Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II

Lockheed Martin and its international partners developed the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) in three basic versions: the conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) F-35A, the short take-off/vertical landing (STOVL) F-35B and the carrier-variant (CV) F-35C. Since the first F-35A flew in December 2006, the fleet has racked up more than 155,000 flight hours, including more than 17,000 during development testing.

Delivery of production aircraft began in 2011 and the F-35B achieved initial operational capability (IOC) with the US Marine Corps in July 2015. The F-35A followed with the USAF in August 2016. The carrier-variant entered service with the US Navy in February 2019. More than 760 have been manufactured since production began in 2006.

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How new weapons are making the F-35 even more lethal

David Isby overviews the ongoing development of new weapons for the F-35 Lightning II.

US to send F-16s, F-35s to tackle Iranian attacks on oil tankers

The US is to send F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-35 Lightning II multi-role fighters to the Middle East in a bid to counter an increase in Iranian attacks on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, the Pentagon has revealed

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Everything you need to know about Australia’s F-35s

Nigel Pittaway, from a Key Publishing special magazine on the Lightning II, reviews the Australian F-35A programme and the three operational squadrons now flying the type.

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F-35 test pilot: How Lockheed Martin tests the 5th Gen Lightning II

Lockheed Martin’s Chief of Fighter Flight Operations, Tony ‘Brick’ Wilson, gave Dino Carrara an exclusive insight into the work of the company’s test pilots on the cutting-edge F-35 programme

UK welcomes delivery of additional F-35B Lightning IIs

The UK has taken delivery of an additional two Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning IIs, growing the number of examples of the fifth-generation multi-role stealth fighter delivered to date to 32 aircraft

USAF plots transition plan for A-10C units in Georgia, Idaho

The USAF revealed its latest fielding plans for the F-35A Lightning II on June 26, when it announced the selection of Moody AFB, Georgia, as the next preferred location to receive the fifth-generation multi-role stealth fighter

USMC's 'Black Knights' carry out first trans-Pacific F-35C deployment

Four F-35C Lightning IIs from the USMC’s Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 314 (VMFA-314) ‘Black Knights’ at MCAS Miramar, California, recently carried out their first trans-Pacific deployment to Australia for integrated training with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).

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Lightnings go Dutch: Assessing the impact of the F-35A on the RNLAF

As the second of three Royal Netherlands Air Force squadrons continues its transition from the F-16AM/BM (MLU) Fighting Falcon to the F-35A Lightning II, Gert Kromhout assesses the fifth-generation multi-role stealth fighter's impact on the Dutch air arm

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How the USAF is planning to massively change its frontline fighter fleets

The USAF’s fighter force comprises a disparate mix of aircraft types – some of which are rather old – and there are urgent plans to recapitalize the fleet with a mix of new and upgraded types, as Jon Lake explains

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How does the US Navy qualify its F-35C pilots for carrier ops?

Preparing pilots for deployment is a critical aspect of the US Navy’s mission. Soren Nielsen examines how VFA-97 ‘Warhawks’ gained their carrier qualifications after transitioning to the Lockheed Martin F-35C Lightning II strike fighter

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