F-35 and its Versatility: 1000 Jets Milestone

The F-35B short takeoff/vertical landing variant is operated by the United States Marine Corps (USMC), the United Kingdom (UK), and the Italian Air Force. Lastly, the F-35C carrier variant is designed for aircraft carrier operations and is operated by the US Navy as well as the USMC. All three models of this aircraft share similar performance traits alongside sophisticated cutting-edge avionics[1]. This feature allows its users to attain service-specific mission capability due to the differences between models while still benefiting from the economies of scale brought about by the parts and procedures that are shared by all three variations.

Technical Details:

In an incredibly complex aircraft, pilots can be even more precise and devastating due to the jet's cutting-edge sensor and stealth systems.The improved situational awareness of the F-35 cockpit gives the pilot access to extensive data, including opponent position and information allowing pilots to find their targets and identify which radar blips are the friendlieswith real-time data, refuting any lapse in situational awareness[2].

The F-35 can move at a speed of up to Mach 1.6 carrying four weapons as an internal payload without losing its stealth, however, the computing power of the F-35 is what actually makes a difference, not its weapons. Because of this, the F-35 has earned the nicknames "quarterbacks in the sky" and "a computer that just so happens to fly."Two AIM-120C/D air-to-air missiles and two 1,000-pound GBU-32 JDAM guided bombs are included in the standard weapons payload of all three F-35 models, enabling the F-35 to engage both airborne and ground-based targets. A new internal weapons carriage created by Lockheed Martin will eventually let it carry two more missiles internally [3].

The F-35's helmet, which represents many of its ground-breaking capabilities, has altered the role of the pilot. The conventional heads-up display in the cockpit is replaced by a sophisticated helmet visor which displays all the data pilots require to perform their missions namely, airspeed, heading, altitude, targeting information, and warnings. The Distributed Aperture System (DAS) of the F-35 gives its pilots a 360-degree picture of the outdoors through the numerous sensors built into the aircraft [4].

Induction history:

TheF-35 Joint Strike Fighter achieved initial operational capability (IOC) with the USMC in 2015 after a final evaluation revealed that the aircraft and its crew were not only prepared to fight abroad if necessary but could alsomaintain and support the aircraft throughout prolonged operations [5]. The fighter jet used by the Marines was the first of its three variants to gain IOC. 

TheUSAF declared that its first squadron of F-35As was ready for combat in 2016. Following this, the 34th Fighter Squadron at Hill Air Force Base in Utah, which is the service's first operational F-35 unit, was able to engage in combat operations anywhere in the world. The USAF is the joint strike fighter program's single-largest client, along with theUSMC, the US Navy, and several international governments [6].

Later in February 2019, the F-35C Joint Strike Fighter of the US Navy was designated operationally prepared to deploy and carry out missions anywhere in the world. After conducting carrier qualifications aboard USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) in early December 2018, receiving its safe-for-flight operations certification on December 12, and spending the following weeks collaborating with the Navy's test community to demonstrate its capability to fly and maintain the new stealthy jets, the squadron issued the IOC declaration. The Navy hadkept February 2019 as the acceptable timeframe, despite having wanted to declare IOC by August 2018 [7].

Versatility and Features:

The F-35 owes its versatility to a unique blend of features. Apart from advanced avionics and stealth, the aircraft provides multirole functions like intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), Virtual Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) capability, and a combat radius of approximately 1090 km (590 nautical miles or 680 miles). It must be noted that this aircraft cannot carry the same level of maneuvers as some 4^thgeneration fighters because its design is focused on stealth and sensors and less on maneuverability.Given its sophisticated technology and complex systems, the F-35 requires a great deal of maintenance. To guarantee that its systems are operating properly, it necessitates routine software upgrades, diagnostic inspections, and a trained maintenance staff that couldutilizespecialized equipment to maintain the aircraft [8]. Due to its sophisticated technology and demanding maintenance needs, the F-35 is naturally a more expensive aircraft.

The F-35 was developed as a family of fighters that uses similar technologies. The Air Force model is far more effective at air-to-air combat, air-to-ground strikes, suppressing enemy air defenses, and gathering reconnaissance data. With the capacity to land and take off vertically and deliver close air support to ground forces, the Marine variant enhances these capabilities. The Navy model can fly approximately 700 miles without needing to refuel in the air and can transport heavy payloads farther than older aircraft.

All three models are equipped with cutting-edge electronic warfare devices and other tools for conducting information operations.The F-35 is significantly more effective than previous tactical aircraft at carrying out kinetic and non-kinetic strikes given the connectivity provided by secure digital networking. With maximum stealth, the fighter can carry over 5,000 pounds of ammunition, or if necessary, it can also carry an external payload for a total of 22,000 pounds of ordnance[9].

The adaptability of the F-35, which can be tailored to match the exact requirements of a given mission, is one of its main advantages.The F-35 also features a "beast mode" that, when activated, makes it even deadlier by carrying armaments both inside the internal storage and on the wing-mounted pylons.The aircraft's interior bay can accommodate 2.6 tonnes of ammunition in standard stealth mode. As enemy anti-air systems are defeated and the F-35 is no longer dependent on stealth for survival, beast mode, which nearly quadruples that to 10 tonnes, becomes more useful.

The Aegis Combat System, an integrated naval weapons system that employs computers and radar to guide multiple weapons to strike targets, is one of the F-35's partners.The F-35's contribution to Aegis is to increase the range of targets that can be detected by conducting stealth missions far into hostile territory. Along with being a crucial supporter of an Aegis system, the F-35 increases the potency and range of Tomahawk cruise missiles. Furthermore, F-35 pilots can coordinate operations with fourth-generation aircraft, such as the F-15 Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, and the Eurofighter Typhoon, making them deadlier in the process as theycarry onboard computers to fuse the acquired data [10].

The F-35 international market:

The aircraft has a broad industrial support base all over the world. Initially founded in 1995 by nine international partners: the USA, UK, Italy, Turkey, the Netherlands, Norway, Australia, Canada, and Denmark, more countries expressed interest in the program. As a result, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Belgium, and Poland came on board as foreign military sales (FMS) customers, bringing the total to more than a dozen [11].Through participation, the allies guarantee that forces fighting in coalition warfare in the future will have comparable capabilities, making the execution of war plans simpler and operationally efficient.

Six air forces have carried out military operations, including the Israeli attack on Iranian targets in Syria, during which the F-35 remained undetected as was expected. As a result, the F-35 is rapidly replacing older fighters bolstering the worldwide air superiority that is essential to the USA and its allies’ war preparations [12].The F-35 aims to strengthen global alliances through its characteristics of being the most networked, most linked, least detectable, and most highly survivable, not only enhancing national security but driving economic prosperity as well.

1000 Jets Milestone:

BAE Systems has played a significant role in the development, production, and maintenance of the aircraft.The 1,000th rear fuselage for the F-35 was delivered by BAE Systems to Lockheed Martin in February 2023. The company facilities in Samlesbury, Lancashire, which is home to more than 1,500 workers is the site where every F-35 rear fuselage in the world fleet has been manufactured [13].

At the company's factory in Fort Worth, Texas, the final construction of the 1,000th Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fighter jet started that same month. The significant delivery represents progress in the aircraft's manufacturing effort, which witnessed a steady ramp-up in production and a growth in export sales.Although it is improbable that the precise engine will be used on the 1,000th fuselage, Pratt & Whitney delivered the 1,000th engine for the aircraft in September 2022. According to a 2021 prediction by Lockheed Martin, the 1,000th F-35 would be delivered in 2023 [14]. But at that time, the program ran into serious issues, one of which was the revelation that the cobalt and samarium alloy metals used in the aircraft were of Chinese origin [15]. 

Way Forward:

Given the versatility and combat advantages that the F-35 holistically provides considering the shared technology aspect, its demand has found new heights with its global user base to be expanding. Recently, Israel declared a new F-35 orderon 02 July, stating it would add 25 more planes to the 50 it has already bought [16].  Additionally, the Czech Republic is to replace the Saab JAS-39C Gripen fighters they have been leasing with 24 F-35s after receiving approval from the US State Department [17].In this light, it appears to be getting difficult for manufacturer Lockheed Martin to meet the demand with a cap of 156 aircraft for the year, despite increased demand from the US Air Force and American allies across the world[18]. The issue is made worse by the lengthening supply chain bottlenecks, the constrained infrastructure at the production facilities, and the postponed engine refurbishment programs.Hence, the manufacturers at Lockheed Martin and its global industrial base will have to rise to the challenge in order to keep up with the demands.

Endnotes:

1.      F-35 Brochure, F-35 Lightning II, Lockheed Martin https://www.lockheedmartin.com/content/dam/lockheed-martin/aero/documents/F-35/f35-brochure.pdf

2.      The F-35: How it works, The Washington Post, https://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/brand-connect/the-f-35-how-it-works/

3.      Alex Hollings, Why the F-35 Fighter Jet Is Such a Badass Plane, Popular Mechanics, 22 July 2023 https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/aviation/a35281371/f-35-history/

4.      The F-35: How it works, The Washington Post, https://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/brand-connect/the-f-35-how-it-works/

5.      Megan Eckstein, Marines Declare Initial Operational Capability on F-35B Joint Strike Fighter, USNI News, 31 July 2015 https://news.usni.org/2015/07/31/marines-declare-initial-operational-capability-on-f-35b-joint-strike-fighter

6.      Valerie Insinna, Air Force Declares F-35A Ready for Combat, Defense News, 02 August 2016 https://www.defensenews.com/breaking-news/2016/08/02/air-force-declares-f-35a-ready-for-combat/

7.      Megan Eckstein, Navy Declares Initial Operational Capability for F-35C Joint Strike Fighter, USNI News, 28 February 2019 https://news.usni.org/2019/02/28/navy-declares-initial-operational-capability-for-f-35c-joint-strike-fighter

8.      Comparing the F35 and SU35: A Comprehensive Analysis, Defensebridge, 26 March 2023 https://defensebridge.com/article/comparing-the-f35-and-su35-a-comprehensive-analysis.html

9.      Loren Thompson, 10 Reasons Nearly Nothing Can Stop the F-35 Stealth Fighter, Lockheed Martin, 04 March 2021 https://www.lockheedmartin.com/f35/news-and-features/10-reasons-nearly-nothing-can-stop-the-f35-stealth-fighter.html

10.  F-35 fighters give US, allies versatile weapon as global threats increase, Caravanserai, 18 April 2023 https://central.asia-news.com/en_GB/articles/cnmi_ca/features/2023/04/18/feature-04

11.  Suman Sharma, F-35: Markets and Partners, European Security and Defence, 03 November 2022 https://euro-sd.com/2022/11/articles/26775/f-35-markets-and-partners/

12.  Loren Thompson, 10 Reasons Nearly Nothing Can Stop the F-35 Stealth Fighter, Lockheed Martin, 04 March 2021https://www.lockheedmartin.com/f35/news-and-features/10-reasons-nearly-nothing-can-stop-the-f35-stealth-fighter.html

13.  BAE delivers 1,000th F-35 Lightning II fuselage to Lockheed Martin in major milestone for the world’s largest defense programme, Seapower Magazine, 09 February 2023 https://seapowermagazine.org/bae-delivers-1000th-f-35-lightning-ii-fuselage-to-lockheed-martin-in-major-milestone-for-the-worlds-largest-defense-programme/

14.  ValiusVenckunas, Assembly of 1,000^th Lockheed Martin F-35 begins, Aerotime Hub, 02 February 2023 https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/assembly-of-1000th-lockheed-martin-f-35-begins

15.  Clement Charpentreau, Pentagon suspends F-35 deliveries over use of alloy made in China, Aerotime Hub, 11 September, 2022 https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/32139-pentagon-suspends-f-35-delivery-china-components

16.  Israel to buy 25 more F-35 stealth jets in $3 billion deal, Reuters, 02 July 2023 https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-buy-25-more-f-35-stealth-jets-3-bln-deal-2023-07-02/

17.  John A. Tirpak, State Department Greenlights F-35 Sale for Czech Republic, Air and Space Forces Magazine, 30 June 2023 https://www.airandspaceforces.com/state-department-f-35-sale-czech-republic/

18.  Prakash Nanda, 1000 F-35 Stealth Jets! Lockheed Closes-In On Big Milestone But Must Overcome Hurdles To Produce Enough Fighters, The Eurasian Times, 11 July 2023 https://www.eurasiantimes.com/1000-f-35-stealth-jets-lockheed-closes-in-on-big-milestone/

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(The views expressed are those of the author and do not represent views of CESCUBE.)