Lockheed Martin F35 Lightening II
Lockheed Martin F35 Lightening II
History
The Lockheed Martin F35 Lightening II is the newest in a series of an aircraft that has been developed in order to maintain US air superiority. The single engine supersonic jet fighter is also being developed as the mount for the US Air Force’s next generation pilot training system. The plane can be equipped with multiple air-to-surface armaments. It has a flight speed of 1,930 km an hour, can go from standing to being airborne in just over 9 seconds and is able to fly at altitudes greater than 50,000 feet
Armaments & Capabilities of F35 Lightning II advanced multi role fighter
The F-35 Lightening II has the ability to fire multiple air-to-air weapons including the AIM-120 AMRAAM , the AIM 9X Sidewinder and also laser guided bombs.
The F35 Lightning II design includes a highly advanced sensor suite, The AN/APG 79 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radar is a next generation multimode radar designed to enable the pilot to effectively engage air and ground targets in any weather environment.
The AN/ASQ 41(V)1 Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS) ,the EOTS is embedded within the fuselage providing targeting information to the F35 Lightning II pilot all the way down to very close range combat range. The F35 Lightning II also has an Electro-Optical Distributed Aperture System (DAS) . The DAS consists of six F-35 EO sensors, integrated by Lockheed Martin’s Electro-Optical Systems division. These infrared cameras provide pilots with situational awareness – day and night – through a “see-through” cockpit, giving them advanced information about the surrounding airspace needed to complete their missions.
One of the best tactical aircraft worldwide for Air Force and
Navy pilots, and Airforce the aircraft is based on 5th generation concepts especially regarding stealth for support of marine corps. For this reason, aircraft designers (EADS) decided to take advantage of extensive research work done for Europe’s own next-generation fighter program Orizzonte (Horizon).
The Eurofighter features a ‘supercruise’ capability that allows it to fly at supersonic speeds without using fuel-thirsty afterburners. In a high-g turn, the aircraft can actually exceed its normal rated maximum speed by more than 30 kt. The Eurofighter also has a thrust-to-weight ratio of about 1:1, meaning that its engines are powerful enough to accelerate the plane in vertical climbs and in horizontal flight.
Overall, the Eurofighter is a highly agile aircraft and an excellent performer at both high and low altitudes making it an excellent tactical aircraft. The range of its long-range air-to-air missiles when combined with radar or helmet mounted sight allows the pilot to engage targets at beyond visual ranges. [2]
Source: WikiPedia
Lockheed Martin F35 Lightening II Advanced Multirole fighter jet. Uses stealth technology and can fire AIM-9X Sidewinder, AIM 120 AMRAAM and AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air to Air Missile (AMRAAM). Can reach speeds of 1,930 km/h and is powered by a single Pratt and Whitney F135 afterburning turbofan producing 43,000 pounds (190 kN) of thrust with afterburn.
F35 Lightning II vs F22 Rapor stealth fighter
The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a family of single-seat, single-engine ….. In addition to the Royal Netherlands Air Force, which has ordered 37 aircraft–24 F-35As and 13 F29s …
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Martin_F-35_Lightning_II#Comp…
The F-22 Raptor (initially known as the Advanced Tactical Fighter, … The United States Air Force has 183 Raptors in service and will keep them until 2060. ….. On September 8, 2008, Lockheed Martin announced the F-22 Raptor had reached initial …
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Martin_F-22_Raptor#Compet…
F35 Lightning II vs F22 Rapor stealth fighter The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a family of single-seat, single-engine aircraft traditionally used by top Airforce of the world. In addition to the Royal Netherlands Air Force, which has ordered 37 aircraft–24 F-35As and 13 F29s … The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor is a single-seat, twin-engine fifth generation fighter aircraft in history to enter service with its first flight occurring in 1990. …. was a Lockheed Martin/Boeing/General Dynamics team effort to upgrade the F-22 for the air force ….. In comparison, most modern fighter aircraft have service life expectancies …
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Martin_F-22_Raptor#Compet..
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Who_is_the_biggest_and_most_powerful_airplane
Lockheed Martin X-35 – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The only one that was built flew in 2000. See [1]. It won the Joint Strike Fighter contest in 2001 against Boeing’s entry, the X-32.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Martin_X-35
Category: Fighter aircraft – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia This category is for fighter aircraft (also called ‘warplanes’) either currently in service with their nation’s armed forces or formerly in service. Types are placed for different operated by United States Air Force and Navy and few other selected Air force of the world.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Fighter_aircraft – Cached – Similar pages F22 Raptor vs f 35 joint strike fighter F22 Raptor vs f 35 lightning II joint strike fighter The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a family of single-seat, single-engine ….. In addition to the Royal Netherlands Air Force, which has ordered 37 aircraft–24 F-35As and 13 F29s …
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/F22_Raptor_vs_f_35_joint_strike_fighter
Lockheed Martin f 22 raptor vs f 35 joint strike fighter Lockheed Martin f 22 raptor vs f 35 joint strike fighter The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a family of single-seat, single-engine ….. In addition to the Royal Netherlands Air Force, which has ordered 37 aircraft–24 F-35As and 13 F29s …
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Who_is_the_biggest%2Cmost_powerful__airplane
Category: Fighter aircraft – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia This category is for fighters can be used as a joint strike fighter or an advanced multi role fighter with air force as a tactical Aircraft having capabilities like autonomic logistics information system, initial operational capability, short takeoff, vertical landing, conventional takeoff, advanced mission systems, it comes in three variants and is a great tactical aircraft and a strike aircraft.
F-35 Lightning II orders and development
F35 Lightening II has become costlier than ever. According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), the average cost of an F-35 in 2012 was $135 million, which is around 38% more than it was in 2001, when each one’s price tag was measured at $94 million. This estimation compiles data from both Lockheed Martin and Pratt & Whitney, General Electric Aircraft Engines’ parent company, but does not account for inflation or research costs that have piled up over time.
The aircraft’s per unit price started climbing even before all three variants had made their first flights—and has yet to stop since then. The GAO found that the air force variant was nearly 70 percent over its initial budget by 2013; Boeing’s X-32, which lost to Lockheed’s X-35 in the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) competition back in 1996, was about 80 percent over budget by the time development ended. The other two variants are not faring much better. Meanwhile, after nearly fifteen years of flight testing—a period that itself cost $55 billion—the F-35 has yet to fire its first shot in anger.
The aircraft is expected to finally enter service with the U.S. Marine Corps next year , but it will not be fully operational until 2022 at the earliest . That means there is plenty of time for things to get worse before they can get any better, and many obstacles remain between here and full combat readiness. Among them: software problems that the Pentagon’s top testing official recently described as ” massive, ‘ showstopper’ software problems” and a flawed logistics system for tracking faulty parts.
It is not possible to know up-to-date prices for so many different products at once, but it is clear that the F-35 has become more expensive than the aircraft it was supposed to replace—and than any other warplane in history . This year, Lockheed Martin asked Congress for an additional $5.6 billion to develop and build 2,450 more of them, which would increase overall program costs by 11 percent. The company claimed that bringing down the F-35’s cost per plane faster (relative to its much smaller current run) would require spending even more money up front.
Developing the F-35 has involved large amounts of international cooperation, but no other country is expected to buy nearly as many planes as the United States making them few tactical aircraft worldwide. Canada recently announced that it will not buy any F-35s at all , and Italy cut its planned buy by 41 percent in 2012—a decision made after assessing that “the costs for operating it over a 20 year period were just too high” . For now, only one American ally plans to deploy the plane operationally: Israel has said it may acquire 25 or so to replace its current fleet of around 75 fighters.
Just how long the F-35’s price tag can continue rising before additional orders are cancelled remains uncertain. The GAO predicts that buying 2,500 of the planes could cost as much as $325 billion (not adjusted for inflation), which is almost 50 percent more than was budgeted. Whether or not that happens will depend on whether Lockheed Martin and its partners can reduce the aircraft’s price enough to convince allies and potential customers that it is worth buying. The company claims that each F-35 should have a “flyaway” cost—the price without research included—of about $65 million by 2019 . That would be around 25 percent less than the F-22, but still far too high for many countries whose air forces are being outclassed by Russia’s advanced new warplanes
Making matters worse are calls to restart the production line so can churn out more planes, which is expected to cost an additional $5 billion to $7 billion . The company estimates that doing so would lower the F-35’s price another 5 to 7 percent, which might be feasible if production takes place in the United States— but would not be possible if Lockheed Martin outsources it (as most fighter jets are now) since foreign customers expect lower prices than America’s military does.
The next few years will go far toward determining whether the F-35 becomes a good investment for American taxpayers or another boondoggle like Concorde was for its British and French owners. Completion of the development phase by 2017 should allow the Pentagon to compare each variant’s performance against its requirements , which could help push down costs through competition between Lockheed Martin and its partners, or between the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Marine Corps for power and funding within the Pentagon’s sprawling bureaucracy . If postponement of full-rate production does not result in sufficient savings to make the F-35 affordable, it might mean having to choose between paying for this plane or paying for any number of other things that Congress wants .
The government would be smarter to wait until the program is over to buy its next batch of fighters , because at that point they will have proven their abilities without question, assuming delays end next year as planned—which is no certainty . Otherwise, Washington could end up bringing more F-35s into service before fully testing them, which would initially reduce costs but increase spending later on maintaining and upgrading aircraft that may not be fully able to fulfill their missions.
This article was reprinted with permission from Stratfor , an Austin, Texas-based geopolitical intelligence firm.
Source: Stratfor, “The Future of Fighter Aircraft.” Author: Robert D.
F35 Lightning II Performance Capabilities in the Arctic
In October 2016 I was invited to give a presentation at the KAFF 2017 Air Warfare Symposium. In my presentation, I focused on F-35 capabilities in the arctic and how it may be possible for Russia to counter our low observability aircraft. In this brief study we will look at Arctic weather conditions, what types of missions our F-35’s Lightning II could have been tasked with during their deployment to Europe and then see if these two things can meet up in a consistent logical fashion. The following information is available from open sources and is not derived from classified material. This article does NOT use any classified material but insteads uses material that is available to the public.
F35 Lightning II performance parameters
Preliminary performance data on the F35 Lightning II , with specific reference to counter-air and land-attack missions, is contained in a recent draft report of the House Armed Services Committee . The figures shown below also include a comparison between two non-stealth alternatives: F22A and B2 for air superiority/F15E and B52G for ground attack.
The comparative analysis of stealth aircraft shows that while large differences exist in absolute terms, the variations are much smaller when compared with non-stealthy aircraft. In other words, exceptional kinematic performance or low RCS provide less advantage to highly agile fighters but make an important difference for bombers. Additionally, it appears from these numbers that ‘shaping’ is not as critical for air superiority as it is for ground attack (see also 5th Gen, RCS and shaping ).
For air-superiority missions, the F35 has a ‘radius of action’ on the order of 500-700 km on internal fuel only. This compares with at least 1000km for non-stealthy aircraft like the F22A and 1500km (with 3 drop tanks) for the B2 . It seems that current stealth technology does not allow single-engined fighters to have high enough specific excess power to achieve these distances with 3 drop tanks –which would help increase range by 40% or so–without suffering from unacceptable penalties in terms of RCS, which was not an issue with twin-engined bombers like the B2.
The F35 land-attack radius is on the order of 1800 km . It is worth noting that this range figure does not include tanker support, which makes it closer to what can be achieved with current bomber aircraft (the B52G has a listed radius of action of 2700km ).
However, one area where stealthy aircraft like the F22A or F35 are expected to perform very well is in terms of sortie rate. Assuming 10 hours on station at 1000km from base, both these fighters can potentially generate 12 sorties per day compared to 4 for conventional ‘non-stealthy’ designs. This implies either less dependence on tankers or loiter times close to 1 hour for non-stealthy aircraft.
Radius of action comparisons for air-superiority fighters
The F35 has an operational radius of action on the order of 500-700 km . It is also assumed that range can be extended by 40% with drop tanks, but this way the fighter would lose too much performance due to penalties in terms of RCS. The B2 sortie rate advantage is achieved at the expense of stealth since it uses two engines vs one for the F22A or F35.
Operational radius of action comparison for bombers
The same considerations as above apply here, except that these are bombers rather than fighters (although obviously the latter are expected to penetrate enemy airspace). Even with refueling, XB35 sortie rates are about twice those of B52s.
F35 Lightning II buyers face billions in extra costs after IT blunder
The F35 Lightning II is supposed to be able to do everything an air force wants it to do. But one thing it can’t do is share data between different forces using its own operating system, because Lockheed Martin failed to get the government to sign off on that in time.
Australian Airforce’s dilemma with F35 Lightning II
This means that each of Australia’s two planned F35 squadrons will need an entirely separate training system and weapons integration suites for use when they visit the US in 2017 to fly with their American counterparts in Red Flag exercises in Nevada. This doubles the number of systems needed at a stroke. Dick Smith has described it as “appalling mismanagement”. Defence Minister Kevin Andrews declined to comment when asked about this by Fairfax Media. His department would only say: “The targeting pod software reprogramming issue was identified early by Defence.” The question is, why was this allowed to happen?
F35 Lightning II customers should
expect “continuous improvements” to Lockheed Martin’s (NYSE: LMT) flagship jet fighter as a result of a September 30th US Defense Department contract modification worth $6.5 million.
The funds will go toward the installation of an improved lift fan system on the F35B jump-jet version of the plane, which is currently in development at Lockheed’s manufacturing plant in Fort Worth, Texas. The new lift fan system was first requested by US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) last December.
The F35B is a short takeoff and vertical landing variant of the aircraft capable of performing in all weather conditions from austere bases or expeditionary airfields with unprepared runways, Lockheed says. It features a lift fan system that allows it to operate at slower speeds than other versions of the plane, thus giving the F35B the ability to hover and land vertically, or “STOVL.”
The lift fan system is mounted in the space between the engine exhaust duct and the plane’s fuselage. The new, improved version of this system will be lighter and smaller than its predecessor, Lockheed says. It will allow pilots to cope with a greater range of environmental conditions and allow them to deal with more obstacles such as structures and vehicles. This means the F35B could fly from conventional runways and operate in a wide range of geographic locations and weather conditions, making it well-suited to shipboard operations.
The new lift fan system will deliver a “nozzle velocity,” or kinetic energy, of 115 percent above that required by the original requirements set out for the system in 2007. The system will also allow the aircraft to climb higher than the original requirements, Lockheed says.
F35 Lightning II Buyers include
Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems and Northrop Grumman
The F-35 Lightning II was designed by Lockheed Martin to replace several military aircraft such as the AV-8B Harrier, A-10 Thunderbolt II, F-16 Fighting Falcon, and United States Navy (USN) F/A-18 Hornet. For the U.S. Air Force (USAF), the aircraft will replace the A-10 and F-16; for the United States Marine Corps (USMC), it will replace the F/A-18, AV-8B and EA-6B Prowler; for United States Navy it will replace the F/A-18 and EA-6B Prowler; and for the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force (RAF) and Royal Navy, it will replace the Harrier GR7/9, Sea Harrier FA2, Tornado GR4, and EAV-8B
It is being designed as a strike aircraft with a secondary air-to-air capability.
Lockheed Martin is the prime contractor and manager of the F-35 program, thereby leading all aircraft development and production activities for both U.S. services and international customers such as Belgium, Denmark, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Turkey and Australia. Major subcontractors include Northrop Grumman (airframe), BAE Systems (systems integration), and Pratt & Whitney (propulsion).
The United States Marine Corps began the first deployment of the F-35B STOVL variant on July 31, 2012. On February 10, 2018, General Dunford announced that IOC had been achieved by the USAF for the F-35A and the USMC for the F-35B.
The Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lightning II is a family of single-seat, single-engine, all weather stealth multirole fighters undergoing final development and testing by the United States. This fifth generation combat aircraft is designed to perform ground attack and air defense missions.
The F-35 has three main models: the F-35A conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) variant, the F-35B short take-off and vertical-landing (STOVL) variant, and the F-35C carrier-based catapult-assisted take-off but arrested recovery (CATOBAR) variant.
F35 Lightning II First Flight
The first test flight of a Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II took place on December 15, 2006 from the United States Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California. The aircraft, an F-35A test aircraft (AF-1), was moved to the flight line almost two months ahead of schedule, with Lockheed Martin test pilot David “Doc” Nelson at the controls.”
The first production F-35 Lightning II made its maiden flight on December 18, 2006 with Lockheed Martin test pilot Jeff Knowles at the controls. Its 90-minute first flight took place from approximately 5:30 a.m. until 7 a.m., PST at Edwards Air Force Base.
The first vertical landing and short takeoff and landing (VSTOL) maneuvers of the F-35B variant were completed on May 10, 2008 at Patuxent River by BAE Systems test pilot Peter Wilson. The VSTOL flights were completed without using the F-35B’s retractable landing gear.
The first F-35B (BF-1) was christened in a ceremony held on June 22, 2008 at Fort Worth. The aircraft was piloted by BAE Systems test pilot Peter Wilson. The first F-35B rolled out of the production facility at Lockheed Martin on June 7, 2008 and its roll out ceremony was held on June 18, 2008.
F35 Lightning II Production:
The countries involved in it are as follows
United States
United Kingdom
Italy
Turkey
Australia
Norway
Canada
* Israel is also a partner, but has not officially chosen a supplier.
The first F-35A Lightning II (CF-1) was handed over to the United States Air Force (USAF) on May 6, 2008 at Fort Worth.
The first F-35A Lightning II (CF-3) was delivered to Eglin Air Force Base on August 2, 2008. The second F-35A Lightning II (CF-4) was delivered to Nellis Air Force Base on September 22, 2008.
The 100th F-35A to be built was delivered to Eglin Air Force Base on March 22, 2011. The F-35A reached initial operational capability (IOC) with the USAF on August 2, 2016.
Some FAQs
How many F35 Lightning II does UK Airforce have?
The UK has a current order for 14 F35B, Took part in Lockheed’s 1st ever international customer visit.
What is the F-35 Lightning II?
The F-35 is a supersonic, multirole fighter aircraft developed for the United States and allied nations.
How many F35 Lightning II does US Airforce have?
The US has a total of 301 F35s, including 6 CTOL test aircraft, 33 STOVL B test aircraft, and 267 CTOL aircraft.
How many F35 Lightning II does USAF have?
The total number of F-35s ordered by the US Air Force is 260, of which 165 have been delivered to the USAF as of August 2017.
How many F35 Lightning II does USMC have?
The USMC has ordered 340, of which nine have been delivered as of October 2017.
How many F35 Lightning II does Israel have?
The Israeli Air Force has ordered 33 F-35I aircraft in total. The first 17 are being built by Lockheed Martin at a fly-away price of $110 million per aircraft, with delivery beginning in December 2016. The remaining 17 were to be assembled by IAI in Israel starting in 2019.
How many F35 Lightning II does Australia have?
Australia has committed to 72, of which delivy started in 2018.
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Are F22 and F35 the same?
F22 Raptor, F35 Lightning II. To the untrained eye they may seem similar but there are significant differences between the two planes.
The F22 Raptor and the F35 Lightning II are both fifth-generation fighters that have been designed for different operational scenarios. The Raptor is optimized for air-to-air combat while the Lightning II takes on the ground attack role.
The F22 Raptor is the current mainstay of the US Air Force and was designed to replace the F15 Eagle. The plane’s stealth capabilities allow it to find, fix and finish ground, aerial and maritime targets well beyond the pilot’s visual range. The Raptor is also capable of using its radar to guide long-range missiles to their targets.
The F35 Lightning II is designed for air-to-ground offensive and defensive counter air; suppression of enemy air defense; and maritime operations. The F35 is a multi-role fighter, capable of long-range precision attacks as well as close air support.
Conclusion
To conclude I would like to state that Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lightning II is the most advanced modern aircraft currently in service. It has been designed to be a 5th generation fighter capable of undertaking several different types of operations, including air superiority, close air support, and reconnaissance missions. The F-35 is a single seat aircraft operated by a pilot with an advanced sensor suite providing unmatched situational awareness for the pilot to conduct highly effective offensive and defensive missions. Top Air forces of the world like USAF, USMC, UK RAF, Australia , Turkey are utilizing this advanced aircraft. Indian Air force is also planning to purchase it along with Russia. So it is the best of its kind for currently operational Airforces worldwide.
F35 Lightning II first joint excercise in foreign country with Turkey Air force.
ARTICLE END
F-35 Lightning II Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Martin_F-35_Lightning_II#Manufacturing
History of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lightning II
http://www.f-16.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=69499&start=10
Fascinating facts about the Alenia C-27J Spartan; The Joint Cargo Aircraft
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