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F-35A CTOL Lightning II Multirole fighter aircraft
 
 
 

F-35 F-35A CTOL Lightning II Lockheed variants Martin multirole fighter aircraft technical data sheet specifications intelligence description information identification pictures photos images video United States American US USAF Air Force defence industry military technology conventional takeoff and landing

Description

The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a family of single-seat, single-engine, fifth generation multirole fighters under development to perform ground attack, reconnaissance, and air defense missions with stealth capability. The F-35 Lightning II is a stealthy (radar-evading), supersonic, multi-role fighter designed to meet United States' and the United Kingdom's requirement for an affordable next generation fighter. It will replace a wide range of aging fighter and strike aircraft currently in the inventories of the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Marine Corps and allied defense forces worldwide. Lockheed Martin is the F-35 prime contractor, while Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems are principal partners in the project. The F-35 is designed to replace aging fighter inventories including U.S. Air Force A-10s and F-16s, U.S. Navy F/A-18s, U.S. Marine Corps AV-8B Harriers and F/A-18s, and U.K. Harrier GR.7s and Sea Harriers. With stealth and a host of next-generation technologies, the F-35 will be far and away the world’s most advanced multi-role fighter. There exists an aging fleet of tactical aircraft worldwide. The F-35 will solve that problem.

 
Variants
     
F-35 F-35A CTOL Lightning II Lockheed variants Martin multirole fighter aircraft technical data sheet specifications intelligence description information identification pictures photos images video United States American US USAF Air Force defence industry military technology conventional takeoff and landing
F-35A (CTOL) : The conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) F-35A is a multirole, supersonic, stealth fighter that has extraordinary acceleration and 9-g maneuverability and agility.
     
F-35B (STOVL) : The F-35B Short take-off and landing for US Marine Corps is the first aircraft in history to combine stealth with short takeoff/vertical landing capability and supersonic speed. This distinction gives the F-35B the unique ability to operate from small ships, roads and austere bases.
     
F-35C (CV) : For the first time in naval aviation history, radar-evading stealth capability comes to the carrier deck. The F-35C Carrier Variant (CV) sets a new standard in weapon systems integration, lethality, maintainability, combat radius and payload that brings true multimission power projection capability from the sea.
 
Technical Data
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Design
The F-35 appears to be a smaller, slightly more conventional, single-engine sibling of the sleeker, twin-engine Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor, and indeed drew elements from it. The exhaust duct design was inspired by the General Dynamics Model 200 design, which was proposed for a 1972 supersonic VTOL fighter requirement for the Sea Control Ship. For specialized development of the F-35B STOVL variant, Lockheed consulted with the Yakovlev Design Bureau, purchasing design data from their development of the Yakovlev Yak-141 "Freestyle". Although several experimental designs have been built and tested since the 1960s including the Navy's unsuccessful Rockwell XFV-12, the F-35B is to be the first operational supersonic, STOVL stealth fighter.
Avionic

The F-35's sensor and communications suite is intended to facilitate situational awareness, command-and-control and network-centric warfare capability. The main sensor on board the F-35 is its AN/APG-81 AESA-radar, designed by Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems. It is augmented by the Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS) mounted under the nose of the aircraft, designed by Lockheed Martin. This gives the same capabilities as the Lockheed Martin Sniper XR while avoiding making the aircraft more easily detectable.
Six additional passive infrared sensors are distributed over the aircraft as part of Northrop Grumman's AN/AAQ-37 distributed aperture system (DAS), which acts as a missile warning system, reports missile launch locations, detects and tracks approaching aircraft spherically around the F-35, and replaces traditional night vision goggles for night operations and navigation. All DAS functions are performed simultaneously, in every direction, at all times. The F-35's AN/ASQ-239 (Barracuda) Electronic Warfare systems are designed by BAE Systems and include Northrop Grumman components. The communications, navigation and identification (CNI) suite is designed by Northrop Grumman and includes the Multifunction Advanced Data Link (MADL). The F-35 will be the first jet fighter that has sensor fusion that combines both radio frequency and IR tracking for continuous target detection and identification in all directions which is shared via MADL to other platforms without compromising low observability.
The F-35's electronic warfare systems are intended to detect hostile aircraft first, which can then be scanned with the electro-optical system and action taken to engage or evade the opponent before the F-35 is detected.

Propulsion
The F-35 Propulsion Systems are the most powerful fighter/attack turbofans in the world. There are two manufacturers with propulsion systems currently being tested. The propulsion systems are interchangeable and both will power the F-35. There are two major engine variants for the F-35. One engine will power the CTOL and CV versions of the aircraft, while the other will power the STOVL version. The F135 engine is made by Pratt & Whitney, the F136 by a team, known as the Fighter Engine Team comprised of General Electric and Rolls-Royce. Both the F135 and the F136 STOVL engines will utilize common exhaust and Lift System systems.
F135
The Pratt & Whitney F135 family of advanced propulsion systems utilize cutting edge technology to provide the F-35 with higher performance than conventional fighter aircraft. The engine consists of a 3-stage fan, a 6-stage compressor, an annular combustor, a single stage high-pressure turbine, and a 2 stage low-pressure turbine.
The F135 is currently in the SDD phase. The F135 is using the lessons learned from the F119 engine core and the JSF119 during the CDA stage to reduce risk in SDD. During SDD the F135 test engines will undergo a range of ground and flight tests to simulate various mission profiles. In these tests the system demonstration engines will be run for hours throughout various flight envelopes to ensure they meet performance requirements. One of the vital milestone tests occured at the end of 2003 with the first F135 engine to test.
The first CTOL F135 engine test occurred on 11 October 2003. The first STOVL F135 engine test occurred on 14 April 2004. To date over 2,000 hours have been accumulated on the F135 test engines.
F136
The GE Rolls-Royce Fighter Engine Team (FET) F136 engine is currently in the Pre-SDD phase. The objective of the F136 Pre-SDD phase is to reduce risk prior to entering SDD. The FET is utilizing technology developed from previous aircraft engine programs to design this engine. The F136 engine consists of a 3-stage fan, 5-stage compressor, a 3-stage low-pressure turbine section and a single stage high-pressure turbine.
The F136 team will transition into the SDD phase of its program later in 2005. The F135 and F136 teams are working closely to develop common propulsion system components.
The first CTOL F136 engine to test occurred on 22 July 2004. The first STOVL F136 engine to test occurred on 10 February 2005. To date, the F136 team has accumulated over 130 hours of engine tests.
Armament
The F-35 will employ a variety of US and allied weapons. From JDAMs to Sidewinders to the UK Storm Shadow, the F-35 has been designed to carry either internally or externally a large array of weapons.
1 × GAU-12/U 25 mm cannon — F-35A mounted internally with 180 rounds, F-35B/C mounted as an external pod with 220 rounds
Internally: 4 x AIM-120 AMRAAM, AIM-9X Sidewinder, or AIM-132 ASRAAM OR 2 x 2,000 lbs. air-to-ground munitions (2 x 1,000 lbs. in F-35B)OR Joint Standoff Weapon OR 4 x Brimstone anti-armor missile, cluster munitions, or HARM missiles.
Externally: The aircraft is equipped with four wings and two wingtip pylons. The use of these increases the aircraft's radar signature. On the wingtips, the aircraft can only mount AIM-9 Sidewinders. A variety of munitions may be used on the wing pylons.
 
Specifications
Type
Multirole fighrter aircraft
Country user
United States
Country producer
United States
Crew
1
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Engine
One Turbofan engines P&W F135 or Rolls-Royce F136
Speed
Maximum speed: 1,800 km/h
Range
2,220 km maximum
Weight
13,300 kg empty (F-35A)
Avionic
AN/APG-81 AESA Radar, Electronic Systems AN/AAQ-37 Distributed Aperture System (DAS) missile warning system, AN/ASQ-239 (Barracuda) electronic warfare system, Harris Corporation Multifunction Advanced Data Link (MADL) communication system
Dimension (F-35A)
Length: 15.7 m; Wingspan: 10.7 m; Height: 4.6 m
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F-35 F-35A CTOL Lightning II Lockheed variants Martin multirole fighter aircraft technical data sheet specifications intelligence description information identification pictures photos images video United States American US USAF Air Force defence industry military technology conventional takeoff and landing
 
F-35 F-35A CTOL Lightning II Lockheed variants Martin multirole fighter aircraft technical data sheet specifications intelligence description information identification pictures photos images video United States American US USAF Air Force defence industry military technology conventional takeoff and landing
F-35 F-35A CTOL Lightning II Lockheed variants Martin multirole fighter aircraft technical data sheet specifications intelligence description information identification pictures photos images video United States American US USAF Air Force defence industry military technology conventional takeoff and landing
F-35 F-35A CTOL Lightning II Lockheed variants Martin multirole fighter aircraft technical data sheet specifications intelligence description information identification pictures photos images video United States American US USAF Air Force defence industry military technology conventional takeoff and landing
F-35 F-35A CTOL Lightning II Lockheed variants Martin multirole fighter aircraft technical data sheet specifications intelligence description information identification pictures photos images video United States American US USAF Air Force defence industry military technology conventional takeoff and landing
 
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