F‑35A Lightning II

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Photo Credit: af.mil

Airframe & Dimensions

  • Wingspan: 35 feet (10.7 meters)
  • Length: 51 feet (15.7 meters)
  • Height: 14 feet (4.38 meters)
  • Maximum Takeoff Weight: 70,000 pound class
  • Fuel Capacity: Internal: 18,498 pounds
  • Payload: 18,000 pounds (8,160 kilograms)

Performance

  • Max Speed: Mach 1.6 (~1,200 mph / ~1,930 km/h)
  • Ceiling: >15 km (>50,000 ft)
  • Max G-Rating: 9.0 G
  • Range (Internal Fuel): More than 1,350 miles with internal fuel (1,200+ nautical miles), unlimited with aerial refueling
  • Fuel Consumption:
    • Max Thrust/Afterburner: ~5,600+ liters/hr (~1,500+ gallons/hr)
    • Stealth/Efficient Mode: Optimized for long-range missions

Propulsion — Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100

  • Type: Single afterburning turbofan
  • Thrust: ~40,000 lbs (Military Power) / ~43,000 lbs (Full Afterburner)
  • Core Components:
    • 3-stage fan
    • 6-stage compressor
    • Annular combustor
    • 1-stage high-pressure turbine
    • 2-stage low-pressure turbine
  • Adaptability: Configured for F‑35A, F‑35B, and F‑35C variants

Crew

  • Pilot: 1

Armament

  • Internal Gun System:
    • GAU‑22/A 25mm cannon
    • 181 rounds with burst limiter
  • Internal Weapons (Stealth Mode):
    • 2 × AIM‑120C/D AMRAAM (Air-to-Air)
    • 2 × GBU‑31 JDAM (2,000 lb Air-to-Ground)
  • External Weapons (Beast Mode):
    • AIM‑9X Sidewinder (Short-Range Air-to-Air)
    • Additional guided bombs, including laser-guided variants

Avionics & Cockpit Systems

  • Panoramic Cockpit Display (PCD): Large touchscreen replacing traditional gauges
  • Helmet Mounted Display System (HMDS): 360° see-through visor with DAS imagery
  • Sensor Fusion: Unified battlespace picture from radar, EOTS, and DAS
  • HOTAS Controls: Hands-On Throttle-And-Stick for intuitive system management
  • Situational Awareness: Superior visibility and reduced pilot workload

Radar & Sensor Suite

  • AN/APG‑81 AESA Radar: Long-range targeting, electronic warfare, ISR
  • AN/AAQ‑37 DAS: Six IR cameras providing 360° spherical view and missile warning
  • EOTS: Stealthy FLIR + IRST targeting system beneath the nose
  • AN/ASQ‑239 EW Suite: Automated countermeasures, jamming, disruption
  • CNI Suite: Integrated communications, navigation, identification, Link‑16 data sharing
  • HMDS Integration: Helmet display projects DAS imagery directly to visor

Stealth & Survivability

  • Low Observable Design: Radar-absorbent materials, angular shaping, minimized radar cross-section (as small as a golf ball)
  • Internal Carriage: Weapons and fuel stored internally to preserve stealth; external stores used in “beast mode”

Modernization

  • Block 4 Upgrade: Planned AN/APG‑85 radar and enhanced sensor suite


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