F-35 Lightning II

F-35 Lightning II

Type: Multirole Fighter

Domain: air

Country of Origin: United States

Manufacturer: Lockheed Martin / Northrop Grumman / BAE Systems

First Deployed: 2025

Overview

The F-35 Lightning II is Lockheed Martin's 5th-generation stealth multirole fighter family comprising three variants: F-35A (conventional takeoff/landing), F-35B (short takeoff/vertical landing), and F-35C (carrier variant). Core systems include AN/APG-81 AESA radar, AN/AAQ-37 Distributed Aperture System providing 360° IR coverage, AN/AAQ-40 Electro-Optical Targeting System, and full sensor fusion via the Integrated Core Processor. Internal weapons bays carry 4× AIM-120 AMRAAM or 2× AIM-120 + 2× GBU-31 JDAM without external signature penalty; a GAU-22/A 25mm cannon is standard on the F-35A. Maximum speed Mach 1.6, combat radius 1,100+ km. The F-35I Adir (Israel) features unique Israeli EW systems and weapons integration. Norway developed the JSM anti-ship missile specifically for the F-35A internal bay. Italy and Japan host domestic Final Assembly and Check-Out (FACO) facilities at Cameri and Nagoya respectively. With 19 operator nations and over 1,000 aircraft delivered as of 2025, the F-35 program represents the largest tactical aviation procurement in history.

Technical Specifications

crew1
radarAN/APG-81 AESA
range2,220 km
enginePratt & Whitney F135
length15.7 m
ceiling15,240 m
armament25mm GAU-22/A cannon, 8,160 kg weapons payload
wingspan10.7 m
max_speedMach 1.6
unit_cost$80-110 million
max_takeoff31,800 kg
weight_empty13,290 kg

Operators

Related air Weapon Systems