Posted on 06/02/2010 12:47:02 AM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld
The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is a fifth generation, supersonic warplane combining advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility, plus fully-fused sensor and network-enabled capabilities. It is being manufactured in three versions with major degrees of commonality (100 per cent when it comes to the avionics). There is the Conventional Take-off and Landing (CTOL) F-35A, the Short Take-Off and Landing (STOVL) F-35B and the F-35C aircraft carrier variant (CV). The F-35A aims to meet or exceed the performance of the F-16 while offering greater range, stealth, enhanced lethality and lower operating/support costs. The F-35C is strengthened for US Navy carrier operations. Standard internal payload for CTOL and CV versions is two AMRAAM air-to-air missiles and two 2,000lb precision air-to-surface weapons.
In-between comes the STOVL F-35B. The F-35B poses the greatest technological challenge in that it needs a powerful new 41,000lb thrust engine that could both hover and transition smoothly to supersonic performance. 'Bring back to the deck' capability dictated a reduction in the size of the weapons bay, so the F-35B's Initial Operational Requirement (IOR) is two 1,000lb precision weapons to be carried internally. In 2002, the British MoD announced the STOVL variant as its preferred choice, though that decision has yet to be confirmed formally. The UK is paying $3.8bn towards the development of JSF, which includes a $2bn contribution to the F-35 systems development and demonstration (SDD) phase. The latter will provide UK specific development activity, such as British weapons integration, integration of the aircraft on the Queen Elizabeth class carriers and other UK unique requirements, such as a tailored airworthiness and safety case. In a ceremony on 7 July 2006 at Fort Worth, the F-35 made its public debut and was named Lightning II. .
(Excerpt) Read more at defencemanagement.com ...
That’s a pretty lame weapons load out.
Excellent!
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