F-35 Lightning II

Lore & Background

The F-35 Lightning II is a single-seat, single-engine, supersonic stealth strike fighter designed for air superiority, strike missions, electronic warfare, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. It has three main variants: the conventional takeoff and landing F-35A, the short take-off and vertical-landing F-35B, and the catapult-assisted take-off but arrested recovery F-35C. With over 880 aircraft in service, it is the world’s fourth-most-numerous military aircraft and the most numerous stealth aircraft. The aircraft descends from the Lockheed Martin X-35, which won the Joint Strike Fighter program in 2001 to replace the F-16, F/A-18, and AV-8B Harrier II. Development was primarily funded by the United States with contributions from select NATO members and Australia; Turkey was removed from the program in 2019. The F-35 first flew in 2006, with variants entering U.S. service between 2015 and 2019. It first saw combat in 2018 during Israeli strikes in Syria, and has since been used by the U.S., Israel, and the UK in various theaters. The F-35A can deliver two B61 nuclear bombs, and several nations plan to operate nuclear-capable variants. The U.S. plans to acquire 2,456 F-35s through 2044, making it a cornerstone of NATO and allied air power through 2088.

Reader's Guide

The F-35 program has attracted substantial criticism due to its enormous scale, technical complexity, escalating costs, and production delays, which were partly a result of beginning low-rate initial manufacturing while development was still ongoing. The F-35A variant is capable of carrying two B61 nuclear bombs, and several nations, including Belgium, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom, intend to acquire nuclear-capable F-35As; Israel’s F-35I variant may also be configured to deliver Israeli nuclear weapons. The aircraft first saw combat during Israeli strikes in Syria in 2018, followed by US Marine Corps F-35B operations in Afghanistan later that year, and US Navy F-35C missions in Yemen in 2024. Subsequent combat use has included US operations in Iraq, Iran, and Venezuela; Israeli missions in Gaza, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, and Yemen; and UK sorties over Iraq and Syria. The United States plans to procure 2,456 F-35s through 2044, making the type the backbone of American crewed tactical aviation for decades, and it is expected to remain in service until 2088. The program’s total projected cost through that year is approximately $2 trillion, roughly half attributable to inflation. As of 2024, average flyaway costs (excluding engines) were $82.5 million for the F-35A, $109 million for the F-35B, and $102.1 million for the F-35C, with each F135 engine costing $20.4 million.

Did You Know?

• The F-35 has three main variants: the conventional takeoff and landing F-35A, the short take-off and vertical-landing F-35B, and the catapult-assisted take-off but arrested recovery F-35C.

The Tiered Partnership Architecture

The F-35 program was conceived as a multinational venture from its earliest planning stages, with numerous nations expected to both contribute to manufacturing and ultimately procure the aircraft for their own armed forces. The partnership operates through three distinct participation levels that reflect each country's financial stake, the scope of technology transfer and subcontract opportunities available to its domestic industry, and its priority in receiving production aircraft. Level 2 partners Italy and the Netherlands contribute one billion and eight hundred million dollars respectively. Israel and Singapore hold a separate status as security cooperative participants. In total, the eight non-U.S.

The Economics of Scale and Cost

The financial magnitude of the F-35 program is immense. Total development costs are estimated to exceed 40 billion dollars, while purchasing an estimated 2,400 aircraft is projected to require an additional 200 billion.

The Software Sovereignty Dispute

One of the most contentious issues facing the F-35's international partners involves access to the aircraft's computer software code. The Lightning II depends heavily on software for radar operation, weapons systems, flight controls, and maintenance procedures. The U.S. military declared that no partner nation would receive access to these codes, with all software upgrades to be conducted exclusively on American soil. This unilateral decision generated widespread dissatisfaction among Australia, Britain, Canada, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, and Turkey. The United Kingdom went so far as to indicate it might cancel its entire F-35 order if denied coding access, arguing that without it the nation would be unable to maintain its own aircraft. Allen Sens, a defence analyst at the University of British Columbia, called the situation really quite unusual given that these were among America's closest allies. He suggested the decision may stem from software security concerns or Congressional pressure to protect domestic jobs. The episode highlighted a fundamental tension: nations investing hundreds of millions in development yet remaining dependent on a single country for the most critical operational knowledge.

Diplomatic Maneuvering and Alliance Strains

The F-35's international rollout has been marked by significant diplomatic friction. diplomatic cables revealed that the State Department was actively marketing the aircraft through diplomatic channels and had applied serious pressure on Norway to purchase it. Jeff Abramson of the Arms Control Association characterized this push as part of the Obama administration's national export initiative, aimed at doubling American export sales through increased arms transactions. Several partner nations, including the UK, Norway, the Netherlands, and Israel, publicly wavered in their commitment at various points, hinting that design goals were overambitious or threatening to pivot toward the Eurofighter Typhoon, Saab JAS 39 Gripen, or Dassault Rafale if they did not receive more subcontracts and technology transfer. European participation in the JSF project effectively divided the continent and helped preempt a unified European fifth-generation fighter program, undercutting exports for their existing models.

Common Misconceptions (Editorial)

Some believe the F-35 is a single model with one role, but the facts show it has three distinct variants—the F-35A, F-35B, and F-35C—each tailored for different takeoff and recovery methods. Another misconception is that the F-35 was developed from scratch; in truth, it was the product of the Joint Strike Fighter program, which merged several existing 1980s and 1990s combat aircraft programs.

Why It Matters (Editorial)

The F-35 Lightning II matters because it represents a generational leap in multirole combat capability, combining stealth, supersonic speed, and advanced electronic warfare in a single platform. Its endurance in modern air forces is driven by the need for a versatile, networked aircraft that can perform air superiority, strike, and surveillance missions, making it a cornerstone of allied defense strategies for decades to come.

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