the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) as they hadn’t given out a contract for the development at the time.
The development began in 1992, the two main contenders for the JSF contract were the Lockheed Martin X-35 and the Boeing X-32 (pictures below), the final design was chosen based on the X-35.
Boeing X-32B on display at Patuxent Naval Air Museum
Lockheed Martin X-35 on a test flight
The X-35 was then christened as the F-35 Lightning II, it was designed to replace the various aircraft in the British and US arsenals, including the Harrier GR7, Harrier GR9’s, and Tornado GR4 on the British side.
As well as the A10 Warthogs, F-16, F/A-18A-D, and the Harrier AV-8B’s on the American side. The aircraft will be used as the primary or joint-primary aircraft in the militaries of the world. Including: United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Turkey, Australia, the Netherlands and Italy.
F-35 Capabilities and Armament
The F-35 Lightning II is equipped with a vast array of different equipment in order for it to meet the technical requirements of the various nations that are funding the development of the F-35, including STOVL (short take-off and vertical landing) as a replacement for the United States Marine Corps and Navy Sea Harriers.
In 1992, the United States Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy all agreed that there needs to be a joint aircraft, with 80% part compatibility, and is a cheap and lightweight fighter, so far, this has not been achieved. And F-35’s are in the process or have already been introduced into service with the militaries of the world. The F-35 Lightning II has one Pratt & Whitney F135 turbofan engine with 40,000lbs of thrust, the aircraft has a maximum speed of Mach 1.6 (roughly 1,228 mph or 1,976 km/h). T
he maximum altitude is around 50,000ft, with a range of 450 nautical miles (roughly 833km), although the true nature of the aircraft is obviously top-secret. A typical F-35 boasts two AAMs and two bombs carried internally, with an optional 25mm gun pod and underwing pylons.
As of April 2019, there have been 380 of the aircraft built and delivered. The first flight of the F-35 was on 15 December 2006, and the F-35B was first delivered into service with the United States Marine Corps in July 2015, the F-35B in the United States Air Force in August 2016.
The F-35C in the United States Navy in late February 2019, and the F-35B will be delivered on July 1 to the 2019 with the British Royal Air Force. In 2023, the F-35 will be delivered to the Royal Navy. Although there are currently two currently serving on the aircraft carrier Queen Elizabeth.
F-35 Pilot opinions
We interviewed a former F-16 instructor who now flies the Lightning, a man who was a graduate of the Air Force Weapons Instructor Course (Which is the United States Air Force’s equivalent to the famous Navy school ‘Top Gun’). He said “The jet is constrained on how tight it can turn (G-limited) now. But even so, the rudder-assisted turns are incredible and deliver a constant 28 degrees of turn a second”. He also believes that when the United States Air Force removes the restrictions, the jet will be “eye watering.”
Conclusion
The F-35 program has cost $1.508 Trillion USD, a cost that many believe is too expensive, mainly due to the 1992 agreement between the Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy to have a cheap and compatible aircraft that had 80% part compatibility, a number that the Lightning has not met. Not even remotely. Some aviation analysts speculate that it would probably have been cheaper. And easier. For the USMC, USAF and Navy to have designed their own aircraft separately.
In conclusion, the JSF has been a failure for the promises that Lockheed promised to the United States Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps, however it cannot be understated that the F-35 is an improvement on the F-14, F-15, F-16 which it is replacing in the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps.
I personally don’t like this aircraft, however I have never flown it. But personally I think visually, it looks better than the X-32, which I personally think doesn’t look like it should fly in the first place, although it does look quite cool. The Lightning hasn’t lived up to the hype, that Lockheed Martin said, the pilot we have talked to said he liked the Lightning but parts of the aircraft have certain ‘defects’ as he put it.