F-35 Fighter Jet Variants Explained: The Distinct Features Of Each Model
Story by Justin Owen • 11mo • 9 min read
The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter is the pinnacle of aviation engineering and jet fighter technology. Though it is an extraordinarily expensive aircraft, it comes packed with the most innovative and technically advanced aeronautical systems manufactured to date. Not only is it used by the United States Air Force, Navy, and Marines, but eight other countries keep this advanced aircraft in their inventories for self-defense. The planned procurement for the United States Armed Forces totals 1,762 units for the Air Force, 693 for the Navy and Marines, and hundreds more for overseas buyers, making it the most numerous of any fifth-generation fighter jet in use today.
Previous fighters have been built with specific roles in mind, such as fighter or bomber, and have been made to be used in specific environments, such as an aircraft carrier. This led to the various branches of the military having multiple airframes to maintain along with the continuous supply chain for parts for each model. The F-35 differs by having a single airframe with various alterations to make it suitable for use in a variety of scenarios while utilizing many of the same parts, thus reducing its logistical overhead. However, this means the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is built into multiple variants, so here is a look at each one and what makes them unique.
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