F-35
The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a single-engine, fifth-generation multirole fighter developed under the Joint Strike Fighter contract awarded in October 2001, the largest combat aircraft program in history. It flies in three variants built around one requirement set: conventional runways for air forces, short takeoff and vertical landing for amphibious operations, and catapult launch for US Navy carriers.
Lockheed Martin delivered a record 191 aircraft in 2025, taking the fleet past 1,330 jets and one million flight hours, and 20 nations have ordered or operate the type as of mid-2026. Combat employment over Iran in June 2025, where F-35s escorted the B-2 strikes of Operation Midnight Hammer, turned two decades of program controversy into the type's defining operational proof.
F-35 at a glance
The three variants share a common structure and the Pratt & Whitney F135 engine but differ in how they take off, land and deploy.
Variant comparison
| Specification | F-35A | F-35B | F-35C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Takeoff / landing | Conventional takeoff and landing | Short takeoff and vertical landing | Carrier-based, catapult and arrestor |
| Primary operator | Air forces, USAF and allies | US Marine Corps, UK, Italy, Japan | US Navy |
| Combat radius | ~590 nm | ~450 nm | ~615 nm |
| Internal gun | Yes, 25 mm GAU-22 | No, gun pod option | No, gun pod option |
| Distinguishing feature | Baseline variant, the great majority of deliveries | Shaft-driven lift fan for vertical landing | Larger folding wings and strengthened landing gear |
The F-35B entered service with the US Marine Corps in July 2015, the first of the three variants declared operational. Its short takeoff and vertical landing design answers the Marine Corps requirement to operate from amphibious assault ships, while the F-35A carries the bulk of the programme and the F-35C brings stealth to the carrier deck.
Full specifications
Latest F-35 coverage from AeroTime
Operators
Frequently asked questions
The F-35A is the conventional takeoff and landing variant flown by air forces; the F-35B is the short takeoff and vertical landing variant developed for the US Marine Corps; the F-35C is the larger-winged carrier variant flown by the US Navy.
Twenty nations operate or have ordered the F-35, with more than 1,330 aircraft delivered since 2011.
Lockheed Martin is the prime contractor, with Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems as principal partners. The engine is the Pratt & Whitney F135.