Can the F-35 carry nuclear weapons?
The Air Force recently wrapped up the flight testing needed to ensure the B61-12 thermonuclear bomb design is compatible with the F-35A Lightning II, paving the way for the jet to begin carrying nuclear weapons. …
Is F-35 combat ready?
Did you know the F-35 is proven in combat with six services having employed the aircraft in combat operations or NATO missions? Highlighted below are some of the ways the F-35 is delivering impressive results for the warfighter today.
How advanced is the F-35?
The U.S. Air Force is the largest F-35 operator with a planned purchase of 1,763 F-35A aircraft. The F-35 is the most advanced fighter in production today and its mission capable rates are above 70% and even higher for deployed units.
Do jets carry bombs?
The single-engine jet is a mainstay of the Air Force combat fleet. It can perform both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions with its 20mm cannon and ability to carry missiles and bombs on external pods.
What’s wrong with the F-35?
A technical problem involving the F-35âēs cockpit pressure regulation system led to several incidents of extreme sinus pain, or barotrauma. In April 2020, the program office believed it would be able to resolve the problem in 2021 after flight testing the fix.
Is F-35 most advanced?
The F-35 has the most advanced sensor suite of any fighter in history, including the Active Electronically Scanned Arrays (AESA) radar, Distributed Aperture System (DAS), Electro Optical Targeting System (EOTS) and Helmet Mounted Display System.
How fast can a F-35 fly?
It is supersonic. The F-35C can reach speeds of 1.6 Mach (~1,200 mph) even with a full internal weapons load. With its fuel and internal weapons load, the F-35C can fly faster with no drag associated with external tanks and weapons required for legacy fighters.
How many F-35s does the United States have?
1 United States Air Force â 1,763 F-35As planned 2 United States Marine Corps â 353 F-35Bs and 67 F-35Cs planned 3 United States Navy â 273 F-35Cs planned
What are the different variants of the F-35?
The aircraft has three main variants: the conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) F-35A, the short take-off and vertical-landing (STOVL) F-35B, and the carrier-based (CV/ CATOBAR) F-35C. The aircraft descends from the Lockheed Martin X-35, which in 2001 beat the Boeing X-32 to win the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program.
Will the F-35B be the first supersonic stealth fighter?
Although several experimental designs have been developed since the 1960s, such as the unsuccessful Rockwell XFV-12, the F-35B is to be the first operational supersonic STOVL stealth fighter. The single-engine F-35 resembles the larger twin-engined Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor, drawing design elements from it.
Does the F-35 have kinematics comparable to F-22 or F-16?
While lacking the raw performance of the larger twin-engine F-22, the F-35 has kinematics competitive with fourth generation fighters such as the F-16 and F/A-18, especially with ordnance mounted because the F-35’s internal weapons carriage eliminates parasitic drag from external stores.