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F-35 Lightning II

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Air & Sea transport;
Military History and War

                 F-35 Lightning II
   The first of 15 pre-production F-35s
   Type          Multirole fighter
   Manufacturer  Lockheed Martin Aeronautics
                 Northrop Grumman
                 BAE Systems
   Maiden flight Late 2006 (scheduled)
   Introduced    2011 (scheduled)
   Status        Under development/pre-production
   Primary users United States Air Force
                 United States Navy
                 United States Marine Corps
                 Royal Navy
   Produced      2003-date

   The F-35 Lightning II — descended from the X-35 of the Joint Strike
   Fighter (JSF) program — is a single-seat, single-engined military
   strike fighter, a multi-role aircraft that can perform close air
   support, tactical bombing, and air-to-air combat. Its development is
   being funded by the United States, the United Kingdom, and other
   partner governments. It is being designed and built by an aerospace
   industry team led by Lockheed Martin and major partners BAE Systems and
   Northrop Grumman. Demonstrator aircraft flew in 2000; first flight of
   production models is expected in late 2006.

Requirement

   The JSF program was created to replace various aircraft while keeping
   development, production, and operating costs down. This was pursued by
   building three variants of one aircraft, sharing 80% of their parts:
     * F-35A, a conventional takeoff and landing ( CTOL) variant slated to
       replace U.S. Air Force (USAF) F-16 Fighting Falcons, beginning in
       2011.
     * F-35B, a short-takeoff and vertical-landing ( STOVL) variant slated
       to replace the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) AV-8 Harrier IIs and F/A-18
       Hornets, and Royal Air Force (RAF)/Royal Navy (RN) Harrier GR7/GR9s
       beginning in 2012.
     * F-35C, a carrier-based variant slated to replace U.S. Navy (USN)
       F/A-18 Hornets (A/B/C/D variants only) beginning in 2012.

International participation

   The primary customers and financial backers are the United States and
   the United Kingdom. Eight other nations are also funding the aircraft's
   development and will decide in 2006 whether or not to purchase it.
   Total program development costs, less procurement, are estimated at
   over US$40 billion, of which the bulk has been underwritten by the
   United States.

   There are three levels of international participation. The United
   Kingdom is the sole 'Level 1' partner, contributing slightly over US$2
   billion, about 10% of the development costs . Level 2 partners are
   Italy, which is contributing US$1 billion, and the Netherlands, US$800
   million. At Level 3 are Canada, US$440 million; Turkey, US$175 million;
   Australia, US$144 million; Norway, US$122 million; and Denmark, US$110
   million. The levels generally reflect the financial stake in the
   program, the amount of technology transfer and subcontracts open for
   bid by national companies, and the priority order in which countries
   can obtain production aircraft. Israel and Singapore have also joined
   as Security Cooperative Participants.

   Some of the partner countries have wavered in their public commitment
   to the JSF program, hinting or warning that unless they receive more
   subcontracts or technology transfer, they will forsake JSF purchases
   for the Eurofighter Typhoon, Gripen or Rafale.

United Kingdom participation

   The British government signed on early to the JSF effort, but its
   officials became increasingly frustrated by U.S. refusal to hand over
   sensitive technologies that would allow the UK to maintain and upgrade
   its fighters without U.S. involvement. For five years, British
   officials sought an ITAR waiver to secure greater technology transfer.
   This request, which has the blessing of the Bush administration, has
   been repeatedly blocked by U.S. Representative Henry Hyde, who says
   that the UK needs to tighten its laws protecting against the
   unauthorized transfer of the most advanced U.S. technology to third
   parties.

   Matters came to a head when BAE Systems CEO Mike Turner complained that
   the U.S. had denied his company access to the aircraft's source code.
   On 21 December 2005, an article in the Glasgow Herald quoted the
   chairman of the House of Commons Defence Select Committee as saying
   "the UK might have to consider whether to continue in the program" if
   no access were granted. Lord Drayson, Minister for Defence Procurement,
   took a firmer stance during a March 2006 visit to Washington: "We do
   expect the software technology transfer to take place. But if it does
   not take place we will not be able to purchase these aircraft," and he
   said there was a 'Plan B' if the deal fell through. This may have been
   the development of a navalized Typhoon.

   On May 27, 2006, President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair
   announced that "Both governments agree that the UK will have the
   ability to successfully operate, upgrade, employ, and maintain the
   Joint Strike Fighter such that the UK retains operational sovereignty
   over the aircraft."

Australian participation

   In May 2005, the Australian government announced that it would delay
   its planned 2006 decision on buying the JSF to 2008, and thus past the
   term of the present government. Australia, like the UK, has insisted it
   must have access to all software needed to modify and repair aircraft,
   citing American firms' profiteering on F/A-18 maintenance.

   Royal Australian Air Force opinion remains strongly in favour of the
   JSF. However, some media reports, lobby groups and politicians have
   raised doubts that the aircraft will be ready in time to replace the
   aging Australian air force fleet of General Dynamics F-111 strike
   aircraft and F/A-18 Hornet fighters. Some critics say the F-22 Raptor
   or the Eurofighter may be better choices, both offering better range,
   dogfighting capability, and supercruise at a cost that may not be much
   more than the F-35 — claims that as of July 2006 are being examined in
   a parliamentary inquiry. In a statement released in early August, 2006,
   Australian Defence Minister Dr. Brendan Nelson revealed that whilst the
   F-35 still had governmental support, Australia is starting to
   investigate other possible aircraft should the F-35 prove to be
   unfeasible. Whilst not revealing which aircraft the Australian
   government is considering, he did rule out the F-22 from Australian
   considerations. In October 2006 the deputy chief of the Air Force, Air
   Vice Marshal John Blackburn, publicly stated that the RAAF had ruled
   out the purchase of interim strike aircraft to cover any delays to the
   F-35 program and believed that the F-35 was suitable.

JSF Program history

Origins and X-32 vs. X-35

   Boeing X-32 (left) and Lockheed Martin X-35 prior to down-select in
   2001, where the X-35 was chosen. DoD photo
   Enlarge
   Boeing X-32 (left) and Lockheed Martin X-35 prior to down-select in
   2001, where the X-35 was chosen. DoD photo

   The Joint Strike Fighter evolved out of several requirements for a
   common fighter to replace existing types. The actual JSF development
   contract was signed on 16 November 1996.

   The contract for System Development and Demonstration (SDD) was awarded
   on 26 October 2001 to Lockheed Martin, whose X-35 beat the Boeing X-32.
   DoD officials and the UK Minister of Defence Procurement said the X-35
   consistently outperformed the X-32, although both met or exceeded
   requirements.

   On 19 February 2006, the first F-35 (USAF version) was rolled out in
   Fort Worth, Texas. The aircraft will undergo extensive ground testing
   and then flight tests at Edwards Air Force Base in fall 2006.

   On 15 September 2006 the first engine run of the F135 was conducted in
   an airframe, with the tests completed on 18 September after a static
   run with full afterburner. The engine runs were the first time that the
   F-35 was completely functional on its own power systems.

Naming

   On 7 July 2006, the U.S. Air Force officially announced the name of the
   F-35: Lightning II, in honour of Lockheed's World War II-era twin-prop
   P-38 Lightning and the Cold War-era jet English Electric Lightning.
   English Electric's aircraft division was incorporated into BAC, a
   predecessor of F-35 partner BAE Systems. Other names previously listed
   as contenders were Kestrel, Phoenix, Piasa, Black Mamba, and Spitfire
   II. Lightning II was also an early company name for the aircraft that
   became the F-22 Raptor.

Design characteristics

   The F-35A while being towed at the Inauguration Ceremony on July 7th,
   2006.
   Enlarge
   The F-35A while being towed at the Inauguration Ceremony on July 7th,
   2006.

   Elements of the F-35 design were pioneered by the F-22 Raptor. The F-35
   appears to be a trimmer and sleeker one-engine sibling of the
   two-engine F-22. The exhaust duct design was inspired by the General
   Dynamics Model 200, a 1972 VTOL aircraft designed for the Sea Control
   Ship. Lockheed had a teaming relationship with the Yakovlev Design
   Bureau on their bid for the Joint Advanced Strike Technology
   competition. This has fueled speculation that the overall design of the
   F-35 was heavily influenced by the Yak-141,(In the Aircraft Museum at
   aerospaceweb.org) however, the two aircraft are very different.

   Stealth technology makes the aircraft hard to detect as it approaches
   short-range tracking, although its rear is much more easily spotted.

   Some specific improvements over current-generation fighter aircraft
   are:
     * Durable, low-maintenance stealth technology;
     * Integrated avionics and sensor fusion that combine information from
       off- and onboard sensors to increase the pilot's situational
       awareness and improve identification and weapon delivery, and to
       relay information quickly to other command and control (C2) nodes;
     * Low life-cycle costs.

   Although helmet-mounted display systems have already been integrated
   into some fourth-generation fighters like the Swedish-manufactured JAS
   39 Gripen, the F-35 will be the first modern combat aircraft in which
   helmet-mounted displays will replace a heads-up display altogether.

F-35A

   The F-35A is the smallest, lightest version, and is intended primarily
   to replace the U.S. Air Force's aging F-16 Fighting Falcons and A-10
   Thunderbolt IIs. This is the only version with an internal gun, the
   GAU-12/U. This 25 mm cannon is an upgrade from the 20mm M61 Vulcan
   carried by USAF fighters since the F-104 Starfighter.

F-35B

   X-35B lift fan; the VTOL propulsion system is designed and manufactured
   by Rolls-Royce plc.
   Enlarge
   X-35B lift fan; the VTOL propulsion system is designed and manufactured
   by Rolls-Royce plc.

   The F-35B STOVL aircraft is intended to replace the vertical flight
   Harrier, which was the world's first operational short-takeoff /
   vertical-landing fighter. The Royal Navy will use this to replace its
   Sea Harrier FA2s and the RAF's GR9s. The U.S. Marine Corps will use the
   F-35B to replace both its AV-8B Harriers and F/A-18 Hornet fighters
   with a design similar in size to the Air Force F-35A, trading fuel
   volume for vertical flight systems. Like the Harrier, guns will be
   carried in a pod. Vertical flight is by far the riskiest, and in the
   end, a decisive factor in design.

   Instead of lift engines or rotating nozzles on the engine fan like the
   AV-8 Harrier, the F-35B uses an innovative shaft-driven Lift Fan,
   patented by Lockheed Martin and developed by Rolls-Royce. Somewhat like
   a turboprop embedded into the fuselage, engine shaft power is diverted
   forward via a clutch-and-bevel gearbox to a vertically mounted,
   contra-rotating lift fan located forward of the main engine in the
   centre of the aircraft. Bypass air from the cruise engine turbofan
   exhausts through a pair of roll-post nozzles in the wings on either
   side of the fuselage, while the lift fan balances the vectoring cruise
   nozzle at the tail.

   In effect, the F-35B power plant acts as a flow multiplier, much as a
   turbofan achieves efficiencies by moving unburned air at a lower
   velocity, and getting the same effect as the Harrier's huge, but
   supersonically impractical main fan. Like lift engines, this added
   machinery is dead weight during flight, but increased lifting power
   increases takeoff payload by even more. The cool fan also reduces the
   harmful effects of hot, high-velocity air which can harm runway
   pavement or an aircraft carrier deck. Though risky and complicated, it
   was made to work to the satisfaction of DOD officials. Unlike Boeing's
   entry, the prototype was able to demonstrate a historic flight starting
   with a short takeoff, transitioning to supersonic flight, and ending
   with a vertical landing.

   During concept definition, two Lockheed airframes were flight-tested:
   the Lockheed X-35A (which was later converted into the X-35B), and the
   larger-winged X-35C. Both the Boeing X-32 and X-35 power plants were
   derived from Pratt & Whitney's F119, with the STOVL variant of the
   latter incorporating a Rolls-Royce Lift Fan module.

   Arguably the most persuasive demonstration of the X-35's capability was
   the final qualifying Joint Strike Fighter flight trials, in which the
   X-35B STOVL aircraft took off in less than 500 feet, went supersonic,
   and landed vertically.

F-35C

   The Naval F-35C variant will replace the F/A-18A, -B, -C, and -D
   Hornets, which replaced subsonic but long-ranged attack types such as
   the A-7 Corsair and A-6 Intruder. It will also serve as a stealthy
   complement to the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. It will have a larger,
   folding wing and larger control surfaces for improved low-speed
   control, and stronger landing gear for the stresses of carrier
   landings. The larger wing area provides increased range and payload,
   with twice the range on internal fuel compared with the F/A-18C,
   achieving much the same goal as the much heavier Super Hornet. The U.S.
   Navy plans to purchase 480 JSF.

Directed-energy weapons

   Directed-energy weapons may be installed in conventional takeoff F-35
   Lightning IIs, whose lack of a direct lift fan frees up about 100 ft³
   (2.8 m³) of space and whose engine provides more than 27,000 hp (20 MW)
   for electrical power. Some concepts, including solid state lasers and
   high-power microwave beams, may be nearing operational status.

Analysis of JSF program in United States services

   The JSF program was designed to replace the F-16, A-10, F/A-18 and
   AV-8B fleet of tactical fighter aircraft in U.S. military service.
   Joint Strike Fighter critics say that like the aircraft it is
   replacing, it has insufficient range to replace dedicated bombers; and
   as primarily a strike platform, its inability to supercruise limits it
   as an air defense platform, and as a new aircraft, that it is almost
   certain to suffer cost overruns and lengthy development delays. Indeed,
   through 2004, the JSF's total projected cost had risen 23% to US$244
   billion, and as of April 2006 the Pentagon is projecting the budget to
   rise to US$276.4 billion.

   A Reuters report in 2005 said that the Pentagon was seeking to cancel
   the Air Force version. This would see the Air Force adopt the larger
   Navy version. Over a year later, no such move had been made.

   Close air support theorists, especially those with experience flying
   the A-10 on those missions, are vocally skeptical about the F-35's
   capacity to carry out that role. They point to the claim during
   procurement of the F-16 that it would replace the A-10, which it did
   not, and to the F-35's similar shortcomings for the close air support
   mission, specifically its small gun and ammunition capacity, and the
   tight constraints on the number and variety of bombs and missiles it
   can carry in its stealth configuration -- not an issue when carrying
   external stores in a non-stealthy A-10-like configuration.

   Its defenders say the JSF was never intended to replace bombers or be
   an air defense platform, and they say a thorough requirements
   definition process with years of analysis and international
   participation has mitigated cost and schedule concerns. The potential
   solid state laser is also offered as an advantage for the close air
   support role, since aerial refueling would essentially also rearm the
   laser, which could be used even with enemy ground forces located too
   close to friendly ground forces for employment of explosive armaments.

   Proponents say the multi-role design philosophy has been proven in
   combat by the F-16 Fighting Falcon and the F/A-18 Hornet, and point to
   several nations, mainly F-16 and F/A-18 users, that have committed
   substantial sums to become minority partners in the JSF manufacturing
   team. They say that even without substantial performance advances over
   existing aircraft, the F-35's stealthiness and information warfare
   technology make it an enticing product.

   The program's advocates see the JSF's joint-development concept as an
   opportunity to break out of the decades-old pattern of U.S. military
   aircraft procurement, allowing commonality and saving development and
   operating costs. This follows the philosophy behind the SEPECAT Jaguar
   and Panavia Tornado international development programs. Accordingly,
   JSF is the first U.S. aircraft program to consider cost as an
   independent variable. Unlike earlier programs in which extra features
   always boosted the cost, such changes are not permitted in JSF
   development.

   JSFs will feed diagnostic information into the ground-based Autonomic
   Logistic Information System, built by Lockheed Martin Simulation
   Training and Support, to make the aircraft less expensive to operate
   and maintain.

Thrust-to-weight ratio

   The F-35B variant was in danger of missing performance requirements
   because it weighed too much — reportedly, by one metric ton (2,200
   pounds) or 8%. In response, Lockheed Martin added engine thrust and
   shed more than a ton by thinning the aircraft's skin; shrinking the
   weapons bay and vertical tails; rerouting some thrust from the
   roll-post outlets to the main nozzle; and redesigning the wing-mate
   joint, portions of the electrical system, and the portion of the
   aircraft immediately behind the cockpit.

   The smaller weapons bay will return the F-35B to its original 2 × 1000
   lb (450 kg) internal-weapons carriage. This is not expected to hinder
   close air support missions, which are likely to take place after enemy
   air defenses are down, but may make the "B" variant different from the
   other two, boosting costs.

   The internal weapons are stored offline to the external air flow, which
   will complicate weapons certification testing — no demonstrations of
   weapons delivery capability were done prior to contract award.

Speculated USAF STOVL Purchase

   As costs grow, there have been rumors about canceling the F-35B
   variant. However, U.S. operations in Afghanistan have highlighted a
   need for jump jets in unimproved battlespaces, leading to a hazy USAF
   "commitment" to buy F-35B and preserve the economic rationale to
   produce the STOVL jets needed by the USMC, RN, and RAF.

   The USAF has reportedly investigated buying up to 216 STOVL F-35s,
   enough to outfit three wings. One option discussed and discarded was a
   fourth, F-35D, variant that would have a different propulsion system to
   increase emphasis on STOL capability over that of VTOL, a larger wing
   to allow more fuel, an internal cannon (as opposed to the USMC external
   gun pod), and changes to in-flight refueling.

Specifications (F-35 Lightning II)

   X-35C
   Enlarge
   X-35C

   Some information is estimated.

General characteristics

     * Crew: 1
     * Length: 50 ft 6 in (15.37 m)
     * Wingspan: 35 ft 0 in (10.65 m)
     * Height: 17 ft 4 in (5.28 m)
     * Wing area: 459.6 ft² (42.7 m²)
     * Empty weight: 26,000 lb (12 t)
     * Loaded weight: 44,400 lb (20.1 t)
     * Max takeoff weight: 60,000 lb (27.2 t)
     * Powerplant: 1× Pratt & Whitney F135 afterburning turbofan, (43,000
       lbf w/AB, 28,000 lbf dry; 191 kN w/AB, 128 kN dry) link
       Lockheed-Martin media kit fact sheets.
     * Secondary (High Performance), in development: 1 × General
       Electric/Rolls-Royce F136 afterburning turbofan > 178 kN thrust
     * Lift fan (STOVL): 1 × Rolls-Royce Lift System in conjunction with
       either F135 or F136 power plant 18,000 lbf (80 kN) thrust)

Performance

     * Maximum speed: Mach > 1.6 (Mach 1.8 est.) (1,200 mph, 1930 km/h)
     * Cruise speed: Mach (mph, km/h)
     * Range: ~1200 nautical miles on internal fuel (~2222 km on internal
       fuel)
     * Service ceiling: ? ft (? m)
     * Rate of climb: ? ft/min (? m/s)
     * Wing loading: 91.4 lb/ft² (446 kg/m²)
     * Thrust/weight: 0.968 with full fuel, 1.22 with 50% fuel

   Lockheed-Martin F-35 statistics summary. (Zip File)
   F-35A and F-35C Armament
   Enlarge
   F-35A and F-35C Armament

Armament

     * 1 × GAU-12/U 25 mm cannon — slated to be mounted internally with
       180 rounds in the F-35A and fitted as an external pod with 220
       rounds in the F-35B and F-35C.
     * Internally (current planned weapons for integration) — up to four
       AIM-120 AMRAAM, AIM-9X Sidewinder or AIM-132 ASRAAM internally or
       two air-to-air and two air-to-ground weapons (up to two 2,000 lb
       weapons in A and C models; two 1000 lb weapons in the B model) in
       the bomb bays. These could be AMRAAM, the Joint Direct Attack
       Munition (JDAM) — up to 2,000 lb (910 kg), the Joint Standoff
       Weapon (JSOW), Small Diameter Bombs (SDB) — a maximum of 4 in each
       bay, the Brimstone anti-armor missiles, Cluster Munitions (WCMD)
       and High Speed Anti-Radiation Missiles (HARM). The MBDA Meteor
       air-to-air missile is currently being adapted to fit internally in
       the missile spots and may be integrated into the F-35.
     * At the expense of being more detectable by radar, many more
       missiles, bombs and fuel tanks can be attached on four wing pylons
       and two wingtip positions. The two wingtip pylons can only carry
       short-range air-to-air missiles ( AIM-9's), while the Storm Shadow
       and Joint Air to Surface Stand-off Missile (JASSM) cruise missiles
       can be carried in addition to the stores already integrated. An
       air-to-air load of 12 AIM-120s and 2 AIM-9s is conceivable using
       internal and external weapons stations (as well as a configuration
       of six two thousand pound bombs, 2 AIM-120s, and 2 AIMs), but
       highly unlikely in any operational scenario.

Manufacturing responsibilities

   X-35A being refuelled in-flight by a KC-135 Stratotanker
   Enlarge
   X-35A being refuelled in-flight by a KC-135 Stratotanker
     * Lockheed Martin Aeronautics (prime contractor)
          + Final assembly
          + Overall system integration
          + Mission system
          + Forward fuselage
          + Wings
          + Flight controls system
     * Northrop Grumman
          + Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar
          + Centre fuselage
          + Weapons bay
          + Arrestor gear
     * BAE Systems
          + Aft fuselage and empennages
          + Horizontal and vertical tails
          + Crew life support and escape
          + Electronic warfare systems
          + Fuel system
          + Flight Control Software (FCS1)

Related content


Comparable aircraft

     * Boeing X-32
     * Dassault Rafale
     * Saab Gripen
     * Eurofighter Typhoon
     * Mikoyan Project 1.44
     * F-22 Raptor

Designation sequence

   F-20 - F-21 - F-22 - YF-23 - - X-29* - X-31* - X-32* - F-35
   *X- series designations were historically separate from the F- series.
   However, the X-35 was adopted as the F-35, using its X- series number
   rather then the next open F- series number (F-24). This created a gap
   in sequences from F-24 to F-34, but there were three experimental
   fighters in X- series that might have used them if they had been
   adopted and named in the same manner as the F-35.

Related lists

     * List of fighter aircraft
     * List of experimental aircraft
     * List of military aircraft of the United States

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