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F-35 LIGHTNING II Introduction
any of those associated with the
Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning
II programme have referred to
this revolutionary fighter aircraft as a
game changer. It’s an accolade that is
applicable on many levels. Firstly, it’s a
single aircraft type built in three different
variants to meet the diverse needs of its
various customers: the conventional take-
off and landing (CTOL) F-35A, the short
take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) F-35B
and the carrier variant (CV) F-35C. Then
there’s the technology embodied in the
aircraft – a standard that is upheld across
the differing models and the many operator
nations to create a cohesive Lightning II‘family of capability’ around the globe.
That capability can then be dedicated to
the leading edge of a campaign – the ‘night
one’ stealthy strike force – or a heavily
laden ‘bomb truck’ to conduct close air
support in a more permissive environment.
Pilots appear genuinely astonished by the
sensor fusion that brings together the F-35’s
many advanced avionics. Early teething
troubles have been largely rectified as
the aircraft matures into the combat all-
rounder that was always envisaged.
Concurrent development was always a
controversial factor. Customers agreed to
field F-35s in large numbers well before
development test work was complete.Indeed, Lockheed Martin delivered the
300th F-35 in June this year – the milestone
aircraft was an F-35A (15-5175/AF-150)
for the US Air Force at Hill Air Force
Base, Utah. However, the $55bn System
Development and Demonstration (SDD)
phase was only completed on April 11,
when F-35C test aircraft CF-02 completed
a mission to collect loads data while
carrying external 2,000lb (907kg) GBU-
Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs) and
AIM-9X Sidewinder air-to-air missiles.
Concurrent
development
and production
enabledBELOW: A section of F-35Bs of VMFA-
‘Wake Island Avengers’ from MCAS Yuma,
Arizona. Jamie HunterGAME CHANGER
M