F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter is Here

The F-35 Lightning II is a multi-role aircraft that can perform close air support, tactical bombing, and air-to-air combat.

Some 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;
- High speed MIL-STD-1394B data networking
- Low life-cycle costs.

It is reported that the Aircraft will be produced under licence in Turkey by Turkish Aerospace Industries.

The F-35A not only matches the F-16 in maneuverability, instantaneous and sustained high-g performance, but also outperforms it in stealth, payload, range on internal fuel, avionics, operational effectiveness, supportability, and survivability. It also has an internal laser designator and infra-red sensors.

Armament:
1 x GAU-12/U 25 mm cannon — slated to be mounted internally with 180 rounds in the F-35A

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-9s), 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 AIM-9s.


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 10 ft3 (0.28 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.

Specifications (F-35 Lightning II)

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 (12,000 kg)
• Loaded weight: 44,400 lb (20,100 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 60,000 lb (27,200 kg)
• Powerplant: 1× Pratt & Whitney F135 afterburning turbofan
  • Dry thrust: 25,000 lbf^[52] (111 kN)
  • Thrust with afterburner: >40,000 lbf^[52] (178 kN)
• Secondary Powerplant: 1× General Electric/Rolls-Royce F136 afterburning turbofan, >40,000 lbf (178 kN) [in development]
• Lift fan (STOVL): 1× Rolls-Royce Lift System driven from either F135 or F136 power plant, 18,000 lbf (80 kN)

Performance

• Maximum speed: Mach 1.6+ ^[52] (1,200 mph, 1,931 km/h)
• Range: ≈1,200 nmi (1,400 mi, 2,200 km) on internal fuel
• Combat radius: 600 nmi (690 mi, 1,110 km)
• Rate of climb: classified (not publicly available)
• Wing loading: 91.4 lb/ft² (446 kg/m²)
• Thrust/weight:
  
  • With full fuel: 0.968^{[verification needed]}
  • With 50% fuel: 1.12(A); 1.10(B); 1.01(C)
  Information obtain from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F35
  

So when is Singapore getting a pie a this breaking edge technology fighter plane?