The F-35 Lightning II, Lockheed Martin’s fifth-generation stealth fighter aircraft has had its share of setbacks and criticisms that also helped it to carve a special position for itself in the U.S. military. The F-35 Lightning II has now become the world’s most dominant multi-role fighter jet, according to many defence analysts. The threat identification and system response capabilities of the jet allow it to precisely tackle and destroy the most advanced threats in the world including Russia’s latest SA-20 surface-to-air missile (SAM) system. The F-35 fighter program continues to dominate the global market for tactical aircraft. The U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps have tailored versions of the aircraft active in duty. Six Foreign Military Sales customers are also procuring and operating the F-35 — Israel, Japan, South Korea, Poland, Belgium and Singapore. While it has several drawbacks, the F-35 is the most lethal and cost-effective fighter in or nearing production within the NATO Alliance. Here are 5 reasons that place the F-35 among best stealth fighter jets:
Versatility- The F-35 fighter aircraft is designed to execute a wide range of mission types. The stealth configuration of the fighter contains four AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles for air to air missions or a combination of four air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles. The Beast Mode sacrifices stealth performance to provide maximum firepower.
Interoperability- The onboard sensors of the F-35 fighter can generate real-time pictures of the battlefield and share the live information with friendly ops stations and units. This way it enhances the capabilities of friendly units, in air or ground, by providing information they otherwise wouldn’t have access to.
Stealth- The F-35’s airframe is coated in radar-absorbent materials and it generates a minimal rada-cross section (RCS). This feature makes the jet apt for penetration missions deep inside enemy territory.
Electronic Warfare- The fighter jet is equipped with AN/APG-81 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar which makes it capable of tracking multiple moving targets from over 150 km. The AN/ASQ-239 counter-measures offers warning receiver, jamming capabilities, as well as rapid response and situational awareness features.
Cost-Effectiveness- The costs of the F-35 have always been a leading objection to the program. On the bright side, the aircraft comes fully equipped and it is already experiencing combat deployments. The cost per model of the aircraft has dipped significantly in recent years.
